When the convoy drove to the gate of the station, it received a notice from the Jiedu Prefecture in advance, and the chief and deputy commanders and deputy chief and deputy supervisors of the first regiment of the "Security Army," who had just received a report from the sentry post, had already led a cadre of officers from the regimental headquarters and various battalions and companies to greet them outside the gate -- out of security needs, the notice that Zeng Zhilin and others were going to accompany the guests on a tour of the station was only conveyed to the chief and deputy commanders and chief and deputy supervisors of the regiment, and the rest of the officers and soldiers did not know about it. Therefore, the person in charge of the two checkpoints in front of him was a little surprised by Zeng Zhilin's sudden arrival.! Behind these officers, not only were the soldiers of the regiment's guard platoon lined up in a neat square line, saluting Zeng Zhilin, Jia Run'an, Xu Xinsheng, and others who got out of the car, but there was also a drum band composed of more than a dozen soldiers in the regiment who were musically gifted and could play and play the welcome song.

For the grand welcome of his subordinates, Zeng Zhilin was obviously accustomed to it. While calmly accepting the salute of his subordinates, he introduced several commanders of the First Regiment of the "Security Army" to Jia Runan and Xu Xinsheng. In this way, the group walked into the regiment's station in a warm atmosphere.

Although there was still some distance from the gate of the station to the area where the regiment headquarters was located, Zeng Zhilin rejected the suggestion of a regiment commander to take a car forward, and chose to go there on foot. On the one hand, this is due to his habit of having direct contact with the soldiers when inspecting the troops, so as to get close to each other and understand the situation at the grassroots level. On the other hand, it is also to give Xu Xinsheng an opportunity to get close to the officers and soldiers of the "security army", so that the other party can have a clearer and more intuitive understanding of the "security army". In this regard, Xu Xinsheng naturally couldn't ask for it, and immediately expressed his very much approval when Zeng Zhilin politely asked him for his opinion.

To say that even if the commanders in the top positions in their own army come down to inspect, even if they do not organize a whole regiment to assemble and line up to greet them, they should let the subordinate battalions and companies assemble and line up at their own places of residence and wait for the commander's possible review. However, at this time, in the garrison of the first regiment of the "Security Army," except for the officers who came to greet them on the orders of the regiment headquarters, as well as the guard platoon and drum band of the regiment headquarters, the other soldiers were still conducting various training and drills under the leadership of officers at all levels who had not been arranged to greet them. Except for the need to pause when Zeng Zhilin and others came to him and report to the other side in accordance with the provisions of the rules and regulations, the officers and men of the battalions and companies of the First Regiment were basically not affected by this sudden inspection activity for them.

Accompanied by Zeng Zhilin, Jia Run'an, and a group of officers of the First Regiment of the "Security Army," Xu Xinsheng, who was in high spirits, circled around the garrison of the First Regiment of the Nuoda University, visited the soldiers' barracks, and observed the soldiers' daily training and tactical drills.

If it is said that from the first checkpoint in Yujian to the visit to the entire station, the first regiment of the "Security Army" left Xu Xinsheng with an excellent work style, strict discipline, and excellent military quality, and already possessed all the basic conditions that a strong army should have. Then, after listening to the regiment commander's introduction to the history and achievements of the regiment, Xu Xinsheng had a more comprehensive understanding of this unit. In the face of this army, which had participated in the largest Baoxingzhuang siege and annihilation battle in the six-year battle of Youyun in Xiande, the defensive pursuit battle of Shanhaiguan, and the battle of the Northern Han Dynasty in the seventh year of Xiande, and made outstanding achievements, a sense of admiration came from Xu Xinsheng's chest.

However, it was precisely because he saw the excellence of the First Regiment of the "Security Army" that Xu Xinsheng was full of expectations for the two military facilities he would go to next, especially the "Flying Dragon Army" and "Rangers" battalion, which was known as the elite of the Beiping Army and had stronger strength and more brilliant achievements than the First Regiment of the "Security Army". After having a simple working lunch at the regimental headquarters of the regiment, he left the station of the First Regiment of the "Security Army" in the afternoon of the same day, regardless of the fatigue of the journey, and rushed to the base of the "Xianglong Fort" at a galloping speed.

Although there were four-horse-drawn carriages and concrete official roads between the two places, when the convoy arrived near the left side of "Xianglong Fort," the hour was already approaching evening, and the sky was already a little dark. However, despite this, Xu Xinsheng is not very worried. Because based on the speed of the previous convoy, it should not be a problem to get to the base before dark. However, as the convoy gradually approached within ten miles of the "Xianglong Fort" base, the speed slowly decreased, and it was only more than half of the previous speed. Of course, the slowing down of the convoy was not a handlebar-style careless driving, but Zeng Zhilin's order. In addition, along with the order to slow down, there was also an additional order to insert a pennant with a special mark on the front of the trunk of each vehicle in the convoy that was printed with a special mark pattern from the province before leaving this morning.

When he first heard Zeng Zhilin's order, Xu Xinsheng didn't understand it very much, and he didn't understand that the other party would order to slow down and slow down when there was not enough time. But as the convoy moved forward, the situations encountered along the way made Xu Xinsheng quickly understand Zeng Zhilin's purpose for doing this. Because, starting from the first checkpoint ten miles away from "Xianglong Fort", the convoy encountered a total of eight strict checkpoints before and after, as well as a continuous shuttle of cavalry within a radius of ten miles, and non-stop patrols. It was the small pennants planted on the cars, or more precisely, the "special passes" that were familiar to the sentries and patrol cavalry, that made it possible for the convoy to no longer have to be inspected by the checkpoints over and over again, as it had done when they went to the station of the first regiment of the "Security Forces" before, but could pass directly through the checkpoints and patrolling cavalry without stopping -- the main reason for slowing down the convoy was to let the checkpoint sentries and patrol cavalry see clearly the style and pattern of the small pennants on both sides of the car.

Seeing that the security of a recruit training base was far more stringent than that of a combat unit like the first park of the "Security Army," Xu Xinsheng, who was sitting in the carriage and looking at the horses that had no longer ridden in the carriage, but had instead ridden the horses at the first checkpoint on the periphery of the "Xianglong Fort" base, walked at the front of the convoy, and was in charge of negotiating with the checkpoints and patrol cavalry. This is because, according to common sense, the security level of a front-line combat unit such as the First Regiment of the "Security Army" should be higher than that of a logistics organization such as the "Xianglongbao" base. But now the situation is the opposite, and I can't help but let the new students not feel confused.

Regarding Xu Xinsheng's incomprehension and doubts, Zeng Zhilin and Jia Run'an, who had been taking the initiative to introduce the situation and answer all questions, did not give a positive answer unusually, but smiled and said that such strict security measures were not specially arranged for the "Xianglongbao" base, but to protect targets that were far more important and could not be missed than the "Xianglongbao" base. As for what kind of goal it was, Zeng and Jia did not say it explicitly, but said that when they got to the place, they didn't need to say it, and Xu Xinsheng would understand it at a glance. As a result, Xu Xinsheng could only wait patiently for the truth to be revealed with a question mark in his head.

Fortunately, the wait didn't last long. At the time of the hand-held light, the convoy passed through a checkpoint in Zuihou before entering the "Xianglong Fort", and by the light of the sky that had not completely disappeared, Xu Xinsheng could already see the strangely shaped, tall and thick exterior wall of the "Xianglong Fort", as well as another huge fortress with a similar shape and an area comparable to it at the side and back. However, unlike the quiet and serious atmosphere emanating from the "Xianglong Castle", the brightly lit fortress in the distance exuded a kind of warm atmosphere. If you look closely, you can hear the roar of a machine, and you can smell the smell of soot in the air.

Seeing that Xu Xinsheng didn't care about the "Xianglong Fort" with a typical fortress structure not far away, but took advantage of a little sky light from Zuihou and looked at the huge fortress on the other side very intently. Jia Run'an, who knew that his brother must be full of doubts and curiosity at this time, gently patted Xu Xinsheng's shoulder, pointed to the huge fortress in the distance, and said, "That huge building over there is a production base for our Beiping Army to provide weapons and equipment, especially firearms. In the past, we used to call it a new industrial zone, or a new production base. Nowadays, with the start of construction of the updated 'Taiyuan Production Base', in order to distinguish the two, this base is named 'Xianglong Production Base' because of its proximity to 'Xianglong Fort'. ”

Hearing that the huge building in the distance was the base for the production of firearms for the Beiping Army, Xu Xinsheng's eyes suddenly lit up, turned his head to look at Jia Run'an, and asked tentatively: "My brother has always admired and been curious that the Beiping Army can have sharp firearms that surpass this era for nearly a thousand years. Brother, I really can't think of how the 'Qingyuan' brothers produced those weapons and equipment under the existing conditions. Now that it is so close to the place where guns and cannons were made for the Beiping Army, I wonder if my brother can have the honor to go there to have a look to solve the doubts and curiosities I have had for many years? ”

After speaking, Xu Xinsheng looked at Jia Run'an with anticipation on his face, hoping that his brother would nod and agree to his request. As a result, to Xu Xinsheng's disappointment, before his voice fell, Jia Run'an had already waved his hand again and again, waving his hand hurriedly, and said: "It's not that my brother doesn't want to realize this wish for my brother, it's just that the 'Xianglong Production Base', as the main production area of my Beiping armaments, has a very high level of security and confidentiality." This is also the reason why we have encountered so many sentry posts and patrol cavalry along the way. According to the rules of the team, except for the traversers within the team and the non-traversers who have been specially approved by the committee, no one is allowed to enter the 'Xianglong production base', and violators will be killed. And the 'Xianglong production base' is not among the places where the brother and the great-brother accompany the brother to visit. Therefore, for this request of your brother, I can't help it. ”

"Yes, Brother Jia is right." Zeng Zhilin also interjected on the side, "Without the official document issued by the committee, even if you are accompanied by Brother Jia and I, the guards of the base will not allow you to step into the 'Xianglong Production Base' for half a step." ”

Then, perhaps wanting to comfort Xu Xinsheng, Zeng Zhilin patted the other party's shoulder again and said with relief: "Speaking of which, except for the members of the crossing team and the very few locals who have the absolute trust of the crossing team, Brother Xu, you can be regarded as the closest outsider to the 'Xianglong production base'." ”

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