A Love Never Lost Episode 9 Recap
> A Love Never Lost Recap
Liang Xiang received a notice to report to the military academy's kendo dojo. He changed into a kendo uniform and sparred with Hirata Ichiro. Hirata Ichiro believed that traditional Chinese soldiers neither had exaggerated masculine traits nor a culture of dueling. Their ideal was the Confucian general. He told Liang Xiang to abandon this notion, as the First Sino-Japanese War had already proven that the Confucian general was useless. From now on, Hirata Ichiro would teach Liang Xiang Japanese swordsmanship.
Yang Kaizhi said he would take Liang Xiang to Tokyo Imperial University the next day, where a group of interesting people wanted to meet him. At first, Liang Xiang wasn’t interested—until Yang Kaizhi mentioned a wealthy young lady from Korea. At that, Liang Xiang immediately perked up and agreed to go to Tokyo Imperial University with him the next day.
But when he sat in the classroom and listened to the professor's lecture for a while, Liang Xiang considered it reactionary and left without saying a word to Yang Kaizhi. Yang Kaizhi told the professor about Liang Xiang’s aversion to revolutionary propaganda. The professor asked him to continue working on Liang Xiang’s thinking, as recruiting a young noble from the Qing imperial family to the revolution would be extremely valuable.
The wealthy Korean girl Yang Kaizhi mentioned did exist—her name was Lee Joo-hee. Some students saw Liang Xiang being picked up by a Japanese duke’s carriage and suspected the duke had ulterior motives for getting close to a Qing noble. Yang Kaizhi believed that if someone like Liang Xiang were to become a key figure in the Qing government, then China under Qing rule would surely bow to Japan.
He proposed that the student association publish a revolutionary journal to clearly express their stance, highlight their cause, and unify their ideology. Everyone unanimously agreed. Liang Xiang went to the Wanshan stationery store to pick up the painting and unexpectedly saw Xie Shuhong working there. Both were surprised. Liang Xiang was generous and paid 1,700 yen in full. When she got home, Xie Shuhong told Wu Tianbai that it was Liang Xiang who had bought the large painting.
Wu Tianbai told her to find a chance to invite Liang Xiang over—he wanted to rally all the military students to the revolutionary cause. Liang Xiang delivered the painting to Duke Ayakura’s residence. The duke’s daughter seemed to like him. Realizing this, Liang Xiang quickly made up an excuse and left. At the officer school, there was a clear distinction between Japanese and Chinese military students.
Liang Xiang questioned and challenged this treatment, but Instructor Hirata said that in the Japanese army, there were no explanations. In the heat of the moment, Liang Xiang blurted out a comment that angered Hirata, who ordered him to report to the kendo dojo in one hour. Liang Xiang was a Bannerman, raised as a soldier from birth, and had a foundation in martial arts—so naturally, he was also skilled in swordsmanship.
Hirata Ichiro allowed him to use any technique he could to win, but a coach is still a coach—Hirata defeated Liang Xiang. Afterward, he explained Liang Xiang’s doubts: the Japanese would never teach others all their winning techniques. In other words, they would never give their all when teaching Chinese military students. Back in the dorm, everyone worried that Liang Xiang had been badly beaten by Hirata. Just then, Liang Xiang stormed in, furious—but still rational.
The military was not like school—petitions and strikes were absolutely unacceptable. Since that was the case, they would have to learn whatever the officer school was willing to teach, and learn it better than the Japanese students. Xie Shuhong had a meal at Liang Xiang’s home. Liang Xiang’s mother treated her very well, subtly asking about her background and why she came to Tokyo. Aside from the last question, which Xie Shuhong avoided answering, she responded to all the others.
Counterfeit banknotes suddenly appeared in Shanghai. Da Ren rushed to report the matter to Song Baoquan. What had happened in the morning was already known to all the money houses in Shanghai by the afternoon, throwing the public into panic. They brought all the China Commercial Bank’s notes and demanded immediate redemption in silver. Song Baoquan hurriedly told Da Ren to notify Sheng Xuanhuai. Then his concubine also came in, flustered, and told him that not only had ten-yuan counterfeits appeared, but there were now five-yuan fakes as well.
