Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 219, Section 218: The Airdrop Ends and the Long March Begins, A New Struggle
Starting September 20, nighttime airdrops have been conducted every night.

Two flights were conducted overnight, airdropping 16 tons of supplies.

Of these, 14 tons were Champa rice and 2 tons were rice-based military rations.

Participants: Fang Wen, Fang Shouxin, Liu Zhanggui, Sun Debiao, and Shunzi.

Fang Wen was in charge of driving, while the other four were responsible for airdropping. In theory, they were not capable of completing the airdrop mission, which averaged more than 5 tons per bomb port.

Therefore, the aircraft's bombing equipment was modified.

The bomb launch port is equipped with a conveyor belt, allowing supplies to be transported by hand-cranking.

The specific operation becomes:
Shunzi would carry the supply bag with the parachute onto the conveyor belt, and then the personnel at the three bomb release ports would turn the turntable to deliver the supply bag to them.

They remove the supply bags from the conveyor belt, place them on the safety pallet, and then pull the bomb release lever to complete the airdrop.

After the first day of airdrops ended, Fang Wen immediately contacted the airdrop guides in various locations to find out the results of the airdrops.

The seven airdrop guides all returned in roughly the same condition.

During the airdrop, most of the rice was intact due to the slow descent of the parachutes; only a few were damaged by rocks and treetops, resulting in rice leakage.

Meanwhile, another piece of feedback was that the soldiers in various base areas were full of praise for the so-called 'rice rations'.

These soldiers, living in the harshest conditions, found the combination of sweet and salty flavors delicious.

This type of rice ration not only satisfies hunger but also replenishes the salt lost after strenuous exercise, as well as the sugar that provides energy.

In addition, rice itself has nutritional value, making it a good choice for dealing with wartime conditions.

Using airdrops to receive rice and rice cakes is too extravagant, and the quantity is also too small.

Therefore, each base area subsequently began to update its rice-based military rations, replacing the original fried rice used for sustenance and vinegar cloth used to supplement salt with better military rations such as snow rice cakes.

This change did improve the lives of the Red Army soldiers to some extent.

The airdrop of 400 tons of supplies continued, at a rate of 16 tons per day, and it took 25 days to complete the airdrop of all 400 tons of supplies.

Fang Wen felt somewhat guilty; it seemed that this was all he could do.

The main problem is that Taishan Airlines lacks sufficient infrastructure. Apart from Taishan No. 1, it has no other large transport aircraft, and it is the only pilot who flies at night.

On October 25th, at the Xiangxi Airport canteen, Fang Wen, Fang Shouxin, Manager Liu, Sun Debiao, and Shunzi, the seven returning members of the action team, gathered together.

Fang Wen raised his glass: "Today, we celebrate the successful conclusion of the Taishan Volunteer Army's airdrop operation. Let us all drink this toast to wish our Taishan Volunteer Army ever-growing strength, so that we may one day personally drive the Japanese out of China."

"Yes, drive the Japanese away!" Everyone raised their glasses and drank heartily.

After drinking strong liquor, everyone started talking about sex.

Shunzi was very curious about the Red Army's base areas.

He asked, "What's it like over there?"

The seven people who went to the base were deeply moved and each gave their own answers.

Zhang Yunfei: "They are not afraid of death. I have never seen such people before. They think they are doing something great."

Chen Suoxin: "I've been in the underworld since I was a child, and I'm only where I am today because I was taken in by my master. I used to think that was everything, but after seeing them, I realized that there is so much more in this world."

The first two people's statements were unclear, so Liu Yingshou added: "Many soldiers were born into poverty. They learned principles in the Red Army and understood what they were fighting for."

Liu Yubao added, "I heard the instructor say that the problem is not with people, but with the whole society. Only by breaking down the old society and building a new one can we change the situation where people prey on each other."

The seven members of the action team became more and more excited as they spoke, recounting everything they had seen and heard at the base. Manager Liu, Sun Debiao, Fang Shouxin, and Fang Shun put down their chopsticks and wine glasses to listen attentively.

Fang Wen was listening, but his thoughts drifted to another place.

The Long March has finally begun.

He was still feeling guilty that he couldn't be of much help.

But now, he has another idea.

That's how history works. The Red Army needed to go through that arduous path of trials in order to be able to transcend, rise from the ashes, and soar high.

Doing it myself simply makes the process a little easier.

Whether it's the Red Army, oneself, or anyone else, there will always be hardships; that's life.

He raised his glass and said, "Let us toast the Red Army, for they were warriors with noble sentiments."

Everyone raised their glasses and drank together.

With the airdrop plan over, Fang Wen's life entered another busy phase.

Because of the airdrop, the aircraft manufacturing plant project was not started, but Taishan International's cargo ships had already delivered the supplies purchased by the United States to Yangon.

Workers for the aircraft manufacturing plant must be recruited as soon as possible.

Besides the aircraft manufacturing plant, there's also Taishan Airlines' domestic operations. After the board of directors was reorganized, Quan Yuncai visited Taishan Airlines' headquarters multiple times, demanding that they accelerate the expansion of domestic routes.

The powerful figure behind Quan Yuncai secured a large loan for Taishan Airlines' domestic branch, just waiting for Fang Wen to squander it.

Furthermore, the penicillin factory in Xishuangbanna was built through the joint efforts of Wu Yingzong and three others, as well as biological experts from Tsinghua University.

Fang Wen, however, never had time to look at it.

These are all important matters, and Fang Wen has to handle them all.

He drove the Taishan No. 1 back to Shanghai Airport the day after the celebration ended.

After resting at home for a day, Fang Wen changed into a suit, went to the general manager's office, took out Quan Yuncai's phone number, and dialed it.

"Mr. Quan, I had some personal matters to attend to recently, which caused the delay."

"Your little matter is really insignificant! Fine, I won't hold it against you. Let's talk about the expansion of Taishan Airlines."

“I have a good suggestion regarding the expansion of Taishan Airlines,” Fang Wen replied.

"Then tell me."

“Currently, China’s domestic shipping infrastructure is rudimentary. Apart from major cities, it is difficult for planes to land in other places. However, wealth is hidden among the people in various parts of China. If local gentry and wealthy people can connect air routes to counties, the business will be huge.”

"Alright! General Manager Fang, you can talk the dead back to life. Then let me ask you, how much money are you planning to borrow for this? Is one hundred million silver dollars enough? The people behind me are looking to make a profit, but they don't have your lofty ideals of benefiting China Airlines."

Fang Wen didn't mind the sarcastic remarks from the All-Stars, because he hadn't explained things clearly, so it wasn't their fault that they hadn't understood.

Fang Wen continued, “In the first half of the year, I was abroad and developed a seaplane with good performance in all aspects. This kind of aircraft has an advantage: it does not require the construction of a special runway. It can land and take off in places with docks and calm waters. My idea is to leave seaplane docks in all major water systems in China, so as to establish a wide aviation network.”

"Alright, alright, I understand. No wonder you asked for help recruiting people in Hong Kong last time. That aircraft manufacturing plant was for producing seaplanes, right? I thought you were just acting on a whim, but I didn't expect you to have already made a physical aircraft. But I can't just believe you because you say it has superior performance. I need to see it myself before I can report it to my superiors."

"No problem, I'll contact you once I get the plane back."

Fang Wen hung up the phone and smiled.

So what if they're from the four major families? Once they've taken their shares, they have to do something for us.

As a person from the future, Fang Wen showed no fear of the four major families and immediately began his strategic planning. Whether this aircraft manufacturing plant could be successfully completed depended on passing the National Games.

He then went outside to the next room to talk with his wife, Kuang Mingzhu, who currently manages Taishan Airlines' overseas business.

The deputy general manager's office next door was bustling with activity.

Chuncao and Qiuju were both working on documents, while Kuang Mingzhu was talking to the people in the telegraph room.

“You send a telegram to Kabul and tell them to increase the counter area. Now that there are more passengers, the shops also need to increase their goods. The sales growth rate of the airport branch is far lower than the passenger growth rate.”

"It's the deputy general manager." After recording the message, the telegraph clerk got up to leave, and upon seeing Fang Wen, quickly said, "Good morning, General Manager."

Fang Wen smiled and said, "Go ahead and do your thing."

He walked over to his wife and said, "When it's time to delegate, delegate. Don't do everything yourself; it's exhausting."

Kuang Mingzhu leaned against her husband's waist, "I'm not like that either. A woman like me, if I don't care about everything, I'm afraid I won't be able to keep them in check."

Fang Wen stroked his wife's hair: "I know the company is short of reliable people right now. The action team is reliable. When I go to Xishuangbanna, I'll transfer Wu Yingzong and the others to help you manage the international routes company."

At this point, Fang Wen suddenly realized that he and his wife seemed to spend too little time together after getting married.

Luckily, she's from a well-to-do family, Kwong Ming-chu. If she were my future girlfriend, we would have already argued and broken up.

I really feel bad for my wife; I didn't even give her a honeymoon after we got married.

Looking at his wife's delicate face, Fang Wen couldn't help but feel guilty.

He knelt down and took his wife's hand.

"have a rest."

"Huh?" Kuang Mingzhu was confused.

"Thank you for your hard work. Don't go to work during this time. I'll take you around to see the sights, as a way to make up for the trips we haven't taken since we got married."

A smile bloomed on Kuang Mingzhu's face, like a beautiful flower blossoming: "Thank you, husband."

But then he added a sentence.

"Bring along spring grass and autumn chrysanthemums."

Chuncao and Qiuju quickly waved their hands: "Miss, no, don't ruin the young master's good intentions. We won't get involved in this kind of thing." "Yes, Miss, the young master wants to go out with you alone. Don't drag us into it and spoil the atmosphere."

Kuang Mingzhu looked at Fang Wen with suspicion: "Really?"

How could he answer that? Fang Wen replied without hesitation, "Of course, I just want to talk to you and me."

The beautiful general manager's wife radiated a youthful glow, as if she had returned to her pre-marriage teenage years.

She took Fang Wen's arm, and the two happily walked out of the office and downstairs.

The employees had never seen a vice general manager like this before and didn't know how to face him, so they all avoided him.

Fang Wen took his wife home, and while packing their belongings, he explained the situation.

“I’ll go to Yangon to pick up the seaplane, then fly back to pick you up. First, I’ll impress Quan Yuncai and get him to agree to release the loan. Then we’ll travel all over the country and recruit a group of science students to build airplanes at the Yangon factory.”

“No, I’ll go to Yangon with you,” Kuang Mingzhu insisted. She had agreed to the trip for two and wanted to join from the very beginning.

"That works too," Fang Wen agreed.

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

Kuang Mingzhu began with great enthusiasm.

This was something Fang Wen didn't know: in the past two years, his wife had actually bought him so many things.

She had prepared everything: razor, shirt, underwear, toothbrush, coat, etc., all of which were unused.

Once everything was ready, Kuang Mingzhu explained, "Every time I think of you, I can't help but buy you things."

"Oh, that's great, then I won't need to buy them anymore." Fang Wen chuckled.

In half a day, I finished packing.

Fang Wen and his wife traveled on the company's international flight.

After transiting in Guangzhou, just before takeoff, the flight attendant announced: "Passengers, please note that due to some special reasons, this flight will make a temporary stop at Yangon Airport. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause."

No one argued about it, and the plane took off smoothly.

Several hours later, D.332 landed in Yangon.

Wearing sunglasses and trench coats, Fang Wen and his wife disembarked in full view of everyone, and the flight attendants even went out of their way to retrieve their luggage from the overhead bins.

The flight attendant even took the opportunity to flatter him. "General Manager, you've worked hard."

Fang Wen realized he shouldn't have accepted the flattery, so he patted the flight attendant on the shoulder and said, "I'm not tired, you are. Work hard, and you'll definitely achieve something in the future."

"Yes." The flight attendant excitedly returned to the plane.

“He seems to have listened to what you said,” Kuang Mingzhu said.

"Perhaps, the secret to success is perseverance." Fang Wen uttered a philosophical remark, and walked with Kuang Mingzhu toward the nearby hangar.

Because the aircraft would not be flying for an extended period, it was stored in a land-based hangar. To accommodate this, wheels were installed under the aircraft's two water-skimming devices for easy movement on land.

Fang Wen flew the plane out of the airport and into the sea through the sloping waterway of the dock.

The seaplane returned to the water and finally regained its freedom.

While adjusting the aircraft equipment, Fang Wen explained the new plan.

"Since you're here, let's not go back to Shanghai yet. Let's go to Xishuangbanna, which is closer, and see how penicillin production is going there."

Sitting in the back seat, Kuang Mingzhu fastened her seatbelt and curiously examined the interior of the plane.

Have you named your plane yet?

"Not yet. It needs a name, and as the first aircraft model manufactured by Taishan Aircraft Factory, it also needs a model name. Mingzhu, you can come up with one."

Kuang Mingzhu bit her lip, her eyes looking to the upper left as she pondered.

After a while, she replied, "It's a seaplane, so it naturally has to be related to water. I think its wings are wide, so why not call it Cloud Crane? People used to say that riding a crane is the act of immortals, flying above the clouds, hence the name Cloud Crane."

Fang Wen nodded: "Okay, let's call it Yunhe. And what about the model name for this aircraft?"

“I see you use A, B, C, and D for international flight numbers. How about using the five elements (metal, wood, water, fire, earth) for aircraft models? Seaplanes naturally use water, so let’s call it Water Cloud Type 1.”

Fang Wen admired himself for managing to win his wife over, given that she was far more educated than he was.

He nodded in agreement and started the engine: "Okay, now, the Shuiyun-1 aircraft, codenamed Yunhe, is taking off."

The plane drew two water lines on the sea surface before taking off and flying towards Jinghong, the capital of Xishuangbanna, 750 kilometers away.

(End of this chapter)