Chapter 64

The meeting of the Beijing party cell in 1905 immediately turned tense. Although the volume was somewhat suppressed, Wu Xingchen's speech was full of gunpowder. He directly questioned what Chen Ke intended to do about Pang Zi. Chen Tianhua was also very concerned about this matter and stared at Chen Ke. Chen Ke, with his usual calm tone, said, "I cannot push for a revolution that is bound to fail. That would be irresponsible to everyone, and it would harm people."

Despite his calm tone, his words were confrontational, which was very different from Chen Ke's usual gentle demeanor.

"Are you saying that Pang Zi and his group are courting death?" Wu Xingchen, who was also unaccustomed to Chen Ke's attitude, asked in surprise.

"Exactly. That's what I mean." Chen Ke's gaze, bright and sharp, fell on Wu Xingchen's face. Wu Xingchen seemed unable to bear Chen Ke's attitude and lowered his head slightly, feeling somewhat guilty. However, Chen Ke did not intend to let Wu Xingchen off. He asked, "Brother Wu, what do you think Pang and his group are trying to do? What is their purpose in rebelling?"

Wu Xingchen did not answer. Chen Ke did not insist on getting an answer and continued, "It's nothing more than revenge. To put it bluntly, when Uncle Jing was alive, Pang's social status was much higher than it is now. Perhaps Pang is trying to reclaim those happy days of the past."

Upon hearing this, Wu Xingchen and Chen Tianhua's expressions changed. This was a ruthless assessment, and if Chen Ke said this, it meant he would not be the least bit lenient. A sense of unease arose in Wu Xingchen's heart. Yes, this was the Chen Ke he had always feared. From the first day he met Chen Ke, no matter how sincere or gentle Chen Ke's attitude was, Wu Xingchen always felt that beneath these appearances, there was a cold and ruthless Chen Ke.

This was not because Chen Ke was hypocritical; rather, Chen Ke was not hypocritical at all. In party classes, Chen Ke rationally explained the truth of the world to everyone. If Chen Ke were just a gentle person, he would not have such insights. When a rational person speaks, the results are always based on theoretical calculations, and Chen Ke was no exception. Wu Xingchen did not think Chen Ke was wrong.

Before coming to Hebei, Wu Xingchen's idea was to reconnect with these old brothers and then plan something big together. However, after meeting with the brothers, Wu Xingchen immediately felt disappointed. His first impression was that these brothers were even worse than before. In the past, at least the brothers had enthusiasm and a sincere and straightforward camaraderie. After experiencing failure, the brothers were not completely defeated, but they had become more reserved. To put it bluntly, they had become more sinister.

Wu Xingchen could understand this because he had gone through similar days. Without meeting Chen Ke and without listening to the party classes of the People's Party, Wu Xingchen might not have been able to free himself from the deep resentment in his heart. Wu Xingchen was very clear about Pang Zi's calculations, and he could roughly guess Chen Ke's response: just a敷衍 (perfunctory) effort, and then everyone would go their separate ways. Wu Xingchen absolutely did not want Pang Zi to lose this opportunity and embark on a path destined for failure.

"Chen Qing, Pang Zi is ignorant and doesn't understand the revolution, but I do. Can you tell me what to do? I will carry out the revolution," Wu Xingchen made a final effort. Chen Ke never talked about specific methods, and Wu Xingchen actually had some doubts about whether Chen Ke himself knew how to push for a revolution.

After listening to Wu Xingchen, Chen Ke's expression suddenly softened, and a genuine smile appeared on his face, which surprised both Wu Xingchen and Chen Tianhua.

"Sure. Why don't we start discussing this now?" Chen Ke responded with a smile.

"Great!" Chen Tianhua said, his eyes shining. He was very eager to know the specific steps.

"Our revolutionary party is weak and isolated. If we stand up to the Qing Dynasty directly, we are bound to fail. But compared to the people, the Qing Dynasty is nothing. Therefore, we must push for a people's revolution."

This was a statement that had been made many times before, and Wu Xingchen and Chen Tianhua were not concerned. They stared at Chen Ke, waiting for the key points.

"Revolution means war, and war means death. I want to ask a question: why should people follow you to die? Brother Wu, you go first."

Wu Xingchen did not expect Chen Ke to start asking questions so quickly. In fact, he had never figured this out. The Boxers, for example, used the banner of the Beijing princes, or performed tricks to make themselves invulnerable to weapons, or engaged in superstitious practices, or burned incense and formed brotherhoods. In short, they used emotional appeals, material incentives, and other forms of brotherhood to force people to die. Wu Xingchen had personally experienced the results of such methods. Initially, they might be effective, but when faced with a powerful enemy, these groups would immediately disintegrate. Once the influential leaders in the area were killed, these organizations would become nothing more than fleeting memories, unable to regroup.

Since Wu Xingchen could not figure it out, he decided not to waste his energy. "Chen Qing, you tell me what to do."

"Let me use Uncle Jing as an example. Uncle Jing Tingbin was first a martial scholar. This means he had status and influence in the countryside. Uncle Jing always upheld justice and helped people resolve disputes. Many things in the countryside were decided by Uncle Jing. What does this mean?"

Wu Xingchen and Chen Tianhua knew their answers would not be what Chen Ke meant, so they simply shook their heads.

"This means that Uncle Jing had the power to enforce the law in the countryside. That is, administrative power."

Seeing that his comrades did not understand, Chen Ke explained further: "This means that Uncle Jing had the authority to make and enforce rules in the area. Whether it was the rules of the court or anyone else's rules, if Uncle Jing said they did not count, they did not count. Whatever rules Uncle Jing said counted, they counted."

"Ah! Indeed." Wu Xingchen nodded in agreement. Originally, he thought this was just about Uncle Jing's influence, but hearing Chen Ke's explanation, he realized that Uncle Jing's power had deeper implications.

"This is the power of the local strongmen," Chen Tianhua also nodded in agreement.

"Therefore, when Uncle Jing attacked the church, everyone followed him. First, the thugs in the church were indeed evil, and everyone hated them. Second, since Uncle Jing was the local authority, if he told people what to do, they would follow the rules and go with Uncle Jing."

Wu Xingchen, who had no lingering resentment, nodded as he listened.

"Now, let me explain what the revolution is about," Chen Ke said with a smile. "The basic form of the revolution is the same as Uncle Jing's. In the revolutionary area, in the base, only the rules set by the revolutionary government count, not the rules set by others. This is the revolution."

"What should we do then?" Wu Xingchen asked.

"What is the program of the People's Party? What kind of country do we want to build? Once you understand these, you will know what the rules of the revolution should be."

Hearing this, Wu Xingchen became anxious, "Chen Qing, how do I know what you want to achieve? When you talk about the future, you talk non-stop. There are dozens of departments, and each department has different functions. Who can remember all that? I just want to start a revolution in a county or a few villages. You talk about the whole country, and I can't do that."

Wu Xingchen's complaint reminded Chen Ke of a party meeting where everyone insisted that he describe what China would be like after the revolution. Forced to do so, Chen Ke had to describe the organizational structure of 21st-century China. This lengthy explanation almost made everyone lose interest. Thinking about this, he chuckled, "Brother Wu, why did I take everyone to watch the Beiyang Army's drills? In a county or a few villages, if tens of thousands of Beiyang soldiers arrive, even if you build these places like iron fortresses, it won't work. The revolution must be a revolution for the whole country. What can a small piece of land do?"

"I know a small area won't work. But in this village, everyone knows me. Outside this village, in other villages, no one knows me. How can I start a revolution in other places?"

"That's not right, that's a big mistake," Chen Ke gently shook his head. "Brother Wu, you say different villages have different situations. But I ask you, in this world, what is the same in every village?"

Wu Xingchen lowered his head and thought. What could be the same? Just as he was pondering, he heard Chen Tianhua say, "In this world, every village has people who bully others, and they are always the same group. Corrupt officials, landlords, and strongmen. The people who are bullied are the same, hardworking farmers. Right, Chen Qing?"

Hearing this, Chen Ke felt very gratified. Just two months ago, Chen Tianhua had seriously asked whether the people's revolution Chen Ke advocated would kill all the landlords. His words showed a concern for the safety of landlords in the revolution. Now, Chen Tianhua had recognized that the government and landlords were classes that oppressed the people. This change could not fail to excite Chen Ke.

Chen Ke had never dared to use brainwashing to indoctrinate Chen Tianhua and others with the concept of "class struggle." After all, the comrades of the People's Party came from the old class. If they could not spontaneously recognize these things, even if Chen Ke could explain them theoretically, they might not be convinced. They might not really have the determination to "overthrow the landlords." But today, Chen Tianhua's words showed that he had spontaneously developed a sense of opposition to the landlords.

"Xingtai is absolutely right. Brother Wu, what do you think?" Chen Ke asked Wu Xingchen.

To Chen Ke's surprise, Wu Xingchen did not immediately respond. His brows furrowed as he calculated something. Seeing this, Chen Ke was not in a hurry. After saying so much, Chen Ke was also thinking about how to explain the specific steps of the revolution. "No investigation, no right to speak," Chen Ke had read about rural records in history books and actually wanted to conduct an investigation. But he could not spare the time now. If Wu Xingchen was willing to start a revolution in the northern countryside, Chen Ke would support him. He also considered sending Chen Tianhua to the countryside to conduct a social survey, which should not be a problem. Since Chen Tianhua had recognized that landlords were the oppressive class in the countryside, he could be entrusted with important tasks.

While thinking, he heard Wu Xingchen hesitantly say, "These are all neighbors and relatives. Talking about revolution, they are all family."

This statement left Chen Ke speechless. How could Wu Xingchen have such thoughts? Regarding the clan system in the countryside, Chen Ke knew that it must be completely shattered. The clan system held too much power. Clan elders could decide the life and death of clan members. This was unacceptable in a modern industrial country. In a modern industrial country, the state has all administrative and judicial powers. Clans have no right to life and death, and even in disputes between brothers, elders have no right to take coercive measures. Chen Ke could understand Wu Xingchen's concerns, but in 1905, the state had no obligations to the people. The social security system was only established after the founding of New China. During the war of resistance, the government even collected taxes for decades in advance. Therefore, clans had to unite to resist the government's excessive taxation. However, such cases were rare in the clans. Chen Ke felt he needed to convince Wu Xingchen. But this was the most difficult issue, so he decided to approach it from a different angle.

"Brother Wu, there is a saying, 'Injustice will not be tolerated.' I would say, 'Where there is oppression, there is resistance.' In this oppression and resistance, which side do you intend to stand on?"

"I will naturally stand on the side of resistance," Wu Xingchen said without hesitation.

"Then now, there are many people resisting. There are landlords resisting taxation, tenant farmers resisting landlords, and people resisting usury. Some are both oppressors and resisters. Which side do you intend to stand on?" Chen Ke asked.

Wu Xingchen fell silent. He truly wanted to resist only the Qing Dynasty. He sympathized with the landlords who were oppressed by the Qing but was also dissatisfied with their cruelty to the poor. Chen Ke's ideas had brought Wu Xingchen into a confusion he had never thought about before.

Seeing Wu Xingchen fall silent, Chen Ke said, "Alright, let's change the question. Since Brother Wu wants a revolution, let's talk about the specific implementation. First, let's talk about how to get the people to support you, not just how to get them to follow you to the death."

Hearing this, Wu Xingchen became interested again.

"First, you need to let the people know that someone is willing to stand up for them and what they can do for them. Uncle Jing did this in the past. If you go to the countryside, you need to determine what you want to do."

Hearing this, Wu Xingchen felt quite confused. What exactly did he need to do? According to his initial idea, it was to eliminate evil and promote good. But after this deep discussion with Chen Ke, he was now confused about who was "evil" and who was "good."

"Second, you need a force to carry out this work. Anyone who violates your rules must be dealt with. For example, you gather information and find out who is being bullied. You knock on their door at night and ask who bullied them and how. Then you lead your team to help them solve the problem. Over time, your reputation will naturally grow. The people will trust you and provide you with information. Some may even join your team."

Seeing Wu Xingchen fall silent, Chen Ke continued, "Third..."

"Wait," Wu Xingchen interrupted Chen Ke, "Chen Qing, is this your revolution?"

"Yes, helping the people, mobilizing the people, and uniting the people. This is my revolutionary measure."

"Chen Qing, this is not a small matter. Without mentioning anything else, if you do this, you will offend many people. When the walls fall, everyone will push. When people join forces to oppose the revolution, it will be a big problem."

Chen Ke answered frankly, "I know. Last time, I told Pang that he could do whatever he wanted, as long as it was not a people's revolution. His fate is bound to be a complete failure, and he will lose his life."

Wu Xingchen fell silent. He had always been worried that Chen Ke would abandon Pang Zi. If Pang Zi did not get Chen Ke's guidance and rose up in rebellion, he was bound to fail. Therefore, Wu Xingchen wanted Chen Ke to reveal the specific steps of the revolution. In his imagination, if he could get these specific methods and strategies, even if Chen Ke ignored Pang Zi, Wu Xingchen could still help. But he did not expect Chen Ke to propose a true people's revolution. After hearing this simple explanation, Wu Xingchen could imagine the intense confrontation such a revolution would cause. This was not just a revolution; it was a matter of life and death.

"Is there no other way, Chen Qing?"

"What does Brother Wu want Pang to achieve?" Chen Ke asked with a smile.

Yes, what did he want Pang to achieve? Wu Xingchen suddenly remembered Chen Ke's earlier words, "What do Pang and his group want to do? What is their purpose in rebelling? It's nothing more than revenge. To put it bluntly, when Uncle Jing was alive, Pang's social status was much higher than it is now. Perhaps Pang is trying to reclaim those happy days of the past."

Not long ago, Wu Xingchen thought this was just Chen Ke's ruthless assessment. But now, it seemed that Chen Ke was just stating the cold reality. Looking at Chen Ke, Wu Xingchen saw the familiar expression. After such an analysis, Chen Ke did not look smug or show any pity. Facing his comrades who were speechless, Chen Ke looked expressionless, even a bit lonely. Looking at Chen Tianhua, he saw Chen Tianhua frowning, deep in thought about Chen Ke's words. His own expression, he imagined, was one of helplessness and anxiety.

Wu Xingchen had only truly engaged with the revolution after joining the People's Party. In these few months, he thought he had learned a lot. But after this practical discussion, Wu Xingchen realized that compared to Chen Ke, he only understood the surface of the revolution. This sense of frustration and disappointment, along with the deep reflection on the revolution, made him realize the enormous enemy he would face. These heavy emotions mixed together, and Wu Xingchen suddenly thought of a question: What kind of person was Chen Ke?

At this moment, Chen Ke smiled, "Brother Wu, these enemies are nothing to fear. Believe me, if it is a true people's revolution, we can certainly crush these enemies and create a powerful new China."

These words did not boost Wu Xingchen's courage. Recalling the impression Chen Ke had left on him, Wu Xingchen suddenly felt a superstitious fear. Chen Ke seemed like a revolutionary star descended upon this world. If not for this reason, how could one person so deeply understand the revolution? How could one person be so strong in the face of such a vast enemy without any fear?