Governor Wang Youhong and Zhang Jian looked left and right habitually after disembarking, and then discovered with disappointment that there were no sedans waiting on the pier. Sweeping a glance casually, not only were there no sedans beside the people receiving them, but there was also no trace of sedans on the entire busy pier.

Wang Youhong and Zhang Jian looked at each other, suspecting in their hearts, "Is this a show of strength intentionally given by the People's Party?"

In these years, only the poor walked. People with status traveled in sedans or carriages, or at least got a beast to ride. But guests followed the host's convenience. On this People's Party territory, former Anhui Governor En Ming had his head chopped off. Jiangsu Governor Wang Youhong and Jiangsu Parliament Speaker Zhang Jian were nothing much. Let alone the People's Party letting these two and their entourage walk. Even if they were arrested and executed as "Manchu Qing Counter-revolutionaries", they would have to accept it.

Fortunately, the People's Party didn't really prepare to do that. Various transport capacities were in the passenger area outside the pier. The freight area and passenger area were obviously separated. Light rickshaws and flatbed carts were parked separately. The passenger area was noisy but not crowded.

Both Zhang Jian and Wang Youhong's eyes lit up. Cities like Nanjing were trade distribution centers. The management areas were not only overcrowded, but various forces often caused trouble to grab territory. Anqing's management model was indeed quite advanced. Since the war broke out, Anqing's trade was extremely depressed for a time. Now seeing the market, it had fully restored its old appearance. Not only were ordinary merchants keen on business, but some foreigners were also busy. If one didn't know clearly that it was currently wartime, just looking at the situation in front, Anqing city looked completely like a peaceful and prosperous age.

Uniformed and vest-wearing people could be seen everywhere on the streets. Municipal urban management in uniforms was responsible for maintaining order, and those in vests were municipal sanitation and logistics. The common people were very used to these people, looking completely unsurprised. Seeing these, Wang Youhong and Zhang Jian actually wanted to walk and see with their own eyes how the People's Party managed this Anqing city.

"Gentlemen, please get in the car." The responsible People's Party staff member had already arranged the cars. Scanning the orderly surroundings again, Wang Youhong and the others got into the cars.

The negotiation location was at the former Governor's Yamen. The group was led into the conference room. A tall, square-faced young man was already waiting there with several other people.

"This is Chairman Chen Ke." The leading staff member introduced with a tone of uncontrollable pride. No need for introduction; Wang Youhong's attention had already been attracted by Chen Ke. That was a young man with no pretense. The uninhibited vitality unique to young people was undoubtedly displayed from those bright eyes, that smooth skin, that robust physique, and that light and powerful rising movement. But this vigorous vitality didn't flow wantonly like other young people. Including Empress Dowager Cixi, Wang Youhong had seen many people in high positions. Long-term experience made them dignified in manner and full of style. Chen Ke undoubtedly had these things, but Chen Ke had a calmness and caution that those in high positions didn't have. He was more like a scholar, a younger person ready and willing to listen to others.

Chen Ke, who naturally blended experience and characteristics, made Wang Youhong feel a tremor from the bottom of his heart. Wang Youhong's purpose in coming to Anqing was to negotiate with Chen Ke. Wang Youhong had no confidence in the result of the negotiation at all. And Chen Ke opposite undoubtedly already had his own plan; Chen Ke was ready.

Chen Ke was also sizing up Wang Youhong. A month ago, after the file of Governor Wang Youhong's speech at the Jiangsu Parliament was sent to the People's Party Central Committee, Chen Ke burst out laughing after reading it, "Wang Chaochao (Wang Copycat) ah."

"Chaochao" (Copycat), a later internet term, was spoken by Chen Ke for the first time. The comrades didn't understand the meaning of this word at all. But Wang Youhong's speech draft was so familiar that someone already stared at Qi Huishen and asked: "Commissioner Qi, what exactly is going on?"

Before Qi Huishen could speak, Chen Ke had already taken over the conversation, "Our People's Party doesn't tell lies. This document is not some confidential document. Even if people all over the world see it, so what. Don't worry about so much. Since Governor Wang can see the situation clearly, then we have to give him a surprise too."

In Chen Ke's imagination, a person who could grasp the core content of his speech draft must at least have some scholar's demeanor. Reality surprised Chen Ke quite a bit. Wang Youhong was over forty years old, tall, with thick bones. Like other middle-aged officials of this era, Wang Youhong's belly had bulged because it was full of fat. In the 21st century, this was a very unhealthy body shape. In 1908, this was an enviable "state of wealth".

And Wang Youhong's face looked weathered, with tiny pits on the skin. His eyes were big and bright, and subconsciously opened very wide. Although he had a beard, Wang Youhong looked like a straightforward and rough warrior no matter how one looked at him. The slightly narrowed eyes unique to people who often think, and the introverted expression, could not be found in Wang Youhong at all.

Instead, Zhang Jian behind Wang Youhong possessed all the characteristics of scholars of this era. Putting on airs, a certain degree of affectation, arrogant superciliousness, self-centered dominance. After all, Zhang Jian was the Number One Scholar (Zhuangyuan) of the First Class in the Enke exam. If he had this attitude, it was puzzling instead.

After both sides sat down, no one spoke first. Chen Ke had decided to try hard to learn to listen to others talking, and this meeting was also proposed by Wang Youhong first. Chen Ke waited quietly for the other party to speak.

Wang Youhong didn't want to come to Anhui; he was also forced to. More than half a month ago, the People's Party first seized various places in Northern Jiangsu with heavy troops. When Jiangsu still didn't know what happened, the People's Party Jiangnan troops attacked suddenly again and annihilated the Jiangnan New Army stationed in Wuhu completely. The military edge reached the junction of Anhui and Zhejiang. After the news of Yuan Shikai seizing the Beijing regime shook the world, the People's Party plunged Jiangsu into comprehensive panic again.

The Jiangsu Parliament immediately held a meeting to discuss how to deal with this terrible situation. The People's Party wasn't an existence within the Manchu Qing system, so any war wasn't strange. Ten thousand troops couldn't win against a few hundred People's Party members. Wuhu was so close to Nanjing; if tens of thousands of People's Party troops killed their way over, Nanjing couldn't be spared at all.

There was panic inside Nanjing city. The rich were already preparing to flee to Shanghai. Governor Wang Youhong issued an order: blockade the whole city; those who flee will have their whole family property confiscated. This vigorous and resolute method directly deterred the rich people in Nanjing. While blockading Nanjing city, Wang Youhong attended the parliament. Facing the terrified members of parliament, Governor Wang stated he would personally go with Parliament Speaker Zhang Jian to negotiate with the People's Party to figure out what exactly the People's Party meant.

The Yuan Shikai government had already appointed Zhang Jian as Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce, but Zhang Jian hadn't gone to take office temporarily because of Jiangsu affairs. Hearing that Wang Youhong actually wanted to go to the Anhui bandit gang to negotiate personally, Zhang Jian was extremely moved. He immediately expressed willingness to go with Wang Youhong.

Wang Youhong originally thought the People's Party would threaten smugly or put on airs in this meeting. He had already discussed with Zhang Jian and others how to deal with such a situation. Unexpectedly, the People's Party held the meeting ordinarily. The People's Party members headed by Chen Ke waited politely without saying a word for Wang Youhong to speak. Wang Youhong waited for a while and could only speak first, "Mr. Chen, we came this time to clarify a few things. Why did your troops attack Jiangsu and threaten Nanjing?"

Chen Ke replied in a completely business-like tone: "Attacking Northern Jiangsu is because we want to establish Huaihai Province on the old Chu lands of the Western Han Dynasty in Northern Jiangsu and Southern Shandong. As for threatening Nanjing, our purpose is to take back the Wuhu area that originally belonged to Anhui. It's just you gentlemen feel we are threatening Nanjing. From our side, seeing nearly fifty thousand troops in Nanjing, we feel Nanjing is threatening Wuhu instead."

Hearing Chen Ke's words, many alpacas (grass mud horses - fuck your mothers) ran through the hearts of all Jiangsu representatives. Everyone cursed in their hearts: "Chen Ke, you little brat, you rake backwards (make false countercharges)!"

Originally, the serious attitude of Chen Ke willing to listen on his face made these people feel Chen Ke had the reverence of a young junior. But when Chen Ke expounded facts with such a reverent attitude, this reverent junior attitude immediately turned into an arrogant feeling of bullying others. What meant "feel Nanjing is threatening Wuhu instead?" What meant "want to re-establish Huaihai Province on the old Chu lands of the Western Han Dynasty in Northern Jiangsu and Southern Shandong?"

In the view of the Jiangsu representatives, Chen Ke seemed to hope the Jiangsu representatives would be convinced and say, "Mr. Chen Ke, sorry, we failed to understand your original intention. We were wrong."

Zhang Jian's face was already extremely ugly. Beforehand, they all knew the People's Party would be extremely arrogant, but he never expected Chen Ke to be arrogant to this degree. The other representatives were even more furious.

"Chen Ke, there must be a limit to your bullying!" Zhang Jian couldn't bear it anymore and rebuked angrily.

"Bullying?" Chen Ke was a bit puzzled.

The People's Party had been preparing to use troops against Northern Jiangsu; military preparations were basically close to completion. Wang Youhong copied the People's Party's document; Chen Ke called him "Wang Chaochao" (Wang Copycat), which was a joke. Even if Wang Youhong didn't copy, the People's Party would still send troops to seize Northern Jiangsu.

Jiangsu had always been divided into Northern Jiangsu (Subei) and Southern Jiangsu (Sunan). Subei included Xuzhou, Lianyungang, Suqian, Huai'an, Yancheng. In the 21st century, Chen Ke had some friends in Xuzhou. When he ran to Xuzhou to visit friends, everyone talked about the traditional contradiction between Subei and Sunan while eating meat, drinking wine, and blowing hard. The Subei brothers unanimously believed that Subei and Sunan were simply two different worlds. If "Huaihai Province" could be rebuilt on the 5 commanderies and 36 counties of Xue Commandery, Pengcheng Commandery, Donghai Commandery, Chen Commandery, and Kuaiji Commandery of this old Chu land in Subei, that would be great. This was Chen Ke's initial motivation for establishing Huaihai Province. If regional differences within a province could persist into the 21st century, it showed there were indeed problems in these places.

The folk customs of Subei and Shandong were relatively traditional. When Chen Ke went to Jinan for fun in the 21st century, after nine o'clock in the evening, this provincial capital city was pitch black. There were only a few places for nightlife. Such simple folk customs left Chen Ke dumbfounded. Xuzhou was similar; the people were simple and law-abiding.

Xuzhou Heavy Industry, the leading enterprise in this important town in East China, experienced almost bankruptcy and acquisition, and then jumped to become one of the few large machinery equipment manufacturing enterprises in the world under the east wind of China's massive demand for heavy equipment. It showed that they really had a group of people working seriously whether in good times or bad times. Being from Henan, Chen Ke disliked regional discrimination very much. But history proved that Subei was indeed relatively suitable for eating state-run meals (SOE economy).

"Huaihai Province", Jiangxi, Anhui, these areas were traditionally not very trendy areas. Chen Ke circled these provinces also based on the historical performance of these areas to avoid trouble as much as possible. As for Hubei, even if people called them "Nine-headed Birds" (crafty), Hubei's state-owned enterprise power was still strong. Moreover, since Chen Ke made up his mind to seize the Hanyang steel base, things like folk customs could no longer be considered as factors.

The military operation went extremely smoothly. Only the Central Guard Regiment was left in the central location of Fengtai County. The 106th Division of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army in the Base Area marched out to Subei. The Shandong Base Area sent troops to coordinate at the same time. Subei was taken in a very short time.

While Jiangsu was trembling with fear, the Southern Anhui Military Region troops under Zhang Yu's command seized "Wuhu", the last Anhui area not yet controlled by the People's Party. Wuhu was a treaty port; foreigners had concessions here. The People's Party had always avoided dealing with foreigners, so they refused to touch the concessions. Since the Wuhan Consular Corps came to contact the People's Party, the People's Party had clearly stated "hoping to maintain the status quo without hostile situations occurring". This news had spread from Wuhan to consular corps and diplomatic corps everywhere. The People's Party no longer needed to avoid foreigners.

Wang Youhong coming to negotiate in person was greatly beyond the People's Party's expectation. Negotiation was two forces trying to solve disputes by political consultation means. But the People's Party and this bunch in Jiangsu had no political common ground. One was a rebel, one was a subject under the Manchu Qing. Leaving aside the Manchu Qing negotiating with the People's Party alone, the People's Party from top to bottom couldn't determine what exactly Jiangsu wanted to do. That was why Chen Ke went to Anqing specifically to negotiate with the Jiangsu representatives.

"Chen Ke, do you think you are the court? Do whatever you want? Now Jiangsu already has a parliament; Jiangsu cannot accept arrangements by others." A Jiangsu MP shouted from the side.

Such loud shouting triggered glares from the People's Party cadres. Chen Ke wasn't moved at all. He laughed: "Parliament? We will build a People's Representative Congress in Huaihai Province. People's Party representatives are elected from the people to exercise the people's power. Legally we also stand firm. Moreover, Subei and Sunan were not the same thing originally. If gentlemen are worried we will attack Sunan, that is over-worrying. We have no intention of encroaching on Sunan."

Hearing this, some Jiangsu representatives were almost driven mad with anger, while others showed different expressions. For example, Jiangsu Governor Lord Wang Youhong. Actually, Wang Youhong didn't think the People's Party really wanted to attack Nanjing. Viceroys were shrewd people; no matter what others thought, Wang Youhong had decided that Yuan Shikai had reached a secret agreement with the People's Party. Otherwise, why didn't the People's Party fight Yuan Shikai to the death? As long as Yuan Shikai in Henan could be killed, who else in the Great Qing could stop Chen Ke?

But Yuan Shikai didn't go south to attack Anhui, and the People's Party didn't go north to attack Henan. The final result was the People's Party sending troops to Hubei, while Yuan Shikai returned to Beijing leisurely to seize power.

The People's Party seizing Subei and taking back Wuhu. Regardless of what the Jiangsu Parliament thought in their hearts, these actions didn't touch Wang Youhong's bottom line. The Commander of the Ninth Division of the New Army and other forces had long been driven to Wuhu by Wang Youhong. Their elimination by the People's Party saved Wang Youhong trouble instead. Wang Youhong wasn't worried that the People's Party reached an agreement with Yuan Shikai; what he worried about was that the People's Party didn't reach an agreement with Yuan Shikai.

If the People's Party reached an agreement with Yuan Shikai, the People's Party would absolutely not annex the entire Jiangsu. If the People's Party annexed Jiangsu, Yuan Shikai would have to be responsible for this matter. He just seized central power and lost Jiangsu immediately. It would be an extremely heavy blow to the prestige of Yuan Shikai's center. Local forces looking up to Yuan Shikai was because Yuan Shikai had the Beiyang New Army in hand. If Yuan Shikai couldn't prove his Beiyang New Army and Beiyang Cabinet had control over the whole country, especially control over the People's Party, an armed force outside the system. Then in the eyes of viceroys, Beiyang was just another Manchu Qing center, or even inferior to the Manchu Qing center.

Moreover, Sunan had always been rich. If the People's Party really wanted to seize Jiangsu, they should definitely start with the rich Sunan. As long as it could be guaranteed that the People's Party wouldn't seize the entire Jiangsu, given the consistent discord between Sunan and Subei, Jiangnan wouldn't be affected without Subei.

But these were Wang Youhong's guesses. If he couldn't negotiate with Chen Ke personally, Wang Youhong couldn't be sure if his thoughts were truly correct. The power in hand now was obtained by Wang Youhong through untold hardships; the current opportunity was seized by Wang Youhong betting everything. Wang Youhong would rather die than lose everything before his eyes.

Hearing Chen Ke's words just now, a look of relief couldn't help appearing on Wang Youhong's face. The secret agreement between the People's Party and Yuan Shikai seemed certain.

Chen Ke looked at the completely different expressions of these few negotiation representatives with interest. Wang Youhong's relief, Zhang Jian's annoyance, or the madness of several other MPs. It was not much different from the prior prediction.

Preparation work must be done before doing anything. For example, before this meeting, Chen Ke asked Jiangsu to provide the list and basic personal information of the meeting members. The People's Party had information on Wang Youhong and Zhang Jian, but not complete for these few MPs. From the materials provided by Jiangsu, these few MPs were Subei people. Between the Manchu Qing and the People's Party, Subei MPs would definitely choose the Manchu Qing. Zhang Jian was originally going to Beijing to take office; suffering such a blow before taking office, the dissatisfaction in his heart could be imagined.

Instead, Chen Ke paid more and more attention to Wang Youhong. The more a person knew clearly where his interests came from, the easier it was to understand his thoughts. Needless to ask, Wang Youhong was determined to get his own interests in the "Federation of Autonomous Provinces". As long as Wang Youhong's personal interests could be guaranteed, the People's Party wouldn't have any unpredictable conflicts with Jiangsu instead.

Thinking of this, Chen Ke looked at the comrades around him. The war to seize Subei was too easy, so that many comrades proposed to take advantage of the victory to seize the entire Jiangsu. The Sunan area had always been rich; the Qinhuai land of Nanjing, Suzhou, and Yangzhou had always been places of wealth. The salt merchants of Lianghuai were very rich; if all this money could be taken for themselves...

Some comrades simply asked straightforwardly: "Do we really have to honor the agreement with Yuan Shikai?"

"An agreement is an agreement. Don't play petty tricks. Doing things must be reasonable and restrained. Yuan Shikai breaking faith is one thing; we will give him a corresponding response because he breaks faith. But this is not a reason for us not to be reasonable ourselves." Chen Ke loved playing petty tricks since childhood, and he had suffered too many losses from this.

Recalling that Chen Ke asked comrades to learn to observe and judge the attitude of Jiangsu representatives before, looking at these comrades now, Chen Ke saw most comrades were thoughtful; it seemed they all had their own insights.

Unlike the Jiangsu representatives who shared the same bed but dreamt different dreams, the People's Party negotiation team was indeed of one heart and one mind. To let everyone see more clearly, Chen Ke threw out the latest news. "Gentlemen of Jiangsu, the Yuan Shikai cabinet telegraphed the world the day before yesterday. Formally proposing the view of implementing the Federation of Autonomous Provinces. Moreover, the Yuan Shikai cabinet is preparing to establish a new constitution, guaranteeing the reform line unshaken in the form of law."

Hearing this big news, the Jiangsu representatives were dumbfounded for a moment, not knowing whether to believe Chen Ke or not.

The first to react was Wang Youhong; he asked urgently: "Then how do the gentlemen of the People's Party view this matter?"

Chen Ke replied indifferently: "Us? We don't oppose reform. But we firmly believe that the Manchu Qing is the biggest enemy of reform. Reform can be done, but the Manchu Qing must be overthrown! We have telegraphed this view to the world and published statements in many newspapers."

Hearing Chen Ke's words, Wang Youhong's expression immediately became solemn. Zhang Jian pursed his lips tightly, feeling somewhat enlightened. As for the other MPs, they didn't understand what People's Party Chairman Chen Ke was saying from beginning to end. They didn't even know what Jiangsu Governor Wang Youhong, who came with them, was saying.