As one of the backbone military generals in the Soviet system, it is not surprising that Xu Bangjie was reused by Zhao Dongyun.

After sending Xu Bangjie away, Zhao Dongping then came in, and as soon as he came in, he took out a report: "Third brother, this is the ordnance report you want!" ”

Zhao Dongping's position under Zhao Dongyun is relatively special, and he is currently wearing many hats, he is not only the general office of the General Finance Bureau under the general's government, but also the general office of the third town armory. Not only does it control the financial power of Fengtian, but it also controls the small treasury of the third town, as well as the power of ordnance management and procurement

Zhao Dongyun didn't open it and look at it, but said directly: "Tell me briefly, how many new guns are we missing now?" Can the old guns needed at the Patrol Station be solved? ”

Zhao Dongping looked at Zhao Dongyun, who had closed his eyes slightly, and knew that he had read too much Wen Jiàn and didn't want to read it anymore, but the report was written by him, and he naturally knew these numbers, so he immediately said: "In terms of new guns, there is still a shortage of about 4,000 in the Second Mixed Association, and our inventory is only about 500, which is relatively large." A few days ago, I have placed an order with Fuchang, but it may not be easy to mention the goods in a short time! ”

Zhao Dongyun still didn't open his eyes, but said softly, the meaning of the inquiry was very obvious, Zhao Dongping naturally had to explain: "Although it has always been easy for us to pick up the goods in Fuchang, but this year, the fifth and sixth towns have been newly established, and Baoding has issued an order, saying that the orders of other armies will be postponed all the way, and priority will be given to supplementing the fifth and sixth towns." If we want to get the goods, I'm afraid it won't be until September, and if we all arrive, it's estimated that it won't be until November! ”

In 1904, the output of various ordnance of the Fuyuan Machinery Factory had reached the normal level, and in 1905 it had greatly surpassed the Hanyang Gun Factory and became the largest arsenal in China, among which the normal monthly output of the Fuzao 88 rifle had reached 2,000 pieces. Of course, this price is far from being as cheap as thirty-one or two taels of silver, and it will cost more than thirty-five taels of silver.

Therefore, in non-war times, it will not break out day and night, and according to the normal output of the Fuyuan Machinery Factory, it will take more than half a year to arm the Fifth and Sixth Towns alone.

In addition, in 1904, the imperial court began to require all provinces to train the new army, and designated the 88 type rifle as the standard rifle, so the demand for the 88 type rifle in the provinces is also very large, and among the three major arsenals in China, the 88 type rifle of the Fu factory is the best quality, and even the price is the cheapest, so not only the northern provinces, but even the southern provinces are also running to the Fuyuan machine qì factory to place an order to buy ordnance.

In this case, Zhao Dongyun's Fengtian Second Mixed Association will have to wait a few more months if they want to get a new gun.

Zhao Dongyun opened his eyes at this time and said: "It seems that the Fuchang factory has been too short-sighted in the past two years, and it knows that the supply exceeds the demand and does not expand production!" Go back and send a telegram to Uncle Bin, so that he doesn't focus on the steel factory and the gun factory, although these two places are also important, but the gun factory is more important! ”

Zhao Dongyun felt that the development of the Fuyuan Machinery Factory in the past two years had gone a little crazy, and the arsenal should have made guns and cannons, but now it is running over to play with steel and coal mines, and even if it is played, millions of taels of silver will be thrown down all of a sudden, and there is no money to increase the production line of rifles and bullets.

Even he wondered if he should separate the steel and coal departments of the Fuyuanji Factory, so that the Fuyuanji Factory could focus on making guns and cannons, but even if he thought about it, the Fuyuanji Factory's involvement was too big, and he couldn't move lightly.

"Since there are not enough new guns, what about old guns? Before the new guns came, the Second Mixed Association had to have guns! Zhao Dongyun continued to ask Zhao Dongping.

Zhao Dongping said: "There are a lot of old guns, there are a lot of old guns that the Jinzhou patrol battalion retreated from before and our third town retreated, and a lot of them were also collected when the Fengtian patrol battalion and the old armies were reorganized in various places, and I am afraid there are almost 20,000 in this warehouse." I thought about it, first pick 4,000 good old Mauser for the second mixed up to use, and then there are more than 2,000 Martini rifles and more than one old Mauser that can be distributed to the patrol officers everywhere. ”

Zhao Dongyun nodded: "This way can be!" ”

Zhao Dongping continued: "In addition to guns, there are about 20 artillery pieces missing, and I am afraid that these will have to be purchased from foreign companies!" ”

Zhao Dongyun shook his head: "This purchase of artillery will be slowed down first, let's see how the Fuchang side is, I saw their sample guns last month, although it is worse than the German goods, but it is also a mountain cannon, if it can be used, it will be purchased from the Fuchang side!" ”

At first, the cannon of the Fuyuan machine qì factory was just playing mortars, but later it also tried to build artillery, and also made a 75 mm cannon, but this old goods naturally no one wanted, so they began to imitate the German 75 mm mountain gun, which is naturally inferior to the original German factory, but after seeing the sample gun, Zhao Dongyun felt that it was still barely usable, well, more importantly, cheap!

So he waited for the Fuyuan machine qì factory to be able to mass-produce 75 mm mountain guns, and then buy them cheaper than imports, in fact, not only Zhao Dongyun thought so, Yuan Shikai also planned so, after hearing that the Fu factory was trial-producing mountain guns, he placed an artillery order to Germany only left a long-barreled 75 mm field gun, as for the mountain artillery, he was also ready to wait for the goods from the Fu factory.

After Zhao Dongping said that the ordnance was gone, Zhao Dongyun's interview was not over, and it didn't take long for Meng Enyuan to walk in.

As soon as he came in, he opened his mouth: "My lord, I have some opinions on the compilation of the Second Mixed Association!" ”

Zhao Dongyun sighed softly: "What? ”

"My lord, look, can you transfer that cavalry battalion from Shiyang to me? At that time, I will be able to have two cavalry battalions in the first mixed association, and if I build another cavalry battalion, my first mixed association will be able to pull out a cavalry association! Meng Enyuan expressed his expectations.

But Zhao Dongyun couldn't cry or laugh when he heard it: If the cavalry battalion of the Second Mixed Association is transferred away, and only infantry and artillery are left, how can you let the Second Mixed Association fight!

Meng Enyuan said: "The terrain in the northeast is flat, and the role of cavalry is very huge, if it can be organized into a cavalry association, it will undoubtedly greatly strengthen our army's mobile combat capability!" ”

Zhao Dongyun said: "It is naturally a good thing to develop cavalry, but you can't just look at the cavalry association, the infantry still needs a certain cavalry to cooperate in reconnaissance and harassment operations, if the cavalry troops on the infantry side are transferred, it will make the infantry lose their eyes." ”

Meng Enyuan smiled: "If this doesn't work, then my lord, do you see if you can train a few more cavalry battalions, and when the time comes, whether it is attached to the infantry association, the town or pulled out separately to form a cavalry association, it is feasible!" ”

Although Zhao Dongyun wanted to refuse in his heart, he also knew that Meng Enyuan was the number one cavalry general under his command, and it was understandable that he wanted to expand the cavalry, so he suppressed the words of refusal, and immediately said: "Oh, you will go back and write the charter, I'll take a look at it!" ”

Unexpectedly, Meng Enyuan was also a person who had been following Zhao Dongyun for several years, and he had long expected that Zhao Dongyun would say this, so he immediately took out a plan: "My lord, look, this is the development strategy of my Fengtian cavalry that I have compiled these days!" ”

Zhao Dongyun could only smile helplessly at this: "Lao Meng, you don't give me a chance at all!" ”

Meng Enyuan said: "Isn't this all for our great cause!" ”

Since Meng Enyuan had already taken out the plan, Zhao Dongyun naturally couldn't help but read it, so he immediately unfolded the plan and read it. The plan is not long, and most of the text describes the cavalry strategy and tactics of the Japanese and Russian armies in the Russo-Japanese War, and also refers to the development of cavalry abroad.

Finally, Meng Enyuan wrote that the large-scale cavalry unit is still an indispensable component of the contemporary army, and if the cavalry establishment can adopt the Dalian small battalion system, then a battalion of cavalry can meet the reconnaissance and harassment needs of an infantry town, and a company can meet the reconnaissance needs of a mixed association.

However, in addition to the inherent reconnaissance role of cavalry, what is more important is its mobility; if it is possible to form a cavalry association of four to five battalions, which has more than 2,000 combat cavalry under its jurisdiction, and is equipped with cavalry guns, machine guns, mortars, and even cavalry artillery, then this cavalry unit of more than 2,000 people will be able to carry out long-distance mobile operations and carry out important tasks such as strategic detours and sneak attacks.

If possible, it can even be organized on a larger scale, such as a cavalry town with two cavalry associations, to serve as a strategic force for tactical tasks such as running and detouring.

In Zhao Dongyun's opinion, this Meng Enyuan completely used the cavalry unit as an infantry horse.

Later, Meng Enyuan also listed the compilation table of various cavalry, these things Zhao Dongyun just took a look, because the tables listed by Meng Enyuan all talked about the first cavalry town in Fengtian, the second cavalry town and the like, the cavalry in this town is more than 5,000 people, according to Meng Enyuan's plan, Zhao Dongyun has to train more than 10,000 cavalry.

Although cavalry is no longer the most expensive type of troops in these years, and the cost is far less than that of artillery troops, it is not cheap, you let Zhao Dongyun go there to get money?

So after reading it, he put down the plan, and then looked at Meng Enyuan and said: "Now you also know our predicament, and I also know my character, so don't hide it, let's say, what do you think!" ”

Meng Enyuan's plan is as unreliable as the naval development plan in the early years of the Republic of China, and Meng Enyuan didn't expect Zhao Dongyun to approve it, but just hoped to remind Zhao Dongyun that although the heavy machine gun was powerful in these years, and the infantry had become the main force, our cavalry was not bad, and it could still become the main force, so as to promote Zhao Dongyun to attach importance to the development of cavalry.

Now that Zhao Dongyun said this, Meng Enyuan also gritted his teeth and said: "My lord, it is necessary to vigorously develop cavalry, although it is difficult for me to Fengtian now, it should not be a problem to squeeze and train two more cavalry battalions, and then transfer a battalion from the third town, and then draw a team from the first mixed association and the second mixed association, so that a cavalry association can barely be formed." Although the department is not talented, it still expects to be able to train a cavalry association for adults! ”