Chapter 184: Don’t Put All Your Eggs In One Basket
Border Region Logistics Office
“Minister Zhang, the Border Region Arsenal can’t be like this.”
Factory Director Xu from the Huangyadong Arsenal called Zhang Wanhe again and said directly: “The few high-level talents at my Huangyadong Arsenal were lent to the Border Region Arsenal. It’s only been a few days, and they’re all saying they’ll stay at the Border Region Arsenal from now on and not come back. Minister Zhang, you must give me an explanation on this matter.”
“Factory Director Xu, look at what you’re saying. From what I know, Old Lu and those few talents all voluntarily want to stay at the Border Region Arsenal. It’s not that the Border Region Arsenal forced them to stay.” Zhang Wanhe said while playing tai chi, “Factory Director Xu, once the Border Region Arsenal gets past this busy period, you can bring people over anytime and directly tie them back to the Huangyadong Arsenal. I, Zhang Wanhe, absolutely won’t stop you.”
“Forget it, Minister Zhang.” Factory Director Xu curled his lips. Now the people all wanted to stay at the Border Region Arsenal voluntarily.
If they stayed a few more days at the Border Region Arsenal, let alone forcibly tying back these few high-level talents, even if headquarters leaders ordered it, they probably wouldn’t be willing to return to the Huangyadong Arsenal.
Factory Director Xu was also very curious about this.
What kind of personal charm did Factory Director Li at the Border Region Arsenal have to make these few high-level talents stay on their own.
“Factory Director Xu, don’t worry. Once the Border Region Arsenal is done being busy, I’ll definitely have Xiao Li go visit you.” Zhang Wanhe reassured, “At that time, whatever problems you have, Xiao Li will definitely solve them for you.”
“Minister Zhang, don’t use these to block my mouth.” Factory Director Xu from the Huangyadong Arsenal said, “My demands aren’t high. If the Border Region Arsenal has surplus machinery and equipment, give me some. Best if it’s the kind that can directly produce ammunition.”
Factory Director Xu had heard that Li Yunlong and the others had set up the Cuicun Arsenal, with half the equipment there.
If Li Yunlong and the others could get half the equipment, getting the other half definitely wouldn’t be an issue.
The high-level talents couldn’t come back, but Factory Director Xu wasn’t unreasonable.
Water flows to low places, people go to high places.
Those few high-level talents staying at the Border Region Arsenal could bring out their maximum potential.
For their future, for the future of our military industry, Factory Director Xu still had an eye for the overall situation.
However, the high-level talents from the Huangyadong Arsenal couldn’t be given away for nothing.
After all, in a certain sense, giving away those few high-level talents would greatly reduce the strength of the Huangyadong Arsenal. They had to get some compensation.
“No problem, Factory Director Xu. Your request is no problem.” Zhang Wanhe agreed immediately and said: “As long as the Border Region Arsenal has surplus equipment here, I’ll definitely have Xiao Li give you some—a complete production line that can directly produce ammunition.”
Zhang Wanhe also understood that you can’t put all your eggs in one basket.
The Border Region Arsenal’s development was gratifying now, but concentrating all the machinery and equipment here wasn’t a good thing.
If one day the Japanese invaders discovered the location of the Border Region Arsenal, and there was so much equipment that it couldn’t be transferred in time, that would be disastrous.
So, the machinery and equipment production chain definitely still needed to be distributed to other arsenals.
That way, if the Japanese invaders came to the Border Region Arsenal one day, they could minimize losses in advance as much as possible.
He just didn’t know if Xiao Li would support it when he mentioned it later.
After all, Xiao Li was now the factory director of the Border Region Arsenal. Moving his Border Region Arsenal’s equipment to other arsenals still required consulting his opinion.
“Minister Zhang, I want you to go communicate with Factory Director Li of the Border Region Arsenal right now.” Factory Director Xu couldn’t wait.
“Alright, alright. Then I’ll go talk to him now.” Zhang Wanhe agreed, but still said, “But don’t hold too much hope. After all, the equipment isn’t complete now. Even if we give it to you, you couldn’t use it.”
“No problem, I can wait.” Factory Director Xu said it was fine.
Factory Director Xu was shrewd. As long as Factory Director Li of the Border Region Arsenal was willing to give, that was a good sign.
Once the equipment was complete, wouldn’t they give it then.
“Good, then I’m hanging up.” After Zhang Wanhe finished speaking, he hung up the telephone.
He had just stood up, preparing to go to the Border Region Arsenal, when the deputy minister of logistics ran over and reported to Zhang Wanhe: “Minister Zhang, there’s an issue.”
“What issue?” Zhang Wanhe looked at the other suspiciously.
“The Japanese invaders’ fertilizer is out of stock. They say they have to wait for the military train to transport it. But the combat troops have destroyed the railway line, and the highway lines are also being destroyed. The Japanese invaders can’t transport in the fertilizer. What do we do?” The deputy minister was troubled.
The Border Region Arsenal was using fertilizer very quickly now. If they didn’t hurry to get more, once it ran out, explosives and bomb production would stop.
Once the Japanese invaders launched a large-scale sweep without explosives and cannonballs, the rocket launchers and Hell Cannons in the troops’ hands would all become scrap iron.
“Hmm, that is a problem.” Zhang Wanhe hummed upon hearing it.
This was indeed a problem.
Although Zhang Wanhe didn’t fight wars, he knew what intercepting the Japanese invaders’ railway line meant.
The Japanese troops in this area now urgently needed replenishment of provisions and weapons and ammunition.
Cutting off the Japanese invaders would prevent their combat power from being replenished.
But cutting off railway transportation meant the fertilizer couldn’t come in either. Wouldn’t that delay the arsenal’s explosives and cannonball production!
“See if this works.” Zhang Wanhe thought for a moment and said to the deputy minister, “We have no fertilizer in this area. Send people to distant places, to other war zones.”
“To distant places?” The deputy minister hesitated, “From distant places to this area, there are so many checkpoints along the way. A lot of fertilizer would be a big target. I’m afraid it can’t be transported over.”
“Stockpile the distant fertilizer first.” Zhang Wanhe said, “Then see if the combat troops have spare time to help transport it back.”
“Alright, alright. Then I’ll go.” The deputy minister nodded and left.
Watching the deputy minister’s back, Zhang Wanhe still frowned.
Stockpiling fertilizer in distant places and wanting the combat troops to help transport it back was still somewhat difficult.
Even, this matter could easily attract the Japanese invaders’ attention.
After all, if our combat troops specifically escorted a large amount of fertilizer back, and the Japanese invaders found out, they would definitely analyze why we went to such lengths to transport the fertilizer back.
If it was just for farming, that would be too exaggerated.
So, this matter still needed to be handled cautiously.
Zhang Wanhe lowered his head and thought again, not changing his mind for now.
Stockpile the distant fertilizer first. As for how to get it back, report this matter to headquarters and let the headquarters leaders decide.
Xiao Li had kept those few high-level talents there. He still needed to go talk to him and allocate some equipment to the Huangyadong Arsenal.
Zhang Wanhe walked toward the Border Region Arsenal.
Border Region Arsenal
“Factory Director Li, how are these parts made?”
“Not quite good.”
“Factory Director Li, I revised it again. Take another look.”
“Still a bit off.”
“Factory Director Li, now?”
“Hmm, now it’s good.”
“Haha, finally good. Then I’ll make them like this, make a lot more.”
“Good.”
……
After learning the core principles and technology of the 107 Rocket Launcher from Li Muzhi’s mouth, Old Lu and the few talents no longer wanted to return to the Huangyadong Arsenal.
They called the Huangyadong Arsenal, then threw themselves fully into the parts development for this 107 Rocket Launcher.
Li Muzhi was still very pleased about this.
These few talents had exceptionally strong hands-on abilities and had relieved Li Muzhi of quite a bit of pressure.
They quickly produced the parts for this 107 Rocket Launcher.
Later, once they took a large Japanese arsenal, got the equipment, 107 rocket production could directly be put on the agenda.
There was just one more problem.
Full-speed production of explosives and cannonballs used up a lot of sugar and fertilizer, though other raw materials were sufficient.
Although the arsenal’s warehouse still had some stock, without new sugar and fertilizer replenishment, shutdown was inevitable sooner or later.
“Factory Director, Minister Zhang is here.” Someone came to remind Li Muzhi.
Li Muzhi immediately went to greet him.
“Haha, Xiao Li, you’re something. So quickly, you made those few high-level talents stay on their own.” Upon meeting, Zhang Wanhe laughed.
Li Muzhi was very capable, but individual strength didn’t count as true strength.
It was like fighting the Japanese invaders—one person’s marksmanship no matter how good could only kill limited Japanese invaders.
But Li Muzhi having high-level talents to assist and bringing up the entire arsenal’s capabilities—that was true strength.
“Minister Zhang, the Huangyadong Arsenal didn’t make a fuss to headquarters this time, right?” Li Muzhi guessed from Zhang Wanhe’s expression that the Huangyadong Arsenal hadn’t made a fuss this time.
“Xiao Li, you know the value of these few high-level talents too. Digging them over from the Huangyadong Arsenal isn’t a small loss for them…” Zhang Wanhe didn’t finish his words.
Li Muzhi smiled and interrupted: “Minister Zhang, why beat around the bush with me? Just tell me directly. This time, did the Huangyadong Arsenal raise any conditions again?”
“It’s not a big condition. They want you to send over some equipment here, a complete line that can directly produce ammunition.” After Zhang Wanhe finished, he looked at Li Muzhi, “Of course, headquarters leaders have ordered that everything in military industry follows your arrangements. If you really need the equipment here, I’ll go back and renegotiate with the Huangyadong Arsenal.”
“Minister Zhang, weapons and ammunition production definitely can’t all rely on our Border Region Arsenal. You can’t put all your eggs in one basket.” Li Muzhi stated directly, “Actually, I have the same idea. What if one day the Japanese invaders attack? It would affect production. If we can distribute the machinery and equipment to other arsenals, military industry production wouldn’t suffer too much loss.”
Upon hearing this, Zhang Wanhe said happily: “Xiao Li, allocating equipment from your side to other arsenals—you’re not upset about it?”
“Minister Zhang, look at what you’re saying. Isn’t this all for our army’s weapons and ammunition production?” Li Muzhi said solemnly.
Although Li Muzhi didn’t understand fighting wars, under his leadership the Border Region Arsenal had produced Hell Cannons, rocket launchers, and jumping mines and grenades—not to mention.
Once these 107 rockets were produced, the Japanese invaders definitely wouldn’t sit still.
They might even send a few divisions for a carpet search of the Border Region Arsenal.
So, the Border Region Arsenal’s equipment still needed to prepare for transfer in advance.
To put it bluntly.
If the Border Region Arsenal’s equipment and things couldn’t be taken away and had to be buried underground to hide.
With Li Muzhi transferring to other arsenals, relying on the machinery and equipment transferred in advance to other arsenals, he would have the capital to start up again immediately.
Then Li Muzhi said: “Here’s an idea. I’ll take stock here, pack up the unused equipment, and have you send people to take it to the Huangyadong Arsenal.”
The equipment from the Cuicun Arsenal was only half, couldn’t be put into use yet, and other temporarily unused stuff—send it all over first.
“Good.” Zhang Wanhe was concise, then asked: “Xiao Li, how long can your fertilizer here last?”
“At the current pace, about a month.” Li Muzhi answered.
“That short?” Zhang Wanhe was stunned. This time was too short; Zhang Wanhe thought it could last two months.
“Minister Zhang, is the fertilizer hard to get now?” Li Muzhi could tell. Old Zhang asking about fertilizer definitely wasn’t casual.
Li Muzhi hadn’t even opened his mouth yet.
If the 107 rockets were produced, the fertilizer would be used even faster, not lasting a month.
After all!
Once the 107 rockets were produced, they would definitely become one of our army’s main artillery fires.
Whether guerrilla warfare, battlefield cover, artillery suppression, or even artillery bombardment, the 107 rockets would be the absolute protagonists.
At that time, 107 rocket production volume would be quite a bit more than other cannonballs.
The 107 rockets had considerable charge amounts too, so they consumed a lot of fertilizer.
