Chapter 229: 228, Tight-knit Unity Group, Northern Seaplane Routes, Borrow A Chicken To Lay Eggs
The contrast between domestic and abroad business performance reflected Fang Wen’s situation last year.
Because he exposed Japanese Army atrocities, he was suppressed by the National Government.
Fang Wen was not too dissatisfied with this. People must look forward; as long as the steps are big, those traps and obstacles will eventually be left behind.
After listening to everyone’s reports, he also told people in his small circle about the performance of the series of plans he presided over last year.
“Last year, we established the Flying Club, through which we established Taishan Gold Company and reserved a batch of silver. Later, it was sent to the United States for sale, earning a profit of 8.5 million US Dollars.”
A burst of exclamations. Everyone was busy and diligent, but the General Manager just played a trick and earned several years of the company’s profits.
This is the difference between the General Manager and everyone else, and it is also the charm of the General Manager.
Everyone continued listening.
“Then we casually purchased a shipping listed company and used it as a carrier to acquire Taishan Casino Company as a whole. Currently, that company has been renamed Taishan International, with a total share capital of 15.1 million shares and a market value of about 20 million, mainly operating 2 ocean cargo ships and a Las Vegas gambling company. Alright, that’s all I have to say.”
After Fang Wen finished speaking, everyone didn’t know how to respond.
Shunzi spoke on behalf of everyone: “General Manager, you go abroad once and make millions of US Dollars. If we do this, in less than two years, we could become the world’s richest man.”
Fang Wen smiled and shook his head: “We can’t. Wealth without roots cannot last long. Those multinational large companies all rely on their own motherland; only when the motherland is strong can they themselves continue to grow stronger.”
He expressed a worldview seen by a future person. No matter how well business is done, when a trade war comes, opponents can use various non-business tactics to deal with it. Without a powerful mother country supporting from behind, it simply cannot persist.
Some people took these words to heart, while some were still confused.
Fang Wen did not elaborate on this, but announced the end of the meeting.
The meeting ended, and everyone left.
But in a blink of an eye, some people returned to Fang Wen’s side.
This was the third meeting, involving Fang Wen’s most secretive meeting.
Participants included: Fang Shouxin, Shunzi, Shopkeeper Liu, Sun Debiao, Huo Duanyang, Kuang Mingzhu, and Special Action Team members.
In Fang Wen’s small circle, some did not attend.
Pan Jiafeng, Shao Sishen, Howard, William.
The four met unexpectedly in the courtyard.
“Why just you few, where are the others?” Pan Jiafeng asked casually.
Howard didn’t speak; he was introverted but deeply trusted by Fang Wen. He actually knew some secrets, but because he didn’t like to talk, he didn’t attend.
William, who was studying Chinese culture, laughed it off: “I didn’t see the others. Oh, so tired, I’m going to sleep first. Howard, we share a room, right?”
After saying that, William pulled Howard away.
Watching the two departing figures, Shao Sishen turned to look at Fang Wen’s lit residence and casually recited a verse.
“Former comrades’ bond was like the sea, now strangers’ affection has faded. Time flies, people change easily, grudges and entanglements hard to reckon again.
Looking back on the past, we shared storms, fought side by side with hearts connected. Vows still ring in ears, deep affection turned to smoke.”
Pan Jiafeng asked puzzledly: “Why are you reciting poetry? And so sadly, it’s inauspicious during Spring Festival.”
Shao Sishen asked instead: “How old are you? How long have you known the General Manager?”
Pan Jiafeng said proudly: “I’m 21 years old. I met Master at 18, became his apprentice at 19, could pilot aircraft that year, and it’s been two years now.”
Shao Sishen also recalled: “In Republic of China year 21, I met the General Manager at Nanjing Airport. He was a civil aviation pilot, I was an Air Force military officer of Guangzhou Aviation Team. We flew to Shanghai together to fight the Japanese Army. Later, I retired due to serious injuries and was taken in by him, thus settling my disabled body.”
At this point, Shao Sishen looked seriously at Pan Jiafeng: “Little Pan, we two missed a lot last year and created a rift with the General Manager. There must be a reason for this. Are you willing to let it continue like this?”
“Continue like what?” The 21-year-old Pan Jiafeng, who had been following Fang Wen since leaving school, knew nothing about human relations and even didn’t understand Shao Sishen’s words.
“We must talk to the General Manager, otherwise we will drift further from him. Come with me.”
After saying that, Shao Sishen grabbed Pan Jiafeng and headed to Fang Wen’s residence.
The third meeting began.
Fang Shouxin spoke first: “Starting from October last year, the Red Army began transferring. They broke through various blockades of the encirclement and suppression armies one after another, fighting from Jiangxi all the way to Guizhou. This is the battle report situation I collected. The Red Army is the strongest army I have ever seen.”
From departing Jiangxi in October to January this year, over more than 3 months, they were always in mobile warfare, yet they crossed southern China to Guizhou.
And it was under continuous encirclement by enemies with several times the troop strength, fully equipped and with ample supplies and logistics support.
Such miraculous troop movement, escaping encirclement circles time and again, can be called a miracle in strategy and tactics.
No wonder Fang Shouxin admired them so much.
Shopkeeper Liu added: “In these months, rumors in Shanghai have changed. Everyone is discussing what is supporting them to persist, why such an army cannot be recruited to join against the Japanese together. Some even say that if there had been such an army in the Great Wall Campaign fighting the Japanese, it wouldn’t have been such a disastrous defeat.”
Sun Debiao strongly agreed: “At Xifengkou, the 29th Army could fight the Japanese Army with sabers, relying on that spirit. I see Red Army soldiers all have that spirit, each a hero.”
“It’s impossible to recruit them.” Fang Wen made the judgment.
This was not only a judgment from the future, but also from his personal observations.
This is a war between vested interests and reformers; how could vested interests allow reformers to grow big.
But now, the Red Army will face an important meeting before nirvana; after that meeting, they will become stronger.
He couldn’t help but want to know the usage effect of the airdropped battlefield medical kits, and whether more support was needed.
But after the airdrop of medical kits, Bai Yunfei’s liaison point was abandoned.
In these three months, Taishan Airlines had no further contact with the Red Army.
Fang Wen speculated that Bai Yunfei likely returned to his unit, and with Red Third Army also joining the Long March, all external contacts were cut off to prevent leaking their whereabouts.
After all, now, the biggest danger to the Red Army’s mobile warfare is their own whereabouts being exposed.
Although he knew there would be no result, Fang Wen still asked.
“Has the Red Army side contacted us?”
Everyone shook their heads.
Fang Wen sighed and turned to ask the Special Action Team members.
“How is the situation with Wu Yingzong?”
Qian Yinxing, the Special Action Team member staying in Shanghai, reported:
“Report to General Manager, Wu Yingzong and Zhao Wanping’s lurking in Shanghai had no major problems. The first batch of Miraculous Sterilizing Agent was sold to British people at 50 US Dollars per bottle, then divided by British trading firms and the concession. Part of this batch flowed back into the market, but the selling price rose to 80 US Dollars per bottle.”
Fang Wen nodded. It was inevitable for medicines to rise in price during secondary distribution, and it was uncontrollable behavior. He only needed to control the primary supply channel.
He continued listening to the report.
“They two received the second batch of penicillin given by the General Manager in early January and carried out sales. This time, in Shanghai, the concession, Green Gang, Hongmen, major trading firms, and the military jointly established a Good Medicine Distribution Association. They negotiated a distribution plan together, acquiring penicillin under the name of the Good Medicine Distribution Association, then redistributing it secondarily.”
Hearing Qian Yinxing’s report, Fang Wen’s expression cooled slightly.
This was not the result he wanted. What he wanted was to establish relations with various forces as the sole supplier of penicillin.
Now that the Good Medicine Distribution Association was established, the drug distribution rights were back in the hands of those Shanghai big shots, and the mysterious penicillin supplier thus lost its implicit power.
They were all shrewd as ghosts! From the British people’s first buying frenzy, they discovered the interests brought by drug distribution rights.
They set up another game within Fang Wen’s game, secretly taking the interests Fang Wen wanted.
No, absolutely cannot let the Good Medicine Distribution Association control the distribution rights of penicillin.
Fang Wen spoke: “Have Wu Yingzong spread the message that we want to make money, but we also want favors. With the Good Medicine Distribution Association in place, there will be no Miraculous Sterilizing Agent. I want Shanghai to gain face from all sides while buying goods; without this face, no more drugs.”
So that’s what the General Manager wanted; everyone understood.
At this time, a knock sounded, and action team members Zhao Yunfei and Liu Ying Shou suddenly stood up, guarding one on each side of the door, just in case.
“Open the door. If it’s not safe here, nowhere is safe for me.” Fang Wen said openly.
Immediately, the door opened, and standing outside were exactly Shao Sishen and Pan Jiafeng.
Pan Jiafeng was somewhat at a loss: “Master, I, I…”
He didn’t know how to explain, so Shao Sishen helped him: “General Manager, I brought Pan Jiafeng here to make up for a mistake.”
“What mistake? Come in and talk.” Fang Wen said calmly.
The two entered the room and, seeing the room full of people, even Pan Jiafeng seemed to understand something.
Shao Sishen went straight to the point: “General Manager, why don’t you trust me?”
“Master, don’t you trust me?” Pan Jiafeng also asked aggrievedly.
As expected, people in the small group had special sensitivity and still noticed.
Fang Wen pondered whether to reveal the Red Army relations.
These two were the most wavering.
Pan Jiafeng’s father was a comprador for a Shanghai foreign trading firm, raised with mixed Chinese-Western education, but from his usual words, it was clear his family members strongly opposed the Red Army.
Although Shao Sishen was like Kuang Mingzhu, a son of a Nanyang Chinese family, he leaned more toward the Kuomintang and had expressed approval from an orthodox perspective on the encirclement and suppression of the Red Army.
This was the reason Fang Wen had always been unwilling to tell the two.
Now, the two proactively demanded a showdown, leaving no room for maneuver.
While Fang Wen hesitated, Kuang Mingzhu whispered: “Mister, a thousand-mile dam crumbles in an ant’s burrow. We need a more united organizational structure. If you don’t want to say it, let me.”
Yes, it had to be asked eventually.
Fang Wen nodded.
Kuang Mingzhu became the host of this meeting.
She looked at Pan Jiafeng, then at Shao Sishen.
“We have carried out some support actions for the Red Army.”
As soon as these words came out, the two reacted differently.
Pan Jiafeng was first stunned, then delighted: “Master, you were worried about this? At the last high school classmates’ gathering, I even went to a student union secret meeting. I’m not my father; I support the Red Army.”
Shao Sishen bent over as if exhausted.
“So, only I am different?”
Kuang Mingzhu spoke: “Brother Shao, our two families have long had contacts, both Nanyang merchants, both returned to China. Why are you like this?”
Shao Sishen didn’t answer, but muttered: “Those with different ways do not conspire. Should I leave, or leave my life here? Either way, I can do it, to repay you.”
Fang Wen said helplessly: “You all go out; I want to talk to him alone.”
Everyone else left, leaving only Fang Wen and Shao Sishen.
Fang Wen took out two wine cups, opened a bottle of wine, and poured for Shao Sishen and himself.
He pushed the cup to Shao Sishen.
“I’ll ask you a few questions, and you must answer truthfully, okay?”
Shao Sishen downed the wine in his cup in one gulp and refilled it: “Okay.”
“What do you think of this Republic of China world?”
Shao Sishen thought and said gloomily: “Sigh, chaos, everyone seeking private gain, endless internal strife.”
“Do you think the current people in power can bring hope?” Fang Wen asked again.
“No.” This time Shao Sishen answered without hesitation.
“Yes, they can’t bring hope, but I see hope in the Red Army. No matter your reason, do you dare bet with me?”
“Bet on what?”
“Bet on our China’s future, that it will get better and better. I bet on the Red Army; follow me to see what this future becomes.”
These words moved Shao Sishen; he raised his cup: “Good, I’ll accompany you. I hope you succeed.”
Fang Wen smiled; he and Shao Sishen were comrades-in-arms and he considered him a friend, naturally hoping to go on together.
Shao Sishen smiled; he was unwilling to leave the Taishan family. For this, he was willing to let go of much, just to see that future with Fang Wen.
The two drank and chatted happily, and the dispute was gone.
Spring Festival 1935.
The whole country was enveloped in the festive New Year atmosphere.
Regardless of rich or poor, high or low status, the vast majority enjoyed that hard-won joy during Spring Festival.
And after Spring Festival, Taishan Airlines officially announced its expansion plan.
The propaganda newspaper said it would open seaplane airports in different water systems across the country.
The selected water systems were: Northern Water System, Yellow River System, Huai River System, Yangtze River System, Southern Water System.
Currently, the first to be carried out was the Northern Water System.
The Northern Water System includes the Hai River, Luan River major rivers, and their tributaries Chaobai River, Yongding River, Daqing River, Ziya River, South Canal, Xiao Luan River, Xingzhou River, Yison River, Wulie River, Laoniu River, Liu River, Bao River, Xuan River, and Azure Dragon River.
The entire seaplane route has a total of 20 seaplane airports, with 4 seaplanes shuttling between these rivers, forming an air transportation network.
Shortly after this news was published in the newspaper, the 4 seaplanes began operations.
This is the flexibility of seaplanes; no need for too much investment. After setting the routes, with refueling teams at transfer seaplane airports, the seaplane routes can operate.
Completing the seaplane routes so quickly was unexpected for National Government officials in North China region and caught the Japanese off guard.
But after all, they are civilian aircraft, not restricted by the Tanggu Agreement, so they could only watch it operate.
Seaplanes were widely popular on the North China land, with airplane ticket prices between 5-60 silver dollars, suitable for short, medium, and long distances.
Many rich people and those traveling far began choosing this convenient, fast, and safe mode of travel.
Plus the 1.5-ton cargo capacity and airmail, the profit per complete flight was considerable.
This also drove short-distance transport and logistics industries in various places.
Fang Wen used February’s operation situation to calculate an account for Quan Yuncai, chairman of the domestic aviation branch company.
Shuiyun Type 1 Seaplane sells for 40,000 US Dollars.
Northern Water System operation for one month, each plane earns over 8,000 silver dollars.
Now silver dollars have appreciated, exchanging at 2 to 1 US Dollar, meaning only need to earn 80,000 silver dollars to break even.
Almost 10 months is enough.
Such a highly profitable business, Quan Yuncai immediately reported to his backer.
Subsequently, Taishan Airlines’ domestic subsidiary obtained a large loan quota of 3 million silver dollars.
Quan Yuncai seriously conveyed his backer’s request.
“General Manager Fang, the bank has opened the door for you. Borrow as much as you want. Can we deploy 50 seaplanes this year?”
The more seaplanes deployed, the more experience the aircraft manufacturing plant accumulates, which can be used to expand the production capacity of the aircraft manufacturing plant.
This is like borrowing others’ financial resources to grow one’s own industry. With more aircraft industry workers, an aerospace industrial foundation can be established.
Fang Wen naturally agreed.
But 50 seaplanes means monthly output needs to reach over 4 planes, equivalent to doubling the existing production capacity.
He planned to recruit another batch of workers.
But this time, the requirements were not so high: high school graduation was enough.
The newly recruited high school educated workers would form production teams under the leadership of university engineer, with engineers familiar with standardized operations controlling the production process, responsible for training and leading the production teams, greatly accelerating the aircraft manufacturing plant’s expansion rhythm.
