Ren Qiying's new house was an ordinary courtyard in New Village No. 10. The People's Party never liked to spend effort on naming things; all new residential points in Fengtai County were arranged by numbers. Courtyard No. 22 of New Village No. 10 was Ren Qiying's home. Ren Qiying almost pushed and shoved her cousin, who was full of nonsense, out of the gate. Then she closed the courtyard door with a bang. This was a standard courtyard with five rooms, and Ren Qiying lived alone in one room. Ren Qiying didn't rush back to her room either; she stood in the dark gritting her teeth. She wished that people like her cousin Xu Youli would disappear from the world immediately. What were they thinking? Did they think the leaders of the People's Party were so easily fooled? A cushy job? Ren Qiying could be sure that once people like Xu Youli got a job, they would immediately try every way to embezzle money. Ren Qiying saw the faces of these people clearly.

While trying to calm the anger in her heart, Ren Qiying heard the door of the main room open. Her father Ren Yugang stood at the door. Ren Yugang said in that specific majestic tone of a father, "Qiying, come in here."

The father and daughter hadn't spoken formally for a long time. Since Ren Qiying followed the People's Party, for the sake of the family's interests, Ren Qiying's father had always ignored the People's Party, while Ren Qiying followed the People's Party wholeheartedly. But unknowingly, the fake act turned into a real one. After Ren Qiying joined the People's Party and assumed more and more responsibilities and work, she found that there were so many people within the People's Party who were stronger and wiser than her father. Unknowingly, she couldn't quite accept her father's authority in her heart.

Seeing his daughter walk into the main room and sit down somewhat reluctantly, Ren Yugang closed the door first, then asked, "Qiying, what exactly happened? Why did your cousin run to our house to talk nonsense?"

Ren Qiying replied angrily, "Humph, he wanted to secure personal gain. That's why he ran here!"

Ren Yugang didn't criticize Xu Youli's move. He looked at his daughter seriously. "Flies don't bite seamless eggs. Since he dared to come, I'm afraid you are also somewhat at fault."

Hearing her father's words, Ren Qiying felt extremely aggrieved. She knew her father Ren Yugang was a scholar with very upright conduct. In everything, he blamed himself first and would never criticize others. Even if he met a bastard, her father never preached any big principles, always maintaining the "gentleman's style" of "not fighting over spirit." But being criticized by her father like this, Ren Qiying really couldn't stand it. She defended herself aggrievedly, "Dad, they wanted to come themselves. What could I do?"

"Then you shouldn't have moved back to live at all!" Ren Yugang pointed out the key to the problem straightforwardly. "If you still lived in the military camp, would a bastard like your cousin dare to go to the military camp to find you? With a casual word from you, he couldn't even enter the gate. A rich man's son doesn't sit under the eaves (to avoid danger), but you have to find the right place to avoid danger."

Ren Qiying's anger was instantly knocked to the nine heavens by her father's blame. On the contrary, Ren Qiying's mother saw that Ren Yugang's tone was so impolite, so she hurried to persuade him, "Isn't our daughter also worried about our family?"

Hearing his wife's words, Ren Yugang's anger was instantly stirred even higher. He turned to his wife, "It's you who are worried. The sons are still young, and it wasn't easy for a daughter to make good and become an official. You wish you could walk in front of your daughter every day, fearing that others don't know you are Qiying's mother. From today on, stay honestly at home. If I don't let you go out, you are not allowed to go out a single step."

After scolding his wife, Ren Yugang turned to Ren Qiying again. "Move back to the military camp to live early tomorrow morning. If anyone asks you why, just say your father kicked you out of the house. If those bullshit relatives come to talk nonsense to you again, let them come to me, let them come to your mother. They are our relatives first, then yours. You don't need to do anything for them; just let them come to me."

Ren Qiying's mother's surname was Xu. Although Ren Xu Shi had always feared her husband, hearing her husband say such words at this time, she immediately tried to refute, "Old man, have you lost your mind? How can you kick your own daughter out? You are letting others laugh at us. If others know, what will they say about our daughter?"

Ren Yugang glared at his wife with a look of wishing iron could turn into steel. "Which of those people outside genuinely cares for our daughter? Which of them coming to the door isn't after the little bit of power in our daughter's hands? If we as parents can't block them for Qiying, are we waiting for them to trap Qiying?"

Ren Xu Shi saw her husband was really angry. She was also a bit scared in her heart, but still said timidly, "Qiying is an official; they are common people. What can they do to Qiying?"

"This is bastard talk. Is the People's Party easy to get along with? Look at their regulations; dare you handle personal affairs after becoming an official? Do you think they are the Manchu Qing government?"

Ren Xu Shi was really unconvinced in her heart. She replied, "Officials protecting each other is an old rule. If their own people don't protect their own people, then why does Qiying follow them? Our family's land was distributed; was it distributed for nothing?"

"Since the People's Party became the government, we have to accept the land distribution. Our family didn't rely on farming for a living anyway."

"Not relying on farming for food was because you taught before. Now the People's Party runs schools themselves; who still hires you as a teacher?"

"If I can't open a private school, I'll go to the People's Party's school to teach. If I can't teach, I'll honestly farm at home. I have hands and feet; can I starve to death?"

"Then you farm. I want to see how you farm."

Watching her parents quarrel, Ren Qiying felt extremely annoyed. If it were before, she could only persuade in a low voice, but now Ren Qiying had troubles in her heart, plus she had been a cadre for so long and had scolded others for a long time. Ren Qiying said loudly, "Dad, Mom, can you stop arguing!"

Ren Qiying had always been well-behaved; she had never been so rude in front of her parents. Ren Qiying's mother, Ren Xu Shi, was stunned on the spot. Ren Yugang looked at his daughter's extremely rare anxious look. He said, "Qiying, let's go to your room to talk." After speaking, he pulled his daughter up involuntarily and left the main room.

In Ren Qiying's room, Ren Yugang asked seriously, "What exactly happened?"

"Dad, some things are difficult to handle recently." Although Ren Qiying didn't really want to talk about these complex internal issues, the only person she could trust now was her father. Ren Qiying told her father about the personnel change trend within the People's Party. After finishing, she couldn't help adding, "Dad, don't go out and gossip about this."

Ren Yugang patted his daughter's head. "Girl, I'll say it to you again. Never say useless words like 'don't go out and gossip.' You can't control others. Since you dare to tell others, don't expect others to keep secrets for you. Not to mention keeping secrets for you, even if others repeat your words exactly as you said them, you've met a good person. Are there few people who specifically arrange your words in a bad way?"

Hearing this, Ren Qiying only felt her spirit lifted. She nodded hurriedly, "Dad, I know."

Seeing his daughter full of worries and restless, Ren Yugang sighed. "Girl, your father refused to come forward to follow the People's Party back then. It wasn't that I had any views on the People's Party. The world is bad now; none of the officials are good things. The people in the court humiliate the nation and forfeit sovereignty, not caring about the safety of the world at all. In such times, one shouldn't come out to be an official. Not to mention bad people are in power now; in this world, good people also learn to be bad. But your father was also timid back then and afraid of the People's Party. I am very happy that you are willing to come forward. But in this past year, I see the People's Party is indeed not ordinary. It has the atmosphere of a new dynasty about to rule the world. Since this is the case, I advise you to work hard."

"Dad, I know I should work hard. But how?" Ren Qiying said annoyedly.

"How did you do it before? Wasn't it just doing proper work? Now you just continue to do proper work, isn't that enough? Although your father is timid, I see the People's Party governs Fengtai County in perfect order, and everyone concentrates on doing proper work. That's why I didn't stop you. Otherwise, risking my life, I wouldn't let you learn to be bad with bad people."

"Dad, it's not about doing proper work now..."

"That's bastard talk. Chairman Chen Ke asked you to prepare for going to the countryside with Secretary Yuwen; this is proper work! You became an official of the People's Party, so you have to do things for the common people. If the People's Party hadn't been doing things for the common people all along, why do you think the common people of Fengtai County listen to the People's Party?"

"But..., but Secretary Yuwen doesn't know what to do now. This is obviously going to cause trouble. Other secretaries are engaging in land reform, planting grain, recruiting soldiers, and building organizations outside. Secretary Yuwen can't do any of them well. Chairman Chen is actually very unhappy."

"Don't worry about whether Chairman Chen is happy or not. If Chairman Chen thinks that kid Yuwen Badu is very capable, does he still need you to help him? Since he let you help him, it means Chairman Chen thinks you can help Yuwen Badu. If Chairman Chen thinks Yuwen Badu is not even worth helping, he could just wash his hands of him. Do you think you can see that Yuwen Badu is incompetent, but others can't see it? I dare say, as long as Chairman Chen washes his hands of him, there will naturally be people waiting to see Yuwen Badu's joke."

Hearing Ren Yugang's analysis, Ren Qiying's eyes lit up. "Dad, do you mean Chairman Chen wants to protect Secretary Yuwen?"

Ren Yugang shook his head somewhat helplessly. "Qiying, whether Chairman Chen wants to protect that kid Yuwen Badu is not important at all. You became an official of the People's Party, so you must do things. Chairman Chen fundamentally wants to get things done. He thinks you can do things, so he promoted you. Don't get involved in officialdom matters."

After saying this, Ren Yugang sighed helplessly. Ren Qiying felt her father had hit the key point, but seeing her father's helpless look, she also felt very worried. She hurriedly stood behind her father and gently massaged Ren Yugang's shoulders. After a while, Ren Yugang let Ren Qiying sit next to him.

"Qiying, I didn't want you to be an official because officialdom is a pool of muddy water. The People's Party is full of vitality now. You feel that what you do is all proper business, so you wish you wouldn't be stained by any spots. This is human nature. When your father passed the *Xiucai* exam back then, someone also said that as long as I spent money to buy a title, I could be a county magistrate as soon as there was a vacancy. But I was unwilling. The Manchu Qing officialdom is filthy; I didn't want to be this county magistrate. I think one should be upright in life. As long as one can have a clear conscience when asking oneself, that's enough. The People's Party has done so many things up to now; I think when you ask yourselves, you should have a clear conscience."

Hearing this, Ren Qiying nodded gently.

"Girl, it's already a remarkable thing for tens of thousands of you to have a clear conscience. Why do you trouble yourself? If Yuwen Badu can't do it, can Chairman Chen Ke use you as a scapegoat? If he uses you as a scapegoat, that's also not bad; you just come home and farm with me. We won't be this official anymore."

"Dad..." Ren Qiying couldn't help shouting.

Looking at Ren Qiying's anxious look, Ren Yugang couldn't help laughing. "Haha, now you know the thoughts after becoming an official. Once power is in hand, orders are carried out. You usually think what you do is proper business, big business. No matter what you say, once you are not allowed to be an official, your heart can't stand it."

Having her little secret completely exposed by her father, Ren Qiying felt ashamed on one hand, but felt much more relaxed on the other. She laughed, "Dad, what exactly should I do?"

"Be an upright person, do upright things. Qiying, I have taught and educated people for so many years. Many talented and promising children finally went astray. It wasn't that they couldn't do things, but that they thought too much. For example, being an official is originally to do some proper business and seek benefits for the people. Just like the current officials of the People's Party, whether you distribute fields, run workshops, or open schools. In the final analysis, it's all to make everyone's life better. So, I think it's not wrong for you to follow the People's Party."

Ren Qiying never knew her father Ren Yugang supported the People's Party so much. While secretly surprised, she listened carefully to her father's teachings.

"But some people, after becoming an official, what they see and think about is not how to do the things in their hands well. What they see in their eyes is how many people they can command, how many people can bow and scrape to them. These people don't understand that while others look like they are bowing and scraping on the surface, they don't know how they are cursing you in their hearts. What's the meaning of this? I am unwilling to deal with those vulgar people. Since you want to be this official, don't become a vulgar person yourself. Daughter, the reason I haven't said these things all along is that I see when you are under Chairman Chen Ke, you are never a vulgar person. Besides doing proper business, you never do anything trivial. I think this is very progressive, this is very good. What you think about these days is: has everyone eaten on time? Worked on time? Rested on time? Have they finished the work according to the rules? Are the rules set well enough to let everyone finish the work? If there are loopholes in the rules, how to patch them? These are all proper business; this is all progress. The gentlemen (*junzi*) of ancient times were nothing more than this. As for currying favor, you don't think about it at all."

Ren Yugang spoke sincerely, and Ren Qiying was somewhat moved. These days, everyone in the People's Party had been working hard in this direction. She didn't think there was anything wrong with this. This was the life the common people wanted to live. She never expected that these things were actually the style of a gentleman in her father's eyes.

"The atmosphere of your People's Party is so pure and good that those boastful villains cannot mix into your People's Party. So Qiying, you must never become a villain yourself. You said others are extremely capable; is this kid Yuwen Badu incapable? I see he is quite good at building houses. He just can't do well as the County Party Secretary now, so Chairman Chen Ke asked you to help him. Use as much ability as you have to help Yuwen Badu. Don't be afraid; work boldly."

"But Dad, what if someone picks faults?"

"Chairman Chen Ke can train tens of thousands of you into this appearance; do you think he doesn't know who is a villain? If a villain jumps out, do you think Chen Ke can tolerate those people?"

Ren Qiying felt the knot in her heart was untied by her father. She said in a low voice, "Many thanks, Father."

Ren Yugang touched his daughter's hair and said lovingly, "Don't worry about what your mother says. Move away early tomorrow morning. This is good for you."

"Yes, Father, I will leave tomorrow."

"By the way, I went to find people in the county these days, wanting to find a teaching position in the school. I also met Mr. Yan Fu. Mr. Yan asked me to go to the Normal School to teach and study at the same time. I'm telling you this first so you won't be surprised when the time comes."

Seeing her father actually cared about her to this extent, Ren Qiying didn't know what to say. Ren Yugang held Ren Qiying's shoulder. "Remember, whoever asks you to do private business for them, don't do it. If they have no food to eat, let them find me. I will handle these things for you. You being this official is not to do private business for them. If you dare to do one thing for them, you won't be able to finish the subsequent things at all. I am your father; at this time, it's time for me, the father, to come forward. Qiying, you must remember this for me. Not to mention those bullshit relatives and friends, even me, even your mother, your brothers and sisters, if you dare to do private business for them, don't say I won't recognize you in the future."

Ren Qiying nodded with a firm look. "I know, Father."

Early the next morning, Ren Qiying packed a few clothes and left. With her father backing her up, Ren Qiying only felt the sky was blue, the water was green, and her mood was relaxed beyond compare. Getting rid of those complicated interpersonal relationships, Ren Qiying felt her steps were light enough to almost fly.

Entering the office, she saw Yuwen Badu sitting among a large pile of official documents with a frown. It seemed Yuwen Badu hadn't slept all night. His eyes were full of bloodshot lines, and he looked exhausted to the extreme. Seeing Ren Qiying come in refreshed, Yuwen Badu stood up like seeing a life-saving straw. "Comrade Ren Qiying, you finally came."

Ren Qiying's face was full of affectionate smiles. After listening to her father's guidance, she felt her thinking was extremely clear at this moment. After the two sat down, Ren Qiying first simply categorized the official documents, then picked up a document and handed it to Yuwen Badu. Yuwen Badu read: "Outline of Granary Construction?" After reading, he looked up. "Is this what we need to deal with urgently now?"

Ren Qiying nodded. "This harvest is unlike previous years; the amount of public grain is huge. We don't know if the granaries in the county can hold it. Moreover, it is unlikely for the base area to transport all the grain to the county. Have granaries been built in other districts? How much grain can they hold? We must figure this out. Since we are going to the countryside, we might as well calculate this clearly first."

"Should this be done first?" Yuwen Badu hesitated.

"Secretary Yuwen, you manage construction. Building granaries is your specialty."

"True, true." Yuwen Badu couldn't help nodding repeatedly.