Chapter 46: 46, The Young Marshal’s Ride, Airplane Acquired
Back at the dormitory building, Fang Wen arranged a single room for each of the two.
After settling in, Fang Wen introduced: “These are the ones my family brought, Fang Shouxin, Fang Shun. By the way, Shunzi, go to the canteen and get some food, and wine too. Shopkeeper Liu’s legs and feet are inconvenient, so we’ll eat in the room.”
“Got it.” Shunzi quickly ran downstairs.
“That kid is careless, I’ll go check.” Fang Shouxin followed him out.
“Are they father and son?” Shopkeeper Liu said with a smile.
“Yes, I had no help by my side, so my father gave me his capable subordinate who works for him.”
Fang Wen and Shopkeeper Liu chatted, and before long, the Fang family father and son came over carrying two food boxes.
Lifting the lid, the food inside was still steaming hot. They put the two tables together and placed everything on the table one by one.
Pouring the wine, the three toasted like old friends.
After three rounds of drinks, the conversation naturally flowed more freely.
Sun Debiao was indignant.
“The patriarchs are not acting honorably. Old Liu still has a hole in his foot, he can’t walk properly, and there are Japanese soldiers guarding outside, yet they made him come over. Don’t they have anyone capable among their families? They’re just bullying Shopkeeper Liu as an outsider.”
Shopkeeper Liu said nothing.
Fang Wen sensed a hint of emotion, but these weren’t matters for him to meddle in, so he quickly changed the topic.
“So you found the Axe Gang to get you out of the city?”
Shopkeeper Liu replied: “Yes. The Axe Gang originally quoted a high price, but when they heard it was you, their gang leader came out and sent us out of the city for free. By the way, we brought the silver dollars you wanted. Sun Debiao, take them out for Commissioner Fang.”
Immediately, Sun Debiao and the accompanying employee stood up and took off their jackets.
Those jackets felt heavy in their hands; the silver dollars were actually hidden inside.
Tearing open the seams, a pile of silver dollars rolled onto the bed.
Fang Wen looked at Fang Shouxin.
“Uncle Fang, you and Shunzi count them together and write a deed.”
The 3000 silver dollars were quickly counted. Fang Shouxin handed the written deed to Fang Wen, and Fang Wen took out his pen, dipped it in ink, and wrote his name.
Then he used ink paste to press his handprint, completing the loan.
At this point, Shopkeeper Liu asked: “Commissioner Fang, what are you borrowing so much money for?”
“Not much, to buy an airplane. Cheap, right?”
“Three thousand silver dollars for an airplane, that’s really cheap.” Shopkeeper Liu was surprised; in his eyes, an airplane wasn’t something a few thousand silver dollars could get. Even Sun Debiao was stunned.
Fang Wen wouldn’t explain the reasons behind this business deal and shifted the topic.
“You two didn’t come just to deliver the money to me, did you?”
“No, the patriarchs are optimistic about the private airline company you mentioned, but they can’t make up their minds. They want me to come and learn the details to report back to them.” Shopkeeper Sun replied honestly.
“Once the airplane is bought, I’ll take you to finalize the approval document.” Fang Wen promised.
The next day, Fang Wen got up early and went to the airport control tower.
The people on duty there said there was indeed an airplane coming from the north today, probably arriving around noon.
Before noon arrived, a convoy drove into the airport.
Five black sedans and two military trucks.
People got out of the sedans; some ordered the soldiers on the military trucks to disembark and form a square formation, while others adjusted the lenses on their Leica cameras.
This setup looked like welcoming a big shot.
Fang Wen, Shopkeeper Liu, and the others were also prohibited from being in the dormitory and not allowed to approach the airport runway.
Fortunately, there was open ground in front of the dormitory, from where they could see the runway situation, so they watched from inside the room.
Two hours later, an airplane descended from the sky.
Fang Wen, growing more familiar with airplanes, had already estimated the general situation of this one.
About 20 meters fuselage, clearly a transport aircraft or passenger aircraft.
Narrow and slender fuselage, with wider wings, more suitable for carrying passengers.
This type of airplane required higher stability and safety, so it wouldn’t be fast.
But the range should be farther.
Howard was also prohibited from going out and was right beside him. He asked: “What airplane is this?”
“Ford Tri-Motor. A three-engine airplane produced by Ford Company.” Howard replied.
Ford doesn’t produce cars? Fang Wen was surprised.
As the airplane landed, a young man in an overcoat stepped off, and Shopkeeper Liu and Sun Debiao exclaimed in surprise.
“It’s the Young Marshal.”
The term Young Marshal was specialized vocabulary in the Northeast at this time, used only for one person.
Fang Wen looked at Shopkeeper Liu and Sun Debiao; these two at this moment could represent all Northeast people who had lost their homes. They showed complex emotions.
Resentment toward the non-resistance policy that led to the fall of the Northeast, yet also hope placed in him, expecting that one day the hundreds of thousands of Northeast Army could march north and take it back.
Fang Wen sighed inwardly; this hope was impossible. That Young Marshal never returned to the Northeast in his lifetime. Countless Northeast Army soldiers went to various battlefields, many dying without returning to their homeland.
Right, the deal with the Northeast Army was also said to be today. Could it be that Young Marshal?
Of course, this idea was impossible.
Under the welcome of Nanjing officials, the Young Marshal got into a car and left.
Then, an officer walked out of the airplane and inquired around the airport.
He came to the dormitory and went straight to Fang Wen.
“Are you the one buying our airplane?”
“It should be said to be a scrapped airplane.” Fang Wen emphasized.
The officer was noncommittal: “Take me to see it.”
Immediately, he followed Fang Wen to the corner where the Potez 25 was parked.
He was clearly very familiar with the Potez 25 and directly climbed aboard to start the engine.
The engine roared for a bit, then stalled. After several tries, it wouldn’t start again.
The officer got off the airplane and sighed: “It’s scrapped. Our parts are all left in the Northeast; this can’t be repaired.”
Yet he said nothing about the transaction.
Fang Shouxin spoke up: “Young Master, as per your instructions, a table has been booked at Cuizhu Residence.”
Fang Wen hadn’t instructed Fang Shouxin to do this, but he understood his intention; nothing was better than sealing a deal over drinks.
Fang Wen also said: “Yes, I’ve already sent someone to fetch the silver dollars. We’ll talk over a meal.”
The officer nodded in agreement, got into Fang Wen’s car, and they drove out of the airport.
At Cuizhu Residence near the airport, the dishes were served, and after three rounds of drinks, the officer got tipsy and put his arm around Fang Wen’s shoulder, calling him brother.
“Brother Fang, let me tell you, my brother’s days are tough. The Northeast Army had over 360 large and small, old and new airplanes, and over 200 pilots, but after September 18th Incident, only 20 escaped into the pass. The rest became spoils of war for the Japanese. We’re now like homeless wild dogs, having to watch others’ faces wherever we go. It’s really frustrating.”
Shunzi, standing at the door, muttered softly: “Who can you blame? Your own sins, and still.”
His mouth was tightly covered by his father, who pulled him out of the room.
Fang Wen patted the officer’s shoulder: “It’ll get better. Don’t we still have so many troops? March north and take it back.”
“We can’t go back. This time the Young Marshal came to Nanjing because.”
The officer suddenly stopped, realizing he had said too much, and said no more.
After the meal, he took out the already prepared receipt, which had the Northeast Army’s military seal and the signature stamp of the military supplies office.
“You give 3000 silver dollars, I’ll give you the receipt, and we’re square on money and goods.”
After confirming the receipt, Fang Wen gave Fang Shouxin a look. The 3000 silver dollars were paid, completing the transaction.
