(PS: The characteristics of Soviet railway construction mentioned in the previous chapter are not fabricated, but are from two reports written by a friend's grandfather during the Korean War. Because of these two reports, this senior received medal commendations twice. Here again, I pay tribute to the revolutionary predecessors.)

He read the documents all night. After breakfast, He Rui was considering whether to sleep for a while or read until past two in the afternoon before sleeping. The secretary on shift, following the work process, finished reading today's schedule and asked He Rui, "Chairman, Minister Hu is getting married today. Will the Chairman go?"

He Rui was stunned for a moment before remembering that 'Minister Hu' referred to General Logistics Department Minister Hu Xiushan. He Rui could now completely skip anyone's weddings or funerals; sending a gift and making a phone call to congratulate would be considered a great courtesy. But for Hu Xiushan's wedding, He Rui had to go. Because among the six people from Baoding Military Academy who followed him initially, He Rui had attended the weddings of the other five. If he didn't go to Hu Xiushan's wedding, it would inevitably be interpreted politically by others.

It was already past 8 o'clock. Hu Xiushan's wedding started before 12 o'clock. If He Rui set off at 11 o'clock, there were still more than two hours left. He Rui stood up, washed his face, and began to wander in the small garden downstairs of the office building. The courtyard was full of greenery; the green plants were not exotic flowers or herbs. The only relatively attractive ones were two Chinese Toon trees. They were also the only trees He Rui knew how to handle a little.

Sawing off the upper end of the Chinese Toon tree trunk every year, the tender Chinese Toon shoots that sprouted were easy to pick. Putting some tender Chinese Toon shoots when scrambling eggs or eating noodles was very flavorful.

However, He Rui had no intention of picking Chinese Toon leaves at this time, so he paced slowly in the courtyard with his hands behind his back. The Great Demobilization meant that preparations for the next war had already begun. Who would serve as the Chief of General Staff at this stage was a major issue at present. Xu Jia had been engaged in the work of the Organization Department and had long left the army. Even if Cheng Ruofan was capable of being the Chief of General Staff, he had to be replaced.

He Rui favored Hu Xiushan more. Because during the meeting to determine the Great Demobilization, Hu Xiushan asked He Rui a question: 'Did He Rui consider including the Japanese Navy in the Chinese combat order for the future war long ago?' This was a very good question because it actually concerned strategy.

If Cheng Ruofan had raised this, He Rui would feel that Cheng Ruofan made the judgment immediately after seeing a few clues and linking the relationships between them. He Rui also knew that this might be his stereotype of Cheng Ruofan. After all, Cheng Ruofan was smart enough and very keen. And this cleverness and keenness were undoubtedly talents a tactician must have.

Hu Xiushan might have such ability, but Hu Xiushan was that kind of meticulous and very serious comrade. So He Rui felt that Hu Xiushan speaking like this was likely out of strategic consideration. If a soldier with strategic ability starts from strategic consideration, the first question to consider is how to define the criteria for friends and enemies. After having criteria, then judge who will be our enemies and who will be our friends.

After having a basic judgment, take purposeful actions against friends and enemies. Divide and weaken enemies; approach and unite friends. To accomplish these goals, spending 10 years is not considered much. How can a country have 10 years to waste? So a strategist is of immense significance to a country and an army.

Not only the army, but leaders with strategic capabilities must undertake work in various fields. The work He Rui set for himself was economy and ideology. The future war would be a world war. China must have strong production capacity and ideological influence to withstand the consumption of a world war.

Various materials flashed through He Rui's mind, combining into various ideas. He Rui walked quietly like this, turning a blind eye to everything around him.

The secretaries saw He Rui walking round and round like a donkey pulling a millstone, but didn't know what he was thinking. They could only leave one person waiting outside the small garden gate with the guard, while others went back to handle work first. After 10 o'clock, Zhao Tianlin came to see He Rui. Led into the small garden by the secretary, he saw He Rui sitting in the garden deep in thought. Zhao Tianlin stepped forward and asked, "Chairman, can you give me some time?"

Seeing it was Zhao Tianlin, He Rui smiled, "Brother Zhao is here; how could I not have time?" After speaking, He Rui remembered he had to attend Hu Xiushan's wedding and added, "There is only one hour today."

Zhao Tianlin himself often interrupted some of He Rui's thoughts, so he didn't ask why at this time and directly stated the purpose of his visit. "The US government transmitted information through some channels, wanting to determine if we would propose suggestions for consultation to the United States regarding the 'Chinese Exclusion Act'."

"How did Brother Zhao reply?"

"I haven't replied yet. But my feeling is, should we let the United States know that we will absolutely not propose it on our own initiative?"

Hearing that Zhao Tianlin didn't give the US a direct answer, He Rui emphasized immediately, "Absolutely do not answer. Not only you shouldn't answer, but anyone outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shouldn't answer either. What we need to do is screen and restrict US personnel in China. If anyone asks for the reason, tell them that the US government is a barbaric government, and US culture is a barbaric culture. As a civilized country, in order not to let the barbaric US culture have a negative impact on the normal operation of Chinese civilization, we must make Americans in China clearly identifiable. Americans who grew up under barbaric culture cannot participate in some commercial activities that can only be participated in by civilized people."

"This will encounter a cultural counterattack from the US, right? For example, an American peer has already said to me, 'At least I graduated from Harvard Law School'."

"That can be answered very easily. In our Chinese culture, we always believe that there is no one in the world who is good for nothing. Even barbarians have their merits. Going to the United States to study is because the United States has merits in science and technology and legal research. We naturally will go to learn. But merits in science and technology and law cannot change the essence that American culture is a barbaric culture."

Zhao Tianlin confirmed the idea of attacking the United States at this time and felt he could deal with subsequent questions. Only then did he turn the topic to more pragmatic political aspects. "Chairman, will our diplomatic offensive against the United States affect our substantive relationship with the United States?"

"Our offensive will instead make the US upper class seriously consider realistic interest relations. If the issue of the 'Chinese Exclusion Act' cannot be resolved, and we launch comprehensive cooperation with the United States, the United States will use interests to pressure us not to change the Exclusion Act. If the Exclusion Act is not abolished, trade and personnel exchanges between China and the US cannot be confirmed through formal agreements. Once problems arise, the United States can use the Exclusion Act as their excuse to persecute our personnel and actions in the United States. This persecution is two-way; we also won't be able to obtain American human resources and technology."

Zhao Tianlin also felt He Rui's view was correct, but Zhao Tianlin felt the United States might not necessarily make concessions first. "Chairman, the US situation is actually very good now; they can drag it out."

He Rui waved his hand, expressing disagreement. "I think the United States precisely cannot drag it out, because the US strategic situation has entered a bottleneck. Under the world order constructed by the British, the United States can only shrink in the Americas. Britain is now willing to recognize the East Asian order we constructed and incorporate the East Asian order into the world order constructed by the British, becoming a stable support for this new order. Now that Japan has had a revolution, rapprochement between China and Japan has become inevitable. If the United States cannot break through the existing order, they will be blockaded on the North American continent for decades to come. If they want to break through, relying on the projection capability of the US Navy, does the US want to attack Europe across the Atlantic? Or attack China in the Western Pacific? Japan? Or the Soviet Union?"

Zhao Tianlin thought for a while and marveled slightly, "Looking at the strategic situation this way, the United States is indeed very strong, but it is blockaded on the North American continent. The security brought by the two oceans is also America's prison. China has geographically closed circles, but at least it is on the World Island, and its connection with the outside world is closer than the United States."

"The North Atlantic economic circle relies on developed shipping and is the most economically prosperous region in the world today. Britain values the economic role of the United States, but politically positions the United States as a nouveau riche who pays money, completely excluding consideration of intervening in European affairs."

"If the United States wants to break the cage, they would hope we provoke a war against Britain... No wonder Britain accepted Sino-British peace so nimbly. The seemingly incomparable pro-British speech the Chairman asked Minister Yan to deliver was to squeeze America's strategic space, right?" After deepening his consideration of strategy, Zhao Tianlin's thinking became much clearer.

"Even speaking from vulgar profit theory, we have already stated our position to Britain. If Britain wants to use us to blockade the United States, they have to use benefits to buy us. Since we have already asked Britain for a price, the United States must pay a higher price to obtain a strategic breakthrough. And the United States really doesn't lack money." After speaking, seeing the frowned brows of this scholar Zhao Tianlin and the slight unhappiness inadvertently revealed about this vulgar politics, He Rui couldn't help laughing.

Although Zhao Tianlin didn't like this kind of dark realist political consideration, he also understood that this was indispensable for any country. He wasn't really unhappy. However, at this time, a determination of Zhao Tianlin was also strengthened. He said, "Chairman, I have decided to join the International Human Rights Organization currently being prepared, so I plan to resign from all public offices."

"I agree." He Rui expressed his attitude decisively.

Zhao Tianlin knew very well that He Rui was not being so straightforward out of spite, so he continued to ask, "Does the Chairman have any other suggestions for me?"

"Since it is an international organization, try to strengthen its academic background as much as possible. Since Europe and America always talk about academic freedom, we must fully strengthen the characteristics of this part. The International Human Rights Organization does not need to have hierarchical divisions in organizational structure; it must be made into an equal relationship content like an academic alliance. As for the headquarters of the International Human Rights Organization being located in China, I will talk about it when I meet you next time." As he spoke, He Rui stood up and said to the secretary who was already standing not far away, deliberately trying to attract He Rui's attention, "Prepare a bit; I'm setting off immediately."

Zhao Tianlin also stood up. "When is the next time?"

"Ask my office. If there are no special arrangements tomorrow, then tomorrow. If there are arrangements, then ask the secretariat to bring the next meeting forward as much as possible."

Watching He Rui's retreating figure, Zhao Tianlin recalled the conversation just now and was very emotional about He Rui's mentality. He Rui's mentality possessed both strong idealism and was ruthless in the field of realist politics. Whether facing Japan, Britain, or the United States, He Rui would first construct a strategic situation as unfavorable to them as possible strategically, and then fully utilize the strategic desperate situations of those countries to obtain China's interests. In the field of realist politics, He Rui was truly a typical example of not letting go until the goal is reached.

What made Zhao Tianlin sigh even more was that up to now, He Rui had won one stunning victory after another. If not seeing it with his own eyes, Zhao Tianlin would never dare to believe there was really such a possibility.

Sigh... With a sigh, Zhao Tianlin decided to go talk to Xu Jia, who was in charge of the Organization Department. A Vice Premier resigning from all public offices would be a rather complicated matter.