Traveling through the sword to engage in military industry

#153 - Seven and a half, do you want to exchange grain for steel mill?

"What? Use our indigenous iron smelting technology and the technology for manufacturing bullets from wrought iron to trade with the Seventh Route Army for grain and ore?" Jiang Chongjing looked at Ren Zhong with disbelief.

"Are you serious?"

"Of course. We don't have anything right now that can attract the Seventh Route Army. Although they would definitely trade weapons for grain, we are also in dire need of those things, so that's impossible. I thought about it, and they might be interested in iron smelting," Ren Zhong said calmly, looking at Jiang Chongjing.

He had returned to the main plane and researched the situation around the border region. To the east, the Japanese army was pressing the border, so naturally, grain was out of the question. Even sending firewood would be difficult.

To the southwest, the core of the Guofu was under strict surveillance by the transportation brigade leader. There was no possibility of going there to buy grain.

To the west was the territory of the Ma Clique. They could sell some grain if they saw silver dollars, but the quantity wouldn't be large, and with the Guofu's ban, the prices were soaring. Even someone like Ren Zhong couldn't afford it.

Now, only the Seventh Route Army to the north was similar to the border region in its approach. The two sides could be considered interdependent, both needing to rely on each other to defend their respective areas.

Most importantly, the Seventh Route Army was good at grain production, truly turning the 800-li Hetao region into a Jiangnan beyond the Great Wall! With over 500,000 mu of fertile land, and a population of over 300,000 including the military, government, and civilians, they had an average of 760 jin of grain per person! They were definitely a major grain producer and didn't lack it!

"Old Jiang, look, the Seventh Route Army has the Hetao region and doesn't lack grain, but they are as short on weapons as we are. Wuyuan has iron and copper mines. If we give them the iron smelting technology and transfer a wrought iron bullet manufacturing facility to them, allowing them to produce their own bullets, I believe this would be attractive enough to exchange for 2,000 tons of grain," Ren Zhong continued.

Then, he quietly looked at Jiang Chongjing.

Yes, Ren Zhong was 80% certain that the Seventh Route Army would accept this condition, but he wasn't sure if the border region would agree to transfer this crucial new iron smelting technology and bullet production technology to the other side.

After all, this was more important than grain.

From the perspective of the overall situation, Ren Zhong personally felt that strengthening the Seventh Route Army's strength would be beneficial to changing the strategic situation of the border region. If the Seventh Route Army mastered iron smelting and bullet manufacturing, and its strength expanded, it would definitely have ideas about the Jiuyuan garrison of the Mongolian Army, and might even take Jiuyuan.

And this was related to Ren Zhong's next plan!

Originally, Ren Zhong planned to wait until the border region had a surge in military production, then persuade the border region to organize about 3 main regiments of 10,000 people to sneak into the northern part of the Yikezhao League, and work with the Guofu's New Third Division, both overtly and covertly, to seize the southern bank of the Yellow River in the Yikezhao League, prevent the Japanese from Jiuyuan from going south, and ensure the basic safety of mining in the Yikezhao League.

However, now the military production that the border region was about to produce was needed to supplement Jinxi Northwest, where the anti-spring sweep was imminent. This round of military production in the border region would mainly produce Type 56 semi-automatic rifles, mortars, and ammunition to supplement the main regiments in Jinxi Northwest, as a barrier to the north of the border region. Jinxi Northwest could not be lost!

Of course, at this time, Ren Zhong's reason for mining was still impossible to say.

"Brother Ren," Jiang Chongjing's mind was buzzing. He had no expectation of Ren Zhong's unconventional ideas and had lost his ability to think for a moment.

After a long while, Jiang Chongjing's brain recovered. "Brother Ren, even if this deal is concluded, how do you ensure that the other party will carry it out? You must know that 2,000 tons of grain is a lot, and it's not close from Wuyuan to the border region. What if they go back on their word after we build the iron smelting furnace? Wouldn't we be drawing water with a bamboo basket?"

"No, the Seventh Route Army can't deceive us on this matter, because in the initial stage of production, their own people won't be able to figure out the iron smelting ingredient process data. In fact, this matter requires that the local iron ore be handed over to the organization behind me for analysis before an accurate allocation can be obtained to produce qualified wrought iron. Otherwise, even if molten iron is smelted, it will be unqualified scrap iron, which may be used to make landmines or hand grenades, but it can never be used to make bullets," Ren Zhong shook his head and explained to Jiang Chongjing's concerns.

"What's more, we can still control them with the propellant and explosives for the bullets. We will use this to exchange for copper ore from them later. This part of the production process will not be traded to them, so no matter how much wrought iron they smelt, they will not be able to turn it into ammunition due to lack of explosives."

Ren Zhong had already thought through all the causes and consequences. He was not afraid that the Seventh Route Army would renege on the debt, of course, the Seventh Route Army was not afraid that the border region would renege on the debt, and would definitely give the grain only when they saw the effect.

Ren Zhong was very clear that the Seventh Route Army was still in a relatively inflated state of mind at this time, and the desire to be independent was dominant, especially after fighting several tough battles and developing the Hetao region into a granary, they even had the idea of being kings outside the Great Wall.

But to be realistic, the Seventh Route Army was indeed the best at production among the generals. There was not a single expert in the border region who could compete with the Seventh Route Army in grain production. Otherwise, with the area and population of the border region, it would still be hopeful to achieve self-sufficiency in grain production.

"This," Jiang Chongjing felt that something was wrong after hearing Ren Zhong's reasons, but he couldn't say what it was.

"Old Jiang, we are now in the darkest part before dawn. It will be good to get through it. You should report my opinion (including the reasons) on this matter, and also report the difficulties of your military industry department, so that the leaders above can make a decision. Neither you nor I can decide on this matter, and we can't bear such a big thing. Look at your body, come to my place at least one day a week in the future, and I will replenish your vitality. You are only in your forties, but you look almost sixty. Although work is important, the body is the capital of the revolution. Without a good body, nothing can be done!" Ren Zhong was really heartbroken for this old brother, who had almost the same personality as Zhang Wanhe, and was a hardworking old ox who worked hard and even risked his life.

"I think the leaders will consider my opinion more," Ren Zhong said finally. He had always been independent of the border region and the base area in order to maintain a detached status, so that he could operate some things better.

Second update