Chapter 31

September 1, 1905. Mr. Ma Xiangbo woke up on his sickbed in the afternoon. Apart from the occasional sounds from the central hall, the mansion was quiet. Mr. Ma had been suffering from a slight cold for a few days. After a nap at noon, he felt much better.

Hearing the sound inside the room, a middle-aged man quickly walked in. He was handsome, with thick eyebrows and large eyes, a straight nose, and wore round glasses. His lips were slightly pursed, giving him a resolute look. He stood straight, and despite wearing a long robe and a mandarin jacket, he walked with a vigorous gait, almost like a soldier.

"Mr. Ma Xiangbo, you're awake," the man asked with concern. Mr. Ma was still on his sickbed, so the man deliberately lowered his voice, but his deep, resonant voice was even more penetrating. As he spoke, he helped Mr. Ma lean against the pillow.

Mr. Ma Xiangbo looked at the bound manuscript in the man's hand and asked, "Jidao, have you seen the book?"

"Did you call me here for this book, Mr. Ma Xiangbo?" the middle-aged man asked.

"Young people are truly formidable, truly formidable," Mr. Ma Xiangbo said. "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed that a book like this was written by a young man in his twenties."

The middle-aged man nodded. "Mr. Ma Xiangbo, I'll get you a cup of tea," he said, placing the book on the pillow and getting up to pour the tea.

The cover of the book was written in beautiful running script: "The Inheritance of Chinese Culture and the Rise of Materialism," Volume One.

"Your book 'On the Evolution of Nature' a few years ago was praised by everyone, and even I, an old man, felt enlightened. Once this book is completed, its impact will surely surpass yours," Mr. Ma said with a faint smile.

The man who brought the tea was none other than the famous Yan Fu, a close friend of Mr. Ma Xiangbo. Mr. Ma had founded Fudan Public School, and Yan Fu had contributed greatly to it. Yan Fu was currently the principal of Wanjiang Middle School in Anhui. Mr. Ma and Yan Fu had already agreed that Yan Fu would take over as the principal of Fudan Public School in 1906. However, a few days ago, Mr. Ma suddenly wrote to Yan Fu, asking him to come to Shanghai as soon as possible. Mr. Ma said he had obtained a great treasure. Seeing the urgency in the letter, Yan Fu hurriedly came.

Upon arriving at Mr. Ma's house, Yan Fu learned that Mr. Ma had been reading a book almost non-stop for several days, in addition to preparing for the school's opening. He had caught a cold and fallen ill. Even so, Mr. Ma had specifically instructed his family that if he could not receive Yan Fu, they should let Yan Fu read a book first. Mr. Ma's family, with a resentful look, handed the manuscript to Yan Fu.

Mr. Ma was a learned man, well-versed in both Chinese and Western knowledge. What book could he recommend so highly? Yan Fu liked the title as soon as he saw it. As a recognized expert in Western studies, Yan Fu was highly praised by Kang Youwei as "a person I have never seen before!" However, like other famous scholars of his time, Yan Fu's mastery of Western studies was aimed at reviving China and Chinese culture. The words "Inheritance of Chinese Culture" in the title appealed to him. But Yan Fu, who was also well-versed in traditional Chinese studies, felt that the author was being overly presumptuous.

The content of the first chapter was not about traditional Chinese studies. The title was "The Material Unity of the World," a debate between materialism and idealism. The author wrote in vernacular Chinese, but it was clear that he had a solid foundation in traditional Chinese studies. Yan Fu's "On the Evolution of Nature" was written in classical Chinese, and many terms required careful thought for translation, leading to the famous "faithfulness, expressiveness, and elegance" translation standards. The author's use of vernacular Chinese allowed him to explain complex ideas clearly, making it easy for even those with limited education to understand. Yan Fu found this approach both uncomfortable and impressive.

The author openly declared the materialist stance of the book. Yan Fu himself had some basic concepts of materialism, but when he read, "The world exists independently of human subjective consciousness, but without human subjective consciousness, the world cannot be perceived," he couldn't help but admire it.

Soon, Yan Fu came across the terms "productive forces" and "production relations," which he had never seen before. The author discussed how the production of material goods is the decisive force in human social development. He then proposed the concept of "labor creates man." The author cited various Chinese texts, mentioning ancient sages like "You Chao," "Sui Ren," and "Shennong," who made significant contributions to productive forces and were thus revered as rulers of the world.

Yan Fu had never looked at the world from this perspective. At first, he felt very uncomfortable, but upon careful reflection, he found the argument logically sound and difficult to refute. Although people often avoided talking about profit, everyone agreed that "the world is bustling with people seeking profit." The book's straightforward discussion of profit made Yan Fu feel uneasy. The writing, though in vernacular Chinese, was profound. The more he read, the more confused he became. After rereading it, he suddenly understood. Yan Fu was not a bookish person. He put down the book, closed his eyes, and thought for a moment, then understood the logic. The book's arguments were layered, and if one did not follow the initial ideas, the subsequent parts would not make sense. This was different from the traditional Chinese "subtle meanings and profound principles" and more like European philosophy. Yan Fu had not only translated "On the Evolution of Nature" but had also read many European philosophical works.

The author must have been well-versed in Western studies and had a high level of traditional Chinese studies. Yan Fu was extremely curious about who had written this. Just as he was pondering, Mr. Ma Xiangbo woke up, and Yan Fu quickly went in to greet him.

After serving Mr. Ma a cup of tea, Yan Fu asked, "The author is only in his twenties?"

"Twenty-five," Mr. Ma replied.

"Really? I only read the first chapter. The author's arguments are quite forceful, almost as if he is presenting a complete theory of the world. He is very sharp."

"Not just almost, he is exactly that."

Hearing this, Yan Fu was surprised. "Is he a madman?" But he immediately recalled Mr. Ma's high praise for the book.

"If he were just a madman, I wouldn't have specially invited you. The author's arguments are well-founded. I read it several times, and in a book of hundreds of thousands of words, I couldn't find a single flaw."

"Hundreds of thousands of words?" Yan Fu was truly astonished.

Mr. Ma Xiangbo pointed to the bookshelf in the room, where a thick stack of books, about a dozen in total, was placed. They were bound exactly like the one Yan Fu had read. Yan Fu knew Mr. Ma's scholarship well. If Mr. Ma said he couldn't find any flaws after careful reading, then there were none. For a young man in his twenties to write a few thousand words of coherent argument without any flaws was already rare. Hundreds of thousands of words with consistent logic... Could China really have such talent? Yan Fu immediately decided to read the book carefully.

"Who wrote this book?" Yan Fu was very curious.

"His name is Chen Ke."

"Chen Ke? The one who made the medicine and published the molecular formula?"

"Have you heard about this in Anhui?"

Yan Fu had indeed heard about it, but others treated it as a joke. As a student, Chen Ke had made a medicine for syphilis, which, in the eyes of scholars, was a disgrace to the profession. However, Yan Fu, a graduate of the South China Naval Academy and a former principal of the Beiyang Naval Academy, knew that sailors often visited brothels and many contracted syphilis. If such a medicine had been available in the past, the Beiyang Navy's combat effectiveness might have been even higher. For professional reasons, Yan Fu was not at all averse to Chen Ke's invention. However, Chen Ke's public disclosure of the molecular formula clearly benefited foreigners, which Yan Fu found very unsatisfactory.

"Since you have read this book, Mr. Ma, what category do you place it in?"

"It is neither Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist, Legalist, nor Diplomat. Yet it incorporates elements from all these schools and unifies them under its own theory."

"Is it not Western learning either?" Yan Fu was increasingly curious.

"If I had to say, it has a bit of a Catholic flavor. The book claims that what it says is the ultimate truth. Yet, it is also atheistic. It's truly... sigh."

After pondering Mr. Ma's words, Yan Fu asked, "Mr. Ma, why did you call me here?"

"First, Fudan Public School is about to open, and you must come. Second, I want you to read this book. This book will surely spread widely, and the principles it expounds, even if not the ultimate truth, are certainly not heretical. Young people will read it and follow in large numbers. Jidao, the author is a genius. If you are willing, I would like you to take him as a disciple. If left unguided, he might cause chaos in the world."

"Could he be that influential?" Yan Fu frowned.

"Regardless of his knowledge, his insight is remarkable. In the appendices, he writes that China's current difficulties stem from not having experienced the industrial revolution. The purpose of this book is to bridge the gap between Chinese culture and industrialization. Once this gap is bridged, China will surely return to its central position. He even seems to consider himself the true heir of Chinese culture."

These words left Yan Fu speechless. He stared at the book on Mr. Ma's pillow for a long time before asking, "Mr. Ma, compared to Confucianism, how do you view the author's arguments?"

"If this book had existed in the time of Han Fei, Confucianism would never have become the dominant school."

Chen Ke was unaware that someone was "plotting" against him. He was facing a group of young people, far less learned than the two seniors, and was eloquently explaining materialist dialectics. This class had been going on for several days, and he was currently discussing "historical laws and the alternation of social forms." After explaining slavery and feudalism, the students began to whisper and discuss among themselves.

Chen Ke felt tired and announced a break. He sat on a stool, picked up his teacup, and drank heartily. After finishing, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and sighed contentedly.

Since reaching an agreement with Mr. Ma Xiangbo to use the Fudan Public School premises, Chen Ke had been using them without hesitation. Due to the incident of disrupting a lecture, Chen Ke had also given a medical lecture. After all, he was the principal of the Shanghai Renxin Medical College, and it would have been inappropriate not to give medical lectures.

However, the timing of the lectures was not ideal, as the Jiangnan region had entered the plum rain season. Chen Ke had to move the lectures indoors. With the school's opening approaching, students from out of town had already arrived. With nothing else to do, they naturally came to listen to the lectures. As a result, the number of listeners increased from a hundred to over four hundred. The lectures had to be moved to the largest auditorium at Fudan Public School.

Outside the auditorium, dark clouds were gathering, and it was as if night was falling despite it being afternoon. The rain fell intermittently but steadily. Most of the four hundred people were students, and with the rain preventing them from going out, the auditorium remained crowded. When Chen Ke announced the break, the students began to discuss the lecture content freely, and the auditorium was filled with noise.

No students asked Chen Ke questions, not because they were unwilling or dissatisfied, but because Chen Ke had set a rule. At the end of each lecture, he would set aside time to answer students' questions. Chen Ke lectured for nearly six hours a day, and the Q&A session lasted over an hour. Most importantly, it was time for the Q&A session. The students noticed that Chen Ke's voice was hoarse and were considerate, trying not to disturb him during the break.

"Yellow River Learning Society's Science and Education Group is recruiting!" someone shouted.

"Yellow River Learning Society's Industrial Group is recruiting!" someone else shouted.

"Yellow River Learning Society's Constitutional Group is recruiting!" another person shouted.

These were young people who had formed groups spontaneously during the lectures. The divisions among them were not so clear-cut. Young people just found it fun to raise a banner. Many participated in multiple, or even all, the so-called groups, forming the majority of the "Yellow River Learning Society."

You Gou attended the lectures every day. The hospital was running smoothly, and the demand for various drugs was increasing. However, You Gou claimed that he couldn't make the drugs alone and insisted on attending the lectures. He would make the drugs with Chen Ke after the lectures. In fact, it wasn't just You Gou; all the comrades, except Qi Huishen and Wu Xingchen, had various reasons to attend the lectures every day. The only one who didn't actively request to attend was Xie Mingxian. Xie Mingxian's reason was simple: he was there to work, not to attend lectures. Attending lectures and getting paid for it made him feel uncomfortable. However, Chen Ke insisted that Xie Mingxian attend the lectures.

Qi Huishen was genuinely busy, but whenever he had time, he would come. To Chen Ke's surprise, Wu Xingchen, whom he didn't expect to be interested in these subjects, also came whenever he had time. His towering 195 cm figure was hard to miss in the crowd.

The book was already in the printing stage. Qi Huishen found a printing factory and ordered five thousand sets. The book was divided into volumes, with each volume covering one chapter. There were twelve chapters plus an appendix, making a total of thirteen volumes. Qi Huishen was clever and started printing from the seventh volume, which was delivered yesterday. Chen Ke was helpless about the comrades' enthusiasm. Today, in the students' envious gazes, the members of the People's Party each received a set of the book. Some students asked how to buy the book.

Chen Ke had no intention of making money but told a story. If you give a horse to someone, they won't value it. But if you sell it to them at a low price, they will cherish it. Money wasn't the issue; the subtle psychological change was. So Chen Ke set the price of the book at 40% of the cost, selling the thick book for 150 coins. The young people who came to study were not poor and could easily afford it. For comparison, the much thinner "On the Evolution of Nature" cost 500 coins when Lu Xun bought it. The members of the Yellow River Learning Society also told the students the total number of books. They suggested that students buy different volumes and exchange them to save money.

"Being a student is great," You Gou sighed, sitting next to Chen Ke. You Gou had long recovered from her disappointment. After the incident, she started lecturing at Fudan Public School on the third day. Everyone respected this female teacher, so as the only woman in the auditorium, she was given the front center seat, and no one dared to challenge her. As a teacher, she sat on the stage next to Chen Ke during breaks. Since the open lecture, You Gou wore a white lab coat for both teaching and attending lectures, which made students hesitant to approach her.

"The learning society is established, and I'm finally able to share what I truly want to teach. Hehe! I'm very happy," Chen Ke smiled.

"Chen Ke, to be honest, if you had told me these things when we first met, I would have thought you were a big liar," You Gou suddenly said, feeling a sense of reflection. She sighed comfortably and tapped her left hand with the book in her right hand. "But now, I think what Chen Ke says is the ultimate truth."

"Revolution is not easy," Chen Ke replied.

You Gou raised her left hand, and all the students who saw this gesture focused on the watch on her wrist. "Chen Ke, it's time to start the lecture." She deliberately delayed for a moment before lowering her wrist, and in the students' envious gazes, she jumped off the stage and sat back down.

This was a signal. The students began to return to their seats, and the auditorium gradually returned to order. Many notes were passed and piled up on the table in front of Chen Ke. After flipping through them, Chen Ke suddenly smiled. "Today's questions are quite focused. Many of you asked about the changes in European social systems and European history. I remember writing an article in the appendix with a rather crude title." Chen Ke stood up and wrote a few words on the blackboard under the gas lamp.

The students read the words one by one, "A Crude History of Ancient Europe." As soon as they finished, there was a burst of laughter.

Chen Ke smiled and turned around. "European history only became reliable by the end of the 18th century. By 'reliable,' I mean compared to Chinese history. Chinese history is divided into official and unofficial histories. Why are they called this? I'm sure some of you know. Please stand up and answer boldly!"

The students looked at each other, and one person stood up and said loudly, "Official history is recorded by professional historians. Unofficial history is recorded by scholars." Chen Ke recognized him; his name was Cui Guoxi, the founder of the Industrial Group of the Yellow