For young students, asking others for help was already something difficult. Before going abroad, those who had connections overseas were told by their families to make use of them when necessary, yet everyone still preferred to avoid it if they could. Since ancient times, favors have always been the hardest debts to repay. In an age when moral standards had not yet declined, such debts were even harder to settle. Li Bo’an was not deliberately scheming. It was simply that without proper groundwork, many people might shrink back. Most of those present had met only after going abroad. They became acquainted mainly because living in a foreign land required mutual support. Their friendship was not necessarily deep. Aside from the very few who were truly close, the majority were simply ordinary friends. They were happy to offer help as long as it was within their ability. Asking someone for assistance seemed simple, but it also depended on the matter at hand. At such a sensitive moment, rescuing someone suspected of being involved in the Russian Embassy case would require an extraordinary price. The greater the assistance, the greater the favor owed. These debts would have to be repaid in the future. Now that everyone had already contributed money, anyone who tried to back out would have no place left in the circle. Favors could be repaid slowly, but once a reputation was ruined, nothing would remain. At this point, regardless of whether their intentions were sincere or merely for appearance, they all had to continue playing along. “This is only right. Decheng is a close friend of ours. Faced with something like this, how can we stand by and do nothing? There is no need to delay. Why not visit the Chinese Association tomorrow morning and try to understand the situation as soon as possible?” Huo Yaoyang said with solemn righteousness. He was still too young. His words revealed his emotions despite his efforts. The slight furrow of his brows was enough to show that deep down he was not entirely willing. He had been the one to suggest seeking help from the Chinese Association, originally hoping that Li Bo’an and the others would take the lead. Unfortunately, Li Bo’an was one step ahead and went along with his suggestion, pulling everyone onto the same boat. Although he felt displeased, it was not enough for him to hold any real resentment. On the contrary, he admired Li Bo’an’s character and quick thinking. They were not at the level of risking their lives for each other, yet anyone willing to make plans on a friend’s behalf and who also possessed outstanding ability would naturally become someone everyone wanted to befriend. Since he could not avoid the situation anyway, it was better to take the initiative and show a sense of responsibility, establishing his own prestige among the students abroad. Do not underestimate such intangible things. The Qing Dynasty valued its overseas students highly during these years. Anyone who returned from studying abroad could expect an official post without much difficulty. The rift between the student community and the government would only come later, after revolutionary ideas had deeply taken root. For now, building connections and laying the foundation for a future career in officialdom was the proper path. The spirit of brotherhood was still in fashion, especially among the youth. To them, being loyal and standing by one’s friends was seen as a noble virtue. Those who were usually the most outspoken now came forward to express support, and naturally no one dared to oppose it. Even if they felt reluctant, they could not say so after seeing others step forward. With his goal accomplished, Li Bo’an finally let out a quiet sigh of relief. With the network of connections behind those present, there was at last a glimmer of hope that Decheng, who had been arrested, could be rescued. As for how Decheng would repay the favor in the future, that was not Li Bo’an’s concern. Having the chance to survive was already a blessing from his ancestors. There was no room to be picky. … The Chinese Association was said to have originated in the Chenghua reign of the Ming Dynasty, though the exact date could no longer be verified. From East Asia to Southeast Asia, and from Southeast Asia to Europe and America, wherever Chinese people gathered in large numbers, there would always be a Chinese Association. Perhaps influenced by Western culture, the classical Chinese architecture of the building carried a hint of European style. Hanging overhead was a plaque that read “All Under Heaven Belongs to the People,” as if reminding visitors of the intention of the ancestors who founded the association. With the Qing Dynasty unwilling to intervene in overseas affairs, the Chinese Association was not merely a platform for communication and mutual assistance among overseas Chinese. It also shouldered the responsibility of mediating neighborhood disputes and arbitrating commercial conflicts within the Chinese community. In most places, the president and vice-president were respected Chinese leaders of the local area, and some regions also appointed directors to assist in handling daily affairs. Originally, the Tokyo Chinese Association followed the same model, but after the cannons of the Sino-Japanese War thundered, the situation for Chinese residents in Japan deteriorated sharply. The association was even forced to shut down for a time. With no other choice, everyone invited a nobleman from the Nanyang Chinese community to serve as their nominal leader. Gold will always shine. Although wars were rare in the Nanyang region and titles of nobility for military merit were uncommon, some Chinese still managed to become nobles of the Holy Roman Empire through their own achievements. Such a title remained extremely useful, especially when it came from a vast empire like the Holy Roman Empire. It could not guarantee influence everywhere in the world, but it was certainly more than enough in Japan. Running an association as a cultural and community platform violated no local laws, so the Japanese government could no longer find an excuse to interfere. Otherwise, the matter would escalate into a diplomatic dispute with the Holy Roman Empire. Acting unreasonably was something Japan reserved for weaker nations. When dealing with stronger countries, the Japanese always knew how to be very reasonable. Since they were willing to act reasonably, matters became easy to handle. Supported by the Chinese community in Japan, the Tokyo Chinese Association soon gained a firm foothold locally. To avoid future trouble, its headquarters was set near the embassy district. Any unusual movement in the area would immediately draw attention from the embassies. Such a prime location was clearly not something ordinary people could obtain. The Chinese Association paid a high price to secure it. The land itself was expensive, but securing the necessary connections cost even more. Every embassy in the district received a generous gift, without exception. In the Far East, when it came to dealing with Western dignitaries, offering gifts was essential. There was nothing wrong with being generous. Over time, this helped build connections. Not everyone became a friend, but at least you would become a familiar face. They might not help with major matters, but small favors were never a problem. Of course, the main reason these connections could be made was that the chairman of the Chinese Association was a nobleman of the Holy Roman Empire. Their status was equal, so he had the qualifications to interact with them. Otherwise, people might not even accept a gift. Once the network was established, everything became easier. As long as money was also in place, many issues that the association could not resolve, or that it was inconvenient to handle directly, could be referred to their “friends” in the diplomatic district. Chinese merchants were naturally very gifted at this. Those engaged in overseas trade, especially large-scale merchants, always had influential backers behind them. Whether it was offering shares for free or entering into joint ventures, all of it tied a group of important figures together through shared interests. In essence, the Chinese Association was a large network of connections. It linked not only overseas Chinese, but also officials and nobles from various European countries stationed in the Far East. This network was the real reason people believed the Chinese Association could get things done. Even if something could not be resolved, at least they did not have to worry about getting themselves into trouble. … After hearing their explanation, the elderly man receiving them shook his head and said, “This matter will not be easy to handle. To be honest, recently more than a few Chinese have been mistakenly arrested. You are not the first group to come here for help. The Russian embassy incident created too much noise, and the Japanese government is already overwhelmed. To give the diplomatic corps an explanation, the police, the gendarmerie, and the army have all been arresting suspects like mad. These are only the things known to the public. As far as I know, the Russian embassy incident also involves the children of the Japanese government’s high-ranking officials. The recent frenzy of arrests by the military and police is actually just an attempt to find a scapegoat. Yesterday, when I visited Minister Liu, I even heard a piece of insider news. It was said that before the Russian embassy incident broke out, someone had deliberately stirred up a conflict. The Japanese government wanted to use the instigator as an excuse to fabricate the involvement of a third foreign power. Because there was too little evidence and it was only the Japanese side making the claim, the diplomatic corps did not believe it at all. Even so, they still could not take the matter lightly. They now had to keep a very low profile to avoid drawing trouble upon themselves. If they were not careful, they would not only be dragged down but also bring disaster to the homeland. I originally wanted to send someone to warn you but I did not expect that some of the overseas students had already been arrested. The situation does not look good at all.” “Not easy to handle” did not mean impossible. Chinese speech has always been filled with hidden meanings. Unfortunately, before anyone could feel relieved, the elder’s next words dragged everyone straight back into despair. A “third country pulling strings behind the scenes” already sounded terrifying enough. Everyone present was a young man full of passion, and none of them wanted the country to carry that burden because of them. Compared with rescuing Decheng from prison, the latter was clearly far more important. If their homeland were to shoulder this blame, it would mean being beaten by both Japan and Russia at the same time. The quickest to regain his senses was Li Bo’an, who immediately cooperated and said, “Chairman Liu, this matter is far beyond what we juniors can handle. At such a critical moment, we can only rely on your guidance. We will follow your instructions.” If the sky were to fall, it was the tall ones who should hold it up. It was not the place of students abroad to worry about such matters. Shifting blame was never easy. It was not only up to the Japanese government. The diplomatic corps and the Russians also had to accept the explanation. It was not that they looked down on themselves. It was simply that, with the corruption of their imperial court back home, expecting them to have orchestrated the Russian embassy incident was impossible. If their government were truly that capable, why stop at the Russian embassy? If they had the ability to add the Holy Roman Empire or the British Empire into the mix as well, the Japanese government would have collapsed without a doubt.
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