Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 46, The Young Marshal's Ride: The Plane is Acquired
Back in the dormitory building, Fang Wen booked a single room for each of them.

After settling in, Fang Wen introduced, "These are the people I brought from home: Fang Shouxin and Fang Shun. Oh, and Shunzi, go to the canteen and get some food and wine. Manager Liu has difficulty walking, so he can eat inside."

"Okay!" Shunzi quickly ran downstairs.

“This kid is very careless, I’ll go check on him.” Fang Shouxin followed him out.

"Are they father and son?" Manager Liu said with a smile.

"Yes, I didn't have any help, so my father entrusted me with the skilled people who worked with him."

Fang Wen and Manager Liu exchanged pleasantries, and before long, the Fang father and son came over carrying two food boxes.

Lift the lid, and the food inside is still steaming. Put the two tables together and place them on the tables one by one.

After pouring the wine, the three of them toasted each other like old friends.

After a few rounds of drinks, people naturally became more talkative.

Sun Debiao was indignant.

"The master is dishonest. Old Liu has a hole in his foot and can't walk properly. There are Japanese soldiers guarding the outside, yet they still let him come over. Don't any of them have anyone who can do anything? They're just taking advantage of the fact that Manager Liu is an outsider."

Manager Liu remained silent.

Fang Wen sensed a hint of emotion, but these were not things he could easily meddle in, so he quickly changed the subject.

"So you found the Axe Gang and had them send you out of the city?"

Manager Liu replied, "Yes. The Axe Gang originally asked for a high price, but when they heard it was you, their leader came out and even gave us a free ride out of the city. By the way, we brought the silver dollars you asked for. Sun Debiao, take them out and give them to Commissioner Fang."

Immediately, Sun Debiao and his companions stood up and took off their coats.

Those few coats looked heavy in my hands; the silver dollars were hidden inside.

The stitches were torn open, and a pile of silver dollars rolled onto the bed.

Fang Wen looked at Fang Shouxin.

"Uncle Fang, you and Shunzi count the money together and write an IOU."

The 3000 silver dollars were quickly counted. Fang Shouxin handed the written receipt to Fang Wen, who took out a fountain pen, dipped it in ink, and wrote his name on it.

Then, press your fingerprint with ink to complete the loan.

At this point, Manager Liu asked, "Commissioner Fang, what do you need so much money for?"

"Not much, enough to buy a plane, wouldn't you say it's cheap?"

"Three thousand silver dollars for an airplane? That's really cheap." Manager Liu was surprised. In his eyes, an airplane was not something that could be obtained for a few thousand silver dollars. Even Sun Debiao was dumbfounded.

Fang Wen didn't explain the reasons behind this deal and changed the subject.

"You two didn't come here just to give me money, did you?"

"No, the owners are interested in the private airline you mentioned, but they're undecided. They asked me to come and find out more details so I can report back to them," Manager Sun replied truthfully.

"Once the plane is purchased, I'll take you to finalize the approval process," Fang Wen promised.

The next day, Fang Wen got up early and went to the airport control tower.

The officers on duty there said that a plane did indeed come from the north today and would arrive around noon.

Before noon, a convoy of cars drove into the airport.

Five black sedans and two military trucks.

Some of the people who got out of the cars ordered the soldiers in the military vehicles to get out and form a square formation, while others took out Leica cameras and adjusted the lenses.

This setup looks like it's to welcome an important person.

Fang Wen, Manager Liu, and others were also forbidden from staying in the dormitory and from approaching the airport runway.

Fortunately, there was an open area in front of the dormitory where they could see the running track, so they watched from inside the dormitory.

Two hours later, a plane descended from the sky.

As Fang Wen became increasingly familiar with airplanes, he had already gained a general understanding of the aircraft's characteristics through estimation.

With a fuselage of about 20 meters, it is clearly a transport plane or a passenger plane.

With its narrow, elongated fuselage and wide wings, this type of aircraft is better suited for carrying passengers. It requires a higher level of stability and safety, and therefore cannot travel at high speeds.

But the journey should be even longer.

Howard, who was also forbidden from leaving and was standing nearby, asked, "What kind of plane is that?"

“Ford Tri-Motor. A three-engine aircraft produced by Ford Motor Company,” Howard replied.

"Doesn't Ford manufacture cars?" Fang Wen asked in surprise.

As the plane landed, a young man in a coat stepped off, causing Manager Liu and Sun Debiao to gasp in surprise.

"It's the young marshal."

The term "young marshal" was a specific term used in Northeast China at that time, and only one person could use it.

Fang Wen looked at Manager Liu and Sun Debiao, who at this moment should represent all the Northeasterners who have lost their homes, and they showed complex emotions.

They resented the Northeast's fall due to the lack of resistance, yet they also placed their hopes on this, expecting that one day hundreds of thousands of Northeast Army soldiers would be able to fight their way back.

Fang Wen sighed inwardly. Such hope was impossible. That young marshal never returned to the Northeast in his entire life. Countless Northeast Army soldiers rushed to various battlefields, and many died without ever being able to return to their homeland.

By the way, the deal with the Northeast Army is also said to be today. Could it be that young marshal?

This idea is, of course, impossible.

The young marshal left by car, greeted by Nanjing officials.

Then, an officer got off the plane and started asking questions at the airport.

He arrived at the dormitory and went straight to Fang Wen.

"You're the one who wants to buy our plane?"

"It should be said that it was a scrapped aircraft," Fang Wen emphasized.

The officer remained noncommittal: "Take me to see."

He then followed Fang Wen to the corner where the Potez 25 was parked.

He clearly knew the Potez 25 well, climbing right onto the plane to start it.

The engine made a sound for a while, then shut off. This happened several times, and then it could not be started again.

The officer got off the plane and said with emotion, "It's totaled. All our spare parts are in Northeast China. It can't be repaired in this condition."

But nothing was said about the transaction.

Fang Shouxin said, "Young Master, as you instructed, a table has been reserved at Cuizhu Residence."

Fang Wen had not instructed Fang Shouxin to do this, but he understood Fang Shouxin's meaning: nothing was better than facilitating a deal over drinks.

He then chimed in, "Yes, I've already sent someone to collect the silver dollars. Let's have a meal first."

The officer nodded in agreement, got into the car Fang Wen had mentioned, and drove out of the airport.

At Cuizhuju near the airport, after the food and wine were served and several rounds of drinks were taken aback, the officer, feeling the effects of the alcohol, put his arm around Fang Wen and started calling him brother.

“Brother Fang, let me tell you, life is tough for us. The Northeast Army had a total of more than 360 planes, big and small, old and new, and more than 200 pilots. After the September 18 Incident, only 20 of them escaped into the pass. The rest became spoils of war for the Japanese. We are now homeless dogs, and we have to be careful where we go. It’s really frustrating.”

Standing at the door, Shunzi muttered to himself, "Who can he blame? He brought this upon himself."

His father covered his mouth tightly and pulled him out of the room.

Fang Wen patted the officer on the shoulder: "It will be alright. Don't we still have so many troops? Let's march north and fight our way back."

"There's no going back. That's why the young marshal came to Nanjing this time."

The officer suddenly stopped, realizing he had spoken out of turn, and fell silent.

After the meal, he took out the prepared receipt, which had the seal of the Northeast Army and the signature stamp of the quartermaster department.

“You take 3000 silver dollars, I’ll give you a receipt, and the money and goods will be settled.”

After confirming the receipt, Fang Wen turned to Fang Shouxin and gave him a look, and the 3000 silver dollars were paid, thus completing the transaction.

(End of this chapter)