Chen Ke had counted the members of the Huangpu Book Society; there were 127 in total. Participation in this outward bound training was not mandatory. After spending 10 minutes teaching and training, everyone could finally count off according to Chen Ke's orders.

"1"

"2"

"3"

...

...

"15"

The first row finally finished counting off.

"Have you eaten? Why are your voices like mosquitoes humming? Count again." Chen Ke's voice wasn't harsh. The young people in the front rows were a bit better, but quite a few in the back rows were still talking and laughing.

After a burst of laughter, the counting off didn't start. Chen Ke let out a loud roar with a resonant voice, "Start counting off." All the young people were shaken, and the smiles looking at Chen Ke faded significantly. The students in the first row began to count off again.

Discipline and obedience start from standardization; queue training is merely the first step. And this first step took an hour before these students lined up into a ten-by-eleven square formation.

Teaching everyone to step with the left foot first when walking in step took another half an hour.

"Eyes left," "Eyes right"—this took another half an hour.

The square formation advanced together, but after walking less than ten meters, the formation that could barely be called orderly began to fall apart.

Chen Ke was not discouraged. According to those memoirs, back then, to train the Red Army of peasant origin to turn left or right took a very long time. In today's military training, the students' performance was already very good. Military training is never a short-term process; even the most basic training lasts for several days. What's more, there was only one day today.

When the herd-like formation reached the designated position, Chen Ke ran over with a normal expression, directed everyone to line up again, and started training again.

More than three hours passed quickly. Everyone was obviously very tired. Chen Ke shouted, "Dismissed." The students felt as if they had been granted a general amnesty and scattered one after another.

Military training is definitely not an easy task; just giving these commands made Chen Ke's throat feel uncomfortable. Watching the young people hiding in shady places to rest, Chen Ke wiped the sweat from his forehead.

But before long, everyone's gaze fell on an unnoticed place. Chen Ke turned his head and saw Yan Fu, still wearing the clothes from the last time they met, standing there watching everyone. Chen Ke had been focusing on military training and didn't even know when Yan Fu had arrived. This appearance was really somewhat unexpected. Chen Ke reflected on his answer this morning and couldn't think of any problems. Since that was the case, Chen Ke didn't play any clichés either. He just went up and greeted him simply.

"Is Wenqing training soldiers?" Yan Fu asked. His attention wasn't on Chen Ke but on that group of young people.

"How could that be? Just a little military training to give everyone some organization and discipline." Chen Ke couldn't read any emotions from Yan Fu's face. But seeing Yan Fu looking at the young people with a very special gaze, it seemed like he was observing the effect of the military training. Chen Ke suddenly remembered that Yan Fu himself was not a simple literatus. Although in later generations, Yan Fu's most famous title was the translator of *Tianyanlun*, an intellectual who introduced Western learning into China, Yan Fu himself had solidly engaged in work at the Beiyang Naval Academy for many years and finally became the principal. Yan Fu was by no means a layman regarding training soldiers. Thinking of this, Chen Ke dared not make a sound and stood beside Yan Fu waiting for him to speak.

Yan Fu withdrew his gaze and asked, "Has Wenqing served in the army?"

"No."

"Is today the first day of training soldiers?"

"This is military training, not training soldiers," Chen Ke corrected again.

Yan Fu nodded slightly. "To be able to train to this state on the first day is also considered commendable."

Chen Ke didn't want this senior to criticize his hard-earned results anymore. Although Yan Fu didn't seem malicious, if such evaluation continued, heaven knew where the conversation would drift.

"Mr. Yan, are you passing by here today?"

"No, since Wenqing refused to see me, I had to come over to visit personally," Yan Fu laughed.

"I really have things to do today," Chen Ke said frankly.

"Regarding the pharmaceutical factory mentioned last time, I have already found the Shanghai Daotai and talked about it. He wants Wenqing to go to Hankou to treat a few patients."

"My medicine can only treat patients in the first and second stages; I wonder if Mr. Yan knows this," Chen Ke hurriedly said.

"I read the printed material Wenqing has; I know a thing or two. I also brought a copy when I went. After seeing it, the Shanghai Daotai said it should be curable."

"This medicine is toxic; I'm afraid it might kill people," Chen Ke hurriedly added.

"Haha, Wenqing is indeed cautious. Your *Huangpu Review* has stated it repeatedly several times. The Daotai definitely saw it. My original intention was to push this medicine to the Nanyang and Beiyang Navies. As a result, a certain Yuan wants us to help him first. This matter must trouble Wenqing to come forward."

"I can't get away. How about sending a capable person to do this?"

"That is also acceptable."

"Do I need to go see that Lord Yuan first?"

"No need. The Daotai has already instructed someone to handle this matter; Wenqing just needs to send someone to find this person."

"I'll go arrange it now. Please wait a moment, Mr. Yan." After speaking, Chen Ke walked quickly toward the construction site.

This was actually a good opportunity. These years, places needing specific medicine were mainly port cities. Wherever foreigners arrived, this malignant disease spread. Chen Ke originally wanted to find Hua Xiongmao to discuss sending Dr. Wang Qinian. If Wang Qinian was sent, who would take over Wang Qinian's position? A name suddenly popped out. Chen Ke's steps couldn't help but slow down; finally, Chen Ke simply turned his head and walked toward Mao Ping.

"Come with me for a moment," Chen Ke said to Mao Ping.

Hearing Chen Ke's idea of wanting Mao Ping to go to Hankou to treat patients, Mao Ping was quite excited. First, he could serve Mr. Chen whom he respected very much; second, he could display his professional skills. Both reasons made Mao Ping feel high-spirited. "Mr. Wenqing, I will definitely do this job well."

"I believe in you," Chen Ke said resolutely.

The two talked about Mao Ping's medical skills on the way and soon found Hua Xiongmao. Chen Ke explained the matter. Hua Xiongmao sized up Mao Ping and, seeing Mao Ping looking back at him with firm eyes, appearing quite confident in handling this matter, nodded. "Wenqing, so you want me to take Mao Ping to see Dr. Wang?"

"We can't completely decide this matter. Tell Dr. Wang that all patient injections today will be done by Mao Ping. Dr. Wang will guide from the side. Once there is time, let Mao Ping read the medical records thoroughly," Chen Ke said to Hua Xiongmao.

After speaking, Chen Ke turned to Mao Ping again. "Read the medical records thoroughly to see what reactions patients have during the use of this medicine. How to respond. I only give you today and tomorrow, two days; do it well."

"I will absolutely not let Mr. Chen down."

Watching Mao Ping and Hua Xiongmao leave together, Chen Ke explained the work to Qin Wu'an again before running back to reply to Yan Fu. The two confirmed that tomorrow afternoon, the person responsible for this matter would go find Yan Fu, and Yan Fu would introduce this person to meet Yuan Shufan.

After explaining the matters, Chen Ke looked at Yan Fu and said somewhat embarrassedly, "Mr. Yan, there are no places to eat nearby. I'm taking everyone to cook together today. Mr. Yan, will you join us, or what are your plans?"

"Wenqing wants to lead everyone to cook personally?" Yan Fu was somewhat surprised. In Yan Fu's view, Chen Ke was the president of the Study Society; naturally, others would cook and bring food over. He didn't expect Chen Ke to labor personally.

"Top and bottom are one body. As the president of the Study Society, if I flee at the sight of work, how can everyone look up to me?" Chen Ke said casually. For Chen Ke, this was just the most basic work attitude. Even in the 21st century, Chen Ke had seen many provincial-level cadres who, for a national reception conference, not only commanded the venue arrangement personally but also moved tables and chairs themselves. A deputy general manager of a mobile company, after receiving a batch of printed materials, would still squat on the ground at the door checking leaflets one by one. Although this deputy general manager drove off impatiently to eat and drink with everyone immediately after checking these tasks, this quality of doing things was absolutely not comparable to those below who were careless and slack when encountering work.

Doing things personally in work—this is the Party's tradition. Before the founding of the PRC, facing a harsh environment, the Party absolutely implemented the leading role of Party members. Even after the Reform and Opening Up, encountering moments of peril, Party members still stepped forward. Before a great disaster, you could definitely see those figures usually rarely seen in the most dangerous places. This is the power of organization.

Chen Ke could gain everyone's approval by relying on never evading responsibility and never engaging in any special treatment. Cooking and eating with everyone—Chen Ke felt it was truly the most ordinary thing.

Yan Fu didn't see it this way. As an intellectual educated in a hierarchical society of privilege, Yan Fu felt receiving various privileges was perfectly justified. As a principal, eating with students was obviously something that didn't fit his status. But he could already determine that Chen Ke had the intention to rebel. As a rebel, if he couldn't gain universal support from the people below, there was only a dead end. Chen Ke doing this was not without precedent; Chinese history books recorded too many rebels who recruited followers like this. Yan Fu actually felt it was not bad for Chen Ke to do this. He laughed, "I didn't know Wenqing could cook; then I'll have to disturb you for a meal."

"I will do my best." Chen Ke didn't stand on ceremony either.

"Comrades, start cooking," Chen Ke shouted loudly. People who heard this turned their faces to look at Chen Ke.

Woks, rice, vegetables, salt, soy sauce, and other materials had long been prepared. Shovels, firewood, and other equipment were also ready. Chen Ke let the students form groups based on the unit of ten people in a row in the formation. He began to assign tasks to each group. Young people liked liveliness when together, let alone this sudden picnic. Plus, having drilled all morning, the young people were all hungry; for a time, there was truly laughter and joy.

Some were responsible for fetching water, some for washing rice and vegetables. Chen Ke personally led people to dig stoves and bury woks, while Yan Fu stood by watching. Everyone was assigned a task; everyone was busy. Although the students' eyes looking at him held admiration, in such an environment, no one actually ran over to talk to him disregarding the crowd. This was truly rare. Yan Fu was very satisfied with Chen Ke's organizational ability.

Many hands make light work. It didn't take too long for the dishes to be stir-fried, and the big wok steaming rice was emitting billowing white steam. Chen Ke didn't let the students move freely but asked everyone to line up again and sit down neatly.

"I want to ask everyone a question. Dinner is about to start. How can we divide today's rice evenly? How can we make everyone believe that the rice is divided evenly?"

This question was really interesting. The crowd had never thought about how to achieve this degree.

"Anyone who has a suggestion, raise your hand to speak."

The crowd looked at each other in blank dismay. Don't look down on this small matter of dividing rice; if it really had to be divided evenly and everyone had to believe it, this wasn't easy. After a while, a student raised his hand. Chen Ke knew this student was named An Rushan, a student of Fudan Public School. "Elect a person everyone can approve of."

Chen Ke let An Rushan sit down before saying, "With so many of us, we may not even know each other; how can we elect a person everyone can approve of? Moreover, with over a hundred of us, waiting for you to elect someone will take six hours, right? We can eat dinner by then."

The students below roared with laughter, and An Rushan blushed deeply.

Seeing no one dared to continue speaking, Chen Ke laughed, "The rice will be ready soon. If you can't come up with a way, I can't let everyone eat. Coming for outward bound training once, resulting in accumulated grudges later—I won't do such a thing."

Another student raised his hand; his name was Lu Huitian, also from Fudan Public School. "We find a few people to specifically supervise the serving of rice. Set very strict rules. For example, exactly how much to serve per bowl must have a rule." Speaking to this point, Lu Huitian suddenly had a new idea. "We get a steelyard scale and weigh every bowl." Other students heard this suggestion; some felt it was acceptable, while others felt it was nonsense. Someone already shouted: "I'll starve to death by the time you finish weighing." Immediately, there was another burst of laughter.

When Lu Huitian sat down blushing, Chen Ke asked, "Do you think this rice can be divided absolutely fairly? Without the slightest difference?"

Most students had expressions of disbelief on their faces.

"Everyone isn't a god; we can't achieve absolute equality. The reason we cannot accept uneven division is that we cannot accept subjectively and deliberately giving more to oneself or people one likes. As long as it's not subjective deliberation, objectively dividing rice will inevitably result in this one being slightly more and that one slightly less. This tiny difference, I think everyone can accept, right?"

After listening to Chen Ke's lessons, everyone understood the two words "subjective" and "objective." The students nodded one after another after hearing this.

"If we find a person responsible for dividing rice, soon everyone will find that this person divides the most for themselves; this is human nature. So we change to another person, and everyone will still find that the rice in the bowl of the person presiding over the division is the most and best. Everyone thinks this method won't work, so we take turns presiding over the rice division, one day per person. This equates to admitting that individuals have the power to divide more rice for themselves, while giving everyone the opportunity to divide more for themselves. Although it looks equal, what then? Today we only have one chance; there will be conflict immediately. Or, everyone elects a trustworthy person to preside over the rice division. Leaving aside how long it takes to elect this person, even if this person of superior moral character can still be basically fair, he won't give himself more, but because of face, he will give more to people he has good relations with. Still unfair."

After saying this, Chen Ke looked at the steaming steam on the big rice-steaming wok and glanced at his wristwatch. "This rice will be cooked soon, and we are still discussing this issue endlessly here. Hmm, if we can't come up with a constitution quickly, we'll have to go hungry."

The students roared with laughter again.

"Mr. Chen, do you actually have a method?"

"Yeah, according to what you said, no matter how it's divided, it won't be fair. How can everyone feel it's fair?"

Everyone shouted one after another. The crowd's interest was really aroused. Seeing Chen Ke's appearance of having a well-thought-out plan, it seemed he must have an excellent method. Chen Ke had already negated other lines of thought, so what method could Chen Ke come up with? Everyone, including Yan Fu, was full of curiosity.

"Very simple. We don't need to choose any highly respected person, nor do we need any supervision. First, find three people to divide the rice in the wok into eleven big portions. Then these three people go to the side and wait first. Every team randomly finds a person to draw lots, pick a big portion in order, and then divide this big portion into ten small portions. Then they can go to the side and wait. Then, everyone goes up to take rice themselves; finally, let these rice dividers take what's left."

The cleverer ones already understood Chen Ke's meaning; they had already started to cheer. Those who didn't understand pulled those who understood and asked for an explanation. "Anyway, the rice dividers simply don't know who will benefit from dividing more or less in the end. If it's divided unevenly, they themselves will definitely eat the least. The rice dividers will naturally divide the rice very seriously. Moreover, we also know this is the case; we will definitely leave the least for the rice dividers. Naturally, we will also feel the division is reasonable." The person asked explained excitedly.

This logic was very simple; everyone understood it as soon as they heard it. Everyone was sighing about why they hadn't thought of such a simple principle themselves. Unknown who started clapping first, in a moment, more than a hundred students began to clap and cheer. Everyone already admired Chen Ke's scholarship very much; this matter made everyone feel a sincere admiration. Everyone hoped for fairness, and everyone felt they had been wronged. The greatest advantage of Chen Ke's method was that it guaranteed fairness to the greatest extent. For such wit, everyone truly admired it immensely. The dissatisfaction with Chen Ke accumulated from three hours of drilling had completely vanished at this time.

Even Yan Fu couldn't help clapping gently. After Chen Ke raised this question, Yan Fu was pondering how to divide it well. Yan Fu had long thought of the few methods Chen Ke summarized later. Although it couldn't be said they weren't fair enough, making everyone admit they were treated fairly was truly difficult. With Chen Ke's method, everyone could accept objective unfairness, but the subjective sense of unfairness disappeared completely. Yan Fu had been an official for many years; he had experienced too many struggles with unfathomable human hearts. An army can be deprived of its commander, but a common man cannot be deprived of his will. Persuading a person is too difficult, yet Chen Ke used such a simple method to sort out clues in a matter like dividing rice that had always been entangled and unclear; this couldn't help but make Yan Fu admire him.

"Classmates, don't shout anymore. Whoever is willing to volunteer to serve everyone, step forward." Chen Ke wasn't willing to let everyone make noise like this; he was also hungry.