The whole Sun family never expected He Qian to propose going to Anhui to rescue Sun Yongsheng. A wife traveling a thousand *li* to find her husband wasn't rare in operas, but it was extremely rare in real life. Let alone a woman traveling a thousand *li*, even men traveling a thousand *li* were a minority.

"Then who pays for this?" Sun Yongsheng's older brother Sun Yongkang asked. Hearing his son's words, Sun Yongsheng's father frowned slightly.

He Qian answered calmly: "I'm going to Anhui to find my niece He Ying. He Ying married Chen Ke. As long as she still recognizes me as her aunt, Yongsheng's matter naturally won't need any money. As for travel expenses, my own money is probably enough."

The Sun family crowd was frightened by He Qian's boldness. Sun Yongsheng's brother hesitated for a long time before asking: "Sister-in-law, I wonder who you will go to Anhui with?"

If it was cursing Chen Ke, everyone still had enough guts in Beijing. But really going to the "bandit area" a thousand *li* away, these people's guts shriveled up quickly like deflated balls. He Qian could be unafraid of death, but they were afraid of death.

"Sister-in-law, this matter should be discussed at length, discussed at length." Sun Yongsheng's brother Sun Yongkang said.

"Looking at the copy of the notice father just got, it says Yongsheng was injured. If no one goes to Anhui quickly, letting outsiders watch over Yongsheng, it definitely won't do." Speaking of this, He Qian knelt on the ground and turned her head, looking up at Sun Yongsheng's father and said: "Father, please let me set off now."

"At any rate, our family has some relation with Chen Ke; Chen Ke should take care of us no matter what." Sun Yongkang muttered.

"Bastard words!" Sun Yongsheng's father was angry immediately. "When did our family have relations with Chen Ke?"

After reprimanding his son, Sun Yongsheng's father helped He Qian up. "Since you want to go, let's start preparing now." Speaking of this, the old master suddenly sighed, "Sigh, it's a pity Yongsheng didn't listen to you back then."

He Qian lowered her head. Everyone only saw He Qian's tears flowing down her cheeks, but couldn't see the anger in He Qian's eyes. This anger wasn't directed at Sun Yongsheng, but at the Sun family people. Except for bullying her as an enemy, this bunch of Sun family people had no strength at all. Listen to what Sun Yongsheng's brother said: first considering money, then afraid of going to Anhui, and finally shamelessly thinking the Sun family and Chen Ke were relatives. Before Sun Yongsheng sent troops, the Sun family up and down hoped Sun Yongsheng could chop off Chen Ke's head and establish great merit. Who treated Chen Ke as a relative? Now they felt they were Chen Ke's relatives, and Chen Ke had to take care of them. was there such logic in the world? If they really felt Chen Ke was a relative, how good would it have been not to participate in sending troops early on?

Originally, He Qian was also quite afraid of going to Anhui. A girl traveling a thousand *li* far away; all kinds of unknowns made her afraid. Now He Qian suddenly wanted to escape from the Sun family quickly. Being together with this group of unreasonable people and having to constantly cater to them, He Qian only felt she was about to suffocate.

Since they were going to save people, the Sun family's actions were still quite fast. The route was simple: take a train from Beijing via the Beijing-Hankou Railway to Hankou, then take a boat from Hankou to Anqing. He Qian planned to find the local government upon arriving in Anqing and reveal her identity. Then arrive in Fengtai under the arrangement of the local government. The cost of this trip was around fifty taels. The Sun family ultimately didn't send their own family members either, but found a distant nephew of the Sun family to accompany He Qian. He Qian endured all these. For her, leaving the Sun family as soon as possible was her biggest thought now.

The train started slowly. He Qian looked at the people seeing her off outside the window; even going to rescue their own family member, only Sun Yongkang saw her off. Somehow, He Qian's tears rolled down. Ever since her father passed away and her niece He Ying married, He Qian felt more and more lonely in this world. Surroundings were people who didn't understand her, or people who only cared about their own interests. Everyone's interests were different; He Qian had an invisible chasm with them. Except for her husband Sun Yongsheng, He Qian had no one else sharing weal and woe. And her husband never thought so. This strong sense of loneliness was like a big mountain, about to crush He Qian completely, devour her completely. He Qian wiped her tears. What use was crying? She not only had to deal with her own people, but she also had to face an even more ferocious enemy. Chen Ke was absolutely not a kind person; a kind person absolutely couldn't defeat the government army repeatedly. For her husband, for her own future, He Qian must become stronger.

He Ying gently stroked her already bulging abdomen, a smile appearing on her face uncontrollably. This was a completely instinctive reaction. Her gaze turned to her husband burying his head in eating beside her. Chen Ke, like usual, devoured the meal. After finishing the meal, Chen Ke would clean up the bowls and chopsticks deftly and wash them clean. After sweeping the room and resting for a while, he would continue to work. He Ying didn't oppose Chen Ke doing this; men always had to do things. He Ying just enjoyed the current feeling very much: in front was the meal made with her husband, beside her was her husband, and inside her belly was her child. She possessed all this before her eyes; this was enough.

Whether a revolution happened in the outside world, such things had a very illusory feeling for He Ying. Every time Chen Ke left home and threw himself into the front line, He Ying's feeling of parting was far greater than the fear war gave her. Thinking of war, He Ying couldn't help thinking of the Beiyang Army, then thought of her aunt, and finally thought of the person she should call uncle (*Gufu*).

He Ying couldn't help asking: "Wenqing, I heard Uncle is also in the Beiyang Army this time."

"Mhm, there is such a person. Injured and captured; he should be in the military hospital now." Chen Ke said carelessly. Regarding Sun Yongsheng, Chen Ke spent a little energy on the list, and as a result, saw Sun Yongsheng's name in the serious injury column. Knowing Sun Yongsheng didn't die was the only attention Chen Ke could achieve. For this relative flying from the sky, Chen Ke had no feeling at all. Moreover, as the Party Chairman, Chen Ke believed he absolutely couldn't give special preferential treatment to this person. In the future, let alone this kind of relative flying from the sky, Party cadres might very likely have to fight with their own brothers on the battlefield. Comrades below could privately explain to treat captured relatives and friends well, but Chen Ke himself couldn't start this system.

"Wenqing, is Uncle's injury heavy?" He Ying asked.

While continuing to eat, Chen Ke said carelessly: "This I don't know. I'm not optimistic. After the battle ended, it rained for several days in a row; the death rate of the wounded increased a lot. This is even with us transporting the wounded to the military hospital by boat. Let alone the wounded, quite a few uninjured officers and soldiers also caught colds and fevers."

"Wenqing, have you not given any instruction to the people below at all?" He Ying's face changed slightly.

"How to instruct? Say he is my uncle? Casualties in our troops were not small in this battle either; the military hospital is overcrowded..."

"He is our relative anyway..."

Chen Ke was a bit puzzled by his wife's words. "Yes, he is our relative. We have already treated all injured captives. I did my best."

"Then you have to say something at least." He Ying asked.

"What do I say? I really don't know; you have to teach me." Chen Ke asked somewhat confusedly.

"You..." He Ying was choked. Chen Ke's confused expression carried a bit of dissatisfaction; He Ying felt this very clearly. She intuitively felt Chen Ke's thoughts, but as a woman, He Ying didn't approve of Chen Ke's attitude. "Wenqing, Sun Yongsheng led troops to kill into the base area. You fought with him, or even killed him on the spot, I wouldn't say anything. This is... this is business. But Sun Yongsheng was captured; at any rate, as a relative, go see him. This is human feelings."

"I go see him, and then say what? Take good care of him? We don't even have time to treat our own comrades; putting Sun Yongsheng to the front of treatment—I can't do such a thing." Chen Ke was also a bit dissatisfied.

"When did I let you put Sun Yongsheng to the front?" He Ying asked with a frown.

"If I don't say anything, I'm afraid someone will do this." Chen Ke answered.

"Your reasoning is wrong." He Ying said decisively. "If you don't say anything, the kind of person who puts Sun Yongsheng to the front of medical treatment himself—even if you don't go see Sun Yongsheng, this kind of person will also do this on his own initiative. He is a sycophant. If you think this practice is wrong, you should speak out openly and aboveboard. You say nothing; what does this count as?"

Chen Ke had never been scolded like this since returning to this era. His brows couldn't help furrowing.

He Ying ignored the change in Chen Ke's expression completely. She continued: "You ignore it like this; those sycophants might even think you have some deep hatred against Sun Yongsheng. They would dare to kill Sun Yongsheng without saying a word. Wenqing, if you sincerely think so, then treat it as if I said nothing just now. If you don't sincerely want Sun Yongsheng to die but are too lazy to pay attention to him, then you precisely need to go see him once, and then state that all captives must be treated equally. This is the way to give an explanation to those below. You know Sun Yongsheng is your relative; don't the people below know? The people below see you make no move, and they don't know how to treat Sun Yongsheng either. It's fine if Sun Yongsheng didn't die, but if Sun Yongsheng dies, what is the explanation? You can't let the people below have no bottom in their hearts."

"Wait, do what should be done. I don't speak to Sun Yongsheng; this is respecting the comrades." Chen Ke didn't understand this very well.

He Ying had been with Chen Ke for so long; she knew that although Chen Ke was very excellent in many aspects, similarly, Chen Ke wasn't actually a person with deep schemes. Seeing Chen Ke frowning, He Ying suddenly felt Chen Ke was very cute for some reason. She couldn't help laughing in anger. "Wenqing, saying nothing is disrespecting the comrades; you are quitting your responsibility. I know you don't like Sun Yongsheng, and I don't like this person either. Since he could lead troops to attack the base area, he didn't treat us as relatives. But that was during the fighting. Now he isn't brandishing swords and guns; he is a captive. We have to go see him. We are not going to let others give him special treatment; our two families are relatives, this is a fact. Even if you don't acknowledge this kinship, we are still relatives. He has fallen into your hands now. You as a relative don't even look; what do others think of you?"

Chen Ke finally understood what his wife wanted to say. Thinking carefully, He Ying wasn't wrong.

He Ying took a breath. She pressed her hand on the back of Chen Ke's hand. "Wenqing, you often say doing things must have a beginning and an end. I originally thought what you said was very reasonable. Sun Yongsheng falling into your hands is just the result of him attacking the base area. Whether he is beaten to death, injured, or didn't lose a single hair, this is his fate. But Sun Yongsheng entered the military hospital; this is a beginning. If you want to kill Sun Yongsheng, you have someone drag him out for public execution. Even if I don't support such a decision of yours, I know you gave Sun Yongsheng a result. You go see Sun Yongsheng; this is your conclusion to the matter of Sun Yongsheng entering the military hospital. You say some words that can conclude this matter, and it counts as finishing this matter. Whether Sun Yongsheng can survive this hurdle in the military hospital or not, that is also his fate. We can't control Sun Yongsheng's fate, but we can't have a beginning without an end."

"Right, I thought wrong. I thought wrong." Chen Ke nodded repeatedly.

He Ying laughed out loud in anger. "Wenqing, relatives' matters are the hardest to get along with. It's nothing if you didn't think it through for a moment. But if you want to deal with those sycophants, you first have to understand that those sycophants have this idea themselves. This has nothing to do with you. He is this kind of person; he just wants to secure personal gain. If there is a chance, he will take it; if there is no chance, he will also find a chance. Dealing with this kind of person, you have to speak clearly about this kind of thing openly and aboveboard. Not allowing this to be done. You don't say a word; do you think you aren't giving this kind of person a chance? Exactly wrong; if you don't make a sound, they jump even more happily."

"High opinion. Madam, go work in the Political Department," Chen Ke couldn't help praising.

"What Political Department work should I go to? You group of men revolutionize; what does it have to do with me? I'll just draw my maps well in the Map Section. Work seriously, take money on time. In the future, I have to raise our children; who will go to the Political Department to work with you?"

"Well said, Madam. If everyone in the world had your idea, realizing socialism would be just around the corner." Chen Ke had long lost the aversion after being criticized by He Ying; he praised sincerely. Sun Yongsheng's matter was also a difficult problem for Chen Ke. Chen Ke subconsciously wanted to ignore it. Now getting a better solution, Chen Ke felt much happier in his heart.

"Then when shall we go?" He Ying asked.

"Tomorrow. I'll organize a condolence visit. Visit him by the way. Do you want to go together?" Chen Ke answered.

"Okay."

After cleaning up the room, Chen Ke went to the office refreshed. He Ying's words not only solved Chen Ke's difficult problem regarding Sun Yongsheng but even untied a big problem Chen Ke faced now. From two years ago to now, Chen Ke used more energy on organizational construction. In ideological construction, Chen Ke didn't have much achievement. If everything before was for survival, for the revolutionary organization of the base area to survive. Chen Ke now had to put energy into ideological construction.

Chen Ke had never engaged in political work. Even if there was, it was teaching everyone how to distinguish political interests. But this kind of political interest was high-level construction work. Actually, it was the issue of taking sides. Whether standing on the People's Party side or the Manchu Qing side, everyone in the base area had to make a choice.

After this great victory, the Manchu Qing lost the ability to attack the base area with armed forces for a relatively long time. The imminent life and death problem had been solved. Then how to establish a brand new system, ideology, and work style was what Chen Ke must solve.

For example, dealing with slickness, dealing with sycophancy, dealing with those attitudes and working methods that were hundred percent harmful and zero percent beneficial to revolutionary work; Chen Ke had to point them out with a clear banner. He Ying was right; the reason these people did this was that they were this kind of people. It would be extremely difficult for Chen Ke to transform them. But there were still vast numbers of cadres and soldiers who were not this kind of people. If a new direction couldn't be pointed out, these comrades would fall into bewilderment.

Chen Ke suddenly thought of what Grandpa Mao said: "Our Party has nothing that cannot be said openly to the people." One of Grandpa Mao's great achievements lay in explaining the way of governing the country, which was passed down by word of mouth in ancient times, clearly to the broad masses of people. If not so, how could people like Chen Ke come into contact with Grandpa Mao's thoughts, and through learning these, constantly understand society and understand the world?

Sitting in the office, He Zudao was already waiting for Chen Ke. The two agreed to discuss the selection of Party members in the troops tonight. Chen Ke originally felt this was a very difficult problem. Now he still felt it was difficult, but felt much brighter in his heart.