Huang Xing and Song Jiaoren left Shaoxing and went directly to Anqing. The Tongmenghui's influence in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River was not large. Plus, information was not smooth in this era, and the two left relatively hastily. They even suspected whether the People's Party had already moved its headquarters to Anqing. If so, the two could save a lot of unnecessary travel.

When the boat reached Nanjing, the Qing troops patrolling the boat increased. Fortunately, the two received guidance from Tao Chengzhang and chose to disembark directly in Nanjing instead of continuing upstream. Both of them were people who had traveled extensively and seen the world; their temperament alone was distinctive. The Tongmenghui also had some connections in Nanjing. With the help of local comrades, the two took a boat to Wuhu. Although Wuhu was heavily guarded, because there was no large-scale garrison, it was not that troublesome. With someone to meet them, the two finally boarded a boat to Anqing.

There were very few people disembarking in Anqing. This was already the People's Party's controlled area. Except for a few people who had to disembark here, no one wanted to ask for trouble. The empty dock proved that Anqing's once active shipping economy had suffered a major blow. Song Jiaoren breathed a sigh of relief. If the dock were lively now, it would show that the People's Party had already won the hearts of the people. If the People's Party won the hearts of the people, they would absolutely not want to deal with the Tongmenghui much.

Although there were few people on the dock, there were soldiers responsible for monitoring the dock. This was the first time Huang Xing and Song Jiaoren saw soldiers of the People's Party. They all had short hair and wore dark blue military uniforms. The soldiers didn't stand still; some were responsible for directing traffic, and some actually led some people wearing light yellow vests to clean up. Huang Xing had sharp eyes; he recognized that the four black characters "City Sanitation" were written on the shoulder blades of these yellow vests, and there were numbers under the characters.

Although it wasn't the bright yellow silk vest of the Manchu Qing, seeing such attire, Huang Xing felt it was even more nondescript. Those wearing yellow vests all kept queues, while the People's Party soldiers all had short hair. Such a group of people mixing together and working seriously gave a feeling of indescribable coordination and discord existing at the same time.

The two stood in place looking at the environment constantly, which immediately attracted the attention of the soldiers. Four soldiers with guns held the rifles carried on their shoulders in their hands, and a person who might be an officer walked over. "You two, go this way after disembarking."

Looking at this posture, Huang Xing knew something was wrong; he and Song Jiaoren were being watched. He hurriedly explained in a low voice, "I am from the Tongmenghui and want to see Chairman Chen Ke of your party."

The officer's eyes lit up upon hearing this. "Please follow me, you two."

The soldiers on the dock didn't follow, but they didn't lift the alert state immediately either; instead, they stared closely at Huang Xing and Song Jiaoren. The two were taken into a house outside the dock. There were other people in charge inside the house. The officer said a few words to the people in the room and actually left just like that. Although the people here didn't carry rifles on their backs, they were physically strong and looked very skillful. Their waists were bulging, all tucking pistols.

"Sit." The leader in the room was quite polite. But the stools Huang Xing and the others sat on were truncated cones. Huang Xing didn't know that these were special tables and chairs for the People's Party when interrogating prisoners. Practice has proved that this thing is uncomfortable to sit on, but the interrogated person absolutely cannot wield it as a weapon.

The officer didn't care whether Huang Xing sat comfortably or not. He took out a notebook and asked, "Name."

This attitude like interrogating a prisoner made Huang Xing extremely unhappy. Song Jiaoren saw Huang Xing's face change and hurriedly tugged at Huang Xing's sleeve. Song Jiaoren said, "I am Song Jiaoren, and this is Mr. Huang Xing. We want to see Chairman Chen Ke of your party."

Song Jiaoren originally thought these people of the People's Party should know his famous name, or at least know Huang Xing's famous name. Unexpectedly, the officer opposite didn't care at all. He exchanged a glance with another officer. The officer went into the back room and came out with a booklet after a while. Then one of the two officers began to ask questions facing the booklet.

These questions were actually relatively simple, all about the life deeds of Huang Xing and Song Jiaoren, and some questions were deliberately asked wrong. This made Huang Xing furious. Is there such a way to humiliate people? He couldn't help shouting loudly, "I heard that the Yue Wang Society has returned to Anqing now. You just need to call someone from the Yue Wang Society to identify us, and you'll know if we are imposters."

The officer wasn't angry at being shouted at by Huang Xing. He nodded, "That's also a way. May I ask who you two know?"

Three hours later, Huang Xing and Song Jiaoren were finally led out by Chen Duxiu and others. Huang Xing, who was already dissatisfied with the officer's style, was stopped again before going out. The officer actually wanted Huang Xing and Song Jiaoren to sign the release document. If not for being in the People's Party's territory, Huang Xing would absolutely refuse to suffer this grievance.

After the group left the room, Chen Duxiu laughed, "Mr. Huang Xing doesn't need to be angry. Actually, it's not just you; the People's Party does things like this. If you refuse to sign, the People's Party cadres can't report this matter to the superiors."

Since Chen Duxiu said so, Huang Xing couldn't say anything more. The group chatted while walking. Huang Xing was somewhat disappointed to learn that Chen Ke was not in Anqing. Just as they were talking, the sound of gongs and drums suddenly sounded not far away. Looking over there, they saw another place around the corner of the street, blocked by civilian houses and invisible. However, several other people were very conspicuous. They wore black vests, the style was the same as the people cleaning the dock, but four characters "City Management" (*Cheng Guan*) were written on the shoulder blades on the back, and there were also numbers below.

"What does this City Management do?" Huang Xing saw these people were all strong young men but didn't know what exactly they did.

"These are Chengguan, equivalent to the police in Japan. Responsible for maintaining public security." Chen Duxiu explained.

"How many people did the People's Party bring exactly?" Huang Xing found it incredible.

"These Chengguan are not People's Party people, but recruited by the People's Party in Anqing city." Chen Duxiu explained.

"The People's Party is very rich?" Huang Xing couldn't help saying. To recruit personnel locally, the People's Party definitely had to pay remuneration. In such a depressed port as Anqing, the People's Party actually had the financial resources to recruit manpower; this was really rich and imposing.

Chen Duxiu's face changed slightly, but he didn't answer. Song Jiaoren saw a kind of loss in Chen Duxiu's expression. He continued to ask, "Mr. Chen, is there anything strange about recruiting manpower?"

Since Song Jiaoren asked, Chen Duxiu spoke frankly. When recruiting these personnel, the People's Party didn't give any gold, silver, or copper coins, but paid a kind of paper money called "Renminbi." These paper notes could be used to buy grain and daily necessities in the "Supply and Marketing Cooperative" opened by the People's Party in Anqing. The goods in the Supply and Marketing Cooperative were cheap, and only accepted Renminbi; no gold, silver, or copper coins were accepted.

Huang Xing didn't understand economics, and Song Jiaoren also didn't understand what significance this "Renminbi" had. Chen Duxiu looked at the two confused people with mixed feelings in his heart. He didn't understand why the People's Party spent such effort at first, but after really implementing it for this month, he figured out the People's Party's plan. "You two, the market in Anqing is depressed now, and there is no business at all. The common people have a hard time, but as long as you go to work in factories opened by the People's Party and other so-called municipal departments, you can earn Renminbi. Only after earning Renminbi can you buy food and daily necessities. If you don't work under the People's Party, life is extremely difficult. Speaking of which, I am ashamed. Our Yue Wang Society was in Anqing for a few months and actually brought Anqing to a situation where all businesses withered..."

Seeing Chen Duxiu falling into a mood of self-blame, Huang Xing still didn't understand what this economic policy meant. Song Jiaoren was smarter; he probably heard the clue. "Mr. Chen, do you mean the People's Party is the only merchant in the city with surplus grain for sale now?"

"Yes, the People's Party hires labor to buy grain nearby, and also transports some grain from other places. Then sells it at a fair price. To avoid hoarding, they don't use gold and silver but Renminbi. If you want to earn Renminbi, you can only get it by working for the People's Party. This at least gave the people of Anqing a way to live." When Chen Duxiu spoke of these, his tone was full of regret. He didn't completely regret the Yue Wang Society's rule back then; he cared more about why he didn't have such insight back then. If the Yue Wang Society could adopt such a method when occupying Anqing, they wouldn't have eaten the mountain hollow.

After the implementation of this economic policy of the People's Party, the common people had to contact and cooperate with the People's Party. With the joining of Anqing people, the People's Party at least restored order and hygiene to a desolate and chaotic Anqing. Even though life was still relatively difficult, the attitude of the common people towards the People's Party changed a lot.

"Mr. Chen, isn't there anyone printing fake money?" Song Jiaoren couldn't help asking.

Chen Duxiu took out a "Renminbi." Song Jiaoren was surprised after seeing it. Although this paper currency was not printed as beautifully as the Japanese yen and foreign currencies, the paper was tough and stiff, and the printed patterns were clean and neat. It was extremely difficult to counterfeit. Don't even think about counterfeiting it in a hurry. His first thought was that Chen Ke actually got foreign banknote printing equipment.

This was not imported equipment. Chen Ke had worked in a factory producing PS plates. He knew the difference between positive printing and negative printing. Positive printing is relief printing; the protruding part is lipophilic (ink-loving), and the non-protruding part is hydrophilic. When printing, the protruding part adsorbs ink. Negative printing is just the opposite; the part needing printing is recessed, absorbing ink, and the protruding part does not absorb ink. Foreign newspaper printing is mostly negative printing, so the handwriting is clear and the patterns are neat.

After the base area built a small paper mill close to the pollution level and technical level of the early 21st century, after experiments, raw silk and cotton were mixed into the paper fiber to make banknote paper. This method copied some paper formulas used as gimmicks in a movie about Jews making counterfeit banknotes for Nazis in WWII. Unexpectedly, the effect was actually quite good.

Chen Ke also used intaglio printing technology. You Gou led some core technical personnel and finally solved the refining of hydrophilic electrolytic aluminum and the rosin-based ink-adsorbing material. Even so, printing banknotes took a lot of effort. The yield rate was less than 30%, and waste banknotes were all burned.

Song Jiaoren simply couldn't understand the adoption of these technologies. He looked at the banknote carefully. Besides patterns, in the center of the front of the banknote were portraits of four figures side by side. The one on the left held a hammer, looking like a worker. The one in the middle wrapping a headscarf and holding a hoe should be a farmer. The one on the right was a People's Party soldier. The one on the far right was a woman holding a pickaxe, looking quite like a village girl. Below the four figures was a sentence: "The people of the whole country unite, overthrow the Manchu Qing together, and build a New China." In the upper right corner of the banknote, "Five Mao" (*Wu Mao*) was written in Chinese characters, and an Arabic numeral "5" was printed below.

Turning it over, there were also various patterns on the back. In the middle was a symbol of a sickle and hammer. Below was a line of words: "People's Bank of China" (*Zhongguo Renmin Yinhang*).

"Chinese people are very capable (*Zhongguo Renmin Hen Hang*)?" Huang Xing read beside him. Song Jiaoren couldn't help correcting, "It's People's Bank of China (*Zhongguo Renmin Yin Hang*)."

This five-mao note used all simplified characters, so no wonder Huang Xing misread it. Blushing, Huang Xing turned his face away.

Returning this five mao to Chen Duxiu, Song Jiaoren asked, "How much can this five mao money buy?"

"Two *jin* of rice." Chen Duxiu replied.

"Such a piece of paper is worth two *jin* of rice? The People's Party's money is very valuable." Huang Xing said in surprise.

"So they only issue this Renminbi to people who work. Now there is trading of Renminbi in the black market, but the People's Party controls the issuance of currency extremely strictly. It is really hard to get a single note." Chen Duxiu replied.

While talking, everyone arrived at the station of the Yue Wang Society. This was a large courtyard in the city. The members of the Yue Wang Society now had less than three hundred left. This large courtyard and several nearby houses were enough to accommodate them.

After Chen Duxiu sat down with Song Jiaoren and Huang Xing, Song Jiaoren said, "Mr. Chen, the matter of Anqing this time made the comrades of the Yue Wang Society suffer."

Chen Duxiu smiled. "Mr. Song, Mr. Huang, you came just in time. Our Yue Wang Society has decided to join the new government of Anhui. Although not joining the People's Party, we revolt together with the People's Party. So I just wanted to notify you that our Yue Wang Society formally withdraws from the Tongmenghui."

This news hit Song Jiaoren even harder than the withdrawal of the Restoration Society. Song Jiaoren felt his heart falling straight towards a bottomless abyss. Chen Duxiu's attitude towards the People's Party just now couldn't be said to be very friendly, but Song Jiaoren knew that Chen Duxiu and the Yue Wang Society had made up their minds to defect to the People's Party. Song Jiaoren didn't even have the courage to retain them anymore; he just looked at Chen Duxiu in astonishment.

Chen Duxiu didn't care much about Song Jiaoren's mood either. He said, "Our Yue Wang Society's hasty uprising this time was not only useless to the revolution but harmed the people of Anqing instead. The Yue Wang Society up and down are very distressed about this. So we decided to join the Anhui People's Government and do some practical things for the people of Anhui. Since this is the case, the Yue Wang Society can no longer stay in the Tongmenghui. Please convey this matter to Mr. Sun when Mr. Song returns."

Huang Xing couldn't help saying, "Mr. Chen, you are climbing a high branch."

Song Jiaoren was afraid Huang Xing would say even uglier words, so he hurriedly stopped him, "Brother Huang..."

Chen Duxiu was not moved by Huang Xing's attitude at all. "Brother Huang, before the uprising, Anqing couldn't be called prosperous, but at least the people's life was passable. You didn't see the miserable state of Anqing when our Yue Wang Society retreated from Anqing. It was the People's Party that returned to Anqing for a month and worked hard to rectify it that Anqing has today's appearance. If our Yue Wang Society still claims to be revolutionary heroes, that would be shameless. So we can only redeem our sins by doing practical things for the people."

"What does that have to do with withdrawing from the Tongmenghui?" Huang Xing found this unacceptable.

"Our ideal in joining the Tongmenghui was to overthrow the Manchu Qing. Now that the People's Government has been established in Anhui, the Manchu forces have been swept away. We feel we have fulfilled our obligations. In the future, it's about doing things, not talking about revolution. So everyone's choices are different, and staying in the Tongmenghui has no meaning anymore."

Huang Xing was still relentless, but since Chen Duxiu had made up his mind, he was not moved at all. Whether Huang Xing mocked or pleaded sincerely, Chen Duxiu had no intention of changing his mind. Seeing there was no other room, Song Jiaoren had to express that he would inform Sun Yat-sen of the Yue Wang Society's matter. Song Jiaoren asked where Chen Ke was again. Chen Duxiu was not sure either. He suggested Song Jiaoren and Huang Xing ask Zhang Yu, the Mayor of Anqing City of the People's Party.

When resting at night, Huang Xing sat on the bed sulking, and Song Jiaoren also said nothing. The strength shown by the People's Party made Song Jiaoren feel extreme unease. He also once thought that once the revolutionary government was established, it would immediately trigger a chain reaction nationwide, and the Manchu Qing would collapse instantly. In fact, a chain reaction did occur, but this reaction turned out to be a reshuffling of revolutionary party forces. The Tongmenghui, which once held the leadership of the revolution, now faced a situation of betrayal and separation. The People's Party had become the revolutionary center around Anhui. Various revolutionary forces actively or passively abandoned the Tongmenghui and turned to the People's Party. And until now, the People's Party hadn't shown their attitude towards the Tongmenghui at all. Song Jiaoren felt a great uneasiness.

The next day, after seeing Zhang Yu, Song Jiaoren confirmed his idea even more. Zhang Yu was very young, less than thirty years old. Revolutionaries these years were generally young. What impressed Song Jiaoren was that Zhang Yu didn't look like a revolutionary at all, but like a shrewd and capable young senior official. Except for not having a queue and cumbersome etiquette, Zhang Yu was an official in military uniform. He didn't smile, his eyes were deep, neither strict nor indulgent. When greeting Song Jiaoren and Huang Xing, they actually didn't know what Zhang Yu was thinking.

But not long after, Song Jiaoren saw the difference between Zhang Yu and Manchu officials. Zhang Yu had no airs, let alone official prestige. After calmly listening to Song Jiaoren's request to see Chen Ke, he quickly gave an answer. "Chairman Chen may be in Hefei now, but I received a notice a few days ago that Chairman Chen will return to Fengtai soon. Since both of you are revolutionary comrades of the Tongmenghui, I suggest you go to Hefei first. If you don't meet Chairman Chen, then go from Hefei to Fengtai County. Gentlemen, do you need guards?"

This matter-of-fact attitude impressed Song Jiaoren deeply. Zhang Yu showed neither hostility nor goodwill. Just proposing a solution to the problem matter-of-factly confused Song Jiaoren instead. If it were a Manchu official, they would always show their existence intentionally or unintentionally. Either to show they had status, or to show they had background, or simply hoping the other party would "pay respect" to their official status. But Zhang Yu didn't; Zhang Yu just told Song Jiaoren how to solve the matter. Everything else seemed to have nothing to do with Zhang Yu.

Was this respect or disregard? Song Jiaoren couldn't figure it out.

Zhang Yu waited politely for a while. Seeing Song Jiaoren silent, he asked again, "Do you want a guide?"

Facing this unenthusiastic but thoughtful attitude, Song Jiaoren had to reply, "Then I'll trouble you."

Zhang Yu let Song Jiaoren see what efficiency was. He spent a minute conveying the order to the clerk. The clerk spent ten minutes inviting a guide, and then Zhang Yu suggested Song Jiaoren and Huang Xing hit the road.

Song Jiaoren didn't know whether he should trust Zhang Yu, but what could he trust if not trusting him? He had to follow the guide out of the door, only to see three horses already outside. The guide mounted a horse first, and soon the three left the gate of the Anqing Municipal Committee.

"Mayor Zhang, they have set off." The clerk notified Zhang Yu of the news.

"Send a message to the base area." Zhang Yu ordered. After saying this, he threw Song Jiaoren and Huang Xing to the back of his mind. Zhang Yu's affairs were piled up like a mountain; how could he have the mind to focus on these two guys? Moreover, Chen Ke had already sent a circular letter to cadres everywhere. If they met Tongmenghui cadres coming, send them directly to Chen Ke after verifying their identities. Zhang Yu didn't have the mind to think that much.