Chapter 128: 127, Changde: Fang Wen Visits Fourth Sister’s Husband, Driving Steamship Into Western Hunan
The passenger ship docked at the Changde dock.
The boat boss shouted: “He Street has arrived, line up to disembark, don’t crowd, someone fell into the river last year.”
Perhaps it was his words that worked, the passengers lined up and stepped onto the wooden board at the stern to go ashore.
Looking at the several-meter-long wooden board path, Sun Debiao felt a bit scared.
“General Manager, when crossing later, hold onto me, this board shakes a lot, I get dizzy.”
Fang Wen chuckled inwardly, Northeast masters were such big men yet got seasick and afraid of water.
But he didn’t say anything, after all, the most precious thing on Sun Debiao from head to toe was that face of his.
The two stepped onto the wooden board, carefully walking across the several-meter-long wobbly path, and for the last half meter, Sun Debiao jumped.
But he didn’t expect the dock ground to be very slippery, and he directly landed butt-first in a flat sand falling wild goose style.
This drew onlookers from fellow passengers and people on the dock.
Fang Wen pulled him up and comforted: “Even horses stumble, people miss their step, it’s fine, let’s go up.” Sun Debiao nodded awkwardly.
The two stepped on stone steps, striding upward, with pedestrians beside them, shoulder-pole carriers, bamboo basket carriers, basket carriers, what a Western Hunan local scene.
After walking a while, Fang Wen stopped and asked a nearby shop.
“Excuse me, how to get to Wu Ji?”
“Which Wu Ji?”
“The one that collects tung oil.”
“You mean Wu Ji Oil Shop, go straight ahead, turn a corner, enter the city, anyone in the city can tell you.”
Fang Wen thanked him, leading Sun Debiao out of He Street, following the crowd into the city.
In the city, asking people about Wu Ji Oil Shop, indeed everyone knew.
Fang Wen followed the directions and arrived outside the oil shop to size it up.
Inside the shop, they were receiving tung oil, two employees carrying a large scale pole lifted the tung oil wooden barrel to weigh it.
Besides those trading tung oil, there was a long gown man in the shop, clicking an abacus.
Fang Wen entered and asked: “Excuse me, is this the tung oil shop opened by Wu Ziyue?”
The one clicking the abacus stopped, looked up at Fang Wen: “And you are?”
“I’m his wife’s brother.”
The other immediately showed a smiling face: “The owner’s brother-in-law is here. Da Geng, go tell Young Mistress that her brother has come to see her.”
One employee responded and ran into the back of the shop, it seemed this was a front shop back courtyard shop.
Not long after, a plump young woman hurried out.
She was full of joy, and upon seeing Fang Wen burst out: “Five Snot, you’ve grown into an adult.”
What was Five Snot, Fang Wen felt a bit embarrassed, perhaps this was the intimate nickname from his blood-related fourth sister and his status, probably from childhood.
But he hadn’t experienced it personally, nor had such memories, so he could only play along reasonably.
“Fourth sister, don’t call me that, I’m a grown man now.”
Fourth sister chuckled: “Right right, our Third Young Master has grown up. Come, go to the back to talk, I’ve sent someone to notify your brother-in-law, he’ll be back soon.”
Then, Fang Wen and Sun Debiao followed her into the back courtyard, sat down at the stone table in the courtyard well, and the maid set out melons and fruits.
This weather was most refreshing in the courtyard well.
Seeing the long-unseen siblings had things to say, Sun Debiao made an excuse to go out for a stroll, to avoid being an eyesore.
Next came the conversation between the siblings.
Mainly the sister talking, the brother listening.
Perhaps because they hadn’t seen each other for years, Fourth sister’s words flowed endlessly without stopping.
“You said back then you wanted to save the country, went north to study at just over ten, that was the last time I saw you. I still remember how skinny you were then, we were all afraid you wouldn’t adapt outside. Mom cried many times. Later you got into Nanyuan Aviation, the family was overjoyed. I originally wanted to wait for you to come back before marrying, but alas.”
Fourth sister’s words involved her and her husband’s matters, which Fang Wen knew nothing about, so he asked: “Alas what?”
Fourth sister blushed a bit: “That day the matchmaker came to propose, I secretly saw your brother-in-law, he looked upright, if I didn’t agree, there might not be better ones.”
Between blood-related siblings, there wasn’t much hiding, Fourth sister poured out years of secrets to her brother.
Fang Wen smiled: “Sis, you fancied our brother-in-law’s looks?”
“Look at what you’re saying, he looks upright, good person too, though his family fell on hard times, he’s not resentful, we two took over his cousin’s shop with 500 silver dollars, made it what it is now, we’re considered well-off.”
Fourth sister spoke of her and her husband’s past, only picking the good parts, full of happy expression.
Fang Wen knew how a brother should continue the exchange, at this time showing concern for his sister.
“Sis, you can’t hide things from me, if you’ve suffered any grievance, you have to tell me.”
“If I need your help, your brother-in-law, at home I let him use one hand.” Fourth sister said proudly.
At this time, someone returned from outside.
One big, one small.
Both wearing long gowns.
The big one tall and thin, the small one short and thin, as if carved from the same mold.
This should be the brother-in-law and nephew, no wonder sister said that, how do they eat, so skinny.
Sister saying letting one hand probably wasn’t false, this physique was indeed frail.
But was this considered upright-looking?
Perhaps it was a case of lover’s eyes seeing Xi Shi.
Brushing away the thoughts, Fang Wen stood up, Fourth sister quickly introduced both sides: “This is my brother Fang Wen, this is your brother-in-law Wu Ziyue, and my son Wu Yiwen, Yiwen, say hello to uncle.”
The child said crisply: “Hello uncle.”
This nephew calling uncle for the first time, there had to be a greeting gift, Fang Wen opened the brought suitcase and took out three exquisite boxes.
The first box for the nephew,
“This is uncle’s gift to you, take it.”
The child opened it directly, inside was a shiny pendant, he couldn’t put it down.
The other two boxes, Fang Wen handed to the brother-in-law and sister.
“Brother-in-law, this is prepared for you. Sister, you have one too.”
Fourth sister opened hers, it was a jewelry bracelet, looked very valuable.
“This thing is very expensive, I wouldn’t dare wear it out.”
Fang Wen nodded, the item was definitely valuable, it was something he picked out during the Lake Van trip specifically as a gift.
Seeing her brother like this, Fourth sister quickly told her husband: “Open your box too, see what good thing our brother got you.”
Wu Ziyue opened his gift box, it was a watch, or rather a gold watch.
This thing was this era’s man’s face, showing it at any gathering was a status symbol, Wu Ziyue was immediately delighted.
Three gifts brought joy to the whole family, not bad.
Fang Wen explained the purpose of this visit: “I plan to stay in Changde for a day, go to Western Hunan tomorrow.”
“What to do in Western Hunan, it’s very chaotic there.” Wu Ziyue asked puzzled.
“Plan to build an airport.”
“Build an airport there?”
“Yeah, mainly for transport transfer, convenient for airplanes to take off and land midway.” Fang Wen gave a reasonable excuse.
Fourth sister was very worried about Fang Wen’s safety on this trip, tugging her husband’s sleeve: “My brother is doing big things, can’t have anything happen to him in Western Hunan, don’t you often go there? Go with him.”
“Alright, tomorrow I’ll bring employees and go with your brother.” Wu Ziyue readily agreed.
Visiting sister was originally to inquire about Western Hunan situation in Changde, and find some locals familiar with the area to guide.
Didn’t expect brother-in-law willing to be the guide, even better.
That evening, sister’s family warmly hosted Fang Wen and Sun Debiao, and took them to tour Changde city.
Touring in the city and appreciating Changde city from high altitude were two different feelings.
From the airplane, Changde city was intact, except He Street by the Yuanjiang, other areas were within city walls.
But being personally in the city, one would find the city walls here weren’t high.
Standing on the city wall, Fang Wen asked: “This city has some years on it, right?”
Brother-in-law Wu Ziyue was quite knowledgeable about these matters.
“In the seventeenth year of the Republic of China, during warlord civil war, Tang Shengzhi’s Xiang Army was chased by Guangxi Clique army Bai Chongxi and Cheng Qian’s ‘Western Expeditionary Army’, the 35th Army’s He Jian division and 18th Army’s Ye Qi division garrisoned Changde, fiercely battling the Western Expeditionary Army’s 14th Army Chen Jiayou division relying on the city, both sides for war conscripted grain, conscripted laborers, demolished houses inside and outside the city, nearly destroying the whole city.”
Getting excited, Wu Ziyue recounted what he knew about Changde city.
This city also had a long history, over two thousand years.
But because of its location at water and land hub, it experienced multiple wars.
Early Northern Song, here was called Langzhou City, at that time the realm unsettled, north-south warring, this city destroyed in war.
Ming Dynasty Li Zicheng attacked Changde, Ming garrison commander burned the city to preserve it.
The next year, Ming fell. Li Zicheng and Southern Ming jointly occupied Changde city, jointly resisting Qing army.
Later Ma Jinzhong recaptured Changde city, but due to grudge with others, unwilling to abandon Changde, simply set another fire burning this ancient city, leaving tens of thousands of common people homeless.
Later, Wu Sangui, Geng Jingzhong, Shang Kexi “Three Feudatories rebellion”.
Wu Sangui’s army occupied Changde, in stalemate with Qing army.
Later Wu Sangui died, the army guarding the city simply set another fire, burning down Changde.
Brother-in-law Wu Ziyue’s words ended here, telling the 2000 years of bitterness of Changde city.
Fang Wen looking at the low city walls underfoot, had a thought.
Perhaps this was a silent resistance of Changde city residents, what’s the use of building city walls higher, in the fighting back and forth, the ones suffering were still them locals.
He thought again of the post-War of Resistance city demolition actions, at that time ancient cities nationwide would be demolished, probably the city walls here couldn’t escape either.
After one night, Fang Wen set off again.
This time with added brother-in-law Wu Ziyue as guide, besides him, also brought two employees from the oil shop as helpers.
But this time, Fang Wen didn’t plan to ride others’ ships, he proposed to brother-in-law Wu Ziyue to purchase a small steamship.
Small steamship was coal-burning steam engine ship, Fang Wen through mechanical perception felt he could easily handle this primary steamship.
Wu Ziyue didn’t expect his brother-in-law to have this idea, but thinking of his brother-in-law’s various actions, he understood, then took Fang Wen to the shipping company.
“Fang Wen, wait outside for me, I’ll talk to them.” After Wu Ziyue instructed, he entered the shipping company alone.
After waiting a while, he brought out the shipping company boss.
“I’ve talked to her, she said the shipping company has three small steamships total, new ones 2000 silver dollars, old ones 500 and 1000 varying. You pick which one to buy.”
This price was acceptable, useful for airport construction later.
Fang Wen went to see the three ships.
The new one was only eighty percent new, the old ones had one rusted with holes probably the 500 silver dollars one, another middling.
Which was best wasn’t by looks.
Fang Wen boarded the three ships, had the boat boss start and run a lap, then knew what to choose.
The new one looked good, but the steam engine wear was severe.
This might relate to the coal quality used, Fang Wen saw impurities mixed in that coal, probably the ship hands skimped.
The 1000 silver dollars one was alright, steam engine though used for years, no major issues.
Then, he had Sun Debiao pay cash, drew up contract in the city, completed the transaction directly.
Riding ship became driving ship, the group boarded at Changde He Street dock.
Fang Wen steered, Sun Debiao and two employees took turns feeding coal to the coal steam engine, Wu Ziyue as guide.
To run long distance, specially loaded half ship of coal, to avoid running out of fuel midway.
Preparations done, Fang Wen in the cockpit said: “Ship’s away.”
Sun Debiao took off his jacket, shoveled coal forcefully into the boiler.
As firepower rose, steam engine operated, Fang Wen pulled the pull ring by the pilot seat, crisp whistle sound rang out.
The small steamship turned around on the river channel, heading upstream on the Yuanjiang.
And after the small steamship started, the hardworking coal-shoveling Sun Debiao suddenly discovered in surprise.
“Strange, General Manager, as long as I work in this engine room, I don’t get seasick!”
Since so, let him do more, treat it as cure.
The ship sailed upstream on the Yuanjiang.
Passing Taoyuan County.
According to Wu Ziyue, in Taoyuan County there was a place called Peach Blossom Spring, the place described in Eastern Jin poet Tao Yuanming’s Peach Blossom Spring Record.
But such claims existed everywhere, couldn’t confirm if here.
Then, the ship passed many riverside docks along the way.
Until Yuanling County dock did it dock.
Fang Wen asked: “Brother-in-law, how to go next?”
Wu Ziyue explained:
“Yuanling is at the confluence of two rivers, the You River coming from the west merges into Yuanjiang here. You River is the waterway to Western Hunan, also the most convenient channel for this poor area to export supplies for trade outward. We go collect tung oil, and sell wood outward, all via here. Southern department store daily goods also transported from here to Western Hunan mountains.”
Hearing brother-in-law’s words, Fang Wen didn’t set off immediately, he asked: “Brother-in-law, I want to ask, what’s the situation over there really.”
“A couple years ago Western Hunan King Chen was defeated, went to Changsha, now no real authority there, if you want to build airport, first find good land, then see situation, Miao settlements need to find Tusi, other places deal with local gentry.” Wu Ziyue replied, this brother-in-law was quite good.
Fang Wen asked the last key question.
“Brother-in-law, what’s the bandit situation there?”
This question even greatly interested Sun Debiao, as former Northeast bandit, Sun Debiao wanted to know what Western Hunan bandits were like.
To him, this was know thyself know thy enemy, to do bodyguard work well.
