The night of August 23, 1940, Chongqing, Naval Headquarters
Bang - a beautiful imported coffee cup was hit hard on the Persian carpet, and the gilded fragments were splashed everywhere. Beautiful lights were reflected on the beautiful Persian carpet, but the office at this time was eerily quiet. , the only thing that can be heard is the pounding heartbeat.
"A bandit leader actually dares to send a report to question a dignified general of the national army. Does he still have the law?" Commander Chen pointed at the chief of staff in front of him and shouted loudly, because just now, the naval headquarters actually received an inexplicable report. According to the telegram, Wu Datou, the big bandit entrenched in northeastern Guizhou, actually asked the navy to compensate for the equipment of three regiments. It is simply the most ridiculous thing in the world.
"Commander, Wu Heqing is the chairman of the Senate of Shiqian County, a graduate of the senior class of the Central Military Academy, and a former brigade commander of the National Army." The chief of staff said with a bitter face, this thing is really too fucked up, the people below accepted him as usual With a toll of 1,000 oceans, a few ships were allowed to leave Chongqing and enter the Qijiang waters. Normally, this matter should be over, but if they were to die, those ships were actually detained, and the people who detained the ships were considered Navy people.
"You can clear your name just by changing your skin? Who doesn't know that Wu Datou is a big bandit? He got the equipment of three regiments at once. How brave is he? What's going on? He's still thinking about expanding his troops. Huh? "Although Commander Chen was still roaring, his tone was much softer. He kept calling Bandit Wu Datou, so he naturally knew the details of the other party.
This Wu Heqing has always made a living by robbing families and homes. Later, he became an official from a bandit and served as district commander and brigade captain for four years. Then he was recruited and served successively as regiment commander and brigade commander. In the early 1930s, he was transferred to Jiangxi to participate in the encirclement and suppression campaign. Wu Heqing graduated from the advanced class of the Central Military Academy in 1935. After the army was wiped out, he returned to Guizhou Province, became the Senate President of Shiqian County, and established his own independent kingdom in northeastern Guizhou.
"Commander, that guy Wu Heqing is a slut, and we did collect his tolls. Once this matter is exposed, I'm afraid it will affect the image of the navy." The chief of staff reminded that he was barefoot. I'm not afraid of wearing shoes, but I really can't do it here. The Navy Command still wants to lose face. If this matter is not resolved, the pressure of public opinion will say, who will pay for the Navy patrol in the future.
"Call Li Yunlong in the name of the Naval Command and ask him to release the people and the ship." Commander Chen couldn't help but sigh in his heart. The situation is difficult. The Navy has reached this point, but whether it is internal There is still a lot of chaos outside, collecting tolls is just a routine operation, people are reselling arms, using warships to transport opium, and there are even, forget it, don’t think about it anymore.
"After the fight, Li Yunlong refused to let go. The guy said that there must be procedures to prove that these arms are legal, otherwise they will be confiscated!" The chief of staff was also helpless. The navy has always been weak, with only one admiral and two generals. Lieutenant general, uh, there are three lieutenant generals now, plus Li Yunlong still has a division of troops, so in the navy, Li Yunlong is one person below ten thousand, and no one can give face to him.
"Wu Datou buys weapons from the Ministry of Military Affairs. Isn't there a formality?" Commander Chen was a little confused. The service from the Ministry of Military Affairs is still very attentive. They will usually give you a profit after receiving the money, but it's just a matter of time. It's just a formality, it doesn't need to be recorded in the record, it just needs to be issued.
"Commander, the problem is that Wu Heqing did not buy it from the Ministry of Military Affairs." The chief of staff smiled bitterly. It was another melon. If he really poked it open, another group of people would hate the navy.
"Speak directly, what's going on?" Commander Chen also saw the chief of staff's dilemma.
"What Wu Datou's people bought was the inventory of Huaxing Machinery Factory, which is the equipment that Commander Liu secretly hid back then."
"It's been several years, and their inventory hasn't been sold out yet?" Commander Chen was a little surprised. Commander Wang Liu of Sichuan died suddenly, leaving a lot of things unexplained, including some little-known secret weapons. The treasury was secretly divided up by the military leaders below. The Military and Administrative Department did not know about these weapons, and naturally it was impossible to provide proof.
"Recently, several disabled troops have returned. They probably want to sell these weapons to provide pensions to the people below, otherwise no one will be willing to sell the weapons." The chief of staff also felt a little sad. The navy's losses were not small. In order to provide pensions for the soldiers below, the navy headquarters was also racking its brains to raise money.
"It's all a mess. Let's clean it up. Tomorrow we will take the Lake Falcon to Qijiang County and help them get their weapons back." Commander Chen thought for a while and felt that we really couldn't ignore this matter. If Wu Datou makes trouble, the pensions of those Sichuan soldiers who died in battle will not be paid.
"Commander, the boiler of the 'Lake Falcon' is broken and can't be started." The chief of staff glanced at Commander Chen. The navy originally had a lot of torpedo boats, including the Hans S7 torpedo boat and the British CMB. There are all torpedo boats, but the recent intense war has mobilized them to eastern Sichuan. The only torpedo boat left in the hands of the Naval Command is this former Qing Dynasty "Lake Falcon" torpedo boat.
"Steamboats, there are always motorboats. You can also mobilize a motorboat. No, what did Li Yunlong use to intercept Wu Datou's fleet?" Commander Chen suddenly remembered a question. He had been to Qijiang County and had seen the local waters. The small sampans of the police force really don’t think they have the ability to intercept a fleet. It’s true that the Qijiang River is shallow, but the water area is vast. There are not many good boats. No matter how many troops you mobilize, it won’t make a difference. Big deal. People just turn around and run straight down the Yangtze River.
"Commander, there is definite news from the military commander. Li Yunlong has built four G-5 torpedo boats and two 1124 patrol boats. They are all new ships. The 1124 patrol boats also have two tank turrets equipped with three-inch guns. , The firepower is quite fierce." The chief of staff explained helplessly. This is the fault of the navy again. You can kill the other equipment by getting it from land, but what do you say about the torpedo boats and patrol boats? This must have come along the Yangtze River. The navy can't even try to shift the blame.
"Equipment from the great northern country? That's not right. With so many ships, the Japanese just let them come in?" Commander Chen was also shocked.
"Commander, no matter how the Japanese blocked the Yangtze River, those ships have indeed arrived in Qijiang County. It is estimated that someone will attack our navy tomorrow."
"They have the nerve to attack the navy. How dare they? No military spending, no replenishment of weapons, not even replenishment of ammunition and coal. Our mine-laying team still uses front-cleared mines. How dare they? We blockade the Yangtze River, bullshit!" Commander Chen couldn't help but cursed. The Wanxian Naval School was recently forced to close, which made him take a deep breath. If it continues like this, there will be no need for the Japanese to fight, and the navy will be gone.
"Commander, shall we go to Qijiang County tomorrow?" the chief of staff quietly changed the subject.
"Where are you going! Li Yunlong is a ruthless man. What can we do if our gunboats can't enter Qijiang?" Commander Chen really wanted to drive a torpedo boat over to deter Li Yunlong at first, but now, this is just a joke. So what about the few gunboats in hand? There really is no advantage on the Yangtze River.
"Commander, the problem is that not only Wu Heqing's fleet has been detained, but Li Yunlong has detained at least a hundred cargo ships on the Qijiang River today. Some are buying and selling people, some are transporting opium, and some are smuggling weapons. In this way If we go on, the Qijiang route will be just——" The chief of staff hesitated. Now merchant ships entering the Qijiang River from the Yangtze River need to pay tolls. If Li Yunlong continues like this, the navy's income will definitely be affected.
"It's not like all ships are engaged in illegal business, so what are you afraid of? There's nothing wrong with people detaining those ships. We can't give orders to the Qijiang Security Command, right? Will public opinion explode by then?" Commander Chen was a little angry. , you, Li Yunlong, are a Vice Admiral of the Navy no matter how you say it, but the one who wants to die is under the command of the Army.
"Then we really don't care?"
"How is it possible? Although Li Yunlong is 'Jane in the Emperor's Heart' now, in the final analysis he is still an Eighth Route Army soldier. He has such a fleet in his hands. The Ministry of Military and Political Affairs will not tolerate it. Maybe we can ask the Ministry of Military and Political Affairs to help us put this Get a few boats." Commander Chen felt that he was a little embarrassed. A dignified naval commander of a big country was actually interested in a few small boats and wanted to plunder them. It was really embarrassing, but there was no way. The national conditions were like this. He So what.
"Commander, there is news recently that the Ministry of Military Affairs and the Eighth Route Army are discussing the purchase of heavy artillery. If this is the case, can we ask the Eighth Route Army if we can buy a few ships?" the chief of staff suggested in a low voice, regarding the purchase of heavy artillery from Li Yunlong. Regarding several ships, he was not as optimistic as Commander Chen. With Li Yunlong's character, he might be able to scuttle the ship directly. Instead of that, it is better to see if he can buy a few ships to enrich the navy. In fact, Like the army, the navy must rely on warships to maintain its status. Without warships, the navy will eventually disappear completely.
"Is this possible?" Commander Chen hesitated.
"Commander, hasn't Li Yunlong's department already purchased it?"
"Okay, in that case, tomorrow I will go to the headquarters to talk to the old man in person. In the final analysis, it has to be done through the Ministry of Finance. Otherwise, it will be useless even if the Ministry of Military Affairs agrees." Commander Chen made up his mind without any hesitation. .
"I also heard that this transaction does not require all cash. The other party may want some special commodities as discounts, including Chinese medicine, gems, and even wood. If this is the case, it seems that we can buy a few more ships." Even though they are just some small boats, the Navy can't make it at all now because they can't buy the required steel plates and don't have the money to buy them. They can only make up some wooden patrol boats to make up the numbers. Even the power is from the engines of scrapped cars.
"It seems that we really need to go to Qijiang County." Commander Chen looked out the dark window thoughtfully.
Some people died, but not completely...
