Canteen System Assistance Notes

"It's probably hopeless. The cost of removing the furnace roof and water jacket, cleaning out the slag inside, and then putting it back together is less than rebuilding an old one... taking out what's usable and then blowing it up."

Chapter 384: The Case of A Bie (⑵) A Talented Person Gets Sick from Eating

Compared to the steel mills where there are always merchants queuing up at the door waiting for goods, and the gun factories and ammunition factories where there are always military representatives and troop representatives queuing up at the door waiting for equipment, there are always not many people at the door of the Border Factory No. 132 located in Jingbian, and most of them come and go in a hurry, as if there is some terrifying existence inside.

But this was no surprise. The materials produced here were "energetic materials" capable of instantly disintegrating enemies or allies alike. The detonation of these explosives was earth-shaking and devastating. Over the past few years, the border region had experienced numerous accidents involving fatalities and flash fires, making almost everyone wary of the factories that manufactured these devices.

However, everyone likes the things produced by these factories very much, especially when they are thrown at the heads of the Japanese and exploded, no one would complain that they are powerful enough.

"Isn't this stuff pretty impressive? It won't be like the last time the mobile corps' engineers couldn't even blow up a blast furnace, right?" A military representative double-checked the hay on the truck and the explosion-proof boxes filled with explosives, then climbed onto the truck. "Young comrade, it's almost Chinese New Year, you can't give us a dud!"

But upon hearing this, the people at Factory 132 got angry: "You're so ignorant, how can you keep your hair so short? That was a hydraulic explosion! They used ammonium nitrate, not a military bomb! If you really put TNT in there, it would definitely explode, but what about the other pipes and furnaces in the factory? No way!"

"We're not going to blow up the Japs! The more powerful the better, why don't they just blow your head off?"

The truck sped away, leaving him no chance to argue. The worker was so angry that he stamped his feet: Ever since the last time Factory 132 organized a research project and designed an "ammonium oil water pressure blasting method" for a blast furnace in Yansui, and produced a "water pressure explosion kit", and successfully implemented the "Fujin Iron Works No. 2 Blast Furnace Blasting", a strange rumor has spread among the troops in the border area. The rumor said that the energy materials made by Factory 132 were useless and could not even blow down a brick blast furnace. If they were used to fight the Japanese, they would be scared when they went into battle and would not work.

"Lululu!"

Looking at the truck that disappeared, the young worker could only make a face, but soon, a big hand came from above and pressed down his safety helmet.

"Don't use too much strength. It's New Year's Day—" The hand was thin, but powerful. It twisted the worker's face a quarter turn like a bottle cap. "Hurry up and sign the handover form. You're the only ones missing for the safety production meeting!"

The speaker was Wang Xixia, the technical director of Factory 132. He had studied chemistry at the Hebei Institute of Technology and was a serious chemistry major. As for why he was only a technical director, it was because, in addition to overseeing Factory 132 in Jingbian, he also oversaw the process guidance at the 130 Energy Materials Factory in Fushi, frequently traveling between the two locations.

There is no way around it. The problem of lack of manpower is an unavoidable reality for the border areas and even the whole of China at this time.

After completing the handover of the last batch of materials, the last team representative and Wang Xixia walked back to the factory's auditorium - this is a large house built next to the Lu River. It is the auditorium, canteen and conference room of Factory 132. Today is the staff meeting before the New Year holiday, and all employee representatives in the factory have to come to the meeting.

"Comrades who stay in the factory for the holidays will have their shifts completed. Each team will be given a rotating rest break. Meanwhile, work hours will be tripled. During the New Year holiday, the meals for comrades on duty will be calculated according to the central kitchen standard... Okay, here's the draft holiday arrangement. Please raise your hands if you agree..."

.......Okay, this matter is approved. Now, the meeting will move on to the next topic... "Hey, hey, comrade, has the meeting reached the part about safe production?"

Wang Xixia was already late because of the delay with the military representative who was delivering the energy materials. He sent the laborer to the audience seats in the back and hunched over, holding the folder, walked to his row, sat down quietly, and then asked the others quietly. "It's okay, it's okay, this one hasn't happened yet. The next one is about the arrangements for the spring plowing, and then the safety production." The elderly man sitting next to him said quietly.

"Expert Wang, aren't you a representative?"

"I'm not, I'm not, I'm here to talk about safe production." "Oh..."

The host of the meeting was very efficient and quickly agreed on the 41st spring plowing arrangement. Factory 132 would contact the Jingbian government and arrange for a government-organized labor team with farm machinery to help workers with young children plow the fields and sow the seeds. After that, the village would have to figure out the field care and daily management.

But this is also very good, Wang Xixia thought, the land can't be left idle. After all, the energy materials produced by the energy material factory cannot be eaten or worn, and people have to eat.

Okay, we've concluded all the agenda items for this staff meeting. Next, Comrade Wang Xiduan will present this quarter's safety report. Safety is paramount. Last year, Factory 132 achieved the Red Flag for Safety for three quarters, with nearly 300 days of accident-free production. This year, we're striving to achieve the Red Flag for all four quarters. Everyone, listen carefully and learn!

The host made way for Wang Xixia, and the large microphone emitted a long buzzing sound. Wang Xixia cleared his throat, opened his notebook, glanced at it, and began his safety production report.

"Comrades from Factory 132, we've been together for almost two years now. We can't be bothered to repeat the importance of safe production a thousand times. Our safety manuals are written in blood. Just at the end of last year, last quarter, our military industry system had no fewer than fifteen accidents, both major and minor. Our energy materials system alone had two..."

Even if it is said a thousand times, there will always be countless safety measures that should have been effective that fail before an accident occurs, and accidents happen "inexplicably". However, the stupid circuits of human beings always forget the pain after the scar has healed, and they often neglect and make mistakes, which eventually lead to various problems. As a result, countless cumbersome and even inhumane safety measures have been invented, and a large number of seemingly cumbersome safety regulations have been formulated, but before an accident happens, there are always people who do not take them seriously.

"The first incident...at 7:58 a.m. on October 6th of last year, at Fushi Factory 130, during trial production of a new type of deformable explosive, a worker surnamed Shi entered the workshop without properly wearing an anti-static bracelet. At 10:56 a.m., because his bracelet was not properly grounded, his protective clothing accumulated a high charge. This discharged when it came into contact with metal objects, causing a fire in a solvent tank in the workshop."

Wang Xixia tried his best to describe the situation accurately without adding any more emotions.

However, Shi did not immediately report the incident to the workshop manager and provide proper rescue efforts. Instead, he attempted to put out the fire. At 10:57, the attempt caused the solvent tank to topple over, sparking a spreading fire. The workshop manager then discovered the fire, sounded the alarm, and, following the fire emergency plan, moved sand and soil to extinguish the flames. At 10:59, the flames spread into the workshop's firebreak and ignited the deformable explosives in the temporary product storage area.

"Due to the safety performance of the explosives, no secondary explosion occurred. The person responsible, Mr. Shi, suffered burns on his arms and legs, lung damage from inhaling toxic gases, and loss of ability to work. Three other people were slightly injured during the firefighting efforts, but no other casualties were reported. Workshop 7 at Factory 130 was completely destroyed, resulting in losses of nearly one million yuan..."

Looking at the workers in the audience, he made a vivid analogy.

Well, if all that money were used to buy Red Neptune salt from the Supply and Marketing Supermarket, at a price of one Guanghua coin per jin (approximately 100g) of salt, we could buy about 1,000,000 jin (approximately 100g) of salt. Does that even make sense? A simple rough estimate would be enough to feed our entire factory for thirty years! Comrades, the damage the Japs couldn't cause when they launched a massive bombing raid on our border region was inflicted on us because of a static electricity chain! Although no one was killed this time, that comrade was gasping for breath just walking in the hallway. We all have elderly parents and young children to support, and the Japs haven't been driven away, and the country hasn't been liberated... If an accident happens, not only will the families and children suffer, but the soldiers on the front lines will suffer too!"

"This... is too tragic. He will become a cripple..."

"Fortunately, the factory provides work injury compensation..."

A murmur of discussion erupted from the audience as photos, reports, and other information about this major accident were circulated among the delegates. Even though factory deaths were common these days, the gruesome scenes of suffering depicted in the circulated materials still raised eyebrows.

Everyone at Factory 132 couldn't help but recall a safety incident at the factory last year. A young worker was carrying 5g of lead-coated pyrotechnic powder to the laboratory for testing. This new type of pyrotechnic powder, used to make primers and detonators, was less corrosive and more stable and safer than fulminate of mercury. Apparently, he got a bit carried away and, instead of following the proper transportation procedures for the sample, simply grabbed the sample tube and ran off. Later, he stumbled, sending the tube flying several meters before hitting the wall with a loud snap. The worker suffered a perforated eardrum and lost two front teeth. While a perforated eardrum can be repaired, the missing front teeth would require replacements at the dentist.

Oh, safety in production! Everyone sighed, and Wang Xixia on the stage had to cough twice to attract everyone's attention in the venue.

The second accident occurred on December 17th at the Bohai Energy Materials Factory, which was experimenting with manufacturing a new type of explosive material using novel raw materials. At 4:06 PM on the 17th, a check was conducted after get off work, and a worker named Zhou, a worker from Tianjin, was found missing. After cordoning off the factory, the inspection team discovered Zhou lying on the ground near the finished product inspection entrance in Workshop 2.

When Zhou was found, his face was pale, his body was twitching, and he was covered in cold sweat, but he had no external injuries. He was later taken to the factory hospital and his blood pressure was found to be extremely low. After emergency treatment, he survived by chance... "What happened?"

"Is this sabotage by spies? It looks like poisoning!"

Upon hearing this, many comrades who hadn't seen the newly released materials couldn't help but exchange words privately. Production at this energy material factory was already dangerous, and if spies came to disrupt it, what would happen? Not only Factory 132, but nearly all of the Eighth Route Army's military factories were extremely vigilant, wary of such sabotage. If a spy detonated a bomb here, it wouldn't just be a matter of one workshop; the entire surrounding area would be affected.

"Everyone, please be quiet. Since this accident has been reported in the safety accident report, it means the results have been fully investigated. Please listen to what Expert Wang has to say."

The host took control of the situation in time and signaled Wang Xixia to continue.

"Well... after a review, we discovered that Zhou's illness was caused by an overdose of a new type of nitrified energy material, which led to low blood pressure, hypothermia, and shock... This new type of experimental energy material, due to its sweet raw materials... ahem! Comrades! You can't eat energy materials! You can't eat energy materials!

"If there's anything sweet in the raw materials for energy materials, the product can't be eaten. It can kill people!"

Chapter 385: The A-Bie Incident (3) The Eight Route Army Divides into Two

Since the construction of the field army began in 1939, the Eighth Route Army reorganized the main forces of their respective military divisions to a standard that was more suitable for external operations, plain operations and field combat environments, and transformed them into two-level field forces, A and B, and local main forces responsible for local positions.

The construction standards of these troops, according to the standards of Liu Helian, a future man, are indeed a bit low, but they are also in line with the existing financial resources of the Eighth Route Army and the level of the enemy in front of them, the Japanese army. However, with some conditions, the Central Committee also wants to taste the "lobster" when they can only eat millet rice and pickles, and occasionally eggs.

Coincidentally, shortly after Comrade Xiao Liu and the Northeast Task Force completed the "M Forest Night Crossing," the remnants of the former First, Second, and Third Route Armies of the Anti-Japanese Allied Forces evacuated to Xinjiang and the border regions through various means. Nearly every one of these approximately 5,000 comrades possessed extensive combat experience, and due to the repeated sacrifices, they were unusually young and possessed a strong ability to learn and absorb new ideas. The Central Committee decided to use them as the core to form the Eighth Route Army Mobile Corps.

However, this formation caused a lot of strange things.

-------one

"Today we have a group meeting. I need to set the agenda first."

General An Guo had just warmed up in his chair when he heard Captain Wu Zhong mutter from the other side of the table, "Let's discuss this."

The organization of the mobile corps had been adjusted several times, and even the titles of officers and soldiers at all levels had changed several times - because a lot of vehicles and equipment were crammed into these new-style troops, so that the unit, which was originally built according to the "brigade-battalion" system in terms of personnel, was now as large as a regiment of the old-style troops, but the number of personnel was far less than that of an old-style regiment.

Calling it a battalion was too big, and calling it a regiment was too small. So, after some back-and-forth, the Mobile Corps issued a document declaring all units "regiments." The regimental Party committee was responsible for coordinating and managing the company branches, and the Party organization's management system for assigning work, discussing ceremonies, and exchanging ideas was streamlined.

"Okay." "Okay." "Captain, you decide."

The company commanders present watched the situation unfold and responded one after another. General An Guo was no exception. He unscrewed the cap on his pen and prepared to listen to the situation first. Normally, the monthly branch organization life meeting was held in the company branch. Today, the regimental commander and the political commissar called people up, so there must be something going on.

He glanced at Political Commissar Peng Shilu who was sitting next to Regiment Commander Wu Zhong. Compared to the Regiment Commander's irritable look, Political Commissar Shi's expression was more subtle, as if he was considering how to start the conversation.

"Comrades, where have all our units gone recently for the agricultural assistance work?" the political commissar finally asked. "First, I'll say that I led the regimental headquarters, communications squad, and security platoon. They're over at Jiudian Mountain."

This is a very normal question. The commanders or instructors of the three infantry companies and one firepower company in the regiment looked at each other and quickly gave an answer.

"The first company was at Sandaokan, helping fellow villagers there repair the sluice gate."

"We, the first platoon of the third company, are teaching the kids in Ergou Subaru."

"The firepower company visited the workers' families' village to comfort the military families and gave oil and noodles to the old man and woman. On the way there, we also did the usual 5-kilometer physical training."

"The Second Company isn't bad either," General An Guo answered immediately. He had handled this business and was very familiar with it. "Do you remember Master Wang, the ferryman who ferried us across the river? His son is a driver now, leaving him without a strong labor force. Last winter, there was a white-hair wind, and the roof of his house was blown off. The village cadres asked us for help, so we went and re-tiled his roof."

Regimental Commander Wu Zhong and Political Commissar Peng Shilu exchanged a glance. Commissar Peng wrote down the information on a piece of paper and then asked, "Did you have dinner in the village? Do you remember what the villagers treated us to?"

Hmm? What did we eat? What kind of question is this? Why is the atmosphere at this group meeting so strange today? An Guo's doubts were like a bottle of Merlin Cola, bubbling towards the top. He had to search through his memory, looking for details he had never paid attention to.

"Corn buns and pickles, right?" General An Guo finally remembered some details. "The pickles are pickled leeks. They're crunchy and delicious."

"It was the same in our third company. We went to teach and each of us got a bowl of finely chopped rice porridge, the kind you could float a spoon in. The pickled vegetables we were given were fennel. After dinner, my comrades gave the money to the villagers, who refused for a long time before accepting it. "Oh, you're all corn. In our village, the villagers used to treat us to cornmeal dough. We'd be working on the sluice while they stirred it. Add some chili and it was delicious!"

Talking about food is always a lighthearted topic, and the organizational life meetings became lively. Because the Eighth Route Army treated the people well, not only helping with work but also paying for meals and conducting business fairly, the people naturally supported their soldiers. Whenever they went to the countryside to support agriculture, everyone always had something hot to eat.

However, the firepower company representative sitting on the side scratched his head: "When we went to the workers' family village, the villagers gave us roast potatoes, roast potatoes with a little salt..."

------―-

"No way, just potato eggs?" General An Guo was extremely surprised. Just salted potatoes, this happened in the base, it was simply impossible. "Captain Zhan, it's not that potato eggs are not good to eat, but... can't it?" "The fellow villager's family is not well off..."

"No, that's not right. The workers' families' village that the firepower company went to not only received land, but many of the people there also work in factories, earning high incomes!" someone immediately retorted, "When the girls from our medical team go there, they're given rice mixed with soy sauce and even eggs!"

"This," Captain Zhan Dabiao of the Firepower Company was momentarily stunned. When it came to implementing mass policies and loving the people, he could absolutely guarantee that he was completely sincere and diligent in his implementation. But now, facing this contrast, he could only stammer, "This is called remembering the hardships of the Long March. Revolutionary soldiers don't deliberately pursue material enjoyment..."

"Did someone upset the masses during the agricultural support program?"

"Impossible! My soldiers are not that ignorant - the army is a melting pot. Our mobile corps has been training for more than a year. There is no one young or old man who can't figure out what's going on.

"Company Commander Zhan Dabiao was a little annoyed. What kind of person is this? Suspicious about everything.

OK, how can you doubt that your troops are not sincere to the masses?

"I'm absolutely not talking nonsense. The soldiers in our army are all good. They are willing to endure hardships during marches, are good at arithmetic, can fire artillery accurately, and never neglect political studies.

It is impossible for such a thing to happen... If it really happened, I, the company commander, would be

I didn't do my job well, and I believe the organization will deal with it."

"Xiao Zhan! Don't be upset. Today is an organizational life meeting, not a self-criticism meeting. If there really is a disciplinary action, it will be decided by the organization. What's there to review now?"

Regimental Commander Wu declared that the purpose of this discussion must not be lost. He remained fully confident in his troops, and based on the strength of the Anti-Japanese Allied Forces' personnel development, the numerous problems exposed during over a year of training had been resolved one by one through the collective efforts of all—technical, ideological, and material issues. The emergence of problems was not a cause for concern, but turning a blind eye to them and failing to address them was.

"This has happened to every unit in our Corps. Different units, even when visiting the same area, have different reactions from the locals. For some units, the locals offer steamed buns, jiaotuan, and even salt in their pickles; for others, the locals only offer potato eggs and three-grain flour flatbreads. When our fraternal unit, the Third Regiment of the Second Division, was mobilized by Commander Wang Yang, the locals had already heated up their steamers and prepared plump, meat-oil steamed buns."

Comrades, why is this? Is it that their camouflage uniforms are more beautiful? Or are their hiking boots more impressive? I don't think it's either one. "The regiment political commissar Peng Shilu took over the conversation and continued earnestly,

"Our Red Army completed the Long March across 25,000 miles. Our Anti-Japanese United Army persisted in the War of Resistance against Japan and waged guerrilla warfare in the three northeastern provinces, facing encirclement and suppression from the front by Chiang Kai-shek's bandit army and the encirclement and suppression from the back by the Kwantung Army. It was not with the support of the masses that our armies were able to gain a foothold and grow stronger. Without the masses, there would be no Red Army or Eighth Route Army. This is not an empty statement.

"The masses may not speak, but they all have a scale in their hearts. Only if we truly take the masses into our hearts, will they treat us like their own children.

Only by truly understanding the difficulties and sufferings of the masses and trying every possible way to educate them

Only by helping them can we gain the heartfelt support of the masses.

"For example, the Party Central Committee's rationing standards for our mobile corps were very high. What we consider commonplace in the army might be incredibly precious to our fellow villagers. What might be a catchphrase in one area might be taboo and frivolous in another... These differences could inadvertently worsen relations between the military and the local community and alienate us from the masses.

"In future work, everyone needs to pay more attention..."

However, the actual situation may not be that complicated.

As the calendar changed from 1940 to 1941, in a village outside the Mobile Corps headquarters, several elderly women and men sat in the drying yard at the village entrance, guarding their woven sacks. Today, the flour mill from the agricultural machinery cooperative arrived. Families seeking cornmeal or wheat flour brought their dried corn and wheat kernels, waiting for the two rumbling machines to consume the grain and spit out fine flour.

The scene was very lively, some were chatting and arguing, some were patching their clothes. For a moment, there was a lot of bragging and boasting, rumors and jokes, and it was really lively. "Hey! Hey! Folks!"

Suddenly, a gong was struck beside the drying yard. Everyone looked closely and saw it was the chairman of the village farmers' association. He was the one who usually announced all matters of importance in the village. This gesture made it clear that something was amiss.

Tomorrow our troops will pass through here to fight those ruthless soldiers! The district committee wants us to go with the neighboring villages to help our troops get some food and water. We're heading to the Liangshan Pass south of the village. We need some help!

"If anyone in your family wants to go tomorrow, come to the farmers' association and sign up! A strong laborer works for three days and gets an iron hoe. A moderate laborer works for three days and gets a small hatchet. Once the grain payment is received, it will be weighed and paid accordingly!"

"Given the iron hoe, there is motivation - President, which of our Eighth Route Army is coming here!" With material support, people are willing to do this job. Someone responded on the drying field.

"Is it the Eighth Route Army with long guns, the Eighth Route Army with short guns, or the Eighth Route Army without guns?

Yeah?"

"That's not what I said. They won't tell me about such important military matters! Aren't the Eighth Route Army all our own soldiers? What's the difference?" "Of course they're different! There are certain rules and regulations between the Eighth Route Army and the Eighth Route Army!"

The old man stroked his beard and shook his head.

"The Eighth Route Army soldiers with red spears are mighty and imposing. With their spears and bayonets raised, they look impressive from afar. The Eighth Route Army soldiers with short rifles, armed with small machine guns and riding iron horses, can travel a thousand miles a day. It's no exaggeration to call them the Speed ​​​​Guardians. The Eighth Route Army soldiers who are doctors are like Bodhisattvas who heal the sick and save lives, doing good deeds and accumulating virtue. If you cook for them, you can't help but add some meat oil and chicken eggs. Those girls and boys are very kind to others.

"As for the unarmed 18th Route Army, they're dressed in colorful clothes, but they don't have steel rifles, just a few small guns. The last time they came to the village, not only did they have no cars, they had to run ten miles to get here. When they arrived at the village entrance, they didn't march in formation, but in groups of three or five, even having to form up extra lines. When asked, they claimed to have some kind of cannon, but after looking around, there wasn't a single cannon to be seen. Their skills are worse than my grandson's military training. I'm afraid they can't fight...

As soon as this strange and outrageous statement came out, everyone on the drying yard burst into laughter. The president of the farmers' association, standing nearby, banged the gong and said, "Look at what you're saying. Are you going or not?"

"Let's go! Let's go! If we want to fight those damned soldiers, we'll go even if we don't have a hoe! I'll grind this bag of cornmeal and go home to pack up my things!"

Chapter 386: The Yimeng Incident in Progress

"I wonder what Chief Chen is up to, mobilizing so many troops to come after an old man like me."

The Shah Palace on Xin Street in Zasak Banner is the residence of Shakdurjab, the King of Ikh Ju League. In addition to the title of League Leader, he also holds the titles of Member of the National Government and Member of the Suiyuan Provincial Government, Chairman of the Suiyuan Mongolian Political Council, Director of the Ikh Ju League Security Chief Office, and Envoy of the Mongolian Banner, making him a serious official of the Republic of China.

However, this leader of an alliance and a frontier minister of the Republic of China was currently being blocked at home by a "supply zone commander" who had just taken office.

"What's the matter? It's just a small matter," Chen Jieshan said, standing in the Shah's house with his soldiers. Dozens of former Shanxi-Suiyuan soldiers, armed with the variegated rifles Fu Yisheng had brought with him, provided him with a powerful backing. This completely freed him from the embarrassment he'd felt a few months earlier in Gaojing City, wondering whether he should buy a copy of 'Das Kapital'. He was now a domineering warlord once again.

Chen Jieshan put his hands on his hips and said in a domineering tone, "I have come to ask Your Excellency the Shah for 300,000 hectares of land. I will take whatever is good." He took out a rough map of the Yili League with a large, eye-catching circle drawn on it, including many pastures, temples, fixed grazing areas, towns and even the Mausoleum of Genghis Khan. "In addition, we need laborers to farm the land. If nothing else, we need at least 20,000 to 30,000 people. This is a small matter. If Your Excellency the Shah can take care of it, it will definitely not be a problem.

After joining Fu Yisheng, Chen Jieshan quickly obtained the position of "General Security Commander of Yili League" - Yike Zhao League was not administratively part of Ning Province, but it belonged to Ning Province Supply District in terms of supply area division - he gathered a group of defeated soldiers of the old Jin Army and joined forces with He Jizhou, who controlled the newly formed 26th Division, to establish his own Ning Province Supply District Command in the Dongsheng area of ​​Yili League, and began to requisition food and fodder for the reorganization of the new troops, intending to make a comeback and return to the top.

"Commander Chen...you!"

The King's eyes darkened at the sight of such a crude and violent diagram. Although the man before him was clearly not one for reasoning, he suppressed his emotions and explained in a deep voice, "Captain Chen, are you planning to farm? The Yi League has been a pastoral area since ancient times, unsuitable for farming. How are you going to acquire 300,000 hectares of farmland?"

He continued, "I don't believe our superiors would issue such a reckless order. Commander Chen, do you have any official documents? If it's an order from the central government, then I, Sha, will do my utmost to comply..."

Yikh Ju League, which means "a place with a big temple" in Mongolian