"I always thought that the enemies in the provinces were very strong, why did the situation deteriorate to such an extent?" Xie Mingxian asked very bluntly. Since the end of the negotiations and the return to the base area, Xie Mingxian has received news that the new army and the banner army have launched wars in Fujian and Shaanxi.

Chen Ke had peace talks with Yuan Shikai back then, but many comrades could not accept it. Even if Chen Ke confidently and slowly said at that time, "Look at their Zhu Lou, watch them feast guests, and see their building collapse", the comrades also thought that Chen Ke was too optimistic. It's just that you can't come up with a stronger reason.

Comrades generally believe that after the fall of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, all provinces should have been able to fully develop because of a considerable degree of improvement. The constant flow of information from all over the country to the base areas clearly did not support this view, and instead of improving in the slightest situation, chaos began to spread in the provinces. Jiangsu fell into an economic crisis, Zhejiang was torn apart, and a civil war broke out between Fujian and Shaanxi. Beiyang is in financial crisis. Only the base areas will continue to follow the line planned by Chairman Chen Ke step by step.

At the regular meeting of the Hubei Provincial Party Committee, Xie Mingxian raised this issue, which puzzled the comrades. Why the situation in the provinces began to deteriorate.

"Originally, the Manchu Qing had a nominal organization, and when there was a problem, all the provinces were pushed to the Manchu central government, so it seemed that it could be maintained on the surface. Now the provinces are starting to try to solve the problem on their own, and it is strange that it is not chaotic. Chen Ke explained.

"Then why is there nothing wrong with us watching?" Xie Mingxian still felt incredible.

"We will only have more problems than in the provinces, but we are constantly solving problems by relying on the organization. In other provinces, where the problem can be solved, there are organizations without exception. The more organized, the faster you can resolve issues. The base area and Beiyang can hold on, that is, these two political forces have the highest degree of organization. Jiangsu has tried to build their own organization, and now they are able to solve the problem with difficulty. Comrade Xie Mingxian, if you go to Jiangsu for negotiations, you will be able to see this problem. Chen Ke continued.

The training of cadres is a very hard work, and Chen Ke felt that Xie Mingxian's control was obviously "not revolutionary consciousness enough", and he still failed to consciously use the dialectics he had learned to look at the problem. The BJP's journey was much easier than that of historical parties, the external enemy was weak, and the BJP could succeed simply by concentrating on building its own organization. Even so, Chen Ke struggled. It is a very difficult process for a person to be able to open their eyes from spontaneity to self-awareness.

To realize that human beings are socially very difficult, it is necessary to believe that they are part of the larger system of society, and human biological instincts will unconsciously regard themselves as the core of the operation of the world. Chen Ke always felt that he couldn't understand many of Grandpa Mao's words, such as "We are all screws of the revolution", Chen Ke felt that it was singing a high note. Now he understands that this is the truth. Even now, as the chairman of the party, Chen Ke is only a link within the big organization and system of the People's Party. If you want this system to run normally, every link is very important, and every comrade really has no distinction between high and low.

For example, if Xie Mingxian is put in charge of negotiations, even if the entire People's Party does a good job in all other links, once Xie Mingxian falls off the chain, the negotiation work will be destroyed immediately. Chen Ke is now at the beginning of the 20th century, and he now understands why he repeatedly hit a wall and failed at the beginning of the 21st century. That's all because Chen Ke himself doesn't understand in the 21st century, and he is always just a link in the matter. No one can hold up a piece of the sky on their own.

Why is the social system very important, because everyone has their own interests and selfish intentions, and if you want to solve the problem of interests, you have to rely on the system. If we want to solve the problem of selfishness, we must rely on education, training, and improving people's ability to understand. Chen Ke must complete his job as party chairman.

"Comrades, to analyze the chaos in the provinces, it is necessary to rely on dialectics. It is necessary to have a correct understanding of the "Theory of Contradiction". The problem in Jiangsu is that Wang Youhong is trying to establish a new ruling class, and in the process of straightening out the contradictions of who is the dominant distribution, whether the gentry are plotting power for the whole of Jiangsu, but the gentry demand absolute control over their own one-third of an acre of land. If Wang Youhong wants to solve the problem effectively, he must break the absolute dominance of the gentry over private land. ”

Chen Ke began to analyze the external situation. The comrades listened very carefully and relaxedly. The People's Party's party meeting is not a formality, but every time it talks about issues and reasoning. The understanding of economic development and political change is much higher than that of other political forces of this era.

"We the People's Party have solved this problem. Through the building of the People's Party itself, we have dominated the politics of the base areas through the workers' union, and through land reform, we have greatly socialized the land, a means of production. So now we can maximize productivity. Moreover, the benefits obtained in turn improved the people's lives, and promoted the development of science and democracy. We didn't do anything great, we just did what was regular. It's just that we are more in line with the laws of promoting social development than other provinces. Comrades guard against arrogance and rashness and continue to advance. ”

"Chairman Chen, will this kind of struggle for dominance break out in other provinces?" Xie Mingxian asked.

After hearing this, Chen Ke praised in his heart, Xie Mingxian grasped the main contradiction in the future. There is no better way to grasp the thinking of the party than through open discussion. Chen Ke was ready to see to what extent the comrades understood these issues.

"Comrades, the fall of the Manchus is inevitable. In the face of the chaotic situation in the future, the old and the young will say that China has not changed for the better after the fall of the Qing Dynasty! It was used as a proof that the Manchus should not have fallen. Since everyone thinks that there will be a fierce conflict in the future, and even a full-scale civil war is inevitable. What do you think of all this chaos? ”

The comrades originally wanted to get their views from Chen Ke, but they didn't expect to be asked by Chen Ke about his views on the changes, and everyone couldn't help frowning. Xie Mingxian was the first to reply: "It is inevitable to fight for power and profit. Now that the old system has collapsed and society needs order, it is necessary to establish a new system. It's not a dinner party. ”

This answer can be regarded as a passing grade, at least Xie Mingxian is not against the change at all. The comrades nodded their heads. The People's Party was originally the largest revolutionary party and rebel organization, and the comrades were quite accustomed to destroying and rebuilding. Everyone nodded their heads, expressing their agreement with Xie Mingxian's point of view.

Lu Huitian, who had not said much, suddenly spoke, his voice was loud and his attitude was firm, and he seemed to have his own complete thoughts on this issue, "The old and the young are the views of the rightists. They were afraid of progress, they were opposed to it, and they saw this struggle simply as the kind of power struggle within the Manchu system, but they did not see that it was already a completely different kind of struggle. More political forces are actively or passively involved in the operation of the state, which in itself is a kind of progress. More and more people are forced to get involved in the consideration of state operations, and are forced to open their horizons from the small circle in front of them and project them into a broader and more comprehensive real world. It's a kind of emancipation of the mind. ”

The comrades' eyes lit up after hearing this, and Lu Huitian had been relatively dull these days. Now he suddenly spoke with a firm attitude, and a considerable number of comrades were not particularly surprised by this. Since Chairman Chen began to preside over the work in Hubei, Lu Huitian naturally had to retreat to the position of a subordinate. If he steals the limelight with Chen Ke, it will be puzzling.

But Mr. Chen and some of the more politically sensitive authorities know that things are not so simple. Lu Huitian has always been considered by Chen Ke to be relatively right, and now he is clearly opposing the rightists, which can be regarded as a statement.

"Then Comrade Lu Huitian, in the face of our current situation, what measures do you think we should take?" Chen Ke asked.

"Let's get our own things done first." Lu Huitian's voice was still loud, "After the fall of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, China's most reactionary political force was defeated. Our contradictions with other forces have changed from secondary contradictions to major contradictions. Then, before these contradictions completely intensify to the point that they must be resolved, we must first handle our own problems well. Just as it is said in "The Theory of Contradiction", the two armies compete with each other, one wins and the other loses, so victory or defeat is determined by internal causes. The winner is either strong or because of his infallibility in command, the loser is either weak or inappropriate in his command, and the external causes are caused by internal causes. But the core point is that society is progressing and developing. What we need to do is to keep pushing the revolution forward, not to treat the current situation as if it will not change, or even try to play with the meaningless trick of the situation that seems to be in our favor now. ”

Chen Ke's eyes lit up, Lu Huitian was expressing his position, and it was based on extremely profound cognition. Not only Chen Ke, but also the comrades' eyes lit up. When Lu Huitian talked about contradictions, everyone still felt that there was nothing very special. However, Lu Huitian's focus on the key point of "social progress and development" is indeed eye-catching. All the achievements of the People's Party are based on promoting social development, and Chen Ke has said this countless times. Comrades also really recognized the problem.

It is indeed the best way to abandon the delusion of the current external situation and stand firmly on the basis of its own development.

However, ideological reunification is not a simple issue, Zheng Wenguang asked: "Our biggest enemies in the future are the European and American countries, their strength is far stronger than ours, and it is said in the "Theory of Contradictions" that they have the ability to support the domestic forces that oppose us. So how to deal with such a contradiction? ”

This view was immediately endorsed by the BJP cadres. The more the People's Party deals with foreign devils, the deeper everyone's understanding of foreign devils will be. The less confused people are, the more worries there are now. The situation of simultaneous struggle and cooperation with foreign devils has worried many comrades. On the one hand, the current People's Party needs the technology, equipment, and market of foreign devils. Although the trade balance policy means that the contradiction between the BJP and the foreign devils presents two sides of the struggle. However, it is also an indisputable fact that the People's Party is in a disadvantageous position compared with foreign devils.

Recently, many comrades have raised many questions about this. Chen Ke kept holding back without giving an explanation. Now that this issue has been raised again, Chen Ke feels that it is no longer possible to let the comrades have some confidence. He looked at the comrades attending the meeting, and then said solemnly: "What I say later is the highest level of secrecy regulations. All comrades are not allowed to mention this to anyone. Do you hear that? ”

Comrades at the party meeting were emotionally excited. When Chen asks for this, it is to say a lot of key expectations for the future. These contents are also important contents that Chen Ke considers as a strategic foundation. The minutes clerk changed the notebook, which was a top-secret notebook.

"In five years, or even four years, there will be a big war in Europe. In this big war, the Europeans will divide into camps and involve the whole world. Regardless of what the European countries think about our BJP, this war between them is where the biggest contradiction lies. All other contradictions must give way to this war. As long as we stick to our stand unwavering and do not give the enemy a chance to exploit loopholes, European countries will definitely choose to cooperate. You don't have to worry about this problem. ”

Although Chen Ke has always claimed to be scientific, his predictions are often as accurate as a magic stick, which has created a feeling of "not being scientific enough" in the hearts of comrades. Since Chen Ke so firmly predicted that there would be war in Europe within five years, everyone really believed that there would be war in Europe within five years.

If the strategic basis is the outbreak of war in Europe within five years, with the theoretical knowledge of the current cadres of the People's Party, everyone will indeed be able to analyze clearly that it is impossible for Europe to have a real military conflict with the People's Party.

"Why?" Xie Mingxian couldn't help but ask.

"Because of the economic crisis." Chen Ke replied. He had an inexplicable sense of the economic crisis, and that in the history of the Republic, China had always been a crisis of scarcity, and there had never been a real crisis of excess. Even in the era when there is the greatest possibility of a surplus crisis, China's economy has remained strong through its accession to the world trade system, the global sale of Chinese goods, and the pull of domestic infrastructure. So Chen Ke's feeling about the economic crisis is very strange.

There are crises everywhere in the base areas, and the agricultural country is in the midst of an economic crisis every day. The economic crisis in the industrial countries is a real luxury.

Comrades have heard Chen Ke talk about the economic crisis, and in the eyes of the base areas, there is a shortage everywhere, and as a result, an economic crisis can still be created, and this is really an incomprehensible problem. There has never been an egalitarian tendency in the base areas, and Chen Ke deeply hated the "egalitarianism" of the small peasants, which was the first sign of formalism. Demanding superficial fairness implies great injustice within the system. If you take the appearance of fairness for justice, the results will be disastrous.

But the more they understand the equality of workers, the less comrades can understand the problem of the "economic crisis." No matter what Chen Ke said, "The purpose of the capitalist system is to trade, and the capitalists are eager to put a clear price on all actions in society." "The comrades still don't quite understand this.

As always, the discussion of the economic crisis is off topic.

"Why are capitalists so bad?" The question was raised again.

Chen Ke is very helpless, the capitalist system itself is not for evil and brutality, but this system has led to terrible cruelty and evil at this stage. However, in terms of the level of productive forces, the base areas are still far from reaching the heights of the advanced capitalist countries, and this moral evaluation is very inappropriate. It's easy to confuse the issue.

"Comrades, it's not about personal likes and dislikes, if the capitalists can't make a profit, they will be eliminated from the competition." Chen Ke went on to explain.

"Then why didn't the people rise up and revolt?"

"I resisted, and then I was suppressed. Moreover, by plundering the colonies, the capitalist countries also provided some opportunities to their own oppressed peoples. Brutal repression within included exile and beheading. At the same time, they plundered the colonies, drove down the price of raw materials, and dumped goods. Earn a lot of profits. These profits are used to sustain the state's violent apparatus and to give the people a mouthful of food to survive. Even so, now Europe has come to an end in doing so, their internal pressure is not released, and the war in Europe is about to begin. This is the inevitable consequence of the capitalist system. ”

"Then let's just look at such a good situation in vain and not intervene?" Xie Mingxian raised this representative question.

"Comrades, I have always believed that the socialist system does not exist for opposition. If you think so, you are too willing to degenerate. Just as the revolution of our People's Party was not to oppose the Manchus, but to overthrow the decadent and backward Manchus, the revolution is a kind of social development that is constantly moving forward. Just like the revolutionary parties in many provinces now, as long as the Manchu Qing Dynasty falls and the world is peaceful, China can become a great power overnight. After such a long period of revolution and construction in the base areas, everyone can see that this is impossible. If we had defined our people's revolution in this way at the beginning, what would be the situation now, like many provinces, helpless in the face of reality. The socialist system is about the continuous development of the productive forces and the continuous advancement of science and democracy. Instead of describing a perfect heaven on earth and then asking everyone to do the same. This is an issue that must not be confused. Comrade Lu Huitian said very well, development and progress, this is the only theme. ”

After listening to this explanation, the comrades can be regarded as pulling their thinking back to the track. Chen Ke also breathed a sigh of relief. The Party began the revolution with the stance of saving the country and trying to survive. The harsh reality made the party incomparably stronger, and in an era when external pressure was not as great as in history, Chen Ke could only barely control the situation through theoretical education. However, with the progress and development of the times, many comrades will gradually become numb to the fact that "the times are constantly progressing."

Why can Grandpa Mao be so great, Chen Ke now believes that he is an incomparably strong spirit and a person who will always move forward. If you don't really understand this, you will naturally have all kinds of misunderstandings.

In addition to hoping to build a country where "the people will always be the masters of the country", Grandpa Mao never thought that anything should be for thousands of generations. This is his greatness, and it is also the most misunderstood part of him. The gap between a real great man and a mortal like Chen Ke is so big. Chen Ke relied entirely on the instinctive desire of the traveler to return to the familiar industrial age, and kept moving forward. Even if he came from the lower reaches of history, and firmly followed the trajectory of the party, and followed the path of liberation pointed out by Grandpa Mao, Chen Kecai could barely understand this.

Because of this understanding, Chen Ke can understand what a depraved bastard he used to be. Realizing this, Chen Ke was humble, cautious, and tolerant.

In the face of the nonsense of his comrades, Chen Ke remembered the education of his former junior high school chemistry teacher, who was a May Day Labor Medal winner. She describes the path of chemistry for her students, "The first stage is to memorize the equations. In the second stage, new equations are made up according to the equations. In the third stage, there is maximum imagination and comprehension, while at the same time extremely adhering to the basic principles. ”

This is a teacher who truly understands chemistry education, and the truth is the same all in the world. The same should be true of revolutionaries, who have the greatest imagination and understanding, but who are extremely obedient to the basic principles. In college, Chen Ke was able to sit meticulously in front of the reactor for 40 hours and record data every 20 minutes. But when he came to society, he completely deviated from this correct attitude, and always hoped to obtain a permanent comfortable life through a decisive victory.

And it is not only Chen Ke who holds this idea, but most of the other political forces in China now, including members of the People's Party, have begun to have similar ideas.

Although it is repeatedly emphasized in "The Theory of Contradiction", when the contradiction ends forever, it is the time of death. But countless people are running all the way to death, and they still think that they are moving forward towards a bright future. This extreme seriousness and comical nature made Chen Ke want to explain this truth to everyone, but he also felt that everyone really would not believe that the only "once and for all" that exists in this world is death.

Looking at the comrades who were talking, Chen Ke sighed, no wonder the party loves to hold meetings, and Grandpa Mao is also the most opposed to dogmatism, if there is no meeting, and the goal cannot be determined in stages, then there is no big joke, and it is destined to lead the revolutionary work to a situation from which there will be no return.

"Comrades, since Europe has extended its tentacles to the whole world, let's discuss the work of Hubei with the outbreak of the First World War in 1905 as a basic strategic consideration." Chen Ke interrupted the obviously unscientific discussion with practical reasons.

With specific conditions, the discussion became formal. Since it is impossible for Europe to launch a full-scale war of aggression against China, cooperation is indeed the mainstream at this stage. The struggle with Europe has become a situation in which Europe must not be given the opportunity to meddle in China, and it is necessary to stabilize China's current situation and ensure basic reunification.

The discussion soon reached the first conclusion, and it was necessary to determine the relationship with Yuan Shikai for continued cooperation. So far, the People's Party has fully complied with the content of the previous stage agreement with Yuan Shikai. Then a solid foundation was laid for the next stage of cooperation.

Of course, some comrades also raised questions, "Since there were no problems in the previous stage of cooperation, why should we discuss the next step of cooperation with Yuan Shikai?" ”

"Because the basis of cooperation has changed." Lu Huitian replied, "In the previous period of cooperation, Yuan Shikai's purpose was to stabilize the situation so that he could seize central power. Now the situation has developed to the point where the fall of the Manchu Qing is a foregone conclusion. And the provinces are in chaos, and Yuan Shikai is already concerned about his complete control of the situation at this time, not simply stabilizing the situation. If we don't negotiate with him further at this time, Yuan Shikai will have a lot of misunderstandings about us. The first thing to do is to dispel misunderstandings. ”

"But aren't we going to have a decisive battle with Beiyang in the end?"

"This is a consensus, not a misunderstanding." Lu Huitian seems to have really read through the content of "The Theory of Contradiction", "The contradiction between us and the ultimate dominance of Beiyang will always exist, unless one of us disappears." And before the contradictions between the two sides develop to the level of fighting each other, it is necessary for us to cooperate to the greatest extent. This is not that we want to compromise with Beiyang, the reason for this is that there are also deep contradictions between us and other forces, and in order to solve these contradictions, we must cooperate with Beiyang. ”

Having said that, the comrades have no objections. The remaining question was the selection of delegations.

"Comrade Lu Huitian, are you interested in leading the team to Beiyang?" Chen Ke nodded.

"I obey the organization." Lu Huitian replied very simply.