Among He Rui's initial 49 men, Xu Chengfeng and Zhong Yifu were the only two members from landlord families. According to the records of the Baoding Military Academy, Xu Chengfeng was from Chenzhou Prefecture, Henan, and his family were gentry in the Luyi area.

When meeting Xu Chengfeng's family member, He Rui chatted casually.

The visitor was named Xu Songshan. He was of the same clan as Xu Chengfeng but was a long-term worker for the Xu family. He came this time conveying the wishes of Xu Chengfeng's parents: for Xu Chengfeng to return home to get married. Xu Chengfeng's parents had already found a well-matched lady from a prominent family for him. Xu Songshan hoped Governor He could make an exception and let Xu Chengfeng go back to complete the marriage.

Facing He Rui, Xu Songshan was both fawning and wary.

He Rui waited until Xu Chengfeng appeared, then left.

Xu Chengfeng exchanged a few words with Xu Songshan, but upon learning Xu Songshan's purpose, his face immediately darkened. He called Xu Jia over, gave him a look, and left on the pretext of needing to lead troops in training.

Xu Jia understood. He first settled Xu Songshan in the unit's guest house and treated him to a meal.

At 9:30 PM, the lights-out bugle sounded. Xu Chengfeng didn't go to the guest house to see Xu Songshan but went straight back to the dormitory.

In the dormitory, Cheng Ruofan noticed Xu Chengfeng was a bit depressed and sighed. "Chengfeng, I also think there are too many training subjects. Should we think of a way to adopt different training focuses for different people?"

Zhong Yifu didn't agree. "Where do we have the energy to manage that? Don't worry about those who can complete it; what we want is for everyone to pass."

"It wastes time. Some people are just stupid; is there any way?"

"If we don't understand, ask the Governor more."

Cheng Ruofan hesitated. "But the Governor is too busy. We can't ask him about everything, right?"

Zhong Yifu found Cheng Ruofan's worry laughable. "What is the Governor busy with? Isn't he busy with how to train the troops well!"

Hearing that his two classmates' conversation had nothing to do with his own worries, Xu Chengfeng became even more irritable and simply asked, "Ruofan, what does your family do?"

Cheng Ruofan was stunned for a moment before answering, "My family? My family farms, and my father makes tofu during the slack farming season."

"Yifu, what about your family? I only know your family has land in Hanzhong. How much land?"

Zhong Yifu was also puzzled. "Why are you talking like Xu Jia conducting a political review?"

"Just asking."

"My family, about a hundred *mu* [^1], I guess."

Zhong Yifu was very puzzled by Xu Chengfeng's question, but he heard Cheng Ruofan already yawning incessantly, soon falling silent. He said to Xu Chengfeng, "Don't think nonsense if there's nothing wrong," and soon fell asleep too.

Xu Chengfeng was agitated, tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep.

Xu Songshan's arrival made him somewhat homesick. What Xu Chengfeng missed most was his mother, but his mother's face switched between kindness and ferocity in his mind, making Xu Chengfeng feel very uncomfortable.

When he was ten, Xu Chengfeng saw his mother say to his father for the first time, "That land must be acquired. If we don't buy it, where will we put our face?"

His father sighed. "That is our uncle's land. Should we wait and see?"

"Waiting is useless. Their family is ruined. If we buy their land now, they will still have land to rent in the future. If we don't buy it, they will only ruin the land!"

His father only sighed but didn't refute.

Two days later, Xu Chengfeng's best playmate in the private school—his cousin—rushed up to Xu Chengfeng, pointed at him, and cursed loudly, "Your family isn't anything good!" After speaking, his cousin turned and left. The cousin never came to the private school again, and Xu Chengfeng lost his best friend from then on.

When he was twelve, Xu Chengfeng woke up early in the morning to hear noise and crying outside. Running out to watch the commotion, he saw two hanged people hanging from the tree at his own gate. The Xu family's long-term workers wanted to untie the bodies and move them away, but the family of the deceased wailed and cursed, not allowing the Xu family to untie the ropes.

That was the first time Xu Chengfeng had seen people who died by hanging.

After that, Xu Chengfeng was depressed for a long time. Later, he simply focused his attention on his studies. Through extensive reading, Xu Chengfeng saw a broader time and space, which made him disapprove of his family even more.

History books recorded that someone ate Duke Mu of Qin's good horse. Duke Mu of Qin said, "A gentleman does not harm people because of livestock. I have heard that eating horse meat without drinking wine hurts the body." So he gave them wine to drink.

This was the reason Xu Chengfeng chose to become a soldier despite his parents' obstruction. Defending the country and resisting aggression—only such a life could be called meaningful.

But today, hearing that his family wanted to arrange a marriage for him, Xu Chengfeng didn't want to get married at all. Thinking that his parents would probably shove a woman similar to his mother onto him, he felt it was completely unacceptable.

It was just that Xu Chengfeng felt his decision would deal a considerable blow to his parents, so he felt somewhat distressed.

Amidst these chaotic thoughts, Xu Chengfeng fell asleep at some point.

Early the next morning, before the wake-up bugle sounded, Xu Jia arrived at the office holding a document to read. Having done statistical work for so long and conducted hundreds of political reviews, Xu Jia had gained a lot of experience in dealing with people. But right now, he still had to recite silently to memorize the things on the paper.

Xu Chengfeng pushed the door open and entered, handing a letter to Xu Jia. "I wrote a letter. Please help me give it to Xu Songshan. I'm going to lead troops in training later."

Taking the letter from Xu Chengfeng, Xu Jia guessed the content without looking and laughed. "'During service, officers must obtain the unit's approval to marry.' Do you think anyone other than you can genuinely accept this rule established by the Governor?"

Xu Chengfeng looked serious. "I don't know what others think; anyway, I firmly support it."

At noon, Xu Jia went to the guest house where Xu Songshan was staying.

Upon seeing Xu Songshan, Xu Jia pulled a long face and handed him the letter.

After reading it, Xu Songshan's face was full of astonishment. He begged, "Officer Xu, can you let me see the Young Master?"

Xu Jia shouted with a stern face, "Xu Chengfeng's meaning is all written in the letter. Go back and tell Master Xu: Comrade Xu Chengfeng has already joined our Civilization Party. The Civilization Party has a rule prohibiting arranged marriages. Comrade Xu Chengfeng is a senior cadre of our Civilization Party. Marriage requires approval from within the Party. If he breaks our rules, there will be no chance for his promotion in the future."

Xu Songshan was frightened. But thinking of the hardships of the journey and the scolding he would suffer after returning, he tried to make a final effort and pleaded, "Officer, my Young Master is definitely throwing a childish tantrum. The person the Master found for the Young Master is a lady from a prominent family, well-matched, and we know her background. Please, Officer Xu, help persuade my Young Master. Otherwise, otherwise after I go back, the Master will definitely make me escort the Young Mistress over here."

Xu Jia sneered. "Go back and tell Master Xu: since the other party is well-matched and you know their background, then they are family friends. Ask Master Xu to break off this engagement quickly; don't delay the daughter of his friend. I guarantee you, even if Master Xu sends the girl here, the wedding procession won't be able to enter Siping City!"

"This..." Xu Songshan looked lost.

"Someone come! Send him to the train station!"

After speaking, Xu Jia turned and left, leaving the despairing Xu Songshan in the guest house room.

***

Soon after, Xu Jia sat in front of He Rui and recounted the content of Xu Chengfeng's letter to He Rui.

He Rui smiled. "Xu Jia, besides arranged marriages, what other bad customs do you think there are?"

"Foot binding is a bad custom; the government opposes it now too."

He Rui nodded. "Then do you think women need liberation?"

"Women's liberation?" Xu Jia couldn't understand the meaning of this term for a moment.

"Women's liberation means giving women opportunities for employment and labor, allowing them to support themselves on their own without needing to depend on anyone."

"This... can this be done?" Xu Jia was somewhat shocked.

"Let's not discuss whether it can be done first. What do you think?"

Xu Jia couldn't help frowning. He thought for a long time before answering, "Governor, I feel that if we really do this, it's prone to many problems. And if we work hard to achieve it in the end..."

"In the end what?"

"In the end, I'm afraid the women won't appreciate it."

He Rui stared into Xu Jia's eyes. "Why do we need women to appreciate it?"

Xu Jia's eyes widened and his mouth gaped open, unable to speak.

Looking at Xu Jia's shocked appearance, He Rui perceived the huge gap between himself and this era even more profoundly. This gap was not of knowledge and insight, but a fault line in worldview caused by the immense productivity gap between 21st-century China and 1915 China.

He Rui stood up. "The liberation of Chinese women must be established on the liberation provided by the social system, not on the foundation of personal kindness or so-called public opinion."

Xu Jia nodded, seeming to understand yet not fully understanding.

After a moment of silence, Xu Jia asked, "Governor, I see the military academy classmates are very enthusiastic about building the Party. Should we start pushing it forward?"

"Preparatory talks can be held with those who have a sense of responsibility."

Currently, a portion of the young soldiers showed a strong sense of responsibility. Although there were some bumps in daily life, work could be executed smoothly. This signaled that the time for formally establishing the Party had arrived.

Since the matter of building the Party was approved by He Rui, Xu Jia took advantage of the lunch break to go talk with his classmates. Hearing this, Cheng Ruofan immediately sat up from his bed. "The Governor wants to build a Party? I want to join."

Zhong Yifu answered somewhat muffledly, "Who do you think *wouldn't* join?"

Xu Jia wasn't worried that his classmates would refuse to join. However, He Rui didn't pursue strength in numbers but expected qualified members. So he asked, "What do you think the platform of the Civilization Party will be like?"

Zhong Yifu answered immediately, "Saving the country and the people, enriching the country and strengthening the army are essential. I'm thinking about the rest."

The others were silent, and the room fell into silence. Finally, Xu Chengfeng broke the silence. "I think we should listen to the Governor's teaching."

Xu Jia had heard He Rui introduce the Civilization Party's platform and couldn't help reminding them, "I think the Governor stated his philosophy long ago. The foundation of civilization is production and distribution. Developing productive forces and adopting the fairest distribution model cover the basic philosophy."

Facing Xu Jia's serious answer, Cheng Ruofan replied frankly, "Who will understand if you say things like that? I think *The Internationale* is easier to understand than that. 'We want to seize the fruits of labor, let thoughts break through the cage. Quickly make the furnace fire red-hot; only by striking while the iron is hot can we succeed.' These are words ordinary people can understand."

*The Internationale* was a song He Rui taught everyone on the train when coming to Siping. Hearing that during the Franco-Prussian War, the people of the Paris Commune sang this song to fight against French traitors and Prussian invaders, everyone learned it with great enthusiasm.

Xu Jia felt Cheng Ruofan was just too easily impulsive and advised, "The basic program is the foundation. We discussed before that our goal is to make Siping's bureaucratic system run well; punishing corrupt officials is a means. If reversed, it becomes a contest of who is more extreme. Think about it, if punishing corrupt officials becomes the goal: you kill one corrupt official, I kill two. You think abusing power causing death deserves death; I think abusing power causing serious injury deserves death. Chengfeng could then say, 'You two are fellow travelers of corrupt officials; I think being insufficiently honest deserves death.' Speaking calmly, is this our goal?"

***

[^1]: *Mu* (亩) - Chinese unit of land area, approx 666.7 sq meters or 0.165 acres.