On the banks of the Wulong River, nestled among the mountains, lay a place known as Hualin Town. It had once been a logging district, where people lived quiet lives. But the Qing government’s incompetence had allowed the Japanese and Russians to occupy the surrounding regions, bringing many winding tales of love and hatred in their wake. Later, a rich iron ore deposit was discovered at Hongshilazi. Its owner, Mr. Jin, devised a plan with the help of the physician Liu Zhifu, the logging boss Uncle He, the chief escort Kui the Second, and others. First, they sealed off the mine so no outsiders could enter. Then they cunningly allowed the Japanese and Russians to obtain samples, convincing them that Hongshilazi was a treasure trove of resources. When it came time to sell, they stipulated that the mine could not be sold to foreigners, forcing the Japanese and Russians to find Chinese agents. Finally, they sold the mine for twenty times its original price, two million taels of silver, to Liu Deshun, the Chinese agent for the Japanese. But when the Japanese eagerly began mining on a grand scale, they discovered that only the surface layer contained iron, while the main body of the deposit was worthless volcanic rock. Takahashi Kensou, the Japanese mastermind, had not only spent a fortune but ended up with nothing. The worthless mine nominally belonged to Liu Deshun, the Chinese man acting as his agent. Takahashi could only vent his fury by killing people, but the Chinese men he truly hated had already left Hualin Town.
Upright and heart-warming,