The second Battle of Anqing was even easier than the first. The People's Party marched more than 200 *li* in two days and arrived near Anqing city. After the city gates of Anqing opened in the morning, the reconnaissance troops disguised as common people and seized the city gates. The Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army was already very familiar with the city situation of Anqing, and intelligence personnel provided a detailed map of the Hubei New Army's stationing. The 1st Regiment entered the city to encircle and suppress the enemy, while the 4th Regiment besieged the enemy's strongholds outside the city, blocking more than a thousand Hubei New Army soldiers in various strongholds.

The Hubei New Army never expected that Brigade Commander Li Yuanhong took more than five thousand New Army soldiers to exterminate the "rebel bandits," but seven days later, tens of thousands of rebel bandits actually "raided" Anqing. The Hubei New Army also had combat experience; they had participated in some "bandit suppression" operations. In the past "bandit suppression," they had encountered "bandits" with absolute numerical superiority. As long as the New Army pulled out and shot firmly at the "bandits," the bandits would collapse immediately after some were killed. The New Army then pursued, and there was no great victory.

Facing the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army they had never seen before, some Hubei New Army troops attacked in formation according to their habitual way. The Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army had not received military training in line shooting. Officers and soldiers relied on various bunkers to shoot at the Hubei New Army, so the line shooting turned into a unilateral massacre. The Hubei New Army didn't expect the "bandits" to dare to shoot at the government army. They could still hold on when the exchange of fire just started. But after the troops of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army began to outflank, the Hubei New Army couldn't hold on anymore. They found that they were actually not much better than the "bandits" they had defeated. When the comrades around them were knocked down by whistling bullets, the hearts of the Hubei New Army officers and soldiers were also filled with fear. In the hail of bullets, they also couldn't withstand the pressure of fear and turned to run. When the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army pursued the routed soldiers of the Hubei New Army, those troops who dared to go out to fight couldn't even keep their strongholds.

However, some officers were relatively smart. Looking at the huge number of enemies, they wanted to rely on the strongholds to resist stubbornly. Hiding in the strongholds, with their backs to the enemy several times their number, the officers shouted loudly to the panicked Hubei New Army soldiers that the rebels were playing the trick of "besieging Wei to rescue Zhao." As long as they persisted until Brigade Commander Li Yuanhong rushed back, the rebels would be finished.

The Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army was well prepared for this. Among the captives caught in the Battle of Hefei this time, there were many mid-to-low-level officers. They had already been scared out of their wits in the battle. Seeing that the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army tried their best to treat the injured officers and soldiers of the Hubei New Army after the battle, and knowing that Brigade Commander Li Yuanhong had surrendered, they showed a great cooperative attitude. The Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army guaranteed these officers that as long as they helped persuade the Hubei New Army in Anqing to surrender, they would be released after Anqing was taken. Some mid-to-low-level officers had relatively flexible minds. Since they were already obediently captives, they didn't talk about integrity anymore. Besides, no integrity was more attractive than being released immediately.

The Hubei New Army belonged to the New Army troops with relatively advanced cultural education, and the education level of officers and soldiers was generally relatively high. The officers explained the military wisdom of the people of Qi in the Warring States period, "besieging Wei to rescue Zhao," to the New Army soldiers, but they didn't expect that what the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army learned was the old trick of the Han army in the Chu-Han Contention, "surrounded on four sides by Chu songs." Dozens of New Army mid-to-low-level officers who had been out for only six or seven days appeared in the ranks of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army and began to persuade surrender. The rhetoric of "besieging Wei to rescue Zhao" collapsed without being attacked. Thanks to the relatively high education level of the New Army, the "persuasion team" composed of these "surrendered troops" held written manuscripts and talked about the prisoner policy of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army to their comrades, which was also sincere and logical.

Although the Hubei New Army couldn't compare with the fighting will of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army, as soldiers, surrender could always trigger a sense of shame. Although they didn't choose to break out desperately like their Jing-Chu senior Xiang Yu, they were unwilling to choose the path of surrender easily either.

To effectively eliminate the sense of shame of the New Army, the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army had to fire a few shots at the top of the Hubei New Army's strongholds. So the New Army accepted the request of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army for "negotiation." The military leaders of both sides conducted rational and frank negotiations. Everyone finally reached two agreements. First, the Hubei New Army formally surrendered to the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army. And a surrender ceremony would be held. Second, after the surrender ceremony, the Hubei New Army would immediately leave Anqing carrying personal non-military items, and the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army must not stop them. All "so-called personal property" that needed to be transported had to be left behind. The Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army stated clearly about this: "You came to Anhui to fight; it is impossible to bring any large items. These large items must be the property you looted from the local people. It is already very benevolent of us not to pursue the crimes you committed against the people; you cannot take the things away."

When Chen Duxiu and the others entered Anqing city, the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army had just reached a negotiation agreement with the Hubei New Army. Chen Duxiu didn't have much opinion on the second content. He secretly asked Hua Xiongmao, the commander of the 104th Division, why the first article was that a surrender ceremony must be held. Hua Xiongmao was in a good mood, so he answered this foolish question, "If the name is not right, the words will not be smooth (*Ming bu zheng yan bu shun*)." This answer made Chen Duxiu blush with shame.

The surrender ceremony was planned by Chen Ke. In fact, the Hubei New Army and the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army both lined up. The officers of the Hubei New Army handed over the military flag to the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army, and then the soldiers handed over their guns in turn. The Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army had already seized the ferry crossing guarded by less than a hundred people on the other side of the Yangtze River. Throughout the surrender process, the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army guaranteed that the personal safety and dignity of the Hubei New Army would not be infringed upon. After the surrender ceremony, the officers and soldiers of the Hubei New Army were sent across the river by the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army, and then the Hubei New Army could arrange future matters on their own.

Something like a ceremony looks simple, but it is not easy when really done. Knowing that their personal safety and personal property were guaranteed, most of the New Army really breathed a sigh of relief. Surrender is just surrender; everyone can't die in vain. When both armies lined up, the Hubei New Army, as the surrendered army, stood in neat queues, handing over military flags and weapons according to rank order under the gaze of tens of thousands of victors. Some people with a more serious nature in the Hubei New Army felt an unprecedented sense of shame. Their faces were pale, their arms trembled slightly, and many people had tears in their eyes during the surrender ceremony. Those were tears of humiliation and pain.

Hua Xiongmao stood in the front row of the surrender ceremony. The expression on his face was serious and earnest, and no trace of emotion could be seen at all. In fact, the pride in his heart had reached an indescribable level. The People's Party and the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army never talked about oppression internally, and fundamentally did not allow various oppressions to exist. Whoever dared to bully people in the army would cause big trouble. Hua Xiongmao was tired to death every day for work. He felt that the term "public servant" proposed by Chen Ke was really too appropriate. As a cadre, working for everyone every day, working for the interests of the people and the revolutionary cause, being an official was like being a grandson. And holding this surrender ceremony drew a full stop to the complete victory of the People's Party in a polite, restrained, and lukewarm way. He felt like he had eaten a Ginseng Fruit in his heart; all thirty-six thousand pores in his body relaxed, and he felt incomparable satisfaction and comfort in his heart.

Just at this moment, suddenly a young New Army soldier burst into tears with a "wah." This New Army soldier looked no more than eighteen or nineteen years old. The cry was not the wailing of an adult when sad, but like the aggrieved weeping of a child after losing a game. With this child taking the lead, many New Army officers and soldiers couldn't help sobbing in low voices. Some officers of the Hubei New Army felt these soldiers lost face. Since Hua Xiongmao and others had said publicly long ago that beating and cursing were not allowed at the surrender ceremony, the officers of the Hubei New Army didn't dare to beat or curse the soldiers in front of the square formation of tens of thousands of Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army soldiers, so they had to suppress their anger and start scolding.

The muscles on Hua Xiongmao's face twitched slightly. As a senior officer in the base area, he had visited army kindergartens and ordinary kindergartens. The little ones with poor athletic ability looked foolishly at the older ones playing, and started screaming and crying if they were slightly unhappy. The babies who could run all over the ground turned the kindergarten upside down, like a monkey mountain. Teachers were not allowed to hit children. Encountering this situation, they could only scold like the officers of the Hubei New Army. The surrender ceremony was originally a very serious matter in the army. Now with this tossing, it looked like the flavor of a kindergarten in the base area.

Not everyone had the self-control honed by Hua Xiongmao. Many officers and soldiers of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army had smiles on their faces, and some officers and soldiers looked even more serious. Hua Xiongmao turned his head to look at Division Political Commissar He Zudao beside him. He Zudao looked serious and thoughtful. Hua Xiongmao knew He Zudao's thoughts because He Zudao had discussed surrender with Hua Xiongmao. He Zudao believed that the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army should allow the enemy to surrender, but the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army itself had no need to surrender to any enemy.

Although Hua Xiongmao felt the same, he knew that when reached a desperate situation, it wasn't that if you said let the cadres and soldiers fight to the last breath, everyone would be willing to risk their lives with you for no reason. He asked He Zudao what he thought. He Zudao replied, "I feel this way: the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army absolutely cannot fight a battle without reason. Before every battle, officers and soldiers must know the reason for their fighting, and sincerely believe that these reasons are to protect the interests of the masses, including everyone's relatives. Only in this way, when fighting, will everyone only think about how to complete the task and how to eliminate the enemy. When the situation is unfavorable, everyone will not respond passively, let alone think of surrender."

Thinking of this, the little bit of humor stimulated by the Hubei New Army in Hua Xiongmao immediately flew to the nine heavens. The equipment of the Hubei New Army was much better than that of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army. This didn't need in-depth investigation; it could be seen just from the weapons and ammunition they handed over. But this army didn't show combat capability and fighting will matching such excellent weapons in the Battle of Anqing at all. When the People's Party first arrived in Anhui, they had nothing at all. At that time, the best weapons in everyone's hands were a few guns. The best pistol was the one He Zudao now wore at his waist. At that time, the owner of this pistol was the girl You Gou.

At that time, everyone didn't know how to carry out the revolution specifically, and the comrades were not clear about the concept of "serving the people." Only in the crisis of the flood, they had no choice but to follow Chen Ke. But in the process of standing with the people personally and fighting for the interests of the people, the people who were "cunning and ignorant" in Hua Xiongmao's original impression were unexpectedly reasonable. These people just didn't have the background and culture of the initial People's Party comrades. In other aspects, they were the same as these Party members. Facing natural disasters, everyone wanted to survive. After natural disasters, everyone wanted to pursue a richer and more dignified life. With Chairman Chen Ke leading the way in front, as long as they were not the kind of people who were lazy beyond cure, or the kind of common people whose minds were full of relying on others or only thinking about living by oppressing others, there was no one who didn't follow the revolution wholeheartedly. Now, of the tens of thousands of soldiers led by Hua Xiongmao, which one was not from a common background? Which one did not once fear the government like a tiger?

Now, an army composed of such ordinary people could sweep across Anhui and trample the once arrogant enemy completely underfoot. Make them obediently bow their heads, admit defeat, hand over guns, and surrender. A kind of pride suddenly arose in Hua Xiongmao's heart. He just wanted to shout "Long live the revolution! The revolution will win!"

The Yue Wang Society also participated in the surrender ceremony. Seeing tens of thousands of Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army soldiers lining up neatly, the Yue Wang Society people didn't even dare to breathe loudly. This was the power they had fantasized about countless times when looking forward to the revolution and bragging. Tens of thousands of troops with strict discipline, uniform actions, conquering every attack and invincible in every battle. When truly seeing such an army, the Yue Wang Society knew that they were "Ye Gong who loves dragons" (professed love of what one actually fears). The People's Party was the "friendly army" of the Yue Wang Society. The Yue Wang Society was scared by its own friendly army.

Chen Duxiu was a smart man, and his knowledge was also considerable. Compared with other Yue Wang Society comrades, Chen Duxiu truly saw the gap between himself and the People's Party. The officers and soldiers of the People's Party had a temperament; they knew where their real goal was, and they also knew what exactly to do. Everyone had a backbone. Compared with the People's Party, the revolution of the Yue Wang Society was a castle in the air. The People's Party considered what to achieve; the Yue Wang Society considered what favorable situation to leverage. So it was only logical that the revolutions of the two had such a world of difference.

Take this surrender ceremony for example. The People's Party seemed to stand there with nothing special, even politely. But the formation of the People's Party could suppress any possible disturbance of the Hubei New Army at any time. Being able to be polite and restrained to this extent, the commander of the People's Party was indeed not an ordinary person.

Not only cadres were moved by the surrender ceremony; soldiers also had their own deep touches. Especially those new recruits who were somewhat educated and defected to the People's Party for revolutionary ideals were even more moved. Fang Shengdong, Lin Juemin, and others were now new recruits of the 4th Regiment. Originally, according to the plan, these southern revolutionary youths had to undergo three months of labor internship. However, with the large expansion of the People's Party army, they were transferred out in advance and arranged into the troops. After joining the army, it was arduous training. It was not their turn to participate in the fiercest battle in the Battle of Hefei. Afterwards, the 4th Regiment had been marching. Unexpectedly, just by marching, the People's Party could win a complete victory. These young people participated in a military operation on the scale of tens of thousands of people for the first time. Naturally, there were various romantic longings in their hearts. Even the long march didn't make them give up the romantic bloody battlefield they had fantasized about. Unexpectedly, without firing a shot, they came to participate in the surrender ceremony.

These youths were scattered into various units, and they couldn't see each other. Although their blood was boiling, they couldn't speak freely due to discipline reasons. Especially Lin Juemin, who once thought revolution was a very arduous thing. He never expected that in the troops of the People's Party, as a "cultured person," not only was it not his turn to educate others, but he was educated instead. He learned more useful things in a few months than he had learned in a few years. The enthusiasm for learning of those soldiers from peasant backgrounds was only higher than that of "educated" people. Lin Juemin came from an official family. He saw very clearly that soldiers from peasant backgrounds were only limited by lack of knowledge. As for whether lack of knowledge was a bad thing, it was hard to say.

Although these simple soldiers had habits developed in life, paying more attention to some personal interests and habitually making a fuss when encountering things, this habit also made them simple and pragmatic, stressing efficiency in doing things. Moreover, the moral level and cooperative spirit of these simple soldiers were not worse than educated people at all. The People's Party stressed cooperation most, and also stressed the rationality of cooperative distribution most. On the contrary, educated people were more calculating and paid more attention to vanity. Ordinary soldiers didn't know the existence of those "vanity and face" at all. They might lose their temper because of a direct reprimand, but they would never be dissatisfied because they had to work hard and risk their lives. In this regard, Lin Juemin felt ashamed of his inferiority.

In Lin Juemin's short army career so far, he felt that the common people didn't care about work; what they cared about was not being bullied. For a seemingly unintentional sentence, they would absolutely not let it go with you. But scholars could often accept verbal ridicule, and even thought that bearing such ridicule was a sign of self-cultivation. On the contrary, when facing work, they made excuses; even if they didn't say it with their mouths, they were unhappy in their hearts. Of course, it would be best if one could bear complaints without complaint and be modest. But where can such people be easily met? Wanting to reach this realm is even more difficult. Lin Juemin was a bit confused now. Between the life of the masses who were not afraid of labor but calculated every ounce, and the life of scholars who seemingly didn't calculate but were unwilling to work seriously under others, which lifestyle was the more dignified life?