Stuart ultimately took the same train as the American director of Tsinghua School to Tianjin. Stuart felt he wasn't escaping, but he knew very well that he could never accept another experience of being sent to the epidemic prevention station in an iron cage. That sense of humiliation, especially the earth-shaking change in status in China, was unbearable for Stuart.

The "American in China" mark he had to wear, as well as the blue quarantine clearance mark. The American identity documents in his pocket and the quarantine certificate all made Stuart feel painful.

Many Chinese on the same train confirmed the identity of Stuart and others as Americans in China through these marks. The disdain on their faces further shattered Stuart's feelings for China.

It wasn't until Stuart and others arrived at Tianjin Railway Station and saw the banner of the US Consulate in Tianjin coming to welcome them outside the station that Stuart felt he had hope. The US Consulate in Tianjin chartered several passenger ships and decided that Americans leaving China immediately should board quickly. Stuart was lucky and was assigned to the first class with other American educators in China.

Early the next morning, the passenger ship packed with people set sail. Stuart was in a bad mood and hid in his cabin, unwilling to come out. It wasn't until the passenger ship sailed out of the Bohai Sea estuary and was sailing on the Yellow Sea that Stuart walked onto the deck dejectedly. At this time, the deck was full of Americans. They gathered in small groups, cursing China. Many angrily stated that the United States must declare war on China.

Stuart was unwilling to join this meaningless emotional venting. He walked to a higher position and looked towards Beiping. Thinking that he might never be able to return to China in this life, Stuart felt as if a piece of his heart had been gouged out.

Just then, someone on the deck noticed something on the sea surface. More and more people gathered by the ship's rail to look. Stuart followed everyone's line of sight and saw a fleet sailing along the Yellow Sea route, heading for China. As the fleet approached, the figures of the two leading warships became very obvious. The guns on the ships were covered with gun covers, and there were not many sailors on the deck. But these were warships after all. The Americans forced to leave China began to discuss whether this Japanese fleet was going to attack China.

Even though he was very unhappy, Stuart felt these statements were nonsense. He still remembered that China and Japan began to exchange prisoners of war and personnel detained during the war. This fleet must be going to exchange prisoners. Judging from the news Stuart had followed, only the He Rui government recognized the government of the Japanese Republic now; the Japanese Navy could absolutely not launch an attack on China at this time.

Stuart guessed right. This fleet was heading to Dalian Port to pick up Japanese prisoners of war. With the current railway capacity in Korea, transporting 100,000 people would take a month or two. But using ships for transport, it could be completed in two trips. At this time, the fleet was full of Chinese people; these Chinese were overseas Chinese in Japan, numbering nearly ten thousand.

Around two in the afternoon, the fleet finally arrived at the outer sea of Dalian Port. A Chinese fleet was already waiting in the outer sea. The warships of both sides did not take any hostile actions but expressed goodwill with traditional naval etiquette. The Japanese fleet continued to sail forward. The Chinese inland water pilot boat had already come up. After completing the notification procedures, the pilot boat guided the civilian ships in the Japanese fleet into Dalian Port.

The pier was crowded with people, colorful flags fluttering, and drums and gongs loud. This group of Chinese were Chinese expatriates in Japan when the Northeast Army went to war with Japan at the end of 1922. This group of people was taken away by Japan and locked up in concentration camps. It had been exactly four and a half years by now.

Finally able to return to their country at this time, the mood of this group of Chinese expatriates was incredibly excited. But seeing so many people coming to welcome them, some expatriates felt puzzled, while other Chinese expatriates couldn't help crying.

Having spent more than four years locked in concentration camps, although the Japanese government dared not openly abuse and kill these Chinese expatriates, it was impossible to treat them with good food and drink. If the Chinese side hadn't tried every means to organize international humanitarian teams to visit these concentration camps detaining Chinese expatriates frequently, the treatment of Chinese expatriates would definitely have been worse.

Even without talking about the suffering, these expatriates originally went to Japan to do business or find jobs. After being arrested, their property naturally couldn't be recovered, and they wasted more than four years of time. How many four-plus years can one waste in life? Through the visits of international humanitarian teams, these expatriates received letters from home. Some learned that family members had passed away, separated forever by heaven and earth. About to return to Chinese territory at this moment, thinking that they couldn't even see their loved ones one last time when they passed away, everyone could finally begin to grieve for themselves and their families.

Reporters knew this was big news and had already started taking photos. When the ships docked, a large number of Chinese and foreign reporters gathered at the gangway of every ship.

As staff from both China and Japan began to call names according to the roster, these expatriates returned to the Chinese side one by one. Regardless of whether these expatriates' families came to welcome them, etiquette personnel draped them in red and colorful silk and offered a bowl of wine.

Draping red and colorful silk is a way to 'ward off evil spirits' in Chinese tradition, while drinking wine is to boost morale and remove bad luck. Regardless of their alcohol tolerance, the expatriates returning to the motherland drank the bowl of wine in one gulp. Then, under guidance, they began to walk through the welcoming ranks of the masses towards the rest area.

In the rest area, familiar faces welcomed them. The released Chinese expatriates were stunned at first, then ran towards their relatives. Seeing grandparents and parents, they stepped forward to kneel and bow. Seeing brothers, sisters, wives, and children, they stepped forward to hold hands and greet them. Various cries of surprise rose one after another, mixed with sounds of weeping with joy.

Even though Chinese and foreign reporters were grabbing news, many reporters also had wet eyes seeing the heartfelt joy and excitement of reuniting relatives.

Of course, the most important highlight of this meeting had not yet begun; He Rui came here personally. It wasn't He Rui's turn to appear yet. Chinese staff led a young man to He Rui, "Chairman, this is Mr. Saionji Kinkazu, grandson of Mr. Saionji."

Amidst the sound of camera shutters, He Rui stepped forward to shake hands with Saionji Kinkazu and said to this young man, "I deeply regret hearing the news of Excellency Saionji's passing."

Saionji Kinkazu's expression dimmed a little, but he answered in as firm a tone as possible, "Excellency, my grandfather said before he died that he absolutely did not regret his choice. And he instructed me that if I could meet Your Excellency, I must convey my grandfather's ardent wish for Sino-Japanese friendship."

"I understand." He Rui nodded repeatedly and stood side by side with Saionji Kinkazu for reporters to take photos. At this time, the secretary stepped forward and said, "Chairman, the personnel have all disembarked. There is no issue with the numbers."

"Good." He Rui responded, then turned to Saionji Kinkazu, "I have to go meet the returning Chinese personnel first. See you later."

Saionji Kinkazu had heard that He Rui was very close to the people, so he hurriedly replied, "I won't delay Your Excellency's work. See you later."

Under the guidance of the secretary, He Rui walked straight to the returnees. At this time, the staff had already set up a platform. He Rui walked up the steps and soon appeared in everyone's field of vision. At this time, even if not every family in China had a portrait of He Rui, at least every village had one. The family members had all seen the portrait. Seeing He Rui appear, many people were stunned. They didn't expect He Rui to come personally.

"That is... Chairman He!" Finally, someone exclaimed. A moment later, cheers of 'Chairman He' began to ring out. As more and more people joined the cheers, tens of thousands of cheers resounded through the skies. Although those returning Chinese expatriates hadn't seen He Rui, they knew they could survive because He Rui led the Chinese army to defeat Japan. These expatriates understood the Japanese character; if China lost the war, the captured expatriates would at least suffer severely even if not killed. So they also joined the cheering. Some people in the front row even knelt and kowtowed directly to He Rui.

He Rui hurriedly jumped off the podium, helped the kneeling person up, and pulled this returning expatriate back onto the podium. At this time, the staff beside the podium also pulled up others who intended to kneel. Moreover, everyone wanted to see He Rui at this time, so order was barely maintained.

The one who knelt was a middle-aged man in his thirties. Pulled by He Rui, he was somewhat trembling all over, following He Rui with steps like sleepwalking.

He Rui walked to the microphone and said loudly to everyone, "Compatriots, we only rescued you now; we let you suffer!"

Hearing He Rui start with an apology, many people burst into tears amidst surprise.

He Rui continued, "Although the country couldn't rescue compatriots immediately, I guarantee to compatriots: our China will never abandon any citizen! The rescue may be late, but the rescue will never be absent!"

Hearing He Rui's guarantee, having personally experienced the ups and downs of being imprisoned by Japan, or seeing relatives returning whom they thought they would never see again in this life, tsunami-like cheers rang out, completely drowning out He Rui's subsequent words.