Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 465, Section 461: The Semiconductor Plant Plan in the Base Area; Kuang Mingzhu is Pregnant.
Fang Wen smiled after hearing Bai Yunfei's words.

In his view, because of the research and development trials that will lead to future history, there will inevitably be more and more, better and better military equipment in the future.

But such an expense would be enormous.

While tobacco revenue appears substantial, it is insufficient to fully fund the large-scale procurement of military aircraft and specialized equipment, leaving a significant funding gap.

Fang Wen didn't mention this, saying he planned to figure it out later.

But now, Bai Yunfei has brought with him the idea of ​​vigorously developing the economy in the base area, which coincides with his own thoughts.

Now, we can talk.

He touched his chin, which he had just shaved and was now covered in stubble, and asked.

What are the current sources of income for the base area?

Bai Yunfei had been traveling around the base areas during this period and was quite familiar with the situation.

He replied, "Currently, the tax system is not yet fully developed, mainly in terms of grain tax and land tax. All counties are encouraging the reclamation of wasteland to expand arable land, and encouraging farmers to increase their draft animals and learn new agricultural techniques."

Fang Wen was surprised to hear Bai Yunfei's words.

Establishing a base behind enemy lines is difficult enough, but they managed to handle domestic affairs as well.

The base area also had many talented people in management.

In addition to encouraging and expanding agriculture, the Jin-Cha-Ji Border Region Bank was established in March of this year. The Border Region Bank issues currency, unifies the currency system in the border region, and carries out credit business.

Loans were provided to the masses to address issues related to livestock, seeds, farm tools, and fertilizer in agricultural production, as well as to ensure the food supply for impoverished farmers. Measures such as adjusting the exchange rate between the border currency and other banknotes were also taken to stabilize prices and revitalize the border region's economy.

Finally, another source of income comes from donations from patriots, enlightened gentry, and local people to the base area government's anti-Japanese activities, as well as from the national salvation bonds issued in July of this year, which amount to 300 million border currency.

From these aspects, Fang Wen discerned the situation in the base area.

The base area is currently primarily agricultural, with commerce as a secondary activity, and is mainly in a self-sufficient state.

Such an economic structure is actually quite small in scale.

If the tobacco business succeeds, the profits will be far greater than those in agriculture.

If you want to open up another avenue for wealth besides the tobacco business, how can you do it?

Fang Wen thought of something.

Currently, Taishan is committed to a comprehensive transformation into a military industry, and a large number of engineering and technical personnel from the civilian aircraft manufacturing plant have been transferred to the military factory.

Even so, there is still a severe shortage of technical personnel.

This has resulted in insufficient capacity utilization at semiconductor plants, and so far, no second batch of goods has been produced to be distributed to the market.

Could we transfer the semiconductor factory's production capacity to our base?

is allowed.

Fang Wen already had a plan in mind.

In reality, only one polysilicon manufacturing plant and one component manufacturing plant need to be retained in the south.

The technology of these two factories is very important and cannot be placed in enemy-occupied territory, lest the Japanese steal the technology.

However, production capacity can be transferred to other production stages.

For example: the pressing of the plastic casing for a semiconductor radio, the fabrication of circuit boards, etc.

Thinking of this, he said, "Bai Yunfei, I have a great project that perfectly matches your requirements."

"You already have it?" Bai Yunfei looked at Fang Wen in disbelief. He had originally asked Fang Wen for his economic advice as requested by his superiors, but he didn't expect the other party to give him the answer so readily.

"It's true. Come in and let's talk."

Fang Wen pulled Bai Yunfei back into the house.

Take out a transistor radio.

"This is a semiconductor radio produced by Taishan, sold under the Zhongxing Electric brand. It's currently distributed in Asia and Europe, and sales are booming. As of last week, all the inventory in Europe was sold out. The problem is that we don't have enough workers to produce this right now. We have demand, but we can't supply it. If the base is willing, I can move part of the semiconductor radio production here."

Bai Yunfei picked up the radio and nodded: "This is a good product. If we were to manufacture it, how much profit could we make?"

“We’ll give you a $2 processing fee per machine. We’ll cover the raw materials, equipment, and technical training,” Fang Wen replied.

He said this after doing the math: a semiconductor radio is priced at $25 in Europe and $20 in Asia, and the total cost, including raw material procurement, production, transportation, and sales, is around $15.

The employees at Taishan Semiconductor Factory were paid $2 per unit for each machine they produced, and he did not reduce the amount by any way; he reported it directly to Bai Yunfei.

"Two dollars a unit?!" Bai Yunfei was stunned.

The phrase "technology is wealth" was presented to Bai Yunfei for the first time.

The manufacturing price of $2 per unit is very attractive.

The border currency issued in the Jin-Cha-Ji base area was priced at 1:1 with the legal tender.

Currently, the exchange rate of fiat currency to US dollars has dropped to 1 fiat currency for only 0.15 US dollars.

In other words, producing one semiconductor radio can create wealth worth 13.3 Border Coins.

This is equivalent to several months' income for a farmer.

Then, Bai Yunfei asked how long it would take to produce a semiconductor radio.

Fang Wen replied, "We have very strict quality requirements. One production line can probably produce 200 units a day."

Okay, $400 a day, that's $1.2 a month.

This is just one production line.

That's not all, Fang Wen added, "We expect to supply more stock to the market this year to seize the market share of tube radios, so we need a supply of at least 50 units."

If the base produces according to this supply volume, it can receive $100 million in manufacturing fees.

This number exceeded Bai Yunfei's maximum value, and he asked blankly, "How much is one million US dollars?"

Fang Wen jokingly explained it to him.

"A million US dollars can buy a decent tech company in the US, or 2000 ordinary cars. With that money, you could buy 30 Taishan fighter jets or 50 gunships."

This is an astonishing amount of wealth, and this cooperation will not only last a year; it will continue to generate more foreign exchange for the base area.

With enough foreign exchange, the base could purchase various supplies.

Bai Yunfei stood up: "I need to report this situation immediately. Wait for me to return."

After Bai Yunfei left, he reported the situation via telegram.

This matter eventually reached the Second Bureau in Yan'an.

Last time, Fang Wenhe and his colleagues from the Second Bureau discussed the secrets about the hidden intelligence functions in semiconductor radios.

The Second Bureau has always paid close attention to Taishan's semiconductor radios.

Now that the production line for semiconductor radios is to be located in our base area, we have naturally taken the time to understand the situation.

Upon learning of the potential annual revenue of $100 million, the project was quickly approved.

It was assigned to a specific person to be in charge, and strict measures were taken to prevent the information from leaking to the Japanese.

Therefore, Fang Wen stayed in Fuping for two more days to discuss the transfer of semiconductor plant production capacity with comrades from Yan'an.

Subsequently, he piloted his plane, leading a group of trainees selected from the Jin-Cha-Ji base area to Yangon via the Yunnan-Guizhou-Sichuan route.

Mid-September 1938.

A seaplane carrying trainees landed at Yangon's seaplane airport. After the plane docked, Gong Xiuneng opened the cabin door, while Zhao Junping organized the trainees to disembark.

Fang Wencai got off the plane after the twenty trainees had disembarked.

He looked at the trainees who had spontaneously lined up in two rows and was very satisfied with their discipline.

He then said, "You are the first batch of trainees to arrive in Yangon. There will be four more batches, a total of 100 people, including three training classes: pilots, ground crew, and mechanics. I will take you to your accommodations now, and you will all enroll together once the other trainees have arrived."

After speaking, Fang Wen led the 20 people onto the airport shuttle bus and headed to the dormitory of the seaplane training center at the aircraft manufacturing plant in the Yangon Industrial Park.

After settling everyone in, Fang Wen drove back to the company headquarters.

Upon returning to headquarters, he went straight to his wife's office.

Kuang Mingzhu was not there.

Fang Wen was surprised. Where was his wife?

He searched the entire floor.

This floor is the private office area for the general manager and deputy general manager. His own office door was tightly closed, and no one was at his wife's side either; neither Chuncao nor Qiuju were there.

Every time Fang Wen returned home, the first person he would see was his wife. This time, he didn't see her, and he felt empty inside.

Did something happen?
With a sudden surge of anxiety, Fang Wen immediately headed to his top-floor residence.

As soon as he entered the room, his keen hearing allowed him to hear a sound of vomiting.

Fang Wen walked over quickly and saw his wife looking weak in the bedroom.

There was also a basin full of vomit on the ground.

Kuang Mingzhu, unaware of Fang Wen's arrival, took the water glass handed to her by Chuncao, took a sip, and then vomited.

Qiuju asked worriedly, "Miss, is something wrong with your health? Should we go see a doctor again?"

Aunt Wu said, "It's nothing, it's just morning sickness, it'll get better in a while."

Morning sickness?

Fang Wen understands this word.

He walked into the bedroom with a surprised expression: "Mingzhu, you're pregnant?"

Upon seeing Fang Wen return, Chuncao, Qiuju, and Wu Ma tactfully left.

Kuang Mingzhu nodded shyly.

"I'm going to be a father." Fang Wen opened his arms and embraced Kuang Mingzhu.

"Be gentle," Kuang Mingzhu said.

Fang Wen quickly let go. "Oh, I'm so glad, didn't I hurt you?"

"It doesn't hurt." Kuang Mingzhu leaned on her husband's shoulder and confided in him about what had happened during this time. "I only found out after you left. I've been vomiting every day. I vomit everything I eat, and I vomit water too. I saw the doctor at the company, and he said I was pregnant. There's not much that can be done. I can only try to eat something as much as possible."

"Can't you eat anything at all?" Fang Wen asked with concern. Pregnant women need the most nutrition. If they vomit everything they eat, it will definitely affect both the pregnant woman and the developing fetus.

Kuang Mingzhu pressed her head against Fang Wen's shoulder and cried out in grievance, "I've tried it too, but I just can't eat it."

Despite her strength, she became more sentimental after becoming a mother.

Seeing his wife's helpless state, Fang Wen thought of the four-faced golden Buddha that had been mortgaged to an American consortium; that thing could remove pain.

However, he was worried about the potential impact on the fetus, so he decided to find out more about the situation first.

He comforted his wife, and after she fell into a deep sleep, he gently carried her to bed and covered her with a blanket.

Then, aside from the bedroom, the text describes the spring grass and autumn chrysanthemums.

"You two take care of Madam, I'll go ask the doctor what's going on."

"Yes, son-in-law." The two went into the bedroom to keep Kuang Mingzhu company.

Fang Wen immediately went downstairs.

The medical clinic is on the second floor of the headquarters building. The company's doctor, Dr. Liu, is highly paid and very capable. Usually, when employees have any illnesses, they go to him first.

Fang Wen entered the infirmary and inquired about the situation directly.

"Dr. Liu, what's wrong with my wife?"

"General Manager, Deputy General Manager, oh, your wife is pregnant. Many women experience morning sickness in early pregnancy, but your wife's reaction is quite severe," the doctor replied.

“She can’t eat anything, and I’m afraid her body won’t be able to take it if this continues.”

After hesitating for a moment, Dr. Liu still said truthfully, "General Manager, I think this might be related to you. Women become very sensitive after becoming pregnant, not only in terms of taste and smell, but also in terms of their psychological and emotional state. Anxiety, tension, and stress related to pregnancy are also causes of severe vomiting. You should spend more time with her during this period to help her relax and face everything with optimism."

After listening to the doctor's words, Fang Wen understood.

Kuang Mingzhu, who has always appeared strong, also has a vulnerable side, but she carefully hides it.

Now that she's pregnant, she can no longer hold on and has become unusually vulnerable.

Fang Wen felt somewhat guilty, realizing that as a husband, he hadn't shown enough care for his wife.

He silently got up and made a decision.

Fang Wen decided to spend more time with his wife because of her pregnancy.

But other things can't be neglected either.

To this end, he convened the management team of Taishan Airlines: Manager Liu from the Finance Department, Fang Shouxin from the Administration Department, and Shao Sishen from the Aviation Operations Department.

Facing his three trusted confidants, Fang Wen explained the situation.

"Mingzhu is pregnant, and I need to spend more time with her during this period. I also need to ask you to handle some matters on my hands."

Upon hearing that Kuang Mingzhu was pregnant, the three of them happily congratulated Fang Wen.

Fang Wen then explained the situation.

The first thing was to establish an aviation school.

Taishan Aviation has always been involved in aviation education, but it lacks a specialized school.

This time, the original Taishan Civil Aviation Training Center and the aircraft manufacturing plant's seaplane training center were merged to form Taishan Aviation School.

After integrating the teaching staff, the first teaching goal was to train 100 students from the domestic base.

In the initial stages of instruction, they are responsible for training students in basic aviation knowledge and other skills.

Fang Wenlai will personally be in charge of the advanced training for the Taishan fighter jet.

The second thing was to completely replace the bulletproof steel plates on the gunboats and aircraft.

The original bulletproof steel plates were made of ordinary steel. After this replacement, they will all be replaced with special Soviet steel, which will provide better bulletproof protection.

The third thing is the transfer of semiconductor manufacturing capacity.

Apart from polysilicon plants and component plants, all other production processes will be transferred to China.

This matter is quite complicated. We need to plan it out carefully, arrange transportation equipment, and send a group of workers and technicians to the base area as technical training personnel.

In addition, the transportation routes for subsequent components and other materials also need to be planned.

With the three matters arranged, Fang Wen put aside his own affairs and devoted himself to taking care of his wife, hoping to help her get out of her current state as soon as possible and ensure the safety of the pregnant woman and the fetus.

(End of this chapter)