Bright Sword: From Border Region Manufacturing to Major National Heavy Industry

Chapter 126 Giving Kong Jie Fifty Boxes of Hand Grenades

Border Region Arsenal

"Factory manager, look, these are the parts for the bounding mine. They're all finished. Please check them."

Old He brought several parts to Li Muzhi's office.

"Is the efficiency really that fast?" Li Muzhi asked in surprise as he took the parts.

These parts will be nothing in the eyes of later generations.

With modern machine tools, the mass production is astonishing.

However, at the arsenal in this area, although there are scrapped lathes that allow them to manage things to some extent, they mainly rely on manual labor.

Under these conditions, efficiency is low, and the success rate is also low.

Since Lao He brought this part, it's highly likely that it passed inspection before he brought it to me for testing.

"It was mainly thanks to Lao Qi and his team that it was all done," Lao He explained with a smile. "Their skills are far superior to our workers', especially Lao Qi, the factory director. To be honest, if we hadn't been able to get things done with Minister Zhang, I would have insisted on keeping Lao Qi. He's just too important to us."

"Take your time, you can't rush things." Li Muzhi followed the old routine: first check the appearance, then weigh it and measure the dimensions.

"Yes, it's acceptable." Li Muzhi was very satisfied; this was the benefit of having highly skilled technical personnel.

Whatever you need, they can make it for you quickly.

"Continue making these parts according to the specifications, make as many as you can," Li Muzhi instructed Lao He.

"Yes, Factory Director." Old He nodded, looking at Li Muzhi. "How's the communication with Minister Zhang going?"

"Old He, we need to give Minister Zhang some time," Li Muzhi said tactfully.

Although Comrade Zhang didn't say anything, Li Muzhi wasn't stupid.

Comrade Zhang must have been reprimanded by the headquarters leaders; this matter cannot be rushed.

"Hmm." The old man grunted in response and then left.

As soon as Lao He left, Kong Jie came over.

"Director Li, what brings you here?" Kong Jie asked Li Muzhi with great respect.

"The shells for the Hell Cannon are finished. Since you're off work, Commander Kong, could you please deliver them to your brigade headquarters?" Li Muzhi said.

“Okay, no problem.” Kong Jie nodded immediately upon hearing this and was about to leave.

"Commander Kong," Li Muzhi called out to him.

"Director Li, is there anything else you need?" Kong Jie stopped in his tracks.

"Your 386th Brigade has recently brought back a lot of equipment to the arsenal. Commander Kong, what are your thoughts on this?" After all, Commander Kong was a combat unit.

His brother units repeatedly distinguished themselves in battle, and it would be impossible to say that this had no impact on Kong Jie.

Li Muzhi still wanted to ask Kong Jie's opinion.

If he wants to return to the front line, Li Muzhi won't hold him back.

“Director Li, even if the brigade commander and Li Yunlong bring a lot of equipment, without power, all that equipment is useless.” Kong Jie said seriously, “As long as you need me here, I will dig this coal to the bottom for you. Although I will not directly kill the Japanese, the coal I dig will provide power, and the weapons made from that power will also kill the Japanese.”

"Commander Kong, thank you." Li Muzhi was very happy; Kong Jie's belief had not wavered in the slightest.

Among the trio, Kong Jie wasn't the smartest, but he achieved the best results, and there's a reason for that.

"Director Li, you're too kind," Kong Jie said with a simple smile. "Well, I heard that Regiment Commander Liu from the 120th Division brought another 5,000 jin of sugar to the arsenal, which means we can produce a lot more grenades..."

Li Muzhi interrupted Kong Jie: "Sure, sure. Once the grenades are made, I'll increase it to fifty boxes for you. Are you satisfied now?"

By then, these grenades will be enough to make at least 800 boxes, and giving 50 boxes to Kong Jie shouldn't be a problem.

Although Li Muzhi didn't understand warfare, he was not unaware that the 386th Brigade had seized the Japanese ironworks and was now going to seize the trains, which would definitely provoke the Japanese again.

In other words, a new large-scale crackdown is definitely coming soon.

Who knows, one day the Japanese might just crash right into this arsenal.

Commander Kong's troops were absolutely right to arm themselves in advance.

Upon hearing that Li Muzhi had generously increased the number of grenades to fifty boxes, Kong Jie was so happy that he didn't know which foot to step on: "Director Li, thank you so much!"

In the past, even someone as awesome as Li Yunlong had to beg and plead to get twenty boxes of those broken hand grenades from Lao Zhang!
We still need to use the officer's sword to exchange for it.

Kong Jie once asked Lao Zhang for hand grenades, but he only managed to get a few boxes.

These new grenades are powerful and have amazing destructive effects; every unit will definitely be scrambling to get them.

There are too many monks and not enough porridge; even if the troops below can get some, it won't be much.

Unless we can trade it for valuable weapons. But we're mining coal for Li Muzhi, and not only do we get paid for a shell every three days, we're also getting fifty boxes of grenades. This is a deal you couldn't find even with a lantern.

"Commander Kong, you are, after all, a combat unit. How can you let this hinder our fighting strength?" Li Muzhi said with a smile.

"Director Li, don't worry, if the Japanese devils ever come crashing into our arsenal, I guarantee..." Before Kong Jie could finish speaking, Zhang Wanhe's voice came in from outside, yelling, "Hey, Commander Kong, if you can't speak properly, then shut up! What do you mean 'the Japanese devils come crashing into our arsenal'? Don't you even know what a jinx is? If the Japanese devils crash into the arsenal, it will affect our military production, wouldn't that be a problem!"

After being scolded by Zhang Wanhe, Kong Jie immediately slapped himself and nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, Minister Zhang is right. I'm not good with words. I misspoke. I deserve to be hit, I deserve to be hit."

As he spoke, Kong Jie actually raised his hand to slap his own face, but Li Muzhi stopped him.

But Li Muzhi still couldn't stop him, and Kong Jie slapped himself twice, his face swelling up.

Seeing Kong Jie's bewildered expression, Li Muzhi was helpless.

There's nothing we can do; that's just how Commander Kong's temper is.

In the TV series, Commander Kong was shaved 200-0 by Yamamoto Ichiki and was yelled at by the headquarters commander to feed the horses.

It was Li Yunlong who pleaded on Kong Jie's behalf, allowing him to stay in the Independent Regiment as deputy commander to atone for his crimes.

Kong Jie didn't want to owe Li Yunlong a favor, so he took a large knife and threatened to chop off two of his fingers to repay Li Yunlong.

If Li Yunlong hadn't stopped him, this simpleton would have actually chopped it off.

Seeing Zhang Wanhe enter, Li Muzhi still said, "Minister Zhang, we are at war now. Commander Kong was just stating the facts. We don't want the Japanese to crash into our production one day, but nothing is absolute."

"Even so, you can't keep saying that. What if it comes true ahead of time? You, Xiao Li, shouldn't say things like that again." Zhang Wanhe is watching the border region's arsenal develop better and better, and he doesn't want anything to go wrong. This is like not tolerating any flaws.

Even just saying it isn't enough!

“Alright, Minister Zhang.” Li Muzhi nodded, of course he understood the value that the border region's arsenal held in Comrade Zhang’s eyes.

and!

Before Comrade Zhang even arrived, he was already cursing Commander Kong.

Li Muzhi figured it out: Comrade Zhang had probably been scolded by the headquarters leaders again, and was in a bad mood.

"Commander Kong, then you should send the shells to your brigade headquarters," Li Muzhi said to Kong Jie.

"Yes." Kong Jie nodded and was about to leave.

"Wait," Zhang Wanhe called out.

"Minister Zhang, what's wrong?" Li Muzhi and Kong Jie both looked at Zhang Wanhe.

"I need to count them myself again." Zhang Wanhe's expression was serious, as if to say that he would give the 386th Brigade exactly the number of shells he promised, and he couldn't give more than that.

These shells are very valuable; we need to be careful with our accounting.

“Alright, Minister Zhang, then you can count the numbers with Commander Kong.” Li Muzhi naturally cooperated with Old Zhang’s meticulous work attitude.

Zhang Wanhe went with Kong Jie to count the items, and Li Yunlong arrived soon after.

Before he even arrived, Li Yunlong's voice came first: "Brother Li, Brother Li, come out quickly, see what delicious food your brother brought you."

Li Muzhi came out, and Li Yunlong smiled and had someone bring over the good things that had been packed up at Chu Yunfei's place.

Halal sea bass, braised pigeon, crispy chicken...

"Commander Li, where did you have a feast?" Li Muzhi accepted the food without any ceremony.

"Have you heard of the 358th Regiment of the Jin-Sui Army?" Li Yunlong asked.

"I've heard of it. The 358th Regiment is an reinforced regiment with 5,000 men. Its commander, Chu Yunfei, is a graduate of the fifth class of the Whampoa Military Academy." Li Muzhi was naturally familiar with the famous Chu Yunfei.

Having traveled through time, I've met all three members of the Iron Triangle, but I haven't had a chance to get to know the famous Chu Gang yet.

"Haha." Li Muzhi laughed and said, "It seems that Chu Yunfei is quite famous. Even this arsenal has heard of him. But it's mainly because I helped him build his reputation."

If we hadn't created opportunities for Chu Yunfei twice, allowing him to severely damage the Japanese cavalry regiment and mechanized regiment, how could Chu Yunfei be so famous!
That stingy guy didn't even give me any real thanks. He just bought me a meal and that was it.

But we didn't lose out. We were going to visit Brother Li, but we didn't know what to bring. Luckily, the food we packed from Chu Yunfei's place came in handy.

"Monk, you damn well better bring out the good wine, don't you dare keep any for yourself!" Li Yunlong finished setting out the good dishes and roared at Wei Dayong, "I saw it all, Chu Yunfei sent a case of good wine, and you dare to keep a bottle for yourself, I'll beat you up."

"Hehe." Wei Dayong, holding the wine, grinned and said, "How could I, Commander, dare not?"

"Come on, Brother Li, I'm in a good mood today, let's have a good drink together." Li Yunlong said, and was about to open a bottle of wine.

Li Muzhi waved his hand: "Commander Li, I won't be polite about the food you brought, but I won't drink this wine."

“That’s right, that’s right. Drinking can easily lead to mistakes. Look at my brain, I often make mistakes. You can’t be like me. You can use water instead of alcohol.” Li Yunlong said, “You can accept the alcohol, or you can give it away.”

"Commander Li, I wonder what happy event you have encountered today?" Li Muzhi accepted the wine, clinked his water glass with Li Yunlong's, and asked.

(End of this chapter)