Chapter 288: 287 Nanjing Trip, Commercial Escort Permit, Long-awaited National Fighter Jets Over North China
For the matter of Taishan Airlines commercial escort team, Fang Wen piloted the airplane alone and landed at Nanjing Airport.
Because the airline company needs to maintain good communication with the Nanjing Government in all aspects, there is now a Taishan Airlines office here, specifically responsible for matters between the company and the government.
For convenience in handling affairs, a car is also prepared.
Fang Wen went directly to the office and drove the car into the city.
The car drove through Nanjing City, where the cityscape remained the same, but familiar people were no longer there.
Is Yue Jinping doing well in Shanghai now?
Fang Wen couldn’t help but think of her; last time, because of the battlefield medical kit matter, it caused some estrangement between Fang Wen and Yue Jinping.
Although it was just each serving their own master, they had ultimately become strangers.
Brushing aside his thoughts, Fang Wen drove the car westward all the way to Beiping Road.
Both sides here were full of garden villas; the entire area was a residential district for families of Nanjing Government officials.
Unlike the crowded and chaotic conditions elsewhere, this area was newly built in recent years, with good planning, abundant greenery, a beautiful environment, and very suitable for living.
Fang Wen turned right and entered the residential area surrounded by Beiping Road and West Kang Road.
Guards at the gate stopped him, with an attitude stricter than previous visits to the Nanjing Government.
Fang Wen parked the car, reported the householder and address, then parked nearby and waited.
Because there was prior notification, a man wearing a long gown came running from inside the residential area.
“Mr. Fang, I am the housekeeper of the Quan family. Please follow me; the master is at home waiting for you. Oh right, it’s not far; park your car in the parking lot nearby, and we’ll walk over.”
Under the housekeeper’s guidance, Fang Wen parked the car and followed him for over a hundred meters to a small Western-style building made of blue bricks.
Many trees were planted around the small building, with ivy climbing on the walls, giving it a lush and refreshing appearance.
The style was indeed somewhat refined.
Fang Wen followed upstairs to the study room.
Quan Yuncai, waiting in the study room, put on full airs, then stood up with a smile to welcome him.
“General Manager Fang has finally come to my humble abode to have a heart-to-heart with me, the chairman. I’ve been looking forward to this day for a long time. Please sit; we’ll talk slowly, and have a casual meal later.”
Fang Wen smiled and sat on the sofa chair in the study room, while Quan Yuncai sat back in the main seat.
“What does General Manager Fang think of my home?”
“Not bad; the environment is livable, with a unique charm. The overall planning of the entire residential area is also good; it can be considered one of the best layouts domestically.” Fang Wen replied honestly.
“That’s true, but it also has to do with the region. Beiping can be described as: Overlooking the Central Plains from the southern face of the imperial capital, the dragon’s energy surges at the Jimen Gate for a thousand autumns. Nanjing, however, is: The beautiful land of Jiangnan, the emperors’ state of Jinling. Living in Nanjing inevitably adds a touch of romantic elegance.”
Quan Yuncai quoted classics, and there was some truth to it.
Following the other’s lead, Fang Wen asked, “What about Shanghai then?”
“Tides surge in the river flowing into the sea, exotic sentiments in elegant and vulgar towers. Not royal territory, yet undercurrents surge.” Quan Yuncai gave his evaluation.
In the following conversation, the two spoke vaguely, with Quan Yuncai dodging with riddles.
The other side was all about probing; it was better for Fang Wen to take the initiative.
Fang Wen said straightforwardly: “Chairman Quan, you are a major shareholder of Taishan Airlines Domestic Company. Currently, the company’s Haihe River seaplane route is being harassed by Japanese military aircraft. Fortunately, the airplane only made a forced landing on the water surface, but once this precedent is set, Japanese military aircraft will definitely continue to cause trouble. What do you say we do?”
Seeing he couldn’t dodge, Quan Yuncai could only say helplessly: “Now the National Government has let go of North China, and the army cannot go north. What can I do?”
“The army cannot go north?” Fang Wen’s anger rose, but he knew he couldn’t break ties over this, so he suppressed his anger and continued: “From ancient times to the present, traveling merchants rely on convenient and safe transportation routes. In ancient times, to prevent bandits and robbers, they would hire escorts or security bureaus for protection; some even formed their own guard teams to ensure safety along the way. If the National Government doesn’t care about North China now, can we Taishan Airlines form our own escort team?”
“Escort team?” Quan Yuncai was surprised, then asked: “How do you plan to do it?”
“I have an escort team abroad, composed of 7 fighter jets. As long as there’s no problem here, they can immediately return to China to protect the company’s flight path.” Fang Wen replied.
Regarding this, Quan Yuncai didn’t dare to make the decision; he needed to consult the real big boss.
But Fang Wen couldn’t be involved in this matter, so he said: “General Manager Fang, this needs some discussion. I’ll step out for a bit; wait for me at home.”
“Alright, I’ll wait for you.”
Quan Yuncai went out.
He left the mansion area, got in a car, and arrived at Changfu Street south of the Presidential Palace.
There was a large residence covering 3000 square meters here, occupied by someone high-ranking in the National Government.
Quan Yuncai was very familiar with the place; it was clear he came often, as the guards at the gate didn’t stop him.
After entering the mansion, he met the master here.
His previous demeanor vanished outside; with a slight bow, he explained the purpose of his visit.
After listening, the master of the Chen mansion spoke:
“This Fang Wen has great ambitions. He cedes profits to me in exchange for a backer. But in these two years, I’ve basically done nothing, yet taken so many dividends for free.”
Quan Yuncai quickly replied: “Master, you can’t say that. Without your name, Taishan Airlines couldn’t operate domestically. His success so far is all thanks to you.”
“Old Quan, no need for empty words between us. Fang Wen came to see my attitude on this. If I don’t care, his loyalty might shift away. Therefore, what needs to be done must be done. And don’t think Fang Wen’s escort team is small-scale. He trained several pilots himself in Europe and made a name in combat. I’d like to see, domestically, whether his fighter jets or the Japanese military aircraft are stronger.”
“Master, are you stepping forward? Although the current situation calls for unity in resisting Japan, being the first to step forward might not be appropriate.”
“Who said I’m stepping forward? Does this need me to step forward and say anything? You don’t understand government matters, so don’t worry about it. Go back and tell Fang Wen to stay in Nanjing for two days; whether it succeeds depends on the situation in these two days.”
“Yes, master, I’ll go back.”
“Go ahead.”
Fang Wen received Quan Yuncai’s promise of a result within two days.
For these two days, he stayed in Nanjing, touring around under Quan Yuncai’s lead.
After two days, the news came out.
Someone from the Ministry of Communications proposed that, given the safety issues on Taishan Airlines’ North China routes, they approve the formation of an escort team.
The cleverness of this proposal was that it was neither military in nature nor local armed forces.
It was a guard team formed by a commercial company to protect its own assets.
Such actions are done by various merchants; there’s no reason to disallow Taishan Airlines alone.
Although the situation in North China is delicate, the current circumstances have changed, and setting a precedent appropriately is not impossible.
Therefore, the Ministry of Communications approved it.
Soon after, Quan Yuncai returned with an approval document, giving official permission.
With the approval document, Fang Wen immediately left Nanjing and headed directly to Yangon.
Taishan Airlines fighter jet escort formation in Yangon was promptly reorganized and dispatched.
In addition to the fighter jet escort formation, there were two gunships and a mercenary group of 100 men for ground protection.
Plus logistics maintenance personnel.
These personnel, all told, did not exceed 150 people, forming the Taishan Airlines Escort Team.
After reorganization in Yangon, the Taishan Airlines Escort Team could begin returning to China.
The 7 fighter jet escort formation took the Yangon—Xiangxi Airport—Wuhan route.
The two gunships, along with the seaplane transporting over 100 ground personnel, all took the Yangon—Jinghong—Kunming—Guiyang—Yuanling—Wuhan route, transiting through multiple seaplane airports on various waterways.
Along the way, because Taishan Airlines’ seaplane routes were already operating on these waterways, it didn’t alarm local authorities.
March 1937.
The Taishan Airlines Escort Team was officially established in Wuhan.
Fang Wen began designing the escort team’s protection plan for North China.
To ensure the safety of the Haihe River route in North China, a faster departure airport was needed.
Wuhan Airport definitely wouldn’t do; they needed to depart from Jinan Airport.
Therefore, the airport in Jinan became the departure point for the escort team’s fighter jets. To ensure local safety, escort team ground personnel were also stationed at Jinan Airport. Meanwhile, two gunships were docked at the seaplane airport on the nearby Yellow River section.
Of course, keeping all fighter jets at Jinan Airport was very dangerous; if Japanese Army aircraft openly bombed, they could all be destroyed there.
Therefore, Fang Wen had the escort team divided into 4 shifts, with 2 fighter jets per shift stationed at Wuhan Airport for cruising, while the rest stayed at Wuhan Airport. Due to being in the heartland of China and range limitations, there was no need to worry about threats from Japanese military aircraft.
Once everything was ready, the Taishan Airlines Escort Team began patrolling.
Eight high-speed fighter jet pilots, including Fang Wen, began cruising over the Haihe River, with each shift cruising for two days, rotating through all 4 shifts.
This was the first time in several years that North China skies had their own fighter jets flying overhead.
Though few in number, it still brought hope to North China.
Not just North China, but also Beiping and Tianjin.
People still holding out in Beiping and Tianjin, who were harassed by Japanese Army aircraft every few days, finally saw their own fighter jets appear.
Beiping Daily reported this extensively on the front-page headline.
It stated that since the Great Wall Campaign, they finally had their own fighter jets appearing in their airspace—even if they belonged to a commercial airline company.
This fervent atmosphere reignited people’s anti-Japanese fervor.
Everyone was thinking about one thing: what would happen if the Japanese Army aircraft that routinely violated North China airspace encountered Taishan Airlines aircraft.
People were both expectant and worried: expectant that Taishan Airlines’ aircraft would give the Japanese Army aircraft a hard lesson, worried that the Taishan Airlines Escort Team might suffer losses in a conflict.
But this was not as simple as they thought.
From the moment the Taishan Airlines Escort Team began escorting on the Haihe River, the Japanese Army’s harassing aircraft suddenly disappeared.
Fang Wen judged this to be the Kwantung Army studying countermeasures against the Taishan Escort Team’s actions.
After all, the escort team’s patrolling over the Haihe River Basin meant their actual combat radius already threatened areas east of Tianjin and Beiping, which were must-pass routes for Japanese Army fighter jets entering North China.
In other words, with this nail from the Taishan Airlines Escort Team, Japanese Army fighter jets could no longer cross North China at will as before.
On this matter, the Kwantung Army issued a notice to the National Government, demanding a thorough investigation.
Such arrogant notices were not new; previously, when civilian anti-Japanese troops appeared in North China, similar notices came, and the National Government even assisted in handling them.
But now, the situation was different, and the response attitude was also different.
The National Government replied to the Kwantung Army: “The Taishan Airlines Escort Team is a bodyguard team funded by a commercial institution; it only maintains the safety of its own seaplane route in the Haihe River Basin—entirely legal and reasonable.”
The reply did not mention the losses to Taishan Airlines aircraft caused by Japanese Army fighter jets, but it had already stated the attitude.
Seeing they couldn’t pressure Taishan Airlines through the National Government, the Kwantung Army simply sent a military attaché to visit directly.
At Jinan Airport, a Japanese side diplomatic military attaché stationed in Jinan arrived with a translator but was stopped outside the airport.
This matter reached Fang Wen, who was inspecting the escort team’s operations at Jinan Airport.
“What is he here for?” Fang Wen asked.
The airport security team captain replied: “He says he’s here on Kwantung Army orders to talk with you.”
“Let him in.” Fang Wen wanted to see what the other side had to say.
The security team captain went back but didn’t let them pass directly; instead, he required strict checks, not just the security gate but also body searches.
After a rigorous inspection, the military attaché and translator were allowed into the airport.
The two were brought to the temporary office where Fang Wen was; escort team mercenaries guarded the surroundings, eyes fixed on them, ready to act if anything seemed off.
Under the menacing gazes, the translator panicked: “Don’t misunderstand; I’m Chinese, just translating to make a living. I haven’t done anything harmful.”
“Don’t worry, translator. If your conscience is clear, no need to fear.” Fang Wen replied.
Perhaps Fang Wen’s words gave the translator courage, allowing the meeting to proceed.
After some Japanese, he translated.
“The Kwantung Army notified him to negotiate with you; they want your escort team to stop, and regarding the previous losses, the Kwantung Army is willing to compensate.”
“Impossible. Tell him that when someone rides roughshod over you, you must stand up and resist. Losses aren’t important; protecting our property with an escort team is what I want.”
After the translator relayed this, the military attaché became agitated.
“He says your escort team only has those few aircraft. China has a saying: ‘mantis trying to stop a chariot’—that’s your situation. Once the Kwantung Army’s aircraft really act, you won’t be able to hold them off.”
Facing such bluster, Fang Wen’s expression turned cold: “Then we’ll see if it’s as you say. The escort team will not be disbanded; come at us if you dare. See them out.”
The Japanese Army military attaché was driven out of the airport, but Fang Wen calmed down.
The escort team’s strength was indeed insufficient, but this was already his maximum capability: 8 monoplanes high-speed fighter jets—even an ordinary warlord might not have them.
He was well aware that his advantage was aircraft performance, but in case of danger, communication between aircraft was crucial; they needed electronic equipment for timely military situation transmission.
This was another facility beyond the encrypted telegram equipment, used to relay military intelligence from afar back to Jinan and Wuhan when discovering situations during cruises over North China skies.
Implementing this equipment wasn’t difficult: just add an alarm switch to the encrypted telegram device. Activating the switch would trigger the long-range radio wave transmitter installed in the aircraft.
This way, fighter jets on patrol could activate the alarm switch upon discovering military situations, serving as a simple early warning aircraft.
After installing this equipment, it wasn’t long before it proved useful.
The first encounter between the Taishan Escort Formation and Japanese Army fighter jets thus occurred.
