Chapter 215: Countering Moves, Grain Supplies For Red Army Before Long March, Hong Kong Negotiations
August 1934.
Taishan Airlines Asia-Europe flight, Europe——Asia route.
The airplane landed at Kolkata Airport, and the flight attendant announced loudly: “Passengers, please disembark here. You will transfer to another airplane to Guangzhou and Shanghai.”
Upon arriving in Kolkata, there were not many passengers left on the airplane. They lined up and got off the airplane.
Only one passenger did not move. The flight attendant walked over and said softly: “General Manager, are we flying to Yangon now?”
“Mm.” Fang Wen nodded but did not open his eyes, continuing to close them and rest.
The airplane then took off and soon landed at Yangon Airport.
Fang Wen, who got off the airplane, received a warm welcome.
Fang Wen’s small circle had all come.
Pan Jiafeng, Shao Sishen, Shopkeeper Liu, Sun Debiao, Fang Shouxin, Fang Shun, Huo Duanyang, Howard, William.
And Kuang Mingzhu.
As well as the 7 action team members who stayed in Yangon.
Fang Wen was very pleased. These people could be said to be of one mind with him; they were all partners who had been tested.
He smiled and said: “Let’s go to the Industrial Park first. Have the park’s head chef prepare some appetizing dishes, and we’ll talk slowly.”
The group got into the car, chatting and laughing.
Upon arriving at the Industrial Park, the head chef had long prepared the dishes that Fang Wen used to like. Everyone sat around together as before.
After the meal, naturally, the meeting began.
Fang Wen presided.
“Over these past two months, I went to the United States and bought a listed company. Using that company’s cargo ships, I transported all the silver to the United States and sold it all. By the way, I also acquired the Taishan Casino Company into the listed company. Then I purchased a large amount of things for making airplanes. Next, I have to build our own airplanes for Taishan Airlines.”
Everyone was very happy. Taishan Airlines should have its own airplanes, and they were also looking forward to it.
Then, Shopkeeper Liu spoke on behalf of everyone about the current situation of Taishan Airlines: “Domestically, we are facing some suppression. Some branch airline companies have appeared. Although their airplanes are of poor quality and have short range, their prices are correspondingly cheaper, which has some impact on our business. But after all, we are the flagship of Huaxia Airlines, and we are still the first choice for most passengers’ flight method. As for international routes, there is now a competitor: Eurasia Airlines.”
“Eurasia Airlines?”
Fang Wen was surprised.
This company was actually established quite early, in March 1931, as a joint venture between the Republic of China Government and Germany’s Lufthansa, with Lufthansa holding one-third of the shares.
Originally, according to their designed route, it was to open airmail service from Europe to China, using German-made Junkers 52 and Junkers 33 airplanes to transport airmail received in Berlin to Shanghai.
At the same time, it would also open domestic midway branch flights.
But in actual operation, due to changes after the Nazis came to power, progress had been slow.
Unexpectedly, in these two months, Eurasia Airlines had new developments.
Shopkeeper Liu continued to explain the situation.
Perhaps stimulated by Taishan Airlines, Lufthansa dispatched two Junkers 52s and also opened an Asia-Europe route, but the route went through Greece-Egypt-Iraq-XJ and finally to Shanghai.
Fang Wen immediately drew the route map on the map.
He found that the opponent’s route also had a total range of 10,000 kilometers.
（Eurasia Airlines’ designed airmail route was not realized as an international route in history.）
Looking at the route map, Fang Wen smiled. This route also bypassed the insurmountable Tibetan Plateau, but it took the northern side, which was even harder to fly. If Eurasia Airlines succeeded, Fang Wen would admire them.
He spoke up: “Let them fly. Taishan Airlines is not afraid of competition. By the way, has the limelight died down now? Can I go back?”
As soon as he said this, his small circle partners showed strange expressions.
The straightforward Fang Shun spoke up: “General Manager, can’t you see that Taishan Airlines is being suppressed? Someone wants to seize the assets. If you go back, they will definitely pin a crime on you.”
“Pin a crime on me?” Fang Wen was stunned. It wouldn’t be just for sponsoring the exposure of Japanese atrocities. It seemed that the fat meat of Taishan Airlines had attracted the covetousness of other Kuomintang forces.
He looked at Kuang Mingzhu: “Has Yue Jinping said anything to you?”
Kuang Mingzhu nodded: “Jinping came to the airport once and told me that the Revival Society and Ministry of Communications people can’t protect Taishan Airlines anymore. Someone wants to talk to you.”
“How to talk? Let me go back?” Fang Wen sneered.
“Of course you can’t go back.” Kuang Mingzhu shook her head. “They proposed meeting in Hong Kong to discuss the equity allocation of Taishan Airlines.”
Fang Wen said nothing, his mind racing.
Higher-level people within the Kuomintang were finally making a move on Taishan Airlines.
No need to think; the ones who could make the Revival Society not dare to help were the four major families.
These people had huge appetites and wanted to redistribute Taishan Airlines.
Fang Wen sneered inwardly. As a person from the future, he had long known this result would happen, so how could he not have countermeasures.
To reassure everyone, he talked with Shopkeeper Liu.
“Shopkeeper Liu, tell everyone about Taishan Airlines’ equity situation.”
Shopkeeper Liu stood up and said loudly: “Taishan Airlines has been commercially registered in different regions. It currently has 3 branch companies: the Domestic Taishan Airlines Branch counts as one, the Asia-Europe route branch counts as one, and the airport company jointly invested with Kabul and the royal family counts as one. What they want are the shares of the domestic branch, but our domestic branch has the least asset investment. Excluding the cash that can be withdrawn at any time, only five airports remain, plus the office building in Shanghai.”
Fang Wen and Shopkeeper Liu’s conversation amused everyone.
Even the usually serious-looking Fang Shouxin stood up with a smile and added: “The office building has been used for over 2 years. It was bought for 1,500 silver dollars and is now worth about that much. The airports were bought as wasteland, and with investment in construction, they are worth about 200,000 silver dollars in total.”
Sun Debiao added: “And the unsold cigarette inventory in various airports. Let them take it back to smoke.”
Everyone burst into laughter.
Fang Wen raised his hand, and after the voices stopped, he analyzed: “When I gave dry shares to those people back then, I had already thought about it. They could take the dry shares, and later when the company grew big, more powerful people would eye Taishan Airlines. From that time on, I started preparing for this. The 5 airplanes are leased, the pilots were trained by us ourselves and can come with us. The company’s profits are all distributed as dividends at year-end. They can take as many shares as they want, but how much money the Domestic Taishan Airlines makes is up to us.”
Pan Jiafeng asked worriedly: “Master, what about Taishan One?”
“Taishan One, from beginning to end, is signed under a lease contract. The branch company will pay rent to the General Manager; that airplane is the General Manager’s private property.” Shopkeeper Liu explained.
Now, all the members of Fang Wen’s small circle who didn’t understand got it.
The General Manager had planned ahead, laying out everything from the time the company was established. Those who wanted to covet Taishan Airlines wouldn’t get any bargain.
Huo Duanyang asked: “So, does the General Manager still need to go to Hong Kong?”
Shao Sishen looked at Fang Wen: “I think the General Manager will go. We all love our motherland. The Domestic Taishan Airlines Branch is our means to realize patriotism. Giving it up would mean starting over.”
This was not wrong. Although Fang Wen had made many preparations, he did not intend to give up the Domestic Taishan Airlines Branch; he just wanted to tell his small circle partners that everything was under control.
Moreover, the aircraft manufacturing factory needed a large number of highly educated engineering talents, and only a few domestic universities could provide them. Using this negotiation opportunity to get that person to help would be good.
Fang Wen smiled and nodded: “I will go to Hong Kong. I can give him some benefits, but he also has to give me some back. This time I happen to need someone to help, so we’ll see if he can.”
The small group meeting ended.
Everyone dispersed and returned to their residences to rest.
Except for his wife Kuang Mingzhu,
as well as Fang Shouxin, the father and son Fang Shun, Sun Debiao, and Shopkeeper Liu who stayed behind.
These four were the ones in Fang Wen’s small circle who knew about the connection between Taishan Airlines and the Red Army.
They stayed to discuss this matter.
Fang Wen looked at his wife, hesitated, and asked: “You knew?”
“Yes, I help you manage the company and I’m your woman. With a little attention, I can spot the problem.” Kuang Mingzhu replied. “Mister, don’t worry. I support you.”
His wife’s attitude warmed Fang Wen’s heart.
The report on the cigarettes and Red Army situation began.
Shunzi had been in contact throughout this time, so he explained the situation.
The usually playful Shunzi was now deadly serious.
“In June this year, the first batch of tobacco harvest began. Shu Zhitao, under the alias Bai Yunfei, continuously transported the tobacco to Yongshun County via the Yangtze River. The area near our airports is now controlled by the Red Third Army. They built a tobacco processing factory, turning the tobacco into cigarettes on-site, then sending them to the airport. We are now boxing and packaging the cigarettes for distribution to various places.”
Sun Debiao continued: “Now the Taishan Brand Cigarettes are divided into seven brands: one is the domestic Taishan Cigarettes, plus four types of foreign trade cigarettes packaged in local styles for India, Afghanistan, Persia, Turkey, and two movie cigarette types in English and French.”
In the two-plus months while Fang Wen was in the United States, Taishan Cigarettes had undergone major changes.
Fang Wen looked at the seven cigarette packs Sun Debiao brought out. The original Taishan Brand hadn’t changed, and there were four with drawings of local architectural styles from India, Afghanistan, Persia, and Turkey, with the brand also expressed in local languages.
These were product packages made by the painters Fang Wen hired before leaving the country, drawing local customs.
But what about the two movie cigarettes?
Fang Wen picked up a cigarette case and examined it; it depicted a man swinging on a vine.
The English version cigarette case name was: Tarzan.
Wasn’t this the English term for Tarzan the Ape Man?
Fang Wen looked at Sun Debiao in surprise: “You connected this Tarzan with our Taishan?”
Sun Debiao nodded: “Two years ago, the British made a movie about Wildman Tarzan, which was shown domestically this year. The painters you hired then told me that foreigners don’t understand China’s Taishan, but if we use Tarzan, foreigners will get it. I thought it made sense, so I made English and French versions, and surprisingly, many people in Europe liked them.”
Fang Wen patted Sun Debiao on the shoulder: “A casual planting bears shade; not bad.” He then asked Shunzi: “By the way, did the Red Army say anything during the transactions?”
Shunzi replied: “Bai Yunfei said the situation is getting more severe. They need a large amount of grain reserves. General Manager, do you think there’s a famine in those Red Army base areas?”
Fang Wen said nothing, his mind racing.
Under repeated encirclement and suppression, the land couldn’t be tended, so poor harvests from farming were certain.
But was that the only real reason?
Could it be related to the upcoming Long March?
On the Long March route, supplies were difficult, and they had to constantly maneuver against enemies. The hunger from lack of grain was probably their biggest problem.
Fang Wen recalled the stories of eating belts and grass roots.
He couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. Although he wasn’t powerful enough yet, he had to help with this.
He spoke up: “Shunzi, contact Bai Yunfei and tell him we’ll handle the grain problem. Have him set airdrop locations, one for each base area. I’ll airdrop the grain at night. Uncle Fang, Shopkeeper Liu, Sun Debiao, you three will have to work hard recently and go buy grain from various places.”
Kuang Mingzhu interjected: “Don’t buy domestically. There is plenty of rice grain here.”
Fang Wen’s heart stirred. Yes, how could he forget the name South Asia’s granary.
He didn’t say it out loud and let his wife continue.
“In the French-controlled areas of Laos and Vietnam, there is very large rice output, and Thailand, which is independent, also produces a lot of rice. To buy rice, either go through Thailand or French colonies.”
Listening to his wife’s analysis, Fang Wen recalled being chased by Hawk-2 fighter jets at the Thai border. Although he didn’t know why, he felt it best not to risk Thailand.
“Thailand is no good. How to acquire rice from French colonies?” he asked.
Kuang Mingzhu replied: “My family deals a lot with the French. Let my third brother Kuang Anming take Uncle Fang, Shopkeeper Liu, and Sun Debiao to collect the grain. He’s in Guangzhou now; I’ll have him take the company’s airplane over.”
Kuang Anming’s French was good, so he was a good choice. Fang Wen agreed and arranged for the seven action team members repairing in Yangon to go along.
Kuang Mingzhu said worriedly: “When you go to Hong Kong, you’re unfamiliar with the place and need a helper.”
Fang Wen’s heart warmed again. It was still his wife who cared about him: “Don’t worry, they want money and won’t do anything to me.”
After a night’s rest, Pan Jiafeng flew some people back to Shanghai.
He took the Boeing 247, and there was still one Shrike Hao locked in the hangar at the airport.
Fang Wen prepared to fly the Shrike Hao to Hong Kong. Before going, he needed to apply in advance with the Hong Kong side’s airport.
Fang Wen, who had no prior contact with Hong Kong, went through the British route and applied for special landing rights through the British Army headquarters in Kolkata.
With this, going to Hong Kong was completely no problem. Fang Wen could even get a Hong Kong Island pass at the airport.
Then, he boarded the Shrike Hao to prepare for departure.
Where was his wife? Fang Wen looked around. Could she be too tired from last night’s intimacy and unable to get up this morning?
Just as he was about to take off, his wife Kuang Mingzhu rushed out of the house in a hurry.
She waved her hand, telling Fang Wen to shut off the engine.
The panting Kuang Mingzhu said: “When I telegrammed my third brother, I also told my dad about you going to Hong Kong alone. He’s worried something might happen to you too. He told me to tell you: once in Hong Kong, go to Kowloon Walled City and find a man called Master Ma Wu. Say you’re Kuang Shanming’s son-in-law, and he will help.”
Fang Wen’s heart warmed, and he smiled back: “Got it. When I arrive in Hong Kong, I will definitely visit Master Ma Wu.”
