Chapter 50

After discussing the attitude towards Pang Zi, Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua finally returned. The main gate was still tightly closed. After knocking, the person who opened the door was someone Chen Ke had never seen before, and there were actually two of them. In the dim light, their faces were unclear, but they asked fiercely in Shandong dialect, "Who are you looking for?"

Chen Ke was taken aback, but he quickly realized that these two were probably the people Wu Xingchen mentioned who were preparing to rebel. Since they were here, Wu Xingchen should have come as well.

"We are staying here," Chen Ke replied.

As he spoke, two more people approached. Seeing the tall, dark figure of one of them, it could only be Wu Xingchen. Indeed, it was Wu Xingchen and Pang Zi who came closer.

"Wu Brother..." Before Chen Ke could finish, Wu Xingchen didn't let the two of them in but instead pulled Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua away to a distance. Seeing the situation, Chen Ke didn't say anything more. When they reached a secluded spot outside the village, Wu Xingchen asked anxiously, "Wenqing, what did you say to Brother Pang?"

Chen Ke didn't like Wu Xingchen's tone, but he didn't want to argue with him. He simply said, "I said some things he didn't like to hear."

After hearing Chen Ke's words, Wu Xingchen was speechless for a moment. When he spoke again, his tone was unusually gentle, but there was an unmistakable sense of helplessness in his voice, "Wenqing, Brother Pang just said that he doesn't want you and Xingtai to attend this meeting no matter what."

"Did you bring your own horse, or did you rent one?" Chen Ke asked directly.

"Eh?" Wu Xingchen was a bit confused, but after a moment, he understood, "Are you planning to leave?"

"Brother Pang is upset, and I can understand that. If that's the case, there's no point in me staying here. If necessary, I can return to Xingtai tonight," Chen Ke said.

"Is that really necessary?" Wu Xingchen thought Chen Ke was overreacting.

"The friends who came this time are all here to do something big. They might not even want to see me. Since Brother Pang said that, why should I make myself uncomfortable?"

Wu Xingchen knew Chen Ke had a point, but he had originally hoped that Chen Ke would have a good talk with these people about the revolution. However, after talking with Pang Zi, Pang Zi refused to let Chen Ke stay, and he couldn't persuade him otherwise.

"There's nothing else to be done," Wu Xingchen sighed and agreed to Chen Ke's departure.

Beijing in 1905 was very different from Beijing in the 21st century. If he had to say, Chen Ke actually preferred the appearance of Beijing in 1905. Of course, in Chen Ke's perception, 1905 Beijing was more like a toy than the center of power of the Qing Dynasty. The ancient architecture was still well-maintained, and the modern buildings, which extensively used steel and concrete, were not a problem. As a result, compared to the geometrically styled modern buildings, the city gates and walls had a unique charm of the old era.

But this was just a visual impression. The traces of the Eight-Nation Alliance's ravages in Beijing had not been completely erased. The damaged city walls and the smoke-blackened walls silently told the tragic story. The ancient imperial capital had not fully recovered. On the main road outside the city gates, one could see ragged adults selling their emaciated children, but no one paid attention. Most passersby were dressed in tattered clothes, and even those wearing traditional Manchu robes and gowns in Beijing did not look particularly fresh. A sense of decay and decadence, like a corrupting air, enveloped Beijing and wouldn't dissipate. Chen Ke had no good feelings towards the people in this city. The streets were filled with people with braids, wearing long robes or short clothes, and the oily Beijing accent and various dialects from other regions filled the streets. Among the cities Chen Ke had seen in 1905, only Shanghai could compare to Beijing, but they were completely different. Beijing was the political center of China, while Shanghai was an important area where foreign powers had strong influence, making their styles entirely different.

Even so, Beijing, with its unique charm, was only a third-rate provincial capital in Chen Ke's eyes, who had seen the 21st century. It didn't evoke any fondness in him.

After leaving Pang Zi's place, Chen Tianhua didn't discuss Pang Zi much. On the way, Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua discussed how to gather comrades in Beijing. Compared to local heroes like Pang Zi, Chen Tianhua found intellectuals more to his liking. In Beijing, they followed the address given by Wu Xingchen and found a new place to stay. Chen Ke always thought Wu Xingchen was a resourceful person. Wu Xingchen had come north first and rented a house for everyone in Beijing. It turned out that this place was once the residence of an official. Chen Ke suspected, somewhat maliciously, that the official's family might have suffered some misfortune during the Boxer Rebellion, but this couldn't be verified.

Using the key to open the door, Chen Ke was quite satisfied. It was a very ordinary quadrangle courtyard with no furniture. The house seemed to have been unoccupied for at least half a year. Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua started cleaning. Chen Tianhua was also a clean person, and the two of them thoroughly cleaned the place, even sweeping the beams. Surprisingly, there was a well in the courtyard, and the water, though slightly bitter, was suitable for bathing. After watering the courtyard and taking a bath, it was already afternoon. Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua moved the armchairs from the main room to the courtyard and sat down. Just as they settled in, Chen Ke suddenly remembered something: there were no bedding or quilts in the house. Neither of them knew where to buy these items, so they hurriedly went out to shop.

The rickshaw driver they stopped outside the door was slightly taken aback by their request. "Sir, the place I know is a bit expensive," the driver said, apparently a straightforward person.

"Expensive is fine, just take us there," Chen Ke replied.

Since Chen Ke had spoken, the driver didn't say anything more and started off with the two of them. Chen Tianhua looked around curiously, while Chen Ke leaned back and closed his eyes to rest. The surroundings became increasingly lively as they went along. Chen Ke was tired from the past few days and the cleaning, and he actually dozed off. When Chen Tianhua woke him up, Chen Ke realized why the driver had said "expensive." The rickshaw had stopped in front of a silk shop.

Looking around, they were in a bustling market. The silk shop was busy with people coming and going. Chen Tianhua's face was already a bit off, as if he felt cheated by the driver. Chen Ke didn't say much, paid the driver, and walked into the silk shop.

"Please sit, sirs," a shop assistant greeted them.

The people in the silk shop were all dressed in traditional Manchu robes and silk clothes. A few women were adorned with gold and silver. Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua, with their short hair and short clothes, stood out. Chen Ke waved his hand, "No need to sit. Assistant, do you sell bedding here?"

"What?" The assistant was a bit surprised.

"We need two sets of bedding, no, three sets," Chen Ke continued. His words drew low laughter from the crowd.

"Sir, we only sell quilt covers, not quilts," the assistant quickly replied.

"Is there a place nearby that sells quilt covers?" Chen Ke asked.

"There isn't one on this street," the assistant replied.

"Do you have silk quilt covers here?" Chen Ke asked again.

Hearing this, the assistant almost looked respectful, "Sir, we don't have silk quilt covers here."

Chen Ke nodded, "Then give me two, no, three pieces of silk fabric."

"Please follow me."

Chen Ke stood up, ready to follow the assistant to select the silk, but he noticed a few small rooms inside the shop. A middle-aged man was looking at him with a strange expression. He seemed familiar, but Chen Ke couldn't quite place where he had seen him. Chen Tianhua also stood up, and Chen Ke leaned over and whispered, "Have we met that man before?"

"Yes, we met him in Tianjin that day," Chen Tianhua replied.

"Oh," Chen Ke remembered, "Is he the Yang steward?" he whispered.

"Yang is the owner of the carriage shop, the steward is surnamed He," Chen Tianhua corrected.

Seeing Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua looking at him and whispering, He Steward was sure they were the same people he had encountered before. The last meeting was brief, and he didn't remember their faces clearly. But their unusual hair and clothes, along with their attention to him, confirmed that he hadn't mistaken them.

Last time, Chen Ke had laughed and walked away, and he could still hear Chen Ke's laughter from a distance. The steward saw a mocking look in the eyes of the carriage shop owner. For He Steward, face was everything. Being laughed at by two young men was a huge embarrassment. If he hadn't been talking to the carriage shop owner at the time, he would have confronted them. In the end, he didn't get any favors from the carriage shop owner and left with a grudge. He never expected to see those two short-haired men again. In those days, people without braids were either scholars or soldiers. Most people, like foreigners, had long hair. In He Steward's view, Chen Tianhua was probably a student who had studied abroad, and Chen Ke's short hair made him look like a recently ordained monk.

At this moment, the assistant was standing next to He Steward's counter, "Sirs, please come here."

Chen Ke saw He Steward's expression was unfriendly, but he didn't feel any real conflict with him. Chen Ke smiled at He Steward, and his round face twitched as if he had been slapped. Chen Ke didn't care and walked to the counter. The shop assistant took out a piece of silk, and Chen Ke ran his hand over the back, finding the texture acceptable.

After agreeing on the price, the assistant cut the silk. Chen Ke glanced at He Steward, who looked ready to fight. He had seen the assistant take several silk samples into the small room, probably for the use of noblewomen. The steward was waiting outside, not daring to leave his post. Seeing Chen Ke's cold expression, his already unhappy face became even darker. At that moment, the curtain at the door was lifted, and three women came out. The middle one was a middle-aged woman, followed by two young girls. The middle-aged woman had a plain face, a sharp chin, and a thin, dark complexion, but her eyes were bright. The two young girls stood behind her, looking straight ahead, showing good manners. The older girl was closer to Chen Ke, and he looked at her carefully. She was a beautiful girl with fair skin, an oval face, long eyebrows, bright almond eyes, a slightly upturned nose, and full lips. Her expression was calm. She must have noticed Chen Ke looking at her, as her long eyelashes fluttered, but she didn't turn her gaze.

Seeing this, He Steward turned around, his eyes filled with anger, staring at Chen Ke. Chen Ke met his gaze without backing down, then turned around. The assistant had just finished cutting the silk. Chen Ke paid and asked, "Do you sell needles and thread here?"

"We do have needles and thread," the assistant replied.

"Give me a few large needles for sewing bedding."

By the time Chen Ke finished selecting the needles, the three women had already left. The rickshaw driver who had brought them was nowhere to be seen. Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua went to a nearby fabric store to buy quilt linings, then hired another rickshaw to take them to a place that sold quilt covers. When they arrived, Chen Ke was almost speechless. The quilt cover shop was less than two streets away from their residence. It seemed they had been tricked by the seemingly honest driver.

After buying the quilt covers, they went back and sewed the bedding and quilts. It was already dark, and Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua had dinner outside. After returning home, they talked about the revolution and then went to bed.

Most of the houses on this street belonged to officials. Early in the morning, there were many sounds outside. Chen Ke looked up, and it was still dark. He didn't know what was going on outside. He put on his clothes and opened the door slightly. Outside, the firelight was bright, and several small sedan chairs passed by the door, likely officials going to court. He closed the door and went back to sleep.

When he woke up again, Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua had breakfast outside and started exploring the city.

It seemed fate had a way of bringing enemies together. As they reached the entrance of Fahua Temple, they saw the four people from the previous day coming out of the temple. The steward was in the lead. Seeing Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua at the entrance, the three of them were taken aback. The steward frowned but didn't say anything. The three women behind them also saw Chen Ke. The middle-aged woman was slightly surprised but didn't speak. The older girl glanced at Chen Ke and then followed the middle-aged woman down the steps. The younger girl, who was probably fifteen or sixteen, looked at Chen Ke's head carefully. She had a youthful appearance, a high forehead, a straight nose, large eyes, and a fringe. Her long hair was braided and hung down her back. Seeing Chen Ke staring at her so boldly, she blushed and quickly followed the two older women. The steward turned around and glared at Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua. A Western-style carriage was waiting at the entrance, and the three women got in. The steward followed, and the two servants and the driver sat in front. The carriage started moving.

In the evening, as Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua were walking back to their residence with pig's head meat and a few steamed buns, a carriage caught up from behind. The driver suddenly whipped the horse, but the whip missed the horse and swung towards Chen Ke. Chen Tianhua was on Chen Ke's left, and to avoid the whip, he would have to collide with Chen Tianhua. Hearing the wind, Chen Ke raised his hand and caught the whip. The driver's strike was fierce, and the whip stung Chen Ke's palm. Chen Ke, angry, turned around. It was the same carriage from the morning, and the steward was sitting in front, glaring at Chen Ke. The carriage wasn't moving fast. Chen Ke held the whip tightly, and the other end was in the driver's hand. As the carriage moved forward, the whip tightened around the steward's chest.

Chen Ke didn't let go, and the driver, without the steward's command, didn't dare to let go either. The whip slid up the steward's chest and was now around his neck. Chen Ke still didn't let go, and the whip's end, which was a loop, was tied to the driver's wrist. The driver, realizing the danger, quickly stopped the carriage to avoid a bigger embarrassment. Chen Ke forcefully threw the whip, and it hit the carriage with a loud slap. The steward, already angry with Chen Ke, became even more furious after this incident. He couldn't bear it any longer and pushed the driver, jumping off the carriage.

Seeing the steward jump out, Chen Tianhua looked a bit tense. Offending the government in those days could lead to serious trouble. He looked at Chen Ke, who had a cold, stern expression. Seeing the steward jump out, Chen Ke spoke first, "What's your name? Whose servant are you? Is this how your master teaches you to behave?"

"Who are you, you young brat?" The steward had never been mocked by such a young person. His face turned red with anger.

Chen Ke laughed, "Do you even deserve to ask me?"

The verbal confrontation quickly escalated the situation. The steward's servants, seeing this, rolled up their sleeves and approached, staring at Chen Ke provocatively.

Chen Ke took out a business card from his pocket, put on a friendly smile, and handed it to the steward. "If you want to report me to the authorities, take this card. It will tell you who I am. Steward He, your family is still in the carriage. If we fight and disturb them, how will you explain it to your master?"

The steward's expression changed. If he disturbed his master's family, he would be in trouble. Moreover, Chen Ke seemed like a tough opponent. Glancing at the business card, he saw a string of foreign text. Given Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua's appearance and demeanor, they were likely compradors.

While the steward was thinking, the driver ran into a nearby house and shouted something. Soon, two servants rushed out.

Seeing the situation, Chen Tianhua became alert. Chen Ke, however, laughed, "It seems we are neighbors." He pointed to their residence, "We are staying here. As the saying goes, a good neighbor is better than a distant relative. If you're not satisfied, come to my place tomorrow morning, at nine o'clock," Chen Ke said, looking at his watch, "I'll invite you for tea." He pushed the business card closer, "Take it."

The steward was embarrassed, unsure whether to take it or not. At that moment, Chen Ke noticed the curtain of the carriage window slightly open. He retracted the card, nodded slightly towards the window, and walked away with Chen Tianhua, ignoring the steward's reaction.

Behind them, a middle-aged woman whispered something, and the steward called out to Chen Ke. Turning around, Chen Ke saw the steward's usual expression, "What's your surname, young man?"

"Chen, no need for formalities," Chen Ke replied, taking out the business card again, "This is my card." After the steward took it, Chen Ke continued, "I won't disturb you today. Steward He, I'll be waiting for you at nine o'clock tomorrow morning."

The steward thought for a moment and nodded, "I'll definitely visit."

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