Relying Entirely on Acting

Curiosity, gossip, scandal—these were universal human failings. It was not just Chinese people who loved such things; people everywhere did.

Recently, rumors had begun circulating through the consulate that the newly arrived consul, Hirokawa Hideto, was an aristocrat with powerful backing. Many of the Japanese staff within the consulate accepted this claim.

After all, everything left traces. Aristocrats were few, while most people in the consulate had worked their way up step by step. Some had come to China years ago to study or work, some were former military officers, and some had been dispatched from the home islands. Other people with connections, lacking powerful enough backgrounds, were assigned to low-level work to shorten their path to promotion. The few well-connected idiots merely muddled through their days.

Although Hirokawa Hideto had a résumé, he had no real ability. When leading his attendants in their work, he had never demonstrated the competence required of a consul. Anyone could sense his arrogance in dealing with others. The consulate staff were very familiar with people like him. Those useless fools who had merely coasted through life had acted the same way when they first arrived.

Most crucially, Iwai Eiichi treated Hirokawa Hideto unusually well. Japan's internal hierarchy was strict as well; without other backing, it was difficult even to receive a pleasant expression from one's superiors. So why Iwai Eiichi, a man who ranked among the highest Japanese officials on the Shanghai Bund—and even throughout all of China—treated Hirokawa Hideto differently was well worth pondering.

Thus, as all sorts of rumors about Hirokawa Hideto spread far and wide, they gradually became the hottest topic in the consulate lately.

Naturally, Iwai Eiichi knew about these rumors. He specifically called Fujiwara Shinya over and gave him a reminder, telling him to keep a low profile,