Chapter 40: 40, Triumphant Return To Jiaxing, Neighbors Singing Praises In The Streets
The Studebaker car drove along the road.
Yue Jinping spoke up from the co-pilot seat: “They just let you go like that? After all you’ve done, no reward?”
“They said there would be commendations after the war and invited me to join the National Air Force, but I didn’t agree.” Fang Wen replied.
“It’s good that you didn’t go. Nowadays, the National Government is full of factions everywhere, scheming and infighting all around. You’re capable, and inside, you’d easily be envied and secretly targeted.” Yue Jinping analyzed.
“I didn’t think that much about it; I just don’t like being controlled by others.” Fang Wen brushed it off and changed the subject: “How’s the progress on catching Japanese spies?”
Speaking of this, Yue Jinping felt a bit proud.
“The approach you gave last time was very useful. During this period, I took action at Suzhou Airport and the local Jianqiao Airport, still investigating nearby the airports, and caught another batch of spies. These guys had been lurking for a long time, some with status and identity, no flaws in their speech or behavior. If they hadn’t been caught together with other spies, it really couldn’t be confirmed they were Japanese.”
Fang Wen remembered something and simply reminded:
“Is that so? Since there are so many here, might there be Japanese spies lurking all over the country? They’ve mixed into our country early on, compiling intelligence on geography, cultural information, and important facilities everywhere, which would perfectly be used for invading us later.”
“Impossible, right?!” Yue Jinping was stunned, with a shocked expression.
“It’s probably possible. The Japanese invaded the Northeast and attacked Shanghai; you don’t think that was a spur-of-the-moment decision, do you?”
Fang Wen’s words made Yue Jinping fall silent. This was a problem that, even if known, had no solution. Nowadays, China was fragmented, and last year there was the Central Plains War, with warlords vying for power everywhere. The National Government was powerless in many places, so how could it manage the spies lurking all over?
Yue Jinping didn’t want to dwell on this matter and also changed the subject.
“Where are you planning to go?”
“I don’t know either.”
Fang Wen couldn’t help slowing down the car. From Hangzhou to Nanjing was nearly 300 kilometers, and along the way, due to warfare, it probably wasn’t peaceful. Whether driving or taking the train, it wasn’t safe.
He also couldn’t return to Shanghai for now.
He thought of something.
This body of his was from Jiaxing.
Jiaxing was only a few dozen kilometers from Hangzhou, so why not take this time to go home and see.
After all, in this era, people always need a root; he couldn’t keep avoiding it forever.
“I want to go home and see. Will you come with me?”
Yue Jinping blushed, her tone a bit stammering.
“Oh, yeah, your home is in Jiaxing; you should go back. But it wouldn’t be good for me to go with you.”
“I’m borrowing your car to go home and incidentally inviting you as a guest; what’s wrong with that?” Fang Wen replied.
“Yeah, that’s normal. Alright then.”
After speaking, Yue Jinping no longer said anything, instead staring blankly out the window, lost in thought.
“Cough, how do we get to Jiaxing?” Fang Wen asked.
“You don’t know?”
“I left home to venture out after middle school graduation and haven’t been back for many years; I don’t remember the roads here.”
In fact, Yue Jinping also didn’t know how to get from Hangzhou to Jiaxing.
Along the way, they went stop-start, asking for directions while driving.
The less than 80-kilometer journey took over two hours.
When they saw a grand canal along the road, they had entered Jiaxing Prefecture.
After the car drove a while, Yue Jinping pointed outside the window and said: “Look there, three towers by the river, so beautiful.”
Fang Wen turned his head to look; by the canal, three nine-story brick pagodas stood tall, their bodies mottled, looking quite old.
He had no memory of anything in Jiaxing and couldn’t explain it to Yue Jinping.
He simply brushed it off: “Yeah, when I was little, I often played inside the towers. So many years have passed, but they still look the same.”
This made Yue Jinping even more interested: “How about we park the car here and go take a look?”
Fang Wen couldn’t refuse and had to park the car.
The two got out, pulled out the key, closed the windows tightly, walked along the river channel, and looked for a way to cross.
There were black-canopied boats on the canal, and one boat family member rowed over.
“Young man, do you want to cross the river? My boat only costs 5 wen.”
Yue Jinping pulled Fang Wen onto the boat and gave the boat family member five wen.
The river channel wasn’t wide, and they reached the other shore in a short time.
Then Yue Jinping excitedly entered the tower door but found no ladder to go up and was inevitably disappointed.
Meanwhile, Fang Wen chatted with the boat family member and figured out the correct way to Jiaxing City.
He also asked about his family’s situation.
“There’s a Fang Family in the city running a rice business; do you know them?”
“How could I not know? Every year my boat delivers grain to their Fang Ji Rice Business to sell. But these past two years, the Fang Family master has stepped down and handed it over to the eldest and second houses to manage together. I heard the business isn’t as good as before.”
Fang Wen knew about this situation.
It was mentioned in the letters exchanged with Fourth Sister; the eldest and second houses had been fighting over the family property, and the master had no choice but to let them.
The second house could contend because their maiden home was strong.
The third house where Fang Wen was from lacked that backing.
This was perhaps another reason why he, the eldest son of the third wife, left home to venture out after middle school graduation.
Thinking of this, Fang Wen felt less anticipation for the homecoming trip and just treated it as a necessary task.
The car hit the road again. With the route in mind, Fang Wen pretended to recall childhood memories, no longer asking for directions along the way, and drove straight to Jiaxing City.
This city was built along the river, with various quaint brick buildings featuring strong Jiangnan water town characteristics.
Yet because it was near the sea, it had early contact with the outside world and had more elements blending Chinese and Western styles.
White walls with black tiles, upturned eaves and corners, carved beams and painted rafters, yet also three-story Western-style buildings.
Chinese-style eaves and roofs paired with arched doors and windows and independent balconies.
The car drove slowly on the wide main street without stopping. Fang Wen looked outside, searching for the Fang Ji Rice Business sign.
“Not there yet?” Yue Jinping asked.
“Mm, probably not yet.”
Fang Wen’s palms were sweating, more nervous than flying a plane.
Until a youth walked over and saw him in the pilot seat.
He tentatively asked: “Young Master Fang?”
The car stopped, and Fang Wen leaned out to ask: “I’m Fang Wen. Who are you?”
The young man said delightedly: “Young Master, I’m Shunzi. Son of the accountant’s family. We studied together in private school when we were little.”
His words drew the attention of people in the shops on both sides of the street.
Immediately, there was chatter.
“It’s really Third Young Master Fang! Wasn’t he flying planes in Shanghai fighting Japanese?”
“Maybe the war is over, and he’s home to recuperate.”
“Then go report to the Fang Family.”
“And the county yamen—no, the County Government—must notify them too. Say the air hero from the newspaper is back.”
In an instant, the street bustled. A large crowd surrounded the car and slowly moved forward.
