Chapter 48

Hebei is much drier than Jiangnan. A few days ago, there must have been a wind, as there was quite a bit of dust on the floor and tables at Pang Zi's place. Chen Ke didn't mind this at all. Since jeans are inherently resistant to dirt, he sat down on the dusty stool without hesitation. He still liked the dry and crisp autumn days in the north. The heat of the "autumn tiger" was intense, but inside the house, when the wind blew, it was quite cool and comfortable.

Pang Zi, seated in the main position, was not very tall, about 170 cm, with a lean but muscular build. His eyes sparkled with a sharp intelligence, making him look like someone who had trained in martial arts. Contrary to his initial cold and wary attitude, Pang Zi became very friendly when he learned that Chen Ke was sent by Wu Xingchen.

There was no tea, but a ceramic bowl with a small chip was filled with plain water. Chen Ke was really thirsty and drank it all in a few gulps. Wiping the water from the corners of his mouth, Chen Ke said, "Can I have some more?"

Pang Zi refilled Chen Ke's bowl and then asked, "How is Brother Wu doing these days?"

"He's doing well. This is a letter for you from him." Chen Ke took the letter out of his travel backpack.

Pang Zi took the envelope, but his gaze fell on the zipper of the travel backpack. This kind of thing that opens and closes with a simple pull, especially the sound it makes when opened, caught Pang Zi's attention. It seemed much more convenient than a regular bag.

However, Pang Zi, being a leader in his own right, was curious but still focused on the task at hand. He tore open the envelope and began reading Wu Xingchen's letter.

Wu Xingchen could read and write, especially after joining the revolutionary party. Chen Ke had even given him special cultural tutoring classes. In other words, Chen Ke and Wu Xingchen had learned to write traditional characters together. Therefore, the letter Wu Xingchen wrote to Pang Zi had no misspellings.

"Brother Wu has really improved since joining the revolutionary party. There are many words in this letter that I don't recognize," Pang Zi said with a smile after finishing the letter. "Mr. Chen, Brother Wu said you are part of the revolutionary party. Is that true?"

Chen Ke smiled, "Brother Wu is now part of the revolutionary party. We are all in the same party."

Pang Zi smacked his lips, "Mr. Chen, Brother Wu mentioned in his letter that he will be coming here in a few days and sent you two to greet me first. You must have come all the way from Shanghai to our place for more than just a greeting, right?"

Inside the room, there was no one else. To be safe, Chen Ke lowered his voice, "Brother Wu should have mentioned what we are here to do in his letter. I haven't read the letter, but Brother Wu said that Brother Pang is preparing to cause some trouble, and we came here specifically for that."

"I read the letter. Brother Wu said that Old Chen Xinglian said this," Pang Zi said with a smile, "Chen Xinglian is not a good person."

Hearing this veiled criticism, Chen Tianhua's expression changed slightly, but Chen Ke didn't react at all. Instead, he asked with interest, "Brother Pang, have you suffered a lot at the hands of scholars?"

Noticing that Chen Ke understood his implication, Pang Zi said resentfully, "In the year of Gengzi, the court sent some scholars to deceive us, the Boxers. One mistake was enough. If it happened twice, I would have lost my life."

"Brother Pang, are you worried that I'm here to incite you to cause trouble and then take credit for it?" Chen Ke asked with a smile.

"What are you here for, Mr. Chen? Are you here to join us?" Pang Zi countered.

Chen Ke replied seriously, "I came to Hebei to hire some people. Why did I come to see Brother Pang? Brother Wu said we should come and see, so I came. If Brother Pang is preparing to cause trouble, I want to advise you not to act rashly."

Hearing this, Pang Zi was unmoved and didn't respond. They sat in silence for a while before Chen Ke asked, "Brother Pang, is there an inn in Gaojiacun?"

"Since you're here, I will arrange your accommodation. Mr. Chen, you're being too formal," Pang Zi said, though his face showed no warmth. He picked up the letter and read it again before leading them to a side room. Inside, there was only a dirt bed, and Pang Zi brought over a straw mat and some bedding.

"You both look like you're used to comfort, so please make do," Pang Zi said.

Chen Ke scratched his head. After days of traveling by boat and train, he hadn't had a proper bath. "Brother Pang, do you have a place where I can take a bath?"

Hearing this request, Pang Zi smiled mischievously, "Bathing? There's a river to the east of the village. You can go there."

"Thank you," Chen Ke said without concern.

"Since you don't mind, please go ahead," Pang Zi said and then left the room.

After tidying up the bed, Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua took soap and towels and stepped out of the courtyard. They saw a group of children gathered at the gate, watching them. When they saw the two men come out, the children scattered, then hid behind things or stood far away, watching these strange adults with curiosity and confusion in their bright eyes. As they walked east, Chen Ke felt someone tugging at the back of his shirt. Turning around, he saw a child screaming and running away. The other children laughed and were very happy. The child hadn't run far when other children tried to run over, but Chen Ke's glare made them stop. However, as soon as Chen Ke turned around, the children continued the game.

This was life in the countryside. People's activities were limited to a small area. A visitor from outside was a rare sight. Not just the children, but many adults were also watching the two strangers, whispering and evaluating them. Occasionally, a young woman or a wife would come out or pass by, and upon seeing Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua, they would quickly hide. Chen Ke didn't bother with this. If he were to live in the countryside, such things would be common. He focused on the surroundings.

This was a typical northern village, with yellow mud walls and mostly mud-brick houses. Pang Zi's house was relatively grand, with tiles on the main house, while many other houses had thatched roofs. Through the half-open gates or low walls, one could see corn cobs hanging in the courtyards and bundles of sorghum stalks piled against the walls. Strings of dried chili peppers added a festive touch. Old wooden doors had door gods pasted on them, the colorful paper faded and the images blurred from the wind and rain. The air was a mix of the scents of plants, animals, and dust.

In this dilapidated atmosphere, Chen Tianhua said, "This village looks quite nice."

Hearing this, Chen Ke didn't know how to respond. Honestly, rural areas were like this. Even in 1995, 90 years later, the northern rural areas Chen Ke had seen hadn't changed much.

Spotless wooden floors, snow-white walls, full-length glass doors on balconies, fabric sofas, and European-style double-layer curtains. These might be needed in the city. In the countryside, Chen Ke wasn't really interested in such things. Compared to other villages he had seen, this one was at least decent. At dusk, every household had smoke rising from their chimneys, and parents were calling their children to eat. The children who had been following Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua with great interest ran back to their homes like birds returning to their nests. Perhaps because of the visitors, many families closed their doors after calling their children back.

By October, the evening breeze was already chilly. Walking side by side on the empty dirt road outside the village, Chen Tianhua, seeing no one around, asked, "Brother Pang seems to have some reservations about us."

"The Boxers hate foreigners the most, and now they also hate the Qing. They especially despise those who act like foreigners. In Beijing, some people were beheaded just for carrying a pen. Brother Pang is already being quite polite to us."

"Did the Boxers really cause so much trouble in Beijing?" Chen Tianhua was skeptical.

"At the time, a prince led them. I forget which one, but he represented a group of people who hated the Westernization faction and incited them to act. It's not surprising."

Chen Tianhua was silent for a while. Although he was used to Chen Ke's way of thinking, such a sharp evaluation made him feel uncomfortable. "Wenqing, you never seem to get angry about these atrocities."

"Of course, I get angry, but I'm not angry now. They will inevitably act this way. When we liberate China, we will imprison those who should be imprisoned and execute those who should be executed. What else can we do?"

"Only that, I suppose," Chen Tianhua replied.

After walking for a while, they finally saw the river Pang Zi mentioned. Chen Ke believed this river was different from the polluted ones in the future, with no industrial or domestic wastewater. As expected, the riverbed was sandy, and the water was relatively clear. The temperature had dropped in autumn, but the water was warmer than the air. After a refreshing bath, it was already completely dark.

On the way back to the village, Chen Tianhua asked Chen Ke what they should do before Brother Wu Xingchen arrived.

"Let's try to conduct a social survey and see the situation in this village. We will eventually have to go to the countryside, so this step is necessary," Chen Ke replied.

"Wenqing, do you really think we can achieve something in the countryside?" Chen Tianhua, though accepting Chen Ke's ideas, still doubted the rural revolution.

Chen Ke pointed to the dark surroundings, "When we came here today, we saw such a vast area. With such vast land, what can't we do? The enemy's strength in the countryside is the weakest, but China is made up of countless such villages. If we can seize the leadership of these villages, what enemy can we not defeat?"

"How many people are in one village? How many villages would it take to match the population of Shanghai? I think it might be better to start a rebellion in Shanghai," Chen Tianhua said.

"Shanghai has a large population, but let's not talk about that. Even if we succeed in a rebellion in Shanghai, what will we eat? Where will the food come from?"

"We can buy it, right?"

"Buy? Where will the money come from?"

"Taxation should be enough."

"Taxation? Tax who? Why would the rich pay taxes to us? The concessions are the richest areas in Shanghai. If we try to tax in the concessions, what will the foreigners do?" Chen Ke asked with a smile.

Chen Tianhua was silent. Chen Ke understood Chen Tianhua. In such a small village, what could they gain? Unlike densely populated cities, the countryside felt so vast. It took almost a day for the mule to travel from Xingtai to here. It took them over 20 minutes to walk from the village to the river. Compared to the city, the countryside was like this. Small settlements were scattered across vast lands, and each village had few people. It was impossible to sustain a revolution. Just communicating news would take a long time, and to fully utilize the human and material resources of these villages would require tremendous organizational ability. Chen Ke had read some materials and understood this theoretically. After personally visiting the countryside, he felt a strong sense of powerlessness.

When they returned to Pang Zi's place, the door was already closed. They knocked, and Pang Zi opened it and invited them to have dinner together. The meal consisted of sorghum flour steamed buns, pickled vegetables, and corn porridge. There was little salt and even less oil. High in fiber, low in oil, and low in salt. Chen Ke remembered a friend's joke, "The food in the 1960s absolutely meets the standards of healthy eating in the 21st century." Thinking about this, Chen Ke's expression brightened.

Seeing Chen Ke eating with enthusiasm, Pang Zi was surprised. "Mr. Chen must be tired of rich food and wants to change his diet," Pang Zi said cheerfully.

Chen Ke wasn't offended, "Rich food never gets old."

"I'm sorry for the poor hospitality. I don't have chicken, duck, or fish. Mr. Chen, please don't be upset," Pang Zi said with a smile.

While walking through the village, Chen Ke had heard the sounds of chickens and ducks. He suddenly remembered something, "I see there's a river here. Can we catch earthworms and fish to feed the chickens and ducks?"

"Of course. Feeding them only grain isn't enough for us," Pang Zi replied.

"Brother Pang, there's a method to raise earthworms. Mix horse manure, cow manure, straw, and rice straw, and let it ferment like compost. Mix it with soil and raise earthworms in it. The earthworms will grow strong and fast. In winter, the chickens and ducks will have enough to eat, which is much better than feeding them grain."

These were common breeding techniques in the future, but Chen Ke was confident that Pang Zi had never seen them. It was easy to fool Pang Zi.

As Chen Ke expected, Pang Zi sneered, "Mr. Chen, you're just fooling me. Can earthworms really be raised?"

"Brother Pang, you must have caught earthworms before. Where do you usually find them? In mud, grass, or under trees?" Chen Ke asked.

Pang Zi thought for a moment but hadn't really noticed. Chen Ke continued eating and discussing with Pang Zi. The more they discussed, the clearer the truth became. Pang Zi remembered that, as Chen Ke said, earthworms were indeed more abundant in places with organic matter. Listening to Chen Ke's logical explanation, it didn't seem like he was lying. Pang Zi, who usually didn't trust foreigners, found himself believing Chen Ke. This was truly surprising.

"Mr. Chen, have you ever farmed?" Pang Zi asked.

"No, but I have a friend who raised earthworms to feed chickens, and it worked very well."

Hearing this, Pang Zi immediately thought Chen Ke was lying. But the thought was quickly replaced by doubt. Pang Zi had seen the world and could tell if someone was lying by their expression. Chen Ke's expression was sincere. If he could lie so convincingly, Chen Ke must be a very cunning person. The meal was simple and quickly finished. Chen Ke yawned, "If there's nothing else, Brother Pang, I'll go to sleep."

After Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua went to sleep, Pang Zi carefully closed the door and returned to his room. When Chen Ke went to bathe, Pang Zi secretly checked the backpacks left in the room. Besides a dozen books, there were several small bottles, tightly sealed. The rest were some clothes. The strange zipper on the bag puzzled Pang Zi, but it was very convenient, opening and closing with a simple pull.

He took out Wu Xingchen's letter and read it again. The letter was indeed from Wu Xingchen. Pang Zi had indeed invited a few old brothers to discuss "causing trouble." The letter mentioned this and told Pang Zi that Chen Ke was a revolutionary with extraordinary insight. Wu Xingchen believed that Chen Ke's participation would be helpful. Pang Zi knew that Wu Xingchen, like him, had once hated foreigners. He was puzzled by how Wu Xingchen had started associating with such people in recent years.

Pang Zi met Wu Xingchen during the Gengzi year. At that time, Jing Tingbin, as a martial arts champion, was a famous figure in Xingtai. As a relative, Pang Zi practiced martial arts with Jing Tingbin. During the Gengzi year, the Boxers in Hebei went to Beijing, and Pang Zi, without telling Jing Tingbin, went to Beijing to see the commotion. In Beijing, he, being skilled in martial arts, became a small leader.

At that time, Wu Xingchen was the leader of the Heaven and Earth Society in Zhili but concealed his identity and also became a leader. He had dozens of followers and often met Pang Zi. The two got along well, and Wu Xingchen advised Pang Zi not to trust the court. Before the court and foreigners joined forces to suppress the Boxers, Wu Xingchen informed the brothers to flee. Many didn't believe Wu Xingchen, but Pang Zi did. As a result, the two led their followers out of Beijing just before the suppression of the Boxers.

Both became "famous" and Pang Zi didn't dare to return home. He followed Wu Xingchen to Shandong and joined Zhao San duo. Zhao San duo led the Boxers in a rebellion, dividing into three routes. Wu Xingchen stayed in Shandong, while Pang Zi returned to Hebei with Zhao San duo. When Jing Tingbin and Zhao San duo proposed "resisting foreign aggression" and "sweeping away the Qing and exterminating foreigners," Pang Zi, as a key figure, was very active. After the rebellion failed, Jing Tingbin was executed by dismemberment, and Zhao San duo died of hunger in prison. Pang Zi had to flee to Shandong.

In Shandong, he learned that the rebellion had also failed, and Yuan Shikai had brutally suppressed the rebellion in Shandong. Wu Xingchen's whereabouts were unknown. Pang Zi fled to Cangzhou and only returned home this year. He had always been in contact