Chapter 75

After Chen Ke finished recounting the ins and outs of the "Beijing Party Cell," Wu Xingchen still harbored doubts. He had a deep-seated hostility towards Qing officials.

"Do you remember the United Front, Brother Wu?" Chen Ke said this with the real intention of driving Chai Qingguo out. In terms of keeping secrets, Chai Qingguo was no match for those who came from bureaucratic backgrounds. Those officials were "real bad guys"; they spoke to achieve their own goals, which was within a controllable range. Chen Ke could predict their general moves. If you replaced Chai Qingguo, he would prioritize brotherhood. Hearing something he believed was detrimental to his brothers, he would go and inform them. Who knew what he might say to whom.

However, Wu Xingchen and Chen Tianhua had brought Chai Qingguo to confront Chen Ke, and Chen Ke didn't dare to drive Chai Qingguo away. From an organizational perspective, it would be truly correct to expel Chai Qingguo now and have the party cell meet privately. But from a human perspective, he had to give everyone an explanation.

Wu Xingchen hadn't heard the term "United Front" for months and couldn't recall it immediately. Chen Tianhua still remembered it and had a rough idea of what Chen Ke was about to say.

At the party meeting in Shanghai, Chen Ke had discussed the methods of revolution. Party building was the foundation, but the United Front was the key to the struggle. You couldn't treat everyone as an enemy. After the incident with the Beijing Party Cell, Chen Ke fully understood the significance of the United Front. This was his "social practice" in Beijing.

After Chen Ke's explanation of the "United Front," Wu Xingchen basically understood Chen Ke's meaning, though he still felt a bit uncomfortable. He at least accepted the explanation. Chen Tianhua hadn't expected Chen Ke to play this card; he thought Chen Ke was a bit "too pragmatic."

Chai Qingguo understood Chen Ke's actions but felt a deep fear. These intellectuals were no good. Chen Ke, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, could plot and scheme with a smile, without batting an eyelid. He seemed to be on good terms with those officials, but he was always calculating behind their backs. If Chen Ke ever did the same to him, he might be sold out without even realizing it. Thinking of this, Chai Qingguo suddenly felt that Pang Zi's attitude towards Chen Ke might be correct.

With these thoughts in mind, Chai Qingguo's face involuntarily showed his dissatisfaction. Seeing this, Wu Xingchen became unhappy. "Brother Chai, Wenqing has explained it clearly. Do you have anything to say?"

"Mr. Chen's words make sense," Chai Qingguo managed to say.

"If they make sense, what are you going to do about it?" Wu Xingchen pressed.

"Um..." Chai Qingguo didn't understand what Wu Xingchen meant. Was he asking him to apologize to Chen Ke? Did he wrong Chen Ke? But Chen Ke hadn't explained the situation to him at the time, so he couldn't say he was wrong.

Wu Xingchen knew Chai Qingguo was thinking the wrong way and decided to be direct. "Now, I have a question for you. Answer me honestly. Do you want to join us? If you're willing to follow us, you'll do whatever the party asks. If you don't think you can, then get out of here now."

Scared by this, Chai Qingguo understood Wu Xingchen's meaning. This was an invitation to join. Initially, Chen Ke and the others had tried to join Pang Zi and the other seven brothers. Now, two of the brothers decided to return to Shandong as bandits, Pang Zi was planning a rebellion in Xingtai, and the other four brothers would follow Pang Zi to learn before returning to Shandong. Wu Xingchen wanted Chai Qingguo to join Chen Ke and the others.

"Brother Wu..." Chai Qingguo hesitated. He felt he and these intellectuals were incompatible. He couldn't understand what Chen Ke was thinking. In Chai Qingguo's view, rebellion meant killing officials, robbing the rich, and gathering the poor. Chen Ke had said the same in his lectures, but his methods clearly took a roundabout way. Land distribution, grassroots organizations, and industrial construction—these were not the goals of rebellion. Chen Ke seemed to be building an officialdom. Moreover, what Chen Ke proposed was even more controlling than the current government. This made Chai Qingguo very confused.

"Speak up, do you want to join or not?" Wu Xingchen didn't bother with persuasion. He glared at Chai Qingguo, knowing that to make a decision, he needed to exert his authority. Talking about revolutionary principles and persuasion wouldn't work.

"I'll join," Chai Qingguo submitted under Wu Xingchen's strong presence.

Seeing Chai Qingguo finally submit, Wu Xingchen felt a weight lifted from his heart. He smiled, "Wenqing, Chai is two years older than you, but don't worry about it. Beat him when you need to, scold him when necessary. Back in Shandong, we all followed Uncle Zhao San duo. Uncle Zhao used to say, 'Chai needs a beating every three days, or he'll start causing trouble.' A daily beating is necessary."

Hearing Wu Xingchen mention his past, Chai Qingguo felt a bit embarrassed. "Brother Wu, I'm not the same person I used to be."

"That's true. After the Boxer Rebellion, Brother Chai fled and suffered a lot. His character has changed. Wenqing, I won't say more, but Chai is a loyal person. If he says he'll follow you, he won't have a second thought. You need such a brother to lead the troops. Chai is excellent at horseback fighting. In Anhui, it's hard to find someone better at riding and fighting."

"That's great," Chen Ke said sincerely. Anhui wasn't known for its cavalry, so they needed a good cavalry leader.

"Qingguo, from now on, you'll follow Wenqing. Work hard and don't disgrace me." Wu Xingchen made the final decision without considering Chai Qingguo's thoughts.

With the misunderstanding resolved, they moved on to lighter topics. Chen Ke's marriage was seen as rushed by everyone. Chen Ke couldn't explain why. He couldn't say he married to avoid future trouble.

For Chen Ke, joking about building a harem was one thing, but he was a supporter of monogamy. After the revolution, choosing a partner would be difficult. If Chen Ke died before marriage, it would be boring. If he survived and married after liberating the country, there might be stories about "Chen Ke selecting a concubine." So, he decided to marry now.

Moreover, Chen Ke wasn't interested in the "thick-browed, strong-bodied" revolutionary tractor drivers. His standards were for a wife who was educated, healthy, could play an instrument, and had some taste. Rather than causing trouble over his marriage later, he decided to marry while he still had a choice. Chen Ke believed in Socrates' view of happiness: when you see a satisfactory wheat ear in the field, you should seize it and cherish your choice.

But these were his private thoughts. To everyone's questions, Chen Ke simply said, "Miss He has natural feet."

In those days, marrying a woman with natural feet was considered enlightened. Chen Ke's explanation was well-received.

With his explanation done, Chen Ke asked everyone to help with the work. That night, after Chai Qingguo went to sleep, the new Beijing four-person party cell held a meeting.

"How is Brother Pang?" Chen Ke asked.

"Brother Pang isn't interested in our land program. I barely convinced him to reduce rents and interest. The Pang and Jing families are major clans with many landlords. It's hard to push this forward," Chen Tianhua said, feeling regretful.

"If you can't ease the land conflict, who will follow you?" This was a historical fact.

"Xingtai has a lot of wasteland. I've already started using the earthworm method on some of it, hired a few people to begin the work."

"That's good. Nothing is more tempting than meat."

They discussed local economic and political issues. Wu Xingchen then talked about the direction of armed struggle. "Pang Zi hasn't improved much. He wants to hire local ruffians and loafers to cause trouble. Back in Uncle Jing's days, these people ran the fastest in battles. The honest peasants were more reliable. I've told him several times, but Pang Zi won't listen. He's eager to act."

"He's eager to make money. Without money, nothing can be done. Brother Wu, you've worked hard," Chen Ke said, not surprised by Pang Zi's actions. "Brother Wu, try to find the peasants who are being forced to the brink by landlords and usurers. When Xing Tai hires people, hire these people. Help the urgent, not the poor. If Pang Zi wants to add some loafers, you must find a way to stop him. I'm not trying to undermine Pang Zi. In a crisis, these people we save from death might save us."

"Reasonable," Wu Xingchen agreed.

"Also, we must establish industry. Without industry, there's no hope. I'll try to select a few comrades from the local factories to help you set up some industries. The nitrate business you mentioned is feasible."

"The problem is that many people want to get involved in the nitrate business. Uncle Jing once tried."

"Pang Zi wants to gather a team. For what? If they don't do it, who will?"

The meeting went on until late at night.

Three days later, the wedding began with much fanfare. The process of fetching the bride was simple, as the two families lived only a few meters apart. However, to save face for He Ruming, the luxurious carriage took a large detour, almost circling the entire official district. Chen Ke's father was not Yuan Shikai, but during the meeting with He Ruming, Chen Ke sincerely asked Yuan Shikai to be his matchmaker. Yuan Shikai was too busy, so he delegated Wang Shizhen. As one of the three great figures of the Beiyang, this was a great honor for Chen Ke. Chen Ke knew this was for Yan Fu's sake, so he was especially respectful to Wang Shizhen.

Chen Ke asked Chai Qingguo if he had ever met Wang Shizhen. Chai Qingguo admitted he had escaped from Wang Shizhen's men before and remembered him. Whether Wang Shizhen remembered the young man who led a cavalry charge, Chai Qingguo couldn't guarantee. Wang Shizhen had an excellent memory, so Chai Qingguo had to stay away.

Seeing Chai Qingguo's unsatisfied look, Chen Ke advised, "Brother Chai, if you want to assassinate Wang Shizhen on my wedding day, that's not appropriate. We will fight the Beiyang openly in the future. We'll regain our dignity on the battlefield. I promise, when we fight Wang Shizhen, I won't leave you out."

Since Chen Ke said this, Chai Qingguo had to give him face. Wu Xingchen, fearing trouble, sent Chai Qingguo to Tianjin to escort the gifts for He Ruming's family.

After the carriage returned with the bride, the traditional ceremony began. To save face for He Ruming, Chen Ke advertised the wedding in major newspapers in Beijing and Tianjin. The He family had many local friends and relatives. Chen Ke spent a lot of money to arrange for them to travel by train from Tianjin to Beijing. This was like flying relatives in the 21st century. Many of He Ruming's relatives were experiencing their first train ride, which added to his face. Chen Ke's courtyard was small, so the banquet was set up outside on the street. Overall, it went well.

The newlyweds bowed to heaven and earth and drank the ceremonial wine. Just then, there was a slight commotion outside the courtyard. Wu Xingchen hadn't dealt with Wang Shizhen, but many Beiyang officials were present, and some might have met. Chen Tianhua was a well-known figure with a warrant, so it wasn't appropriate for him to be seen. He and Wu Xingchen stayed away. Xie Mingxian, who was running errands, went to check. Moments later, he brought in a man in Japanese attire. Beiyang officials generally disliked Japanese, and many were giving the man suspicious looks.

The man was Kuroshima Jinichiro, who had nothing in his hands and looked exhausted from a long journey. At the wedding, Kuroshima forced a smile and bowed respectfully to Chen Ke. "Mr. Wenqing, I wish you a happy marriage." Kuroshima's Chinese had improved greatly after months of study.

Chen Ke hadn't informed the Shanghai party cell of his marriage, and Kuroshima certainly wasn't there to congratulate him. Seeing Kuroshima's hidden anxiety, Chen Ke's face changed. The old officials around him could see this. Chen Ke forced a smile, "Thank you, Mr. Kuroshima. Mingxian, please seat Mr. Kuroshima." Xie Mingxian understood Chen Ke's intention and led Kuroshima away.

The next part of the ceremony was to send the bride to the bridal chamber, and the groom would come out to receive toasts. Chen Ke, who usually had a good tolerance for alcohol, was quickly drunk from the toasts. Using this as an excuse, Chen Ke left. Xie Mingxian led Chen Ke to the farthest table, and as they passed other tables, people stopped Chen Ke for more toasts. At Kuroshima's table, Chen Ke felt dizzy and heard a cacophony of sounds. Kuroshima whispered something in his ear, but Chen Ke couldn't hear it.

Feeling anxious and encountering this, Chen Ke was almost furious. He didn't carry paper and pen, so he dipped a chopstick in his wine glass and handed it to Kuroshima, saying in a low voice, "I can't hear, write it down."

Kuroshima looked at Chen Ke in surprise, took the chopstick, and wrote, "The social investigation has problems. Some comrades participated in the Shanghai uprising. Now, the entire city is under a manhunt for the Huangpu Book Society members." Chen Ke felt dizzy and nauseous after reading this. He bent over and stuck his fingers down his throat, inducing vomiting. After a violent bout, he vomited out all the alcohol in his stomach.

He Ying had lifted her veil three times secretly, and the groom still hadn't returned. Amid the noisy guessing games outside, she felt nervous and excited, with a hint of fear. Her aunt, He Qian, had been with her these days and told her about marriage. She said that Chen Ke, to marry her, had even involved the governor of Zhili and Beiyang official Yuan Shikai as a matchmaker. The He family had connections with Yuan Shikai, and He Ying had even met him once. To have such a prominent figure arrange the marriage made He Ying feel happy.

Hearing from her aunt that Chen Ke had done all this himself in Beijing, He Ying wondered if he was so devoted after just a few meetings. She remembered seeing Chen Ke four times. The first time was at a silk shop, where the tall, handsome man and his friend came to buy silk. The second time was at a temple. The third time was when she saw Chen Ke in a carriage arguing with her family's steward, but he left with a proud smile, nodding politely to the carriage. The last time was at a banquet, where there were few Chinese, and He Ying had noticed Chen Ke, who was idly eating a piece of bread. Every time she thought of this, she felt Chen Ke looked like a bored child. Since learning that Chen Ke was to marry her, He Ying couldn't stop thinking about these moments. Each time she thought of this young man's determination to marry her, she felt a sweet, indescribable feeling.

Although the wedding was rushed, these were not things He Ying could decide. She could only be at the mercy of others and wait.

Suddenly, laughter came from the door, mixed with comments like, "Taking such good care of the bride," and "I didn't know Mr. Chen was so considerate." Hearing the door open, He Ying's body trembled. The door closed again, and the footsteps were unsteady, indicating that Chen Ke had been heavily toasted. Thinking of this, He Ying felt a surge of resentment.

The veil was lifted, and He Ying looked up. The groom, dressed in a black robe, startled her. The room was dim, and his handsome square face didn't have the rosy glow she expected from someone who had been drinking and just entered the bridal chamber. Instead, his face was pale and ashen, with a look of shock and anger, making him look terrifying. Despite his forced smile, the pain and fear on his face were evident.

"You must be tired. Have some tea and some food I brought for you." Her voice was trying to be gentle, but it trembled slightly, as if from the cold.

He Ying couldn't bear to see this and stood up, taking the plate from Chen Ke and tossing it aside. She grabbed his hand and asked urgently, "Are you sick?" She felt that his hand was still warm.

"No," Chen Ke said, feeling his strength drain at her gentle words. He sat on the bed, shivering. The trembling was clearly felt by He Ying. She tried to stand up, but Chen Ke pulled her back. "I'm not sick. There are people listening at the window. Don't speak." He then pulled He Ying into his arms, took off their shoes, and rolled onto the bed. He felt He Ying resist slightly at first, but after he took off their shoes, she let him do as he pleased.

Chen Ke pulled the blanket over them and lay there, waiting to warm up. The space under the blanket was small, and he could hear his own rapid breathing and He Ying's breath