Bright Sword: From Border Region Manufacturing to Major National Heavy Industry

Chapter 16 I'll Be a Scoundrel
"Go back and tell Lao Zhang that I'll borrow this cannon for three days, just three days."

Li Yunlong said to Lao He, "I will deliver a thousand catties of white sugar to him within three days. I mean what I say."

"Commander Li, aren't you being dishonest?!" Lao He glared. "Besides, the data on the remaining shells fired still needs to be tallied up for our factory director. Can you bunch of brutes who only know how to swing knives and pull triggers even read?"

Old He simply couldn't believe that a thousand catties of white sugar could be obtained in three days.

The white sugar in our arsenal has been stored for a very, very long time.

The troops below are struggling to even get ordinary guns and ammunition, let alone white sugar, let alone a thousand catties of it, which they managed to get in three days. Do you think this white sugar is coarse grain?
Moreover, the data on the firing of artillery shells must be provided to the factory director.

"What do you care if I'm a scoundrel or not? If you piss me off, I won't even give you half of the spoils." Li Yunlong was as tough as nails. "As for the shell data statistics, you don't need to worry about that. Our Political Commissar Zhao is a graduate of Yenching University. He's a highly educated intellectual. Writing down some data is no big deal for him."

"You..." Faced with Li Yunlong's shameless attitude, Lao He rolled up his sleeves and was about to fight when he was pulled back by the arsenal workers: "Director, calm down, calm down. We arsenal workers are no match for him either."

While the arsenal workers were holding onto Lao He, Li Yunlong turned around and left, not wanting to waste any more time with Lao He.

Watching Li Yunlong's retreating figure, Lao He was furious: "This guy is nothing like a regimental commander, he's practically a bandit, completely disorganized and undisciplined!"

A worker from the arsenal said, "Which other regimental commander dares to be as bold as Regimental Commander Li? He dares to disobey orders from headquarters on the battlefield. He only stayed at the clothing factory for two days before he was back to regimental commander. When he left, he took two hundred sets of uniforms with him. Minister Zhang couldn't do anything about it, could he? Director, let's not confront this Regimental Commander Li directly. Let's go back and report the facts, and let Minister Zhang handle it."

The arsenal workers were implying that Commander Li had powerful connections and was being protected, which was why he was so bold. They argued that it would be unwise to confront him directly.

"Hmph." Old He could only let out a heavy snort in the end and temporarily give up: "However, we need half of these weapons and ammunition. I must personally oversee the process to prevent them from giving us less."

Lao He led his men to clean up the battlefield alongside Li Yunlong's troops.

After receiving half of the weapons and ammunition on the battlefield, Lao He's mood improved.

"More than two hundred rifles, three thousand rounds of rifle bullets, six hundred hand grenades, four light machine guns, three thousand rounds of machine gun bullets, and two grenade launchers with more than two hundred grenade launcher shells, hehehe..." Old He's face lit up with a smile, and he sighed, "The factory director was right, there's no way that can be produced in the arsenal as fast as what we steal from outside."

With so many weapons and ammunition, the arsenal's delivery tasks are nothing compared to this.

Seeing that Lao He's expression had improved, Li Yunlong said to him, "Lao He, you've tasted the sweetness of looting on the battlefield, haven't you? In the future, if your factory director makes any new gadgets that need testing, you must call me."

"Commander Li, don't worry, we definitely won't call you!" Lao He said firmly.

With your lack of organization and discipline, I won't call you again.

"Da Biao, send a company to escort them back." Li Yunlong didn't continue talking to Lao He, but turned to Zhang Da Biao and said.

He took the cannon by force, so it's understandable that the other party has a bad temper. Li Yunlong should be more magnanimous.

Moreover, the other party were workers from an arsenal, the cornerstone of our military's production.

None of these people can be harmed; we must send someone to escort them back.

"Yes, Commander." Zhang Dabiao immediately dispatched a company to escort the people from the arsenal back.

"Da Biao, take the cannon, let's go to the brigade headquarters," Li Yunlong said to Zhang Da Biao.

Li Yunlong wasn't stupid. If he took the cannons and didn't give them back, Lao He would report to Zhang Wanhe immediately upon returning. Given Lao Zhang's stingy nature, he would soon put pressure on him through official channels.

We definitely can't withstand this official pressure.

Then let the brigade commander take over.

What? The brigade commander is willing to cover for us?

nonsense!

We brought back artillery; how could the brigade commander not be envious?

If things go wrong, the brigade commander might have to buy me drinks.

"Yes, Captain."

……

"Minister Zhang, slow down, I'm getting dizzy."

Li Muzhi was arranged to sit on a horse by Zhang Wanhe, who was also riding another horse and leading Li Muzhi's horse at a very fast speed.

"Li Muzhi, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'll slow down, I'll slow down. I can't afford to mess with your brain." Zhang Wanhe quickly slowed down, then asked excitedly and curiously, "Li Muzhi, how did you come up with the idea of ​​overtaking on a curve to build a cannon? And how did you know that the fertilizer and sugar contained ammonium nitrate?"

“Minister Zhang, when I was the deputy factory director, developing explosives was my job. I was curious about the Japanese fertilizer, so I analyzed it and found that it contained ammonium nitrate. Once, some sugar accidentally fell in, and I couldn't get it out, so I continued experimenting. I found that adding sugar could increase the power, and that's how the explosives were made,” Li Muzhi explained. “As for overtaking others to build cannons, I was inspired by the equipment that Regiment Commander Li handed over. I never thought it would actually be possible.”

"What a genius!" Zhang Wanhe exclaimed in admiration upon hearing this.

Making explosives is my job, so there's nothing wrong with that.

This idea of ​​overtaking on a bend to build a cannon came about in a flash of inspiration; it's truly a blessing from heaven for our Eighth Route Army!

"Minister Zhang, although we can make cannons, we can't do without shells. Putting aside the sugar, you need to hurry up and stockpile the fertilizer from the Japanese side," Li Muzhi instructed.

“Nonsense! Fertilizer can be used to make explosives. I’d sell my underwear to stockpile as much as possible!” Zhang Wanhe immediately declared, then sighed, “But the logistics department is really poor. There’s not much money in the books.”

Soon, Zhang Wanhe said to Li Muzhi, "Li Muzhi, how to make money is my business as the logistics minister. Don't worry about it. Just focus on making the remaining cannons for me at the arsenal."

"Minister Zhang, I have a few ideas on how to raise funds." Li Muzhi was from the future, so he could easily obtain funding by taking a few of those scams.

“Didn’t I tell you? You don’t need to worry about making money. Just focus your energy on the military industry. Who knows, one day you’ll have another inspiration and build something new for our army.” Zhang Wanhe didn’t want Li Muzhi to be distracted.

Li Muzhi has a talent for military industry, so he should be allowed to devote all his energy to military research.

One of his brain cells was wasted on other things, which were a huge logistical loss!
“Minister Zhang, I’m also doing nothing on the way back to the arsenal,” Li Muzhi said.

"Then, tell me your thoughts." Zhang Wanhe agreed and asked Li Muzhi to share his ideas.

(End of this chapter)