Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 147, Section 146: The Selection of Ports and Airports in the Indochina Peninsula, A Belated Wedding
The debriefing meeting following the bombing of Mount Tai by the Taishan Volunteer Army has concluded.

The main purpose was to inform the members about the impact of the bombing and to remind the members of the volunteer organization to keep it a secret.

Regarding the procurement of raw materials for the bomb factory, Fang Wen ultimately decided to abandon the idea of ​​purchasing them centrally from Shanghai.

Although the area is well-stocked with supplies, the presence of intelligence agents from various countries and numerous gangs makes it easy for large-scale procurement of supplies to arouse suspicion.

Therefore, Fang Wen had already decided to open up new supply channels in South Asia.

As night fell, the couple slept in the same bed. Fang Wen whispered, "Mingzhu, I'll go with you to your parents' home tomorrow. We'll discuss it with your father and make sure to observe proper etiquette. That way, outsiders won't gossip behind our backs."

Kuang Mingzhu didn't show it outwardly, but she was overjoyed inside.

"Okay. Can we leave tomorrow at noon? I need to get ready."

"Okay, I'll prepare it with you."

Fang Wen and Kuang Mingzhu have been married for more than half a year.

I haven't been back since I came to Shanghai from Guangzhou.

During this period, Fang Wen went to Europe, and she had to take charge of the company's operations.

Later, Fang Wen returned and was busy with the Xiangxi Airport, bomb factory, various procurements, training, and secret bombing preparations.

There was simply no time.

Now that she finally has some free time, even if it's just for a day or two, Kwong Ming-chu is very happy.

Even though she hasn't bought anything lately, she's already picked out the gifts she'll bring back to her parents' home.

She spent the morning with Chuncao and Qiuju visiting department stores and specialty shops in the city.

Three women couldn't carry that much stuff, and since it was inconvenient for Fang Wen to go into the city himself, he asked Shunzi and Pan Jiafeng, who hadn't returned yet, to help him.

After a busy morning, the group finally returned.

The company shuttle, which was temporarily requisitioned, was loaded with goods.

Pan Jiafeng and Shunzi carried the goods into the airport and loaded them onto a Boeing 247 that was undergoing maintenance.

Fang Wen also went over to carry things.

There was a lot of stuff, and it took several trips to move it all.

Afterwards, Fang Wen, Kuang Mingzhu, Chuncao, and Qiuju boarded the plane and began their journey back to their mother's hometown in Guangzhou.

As the plane took off, Kuang Mingzhu walked to the cockpit and asked somewhat awkwardly, "You don't think I'm wasting money, do you?"

"How could that be? Of course, a wife should be respectable when she goes back to her parents' home. You're overthinking it," Fang Wen replied. Even in the future, a wife going back to her parents' home will still be the same; it's tradition.

However, he wasn't very familiar with Guangzhou customs, so to avoid making a fool of himself, he asked around.

"What should we do after we arrive in Guangzhou? We shouldn't be lacking in courtesy."

Kuang Mingzhu said blankly, "When we got married, we didn't do anything special, and my father didn't mention any of those customs."

"Alright, I'll talk to my father-in-law in Guangzhou and we'll hold the wedding ceremony."

Fang Wen's words left Kuang Mingzhu at a loss for words.

She was already Fang Wen's wife, so having another wedding seemed a bit inappropriate, but she was looking forward to it. After all, a woman only has one chance to be so glamorous in her life, so who could bear to miss it?

The distance from Shanghai to Guangzhou is 1200 kilometers, which is exactly the maximum range of a Boeing 247.

With Fang Wen's piloting skills, the plane did not stop in Nanchang for refueling and arrived directly at Dashatou Airport in downtown Guangzhou.

After the plane landed, Chuncao left the airport ahead of time to inform the Kuang family.

It didn't take long.

A large group of people from the Kuang family arrived.

There was Mr. Kwong, Kwong Ming-chu's older brother, her mother, and the family's servants and housekeeper.

Mr. Kuang smiled broadly: "Mingzhu has finally come back to see us. She's been gone for more than half a year, and I thought she had forgotten about us."

"Father, what are you saying? Aren't telegrams sent all the time?" As family members, Kuang Mingzhu didn't hold back her words as much as outsiders.

"That's right. At home you're sharp-tongued, but at your husband's home you're a virtuous wife."

The eldest brother, Mr. Kuang, joked that his surname was Kuang and his given name was Mr. Fang. Fang Wen had always thought it was a respectful title, but it turned out that was just his name.

After teasing his sister, Mr. Kuang then went to greet Fang Wen. After all, he was the eldest son in his sister's family, so entertaining his brother-in-law was a must.

"Fang Wen, how long are you staying this time?"

"It's hard to say, it depends on the situation in the north." Fang Wen's words had a double meaning; "north" could refer to Shanghai or the area beyond the Great Wall. If there was any situation on the Great Wall side, he would return immediately.

“It would be better if we could stay a little longer. Mom and Dad miss Mingzhu very much. Let’s go home and talk.” Mr. Kuang took the lead, picked up a piece of luggage, and then the Kuang family carried the things that Kuang Mingzhu had brought from the plane out of the airport and put them on a truck to be transported away.

After a flurry of activity and the unloading of goods, Fang Wen gave some instructions to the airport management staff, parked the Boeing 247 in the hangar, and left with the Kuang family.

Upon arriving at the Kwong family home, Kwong Ming-chu became even more lively, chatting with relatives and friends about various interesting things that happened during her life in Shanghai.

Fang Wen, on the other hand, chatted with Mr. Kuang in Mr. Kuang's study.

Each person received a cup of tea and a plate of pastries.

"In just over two years, Taishan Airlines has managed to cover all of China, which is truly remarkable. Fang Wen, what are your next steps?" Mr. Kuang asked.

"We are developing international routes and preparing to open flights from South Asia to the Mediterranean and then to Europe," Fang Wen replied.

"That's several thousand kilometers away, you really have a big appetite!" Mr. Kuang exclaimed in surprise.

"Let's take it one step at a time. By the way, father-in-law, how's your quinine coming along?"

"Things are a bit chaotic over there right now, so even though we've bought the goods, we can't get them back yet," Mr. Kuang replied.

"Indonesia is in chaos? Is it because of the Japanese?" Fang Wen asked in surprise.

Mr. Shao explained, "It's not the Japanese; there's a revolution going on in Indonesia right now, and the Dutch colonial government is arresting members of the Indonesian Communist Party everywhere. Recently, a warship called the 'Seven Provinces' also mutinied, but it was suppressed."

Mr. Kuang glared at his son: "I told you not to get involved in these things, but you wouldn't listen. We are businessmen."

Mr. Kuang disagreed: "At present, the flames of revolution are burning all over the world. Although I am not a revolutionary, I agree with their views."

Fang Wen was surprised that his brother-in-law would have such awareness.

But this is also a true reflection of this era. Many young people with an international perspective have a friendly attitude towards the Comintern, and some have even joined it.

Fang Wen couldn't help but recall the Spanish Civil War that broke out two years later, and the two most famous events of that war.

One is the Internationale, a song that has been sung by the public for nearly a century.

One is an international brigade involving progressive young people from around the world.

In this era, so many exciting things are about to happen.

Fang Wen shook off his thoughts and continued the conversation.

"Once things calm down, we must buy a lot of quinine. Don't worry about not having a market; I can guarantee it."

Mr. Kuang shook his head: "I don't need you to cover the cost. I can see that the Japanese want to settle in the Central Plains. We Chinese will not allow the barbarians of the East to swallow us up. I will donate these medicines to places in need. It is my small contribution to the country as a businessman."

Moved by his father-in-law's actions, Fang Wen stood up and bowed solemnly: "On behalf of those who need quinine to treat malaria during the war, I salute you. Your kindness will save many lives. I am donating 5 silver dollars in the name of Taishan Airlines to purchase quinine. I also have a suggestion: this medicine should be given to those who need it. Could you establish a charitable foundation specifically for managing the donation?"

"What charitable foundation?" Mr. Kuang asked.

"It's a charity hall, but it's a bit different from other charity halls. It needs to be managed by dedicated personnel, and the distribution of donated materials and finances are made public so that the public can supervise it," Fang Wen explained.

Mr. Kuang, the brother-in-law, nodded repeatedly in agreement: "Yes, yes, I agree with this. It's open and fair, so there's no room for deception, and the medicine can truly be used to treat illnesses, rather than for profit."

Fang Wen added, "Father-in-law, if you do this, you will be a living Buddha to all families and have a good reputation that will be passed down through history."

His words made Mr. Kuang feel proud. In this life, besides pursuing personal gain, one should also do something meaningful.

This son-in-law is really good; Kwong Ming-chu has found a good husband.

The matter of quinine was settled. The Kwong family decided to find business partners willing to do this and jointly establish a charitable foundation to carry out good deeds.

Fang Wen then explained the purpose of his visit.

"Father-in-law, I'd like to find a deep-water port in the Indochina Peninsula. Do you have any good suggestions?" "What do you need a deep-water port for?"

“Establishing an air transit airport would facilitate the air transport of scarce strategic materials to the country, thus avoiding the blockade by the Japanese Navy,” Fang Wen replied.

Mr. Kuang nodded. "Son, bring me the map."

Mr. Kuang lifted a large roll of old maps off the bookshelf.

After unfolding the document, Mr. Kwong explained, “Our Kwong family has always wanted to establish a foothold in Siam, and operating a port has always been something we’ve wanted to do. Later, Siam became the Kingdom of Thailand, and that plan was shelved. Now I can tell you about it.”

He pointed to the map and explained it.

"This is the Indochina Peninsula, which extends outwards and separates the sea routes from the Southeast Asian archipelago. To obtain industrial materials from Europe and gasoline from the Middle East, you have to pass through this narrow waterway, the Strait of Malacca. If the Japanese want to expand their influence in Asia in the future, they will definitely control this area. Therefore, you can only look for ports on the western side of the Indochina Peninsula. But there are only three suitable ports there: Yangon Port, Mawlamyine Port, and Mergui Port."

Looking at the three ports marked by Mr. Kuang, Fang Wen couldn't help but ask, "Which one is better?"

Mr. Kuang analyzed, “There are many overseas Chinese in Yangon who can help. If you build an airport for flights to and from China, you will gain more customers. Although Mawlamyine and Dawei have good port conditions, there are far fewer Chinese people there. I suggest you build the airport in Yangon.”

Fang Wen was not familiar with the situation there, so he chatted with his father-in-law again.

Yangon is the capital of Myanmar, but it is still under British control.

These days, many places in South Asia and Southeast Asia are still colonies.

If you want to develop there, you need to negotiate with the British government.

Strictly speaking, it involved negotiations with the British colonial authorities in Calcutta.

Fang Wen did not make a decision immediately.

Take out a pen and ruler to make the measurements.

Surprisingly, it was discovered that the straight-line distance from Xiangxi Airport to Yangon is approximately 1900 kilometers. This means that once the French D.332 aircraft is operational, it will be able to fly directly to Yangon.

He had drawn up a flight path in his mind.

Xiangxi Airport – Yangon: It receives gasoline and chemicals from maritime trade and transports them directly back to Xiangxi.

This was done in secret.

On the surface, it is possible to establish an international flight route connecting Yangon, Kolkata, Delhi (or direct flights to Karachi), Tehran, and Istanbul, forming an Asia-Europe route.

Moreover, as my father-in-law said, there are many Chinese people there, making things much easier than in Calcutta.

Therefore, Fang Wen made a decision.

"Father-in-law, I'm planning to send someone to Yangon to discuss airport construction and flight routes with the locals. Could you arrange for someone to help contact the local Chinese community?"

“No problem. There’s a gold shop owned by the Kuang family there. You can send someone over, and I’ll have the manager in Yangon cooperate.” Mr. Kuang readily agreed.

The airport issue in the Indochina Peninsula was resolved so easily; having a father-in-law with connections and resources in the area is truly convenient.

Just then, Kuang Mingzhu knocked on the door from outside: "Dad, brother, husband, dinner's ready."

This was the first time Kuang Mingzhu had used the term "husband," which surprised Fang Wen.

But this made Mr. Kuang and his brother-in-law beam with joy.

It seems that using more intimate terms of address makes the bride's family happier, indicating that the couple's relationship is good after marriage.

Fang Wen was torn between replying with "Wife."

But on the Kwong family's home turf, they ultimately couldn't bring themselves to say it.

The others didn't pay any attention to this and went out of the study to eat together.

The Kwong family banquet was held in the main house. Perhaps because they often do business overseas, they are not so particular about tradition, and the whole family sat at one large table to eat.

Father and Mother are in their upright positions.

On the father's side was Mr. Kwong and Fang Wen, and on the mother's side was Kwong Ming-chu.

This makes it convenient to drink alcohol.

After the servant poured the wine, Fang Wen took the initiative to offer a toast.

"Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, I felt guilty for not observing proper etiquette when I married Mingzhu. I've come this time to make amends and give her a grand and proper wedding. What do you think?"

Mrs. Kuang was overjoyed and didn't know what to say. She then looked at her husband, who was in a daze, and tugged at her clothes.

Once he realized what was going on, Mr. Kuang nodded in satisfaction: "This is something we should have. It's good that you considered this; it's no wonder my Mingzhu has been so devoted to you. Here's what we'll do: I'll make the arrangements. As for your family, I think you should contact them as well, so that our parents can discuss things properly."

Fang Wen drank the wine in his cup and asked, "Father-in-law is right. I have already informed them. It all depends on your attitude. Now that both sides have agreed to proceed, what is the proper procedure?"

"You don't need to worry about that. Call your father over, and we, the elders of both families, will talk."

“Okay, I’ll fly back this afternoon and bring them over.”

Fang Wen only drank one glass of wine. After finishing his meal and resting for a while, he piloted the plane back to Shanghai.

In Shanghai, the Fang family had already arrived and were waiting for news.

As soon as Fang Wen got off the plane, he asked about what was happening there.

"I'll say it on the plane: I need to get back to Guangzhou before dark. Everyone, get on the plane."

Fang Wen called his family to board the plane, waited for the fuel to be filled, and made sure the piston engine was not overheating before taking off again.

The plane returned to Guangzhou, and the two families finally met.

After exchanging pleasantries, Mr. Kuang and Mr. Fang began to discuss etiquette.

Even though we're married now, we still need to make up for any missed courtesies.

The six rites of betrothal, asking the name, accepting auspicious gifts, presenting betrothal gifts, setting the wedding date, and the wedding ceremony must be performed in full.

Therefore, Fang Wen and his family could not live in the Kuang family's house, but had to move out and find another place to live.

Then the matchmaker hired by the Fang family went to the woman's family to propose marriage. After the woman's family agreed to discuss the marriage, the man's family prepared gifts and went to propose.

The Kuang family accepted the gifts, indicating their agreement to the marriage.

This is called betrothal.

Then came the questioning of the name and the acknowledgment of the auspiciousness of the prince.

The matchmaker takes the names and birth dates of both the man and woman to a divination hall; a favorable omen indicates that heaven blesses the marriage.

At first, both sides were worried about potential problems with this.

The Taoist priest they consulted predicted an auspicious match.

Only Fang Wen and his brother-in-law knew that in order to succeed, they had given the Taoist priest a generous red envelope beforehand.

Then came the payment of taxes.

Also known as betrothal gifts, this refers to the groom's family giving betrothal gifts to the bride's family, marking the formal establishment of the marriage agreement.

Accepting the betrothal gifts signifies that the marriage is confirmed.

Then it's time for payment.

The groom's family chooses a wedding date, prepares gifts, informs the bride's family, and seeks their consent.

Finally, the groom personally greets the bride.

One or two days before the wedding, the bride's family sends her dowry and prepares the bed. The next day, the groom personally goes to the bride's home to fetch her.

These six rites must be performed in their entirety.

The whole of Guangzhou knew that the Kuang family was marrying off their daughter.

Wearing a red wedding dress and a red veil, Kuang Mingzhu sat in a bridal sedan chair, passing through streets and alleys to the airport, where she boarded a special wedding plane and flew back to Shanghai.

Then, a grand wedding banquet was held in Jiaxing, which satisfied the regrets of both sets of parents.

This busy period lasted for three days.

There has also been new progress with Sun Debiao in the north.

(End of this chapter)