Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 221, Section 220: The plan is taking shape; the chieftain's gathering; seaplane return to Shanghai.

Fang Wen was having an internal meeting with four members of the special operations team stationed in Xishuangbanna.

“I will keep my promise this time. You have proven your abilities, and I will make arrangements for you.”

After a pause, Fang Wen continued, "The domestic company has run into some minor issues, so it's not convenient to arrange for you to go there for the time being. I'd like to ask who would like to go to Taishan Airlines' overseas branch? They're also short-staffed there."

Li Tiezhu responded, "I want to go."

Fang Wen nodded: "Come back to Shanghai with me, and I'll reassign your job."

Li Tiezhu stood up excitedly and bowed to thank the general manager.

After waving for him to sit down, Fang Wen continued, "You have two choices: stay here and continue working, or rejoin the team and continue in the special operations team. Choosing the former will make you the manager of the penicillin factory, a position with great responsibility. Choosing the latter will result in a higher rank and benefits, and further arrangements will be made later."

Wu Yingzong stood up: "General Manager, I choose to rejoin the team."

Upon seeing Wu Yingzong return to the team, Zhao Wanping also stood up: "General Manager, I also choose to return to the team."

Fang Wen nodded, gesturing for the two to sit down, and looked at Liu Jinrui.

"Can you be the factory manager of the penicillin factory?"

Liu Jinrui was very excited: "General Manager, I joined the action team to give the Liu family a good background. The penicillin factory is of great importance and has a bright future. I will definitely do my best. Thank you for your guidance, General Manager."

Fang Wen nodded. "The penicillin factory will begin mass production from now on. I or someone I appoint will come to pick up the goods once a month. But starting today, we can no longer send the drugs out for testing, and we must not let anyone outside know what we are producing. We need to maintain as much secrecy as possible. Is that alright?"

This request put Liu Jinrui in a difficult position.

He hesitated for a moment, but still agreed: "Yes, General Manager, I can do it. But I can't do it alone. Please give me the authority to recruit workers. I need to recruit a group of trustworthy people to manage the factory."

"Who are you planning to recruit?" Fang Wen asked in surprise.

"There are only five of us from Liujiazhai. They will become the factory protection team, specifically responsible for keeping the factory a secret. In addition, I also want to move the factory to a remote area to minimize contact with people."

Liu Jinchang's frankness is not without reason; nothing in this world is easier to trust than one's own family.

Fang Wen wanted to see how things would turn out.

He has the most complete information on the penicillin production process, and since he takes all the monthly output himself, he doesn't need to worry about any problems.

But if Liu Jinrui betrays him, he is not a good guy either.

Fang Wen lightly tapped the table, looked at Liu Jinrui's open and honest face, and nodded: "Okay, you are now the director of the penicillin factory. Wu Yingzong, hand over the work to Liu Jinrui tonight."

During these three months, Wu Yingzong was in charge of the penicillin factory. Now that Liu Jinrui has become the new factory manager, a handover is naturally necessary.

The two then left to hurry up and complete the handover.

The remaining Zhao Wanping and Li Tiezhu followed Fang Wen and Kuang Mingzhu to the Zheng residence.

Before they even reached the gate, Zheng Hanlong and his men warmly greeted them.

As the group entered the Zheng residence, Zheng Hanlong kept talking: "I told my father that this can be done, and he will talk to you about it in a while."

As they talked, they arrived at the backyard of the Zheng residence, where there was surprisingly a private Buddhist pagoda.

Zheng Hanlong clasped his hands together, bowed in worship, and then walked around.

Fang Wen and Kuang Mingzhu looked at each other and followed suit.

After rising from her worship, Kuang Mingzhu asked, "Could there be a real Bodhisattva among them?"

"Maybe not," Fang Wen replied, his reasoning being simple: his mechanical perception ability had not received any feedback from the mysterious energy.

The lack of energy feedback likely indicates a lack of accumulated faith; without accumulated faith, where would a Bodhisattva come from?

The group continued on their way and arrived at the wooden building in the backyard, where they went upstairs.

Several small tables were scattered around, not very high, with the host sitting on the floor directly in front of him.

Upon seeing Fang Wen and his group enter, the host stood up, and Fang Wen took the opportunity to observe them.

This is the Tusi King of Yunnan. There used to be a Tusi King in western Hunan, but he disappeared later, and Fang Wen never had the chance to see him.

I saw it in Jinghong now.

But they are from different ethnic groups.

Compared to ordinary Dai people, this Dai chieftain's clothing is richer and more vibrant in color, with the use of bright colors such as red, yellow, blue, and green highlighting his nobility and magnificence.

The clothing is embroidered with various exquisite patterns, such as peacocks, lotus flowers, and elephants. These patterns are not only beautiful but also rich in auspicious and happy Buddhist connotations, while also showcasing the noble status of the Dai chieftains.

At this moment, Zheng Hanlong whispered in Fang Wen's ear, "Call me Father Zheng, he likes this kind of thing."

Fang Wen took the initiative to clasp his hands in greeting: "Lord Zheng, I am Fang Wen from Taishan Aviation, and I have come to pay my respects."

The face was given by others, and Fang Wen gave it very generously, making the former chieftain very happy.

He came over and lifted Fang Wen's arms: "You are about the same age as my son, so I will take the liberty of calling you my nephew. There is no need for such formalities."

He looked at Kuang Mingzhu standing next to Fang Wen, "And who is this?"

“My wife. We were originally traveling around the country together,” Fang Wen replied.

Mr. Zheng, who initially had some reservations about women sitting in the same place, didn't say anything because Fang Wen was very accommodating.

Afterwards, Fang Wen and Kuang Mingzhu took their seats, while Zhao Wanping and Li Tiezhu waited outside. The banquet then began.

The rule here is: do whatever you want.

Drink when you want, talk when you want.

There are no formalities like toasting or giving toasts.

After a couple of drinks, Mr. Zheng asked, "Was it really that person who spearheaded the seaplane project?"

Fang Wen shook his head: "I haven't met that person. Even if I did, I can't say. You know the rules. They can't directly get these benefits. Someone else does it for them."

Master Zheng nodded: "I'll take that as my opinion. What are you planning to do?"

Fang Wen explained his plan.

"In terms of funding, Taishan Airlines is very well-funded, thanks to that person who loosened the loan restrictions. According to the plan, we will set up seaplane take-off and landing stations on major waterways across the country, one station per city on each waterway, from upstream to downstream. Seaplanes can travel at a speed of 290 kilometers per hour, and their flight path is shorter than that of air or land travel. Those who want to travel quickly will naturally choose seaplanes."

Old Master Zheng didn't know much about speed, so he looked at Zheng Hanlong and asked, "Son, do you know how much faster a seaplane is than a ship?"

Zheng Hanlong was a playful person, but he was quite knowledgeable about watercraft: "Dad, I really know this. A few years ago, Minsheng Shipping Company operated steamships on the Lancang River. A steamship travels less than 15 kilometers per hour. That's about 20 times faster."

"Twenty times? It takes me a whole day to get here by boat, and you only need an hour?" Master Zheng exclaimed in surprise.

He expressed disbelief.

“If it’s really that fast, the Zheng family will invest. General Manager Fang, let’s make a bet. You fly me to see some old friends. It’s only about 300 miles. If you can get there in an hour, I’ll do your seaplane job.”

The former chieftain said that one hour was two hours. He couldn't distinguish between li and kilometer. The 300-li journey was a piece of cake for the Yunhe, which could be completed in half an hour. Fang Wen didn't mind taking the chieftain's family on a temporary trip.

He replied, “I must first explain that this is a seaplane, which can only land on flat riverbeds. If there is no water, I cannot land. In addition, the plane can only carry four people, so you cannot bring too many guards with you.”

Hearing this, Master Zheng did not hesitate at all: "There must be a river channel. Don't worry, I will take Zheng Hanlong there this time. There are many familiar elders there, but my Zheng Hanlong has never met them before. I dare to let him meet them."

After saying that, he got up, took his son's hand, and prepared to leave immediately.

Fang Wen and his wife spoke in hushed tones: "Don't go this time."

“No, we agreed to go together, I want to go with you.” Kuang Mingzhu disagreed.

“It’s not that I’m worried about your safety. These two are visiting their drinking buddies, and they’re all men. It wouldn’t be convenient for you, a woman, to go alone,” Fang Wen explained. So that’s what her husband was thinking. Kuang Mingzhu agreed.

Subsequently, Li Tiezhu accompanied the plane as a bodyguard, and the Zheng family father and son also brought a bodyguard. The four of them boarded the plane on the banks of the Lancang River.

After saying goodbye to his wife, Fang Wen got into the driver's seat and asked, "Where to?"

"Where to? Didn't I say?" Old Master Zheng scratched his head, took out a map, pressed his fingerprint on a spot with ink, and handed it to Fang Wen. "Right here, where my finger is pointing."

It was an old-fashioned map, but the exact location was still recognizable, and Fang Wen recognized it at a glance.

That was within British Burma's control.

This area should be called Shan State in the future.

The plane then took off. During the flight, Mr. Zheng, who had never flown before, looked down curiously and occasionally mentioned places he had experienced in his youth.

From his words, it can be inferred that he had ventured abroad before becoming a chieftain.

In the Shan State, he met another descendant of a chieftain, and the two became friends. After they both became chieftains, they often visited each other.

Until a few years ago, with the abolition of the Tusi system and the replacement of the Tusi with appointed officials, Master Zheng was no longer a Tusi king but a appointed official. Because of the issue of face, they stopped contacting each other.

If it weren't for Fang Wen's incredibly fast plane, he probably would never have come here to catch up with his old friends.

As he spoke, the 300-mile distance was quickly covered, and Fang Wen hovered over his destination.

"We're here. Where's the river you mentioned?"

"We're almost there." Master Zheng looked down in surprise, as if he had seen it before. After scanning the area, he pointed ahead. "Look there, isn't there a river?"

Fang Wen looked over and indeed there was a small river, but it was so small that he hadn't paid much attention to it.

This river channel is only 20 meters wide, but fortunately there are no trees on either side, so it's not impossible to land.

He adjusted the nose of the boat, gradually lowered it, and landed steadily on the water.

The plane then flew to the shore, and Li Tiezhu and Zheng's bodyguards jumped off the plane and secured themselves to a large rock on the shore with ropes.

Only then did the Zheng father and son disembark.

At this point, some locals curiously gathered around.

Master Zheng raised his voice and spoke in the Dai language, and someone immediately reported it.

They were then welcomed to the residence of the local chieftain.

Following the common path, Fang Wen also got a glimpse of the customs and features of the chieftains in British Burma.

The Tusi king here still retains the traditional style, with personal guards and civil officials (or stewards). As a visitor who is also a Tusi king, he puts on the most representative armor of his status, a suit of armor with yellow markings.

Yellow was reserved for royalty in ancient times, and the chieftain here also used it.

He drank and chatted with his old friends in a local dialect that was difficult to understand.

After paying his respects to his uncle, Zheng Hanlong whispered a translation to Fang Wen.

“He said that his father should not have changed the system of local chieftains and replaced them with centrally appointed officials, because there would be no way back.”

“My father said that the British are also pressing us harder and harder, and things won’t be easy here either.”

"He also said that your plane is good and he wants to buy one."

At this point in the translation, the chieftain stood up and came over to speak directly with Fang Wen.

He can speak Chinese.

"General Manager Fang, your name is already well-known among our kings in British Burma. We plan to register you for this year's Taishan Flying Club."

Fang Wen suddenly realized that the chieftain of British Burma wanted to join the flying club because he wanted to visit the Mandalay Palace.

These chieftains were his subjects during the Konbaung Dynasty, and each time they visited, they witnessed the grandeur of his palace.

Later, the Konbaung Dynasty was destroyed by the British, and the royal palace fell into British hands. Even if they wanted to see it, they had no way to do so.

Last year, Fang Wen set up a flying club and actually rented the Mandalay Royal Palace.

Although it is only open for three months each year, these local kings are eager to experience the life of the former kings of the Konbaung Dynasty in the palace.

This was tantamount to giving Fang Wen money and connections, which Fang Wen was naturally more than happy to accept.

He readily agreed.

Having figured out the situation, the Zheng father and son also want to join the flying club.

Fang Wen suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

Flying club, seaplane program, and more to come.

They all seem to be connected, creating more complex changes that are more beneficial to themselves.

He couldn't help but wonder if he should change the plan and connect everything together.

(A group photo of chieftains from northern Burma during the British Burmese period, attending the coronation ceremony of the British King as Emperor of India; some are dressed as civil and military officials from the Ming and Qing dynasties.)
After their trip to Xishuangbanna, Fang Wen, along with his wife Kuang Mingzhu, Wu Yingzong, Zhao Wanping, and Li Tiezhu, prepared to return to Shanghai.

We also brought back a small box containing 2 kilograms of white powder.

This stuff isn't a drug, but it's more precious than drugs.

6: am.

The plane was fully fueled and departed from the Lancang River.

Once the plane was at high altitude, Li Tiezhu couldn't help but ask, "General Manager, how do we get back to Shanghai? How many days will it take?"

“Just one day, we should be able to get to Shanghai this afternoon,” Fang Wen replied.

Li Tiezhu couldn't believe it, and neither could anyone else.

After all, airplanes need to take off, land, and transfer; it's not that easy.

It seemed that even his own employees were unaware of the convenience of seaplanes, so Fang Wen explained as he flew.

"The journey takes us from the Lancang River, lands and transits at Dianchi Lake in Kunming, transits on the Yangtze River in Chongqing and Wuhan, and ends in Shanghai and Jiaxing. The total distance is over 2400 kilometers. Refueling is done by ship, and you'll see in a moment."

The plane then landed on Dianchi Lake in Kunming for its first water refueling.

A ship sailed by, and workers on the ship's side lifted oil drums and manually refueled the ship using oil hoses.

Fang Wen explained, "This is a temporary measure. We will build a fixed refueling facility at the seaplane docking station later, which will be faster and safer."

After refueling, the plane continued its flight, stopping for transit in the Chongqing and Wuhan sections of the Yangtze River, as Fang Wen had described.

The Yangtze River has a rapid current, so refueling cannot be done on the river surface, but must be done after reaching the shore.

Thus, when everyone set off at 6 a.m., they were still in the southwest of China, but more than 8 hours later at 2 p.m., they arrived in Jiaxing, near Shanghai, proving with facts the feasibility of using seaplanes for civilian transportation.

This feasibility still needs to be proven to the National Games.

At the same time, the amazing effects of the penicillin we brought back should also be spread. Only when everyone knows about its effects will its value be realized.

They're also starting to recruit talent for aircraft manufacturing plants.

The title is half-finished again; I'll add it later when I request permission to change the title.

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(End of this chapter)