The next day, the three major mainstream newspapers in Sichuan all published Xiao Yimin's signed commentary on the front page, and this article with clear views and easy to understand immediately aroused strong repercussions and won cheers and support from all walks of life in Sichuan.

The major newspapers across the country reacted quickly, relaying Xiao Yimin's article in full and at the same time publishing editorials one after another, believing that Xiao Yimin's public statement meant that all walks of life in Sichuan had completely united and established a strong offensive and defensive alliance.

Major newspapers quoted a large number of editorials from the three major newspapers in Sichuan, emphasizing that Xiao Yimin and Huaxi Group, the largest industrial and commercial enterprise in Sichuan, did not buy shares of the Sichuan-Han Railway because of several years of construction and development, and under the relatively tight financial situation, Xiao Yimin and thousands of employees of Huaxi Group did not sit idly by because their own interests were not harmed, and they clearly supported all the efforts made by the people of Sichuan to safeguard their own interests with a high sense of social responsibility and the spirit of fairness, and will devote themselves to this unprecedented national situation." Defend the Road".

The rapid response from all walks of life was within Xiao Yimin's expectations, and in terms of effect, his goal was fully achieved.

To Xiao Yimin's surprise, the mainstream newspapers controlled by Sheng Xuanhuai, a wealthy official and business representative, jumped up almost at the same time, accusing Xiao Yimin, who was widely hailed as a "rising star in Sichuan's political circles," of being alarmist, and using this contradiction between the government and the people to gain fame and reputation, which was completely a political speculation with ill intentions.

The major newspapers in Sichuan, Hunan, Hubei, and Guangdong provinces immediately responded, and the newspapers of various factions of the League also took a rare unified stand, and the various camps almost unanimously grabbed Sheng Xuanhuai, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, and violently attacked Sheng Xuanhuai's traitorous behavior of frantically plundering at home and shaking his head and tail externally.

While the pros and cons were fighting fiercely in the newspapers, all kinds of gossip were rushing up, and the practice of the "Guangfuhui" with its influence in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River was even more extreme, not only angrily criticizing the words and deeds of Sheng Xuanhuai, the Manchu lackey, in newspapers large and small, but also a series of despicable deeds of the Sheng family in colluding with the Manchu magnates and foreign powers to swallow national capital and coercing and brutalizing many legitimate businessmen in the country over the past decades, and also made public all kinds of obscure scandals of the Sheng family, and all kinds of tabloids and even Sheng Xuanhuai's perverted (surname) orientation. The (disorderly) incest between the Sheng family is said to have noses and eyes, causing an uproar in the world, which is very Chinese characteristics.

Xiao Yimin has become the only victor and the biggest beneficiary in this public opinion war that has affected the whole country, and his name has become familiar to all walks of life in the country, and he has gone from a small person in the market to the head of the largest industrial and commercial group in Sichuan, and his touching deeds of unremittingly helping orphans and widows in the past five years, and his righteous deeds of spending huge sums of money to build free schools in the cause of education have been completely exposed, and he has won the great favor and support of all walks of life in the country, especially the middle and lower classes, and Xiao Yimin has more hats such as "philanthropist" and "western industrial giant" on his head.

No matter what kind of goals and means Xiao Yimin has in this road protection movement, whether he is waiting for the price to sell or being cautious, whether he is selling his reputation or sincerity, whether it is political speculation or justice, it will not affect his positive image, and with the escalation of the public opinion war, Xiao Yimin's health image is more solid, and there are more and more circles on his head.

Xiao Yimin, who yelled and made everyone known to the world, have been very busy lately, and during the day he almost soaked in the north school field and the newly established "technical research institute" behind his house, either inspecting the construction site that had increased to more than 3,000 workers, or studying and discussing it behind closed doors with a few German technicians.

The guard tower in the southeast corner of the north school field is about to be completed, and another guard tower in the southwest corner connecting to the west city wall has entered a state of intense construction, rising from the ground at a rate of three meters per day; The new avenue within the northern city wall is rapidly extending westward, the foundation of the barracks that can accommodate 5,000 officers and soldiers is being built, and more than 2,000 technicians and construction workers from the Huaxi Group Engineering Company are sweating like rain, and the motorcade carrying brick building materials is shuttling back and forth.

There is chaos inside and outside Chengdu, the eyes of the people from all walks of life and the military and political circles are almost all nervously staring at the railway stocks, staring at the various news flying in the sky and the position under their buttocks, no one has time to take a look in the direction of the north school field, only Zou Wenhan, who has a transcendent status and a free and easy surname, has this leisure, he braved the scorching heat to follow Xiao Yimin to inspect the construction site, standing under the grass shed and constantly wiping sweat but full of interest.

"How many barracks will be built in the barracks near the north wall?" Zou Wenhan asked, pointing to the dusty construction site.

Xiao Yimin never hid from him about this kind of thing: "The twelve two-story barracks are divided into two barracks in the east and west after they are completed, and the two barracks are divided into two relative reading districts, each of which can accommodate the officers and soldiers of one battalion, and the place where the foundation begins to dig in the middle is a three-story flat-roofed office building, and there is a storeroom underground. It's messy and can't be seen clearly now, but it looks much better after it's built. ”

Zou Wenhan nodded: "Where is your headquarters built?" ”

Xiao Yimin turned around and pointed to the dilapidated temple temporarily used by the pond: "In front of the broken temple, let's wait for the barracks and training ground to be built." ”

Zou Wenhan smiled, turned around and pointed to the temple near the city wall in the west: "Xilai Temple has been encircled by you in the entire camp, continue to keep it?" ”

Xiao Yimin smiled: "Keep it first, I believe it will be mine in a few days, you see, the big earth bag behind the Xilai Temple is as high as the city wall, it is estimated that it is the soil piled up at the foot of the moat and the city wall back then, you can easily walk to the top of the city wall as long as you pass through the woods and grass piles on the mountain bag, so I plan to keep it as it is, and it is the best defensive position to trim it a little, and it can control the entire west and northwest direction of the city from a high position." ”

"I'm afraid that the woods up and down the mountain bag are hundreds of years old, there are pines and cypresses and camphors, you must not cut them, it's a pity to destroy them!" Zou Wenhan reminded.

Xiao Yimin laughed: "How can it be ruined?" It's too late to protect, it's not only ugly but also unscientific, how can you put it into such a large barracks without green trees? You see, as far as the eye can see, most of the big trees and bamboos are very difficult to the construction, but I strictly order everyone to stay and protect them, because in the future they can play a role in decorating and beautifying the environment of the camp, and summer and autumn are the best parasols, with green trees and green bamboos, the eyes of the officers and men will be much better, and their mood will be much lighter. Remember the 'science planning' I started advocating the year before? This is typical scientific planning. ”

Zou Wenhan seemed to see what it would look like after it was built: "It would be nice if there was a house inside, quiet and beautiful, and I could get up late when I went to bed." ”

"Okay! Go back and I'll build you a small western-style building behind the headquarters, that place is close to my house, you can walk around the pond and walk a hundred and ten steps to my house to mix wine and drink, and then I will send you a few sets of new military uniforms, and then arrange a few guards for you, and then you can do whatever you want, and bring your beautiful concubines who are proficient in piano, chess, calligraphy and painting to live there. Xiao Yimin teased Zou Wenhan half-jokingly and half-seriously.

Zou Wenhan's eyes widened: "Don't provoke me, son turtle, Lao Tzu is over sixty, what are you afraid of?" Besides, do you understand the romance of Baume & Mercier? Maybe it's going to be your little western-style building. ”

"Then it's decided, I'll really build a few of them then, as long as you're not afraid of others saying you're thick-skinned, just move here!" Xiao Yimin really couldn't help this old master, looked around, and touched his stomach: "It's almost dinner time, come to me for two drinks?" ”

Zou Wenhan took out his pocket watch, glanced at it, closed the lid and put it away: "Early, take me to your technical research institute to see, but I heard that I have never been there, I don't know what it looks like." ”

Xiao Yimin put away his smile:

"Uncle Zou, it's okay to go and take a look, I ask you not to say it after reading it, otherwise it is likely to cause me huge trouble, and even damage the overall interests of Huaxi Group."

"Don't worry, I still understand the stakes, so you don't need to remind me so solemnly." Zou Wenhan stroked his long beard with a displeased expression.

Xiao Yimin smiled: "That's good, it's only a few hundred meters anyway." ”

The sun is setting in the west and dusk is coming, the laughter is loud on the high pavilion in the back garden of the Xiao family compound, Ma Gang and the young general manager of Huaxi Group Luo Fa have also arrived, Xiao Yimin's chief guard Wu San and guard captain Zhu Yi are all sitting in the pavilion, enjoying the sunset, while raising a glass to drink.

Zou Wenhan sat on the main seat and kept asking Xiao Yimin in a low voice, the table full of delicious food and wine did not seem to attract him at the slightest at the moment, his mind was full of the unnamed advanced instruments and surveying and mapping tools in the research institute that was secretly built, the eight German technicians in their early twenties to their fifties, and dozens of weapon design drawings hanging on two wide walls, as if there were countless questions that he had not figured out.

Xiao Yimin clamped a piece of fish belly to Zou Wenhan with chopsticks, and saw Zou Wenhan quickly pick it up and stuff it into his mouth and put down the chopsticks, so he had to explain patiently:

"If it weren't for the successful completion of several factories in Dayi and Ya'an, and the successful production of three advanced gunpowder and bullets in the trial production stage, I wouldn't have dared to build this research institute The few German design experts you met just now were all supported by the German Consulate General and the Mauser Company, the director called Watts you have seen before, has always been the gunsmith of our Huaxi Company, he was one of the best designers of the Mauser Company before, and he designed Germany's first semi-automatic rifle four years ago, It was only because there were many defects that he was abandoned, he seemed to be very good at talking, but he was very stubborn, because he was not in the same temper with the senior technical manager of Mauser Company, so he took the initiative to ask to come to China, and the technical standards and management system of our metal products company were set by him, and the instruments and tools from Europe and the United States of the Institute were also purchased by him. ”

Zou Wenhan showed the original look, lowered his head and asked again, "What is the name of the small cannon barrel that Watts introduced to me?" ”

"It's called a mortar barrel as early as six years ago, and it was only when we fought the Russo-Russian War in Lushun, but the mortars at that time were very rudimentary, and the Russians used the navy's mortar guns and artillery cartridges to blast out the shell warheads, and the effect was very good, so it attracted the attention of many countries, however, it was completely expedient to throw shells from large-caliber mortars, regardless of accuracy and portability, so I thought about it for a long time and decided to experiment with 60mm and 100mm imported seamless steel pipes, Is it possible to create a small mortar on the same principle. This group of German experts and various equipment arrived in Chengdu only half a month ago, and the research has just begun, and not much progress has been made. Xiao Yimin explained in a low voice.

"How does this mortar compare to the Krupp artillery?" Zou Wenhan's nerdy anger has come up again.

Xiao Yimin could only answer simply:

"The Krupp artillery is suitable for the confrontation between the two armies and the use of larger fortified positions, with great power and long range, weight and volume are also very large, you have seen the artillery battalion of the new army, a Krupp or this seven or five guns, you have to be served by three horses and a dozen people. And the mortar we are going to study is only a small cannon made by two or three people, with low power and short range, and after the barrel and seat plate are separated, one or two people can run on their backs. ”

Zou Wenhan was very puzzled: "In this case, with the more powerful Krupp cannon, why do you, the son of a prodigal turtle, spend so much money on researching small cannons?" ”

Xiao Yimin glanced at him: "I'm too lazy to pay attention to you, if you have time, it's the right thing for you to help me compile a few books on archaeology and antique identification, there are more than sixty people in the art industry, do you still want to change your career to study modern weapons?" ”

Several brothers next to him couldn't help laughing, only Xiao Yimin dared to talk to the famous old man Zou like this, and what was even more amazing was that the old man Zou also liked to talk like this.

Zou Wenhan didn't care at all, took a sip of the wine glass and took a sip of himself, picked up the chopsticks and began to eat, as if he was still thinking about something.

Xiao Yimin had a drink with a few brothers and began to talk while eating, almost all of which involved the major events that were currently happening and things that might affect him.

It didn't take long for Zou Wenhan to turn to Xiao Yimin: "I almost forgot to tell you something, there is a meeting of the Advisory Bureau tomorrow afternoon, and Pu Boying and Luo Kanghou hope you can attend." ”

The Pu Boying mentioned by Zou Wenhan is Kang Youwei's good friend, the representative of the constitutional, and the chairman of the Sichuan Provincial Consultative Bureau, Pu Dianjun, and Luo Kanghou is the vice speaker Luo Lun.

Xiao Yimin became vigilant: "Who in the new army is going?" ”

"I heard that Zhu Tongzhi and several staff leaders were going to show the support of the New Army for the Baolu movement. How? You don't want to go? Zou Wenhan asked.

Xiao Yimin hesitated: "I am the leader of the border army, and I don't know what to say if I go." ”

Zou Wenhan said disdainfully: "As long as you go to the stage, even if you don't have to say a word, you can play a big role, with your current influence, you don't need to do anything at all, is it because you are afraid of your status as a border army leader?" ”

"I do have some scruples." Xiao Yimin replied truthfully.

Zou Wenhan knocked Xiao Yimin's head with greasy chopsticks: "Stupid! You're so smart in other things, why are you so stupid in this matter? Kneel down, how many pillars of incense are missing? Don't think that you have an excuse to watch from the sidelines when you run around the North Campus and the research institute all day long, you have to show your face when it's time to keep the public's support for you, take a step back, even if you don't want to get involved too much, you need to weigh the strategy carefully, like the current situation, it is best to advance and retreat. ”

Xiao Yimin was thorough at one point, stroked his palms and smiled and praised frequently: "Sure enough, there is an old man in the family, if there is a treasure!" Uncle Zou, little nephew toasts you! ”

"Is Lao Tzu very old?"

Zou Wenhan picked it up, making all the brothers laugh.

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