In the afternoon, Xiang Xiaoqiang summoned all senior officers of the mobile team and told them to prepare for the expansion of the mobile team.
There are two aspects to expansion. The first is the 150 tanks that Zhu Yourong just gave him. Along with these more than 100 tanks, there are also a large number of good things:
Nearly a hundred armored personnel carriers, nearly a hundred self-propelled howitzers, anti-tank guns, anti-aircraft guns, dozens of light armored reconnaissance vehicles, more than a thousand cars, more than a thousand motorcycles, as well as a large number of mortars and light weapons, as well as
There are other military equipment. More importantly, there are thousands of outstanding officers, soldiers, and military academy graduates... When Xiang Xiaoqiang read this long list several times, he wanted to worship Zhu Yourong. This girl is so beautiful
That's interesting! Together with the original part of the mobile team, the personnel and equipment have more than doubled.
In other words, the First Armored Division of the People's Guard is about to be activated!
The second aspect of expansion is the "expansion of the People's Guard to 100,000 people" in Zhu Yourong's edict. Of course, more than 90% of these 100,000 people will still be combat troops, that is, mobile teams. Xiang Xiaoqiang's ideal
The People's Guard should be composed of a small number of mechanized infantry as the elite, plus a large number of motorized infantry as the main force (of course, it is better to be fully mechanized, but at least it is unrealistic in this era). Under the long-term indoctrination to Xiaoqiang, Zhu Yourong also became
I am an admirer of mobile warfare, and I completely agree with Xiang Xiaoqiang’s idea. In these few military classes, both teachers and students are basically working on YY, or designing the future fully motorized Ming Army.
Not only the People's Guard, but also the entire Ming military community are clamoring for army expansion and upgrading through the Ming and Qing wars. On the one hand, army expansion always brings many new official positions and promotion opportunities. On the other hand, this time the Qing army broke through
The Yangtze River Defense Line really shook the hearts of the entire army. Now more and more people believe that the security of the Ming Dynasty cannot be guaranteed by only a Yangtze River Defense Line. A strong army is still needed. In the past, because of the Yangtze River Defense Line, the Ming Army could not guarantee the safety of the Ming Dynasty.
People who attach too much importance to tanks are now in trouble. Everyone must equip tanks, armored vehicles, and cars. Although there has been a ceasefire this time, everyone is taking this opportunity to clamor for upgrades, whether it is for public or selfish reasons.
As a result, Ming Dynasty's major arsenals, especially those that can produce tanks, vehicles, and aircraft, are still operating at full capacity, with output increasing day by day. Many new factories have been selected for construction. The stock market has begun to rebound.
Employment is starting to improve.
From Li Gensheng down to the People's Guard, everyone was gearing up and excited. Xiang Xiaoqiang smiled and said to everyone:
"Therefore, in view of such a good situation, our People's Guard should and must be at the forefront of the national army. The goal of expanding the army to 100,000 people, I want to complete within this year, that is, before the end of 1936. Gensheng, how big is it?
difficulty?"
Li Gensheng hesitated for a moment, then said after careful consideration:
"There are certain difficulties. But sir, we will try our best."
Xiang Xiaoqiang nodded. He knew Li Gensheng very well. Li Gensheng always left a certain amount of room when speaking. If he said there were certain difficulties, it was about the same. If he worked hard, it could be accomplished. What he said was all due to the People's Guards themselves.
If Xiang Xiaoqiang tries to recruit ready-made troops from other troops, the army expansion will be much faster.
Xiang Xiaoqiang smiled and said:
"The current forces of our People's Guard Mobile Team have all participated in the Battle of Nanjing. They have withstood the test of bullets and bullets on the battlefield and have valuable practical experience. Although the Battle of Nanjing was fierce this time, the front was too narrow, and many armies of the Ming Dynasty were unable to do so.
We got the opportunity to fight directly with the Qing army. But our mobile team is different. From officers to soldiers, everyone has fully fought against the Qing rebels. This is very rare in the Ming army. Only those who can compare with us in this regard
Capital Garrison.
"In other words, after the army is expanded, you and your subordinates will become the backbone of this Ming Dynasty's most powerful army. There will be many new brothers who need to be led by you. In the future, you will be required to lead them.
The battlefield... Haha, when it comes to military expansion, you have to look at the German Wehrmacht. Originally, under the shackles of the Treaty of Versailles, they could only retain 100,000 people in the country. But now, they have expanded their army, and all these 100,000 people have become powerful
The backbone of the new German army. In this regard, we must follow the example of the German Wehrmacht.
"Okay, let's talk about this first, everyone, please work hard!"
In the evening, Xiang Xiaoqiang held a small awarding ceremony in the headquarters. He first promoted himself and his direct subordinates to military ranks. Of course, the ranks of all officers in the People's Guard were low, but this was the first time.
There are so many promotions with so much fanfare. As long as the officers are promoted, the tide will naturally rise below, and it will be easier to handle one batch after another.
…
The next day, February 9th, early in the morning, Xiang Xiaoqiang and Xiu Xiu, together with six plainclothes guards, boarded the train bound for Suzhou.
On the first-class carriage, there were three boxes next to each other, with Xiang Xiaoqiang and Xiu Xiu in the middle. There were three guards living in the boxes on both sides.
This time, Xiang Xiaoqiang took Xiuxiu "back to her parents' home" in secret, and was completely in plain clothes. Xiang Xiaoqiang is now a news figure, and there are certainly many paparazzi in front of the headquarters, but today's paparazzi are no better than those of later generations, and they don't have cars.
I didn’t have a motorcycle, so I could only take a few photos at the door. I got rid of them in the car. Then I circled around the city to make sure there was no tracking, and went straight to the train station. When I got near the station, I asked Xiaoqiang and Xiu
Xiu and the guards got out of the car. Xiang Xiaoqiang and Xiu Xiu pretended to be a young couple. Xiang Xiaoqiang wore sunglasses and Xiu Xiu pretended to be cold. She wore a mask and covered her head and face tightly.
The six guards also pretended not to know them and got on the car one after another. These were six elites selected from Xiang Xiaoqiang's guard platoon. They were led by the platoon leader personally to protect the commander and his wife. Xiang Xiaoqiang's
There are more than thirty people in the security platoon. They are all agents selected from the security team, and all of them have outstanding skills. Although Xiang Xiaoqiang's trip was kept secret this time, but since there are quite a few people who want his life, the group
Although there were few people, the firepower was very strong. They carried two submachine guns, and each guard had two box guns hidden on his body. Even Xiang Xiaoqiang and Xiu Xiu each had a box gun attached to them.
With a long blast, the train slowly left Nanjing Station and headed east along the Shanghai-Kunming Railway.
The Shanghai-Kunming Railway is a railway parallel to the Yangtze River Defense Line. It crosses the northern border of Nanming and is the blood transfusion artery of the Yangtze River Defense Line. It was both the first time for Xiang Xiaoqiang and Xiu Xiu to ride in a luxurious train box, or even a train box.
Of course, when Xiang Xiaoqiang was behind enemy lines in the Northern Qing Dynasty, he rode in a luxury carriage with fourteen compartments. But it was a whole carriage, and at that time he was just running for his life nervously. How could he be as relaxed and relaxed as he is now?
Both of them were lying by the car window, looking out freshly and for a long time, enjoying the beautiful scenery of Nanming.
It's already the beginning of spring. Although the land in Jiangnan is still in winter, you can already vaguely feel the breath of spring. In winter in the north, everything is bare, yellow, and gray. But even in winter in Jiangnan, many places
It also retains a lot of green.
The farmland near the train track, the villages in the distance, and the rolling hills further away all fell backwards at different speeds. They looked so beautiful. Xiang Xiaoqiang and Xiuxiu looked at each other greedily, looking at each other from time to time.
They smile at each other, as if they are in tune with each other.
Today's trains run slower than those in later generations. It is more than 200 kilometers from Nanjing to Suzhou and can only be reached in the afternoon. For security reasons, Xiang Xiaoqiang and Xiu Xiu did not send a telegram in advance, but went directly. But this
It also made Xiuxiu very happy. She suddenly brought her golden turtle husband back, which was enough to give her mother and younger brother a surprise.
Xiuxiu got tired of looking at the scenery, so she looked at Xiang Xiaoqiang. She looked at Xiang Xiaoqiang boldly, with satisfaction and a gentle smile in her eyes. This kind of expression had never been seen in Nanjing. However, this was on the way to her home.
, in these few days, my husband belongs to himself completely, and he does not need to observe his words too much, nor does he need to share it with anyone.
During lunch, they were afraid of being recognized, so they did not go to the dining car, but asked the waiter to bring lunch to the box. Xiang Xiaoqiang was afraid of being recognized, so he did not leave a tip. But he found that the train service attitude at this time was very good, which was similar to that of later generations.
It was like a five-star hotel. He sat by the bed, read the newspaper, and asked the waiter to put the food on the table. Xiuxiu lay on the bed, pretending to be sick, with a flushed face and coughing.
After the waiter left, the two sat up and smiled at each other excitedly, like a young couple secretly eloping.
At three o'clock in the afternoon, the train arrived in Suzhou. Xiang Xiaoqiang carried his luggage and got off the train with Xiuxiu. Six guards were in front and behind them, protecting the commander and his wife.
As soon as she left the station, her ears were filled with the noisy shouts in the Suzhou dialect, which was as lively as the train station in later generations. There were food sellers, shoe shiners, foot pickers, and check-in merchants... Xiuxiu seemed particularly excited, and her ears were filled with excitement.
It's a local dialect.
At this time, the Suzhou Railway Station was to the east outside the city, adjacent to Jinji Lake. Xiang Xiaoqiang looked left and right, thinking about where to hire a car. His six guards were scattered around, and they were all looking at each other. None of them had experience.
.
Xiuxiu gently pulled Xiaoqiang's sleeves and said with a smile:
"Sir, let's go, I'll take you to hire a boat!"
Xiang Xiaoqiang was surprised and said:
"Hire a boat? Why not hire a cart?"
Her beautiful eyebrows curled up in a smile, and Khan said happily:
"If you go from south to north, of course you have to hire a boat! Every time I go home during the Chinese New Year, I always take a boat."
Xiang Xiaoqiang hesitated and said:
"Then...is the boat very slow?"
Xiuxiu smiled and said:
"It's not too slow. We'll be in Tongli in the evening."
The two words "Tongli" once again triggered the beautiful imagination in Xiang Xiaoqiang's heart. In Lu Xun's writing, the scene of rocking a awning boat to watch a social opera more than ten miles away at night seems to be right in front of him. Yes, it is so easy to visit Jiangnan.
In this water town, you must take a boat! Not to mention arriving at night, why not arrive tomorrow?
He expressed his approval to Xiao Qiang, winked at the guards around him, and walked among the crowd towards the Jinji Lake Pier in the east.
As expected, there was a large number of awning boats waiting at the pier, soliciting business. Xiuxiu, wearing a big mask, went over to bargain skillfully in Wu Nong's soft language. She quickly negotiated a big awning boat. At this time, the guards under her command also
No longer pretending, the eight people boarded the big awning boat. The boss of the boat untied the mooring rope, swung the oar, and sailed south.
Xiang Xiaoqiang was very excited. He leaned on the side of the boat and stretched his head to look at the rushing water below. After watching it for a while, he felt a little dizzy. He was just about to care about whether Xiu Xiu was seasick, but suddenly he remembered that Xiu Xiu was a navy, how could she be seasick?
He looked back at Xiuxiu, but found something was wrong.
The boss at the stern of the boat kept peeking at Xiuxiu while rowing.