Double-Cut During the War of Resistance: My Wife Came from 1937

"Why is that?"

Commander Liu asked with some doubt.

"At this stage, our storage space is still relatively small."

Ma Hongwei said, "Our first priority is to ensure the supply of food to the Eighth Route Army, and then there are some other important supplies that also take up space."

"At this stage, we can only bring some necessities such as salt, cloth, and cooking oil."

In this situation, they cannot collect too much millet.

Because it was necessary to ensure that the people in the base areas had enough food to eat.

If all their food is taken away and no rice is given to them, they will really starve to death.

This is not what Ma Hongwei wanted.

"Oh, right!"

Commander Liu nodded and said, "First of all, we must ensure the army's supply. Only when the army is well-fed can it fight."

"Therefore, we should proceed in two steps!"

Ma Hongwei slowly began, "Since we brought so little, we need to exchange it for some more valuable items."

"There are more wild medicinal herbs and dried goods in the Taihang Mountains. For example, genuine wild Taihang Mountain Codonopsis pilosula that is over 8 years old can sell for over a thousand yuan per kilogram in our area. Even those grown in a semi-wild environment can sell for around two hundred yuan per kilogram."

"I think we could organize a group in these mountainous areas to help the local people collect wild medicinal herbs like Codonopsis pilosula, Astragalus membranaceus, and Forsythia suspensa."

"In addition, there are dried goods such as walnuts, wild dried mushrooms, and dried shepherd's purse."

Upon hearing this, Division Commander Liu exclaimed in surprise, "It can sell for such a high price? Then it's definitely feasible!"

After a pause, Commander Liu said to the two men, "To be honest, we are also using these mountain products to trade with merchants in the enemy-occupied cities."

"Take the cotton walnut kernels from the Taihang Mountains as an example. A basket of dried walnut kernels (100 catties) can be exchanged for half a box (2500 rounds) of rifle bullets, or 30 zhang of homespun cloth."

"Codonopsis pilosula and bitter almonds can be exchanged for surgical instruments, machine tool parts, banknote paper, and even sulfonamides, but in very small quantities. Ten catties of first-grade dried Codonopsis pilosula can only be exchanged for 50 quinine injections."

"Other items like Sichuan peppercorns and Taihang persimmon cakes can also be exchanged for various supplies. 50 catties of Sichuan peppercorns can be exchanged for 200 catties of coarse salt and 15 zhang of homespun cloth."

Ma Hongwei never expected that the Eighth Route Army was already using these mountain products at this time.

However, this price is a bit too cheap.

In later generations, ordinary Da Hong Pao peppercorns from Lincheng could sell for 25 yuan per kilogram, while the finest ones could sell for 40 yuan per kilogram.

In contrast, cooking oil is sold wholesale in tonnes, costing only 5 cents per pound.

In other words, the value of one jin of Da Hong Pao tea is equivalent to 50-80 jin of table salt.

You only need three or four kilograms to buy 200 kilograms of table salt.

It's important to know that the table salt of later generations is fine salt, like snow, not coarse salt with a lot of impurities.

Coarse salt tastes more bitter and has a poor flavor due to impurities.

Another one is Lu Dang Shen (Codonopsis pilosula), a first-grade wild dried product, which costs at least tens of thousands of yuan for 10 jin (5 catties).

How much artemisinin-based drugs has all that money been used to buy?

Ma Hongwei could understand.

After all, the Eighth Route Army was under blockade by Japan.

In this situation, the buyer's market is favored.

In order to obtain supplies, the Eighth Route Army had no choice but to reluctantly agree.

"But that's all in the past!"

Ma Hongwei thought to himself, "Now that I'm here, we no longer need those unscrupulous merchants!"

"Comrade Hongwei!"

Commander Liu said, "Then I'll go and issue another notice: from now on, all those mountain products will be entrusted to you for handling."

"Don't worry, sir, I'll definitely sell them for a high price."

Ma Hongwei patted his chest and guaranteed it.

"Oh, right, there's one more thing."

Ma Hongwei continued, "This time when I return, I will be going to Pakistan to purchase weapons and equipment. I wonder what kind of guns the commander-in-chief mainly needs, and what the caliber of the bullets should be?"

"This is a very big deal!"

Commander Liu thought for a moment and said, "At this stage, the main firearms of our Eighth Route Army are: Hanyang rifle, Type 24 rifle, Type 38 rifle, Czech Vz.24 rifle, Mauser 1907, Russian M1891 Mosingana, Liaoning Type 13 rifle (a copy of the Mauser made by the Fengtian Arsenal), and Shanxi Type 65 rifle (a copy of the Type 38 rifle made by Shanxi).

"Among them, the Hanyang rifle uses a 7.92mm round-nosed bullet, the Zhongzheng rifle uses a 7.92mm pointed bullet, the Czech rifle, the Mauser, and the Liaoning Type 13 rifle all use 7.92mm bullets, while the Type 38 rifle and the Shanxi Type 6.5 rifle all use 6.5mm bullets."

"Just buy as many rifles and bullets as possible of these two calibers. As for semi-automatic rifles, just buy fewer of them."

"Of course, if you really can't find one, a semi-automatic will do!"

"Also, we need machine guns. We hope you can get more machine guns; we're desperately short of them!"

Ma Hongwei nodded and said, "Okay, I've got it all in mind."

……

Time flies.

Ma Hongwei and Xia Weiwei stayed in the Republic of China area for another day and a half before it was time to return.

Deputy Division Commander Nie and Division Commander He have both left this place.

Together with the peasant Red Guards and some Eighth Route Army soldiers, they returned to their respective posts with the guns they had obtained from Yan Xishan, as well as the rice and canned goods.

This time, the two were seen off by Division Commander Liu and Deputy Division Commander Xu as always.

When the countdown ended, Ma Hongwei and Xia Weiwei immediately took each other's hands.

"Buzz!"

A light screen, invisible to others, appeared beside the two.

[Bound Hosts]: Xia Weiwei (female, 22 years old, born in 1915), Ma Hongwei (male, 26 years old, born in 2000)

Current time and space: 2026.

[Anchoring Time and Space]: 1937.

Storage space: 294 cubic meters (7 meters long, 7 meters wide, 6 meters high, upgradable)

[Time-Space Teleportation Countdown]: 00:00:00

[Simultaneous Space-Time Teleportation]: In the same space-time, two hosts can use the teleportation function to directly transfer to the other person's side. This action will not consume any space-time teleportation attempts.

"294 cubic meters?"

Ma Hongwei glanced at the panel and thought, "After we go back this time, the space will exceed 300 cubic meters."

With a thought, he and Xia Weiwei activated the time-space teleportation function.

Invisible ripples in space began to appear around the two of them.

"Goodbye, my two leaders!"

Ma Hongwei waved his hand, and together with Xia Weiwei stepped into the spatial ripples and disappeared.

Commander Liu said expectantly, "I hope Comrade Hongwei can give us some surprises this time!"

……

Later generations.

A corner of the warehouse.

Inside that small, man-made shed, Ma Hongwei and Xia Weiwei appeared out of nowhere.

As soon as he came out, Ma Hongwei felt that it was extremely hot here.

No wonder, it was November during the Republic of China era, the weather was already cold, and he was wearing a Zhongshan suit.

Meanwhile, on this side of the world, it is still summer.

In addition, the warehouse had no air conditioning and poor air circulation, so it was naturally very hot.

"Weiwei, go change your clothes first, I'll go out and stand guard for you!"

As Ma Hongwei spoke, he left the small shed.

The warehouse was completely dark at the moment, and hardly anyone came in.