Chapter 221: 220, Plan Taking Shape, Tusi Gathering, Seaplane Returns To Shanghai
Fang Wen was holding an internal meeting with four special action team members stationed in Xishuangbanna.
“This time, I will fulfill my promise. You have proven your capabilities, and I will make arrangements.”
After a pause, Fang Wen continued, “There’s a small problem with the domestic company, so it’s inconvenient to arrange for you to go there for now. I’d like to ask who is willing to go to Taishan Airlines Overseas Company? They are also short-handed there.”
Li Tie Zhu responded, “I want to go.”
Fang Wen nodded, “Come back to Shanghai with me, and I’ll arrange a new job position for you.”
Li Tie Zhu excitedly stood up and bowed to thank the General Manager.
After waving them to sit down, Fang Wen continued, “There are two other options: stay here and continue working, or rejoin the team and continue in the Special Action Team. If you choose the former, you will become the manager of the Penicillin factory, a position with great responsibility. If you choose the latter, your treatment level will be increased, and there will be further arrangements later.”
Wu Yingzong stood up, “General Manager, I choose to rejoin the team.”
Upon seeing Wu Yingzong rejoin the team, Zhao Wanping also stood up, “General Manager, I also choose to rejoin the team.”
Fang Wen nodded, gestured for the two to sit down, and looked at Liu Jin Rui.
“You will be the factory director of the Penicillin factory, is that acceptable?”
Liu Jin Rui was very excited, “General Manager, I joined the action team to give the Liu family a good start. The Penicillin factory is of great importance and has boundless future prospects. I will certainly do a good job. Thank you for your cultivation, General Manager.”
Fang Wen nodded, “The Penicillin factory will begin large-scale production starting today. I or someone I appoint will come to collect the goods once a month. However, starting from today, you cannot continue to test and provide medicine externally, nor should you let outsiders know what we are producing. Strive for secrecy, can you do this?”
This request made Liu Jin Rui somewhat hesitant.
He hesitated for a moment, then agreed, “Yes, General Manager, I can. But I cannot do it alone. I request the authority to recruit workers; I need to hire a group of trustworthy people to manage the factory.”
“Who do you plan to recruit?” Fang Wen asked in surprise.
“People from our Liu family village, there are only five of them. They will form a guard team specifically responsible for keeping the factory’s secrets. Furthermore, I would like to move the factory to a remote area to minimize contact with others.”
Liu Jin Rui’s candor was reasonable; in this world, no one is more trustworthy than one’s own family.
Fang Wen was curious to see how it would turn out.
He possessed the most complete information on the penicillin process, and since the monthly output would be collected by him, he did not need to worry about any problems.
However, if Liu Jin Rui betrayed him, he would not be a kind soul.
Lightly tapping the table, Fang Wen looked at the candid Liu Jin Rui and nodded, “Alright, you are now the factory director of the Penicillin factory. Wu Yingzong, you will hand over the work matters to Liu Jin Rui tonight.”
For the past three months, Wu Yingzong had been the supervisor of the Penicillin factory. Now that Liu Jin Rui was the new factory director, a handover was naturally required.
The two then left to urgently complete the handover matters.
The remaining Zhao Wanping and Li Tie Zhu followed Fang Wen and Kuang Mingzhu to the Zheng residence.
Before they even reached the main gate, Zheng Han Long greeted them warmly with his entourage.
As the group entered the Zheng residence, Zheng Han Long chattered incessantly, “I told my father about this, and he said it’s feasible. He will discuss it with you shortly.”
As they spoke, they arrived at the backyard of the Zheng residence, where a private Buddhist stupa stood.
Zheng Han Long clasped his hands together, bowed, and then walked around it.
Fang Wen and Kuang Mingzhu exchanged glances and followed suit.
After finishing their bows, Kuang Mingzhu asked, “Could there be real Bodhisattvas here?”
“Probably not,” Fang Wen replied. His reasoning was simple: his mechanical perception supernatural ability had not received any feedback of mysterious energy.
The absence of energy feedback implied no accumulation of faith, and without faith accumulation, there could be no Bodhisattvas.
The group continued forward, arriving at the wooden building in the backyard, and went upstairs.
Several small tables were sparsely arranged, not very tall. The host sat on the floor directly in front.
Seeing Fang Wen and his group enter, the host stood up. Fang Wen took this opportunity to observe him.
This was the Tusi King of Yunnan. Western Hunan also had Tusi Kings in the past, but they were gone later, and Fang Wen had never had the chance to see one.
Now, he saw one in Jinghong.
However, this was of a different ethnic group.
The attire of this Dai ethnic group Tusi, compared to ordinary Dai people, was richer and more vibrant in color. The use of bright colors such as red, yellow, blue, and green demonstrated nobility and splendor.
The clothing was embroidered with various exquisite patterns: peacocks, lotuses, elephants. These patterns were not only beautiful but also imbued with auspicious Buddhist meanings of good fortune and happiness, while also showcasing the noble status of the Dai Tusi.
At this moment, Zheng Han Long whispered into Fang Wen’s ear, “Call my father ‘Lord Zheng’; he likes that.”
Fang Wen stepped forward and cupped his fist in a salute, “Lord Zheng, I am Fang Wen of Taishan Airlines, here to pay my respects.”
Face was something given, and Fang Wen gave generously, which pleased the former Tusi greatly.
He stepped forward and lifted Fang Wen’s arms, “You are about the same age as my son. I will take the liberty to call you nephew. No need for formalities.”
He looked at Kuang Mingzhu standing beside Fang Wen, “And who is this?”
“My wife. We were originally traveling around the country together,” Fang Wen replied.
Zheng Lao Ye, who initially had some reservations about a woman taking a seat of honor, did not say anything further because Fang Wen had shown him such respect.
Afterward, Fang Wen and Kuang Mingzhu took their seats, while Zhao Wanping and Li Tie Zhu waited outside the house, and the banquet began.
The rule here was casual.
Drink if you want to drink, talk if you want to talk.
There were no elaborate toasts or formalities.
After two drinks, Zheng Lao Ye asked, “Regarding the seaplane matter, was it truly initiated by that person?”
Fang Wen shook his head, “I haven’t met that person. Even if it were them, I couldn’t say. You know the rules; they wouldn’t directly involve themselves in such matters of interest. Someone always acts on their behalf.”
Zheng Lao Ye nodded, “I’ll assume so. How do you plan to proceed?”
Fang Wen outlined his plan.
“In terms of funds, we at Taishan Airlines are very well-off, thanks in no small part to that person easing loan restrictions. According to the plan, we will establish seaplane landing and takeoff sites on major waterways across the country, one station per city on each river system, from upstream to downstream. The speed of a seaplane is 290 kilometers per hour, and its flight path is shorter than by water or road. Those who want to travel quickly will naturally choose seaplanes.”
Zheng Lao Ye, not understanding speed, turned to Zheng Han Long, “Son, do you know the speed difference between a seaplane and a ship?”
Zheng Han Long, though a pleasure-seeker, had a keen interest in maritime vessels, “Father, I truly do know. The Minsheng Shipping Company operated steamships on the Lancang River a few years ago, and a single steamship could only manage less than 15 kilometers per hour. That’s about a 20-fold difference.”
“Twenty times? You can reach there in one hour, while I take a whole day by boat?” Zheng Lao Ye exclaimed in surprise.
He expressed his disbelief.
“If there truly is such speed, our Zheng family will invest. General Manager Fang, let’s make a bet. Take me up in your aircraft to meet some old friends; it’s only about three hundred li. If you can get there within an hour, I will go along with your seaplane venture.”
The former Tusi King’s “one hour” referred to two hours, as he conflated li and kilometers. A journey of 300 li was trivial for the Yunhe, which could complete it in half an hour. Fang Wen did not mind taking the Tusi King’s family on a temporary excursion.
He replied, “I must first state that this is a seaplane, and it can only land on calm river channels. If there’s no water, I cannot land. Also, the aircraft can only carry four people, so you cannot bring many guards with you.”
Upon hearing this, Zheng Lao Ye showed no hesitation, “There will certainly be river channels, don’t worry. This time, I will only bring Zheng Han Long. They are all familiar elders there, and my son Zheng Han Long has not met them yet, so I can let him see them.”
With that said, he stood up, pulled his son along, and prepared to leave immediately.
Fang Wen had a quiet conversation with his wife, “You shouldn’t go this time.”
“No, we agreed to go together. I want to go with you,” Kuang Mingzhu disagreed.
“It’s not that I’m afraid for your safety. These two are visiting their drinking buddies, so it will definitely be an all-male gathering. It might be inconvenient for you, a woman, to attend,” Fang Wen explained.
Understanding her husband’s reasoning, Kuang Mingzhu agreed.
Afterward, Li Tie Zhu accompanied the aircraft as a guard, and the Zheng father and son brought one bodyguard. The four boarded the aircraft by the Lancang River.
After bidding farewell to his wife, Fang Wen boarded the cockpit and asked, “Where are we going?”
“Where are we going? Did I not say?” Zheng Lao Ye touched his head, took out a map, and placed a thumbprint on it with ink, handing it to Fang Wen. “Right here, where my finger is.”
It was an old-fashioned map, but the exact location was still discernible. Fang Wen immediately recognized it.
It was within the control of British Burma.
It was likely in the area that would be called Shan State in the future.
The plane then took off. During the journey, Zheng Lao Ye, who had never flown before, gazed curiously out the window, occasionally pointing out places he had experienced in his youth.
From his words, it could be inferred that before he became a Tusi, he had traveled abroad extensively.
In the Shan State region, he met another descendant of a Tusi, and the two forged a friendship. They frequently corresponded after they both became Tusi in their respective regions.
Until recent years, with the policy of “Tusi rule replaced by official appointment,” Zheng Lao Ye ceased to be a Tusi King and became an appointed official. Due to matters of face, they stopped communicating.
If not for the incredible speed of Fang Wen’s aircraft, he probably would never have come here to catch up with an old friend.
As he spoke, the 300-li distance was quickly covered. Fang Wen circled above the destination.
“We’ve arrived. Where is the river you mentioned?”
“We’re here,” Zheng Lao Ye looked down in surprise, it looked familiar. After scanning his surroundings, he pointed ahead. “Look there, isn’t that a river?”
Fang Wen looked and indeed saw a small river. He hadn’t noticed it because it was too small.
This kind of river channel was only about 20 meters wide. Fortunately, there were no trees on either side, so it wasn’t impossible to land.
He adjusted the aircraft’s nose and gradually descended, landing smoothly on the water’s surface.
Afterward, the aircraft taxied to the shoreline. Li Tie Zhu and the Zheng family bodyguard jumped off the plane and secured it with ropes to a large stone on the bank.
The Zheng father and son then disembarked.
At this moment, some local people curiously gathered around.
Zheng Lao Ye spoke loudly in the Dai language, and someone immediately went to report.
Subsequently, they were welcomed to the residence of the local Tusi King.
Fang Wen, accompanying them, also had the opportunity to witness the demeanor of a Tusi in British Burma.
The Tusi King here still retained traditional grandeur, with personal guards and civil officials（ or perhaps stewards）. As a fellow Tusi King, he wore the armor that most represented his status, a helmet with a yellow accent.
Yellow was exclusively for royalty in ancient times, and this Tusi King also used it.
He drank and conversed with his old friend, using a local dialect that was difficult to understand.
After paying his respects to his uncle, Zheng Han Long quietly translated for Fang Wen.
“He says father shouldn’t have accepted the reform that replaced Tusi rule with official appointments; there’s no turning back now.”
“Father says the British are also pressing hard, and things won’t be easy here either.”
“He also said your plane is good, and he wants to buy one.”
After translating this, the Tusi King stood up and came to communicate directly with Fang Wen.
He could speak Chinese.
“Hello, General Manager Fang. In British Burma, your name is already circulating among our provincial kings. We plan to sign up for this year’s Taishan Flying Club.”
Fang Wen suddenly realized that the Tusi Kings of British Burma wanted to participate in the Flying Club because of the Mandalay Royal Palace.
During the Konbaung Dynasty, these Tusi Kings were their subjects, and each time they paid respects, they witnessed the grandeur of the Royal Palace.
Later, when the Konbaung Dynasty was overthrown by the British, the Royal Palace fell into British hands, and they had no way to see it, even if they wished.
However, last year, Fang Wen established a Flying Club and even leased the Mandalay Royal Palace.
Although it was only open for three months a year, it made these Tusi Kings eager to experience the Royal Palace for a while and enjoy the lifestyle of the former Konbaung Dynasty kings.
This kind of opportunity was essentially sending money and connections to Fang Wen, so he naturally couldn’t be happier.
He readily agreed.
Understanding the situation, the Zheng father and son also decided to join the Flying Club.
A flash of inspiration suddenly struck Fang Wen.
The Flying Club, the seaplane plan, and more future operations.
They all seemed to connect, creating more complex changes that would benefit him.
He couldn’t help but consider whether to alter his plan and link everything together.
（ During the British Burma period, Tusi Kings of northern Burma posed for a group photo at the ceremony of the British King’s coronation as Emperor of India, dressed in Ming and Qing dynasty civil and military attire.）
The Xishuangbanna trip concluded, and Fang Wen, along with his wife Kuang Mingzhu, Wu Yingzong, Zhao Wanping, and Li Tie Zhu, prepared to return to Shanghai.
They also brought back a small box containing 2 kilograms of white powder.
This substance was not a drug, but it was even more precious than one.
6:00 AM.
The aircraft was refueled and departed from the Lancang River.
Once the aircraft reached a high altitude, Li Tie Zhu couldn’t help but ask, “General Manager, how do we get back to Shanghai? How many days will it take?”
“Just one day. We should arrive in Shanghai this afternoon,” Fang Wen replied.
So quickly? Li Tie Zhu couldn’t believe it, and neither could the others.
After all, aircraft require takeoffs and landings for transit; it wasn’t that easy.
It seemed his employees were also unaware of the convenience of seaplanes. Fang Wen explained as he flew.
“Along the way, we’ll take off from the Lancang River, land and transit at Kunming’s Dianchi Lake, transit at the Yangtze River section in Chongqing, transit at the Yangtze River section in Wuhan, and arrive at our final destination in Jiaxing, Shanghai. The total range is over 2,400 kilometers. Refueling will be done via ship; you’ll see how it works shortly.”
Afterward, the aircraft landed on Kunming’s Dianchi Lake for its first mid-flight seaplane refueling.
A ship approached, and a staff member on the ship’s side held up an oil barrel, using a fuel pipe for manual refueling.
Fang Wen explained, “This is a temporary arrangement. In the future, fixed refueling devices will be constructed at seaplane docking stations, which will be faster and safer.”
After refueling, the aircraft continued its flight, following Fang Wen’s planned route, making stops for transit in the Chongqing and Wuhan sections of the Yangtze River.
The Yangtze River’s current was swift, so refueling could not be done on the river surface. Instead, it was done after docking at the shore.
Thus, the group, who had departed from the southwest of China at 6 AM, arrived in Jiaxing, near Shanghai, by 2 PM, eight hours later, proving the feasibility of seaplanes for civilian transportation.
This feasibility needed to be proven to Quan Yuncai as well.
At the same time, the miraculous effects of the penicillin brought back also needed to be disseminated. Only when everyone knew its efficacy would its value be realized.
Furthermore, recruitment for aircraft manufacturing plant personnel also needed to begin.
The title was missing half of its content. I will apply for title modification permission later to complete it.
