I own nothing from Hearts of Iron nor the Kaiserriech Mod.

Private Bedros Sahakian

Journal Entry 16

June 21, 1932, Tuesday

Once we were done with our duties Mr. Guao took me and Shang to a local tea house just outside of the international settlement. One or two older gentlemen glared at my way but that's nothing new while the rest ignored my presence. Shang did comment that I should be glad that I'm not German or Japanese. Otherwise their reaction here would be much worse. This tea house had a more relaxed atmosphere to it than that little den from last night.

Guo ordered Biluochun tea for all three of us and paid for them up front. While we waited he brought out a board game and explained what it was. The name of the game is Go and he demonstrated it by having him and Shang play.

The pieces are called stones. One player plays black stones and the other with white. The elder claimed the game has simple rules but does involve complex strategies in order to win. Each of them takes a turn, placing a stone on the board's intersections. After said stone is placed it is not to be moved further.

Yet captured stones can be swifty removed by your opponent off the board. In fact connected stones or just one can be 'captured' upon being surrounded by the rival's stones at all adjacent points. This goes on until both players refuse to make any further moves or one player calls it quits. The winner is determined by calculating both player's captured territory by the stones you captured and the points you scored. It's a game that really makes you strategize from what I observed.

In the middle of their game we received our beverages. I usually favor coffee but have nothing against tea. In this case it didn't disappoint. The green tea had a fruity taste to it. As Shang and Guo played, the latter began to tell me about the ancient warlord Cao Cao who defeated his former ally turned rival Yuan Shao during the battle of Guandu.

Defeating your foe's larger army while facing starvation is impressive like Cao Cao did. I in turn recounted to them how General Hannibal crushed the Roman Republic at Cannae. They were fascinated by it as much as I was about Guandu. Guess one could call it a cultural exchange heh.

While patrons drank and converse with some laughter a lady played a bamboo flute in the background. The music she played was striking with tones of joy and sadness dancing together. As if lovers were spending their last moments with one another.

Unfortunately it all came to an end by a commotion outside. I got up and saw a group of armed thugs knock down a man on a street corner as his woman pleaded for them to stop. They only slapped her before turning on the husband shouting at him as he pleaded.

It was obviously a shakedown and confirmed as much by Shang. They began to beat on him while everyone else either watched or looked the other way. Angered, I nearly jumped in but Guao was able to restrain me with a strong grip. He whispered, telling me I would make things worse. I was shocked and confused before the thugs finally stopped, laughing at what they did to the man.

He was beaten so badly that he couldn't even stand up without his wife's aid. Once those thugs were out of sight several bystanders finally stepped in to help the couple back to their apartment. After that I was released by Guao but I was so angry with him. It was mostly quiet between us as we walked back to the international settlement. Still seething about what happened I finally demanded an explanation from Guao and he gave one.

If I had intervened it would've put a bigger target on the man for being rescued by a foreigner so those scum can save face. It frustrated me to no end but the more I thought the more I realized he was right.

Guao then added. "We don't need your pity Private but please try to understand us. Learn to look from our own eyes."

That has stuck with me even now hours later. It is a lot to think about.