Chapter 2: The Golden Watch of Switzerland

  On the way back to Chengdu with Qin Guangcheng, Wang Hengyue suddenly realized that it was now the first year of Xuantong in the Qing Dynasty.

  Xuantong 1st year? That's 1909! Wang Hengyue calculated that there were still two years before the Qing dynasty was overthrown!

  Two years! At the thought of two years later, once the Qing dynasty is overthrown, it will usher in the most brilliant and colorful era in Chinese history. Wang Hengyue's heart couldn't help but feel a wave of excitement.

  In this period of history, any small figure can step onto the grand stage of history. What about himself? Wang Hengyue suddenly thought.

  From another era of myself, what can I do in this era? Can I also leave my name in this era?

  All the way, he was distracted and didn't pay attention to what Qin Guangcheng said to him, just going through the motions.

  As they were about to arrive in Chengdu, Qin Guangcheng hesitated for a moment and asked Wang Hengyue to wait for a while. He hastily left and returned after about half an hour with two red palanquins with black tea-colored canopies, accompanied by several men wearing red and black hats with plaques, who stood proudly in front of the palanquins.

  Qin Guangcheng smiled and said, "Brother is not talented, but he has donated a fourth-grade candidate for the Dao, so when he goes out, he also has some appearance. The people at home thought I would return in two days, so these people have been waiting at the city gate for two days. Brother also called for a sedan chair, please!"

  Let Wang Heng Yue go up to the second peak, and then he went up to the front one, and ordered him to head towards Chengdu.

  Qin Guangcheng donated the fourth product candidate Tao, entering the city gate without anyone blocking it, and the red and black hats in front of him were even more majestic. The loudspeakers at the forefront opened their voices and shouted loudly:

  "Pedestrians halt their steps, speakers cease their voices; those wearing white cloths on their heads take them off, violators will receive 40 heavy blows, no leniency will be shown!"

  Hou Bang Hou Guo, with the shoulder-carrying "avoidance", "Yu Shang Si Pin", and "Qin Ci Hua Ling", all the way, is quite majestic.

  Chengdu has no horse roads, and the whole city is paved with stone slabs. The main streets are only about ten meters wide, and the small alleys are only two or three meters narrow. When going out, the most popular mode of transportation is the sedan chair. Those who see the sedan chair coming also give way one after another.

  This was Wang Hengyue's first experience of riding in a sedan chair. After walking for a while, the sedan chair stopped and the curtain opened. The servant called out: "Master, please get off!"

  As soon as they got off the sedan chair, what entered their eyes was a magnificent courtyard. Qin Guangcheng pulled Wang Hengyue's hand and walked towards the courtyard. At the entrance of the courtyard, men and women were already standing there, and when they saw Qin Guangcheng arrive, they all shouted together:

  "Congratulations on your safe return, sir!"

  Everyone shouted in unison, and with a sudden burst of noise, they startled Wang Hengyue, who was caught off guard.

  "Go, brother, we're home!" Qin Guangcheng was overjoyed and ignored those people, leading Wang Hengyue straight inside.

  The wine was already prepared, and Wang Hengyue washed his hands. The two sat down opposite each other, Qin Guangcheng raised his cup, repeatedly thanking Wang Hengyue for saving his life, and they drank several cups in a row.

  Wang Hengyu humbly spoke a few words and drank a few cups. In his heart, he thought that Qin Guangcheng was probably a big rich man in Chengdu, and since entering Chengdu, everything he saw and heard showed that Qin Guangcheng had an extraordinary demeanor.

  After chatting for a while, Qin Guangcheng put down his cup: "Brother, you and I are like old times, calling you brother, please don't take offense. If brother doesn't mind, call me big brother, and I'll treat you as my own brother!"

  "Cheers!" Wang Hengyue was also a straightforward person, raising his cup and saying.

  Qin Guangcheng was overjoyed, and he drank the wine in his cup in one gulp: "Since you called me 'brother', I, as your elder brother, naturally have to think for my younger brother at all times. Don't mind if I, as your elder brother, say too much. I know that you revolutionaries are not afraid of death, but now you're alone and without a clear plan. Even with the greatest ambitions, how can one person accomplish great things in Sichuan? In my opinion, why not temporarily settle down here for now, and then plan your next move?"

  To scare away Lu Baogen, Wang Hengyue deceived him by saying that he was a revolutionary party member, but in fact he had no connection with the revolutionary party at all. He was afraid that if the revolutionary party knew there was an impersonator "comrade" in Sichuan, they would find trouble for him. Now Qin Guangcheng said so, which coincided with Wang Hengyue's intention.

  After pretending to hesitate for a while, Wang Hengyue finally said: "What Big Brother said is also what I am worried about in my heart. As a revolutionary party member, overthrowing the Qing dynasty is our top priority, but at present, I am alone and weak, so I think of hiding temporarily and waiting for my fellow comrades to arrive before taking action."

  Qin Guangcheng was overjoyed and patted his chest, saying: "As an elder brother in Chengdu, I have a gold shop, and elsewhere there are several other properties. Brother, what do you plan to do? Just speak up, and even if it means bankrupting my family, I will repay the debt of gratitude for saving my life!"

  On the way to Chengdu, Qin Guangcheng told Wang Hengyue everything about himself.

  His family had been merchants for generations, and by the time of Qin Guangcheng's generation, although they couldn't be considered extremely wealthy, their family property was quite substantial, with considerable assets.

  Qin Guangcheng was also a man who hated evil, and after a fierce bandit Lu Baogen appeared near Chengdu, Qin Guangcheng and the government discussed it and took out a large sum of money from his own pocket to offer a reward for Lu Baogen's capture, which led to a feud with the notorious bandit Lu Baogen.

  Wang Hengyue also knew that as long as he opened his mouth, Qin Guangcheng would give him whatever amount of money he wanted, but this way, it was inevitable that the other party would look down on him.

  "After thinking for a while, Wang Hengyue spoke up and said: 'Big brother, although I am poor, I know what money to take and what not to take. Although I saved your life, big brother, if I were to take even a single penny from you, would I still have the face to see people in the future?'"

  "A true hero!" Qin Guangcheng slapped the table and exclaimed loudly: "It's said that you revolutionaries value righteousness over wealth, today I've seen it for myself, the reputation is well-deserved!" After finishing speaking, he asked tentatively: "What did your brother mean?"

  Wang Hengyue had already thought of a plan in his mind: "Big brother might introduce me to someone who specializes in Western toys business?"

  "Are you doing Western-style play?" Qin Guangcheng was taken aback: "As an elder brother in Chengdu, I know a few people, but I don't know what my younger brother wants..."

  Wang Hengyue took out a package he had brought with him: "Brother, this time I've come back from abroad and brought a batch of... these Swiss-made gold watches..."

  "What's with the Swiss gold watch?" Qin Guangcheng was stunned again.

  Wang Hengyue stiffened his scalp: "It's a genuine Swiss-made gold watch. The Swiss nation also has sympathetic patriotic compatriots who support our revolutionary party. This time, when we returned to the country to launch an uprising, these patriotic compatriots donated a batch of gold watches and entrusted my brother to bring them back home to exchange for funds, making a contribution to overthrowing the Qing dynasty!"

  Wang Hengyue felt a little guilty when he said this, what he actually meant was the batch of fake watches in his bag.

  Arriving in this era with not a penny in one's pocket is truly difficult to move forward, whether one can survive in this era depends entirely on these knockoff gold watches!