Chapter 83: 82, Proof Of Ownership, Suspected Japanese Spy: Dongzhen, New Tactical Maneuver
The two new flight paths were finally confirmed as Shanghai direct to Nanchang, and Shanghai direct to Jinan.
These two routes can cover a larger land area and have more demand.
After the new flight paths were confirmed, it was time to discuss the aircraft’s property certificates.
During the Republic of China period, China did not have land and property certificates in the modern sense; instead, land deeds and property deeds were used as proof of ownership.
A land deed was a document for buying land, used to prove that a piece of land belonged to someone; while a property deed was a document for buying a house, used to prove ownership of a property.
These contracts not only reflected changes in land ownership and transactions but also indicated the legal status of the owners.
Specifically, a landowner needed a land deed to prove ownership of a piece of land, while a property owner needed a property deed to prove ownership of a property.
These contracts held significant status within the legal system of the time and were the primary form of proof of ownership.
The reason property deeds and land deeds were legally recognized by everyone was due to government endorsement; signing contracts and transferring contracts required completion in special departments.
However, confirming ownership of other items was not so easy.
For example, something happened on the Bund in Shanghai some time ago.
A socialite from Shili Yangchang died.
Her family members came to the Bund, causing quite a stir.
The reason was that some goldware belonging to the socialite was snatched by someone sent by a big shot on the Bund.
According to her family, these gold items were gifts from admirers to the socialite after their romantic encounters, and perhaps one or two of them belonged to that big shot.
However, the big shot spread the word that the socialite had colluded with his subordinates to steal this batch of goldware, so it was only right for the items to be returned to their original owner.
The matter caused a lot of noise but ultimately went unresolved.
The reason for this was the lack of proof of property ownership.
Therefore, providing the tung oil merchants with proof of property ownership for the aircraft is crucial for the continued success of the tung oil trade.
This is not a transaction receipt; it’s about confirming joint ownership of an aircraft for dozens of tung oil merchants.
Shopkeeper Liu and Fang Shouxin were at a loss for solutions.
Fang Wen was taken aback; such matters were simple to him, and people from different eras had completely different ways of thinking.
Most people in the Republic of China period believed that confirming ownership was something only the government could do, and if the government didn’t confirm ownership for other items, individuals couldn’t either.
But for Fang Wen, anything not forbidden by law was permissible. If the government couldn’t simultaneously confirm ownership of the aircraft for dozens of tung oil merchants, then he would do it himself.
If there were concerns about authority compared to the government, then the proof of ownership could be made even more authoritative than government documents.
He thought for a moment and said,
“Uncle Fang, go find someone who can write contracts.”
Before Fang Shouxin could reply, Shopkeeper Liu interjected, “No need to search, we have someone in our company who has drafted many of the company’s contracts.”
Fang Wen nodded, “Then have him come over.”
Immediately, Shopkeeper Liu went out and, after a short while, returned with a middle-aged man.
Fang Wen had seen this man several times; he worked in the chief accountant’s office, was quiet and not very talkative, but Fang Wen hadn’t expected him to have such a skill.
Fang Wen explained the situation.
“I’ve asked you here regarding the aircraft. The aircraft will arrive at the port next month. According to plan, Boeing Trading will sell it to twenty tung oil merchants who will then have joint ownership. You need to draft a document to confirm their joint ownership of the aircraft.”
The middle-aged man remained silent and, after fetching a brush and paper, began writing on the spot.
After finishing, he waited for the ink to dry before picking it up and showing it to Fang Wen.
Airplane Co-ownership Agreement
On the far right column, written vertically from top to bottom, was text.
The party establishing this agreement, Boeing Trading, hereby sells one aircraft that it owns to be jointly owned by multiple parties. It is hereby agreed upon by the establishing party, [names of dozens of merchants listed in order], to establish the co-ownership agreement as follows:
I. The detailed information of this aircraft is [details of aircraft model, manufacturer, condition, sales receipt, etc.].
II. Boeing Trading agrees to sell this aircraft for joint ownership by [tung oil merchants]. Each co-owner shall share rights and bear obligations in proportion to their investment.
III. All co-owners shall jointly discuss and decide on matters concerning the use, maintenance, and repair of this aircraft, and shall share the related expenses.
IV. If any party wishes to transfer their co-ownership to another person or withdraw from co-ownership, they must obtain the consent of the other co-owners and handle it according to the agreed-upon method.
V. All co-owners shall abide by this agreement, and any breach of contract shall incur liability for the breach.
VI. This agreement shall be executed in [number of tung oil merchants] copies, and each [tung oil merchant name] shall hold one copy as proof.
VII. This agreement shall take effect from the date of signing.
Republic of China, Year 21, Month XX, Day XX
Parties to the Agreement: Boeing Trading [Signature and fingerprint of the seller] [Signature and fingerprint of the first buyer merchant] [Signature and fingerprint of the second buyer merchant] [Signature and fingerprint of the third buyer merchant]… [Continue in the same manner to the last signature and fingerprint]
After reading this, Fang Wen shook his head.
“No, I oversimplified it. This property ownership contract needs to be revised.”
He thought for a moment and continued, “This is the master contract. Because it will be leased, the aircraft will actually be used by our company. Delete the third clause. Then draft a lease contract for subleasing and monthly rent return, with each person receiving a copy. Finally, create an individual ownership certificate.”
At this, the middle-aged man finally spoke, “General Manager, I understand everything else, but how do you write an individual ownership certificate? There’s only one item.”
“It will be based on the proportion of investment, calculated as a percentage, accurate to the decimal point.”
Shopkeeper Liu, Fang Shouxin, and the middle-aged man did not fully understand. All three had traditional educations, and even their accounting work involved rounding, not habituating to calculations beyond the decimal point.
However, the aircraft ownership involved a huge sum of money, and rounding the shares would result in significant discrepancies. Only by calculating with percentages would it be more accurate and prevent future disputes.
After a few days of busy work, the aircraft ownership confirmation was completed.
The blank contracts with unfilled content, as well as the property ownership certificates, were locked in the safe deposit box in Fang Wen’s office.
With about ten days left until the arrival of the ocean cargo ship, Fang Wen had a lot of free time since he didn’t have to fly every day.
Invitations from Shanghai also began to arrive one after another.
Fang Wen was eager to experience the prosperity of Shili Yangchang, but with the Japanese watching, he really couldn’t go.
In his spare time, Fang Wen could only continue his secret training by flying the Shrike Hao.
Practicing against the Japanese Army for extended periods was not a good strategy; over time, he would eventually be discovered. For this reason, Fang Wen turned inland.
Inland flight training offered more benefits, as future air combat would largely occur over inland areas. Familiarizing himself better with various terrains and environments would provide an advantage in future air battles.
At the same time, aerial tactical maneuvers were not limited to aileron rolls; combining various tactical maneuvers and using them in different environments would produce better results.
This was also something that secret military training required.
Through continuous training and exploration, Fang Wen mastered two extremely difficult tactical maneuvers.
Loop, Cobra maneuver.
Loop: This is an advanced form of the aileron roll maneuver, involving a large circular flip in the air. Mastering this high-difficulty maneuver and executing it in combat would essentially cause the enemy to instantly lose their sense of target.
The Shrike Hao could barely complete a loop, which was an extreme condition. It consumed a massive amount of fuel, and could only be achieved after jettisoning auxiliary fuel tanks to reduce weight.
The Cobra maneuver, on the other hand, involves the aircraft pulling up its nose sharply from a near-stall condition, followed by a rapid dive downwards.
This maneuver imitates the striking motion of a cobra and is more complex and demanding than a loop.
Due to the Shrike Hao’s performance limitations, this maneuver could only be conceptualized by Fang Wen and could not be fully executed.
Time passed slowly, and there were five days left until the arrival of the American ocean cargo ship.
Fang Wen arrived at the company early as usual, intending to handle some company affairs before his scheduled flight.
As planned, he would return in the afternoon, take the Shrike Hao out for a spin, and then go to a small tavern in the evening to relax, ending the day.
But today, something seemed different within the company.
He couldn’t quite pinpoint what was different.
Ah, it was the administrative office, with so many employees gathered outside the door.
Fang Wen stopped an employee who was heading that way and asked, “What’s going on?”
The employee replied, “General Manager, I heard a Gege from the former Qing Dynasty has arrived. We’ve never seen what royalty looks like, even if it’s from the former Qing Dynasty, so everyone is waiting outside to catch a glimpse of the Gege’s honor.”
“A former Qing Gege? What is she doing here?” Fang Wen didn’t expect an answer from the employee; instead, he walked directly to the administrative office and pushed the door open.
Inside sat a man, or rather, a woman disguised as a man, easily identifiable by her skin and lack of a Adam’s apple.
Fang Shouxin stood there timidly, maintaining a very low posture.
Fang Wen recalled that when he went to Beiping last time, Fang Shouxin, having lived his early life in the Qing Dynasty, had an instinctive fear of the former Qing imperial family.
“Mmm. Uncle Fang, who is this?”
As if startled awake, Fang Shouxin immediately straightened up and said, “Young Master, this is a Gege from the former Prince Su of the First Rank’s family, named Aisin Gioro Dongzhen.”
“Dongzhen?” Fang Wen scrutinized the so-called Gege sitting on the sofa.
He felt a sense of déjà vu, a familiar feeling.
But he couldn’t quite place why.
The Gege, disguised as a man and wearing small round sunglasses, stood up and extended her hand.
“Dong from the East, Zhen from Pearl. Hello, Air Hero Fang Wen.”
Fang Wen shook her hand and asked, “May I ask, what brings you to Taishan Airlines?”
“I want to go north. I had originally planned to go by sea, but I heard from someone that you are about to open a Shanghai to Jinan flight, so I wanted to pre-book and be one of the first passengers.”
“Just for that?”
“Not entirely. I also wanted to see you, the Air Hero.”
As Fang Wen conversed with her, he always felt a sense of being out of place.
In his opinion, she didn’t seem like a Gege at all, nor even like a Chinese person.
Even dressed in a long gown and a round hat, disguised as a man, there was an underlying hint of disdain.
This disdain was not the kind an imperial family member might show to a commoner, but rather something else.
It was like the disdain Japanese soldiers showed towards Chinese people.
Fang Wen subconsciously glanced at Aisin Gioro Dongzhen’s legs, then quickly looked away.
He then smiled and said, “Gege, you’ve traveled a long way, thank you for coming. Please, have a seat in my office.”
This was normal etiquette, and she nodded with satisfaction. Fang Wen stepped aside, letting her go first.
Aisin Gioro Dongzhen walked ahead, satisfied, unaware of the strange emotion in Fang Wen’s eyes.
Watching Aisin Gioro Dongzhen walk ahead, Fang Wen was inwardly extremely surprised.
Although she deliberately tried to conceal it, her gait showed traces of bow legs.
Bow legs, also known as O-legs, are characterized by bent legs that curve inward. When standing with feet together, the knees cannot touch.
This would result in a slight outward-turned stance.
Although she tried to conceal it, some traces still revealed themselves.
Bow legs are considered a medical condition in China, but in Japan, they are a result of living habits.
In Japan, due to the strong patriarchal ideology, women often maintained kneeling or cross-legged sitting postures. Their legs would be bent, and the sides of their feet would be pressured by the tatami mats. Prolonged sitting in this manner could lead to leg deformation, resulting in O-legs.
Fang Wen was almost certain that this was a Japanese spy disguised as a former Qing Gege.
If he hadn’t had this suspicion, her name wouldn’t have seemed particularly noteworthy.
But now, Fang Wen murmured to himself.
Dongzhen, isn’t that “Conquer the East”?!
The little Japanese have always harbored ambitions of replacing the great China, and they’ve even incorporated this idea into names.
Fang Wen’s heart burned with anger, but outwardly he remained calm, sitting down at his desk. He reached into a hidden compartment in the drawer, cocked the safety on his Browning pistol, and aimed it at Aisin Gioro Dongzhen.
He began to converse with her.
“Miss Dongzhen, why are you disguised as a man?”
“Being a woman is troublesome, and many things are inconvenient, especially here in Shanghai.”
“Is that so? Have you only recently arrived in Shanghai, Miss?”
“Not exactly. I came last year, but now that my business is done, I’m preparing to return north.”
“Are you going to Beiping to see your father?”
“No. By the way, Mr. Fang, I heard your airline is recruiting flight apprentices. I have a nephew who really wants to learn to fly; can he join?”
“That depends on whether he can pass the assessment. We have very strict requirements for flight apprentices, and no reliance on any connections is permitted.”
“That’s fair. I agree with you. Well then, that’s all for today. We’ll talk again next time.”
Aisin Gioro Dongzhen stood up, and Fang Wen raised his pistol.
He was about to use a sudden Japanese phrase to determine if she was a Japanese spy.
Just then, a burly man in black clothing entered from outside and leaned down to whisper a report.
His imposing physique perfectly blocked Fang Wen’s gun sight.
“Excuse me, I have an urgent matter in the city and must leave now.”
Aisin Gioro Dongzhen finished speaking and hurried away.
Fang Wen lowered the Browning pistol.
He rubbed his forehead. What was that strange sense of déjà vu?
Since she claimed to be a Gege from the Prince Su of the First Rank’s family, would investigating that lead to any results?
Fang Wen immediately left his office to find Shopkeeper Liu.
Shopkeeper Liu was from one of the Eight Great Families. The Eight Great Families had lived in Beiping for some time and should have some knowledge of the former Qing imperial family.
This line of thinking was correct. After making inquiries, Shopkeeper Liu provided an answer.
Prince Su of the First Rank, Aisin Gioro Shanqi, had died in 1923, ten years ago.
He had over thirty children, so it was easy to impersonate one of his descendants. The original owner had passed away, and the children had gone their separate ways, leaving no one to verify.
After hearing what Shopkeeper Liu said, Fang Wen returned to his office alone and leaned back in his chair, contemplating.
The sense of déjà vu was definitely not from his memory in this era, as he had only been here for two years and could be sure he had no prior dealings with this Aisin Gioro Dongzhen.
That meant it must be from his memories before his rebirth.
Aisin Gioro Dongzhen, Aisin Gioro Dongzhen, he repeated in his mind several times.
Suddenly, he remembered: Aisin Gioro Dongzhen, Jin Dongzhen. During the War of Resistance, the Japanese spy Kawashima Yoshiko’s Chinese name was Jin Dongzhen.
