Chapter 3, What is my golden finger
After briefly reviewing the prices, Gao Hongming was ready to give it a try
Then I will take my leave, and you should rest early as well
Soon, Daba arrived carrying a wicker suitcase, which he placed on the table with a thud. The heavy suitcase caused the four legs of the table to tremble slightly.
Gao Hongming spent half a day at the training ground, during which, apart from occasionally chatting with Daba, he also carefully observed the training conditions of the troops
The term "mixed grains" refers to a collective name for foods that include sorghum, corn, sweet potatoes, and rice. The reason for cooking it this way is that it allows soldiers to be full while being economical and cost-effective
As a newcomer, Gao Hongming naturally refrained from making any comments on the training of the troops, quietly observing for an entire morning
The Type 38 rifle is priced at 3 yuan each, the Mosin-Nagant rifle at 4 yuan, and the Mauser 98K at 4 yuan... 7.92 mm caliber ammunition, the Garand M1 semi-automatic rifle at 1.6 yuan, with ammunition priced at 0.2 yuan per unit (for 200 rounds), the MG42 general-purpose machine gun at 10 yuan, with ammunition priced at 0.2 yuan per unit (for 1600 rounds), and the M24 grenade at 0.3 yuan per box (24 grenades per box)
Young master, I am aware of this matter. The day before yesterday, you had prepared 3,000 dollars and 10,000 francs to purchase arms from Ma Laosan. After the incident, we did not have the chance to return home, so this money has been kept with me all along
The focus has once again turned to the light weapons catalog
Looking at the nearly door-splitting Da Bao, Gao Hongming rolled his eyes in exasperation and patiently asked, "Da Bao, how much money do we have now?"
Looking at the densely packed price list, Gao Hongming had only one thought in his mind... a drastic clearance sale by jumping off the building
Wu Chengfeng and the * book * stared back in unison, "The training intensity of the troops is so high; if you don't let them eat enough, how can everyone have the strength to train? Moreover, for an adult man, consuming one kilogram of rice a day is already quite frugal, isn't it?
How can I be the same?" Dabaos still wanted to speak, but was interrupted by Gao Hongming
For the first time in his life, Gao Hongming was almost startled when he saw someone salute him. After regaining his composure, he hurriedly returned a somewhat unstandardized military salute.
Then... alright...
Although the prices in Huaxia have been soaring due to the ongoing war, the purchasing power of the tael has long since diminished compared to that of the 1920s, even so, 3,000 taels is still enough to be equivalent to half a lifetime's income for a moderately well-off family
Do not be disdainful; even such rations are provided in fixed quantities. In many irregular armies, to prevent soldiers from eating too quickly, officers would even mix sand into the food. The fact that the meal before us is free of sand and still fills the stomach is already quite commendable.
At 11:30, the troops ceased training, and at 12:00, the troops began their meal
On the second day, before dawn had fully arrived, Gao Hongming was awakened by the sounds of commotion.
In simple terms, it is not tasty, but it is barely edible
Moreover, the most pressing issue is the food supply. The mixed grains you purchased last time are nearly finished. If there is no food available soon, the brothers will go without meals in the next couple of days
However, as for tanks and artillery, let's set that aside. The prices of these items are exorbitant, often reaching thousands or even tens of thousands. Even if one were to purchase them, there would be no one capable of operating them.
Oh ... ...
Do not rush, I will wash up first and then go out to check on the training situation of the brothers before eating is not too late
At first glance, Gao Hongming was somewhat taken aback by these militia soldiers. My goodness, those who are aware understand that these individuals are part of the militia, while those who are unaware might mistakenly believe that the Boxer Rebellion from a hundred years ago has returned.
Dabao placed the basin on the wooden rack and set the towel, toothpaste, and toothbrush on the table. Only then did he say: "Young Master, please wash up first, and I will bring you something to eat shortly."
Accompanied by a flash of blue light, a black M1911A1 pistol suddenly appeared before Gao Hongming
Alright, please wait a moment
Fortunately, Daba still remembered that his young master had suffered from soul loss. He walked over to him and said softly: "Young master, that one with the black hair is called Wu Chengfeng, and the thin one is called Xiao Zhankui. They used to serve in the Northwest Army, and later were hired by Master Gao to be the guards of our family. Recently, you appointed him as the captain of the first and second companies of the militia."
Gao Hongming vaguely remembers having seen a price list for World War II weapons back in the day, for instance, the price of the Japanese Type 38 rifle was around 30 yuan, the Mauser 98K was 40 yuan, and the MG42 general-purpose machine gun was 110 yuan
Da Bao, you little brat, you don't understand anything
The area of this playground is quite large, measuring at least five to six mu. It is also a place where villagers usually dry their grains and relax. Nowadays, several hundred ragged militia soldiers are training in formation under the guidance of a few officers
Moreover, there was a stack of green banknotes placed beside it, and Gao Hongming knew that these were the legal tender issued by the Nationalist Government during this period
Logically, he should have said a few words at this moment, but he did not even know the name of the person opposite him, let alone give a reprimand, making the atmosphere somewhat awkward
Gao Hongming also prepared a bowl of mixed grains, along with some pickled vegetables, and sat down to eat. However, as soon as he took a bite, his facial features contorted entirely. How to describe this taste? It is difficult to articulate with words.
What ... ... do you want to eat plain rice?
Well, let's forget about heavy weapons and see if light weapons will do
Uh... Gao Hongming was taken aback, and he realized... this burden must be borne by himself
Moreover, you brat, you need to eat at least 2 jin at every meal, and you still have the nerve to criticize others
Wu Chengfeng hesitated for a moment before saying: "Sir, everything else can be discussed, but our main issue is that we have no guns. The entire militia consists of around 300 people, yet we only have a little over 20 rifles, and moreover..."
"Dabao, why is it so noisy outside?"
At this point, Gao Hongming understood that although the previous owner of this body was somewhat naive, they were not foolish; they actually recognized the practice of nepotism.
Young master, you have ordered, and not a single dollar is missing
Alright, Old Wu, I am already aware of the matters you mentioned. I will address the issues regarding weapons, ammunition, and food for you. All you need to do is focus on your training, and do not let me down when the time comes to fight.
Looking at the remaining legal tender in the box, Gao Hongming helplessly rubbed his temples, "Well... it seems the system also knows that legal tender is worthless, as it won't even accept it."
"What..." Da Bao's eyes, as large as cow's eyes, widened. "I said, Old Wu, the young master just brought in two thousand jin of grain last week. How long has it been, and you have already finished it all?"
After Da Bao closed the door again, Gao Hongming took a deep breath and opened the box, where rolls of silver dollars wrapped in oil paper were neatly arranged
Suppressing the reluctance in his heart, Gao Hongming attempted to concentrate his thoughts on the watch on his wrist. Soon, a beam of blue light shot from the watch towards the box on the ground. In the blink of an eye, the silver dollars in the box vanished without a trace, leaving only more than ten bundles of currency notes.
Despite seeing it was noon, Gao Hongming did not notice Wu Chengfeng and Xiao Zhankui organizing the troops for shooting training; instead, they repeatedly conducted formation and assassination training.
Upon seeing Gao Hongming approach, two men who were leading the militia soldiers in practicing their marching quickly jogged over to Gao Hongming and saluted him sharply. One of the men, with a dark complexion, loudly reported: "Report, the militia of Liantai County is currently in training. Expected attendance: 386 people, Actual attendance: 386 people, please give your instructions, Commander"
Accompanied by Dabo, Gao Hongming arrived at the playground, which was less than one hundred meters away from them
Gao Hongming also noted that among these militia soldiers, aside from a few individuals who possessed firearms, the weapons of the others were varied and diverse, including those with red tassel spears, those carrying large sabers, and others wielding wooden sticks, and so on.
He once again infused his spirit into the watch and discovered that the amount of money inside had changed, transforming from zero to 3000
It is ! ''
Let us continue the training now
Let us take another look at the small-caliber artillery... Hmm... A M2 60mm mortar is priced at 10 yuan, and a basic round of ammunition costs 0.5 yuan...
Now, the prices of these items are only one-tenth of the original price, is this not a drastic clearance sale
Subsequently, Gao Hongming checked the weapon price list again, his expression constantly changing. In the end, he was left with only one thought in his mind: it is truly favorable, should I take this opportunity to buy more
You are afraid of thinking about what to eat; in this day and age, even the Central Army does not have such good food provisions
Gao Hongming could only take a few bites before he could eat no more, while the soldiers around him were enjoying their meals with great appetite; Gao Hongming even noticed that some had already gone for a second bowl
He picked up the handgun and examined it; the coldness of the gun's body and the heavy feel in his hand told him that this was a genuine instrument of murder. Holding the handgun, which felt somewhat heavy for him, Gao Hongming fell into deep thought
Now, let's try to see if we can realize the weapon.
Several chefs, around seven or eight, came out carrying several large barrels, three of which were filled with mixed grains
You bring the ocean over
Clearing his throat, he said, "Well... Old Wu, how is the training in the troops going now?"
Young master, there are militia drills outside. Did you not specifically instruct me that drills must be conducted every day and must not be neglected
After watching for a while, he believed that the training of Wu Chengfeng and Xiao Zhankui was generally acceptable. Moreover, he could see that their training focused more on physical conditioning. Wu Chengfeng and Xiao Zhankui even personally went down to the field to demonstrate to the soldiers how to use a broadsword to counter the enemy's bayonet.
"Three thousand taels of silver and ten thousand yuan in legal tender, it seems that my previous incarnation was quite wealthy," Gao Hongming murmured.
Gao Hongming nodded and said, "I understand, you may go back and rest now"
After originally suffering an injury, Gao Hongming's sleep had been quite light. The noise made it even harder for him to fall asleep. He simply got dressed and climbed out of bed. Just as he was about to head out, the door was pushed open, and Daba walked in carrying a basin filled with water.