Chapter 99 Huai Army Intelligence Department

"Report to the commander, something terrible has happened. Lord Wu Wenxi has caused a big disturbance in Shaojiawei and is chasing after Scholar Le!"

Shao Quanzhong and Wenxiu came out of the yamen and were about to go to Xiaoxiang Cliff to find Qiao Songnian when a member of the sprint team came running over, out of breath, and reported an incredible news.

Shaojiawei is heavily guarded with more than 10,000 guns. Who can break in and cause trouble?

Ahem, Wu Wenxi can do it.

Lord Wu is Shao Quanzhong's superior, and the Huai Army was established under his leadership.

Only Lord Qiao and Lord Wu can enter Shao Quanzhong's territory at will. No matter how high the official rank of others is, it is useless.

No, you are such a big leader, a famous intellectual, and one who can be ranked in the country. You are a contemporary celebrity. Why do you come to my military camp to beat people? Where is your civility?
Shao Quanzhong and Wenxiu hurried back to Shaojiawei to persuade Lord Wu first.

Wenxiu was puzzled. "Master Wu, is he crazy?"

Shao Quanzhong knew the inside story. "I suspect that it was Le Xiucai who got Qingfeng pregnant, so Lord Wu came to beat him up. This matter may also be blamed on me, because I gave him this bad idea."

Shao Quanzhong was immediately hit by a barrage of punches. "I knew you were not a good person."

When Shao Quanzhong arrived at the scene, it was too late. The cane was thrown on the ground and Lord Wu was gasping for breath and could no longer be beaten.

"Master Wu, Master Wu, if you want to punish Mr. Le, do you really need to beat him yourself? Why not send your servants to take him to the Sting Garden? I support you and will tie him up and send him to you later."

Wu Wenxi waved his hands and said, "Forget it, forget it. Who made me raise such a stubborn child?"

Pointing at the distance, he angrily cursed, "You sour scholar, I tell you, even if my daughter becomes a nun, she will not marry a useless man like you."

Lord Wu walked away with his hands behind his back and his back hunched, as if he had aged twenty years in an instant.

After Lord Wu's car left the dike, Le Sen poked his head out. His military uniform was torn, but he didn't look seriously injured.

Lord Wu is so old, I don’t think he can deal any critical damage.

Shao Quanzhong raised his thumb towards Le Xiucai and said, "Brother Le, you are amazing. Tell me how you got Miss Qingfeng to come out?"

Le Xiucai frowned, "I was invited to a date two years ago, and I didn't do anything. I was busy in the military camp and never went to the larvae garden. I was beaten for no reason."

"Okay, hurry up and apply some medicine on the wound, change clothes, and go out to find out what happened in the Sting Garden that made Mr. Wu so angry."

Just as Le Xiu had left, Zhang Siwen came running over to report, "The Baoshun Company sent someone to the town. The artillery we purchased has arrived and has been delivered to the dock."

Huh? Didn't they say it would take a year or so? It's only been over four months, how come it arrived so quickly?

Le Sen was not there, so Wu Ziyi led the logistics soldiers to the dock to transport the cannons. When Shao Quanzhong met the guys from Po Shun Trading Company, he realized why the cannons arrived so quickly.

It would take a normal sailing ship half a year to reach England, and a clipper ship three months. It would take seven months to a year for the news to reach England, for the guns to be built, and then shipped back.

But soon after Shao Quanzhong placed the order, transoceanic cables were laid to Shanghai and Hong Kong, and the Qing Dynasty was already connected to the world through wired telegraph.

The world suddenly became smaller, news traveled rapidly, and the time of transmitting messages was saved, so the cannons arrived earlier.

Heavy artillery weighs several tons, and it should be very troublesome to transport it, but Weizi has experience and preparation.

Didn't they dismantle a lot of cannons on the city walls after they took down Guiliu City? Those cannons were useless in battle and were eventually transported back to Shaojiaweizi.

Two useful red cannons were installed on the dike, and the scrap cannons are now in the Hailing Arsenal and can be recycled as scrap metal.

It is said that there were copper cannons on the walls of Guazhou, but copper was too valuable and they disappeared before they were preserved.

The artillery racks and other equipment that were used to transport the guns back from Guiliu City are still in the dike and can be used right away. There are no cows in the dike, but there are many horses now. The port is only a few steps away from the dike, so they can be brought in somehow.

Ding Gongchen came over with great interest to help with the inspection. He stroked the shiny cannon and sighed, "The industry of these powers is really amazing. When will we be able to have such good processing capabilities?"

Wen Xiu raised her head and chest with pride, "Don't be discouraged, old man. In a few months, when the more than 100 machine tools from Wen's Arsenal arrive, you can also copy them."

"But we don't have a modern ironworks."

"It will be available soon."

Wenxiu was extremely confident. "Where can we get so much money to build an ironworks?"

"It will be available soon."

This time, Shao Quanzhong and Wenxiu answered together.

Mr. Ding just thought that the two were comforting him and didn't take it too seriously. This happened so quickly. The old man felt that it would take at least 10 to 20 years.

Ding Gongchen personally tested the cannons, trying out a shot from each one and couldn't let go.

"Okay, now we just have to wait for Wall to invite the foreign instructors so that we can start training our artillery."

The artillerymen are not idle now. They are carrying out basic training, including formations, physical fitness, carbine shooting and so on. Especially physical fitness, only strong men are needed to carry the artillery shells.

After the artillery test, it was already time for dinner. Wenxiu and Shao Quanzhong had a meal in the cafeteria. As they walked out of the restaurant, a bald monk came towards Shao Quanzhong.

Strange things happen every year, but today there are more. Why is there a monk in the military camp? Looking closely, isn't this Le Xiucai?

Shao Quanzhong stepped forward and grabbed him, "Brother Le, have you been infected by Lord Wu and gone crazy too? Where did you get the monk's robe? Take it off quickly, or I'll put you in solitary confinement."

"I have seen through the mundane world and have become a monk. My Buddhist name is Sanmu."

"Come on, you don't even have a scar on your head, which temple would accept you in such a short time? What's wrong with you? Is it because Qingfeng is pregnant with someone else's child and cheated on you?"

"If she really gets along with someone else, I will only sincerely wish her the best. She is seventeen this year. Her family forced her to get married, but she refused to obey. Yesterday, she went to the ancient Dongyue Temple to become a nun. Laiqing Pavilion is deserted and has been renamed 'Yilan Wangchen' by Lord Wu."

No wonder Lord Wu is so angry. Lord Wu is really something. Why does he have to ask for a diploma when looking for a son-in-law?
"Qingfeng is a nun, so you want to become a monk and make a couple with her? Monks can't enter a nunnery, you are just dreaming."

"Sir, you are joking. I just shaved my head to show my determination that I will marry Qing Feng. I will go back and change into my military uniform."

Le Sen was running very fast. Just as Shao Quanzhong returned to the headquarters to have a cup of tea, the bald logistics and grain station Le Sen came running over in military uniform.

Le Sen had a determined look on his face, and his eyes began to show the madness that Lin Buer often had and Zhang Siwen occasionally showed. Shao Quanzhong sighed, "Okay, another crazy one."

"Sir, I have come up with an idea to strengthen our Huai Army and would like to report it to you."

"What idea? I don't think your ideas are very reliable in your current mental state."

"I think we should bring Jiang Lutan over to help us."

"What? Jiang Chunlin? Just that poor scholar, a piece of trash. What use can he be? Brother Le, you can't recommend a piece of trash to me just because you have a good relationship with him."

"Brother Lu Tan is a man of great talent, how could he be a waste? He is good at writing poetry and is well-known throughout the country, and is widely welcomed by the top prostitutes in all brothels. The top prostitutes are willing to pay to accompany him, just to ask him to write the first poem for them, this is the legacy of Liu Sanbian."

"No, what does his popularity among prostitutes have to do with our Huai Army?"

"Of course it matters."

Le Sen seemed to have returned to the state where he had proposed three strategies, the best, the middle and the worst, to Shao Quanzhong.

"Knowing yourself and your enemy will ensure victory in every battle. Our Huai Army needs a lot of intelligence about our enemies and our opponents in the court. Since ancient times, brothels have been a place where information is gathered. The Jinyiwei of the previous dynasty used brothels to collect information and it was very successful."

Shao Quanzhong suddenly became interested, "Yes, I didn't expect that."

"For example, news about the Guangdong bandits, the Nian bandits, and the Shanghai Marine Corps. If we had known in advance that Yang Fang was going to harm you, you wouldn't have been injured, right?"

Shao Quanzhong was convinced. It turned out that there was no waste in the world. It was just that there was a lack of ways to turn waste into treasure.

Le Sen started it all, and he knew how to do the rest. "Brother Le, you are amazing. You can come up with this idea to help me find out the missing parts. It's a great achievement. Let's do this——"

Shao Quanzhong thought quickly, "We will immediately set up the Huai Army Intelligence Department, and you will be the director. Brother Tian will be the commander of the right wing of the infantry army, and the Speed Squad will be transferred to you as a special agent team. I will approve 10,000 silver coins for you to recruit Jiang Chunlin to establish an intelligence network with the brothel as a station."

Le Sen saluted and said, "I promise to complete the mission."

"By the way, it's been so long, and I still don't know your handwriting, Brother Le."

"My name is Yunong."

(End of this chapter)

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