Chapter 51

The textbook is a very important thing. In Chen Kexiong's ambitious plan, he wanted to rewrite the textbooks from elementary school to high school. The textbooks for junior high and high school were still relatively fresh in his mind, but the elementary school textbooks were not. This time, his plan with Chen Tianhua was to write an elementary school math textbook. After the basic outline was discussed, they didn't want to complicate things further, so they continued to refine the outline.

The weather in October was already quite cool, and after the sky turned completely dark, the temperature dropped quickly. To ventilate, the window was open, and a cold breeze blew in. After writing a section, Chen Kexiong got up to close the window and heard a familiar sound of an instrument. Someone was playing the piano.

The direction of the sound seemed to be from the house diagonally opposite. The butler, He, had mentioned that the piano had been dropped, but if the piano had been damaged beyond use, he wouldn't have just been angry. After listening for a moment, Chen Kexiong couldn't help but shake his head and sigh. The piano was of good quality, and the player was familiar with the notes, but Chen Kexiong could tell that each key was being pressed individually, with no proper finger technique. He wondered how the teacher had taught the player.

Seeing Chen Kexiong listening intently, Chen Tianhua also listened for a moment and then laughed, "You play better than Wenqing."

"Playing an instrument poorly is like torture," Chen Kexiong sighed as he closed the window. "I once heard of a master who caught a thief. The thief was asked if he preferred punishment or beating. The thief asked what the punishment and beating entailed. The master said that the beating would be thirty strokes, and the punishment would be listening to him play ten pieces. The thief naturally chose the punishment. By the third piece, the thief was already crying and begging to be beaten with thirty strokes instead."

Chen Kexiong spoke simply, and Chen Tianhua, who initially didn't think much of it, burst out laughing. "Wenqing is quite harsh."

"What's harsh? I wonder how the teacher taught the piano."

After understanding Chen Kexiong's sigh, Chen Tianhua said, "Wenqing, there's something I think you don't understand because you've been abroad for too long."

"What is it?"

"Do you know that well-bred ladies in wealthy families strictly adhere to the rules, never leaving the inner chambers? This isn't a joke. These days, music teachers are family members; it's impossible to hire a teacher to teach the young ladies. The family opposite playing the piano is already quite enlightened. I know that noblewomen abroad often learn music, but in our country, playing music is considered a lowly task."

"Lowly task? In ancient times, scholars valued music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. It seems scholars are the lowest of the low."

"The Qing dynasty has severely harmed our culture," Chen Tianhua sighed.

The two felt very depressed discussing this. "When the revolution succeeds, we'll teach music in elementary schools. No, we don't need to wait for the revolution to succeed. Once we establish a base, we'll start music classes."

"Don't establish a base in Fengyang," Chen Tianhua suddenly interjected. This was a rather "cruel" comment, and Chen Kexiong laughed. With this, their enthusiasm for writing the book waned. Chen Kexiong suddenly asked, "Xingtai, let me teach you a song. It's called 'The Internationale.'"

Chen Tianhua knew a bit about Germany and hoped China could rise rapidly like Germany to become a world power. He had no good feelings towards France, which had invaded China multiple times. Listening to Chen Kexiong explain the origin of 'The Internationale,' he learned that the French people had once established a self-governed regime. The spirit of rebellion among the Chinese people has always been strong, "The throne rotates, and next year it will be my turn." Throughout Chinese history, the number of large and small uprisings would easily reach the tens of thousands. Chen Tianhua, well-versed in history, had seen many such records. But since Chen Kexiong valued this so much, the song must have something special. As soon as Chen Kexiong taught the song, Chen Tianhua was immediately moved by the lyrics and melody.

"Arise, ye wretched of the earth! Arise, ye prisoners of want!

From the depths of the heart, the burning word of hate,

Let us fan into the flame the sparks of hope and fight!

The old world is falling, the new world is rising,

Let us rise, let us rise, and be the masters of the earth!"

In revolutionary propaganda, the Qing dynasty was often portrayed as treating Han people as slaves. Overthrowing the Qing and restoring China, making Han people the "masters of the earth," was a long-held goal of the revolutionaries. In Chen Tianhua's view, this "earth" was not just China but the entire world.

'The Internationale' didn't have many variations, and Chen Tianhua, skilled in storytelling, could sing the entire song after a few repetitions. This passionate and stirring song was not just a song but a battle cry and a revolutionary manifesto. Even humming it quietly made the two young men feel their blood boil. Almost simultaneously, Chen Kexiong and Chen Tianhua began to sing loudly, "There are no saviors, no gods or emperors,

To create human happiness, we must do it ourselves!

We must reclaim the fruits of our labor, and break the chains of thought!

Let the furnace glow red, and strike while the iron is hot!

This is the final struggle, unite and tomorrow, the Internationale will be realized!

This is the final struggle, unite and tomorrow, the Internationale will be realized!"

In the night, a few dogs barked softly and then fell silent. Chen Kexiong felt a surge of courage in his chest. Since the revolutionary work had become more organized, he felt more constrained. The difficulty was more in his mindset than in external obstacles. As a science student and a young man with some knowledge of history, Chen Kexiong wanted to be as prepared as possible. He knew he was doing the right thing, but he also knew he was doing something wrong. Revolution is a passion, and as a leader, one must be like a fire, able to ignite and burn everything around them. But Chen Kexiong was more like a cold machine than a passionate revolutionary.

Dyeing cloth, making medicine, and even writing and teaching, Chen Kexiong could do these things and do them well. But he had never been involved in revolution. Even if he had passion, he wanted to achieve the revolutionary cause and ensure everything went perfectly, which often made him seem more irritable. Chen Kexiong knew he wasn't a qualified revolutionary. Singing 'The Internationale' today, he suddenly felt the righteous spirit and the courage to move forward in the song. The young man's emotions resonated deeply. He pulled open the door, not caring what the neighbors would think, and shouted into the dark sky, "Who created the human world? It was we, the working masses!

All should belong to the laborers, how can parasites be allowed to exist?!

Most hateful are those venomous snakes and beasts, who have drained our blood and flesh!

Once they are completely eradicated, the red sun will shine across the globe!

This is the final struggle, unite and tomorrow, the Internationale will be realized!

This is the final struggle, unite and tomorrow, the Internationale will be realized!"

As soon as Chen Kexiong started singing, the dogs that had been quiet began to bark fiercely. Ignoring the surroundings, Chen Kexiong sang the song twice. He felt the oppressive mood in his chest dissipate. He sat down on the steps at the door. The barking soon stopped, and after a moment, the piano from the opposite house started again. At first, it was chaotic, but after a few tries, the player gradually played a section of 'The Internationale.' Then, the music stopped abruptly. As Chen Kexiong waited quietly, he heard Chen Tianhua call from inside, "Wenqing, you didn't teach me this part of the lyrics. Come in and write it down quickly."

Chen Kexiong responded and walked back inside, but he couldn't help looking back.

Until he went to bed, the piano from the opposite house didn't play again. Who was playing the piano? An older person or a younger one? It better not be the male head of the household. The thought of a man with a braid playing the piano in response to him made Chen Kexiong's hair stand on end. "Am I really that much of a fan?" Chen Kexiong found himself incomprehensible. Wrapping himself in the quilt he had made the day before, Chen Kexiong quickly fell asleep.

At nine o'clock in the morning, the butler, He, arrived on time. Upon entering, he looked around Chen Kexiong and Chen Tianhua's residence. The courtyard was clean, the ground was sprinkled with water, and there was no dust. Apart from this, the entire courtyard felt cold and lacked a lively atmosphere.

The three of them sat down in the living room, and the butler looked around the main hall. "Mr. Chen and Mr. Chen, your house is very clean."

"It's just the two of us living here, so it's easy to keep clean," Chen Kexiong replied.

"What brings you two to Beijing?"

"We were asked to visit friends in Beijing. It's nothing major."

"Oh." The butler nodded at Chen Kexiong's casual response. "My master heard that Mr. Chen is a neighbor and would like to know when it would be convenient for Mr. Chen to visit."

"I'm available anytime. If Mr. He's master is free, I can go now," Chen Kexiong replied quickly.

"My master is waiting for you at his residence."

The butler's quick response surprised Chen Kexiong, but he couldn't back down after his words. "Then please lead the way, Mr. He."

They got up and followed the butler out of their courtyard, but they didn't go directly to the opposite house. On this street, there was a pastry shop with good-tasting items. Learning from the experience with Pang Zi, Chen Kexiong bought eight varieties of pastries and wrapped them. Only then did they go to the neighbor's house. The butler at the door was not surprised by Chen Kexiong's actions. He instructed a servant to take the gift and led the two to the main hall.

Although they were neighbors, the two houses were very different. Chen Kexiong's residence was a traditional courtyard house with a brick floor. The opposite house, however, had a front and back garden, and its area was three to four times larger than Chen Kexiong's. The butler led the two to a side hall where a man in his forties was waiting.

This man, even by today's standards, was a handsome man. He looked a lot like a cool and detached Chen Kexiong, with long hair tied back in a ponytail. He didn't look like someone from the early 20th century at all. He wore a slightly old but well-fitted brocade robe, with a wide brocade belt around his waist. He wore glasses and had neatly trimmed mustaches. Chen Kexiong didn't dislike long hair; in the 21st century, long hair represented freedom and spontaneity. He just disliked the Qing dynasty and, by extension, the queue.

On the way, Chen Kexiong had asked the butler, and learned that the neighbor's surname was He. The butler didn't reveal any more information.

Seeing the man stand up, Chen Kexiong spoke first, "Mr. He, hello. I am Chen Kexiong, and this is my cousin, Chen Xingtai."

Mr. He had already observed Chen Kexiong. Seeing Chen Kexiong greet him first and with respect, he was somewhat surprised.

After the guests and host were seated, they exchanged names. Mr. He was named He Ruming, formerly an official at the Tianjin Machinery Bureau. The bureau was destroyed during the Boxer Rebellion, and He Ruming had been an official without a post for several years before being recently transferred to the Ministry of Personnel in Beijing.

Chen Kexiong and Chen Tianhua introduced themselves more simply. Chen Kexiong claimed to have studied in the United States and Europe, while Chen Tianhua was a student who had returned from studying in Japan. Both had just returned to China and were working with the British to establish a medical college in Shanghai.

"Is Mr. Chen Kexiong also known as Wenqing?" He Ruming asked.

No matter what He Ruming said, Chen Kexiong was already surprised. His name being known by this stranger was unreasonable. Chen Tianhua also showed a look of surprise, thinking He Ruming might be an old acquaintance of Chen Kexiong's family.

"Yes, that's me," Chen Kexiong replied, somewhat nervously.

"Is Wenqing the author of 'The Inheritance of Chinese Culture and the Rise of Materialism'?" He Ruming asked, seeing Chen Kexiong's uneasy expression.

"May I ask, Mr. He, have you received a book sent by Mr. Yan?" Chen Kexiong thought this was the only possibility.

"Yes. I am an old acquaintance of Mr. Yan. He kindly sent me Wenqing's book."

This handsome man being his reader surprised both Chen Kexiong and Chen Tianhua.

"Yes, that was written by me and my friend here."

He Ruming, who had been smiling, looked at Chen Kexiong and Chen Tianhua carefully after hearing this. "I have also read Wenqing's 'Huangpu Review,' but there is one thing I don't understand."

"Please, go on."

"Mr. Chen, with your talents, why don't you serve the court?" He Ruming's expression showed some dissatisfaction. "And that special medicine, Wenqing could create such a good thing but made it public. If foreigners see the formula, won't they copy it? I don't understand why Wenqing would do this." Apart from tea, silk, porcelain, and minerals, the Qing dynasty had no modern inventions that could surpass the foreigners. Chen Kexiong had such a good medicine but directly cooperated with the British, which made He Ruming very unhappy.

Chen Kexiong laughed, "If the court had my medicine, they would just hand the formula to the British. Mr. He, the court has no confidence in the face of foreigners. To them, face is the most important. Appeasing the foreigners is more important. As for developing domestic industries, I don't have much faith in the court."

Hearing this, He Ruming felt it was very harsh, but he had to admit that Chen Kexiong was not wrong. Although he wanted to scold Chen Kexiong, He Ruming restrained his displeasure and just shook his head.

Seeing the change in He Ruming's expression, Chen Kexiong had a thought. "If Mr. He wants to do something beneficial for the country and the people, I have a project. I originally planned to work with foreigners, but as Mr. He said, why should we benefit the foreigners?"

Hearing this, He Ruming didn't show much interest, but his eyes became wary. As the saying goes, "Unsolicited kindness is either deceit or theft." Chen Kexiong had a history of working with foreigners, and now he was talking to a stranger about a project instead of the foreigners. He Ruming suspected Chen Kexiong had ulterior motives.

"Mr. He, this project can only be done with the help of the Self-Strengthening Movement officials. I originally wanted to contact them but lacked the connections. Meeting Mr. He today is a stroke of luck. May I have your permission to explain?" Chen Kexiong said straightforwardly.

After hearing this, He Ruming thought for a moment and nodded.

"Firewood, rice, oil, and salt are the essentials of life. In Beijing, coal is mainly used, and the people use coal briquettes. I have a design for honeycomb coal, which is twice as efficient as coal briquettes. If this project is done by foreigners, they will just make money from the people, and I don't think it's necessary," Chen Kexiong said.

Seeing that He Ruming didn't object, Chen Kexiong asked for paper and pen, and while drawing, he explained the principle of honeycomb coal. He Ruming understood it somewhat. Chen Kexiong then explained the principles of coal, but He Ruming, as an official of the Self-Strengthening Movement, had a background in machinery and no knowledge of chemistry. Chen Kexiong had to explain the concept of elements and the principle of combustion. He Ruming's house had a glass cup, so Chen Kexiong asked for a bowl of water, lit a candle, and placed the glass cup over the candle. As the candle burned and went out, the water was drawn up into the glass cup.

Through this experiment, He Ruming finally understood the existence of oxygen in the air. Chen Kexiong explained the principle of combustion and then discussed how fanning the fire could make the coal burn more intensely.

These everyday phenomena were well-known to He Ruming, but hearing Chen Kexiong's chemical explanations clarified many things he had known but not understood. He Ruming asked Chen Kexiong to explain the principle of honeycomb coal again, and this time, he finally understood it.

"Good stuff!" He Ruming lightly tapped the table. The handsome man was excited. Although he was part of the Self-Strengthening Movement, this was the first time he had clearly understood the principle of combustion. "Wenqing is right; such a good thing should not be left to the foreigners."

Chen Kexiong smiled and nodded, but his throat moved as he swallowed. He Ruming then realized that Chen Kexiong had rudely finished the tea in his cup, and he hadn't asked for a refill. The handsome man quickly called out, "Bring more tea," and then apologized.

Chen Kexiong drank the tea in one gulp, feeling parched after talking for so long.

After the servant left, Chen Kexiong said, "Mr. He, this project should not be done by the court. It can only be done by the Self-Strengthening Movement officials. I know Mr. He doesn't want to discuss the court's affairs, but if you truly want to benefit the people, it should be led by Mr. He and the Self-Strengthening Movement officials."

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