Did he trick the young marshal into becoming sworn brothers and then go south to Huangpu Military Ac

The charcoal braziers inside the carriage were burning very brightly, occasionally emitting a slight crackling sound.

Zhang Hanqing rubbed his hands together, staring at the young man opposite him with shining eyes, waiting for him to give a firm agreement.

Bringing a double PhD from overseas back to the Marshal's Mansion would be a great achievement, and the old man would definitely praise him highly.

Lin Qi held the teacup but didn't drink it. He gently placed the teacup on the small wooden table by the car window and glanced at the vast snowfield outside the window.

"General."

Lin Qi changed his form of address and said in a calm tone, "Going to the old marshal's residence to see him is a good idea, but it would be the stupidest move for both of us."

Zhang Hanqing froze, his smile stiffening on his face: "Dr. Lin, what do you mean? The old marshal is eager for talent, and someone as talented as you..."

"That's precisely why we can't easily show our faces."

Lin Qi interrupted him bluntly: "What's the situation in Fengtian City right now? Japanese advisors are rampant around the old marshal, and generals from various old warlord backgrounds are scheming against each other. Do you believe that the moment I step into the marshal's mansion as a returned military expert, the next day the Japanese Black Dragon Society's spies will have thoroughly investigated my background?"

Lin Qi leaned forward, staring into Zhang Hanqing's eyes.

"The Japanese see Northeast China as their exclusive domain. They would never allow the Fengtian Army to establish an independent, advanced American-style military-industrial complex. If I were exposed, I would either be assassinated or coerced into doing so within three days. Moreover, would the old marshal's men tolerate an outsider interfering in the lucrative position of military procurement?"

Zhang Hanqing's expression turned serious.

Although he is young, he grew up in the quagmire of power struggles and is not stupid.

Lin Qi exposed the most fatal sore spot within the Fengtian clique in just a few words.

"Let's take a step back and say..."

Lin Qi leaned back in his chair, his tone shifting to that of an elder speaking with earnestness: "Even if I survive in this manor, I'll still be the old marshal's man. General, do you want to spend your whole life as a mere servant, a young marshal? Don't you want to hold a trump card that no one else knows about?"

These words precisely struck Zhang Hanqing's weak spot.

The younger generation of the Fengtian Army had always wanted to break free from the constraints of the older generation of generals, and Zhang Hanqing dreamed of achieving something even greater than his father.

The temptation of having a trump card that belongs exclusively to oneself and can provide advanced military technology at any time is too great.

"Dr. Lin means..."

Zhang Hanqing's Adam's apple bobbed.

"Openly repair the plank road while secretly crossing the Chencang pass."

Lin Qi tapped his fingers lightly on the table: "To the outside world, you'll still be that young marshal who suffered a defeat and is reflecting on it. Internally, find me a quiet courtyard. My personnel and funding will all go through your private account, not through the marshal's residence. I'll be responsible only to you. Whatever technology you need, I'll provide the blueprints; whatever problems you encounter, I'll help you solve them. Once this system is running smoothly and matures in secret, we can reveal it at crucial moments and make a decisive move."

The carriage fell into dead silence.

Zhang Hanqing stared intently at the charcoal fire, his breathing gradually becoming heavy.

After a long while, he suddenly slapped his thigh.

"Cheer it up! Dr. Lin, you really think long-term! I acted rashly just now and almost got you into trouble, and ruined everything!"

Zhang Hanqing's face was flushed; he was excited.

"I have a secluded residence near Beiling outside the city, surrounded by my trusted guards. Even the old marshal doesn't know about it. Please make yourself at home there for a few days. Make a list of any equipment or materials you need, and I'll take care of it personally!"

Lin Qi nodded slightly, his expression remaining calm, as if he had only made a trivial decision and the weight in his heart had finally been lifted.

My identity has been completely cleared and hidden. The one-way communication means absolute safety and the freedom to withdraw at any time.

……

Beiling Villa.

The heavy snow stopped, and the guards swept the snow out of the yard.

The following evening, two military trucks with black tarpaulins drove into the yard.

Zhang Hanqing jumped out of the car and directed several guards to carry several heavy camphor wood chests into the main hall.

When the box was pried open, a pungent smell of nitric acid mixed with engine oil wafted out.

Inside, there were a dozen or so twisted and shattered rifle barrels piled up haphazardly, along with several loosely sealed coarse porcelain jars filled with dark yellow powder.

Zhang Hanqing rubbed his frozen face, grinned at Lin Qi, his tone carrying a hint of flattery, but also a probing edge typical of warlords.

"Dr. Lin, this is a Type 13 rifle copied by our Fengtian Arsenal. It's scrap from the front lines, and the smokeless powder keeps malfunctioning. I'm really at my wit's end; even the old technicians at the factory can't figure it out. Could you please take a look?"

Trust is trust, but a pledge of loyalty still needs to be made; this is a test of real money.

If you can't solve this problem, your MIT degree is just a piece of paper.

Lin Qi didn't say anything. He took off his coat, took a piece of white linen from the guard, and wrapped it around his waist as a makeshift lab coat.

"Go and get a few things."

Lin Qi walked up to the box: "High-proof liquor, the stronger the better, soapy water, several clean glasses, and medical gauze."

Zhang Hanqing waved his hand, and his personal guards immediately ran out.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, everything was gathered.

Four gas lamps were lit in the main hall, making it as bright as day.

Zhang Hanqing and several trusted confidants stood two meters away, holding their breath and watching.

Lin Qi poured a large glass of strong liquor, grabbed a handful of dark yellow gunpowder powder and sprinkled it in, then stirred it quickly with a wooden stick.

"This is single-base gunpowder produced by the Fengtian Factory."

Lin Qi stirred the mixture as he spoke, his words coming out very quickly and without any unnecessary chatter: "The main ingredient is nitrocellulose, which is a very volatile substance. If it's not thoroughly cleaned during the production process, it will leave behind a large amount of acidic substances."

He filtered the murky liquid that had been soaking into another glass through gauze, and then poured in half a glass of thick soapy water.

The moment the liquid came into contact with the solution, the originally slightly yellow solution immediately developed a strange reddish-brown foam.

Lin Qi pointed to the layer of foam without looking up: "Alkaline soapy water changes color when it comes into contact with acid, indicating that the acidity is seriously excessive. This kind of inferior gunpowder, when loaded into the cartridge case, is extremely prone to spontaneous combustion under normal conditions. Once fired, the chamber pressure is extremely unstable, fluctuating wildly."

He casually slammed the glass on the table, turned around, and picked up a gun barrel that had been shattered in the middle, revealing a grotesque notch.

Lin Qi ran his fingers along the cracked metal surface, metal shards sticking to his fingertips.

He bent his index finger and flicked it hard against the unbroken barrel wall.

The sound was dull and not crisp at all.