"The people are too kind!" After expressing such an emotion, He Rui swallowed the second half of his thought. Imperialism not only cannot disguise its true intentions, but it also uses every available means to gamble through conflict and probing.

This is the essence of Anglo-Saxon civilization, of Euro-American civilization. Just like a line from an American TV show He Rui couldn't quite recall, written on a note: "Chaos is a ladder!"

The greatest characteristic of Chinese civilization lies in making peace, solving problems, and moving forward. Euro-American civilization, however, harbors a "Doomsday" complex. They feel that at worst, it's the end of the world, but if their probing succeeds, they will gain immense benefits. Compared to such benefits, the price paid for stirring up trouble is completely acceptable.

Beside him, He Rui's secretary heard him say "The people are too kind!" and began preparing to receive He Rui's next order. Unexpectedly, He Rui just went back to reading the report. The secretary waited for a while, then retreated to his desk to watch the documents, awaiting He Rui's next command.

But there was no other sound in the office except for the turning of pages. The secretary looked up at He Rui and saw him reading the latest economic report with rapt attention, his focus entirely absorbed.

The faint sound of a child crying came from outside the office, but He Rui seemed completely unaffected. It wasn't until the little one struggled to push open the actually lightweight door from the outside that He Rui looked up. He saw a little girl wiping her tears, sniffling as she walked toward He Rui's desk, sobbing and calling out "Papa" in a grievance.

He Rui stood up, walked over, and picked up He Neyan, his daughter with Mitsuko. Looking at his daughter, He Rui smiled. "What's wrong, darling?"

As he spoke, he carried his daughter to the washroom. The little girl hugged He Rui's shoulder and sobbed, "Daddy, I don't want to go to Japan. I don't want to go."

He Rui's heart softened immediately. He filled the basin with warm water for his daughter, placed the little one on the radiator beside it to sit steadily, used a towel dipped in water to wipe her face and hands, and then washed his own hands. Seeing that his daughter had stopped crying, he led her back to the sofa in the office to sit down.

"Why don't you want to go to Japan?" He Rui asked softly.

"I don't like Japan!" He Neyan answered aggrievedly.

He Rui didn't immediately try to persuade his daughter. At this moment, He Neyan was still wearing sleeve protectors over her jacket. He Rui gently helped his daughter straighten the elastic cuffs of the sleeve protectors so her wrists wouldn't be constricted, before saying, "Darling, your mother is taking your younger brother to Japan. Look, your brother is only three years old; isn't he smaller than you?"

"Don't take brother either," He Neyan pleaded, trying to win the chance for herself not to go to Japan. The last time she went to Japan, she wasn't used to the environment there at all. Moreover, it was summer when she went last time, and the Japanese mosquitoes were fierce, biting the child and leaving several bumps that took two weeks to fully disappear. So at the mention of Japan, He Neyan was full of fear.

"Darling, you are the older sister. Do you think you should protect your brother?" He Rui asked softly.

"...Mmh." In terms of sibling affection, He Rui's children had learned quite well. Although she felt aggrieved, hearing her father say this, He Neyan answered reluctantly.

"So, this time you go, you must help Mom protect your brother," He Rui explained to his daughter first.

Seeing that his daughter seemed ready to accept it, He Rui continued to make a promise. "Darling, Daddy promises you. After this time, no one will force you to go to Japan again."

"Really?" He Neyan became skeptical.

"Daddy never lies to you. It's true." He Rui's words were quite persuasive because he never used deception to lure the children into doing things. It could be considered a tradition from the 21st century.

"But, Daddy, why do we have to go to Japan?" He Neyan pressed.

He Rui still didn't use coaxing to persuade his daughter, but answered as much as possible in a way the child could understand. "Darling, because there are many people in Japan who, although they can't see you, know that you have arrived in Japan, and they will feel at ease. It's just like every time you and your brother play outside, we worry that you might encounter something bad. Only when we see you obediently inside the house do we feel at ease."

Although small children do not yet have logical thinking at this stage, they are very sensitive to their parents' emotions. Mom and Dad's worries can be felt by the children, and when they have finally played enough and returned home, they can also feel their parents' relaxed mood.

So although He Neyan didn't understand why some people insisted on her going to Japan, she somewhat understood why her parents wanted her to go to that place she loathed. More importantly, He Neyan discovered that her father also required her to go to Japan with her mother, He Mitsuko.

The reason Dad was annoying was that his real decisions never changed. But Dad, He Rui, was very kind to He Neyan, so in the end, He Neyan acquiesced.

He Rui saw his daughter's attitude, so he picked her up and went downstairs, delivering the child to Mitsuko. Just as he was about to go back to read documents, Mitsuko, who was arranging clothes for their son, said, "Anata (Dear), aren't you going to Japan this time? I think it would be better if you went."

Mitsuko had been a reporter at the *Yomiuri Shimbun* for several years and had a considerable understanding of politics. He Rui explained, "No. At this stage, the war is too important, and the domestic economy is also experiencing the tail end of the first Currency Revolution. This process is too cruel; I cannot leave. Moreover, if I go to Japan, some people in China will definitely think that I have a request for Japan, or think that I am going to make more demands of Japan. I cannot go."

Mitsuko didn't say much after listening, but in her heart, she considered the Currency Revolution He Rui mentioned. Even though there was absolutely no possibility of interfering in politics by He Rui's side, Mitsuko's knowledge had improved rapidly. The Currency Revolution was one of the important social contents after society entered industrialization.

The first stage is that all social behaviors have their monetary value. In this stage of moving from an agricultural society to an industrial society, due to changes in traditional social production methods and transaction methods, the huge conflict between thoughts and morals that match social productivity and social systems will cause the society to breed chaos where "people's hearts are not as they were in old times, and money reigns supreme."

The characteristic of a traditional society of human relationships lies in the fact that an individual in society neither has enough money to solve problems, nor, even if they had money, could they solve problems without social connections. This is a common form of low productivity and low social development.

As long as the first stage of the Currency Revolution is completed, individuals in society can purchase legal services with money. For example, young people can choose not to marry, and when they get sick, they can use money to purchase services, solving the difficulties they encounter by themselves.

Thinking of this, Mitsuko looked at her daughter, who was already playing with her brother, and sighed. "Anata (Dear), when I go to Japan, please pay attention to your health. You..."

"Don't talk about that." He Rui held Mitsuko's hand, stopping his wife from continuing. These years, He Rui clearly felt that his body had been severely consumed by heavy work, aging exceptionally noticeably.

This was not just He Rui's problem; the health of many members of the entire government core was very poor. If it weren't for the war requiring domestic stability, Premier Wu Youping, who was nearly ten years younger than He Rui, would have retired long ago. Comrades like Zhao Tianlin who looked very healthy were only so because they had left the government early and turned to academic research. Otherwise, Zhao Tianlin wouldn't be much better off.

The reason Li Runshi could be gradually accepted as his likely successor at this stage was largely because Comrade Li Runshi's health was truly extraordinarily good. Vigorous energy and efficient work are one of the essential qualities of a leader. Compared to Li Runshi, He Rui was just holding on.

Mitsuko looked at He Rui, feeling very uncomfortable in her heart. He Rui's body looked fine, but the fact that his body was rapidly weakening couldn't be hidden from Mitsuko. But this is the destiny of a leader, and Mitsuko knew that He Rui was not doing this to maintain power, but was truly doing things for China, for Japan, and for the people of the world. Trying to persuade He Rui wouldn't work, and Mitsuko couldn't bear to persuade him. Because the things these men did were responsibilities only they could bear.

The husband and wife had the thoughts of adults in their hearts, while the small children were very carefree. Even He Neyan, who was sobbing just now, had thrown her unhappiness to the nine heavens and was already pulling her brother to go out and play.

He Rui patted Mitsuko's hand, then got up and took the two kids to the courtyard, before returning to the office to continue reading documents.

China's time of industrialization was too short, and it had not yet experienced a 60-year large economic cycle. So many things could only be solved by He Rui. This was not because the comrades' levels were insufficient, but simply because the comrades had not experienced, or rather had not seen, a complete large economic cycle.

The root cause of such things is very complex, yet it can also be explained in very simple words. Just as it is generally believed in China that the Year of the Dragon is not a very good year and is unstable. This is a result of data induction. In He Rui's view, different climate cycles determine the magnitude of the impact on traditional production models. The so-called "instability" is simply a greater impact.

After human society entered industrialization, productivity developed rapidly, and the ability to cope with bad situations improved greatly. But there was also a stronger feeling towards bad situations.

Just as 1940 was the Year of the Dragon, beacons of war rose everywhere in the world, and the Great Powers began a bloody battle. If the concept of the Year of the Dragon were to be utilized a second time, it would be said that "the Dragon is a very fierce creature, so there will be disasters of blood in the Year of the Dragon." In fact, the reason for the frequent wars in the world in 1940 was the economy, and one of the important reasons affecting the economy, climate, was definitely one of them. In an agricultural society, climate change has a very large impact.

1942 was the Year of the Horse, considered a year with a relatively mild climate. So the economy at the beginning of 1942 was very good. With the policy of abolishing agricultural taxes beginning to be implemented, the people were all looking forward to gaining something during the war. Otherwise, with death notifications of thousands of soldiers being sent to the country every day, the influence would be very negative. Pure negative emotions accumulating would have a huge impact even on the currently very stable China.

Entering industrial society, the economy is affected by more diverse factors, and the impact of economic cycles stands out exceptionally. 60% of the population has entered the cities, and in the future, 80% of the population will become industrial population. The current shock is already very serious, and subsequent shocks will only be greater. So when He Rui studies economic data, he needs to have exceptionally correct imagination to see deeper clues from the data.

At this stage, due to the opening of vast markets, China's economy is very strong. People entering the cities have basically received junior high school education and can find jobs. Since China has adopted a non-predatory external model, the export of monetary capital is very vigorous. Coupled with the Renminbi being the international currency of the liberated areas at this stage, the huge deficit has also been digested. This has entered the second stage of the Currency Revolution, which is the stage where currency, as capital, begins to enter the money-begetting-money phase.

It's just that China has a huge land area. Although the total economic volume is large, the population is large. Even with massive amounts of capital, it has not been able to fully upgrade the entire China through industrialization. This is why a part of Chinese society still remains in the late stage of the first Currency Revolution. And this time will last for a long time.

Old production methods and transaction methods have not been completely replaced, and a large number of people have not mastered the production and transaction means of the new era, but society has already moved to a new stage. In this period, a situation has truly emerged where a large number of people cannot integrate into society no matter what.

Although most people in the world who study China and the He Rui government believe that the He Rui government is a government that highly pursues efficiency, and He Rui never defends himself, He Rui does not think this view is correct. If He Rui were truly only pursuing efficiency, there would be absolutely no need to launch a war at the current stage. Instead, he would have hunkered down and let the whole world beat itself into a pulp before making a move.

The reason China had to strike first is that hundreds of millions of people in the country who are at a loss in the new economic stage need sufficient employment environments to help them survive this cruel and difficult stage.

The reason this stage is very cruel is not that someone is intentionally doing evil, but that the people really have no way to raise themselves to a stage that fully conforms to industrialization by their own ability. For the sake of domestic fairness, the government must come out to provide a safety net for these people, helping them survive this stage so that they can continue to have the ability to participate in social games when entering the next economic cycle. Only people who can participate in social games have the opportunity to gain benefits from social development, thereby supporting them to enter the economic cycle after the next one.

Regarding bearing such responsibility, He Rui found that he had neither the tragic mood of a sacrifice nor the arrogance of being the only one sober while everyone else is drunk. He Rui felt that this was his responsibility. If he could complete his work, he really had to thank the people for their strong support, as well as a part of rather metaphysical luck.

He Rui survived another sleepless night, seeing from the thick reports that the current economic situation was okay. Although finances were still very tight, they were far from a crisis level. Apart from the domestic situation, a pleasant surprise came from the Soviet Union. According to intelligence, the United States was approaching the Soviet Union, which was truly good news. Once the US and the Soviet Union join hands, their target is certainly China, but the largest area of cooperation between the US and the Soviet Union is in Europe.

Attacking China is a huge burden for the Soviet Union, while joining hands with the United States to carve up Europe brings tangible benefits. The Soviet Union controlling Eastern Europe and the United States controlling Western Europe can solve the US economic crisis. It also solves the Soviet Union's geopolitical security crisis.

Of course, Europe cannot just surrender and let the US and the Soviet Union carve it up. The threat of China is far away on the horizon, while the threat of the US and the Soviet Union is right before their eyes. The countries of the European continent will definitely think of ways to maintain their own interests, and their solution will naturally be to unite to resist the crisis brought about by the US-Soviet approach. Therefore, the greatest possibility is that European countries led by Germany will launch an attack on the Soviet Union.

Stalin is a strategist. Stalin saw the major crisis before him, so he moved thousands of Soviet enterprises from the west to the east to avoid the Soviet industry suffering huge losses due to the outbreak of war.

But the Soviet Union's actions aroused Nazi Germany's suspicion of the Soviet Union. Because a powerful Soviet Union is itself Germany's geopolitical security crisis. As long as the Soviet Union possesses powerful military strength, it is Germany's nightmare.

Now He Rui has no intention of fueling the fire. If the Soviet Union gives a chance, He Rui will still strive to maintain peace. Because the foundation of peace between the Soviet Union and Germany is extremely fragile, no matter what China does, it cannot maintain this peace.

From a geopolitical perspective, it is naturally impossible for the Soviet Union to be pro-China. If the Soviet Union cooperates with Europe, the Soviet Union is the strongest country in Europe and naturally one of the leaders. When the Soviet Union faces Japan and Korea, it is indisputably the Celestial Empire, and Japan and Korea have to lower their posture and negotiate with the Soviet Union as the passive party.

But if the Soviet Union cooperates with China, the Soviet Union becomes the Golden Horde, or rather the Red Horde. From a geopolitical perspective, this is an unsolvable situation. So no matter how the Soviet Union does business with China, it is impossible to let China intervene in the Soviet Union's national defense security.

If China does not intervene in the Soviet Union's security, the Soviet Union will feel safe. But the Soviet Union also loses the means to deter Germany through China. This is a wonderful cycle. In He Rui's view, the Soviet Union gets what it seeks, and China treats it with courtesy; such a situation would be great.

At present, this is what China needs to do, so deep down He Rui actually feels quite guilty towards Mitsuko. He Rui originally thought he would not marry, and Mitsuko was a friend He Rui had known since his teens, considered a childhood sweetheart. So, marrying Mitsuko, although showing the good relationship between China and Japan, He Rui did not like such an impure relationship.

Mitsuko shouldered a heavy responsibility she didn't have to bear at all. And from a politician's perspective, this kind of thing cannot deceive oneself. China indeed needs Japan, which is why it expresses such an attitude towards Japan.

Thinking of this, He Rui felt a little guilty. Although He Rui knew that what he did was not wrong, this feeling of guilt still couldn't be eliminated.

In the early morning, He Rui made breakfast. This small thing was still within his ability.