Yuan Shikai really liked the word "convenience" used by Li Hongqi. In official circles, people love to say "making things convenient for others makes things convenient for oneself." Officials, big and small, all have their own scope of authority. If an official has no intention of making things convenient for others and only wants to monopolize power, the entire official circle will view him as an enemy and will do their utmost to bring down this official who doesn't understand the rules. Thinking of this, Yuan Shikai continued to ask, "Mr. Li, I understand a little more about what you said regarding convenience. But where does the difference lie between the People's Party and my Beiyang?"

"Beiyang has Beiyang's way of life, and the People's Party has the People's Party's way of life. Beiyang currently follows the conventions of thousands of years. Whether there are a few more foreign guns and cannons, or a few more factories, has very little impact on the overall situation." Li Hongqi replied, "But the People's Party's way of life is completely different from Chinese tradition. They have already attempted to enter the era of grand industrialization."

"Era of grand industrialization?" Yuan Shikai did not understand this term at all. The People's Party's propaganda documents rarely discussed industrialization, and related terms were never seen by Beiyang. Yuan Shikai had rarely even heard the term "grand industrialization." "What is the era of grand industrialization?" Yuan Shikai asked. He thought industry meant building some factories and opening some enterprises. The People's Party had a large number of factories; in Yuan Shikai's view, this was probably the era of grand industrialization.

"The era of grand industrialization, not speaking of the appearance, but speaking directly of the concept within, is that everyone produces products for the purpose of trade. Everyone ultimately buys products produced by others from the market, while the products they produce are sold to others. This old man believes this is the intrinsic concept of the era of grand industrialization." Li Hongqi gave Yuan Shikai an unexpected answer.

Yuan Shikai was indeed a hero, but he was after all a hero of an agricultural country. Asking him to understand the core concept of the industrial age was a bit too demanding. Even so, Yuan Shikai took a full hour to finally figure out exactly what Li Hongqi was saying.

Having understood the core concept of the era of grand industrialization, when Li Hongqi spoke again about the concept of the People's Party leading the people into the "era of grand industrialization," he was actually able to understand. Then Yuan Shikai ordered his attendants to send Mr. Li Hongqi home. At parting, Yuan Shikai asked Mr. Li Hongqi what book would be best to read to gain a deeper understanding of the era of grand industrialization. Mr. Li Hongqi recommended the article "The Communist Manifesto and China's Industrialization" written by Chen Ke. Yuan Shikai did not have it on hand, so Mr. Li Hongqi promised to copy a version and send it to Yuan Shikai.

The guard was very clever. After personally escorting Mr. Li Hongqi home, he did not return immediately. Instead, he stood respectfully and waited for Mr. Li Hongqi to copy a version of "The Communist Manifesto and China's Industrialization," and also asked for a copy of "The Communist Manifesto," before taking the articles back to see Yuan Shikai. Sure enough, as soon as Yuan Shikai saw the guard, he asked if he had obtained the manuscript. The guard hurriedly and respectfully handed the articles to Yuan Shikai.

Dismissing the guards, Yuan Shikai opened the article and saw the beginning wrote, "Marx explained in 'The Communist Manifesto' that the current world has irreversibly entered the era of grand industrialization. In response to this era, Marx proposed establishing a brand-new social system and a brand-new moral system. This is a programmatic article with profound insight, established on Marx's basic concept that 'labor power drives social development.' Since the comrades of the People's Party cannot yet fully situate themselves in the industrial age, they need to appreciate its guiding significance even more, rather than focusing excessively on its descriptions. But in the final analysis, the People's Party measures the status of laborers in society by labor, especially social labor. We must not disregard this standard and arbitrarily interpret the grand industrialization and communist system proposed by Marx."

The room was quiet, except for the occasional sound of turning pages, there was silence. Yuan Shikai would read Chen Ke's article for a while, then close his eyes and meditate for a while. After thinking, he would start reading again. From evening onwards, Yuan Shikai read the two manuscripts, "The Communist Manifesto" and "The Communist Manifesto and China's Industrialization," all night long. It wasn't until the next morning that Yuan Shikai called for someone to bring face-washing water.

After eating a little breakfast, he saw Duan Qirui rushing in, "President, I heard you didn't sleep all night?"

"That's right." Yuan Shikai's face was slightly gray, but he smiled with good spirits.

"President, you must take care of your health right now." Duan Qirui said hurriedly.

"Taking care or not isn't important. If Chen Ke doesn't die, if the People's Party doesn't die out, our Beiyang will never have a day of peace. Zhiquan, after reading Chen Ke's articles all night, I've completely thought it through. Before, I really didn't see through it, I didn't know that this fellow Chen Ke is a scourge." After Yuan Shikai finished speaking, he handed "The Communist Manifesto and China's Industrialization" to Duan Qirui.

Duan Qirui didn't know what had happened. He took the manuscript Yuan Shikai handed him and started reading. Duan Qirui had good self-control, but the more he read this article, the uglier his face became. By the end, the blue veins on Duan Qirui's forehead were popping out.

Chen Ke's article was written extremely plainly. Besides explaining the era of grand industrialization, it also analyzed in extreme detail the situation that would be faced in pushing China into grand industrialization. The analysis of various classes, the characteristics of Chinese historical traditions, and the habits and cognition of the masses. As a latecomer, Chen Ke naturally had strong "foresight" when writing this article. And the result of this "foresight," combined with the line of thought "Who are our enemies? Who are our friends? This is a question of the first importance for the revolution," was truly hitting the nail on the head, murderous spirit filling the air.

Except for the working people, Chen Ke basically did not think the People's Party needed any allies. For anyone who could not stand on the side of the working people, could not stand on the side of opposing feudalism, could not stand on the side of opposing imperialism, Chen Ke's attitude was extremely clear: "As long as these people resist the revolution, they must be eliminated."

Duan Qirui understood this article, so he fully understood that he was within the scope of "being eliminated." Not only was Duan Qirui within the scope of execution, but the entire Beiyang, including Beiyang's supporters, were all objects for the People's Party to eliminate. Duan Qirui completely agreed with Yuan Shikai's attitude. If Chen Ke didn't die, if the People's Party didn't die out, Beiyang would indeed never have a day of peace. If it were a war between warlords, the victor could still be lenient towards the loser. But Chen Ke's philosophy of struggle was fundamentally not a fight for power, but a complete hostility towards those with different standpoints.

Returning the manuscript to Yuan Shikai, Duan Qirui asked, "What does the President plan to do next?"

Yuan Shikai replied calmly, "Send this manuscript to all the provinces, and order people to correspond Chen Ke's actions with this manuscript. Pinqing has foresight; he has already seen that Chen Ke never speaks nonsense, and the People's Party always does things according to their own program. We might as well explain this clearly to other provinces. In addition, to the British, we also need to explain clearly. We must make the British understand that this person Chen Ke is not only a scourge to our Beiyang, but also a scourge to the entire world."

"That is very good." Duan Qirui replied.

Yuan Shikai added, "Also, regarding this concept of grand industrialization proposed by Chen Ke, I think Pinqing was right, it indeed has great merit. Our Beiyang only built some factories and opened some mines. These things are entirely for our own use. Even if there is buying and selling, it is forced buying and selling. Developing industry and commerce, we actually have to follow Chen Ke's method."

"Uh..." Duan Qirui didn't expect Yuan Shikai to be so "open-minded," and was somewhat surprised.

"Zhiquan, I thought about it all night yesterday. I recalled everything from these past years, including what the Empress Dowager did before, and what those who went abroad for inspection said when they came back. Only then did I feel that most of what Chen Ke said makes sense. But there is one thing I absolutely cannot accept. Chen Ke wants the common people to stand above the state; this is moral depravity. Chen Ke speaks nicely, saying all history is created by the people. But if Chen Ke wants to use our lives to push social progress, we will fight him to the death. At this moment, fighting is death, not fighting is also death. There is no need to say more."

"Yes." Duan Qirui replied.

"You now order people to invite Cai Yuanpei to enter the capital. Send this article to him first. Cai Yuanpei is a smart man; he will know what to do." Yuan Shikai ordered again, "In addition, people inside Beiyang only know Chen Ke is formidable, but they completely don't know Chen Ke's wolfish ambition. From now on, anyone who proposes peace talks with the People's Party will absolutely not be tolerated."

In the following days, Beiyang began war preparations centering on Chen Ke's article. Yuan Shikai's insight was indeed different. Just as he said, there were people in Beiyang who, because of recent defeats, had fear in their hearts about how to go to war with the People's Party. Duan Qirui was responsible for discovering these people, and then removing those who should be removed from office, and imprisoning those who should be imprisoned. Beiyang began a "Purge Movement."

As Cai Yuanpei entered the capital with the Jiangsu and Zhejiang literati group, Beiyang received more support in political propaganda work.

Yuan Shikai predicted correctly. Cai Yuanpei received the manuscripts of "The Communist Manifesto and China's Industrialization" and "The Communist Manifesto" sent by Yuan Shikai, and turned pale with fright after reading them. Without needing any urging, Cai Yuanpei immediately took action. Cai Yuanpei was currently the Chairman of the Zhejiang Assembly and Vice Governor of Jiangsu. With great rallying power, he first gathered the representatives of the Jiangsu and Zhejiang literati, and then led the Jiangsu and Zhejiang literati group into the capital.

On the way, these people had already unified their thinking and determined their stance. As soon as they entered the capital, they launched a highly targeted cultural propaganda campaign centering on the political line of opposing the People's Party. The People's Party opposed feudalism, so Cai Yuanpei's team vigorously praised "distinction between superiors and inferiors, order between old and young." The People's Party opposed the feudal power distribution system, so Cai Yuanpei's team talked largely about "revering the mandate of heaven, revering great men, revering the words of sages." The People's Party opposed exploitation, so Cai Yuanpei's team put aside the common people and shouted to the landlords and gentry, asking the landlords and gentry to "maintain tradition, oppose radicalism."

Because he came from a background of gentry and literati, Cai Yuanpei knew the fears of the gentry and literati better than anyone else. Moreover, Cai Yuanpei himself also felt great fear regarding the People's Party's political program. Chen Ke's attitude towards old literati was extremely clear. In "The Communist Manifesto and China's Industrialization," Chen Ke bluntly pointed out, "The old literati represent the most decadent and backward part of China. The essence of this group is not even as good as prostitutes. Prostitutes at least know they make a living by selling themselves. All their behaviors are a kind of transaction. But the old literati are a group of literary whores. They rely on manipulating morality, selling their own morality to exchange for privileges. They even want to beautify their act of selling themselves as the supreme act of morality. The so-called 'being a bitch but still wanting to set up a memorial arch' is the true portrayal of these literati."

Facing such a hostile attitude, Cai Yuanpei absolutely could not accept it. And what Cai Yuanpei could not accept even more was that he actually knew Chen Ke was not speaking nonsense.