After fighting the Canal Defense Battalion, Pang Zi completely fell into an extremely nervous mental state. What would happen to him and the brothers following him in the future? This question weighed heavily on his heart. Before the attack on the Canal Defense Battalion, Pang Zi had made up his mind to kill fewer people. But in the actual battle, he completely lost control of his emotions. Once the horse team charged, he couldn't help but strike heavily.

Pang Zi hadn't read any military books, nor had he discussed specific military issues with Chen Ke, so Chen Ke knew that the greatest casualties were caused when chasing the defeated enemy. He and his subordinates almost instinctively began slaughtering seeing the enemy fleeing desperately with their backs to them. When one charge was completed, hundreds of enemies, dead or wounded, lay on the ground. The miserable state of the dead, the low groans of the seriously wounded, the wailing and screaming of the lightly wounded were really a strong stimulation for Pang Zi. And at this time, Pang Zi already knew he had caused a big disaster. After simply cleaning up the battlefield, Pang Zi rushed back to Gaojia Village with his brothers, daring not return to the county town. He already knew he must run to other places quickly; the government would absolutely not let it go.

Pang Zi never expected that after learning this news, Chen Tianhua actually made so many requests to him in the name of the common people, and asked for so much at once. Not only arranging the retreat of the common people but also helping to guard the money of the Peasant Association. Besides this, Chen Tianhua actually dared to ask Pang Zi for 100 guns. Who did Chen Tianhua think these common people were? Were they his grandfathers?

Arranging the retreat of the common people? Who would arrange the retreat of Pang Zi and his brothers?

Pang Zi said grumpily: "Mr. Chen, you don't even need to think about these things. If you want to do it, do it yourself. I don't have time to accompany you to mess with these things. You said ransoming people needs money, fine, I can ask for less, twenty-eight split (*er ba fen zhang*), you want eight, I want two."

At this time, Chen Tianhua also asked bluntly tit for tat: "I say giving you twenty percent, do you believe it? Have you checked? Now you are preparing to run away. I also have to arrange for the common people to retreat; we are all short of hands. I can't give you money."

Hearing this, Pang Zi couldn't help showing a face of impatience. Whether Chen Ke or Chen Tianhua, as long as it involved the common people, they were so tireless. Pang Zi didn't understand this very much. What's the use of pleasing the common people? In this Nangong County, in Gaojia Village, the most powerful and capable fighter was not the common people, but him, Pang Zi. Without Pang Zi supporting here, Chen Tianhua's Peasant Association would probably have been crushed by landlords and other forces long ago. Now that Pang Zi encountered danger, Chen Tianhua didn't say helping Pang Zi think of a way, but his mind was full of the life and death of the common people. Pang Zi completely couldn't figure out what exactly Chen Tianhua was thinking.

However, at this time, Pang Zi completely had no intention of falling out with Chen Tianhua either. Facing the Beiyang Army whose arrival time was unknown, Pang Zi had to protect himself first. So Pang Zi could treat Chen Tianhua relatively calmly instead. He said patiently: "Mr. Chen, you are tearing down my platform. How many things has our Escort Agency done for the Peasant Association? Now we need to use money, and you don't give a penny; don't you think it's too excessive?"

Chen Tianhua had tried to persuade Pang Zi to consider problems from the perspective of the common people since just now. After talking for a while, he already understood that this was basically impossible. It was really "birds flying separately when disaster strikes." The Escort Agency cooperated with the Peasant Association so-so. But in the face of a major crisis, the cooperative relationship collapsed in an instant. For the people or for oneself. Different stances instantly became tit for tat.

"No wonder Wenqing looked down on Pang Zi and the others back then." Chen Tianhua couldn't help thinking. Wenqing knew long ago these people were unreliable. But on second thought, Chen Tianhua couldn't help smiling bitterly; in Pang Zi's eyes, Chen Ke and himself were also unreliable. Everyone's stance was different, and the reaction to the same thing was naturally very different. Since the situation had reached such a stage, it seemed unrealistic to make other requests to Pang Zi. Chen Tianhua sighed, "Brother Pang, it's useless for us to argue like this. How about this, I give you 300 taels of silver. You give me 50 guns. Our Peasant Association is killing pigs; take as much as you want. Eggs, duck eggs, take casually. As for chickens and ducks, take as much as you eat every day. Is this okay?"

Pang Zi knew he simply didn't have the ability to force the Peasant Association to take out more things. Hearing Chen Tianhua's suggestion, he pondered for a moment and responded: "Mr. Chen, I have absolutely no intention of harming the fellow villagers. If you arrange for everyone to run away, I won't stop you. I am already busy like this here; don't let people cause trouble for me, okay? As for guns, I don't have good guns here. There are some muskets and single-shot guns to spare. I'll give you 50. But 300 taels of silver is definitely not enough; you have to give me 500 taels."

Seeing Chen Tianhua pondering silently, Pang Zi continued: "Let's not bargain either. Just settle on this."

"Fine." Chen Tianhua responded. He knew this was the limit Pang Zi could do. If continuing to entangle, everyone wouldn't have other sayings either.

Standing up and preparing to bid farewell, Chen Tianhua suddenly remembered another thing. He said seriously, "Brother Pang, I have one more thing to say to you. I think you'd better gather the common people of Gaojia Village and explain the matter clearly. The Beiyang Army is coming. You let everyone go out to avoid it. As long as you sincerely consider for everyone, everyone will definitely know. Even if something happens in the future, at least everyone will blame you less."

Blame me less? Although knowing Chen Tianhua's words were correct, Pang Zi, who had endured for a long time, finally couldn't bear it anymore. He pointed at the door and shouted angrily: "Fuck you! Blame my ass. You fucking get out!" The understanding mood reached with difficulty finally couldn't be maintained.

Chen Tianhua knew it was useless for him to say anything more. He sighed and walked out of the room.

Pang Zi's face turned blue with anger, his chest heaving continuously. From childhood to adulthood, except with Uncle Jing, Pang Zi had never suffered such great anger. Blame? Who blames whom! Pang Zi thought in his heart, these people of the Peasant Association gained so many benefits relying on his Escort Agency. When Pang Zi suffered disaster, they didn't say helping with effort, but dared to blame Pang Zi? Pang Zi thought furiously. Looking at Chen Tianhua's back, Pang Zi gritted his teeth tightly, wishing he could pull out a gun and shoot Chen Tianhua from behind.

It's just that Pang Zi's anger was only such a weak performance. He actually knew clearly that under his superficial anger was endless guilt. Actually, Chen Tianhua was not wrong. This matter became so big; who knew how the common people complained about Pang Zi in their hearts. Perhaps Pang Zi explaining the matter to the common people personally was the best choice. But Pang Zi's self-esteem absolutely didn't allow himself to do such a "face-losing" thing. Mixing in the *Jianghu*, face is the most important thing. Once bowing the head and losing face, he could absolutely not straighten his back in the future. Let alone bowing his head to the common people. That meant Pang Zi could never hold his head high in Gaojia Village again. Pang Zi would absolutely not bow his head to the common people.

In Gaojia Village, the brothers of the Escort Agency had changed from excitement to carnival. Brothers who got tables set a table full of wine, meat, and dishes, drinking and reveling freely. Brothers who didn't get a place were unwilling to lag behind either. They simply sat on the ground, putting guns within reach, placing wine and dishes in front, guessing fingers and drinking orders, drinking in big gulps. That was really a hubbub of voices, extremely lively.

But in Chen Tianhua's view, such a carnival scene didn't have a feeling of vigorous upwardness. Instead, it had a taste of despair. That was madness stimulated under the emotion of having today but no tomorrow. Villagers closed their doors tightly in every household. Inside Gaojia Village presented two completely different feelings: the shouting and roaring of Escort Agency brothers all over the village, and the quiet villager families. Presenting an indescribable uneasiness.

Chen Tianhua passed through the strange village and rushed back to the Peasant Association. He found that in the Peasant Association room where there were a dozen people not long ago, only two cadres remained. Pang Cheng and Jing Xiuzheng had thick account books piled on the table in front of them. The two were calculating by flicking abacus beads unskillfully. Seeing Chen Tianhua return, the two stood up hurriedly, "Mr. Chen, you're back."

"Where are the others?" Chen Tianhua asked.

"Uncle Jing and Xiuchun went to kill pigs. Others..., went back to their own homes first." Pang Cheng said somewhat embarrassedly. This young man never spoke ill of people behind their backs. For those Peasant Association cadres who slipped back to their own homes early, Pang Cheng really didn't know how to narrate their whereabouts.

Chen Tianhua smiled bitterly. Although he didn't expect only these few Peasant Association cadres remained, although he knew someone would definitely flee before the battle. But leaving so thoroughly really exceeded Chen Tianhua's expectations. Among these cadres fleeing before the battle, there were people who used to be very active when things went smoothly. To strengthen the Peasant Association, they also gave advice and worked hard. At the critical moment, these people still chose their own families first. Although knowing whether these people worked hard in the Peasant Association or ran away when encountering problems, their purpose was actually to live better. But Chen Tianhua still felt empty in his heart.

Barely organizing his mood, Chen Tianhua said to the two Peasant Association cadres who still stuck to their posts: "Let's go help kill pigs too. Uncle Jing probably lacks hands over there."

Pang Cheng and Jing Xiuzheng didn't refuse either. The two responded, put down the account books in their hands, the three closed the door and went to the breeding farm together.

The breeding farm where more than a hundred people used to work together was now deserted. Except for the occasional howling of pigs before death from the pigsty, the earthworm fields and chicken and duck free-range areas where many people should be working were empty. There were ten people at the pigsty. Plus Chen Tianhua, Pang Cheng, and Jing Xiuzheng, only thirteen Peasant Association members could persist until now.

"Mr. Chen is back?" Jing Side greeted somewhat embarrassedly seeing Chen Tianhua and the others.

"We came to work!" Chen Tianhua laughed. Although trying to look cheerful, everyone had embarrassment on their faces. More than ninety percent of the people ran away. None of the remaining Peasant Association members didn't feel a sense of loss.

The only one who could maintain normality from beginning to end was only Jing Tingwen, who was the oldest and had the highest seniority here. His voice was still loud, "Young man, here. Just right, I still wanted to ask you, how many pigs to kill exactly?"

Since the old man asked so, Chen Tianhua didn't want to continue immersing in his dissatisfaction either. He laughed: "Uncle Jing, I think let's not kill the piglets. Distribute them to our Peasant Association members. Keep the sows too. Just kill the boars that grew about right. Just keep a dozen pigs that are inconvenient to take away."

"Distributing pigs I think is not bad; what do you keep some pigs for?" Old man Jing Tingwen asked.

Chen Tianhua answered: "If the Beiyang official army comes to suppress, this breeding farm definitely can't be kept. If we don't leave some pigs for them to rob, they will only harm the common people then. Not only pigs, divide a part of chickens and ducks too. Also leave a part for the Beiyang Army."

Hearing Chen Tianhua's words, other Peasant Association members changed their faces. Jing Side said loudly: "Leave for the Beiyang Army? Don't leave a single hair for them. Even if the meat rots in the ground, don't leave it for them."

"Bullshit!" Jing Tingwen interrupted his cousin's speech immediately, "Side, you are so old too. Why aren't you sensible? Mr. Chen is right. If the Beiyang Army comes and grabs nothing, do you think they can let it go? Them killing pigs and chickens here is better than letting them harm the fellow villagers. Having eaten and drunk enough, they will always be a bit better to the fellow villagers."

After scolding his cousin, Jing Tingwen asked Chen Tianhua, "Then who does Mr. Chen plan to leave here to watch the house?"

"Watch the house?" Chen Tianhua asked strangely, "We close the pigsty and chicken and ducks well, and leave no one."

"Mr. Chen, your words make no sense. Those little bastards in the village are greedy. If you don't leave people, before the Beiyang Army comes, they will take these livestock away themselves."

"Uncle Jing, I plan to arrange for everyone to go out and avoid it first. As soon as the Beiyang Army comes, everyone will inevitably suffer. Going out to avoid is always better than staying here."

Hearing this, Jing Tingwen sized up Chen Tianhua up and down, then nodded and said: "Mr. Chen is really a good person. Is a good person. Where do you plan to go to avoid this time, Mr. Chen?"

Hearing this question, the eyes of all Peasant Association members fell on Chen Tianhua. What Jing Tingwen asked was what everyone cared about in their hearts. The Peasant Association was built by Chen Tianhua single-handedly; he was the backbone of the Peasant Association. Chen Tianhua's whereabouts determined whether the Peasant Association could continue to exist.

Jing Side couldn't help saying: "Mr. Chen, you go with me. I have relatives in Xingtai Prefecture city. Let's go there to avoid for a period of time. When the wind is calm, we come back to continue running the Peasant Association."

"This..." Hearing this suggestion, Chen Tianhua was somewhat speechless. He actually wanted to stay in Nangong County with the Peasant Association members very much, but Chen Tianhua knew, and Pang Zi's Escort Agency was destined not to beat the Beiyang Army. After seeing the Hejian autumn maneuver with Chen Ke, Chen Tianhua knew that as long as Pang Zi stayed in Xingtai, destruction was only a matter of time. If Pang Zi took his brothers and ran, it would take at least a year or a half to come back. Without military support, the Peasant Association would encounter big problems.

Even if the Peasant Association could develop, Chen Tianhua knew very clearly that his ability was just this much. Wanting to have a bigger breakthrough in the future than now, he could only rely on Chen Ke's ability. But looking at the expectant eyes of the Peasant Association members, Chen Tianhua couldn't say such words no matter what. But explaining this kind of thing earlier is better than later. Chen Tianhua forced himself to make up his mind, then said: "I plan to go back to the south first."

Hearing this, the expressions on everyone's faces immediately became disappointed.

"Gentlemen, it's not that I won't come back. My ability is limited; being here alone can only help everyone do this little thing. I have many comrades in the south. Within half a year, I will definitely bring comrades back. At that time, I will absolutely not let everyone suffer such hardships as now."

"Back in half a year?" Jing Side's tone was full of disbelief.

"Half a year, I will definitely come back. And I won't come back alone." Because he wanted everyone to know he wasn't telling lies, there was an urgency in Chen Tianhua's voice.

Although Peasant Association members didn't disbelieve Chen Tianhua, the disappointed look was overflowing in words and expressions.

"Mr. Chen, I have always had a question to ask you, young man." Old man Jing Tingwen asked.

"You say."

"Mr. Chen, you, such an outsider, ran to our Nangong County and treated us so well. If saying you want to be an official, being with that brat Pang Zi, it is definitely not for being an official. If you want to make a fortune, with your ability, where can't you make a fortune? If saying you want to rebel, I see your practice doesn't mean rebellion either. I don't care if you, young man, want to leave or stay. Whether you bring those partners of yours back, I don't care either. I just want to ask, doing so many things, what exactly do you want?"

Since Chen Tianhua arrived in Nangong County for so long, this was the first time someone asked the purpose of Chen Tianhua's actions so profoundly. When someone asked before, it was always with a questioning tone. There wasn't a single one asking uprightly like Jing Tingwen.

Moreover, Chen Tianhua didn't dare to speak his heart fully before, because he had talked about some "revolutionary principles," but never got resonance from the common people. Foreigners, Imperial Court, foreign countries, China, revolution, republic, constitutionalism. What did these things have to do with the common people? No one cared.

Now that the Peasant Association was about to disband temporarily, an old man asked Chen Tianhua the purpose of his actions uprightly. Chen Tianhua suddenly had an inexplicable emotion and an irresistible impulse. He said loudly: "I just want the common people of our China to live a good life. Have meat to eat, clothes to wear, surplus money, and children can go to school. After going to school, everyone can farm if they want to farm, and work in factories if they want to work in factories. No one can bully others. Everyone just lives a good life like this."

Hearing Chen Tianhua's words, other Peasant Association members stared at Chen Tianhua dumbfounded. Such a statement was really greatly beyond their expectations.