Chapter 49

In the morning, there was no breakfast. The dinner from the previous night had already been digested, and Chen Ke felt his stomach rumbling. When visiting someone else's home, one must adhere to the etiquette of a guest. Pang Zi remained silent, and Chen Ke felt that they would have to endure the hunger for now. This wasn't the 21st century, where supermarkets and convenience stores were everywhere. If he dared to go out to buy food, the news would likely reach Pang Zi's ears quickly. For Pang Zi to be so negligent in hosting guests, it would be inappropriate for the guests to go out and buy their own food. As a guest, one must consider the host's face. Chen Ke was here to make friends, not to make enemies. What would be the point of embarrassing Pang Zi?

Chen Ke began to reflect on why he hadn't brought a pile of gifts when visiting. He recalled that Yan Fu had brought pastries when he visited. Chen Ke realized he had made a significant mistake. If he had brought a lot of food, Pang Zi wouldn't have treated them so poorly. Though he could think about it, there was no way to change the past. Chen Ke secretly observed Chen Tianhua, who seemed as calm as he was, and he felt relieved.

"Xing Tai, let's not go out today."

Chen Tianhua, who hadn't seen Chen Ke change his mind, asked curiously, "Why? Didn't Wen Qing say he wanted to conduct a social survey?"

Chen Ke explained his concerns to Chen Tianhua. Since Pang Zi hadn't said anything, it wouldn't be appropriate to go out rashly. This concern was quite reasonable. Pang Zi's hospitality was poor, and it was even more important not to provoke any conflicts. Chen Tianhua agreed, and the two decided to stay in the room and talk, not even leaving the side room.

It wasn't convenient to discuss revolutionary matters, so the conversation turned to personal issues. Chen Ke didn't dare to mention his background, and he couldn't ask about Chen Tianhua's either. With few topics left, they eventually talked about marriage. Chen Ke was 25 years old, and Chen Tianhua was the same age as Qiu Jin, 30 years old, five years older than Chen Ke. When asked why Chen Tianhua wasn't married, he gave a traditional answer, "Until the Xiongnu are exterminated, how can I think of a home?"

Chen Tianhua assumed Chen Ke was similar and casually asked him. Chen Ke gave a different but equally orthodox answer, "I haven't had the time to find a wife yet."

"Hasn't your family arranged a marriage for you?"

"I've been studying all along, and my family hasn't had the time to arrange such matters. They said they would wait until I finished my studies, but I ran away."

"Such a twist," Chen Tianhua sighed. "What kind of girl do you like, Wen Qing?"

"First, she can't have bound feet. Second, I want a well-bred lady who is educated and polite. At home, my mother always criticized me for acting like a wild man. Having a virtuous wife would at least give me someone to discuss these issues with. Third, the prettier, the better." Chen Ke laughed heartily. After a couple of laughs, he feared disturbing Pang Zi and quickly stifled the rest of his laughter.

"This time in the capital, Wen Qing might find someone suitable," Chen Tianhua teased.

"Let's see. Who knows what kind of girls the officials' daughters are. If they think they are superior, I definitely won't want them. But if you, Xing Tai, find someone suitable, I will definitely support you."

Chen Tianhua just smiled awkwardly without answering.

Both were revolutionaries, and even in casual conversation, they naturally drifted back to their cause.

"While in Japan, I met Liang Qichao. At the time, he talked about reform, and I was deeply moved. It was during the Russo-Japanese War, and the Qing Dynasty had no power to restrain the warring parties, so they declared 'neutrality.' In January 1905, the Japanese newspaper 'Bancho' published an article predicting that China would be partitioned. When we, the Chinese students in Japan, read it, we were all shocked. I wrote 'A Petition for National Salvation,' demanding that the Qing government implement a constitutional system and save the nation. Reforms should be implemented, the country's direction should be set, local autonomy should be granted, and the people should have the rights of freedom, publication, speech, and assembly. At the same time, the people should fulfill their duties of military service, paying taxes, raising public bonds, and working for the government."

"Oh, I haven't had the chance to read it yet. I should take a look when I have time."

"Wen Qing, don't laugh at me. At that time, I was still ignorant. It wasn't until I wrote this book with you that I realized my previous views were all wrong. But at the time, I was prepared to risk my life and go to Beijing to petition. If it weren't for the Japanese comrades' repeated persuasion, I might have gone."

Chen Ke didn't know about this. He thought that Chen Tianhua, the author of 'A Startling Awakening' and 'A Warning Bell,' who called for the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty, would kneel and kowtow in the Forbidden City to petition the Qing emperor for a constitutional system. This would undoubtedly inject a shot of adrenaline into the dying Qing government, causing great harm to the revolutionary cause. It was reasonable for the Japanese comrades to try to stop him.

"After we establish a base, we will form our own government. The task of saving the country doesn't need the Qing Dynasty's concern," Chen Ke said with a smile.

Seeing Chen Ke's confidence, Chen Tianhua showed a hesitant expression. After a moment, he finally asked, "Wen Qing, the comrades have been talking about you in private. Many say you must be the son of a high official. Otherwise, it would be impossible for you to have such a broad perspective and see things from a national level."

Chen Tianhua knew that Chen Ke never talked about himself, so he didn't have much confidence in his words. Seeing that Chen Ke didn't intend to answer, he quickly changed the topic, "Wen Qing, can China be saved? I used to talk about the fall of Poland and India, thinking that China had the same national weaknesses. I wonder if you can enlighten me on this."

"National character is nonsense," Chen Ke replied bluntly. "We talk about the materialist view of history, which says that productivity determines social relations. Take the idea that the Chinese are a disunited people, for example. In an agricultural country like China, look at the countryside. People probably spend their whole lives within a hundred miles of their homes. If they don't have close relatives, who would they visit outside that radius? China is so vast, so it looks disunited. When we industrialize and build factories with thousands of workers and cities with hundreds of thousands of people, the social climate will naturally change. When the railway network is built and people have money, they can travel and meet friends from all over, and the social climate will change even more. So the idea of national character is pure nonsense. The Chinese people are a great people. Even an illiterate knows the importance of establishing a good moral order and having a strong government. With such a people, China will never perish. The gap we have now is the difference between an agricultural country and an industrial country, not a matter of national character."

Hearing Chen Ke's words, Chen Tianhua nodded repeatedly, "Wen Qing, that's a profound insight. Why don't you write it down?"

The suggestion was good, and since they had nothing else to do, Chen Ke sat cross-legged on the kang and started writing the article while discussing it with Chen Tianhua. By the time they finished, it was noon. Pang Zi called them from the yard, "Mr. Chen, let's go out for lunch."

With Pang Zi leading the way, and many people having seen Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua the day before, the situation was much better. At least the children didn't gather around to watch. There was a large courtyard in the east of the village. Chen Ke had seen it before he went to bathe the previous day, but he didn't expect it to be a restaurant. Pang Zi led them inside and called for the meal. There was no menu, so Chen Ke gave the owner two silver dollars when he came over, "We'll pay after we eat."

Pang Zi was surprised by Chen Ke's action, but he didn't stop him. The restaurant owner, however, looked quite awkward, which made Chen Ke feel something was off. He tried again by giving the owner a few more silver dollars, and the owner's expression improved, but he still didn't leave. Chen Ke guessed that Pang Zi owed a lot of money here. Seeing the owner's expression, he gave him five more silver dollars, and the owner finally left to prepare the food happily.

"This won't do, this won't do. Mr. Chen, you're too polite. I'm embarrassed," Pang Zi finally gave Chen Ke a genuine smile.

"Next time, it's on you, brother. We're all brothers, so there's no need to be embarrassed."

As the food and drinks were served, Pang Zi enthusiastically poured drinks and served dishes, showing a lot of chivalry.

A steaming plate of sausages was brought to the table, and the aroma filled the air. Chen Ke took a bite and found the sausages, made from fatty pork, eggs, and other spices, to be rich but not greasy. Paired with the local homemade liquor, it was truly delicious.

Chen Ke praised the sausages, and Pang Zi smiled, "I have an uncle who sells pancakes wrapped with sausages. They are even better."

"I've had pancakes with vegetables in Shandong many times. How is it different here?" Chen Ke was quite interested.

Pang Zi had traveled widely, and Chen Ke was also well-informed. Chen Tianhua had traveled both domestically and abroad, so they all got along well when talking about local delicacies. They drank and ate while discussing, and as their spirits rose, they listed all the delicious foods they had tried, from China to Japan. Even the restaurant owner couldn't help but exclaim in envy, realizing how many delicious foods there were in different places.

After a satisfying meal, the owner came to settle the bill. Chen Ke, feeling a bit tipsy, said, "Let's put it on hold for now. We'll settle it next time." He then got up and led Pang Zi and Chen Tianhua out.

When they returned to Pang Zi's home, the atmosphere became much more relaxed. They used the same chipped bowls and drank plain water, chatting about various topics. After a while, Pang Zi asked, "Mr. Chen, Wu Brother said you are a revolutionary. Are you really planning to rebel?"

"Of course, we are. If I weren't planning to rebel, why would I be a revolutionary?"

"Both of you are overseas students. You don't believe in foreign religions, do you?" This question had been bothering Pang Zi.

Chen Ke answered without hesitation, "We don't believe in any foreign religions. If we succeed in our revolution, we will definitely eradicate them from China."

"Absolutely. All those who believe in foreign religions must be killed. They must all die a miserable death!" Pang Zi said with a grim expression.

Chen Ke didn't have the intention to kill, but seeing Pang Zi's intense hatred, he didn't dare to say more and changed the topic, "Brother Pang, I'm preparing for the revolution to overthrow the Qing government. I need to prepare a lot of things. I wonder how far you plan to go with your rebellion?"

"Well..." Pang Zi was reluctant to speak.

"Brother Pang, I won't ask how far you plan to go, as that's your family's secret. But I can tell you how I plan to rebel. Can you give me some advice?"

Hearing Chen Ke's words, Pang Zi's expression darkened.

"I plan to start a rebellion locally. It will either be killing officials or making them figureheads. I need a group of loyal brothers. With these brothers, I need to ensure they are well-fed and well-clothed," Chen Ke said. "If I have 200 brothers, and each eats one pound of grain a day, that's 73,000 pounds of grain a year. Where will I get this grain? Brother Pang, can we get 400 pounds of wheat per mu in Hebei?"

Pang Zi, hearing Chen Ke's detailed calculations, felt a bit uneasy, "Not that much."

"Two hundred brothers following me, and if each spends half a tael of silver a month, that's 3,190 taels of silver a year. Brother Pang, it's not easy to gather that much money," Chen Ke said.

"Robbing a few wealthy families should be enough," Pang Zi, being young, couldn't resist following Chen Ke's lead.

"Everyone is from the same village. If you rob a wealthy family, some of your brothers might be related to them. If someone pleads for mercy, will you rob them or not?" Chen Ke asked.

"Well..." Pang Zi realized he hadn't considered this.

"If it's a small rebellion, it's not a big deal. But if you want a large, long-term rebellion, you need to think carefully," Chen Ke concluded.

"How do you plan a large rebellion, and how do you plan a small one?" Pang Zi was thoroughly interested.

Seeing Pang Zi's enthusiastic expression, Chen Ke said, "For a large rebellion, you find some brothers, get some guns, and surround the government office, declaring rebellion. The government will definitely try to persuade you. When they ask what you want, you step forward and say you want to form a security company. The government will definitely agree."

"Good!" Pang Zi slapped the table.

"Then your security company can start transporting goods by horse and train, which can earn money. With this money, you don't need to rob wealthy families. You can reduce rents and interest rates for the villagers. If a villager faces financial ruin during a wedding or funeral, you can lend them money. With your security company, you can force the wealthy to reduce rents and interest rates. They won't dare to refuse. With the support of the villagers, you can collect a little money and grain from each household, which can add up to tens of thousands of pounds of grain."

"Brilliant!" Pang Zi's eyes sparkled. "Mr. Chen, you speak so well."

Chen Ke smiled, "In the end, if you plan a large rebellion, it will still be a revolution."

Hearing Chen Ke talk about revolution, Pang Zi lost interest. He asked, "What about a small rebellion?"

"For a small rebellion, you can do whatever you want. The government will send people to arrest and kill you and your brothers, and the outcome will be death. So, it doesn't matter how you rebel," Chen Ke said bluntly.

Hearing Chen Ke's words, Pang Zi slammed the table, "Damn!"

This was how a pleasant gathering could turn sour. Pang Zi stormed out, and Chen Ke, not angry, finished his water and returned to the side room with Chen Tianhua to continue writing the article. In the evening, they went out to bathe as they did the previous day.

The northern autumn night sky was filled with stars. Without air pollution, the stars seemed to hang low, almost within reach. The sounds of insects in the grass and the wind rustling through the jujube trees around the village were soothing, making one feel drowsy.

After bathing, Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua slowly walked along the fields outside the village. It was always inconvenient to talk inside the room. Seeing no one around, Chen Tianhua said, "Wen Qing, why don't you start a rebellion here with Brother Pang?"

Chen Ke knew Chen Tianhua was eager to start a rebellion to overthrow the Qing Dynasty. He didn't directly reveal Chen Tianhua's thoughts but praised him, "Xing Tai, you ask a good question. Why do you say 'start a rebellion' instead of 'revolution'?"

"After hearing your explanation of revolution, I don't dare to talk about revolution lightly."

"Even if Brother Pang starts a rebellion now, it's not a revolution. Moreover, it's uncertain whether he will really start. Why should I get involved?" Chen Ke's voice was calm, as if discussing what to have for dinner.

Hearing Chen Ke's clear refusal to participate in Pang Zi's rebellion, Chen Tianhua's voice became slightly agitated, "Wen Qing, are you going to let this opportunity pass? At least you should explain the principles of revolution to Brother Pang."

"Principles of revolution? Ha ha." Chen Ke laughed, "I already explained it today. If Brother Pang doesn't listen, there's nothing I can do."

"Explained?" Chen Tianhua was puzzled.

"Revolution requires money, people, and the mobilization of the masses. What we discussed is just revolutionary theory, not revolution itself."

"Do you think Brother Pang doesn't understand revolutionary theory?" Chen Tianhua began to understand Chen Ke's point.

"Brother Pang doesn't just not understand revolutionary theory; he doesn't accept it. To him, rebellion means opposing the government. That's not wrong, but how to oppose and what to do, he doesn't know yet. I suggested he work with the villagers to reduce rents and interest rates, but he didn't listen. There's nothing I can do," Chen Ke said calmly.

Chen Tianhua was silent for a while. Then he broke the silence, "W