A new, two-wheeled carriage drawn by a single horse was trotting on the road from Bairen to Mount Viye. This is a two-wheeled moped carriage "Dongfeng", the latest product of the factory, which is modeled after the 1860s Heensman horse-drawn carriage. Single-pilot, two-seater. Because it is a two-wheel structure, the front car part is omitted. The body structure is simple. It is equipped with single-axle 60-inch 16-width hardwood wheels with steel axles and ball bearings. Leaf spring suspension, iron bar frame, wood body. Equipped with a foldable canopy: there are two configurations, luxury sheepskin or cowhide, ordinary tarpaulin; It is equipped with fixed lights and a foot-operated bell.

One of the main reasons for the Dongfeng prototype was that someone wanted to sell the carriage as a luxury item; Another reason is that some of the patriarchs began to feel that riding a bicycle to go out to work was not enough and wanted to build a carriage as a "bus". Playing majestic.

Li Chiqi knew that at this stage, using the carriage as a "bus" was something that he didn't need to think about - as far as the most basic element of horses was concerned, Nick didn't want to make a horse in his hands - the horse was now the "second master" of Lingao in addition to the patriarch. Except for military and agricultural use, which can be transferred, they are not allowed to be used. As for the plan of Skede, Hong Huangnan and others who expect to sell a cadre of people as sheep in Daming, it is difficult to say whether there can be a market. However, the purple electric reform, gun carts and ox carts have faded out, and he pretended to be confused and expressed his willingness to undertake this trial production task, and at the least, it can be used by Guo Yi, who is about to return to Guangzhou.

In the end, under the guidance of Hong Huangnan, the former owner of the 4S shop and now the chief staff officer of the Logistics Command of the General Military Affairs Bureau, the vehicle factory made a horse-drawn carriage -- Hong Huangnan had a special affection for horse-drawn carriages and collected countless pictures and materials, especially the very rare line drawings of various types of carriages. Dongfeng's manufacturing mainly relied on the information he provided.

Although Hong Huangnan insisted on calling it Mercedes-Benz, Li Chiqi thought that the name was still reserved for the luxury model in the back, so he followed the "red flag" and called it "Dongfeng".

"Shouldn't the east wind be used for ox carts or heavy carriages?" Hong Huangnan, who felt sleepy looking at the handmade "Dongfeng" in the vehicle workshop, said that he couldn't understand.

"China's first sedan, also called Dongfeng, was hammered out by hand. Let's use this name for this car. ”

"It's better to be called Geely." Hong Huangnan said stupidly.

"Whatever it's called, this car looks really good." Li Chiqi said sincerely, "Let's go for a test drive"

"We've got to get a horse first."

Now all the horses and donkeys in Lingao are in the pastures of the high mountain range, even the horses of the army. The farm must be returned immediately after training for use. This is Nick's rule, in order to ensure that the horses are well cared for and bred as much as possible. Fortunately, Hong Huangnan knew that a batch of horses from Qiongshan had recently been sent to Gaoshan Ridge, so he intercepted one halfway and declared that he would send it to Gao Shan Ridge himself.

This is a batch of méng ancient horses, very tame, after Li Chiqi put the horses in place, he found a driver to catch the car, and the two of them took the car to the Biye Mountain.

The road leading to Mount Piya has been hardened and ancillary works, and the carriage runs smoothly on the cinder-paved road, without feeling bumpy at all. This made Hong Huangnan feel that there was great hope for mass production -- he was ready to use this thing to empty the pockets of the wealthy in Guangdong.

After walking less than 34 kilometers west from Bairencheng, I came across the first Jiāo-tong checkpoint. In the middle of the road there are horse-resisting horses, watchtowers and sentinels. The entire Alpine Ridge area is now designated as a green zone under the direct control of the Senate, and all the original indigenous villages in this area have been relocated, except for the Daimei Village, which was established by the senators themselves. Aboriginal and naturalized people are not allowed to enter the area without a "Green Zone Pass" issued by the Special Mén. A company of the garrison battalion was responsible for guarding the area.

Their carriage passed smoothly through the first bayonet, then the second, then the third. On the highway and on the hillside, you can see the soldiers of the garrison battalion patrolling from time to time.

"This place is really heavily guarded" Hong Huangnan exclaimed in surprise, "It is more powerful than the surrounding areas of Bairen City" It was the first time he had gone deep into the high mountain range.

"Of course, this is the lifeblood of the Senate." Because Li Chiqi participated in the "Prometheus" operation, it is not surprising that the current situation of the heavily guarded place is not surprised. There are not only pastures, meteorological stations, planned veteran resorts and, more importantly, the Great Library and the STC, the repository for the original standard equipment templates.

Hong Huangnan did not understand the true meaning of the lifeblood of the Senate, thinking that he was talking about horses. Nodding his head, he said: "Animal power is a big bottleneck -- it is needed everywhere in the military and agriculture, and if you want to sell horse-drawn carts to the mainland, you have to provide customers with supporting horses." I don't know how many horses Nick has? ”

"One or two hundred horses." Li Chiqi said casually, "We'll be at the ranch in a while." ”

The road network in the restricted area of Mount Viye has been formed, with bridges, street signs and drainage ditches complete. Street trees were also planted. The carriage drove on it very comfortably. Along the way, there are very few pedestrians on the roadside, but from time to time you can see various buildings on the hillside and among the trees.

"I didn't expect the executive committee to hide so many things here," Hong Huangnan was surprised. As a logistics chief staff officer, he had been to Xixingling when the Xixingling Fort was completed, but he didn't expect that it would become so mysterious here in more than a year.

"Hehe, you are the chief staff officer of logistics, don't you know that there are many facilities of the military hidden here?"

"I'm an 'unreliable' person, but I'm just a district chief staff officer." Hong Huangnan was full of stomachs, "There are so many logistics plans organized by me on my desk, many of them are just a code name, and I don't know where the project is carried out." ”

Li Chiqi said: "I don't know the details very well. However, the army did have several secret facilities here. ”

"It can't be hidden."

"Not really."

As he spoke, the carriage had arrived at Nick's ranch.

The ranch is just southwest of the main peak, Bald Ridge, on Mount Piye: there is a small ridge called Mopanling, which is formed by overlapping two layers of circular flat-topped mountains, which resemble a millstone. The mountains here are gentle and there are not many trees, and it is a good place to use it as a mountain pasture after being renovated. Now a number of valleys, including those below the mountain, are all enclosed in the confines of pastures.

Li Chiqi said: "We have arrived at Castle Hill. Then he reminded Hong Huangnan, "When you talk about horses for a while, you must not use contemptuous or casual words. ”

"Understand, he's a madman." Hong Huangnan nodded again and again, and then asked, "This is called Castle Hill?" It's kind of like that. ”

"Hehe, this place is called Mopanling, and it's almost like a bunker. This is where it is known as 'Nick Castle'. Here he is the Emperor of the Earth. ”

The carriage stopped in a square in front of the Ranch Grand Mén. Hong Huangnan got out of the car and looked out at the beautiful scenery, the winter sun shining on Mount Biye, and the saplings of the newly planted economic forest and windbreak forest in Chūn last year swaying in the breeze. The white mist has just lifted. Even though it's winter, the mountains are still green. On the pasture on the hillside, there are horses scattered in twos and threes, grazing and running leisurely. Some mares also carry newly born foals.

The valley is planted with fodder crops that horses like to eat, and the yù rice has just been harvested, and the fields are planted with alfalfa. Several fermentation towers for fermenting green fodder are erected. Below the hillside are stables with high pointed roofs. A windmill was spinning slowly, and the sound of the water could be faintly heard. Hong Huangnan feels that the scenery here is a bit like a foreign pasture.

A young man in a peasant uniform was stirring something in front of the warehouse, and on the ground was a large wooden basin that seemed to be a hún mixture of grass yào and water. Yang Guigui was guiding beside him: "Stir it well, otherwise the horse won't eat"

Around them, there are also many wooden basins and barrels with lids, which smell of grass yào and chemical hún.

Yang Guigui came here to heal the horse's disease. Horses are squeamish and can easily get all sorts of máo diseases. As soon as the news of the arrival of a large number of captured horses was reported to the ranch, Nick invited Yang Guigui and asked him to prepare all kinds of common horses in advance. Prepare the horses as soon as they arrive and begin to treat these trophies.

"This carriage is beautiful enough," Yang Guigui looked at the Dongfeng carriage, "Where did you get your horse?" ”

"Borrowed." Hong Huangnan said, "Qiongshan is repatriating officers and soldiers, and the horses and livestock they have surrendered are being organized to be transported to Lingao. I'll borrow a horse-drawn carriage first. ”

Before the officers and men who "peacefully withdrew" from Qiongshan came on board, they handed over a large amount of war spoils in accordance with the provisions of the treaty, and it was his job as a staff officer of the logistics department to organize the transfer.

"Now Nick is going to get rich." Yang Guigui said and called out to the young man who was stirring hard, "Shengbao go and call your master"

Sheng Bao hurried to go, and soon called Nick, who was washing his horses, from the stable. Nick was wearing torn overalls, holding a máo towel on his head, and grass stalks hanging from his head. The sleeves were rolled up to the elbows, and the two arms were blistered red with water.

"What? Just a horse? Frustrated, Nick asked, "Where's the carriage?" ”

"I'll rush to the ranch one by one from tomorrow." Hong Huangnan said, "You can rest assured. No one will be missing. ”

"I'm not at ease," said Nick, "I'm afraid that the horse riders have very little experience in caring for horses, right?" ”

"It's all ...... who have been grooms in the past"

"These grooms only serve as servants, and they don't know how to take care of horses," Nick ripped off the máo towel from his head and squatted on the ground, "I knew I should have gone myself"