Chapter 262: 261 Fang Wen Returns To China, Taishan International Mercenaries, Tokyo Incident
Early February of the 25th year of the Republic of China, Fang Wen returned to China and presided over affairs at the Wuhan company headquarters.
Taishan Group had many matters that needed handling.
For example: recruiting new members for the Taishan Aviation Club, listening to business reports from the International Airline Company, deciding on new waterway routes in China, and meeting with managerial personnel from various waterway seaplane branch companies to establish foundational up-and-down relationships, etc.
These matters might not seem very important, but they were things Fang Wen had to do.
At the same time, recruitment for elite pilots was also underway.
Various invitation letters were sent to known aviation elites, with very few responses.
Since they were aviation elites, their current treatment was naturally not bad, not to mention that in a time of extreme shortage of domestic aviation flight talent, most were highly valued and would not abandon their current treatment to join Fang Wen’s elite aviation team.
In this situation, Fang Wen realized he could not limit his gaze to just domestic sources.
Wuhan headquarters building, general manager’s office.
Fang Wen signed documents and handed them to Special Action Team members Liu Yin Feng and Zhou Pomen.
“The flying club matters are entrusted to you. There will be more people joining this year, and we will also sell Shuiyun Type 1 seaplanes to them. You need to handle service and sales work well.”
Liu Yin Feng and Zhou Pomen nodded excitedly. They were among the later Special Action Team members to get overseas assignments and were eager to achieve results.
After Fang Wen dismissed Liu Yin Feng and Zhou Pomen, he called in Chen Suoxin and Liu Ying Shou.
He looked at the two of them.
“Now, most Special Action Team members have been assigned to group affairs work, leaving just you two. I’m preparing to send you both to Europe and the United States.”
Chen Suoxin and Liu Ying Shou were stunned.
“General manager, we don’t speak foreign languages. We’re afraid we can’t handle business abroad well,” Liu Ying Shou said troubled.
“If you don’t know, you can learn. The spoken language for communication isn’t difficult. And this time, we’ll arrange a translator to accompany you, so no need to worry about communication issues,” Fang Wen said.
The two had nothing more to say and promptly agreed.
Fang Wen continued: “You two going to Europe and the United States is mainly to hire a batch of capable foreign pilots for me. Ground combat personnel with special skills can also be recruited back.”
This decision was Fang Wen’s response measure amid the shortage of elite pilots; he had thought it through.
With great war approaching and no resources domestically, he would use money to hire mercenaries abroad. As a person from the future, his thinking could not be confined to this era—future wars were full of mercenaries fighting for money, so why couldn’t he use this method.
Not only use them, but use them brilliantly.
Sending Chen Suoxin and Liu Ying Shou abroad to recruit was just one part of the plan.
Fang Wen then sent a telegram to the United States side.
United States, New York, listed company Taishan International headquarters office building.
President Lin Shuiwang had just returned from the airport.
His work was now much more complex than before.
Beyond Taishan International, he also needed to maintain communication with two tycoon families and continuously follow up on development matters in the Marshall Islands independent kingdom.
Currently, the two tycoon families had sent professional teams to the Marshall Islands, working with Zhao Jiu and John Harvey to reform the offshore finance center system of the Marshall Islands independent kingdom.
Lin Shuiwang, who had just seen off those team members on a plane to San Francisco to catch a ship, returned to his office and sat in his chair.
Telegraph room staff brought over a telegram.
“Coded telegram from headquarters.”
Lin Shuiwang took the telegram, decoded the ciphertext, and his previously relaxed mood became active again.
【Taishan International is to establish a new business department specializing in war security, recruiting retired military personnel from Europe and America for commercial transport of international military action.】
【Additionally, the above is the nominal activity; mainly to recruit elite air combat personnel and ground combat personnel for the group company to bolster company combat power for confronting the Japanese Army.】
Lin Shuiwang thought to himself, the general manager is finally going to confront the Japanese invaders head-on—this aligned with his own vision.
For this matter, Lin Shuiwang actively began operations.
A couple of days later, headquarters sent another telegram with new orders.
With this order, Lin Shuiwang called Indiana.
The two already knew each other and were both in New York, so they arranged over the phone to meet at a restaurant next to the Congress building.
That afternoon, the two arrived at the restaurant on time and sat in an unoccupied corner.
Lin Shuiwang explained the situation in a low voice: “The general manager wants Taishan International to establish a war security branch company.”
Indiana was surprised: “What do you mean?”
“It’s a company that hires military talent to provide military and paramilitary services for regional conflicts, security guards, bodyguards, etc. Business mainly overseas,” Lin Shuiwang explained.
“Is that even possible?” Indiana asked incredulously. He had never heard of such a company structure and was unsure if it could be established.
Lin Shuiwang explained: “For this branch company, we got help from the Rockefeller and Whitney families—they’re very interested. As you know, multinational companies have all sorts of troubles abroad; some troubles require force to resolve, and they have demand for that. Thus, when applying to establish the company, we received some assistance and successfully completed registration.”
“Then why find me?”
“The general manager said this kind of company is best discussed with you. We can complement the U.S. overseas intelligence system very well.”
Indiana pondered the words and was shocked: “Fang is simply a genius. Not only does our overseas intelligence system need such a third-party action institution, other countries’ overseas intelligence organizations will too. The key is that your company must have strength in this area.”
Lin Shuiwang nodded: “Yes, that’s what the general manager said. He wants to cooperate with you.”
“How to cooperate?”
“With your connections, if there are suitable people, introduce them to join the company—they’ll gain more income sources.”
Indiana thought about it.
“I do have military resources and know some retired officers. Once retired, they’re no longer bound by loyalty oaths and should be able to engage in your company’s military business.”
Lin Shuiwang was not entirely satisfied: “Retired officers who are too old are better as instructors. I want combat-capable ones in their prime, especially elite pilots. As long as they meet requirements, we can offer double their original salary treatment.”
Double the original treatment made even Indiana tempted; with this condition, there was no worry about failing to hire suitable personnel.
He then agreed to help find them.
Mid-February.
After a year, the flying club expanded membership again.
This time’s members were still targeted at tycoons and local kings from South Asia and Southeast Asia.
Seaplane sales were also included.
Taishan Airlines’ affordable, practical, and effective Shuiyun Type 1 seaplane was already operating on half of China’s waterways. Its improved transport effects and low operating costs had piqued great interest from forces outside China. This seaplane sale had limited quantity but excellent appeal.
The Taishan International Security Company in the United States was also formally established. Though the international security company was still in the initial staffing recruitment phase, it had already attracted attention from many tycoons and multinational enterprises, with some overseas security cooperation intent letters under negotiation.
Fang Wen brought future ideas to this era, changing things bit by bit.
He was racing against time.
At the same time, events that were meant to happen continued to follow history’s pace.
February 20, Tokyo.
A black sedan parked on the street side.
In the car, Nagano Shuu said to Yoshida in the front passenger seat: “Yoshida, this time back home, rest for a week—you can go see your family.”
“Yes, Admiral.” After Yoshida got out, he took his personal luggage from the trunk and watched the car leave from the roadside.
After the car drove away, he immediately relaxed.
But instead of going to Tokyo train station to take a train back to his hometown in Kochi Prefecture, he found an inn to stay at.
In his room, he opened his personal luggage.
Inside were two stacks of US dollars totaling 200,000, and a disassemblable telegraph machine.
Looking at these, Yoshida knew he had no way out. Ever since that kidnapping of Nagano Shuu, he could only follow that path; otherwise, the consequences would be severe.
He assembled the telegraph machine and sent radio waves on a specific frequency.
【Arrived in Japan, request next instructions.】
After a while, he received a reply.
【Lurk for now. Unless important intelligence, report once a week at fixed time.】
Ending the telegram communication, Yoshida disassembled the telegraph machine and put it in his suitcase, suddenly feeling it wasn’t so bad.
Having not been back home for a long time, he thought of Tokyo’s nightlife and felt a surge of excitement, heading out.
The place he went was Tokyo’s most famous pleasure quarter: Yoshiwara Street, Tokyo’s top flower and willow street, the Edo Period’s officially permitted brothel concentration area.
Yoshida arrived at the street entrance, saw women in kimonos and wooden clogs, felt aroused, and was about to enter.
But someone tapped his shoulder.
He immediately got angry and turned around, only to find three familiar faces, also in military uniforms, but Army uniforms.
“Ono, Okayama, Shimomura, it’s you guys.”
“Yoshida, long time no see. Come on, let’s go in and chat.”
Under the pulling of the three Army officers, they entered Yoshiwara Street.
Inside Yoshiwara Street were all public prostitutes. After Meiji-era geisha gained freedom in the early period, it changed from wandering girl houses to rented seating places, later learning from the West, with prostitutes sitting in wooden cubicles awaiting patrons’ favor.
The four officers did not select anyone but drank and reminisced in a sake house inside the street.
“Yoshida, do you still remember our original oath?”
The sudden question pulled Yoshida into memories.
A few years ago, he had joined an organization called the Imperial Way Faction at military school.
This was a faction in the Japanese Army advocating direct imperial rule to reform the country and achieve Showa Restoration; externally, it advocated a decisive battle against the Soviet Union.
It was an opposition group within the military, joined by military school students and junior officers. Yoshida had joined merely following the trend.
He hadn’t expected it to be brought up here.
He responded casually: “I remember.”
“Good that you remember. We’re finally about to take action. You’re the only member in the Navy—join our action.”
Yoshida gave no reply, forced composure, and downed a cup of sake to steady his nerves.
He knew these people’s methods; if he disagreed, tonight would likely end badly for him.
Moments later, he asked: “What is your action?”
“In Chinese terms, it’s called ‘clearing the emperor’s side.’ We plan to eliminate the ruling faction and rescue the emperor controlled by them.”
The three officers fantasized about a bright future, but Yoshida did not think so. There were hardly any Imperial Way Faction supporters in the military, and they were all junior officers. Moreover, the emperor did not support the Imperial Way Faction. If it came to blows, it would definitely fail.
But he couldn’t say that; once spoken, he’d be killed as a traitor.
At this point, another officer spoke: “Yoshida, you’re now Adjutant to Admiral Nagano Shuu. In six days, join the action to assassinate Nagano Shuu.”
Yoshida hurriedly explained: “No, I’m on vacation now. In six days, the holiday hasn’t ended yet—going back early would raise suspicion.”
“I see. Indeed, we didn’t expect to run into you. For action safety, no need to act on the Navy side.”
“Yes, yes, that’s what I think too—action safety is paramount.”
Yoshida breathed a sigh of relief.
But then the other said: “Then join our action. For secrecy, you can’t wander around.”
Just like that, Yoshida, who had wanted to have fun in Yoshiwara, joined the Imperial Way Faction’s action. To prevent leaks, he was coerced into moving from the inn to another gathering place.
There, every action officer had a private residence. Aside from not being allowed to leave, there were no restrictions.
Yoshida, carrying his suitcase into the new residence, looked depressed.
He didn’t want to participate in this action; once discovered, his future career would be ruined.
But how to avoid it?
With no countermeasures, he locked the door, then took out the telegraph machine to send a message.
Taishan Airlines Wuhan Headquarters.
Telegraph room staff handed a coded telegram message to Fang Wen.
“General manager, Jinan Airport received an overseas coded telegram—please review.”
Fang Wen set down his documents, took the coded telegram message: “Leave.”
Once the staff left, he looked at the coded telegram message and decoded it.
【Arrived in Tokyo, Japan today. Suddenly ran into old acquaintances, coerced into joining Japanese Army Imperial Way Faction’s coup plot. They plan to launch on February 26, assassinate multiple military and political executives, and storm the Imperial Palace to audience the emperor. The coup is likely to fail; once it happens, I, forced to participate, will be implicated with no way to escape. Seeking advice.】
It was Yoshida’s coded telegram, unexpectedly involving such a major event.
Fang Wen recalled his future memories—Japan seemed to have no successful rebellions, so this coup must have failed.
He was unwilling to lose Yoshida this chess piece just like that and pondered how to get him out of the predicament.
Suddenly, Fang Wen realized he was thinking in the wrong direction.
If he fanned the flames of this rebellion, using long-range bombers to help take out more high-level officers, wouldn’t that better serve his interests?
Additionally, indiscriminate bombing this time would wipe out the Imperial Way Faction along with them, conveniently solving Yoshida’s problem.
As for bombing accuracy, Fang Wen wasn’t worried. For this, he had prepared early—the small signal transmitter Yoshida brought to Japan was a perfect positioning tool.
