Canteen System Assistance Notes

Canteen System Assistance

By Forgotten Maple X

2996 words

2020-09-03 12: 00: 00

37, or the 26th year of the Republic of China, was a historically significant year. In that year, the Party and the KMT, amidst fierce and covert conflict, reached a consensus on fundamental organizational changes and the form of government. They also convened a congress of representatives from both the Red and White districts, further clarifying the Party's focus for the next phase of its work.

The work in Fushe was gradually "returning to normal". The newly formed Central Logistics Special Committee was gradually enriched, and personnel from the Ministry of Finance, the Food Bureau, and the Military Commission continued to join, making this department an extremely busy place. Naturally, due to the nature of the work, the work of this committee could not be kept completely confidential and highly isolated. Director Li, who was the leader of the Liaison Bureau at the time, came up with a solution.

The small hide in the forest, the great hide in the city. After all, if you see a bunch of straw on fire on the roadside, you might think that someone lit it, or that it spontaneously combusted due to the hot weather, or even that the straw was really unlucky and was struck by lightning - but you would never imagine that there is a fire elemental spirit in this straw.

Not telling lies does not mean that the information you say will directly lead to the truth.

The border area began to use the entire canteen system leisurely.

Our protagonist, Comrade Liu Helian, had a somewhat awkward situation. After completing his mission of relaying information to the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, his organization shut down and relocated to China, operating under the Logistics Committee. Without a specific area of ​​responsibility, he became "idle" after completing the introduction and handover of the canteen system. On the other hand, he was able to manage and assist with any matters related to the canteen system.

So from this perspective, he is quite busy at work.

He explored and tested the functional boundaries of the canteen, taught comrades from the Ministry of Finance how to use their computers to compile tables, participated in the formulation of the 37-year spring plowing plan based on the canteen's adjustments, helped the Border Area Consumer Cooperative, a 35-year-old department, to formulate internal and external business expansion plans, and incidentally helped those military repair shops that only had hand tools to solve some problems... It has to be said that although his brain from the future is not as good as his colleagues in professional positions in specific business, his characteristic of knowing a little bit about everything makes him quite adept at coordination work.

Then, Liu Helian began to return to his old social animal status: His days of being unable to work due to power outages at night were finally over thanks to the cafeteria's 24-hour mains electricity. Many central government officials began working overtime at night, and even he, a veteran social animal who later detested the 996 work schedule, felt embarrassed to go home early to rest.

Seeing everyone's dark circles getting deeper, he could only buy more Red Bull and Nestle, while putting on the airs of the deputy director of the logistics committee, ordering everyone not to work overtime too much and to rest early.

His superior, Political Commissar Wang Da, did offer some advice: "Comrade Xiao Liu, even if you were made of iron, how many nails could you possibly hammer? There are so many cadres in the border region. Why not have them all learn from you? That way, you won't be so exhausted."

Looking at Political Commissar Wang Da, who was in poor health and sitting in a wheelchair, Liu Helian suddenly didn't know what to say.

This senior political commissar, still with shrapnel in his stomach, was a pioneer in the political work of the entire Red Army. During the Soviet areas and the Long March, he suffered from malnutrition, which slowed the healing of his wounds and made him unable to get out of bed. Recently, he was ordered by the Central Committee to take a forced leave and was sent to the cafeteria to recuperate in a heated room, where he was then fed nutritious meals by Doctor Fu.

After ten days and a half month, Political Commissar Wang finally looked a bit better. However, he still needed surgery for the shrapnel in his stomach, so for the time being he could only rest in the cafeteria sanatorium, directing work by phone.

"Hey! Comrade Xiao Liu, I think you'll have to turn yourself into Sun Wukong if you want to avoid overtime." Hearing this iconic dialect, he knew the Chairman had arrived. Liu Helian hurriedly stood up and saw the Chairman, hands behind his back, coming in from the door. "Hey, kid, what are you doing standing up? Sit down."

When the canteen was in normal operation, the Chairman always liked to come and take a look during breaks. When he came to take a look, he also liked to take Liu Helian with him, asking him questions and talking to him about the future.

"...If I were to become Sun Wukong, I could pluck his hair and blow on it, and it would turn into a hundred or so Comrade Lius, each working as a long-term laborer for themselves. Wouldn't that mean I could just work overtime?"

With a puff, Liu Helian couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Or, you can go to the Anti-Japanese Military and Political University and lead a class, like a special class. The Anti-Japanese Military and Political University can not only teach you military and political knowledge, but also teach you the knowledge for your future. Let us comrades who perform different duties come and listen." The Chairman walked to his desk and picked up a silver can. "Why are you all drinking this stuff? General Zhu drinks it, Zuo Chen drinks it too. I don't like it. It tastes like medicinal residue.

"Comrade Xiao Liu, when doing revolution, you still have to pay attention to the balance between work and rest!"

The predecessor of the Fushe Anti-Japanese Military and Political University, the Red Army University, had only two classes: the beginner's class and the advanced class. The beginner's class was primarily for company- and platoon-level cadres, while the advanced class was primarily for brigade- and regiment-level cadres. The curriculum primarily focused on natural sciences and social sciences, similar to the liberal arts and sciences curriculum. Practical courses in mathematics, mechanics, radio, firearms construction, and infantry tactics were also included. Compared to the beginner's class, the advanced class also included courses on local affairs, political work, and tactics.

Liu Helian's suggestion was to set up a special class, using some teaching materials and historical battle examples he brought back from the Soviet Union and modern times to offer courses on joint tactics, campaign science, mobilization, etc., to help some old veterans who would shoulder both military and political work in the future to do their jobs better, reduce their pressure, and adapt to the visible need for military expansion: with canteens now available and food problems largely solved, the Eighth Route Army would certainly have to find a way to expand its army, and by then, the demand for cadres at the regimental level and above would surely increase significantly.

However, aside from the few incomplete translated Soviet textbooks that Liu Helian brought back (the time-traveling Liu Helian could speak Russian), there's surprisingly no research on the science of campaigns in China. The Red Army's own experiences are well-documented and preserved, but the constant shifts and marches meant there was no time to compile and digest them, leaving no room for systematic theory. Furthermore, with the Eighth Route Army now comprising only four "divisions," it seems unlikely that such a course would be offered.

However, after careful consideration, the Central Committee agreed to establish such a special class, primarily to study "historical knowledge," analyze and plan future strategies based on currently available information and intelligence, and devise advance deployments. For example, the Chairman delivered a report on the current situation and future tasks; Marshal Liu and Staff Officer Zuo collaborated on a multi-day presentation on "Demographic Analysis of Possible Japanese Offensive Routes for the Invasion of China"; and Comrade Li Qiang gave a review of "Changes in Campaign Tactics and Command Under the Hypothesis of New Radio Communications."

Today's advanced classes are more like the "strategic research department" of some large enterprises in the future. Many outstanding minds spark brainstorming here and come to conclusions full of creativity and imagination, which makes Liu Helian quite impressed - the thinking of these old predecessors who stay in the mountains of northern Shaanxi can't be said to be closed at all.

But he never thought that he would be able to go there and teach these old seniors.

"What? Comrade Xiao Liu, are you trying to put on airs?"

The Chairman joked, "There is no distinction between high and low in the division of labor in the revolution. Picking and choosing is unacceptable."

"Of course not, Chairman," Liu Helian explained, not daring to put on airs. "It's just that I've been thinking of something and am preparing to report it to the Central Committee. Now that we have the conditions, we may need some... other help."

"What's your idea? Tell me first." The chairman's expression calmed down, his smile faded, and he took out a cigarette and matches. "Isn't the help you've brought enough?"

"That's not what I meant. I mentioned this in the report I brought earlier." Liu Helian returned to his desk and gathered up some documents spread out on it. "During the upcoming war of resistance, military struggle is the core of all our work. One of the core elements of military struggle is military construction. In the future, we will also have a saying that 'the construction of the armed forces is the core of national defense construction.'"

The Chairman nodded. Political power comes from the barrel of a gun has always been the guiding ideology of the organization.

"And the construction of military strength is inseparable from the development of modern industry. You see, our border region's main source of weapons right now is captured weapons, and all kinds of industrial equipment are extremely scarce. We have no steel, no chemicals, and not much light industry for logistics. Canteens can solve some of the problems, but they can't solve all of them at the moment."

Liu Helian closed his eyes, but the dark red number was still there, as if it meant something. "So, we might as well seek some external help."

"You mean, you want to go to the Communist Party of the Soviet Union?"

The Chairman's intuition was quite sharp. He immediately guessed Liu Helian's thoughts: "We have considered asking the Russians for help, but in the end we got nothing in return. Instead, we became their son. Since you came, we have become more confident. But Dalinzi is now more concerned about the Soviet Union than the domestic revolution!" He sighed, "In the end, we have too few chips, and our farts are quiet, so no one else can hear us!"

"I'll find a bargaining chip." Liu Helian chuckled, a "tax-evading" smile typical of time travelers. "Comrade Gangtie does value the Soviet Union more, but it's not for national interests..."

“It’s a matter of national security.”

Chapter 11 Wang Tiechui's Past Years

Canteen System Assistance

By Forgotten Maple X

2238 words

2020-09-04 12: 00: 00

Comrade Wang Tiechui was originally from Qingzhou Prefecture, Shandong Province, and was once a farmer in Heishui Province. Later, due to the squeeze of the Japanese colonization group, his family suffered bankruptcy. By the time of his father's generation, he could only work as a miner in Jiapiqiao.

Tiechui was a well-known hard-working child in the surrounding area. He had worked as a farmer, a rickshaw driver, and even worked as a laborer at the Jiapigou Gold Mine. He wanted to join his father in the miners, but his father would never allow him to work in the mines—even though other children of similar age from other villages were already able to work in the mines and help support the family.

So Wang Tiechui could only read books and learn Chinese characters such as "zhihuzheya" from an old scholar in the village - until his father died in a mining accident, and then the Japanese invaded.

At 16 years old, he "volunteered" to join the Jilin Province Self-Defense Force, a branch of the Fengtian Army. Because he could read the firing table and had good physical strength, the young boy became a machine gunner's assistant gunner, responsible for threading the bullet belts for the regiment's only Maxim machine gun, which was probably older than him, and carrying the ammunition boxes. Then, his unit was beaten to a pulp by the Japanese, and the remnants fled into the Soviet Union.

The Russians left no one to eat, and after being repatriated, Tiechui followed the fleeing army and walked to Shanxi, where he saw a work team that was expanding the Red Army.

Forget it, let’s go with this one. It’s not bad to have military food.

Life in the Red Army wasn't bad, but it certainly wasn't great. The food wasn't good, but compared to the Fengtian Army, which often skimped on rations, it was enough to fill one's stomach. Wang Tiechui had some exposure to communism—his first book was a red pamphlet circulating among the miners at the Jiapigou gold mine—and he reluctantly read it. He was deeply drawn to the things described in the pamphlet, and as for the possibility of realizing it... Comrade Wang Tiechui initially harbored no illusions.

If nothing else, let’s drive the Japanese away first!

There's always a difference between what you feel and what you hear. Regardless of distant dreams, the reality around you is still very important. After discovering that Red Army officers didn't beat or scold anyone and ate the same food as everyone else, he changed his assessment of the Red Army from "not bad" to "not bad."

Here, Tiechui still does his old job: assistant machine gunner, in charge of a "seven-pulled donkey" machine gun that he can't even name, but his job has become loading bullets into the straight magazine.

The machine gunner accompanying him was named Wu, a platoon leader who was said to have participated in that incredible Long March. Squad Leader Wu had a strange habit of staying at his machine gun position, whistling and commanding the entire firepower platoon, even relegating the regular machine gunner to the role of assistant gunner. His command was quite interesting. Wang Tiechui noticed that their positions were always to the flanks and rear of the enemy, rarely engaging in direct confrontations on the battlefield—a marked difference from the Fengtian Army's fighting style. Comrade Wang Tiechui's former "commander" had died at his machine gun position, the cause of death being a Japanese grenade launcher. He had narrowly escaped death by running to the back of the position to carry ammunition.

Despite Squad Leader Wu's prowess, the entire firepower squad only had two of these "seven-pulling donkeys," making them quite unremarkable. In the battles of Zhiluo Town and Shanchengbao, Comrade Tiechui's firepower platoon mowed down numerous Central Army soldiers from the flanks. However, the machine guns soon ran out of ammunition, and the heads of those being driven by the supervising squads rolled up slowly and densely like a dark, sparse wave.

The order to retreat came, and he could only carry the injured lead gunner on his shoulders as if he were an ammunition box and rushed all the way to the assembly point behind the mountain. His comrade was hit by a stray bullet and fell unconscious, and Wang Tiechui was also hit by a shrapnel - but fortunately, the thing only pierced the flesh and did not penetrate deeper.

Platoon Leader Wu, who usually liked to argue with people, was unusually angry and lashed out at the two men. He ignored the loss of two precious magazines and the dented "Seven-Pulled Donkey" and instead stayed in the first aid station, crouching beside the two men for a long time.

The conditions in the Red Army were harsh, but the treatment for the wounded was relatively good. After Tiechui underwent a simple surgical operation to remove the shrapnel that had flown far and was no longer effective, his condition stabilized.

The comrade operating the machine gun survived the blood loss, but could not survive the postoperative infection. After the bullet was removed, his wound became infected. After suffering from a high fever for several days, the machine gunner whose position was always taken away by Platoon Leader Wu Jin died.

Another person he could name was gone.

The platoon had killed at least a hundred enemies, with only one casualty, and one unlucky fellow sprained his ankle. It was an excellent performance. The unit was commended, which should have been a cause for celebration, but at the celebration banquet, Platoon Leader Wu Jin sat there without touching his scrambled eggs or chili peppers.

"Ha! You know what, that kid," Wu Jin pointed at his eyes, "his mother could have given birth to at least five children. After those five children, they might still have to fight, but those five children's children might not have to fight. Their children's children can study, go to school, and do things that don't require carrying a gun.

"Now, bang! One bullet, and all the kids are gone.

"You said you died on the battlefield. Bullets have no eyes, and there's nothing we can do. We've already won the battle... Alas!" Wu Jin patted his shoulder, "So, this time, you should go back to Fushe."

"I?"

"Yeah, they want me to rest, but rest is bullshit. You're also a wounded soldier, little kid. Get well first!"

Tiechui was shoved back into the ranks of the platoon and company commanders heading back to Fushi. He was a little confused as to why Platoon Leader Wu had given him the opportunity to recuperate in Fushi. However, he had encountered many such individuals on the return journey—they often didn't meet the conditions for recuperation in Fushi, and their "superiors" often reserved the opportunity to enjoy a comfortable life away from the battlefield for them.

They may be a squad leader, a sharpshooter, a cook, or an ordinary soldier, perhaps wearing a bandage, perhaps lying on a stretcher, or perhaps still able to move on their own like Hammer, but... this kind of care is absolutely impossible to exist in the Fengtian Army.

Wang Tiechui watched and thought, and he changed his mental evaluation of the Red Army from "not bad" to "really good".

He was not an ungrateful person. In the nursing home, he quickly asked if he could do something within his ability.

Considering that his injuries had almost healed, the organization sent him to the Central Guard Corps to serve as the bodyguard for a comrade who had just returned to China.

The leader was a kind person and not arrogant. However, a few days ago, he was called away by higher-ranking leaders and I haven't seen him since.

However, today, Chief Liu found me and asked a strange question: "Big Hammer."

"Report to the chief, it's an iron hammer, not a sledgehammer!"

"Okay, okay, Comrade Tiechui, the organization has assigned you a task. It's not a necessary task, so I would like to ask for your personal opinion." Commander Liu said with a smile.

"I guarantee to complete the task!" Wang Tiechui answered without thinking. It was a task assigned by the organization, so why would he refuse?

"Okay! Hammer! The organization needs your stomach!"

Chapter 12 Meat and Steamed Buns

Canteen System Assistance

By Forgotten Maple X

2208 words

2020-09-07 12: 00: 00

At this time, the Central Guard Corps was not, as many people thought, a place where the elite of the entire army were concentrated. Instead, it was more like a training class, a distribution center for the lightly wounded. Many of those here were injured and came back for treatment, while others came here because their injuries were relatively minor and could play a role, and at the same time, receive re-education.

However, today a large group of people from the guard regiment came and sat in front of a large cave in front of a hill. A wide yard had been cleared here. Tiechui stomped his feet and found that the ground was actually paved with cement.

Hmm? Where did the border region get so much cement?

This small hill was covered in many carved-out openings, some of which were even inlaid with glass. It looked more like a building than a hill. However, Wang Tiechui had never imagined that this thing was a futuristic technological product covered in optical camouflage. In his opinion, there was no such thing in the world that exceeded the limits of imagination.

His attention was focused on the yard, where a shed had been set up with a row of tables with built-in chairs. Several cadres were sorting people who had entered the yard into different sheds based on their entry credentials.

Comrade Tiechui took a closer look and found that all the people around him were young men in their early twenties, sitting upright; on the other side were probably the Red Devils from the Children's Corps, who were also sitting well-behaved, but children's nature made them look around curiously; further away were older soldiers and commanders, who were discussing something with each other while looking at a few pieces of paper.

"Hey……"

What is that smell?

Tiny scent molecules penetrated Tiechui's nose, tingling his nerves and activating a long-forgotten area deep in his brain. Even before he could fully register what these scents represented, his mouth had already begun to react instinctively.

Ah, this is the taste of meat!

Can I eat meat today?

Comrade Tiechui swallowed hard, thinking back: When was the last time he'd eaten meat? He couldn't recall. If eggs were included, it was probably at the celebration banquet. The best dish was scrambled eggs with chili peppers. It was a small plate, with lots of chili peppers and very few eggs. The pieces were so fine, like the occasional wildflower among the red and green grass, you had to carefully poke around with chopsticks to find a few yellow egg fragments. As for the meat that was chunky, visible to the naked eye, with the texture and the delightful texture of the meat in your mouth, he had forgotten when.

However, conditions in the border areas weren't great, and Tiechui didn't think he was one of those injured and sick soldiers who needed special care. He thought the meat was good for the injured and weak comrades, so he decided to give it to them. As for the meat, the little meat in the kitchen wouldn't be enough for the sauerkraut and pork pot he'd used when slaughtering pigs. He thought he'd use some green onions and leeks, mix it with the stir-fried meat filling, and wrap it in dumpling wrappers. Well, white flour wrappers aren't a luxury; multi-grain ones will do, too. And some dipping sauce, tsk tsk tsk...

Oh, don’t mix too many grains into the dumpling wrappers, or they won’t stick together.

Wait, why did I unconsciously start thinking about how to eat meat? This thing is something you may not even eat during the Chinese New Year. Having minced meat dishes is amazing.

This must be an illusion.

Wang Tiechui gritted his teeth and sat up straight. The chair was not made of wood or stone, and it seemed not to be made of iron either. It was smooth. He almost slipped down when he straightened his back, causing the soldiers next to him to almost hold back their laughter.

"Look at you! What bad luck! You're not happy even though you have food to eat!" He cursed himself in frustration. As he thought about it, he felt even hungrier.

Finally, someone emerged from the hill with the strange cave dwellings. Leading the group was the officer surnamed Liu. He wore a white apron over his slate-gray military uniform, sweating profusely as he pushed a flatbed cart loaded with large metal barrels. Several officers, beaming, followed behind him, also pushing flatbeds or a multi-layered, cloth-covered cart. The barrels and white boxes on the flatbeds looked normal, but the cart, over a meter tall and stacked with steel trays, was billowing with white steam.

Damn! It’s a white flour bun!

Wang Tiechui immediately heard a series of gulping sounds. If it weren't for his habit of obeying discipline, he would have lost control of his urge to stand up and rush over! Since leaving the prosperous Northeast, he had rarely seen this kind of delicious white and plump food again. It was made from flour, especially refined flour, mixed with water, and then proofed and kneaded, and then steamed in a steamer.

Today, the ray of white emerging from the steel plate cart is so pure and flawless, without the dull yellow of rough flour, nor the grainy texture of black steamed bread that is irritating to the mouth and teeth. It is like after the north wind on a cold winter night, in the early morning sunshine, you lift the cloth curtain on the window, and look out from the cracks in the paper-pasted window frame, that narrow sliver of soft snow in clumps and layers.

It's a good sign.

Comrade Tiechui didn't know why he suddenly felt inspired to write poetry, or perhaps it was the awakening of a latent poetic gene. He was now using 1200% of his willpower to maintain the strict discipline of a soldier, sitting upright, like an ancient poet who would never accept charity. Revolutionary fervor and a lofty sense of mission now permeated his entire being. He finally understood the meaning of Commander Liu's words.

"The organization needs your stomach!"

This is a great feeling. I can eat white flour buns every day, and I wouldn't even blink an eye if they asked me to fight the Japanese with bayonets.

"Everyone, listen to what I have to say."

Chief Liu, the leader, clapped his hands and drew everyone's attention. "Let me warn you all about today's mission: it's not going to be easy!"

Yeah, yeah, yeah, with so many white flour buns, I’m not afraid of anything.

"In a moment, you'll carefully write down all your experiences and feelings. If you come across a word you don't know how to write down, tell the clerk behind you." Commander Liu's serious expression made people doubt that what was coming next was a difficult and arduous task. "In front of you, there's paper and pen, and a form. Fill it out according to the form. If you don't understand something, you can ask the clerk or ask your comrades who can understand it directly. After filling it out, the squad leader will collect the forms and hand them over here."

He pointed to the table on the other side where two secretaries were sitting, and waved to everyone with a smile.

"In a moment, everyone will line up and come here to receive the equipment and materials. I'd like to emphasize the issue of discipline again. We will come one class at a time. Please adhere to the rules and avoid crowding or scrambling. We have sufficient supplies to ensure everyone has enough."