After the two problems were resolved, Sun Liechen left with a satisfied smile. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 ｉｎｆｏ

Zhou Zhongju, who was anxious to improve the strategic reserve plan, also left in a hurry after confirming a few things with Yang Xingguo.

Looking at the empty office, Yang Xingguo wanted to rest.

However, when he thought of the various shortcomings and problems that the Liaodong Army was currently facing, Yang Xingguo was completely sleepy.

"We must take advantage of this time to make up for the shortcomings of the Liaodong Army, so that the war potential of the Liaodong Army will become bigger and bigger......" Yang Xingguo thought secretly in his heart.

Then, Yang Xingguo thought of the arsenal that Sun Liechen had just mentioned several times.

As dozens of earthen iron-making furnaces sprung up in the arsenal, dozens of chimneys standing in the arsenal kept emitting black smoke.

After a long time, the entire arsenal was shrouded in black smoke.

Coupled with the scorching heat constantly gushing out of the iron-making furnace, the temperature of the entire arsenal was several degrees higher than that outside.

After working in this high temperature for a long time, Xiao Wenchang, the director of the arsenal who was born abroad, also learned from the workers and blacksmiths below and worked shirtless in the arsenal.

When Yang Xingguo entered the arsenal with the guards, it took him a long time to recognize Xiao Wenchang, who was repairing a heavy machine gun shirtless.

"Commander, why are you here......" Seeing Yang Xingguo suddenly standing in front of him, Xiao Wenchang's mouth opened directly into a big 0 shape, and he was so shocked that he couldn't say a word for a long time.

After glancing at the harsh environment of the arsenal, Yang Xingguo's brows furrowed and asked, "Director Xiao, why did you do this?" ”

After smiling awkwardly, Xiao Wenchang hurriedly replied: "The arsenal is too hot, there is no way but to do things shirtless...... Commander, it's too much chaos here, let's go out and talk ......"

After walking into Xiao Wenchang's equally humble office, Yang Xingguo's frowning brows not only did not stretch, but wrinkled deeper.

Xiao Wenchang on the side hurriedly said: "Commander, the troops are urging grenades every day. In order to ensure the supply of raw materials, I had to find all the blacksmiths around me and build these dozens of earthen stoves......"

"But even so, the production of pig iron is very low. It's less than 2,000 catties a day......"

"What's more, these earthen stoves not only waste raw materials, but also require a lot of manpower to control them. Even so, the quality of the pig iron produced is very poor. In addition to making grenades, you can't even fight bayonets......"

Seeing the helpless expression on Xiao Wenchang's face, Yang Xingguo secretly decided in his heart that in the past few months, this problem must be solved no matter what.

Thinking of this, Yang Xingguo's face finally looked a lot better, and he continued to ask Xiao Wenchang.

"What about the rest? I just saw a lot of machinery and equipment in the production workshop, in addition to making grenades, what else can the arsenal do? ”

"Repair all kinds of weapons except artillery......" Xiao Wenchang replied with a proud face.

The equipment in the workshop was all transformed by me with the equipment used to seize the Lao Maozi Iron Mine. Because of the limited power, only the most basic cutting, grinding, and drilling can be carried out. However, they are very useful......

"With the addition of these devices, we have been able to repair rifles, light machine guns, heavy machine guns that are not particularly badly damaged, and even create some accessories ourselves......"

"Plus, we're going through these devices. Rifle cartridges were reloaded. Because of the limited primer, only 1,000 bullets were reloaded, and after test firing, the pass rate of these reloaded bullets reached 98 percent. Of the 200 bullets randomly examined, only four were stink bombs...... Of course, with better equipment and sufficient primer, I can definitely achieve a pass rate of more than 99 percent for reloading bullets. “

As he spoke, Xiao Wenchang had already taken out a bullet box, and the box contained bullets. It was Xiao Wenchang who came out by manual reloading.

Yang Xingguo grabbed a few bullets casually, and after looking at them carefully, except for a little difference between the warhead and the standard bullet, the others were almost identical.

Xiao Wenchang hurriedly explained: "Because there is no professional equipment, these warheads are all made by ourselves and molded, and they are polished by hand one by one, which is definitely not as good as the original bullets." “

"However, if I am given professional equipment, I promise that I will be able to reload the bullet with no worse quality than the original......"

Being able to reload the bullet under such poor conditions, except for shock, there is no other word to describe Yang Xingguo's current mood.

After a full minute, Yang Xingguo said with appreciation: "Director Xiao, you did a good job, I am very satisfied, but I have wronged you......"

"What else do you ask for besides the equipment, just ...... mentioned"

"People, I want people to ......," Xiao Wenchang replied without thinking.

"It seems that there are nearly a thousand people in the arsenal, but among them, there are not even twenty masters who can rest their weapons. Even among these dozen masters, none of them can meet the technician standard, and they are all hastily trained by me. “

"As for the others, they are either apprentices or blacksmiths and absentees from the local area, who can only smelt iron and fight their hands. Therefore, the arsenal is in urgent need of a large number of skilled technicians, and the mechanics who have worked in the arsenal are the best......"

A bitter smile full of helplessness immediately appeared on Yang Xingguo's face.

In China in this era, it is already a blessing in misfortune to be able to find a scholar among a hundred people.

And it is also very difficult for a hundred scholars to find a mechanic.

If you pick out those who have worked in the arsenal from among the technicians, it is not an exaggeration to describe them with the words "one in a thousand".

Therefore, in Yang Xingguo's view, this is almost impossible to do.

However, when Yang Xingguo saw Xiao Wenchang's eager gaze, he couldn't bear to refuse.

At this time, Xiao Wenchang seemed to think of something? hurriedly reminded Yang Xingguo: "Commander, you will definitely not be able to recruit this kind of person by yourself." However, we can find a way to poach people......"

"The Hanyang Arsenal and Ironworks in Hubei Province have a large number of technicians we need."

"In addition, these two factories are in a state of semi-shutdown due to financial problems, as long as we are willing to pay money, we will definitely be able to dig up a lot of experienced old technicians, and even buy some machinery and equipment from them that we can use."

Yang Xingguo's eyes lit up, and he immediately promised: "This question is handed over to me, and in a month, I will definitely send you no less than a hundred technicians......

After finishing, Yang Xingguo continued to ask, "Are there any other requirements?" ”

Seeing Xiao Wenchang shaking his head and saying no, Yang Xingguo said directly: "How could it not be, in my opinion, there is a problem that must be solved immediately, that is, the production environment of the arsenal and the treatment of workers......"

"The arsenal is the treasure of my Liaodong Army, and you are the treasure of the arsenal. I can't stand doing things in such a harsh environment......"

"After I go back, I will ask the deputy commander to allocate 10,000 taels of silver to you to replan and build the factory. At the very least, the ironworks should be separated. If you think about the long term, the manufacture of grenades, the repair of weapons, the reloading of bullets, and even the later production of bullets and weapons must be separated, with their own factories and workshops......"

"The other thing is the food in the factory, and you have to have a meal of meat every day." (To be continued.) )