Chapter 2: The Arms Conflict

Director Chen

The Second Brigade has been subjected to considerable discrimination within the direct line, and the ideas of disbandment and annexation have naturally been proposed more than once, but they were all countered by Brigade Commander Su Hanqiu. However, all the arduous and laborious tasks were assigned to this ragtag unit, and afterwards, they could not receive any reinforcements. Within a couple of years, the entire brigade was lacking both personnel and firearms. Just at this time, the brigade commander, the renowned figure of the Xiang Army, Su Hanqiu, unfortunately passed away prematurely due to illness.

In Shandong, it is customary for us to give a little extra when doing business. This time, I have prepared three hundred rifles and three two-pound cannons, but there are insufficient ammunition and shells. How about this: Director Chen must have some stock, so please provide another three hundred rifles. " Saying this, he nodded towards Su Xue: "When I return to Shandong, I will speak favorably to the governor and see if I can secure four hundred more rifles for you.

In the following decades, the forces moved through the provinces of Hunan, Hubei, and Jiangxi, demonstrating formidable combat strength, ranking among the most capable troops of the central government. However, they unfortunately chose the wrong side during the Zhili-Hubei campaign. Initially, they suffered significant losses in the Battle of Guidé, and after regaining their strength, they encountered another severe blow in southern Hebei. After regrouping, they fought in northern Hubei and finally achieved a successful ambush. Yet, during their retreat, they unfortunately ran into the main force of the Zhili army. After a bloody battle, nearly half of the troops were lost, and they were ultimately forced to be incorporated into the Zhili faction as a reserve brigade. After regaining their strength, they encountered another severe blow in southern Hebei, regrouped, and fought in northern Hubei, achieving a successful ambush, but during their retreat, they unfortunately ran into the main force of the Zhili army. After a bloody battle, nearly half of the troops were lost, and they were ultimately forced to be incorporated into the Zhili faction as a reserve brigade.

Su Xue's face involuntarily revealed a hint of joy; her brigade commander's foundation was unstable. This time, the arms robbery was originally just a demonstration, while also serving as an opportunity to request replenishment. The colonel agreed to provide the replenishment, so this matter was considered half accomplished

In this tumultuous time, every cadre in the department felt anxious, especially after hearing the news that the direct line intended to directly annex the 2nd Reserve Brigade. The entire brigade was able to unite and elected Su Xue, the daughter of Su Hanqiu, to succeed the position of brigade commander

In the early years of the Republic, Xu Dingzheng personally led the New 7th Brigade to engage in combat beyond the frontier, commanding a solitary force with extraordinary prowess as they traversed the vast expanse outside the borders, pacifying a thousand miles of frontier. The news of their exploits instilled fear in the hearts of the rebellious Rouran cavalry, leading to the subsequent expansion of the brigade into the 23rd Division after the battle

After the female chief of staff responded affirmatively, the colonel turned his head again, removed his military cap, and gave a very elegant salute to Major General Su Xue: "The arms I have here can equip at least two divisions plus an artillery brigade... If you have the courage, I will hand over this entire batch of arms to you..."

After a brief pause, he continued, "Indeed, it is a matter of survival; the soldiers fight fiercely during the day, yet at night they can only sleep on the snow and frost. We, as commanders, truly feel ashamed; we have no choice but to borrow a little money from the railway... Therefore, on this northern expedition, I have taken extra precautions."

The colonel chief of staff replied: "Indeed! In the eighth year of the Republic, General Xu Zheng led the army to quell the disturbances, personally commanding the troops to stabilize the borders. First, he restored order, and then he reclaimed Xinjiang, resolving the internal and external turmoil of the Rouran. This can be described as exceedingly passionate and inspiring"

His tone had a refreshing quality that felt like a gentle spring breeze, yet after hearing it, Su Xue's hands involuntarily trembled slightly, her lips moved a little, but in the end, she still did not speak

The colonel then turned to the lieutenant colonel chief of staff behind him and asked, "How much equipment is needed to equip a reserve brigade?"

1,300 rifles and 4 quick-firing cannons

The colonel continued with a smile: "Chen Yunshuai can be considered a remarkable figure of his generation; surely he would not take these trivial arms to heart. However, you must also be aware of Ming Shuai's temperament!"

Your Excellency! How to say m.hetushu.com.com?

After the colonel finished speaking, gazing at the black gun muzzle, the scene fell silent for a long time. Who among the officers and soldiers of the Second Brigade did not know how formidable the rapid-fire rifles of the Seventeenth Division were? After a few rounds of rapid fire, there would probably be very few left on our side. Chen Yi was about to say something but noticed that the colonel had not expressed his stance, so he refrained from speaking.

Chen Yi clapped his hands and said: "Done! Since you want to say that Chen has given three hundred rifles, I will dig out all the inventory and give you five hundred."

Su Xue's face showed no expression, and she replied, "What do you mean, Your Excellency the Colonel?"

On the other side, the colonel was contemplating countermeasures in his mind, carefully observing the elderly military officer standing next to Su Xue. Although this man had a head full of silver hair, he appeared to be in excellent spirits. Suddenly, the colonel recalled someone, nodded slightly, and with a flick of his finger, the dark windows of the vehicle behind him abruptly opened, revealing over a hundred rifles.

This naturally displeased the direct leader, Cao Ming, leading to intensified conflicts between the two sides, almost sparking a military coup. Su Xue, newly appointed as the brigade commander, had an unstable foundation. It was only by leveraging the connections of Su Hanqiu from years past that she managed to retain her position as brigade commander. Under the guidance of those with ulterior motives, she then resorted to acts of robbery.

The chief of staff originally spoke in a neutral tone, but at this moment, he spoke with great excitement, revealing not only a hint of feminine demeanor but also a melodious voice.

Chen Yi scolded, "Nonsense!" However, the colonel tilted his head, resting a small hand under his pointed chin, and asked, "Preparing the Second Brigade? Which unit is it?"

Chen Yi furrowed his brow and said, "This... this..." The colonel then remarked, "These arms were originally meant for Commander Yun, but they were not listed on the receipt. Director Chen, you must have some inventory, right?"

Then the colonel slightly bent his body and gave an exceptionally elegant salute to the silver-haired officer, saying: "This must be Mr. Bai Ling, right? Our batch of arms is somewhat excessive, so we have taken extra precautions. Back when our 17th Division was suppressing the rebellion in Shandong..."

The colonel suddenly clapped his hands and responded, "Chief of Staff, look at my memory! I just remembered, it was that New 7th Brigade led by Xu Zheng who quelled the rebellion back in the day, right?"

Colonel Junmei replied, "Rest assured, my words are equivalent to what Jingxiao has said. Director Chen, if you can provide three hundred rifles, you will be able to arm a relatively complete reserve brigade for Commander Yun. This is no small achievement!"

The colonel behind him answered his question: "You have forgotten, the Second Brigade of the Reserve is originally the Twenty-Third Division of the Xiang Army?"

"Major General Su, according to the organization, how much ammunition do you lack?"

The female chief of staff replied: "According to the organization, there are seventy-four short guns, two thousand eight hundred rifles, sixty cavalry guns, and eight quick-firing cannons, but..."

In reality, most of it is insufficient, right? Generally, it should be about a 10% discount

At last, the Colonel broke the silence once more: "Commander Su, shall we discuss a matter?"

The Seventeenth Division, which originated in its early days, relied on robbing weapons along the Jinpu Railway. Subsequently, the Seventeenth Division regarded the Jinpu and Longhai railways as their private property, frequently robbing them once or twice to enrich their treasury. With such experience, they naturally feared that others would return the favor with similar tactics.

Chen Yi felt that although the colonel was overly handsome, he managed to resolve such a tricky matter with eloquence, demonstrating considerable skill. It was evident that he was a highly important figure in the 17th Division of Shandong. Once this instance of purchasing weapons was initiated, it was likely that business dealings with him would be continuous. This person should not be easily offended. After a brief pause, he asked, "Colonel, will your words be accepted by Commander Liu?"