Chapter 5: The Secret That Descended from the Heavens

Chapter 5: Secrets Descending from the Heavens

Faced with Haruka Inoue, who might change his circumstances, Xu Ruiyang briefly explained his situation. It was no secret—if the South Manchuria Railway had any doubts, their detailed records at the police station could be easily checked.

“So, Mr. Xu, you are an outstanding graduate of the Accounting Department at Jinling Central University’s Business School and fluent in English. Such a high level of education is truly wasted on a police patrolman,” Haruka said.

“I can help you transfer to a government economic department, or leverage your language skills to join the Foreign Affairs Department or the Public Security Department’s foreign affairs division, where you could find a well-paid position,” she added after hearing his story.

Jinling Central University was the top institution in the Republic of China, an absolute prestige, and having English as a specialty was a significant advantage. Haruka believed she could genuinely assist Xu Ruiyang.

The South Manchuria Railway, a colossal enterprise, maintained close ties with the Kwantung Army and frequently dealt with senior officials of Manchukuo. She knew some influential figures, so recommending a job was no great difficulty; after all, who would refuse a favor for the railway’s president?

During the meal, Xu Ruiyang also learned about Haruka’s background. Her father was a steel expert working at the steel mill of the Manchurian Heavy Industry Development Corporation. She graduated from Nagoya University, now called Nagoya Imperial University.

Following her father beyond the border, she entered the South Manchuria Railway as a clerk through a connection of her father’s classmate. Last year, she became the recorder for the railway’s president, Matsuoka Yosuke, a role essentially equivalent to a secretary.

The South Manchuria Railway was a state enterprise of Japanese imperialism, controlling all railway operations in Manchukuo, as well as harbors, water transport, coal mines, steel, light industry, and chemical industries. It owned dozens of companies, even extending into culture, education, tourism, hospitals, and seven Yamato hotels, making it an absolute giant in Manchukuo.

Originally, the railway was closely linked with the Kwantung Army, serving as the vanguard for invading China by providing intelligence and material transport support.

However, as Manchukuo was established, conflicts gradually arose.

The Kwantung Army sought to control the railway and unify the entire Northeast under a single authority. In response, the railway fiercely resisted, leveraging its shareholders—Japanese financial conglomerates—to block the army’s attempts to reorganize it.

But the military held unbeatable power in Japan and would not tolerate any unchecked influence from the railway. In 1937, they established the Manchurian Heavy Industry Development Corporation, seizing the railway’s steel, light metals, machinery, and coal sectors. Soon after, they set up the Railway Military Control Department to effectively supervise the railway’s operations.

Outmatched, the railway had no choice but to concede to the army’s pressure, now focusing mainly on road transport, municipal construction, hospitals, and hotels—vastly diminished compared to before.

Nevertheless, the Kwantung Army still depended on the railway’s intelligence and transport support. The railway remained a formidable force in Manchukuo, and very few dared to offend it.

The meal lasted over an hour. Haruka did not pay but signed her name on the bill, which the restaurant staff accepted without objection.

“Haruka!”

Just as they stepped out, someone called her name.

Xu Ruiyang turned to see and shuddered—among the four men nearby, one was familiar to him, though he did not recognize Xu: Major General Jōkura Yoshie, commander of the Kwantung Army Military Police, once reprimanding him at the police bureau.

Among the other three were a Japanese army major general and two men in sharp suits.

“Mr. President!”

“Uncle Xi, when did you return?”

Haruka first bowed to the middle-aged man in a suit standing to her left before speaking to the man on the right with a tone of pleasant surprise.

Since she addressed him as “President,” he must be Matsuoka Yosuke, president of the South Manchuria Railway. As for “Uncle Xi,” Xu did not know who he was.

The middle-aged man’s eyes rested curiously on Xu and said, “I just returned to headquarters this afternoon to report. And this is?”

“This is my newly acquainted friend, Mr. Xu Ruiyang, an outstanding graduate of Jinling Central University’s Business School, fluent in English and Japanese, currently serving as a patrolman at the New District Police Station,” Haruka said with a smile.

The man called Uncle Xi told the two Japanese generals, “She is Haruka Inoue, daughter of the steel mill expert Inoue, now President Matsuoka’s recorder. Haruka and I were classmates and best friends; I have always regarded her as a daughter.”

“Tonight, a few old friends are gathering. Haruka, your tea ceremony skills are excellent. Don’t let us keep you long—I’ll have a car send you home,” Matsuoka Yosuke said.

“President, I came by bike. I’ll have Mr. Xu send me home. He’s a policeman, so it’s very safe,” Haruka replied.

Hearing her insist on being escorted home by a Chinese policeman, Uncle Xi’s expression shifted strangely. Among the many outstanding Imperial Japanese youths at the South Manchuria Railway, it seemed no one had earned such trust.

“Very well. Since he was the policeman who saved you yesterday, no wonder you ate together. Let him come up and wait outside the tea room,” Matsuoka Yosuke conceded.

Japanese sliding doors were notoriously poor at soundproofing, yet the Japanese clung to them. The Yamato Hotel even had rooms like this, clearly reserved for high-ranking officials.

The corridor was furnished with several sets of leather sofas and small tea tables where attendants could rest and enjoy free tea. The drivers of several high officials sat on one side, while Xu sat alone on the other, all remaining silent.

Haruka returned shortly, handing him a large wooden box filled with expensive cigars, a cigar cutter, and a box of matches before returning to the room.

Even the Japanese drivers looked envious; cigars were a luxury reserved for high-ranking officers, who could only smoke Japanese cigarettes.

For a lowly Chinese policeman to have cigars was like a slap in the face to them.

“Representatives Gao Zongwu and Mei Siping of Mr. Wang met secretly on November 20th with Kagezawa Yoshiaki and Imai Takeo at Chongguang Hall in Shanghai to sign a covert cooperation agreement. On the 18th of this month, Mr. Wang secretly traveled from Yamashiro to Yunnan Province, then to Hanoi, Vietnam.”

“According to prior arrangements, after Prime Minister Konoe’s third declaration on China on December 22nd, Mr. Wang sent a telegram on the 29th advising President Chiang and the Yamashiro faction to accept reality and commence peace negotiations with the Empire. In summary, the current situation in Central China is very favorable to the Empire, and the establishment of a new government is imminent.”

(End of chapter)