Chapter 029: Welcome, Teacher, to Your New Position as Head of Department

In early September, 1928 (the seventeenth year of the Republic), after more than half a year of vacancy, the new Director of the Second Section of the Kwantung Army, Hanaya, arrived. Almost at the same time, the new Director of the First Section, Shiro Ishigaki, also took up his post.

Shiro Ishigaki had only been promoted to Colonel in March and was dispatched by the Imperial Headquarters to serve as the commander of the 33rd Regiment in Tianjin, China. After just half a year of acclimation, he was urgently summoned and traveled directly by train from Tianjin to Lüshun.

His former instructor from the military academy had arrived, now as his new section chief. Having received advance notice, Aoki Jo was certain to greet him at the station.

Chen Jiehua had inquired about the train schedule and calculated the exact time, driving his car directly onto the platform. When the train arrived, Chen Jiehua saw Ishigaki disembark alone, carrying a modest travel bag. He jogged over and saluted with a Japanese military gesture.

"Senior Staff Officer Aoki Jo of the Kwantung Army Headquarters, ordered to welcome the section chief!"

Ishigaki looked at the young man receiving him, puzzled—where had he seen him before?

Aoki Jo did not leave him in confusion for long, shifting his tone, "Seventeenth Class Cadet Aoki Seigen of the Imperial Army Academy, welcomes the teacher to Lüshun to assume his duties!"

"Oh! Yoshi! Aoki Seigen! You rascal, still playing this game with your teacher!"

Ishigaki remembered—he was that fervent-eyed student from the seventeenth infantry class, not much of a talker, but left a deep impression!

Aoki Jo helped his teacher with the luggage, led him to the car, opened the front passenger door for him, allowed the teacher to get in, closed the door, then opened the rear door, placed the luggage inside, closed it, circled around to the driver's seat, started the engine, and set off.

With a student paving the way and personally welcoming him, Ishigaki was in excellent spirits, asking many routine questions in the car. Aoki Jo answered appropriately, showing enthusiasm, happiness, excitement, yet never lacking in proper etiquette.

Upon arriving at headquarters, Aoki Jo quickly exited, circled to the front passenger door to help his teacher out, opened the rear door to retrieve the luggage, and closed it. Ishigaki thoroughly enjoyed the attentive service from his student.

Aoki Jo directly led Ishigaki to the Commander's office on the fourth floor, saying at the door, "Teacher, the Commander is waiting inside for you. I will place your luggage in your office on the third floor and wait for you in the First Section's office."

Ishigaki nodded lightly.

Back on the third floor, Chen Jiehua mused as he walked—if one were to carry out these formalities seriously and thoroughly, it would indeed be exhausting!

After leaving the Commander’s office, Ishigaki visited the Chief of Staff, then met with the entire First Section staff on the third floor, delivering his address.

That evening, Aoki Jo arranged a grand welcoming banquet. According to Japanese etiquette at the time, it was customary not to invite higher-ranking officials to a welcoming banquet for mid-level leaders, since Japanese dining culture was strict—if a higher-ranking leader attended, who would sit at the head table? Inviting them would only make things awkward for the new leader.

If the new arrival was someone with whom there was resentment—say, someone parachuted in, taking a position you thought should be yours, blocking your promotion—then being ordered to arrange a welcoming banquet might be the right time to invite the Commander and Chief of Staff together, just to make things uncomfortable for the newcomer.

Chen Jiehua, of course, would not do anything foolish. The banquet was held at the best restaurant in town, with all members of the First Section attending. The costs were covered by Aoki the Treasurer, and everyone only needed to ensure a lively atmosphere so the new section chief could eat and drink well.

The deputy host for the banquet was carefully chosen by Chen Jiehua: Zhou Yongsu. Although Zhou Yongsu specialized in engineering at the military academy, he had tactical courses as well. Ishigaki had taught him, although Ishigaki did not recall Zhou Yongsu, but that did not prevent Zhou from participating as a student of the teacher.

With this connection, Zhou Yongsu would be able to navigate these circles even more smoothly in the future.

Colleagues in the First Section naturally had no objections; everyone knew Zhou Yongsu was Aoki Jo’s chief steward—people interacted with Zhou more often than with Aoki Jo himself when collecting medicines.

Late at night, after the banquet, Zhou Yongsu drove the other colleagues home, while Aoki Jo personally escorted Ishigaki back to his quarters at headquarters. (There was no such thing as drunk driving at the time—readers, don't follow Aoki Jo's example!)

Chen Jiehua parked the car directly in the headquarters courtyard and walked home. Though he had drunk a fair amount, compared to his own tolerance, Japanese sake was barely stronger than water. With the night wind blowing, he felt even more clear-headed.

He had spent the entire day ensuring that his teacher, Ishigaki, was thoroughly comfortable.

Looking back at the "task" assigned by System Hongluan, it was not even a formal mission—just a phrase: "sabotage the Kwantung Army!" At the time, Chen Jiehua had praised the system for its choice of the word "sabotage."

Now, having arrived in the northeast and entered the Kwantung Army, this "sabotage" had become the task left by System Hongluan. Chen Jiehua kept pondering this issue.

Killing Sakurada Takeshi was not sabotage! Neither was killing Kawamoto Daisaku! Killing a few minor figures couldn’t be considered sabotage. What would count as sabotage? He needed to think carefully. Sabotaging his teacher—he had no psychological burden about that.

The next morning, Chen Jiehua and Zhou Yongsu arrived at headquarters’ courtyard, waited for the teacher to wake up, then brought him to breakfast at the same restaurant used for the banquet. The pretext was that a wonderful day begins with breakfast.

"Teacher, this restaurant has been notified by your student. From now on, whenever you wish to dine here, the expenses go on the student’s account. Zhou Yongsu will settle with the owner regularly."

"Oh! Yoshi! Aoki, Zhou Yongsu, you are so thoughtful! I had imagined things would be difficult here, but with you two around, it’s truly a surprise! I like it very much!" Ishigaki was not averse to enjoyment; he simply lacked the opportunity before. Now, with students serving him, why not indulge?

"Teacher, your student has also arranged a house for you near headquarters. It’s being cleaned now, and you can move in tonight! It’s very close, just a ten-minute walk from headquarters."

An even greater surprise was yet to come—if you want to corrupt someone, do it thoroughly!

"Zhou Yongsu has prepared a gift for you and your wife, which he will bring along when he shows you the house this afternoon!"

Three classic bribes: treat them, give them a house, and present a grand gift! Practical, isn’t it?

"In a moment, Zhou will accompany you back to headquarters. If you need anything, you can call on him anytime! Your student won’t accompany you further—there’s a situation with the pharmacy in Rehe. Bandits are eyeing the student’s shop, and I need to deal with it."

Having paved the way for Zhou Yongsu, Chen Jiehua was ready to withdraw.

"Oh? There are actually people here daring to target the enterprise of the Imperial Japanese Army?"

Ishigaki remembered—this rascal, after feeding him, giving him a house, and presenting gifts, finally said this. He understood what his student meant: "Leave it to me, I’ll settle it for you! If necessary, I’ll deploy troops!"

With orders from the new Director of the First Section of the Kwantung Army Headquarters, Chen Jiehua could easily mobilize military police along the South Manchuria Railway under the pretext of protecting Japanese expatriate businesses, thus effortlessly resolving the bandits’ interest in the pharmacy business.