If one asked the common people in the base area who the most influential person in the Anhui base area was, everyone would choose Chairman Chen Ke without exception. If one continued to ask who the second most influential person in the Anhui base area was, the answers would be diverse. Let alone the common people, even the People's Party and local cadres were completely unclear about who the number two figure in the base area was. From the perspective of organizational studies, if Chen Ke died suddenly, no one in the base area could immediately stand in the position of the second-generation leader.

Chen Ke was very clear about this, and the surrounding central leading comrades were equally clear. So Chen Ke strengthened the role of the Party Committee, and efforts in this regard received unanimous support from all parties. If the leader was gone, everyone at least still had the organization to rely on. With the Party Committee, there was always a platform to realize democratic centralism. Comrades could obey an outstanding leader with joy; similarly, although not with joy, everyone could also accept the principle of democratic centralism.

Chen Ke knew everyone's thoughts, and he also paid extra attention to the organizational principle of democratic centralism. Only when he himself couldn't theoretically elaborate on the principle of action, but Chen Ke obtained exact answers from the Party's history and Grandpa Mao's actions, would Chen Ke force a resolution through relying on his prestige and status. As long as he could theoretically elaborate on the problem, Chen Ke always persuaded and educated comrades tirelessly.

However, this didn't mean Chen Ke never considered the issue of a successor. He was still an ordinary person in this era, which meant that laboring under the sun would also tan him, or even peel his skin. Bumping into things would also cause sprains or bleeding. Chen Ke didn't obtain an immortal body, so for a political figure, his own death was also a problem that needed to be considered.

Different from other comrades' thoughts on the successor, Chen Ke believed that if he died accidentally, the one most likely to ascend to the position of successor was Yan Fu.

Later generations evaluated Yan Fu as a "famous bourgeois enlightenment thinker, translator, and educator in the late Qing Dynasty." As a translator, the books Yan Fu translated were all famous.

Translated Huxley's *Evolution and Ethics* (*Tian Yan Lun*) from 1896 to 1898.

Translated Adam Smith's *The Wealth of Nations* (*Yuan Fu*) in 1901.

1903 was the peak period of Yan Fu's translation work. In this year, Yan Fu translated several books in succession.

Spencer's *The Study of Sociology* (*Qun Xue Yi Yan*).

John Stuart Mill's *On Liberty* (*Qun Ji Quan Jie Lun*).

John Stuart Mill's *A System of Logic* (*Mu Le Ming Xue*).

Jenks' *A History of Politics* (*She Hui Tong Quan*).

Starting from 1904, Yan Fu began to translate Montesquieu's masterpiece *The Spirit of the Laws* (*Fa Yi*).

The theories and thoughts in *The Spirit of the Laws* had an extremely profound impact on the bourgeois revolutionary movements in the world. Especially the popular theory of separation of administrative, legislative, and judicial powers, checks and balances, and safeguarding civil liberties proposed in it, was praised by the bourgeoisie of all generations. The first to use Montesquieu's theory to build a bourgeois country was the United States. The leaders during the American War of Independence were all familiar with *The Spirit of the Laws*, and incorporated Montesquieu's theory of separation of powers into the Constitution. The *Declaration of the Rights of Man* issued during the French Bourgeois Revolution in 1789 also declared that there is no constitution without the separation of powers. Through the practice of the French and American bourgeois revolutions, it had become the organizational principle for bourgeois countries to build democratic systems and political regimes.

Being able to translate these masterpieces into Chinese meant Yan Fu at least had to understand what was being said in these books. Talking about solid theoretical foundation, Chen Ke considered himself inferior to Yan Fu. For the People's Party to survive, it had to establish an effective organizational model first. As the founder, as Chen Ke who tangibly solved specific survival problems, he could sit in the position of leader. Once Chen Ke died now, the only person who could give theoretical guidance to the organization of the People's Party was probably Yan Fu. Chen Ke didn't understand these before; with his own growth, Chen Ke understood now.

Releasing landlords meant Chen Ke decided to settle the past. From now on, a brand new work stage unfolded. Future work would mainly be internal affairs. Party building, government formation, economic work, system construction. These all required theoretical support without exception. So Chen Ke went directly to Yan Fu.

Yan Fu hadn't shown his face much these days. The destruction of the Beiyang Third Town didn't make Yan Fu feel like the fox mourning the death of the hare (sympathizing with like-minded people). But he was a Beiyang person after all. If he sat on the rostrum to watch these former colleagues, Yan Fu couldn't bear it, and he was also a bit worried about outsiders' views. No matter what, Yan Fu also had the mark of Beiyang on him. Chen Ke knew the difference between Li Hongzhang's Beiyang and Yuan Shikai's Beiyang. Most people in the base area didn't know, or deliberately pretended not to know.

Seeing Chen Ke visit, Yan Fu was slightly surprised. After the two sat down, Chen Ke spoke his thoughts straight to the point.

Yan Fu listened quietly. Chen Ke's core requirement was simple: in the process of Chen Ke carrying out comprehensive theoretical construction, he didn't want Yan Fu to jump out and propagandize the bourgeois set of theories.

Listening to Chen Ke say seriously: "Although truth becomes clearer the more it is debated, we don't have the leisure to discuss theory now; let's build the base area first. I don't have time to conduct systematic theoretical research now, so some things are not discussed."

Yan Fu couldn't help smiling. "I know Wenqing's worry, but why does Wenqing think I am this person who will cause trouble?"

"Mr. Yan, I'm not saying you want to cause trouble, but the core issue of system construction is interests. The political system is the rule determining the division of interests. In the books you translated, the theories of checks and balances of power and interest games will inevitably be used maliciously by people, becoming excuses for interest groups to fight for power and defend their own privileges. For example, we eliminated landlords in our base area, but in China, landlords exist in large numbers. Our People's Party and the new government stand on the stance of laborers, and landlords stand on the stance of exploiters. The two sides have no common value standards at all; the two sides are incompatible like water and fire. Checks and balances of power and interest games are things within a system of common political standards and value standards. And we already have the people's democratic dictatorship and democratic centralism. Regarding landlords, we are in class struggle. Everyone doesn't have this foundation; it's either the victory of landlords and the exploiting class, or the victory of the laboring masses. There is no third road to take. And your theoretical research in this area will undoubtedly lead to a lot of unnecessary confusion."

Yan Fu continued to listen quietly. At the age of twenty-something, Chen Ke could distinguish class struggle ruthlessly and clearly point out the incompatible interest contradictions between exploiters and laborers. Yan Fu was quite appreciative. Although he felt Chen Ke's attitude was too tough, Yan Fu didn't feel it was unacceptable at all. Yan Fu was a true great scholar in the late Qing, and also one of the first batch of people who could truly open their eyes to see the world. If not so, Yan Fu wouldn't willingly submit to the young man Chen Ke.

Seeing Chen Ke frankly state the theory of not agreeing to engage in a bourgeois regime, and then looking at himself with burning eyes, Yan Fu nodded and said: "I know. I am also a People's Party member. Obeying the Party's command and abiding by the Party's discipline is the integrity of a Party member. I will stick to integrity."

Chen Ke was somewhat surprised. He originally thought Yan Fu would discuss with him for a while. Yan Fu worked hard to translate so many books and introduce so many theories; now he would completely stop propagandizing these. Chen Ke himself didn't believe it.

Seeing Chen Ke's surprised look, Yan Fu explained: "Chairman Chen, you said a sentence I agree with deeply: checks and balances of power and interest games are things within a system of common political standards and value standards. If the base area had adopted the things I translated from the beginning, it would definitely have perished early on. I am very clear about this. Since these things are useless now, if I use them for propaganda, it is only for my own reputation and status. I don't want to do this."

Yan Fu spoke openly and aboveboard; Chen Ke couldn't question anything anymore. He nodded. "Mr. Yan, I came this time not just to talk about this matter. I have a plan that needs Mr. Yan's full support. This involves Western affairs. Whether translators or staff members, without Mr. Yan's training, I'm afraid they will get half the result with twice the effort."

"Let's hear it," Yan Fu asked.

"Duan Qirui, Wang Shizhen, and the Beiyang officers, I am going to release. And extorting a large sum of cash from Yuan Shikai is also unrealistic. I have a plan; I don't know if it can be realized. I want to do a business deal with Yuan Shikai, Sheng Xuanhuai, and the foreigners."

Yan Fu listened to Chen Ke's plan seriously. As the plan was explained, Yan Fu sometimes frowned tightly, sometimes nodded repeatedly. Or looked serious, or simply looked astonished. When Chen Ke finished explaining the whole plan, Yan Fu was actually somewhat at a loss.

He pondered repeatedly over the plan Chen Ke just elaborated, and managed to say a sentence with difficulty: "This is a bit too whimsical."

Chen Ke didn't agree with Yan Fu's view. "We can't do business at a loss. Releasing people is fine, but we have to get something no matter what. Moreover, contradiction and unity are a pair of dialectical relationships. There are indeed some contradictions between us and Yuan Shikai that will not end until death. But everyone also has places where we can cooperate. We also have some common enemies. If cooperation can be reached, it means all participating parties have common interests. I feel there is no need to adopt an opposing attitude in everything. Business is business; it is nothing else."

Yan Fu thought back and forth, and finally nodded. "If it can pass in the Party Committee meeting, then I will definitely complete the work I should undertake."