Textbooks are very important things, and Chen Ke's ambitious plan is to rewrite his own textbooks from elementary school to high school. The textbooks for junior high and high school are okay and impressive. Elementary school textbooks are not good. This time, he and Chen Tianhua's plan along the way was to write a primary school mathematics textbook. The outline is basically discussed, and we have to see Steward He the next day, and we don't want to make any more complicated things, so we just continue to improve the outline.

The weather in October is already quite cool, and after it gets dark, the temperature drops quickly. After writing a paragraph, Chen Ke got up to close the window, but heard the familiar sound of musical instruments. Someone is playing the piano.

Listening to the direction should be diagonally opposite the household, Steward He said that he fell the piano, but if the piano fell on the ground and could not be used, I think he would not just be angry. After only listening for a moment, Chen Ke couldn't help but shake his head and sigh. The quality of the piano is acceptable, and the player is very familiar with the notes of the keyboard, but Chen Ke can hear that it is all one key click, and there is no fingering at all, and he doesn't know how the teacher teaches it.

Chen Tianhua saw Chen Ke listening attentively, and after listening for a while, he smiled and said, "You don't play as well as Wen Qing." ”

"If you don't play the instrument well, it's a punishment." Chen Ke sighed and closed the window, "In the past, there was a master who caught a thief who stole something, and the man asked the thief and confessed to punishment. The thief asked how the beating was and how the punishment was. The master said, "If you beat it, it will be thirty sticks, and if you punish it, listen to me play ten songs." Naturally, the thief pleaded guilty. As soon as the third song was heard, the thief was already crying and begging, it was better to beat thirty sticks. ”

Chen Ke said it simply, Chen Tianhua didn't care about it, and waited until he tasted it, but he laughed out loud. "Wen Qing is very mean."

"What is mean, but I don't know how the teacher teaches the piano."

After asking the reason for Chen Ke's sigh, Chen Tianhua said: "Wen Qing, there is something I think you have been overseas for a long time, I don't know." ”

"What?"

"Do you know that the women of large families abide by the rules, the so-called door does not go out, and the second door does not step. This is no joke. In these years, the people who teach musical instruments are all family members, and it is impossible to ask any teacher to teach musical instruments to the young lady. The one opposite also plays the piano, which is very open-minded. I know that overseas aristocratic women learn more musical instruments, but domestic people regard playing musical instruments as lowly servitude. ”

"Cheap servitude? The ancient gentleman paid attention to piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, and it seems that the gentleman is cheap. ”

"The Manchu Qing Dynasty has a very deep cruelty to culture." After speaking, Chen Tianhua sighed.

As soon as the two of them talked about this, they were very depressed, "When the revolution succeeds, we will teach music from elementary school." No, we don't have to wait for the revolution to succeed and the base area is built, and we will start music lessons. ”

"But don't build a base in Fengyang." Chen Tianhua suddenly answered. This was very "vicious", and when Chen Ke heard it, he laughed out loud. Having said that, the mind of writing a book has also faded. Chen Ke suddenly asked, "Xingtai, let me teach you to sing a song." It's called "The Internationale". ”

Chen Tianhua knows something about Germany, and he very much hopes that China can rise rapidly and become a world power like Germany. As for France, a defeated country, because France has also invaded China many times, Chen Tianhua has no good impression of it. I heard Chen Ke talk about the origin of "The Internationale". He learned that the French people had also established a government chosen by the people. Speaking of which, the rebellious spirit of the Chinese people has always been very strong, "The emperor takes turns to sit and come to my house next year." "If it is just a people's uprising, the sum of large and small in Chinese history has reached five figures. Chen Tianhua is familiar with history books and has seen many records. But since Chen Ke attaches so much importance to it, he thinks that this song should be outstanding. As soon as Chen Ke taught the song, Chen Tianhua was immediately moved by the lyrics and songs.

"Arise, hungry slaves! Arise, all the suffering people of the world!

The blood is already boiling, and we must fight for the truth!

The old world is falling, slaves get up, get up!

Don't say we have nothing, we want to be the masters of the world! ”

In the propaganda of the revolutionaries, it was always believed that the Manchus regarded the Han people as slaves, and it was also the long-cherished wish of the revolutionary party to overthrow the Manchus, restore China, and let the Han people "be the masters of the world" again. In Chen Tianhua's view, this world is not only the world of China, but the world of the world.

The Internationale was not too pitch-changing, and Chen Tianhua was proficient in playing lyrics, but after a few times, he was able to sing it all with Chen Ke. This passionate piece of music is not only a song, but also a clarion call for battle and a revolutionary message. Even though the low humming had already made the blood boil of the two young people, it was almost unanimous that Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua sang loudly at the same time,

"There has never been a savior, and it doesn't depend on the Immortal Emperor!

It is up to us to create human happiness!

We must regain the fruits of our labor and let our minds break out of the cage!

Burn that fire red, and strike while the iron is hot!

This is the last struggle, unite until tomorrow, and Internachonel must achieve it!

This is the last struggle, unite until tomorrow, and Internachonel must achieve it! ”

In the night, a few dogs whispered a few times, and then quieted down. Chen Ke only felt a sense of pride surging up in his chest. Since the revolutionary work was on the right track, Chen Ke felt that he was constrained. The feeling of being struggling comes more from ideas than from external resistance. As a science student, as a young man who knows a little bit about history, Chen Ke hopes to be as prepared as possible to the greatest extent. He knew he was doing the right thing, and he knew he was doing the wrong thing. Revolution is a passion, and as a leader, you must be like a fire, able to agitate, to burn everything around you. But Chen Ke himself is more like a cold machine than an enthusiastic revolutionary.

Just dyeing cloth and making medicines, and even writing books and lectures, Chen Ke can do it, and he feels that he can do it well. But after all, he has never done a revolution, even if Chen Ke has passion, on the one hand, he hopes to achieve the revolutionary cause, and on the other hand, he hopes that he will be foolproof, but the result is more perverse. Chen Ke knew that he was not a qualified revolutionary. Singing the "Internationale" today, Chen Ke suddenly felt the righteousness of the revolutionaries and the indomitable courage that the song was full of. The emotions of young people resonated greatly. As soon as he opened the door, he didn't care what his neighbors would feel when they heard it, and he shouted into the dark night sky,

"Who created the human world? It's our working masses!

Everything belongs to the laborers, how can there be room for parasites?!

The most hateful of those poisonous snakes and beasts have eaten our flesh and blood!

Once they are wiped out, the bright red sun shines all over the world!

This is the last struggle, unite until tomorrow, and Internachonel must achieve it!

This is the last struggle, unite until tomorrow, and Internachonel must achieve it! ”

From the moment Chen Ke just roared two sentences, the dog, which had been quiet, immediately barked violently, and no matter what changes around him, Chen Ke sang this song twice in one go. I only felt that the depression in my chest was gone. He simply sat down on the steps of the doorway. The barking of the dog soon died down, and after a while, the sound of the piano on the opposite side sounded again, and at first it was chaotic, and the player tried several times, and gradually played a small section of the "Internationale". Then, the song came to an abrupt end. When Chen Ke was quietly waiting to play, he heard Chen Tianhua shouting in the room: "Wenqing, you didn't teach me this lyrics, hurry up and come in and write it." ”

In response, Chen Ke walked back into the house. But I couldn't help but look back.

Until I went to sleep, the piano over there never sounded again. Who is the one who plays the piano? Will it be the older one, or the younger one? Don't be the male owner of that house, right? Thinking of an uncle with braided hair playing the piano and reconciling with him, Chen Ke only felt that his hairs stood on end. "Can I be a nymphomaniac?" Chen Ke felt that he was really unreasonable. Wrapped in the quilt made yesterday, Chen Ke quickly fell asleep.

At nine o'clock in the morning, Steward He came to the door on time. As soon as he entered the door, Steward He looked left and right at Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua's residence, the courtyard was clean, and there was water sprinkled on the ground, and there was no floating soil at all. In addition to this impression, the whole yard feels deserted and lacks popularity.

The three of them sat down in the living room, and the housekeeper first looked around the main hall, "Two gentlemen, the house is really clean." ”

"It's just the two of us, so it's easy to clean." Chen Ke replied.

"I wonder what the two gentlemen are doing in Beijing?"

"It's not a big deal to be entrusted to visit friends in Beijing."

"Oh." Listening to Chen Ke's unashamed words, the housekeeper could only nod. "My lord learned that Mr. Chen was a neighbor and wanted to ask Mr. Chen when it was convenient, and my lord wanted to invite Mr. Chen to sit at home."

"It's convenient for me at any time, as long as the lord of Brother He's family is free, I can go and see him now." Chen Ke replied very briskly.

"My lord said that he is waiting for Mr. Chen in the house now."

The housekeeper's reply was so refreshing, which surprised Chen Ke. However, his words have been released, and he must not take them back. "Then please ask Steward He to lead the way."

I got up and went out of my yard with the housekeeper, but I didn't go directly to the house opposite, on this street, there was a dim sum shop, and the things sold tasted good. Accepting the lesson of Pang Zi's time, Chen Ke went in and bought eight-colored dim sum according to the etiquette and wrapped it. Only then did they arrive at the house of the neighbor on the other side. The housekeeper standing at the door was not surprised by Chen Ke's actions, he ordered the servant to accept the gift, and he took the two of them to the main hall together.

Although the neighbors are opposite, the two rows of houses are very different. Chen Ke's residence is a courtyard house, and although it is a brick floor, it is still an ordinary courtyard house. The row on the opposite side is very different, with a vestibule and a backyard. The area is three or four times larger than Chen Ke's residence. The butler ushered the two into the side hall, and a man of about forty years old was waiting for them in the center.

This master is now, and he is also an old handsome guy, who looks quite like a handsome Chen who has transcended the realm of playing with equipment, his long hair is tied into a ponytail and hangs down the back of his head, and the old handsome guy doesn't look like the beginning of the 20th century. He didn't wear a robe or a horse coat, and he wore a slightly old brocade robe that fit closely. A wide brocade ribbon is tied around the waist. He wore a pair of glasses and a neat beard. Chen Ke doesn't hate long hair at all, and in the 21st century, long hair represents wild and unrestrained. Chen Ke just hated the Manchus, so he hated braids.

On the way, Chen Ke asked Steward He, and the information he got was that the neighbor's surname was He. The other housekeepers did not disclose.

Seeing the handsome old guy standing up, Chen Ke spoke first and said, "Hello Lord He." In Xia Chen Ke, this side is Chen Xingtai, and in Xia is his cousin. ”

Official He had also looked at Chen Ke, and when he saw that Chen Ke greeted him first, the dark color was also very deferential, which made the official feel a little surprised.

After the guests and hosts were seated, they announced their names to each other. He official name is He Ruming, originally an official of the Tianjin Machinery Bureau, the Tianjin Machinery Bureau was destroyed in the year of Gengzi, He Ruming spent several years without an official position, and was recently transferred to the Yamen of the Beijing Ministry of Officials.

The self-introduction of Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua is much simpler, with Chen Ke claiming to have studied in the United States and Europe for several years. Chen Tianhua is a student who has returned from studying in Japan. Both had just returned to China and had started a medical school with the British in Shanghai.

"Can Mr. Chen Ke be literate and young?" He Ruliang asked.

No matter what He Ruming said, Chen Ke would not be more surprised than he was now. It is unreasonable that his name is actually known by this official who has never known his life. Chen Tianhua also showed a look of surprise on his face. He thought that this official He was an old acquaintance in Chen Ke's family.

"Exactly down there." Chen Ke replied with some apprehension.

"I don't know if Wenqing is the one who wrote "Chinese Cultural Inheritance and the Rise of Materialism". Looking at Chen Ke's uneasy expression, He Ruming happily continued to ask.

"I would like to ask, has Lord He ever received a book from Mr. Yan?" Chen Ke felt that there was only one possibility.

"That's right. I am an old acquaintance of Mr. Yan. Thanks to Mr. Yan's care, he sent Wenqing's book. ”

This handsome guy is actually his own reader, which surprised both Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua.

"It was written with the brother next to me."

He Ruming originally had a smile on his face, but after listening to Chen Ke's words, He Ruming looked at Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua carefully, "I also saw Wen Qing's "Huangpu Review", but there is one thing that is not clear. ”

"Please."

"Mr. Chen, you have such talents, why don't you serve the imperial court?" He Ruming's expression was already a little dissatisfied, "There is also that special medicine, Wen Qing can make such a good thing, but he went out publicly." When foreigners see the prescription, won't they imitate it, Wenqing's move is just cheaper for foreigners. I don't know why. "Except for tea, silk, porcelain, and ore, there was no modern invention in the Qing Dynasty that could lead the foreigners. Chen Ke had such a good medicine, but he cooperated directly with the British, which made He Ruming very dissatisfied.

Chen Ke said with a smile: "If the imperial court has my medicine, it will only give the prescription to the British." Lord He, now the imperial court has no confidence in front of foreigners, and in their opinion, face is the most important. It is more important to please foreigners. As for how to set up domestic industries, I am not optimistic about the imperial court. ”

Hearing this, He Ruming felt very harsh, but he also had to admit in his heart that Chen Ke was not wrong. Although he wanted to reprimand Chen Ke, He Ruming endured his unhappiness and just shook his head gently.

Seeing the change in He Ruming's face, Chen Ke's heart moved, and he said: "If Lord He wants to do something for the benefit of the country and the people, I have a project. I originally wanted to contact foreigners to do it together, but what Lord He said was right, why bother to cheapen foreigners. ”

Hearing this, He Ruming didn't mean to be very interested, on the contrary, his eyes became vigilant. As the saying goes, if you have nothing to do, you will be a traitor or a thief. Chen Ke has a history of cooperating with foreigners, he did not look for foreigners to cooperate this time, but talked to himself, a person he met by chance, He Ruming felt that Chen Ke was only afraid of conspiracy.

"Master He, this project, in addition to working with the seniors of the Western-style faction, it is definitely impossible to do it with others. I originally wanted to contact the seniors of the Western-style school, but I didn't have a way. Meeting Lord He today can be regarded as providence. I don't know if you can let me say that. Chen Ke said bluntly.

After He Ruming listened, he thought for a while before nodding.

"As the saying goes, firewood, rice, oil, and salt, this firewood is the first. Now Beijing mainly burns coal, and the people use briquettes. I have a design that uses honeycomb coal. It's twice as good as using briquettes. If this project is done by foreigners and makes the people's money for nothing, I don't think it's necessary. Chen Ke said.

Seeing that He Ruming had no intention of objecting, Chen Ke asked He Ruming for a pen and paper, talked while drawing, and explained the principle of honeycomb coal to He Ruming. He Ruming seems to understand whether he understands or not. Chen Ke also talked about the principle of coal, although He Ruming was an official of the Westernization faction, but he was born in machinery in Tianjin Machinery Bureau, and he did not study chemistry at all. Chen Ke could only briefly describe the concept of the elements, and then explained the principle of combustion. He Ruming's house has a glass, Chen Ke simply asked for a basin of water, lit a candle in it, and turned the glass upside down on the candle, as the candle burned to the extinguished, the water in the glass was sucked up.

Through this experiment, He Ruming finally understood the existence of oxygen in the air. Chen Ke finished talking about the principle of combustion, and then talked about how a fan can make coal burn more violently.

These things that are commonplace in daily life, He Ruming is naturally very clear. But after listening to Chen Ke's chemical theory, many things that He Ruming only knew before, but did not understand the principle, are suddenly cheerful at this time.

He Ruming asked Chen Ke to explain the principle of honeycomb coal again, and this time he finally basically understood all the principles.

"Good stuff!" He Ruming tapped the table. This handsome old guy was a little excited, although he was also a Westerner, but after talking about it for so many years, it was really the first time that he had figured out what was going on with burning so clearly. "Wen Qing is right, such good things must not be allowed to be done by foreigners."

Chen Ke also smiled and nodded, but his throat squirmed with swallowing. He Ruming then remembered that Chen Ke was very rude and drank all the tea in the teacup, and he didn't let people refill the tea. The handsome old man hurriedly shouted, "Serve tea." Then he made amends.

Chen Ke drank all the tea, and after talking for a long time, he was really a little dry.

After the servant went out, Chen Ke said, "Lord He, this matter just can't be done by the imperial court. It can only be done by the predecessors of the Western-style faction. I know that Lord He is unwilling to talk about the rights and wrongs of the imperial court, but if Lord He really wants to benefit the people, it is better for Lord He to take the lead and let the seniors of the Western-style faction do this. ”