Chapter 158: 157, Kabul And Tehran Deals Sealed, Indiana’s Friend Plan
Inside the cabin, it wasn’t just the flight attendant Cheng Dayou who was nervous; others were more or less the same.
Bai Zeshan put down his book.
Gu Xingzuo and Dai Shimiao stood up and moved away from the cabin door.
Zhao Jiu had a dagger hidden in his sleeve.
Only Fang Wen and Vandeka Chandra appeared normal.
Vandeka Chandra spoke, “They are welcoming us as VIPs, it will be fine.”
Fang Wen nodded and walked to the back to open the hatch and disembark.
Vandeka Chandra also accompanied him out.
The other party said in English, “Welcome to Kabul Airport, Taishan Airlines flight. The Shah wishes to invite you to the Imperial Palace as guests.”
Vandeka Chandra whispered, “The Shah is the King, you have to go.”
Fang Wen checked the time.
They had departed from Kolkata at 6 AM, and it was already 3 PM.
If they attended the banquet, they wouldn’t be able to complete the remaining 1600 km flight path and would have to stay here overnight.
He spoke, “I cannot make decisions for my passengers. Please wait a moment, I will ask them.”
The military officer nodded in agreement. Fang Wen turned and entered the airplane, asking, “The King here wants to invite us to the Imperial Palace. If you wish to go, we will have to stay here overnight. Are you willing?”
The King’s invitation?!
Gu Xingzuo and Dai Shimiao agreed without hesitation. The two of them had spent money for this unique experience, and being able to attend the King’s banquet was wonderful.
Zhao Jiu, Cheng Dayou, and Bai Zeshan also had no objections.
Not to mention Vandeka Chandra outside.
Fang Wen turned and disembarked, smiling, “It is an honor to attend the Shah’s banquet.”
The military officer nodded and waved. Two cars drove up.
The group got into the cars and drove towards the Imperial Palace.
It was a magnificent building constructed on a solitary mountain.
Darulaman Palace
The two cars drove to the mountaintop, passed through the magnificent royal gardens, and finally stopped at the front entrance.
This classical building, or rather, a neo-classical European-style building.
The facade was three stories, with four stories on either side. Together with the imperial garden and swimming pool outside the palace, it reflected the majesty and luxury that only a monarch could possess.
At the main entrance, two lines of soldiers were formed to welcome them.
An elegantly dressed elder came out, “Welcome, guests of Taishan Airlines. Please follow me.”
Fang Wen led the way, and everyone followed. They passed through the opulent lobby, turned left, and arrived at the banquet venue.
Many people were already waiting there, all men.
The elegantly dressed elder whispered in English, “You can let others move freely. I will take you to see the Shah.”
Fang Wen turned and instructed everyone, “Feel free to do as you please, eat if you wish, but you must observe their rules, do not leave the banquet area, and do not enter places you shouldn’t.”
Zhao Jiu responded, “General Manager, you go ahead. I’ll keep an eye on them and won’t cause any trouble.”
Fang Wen nodded and, with the elegantly dressed elder, left the banquet hall and went directly upstairs to the study on the second floor.
Someone was waiting for him there.
“Your Majesty, Fang Wen, the General Manager of Taishan Airlines, has arrived,” the elegantly dressed elder announced, standing by the desk.
Behind the desk, a man stood up, rose to shake Fang Wen’s hand, and then gestured to the side, “Please sit here. I am very curious about the East, and I am very interested in your experiences. We have much to discuss today.”
The direction he indicated was towards the fireplace, where two armchairs were placed with a coffee table in between. This was likely where the King chatted with close friends.
“It is an honor to meet you,” Fang Wen replied with a smile.
He walked over and sat down, remaining silent, not wanting to cause any misunderstanding by being too proactive.
After all, the change in flight path this time was something the other party had initiated.
The other party spoke, “Taishan Airlines is doing a very meaningful thing, connecting Asia and Europe by airplane. I can imagine the impact the opening of the flight path will have on various regions. That is why I proactively requested that the flight path pass through here.”
“The flight path through here is indeed more convenient than Karachi, but the altitude is higher, which will also affect the flight process,” Fang Wen replied truthfully.
“What kind of impact will it have?” the King asked with surprise, clearly not knowledgeable in this area.
Fang Wen carefully explained:
“In high-altitude regions, the air is thinner, and the oxygen content is lower, leading to a decrease in engine combustion efficiency, thereby reducing the aircraft’s performance and efficiency. Due to the reduced air density, the lift generated by the aircraft at the same thrust is reduced, thus affecting its maneuverability and ability to climb over obstacles. Furthermore, during takeoff and landing, due to reduced air resistance, the aircraft requires a longer runway to reach sufficient speed and lift. Additionally, the lower temperatures in high-altitude regions can cause aircraft parts, hydraulic oil, and lubricating oil to become brittle. The ability of the piping to withstand pressure may decrease, thus increasing the risk of airframe damage and malfunctions.”
These words essentially summarized Fang Wen’s understanding of issues related to high-altitude flight.
The King was surprised by the number of problems, realizing why few airplanes flew this route.
He asked with concern, “Can your Taishan Airlines resolve these issues and operate here? If so, we are willing to pay an annual operational fee.”
He spoke and beckoned, and the elder behind him took a box from the desk.
The King lifted the lid of the box, revealing its contents.
A box of gemstones.
“These are our local specialty products. If air travel is established, the same amount of gemstones will be paid to Taishan Airlines annually as a fee for air travel.”
Looking at the box of gemstones, Fang Wen seemed to be back at Lake Van.
But unlike there, these gemstones were all unprocessed.
He didn’t expect that his deliberate show of hesitation would earn him such wealth. He certainly wouldn’t pass it up, and immediately replied:
“No problem, if the engine’s combustion efficiency decreases, we can reduce speed; if the lift decreases, we can lower the flight altitude. As for other problems, we can also solve them.”
The King beamed with joy: “Are you saying that international flights will pass through here?”
Fang Wen tactfully replied: “That’s right. Currently, air travel agreements for international flights have been reached in British India and here, but negotiations have not yet taken place in Tehran and Istanbul, so I cannot guarantee success.”
“I believe you will succeed,” the King said, handing the box to Fang Wen as a deposit.
Fang Wen politely declined. As the General Manager of Taishan Airlines, he represented the company’s image, and it was better to have his subordinates collect this money after everything was settled.
Another international flight station was settled, but the details could not be overlooked.
He continued to discuss with the King.
For example,
The runway surface in Kabul needs to be smoother, radio personnel need to be trained, and communication with Taishan Airlines needs to be maintained for flights.
There are also airport safety issues, local boarding ticketing problems, and post-landing local catering and shopping issues.
What he mentioned were the plans for Taishan Airlines’ own airports, which were very professional. The King nodded continuously and promptly summoned the personnel specifically in charge of this matter to record what Fang Wen said.
Of course, these alone would not ensure the smooth operation of the entire international route. Once Taishan’s Asia-Europe international flights are officially launched in the future, commercial operations personnel will be stationed at all transfer airports to be responsible for the daily operations of Taishan Airlines.
The conversation thus ended, and the King led Fang Wen to the banquet hall for the main meal.
There was actually a main meal, and Zhao Jiu and the others, who had already eaten in the banquet hall, were full of regret. No one had told them that the food on the tables were pre-meal snacks.
But it didn’t matter; the royal dinner in a foreign palace had to be finished perfectly.
Subsequently, they enjoyed a royal banquet with European hospitality and Afghan local flavors.
It was similar to what Fang Wen experienced in the Pahlavi dynasty: a long dining table with guests seated on two sides, and the King at the head.
However, the food was a bit different.
The Persian delicacies of the Pahlavi dynasty, being near the seaside, made seafood dishes indispensable.
But in Afghanistan, with its plateau and mountain land, the ingredients mainly consisted of noodles and mutton, chicken, and beef.
The royal banquet was even more exquisite.
Waiters served one local delicacy after another.
Kabul rice was an essential staple food.
Made from long-grain fragrant rice, carrots, raisins, and mutton, it was similar to hand-pulled mutton rice.
The key to its texture was the absorption of the mixed aroma from the meat juices and other ingredients after the long-grain fragrant rice was braised.
The stewed dish called Qorma Lawand was also good.
Translated, it means saffron stewed lamb.
It was a dish Fang Wen had eaten in Tehran.
But here, the taste was different again. The Persian saffron stewed lamb mainly had the aroma of saffron, but here, other ingredients were added, such as pine nuts and some indescribable local spices.
There was also roast whole lamb and fruit jam yogurt.
This meal finally allowed the passengers of the long-haul Asia-Europe flights to have a good meal.
Afterwards, full and content, they were led to the guest rooms of the Imperial Palace, truly having the opportunity to spend a night in the palace.
Everyone happily went to bed, only Fang Wen still had something to do.
He took out his hand-cranked telegraph machine and sent telegrams to Tehran and Istanbul.
In Tehran, he needed to contact people from the Boeing Company, and also send a telegram to Indiana, to arrange a meeting.
Istanbul was also for contacting people from the Boeing Company.
These two stops were also the last two on the Asian segment of the Asia-Europe route. If they could be settled, Taishan Airlines’ international flights would be secured.
Tehran was not a problem.
However, a problem arose in Istanbul.
Fang Wen frowned as he looked at the telegram.
The Boeing Company representative in Istanbul replied that international flights could not land and take off at Istanbul Airport.
The reason was that Turkish National Aviation was established this year, with its headquarters in Istanbul. Therefore, Istanbul Airport refused to grant the honor of the first Asia-Europe international flight to Taishan Airlines.
Fang Wen never imagined that Turkish National Aviation would be established this year, and that he would become its competitor.
If Istanbul is not feasible, where else can the international flight stations be changed to?
He opened the map.
The original plan was: Shanghai — Guangzhou — Kunming — Kolkata — Delhi — Kabul — Tehran — Istanbul — Rome — Paris.
If landing in Istanbul Airport was not possible, which option should be chosen for the Tehran leg?
He saw the large city of Ankara below Istanbul.
It was not far from Istanbul, and it was also the capital of Turkey, with a large airport.
He immediately drafted a telegram message to the Boeing Company representative in Istanbul, asking for assistance in inquiring in Ankara.
【 Going to Ankara, if settled tomorrow, 10,000 US Dollars; if settled the day after tomorrow, 5,000 US Dollars; if settled in three days, 2,000 US Dollars. 】
【 When negotiating, airport docking, management, and transit fees can be increased further. 】
Having the Boeing Company’s people help was not free. According to the agreement between Taishan Airlines and Boeing, if Boeing’s international sales representative could successfully negotiate international flights, they would receive a considerable bonus.
This was considered external income for the company, allowed by Boeing. Fang Wen did not believe the other party would not want to earn this money.
Not to mention, the international flights to Paris and Rome had already been settled, and the bonuses there would be paid once the airplanes arrived. Wouldn’t the Boeing representative here be envious?
He waited patiently for a reply.
Twenty minutes later, the other party replied.
【 I will go to Ankara immediately and give you a reply tomorrow. 】
After a night of sweet dreams, Fang Wen was the earliest to wake up.
He knocked on the door of the adjacent room. The flight attendant Cheng Dayou opened the door groggily.
“General Manager, what is it?”
“Get dressed, we’re going to Europe today. Notify them to hurry up and wake up.”
The flight attendant Cheng Dayou hurriedly woke everyone up one by one.
After a flurry of activity, everyone was dressed and ready to leave.
An elegantly dressed elder came over and brought breakfast.
It was Bolani, pancakes made in the Imperial Palace’s kitchen, filled with a rich stuffing, perfect for breakfast.
After thanking the host for their hospitality, Fang Wen and his entourage got into the car and drove down the mountain to the airport.
It was already 7 AM when they reached the airport. Fang Wen finished his pancake, started the engine, and took flight again.
The airplane flew from the Afghan Plateau to the Iranian Plateau, taking five hours to finally arrive in Tehran.
There was no planned stop in Tehran because the international flights here had already been arranged with the help of the Boeing representative and Indiana.
While refueling, Fang Wen communicated with the local Boeing Company representative and Indiana.
The Boeing representative presented an authorization letter bearing the King’s seal, explaining.
“This is the authorization for flight landings and airspace transit. You only need to pay the various fees annually according to the agreed amount.”
Fang Wen took the authorization letter and glanced at it, then looked at Indiana. After receiving a confirming look, he took out a stack of US Dollars and handed it to the Boeing representative.
“This is your remuneration.”
“Thank you.” The Boeing representative took the banknote and discreetly moved aside, not interrupting Fang Wen and Indiana’s conversation.
Fang Wen smiled and shook hands with Indiana, “Long time no see.”
“Indeed. How is William?” Indiana asked.
“He’s an instructor at my company, training 100 mercenaries.”
“That kind of life should suit him, as he can’t go back to Weimar anyway.”
“Is he still wanted in Weimar?”
“Certainly. No one has comparable power to that individual now.” Indiana suddenly became a bit emotional. “I feel like this line of work is getting more dangerous. Perhaps one day I’ll have to quit and retire early. I might visit China then.”
Fang Wen couldn’t help but ask, “Why.”
“Weimar has established an organization called the Gestapo, and Britain’s MI6 has also started sending people abroad. I can already smell the gunpowder smoke.”
Indiana’s thought of retirement was something Fang Wen did not agree with.
He needed a friend in the American intelligence agency, and Indiana was a good choice.
Indiana’s worries stemmed from his current position.
After all, a frontline intelligence officer was very dangerous during the impending World War II.
But if he got promoted, wouldn’t that solve the problem?
Fang Wen said tactfully, “Indiana, why don’t you take a leave of absence and accompany me to America? I have something important to do there, and it might be beneficial to you too.”
