Sword: Heart of Iron

Chapter 152 New Blood

"Commander Wang, I am a representative of the Chinese Students' Union!"

"My name is Ji Lecheng."

After arranging the Xuzhou merchants, an old man in a long gown and a jacket and with a three-foot long beard walked slowly over.

Wang Feng took the initiative to extend his hand: "Hello, hello!"

Ji Lecheng stepped forward and shook his hand: "I have heard of Commander Wang for a long time. Now that I see you, you are indeed handsome and heroic!"

Wang Feng felt a little embarrassed by the compliment and said hurriedly, "Thank you for the compliment, old sir."

Ji Lecheng waved his hand and said, "Commander Wang, you are too modest. I have several close friends in the academic world. When they heard that I was coming to Xuzhou, they immediately wrote to me and asked me to ask you some questions, write them down on paper, and bring them back to them."

Wang Feng was confused: "Ask me, what does this mean?"

Ji Lecheng smiled and said, "My old friends are all scholars in the history department. In the face of national crisis, they have to compile a war history for future generations to remember."

Wang Feng was stunned, and a heavy feeling came over him.

Before I knew it, the things I was involved in were about to be written into the book.

Ji Lecheng stroked his beard and said, "History books have few words but they contain great events. In just a few lines, great events are recorded."

"Six kings are gone, four seas are one, and with just a few strokes of the pen, the magnificent life of the First Emperor is described.

"I have urged them many times to come to Xuzhou in person so that I can get the answer and record the details, but the journey is too long and I had to give up in the end."

Wang Feng smiled and said, "Okay, please stay in Xuzhou for a few more days. When I have some free time, I will have a good chat with you!"

Ji Lecheng bowed and said, "Thank you, Commander Wang."

Wang Feng looked at the students behind him and asked, "Why do these students bring so much luggage?"

Behind Ji Lecheng, everyone had a slightly immature face, a backpack on their shoulders, and cloth bags in their hands. They didn't look like they were here to express condolences, but more like they were moving.

Ji Lecheng explained with a smile: "These students come from many universities across the country. They are all outstanding young people who volunteered to participate in the war of resistance and support industrial construction."

Wang Feng suddenly realized and looked up at the slogan on the colorful flag.

"Down with imperialism! Revitalize national industry!"

Ji Lecheng turned sideways and waved to the back: "Children, introduce yourselves."

A student raised a colorful flag and walked up first. His face was filled with excitement, and he saluted like a soldier: "Sir, we are the student group of the National Zhejiang University, College of Engineering!"

"Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering, four departments, a total of 86 people!"

"National Central University! School of Engineering! One hundred and thirty-two people in total!"

"Wuhan University! School of Science and Engineering, all 73 people!"

"National Xiamen University! Department of Civil Engineering! All 31 people!"

"National Changsha Temporary University!"

“Sun Yat-sen University!”

"."

The students in front of him were full of vigor and vitality, and Wang Feng couldn't stop smiling.

This is what young people should be like!

Japan may be able to defeat the army, but it will never be able to defeat the backbone of the nation.

The Changzhi Industrial Zone expanded very quickly, and the shortage of manpower seriously restricted production.

What is scarce right now is high-quality and highly capable talents.

Technical schools can train assembly line workers but not engineers.

There are at least five or six hundred students in front of us. After a simple training of one or two months, they can take up the job of project engineers.

It solved Wang Feng’s urgent problem.

"Clear a few barracks to accommodate the visiting delegation." Wang Feng turned his head and called to the guards beside him.

In an era when national higher education is generally low, the few educational resources that are available are mostly tilted towards liberal arts. It is no exaggeration to say that finding a science and engineering talent is more difficult than training a group leader.

The guard put his heels together and saluted: "Yes!"

Before leaving, Wang Feng added: "Tell the kitchen staff to cook for an extra thousand people today and put more meat in the dishes."

The condolence activities on the school grounds lasted for four or five hours.

The kitchen staff started heating up the oil and the aroma wafted in the air.

Currently, there is no unified cooking unit in the garrison’s logistics system.

The food issues during the training period are the responsibility of the cooking squads under each platoon, and the general command post only stipulates a unified meal time.

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21:23
Inside the office.

At this time, Wang Fengben should have been outside, having dinner with the visiting delegation.

But a sudden military report interrupted his original plan.

Zhao Fangyuan: "Sir, there is news from the First War Zone Headquarters that the 14th Division of the Japanese Army has assembled in Puyang and intends to cross the Yellow River to the south!"

Wang Feng looked at the map with a frown on his face.

The Battle of Taierzhuang had just ended, and less than a day had passed before the Japanese army was causing trouble again.

Zhao Fangyuan: "If the 14th Division crosses the Yellow River, the Longhai Line will be to the south!"

"Since our unit arrived at the Fifth War Zone, all logistical supplies have been first transported to Zhengzhou and then to Xuzhou via the Longhai Line."

"If the intelligence is correct, the Japanese army's actions are tantamount to putting a knife on our necks!"

Wang Feng leaned his hands on the table, his brows furrowed.

As early as the Battle of Taierzhuang, the number of enemy planes over the Longhai Line increased.

It was obvious that the Japanese army wanted to cut off the retreat of the Fifth War Zone in northern Henan.

"When will Zhang Hu's two columns return to Xuzhou?" Wang Feng was anxious.

How could he allow others to sleep peacefully beside his bed? The Longhai Line was his lifeline.

No matter what, you must hold it tightly in your hands.

Zhao Fangyuan: "I sent a telegram two days ago. I believe that in a few days, the two columns will be able to return to Xuzhou smoothly." Wang Feng nodded: "That's good!"

Zhao Fangyuan: "Sir, the Longhai Line is in danger, so do we still need to transport supplies via the railway line?"

Wang Feng thought for a moment and said, "According to the intelligence from the First War Zone, the Japanese 14th Division is only on the offensive. Is there another division in Heze?"

Zhao Fangyuan responded, "23rd Division, Division Commander Li Bifan."

Wang Feng: "If the 14th Division crosses the Yellow River to the south, the first target of attack must be Heze! The strength of a division is enough to hold out for several days."

"It will still be in time to react then."

"If we abandon rail transportation immediately, the difficulty of logistics supply will at least double. Right now our unit is in a critical period of reorganization, and the supply must not be interrupted!"

Zhao Fangyuan saluted: "Yes!"

Wang Feng paced in the room: "Who is the commander of the 14th Division?"

Zhao Fangyuan looked down at the information: "Japanese Army Lieutenant General, Kenji Doihara!"

Wang Feng raised his eyebrows: "Fat guy?"

Zhao Fangyuan: "Yes, the 14th Division, also known as the Utsunomiya Division in Japan, was formed at the end of the Russo-Japanese War and has been serving as a security guard on the peninsula before that."

Wang Feng tapped the table with his knuckles, thinking to himself.

The Japanese devil Kenji Doihara has average military command ability, but he is a master at intelligence work.

Like Itagaki Seishirō, he is a complete expert on China.

It’s not easy to deal with!
Zhao Fangyuan: "Sir, do we need to take precautions now?"

Wang Feng: "Well, after the troops return to Xuzhou, transfer the 1st column to Kaifeng to monitor the Longhai Line."

"I will go and coordinate with War Zone 1."

Henan is under the jurisdiction of the First War Zone, and it is indeed inappropriate to send troops in without authorization.

Zhao Fangyuan nodded and saluted: "Yes!"

He took out a cloth bag from his pocket and said, "Sir, this is the soap sent from the rear. It's produced by the factory itself."

After saying that, he opened the small cloth bag, and a piece of khaki soap lay in the palm of his hand.

Wang Feng was somewhat surprised. He picked up the soap and rubbed it with his thumb twice: "The texture is quite good. When was it produced?"

Zhao Fangyuan: "About a week ago, this was the first piece to come off the production line. The workers immediately packed it up and sent it to you!"

Wang Feng smiled and said, "That's thoughtful. Put it on the shelf over there."

“What is the current production volume?”

Zhao Fangyuan thought for a moment and said, "The telegram said that the daily output is more than two tons."

Wang Feng sat on the chair and took a sip of hot tea: "Okay, tell the factories in the rear not to produce blindly, so as to avoid too much inventory backlog."

The population of Changzhi is limited, less than three million, the market is small, and the consumption capacity of the people remains to be seen.

When domestic demand is weak and external demand is blocked, too high production capacity is not necessarily a good thing.

Wang Feng: "Besides this soap, what other products do you have?"

"The civilian industry has developed quite well in the past few months!"

Zhao Fangyuan took out another pack of cigarettes from his pocket: "Sir, try it."

Wang Feng: "Oh, this is a rare item!"

“The cigarette factory is in production so soon!”

Zhao Fangyuan grinned: "On the same day as Soap, one morning and one afternoon."

Wang Feng looked at the cigarette box and asked, "What brand is this?"

"Victory card?"

"That sounds good!"

Zhao Fangyuan took out a match and said, "Sir, try one!"

Wang Feng knocked on the soft bag and squeezed a cigarette out of it.

Smoking is very common in the military. From officers to soldiers, almost everyone smokes.

In the armies of industrial countries, soldiers also have fixed daily rations.

But Wang Feng seldom smokes. Except in public places when others offer him cigarettes, he basically never touches cigarettes.

Zhao Fangyuan lit a match, held it in his hand and handed it to Wang Feng.

Green smoke rises.

Wang Feng took a sip.

"Cough cough!"

"Here, take it, smoke it!"

Zhao Fangyuan was stunned, not knowing what was going on. After he came to his senses, he swiftly took the cigarette.

Wang Feng coughed twice and finally recovered.

Zhao Fangyuan was speechless: "Sir, this..."

As he spoke, he put the cigarette in his mouth: "Doesn't this taste good and strong?"

Wang Feng took a sip of tea and said nothing about the "Victory brand cigarettes".

Having smoked modern industrial cigarettes in my previous life, it’s a little hard for me to get used to smoking this all of a sudden.

The earthy smell is too strong!
It’s especially bitter!

Zhao Fangyuan put out his cigarette and said, "Sir, a batch of self-produced light and heavy machine guns have been delivered to us from the rear. They were just put into storage half an hour ago. Would you like to take a look?"

When Wang Feng heard that the light and heavy machine guns had arrived, he immediately became interested.

After opening the technology tree function, the first item Wang Feng unlocked was [Individual Equipment], and the second was [Light and Heavy Machine Gun Type I].

However, due to limited production capacity, it has been giving way to other projects.

After so long, it’s finally produced!
(End of this chapter)