The news of the war spread like wings throughout the Executive Committee building. The offices were boiling, and almost no one had the heart to go to work anymore, all crowded in the hallways talking.

Ma Ganzu gently closed the door to the conference room, blocking out the noise. In the conference room, everyone looked at each other, not knowing what to say.

"I'm afraid of a fart! Everyone has declared war, and we just need to fight! Ma Jia couldn't get used to the somewhat gloomy atmosphere in the conference room, and shouted loudly.

"I agree, according to the plan." Peng Zhicheng also said nonchalantly, "The troops should be full and expanded, and the Spaniards will fight with him!" ”

Wang Qinian glanced at Peng Zhicheng, although he looked down on this black-faced army leader, but when he was about to maintain the united front at this time, he also pinched his nose and echoed: "As long as the navy has sufficient manpower, it can definitely ensure that coastal defense is foolproof." ”

"If you don't fight, you won't be able to." Shao Shude made a stinky face and said: "From now on, the materials cannot be used uncontrollably, and I don't know how long this battle will last." But are the Spaniards really ready? I can't see it, it should be that the order from Lima has just reached La Plata, but the scattered troops have not yet been assembled, the supplies have not been stockpiled, and the Peruvian fleet should not have arrived yet. I really don't know what to say about their urgent declaration of war, is it self-confidence or brain-dead? ”

With a few people at the beginning, several other people also began to express their opinions, and the core meaning is one: no way, then let's fight. The meeting was very efficient, and in less than half an hour, everyone dismissed the meeting and then went back to their respective offices to begin the implementation of the plan.

Peng Zhicheng sat on his chair, then turned out a stack of documents in his drawer, looked at it hurriedly, and smiled at the people sitting in front of him: "You bunnies, now you know that Dao is nervous." Come, Xiao Wang, show me the 33-year-old list of the new army establishment, and I am ready to suggest that the Executive Committee implement a new establishment and expand the troops. ”

"Xiao Wang" pushed his black-rimmed glasses and reminded: "Minister, I'm afraid that the navy will rebel if this compilation table is pushed up." Although the current war is now, the Executive Committee is estimated that most of them will not approve it. ”

In 1633, the new army was established on a grand scale: there were shed-level units below the platoon, and each platoon had jurisdiction over three sheds, with 15 men per shed; The platoon added 1 deputy platoon commander, so that the number of people in each platoon swelled to 47; If it is also organized according to five platoons per post, the number of people at each post will increase to 237, and the number of people at three posts will be more than 700. With such a large establishment, it is really strange that the Navy does not fry the pot.

"Ha Lu Ha. Unafraid. Peng Zhicheng said with a smile, "It was originally handed over to bargain." In fact, Peng Zhicheng's real bottom line is to fill the existing three infantry posts, and it is best to make a new one; The cavalry and artillery arms should be greatly expanded, and the number of troops in the army should be pushed to 500 men.

Regarding Wang Qinian's recent series of small actions in the navy, Peng Zhicheng is actually very clear. Wang Qinian also took the lead in building the No. 4 Fort, and also carried out the trial voyage of the first warship, the "East Coast Eagle," and all of them followed the same path, that is, to create a fait accompli and force the Executive Committee to expand the establishment of the navy. Once the gun emplacements are installed, can't you put the cannon there and look at it, right? You can't just put it there when it's built, right? In Peng Zhicheng's opinion, the means are really a bit "patterned, Tucson is broken", but he always succeeds in the executive committee, which is really infuriating. In this case, Lao Tzu will also have a dose of fierce medicine this time, depending on what the Executive Committee says. After all, it is the army that protects the home and the country; To really solve the battle, it is still up to the army.

Peng Zhicheng's slightly exaggerated plan was handed over in a unified manner, and it really aroused huge criticism in the Executive Committee, and Wang Qinian, a member of the Navy Committee, was even more angry and scolded "shameless with black charcoal." At this stage, there are about 2,000 young and middle-aged men in the Executive Committee (not including prisoners), which looks like a lot, but in fact, at least 400 of them are craftsmen or apprentices of all kinds, and they do not belong to cannon fodder that can be consumed at will; Excluding some central and local administrative personnel (mainly the Crossing Public), the number of people who can be incorporated into the army will not exceed 1,300.

Moreover, these 1,300 people are the number after all mobilization, and the Spaniards have not yet been seen, so naturally they cannot carry out a general mobilization. Only a part of the personnel of some units with a large number of people (such as the construction team) can be recruited into the army in advance, and these people have been working together for a long time, have a sense of organization and discipline, and regularly receive various military training, which can be regarded as a relatively high-quality source of soldiers.

On 20 February, the mobilization of the first units began, with the first mobilization of 120 men, all of whom received regular artillery training, of which 75 were assigned to coastal batteries, and the remaining 45 were assigned to the newly formed Second Outpost of the Army's Independent Field Artillery.

At the same time, 600 people were requisitioned and requisitioned from 15 production teams in the Dingyuanbao Reclamation Area for intensive military training, and a large number of stockpiled 32-B flintlock rifles and sabers were removed. At present, the arsenal is working overtime, has suspended all exports, and is fully engaged in the production of all kinds of materials needed for the war.

In addition, the most eye-catching thing in the navy and land forces is the "East Coast Eagle," which has just returned from sea trials. This 250-ton Galen ship can be said to be born at an inopportune time, as the first warship to join the active service of the Navy, it would have been an extremely glorious thing, but now in the eyes of most people, it can only be nested in the harbor with the Yunsheng No. 1 as a fleet.

However, Wang Qinian disagreed, believing that the war was about the survival of the people, and being blocked in the port was equivalent to half of the defeat. So he decided to ask the Executive Committee to arm the Yunsheng No. 1 passenger and cargo ship, use valuable diesel fuel, and form a fleet of tugboats and barges to attack the Spanish ships from outside, so as to weaken their war potential in the region. This proposal was highly controversial when it was discussed within the Admiralty, and many of the Travelers instinctively objected to squandering precious diesel fuel in the war against the Spaniards.

"But when are you going to use these diesels? Now the equipment of Yunsheng No. 1 is well maintained, and the ship can still be started, but what about the future? In a few years, when the equipment on the ship breaks down and the ship cannot operate normally, you will have to use the diesel fuel to burn it. It's better to do a big deal this time, and beat the Spaniards to a painful and painful time, so that they don't dare to trouble us in the future, and then what if we don't have Yunsheng No. 1, no enemy will dare to provoke us again. Those who agreed with Wang Qinian's opinion also made a generous statement.

"No, Yunsheng No. 1 can carry us for our lives. In case the war is unfavorable......"

"What if the war is unfavorable? And then we're going to find a place to farm again? I'm sorry, but it's enough for me to plant a field once, but I don't have the passion to do it a second time. Besides, we will be able to break out of the harbor by a large number of warships, and it is still a question of whether we will be able to break out of the harbor by then. People are not stupid, and there are many ways to limit us. ”

After discussion and discussion, no consensus was formed within the Admiralty, and Wang Qinian's heart was cold, and he simply ignored the staff of the Admiralty and directly submitted the proposal to the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee did not dare to make a mistake, so it called Wang Qinian, who was hiding in the Admiralty, to the Executive Committee that night. Wang Qinian entered the room and saw that everyone's straight eyes fell on him, and he immediately smiled: "I'll say the point directly, don't interrupt, if you want to spray, wait until I finish spraying." ”

"Tugboats and barges are not very suitable for ocean voyages, so forget it this time. I have chosen the secret port of the Broken Fleet - the Falkland Islands, which are the Malvinas Islands. At this time, the Falkland Islands were still uninhabited, which was just right for us as a supply port. In principle, Yunsheng No. 1 can install as many artillery pieces as it can, and in addition, it must be equipped with a certain scale of army soldiers. I'm going to cruise around the Strait of Magellan after the war, which is an important sea route in South America, through which Peruvian ships pass on to La Plata. If you're brave enough, you can go ashore off the coast of Chile with a full load of army soldiers and grab a ticket for it. Wang Qinian explained his plan to the members of the executive committee.

However, most members of the Executive Committee were suspicious of his crazy plan.

"Now the combined diesel fuel of Yunsheng No. 1 and the tugboat is only about 500 tons, which cannot withstand your consumption at sea. If you're going to have an ambush in the Strait of Magellan, you'll have to stock up on supplies first. There is nothing on the Falkland Islands, you have to prepare everything in advance, how much fuel does it take to transport goods back and forth? Shao Shude actually had nothing to do with Wang Qinian's plans, but out of his usual cautious character, he still asked questions.

"This is easy to solve. The East Coast Eagle was loaded with a group of people and construction materials to land in the Falkland Islands, and then some improvised warehouses were built to store supplies. Most of the remaining supplies can be carried over when the Yunsheng No. 1 departs, and the 'East Coast Eagle' sails back and forth to the Falkland Islands will only take ten or twenty days, and the time is completely in time. Wang Qinian said.

"No, I can't. I agree with the 'East Coast Eagle' alone to fight guerrillas, but I reserve my opinion if I take the Yunsheng No. 1. Xiao Mingli said. He didn't know much about the naval stuff, but he instinctively objected to anyone who intended to use the Yunsheng One.

"Just drive the 'East Coast Eagle' to the top of the fart." Wang Qinian was a little anxious, "It's just such a big physique, and the speed is not much faster than others, and there are not necessarily more cannons, what are you going to fight?" Do you deliver food to people? ”

There was a moment of silence in the room.

"Well, let's vote." Ma Ganzu looked at everyone, and then said, "Raise your hand in agreement." After speaking, Ma Ganzu raised his hand.

Xiao Bailang followed and raised his hand. His old subordinate, Wang Tiehammer, who was getting moldy in the Admiralty, had recently been commissioned by Wang Qinian to work with him. Xiao Bailang was not ready to object, but now that he can help his old subordinates by the way, he naturally raised his hand in favor.

followed by the industrial commissioner Ma Jia, who very simply expressed his support for Wang Qinian; After hesitating for a moment, Shao Shude, a member of the material committee, also raised his hand in favor. Wang Qinian himself raised his hand, and then looked at the remaining few people dryly. Army Commissioner Peng Zhicheng: He didn't expect him to agree; Civil Commissioner Xiao Mingli has already made it clear that he is against it just now, so naturally he can't do it; Judicial Commissioner Bai Siwen is said to be not very good at dealing with Ma Qianzu and Xiao Bailang, and most of them are unreliable; The hope of passage lies in the remaining Education Commissioner Du Wen, Finance Commissioner Tang Yuan, and Foreign Affairs Commissioner Gao Mo.

Du Wen shook her head lightly and objected, and Wang Qinian's heart was cold again.

Foreign Affairs Councilor Gao Mo frowned and thought for a long time before he sighed and slowly raised his hand. Finally, halfway through, Wang Qi breathed a sigh of relief.

After seeing Gao Mo's agreement, Tang Yuan said with a wry smile: "Even if I object, it's useless, right?" ”

At 6:5, the proposal was adopted.

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