Chapter 2
The Will of the Gods
(Continued)
December 20th, 1935. Town of Manzhouli, Manchurian-Soviet border…
Manzhouli was a small town on the Soviet-Manchurian border just north of the Hulun Nur and just east of the border with Mongolia. The town had been chosen for the meeting due to the fact that the Japanese had no garrisons in the area. There had been a Manchukuo militia division here, but it was already on its way back to Changchun for disbandment. The journey from Changchun to Manzhouli had been terrible. Besides the weather, the road conditions east of Qiqihar were horrendous. None of this mattered though as Pu Yi stepped from the car into blowing snow and howling winds of a Manchurian winter.
“Are they here yet?” asked Pu Yi of the man who had come out to make preparations for the meet.
“Yes Emperor. Just the other side of the border, about 200 yards, they have a tent set up”, replied the man.
“Why a tent? We are surrounded by perfectly good buildings”, said Pu Yi, feeling a little put out.
“Stipulations of the agreement your Majesty. The meeting had to be on their side of the border, and we would not agree to go all the way to Zabaykal’sk, which is another couple of miles down the road. So, it is a tent or nothing”, said the man.
“Very well then. Let’s get this over with”, said Pu Yi as he strode off through the winter night, the man following in his wake.
As Pu Yi approached the tent, he could see his guards and the Russians eyeing each other warily. No one challenged him as he reached the flap, flipped it aside, and walked in. Inside, the tent was lit by a number of kerosene lanterns and heated by a portable stove. Sitting on the other side of a field table was man in the uniform of an NKVD colonel. The colonel looked up and slowly rose. “Greetings comrade, please have a seat, make yourself comfortable. I am Colonel Markin. I have been sent here to listen to your request and convey them to Moscow. I have no authority to make binding agreements, let me make that clear at the outset so there will be no misunderstandings.”
Pu Yi removed his greatcoat and laid it over the back of a chair and then set his satchel on the table. “Do not worry yourself Colonel. I was under no illusions that any agreements would be made here today. And, although I have no doubts of your ability, I must say that I am a little disappointed that someone of higher rank was not sent. It makes me think that perhaps comrade Stalin does not place any importance on this meeting.”
The Colonel regarded Pu Yi, “Comrade, please do not take it as such. The NKVD is used for all such clandestine meetings, and as the highest ranking officer of that branch in the area, it is my responsibility to handle this.”
Pu Yi stared at the Colonel for a moment then nodded his head. “Very well then. Let us commence with the meeting. Colonel I am here to propose to your government a trade. I will give you something now for certain political and possible trade considerations in the future.”
“Not to offend comrade, but what could you offer the Soviet Union?” asked the Colonel.
Pu Yi reached for his satchel, opened it, and extracted a piece of paper which he then handed to Colonel Markin. “I think that this might prove of some interest to your government.”
Colonel Markin looked at the piece of paper, his eyes slowly getting wider as he read. When he had finished he looked up. “You would do this?”
Pu Yi nodded in the affirmative.
Colonel Markin leaned back in his chair, pulling at one ear as he looked down at the paper again. “And the political considerations?”
“It is my plan to soon be free of the Japanese. When that day comes, if the Soviet Union would recognize us as a free and independent nation with, perhaps, a guarantee of independence, this would help me greatly in our cause. I would also put forth certain trade considerations. Should things go sour in the west, I think it might prove beneficial to both our nations to have a trading partner with a secure common border” finished Pu Yi.
“I see. As I said, I can make no binding agreements, but I will definitely relay your offer to Moscow. I can’t promise anything, but there might be some….interest in your proposal”, said the Colonel.
“That is all I can ask. I think we are done here then. I will eagerly await your reply”, said Pu Yi as he rose and put on his coat. He grabbed his satchel and was walking towards the door.
Colonel Markin, rubbing his chin and again starring at the piece of paper replied in a distracted way. “Uh…yes comrade. Until we meet again.”
Pu Yi exited the tent to find the man waiting for him. “I think we have piqued their interest”, said the emperor as the two quickly made there way back to the car.