Public lectures were originally a very curious thing in 1905 China. For the common folk, scholarship was the business of scholars. The ordinary people of Shanghai now knew that foreigners also engaged in scholarship, and perhaps even did it better than the Chinese. Regardless, scholarship had nothing to do with the common people. Therefore, the posters and propaganda everywhere, as well as the advertisements published in the Shanghai newspapers, did not incite any special affection for learning among the populace.

The rise of Shanghai, aside from bringing more employment opportunities as a trading port, saw urban construction lagging far behind social development. Chen Ke never liked wandering around Shanghai; the Shanghai of 1905 was a city filled with slums and shantytowns. Apart from the concessions and a few areas in the old Chinese city that looked somewhat decent, Chen Ke’s evaluation of the city was that it was "not even up to the level of a Chinese county town in the 80s." A massive influx of population entering Shanghai to make a living directly created the cramped and chaotic housing pattern of Shanghai for decades to come.

The old workshop of Zhou Yuanxiao’s family was the building that best fit Chen Ke’s aesthetic: large and spacious. The drying yard of several hundred square meters was very satisfying. As soon as one stepped out the door, the crowded alleys, dilapidated buildings, and vast shantytowns made it impossible for Chen Ke to feel any urge to go window shopping.

With such terrible urban planning, one could well imagine the poverty of the common people's entertainment life. So, although the people did not love scholarship, they were willing to go and watch the spectacle.

The location of this lecture was not far from the teahouse where Chen Ke and You Gou first met; it was a patch of ground coordinated with the help of the British. When Qi Huishen announced the address at the Party meeting, the three who had participated in beating up the foreigners together—whether they were the ones hitting or the ones watching—couldn't help but burst into laughter. This made Qi Huishen feel baffled. You Gou, amidst laughter, explained the matter clearly, and the comrades at the meeting also roared with laughter. Leaving Hua Xiongmao aside, the fact that Chen Ke was also a guy who would throw punches at the slightest disagreement greatly deviated from everyone’s impression of him. As for Miss You Gou being able to stab someone with chopsticks, that was even more unimaginable.

Qi Huishen teased You Gou, calling her a heroine. You Gou smiled and pulled a Swiss Army knife out of her pocket. She had extorted this from Chen Ke. "Next time I stab someone, I’ll use this. I absolutely won't use things like chopsticks."

Hearing this, Qi Huishen grinned and didn't dare say anything more.

The venue was at a street corner, a space of over 100 square meters roped off. It was airy and bright, very open. The speaker for the first part was You Gou. In those days, there were no microphones; teaching relied entirely on shouting, so making the venue too large would have been meaningless.

On the first day of the lecture, unexpectedly, more than 300 people showed up. About half were there to watch the excitement, while the other half were parents truly coming to see the capabilities of the teachers at the new school.

The advertisements and flyers stated clearly that this lecture was a professional lecture by a teacher from the newly opened Shanghai Renxin Medical College. This new school had a strong faculty, and Teacher You Gou was a student who had studied in Germany. In that era, a student returned from Germany was, in the eyes of ordinary parents, someone with scholarship as high as the heavens.

When You Gou walked onto the platform wearing a light grey suit, an embroidered shirt, and low-cut leather boots, the audience below didn't know what to make of it for a moment. You Gou’s outfit could only be described as "avant-garde" in this era. A low hum of whispers rose from the crowd. No one knew what this lady, who looked completely at odds with propriety, intended to do. You Gou raised her left hand and checked the wristwatch that Chen Ke had insisted she wear; many of the wealthier parents had seen or heard of that glittering object. There was another stir in the crowd.

"Hello everyone, I am a teacher at Shanghai Renxin Hospital, my name is You Gou. I will be giving today's public lesson." You Gou’s clear voice carried far, audible to people both in front and back. The audience exploded; a young woman going to Germany to study was shocking enough, even in Shanghai. Let alone this woman giving a lecture to everyone. Some were very disappointed and began to leave, cursing, but more people surged forward, wanting to see this woman’s face more clearly. A woman who could go to Germany to study was naturally from a wealthy family. On the Bund of Shanghai, although many women came out to work, wealthy women willing to show their faces and teach were truly as rare as phoenix feathers.

Qi Huishen, He Zudao, Qin Wuan, and others in the front row hurriedly stood up, and it took a good while to maintain order.

When You Gou took out a white candle and lit it, a ripple of laughter came from the crowd. You Gou’s face turned bright red; actually, from the moment she stepped onto the platform and saw hundreds of eyes focused on her face, she felt slightly dizzy. The skin on her face tightened, the hairs on her back stood up, and her legs felt a bit weak.

This wasn't like teaching Chen Ke and the others, where everyone was an acquaintance and You Gou felt fine. Nor was it like teaching progressive youths in the workshop, where everyone had some knowledge and could at least remain polite.

The attire of the crowd varied; many wore short coats, but there were also those in long robes and mandarin jackets. The vast majority were men, with women and children at the edge of the venue. You Gou now finally understood the meaning of "To see a thousand miles, go up another floor." The platform wasn't very high, a bit over half a meter. But this was enough for You Gou’s line of sight to cover the entire audience, and especially for her gaze to pass over the audience and see directly to the street. There, many pedestrians seeing You Gou take the stage looked over, and even the windows on the second floor across the street opened, with men and women poking their heads out.

Steading herself, You Gou turned around and wrote the topic of the lecture on the blackboard: *The Story of a Candle*.

To be honest, in 1905, although the masses loved a spectacle and everyone was curious having never seen a woman lecture, wanting to get closer to get a look at this female teacher, the scene at least maintained some basic etiquette. Although You Gou taking the stage to teach as a woman was too shocking to the world, the newspaper groundwork laid beforehand, and You Gou’s public act of checking her watch, made everyone feel some awe towards this "female teacher." Moreover, this course was originally a popular science material prepared by Faraday for children, with content mostly consisting of experiments, lively and vivid. It wasn't intended for profound scientific education, but merely a course for the purpose of science popularization. Therefore, You Gou’s lesson was very simple and easy to understand.

Everyone off stage, whether rich or poor, had used candles. They also knew people had to breathe. So, from the composition of air to the burning of a candle, after a few simple little experiments, everyone could understand that air was actually divided into two types: one breathable, one not. They understood why covering firewood with a basin or covering it with soil could extinguish a fire. The masses were that simple; simple truths and simple experiments immediately made everyone feel they had gained a lot. Respect arose in their hearts for this delicate and beautiful female teacher on stage.

When You Gou announced the end of that day's lesson, someone below shouted "Good!", and shouts of applause followed one after another. You Gou bowed slightly with a flushed face, then fled the stage as if flying. This normal reaction for a girl actually incited a burst of even louder applause.

You Gou loosened her tie. Qi Huishen walked up clapping, "Well spoken." If it were before, You Gou would have exchanged a few words with Qi Huishen, but at this moment, hundreds of pairs of eyes were looking in her direction. She nodded slightly, "I'm leaving right now." Qi Huishen hurriedly hailed a waiting rickshaw puller to send You Gou back to the workshop.

Just as You Gou left, parents flocked over to ask Qi Huishen about the situation of this new school, where it was located, when classes started, where the female teacher just now came from, and what she taught at the school. Surrounded by so many enthusiastic parents, Qi Huishen fully appreciated what You Gou had just felt. He simply stood on the platform and loudly announced the details of Shanghai Renxin Medical College. He Zudao and Qin Wuan were responsible for distributing the *Whampoa Review*. In addition to today's lecture content, this issue of the *Whampoa Review* also contained a brief introduction to the school.

He thought the parents would disperse after this, but unexpectedly, not only did they not leave, but more questions were raised. Is this school really tuition-free? How do medical students find jobs after graduation? What about the affiliated middle school and the affiliated nursing school? What about that affiliated hospital? Will there be a lecture tomorrow?

"Wenqing, you guessed completely wrong!" Qi Huishen complained in his heart. The day before the class started, Chen Ke thought that the number of people coming to listen wouldn't be too few, but not too many either. And there shouldn't be too many parents inquiring and signing up. Qi Huishen thought so too. He didn't expect there to be so many inquirers; it really exceeded original expectations.

This wasn't even the most exaggerated part. After finally answering the parents' questions, there were still people running over to peek and peer, obviously there to watch the excitement. After looking for a while, they tentatively asked, hearing there was a beautiful female teacher lecturing here. Seeing the longing and lecherous looks of those people, He Zudao and Qin Wuan’s expressions changed drastically. They uniformly answered that there would be no lecture tomorrow, and then drove these people away.

The grandeur of the second day was astonishing. The night before, after Qi Huishen reported the situation, Chen Ke had Qi Huishen go out overnight to contact people. Through Qi Huishen's father, Qi Si'e, they borrowed two foreign devils from the British. These two were Russian paupers, but they were tall and big. They were there to pad the scene for the British school, and the British were willing to help. These two "grey cattle" of the Tsar, with an agreed wage of fifty pence a day each, stood at the two corners of the stage and immediately suppressed the venue. The number of people attending the lecture on the second day was several times that of yesterday. Yesterday there was at least some spare space, but today it was packed full, and even the street was full of standing people.

You Gou’s class was even more attention-grabbing. A voltaic pile performing water electrolysis and other experiments. Seeing the combustible gas decomposed from water greatly overturned the audience's worldview. The look in everyone's eyes watching You Gou was no longer just awe, but fear. In the eyes of many, this female teacher was perhaps an enlightened Daoist. Water that could extinguish fire was actually composed of a gas that aids combustion and a gas that burns. If this wasn't magic, what was it?

When You Gou finished the class and was preparing to leave, female parents had already blocked You Gou’s way a step ahead. While looking at the female teacher with awe, the mothers praised You Gou’s knowledge and asked countless questions. You Gou was also moved; this was the first time she had been so esteemed since returning to China. To be honest, after returning to China, You Gou hadn't really been taken seriously. Before meeting Chen Ke, even partners were men who were either insanely jealous of You Gou or held a deep-seated attitude of contempt, deliberately keeping a distance from her.

After meeting Chen Ke, everyone respected each other and got along very amicably. But Chen Ke’s knowledge was far above You Gou’s, so she didn't feel she was anything special at all. Only now, although the crowd might not understand her knowledge, that heartfelt respect and esteem made You Gou truly realize the power of science. Those women asking this and that were full of hope that their children could be as learned and knowledgeable as You Gou. Facing these people, You Gou was even somewhat moved.

Qi Huishen managed to keep his cool. He separated the crowd and quickly got You Gou onto a rickshaw, while he, He Zudao, Qin Wuan, and the others began to continue answering questions. It took nearly two hours to barely clear the venue.

In the evening, the Party meeting discussed this matter. The comrades attending were no longer just the original few; Qin Wuan and others had also joined the meeting.

"I really didn't expect the common people to be so thirsty for science," Qin Wuan praised. Chen Ke had a high opinion of Qin Wuan. Qin Wuan came from a family of small workshop owners in Songjiang, was the third son, and had studied in a church school. Later, he worked in a cloth shop. When the cloth shop went under, Qin Wuan was temporarily out of work, and that was when he met Qi Huishen. Later, Qi Huishen dragged him to listen to lectures. This young man had a steady personality, was neither hasty nor impetuous, and was very hardworking and enduring. Chen Ke intended to groom Qin Wuan into a core member.

"We need to find a construction team to start building our school immediately," Qi Huishen said excitedly.

"I've found the people, just waiting for Wenqing to meet them," Hua Xiongmao said.

"Then as soon as possible."

The next day, Chen Ke met with Yuwen Badu. Before meeting, hearing the name, Chen Ke thought Yuwen Badu might be a tall, powerfully built fellow. After meeting, Chen Ke was truly surprised. Yuwen Badu was not short, but his whole person was round and rolling. Thirty-something years old, the top of his head already sporting a Mediterranean hairstyle. On a face as round as his body, his complexion was ruddy, a pair of large and black eyes rolled very nimbly, and his thick lips actually presented a pink color, looking like an infant who had had its fill of milk. With this appearance, in most people's imagination, Yuwen Badu's voice should be high and thin like an infant's, but as soon as Yuwen Badu opened his mouth, it was a deep voice like a religious preacher, with a kind of oppressive force that pointed directly at the human heart. Such a huge contrast left Chen Ke somewhat shocked.

"I heard Brother Chen is looking for us, that there is work for us to do." Yuwen Badu's attitude was very sincere, at least his voice was sincere.

Chen Ke strongly suspected he had been fooled by this obvious contrast of Yuwen Badu's, rendering him unable to see through Yuwen Badu's thoughts. He steadied himself and discussed business with a cold, clear gaze and emotion. Sure enough, seeing Chen Ke quickly recover his calm, a trace of panic appeared in Yuwen Badu's expression.

Yuwen Badu's asking price was very high, and Chen Ke argued on the basis of reason. Whenever Badu started using that thick, reliable voice to try and prove his grievances and raise the price, Chen Ke's cool and firm voice would thwart Badu's attempt.

"Brother Yuwen, that's not how the accounts are calculated." Chen Ke smiled gently, then began to calculate for Yuwen Badu. From food costs, wages, including clothing wear and tear, to potential work injuries. After deducing this string of numbers, the total was more than half less than the price Yuwen Badu had asked.

"That's not the calculation, Mr. Chen. With your calculation, we'd starve to death." Yuwen Badu shook his head repeatedly.

"Brother Yuwen, then how do you say it should be calculated?" Chen Ke looked at the somewhat flustered and exasperated Yuwen Badu and asked in a relaxed tone.

After a round of bargaining, the price finally entered the final "decisive moment." Yuwen Badu almost used a pleading, crying tone to try and persuade Chen Ke. Chen Ke unceremoniously cut the daily wage by another five *wen*.

Yuwen Badu reluctantly submitted. Making money in this era wasn't that easy. Chen Ke proposed a one-month project, and the money to be made was quite a lot. But Chen Ke's next move almost drove Yuwen Badu crazy. A detailed project plan was handed to Yuwen Badu. It contained detailed regulations regarding various quantities of work. How to reward, how to punish, all written clearly. After reading this plan, Yuwen Badu knew he had met an old hand. He pointed out several obviously unreasonable places to Chen Ke, saying that hoisting such roof beams could absolutely not be completed in such a short time.

Chen Ke was completely unmoved. He pointed to the explanations next to those points; Yuwen Badu only needed to provide the manpower in the plan. The erection of scaffolding and lifting equipment would be the responsibility of Chen Ke's side. In these years, building houses relied on the construction team to do everything themselves; for the client to produce such a detailed design document was simply contrary to common sense. Yuwen Badu questioned Chen Ke: if the work couldn't be completed on schedule, whose account would the wages go to? Chen Ke again pointed to the relevant contract clauses, which had detailed explanations.

Faced with such a flawless contract, Yuwen Badu finally completely submitted.

After sending away Yuwen Badu, Wu Xingchen came to visit. He fulfilled his promise and brought five people; one look and you could tell they were martial arts practitioners. These people could not be slighted, so Chen Ke took everyone to the restaurant where they had drunk together the previous few times.

At the banquet, Wu Xingchen introduced these people to Chen Ke one by one. Chen Ke sized them up; they were all in their twenties, and two of them had scars on their faces. They all had Shandong accents. Perhaps having experienced much hardship, their expressions were quite steady.

After a few cups of wine, everyone talked about their situations. A thought suddenly moved in Chen Ke, and he slowly guided the topic towards the Boxers. Hearing this topic, the expressions of the Shandong heroes darkened. The leader, named Xu Youli, said, "Originally, we were beating foreigners in the capital. Later, the government suddenly turned on us. If Big Brother Wu hadn't led a hundred of us to run first, we would have died in the capital."

Hearing this, Wu Xingchen's face changed drastically. But given his earlier intimate behavior with Chen Ke and his statement "We are all on the same side," it seemed these brothers really felt there was no problem. However, Chen Ke gently patted Wu Xingchen's arm, his expression revealing that he understood very well. Wu Xingchen couldn't flare up at the table no matter what. He had to force a smile and listen to everyone talk.

After Xu Youli finished, everyone nodded in agreement. "When we got home, that bastard Yuan Shikai was killing our brothers in Shandong. We could only run back to Hebei and stayed in Cangzhou for a few years. A few days ago, Big Brother Wu suddenly sent someone to find us, asking us to come to Shanghai to help. So we came."

"You came by boat? Did you get seasick?" Chen Ke hurriedly spoke of some lighter topics.

"Yeah, took a boat all the way here. In Cangzhou, we also fished, didn't get too dizzy. Just that the smell on the boat was too strong. Wasn't very comfortable," Xu Youli said. After finishing, Xu Youli looked Chen Ke up and down carefully. "Mr. Chen, Big Brother Wu said you want us to be bodyguards for you. What exactly is going on?"

"There are bad people in Shanghai who want to make trouble for me. So I'm asking everyone to help out for two months. After these two months, I'll go somewhere else." Chen Ke introduced his situation.

"How many people do they have?" Xu Youli asked.

"They don't have many people either; having one of our brothers by my side is enough," Chen Ke replied.

"Do they have guns?" Xu Youli asked next.

"It's mostly during the day; at night there's actually not much. They wouldn't dare use guns in broad daylight either." Chen Ke knew very well he wasn't telling the truth, but he couldn't exactly say there would be a gunfight in broad daylight.

"Then we brothers can definitely handle it," Xu Youli replied.

"I trust everyone." Chen Ke laughed.

After the banquet broke up, Wu Xingchen arranged accommodation for the Shandong heroes, then rushed to the workshop. As soon as he entered, Wu Xingchen saw no one was around and sat down opposite Chen Ke. "Wenqing, what did you mean?"

"I just remembered the matter and asked casually," Chen Ke laughed. "Brother Wu, you are a Boxer, I am a Revolutionary. That's quite good."