Chapter 111: 110, Certificate-style National Debt Interest Accumulation? First Arrival In Berlin
Falmang’s transaction is about to be completed.
To ensure the legality of the transaction, a company must be established in France, and the transaction with Falmang will be conducted in the name of this company.
Additionally, Falmang also needs to complete the aircraft scrapping process as soon as possible.
Both matters will proceed simultaneously.
On Fang Wen’s side, Chinese friends are willing to help.
They took the initiative to inquire and figured out what foreigners need to do to establish a company in France in 1933.
First, there must be a name, and it must be confirmed that it will not be the same as other enterprises in the same region.
This requires submitting a name verification application to the Paris Commercial Bureau, and name verification usually takes 1-5 working days.
Then, the company’s registered address must be a real and valid address within France, which can be a commercial premises or a residence.
Uncle Chen, who runs a restaurant on Rue au Maire, is willing to use his restaurant as the company’s registered address.
Then, the prepared registration documents are submitted to the Paris Commercial Bureau for approval. If the application is approved, the Commercial Bureau will issue a company registration certificate, at which point the company is officially established and can operate.
The entire process is quite cumbersome, requiring many procedures, but fortunately everyone helped, and the company registration was completed in a short time.
Fang Wen’s side is ready. There is also movement on Falmang’s side.
During a “coincidental” aircraft test flight, F.220 prototype No. 1 had an accident.
The accident report states: engine damaged, fuselage damaged in various places, already irreparable.
This was originally a worthless prototype aircraft. The scrapping process passed review and was recorded in the financial report.
As a result, it was removed from the company’s assets and became depreciation loss.
In this way, the F.220 was transferred and signed a transaction agreement with the “Scrap Material Acquisition Company” established by Fang Wen.
The agreement requires the Scrap Material Acquisition Company to pay a total of $180,000, with a down payment of $100,000 and the remaining $80,000 upon arrival at the Port of Calcutta.
In black and white, both parties signed and stamped, with notarized documents, everything legal and compliant, and that F.220 became an asset under Fang Wen’s name.
On the day the contract was signed, Fang Wen sent a telegram home, informing the family members of this matter.
Shanghai Airport, 7:30 p.m., Fang Wen’s residence.
The members of Fang Wen’s small group, upon receiving the notice, all came boldly.
They all had some understanding of the aircraft matter, and while waiting for the telegram, they couldn’t help but discuss it.
Sun Debiao asked with concern: “The general manager said he bought a large airplane, how big is it exactly?”
“Very big, very big.” Shunzi’s reply caused laughter, and he was harshly knocked on the head by his father Fang Shouxin.
Among these people, Pan Jiafeng and Shao Sishen are pilots, so they naturally know the most, and everyone looked at them.
Pan Jiafeng quickly waved his hands: “I don’t know. Let Teacher Shao explain.”
Shao Sishen stood up and looked at the courtyard.
“Bigger than this place, two stories high, with a payload of four Boeing 247s.”
This comparison stunned everyone. Can the patriarch really acquire such a massive airplane?
They say people in a trade love their trade. Everyone works at Taishan Airlines, so naturally they hope the company can have a large airplane with exceptional performance, which would be the airline company’s face.
Inevitably, everyone enthusiastically discussed it.
Half an hour passed quickly, and right at eight o’clock, everyone very consciously stopped talking.
Shopkeeper Liu listened to the sounds from the telegraph machine, recorded the content on paper, and then translated it.
After finishing, he stood up and handed it to Kuang Mingzhu.
Looking at the paper in her hand, Kuang Mingzhu read:
“Today, the purchase contract has been signed, agreed delivery to Kolkata. Need to send someone there to receive it, and contact Neil to liaise with local British people in Kolkata to confirm airport takeoff matters.”
Everyone was immediately excited and about to cheer in celebration, but Shopkeeper Liu quickly waved his hand to stop them: “There’s more.”
Kuang Mingzhu continued reading: “Domestically, arrangements must also be made early. Register it as a transport aircraft in the company assets ledger, and widen the runway at the company’s own airport to facilitate the aircraft’s takeoff and landing.”
These telegram contents include several work tasks, all preparations to ensure the F.220 can smoothly arrive in China.
Everyone eagerly applied to take responsibility.
They took on all the domestic matters.
For abroad, Kuang Mingzhu will be responsible. Their Kuang Family’s connections are in South Asia, making them most suitable for this.
After the discussion ended, Fang Wen’s small group each returned home.
Only Shopkeeper Liu lagged a step behind. He handed a small note to the maid Chun Cao: “Give this to the young mistress. This is the other part of the young master’s telegram.”
After saying that, Shopkeeper Liu picked up the telegraph machine and left.
Kuang Mingzhu took the note from Chun Cao, on which it was written.
“Additionally, prepare $80,000 to bring to Kolkata for paying the aircraft’s final payment.”
Kuang Mingzhu tore up the note and muttered to herself in a low voice: “I should learn how to send telegrams. Otherwise, I won’t be able to contact Mister when I go to Kolkata.”
January 15.
The day of the aircraft transaction down payment, also the day Fang Wen leaves Paris for the Weimar Republic.
Early in the morning, Fang Wen got up.
He dragged the wooden bed aside, tore off the wallpaper, and took out the leather bag from inside the wall.
Fang Wen carefully checked it, and inside were 300 national debt certificates, not a single one missing.
He took out 120 of them, put them in the canvas bag, and placed the leather bag close to his chest in his bosom.
Then he restored everything to its original position.
After doing this, Fang Wen went out and went downstairs with Lin Shuiwang and Lin Baoluo who were waiting outside.
Downstairs, many Chinese people were waiting outside the hotel, all there to see him off.
Fang Wen bid farewell to them one by one.
Then, Fang Wen and Lin Shuiwang went to the nearby notary office.
Under the notary office’s witness, Fang Wen took out one hundred national debt certificates and asked.
“Are you willing to accept US national debt certificates for the payment?”
The paper national debt of this era bears interest, is easy to store, and has higher value than currency, so of course the other party is willing.
But it must be verified as genuine.
For this, people from the Farman Company brought in a national debt trader from a nearby bank.
This trader, who deals with national debt frequently, made the appraisal.
“It’s genuine, 1928 US ten-year long-term national debt, very valuable, with five years of interest unclaimed inside.”
Fang Wen was surprised. He had never dealt with paper national debt in his previous life, and hadn’t discussed national debt with his father-in-law before leaving.
He hadn’t expected each national debt certificate to contain interest.
He quickly realized: people treat paper national debt like gold for storage, who would redeem interest every year? The interest inside just appreciates.
No wonder national debt is so popular these days.
He also understood that this was his father-in-law’s favor, giving his son-in-law a little extra to avoid losses in Europe.
Thinking of this, Fang Wen couldn’t help but ask:
“What is the value of a $1,000 national debt certificate plus its interest?”
After calculating, the national debt trader replied: “After calculation, a ten-year $1,000 US paper national debt certificate can be exchanged for $1,316.”
Fang Wen took back 24 national debt certificates, left 76, valued at $100,000, and completed the transaction with Falmang.
Falmang promised to deliver the aircraft to the Port of Calcutta by mid-February this year and signed a supplementary transport agreement.
After the notarization ended, Falmang’s people left, but Fang Wen exchanged words with that national debt trader.
“Hello, I have some more national debt in hand and want to exchange it for currency. Can your bank exchange it?”
“No problem, that’s my job. If you want to exchange now, please come with me to the bank. Only there can the transaction be guaranteed.”
Immediately, Fang Wen and Lin Shuiwang followed the national debt trader to the bank.
In the bank lobby, Fang Wen took out 44 national debt certificates with a face value of $1,000 each and handed them over.
After inspection, the national debt trader said: “After calculation, 44 ten-year US paper national debt certificates can be exchanged for $57,904. You can also exchange for other currencies.”
Listening to Lin Shuiwang’s translation, Fang Wen thought for a moment.
According to the current situation, the Weimar Republic will probably be done for this year.
Their currency, the mark, will depreciate sharply in the process, so exchanging for it would be useless.
The franc is stable in value, and the British pound has better international circulation.
Immediately, he exchanged the 44 national debt certificates for three currencies, mostly British pounds, with small portions in US dollars and francs.
After exchanging the banknotes.
Fang Wen gave Lin Baoluo a sum of money.
“This money is for your expenses. During this time, please keep an eye on Falmang. If there’s any situation, send a registered telegram to Shanghai, and they will pass it on to me.”
Lin Baoluo originally refused to take it, but under Fang Wen’s insistence, he accepted it.
Then, Fang Wen and Lin Shuiwang went to Paris Airport to take the flight from Paris to Berlin.
The airplane departed from Paris and arrived in Berlin.
Fang Wen and Lin Shuiwang followed the passengers off the plane.
It seems that from the moment he set foot on Weimar Republic soil, Fang Wen felt a sense of oppression and a complex atmosphere about to erupt.
The people here are not talkative or smiling; some might say they are resilient.
But in Fang Wen’s view, they are numb and oppressed by life.
After defeat in World War I, life in the Weimar Republic was unimaginable.
From 1919 to 1923, four years of extremely severe inflation,
People were seen pushing handcarts loaded with billions of mark banknotes to buy a single loaf of bread.
It was just like the National Government’s gold yuan later on.
And persisting until this year is its limit. People oppressed to the extreme will be seduced by the Little Mustache’s mad speeches and finally erupt.
Thinking while walking, Fang Wen followed the crowd out of the airport.
He looked around; it was very desolate.
“Mr. Fang, look at that.” Lin Shuiwang tugged at Fang Wen’s clothes.
Fang Wen turned his head and looked toward the sky as indicated by Lin Shuiwang.
Over there floated a massive cigar-shaped aircraft.
Isn’t this the famous Zeppelin airship from World War I?
Carrying curiosity, Fang Wen and Lin Shuiwang walked over.
There were many onlookers over there, along with banners and people with loudspeakers propagandizing.
Lin Shuiwang, who had run ships for half his life, was best at languages, so he immediately translated the German he heard.
“Celebrating the Graf Zeppelin airship’s round-the-world flight completion.”
“Ride the same model as the Graf Zeppelin airship for a sky tour, with rich airship meals.”
After translating, Lin Shuiwang asked: “Is riding an airship the same feeling as riding an airplane? Should we try it?”
Looking at the airship in the sky, Fang Wen’s first reaction was to refuse.
It was just an oversized hot air balloon; any mistake or accident would lead to irreparable danger.
He replied: “Think about it: flying to the sky in this paper lantern thing, if it catches fire or splits open with a leak, this thing will disintegrate immediately, then fall from thousands of meters high.”
Lin Shuiwang shivered and lost all interest in riding the airship.
He asked: “Then where do we go now?”
“Where to go?”
Fang Wen didn’t know how to answer for a moment.
He came to the Weimar Republic to try his luck.
But he had no specific idea of where to go or whom to find.
He thought that if there was no gain in the Weimar Republic, he would find a way in France or the United Kingdom.
Worst case, he could witness the Little Mustache coming to power and the fall of the Weimar Republic.
With this thought, he replied: “Let’s go to the city first and take a look.”
Immediately, the two looked for a ride outside the airport and began their Weimar Republic journey.
January 15, 1 p.m.
The airport ride stopped in the Berlin urban area.
Before getting off, Lin Shuiwang spoke a few words with the driver, then explained to Fang Wen.
“He said this is as far as it goes. There’s a demonstration ahead, and the company requires stopping here.”
“Where is here?” Fang Wen asked.
“City center.” Lin Shuiwang replied.
Berlin’s city center is very large. Fang Wen took out a Berlin tourist map.
1930s edition Berlin tourist map, English version, with few descriptions of Berlin place names, only recording some tourist attractions.
Lin Shuiwang said beside him.
“The driver just said this place is called Alexanderplatz. Where is the square?”
Fang Wen pointed to a spot on the map, “Here.”
With his extremely strong sense of direction, he looked toward the northwest.
In the distance, a tall column was faintly visible.
According to the map, that was the Victory Column of Alexanderplatz.
It was also the venue for festival gatherings in Berlin.
Right, the driver said there was a demonstration ahead.
It should be over there.
Fang Wen and Lin Shuiwang walked toward it.
From afar, the column seemed close, but it took considerable time to walk there.
The closer they got, the more people there were.
But the people were divided into two camps.
Some were holding flags and shouting slogans.
Lin Shuiwang translated in a low voice: “They are shouting to smash the fascists.”
Fang Wen sized them up; they were dressed neatly and spirited.
But they were the minority.
More people, dressed in plain clothes, with unhealthy complexions, watched coldly from the roadside.
They didn’t speak, just watched quietly.
Suddenly, chaos broke out in the distance.
A group rushed out, holding sticks and fighting with the demonstrators.
They wore black clothes, black hats, black pants, with white Nazi badges on their arms, acting viciously, dispersing the demonstrators.
At this time, the ordinary onlookers actually cheered for their actions.
See, this is the harbinger of the Nazis’ rise.
Fang Wen pulled Lin Shuiwang, and the two turned around and left this place of trouble.
They walked a long time, probably leaving the Berlin city center.
Lin Shuiwang pointed to a house nearby: “This should be a guesthouse. I’ve stayed in similar ones before.”
Fang Wen looked where Lin Shuiwang pointed; a wooden sign hung outside the door, without text, showing a house frame with a knife, fork, and key inside.
The two went up the steps and pushed open the ajar door.
Not far behind the door, a middle-aged woman sat behind the reception desk.
A curly-haired little girl ran over and asked in German.
Lin Shuiwang translated: “She asks if we are staying?”
Looks like the right place.
Fang Wen and Lin Shuiwang entered, with Lin Shuiwang handling the translation and communication.
After some exchange, they rented two rooms in the hotel and also learned about the situation here.
The inn is run by this middle-aged woman, with only four rooms: two on the second floor, two on the third floor.
The first floor is the inn’s guest area and dining area for customers. The mother and daughter also live in a small room behind on the first floor.
And now, due to the economic downturn and chaos inside the city, the previous tenants have all checked out and left.
Fang Wen and Lin Shuiwang are currently the only two guests.
With a place to stay, Fang Wen finally settled down.
In the room.
He checked the time; there were ten minutes until the agreed telegram time, so he took out the telegraph machine to prepare sending.
