Chapter 89: 88, Not A White Lotus Descending To Earth, Self-created Morse Password, Kawashima Yoshiko And Train Station Shooting
Taihu Lake, as an important inland lake, is surrounded by cities Suzhou, Wuxi, Changzhou, and Huzhou, all lands of fish and rice, places rich in commerce.
Among the means of transportation frequently used by local people, sailing on Taihu Lake is one of them.
On the lake surface, they are not the black-canopied boats in the canal like those in the river channel, but traditional Chinese sailboats with sails fore and aft.
This type of boat, which appeared as early as the Three Kingdoms period, has persisted until the Republic of China, still an important means of transportation for local people.
And on this day, a single sentence from a child on one of the boats caused a large fleet of sailboats to come to a halt.
“Dad, what is that in the sky? Has it bloomed white flowers?”
“What blooming white flowers?” The father looked up at the sky and was immediately stunned.
China’s first organized collective parachuting activity from the sky made him feel as if it were something supernatural.
More and more people discovered the parachuting team in the sky.
Later on, those boatmen even stopped their sailboats, unwilling to continue sailing.
They were saying that the White Lotus had descended to the world!
For hundreds of years, those legends of the White Lotus Society had actually appeared in the Republic of China.
And indeed, the white flowers in the sky looked just like white lotuses.
Soon after, as those white flowers drifted closer.
People exclaimed in surprise that there were people inside the flowers.
Weren’t those heavenly soldiers and generals descending to earth?!
The story spread further and became increasingly mysterious.
Some people got scared and told the boatmen to sail away.
Some people wanted to witness the immortals and urged the boatmen to sail closer.
As a result, the sailboats on the lake surface polarized into two groups: some approaching, others fleeing.
The boats that approached docked at Xishan Island, and people got off the boats to chase after the parachutes.
The first person to land was covered by the parachute canopy. When he uncovered the parachute to pack it away, he discovered that the people around him were all kneeling on the ground.
What is this about?
He was baffled and quickly packed away the parachute, preparing to find his other teammates.
He did not speak, and neither did the people on the ground.
As soon as he walked, those people followed behind him.
This situation made his hair stand on end.
He simply shouldered the parachute pack properly and started running quickly.
His physical fitness was much better than theirs; even carrying the parachute pack, he pulled away the distance. He heard vague mutterings behind him about things like “immortals” and “heavenly soldiers.”
Several others were in similar situations; some even learned from the others why they were kneeling to them.
It turned out they were being treated as heavenly soldiers and generals descending to earth.
They had no choice but to explain.
Some people believed them, but others thought it was because the immortals despised their lack of sincerity and still followed behind.
The parachuting team was delayed by a whole day before returning.
But all 19 people were accounted for without any missing.
Fang Wen heard about them being treated as immortals and found it quite amusing.
To avoid such trouble next time, future training was moved to more remote locations.
And the intensity kept increasing.
With the accumulation of repeated sessions, this group gained fairly rich parachuting experience. They learned to control parachutes to achieve certain landing position adjustments.
Next up was night airdrop training.
On a pitch-black night, the Boeing 247 took off and circled over the predetermined area.
Fang Wen said sternly: “This landing has no visibility. I can only tell you that it features plain terrain, with forests, similar to the landing point near Shenyang. What you need to do is, after landing, use the mimic passwords to contact each other.”
Immediately, the cabin filled with bursts of magpie calls imitating one another, rising and falling.
This group was lively once they got familiar, just not very disciplined.
Fang Wen said nothing more. After the airplane reached the airdrop area, he gave the order.
“Airdrop begins now.”
At once, everyone stopped talking, lined up in order, and jumped out of the boarding gate one by one.
They were the bravest parachuters, braver than their foreign parachuting colleagues of the same period.
This dangerous project of night parachuting was like nothing to them.
One by one, they parachuted down in the pitch-black night sky, landing in different areas.
The first to land packed away their parachute, then issued magpie calls in the nearby area.
Those receiving the same magpie calls in response would follow the sound to rendezvous.
There were also problems like landing in water or getting caught in trees, but they were rescued from the predicaments with help from their companions.
In this way, their first night airdrop was completed smoothly.
From one came two; after several night flights and airdrops, the Treasure Hunting Group’s parachuting experience was sufficient for an airdrop in Shenyang.
The plan was about to begin.
There was one more thing that needed to be completed.
That was long-distance information transmission.
October 9, 1932.
Fang Wen met privately with Shopkeeper Liu.
“Shopkeeper Liu, this time your responsibility over there is major. You need to contact the local people and also learn this.”
With that, Fang Wen took out the hand-cranked telegraph machine.
“General Manager, what is this?” Shopkeeper Liu leaned in to look; it was just a box with a crank.
“Telegraph machine. Normally, telegrams to distant places are sent with this. It allows communication over thousands of miles. Once you learn it, send telegrams regularly to report the situation to me.”
Fang Wen explained. Telegrams in this era could indeed transmit over thousands of miles because there were not as many electromagnetic wave interferences as in the future, so transmission efficiency was naturally much higher.
Shopkeeper Liu looked at the device in surprise. His first thought was its commercial value, then he realized it was a tool for timely military situation reports in war.
“So this is what they use now to transmit military situations in wartime.”
Fang Wen continued explaining: “Yes, using it is not difficult. I’ve created a password that only the two of us know. Once you learn it, burn the codebook. From then on, only the two of us will know the content of the telegrams.”
Shopkeeper Liu felt warmth in his heart. Though he didn’t fully understand, this was the trust he wanted. The knot in his heart from that thief king’s betrayal talk instantly dissolved.
Then, Fang Wen began teaching how to use the hand-cranked telegraph machine and Morse code.
Only after mastering the basics did he hand the codebook to Shopkeeper Liu.
The codebook contained some characters and corresponding strange symbols.
“General Manager, is this English?” Shopkeeper Liu asked.
Fang Wen began explaining the core part.
“No, it’s called Hanyu Pinyin, divided into initial and final parts, corresponding to specific Morse code.”
“Phrases formed by specific Hanyu Pinyin pronunciations are our contact passwords.”
“The codebook has 130 pronunciation combinations and corresponding phrases, representing different meanings. You can try it.”
After a session of teaching.
Shopkeeper Liu laboriously pronounced the first one he had mastered: “Success.”
At the same time, his right hand pressed the telegraph key, outputting a segment of Morse code that only he and Fang Wen knew.
This success made Fang Wen feel that the action was not far off.
Shopkeeper Liu, however, treasured it greatly, firmly memorizing those initials and finals, as well as the sounds formed by combining initials and finals.
“General Manager, this can be used for children’s enlightenment. If we drive out the Japanese, you can publish it, so that countless Chinese children can use it.”
“Oh.” Fang Wen scratched his brow. This was a hasty invention; he didn’t want to take credit from the predecessors who invented Hanyu Pinyin.
But there was no need to explain this; drive out the Japanese first.
Everything was ready; the formal action began.
The nineteen action personnel purchased tickets to Jinan.
They would fly to Jinan in two batches on Taishan Airlines planes, then fly to Shenyang at night for the airdrop.
Going with them were some supplies and parachute packs.
The two batches proceeded very smoothly, renting a courtyard in Jinan to stay.
Fang Wen, as usual, flew back to Shanghai Airport, waiting to fly to Jinan tomorrow for the night action.
But the next day, an uninvited guest appeared.
Dongzhen of the Aisin Gioro clan, disguised as a man, appeared on the boarding list.
Fang Wen looked at the boarding list sent by the ticketing company, his brow furrowing.
Pan Jiafeng said in a low voice: “Master, why don’t we take action on the plane and kill this Japanese spy?”
Fang Wen shook his head; compared to one spy, his own plan was clearly more important.
If they acted, drawing Japanese attention to Taishan Airlines, the subsequent plan could not proceed.
But why was Kawashima Yoshiko taking this flight?
Had she discovered something?
Thinking of this, Fang Wen decided to wait and see what this infamous Japanese spy intended to do.
He retrieved the Browning pistol from the secret compartment in the pilot seat and put it in his pocket.
Then he said: “You drive.”
Afterward, the passengers boarded normally. Fang Wen walked through the passenger corridor, closing the boarding gate in place of the attendant.
On the way back, he said in surprise: “Dongzhen, um, Mister.”
The other smiled back: “I said I would take your company’s plane back to Northern China. This airplane is indeed very comfortable and convenient.”
Fang Wen stood and chatted with her.
“Taking our company’s plane is for speed. If you take a ship, it takes a day; by train, two days.”
“Yes, that’s why I chose to fly.”
Fang Wen leaned back a bit, hand in his pocket, gripping the trigger of the Browning pistol: “By the way, Mister Dongzhen, I sent you an invitation to the company’s celebration last time; why didn’t you come?”
“Because of some small matters, but they’re resolved now. Unfortunately, after going to Northern China this time, I probably won’t return for a long time. No chance to attend your company’s banquets again.”
The two exchanged words with hidden meanings; it was plainly ordinary conversation, yet laced with thick gunpowder.
Fang Wen leaned down and whispered: “This route lately often encounters bad weather. I hope our luck holds and we don’t run into it.”
“Is that so? My luck has always been good. An air hero’s luck shouldn’t be bad either.” Kawashima Yoshiko replied coldly.
Fang Wen’s hand gripping the pistol trigger relaxed.
At this moment, he was certain the other did not know about the treasure theft plan outside the passes.
Since that was the case, let her go for now.
Two hours after takeoff, the plane landed in Jinan.
Immediately after, it was grounded temporarily under the pretext of maintenance inspection.
There were still six hours until the night flight, and Fang Wen was still curious why Kawashima Yoshiko had come to Jinan.
He decided to tail her and see.
“Pan Jiafeng, you go contact them to come over. I’m stepping out.” Fang Wen said.
“Master, be careful.” Pan Jiafeng reminded with concern.
“Don’t worry, I won’t act. I’ll just watch from the car. If nothing’s up, I’ll come back.” Fang Wen explained with a smile.
Then, he got into a Ford sedan the company had bought in Jinan and drove out of the airport.
Under mechanical perception ability, his field of vision was broad, and Kawashima Yoshiko’s figure appeared in the distance.
Fang Wen slowed the car, following from afar; the other did not notice.
A few minutes later, a car drove up and stopped beside her.
Kawashima Yoshiko bent down and got into the car, then the car drove off.
After they had gone some distance, Fang Wen followed.
The car did not head into Jinan City but toward the Jinan Station of the Jingpu Railway on the other side.
What was she doing there? Taking the train straight to Tianjin, or something else?
After the other parked at the station, Fang Wen also parked and observed from afar.
Kawashima Yoshiko, disguised as a man, did not get out; instead, a man in black clothing ran into the train station.
After a while, the man ran out and bent down to report through the car window.
Only then did Kawashima Yoshiko get out of the car.
She looked toward the station exit, clearly waiting for someone.
Ten-odd minutes later, the train whistle sounded, and the day’s Jingpu Railway special train pulled into the train station and stopped.
Then, the passengers alighting at Jinan Station streamed out.
Fang Wen focused his attention; he sensed the person Kawashima Yoshiko wanted to meet was about to appear.
Then, a man in brocade robes, surrounded by others, appeared at the exit.
He seemed very familiar with the place, showing a happy smile.
But at that moment, a man in a long robe suddenly appeared, drew a pistol, and fired several shots at the brocade-robed man.
Fang Wen, in mechanical perception state, clearly heard the other shout fiercely: “Today is my revenge for my father. Anyone who helps Zhang Sanduo, I kill along with him.”
Those bodyguards surprisingly did not act but scattered and fled.
Leaving only the brocade-robed man lying in a pool of blood.
Witnessing all this, Fang Wen turned his attention to Kawashima Yoshiko.
The other got in the car without hesitation and left.
Clearly, the person Kawashima Yoshiko wanted to meet was gone; her mission here had failed.
Fang Wen did not continue tailing but drove back.
When he returned, the 19 Treasure Hunting Group members had already arrived at the airport.
There were more than four hours until the night flight; everyone gathered in the hangar, eating food and waiting.
Fang Wen recalled the scene he had just seen and asked: “Does anyone know who Zheng Jicheng is? Today I saw him shoot and kill a man named Zhang Sanduo outside the train station.”
“Zhang Sanduo is dead?” One Treasure Hunting Group member said in surprise.
Seeing everyone puzzled, he explained.
“Zhang Sanduo is Zhang Zhongchang, the warlord boss around here. He was originally from the Zhang family outside the passes, later reportedly defeated and went to Japan. Who knew he’d come back. Jinan used to be his turf. Zheng Jicheng’s father Zheng Jinsheng was also a famous figure here. A few years ago, his father was killed by Zhang Sanduo, and he was wanted and left this place.”
This kind of jianghu grudge was what jianghu people loved most.
Gang Leader Wang nodded in approval: “This is revenge for his father; he’s a real man. If I meet him later, I want to have a good drink with him.”
Then, everyone’s discussion turned to this man who had avenged his great enmity, perfectly passing the remaining time.
Just like that, the dull wait ended.
At midnight, the Boeing 247’s secret night flight from Jinan to Shenyang began.
The train station shooting is adapted from a real event, with the timing matching perfectly. But names changed a bit; it’s modern society, to avoid offense.
