Industry began in 1937

Chapter 41 Deadly Gunpowder

While the Eighth Route Army was making preparations, intelligence from the Japanese was also arriving one after another.

The news of the Japanese troops' deployment has been confirmed.

In an inconspicuous courtyard in Jiangshui Town, the doors and windows were tightly closed.

Zhang Xianyue pinned the latest enemy situation to a hand-drawn map on the wall: "The situation is more serious than expected. The Japanese 33rd Regiment, plus Wang Ying's puppet troops, totaling over 3,500 men, has completed its assembly. The main force is on the northern route, advancing straight towards Jiangshui along the Mazhai River and Songjiazhuang; a reinforced battalion on the southern route is threatening Yingtou via Yuanzhuang River. This two-pronged attack is aimed at our newly established county government and us."

County Magistrate Hu Zhen, a middle-aged man with a lean face but sharp eyes who had participated in the Northern Expedition, tapped the table with his knuckles: "The Japanese devils want to strangle us before we can establish a firm foothold. We are weak and cannot fight them head-on, but we cannot let them advance into the mountains comfortably either."

"County Chief Hu is right," Pan Zhankui continued, tracing lines on the map with his finger. "A head-on confrontation would be disadvantageous for us. My idea is to use internal maneuvering and external harassment, concentrating our forces to strike at their weak points! Representative Zhang, your advance detachment is familiar with the terrain and has a highly skilled force. Could you take the Jiangshui Guerrilla Brigade and a core team familiar with the terrain to be responsible for the southern route?"

He pointed towards Yuanzhuang River: "The area here is crisscrossed with ravines and the roads are rugged. We don't need to eliminate the enemy, but we can harass them day and night with sniper fire, landmines, and rolling stones. We can slow them down, exhaust their spirit, and make them feel that every step they take is a pitfall, so they dare not venture too far. If necessary, we can abandon some secondary hilltops and lure the Japanese to unfavorable terrain."

Zhang Xianyue nodded: "No problem. Harassment and delaying tactics are our specialty. County Magistrate Hu's guerrilla brigade is familiar with the terrain, which is perfect for coordination."

Pan Zhankui's finger landed heavily on the spot marked "Mazhai River": "The northern route is the main direction of the Japanese attack, and also our designated battlefield. I'll lead the main force of the first battalion forward to the mountainous area between Mazhai River and Jiangshui. The mountains here are high and steep, and the terrain is fragmented, making it difficult for the Japanese artillery and heavy machine guns to deploy. We won't engage them in open battle, but rather, in company, platoon, or even squad units, we'll occupy strategic passes, hilltops, and dense forests, waiting for their marching column to stretch out before targeting their head, tail, command headquarters, and supply lines!"

He surveyed the crowd, his tone resolute: "Our newly acquired bayonets, grenades, and landmines are prepared for this kind of battle! Landmines and grenades are responsible for creating chaos and inflicting heavy casualties; bayonets and the bravery of our soldiers are responsible for resolving the battle in close combat and counterattacks! Our goal is to use flexible tactics and familiar terrain to inflict pain and confusion on the Japanese troops on the northern front, forcing them to retreat! The southern front will naturally crumble!"

"Good!" Zhou Huan said in a deep voice, "The policy is clear and in line with our current reality. Battalion Commander Pan, you are fully responsible for military command. Representative Zhang, County Magistrate Hu, the safety of the southern route and the intelligence and evacuation of the masses in the entire base area are entrusted to you. Comrade Gao Yang, you and I will do our best to ensure the supply of food and ammunition to the troops, the transfer of the wounded, and the mobilization of support. This is a strategic game, and every step must be correct."

The battle strategy was thus determined.

After the meeting, all parties immediately took action.

Pan Zhankui returned to the battalion headquarters, convened a meeting of company and platoon officers, distributed the valuable "Gouzi-made" equipment, and assigned specific tasks.

The training was not a formation drill, but rather a dispersed exercise in the mountains surrounding the camp, practicing small-group tactics, fire coordination, mine laying, and grenade throwing.

At the same time, the entire base area, like a fully drawn bow, resonated with a heart-stirring chorus, all centered around the sole objective of "supporting the front."

Under the leadership of Hu Zhen, Zhou Huan, and Gao Yang, the Xingtai County Anti-Japanese Provisional Government issued a general mobilization order.

The collection of raw materials was no longer a spontaneous act of a particular village, but an organized combat mission concerning the survival of the base.

The order was quickly transmitted through the newly established district and village governments and militia system:

"1. Urgently requisition all scrap ironware! Every household should bring out as many broken pots, rotten hoes, discarded plowshares, and old door knockers as possible! The government will exchange them for grain and salt at a fixed price, and the items will be transported to the Gongyi Iron Shop in Gouzi Village!"

"Second, an urgent request for the use of civilian timber reserves! Fellow villagers, fighting the Japanese is protecting our homes! We are now requesting the use of hardwoods such as walnut, jujube, locust, and catalpa that you have accumulated over the years for future house repairs, furniture making, etc.! The government will issue IOUs, and the timber will be repaid after the war with public grain or equivalent timber! This is urgently needed for military use. A good piece of timber could be a rifle stock, a knife handle, or even a grenade handle!"

"Third, gather gunpowder raw materials with all our might! Elders who know how to boil saltpeter, lead people to scrape old wall soil and dig saltpeter pits! Anyone who knows where there are sulfur mines, report it immediately! Each village should organize reliable people to go into the mountains to burn charcoal! All finished products should be sent to Jiangshui and handed over to the government!"

The order is the battle.

Although many families were destitute, in order to protect the hope they had just seen and to provide the troops with weapons to fight the Japanese, people took out their most precious possessions.

Some elderly people quietly opened the locked side room and brought out a few old beams that they had stored for more than ten years, intending to use them to build a house for their sons when they got married.

Some men took down thick planks and squares that had been carefully dried and stored over the years from planting and felling trees from under the eaves and from the attic.

The women brought out the copper basins and kettles that had been part of their dowries, while the men removed the old iron ornaments and broken plowshares from the doors.

There was no commotion, only silent and swift action.

On the mountain roads leading to Gouzi Village and Jiangshui Town, teams transporting timber and ironware came and went in an endless stream.

They knew that sending these things up would turn them into knives to cut down the Japanese soldiers and bombs to blow them up.

The pressure on the "Gongyi Blacksmith Shop" in Gouzi Village has reached its peak.

Raw materials began to arrive continuously and were piled up on the temporary leveled ground at the entrance of the village.

Faced with the overwhelming influx of supplies and the directive from their superiors to "produce at all costs," Wen Shizhou, Third Master, Zhao Dachui, and Chen Yuan felt an unprecedented pressure.

"Everyone in the village who can work has come, and strong laborers from neighboring villages have also come to help. But the place is only so big, and there are only a few stoves, bellows, and lathes, and they're almost at their limit!" Zhao Dachui said anxiously, his lips blistered.

Chen Yuan forced himself to calm down and quickly thought: "If there isn't enough space, we'll clear out the entire threshing ground and divide it into sections."

The core equipment, including the blower, grinding wheel, drilling machine, and woodworking tools, cannot be moved. Rough sanding and similar tasks can be outsourced to the new site.

"The most important thing is to keep them separate!" Wen Shizhou emphasized, his eyes bloodshot. "No newcomers are allowed near the core work sheds and mine shafts! All unfamiliar faces can only work in the newly established outer area of ​​the threshing ground, guided by people we know well. The work processes are strictly separated, with designated personnel and positions. Whoever causes a problem will be held responsible!"

The new production layout was implemented quickly.

Inside the village, centered around the original work sheds outside the mine, key members such as Shuanzhu and Tiedan led their most reliable group of people, operating blowers, grinding machines, drilling machines, and that precious woodworking lathe, to carry out the most crucial finishing and assembly work.

The threshing ground at the village entrance has been transformed into a bustling raw material processing plant, where a large number of newly mobilized laborers, under the guidance of key personnel, are carrying out processes such as rough processing of timber and cleaning of iron.

Production struggles to maintain a fragile order and efficiency amidst the chaos.

Iron and timber are currently not in short supply; however, the most fatal bottleneck, like the sword of Damocles, always hangs over our heads—gunpowder.

The gunpowder factory in the secret valley outside Jiangshui Town is already working desperately.

Two master craftsmen and a limited number of workers worked day and night under extremely difficult conditions to purify, mix, grind, and press the materials.

However, the purity and quantity of raw materials, the primitiveness of the process, and the simplicity of the equipment severely restricted the output.

The daily output of qualified propellant columns and gunpowder is stable, but the growth rate is slow and far behind the production speed of projectile bodies and wooden handles in Gouzi Village.

The mountain of "semi-finished products" caused the provisional government great anxiety.

Zhang Xianyue, Zhou Huan, Gao Yang, and Hu Zhen gathered together, their faces solemn.

"We've tried everything we could think of. We managed to get a little bit through underground channels, but it's a drop in the ocean. The locals are scraping saltpeter and burning charcoal, but that takes time and the output is limited." Zhou Huan's voice was weary.

"Without enough gunpowder, making more shells is useless. The front lines can't afford to wait!"

Zhang Xianyue considered for a moment, "Could we consider adjusting our production focus? Since gunpowder is a major bottleneck that cannot be overcome in the short term, why not shift more manpower, resources, and fuel to producing equipment that doesn't rely on gunpowder but is still urgently needed by the troops and can even immediately improve combat effectiveness?"

"What exactly do you mean?" Hu Zhen immediately pressed. His guerrilla brigade was the worst equipped and desperately wanted anything that could improve their combat effectiveness.

"First priority: bayonets. They require relatively little material, are manufactured using mature technology, are in the greatest demand by the troops, and can immediately boost confidence and ability in close combat."

"Secondly, broadswords, machetes, and barbed wire. They can be used for close combat, ambushes, and setting up obstacles. The manufacturing requirements are relatively lower than those for hand grenades, and they can be mass-produced quickly."

"Third, entrenching tools, pickaxes, and crowbars. The troops urgently need these for building fortifications and clearing obstacles. Using good steel where it's needed can greatly speed up the construction of fortifications."

"We will continue to produce grenade bodies and wooden handles, of course, but the output will be strictly matched with the actual loading capacity of the gunpowder factory, and we will never blindly stockpile them. We can try to shift some of the production capacity to the manufacture of large landmine casings and stronger balusters and barricades. These are less demanding in terms of explosive charge, but their defensive effects are obvious."

Zhang Xianyue quickly exchanged glances with Zhou Huan and Gao Yang.

This is the most pragmatic choice under duress.

"I agree to the adjustment!" Zhou Huan made the final decision.

"Immediately notify Gouzi Village to prioritize the production of bayonets, broadswords, and engineering tools, and ramp up production! Produce hand grenades in accordance with gunpowder requirements. Simultaneously, inform Battalion Commander Pan and all combat units of this situation and our decision, so they understand our resources and will cherish every hard-won piece of combat material!"

The instructions for the strategic adjustment were relayed back to Gouzi Village as quickly as possible.

The production direction has once again taken a sharp turn.

Upon receiving the order, Chen Yuan immediately adjusted production, significantly increasing the proportion of bayonet and broadsword blanks. In the carpentry section, experienced craftsmen began instructing younger workers to prioritize processing the borrowed, dense hardwood logs into bayonet handles, shovel shafts, and pickaxe handles.

Pan Zhankui, who was at the front, received an official notification that there was a shortage of ammunition, especially hand grenades, which were likely far fewer than expected.

He stared at the thin piece of paper and remained silent for nearly a minute.

The air in the command post seemed to freeze.

Then, he raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the tense staff officer and communications officer beside him. His face showed little emotion, only a rock-like coldness.

He has received more than 800 grenades, which means his troops now have two grenades per person.

The situation is much better than before, and he has no complaints.

A single hand grenade made in Gouzi contains 80 grams of explosives; 800 grenades would weigh over 64 kilograms of black powder.

This amount of gunpowder is far too small.

The main problem was that the Japanese didn't give us much time.

Most of this gunpowder was collected from various villages and households and was originally intended for setting off firecrackers.

If given a few more months, the amount of gunpowder could easily increase several times over.

"Notify all companies," he said calmly, yet with an undeniable authority.

"Our arsenal and our fellow villagers have done everything they could! Every grenade and every bayonet delivered to us now is imbued with sweat and hope!"

He paused, then emphasized, "Cherish these equipment like you would your own eyes! Especially the grenades, don't waste a single one! Use them when they're most lethal to the Japanese! But also tell every soldier—"

His voice suddenly rose, echoing in the cramped command post: "If we don't have grenades, we still have bayonets! If we don't have bayonets, we still have broadswords! If we don't have broadswords, we still have stones, teeth, and this life to fight the Japanese to the death! We, the Eighth Route Army, have never won battles because we have better equipment than others! We win because of this—" He pounded his chest forcefully, then pointed to his temple, "and this! Fight as you always have! If we run out of ammunition, we'll make up for it with our brains and our blood! Understand?!"

"Understood!" the crowd roared in low voices, their eyes blazing with fury.

The order was relayed.

The soldiers at the grassroots level silently wiped the limited number of grenades they were assigned with cloth and tucked them into the most convenient and safest spot on their waists. Their bayonets were sharpened again and again, the gleaming blades reflecting their young and resolute faces.

A more meticulous and fearless atmosphere permeated the battlefield before the battle.

They inspected the weapons, organized their luggage, and placed the newly issued, somewhat rough but exceptionally sturdy broadswords and entrenching tools within easy reach.

The Japanese army, advancing in two columns from the north and south, was engulfed in smoke and the aura of destruction, and was closing in step by step.

In this barren yet resilient land, another equally massive, but even more silent, mobilization and preparation is nearing completion.

Everyone—commanders, soldiers, cadres, workers, and farmers—tightened their nerves to the last moment, turning their gaze eastward toward the mountain pass shrouded in the bleak winter clouds and the shadow of war.

The fire in the stove on the back mountain of Gouzi Village became the most conspicuous and tenacious light on this tense land in the increasingly deep night.

Chen Yuan stood outside the mine, listening to the faint clanging of the last batch of ironware being hastily made to reinforce the fortifications, and looked towards the pitch-black southeast.

He knew that the moment that would determine his fate had arrived.

He and his "flint," along with all the people of this land who refused to submit, had done everything they could.