Chapter 357: Sooner Rather than Later

Hong Mingxiang was more interested in smoothbore guns, and Liang Yao was not too surprised, after all, smoothbore guns were cheaper.

Moreover, in the mid-19th century, the artillery of the great powers was mainly equipped with smoothbore guns, and smoothbore guns were not too outdated at this time.

"If you buy 50 6-pound guns and 30 12-pound guns, can you buy some shells like buying guns?" Hong Mingxiang said after calculating the budget for this purchase of arms.

"In addition, I also hope that Brother Liang can send some artillery instructors to help us train artillery. This purchase of guns is just the beginning of our cooperation.

Governor Xu and Governor Ye also think that the artillery on the Humen Fort is too old, and they are also considering purchasing some better foreign guns to replace the old cannons on the Humen Fort."

This is a large order of 43,000 US dollars, including 125,000 US dollars for rifles, 27,360 US dollars for pistols, and 120,000 US dollars for 5 loach boats.

Guangdong has already purchased arms worth $315,360 from him at one time, which can be said to be a huge investment.

"Each gun comes with 100 solid bullets. If General Hong buys ammunition later, how about I give him a discount?" Liang Yao said very generously.

"Since General Hong trusts me and buys ammunition from me, personnel training is naturally a piece of cake. I will send two squads of artillery to Guangdong to teach you how to operate the guns, and it will not charge any fees."

Hong Mingxiang was very happy to hear this, and after a brief negotiation, he signed the order with Liang Yao.

After the order was signed, Hong Mingxiang paid for these orders with silver. $315,360 is equivalent to 200,884 taels of silver.

Hong Mingxiang asked Liang Yao with a shameless face whether he could eliminate the 884 taels of the decimal. Since the decimal was not too outrageous, Liang Yao agreed.

Except for the loach-class patrol gunboats, which could not be delivered in full because there were only two ships in stock, Liang Yao could deliver all the other arms in stock.

After the arms were loaded, Hong Mingxiang, in a good mood, came to bid farewell to Liang Yao and prepared to return to Guangzhou.

"Have you ever thought about buying a production line directly from me?"

Before leaving, Liang Yao poured a glass of wine for Hong Mingxiang to see her off.

"Production line?" Hong Mingxiang took the wine handed over by Liang Yao with a puzzled expression on her face.

"It means directly moving my workshop that produces artillery at the Sacramento Arsenal to Guangdong, and manufacturing artillery and shells by myself." Liang Yao smiled.

Liang Yao wanted to eliminate the smoothbore gun production line of the Sacramento Arsenal. If Guangdong is willing to take over this production line, it would be great.

As for the fact that selling the production line would destroy the job of the Sacramento Arsenal, Liang Yao was not worried about this problem.

First, he wanted to transfer the smoothbore cannon production line that was about to become obsolete. Second, with the Qing Dynasty's inefficient and backward management methods, the cannons produced in the Qing Dynasty in the future would not pose a threat to his products.

More advanced weapons still need to be bought from him.

And it costs money to maintain the production line. After transferring the production line, Liang Yao can still make this money.

"Aren't you afraid of ruining your arsenal job?" Hong Mingxiang was very surprised.

"The Sacramento Arsenal does not only make this kind of cannon." Liang Yao smiled with his hands behind his back, "I, Liang, have more than one job, and I am not afraid of ruining one of my jobs."

"How much?"

Hong Mingxiang quickly became interested in Liang Yao's transfer of the production line, but he also knew that this was a huge expenditure, and he had no say in whether this matter could be successful.

"A price of 500,000 taels of silver." Liang Yao smiled.

"Brother Liang, you have a big appetite. This time I bought arms from you, but I only spent 200,000 taels of silver. You sold me this production line for 500,000 taels of silver." Hong Mingxiang shook his head and said, "Too expensive, too expensive."

"I sell you arms, which is eggs, and I sell you production lines, which is hens that can lay eggs. How can we generalize?" Liang Yao said.

500,000 taels of silver is just his opening price, which can be negotiated. Even if it is finally negotiated to 300,000 taels of silver, Liang Yao can accept it.

After drinking the wine in the glass, Hong Mingxiang clasped his fists towards Liang Yao and said, "This matter needs to be decided by the minister. When I go back, I will report this to the minister. Brother Liang, goodbye!"

After speaking, Hong Mingxiang left San Francisco and returned to Guangzhou.

After Hong Mingxiang left, Liang Yao asked his fifth uncle Liang Shaoqiong about the situation of the Guangdong Brave Camp: "Fifth uncle, how is the training of the Guangdong Brave Camp?"

"Now 1,500 Guangdong Braves have completed training and formed the Guangdong Brave Camp." Liang Shaoqiong said, "After the fall of Jiangning, the Taiping Army became more and more courageous, and even divided its troops to march north. The people in the capital are now in a panic."

Before the Tianjing Incident in 1856, the combat effectiveness of the Taiping Army was still on the rise. Even if the Hunan Army and the Taiping Army fought, they might not be able to gain any advantage.

"Has the court approved the Guangdong Brave's going out to fight in Guangdong?" Liang Yao continued to ask.

Suppressing the Taiping Army was the only good opportunity for Han officials to gain real power in the more than 200 years since the founding of the Qing Dynasty. It was also the hope of the Liang family to turn over.

Liang Yao did not want only the warlord bureaucrats of Zeng Guofan's Hunan Army to gain real power after this incident.

After all, so far, he had no intersection with the Hunan Army and Zeng Guofan.

"Last year, General Pan submitted a memorial to the court requesting permission for the Guangdong braves to fight in Guangdong. The emperor simply replied: Got it. He did not make a clear statement on the matter." Liang Shaoqiong said.

"However, since the fall of Jiangning, the imperial court issued a decree allowing Yue Yong to organize and train two more battalions to fight in Guangdong, and also approved 20,000 taels of silver for Yue Yong."

"Is Yue Yong ready to go out to fight in Guangdong?" Liang Yao nodded.

Last year, the imperial court was hesitant about Yue Yong going to fight in Guangdong because the situation was not yet unmanageable.

No matter how fiercely the Taiping Army fought in cities such as Jintian, Yong'an, Guilin, Quanzhou, Changsha, Wuchang, Jiujiang, Hukou, and Anqing, in the eyes of the Qing court, they were at best a group of bandits and nothing to be afraid of.

But after the Taiping Army captured Nanjing, established the capital and established the country, refused to leave, and began to establish a solid base, the situation was different.

As the capital of the former Ming Dynasty, Nanjing's political influence was not comparable to the cities previously captured by the Taiping Army.

Moreover, the Jiangnan area occupied by the Taiping Army was not a remote and remote area of ​​Guangxi, but an anointed land. The wealth of the Qing court had already threatened the foundation of the Qing Dynasty's rule.

The Taiping Army obviously wanted to compete with the Qing Dynasty and replace it with the Qing Dynasty. This was unacceptable to the Qing rulers.

Only then did the Qing government completely let go of the local Xiangyong and encouraged them to destroy the Taiping Army.

As long as Yue Yong can go out to fight in Guangdong, Yue Yong will have a chance to take the lead. Of course, Pan Shicheng and the Liang family who stayed in Xiangshan will also have a chance to take the lead.

"Shang Mao has millions of soldiers, and their morale is high. He also has generals like the Pseudo Wing King who are capable of conquering and fighting, but Guangdong Yong only has more than a thousand soldiers. To be fair, General Shang Pan and I don't have much confidence. "Liang Shaoqiong said truthfully.

"Before Changmao captured Jiangning, General Shang Pan believed that one battalion of Yue Yong could test their skills and go out to fight in Guangdong. But after Changmao captured Jiangning, General Shang Pan hoped that the other two battalions of Yue Yong would be trained and trained before going out to fight in Guangdong.

I came to California this time to purchase arms to arm the Yueyong New Battalion. "

"It is better to go to Guangdong to fight sooner rather than later. When the local braves from other places take the limelight in the battle to kill the Taiping Army, the weight of the Guangdong braves in the eyes of the court will not be so important." Liang Yao said.

"When I went to conquer Japan, I only had two regiments with more than 2,000 soldiers. Didn't I still defeat Japan's 100,000-strong army and beat them to pieces? The quality of soldiers is more important than having more soldiers."

Liang Shaoqiong chewed the nephew's words carefully, and it made sense. When Liang Yao traveled far across the ocean to conquer the Japanese country, he did well, but when he came here, he was intimidated.

With that said, Liang Yao patted Liang Shaoqiong on the shoulder and encouraged: "Fifth Uncle, whether our Liang family can succeed depends on this time. We must make a success no matter what. Even if the start is unfavorable, we still have a chance. As long as we have If I am here, the Liang family and Yue Yong can afford to lose."

"What you said made my blood boil." Liang Shaoqiong said with a smile, "After I go back, I will urge Mr. Pan to send troops as soon as possible, but my dear nephew, in addition to purchasing 4,000 foreign guns this time, our Guangdong Yong also wants to make up Practice some artillery, you have to help me with this."

"Uncle Five's affairs are my business, and they are all my business." Liang Yao said, patting his chest.

"Guangdong Yong organizes and trains artillery, does my nephew have any suggestions?" Liang Shaoqiong asked Liang Yao for his suggestions.

He had been familiar with the classics and history since he was a child, and he had read some military books for fun in his spare time, but he had never led troops to fight in a war.

In terms of military affairs, this nephew who is already an American general is definitely better than himself, and it will not hurt him to listen to Liang Yao's advice.

"The Yue Yong currently only has one battalion of 1,500 men. It is definitely not the Yue Yong's turn to attack the city. Moreover, the Taiping Army is at its peak and the Qing Dynasty is on the defensive, so there are few opportunities to attack the city." Liang Yaomao He said while stroking the hard stubble on his chin.

"The battles between the Yue Yong and the Taiping Army were mainly field battles and city defense battles, I think. The Yue Yong needed to train artillery, and they could train field artillery equipped with 6-pounders and 12-pounders, 6-pounders and 12-pounders. It is relatively light and can be pulled by mules and marched with the army. As for the organization, it can be imitated my organization or the organization of the American artillery regiment, with 3 to 6 people serving one gun. "

Liang Shaoqiong nodded with understanding, bearing Liang Yao's suggestion in mind.

However, he still has a concern: "The artillery training takes too long, and the Yue Yong is about to be released from seclusion. I am afraid that it will be difficult to train into an army in a short period of time and go out with the army."

"I can recruit some artillerymen with actual combat experience for you Yueyong in California, let my officers command theirs, and join Yueyong in the name of mercenaries to accompany the army." Liang Yao gave a solution.

It was obviously impossible for the artillery company he had trained so hard to serve as mercenaries for the Guangdong Yong Battalion. Who knows how Pan Shicheng and Liang Shaoqiong, two people with no actual combat experience, would fight the battle.

He can support Yue Yong, but he will not put his precious artillery into it.

However, he could still do it by hiring a small group of retired artillerymen and sailors who had used naval guns for Yue Yong in California.