"Xuanqing, I'm getting ready to leave now. Do you have anything else to entrust?" Xu Xilin sat in front of Qiu Jin's sickbed and said with a seemingly relaxed expression.

Qiu Jin leaned on several pillows, covered with a thick quilt. Hearing Xu Xilin say this, a concerned look appeared on Qiu Jin's pale face; her weak voice was full of concern. "Bosun, how long will you be gone to Anhui this time?"

"This is hard to say; I will rush there as soon as possible and return as soon as possible. But you, Xuanqing, have to recuperate well. I will bring a doctor back from Anhui as soon as possible." Speaking of this, Xu Xilin's voice trembled a bit.

"Is there any news from the comrades who went to Shanghai?" Qiu Jin pressed on about the matter she cared about most.

Xu Xilin pretended to be cheerful and said: "There should be news in a few days."

Qiu Jin saw Xu Xilin's expression and knew that the Guangfu Society sending people to Shanghai to find doctors and buy medicine wouldn't be optimistic. She grabbed Xu Xilin's hand. "Bosun, when you go to Anhui this time, don't listen to those people talking nonsense. No matter what, you must ask Wenqing to help us. The injured comrades are all daring warriors in our Guangfu Society. We can't watch them die helplessly."

Xu Xilin knew exactly how severe Qiu Jin's injury was, but Qiu Jin didn't mention herself at all; her heart was full of thoughts about other injured comrades. Xu Xilin could no longer maintain the relaxed expression he pretended before. His nose soured, and tears flowed down. He held Qiu Jin's cold palm back. "Xuanqing, don't worry. Wenqing and the others fought so many big battles, and we have all seen Wenqing's military hospital personally; there won't be a lack of good doctors. This time I will ask Wenqing for help no matter what."

Hearing Xu Xilin speak firmly, Qiu Jin nodded. "That's good. Bosun, hurry up and go; go early and return early. I'll definitely be fine; you don't need to worry."

Xu Xilin didn't say more either. He wiped his tears, got up and tucked the quilt for Qiu Jin, and then strode out the door.

Before the Battle of Hangzhou, the Guangfu Society from top to bottom thought they understood war. Only after truly experiencing the Battle of Hangzhou did they know they were still far from understanding war. The end of the battle didn't mean everything was fine; on the contrary, a multitude of things just began at this time. None of the Guangfu Society members had received the military education of the People's Party, so they naturally couldn't have heard Chen Ke lecture on the concept of "late Qing disposable army" in the military academy.

The core of the concept of "disposable army" refers to the lack of comprehensive support for the troops. After throwing officers and soldiers onto the battlefield, life and death are up to heaven. If they are lucky enough not to die or get injured, they can be treated as the next round of disposable army. The entire system treats officers and soldiers as consumables and doesn't do its utmost to make support work reach the maximum effort.

Since the Guangfu Society had no war experience, they didn't do this intentionally. However, objective facts always ignore subjective wishes. Regardless of whether the Guangfu Society had this idea, in fact, the pre-war preparation level of the Guangfu Society was at the standard "disposable army" level.

The Battle of Hangzhou lasted for five days. Both sides conducted more than a dozen offensive and defensive battles. The casualties of the Guangfu Army reached more than five hundred. Among these more than five hundred people, no more than seventy died on the spot. But in the three days after the battle ended, more than forty injured Guangfu Army soldiers died. This was even based on the situation where the Guangfu Society collected almost all doctors that could be found in Hangzhou and the controlled area. Both Tao Chengzhang and Xu Xilin had seen the People's Party's field hospital in the first Battle of Anqing. Although they didn't have as many specially trained military doctors and nurses as the People's Party, the Guangfu Society also learned to set up big pots to boil gauze. Due to the use of disinfected bandages, plus it was early winter, the probability of bacterial infection was much lower, and the death toll finally didn't rise sharply.

But both Tao Chengzhang and Xu Xilin knew this was only temporary. Without a large number of professionally trained doctors for treatment, those injured personnel whose bodies were getting weaker and weaker probably couldn't hold on for too long. But Traditional Chinese Medicine couldn't solve these injuries; Western medicine was only available in Shanghai. And most were foreigners; they couldn't possibly come to Hangzhou to treat diseases. Tao Chengzhang sent people to Shanghai to try hard to invite doctors on one hand, and let Xu Xilin go to Anhui to ask Chen Ke for help on the other.

The cadres who originally resented the People's Party extremely had no nonsense this time. Most of the young and energetic cadres went to the front line to fight, and their proportion among the injured was not low. When it concerned their own lives, no one dared to speak arrogantly anymore. Last time they didn't want the People's Party to come to Zhejiang, so naturally, they deliberately made things difficult when proposing conditions. But now they were all very clear that regarding asking the People's Party to send doctors, even if all good words were said, the People's Party might not be willing to help sincerely. If they spoke wildly and deliberately made things difficult at this time, it would be better not to send anyone.

Coming out of Qiu Jin's ward, someone was already waiting for Xu Xilin outside the door. Horses and simple luggage were ready. Xu Xilin and several comrades mounted horses and headed towards the official road outside the city. Tao Chengzhang also rode along; he and several other cadres personally sent Xu Xilin to outside the city. Everyone looked anxious. The injured comrades were all daring warriors in the Guangfu Society. Actually, by the fourth day of fighting, the Guangfu Society's military strength was already exhausted. Before going onto the battlefield for the first time, many people looked impatient and fearless of death. After really experiencing the battlefield where bullets flew across, seeing comrades around them injured and falling to the ground, listening to the screams of comrades beside them, listening to the roar of enemy cannons, the little bit of courage of many people was quickly stripped clean.

If the Qing army hadn't attacked actively, if the last wave of dare-to-die corps organized hastily hadn't accidentally hit the flank of the attacking enemy, if the leader wasn't Qiu Jin..., every time Tao Chengzhang thought of these, his heart felt like falling into an ice cave, feeling an indescribable chill all over his body. Without these preparations, the Guangfu Society would probably have lost this Battle of Hangzhou for sure.

The Battle of Hangzhou was won at any rate, but the post-war Guangfu Society absolutely couldn't bear the large number of deaths caused by lack of treatment. These people were all true daring warriors of the Guangfu Society.

The group had a thousand words in their hearts, but no one dared to mention anything more. Cadres other than Tao Chengzhang and Xu Xilin had said too much big talk before the war and expressed too much hostility towards the People's Party. People always have to leave some shame for themselves. On the way to Anhui to ask for help, whatever these people said would be slapping their own faces.

Inside Hangzhou city was now deserted. The originally bustling streets were empty at this time. Shops that plucked up courage to open didn't have any customers either. Passing by pharmacies or doctor's clinics occasionally, one could see door panels or shop boards forcibly broken and smashed. Seeing a large group of riders passing through the street, the citizens' faces became nervous. There was no look of universal jubilation after "Restoration" (Guangfu) at all.

The group arrived at the official road outside the city and reined in their horses. Looking at Tao Chengzhang's haggard and tired expression, Xu Xilin also felt very unbearable in his heart. A few years ago, Tao Chengzhang ran around Zhejiang, Fujian, and Anhui in ragged clothes and worn shoes to contact revolutionary aspirants. He often tied his waist with hemp rope and wore straw sandals, running around various places in Zhejiang, "walking one hundred and ten *li* a day, sparing no pains." Hangzhou was only separated from his home by a river, yet he "arrived in Hangzhou four times without returning home." Once, when he arrived in Hangzhou, it was already the 26th of the twelfth lunar month. Wei Lan advised him to go home for the New Year. He replied: "Fortunately, my old father is still healthy, and the family livelihood is worry-free. Once I go to my hometown, I fear being tied down by human feelings and unable to come out again! Since I dedicate myself to running for the country, how can I still be concerned about home!"

At that time, Tao Chengzhang was full of energy and high-spirited; how could he be haggard like now? Xu Xilin said: "Mr. Tao, just send us here; you shouldn't work too hard either.

Although Tao Chengzhang looked haggard, there was a steadiness in his demeanor that he didn't have before. He nodded, thought for a moment, and then opened his mouth to say: "Huanqing, when you see Chen Ke, you must bring these words: if Chen Ke is willing to send doctors, regardless of whether they can save or not, my Guangfu Society has absolutely no complaints. If we meet again another day, I, Tao Chengzhang, will definitely personally thank the People's Party for the kindness of helping."

Xu Xilin was somewhat surprised. Tao Chengzhang had actually said these words to him already. But in a flash of thought, Xu Xilin understood that these words were actually spoken to the accompanying Guangfu Society comrades.

Nodding again, Xu Xilin answered solemnly: "I will definitely bring these words. Mr. Tao, farewell here."

When everyone parted, there were no useless words. Although Tao Chengzhang's words were a bit "servile," those Guangfu Society cadres who once declared "never let Anhui people intervene in Zhejiang affairs" didn't say a single word mentioning whether Tao Chengzhang's words were appropriate.

After the Guangfu Society captured Hangzhou, no one in western Zhejiang dared to show a trace of hostility towards the Guangfu Society anymore. Before Xu Xilin set off, someone had already arranged the itinerary ahead. The Guangfu Society once returned to Shaoxing from Chizhou all the way; walking the road once walked again naturally gave experience. Xu Xilin was burning with anxiety. Along the way, except for lying down to sleep for a while when he was too tired to bear, all other time was used on rushing.

After entering the People's Party's territory, the Guangfu Society had long contacted the People's Party. Jiangnan was Zhang Yu's territory. Hearing that Tao Chengzhang came to ask for doctors, Zhang Yu was rarely surprised once. In the past, Chen Ke really had a bit of prescience; generally, when something was about to happen, he could always tell the comrades beforehand. Everyone was psychologically prepared. Now Chen Ke put all his energy into internal construction. Convening the NPC took up all the energy of the Central Committee. Zhang Yu didn't receive any instructions related to the Guangfu Society here.

Fortunately, there was carrier pigeon contact between base areas. As soon as the advance party of the Guangfu Society arrived in Anqing and implored the People's Party to send doctors, Zhang Yu sent people to deliver a letter by land, and simultaneously used the precious carrier pigeon communication. The next day, he received a reply. "First use the medical power in Anqing locality to support the Guangfu Society as much as possible."

When Xu Xilin arrived in Anqing exhausted, Zhang Yu met Xu Xilin immediately.

"A medical team composed of six doctors, six nurses, and twenty intern students is ready to go." Zhang Yu never liked to squeeze out any friendly expression; he said with a completely business-like attitude, "Mr. Xu, we have very few military doctors in Anqing. Now we can only send this many people. You explain the traffic line to us clearly now; we will personally send troops to escort the small team to Hangzhou." After finishing speaking, Zhang Yu placed a prepared military map in front of Xu Xilin.

Zhang Yu had heard that in the People's Party, a rising political star named Ren Qiying rose rapidly. No matter how others said, Zhang Yu disapproved of Ren Qiying somewhat. Just discussing the level of administrative officials, Zhang Yu believed he should be above Ren Qiying. As for the level of political officials, Zhang Yu disdained treating Ren Qiying as a competitor at all. Looking at the People's Party, the only person Zhang Yu sincerely admired was Chen Ke. Even for Yan Fu, Zhang Yu only thought he didn't have that bit of time Yan Fu dedicated to learning.

Looking at Xu Xilin's shocked expression after hearing the arrangement, Zhang Yu was a bit bored.

Xu Xilin naturally had reasons to be shocked. The People's Party never liked to joke when doing things; Xu Xilin knew that. But without waiting for Xu Xilin to beg, Zhang Yu produced thirty-two people, and explained clearly what work these thirty-two people were responsible for, what each person's major was, roughly how their level was, including how the Guangfu Society needed to coordinate in cooperation. Such efficiency exceeded Xu Xilin's imagination. As long as the People's Party was willing to do something, they could always avoid wrangling, and there were very few flaws in handling affairs. This style made Xu Xilin feel a surge of powerlessness and fear in his heart simultaneously.

For Zhang Yu, he rarely had any emotion of being moved anymore. As a child from a bureaucratic family, Zhang Yu had an almost innate feeling for the steps to complete a thing. He had seen too many things. Regarding the many greeds and deceptions imposed on things that should have been extremely simple, Zhang Yu could understand, but sincerely couldn't accept.

In the days with the People's Party, Zhang Yu could finally handle affairs to his heart's content according to the laws of things themselves. This pleasure was something he could only have in fantasy before. However, this sense of pleasure was also constantly decreasing with day-after-day work. Every matter was different; the pressure accumulated by such meticulous work wasn't so easy to release. After arranging the support for the Guangfu Society, Zhang Yu only felt a kind of fatigue. He hoped Xu Xilin would never say a pile of meaningless grateful nonsense again. Of course, if Xu Xilin said it, Zhang Yu would also listen. No matter how boring this link was, it was still one of the inevitable links in the matter of "contacting Xu Xilin." Zhang Yu wouldn't evade his responsibility and obligation.

Looking at Zhang Yu's serious expression and the sufficient preparation made for the rescue, Xu Xilin couldn't help asking, "Mr. Zhang, are you from a doctor background?"

"I don't understand medicine." Zhang Yu answered coldly. "Saving people must be hurried. Mr. Xu, you hurry up and arrange the route so we can set off."

Xu Xilin explained the route with extreme excitement and arranged manpower. After the liaison personnel of the Guangfu Society ran out with faces full of joy to contact Hangzhou, Xu Xilin stood up and bowed deeply. "Mr. Zhang, my Guangfu Society from top to bottom will never forget your kindness."

"This is not my personal decision, just the decision of our Anqing Party Branch. If it were me personally, I wouldn't be qualified to mobilize such a large number of personnel." Zhang Yu still answered calmly. Zhang Yu didn't say this was the decision of the Party Central Committee. Even if others knew the People's Party had the mode of carrier pigeon communication, Zhang Yu would absolutely not say such words revealing the internal situation of the People's Party himself. Using the Anqing Party Committee to cover for the Party Central Committee, Zhang Yu still had this responsibility.

"Mr. Xu, are you preparing to go back with the team, or preparing to continue to Fengtai County?" Zhang Yu continued to ask.

Xu Xilin answered hurriedly: "I still want to go to Fengtai County. Mr. Zhang, it's not that I don't trust the doctors here; that you can help us is already a great kindness. It's just that some of our comrades are heavily injured; we still hope to have more doctors."

"Exactly how many injured do you have, and what is the approximate injury situation?" Zhang Yu asked another question. As soon as these words came out, he regretted it. This question was asked wrong. If the other party were Chen Ke, after this question was asked, Chen Ke would give Zhang Yu an excellent answer: how many people injured, how many gunshot wounds, how many knife wounds, how many burns, approximate statistics of various injured parts. But Zhang Yu wasn't facing Chen Ke.

Sure enough, Xu Xilin only gave a definite number of injured; there was no more detailed content at all. Xu Xilin himself was confused by concern and began to state garrulously according to impression. Those people following Xu Xilin saw the People's Party was willing to help and couldn't help interrupting, beginning to supplement the situation of various injured in the conversation.

While cursing his own stupidity in his heart, Zhang Yu decisively chose his own method to save time. He interrupted these people's words: "Mr. Xu, you guys organize the situation of the injured yourselves first. In this way, when you arrive in Fengtai County, you can also present accurate data. What do you think?"

Although Xu Xilin also lost clarity in his heart, hearing Zhang Yu say this, he understood immediately. "Mr. Zhang, we will go down to collect statistics now. After statistics are done, we'll talk about this matter with you again."

Zhang Yu laughed: "That's not necessary; saving people is like fighting fire. You set off now. There is a section of water route. While sitting on the boat, you have time to collect these statistics. Mr. Xu, what do you think?"

Xu Xilin and others felt this method was good. Ignoring physical fatigue, they stood up to take their leave. After Xu Xilin went out the gate, Zhang Yu summarized the beginning and end of the matter in his heart and felt he had done everything he should do. He turned his head and asked the secretary, "Recorded everything?" The secretary answered hurriedly, "Recorded." Zhang Yu browsed the record and saw no mistakes. He signed the time under the record and threw this matter completely to the back of his mind. If every matter was remembered in the brain, it would tire people to death. Things that should end must end immediately.

However, Zhang Yu couldn't help thinking that Chen Ke could absolutely see the places where Zhang Yu didn't do his best in this matter. Wonder what Chen Ke would think. But this thought only surfaced for an instant; Zhang Yu immediately "deleted the file" of this thought in his mind.

Two days later, Chen Ke received a group of red-eyed rescue seekers from the Guangfu Society. Sure enough, as Zhang Yu had thought, when Chen Ke asked about the process, he already discovered where Zhang Yu slacked off. When Xu Xilin handed the statistical data of the injured to Chen Ke, he mentioned casually that this was compiled under Zhang Yu's suggestion. Chen Ke understood then that Zhang Yu himself didn't care about the life and death of the Guangfu Society wounded. If Xu Xilin had compiled these data early on, Zhang Yu might have used the precious carrier pigeon intelligence network to exchange information. This way, some time could also be saved. The Guangfu Society might have fewer deaths. Obviously, the Guangfu Society's habit of not paying attention to statistics made Zhang Yu feel it delayed his time, and that little bit of kindness generated occasionally vanished immediately.

Chen Ke didn't want to blame Zhang Yu at all. Zhang Yu firmly executed the instructions of the Party Central Committee, but in details, Zhang Yu didn't support the Guangfu Society at all. He even felt Zhang Yu's practice was a bit cute.

But this thought only flashed for a moment, and Chen Ke began to feel he was too frivolous. If a leader only saw these details and then guessed randomly according to his own thoughts, the result would be fatal. Like Zhang Yu, Chen Ke quickly expelled this matter from his mind. This was a ability Chen Ke practiced in work recently; this ability was "forgetting." Focus attention on important things; other thoughts would naturally be replaced. As long as not intentionally remembering, these things would be forgotten. Where was the leisure time to consider these trivial and useless matters?

"Brother Bosun, this statistics of yours is very good. We will form a medical team now; it can set off today." Chen Ke said to Xu Xilin.

"Then thank you very much." Xu Xilin's face was pale, and his two eyes were red, looking a bit scary. But hearing Chen Ke say this, Xu Xilin felt completely relaxed in his heart. As soon as these words were finished, his body swayed back and forth involuntarily. After swaying a few times, Xu Xilin fell softly to the ground.

"This is a united congress; this is a successful congress." Chen Ke was making a closing speech on the rostrum. Xu Xilin came very coincidentally, just catching up with the closing day of the NPC meeting. If Chen Ke hadn't been revising his speech draft, Xu Xilin might not really have been able to see Chen Ke.

Chen Ke made the final summary according to various congress speech drafts copied from later generations. But now Chen Ke had different views on the content of these drafts. "United congress" meant the People's Party held the fort at the congress, and all representatives recognized the leadership of the People's Party. "Successful congress" meant all proposals of the People's Party were passed. As for "serious exchange," "in-depth discussion," these words were not lies, but "only stated a part of the facts." On this point, Chen Ke agreed very much with the Party's articles. Never telling lies is a must. If one cannot understand the facts and accuses others of telling lies, this itself only explains one's own ignorance.

As soon as the NPC meeting ended, the People's Party's own Party Congress was convened immediately. Summarizing the process of this NPC meeting and formulating the Party's work for next year—this was extremely important work. Chen Ke had long put the matter of Xu Xilin and others aside.

Chen Ke had already explicitly helped these rescue seekers from the Guangfu Society. But as the saying goes, good intentions are rewarded with donkey liver and lungs (ill will). Quite a few people in this group saw the People's Party helped so crisply and immediately revealed their true colors. They didn't dare speak ill of Chen Ke. But when they went to the hospital, they actually dared to ask the reception staff: "Didn't Mr. Chen Ke come?"

Hearing such a question not knowing the height of the sky and depth of the earth, the People's Party reception staff changed their expressions almost simultaneously. Everyone simply didn't answer this incredibly stupid question. Xu Xilin was still in a coma. If he were in the team, he would definitely find a way to solve these contradictions. Unfortunately, he was not there. So the people of the Guangfu Society actually didn't figure out why the attitude of the People's Party people towards them became cold.

Coldness was coldness; comrades wouldn't slack off on tasks assigned by the Party. However, the leaders of the military hospital department secretly changed the team members, replacing several young comrades who were straightforward and not deep in scheming. Replaced with several comrades who were more tolerant. This time was to save people, not to make trouble. The Guangfu Society dared to say "Didn't Mr. Chen Ke come?" in the base area. When comrades arrived at the Guangfu Society's territory, heaven knew what they would say.

The adjusted team also set off. The base area had already learned that the Anqing side sent twenty students. So the team was composed of ten doctors and ten nurses. No students were added. After liberating Hefei, the People's Party's water route was unimpeded. The fleet could enter the Yangtze River all the way from Fengtai County by the Huai River. The inland river fleet specifically dispatched a motorized boat to transport the medical team. Considering Xu Xilin's body, he didn't set off with the team. This was a kind of luck for Xu Xilin. He originally had other responsibilities. If he got on the boat in a coma, Xu Xilin could only get off halfway after waking up, walking quite a lot of unnecessary roads.