Chapter 65

Often, silence is a good choice. The emotions contained in silence can be rebellious, or they can be silent requests. Wu Xingchen is now silent. The previous discussion completely dispelled Wu Xingchen's illusions; he knows that Chen Ke will not help Pang Zi.

When one's momentum weakens, there is often a psychological tendency to show weakness. At the beginning of the party meeting, Wu Xingchen felt that Chen Ke's treatment of Pang Zi was inappropriate and believed that Chen Ke should do more. Now, he can't help but think about Pang Zi's consistently disrespectful attitude towards Chen Ke. In the world, even such impolite behavior could easily trigger a serious conflict, let alone the fact that Chen Ke's actions were genuinely out of concern for Pang Zi.

"Brother Wu, do you still consider yourself a member of the People's Party?" Chen Ke broke the silence. Hearing this, Chen Tianhua felt a tightening in his heart. He knew that Chen Ke had a sympathetic heart. He also knew that Chen Ke was not overly sentimental. The reason for this question was likely that Chen Ke was about to be unfriendly to Wu Xingchen. Wu Xingchen had always favored Pang Zi, and Chen Tianhua was well aware of this and was not satisfied. But from Chen Ke's tone, it seemed that he was considering expelling Wu Xingchen from the party. Chen Tianhua instinctively wanted to object, but he couldn't bring himself to say it. The party's organizational guidelines stipulate that members of the Chinese People's Party must completely sever ties with any groups or parties that oppose the party's program. Pang Zi was not an enemy, but neither was he a friend. If Chen Ke were to handle the situation according to party discipline, Chen Tianhua could not argue.

Hearing this, Wu Xingchen's expression became even more serious. His gaze grew heavy, and he even bit his lip, which was rare. After making up his mind, he said, "Wenqing, if you're talking about Brother Pang..."

Chen Ke interrupted Wu Xingchen, speaking calmly, "It has nothing to do with Brother Pang. I just want to ask if Brother Wu still insists on being a member of the People's Party."

After hesitating, Wu Xingchen replied, "Yes, I still insist on being a member of the People's Party. But..."

"Can you let me finish first?" Chen Ke cut off Wu Xingchen again. For some reason, Chen Tianhua suddenly felt a hint of relaxation in Chen Ke's voice. Chen Ke picked up a pair of scissors and trimmed the candle, making it burn brighter.

"As the chairman of this party meeting, I want to request that Brother Wu engage in revolutionary struggle in the north. Whether it's with Brother Pang or with the brothers from Shandong, I want you to participate in their revolution, or rather, their uprising. What do you think, Brother Wu?"

Hearing this, Wu Xingchen was greatly surprised. He did not want to leave the People's Party. He had wanted to propose staying in Hebei to participate in the uprising with Pang Zi. He never expected Chen Ke to suggest it first. In the bright candlelight, Wu Xingchen carefully examined Chen Ke's face. Chen Ke showed a very understanding and encouraging smile, without any dissatisfaction or probing.

"What do you think, Brother Wu? Do you agree?" Seeing that Wu Xingchen was silent, Chen Ke asked again.

"I agree," Wu Xingchen quickly replied.

Seeing that Chen Ke was not going to expel Wu Xingchen but was instead making a reasonable suggestion, Chen Tianhua was also pleased. After all, they were comrades; why should it come to expelling someone? Reflecting on this, Chen Tianhua felt a bit embarrassed. The idea of expelling Wu Xingchen was his own speculation. His narrow-mindedness was a point where he fell short of Chen Ke. While silently criticizing himself, Chen Tianhua suddenly heard Chen Ke say, "Xingtai, I want you to stay in the north with Brother Wu. You will be responsible for the preparations for the uprising."

"Ah? I have to stay too?" Chen Tianhua asked in surprise. He was equally surprised and delighted by this decision.

"Leaving Brother Wu alone here, he has revolutionary enthusiasm, but his revolutionary theory is clearly lacking. I should have stayed in the north, but I'm not too comfortable leaving Shanghai for months. So, Xingtai has to stay in the north."

"Very well," Chen Tianhua replied excitedly.

Seeing Chen Tianhua's joyful expression, Chen Ke felt he shouldn't let him get too excited, "Don't be too hasty. I'm not leaving you here to do nothing. We need to discuss what you will do here."

"What does Wenqing want us to do here?" Wu Xingchen was not as optimistic as Chen Tianhua. He didn't think Chen Ke would easily compromise with Pang Zi. Moreover, Chen Ke had made it clear that Wu Xingchen was staying as a member of the People's Party, not as Pang Zi's close friend. In other words, if Wu Xingchen insisted on his position as a People's Party member, Pang Zi's stance would not be the primary consideration.

"Brother Wu, I don't want Brother Pang to die for nothing. All I've said is to make Brother Pang understand that the old way of rebellion won't work. Brother Pang has a grudge against me, thinking I'm not on the same path as him." Chen Ke suddenly laughed, "I was wrong. Brother Pang doesn't have a grudge against me; I'm just not on the same path as him. But I want to ask, does Brother Wu want to follow the same path as Brother Pang, or do you want to follow the path to revolutionary success? As party members, we don't need to lie about this."

Hearing this honest question, Wu Xingchen's lips tightened. Emotionally, he wanted to support Pang Zi. But rationally, he had already been convinced by Chen Ke. Finally, Wu Xingchen sighed, "Well, some things can't be resolved just by brotherhood. I want to follow the revolutionary path."

"Very good. Then let's discuss how to ensure that Brother Pang and the brothers from Shandong can survive after the rebellion. As the saying goes, 'As long as the green hills are there, one need not fear a lack of firewood.' This method should be the most practical for them."

"What's your plan?" Chen Tianhua was very interested.

"They need to transform from easily suppressed bandits into hard-to-suppress roving bandits."

"Ha ha!" Hearing Chen Ke's "plan," Chen Tianhua couldn't help but laugh. What was the difference? If they couldn't fight, they would naturally run; they wouldn't just sit and wait for the government troops to suppress them.

Wu Xingchen's reaction was completely different from Chen Tianhua's. His eyes lit up, "Please, Wenqing, explain more."

Wu Xingchen had been severely beaten by the Beiyang army in Shandong. When he was fleeing, he truly felt that there was no place to hide in the world.

"Gratitude for a small favor and resentment for a large one. Trying to win people's hearts by distributing wealth is absolutely impossible. The people won't accept it," Chen Ke said, not talking about revolutionary principles this time.

Seeing Wu Xingchen nod slightly, Chen Tianhua was puzzled, "If you make people's lives better, why wouldn't they be grateful?"

"Better? How much better is better? Eating an extra bowl of rice is better, and being a millionaire is also better. Your view is absolutely wrong," Chen Ke said coldly, "If someone is content, they don't need what you offer. If someone is discontent, no matter how much you give, it's never enough. So, by distributing wealth, you only make capable people look down on you and the incapable envy you. Moreover, with Brother Pang's current methods, the wealth he distributes is not obtained through proper means. If he tries to win people's hearts, he will end up like a pig looking in a mirror, neither inside nor outside."

Although Chen Tianhua still didn't understand, seeing Chen Ke's firm stance and Wu Xingchen's complete agreement, he decided not to speak further.

"So, we need to keep a close eye on what Brother Pang does. We must ensure that he can save lives and provide guidance for the struggle, not just solve problems with money and food," Chen Ke continued. Wu Xingchen's reaction was very different from before. He strongly agreed with Chen Ke's harsh criticisms and even praised some of the more ruthless methods Chen Ke suggested. Chen Tianhua quickly took notes, regardless of whether he could accept Chen Ke's views. These were very important materials and could not be forgotten.

As the night deepened, the party meeting became very harmonious. However, after a long journey, by two o'clock, Wu Xingchen and Chen Tianhua were exhausted. Chen Ke let them sleep while he continued writing.

The sky gradually brightened, and Chen Ke put down his pen. Although he wasn't tired, writing these things he wasn't familiar with was mentally draining. Writing wasn't too tiring, but coming up with appropriate specific methods for the struggle was mentally exhausting. Chen Ke had been traveling for days and hadn't bathed, so he was starting to smell. He stripped naked, took a basin and soap, and went to the well to bathe.

It was not yet dawn, and the sky was just beginning to lighten. A few stars still scattered across the pale sky, and the entire courtyard was still dark, enveloped in a cold, faint light. Chen Ke poured a basin of water over himself. Compared to the cold air, the well water was warm. The comfort of the water sliding over his skin made Chen Ke hum. The autumn breeze quickly took away the warmth from his skin, making him feel a bone-chilling cold. Chen Ke poured another basin of water over his head, rubbed his face, and looked up. A bird flew eastward from high in the sky, perhaps noticing Chen Ke, it suddenly cawed. Watching the bird's silhouette gradually blend into the bronze-colored eastern sky, Chen Ke suddenly remembered that crows often symbolize bad omens. Of course, Chen Ke didn't believe in such superstitions. After a few more basins of water, he soaped himself and rinsed off. The cold water invigorated his mind.

Among the group, Chai Qingguo had always been very polite to Chen Ke and seemed to agree with his ideas. However, being with the other brothers, Chai Qingguo couldn't directly express his agreement. Chen Ke thought he should find an opportunity to talk to Chai Qingguo alone. Or, when Wu Xingchen and the others went to the countryside, he could leave Chai Qingguo behind to help. Chen Ke dried himself, put on clean clothes, and returned to the room. The room smelled strongly, and he couldn't believe he had spent the night there. He didn't close the door, just found clean clothes to change into, threw the dirty ones in a basin, and squatted in the yard to wash them.

There were quite a few dirty clothes, and Chen Ke washed them alone in the quiet morning. A strange thought suddenly popped into his head: he wondered if the Miss He he had met before washed her own clothes. This thought surprised him; they had only met once, so why did he suddenly think of her?

Recalling, Chen Ke couldn't remember Miss He's specific appearance. The only thing he could remember was her bright, determined eyes. It was a look Chen Ke was familiar with; in the 21st century, only the most determined women had such fearless eyes.

Chen Ke liked such women. They did things to achieve their goals, and in the process, they simply followed the rules without pursuing the final outcome. Therefore, their eyes were so bright and focused. People like He Ruming "adult" only cared about the result, not the process. If possible, He Ruming "adult" would want the process to be like this: others would shout "Father He" and "Grandfather He," and he would have to show his face and let them serve him. Despite He Ruming's "modest" refusal, others would insist on serving him. Finally, to save face, He Ruming would reluctantly accept their service, without lifting a finger, and gain both fame and fortune.

"I'm being a bit too harsh," Chen Ke thought. However, when discussing the details with He Ruming, his eyes kept changing, but he was quite slow to react to the core issues. This was a stark contrast to He Qian's sharp and capable nature. Were they really siblings?

If it were the 21st century, Chen Ke thought, he could invite He Qian out and talk about this privately. It might be resolved quickly, and they could even become friends. Chen Ke liked sharp and capable women; there was no nonsense with them, and they made him feel relaxed. When chatting, these women often had witty remarks, making conversation enjoyable.

However, this was a luxury, like in the 21st century, where he could just throw his clothes in the washing machine. Now, he had to wash them by hand to maintain hygiene.

After washing the clothes, the sky was bright. No one had woken up, and it seemed the long journey had exhausted everyone. Chen Ke felt a bit sleepy but didn't dare go back to bed. If he overslept, no one would wake him. He decided to sleep on the table in the main room.

"Mr. Chen, wake up." Someone called. Chen Ke slowly raised his head and saw Pang Zi standing beside him. Looking at his watch, Chen Ke had slept for about two hours.

"What's up?"

"It's time for breakfast," Pang Zi said.

Looking outside, Chen Ke saw steam rising from the pot on the coal stove, and Wu Xingchen and the others were busy around it.

"Okay." After a moment, Chen Ke felt completely refreshed and stood up, "Let's eat."

According to the previous agreement, after breakfast, Wu Xingchen would talk to Pang Zi and the others, and Chen Ke would not join. If Chen Ke joined, it would make Pang Zi uncomfortable. So, Chen Ke used this time to visit He Ruming.

The butler was very welcoming when Chen Ke visited, but he told Chen Ke that He Ruming was not at home. Chen Ke almost blurted out, "Is He Qian here?" but managed to hold back. If he had asked, the butler might have thrown him out. Disappointed, Chen Ke returned to his residence. He heard Wu Xingchen talking to everyone in the side room. Chen Ke didn't stop but went straight to the main room. After sitting for a moment, he heard someone knock on the door. The door wasn't fully closed, and the person outside gently pushed it open, calling, "Is Mr. Wenqing here?" It was Xie Mingxuan's voice.

"I'm here, Mingxuan, come in quickly," Chen Ke replied happily.

Xie Mingxuan carried a square package, presumably containing medicine. To Chen Ke's surprise, there was another person standing outside with him, Wang Bin. Chen Ke was slightly taken aback but quickly recovered, "Brother Wang, welcome. Come in, you must be tired from the journey." As he spoke, he took the package from Xie Mingxuan and the suitcase from Wang Bin, leading them into the main room.

Wang Bin was a rare visitor. Since You Gou introduced Wang Bin and Zhou Yuanxiao to Chen Ke, they had started working together. As a senior manager in a German company, Wang Bin had helped Chen Ke obtain many things. However, they had no personal relationship. He and Xie Mingxuan had come from Shanghai, but Chen Ke didn't know why.

"This coal is quite interesting," Wang Bin said, holding his teacup. Shanghai was much warmer than Beijing, and the temperature difference was noticeable. When Chen Ke was boiling water, he put coal briquettes into the stove, which caught Wang Bin's attention.

"I plan to promote this in Beijing," Chen Ke said, not hiding it. Since smokeless coal was expensive in the south, he wasn't worried about Wang Bin starting a similar business there. "Brother Wang, do you want to stay in Beijing and work with me on coal briquettes?" Chen Ke joked.

"I didn't come for that. A German friend has arrived in Beijing, and I came to meet him," Wang Bin replied.

"Of course, of course," Chen Ke laughed. He had no particular feelings about Wang Bin's actions. He himself liked to travel and could decide to go out on a whim. He would contact friends in the area, buy a ticket, and leave in the evening. This had happened more than once. Once, a brother from out of town called at 9 PM, saying they were short one person. Chen Ke immediately went to the train station, bought the nearest ticket, and arrived at a table over 100 kilometers away by 11:30 PM, playing cards all night. Chen Ke approved of Wang Bin's actions. A German friend coming from Shanghai to Beijing to meet was not a big deal.

Xie Mingxuan, however, looked at Chen Ke with a strange expression. Although he had heard about "traveling a thousand miles" in school, it was just a saying. He felt the journey from Hunan to Shanghai was long. When Qi Hui sent him from Shanghai to Beijing, he was excited about the long journey. But after the long sea voyage, he felt the reality of arriving in the capital was somewhat surreal. Seeing Chen Ke's nonchalant attitude, Xie Mingxuan felt uncomfortable.

Chen Ke noticed this and patted Xie Mingxuan's shoulder, "Mingxuan, you're brave to travel from Shanghai to Beijing. What do you think of the journey?"

"It's really long," Xie Mingxuan smiled, "And the weather here is quite cold."

"Ha ha," Chen Ke and Wang Bin laughed.

"By the way, Brother Wang, where will you stay in Beijing? If you don't