The leader of the Insurance Corps fleet was He Zudao. He had met Pu Guanshui and could be considered an "acquaintance." Pu Guanshui was a few years older than He Zudao. When he first met He Zudao half a year ago, he still felt this frail youth was just a half-grown child. But not seeing him for half a year, when He Zudao appeared in front of Pu Guanshui again, he was already like a different person.

Standing on the bow, He Zudao waved to Pu Guanshui on the opposite bow but didn't stand on ceremony. He just arranged the merging of the two fleets methodically. According to the letter Pu Guanshui gave Chen Ke at that time, after the two fleets merged, they needed to hand over arms and supplies first. He Zudao dispatched the ships completely according to such a predetermined plan.

The Insurance Corps fleet consisted of five large black-awning boats. The sailors on the boats seemed really well-trained. Although the river surface was relatively wide, the two fleets approaching side by side were still somewhat crowded. Fortunately, there were no other boats on the river. Plus the sailors manipulated the boats skillfully, the two fleets lined up in two columns. The sailors adjusted the positions of sails and oars to keep the fleet moving at the same speed.

Pu Guanshui sized up the Insurance Corps fleet and saw that the sailors were all wearing uniform dark blue clothes. There was a label sewn with white cloth on the left chest with some words written on it. A small number of sailors had short hair like He Zudao, which was very similar to Chen Ke's hair. That is to say, very much like monks, with extremely short hair. Most others still kept queues. The sailors didn't look much different from ordinary people, except they were cleaner and tidier, and their faces were washed. Wearing sun hats with hat straps tightly strangled on the chin, they looked neat and agile when moving. While watching, He Zudao's boat first docked with Pu Guanshui's boat.

The sailors nimbly fixed the two boats with ropes. He Zudao first looked around to see if the ropes were tied firmly before jumping onto Pu Guanshui's boat.

"Brother Guanshui, long time no see. Mr. Wenqing asked me to come and welcome Brother Guanshui." He Zudao smiled. This was not the smile carrying a bit of helplessness in Pu Guanshui's memory of He Zudao. It seemed He Zudao had experienced many things in this half year. This smile no longer carried his own emotions; on the contrary, this smile was full of confidence and frankness, but one could no longer see through He Zudao himself at a glance.

"Brother Zudao, long time no see. Is Wenqing well?" Pu Guanshui responded.

"Mr. Wenqing is very well. After receiving Brother Guanshui's letter, he has been looking forward to Brother Guanshui's early arrival."

After these words were spoken, the two fell into a strange silence. Pu Guanshui was slightly confused, while He Zudao waited very patiently for Pu Guanshui to speak.

Silence was maintained for a while. The New Army soldiers and Insurance Corps soldiers watched the two leaders say nothing and didn't interrupt. Except for the sound of river water flowing and the fluttering sound of the People's Party flag and New Army military flag flapping in the river wind, it was actually a silence. Until the cry of a baby came from Pu Guanshui's fleet, this silence was broken.

Pu Guanshui didn't mean to leave He Zudao hanging deliberately, but had a lot to say but didn't know where to start. Hearing the baby's cry, he said: "Brother Zudao, I saved some victims who threw themselves into the water along the way. Can we arrange some of them onto your boats first?"

He Zudao didn't have any expression of surprise. He smiled: "No problem. We also saved some common people along the way. Originally, the fleet had twelve boats; we sent seven boats to transport people back to Fengtai County first."

Pu Guanshui didn't quite believe He Zudao's words. But He Zudao's frank face had that kind of calmness unique to telling the truth. He couldn't help asking: "Wenqing said Fengtai County didn't have any major incidents in this flood; is it really so?"

"Life in a disaster year is definitely not easy, but everyone in Fengtai County has something to eat at any rate. There were no incidents of starvation," He Zudao answered.

"That's good, that's good." Pu Guanshui didn't know if he was praising Chen Ke or comforting himself.

"Brother Guanshui, shall we start receiving people now?" He Zudao didn't have any thought of wasting time. Chen Ke sent He Zudao to welcome Pu Guanshui out of trust in He Zudao. There were a large number of things to do in the base area. As a powerful figure who counted in the base area now, He Zudao's work was actually very heavy. Coming to welcome Pu Guanshui this time was considered a "holiday" given to He Zudao by Chen Ke, and He Zudao was now full of thoughts about hurrying back to the base area to continue work.

Since He Zudao requested to settle personnel now, Pu Guanshui also felt it was good. He said: "Good."

He Zudao issued orders to the sailors. The orderly stood at the bow, waving red and green signal flags, directing other boats to dock with Pu Guanshui's boat using semaphore. In comparison, Pu Guanshui's fleet didn't have such training. They relied completely on shouting. Shouts using the full strength of throats one after another, plus responses. The efficiency of Pu Guanshui's fleet was at least three times lower than that of the Insurance Corps fleet. And Pu Guanshui also noticed a detail. In the Insurance Corps fleet, the sailors always remained silent. It was completely different from the style of the Anhui New Army, who couldn't help commenting and whispering when seeing novel things.

"Zudao, how did you train these soldiers?" Pu Guanshui couldn't help asking.

"Training soldiers?" He Zudao was somewhat puzzled. As a Political Commissar, he actually didn't manage daily drills much.

Pu Guanshui laughed: "Look at your soldiers, one by one silent, not bluffing and blustering like my soldiers."

He Zudao understood Pu Guanshui's meaning then. He said indifferently: "Everyone practices boating besides transporting grain daily. Practiced much, naturally became good. Moreover, running far to transport grain, seeing many things, they are not surprised by strange things."

Hearing this, Pu Guanshui just nodded. Just then, he heard crying and shouting. He looked over there and saw the victims on the boat refused to transfer to He Zudao's boat. These people simply didn't know what it meant to let them board these strange boats. In the traditional view of Chinese common people, good officials are encountered by chance but not sought. A good official like Pu Guanshui who was willing to save people and let everyone not starve to death was encountered not even once in a lifetime. Pu Guanshui's boat was their shelter, the only place where they could survive. So the common people were unwilling to board strange boats at all.

New Army soldiers advised them nicely at first, saying this fleet was their own boats. But the common people felt since they were own boats, wasn't it the same on which boat? Why change boats?

But the common people didn't listen to this at all. Some impatient soldiers began to push and shove the common people forcibly. Seeing this, the common people were immediately afraid, so they knelt down and begged. This caused a disturbance.

Pu Guanshui let the common people transfer to He Zudao's boat originally hoping everyone could live more spaciously. More than four hundred people squeezed on a dozen boats; it was unspeakably uncomfortable. His good intention couldn't be understood by the common people at all. Seeing the common people begging, it was as if he was going to do something bad. His face immediately turned gloomy. "Commander Ba, go make the common people change boats quickly. Everyone stuffed together, isn't it uncomfortable?" Pu Guanshui shouted.

"Brother Guanshui, wait." He Zudao stopped Pu Guanshui's grumpy order. "Brother Guanshui, these common people are scared. They believe you now. I think Brother Guanshui might as well take a small boat and talk to them one by one. The common people will naturally quiet down. This will be faster instead."

Pu Guanshui didn't expect being a good person once would be so hard. But looking at He Zudao's calm expression, he also felt there was no need to oppose.

Taking the same small boat with He Zudao, Pu Guanshui went to persuade the common people boat by boat. In order to let everyone on the boat live more comfortably, some people must be moved to the boats here now. As soon as Pu Guanshui appeared, the common people immediately obeyed the words of this life-saving benefactor.

After personnel exchange was completed, the Insurance Corps boats were in front, and Pu Guanshui's boats followed. The fleet accelerated towards Fengtai County. Pu Guanshui took the opportunity to go to the Insurance Corps boat and asked He Zudao in detail how exactly Chen Ke dealt with the flood. He Zudao started from Chen Ke and the others saving people first, then organizing the "Home of Common People" concentration camp to manage victims uniformly. Plus the expansion of the Insurance Corps, plus using boats raised from various places to rush transport supplies. Finally, everyone survived.

"Indeed, worry not about scarcity but about inequality," after listening to the hardships along the way, Pu Guanshui exhaled a long breath and sighed. But he also had words he didn't say. After this disaster relief, the common people of Fengtai County would definitely be grateful to the Insurance Corps. Chen Ke and the others were considered to have taken root in Fengtai County.

He Zudao was not moved by Pu Guanshui's praise. If he hadn't personally participated in the work beside Chen Ke, he simply couldn't imagine to what extent seemingly simple things could be complex. Pouring out bitterness to Pu Guanshui or showing off the Insurance Corps' toil was not He Zudao's job. Moreover, He Zudao had absolutely no thoughts in this regard. He continued to introduce Chen Ke killing Zhang Youliang and forcing local landlords to "lend land." The action of preparing to build a large farm.

Pu Guanshui's face became grave as he listened. Chen Ke's book had introduced the construction idea and construction method of large farms. Pu Guanshui didn't actually farm much at home; after reading it, he just felt it made sense. Unexpectedly, Chen Ke actually implemented such a strategy in this year of great disaster. Pu Guanshui couldn't evaluate this determination.

Moreover, Chen Ke obviously took advantage of the disaster year when the government was unwilling to intervene too much in the people's self-salvation, turning a blind eye to Chen Ke's practice. But once next year arrived, the landlords wouldn't be so quiet. The famous land borrowing event since ancient times was "Liu Bei borrowing Jingzhou." This was obviously a matter of borrowing without returning. What's more, once the large farm was built, how could one distinguish whose land it was? At that time, even if distributing land, it would be Chen Ke having the final say. Pu Guanshui didn't think landlords were very smart, but presumably landlords understood such a simple principle.

After He Zudao finished saying these, he stopped politely, waiting for Pu Guanshui to speak. But he saw Pu Guanshui frowning tightly, saying nothing. In such a large amount of work, He Zudao had learned patience. He was not anxious either, just waiting quietly like this.

Pu Guanshui thought for a good while but didn't come up with any good way to solve the landlords' counterattack. He asked: "How does Wenqing plan to deal with landlords?"

"Mr. Wenqing didn't say in detail about this matter. If Brother Guanshui wants to know, just ask Mr. Wenqing directly after arriving in Fengtai County."

Hearing this, Pu Guanshui nodded. That was the only way. Although he couldn't rest assured about the landlord matter, knowing Chen Ke really held on in this year of great disaster, Pu Guanshui was also very happy in his heart. He no longer mentioned landlords but asked about more detailed things.

He Zudao didn't pick up this topic. He said seriously: "Brother Guanshui, since you mentioned the landlord matter, I have a favor to ask you."

"What matter?" Pu Guanshui looked at He Zudao's serious expression and also asked seriously.

He Zudao spoke very slowly, "This time Mr. Wenqing welcomes Brother Guanshui with a very big lineup. Local leading figures are all invited. So, I want to ask Brother Guanshui to perform a military salute to Mr. Wenqing first after seeing him."

Hearing this, Pu Guanshui was slightly stunned. In officialdom, who salutes whom first indicates the height of status. If Pu Guanshui saluted Chen Ke first, it meant Pu Guanshui actively admitted his status was below Chen Ke. Although Pu Guanshui was the third-in-command of the Anhui New Army, even in the provincial capital Anqing, there were few people who could make Pu Guanshui salute first.

He Zudao looked at Pu Guanshui's expression carefully, but saw Pu Guanshui just pondered for a moment, then laughed: "Since Brother Wenqing can stand firm in Fengtai County, it is right for me to salute him. Zudao, rest assured. I will salute first."

All along, He Zudao had always been very calm and composed, but hearing Pu Guanshui's crisp answer, He Zudao breathed a sigh of relief.

"Zudao, besides this matter, did Wenqing entrust anything else?" Pu Guanshui continued to ask.

"No more," He Zudao said hurriedly.

"That's good; I have some things to ask clearly." Pu Guanshui continued to start asking about things he cared about.

Pu Guanshui asked countless questions until both He Zudao and Pu Guanshui himself were exhausted before stopping. As soon as Pu Guanshui returned to his own boat, Ba Yougong leaned over. "Commander, what is the background of this group of people?"

Pu Guanshui picked up the teapot and poured himself a bowl of water. The Insurance Corps didn't come with empty boats. At least the Insurance Corps brought enough clean tap water for drinking to Pu Guanshui's fleet. Pu Guanshui was very satisfied with the clear water quality. They dared not dock these days, and the reserve water on the boat was not sufficient. If they hadn't met the Insurance Corps, everyone would have had to drink river water. "This is the friend I mentioned."

"Are they living off the waterway?" Ba Yougong asked with great interest.

"No," Pu Guanshui answered.

"Then how do they have so many boats? These sailors are also very unusual." Ba Yougong was also an old soldier and saw the key at a glance.

"That friend of mine just occupies Fengtai County now. Visiting him this time, I also want to help him with a few favors." Pu Guanshui spoke very bluntly. Anyway, even if he didn't say it now, Ba Yougong could see it when they arrived in Fengtai County. Saying it now appeared more sincere instead.

"So that's how it is." Ba Yougong nodded meaningfully. This forty-year-old middle-aged officer didn't dislike Pu Guanshui originally. Although he stopped Pu Guanshui from saving people, it wasn't because Ba Yougong was cruel by nature. Facing such a natural disaster, Ba Yougong also had no choice. And Pu Guanshui's compassionate heart made Ba Yougong feel respect instead. Since Pu Guanshui spoke so sincerely, Ba Yougong felt that in this time of natural disaster, as long as it wasn't completely unacceptable, he would still fully support Pu Guanshui.

The next day, other boats of the Insurance Corps also came to merge. Everyone divided the load once again. Pu Guanshui could see that the Insurance Corps fleet was better trained and more familiar with the waterway here. He simply let the Insurance Corps people take over the operation of the fleet. As he expected, the speed of the entire fleet was faster.

In the evening of the fourth day, the fleet finally arrived at the Fengtai County dock. Having swayed on the boat for ten days, everyone had long wanted to go ashore. Seeing the hammer and sickle flag on the dock, the officers and soldiers of the Anhui New Army knew they had arrived at the destination. Even Pu Guanshui, dressed in a neat New Army Commander uniform, had a smile on his face. The boat got closer and closer to the dock. Pu Guanshui saw a figure standing there. That should be Chen Ke. He just stood there so naturally, yet one could see the difference from other people around. Not only Chen Ke's height, which was much taller than others, but that confidence, that steadiness, that patience, and that feeling full of vitality made people unable not to notice Chen Ke's existence.

He Zudao had talked about the development of the Insurance Corps. Chen Ke was now a hero commanding the land of Fengtai County with eight thousand troops under his command. Pu Guanshui never dreamed that Chen Ke could build a team of eight thousand people in half a year. Leaving aside the quality of this troop, the quantity alone already exceeded the 31st Mixed Brigade stationed in Anhui. Moreover, the Insurance Corps fleet gave Pu Guanshui enough confidence. As long as they could reach the level of the fleet soldiers, the Insurance Corps sweeping across Anhui was definitely not a fantasy.

Ba Yougong standing behind Pu Guanshui also noticed Chen Ke. From the standing position, one could see that Chen Ke was the leader of these people. But Ba Yougong's attention was attracted by those people behind. Among these, there were officials wearing magistrate uniforms, "Fake Foreign Devils" wearing western suits and leather shoes with short hair. More were gentry in long robes and mandarin jackets. This pile of people should be all the leading figures of Fengtai County. And Chen Ke wore dark blue clothes no different from the sailors on the boat, only with a belt around his waist. But he had short hair, appearing particularly unconventional in such a group of people.

As soon as the boat docked, Chen Ke walked down the steps. Pu Guanshui jumped onto the dock but felt his feet empty. As if the whole ground was shaking. Chen Ke grabbed Pu Guanshui, "Brother Guanshui, I longed for the stars and the moon, and finally longed for your arrival."

Pu Guanshui sized up Chen Ke up and down. He saw Chen Ke was much darker, presumably tanned by the sun from running around for days. Others were still the same as half a year ago, without the slightest appearance of being desperate. Instead, he looked more cheerful. Pu Guanshui laughed: "Brother Wenqing, I also wanted to come long ago."

"Good that you came, good that you came." Chen Ke finally laughed.

Chen Ke brought all the gentry of Fengtai County this time to let them see his relationship with the Deputy Commander of the Anhui New Army, which was very helpful to Chen Ke's personal prestige. In fact, seeing Pu Guanshui's brand-new military uniform and the group of New Army on the boat behind, these gentry knew Chen Ke indeed had a big background. The original antagonistic psychology weakened a lot.

While the two were talking, He Zudao and Ba Yougong also jumped onto the dock. They came to the side of Chen Ke and Pu Guanshui. Ba Yougong originally thought Pu Guanshui was going to introduce himself and other New Army officers. But he saw Pu Guanshui take a step back, then seriously salute Chen Ke with a military salute. "Anhui New Army Deputy Commander Pu Guanshui, reporting to Brigade Commander Chen."

"Hiss!" Ba Yougong heard many of the gentry gasp. Not only them, Ba Yougong himself was also shocked in his heart. He sized up Chen Ke up and down, his mind confused. What background did this Chen Ke have exactly to make a Deputy Commander salute him?

Chen Ke returned a strange military salute seriously, "Comrade Pu Guanshui, welcome to Fengtai County."

Then both stepped forward and held hands tightly together. Behind Chen Ke, the official wearing the magistrate uniform started applauding first. He Zudao, wearing the same dark blue clothes as Chen Ke, and the soldiers also started applauding. One by one, the gentry also started applauding with different expressions.

Chen Ke turned his head back and laughed: "Come, beat the gongs and drums, welcome the New Army comrades to Fengtai County." Immediately, drums and music played loudly. Chen Ke in front, Pu Guanshui behind, the group ascended the steps.

Ba Yougong confirmed one thing in his confusion: Pu Guanshui was not wrong. This person named Chen Ke was not only the actual ruler of Fengtai County now but even the nominal ruler already.