1627 Rise of the South China Sea

Chapter 3974

Chen Pingliao, who also spent most of his time in the military, naturally understood what it meant to not have family leave for an extended period.

Once the special operations division launches military operations in the Suez region, it certainly won't be giving its subordinates extended leave, especially experienced senior officers. At least until the regional situation stabilizes, it's possible that they'll be allowed to take leave to visit family again, which could take three to five years.

For these veteran officers nearing retirement, the Suez Canal might be the last operational target of their military careers. Returning to their hometown before that point carries a special significance.

Li Yuande continued, "Actually, these people have already registered their citizenship and their homes are no longer in Annam. However, they cannot move their ancestral homeland. After they become successful, they will also follow the example of the Han people by returning to their hometowns to worship their ancestors, donate to build ancestral halls, and help their descendants."

Chen Pingliao understood and replied, "Wealth and honor not returned to one's hometown are like wearing brocade at night; who will know of it?"

This is all only natural, and there's nothing to say about it. Since Qian Tiandun told them to wait a few more days in Sanya, Chen Pingliao simply took advantage of the extra time to visit the Sanya Shipyard and the Tiandu Industrial Zone.

Chen Pingliao had to admit that compared to Sanya, the gap between his hometown and Sanya in manufacturing was still clearly visible.

The number of docks at Sanya Shipyard alone exceeds the combined number of shipyards in the ports of Zhifu, Lushun, and Qingdao. The dozen or so warships being built at the same time in those military docks made him extremely envious.

As for the Tien-Du Industrial Park, the things manufactured there, especially weapons and equipment, are many rare items that are unique to this company.

However, Chen Pingliao also understood that it was unlikely that the manufacturing technology for these advanced new weapons and equipment would be delegated to local arsenals.

The Jinzhou Arsenal, under the jurisdiction of the Northern Region, while capable of producing muskets and artillery, currently uses nearly half of its capacity to manufacture cold weapons and armor, which are sold to neighboring Manchu and Mongol tribes. These two are entities explicitly prohibited from exporting firearms by the Executive Committee to prevent them from posing a further threat to Haihan.

The guns and artillery models that the Jinzhou Arsenal was permitted to manufacture were mostly outdated, practically antiques compared to the equipment of the troops stationed in the Northern Region. Buyers were primarily from Korea and Japan. However, the outbreak of the Japanese Civil War in the last two or three years brought the Jinzhou Arsenal a considerable amount of business.

The Jinzhou Arsenal's actual production capacity to meet local demand was extremely limited. It mainly produced low-tech weapon spare parts for replacing and repairing damaged equipment. The weapons and equipment of the troops stationed in the Northern Region were not manufactured locally, but rather sourced from several arsenals on Hainan Island.

This is due to both security considerations and the fact that the industrial chain is deeply rooted and difficult to relocate. In addition, the situation on the northern border has become more stable. There have been no large-scale military operations since the Second War against the Ming Dynasty, and there are no formidable enemies around the territory. Therefore, the demand for arms supplies is not as urgent, and there is no need to maintain a strong arms production capacity in the north.

Even though Chen Yixin has become the youngest member of this executive committee, it is difficult for him to change this situation on his own.

This is one of the few things that Chen Yixin couldn't help Qian Tiandun at all, since the weapons and equipment of the special forces division were much better than those of the troops stationed in the northern region.

Although Chen Pingliao felt some regret, he was also greatly encouraged to see the weapons and equipment being produced continuously in the factory—these long guns and short cannons were the most powerful guarantee for the strength of the Han nation and its dominance over the world. Early the next morning, Chen Pingliao and Li Yuande went to the port. The ship carrying the Annamese officers had arrived at Sanya Port in the early morning, about half a day earlier than expected.

These officers didn't rush to board the ship, but patiently waited at the dock for Li Yuande to arrive so that he could personally verify the personnel list.

Li Yuande traveled between the various posts of the special operations division year-round and knew all these officers. He exchanged a few pleasantries with each of them and completed the count without leaving a trace.

Chen Pingliao waited patiently to the side. He observed that these Annamese officers were indistinguishable from Han Chinese in their mannerisms, speech, physique, and appearance. If he hadn't known their background beforehand, he certainly wouldn't have thought they were of foreign ethnicity.

Li Yuande quickly introduced Chen Pingliao to the officers. Several of them recognized Chen Pingliao immediately upon hearing the name. They had followed Qian Tiandun in battle for many years and had been stationed in Jinzhou for a long time, so they were naturally familiar with Chen Pingliao. However, Chen Pingliao had been sent to the south by his family to study when he was young. After completing his studies, he returned to the northern region, but soon after, Qian Tiandun led the special forces division south. These men had never met the young master of the Chen family before.

Chen Pingliao knew he couldn't hide his background forever, so he took the initiative to reveal his identity, saying, "My father, Chen Yixin, is also one of Qian Dashuai's loyal followers, which I'm sure you all know. I'm going to the Special Forces Division to lend a hand this time, and I hope you will all give me your guidance."

An officer with a long scar on his right cheek replied, "General Chen, you're too kind! Back when we were stationed at the Jinzhou Isthmus, I had the honor of fighting alongside your father many times. We're practically family, so please don't stand on ceremony!"

Another officer said, "When you visit Fubo Port, Commander Qian will be very happy to see you. However, the area is covered in yellow sand, and the living conditions are not comparable to those in China. General Chen, you should be prepared to avoid being disappointed when you arrive."

Chen Pingliao laughed and said, "Don't worry, everyone. Since I've decided to serve under Commander Qian, I have no intention of enjoying myself over there. I know the rules of the Special Operations Division: officers and soldiers eat, live, and fight together, without exception!"

The 5th and 6th Army Divisions and the North Sea Fleet under the Northern Region are almost all inherited from the Special Operations Divisions. Many of their rules are also inherited from the Special Operations Divisions. What Chen Pingliao said is not an exaggeration.

As for Sun Zhen, who went south with Chen Pingliao to command the supporting troops in the northern region, he needs no further introduction. Sun Zhen joined the army directly into the special operations battalion, and several of these Annamese officers were old acquaintances of his.

However, Sun Zhen joined the special operations battalion a little later than these people. Among these Annamese officers, there were quite a few who joined at the very beginning of the unit's creation, and their seniority was among the best in the special operations division. They were very likely to have been Sun Zhen's instructors when he first enlisted.

But Sun Zhen is currently the most successful among those present. Before Qian Tiandun left the Northern Region, he promoted him to command the Sixth Army Division, responsible for the defense of the Liaodong region. Now he is the commander of the Shenyang garrison.

These Annamese officers did not seem to have any significant promotions; compared to when they were stationed on the northern border, they now only had more soldiers under their command.

Sun Zhen was not pretentious in front of these veterans, and smiled as they joked about his official rank.

Wishing all my fellow book lovers a prosperous Year of the Horse and all the best!