Lijiazhuang. Near the War Department.

"Sir. I really can't help it. If I, the chief of staff, can't even bring back this little weapon, what will the fighters of the independent brigade think of me, the chief of staff. Li Tie said to Shangwu distressedly.

"Hmm. It's not you who are short of weapons, there are many troops that don't have enough weapons, and I don't have much to do to help you deal with this. Shang Wu reluctantly told Li Tie.

"Sir, can you think of a way. Even if you give us some special weapons of war, it's okay. Or give the 4th Infantry Division weapons like that, or that. Li Tie suggested.

"Huh. No. This one really doesn't. At present, the headquarters is very optimistic about you and knows your situation, but the headquarters does not have too many weapons and equipment for reserves like you. Shang Wu said. He also thought, but the financial situation is not very good.

"This." Li Tie wanted to say something, but Jia Xu had already signaled him not to say any more. He knows. This is the War Department, and it's really embarrassing. To say no, that is to say, there really is none.

"You go back first, and the headquarters will figure out a way here. These days, we're all tackling one such thing. Come on. Let's go back. Let's go back. Jia Xu said.

Li Tie nodded and went back helplessly. The lack of equipment for the independent brigades, as well as for the rest of the troops, led to a catastrophe for some military training. Because they can only train with wooden guns, it is obvious that they cannot arouse the enthusiasm of the leader of the soldiers.

"What's next?" Jia Xu asked Shangwu.

"What can I do. The orders from the imperial court could only satisfy our purchase of a large amount of grain, but there were no extra orders to make our situation better. The condition of the army's weapons and equipment is indeed very bad, but we don't have the extra money to do such a thing, this iron mine. Iron smelting requires money. It's not like you don't know about procurement. Shang Wu said distressedly.

Shangwu has sent people to contact merchants from all over the country, hoping that they can find some ways to sell some weapons or some goods, but the current situation seems to be difficult, and there are only a few areas where there is war, such as Liangzhou. But it was a long way from the Republican Army. Far away. Transportation used to be extremely unfavorable. Huangfu Song returned to Luoyang at this time, and even if he officially accepted the appointment, it was already the second year of sending troops.

"Hmm. The problem arises on the order. This is the best way if His Majesty the Emperor can relax the local control, so that the local government can purchase all kinds of weapons and equipment on a large scale to deal with the situation. However, the current situation seems to be very unfavorable. Jia Xu analyzed.

"yes. Their central government still exists, and such a thing as procuring armaments is a matter for their central government, and the local governments still lack the ability to procure on their own initiative, and because our military operations have stopped, the number of things that have caused them to feel a military threat has also decreased a lot, and it seems very difficult to fight in such a situation. This means that their military orders are reduced. It's for us. This is extremely disadvantageous. Shang Wu said.

At present, the financial and trade situation of the base areas is basically balanced, and with a little arms trade, the base areas can import a large amount of grain, but the high-priced grain and high-priced arms cancel each other out. The surplus situation becomes extremely unfavorable. In order to reverse this situation, Shangwu wanted to do it through the arms trade, but the demand for this was somewhat suppressed, that is, their local government could not trade with the Republican Army, which led to the arms trade situation was not very optimistic. This is for Shang Wu. is very disadvantageous.

In fact, this is also caused by the geographical isolation of feudal society, and it is easy to form warlords one by one in such a situation. This also explains why there was a situation of warlord scuffle later.

"It would be best if there was a way to further reduce the power of the central government and further strengthen the power of the local government. In this way, one warlord can be formed one by one. If we work with these warlords, we may be able to open up such a situation. Shang Wu thought for a moment and said. Thinking of the latter situation, Shang Wu said.

"Well, it's hard. It is necessary to use eunuchs like Zhang Rang to lobby and persuade, but this may be opposed by civil officials and military generals. If it continues, the resistance it may encounter will be very large. Jia Xu said. Unless the court itself has a faint trick. Otherwise, it would not have been possible to encounter such a situation.

"Hmm. Zhang Rang is a very greedy person. It's hard to get him to do something like this, you know? An iron cannon, he actually earned 100,000 yuan in the middle of the difference, and we only got 50,000 yuan. It can be seen how greedy this person is, but he is such a person, we still have to use it. Shang Wu said helplessly.

"Hmm. Zhang Rang, if he uses it well, is one of our knives. If you don't use it well, it's a knife in someone else's hand. Since Zhang Rang helped, we naturally liked this situation. Jia Xu said.

"In that case, let's let the other party use it like this." Shang Wu said.

"However, I thought of a way, since we can't arm our own troops, then, equip them with a lot of shovels, let them temporarily become engineering troops, build bridges, and eliminate all kinds of risks, such as. Give them some**,**, let them do their research, what do you think? Shang Wu asked Jia Xu.

"I'm afraid they won't want to." Jia Xu said worriedly.

"If you don't want to, you have to be willing, I don't have so much equipment for them in my hands, the dragon gives birth to nine sons, each is different, I can't equip them according to a standard, the actual situation we can't do this, so, the only way is to let them figure it out by themselves, that's all." I researched some new ** for them and let them play on their own. Shang Wu said.

"Hmm. It seems that this is the only way to go. Jia Xu said.

Outside Huguan County. A large number of Huguan people gathered here, and they came here for only one purpose, to see the red lady. When they heard the news that the bandit Red Lady had brought the eighteen leaders of the bandits to accept the reorganization of the Republican Army, everyone was shocked.

"This IRA is amazing. This red lady is a character, and she is a good person who robs the rich and helps the poor. I didn't expect such a character to accept the adaptation of the Republican Army? An unknown person said.

I said. Don't you know, the predecessor of this Republican Army was the Red Turban Army, didn't you listen to those storytellers? This Red Turban Army is even more powerful than the Red Lady, and tens of thousands of Xiyuan New Army and Northern Army have all been defeated by the Red Turban Army. And the Red Turban Army also has artillery. Muskets, this bandit simply doesn't have it. That Flying Eagle Village, how powerful. Only the eagle can go up, but which one of the cannons of the Red Turban Army will go? After a cannon bombardment, it surrendered. The remaining bandits are also bandits, so it is better to accept the adaptation of the Republican Army. Besides. The combat effectiveness of this Red Turban Army is quite strong. Bandits are very powerful. They just messed around the county, but they didn't force the county to surrender. Look at it, the eldest son, Huguan, Tunliu, these counties have surrendered quickly. In such a situation, this bandit can only be such an outcome. One said.

"Hmm. It seems to make a lot of sense. The crowd nodded.

"Hey, after this red lady accepts the adaptation, how big an official is it?" Some people asked curiously.

"Well, this red lady is very beautiful. But no one knows what it looks like. One said. The others were intrigued when they heard it. After all, a female thief, a beautiful female thief is still very attractive.

"What a big official, I know, a notice has been posted over there. It was said that the Republican Army was going to create a new mountain brigade. It was an order from the chief of their side. This is a new number. The number is said to be eight or nine thousand. One said. Because he can read that, which is a great ability.

"Eight or nine thousand? So much? I think the team of the red lady who accepted the change is only 5,000 people? Some people said suspiciously.

"Maybe there will be additional troops. Anyway, the Republican army gathered so many soldiers at once. What exactly are they trying to do? No one knows. One said. This was the most feared place for the people, even though taxes were much lower and forced labor was abolished. However, there are still so many of them. This made them very worried, after all, this army is not easy to feed. It is still equipped with firearms. No one knows what the IRA is trying to do.

"Forget the mask. I know the red lady is unwilling. Ma said with a wave of his arms.

"However, this mountain brigade will be handed over to you. The team currently consists of nearly 6,000 people. The rest of the soldiers will be replenished, and as for training, we will follow the requirements of the infantry drill code. In terms of food and ammunition replenishment, there may be some shortage at the beginning, I hope you can take on some responsibility, after all, the situation on the base area is not very good. Ma Heng said.

"Hmm. Thank you, oh. No. Thank you, sir. The Red Lady did not take off her bronze mask. And Ma Heng was not reluctant. The reorganization ceremony went quickly, after all, Ma Heng was a very pragmatic person, weapons and equipment, and allocated them 500 muskets and 6 cannons. Many bandit leaders happily hugged the cannons, and liked it to death. This is when they are happiest.