In early autumn, Governor Zhao Erxun began his inspection tour as usual. At the first stop, he chose to inspect the arsenal under construction.

After wandering around, Zhao Erxun and dozens of civil and military officials stood at the northernmost end of Zhenxing Road, facing north and south. Behind them was the tall and thick northern city wall. Two flat avenues ten meters wide were built along the city wall in the east and west directions. A row of neat oleander was planted along the south of the avenue. This kind of green trees with tenacious vitality and rapid growth was thick with arms. I believe that they will bloom bright flowers next year.

"I wish I could open the city gate here."

Yuan Jinkai stood beside Zhao Erxun and whispered, saying, "He did not expect Zhao Erxun to respond, because opening the city gate has always been a great event. It not only requires the consent of the court, but also has to take into account local public opinion and Feng Shui layout.

The dozens of civil and military officials accompanied him were very satisfied with the progress and quality of the project. They all said that as soon as the new road opened, it would be connected to the north city gate in the east and the north school ground in the west, and it would be very convenient to enter and exit the arsenal in the future.

What is important is that the establishment of this arsenal has a great effect on the strengthening of city defense and is conducive to the fire and theft prevention of the arsenal. This money is really worth it.

Zhao Erxun was very proud. In the past few years, all the projects he approved have been completed with excellent quality, with clear accounts, and no case of fraud and corruption has occurred. People from all walks of life have given high praise and praise.

Take the arsenal construction in front of him, which he personally chose and was fully responsible for by Xiao Yiming. Xiao Yiming and the craftsmen cleverly used the mountain bag more than 30 meters high in the northeast corner of the North School Field. Through the construction method of excavation, digging and drilling and landfill, most of the arsenal was built inside the mountain bag. The arsenal cleverly used the original large ponds as guard trenches on three sides, which not only enhanced the safety of fire prevention and theft prevention, but also greatly reduced the construction cost, which was unanimously praised by officials.

After several military officers who had some opinions came to the scene in person, they also changed their attitudes, thinking that the construction of the arsenal was clever and safe. The Chengdu government even wanted to build the new prison on the south side of the arsenal, which caused laughter from everyone.

What Zhao Erxun and a group of civil and military officials didn't know was that the more than 300-meter wall of the arsenal construction site in the west was the back wall of the metal products company, a gun assembly department of West China Group. Once the arsenal was completed, the tall wall would become a row of brick-concrete two-story arcades, and a gate would be opened to the north for hundreds of workers from the metal products company to enter and exit. Once the city wall was opened and a new city gate was built, the avenue would become a street of hardware tools and mechanical products, and would be connected with the three factories across the moat.

Zhao Erxun completed his inspection of the city and will soon go to Chongqing, then go south to Luzhou and Xu Prefecture, and then go west to Ya'an. It took more than a month to go back to observe the routine autumn exercises held by the new army and the border army. It is estimated that the Mid-Autumn Festival must be spent outside.

As the "rice-grabbing riot" occurred in Hunan a few months ago became increasingly fierce, half of Hunan fell into turmoil, and military and ethnic groups were in constant force battles, Zhao Erxun naturally did not dare to relax at all. This inspection was largely a warning to local officials in Sichuan and comforting people from all over the country.

Xiao Yiming, who was in charge of the military preparation department alone, had to stay in Chengdu and not follow the journey because he had to prepare for Qiu Cao and the other affairs in the army were complicated.

Today, Xiao Yiming is no longer the Xiao Yiming of the past. He has become a well-known representative of new ideas in Sichuan. Newspapers such as Britain, the United States, Germany, and France call him "the pioneer of new thinking in China", "the most courageous and potential military star in the southwest China", and "the most successful and representative industrialist and business legend in Sichuan". Even the newspapers of Tongmenghui also call Xiao Yiming a representative figure of the new youth in China. Under such a praising, it is difficult for Xiao Yiming to be famous.

For several months, Xiao Yiming, who knew that he could not write any literary works and romantic poems, specialized in current affairs commentary. Five carefully written argumentative articles, including "On the Spirit of the Times", "The Future of National Industry", and "A Preliminary Exploration of the Development of the New Army", which he had worked hard to carefully compiled, have been published in major newspapers across the country and mainstream European and American newspapers, attracting widespread attention and discussion from all walks of life across the country. Even Yuan Shikai instructed his confidant adviser and first writer Tang Zhaoyi to write an article to echo, praising Xiao Yiming's "A Preliminary Exploration of the Development of the New Army" as China's most advanced military paper. It not only objectively summarizes the gains and losses of the New Army's military training and points out the chronic diseases that are common in the new army in various places, but also explores in-depth ideas for the development of the new army from the perspective of military establishment, military equipment, military training and command system establishment, giving valuable ideas for the development of the new army.

Xiao Yiming's strategy of "taking a different sword and taking a unique approach" was successful. His name was familiar to the cultural circles of the country, the business circles, and the military and political circles. His deeds became a role model in the minds of countless progressive young people. His political stance was moderate and a little radical, calm and extraordinary passionate. He neither offended the court nor did he offend various factions such as the Xingzhonghui and the Restoration Society in the Tongmenghui. He walked easily and naturally and reliably in the cracks, which made many old martial artists in the military and political circles exclaim.

This is not counting. What most Chinese people don’t know is that Xiao Yiming has become a special contributor to the British newspaper Linxi, the Times and the largest German newspaper Voss Daily, "On China-Europe Relations", "The Impact of European and American Countries on China's Inland Areas", "A Preliminary Exploration of the Impact of China's Severe Political Situation on European and American Countries", which has attracted the attention of the great power politicians. However, except for the most core power institutions in Europe and the United States, almost no one knows who is the special contributor signed as "Harry Potter"? Is it a British or a German?

All speculations are irrelevant to Xiao Yiming. What he cares about is that his article has been valued by various countries and his name has been remembered by the leaders of the institutions in China in these countries. Although it has not yet brought any practical benefits to him, as long as he persists, he will achieve his goals in time.

Xiao Yiming, who has taken an important step, has become more confident and cautious. The disadvantages of age and qualifications are being effectively compensated. The fame and honor brought to him by public opinion have exceeded his expectations, so he is very satisfied and is not in a hurry to speed up. He must seize all time and opportunities, collect as much information as possible, read a large number of philosophical books, industry, commerce, and military and technological documents from Europe and the United States, and carefully prepare several special current affairs analysis and comments that can cause greater shock on the basis of continuing to translate and summarize the information about Europe and the United States.

Regardless of whether it is shameless or not, Xiao Yiming is determined to use the precious memory of "premonition" that is pitiful in his mind as much as possible, and strive to establish his position in the military, political and ideological circles as soon as possible, thereby expanding his influence and preparing for future great changes.

In mid-September, gratifying news came one after another:

The construction of Dayi thermal power plant has been completed and trial operation has begun. The commissioning can be completed before the end of the year when the chemical plant equipment is installed; the construction of the Ya'an ammunition factory has been completed, and the hydropower plant has built an interception dam; the ammunition factory has begun to purchase a large number of raw materials such as pig iron and copper ingots; the Ya'an security team successfully completed the rotation training as planned, and 700 elite forces with basic military skills and strict organization were responsible for the security and protection of the two major production bases in Dayi and Ya'an respectively.

As for Chengdu headquarters, the total output value of the ten months this year reached 12.4 million yuan, and the total profit exceeded 2.5 million yuan for the first time. The operating radiation range was expanded to the northwest provinces and central and southern regions. The primary processing leather in Qinghai and Kangzang areas, cotton and fur in Shaanxi and Gansu areas, various pig iron and tin ingots in Hunan, Hubei and Yunnan and Guizhou areas, etc. are constantly gathering; the sales of various pistols, leather holsters, hardware tools, military cotton coats, torches and kettles produced by the companies of West China Group, as well as the imported and resold goods such as guns, ammunition, machinery and equipment, kerosene and Western medicine, etc., have soared, and the entire group has entered a healthy track of steady development.

There are several other things that make Xiao Yiming happy:

The German Consulate in Chengdu was officially upgraded to the Consulate General, and his good friend Sharp Le was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the German Army; Roberting became the fourth largest shareholder of Jardine Wong, the new deputy general manager of Jardine Wong, and his family moved to Shanghai. Xiao Yiming's close partner Zhuang Sen took over Roberting's class and became the manager of Jardine Wong's Southwest Branch, and continued to cooperate with Xiao Yiming.

The great success of Roboting and Zhuang Sen was popular in the Shanghai Concession, attracting many European and American gold diggers, batches of European and American businessmen, pastors and adventurers to come to Chengdu against the current.

There is a saying that flowers bloom inside the wall and the fragrance outside the wall is that Xiao Yiming's military talent has no place to be displayed in the Sichuan New Army. Xiao Yiming is not willing to worry about the Sichuan New Army, which is constantly fighting in the internal struggle. In addition to going to the martial arts lecture hall every month, the Army Primary School and various military camps inspected the army, and met with officers at all levels to solve some daily problems. Xiao Yiming almost only asked about anything other than power, but established deep feelings with Liu Wenhui, Lin Yungen, Tang Ying, He Guanglie and others in the third session of the Army Primary School.

Xiao Yiming and Liu Wenhui met through his elder brother Liu Wenyuan. Liu Wenyuan is the representative of the Dayi Liu family. The power plant jointly established with West China Group is the factory director of Liu Wenyuan. At first, Xiao Yiming did not realize the huge influence of the Liu family. It was not until he met Liu Wenyuan's third brother Liu Wencai that he was very shocked to think of something, and thus he thought of a famous warlord in his memory, also known as Liu Wenhui.

Therefore, Liu Wenhui received meticulous care from Xiao Yiming. Xiao Yiming not only cared for and helped him in life, but also had very strict requirements in his studies. He checked Liu Wenhui's learning situation and homework progress every week, formulated a reasonable study plan for him, and allowed Liu Wenhui to broaden his horizons and think diligently. For this reason, Xiao Yiming also gave Liu Wenhui the military materials he had carefully translated and collected to read, helping him lay a solid foundation in all aspects.

The Liu family was very grateful for this, and Liu Wenhui even called out "young brother" one by one, respecting and admiring Xiao Yiming.

Influenced by Liu Wenhui, a group of smart and studious students followed him one after another during the same period. Every week, these students would gather at Xiao Yiming's house to make up for some oil and water, and asked Xiao Yiming for answers to his studies and thoughts.

Xiao Yiming always patiently gave advice. This advice is not just a blind question and answer, but a heuristic education method to encourage everyone to think and verify, which has benefited Liu Wenhui and others a lot, and made rapid progress, which far exceeded other students in all aspects.

In private, Xiao Yiming was very grateful. He laughed out loud when he was dreaming several times. What is the most important thing in this world? Talent!
Chapter completed!