Chapter 2

Xu Xilin's house is quite large. His residence is located in Sunjiagou, Dongpu Town, Shaoxing City, and is a Qing Dynasty building. It was purchased by Xu Xilin's grandfather, Tongxuan Gong, from a family surnamed Zhu, and later renovated and expanded. The building faces north, covering an area of 1,100 square meters, with a construction area of 575 square meters. The overall layout consists of three sections and three rows, comprising a gatehouse, a main hall, a residence, a library, and the Tongying Study, all made of brick and wood, with white walls and black tiles. The exterior is enclosed, making it a typical example of a Jiangnan Qing Dynasty residence.

In the rear hall, a table was set with a genuine Jiang-Zhe style banquet, the dishes being quite simple. Ham, West Lake Vinegar Fish, tofu skin, osmanthus sugar taro, and a few green vegetables. Xu Xilin enthusiastically served Chen Ke, pouring him more wine. The Shaoxing yellow wine, warmed in a pot, was quite potent. After just two cups, Chen Ke felt a bit tipsy.

Among the three, two were renowned revolutionary veterans, and Chen Ke did not dare to underestimate them. He spoke as respectfully as possible, answering their questions in detail. Chen Ke's square face looked honest and sincere, and his polite manner made Xu Xilin and Qiu Jin feel increasingly close to him. Unconsciously, Chen Ke began to address Xu Xilin as "Xu Brother" instead of "Mr. Xu."

After reading Chen Ke's "great work," the topics of conversation between Xu Xilin and Qiu Jin revolved around how to build a powerful army. Chen Ke responded while feeling somewhat puzzled. Building a strong army in China today would mean that the Qing Dynasty would control it. Facing such a powerful armed force, revolutionaries would only be slaughtered. What kind of revolution would that be?

After a moment's thought, Chen Ke realized that he was relatively familiar with Xu Xilin and Qiu Jin, but they knew nothing about him. Chen Ke, a "returning overseas student," would not have much insight into the European powers, who were known for their "strong ships and powerful guns." It was only natural that their conversation would revolve around the army.

Chen Ke did not want to just talk aimlessly. He changed the subject. "Xu Brother, the army you asked about, in Europe, it's not just about the army; it's more about the capitalist system. This system operates very differently from the current system in China. The Qing Dynasty's system is designed to benefit the upper echelons of the Qing and to ensure the survival of the Qing regime. During the Hundred Days' Reform, the Manchus said that reform was to save China, not the Qing. Given the Qing's attitude, to save China, I must overthrow the Qing. That's why I left home and joined the revolution." Chen Ke said this, then suddenly smiled shyly, "I may be speaking out of turn, but I hope Xu Brother will forgive me."

"Mr. Chen Ke, with such high aspirations, how can you speak of being out of turn?" Qiu Jin said with a smile, lightly tapping the table and reciting, "Willing to shed ten thousand heads of blood, to change the world. Without people like Mr. Chen Ke, who are willing to sacrifice themselves for the country, China's future will remain as dark and hopeless as it is now."

"Qiu Sister, I heard you once lived in the capital, but had to leave due to the invasion of the Eight-Nation Alliance. Such a thing..." Chen Ke sighed.

Upon hearing Chen Ke's words, Qiu Jin's face darkened, but she did not speak, only raising her wine glass and drinking it in one go. After a while, Chen Ke felt that Xu Xilin and Qiu Jin were becoming more familiar with him. This was not just because they were drinking together, but because Xu Xilin and Qiu Jin's thoughts and speech were very similar to the "patriotic youth" of later times. Due to the humiliating history, they deeply despised the Qing court and foreign powers.

Chen Ke, living in the 21st century, a time of China's revival and re-emergence as a world power, encountered setbacks that were far from national humiliation. Even so, young people still felt dissatisfaction and anger. In 1905, the anger of patriotic youth was due to the real invasion, plunder, and humiliation of "great China." This anger was more pure and unbearable. Chen Ke could roughly understand this humiliation and anger, as he had felt a deep pain when reading Chinese modern history. The humiliation and anger were so intense that even Chen Ke, a youth from a century later, felt deep sorrow. The pain of the youth of that era was even more intense.

Thinking about this, Chen Ke lowered his gaze. After a moment of silence, Qiu Jin suddenly asked, "Mr. Chen, do you have a courtesy name? Calling each other 'Mr.' is too formal."

"I grew up overseas and only have a name, no courtesy name. This..." Chen Ke said hesitantly, "If you don't mind, could you help me think of one?"

"Oh, Mr. Chen, you are too polite," Xu Xilin said with a smile.

Qiu Jin did not refuse, "That's fine. Do you have any favorite phrases?"

Chen Ke thought for a moment and replied, "Yuyu hu wen zai, wu cong Zhou."

"That's from the Analects. Hmm..." Qiu Jin thought for a moment, "How about 'Wenqing'?"

Chen Ke almost laughed at the word but managed to hold back, nodding, "I think it's fine."

"You can always change it if you don't like it later," Qiu Jin added.

"I think it's great. Thank you," Chen Ke said quickly.

Thinking the conversation would turn to lighter topics, Chen Ke was surprised by Qiu Jin's next words.

"Wenqing, after reading your article and our conversation over the banquet, I feel that you are somewhat vague. Since you personally visited Bosen, and seem to have heard of me, I don't believe that your knowledge and learning come solely from your studies. I don't think you are a Qing official. If you were, this article alone would have made you stand out. But you don't seem like a revolutionary either," Qiu Jin said with a smile, but there was something else behind it.

Xu Xilin's eyes lit up, and he nodded slightly. It seemed he felt the same way but couldn't express it as clearly as Qiu Jin.

At this point, Xu Xilin and Qiu Jin's caution towards Chen Ke was evident. Chen Ke felt relieved. If they had been getting along well, he would have felt that he hadn't gained much. A friendly conversation usually requires prolonged interaction. Chen Ke had no time to gradually build a relationship with them. The current tense and confrontational situation would lead to a quick result, either cooperation or a falling out.

Chen Ke picked up his wine glass and drank it in one go. Putting down the glass, he said, "I see that the goal of today's revolutionaries is to overthrow the Qing. The better ones have vague plans about what kind of country they want to build. From what I've read, their plans for a new country are just a pile of nonsense. What is revolution? Changing the mandate of heaven. No matter how you say the Qing stole China and are inhuman, the Qing have ruled for 260 years, not just by brute force. There is a whole system supporting the Qing. My revolution aims to change this system. If you overthrow the Qing but keep this system, do you think China can defeat the foreign powers?"

Since meeting Xu Xilin, Chen Ke had tried to appear gentle and refined. At this moment, Chen Ke did not see his own expression, but Xu Xilin and Qiu Jin clearly saw his eyes widen, and his expression became fierce. As Chen Ke's emotions grew more intense, a more sharp and determined look emerged. The kind and smiling youth from before was nowhere to be seen.

"I think you both hate Empress Dowager Cixi so much that you want to eat her flesh and sleep on her skin. From my perspective, this only shows that you still have hope for her. If the Eight-Nation Alliance had been defeated by the Qing army and the foreigners paraded through the streets, and foreign countries had to pay reparations to China, you would probably be shouting 'Long live the Empress Dowager' now," Chen Ke said, his words sharp. Xu Xilin's face darkened upon hearing this.

"But for me, it's completely different. Since the Qing system is no match for European countries, no matter who is in power, China cannot win. You plant melons, you get melons; you plant beans, you get beans. If you plant beans and expect to harvest melons, isn't that ridiculous?" Chen Ke couldn't help but laugh coldly.

"I don't hate the Qing, at least not anymore. The Qing and the system they represent have no future. In today's world, China cannot isolate itself. We must look at the world and China from a global perspective. Why is China beaten by those small European countries? Because China is not strong. Why are the people of those countries looking down on China? Because China has not contributed to the world. China has not led the world forward. My revolution aims to change China's old system, make China strong, and lead the world to a better future." Chen Ke's voice grew sharp, almost like a roar.

Perhaps realizing his loss of composure, Chen Ke took a deep breath, calmed down, and lowered his voice. "The rise and fall of the world is the responsibility of every individual. In foreign countries, there is a saying: 'If the country is in ruins, we are all despicable.' China has been the leader of the world for over two thousand years. Today, we blame the heavens and the earth, and blame the Qing for China's problems. Before we were born, China's strength or decline had nothing to do with us. But now that we are in this world, if we do not strive for progress and only blame our predecessors for China's decline, we are truly insulting the word 'revolution.' If we truly want to revolutionize, we must seek the truth and do our best. To seek the truth, we must first discard our prejudices. Why has China become so weak? Where did it go wrong? Is it the Qing's fault, or is it China's system?"

Chen Ke poured himself a glass of wine, "We are drinking and talking here, but outside this room, China is not in such a dire state. We must admit this. But from my perspective, the old system will not last much longer. A time of great suffering is about to come. I ask you, who is our real enemy?" Chen Ke stared at Xu Xilin and Qiu Jin.

The two were speechless, their impression of Chen Ke completely changed. Qiu Jin looked at Chen Ke, then at Xu Xilin, and suddenly burst into laughter, starting with a cold laugh and then a hearty one. After a while, she stopped laughing, wiped the tears from her eyes, and said, "Mr. Chen, no, Wenqing, Wenqing. I didn't understand before. You look like you come from a noble family, yet you came to this rural area in Shaoxing to meet Bosen, a minor local official. I thought there must be something wrong. After hearing your words, I truly understand. You are indeed a revolutionary. And a revolutionary like you would not survive a day in the capital. I apologize for my suspicions."

Hearing Qiu Jin's words, Xu Xilin nodded, "I also found your work somewhat unclear. Now I understand your mindset. Your insights far surpass mine." He sighed deeply, "Today's revolutionary youth are truly talented. I was amazed by the works of Chen Tianhua and Zou Rong, who were already so accomplished in their twenties. Unfortunately, Zou Rong passed away in prison in Shanghai a month ago. If I could hear you and Zou Rong discuss revolution, I would die content."

Xu Xilin sat up straight, "Wenqing, when you first visited me, you said you had a request. I am not very capable, but I want to ask how I can help you."

"Wu Xiong, you are too modest," Chen Ke said quickly, "I know you have connections in Shanghai. Without funds, the revolution is impossible. I want to do something in Shanghai, so I have a request. As an outsider, I would be dead if I went to Shanghai without the support of a revolutionary like you. Without your help, my words and ideas are just empty talk."

"I see," Xu Xilin said, "What do you plan to do in Shanghai?"

"Dyeing cloth," Chen Ke replied.

"Dyeing cloth?" Xu Xilin and Qiu Jin exchanged puzzled looks, "Can you make a lot of money from dyeing cloth?"

"Not a lot, but enough for a start. To be honest, when I left home, I only brought some personal items, no money. Actually, I was kicked out," Chen Ke said, laughing. "To start a revolution, I must start from scratch. That's why I came to Shaoxing and made this bold request. Every word I said just now is true. But speaking so boldly in your home was very impolite. I hope you will forgive me." Chen Ke stood up and bowed deeply to Xu Xilin and Qiu Jin.

"Wenqing, there's no need for that. You are a revolutionary, and if I can help, I will be very happy," Xu Xilin stood up, walked over, and pulled Chen Ke up.

Chen Ke straightened up and continued, "I am penniless. If I don't get your help soon, I will have to resort to more desperate measures. I hope you will be honest with me so I can decide my next steps."

Xu Xilin was taken aback by this request. Although he admired Chen Ke, they had only met for less than half a day, and he couldn't easily agree. Qiu Jin spoke up, "Wenqing, how can I help you, and what do you plan to do?"

Chen Ke, coming from the 21st century and raised under the red flag, took Mao Zedong's principle of "seeking truth from facts" seriously. In 1905, revolution was a matter for the wealthy. Wealthy revolutionaries tried to connect with heroes from all over, who were not poor. To gain their recognition, Chen Ke dressed to impress. Although he had no money, his appearance was enough to prove his worth, and he had items he could sell. He took off his wristwatch and handed it to Qiu Jin, "Qiu Sister, I ask you to help me pawn this watch."

Xu Xilin and Qiu Jin had already noticed Chen Ke's watch but didn't mention it since they weren't familiar. When Chen Ke took it off, they were both surprised. In those days, only the wealthy or the noble wore wristwatches. Most people wore pocket watches. Qiu Jin, who had traveled widely, had seen wristwatches, but it was the first time for Xu Xilin.

Chen Ke felt lucky that his穿越 happened after he had bought a lot of items at a small commodity market. He had even remembered to buy a wristwatch, which he found quite surprising. He had won a few thousand yuan in a lottery and, thinking "money comes and goes quickly," bought some clothes, office supplies, and a few other items. He had a debate with a friend about whether wearing a watch or using a phone was better for telling time. His friend convinced him that a watch was more formal and polite.

The watch from the flea market was quite good. Chen Ke bought one for himself and planned to give a few to friends. In those days, giving a watch as a gift was unusual but thoughtful. After some haggling, he bought four watches. He didn't expect that the watch would be so useful for getting money in 1905.

The watch was a counterfeit mechanical watch, bought for 230 yuan each. It was shiny and intricately decorated, which Chen Ke found vulgar but impressive to Xu Xilin and Qiu Jin in 1905.

After examining the watch, Qiu Jin asked, "How much do you want to pawn it for?"

"Thirty to fifty taels would be enough," Chen Ke said casually.

"Ha, ha," Qiu Jin laughed again, "Wenqing, do you know my family runs a pawnshop?"

"Ah?" Chen Ke was surprised, "Qiu Sister, then I must have come to the right person."

"You are offering it at a low price," Qiu Jin smiled, "This watch is new, with no scratches or marks. With the diamonds on the dial, thirty to fifty taels. Ha, even three hundred to five hundred taels would be easy."

"Qiu Sister, you are generous. If I hadn't met you, as an outsider, I would have had a hard time pawning a watch for three hundred to five hundred taels," Chen Ke said honestly.

Qiu Jin nodded, played with the watch for a while, and then put it on her wrist, "I'll take this. I'll give you the money tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure," Chen Ke said cheerfully. Generally, Qiu Jin's request was excessive, but Chen Ke trusted her and didn't care much about the watch. Being generous and trusting others was more important than a mere watch.

"Sit, let's continue drinking," Qiu Jin said with a smile.

With the conversation at this point, further deep discussion was unlikely. They drank a few more cups of wine, and the banquet was cleared. The three talked in the living room for a while and agreed to meet at Xu Xilin's place the next morning. Chen Ke knew Xu Xilin and Qiu Jin had more to discuss, so he offered to leave. Xu Xilin and Qiu Jin did not try to keep him and saw him to the door. Qiu Jin repeatedly reminded Chen Ke to bring as many of his other writings as possible the next day.

Chen Ke smiled, "Of course."

As they were saying goodbye at the gate, Xu Xilin looked into the distance and his face fell. Chen Ke turned around curiously and saw a few people walking towards them from the street corner. The leader was a strong, well-built man with a rather delicate appearance. The others behind him were somewhat familiar. Upon closer inspection, they were the ruffians Chen Ke had encountered the day before.

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