Conflicts like this continued to break out between the investigation team and the various Japanese departments. Most of the time, however, they ended with Japanese officials backing down. Colonel Saito was no exception. No matter how unwilling he felt, he ultimately had to hand people over. There was nothing the Japanese government could do. In order to bring the Russian embassy case to an end as quickly as possible and send those troublesome envoys away, they had no choice at all. … “What? Decheng was arrested? I told you not to get involved.” Li Boan cried out in shock. Earlier that day he had been explaining the situation to friends visiting from home, warning them not to meddle in anything. That very night he received the news that his roommate had been taken away. Because they could not refuse a favor, the two had gone out to join the protest during the day. By the time they returned home that evening, only one of them came back. “Bo’an, this really is not our fault. We only joined today’s protest because we were dragged along. We stayed in the middle of the crowd the entire time. Whether it was chanting slogans or holding signs, we never went anywhere near the front. Under normal circumstances, the police only arrest the organizers or the ones leading at the front. Even if something unexpected happens, we should have been able to run. But today was different. The Japanese government deployed the military. Things became too chaotic. I do not know exactly what happened, but the protesters clashed violently with the soldiers, and someone even fired shots. After the scene fell apart, the Japanese military police lost all control and started arresting people everywhere. Decheng was too close to Mitsui Taro and was mistaken for a member of the Iron-Blooded Revenge Society…” His voice grew softer and softer, as if ashamed for having run away during the chaos. But that was not what the others were focused on. This was not a battlefield. If the military police were rounding people up, of course they would run. Staying behind out of some sense of shared hardship would have been the truly foolish thing to do. After a brief silence, Li Bo’an slowly said, “All right, Deran. This is not your fault. None of us wanted anything to happen to Decheng, but it has already happened. What we need to do now is think of a way to get him out.” Getting someone out has always been a delicate craft. Getting someone out of the hands of the Japanese army was even more troublesome. At the time, anyone who could afford to study abroad came from wealth or privilege. Ordinary people could not afford it at all. Even families of local gentry were unable to support a single student overseas. There was no other way. Even studying in Japan, which had the lowest costs, still required more than a thousand taels of silver. That amount could purchase a hundred mu of good farmland back home. Studying in Europe costs even more. No matter how frugal one was, several thousand taels were needed. If the student performed poorly and needed to pay additional sponsorship fees, the amount became astronomical. This was the main reason students so often worked part-time. The money sent from home was simply not enough. Without taking on jobs, they had no way of supporting themselves through their studies. Unfortunately, all their personal connections were back in China. Living far away in a foreign country, the networks behind them were practically useless. Wang Deran nodded, hesitated a little, then said, “On the way back, a Japanese friend told me not to act rashly for now. They will try to find a way to get him out. We should not make sudden moves, so we do not bring trouble upon ourselves.” Bringing trouble upon oneself was considered a great taboo among their countrymen. When living abroad, people held even more firmly to the principle of minding their own business. Had their close friend not been arrested, they would probably have felt sad for a moment, offered what little help they could, and that would have been the end of it. Li Boa’n shook his head helplessly and explained, “We cannot rely on the Japanese. So many people have been arrested recently, and among them are people of high rank and status. Even those with powerful connections were unable to get anyone released. Clearly, this is no longer something the Japanese can decide for themselves. If my guess is correct, all cases that might be connected to the Russian embassy incident are now under the control of the envoys’ investigation group. The Japanese can barely find enough scapegoats to save themselves. How could they possibly clear Decheng’s name?” Li Bo’an was not being pessimistic. He simply knew too much and saw the world far too clearly. Faced with the mounting pressure from the international community, even the Japanese government had chosen to bow its head. In such a situation, going against the tide was nothing short of seeking death. As an observer, he had never believed in the effectiveness of the protest organized by the Japanese students. If demonstrations truly worked, then the great powers would have nothing to do but sit at home and eat noodles. Besides, in this incident the Japanese government was indeed at fault. The police in the embassy district had failed to fulfill their duties and prevent the tragedy. Japan could not escape responsibility. Had this been the Japan of the Second World War, perhaps the government would have dared to defy the international community. Unfortunately, this was the Japan of the years before the Russo-Japanese War. With the great powers pressing in, refusing to comply meant only inviting a beating. One should not assume that European nations, being “practical rather than prideful,” cared nothing for face. It was true that saving face was not worth a grand expedition. Yet it was never a problem for a navy to make an example of someone on the way. “How about we seek help from the Court? Minister Liu is also part of the envoys’ investigation group now, so he should be able to speak on our behalf,” someone suggested. It was a fellow student who had hurried over after hearing the news. The circle of Chinese students in Japan was small, and living abroad meant relying on one another. Those who were close had all come. “Wuhen, stop dreaming. Expecting the Court to step in is even more unrealistic than expecting the Japanese military to release him. We’ve all been in Japan long enough. Has anyone ever seen Minister Liu help us with anything? Asking the Court for help is nothing but throwing money away. It is completely useless, and it may even harm our future once we return home.” His remark drew nods all around. Almost all Chinese students in Japan held a deep resentment toward the corrupt court back home. In a sense, the Qing Dynasty’s envoys abroad were nothing but scapegoats. With a government that avoided trouble whenever possible, what could diplomats even hope to accomplish? Regardless of the issue, whether large or small, reasonable or not, the moment a foreign power expressed dissatisfaction, the government back home would immediately soften. Arguing on the basis of reason would not only fail to produce any result, it could even jeopardize one’s career. After years of this, envoys posted abroad naturally grew increasingly passive and indifferent. In truth, the people gathered here were already among the more cautious ones. Had this been the radical faction, they would already be shouting about overthrowing the Court. Of course, this “caution” was only temporary. As revolutionary ideas continued to spread, it was only a matter of time before rebellion became the mainstream attitude among students studying abroad. “The Court has its own difficulties as well. Rumor has it that foreign powers were involved and that the embassy incident was engineered to provoke a war between Japan and Russia. Under such circumstances, if the Court intervenes rashly, it may trigger suspicion from all sides. Minister Liu will not act blindly. Given how things stand, the only group we can turn to is the Chinese Association. Most of them are engaged in overseas trade and have wide connections. They might be able to help.” It was ironic that they could not seek assistance from their own government but had to rely instead on a private organization. Yet this was the reality. It was not that overseas merchants were naturally warm-hearted or willing to help with anything. The key was that the students held value for them, or rather, the connections behind the students held value. Anyone doing business in East Asia could not avoid dealing with the Qing Dynasty. With local support, things were always easier than without it. And even if those favors were not immediately useful, relationships were never wasted. Students studying abroad were the elites of their time. They might seem ordinary while overseas, but once they returned home, their standing would soar. Not every student would rise to great heights, but most would end up doing very well. Chinese communities everywhere were built on personal connections, and as long as it was within their ability, people were always willing to extend a favor. Li Bo’an said, "Brother Yaoyang’s suggestion is good. Right now, asking the Chinese Association for help is indeed the best option. There are many compatriots there who have already obtained foreign citizenship and have connections with the embassies of various countries. Asking them to assist us is far better than trying to handle everything ourselves. It would be best if we first gather some money and send it to the Chinese Association so they can help smooth things over. If they can bring Decheng out directly, that would be ideal. Even if they cannot, they can at least look after him.” In those days, overseas trade relied not only on courage but also heavily on connections. A foreign merchant without national backing could still get along well abroad if he had enough personal connections. Making use of someone’s connections was already a huge favor. Asking them to also contribute money would be unreasonable. Even if they might refuse it, the money still had to be offered. Everyone present was an elite. Although they were still young, they were already skilled in handling social relationships, so naturally no one objected. No matter how much they could give, they all had to show some sincerity. Once word spread, it would be seen as being generous for the sake of a friend. With such a reputation, socializing in the future would become much easier. After all, people always prefer friends who show loyalty. There was nothing to criticize. Seeking advantage was part of human nature. The fact that everyone rushed over to help as soon as they heard the news was already a favor. Seeing everyone donate generously, Li Bo’an smiled and said, “Money alone is not enough. Asking the Chinese Association to find someone to help is also troublesome. Since things have reached this point, there is no need for anyone to hold back. If you do not put your personal connections to use, I will not be able to deliver the money.” The clever ones immediately understood that this was Li Bo’an’s true intention. Whether discussing countermeasures or collecting donations, it was all laying the groundwork for what would come next.
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