“I wonder what price your Commander Yan is willing to offer?”
Wang Yan began the next stage of negotiations. As for the final decision, that would depend on Xiao Yun.
“Commander Yan is willing to exchange 1000 rifles, 30 machine guns, and 100,000 rounds of ammunition!”
The Jin-Sui Army Colonel slowly spoke.
“Sorry, our 399th Brigade does not accept this exchange. How about we change the conditions?”
“Commander Wang, please tell us your proposal!”
“We hope you will exchange the skilled workers from the Taiyuan Arms Factory. Not many, just 300.”
“No, Commander Wang, that’s too much. The Jin-Sui Army will absolutely not accept it!”
Initially, the Jin-Sui Army Colonel subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that Commander Yan’s guess was indeed correct.
The 399th Brigade had indeed obtained a batch of machine tools from Shuizhou City, otherwise they would not have proposed the need for technical workers.
And the authorization given to him included this item of technical workers!
He thought that the exchange was about to end smoothly, but who would have thought that the number Wang Yan quoted later would make him jump, subconsciously rejecting it.
Commander Yan Lao Xi only authorized him a maximum of 50 people.
The 399th Brigade's request was for 300 people, a full 6 times the amount, how could he possibly provide that?
Wang Yan subconsciously turned his head, but saw Xiao Yun giving him a wink, and he felt more confident.
His face turned cold: “If that’s the case, then please go back, Commander Wang. Our 399th Brigade won't do this deal!”
The Colonel: “???“
This threw him off guard.
Wasn’t it?
After his refusal, shouldn’t the 399th Brigade have taken a step back, lowered the price, and then he could haggle?
Going back and forth, negotiating to a suitable price, then sending a telegram to Commander Yan, finally reaching an amicable agreement?
This attitude of not wanting to talk and directly asking him to leave, what was going on?
Emotionally, the Colonel wanted to just walk away, but his reason told him not to do that.
If he went back without taking Shuizhou City, he would definitely lose his position.
He may seem in a glorious position now, but he didn’t know how many people were eyeing his position.
Thinking about this, he sat back down, a wry smile on his face: “Commander Wang, this price is a bit too high, we really can’t accept it.
Look, your army is limited, even if you take Shuizhou, you won’t be able to effectively occupy it.
When the Japanese withdraw from the Jin-Nan region, you won’t be able to hold Shuizhou either. Why not hand it over to us, the Jin-Sui Army?
Commander Yan has tens of thousands of troops and is experienced in defending cities.”
..............................
“Oh? Our 399th Brigade can’t hold Shuizhou, could it be that the entire 8th Route Army can’t hold it?
To tell you the truth, our headquarters also has plans for Shuizhou, and we intend to develop the Shuizhou area!
This time, Xiao Yun finally spoke, pulling in the 8th Route Army as his backing.
Of course, there was another sentence he didn’t say: it’s not that he looks down on Commander Yan Lao Xi.
Before the War of Resistance broke out, Commander Yan Lao Xi had over 200,000 well-equipped troops, and many artillery pieces.
However, not long after, he was defeated by the Japanese, and now he only holds 7 small counties, and his troops have been reduced to just over 40,000.
And this is called being good at defending cities?
Defending a city, defending, defending, and it becomes someone else’s city?
It’s just that he’s blinded by the dream of recovering his territory and is headstrong.
If he were sober, he should understand the gap between his own strength and that of the Japanese.
Even if Xiao Yun were to pay for it, he wouldn’t dare to take on the hot potato that is Shuizhou at this moment.
There’s no benefit, but it brings a lot of trouble. In the end, Shuizhou isn’t defended, and he gets beaten up by the Japanese for nothing.
Unfortunately, Commander Yan Lao Xi, who dreams of being the King of Shanxi Province, doesn't care about this.
The entire Shuizhou region, for him, who only has 7 small counties, is a poisonous apple full of deadly temptations.
Even knowing it’s poisonous, he still can't help but eat it.
Furthermore, Commander Yan Lao Xi still harbors a glimmer of hope: When the Japanese come back with their rage, they might first deal with the 399th Brigade, which made them lose face?
If the 399th Brigade and the Japanese suffer mutual losses, he can reap the benefits and truly secure his position in Shuizhou.
By then, with Shuizhou and 7 counties in his hands, he will be able to restore the Jin-Sui Army to nearly 100,000 troops, and even the Japanese wouldn’t dare to provoke him!