Chapter 74

The level of the Beijing party cell meeting far exceeded that of the Shanghai party cell, which was determined by the quality of the members. The party members who were former Qing officials had more practical work experience, and the organizational model of the party cell was entirely copied from the party organizations of later generations, focusing entirely on work. Therefore, the abilities that were not fully utilized within the Qing system were now fully unleashed.

After meeting with the Qing officials, Chen Ke was required to report on the same day according to regulations. In fact, the negotiation bottom line was also set by the party cell, and Chen Ke's personal discretion was not significant. After the report, Chen Ke also discussed He Ruming's attitude. He Ruming believed that cooperating with the Beiyang was tantamount to being swallowed by them. The party cell members merely listened to such alarmist statements. To expand capital accumulation, the Beiyang had many industries run by merchants, and old enterprises were increasingly commercialized, let alone new enterprises. He Ruming's desire to get a share was so obvious that the comrades did not even bother to comment.

Having been with everyone for almost a month, Chen Ke felt increasingly accustomed to this way of life. After the meeting, Chen Ke pulled Qin Tongren aside, indicating that he had something to say. Qin Tongren rarely saw Chen Ke with a stern expression, knowing that this was something he did not want to say publicly. He sat down seriously and listened to Chen Ke's story.

"Do you know about Miss He Qian?" Chen Ke asked with a stern face.

"He Lao's beloved daughter, quite intelligent," Qin Tongren recalled. He had visited He Lao's house multiple times and even had a drink with He Qian, though not often, and he did not have a deep impression of the girl.

"Is Miss He engaged yet?" Chen Ke asked, still with a stern face.

"I don't know. Do you want to propose?" Qin Tongren did not think it was a big deal.

The two discussed this matter for a while. Qin Tongren did not fully understand why Chen Ke wanted to get married at this time. Chen Ke told him that he did not want to die unmarried. Qin Tongren laughed heartily, appreciating Chen Ke's straightforwardness. However, he did not think He Qian was a good match for Chen Ke, "I think Miss He is too smart. By the way, does Wenqing know that He Ruming has a daughter?"

"I've met her. At the German embassy's banquet, we even talked for a bit."

"I've also seen her a few times when I visited He Lao's house. I think the girl is quite nice. Wenqing, I know you like smart people, but marriage is not just about intelligence. If Miss He were not a party member, she could be a comrade. As a married man, I think Miss He might not be a suitable spouse. If you really want to get married, I think He Ruming's daughter is a good choice." As a married man, Qin Tongren gave his advice.

"Could I trouble Brother Qin to act as a matchmaker?" Chen Ke said this calmly, and his feigned stern expression finally broke, revealing a shy look. Humans are creatures that, in the face of danger, instinctively want to leave offspring. This is why many people got married before World War I and World War II, and many divorced after the wars. Chen Ke's mental state was similar. The smoother the Beijing party cell operated, the closer the revolutionary work was to officially beginning.

The addition of military cadre Bu Guanshui and local administrative support from Shang Yuan made Chen Ke's blueprint start to take shape. In the midst of his passionate emotions, when the Qing official mentioned marriage, Chen Ke suddenly resonated. Chen Ke knew that revolution was a matter of risking one's life, and once it began, there would be no time to deal with marriage issues. Chen Ke had to lead the revolution with the face of an absolute Puritan. If he were unmarried, it would not be advantageous.

The so-called decisive and resolute style was about acting according to reason, and hesitation would only lead to indecision. Since he had this idea, he decided to act on it. As for the future outcome, Chen Ke did not want to consider it at all. In fact, when he asked Qin Tongren to propose, he completely put the matter out of his mind.

Chen Ke could take a strong stance on this matter, but He Ruming was completely unprepared. When Qin Tongren came to propose, He Ruming thought Chen Ke had taken some wrong medicine. The previous engagement of He Ying had indeed been canceled, and Chen Ke had inadvertently helped. But this did not mean He Ruming owed him a favor. Therefore, Qin Tongren's request was politely declined.

Qin Tongren's response was simple. He mentioned the matter at the party meeting. After hearing the introduction, ridicule was inevitable. Zheng Wenjie even burst out laughing. Chen Ke did not bother to pay attention to him. The party had always conducted political reviews of the marriages of senior cadres. One reason Chen Ke decided to get married now was to avoid this political review.

Ridicule aside, since the issue was raised, it needed to be resolved. Shang Yuan pondered for three minutes and asked Chen Ke, "The batch of gifts for Yuan Weiting, shall we send them tomorrow? You can also mention this matter."

The attendees, all skilled in officialdom, understood the implications. As long as Yuan Shikai casually mentioned it, He Ruming would not dare to resist, and might even be proud of it.

While the party meeting discussed this matter, He Qian was also talking to her brother He Ruming about it. "Brother, if Chen Ke asks Yuan Daren to propose, would you dare to refuse?"

He Qian was thoroughly disappointed in her brother. A man nearly forty, why couldn't he think more? Qin Tongren was introduced to Chen Ke by He Ruming, and now he was helping Chen Ke propose. Chen Ke, who could build such a close relationship with Qin Tongren so quickly, was certainly not a trivial person. Since he was proposing, it seemed he was determined to make it happen.

He Qian's attitude towards marrying Chen Ke was quite complex. Firmly refusing and firmly agreeing were two opposing attitudes, neither of which could dominate. Moreover, for some reason, He Qian felt that Chen Ke was about to leave Beijing. Why she had this intuition, He Qian herself did not understand. She ignored her brother's furrowed brow and focused on this issue.

He Ruming, hearing his sister's description, felt the same internal conflict. Chen Ke had always disrespected him, which was a sore spot for He Ruming. When Qin Tongren came to propose, He Ruming felt a malicious joy, thinking Chen Ke had finally come to him for help. He did not consider the marriage but first put on an air of importance. Moreover, when his father was alive, he always praised Qin Tongren's character and talent, something He Ruming had never received. He was always envious. Now, he could put on an air of importance in front of Qin Tongren, making things difficult for two people he disliked. The joy was indescribable. But if his sister mentioned that Chen Ke might seek Yuan Shikai's help to propose, He Ruming was delighted. The face he would save would be immeasurable. He had always wanted to join the Beiyang, and this opportunity was like a gift from heaven. After much thought, He Ruming found that he had no objections to the marriage except for his personal dislike of Chen Ke.

He Qian had already figured out why she felt Chen Ke was about to leave Beijing. Seeing her brother's furrowed brow and the smile on his face, He Qian understood his thoughts. If Chen Ke really did as she thought... He Qian suddenly felt annoyed. She stood up, "Brother, I'll go talk to Ying'er."

He Ying was reading in her room. Seeing her aunt come in, she put down the music score.

"Someone came to propose today. It's Chen Ke from the last banquet," He Qian said straightforwardly.

Hearing this, He Ying recalled for a moment before answering, "Is he the one who asked if I was full?"

He Qian immediately felt something was off. She and He Ying were only two years apart and had grown up together. Though they were aunt and niece, they were more like sisters. She knew her niece and sister well.

He Qian was strong-willed and never cared if she was hungry. And according to He Lao's habit, before going to someone's house for a meal, they always ate until half full. Every time He Lao took He Qian out, she would obediently bring snacks, which he ate, and he would give her a couple of pieces. The two of them would push and yield, enjoying the snacks together, a scene of familial bliss. He Ruming did not have this grace. He Qian could eat snacks before leaving, but He Ying did not dare. When He Ruming saw the officials at the banquet, he eagerly went to flatter them, leaving He Qian and He Ying behind. He Qian was fine, but He Ying was truly hungry. It seemed she had a good impression of Chen Ke, the only one who cared if she was hungry.

Hearing He Ying's words, He Qian already knew her attitude towards Chen Ke and did not need to say more, "If he is determined to marry you, my brother cannot stop him."

He Ying's face turned red. She lowered her head and, after a long pause, replied, "I understand."

Chen Ke did not waste time. A revolutionary who was not afraid of death would not fear marriage. Following the party cell's advice, Chen Ke visited Yuan Shikai again. Of course, the main purpose this time was not for marriage but to deliver gifts and hear Yuan Shikai's opinion on the beehive coal factory. He casually mentioned his request for Yuan Shikai to act as a matchmaker.

The same process as the last time, the same officer, Wu, reported to Yuan Shikai. After bringing Chen Ke's gifts and a letter inside, he came out shortly. This time, Yuan Shikai did not meet Chen Ke directly. Wu brought back Yuan Shikai's response, "I know."

Since Yuan Shikai had "known," Chen Ke returned to Beijing. What he did not know was that when Wu sent Chen Ke away, Wang Shizhen was by Yuan Shikai's side, "Lord Yuan, isn't Chen Ke a bit too presumptuous?" Wang Shizhen said calmly.

"He has come to me for help, which shows he knows his place. Pingqing, the Empress Dowager liked that military music very much," Yuan Shikai replied calmly.

Wang Shizhen knew Yuan Shikai's generous and helpful nature. Even if Chen Ke had only written a piece of music that satisfied him, Yuan Shikai would not completely ignore his request. Not to mention that Chen Ke was Yan Fu's disciple and had expressed a willingness to join. Wang Shizhen had met Chen Ke before, but he did not have a good impression. As Yan Fu's disciple, a young man who could accomplish things, it was normal to have a rebellious spirit. But the way Chen Ke looked at Yuan Shikai, though affectionate and excited, made Wang Shizhen feel as if he was looking at a "rare beast." It was not the look of a living person but the gaze of someone admiring a tombstone.

Yuan Shikai was a hero and treated Chen Ke like a junior. He did not notice, but Wang Shizhen did. Wang Shizhen was meticulous and could discern deeper meanings from small details. Eyes do not lie, and since Chen Ke had this look, there must be a reason. But this was a trivial matter and could not be mentioned. Wang Shizhen decided to conduct a thorough investigation of Chen Ke. Even if Chen Ke was arrogant and rebellious, it was not a big deal. The Beiyang army had killed many such people in Shandong. Kicking Chen Ke out of Beijing would be easy.

Back in Beijing, Chen Ke reported the situation to the party cell and said he planned to return to Shanghai after getting married. This was partly true and partly not.

Hearing Chen Ke's words, the party cell members did not insist on keeping him. Recently, the development of Beijing party members had been very good, with a significant increase in numbers. Facing these new members, the more experienced Shang Yuan still supported Chen Ke's position, and people were initially hesitant to offend him. After all, Shang Yuan was to become a county magistrate. Those preparing to go south would likely be under Shang Yuan's jurisdiction. But with the increase in numbers, other options to replace Shang Yuan had emerged. In particular, several new comrades who were about to become county magistrates in Zhili, Sichuan, and Hunan had recently joined. Those who were already dissatisfied with Chen Ke and Shang Yuan's support found new choices. Chen Ke, who was teaching here, would be respectfully called "teacher" by these party members. Chen Ke's voluntary withdrawal was a pleasant surprise for those who no longer needed him.

The voting result was five against and twenty in favor. Chen Ke finally relieved himself of his teaching responsibilities.

In the evening, Chen Ke was discussing marriage with Xie Mingxian when Shang Yuan, Qin Tongren, Qin Shou, Xu Dian, and Mao Yibo came over. Xie Mingxian naturally followed Chen Ke's vote, and since Chen Ke was leaving, he voted in favor. These five people voted against. Chen Ke thought he might consider them as supporters. After inviting everyone inside, Shang Yuan asked, "Wenqing, are you preparing to distance yourself from the Beijing comrades?"

Shang Yuan was not unskilled in social niceties and was actually better at it than Chen Ke. But he always spoke straightforwardly to Chen Ke, which Chen Ke appreciated.

"This is the Beijing comrades distancing themselves from me, Brother Wangshan, don't say it the other way around," Chen Ke said while inviting everyone to sit down.

"I see Wenqing looking relieved. Could it be that the last incident with Brother Chai still bothers you?" Xu Dian got along well with Chen Ke because he was the only one in China who truly understood modern legal systems.

"Revolution has nothing to do with the common people. Although Brother Chai's actions were a bit excessive, I think they were not wrong," Qin Tongren expressed his consistent stance.

"Let's not talk about that. Anyway, I am preparing for my marriage. In four days, if there is no news from Yuan Weiting, I will leave," Chen Ke did not want to dwell on the Chai Qingguo incident. Chai Qingguo had gone to Pangzi, and after Chen Ke left Beijing, he would first visit Pangzi.

Everyone did not expect Chen Ke to be so determined, and the words they had prepared to persuade him were no longer appropriate. The scene became awkward. Xie Mingxian watched with interest. He had followed Chen Ke for a long time and did not have strong feelings about Chai Qingguo's departure. He only cared about Chen Ke's attitude. Initially, he was a bit disappointed, thinking Chen Ke might stay in Beijing. Xie Mingxian, though supportive of the revolution, still preferred to be closer to home. The uncertainty of the revolution's success meant that failure could endanger his family. Northern revolution was too far, and the distance between Anhui and Hunan was within Xie Mingxian's psychological comfort zone. Learning that Chen Ke planned to return to Shanghai and then go to Anhui, Xie Mingxian was very supportive.

With this mindset, Xie Mingxian felt completely relaxed. Seeing everyone, usually talkative, now silent, he found it quite amusing. Just as he was guessing who would speak first, Shang Yuan opened his mouth, "Wenqing, let's leave it at that. But I have a concern I need to mention."

"Please speak."

"During the last incident with Brother Chai, Wenqing said that party members must obey the party's decisions. I think that's right. I can understand and accept your dealings with these comrades, but in Anhui, Wenqing must not do so."

Hearing this, the other four people's expressions changed.

"Is Beijing a party organization, and Anhui is not?" Mao Yibo immediately became unhappy. This old radical had suffered in social interactions and was the first to stand up for justice.

"Beijing is a party cell, and the one Wenqing formed in Shanghai is the true People's Party. They are different," Shang Yuan explained accurately, "Whether to join the People's Party or the Beijing party cell, everyone can choose."

These words made Chen Ke feel that the attitude was a bit too intense. But this was Chen Ke's true thoughts. Since the establishment of the Beijing party cell, Chen Ke had positioned it as an "outer organization." It was just a kind of "internship" for Chen Ke. In Shanghai, Chen Ke dared not make mistakes, as many comrades were waiting for his leadership, and he had a responsibility to them. But Chen Ke had no responsibility to the Beijing party cell; he was just an ordinary member. The other members also saw it this way.

Shang Yuan was not a simple comrade, and Chen Ke recognized this again.

"Does that mean Brother Wangshan plans to leave the Beijing party cell?" Mao Yibo asked bluntly.

"I plan to join the People's Party and become a formal member. I see that everyone supports Wenqing. What do you think?"

Shang Yuan's clear logic forced everyone to make a choice.

"I will say this one last time. In Anhui, I will be a county magistrate as a member of the People's Party, not as a member of the Beijing party cell. Regardless of your choice, my stance will not change."

Except for Shang Yuan, the others had intended to persuade Chen Ke to stay in Beijing but did not expect this outcome. They were forced to make a choice.

In fact, Chen Ke only cared about Shang Yuan in the Beijing party cell. Hearing Shang Yuan's stance, Chen Ke felt that everything else was irrelevant.

That night, no one else spoke, and they left awkwardly. After they left, Xie Mingxian carefully closed the door and asked, "Wenqing, will they spread this?"

"Let them talk. If you don't let them, they will still talk," Chen Ke was indifferent. In fact, he was happy to part ways so cleanly.

"But what if they bear a grudge and refuse to provide intelligence in the future?" Xie Mingxian was still concerned.

"Mingxian, you came a bit late, but you have been with me on most matters. Have you ever seen me beg anyone?"

Hearing Chen Ke's confident words, Xie Mingxian felt embarrassed. Chen Ke had just gone to Yuan Shikai, hadn't he?

Seeing Xie Mingxian's expression, Chen Ke knew what he was thinking, "Yuan