Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 598 The Story Behind the Agreement, Taishan Aviation Club
As Fang Wen left the headquarters building, the heatwave from the street hit him, but it did nothing to dispel the chill in his heart.

The intelligence from Tokyo weighed heavily on his chest like a cold boulder.

He opened the garage door, got into the car, and his bodyguard, Gong Xiuneng, was still clueless.

"Commander, what's going on?"

"We just received intelligence that the British have signed an agreement with the Japanese in Tokyo."

Even Gong Xiuneng, who wasn't very politically savvy, was astonished when Fang Wen explained the contents of the agreement.

"Isn't this betraying us? How could the British do this? I remember the newspapers saying they were our allies."

Even Gong Xiuneng knew about this, which shows that, thanks to the propaganda of the Nationalist government's media, the Chinese people's view of Britain had become more favorable.

Fang Wen said helplessly, "Allies? They're nothing but interests. Have you forgotten about those concessions?"

Gong Xiu was speechless, but still didn't quite understand.

Fang Wen then offered an explanation.

The Anglo-Japanese Agreement – ​​Britain intended to use the Burma Road, a vital artery for China, as a bargaining chip to appease Japan!

The three clauses of the agreement—"recognition of special interests," "non-interference in Japanese military operations," and "closure of the Burma Road for three months"—were their bargaining chips.

Just like they did in Europe, the British simply took those things to Asia and did them again.

Look at what they did: appeasement of the Nazis time and time again, allowing Eastern Europe to be gradually annexed. As long as their own interests are not involved, everything can be put on the negotiating table.

After saying this, Fang Wen started the car, drove out of the garage, and headed towards the nearby Governor's Mansion.

When the car arrived outside the Governor's Mansion, the British soldiers guarding the gate came over to check it. When they saw the pass personally issued by the Governor, they let Fang Wen drive in.

The car stopped in the parking lot of the Governor's Mansion. Fang Wen got out of the car and went straight into the Governor's Mansion with Gong Xiuneng.

The Governor's Mansion was bustling with activity at the time, with several people queuing outside waiting to be received by the Governor.

The governor's assistant saw Fang Wen and came over to greet him warmly.

"Fang, long time no see! What good news have you brought this time?"

"Could I speak with the governor alone?" Fang Wen asked seriously.

Seeing Fang Wen's expression, the governor's assistant realized that the matter was serious, so he pushed open the door to the governor's office to report it.

After a while, he came out.

"I'm sorry, the governor's schedule is full today, and he cannot see you at the moment."

Fang Wen understood the unspoken meaning behind those words.

He helped the governor sell a large quantity of military supplies, and the payment had not yet been given to the governor. Logically, he should have been very popular with the governor, so why was the governor too busy to see him?

Clearly, the Governor-General of Burma was aware of the Anglo-Japanese Agreement, which is why he deliberately avoided him.

Fang Wen did not leave, but sat on the sofa in the waiting room waiting for an opportunity.

Time passed slowly, and one by one, the people in the waiting room entered the Governor's Mansion and left satisfied.

From morning until noon, it was lunchtime, and only Fang Wen remained in the waiting room.

If he doesn't leave, how can the governor get out?
The governor's assistant came over helplessly and said, "Mr. Fang, you should know that this is not something the governor can change. There's no use in talking to him."

“I know, but the governor certainly knows more about this than I do. I want to talk to him,” Fang Wen replied calmly.

"Alright, I'll relay your words to the governor."

The assistant entered the office, and after a while, the door opened.

But the governor came out, beaming with smiles.

"Fang! My dear friend, I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting. You know I've been very busy."

"I know the Governor is very busy, which is why I waited until you were resting. Would the Governor be willing to have lunch with me?"

This time, the governor did not refuse. He left the building with his assistant, Fang Wen, and Gong Xiuneng, and drove two cars toward Taishan Industrial Park.

The industrial park is located in an area with a large Chinese population and a thriving restaurant industry, but it is mainly frequented by overseas Chinese and a few locals; British people rarely come here.

Fang Wen got out of the car with two British men, which attracted the attention of many local Chinese. They greeted Fang Wen warmly and also politely greeted the two British men, unaware that these two men were the most powerful people in Myanmar.

Afterwards, the four entered Laifeng Restaurant, sat down in a private room on the second floor, and ordered some specialty dishes.

Before the dishes were served, Fang Wen spoke with the governor.

"This isn't the governor's mansion, and no one's eavesdropping. Could you tell me something about that agreement?"

The governor's smile froze slightly before returning to normal, but his enthusiasm noticeably diminished.

He replied, "The agreement was signed by the Japanese Foreign Minister and our ambassador to Japan; I am not of a position to interfere."

"Does this agreement mean that Britain is prepared to abandon its interests in Asia and focus all its efforts on dealing with the changing situation in Europe?" Fang Wen asked.

"It seems you are very clear about the situation in Europe and have indeed considered this. The Germans are about to attack Poland. They are in secret contact with the Soviet Union. Once they occupy Poland, they may not continue eastward but instead attack France. We must deal with this matter carefully."

The governor's words indicate that the British leadership was not unaware of the dangers of the deteriorating situation in Europe, which is why they did this.

Fang Wen refuted this seriously.

“Even so, you can’t do this. Don’t you know the relationship between Germany and Japan? Without our restraint, millions of Japanese troops could march directly into Burma, or even India. At that time, you will lose all control here.”

The governor said helplessly, "I understand, but I'm not the one who makes the decision. This matter will spread soon, and I hope you can exert more pressure in terms of public opinion and diplomacy to get Congress involved. Otherwise, it will be difficult to change anything."

Fang Wen understood that the governor was right.

Historically, it was perhaps due to various forms of public opinion and diplomatic pressure that Britain changed the agreement, allowing the Burma Road transport route to continue.

Especially after the attack on Pearl Harbor, which led to the Pacific War and Britain's war with Japan, the agreement could not be implemented.

But knowing the course of history doesn't mean doing nothing.

If Britain could be persuaded not to honor the agreement in the first place, more supplies could be obtained through the Burma Road.

At this time, the dishes also came up.

Fang Wen smiled and asked the shopkeeper to bring out the finest Xifeng liquor.

The governor quickly waved his hand: "I don't drink Chinese wine. Your wine is too easy to get drunk on, and it's very strong."

"This liquor isn't strong; you'll know once you drink a little."

Fang Wen poured a small glass for the governor, who picked up the glass and took a sip. It certainly didn't have the harsh throat-burning sensation of strong liquor.

As they drank and ate, the governor had unknowingly drunk five cups, becoming more relaxed and talkative.

Fang Wen clinked glasses with him and asked in a low voice, "Aren't there any opponents in your country who would oppose signing such an agreement?"

The governor, his eyes glazed with drunkenness, replied, “Of course there is. Many members of parliament from various parties have expressed their opposition. They believe that such an agreement would damage Britain’s international image and would not be conducive to safeguarding its interests in Asia. Just like how we had to give up our concession interests in China, retreating time and time again will not bring any benefits, but will instead lead us to a slow death.”

Fang Wen's heart skipped a beat, and he asked, "So, which political parties are opposed?"

A glint of clarity flashed in the governor's eyes, but he feigned drunkenness and whispered some names to Fang Wen. Fang Wen memorized these names and refrained from discussing the agreement further.

An hour later, Fang Wen escorted the governor back to the governor's mansion.

He knew how he could contribute to this matter.

Since there are many dissenting voices in Britain, let those voices be amplified; that would be far more effective than trying to persuade them on your own.

He then drove back to headquarters and sent a telegram to the European branch.

Taishan Airlines European Branch.

Despite the unstable situation, Taishan's various businesses are thriving.

Taishan brand cigarettes are very popular in France because of their low price and good quality, and they have even been sold in Spain.

The civil aviation business is also developing steadily.

The fastest growing segment was semiconductor radios.

With the opening of boutiques in London, Paris, and Berlin, more and more people are queuing up outside the stores early in the morning to make their purchases.

With the combination of 'hunger marketing', word-of-mouth, and advertising, portable transistor radios have become a popular trend in Europe.

People can put this portable radio in their coat pockets and handbags, and take it out to listen to broadcasts, information, and music anywhere they can receive a radio signal.

If a person of status and position did not own this new and fashionable radio, it would be considered a sign of being out of touch.

As a result, middle-class and above people in Britain, France, and Germany are buying large quantities of Star brand portable radios, and every day people complain that they can't buy one even if they queue up.

This exclusive product sales model transformed Taishan Airlines from an international aviation company into a well-known consumer electronics manufacturer.

As a result, the Paris branch has been continuously expanding its recruitment and increasing the number of departments, putting increasing pressure on manager Paul Lin.

His head, like that of a Frenchman, was starting to go bald.

This might be a result of her French heritage.

"Manager, a telegram has been sent from headquarters, using a level 2 password."

The telegraph office staff stopped Paul Lin, who was combing his thinning hair.

He took the telegram and, after the telegraph operator left, took out a Chinese book from the safe.

Lin Baolu found the corresponding page number text in the book and converted the secondary cipher into the main text.

Paul Lin's expression turned serious as he looked at the translated coded message.

Over the years, his sense of identity with China has gradually increased. He always thinks that once the war is over, he will take a long vacation to return to China with his mother for a trip, and also look for his father, who has been missing for a long time.

It was this sense of identity that enabled him to better understand the importance of the telegram's contents.

The British are cutting off China's escape route!
With the Japanese blockading the coastline, the Yunnan-Burma transport route and the Soviet Union in the northwest became the only two channels for obtaining strategic materials.

This agreement must absolutely not be allowed to proceed.

Immediately, he took the telegram and summoned several managers from the branch office.

These people were all sent by headquarters, and upon learning of this, they all volunteered to go to England.

Paul Lin selected two people to go with him, while the others stayed at the company to maintain normal operations.

They then flew to London.

They arrived in London and, through connections at the boutiques, made contact with the opposition.

The goal remains the same: to provide some support through funding and product sponsorship, with the only condition being that they do not cease their opposition to the Asia Agreement.

This is something that political parties were already willing to do, and with sponsorship, they've put in even more effort.

In the following days in parliament, the debate over the agreement continued, and the voices of opposition grew louder.

After arranging things for the European branch, Fang Wen continued to rest in Yangon.

The empty rooms of his top-floor apartment constantly reminded him of his wife and the children he had never met.

He then sent a telegram to the United States.

The reply came two hours later.

It was a telegram written by his wife, describing the recent situation of the two children and reassuring Fang Wen.

Then came an even stronger sense of emptiness.

So I decided to get to work.

He can always find something to do if he wants to.

For example, the international trade of meat products.

Regarding the dispatch of meat trade procurement personnel to New Zealand and Australia.

Three staff members from the headquarters' finance and administration departments were selected.

They are all fluent in English and skilled in communication and negotiation.

Of course, having ability alone is not enough; you also need local connections.

Therefore, it is necessary to have local connections before sending someone over.

But Taishan Airlines and he himself have no connection in New Zealand or Australia, so how should one proceed?
Could it be that they're looking for that shrewd governor?

Just as Fang Wen was about to go to the Governor-General of Burma, he remembered something.

I founded the Taishan Aviation Club in Mandalay a few years ago, and it has been doing quite well thanks to funding from the head office.

But because of the war and other things, I haven't paid attention to that side for a long time.

How many members does the aviation club have now? Are any members connected to people in New Zealand and Australia?

Thinking of this, Fang Wen immediately summoned Fang Shouxin, the head of the administrative department of the aviation club's superior management department.

Fang Shouxin, who works downstairs, quickly took the elevator up.

He was also holding a beautifully framed booklet in his hand.

"General Manager, this is a group photo of all members from this year's club annual meeting."

Fang Wen took the booklet and flipped through it.

Fang Shouxin then explained the situation.

"Since its founding, it has had a total of 128 members, including wealthy overseas Chinese from all over Southeast Asia, British and French businessmen, heads of princely states, and family members of some military and political figures. In addition, there is Pierre, a French art dealer you introduced. He came to Yangon to see you a month ago, but you were not there, so I arranged for him to join the flying club and learn to fly seaplanes."

"Pierre?" Fang Wen remembered him. He was the one who went to the Soviet Union with him to search for Napoleon's treasure. Back then, Pierre had taken a liking to the comfortable private jet Fang Wen was piloting and had mentioned wanting to buy one. Fang Wen had told him to come to Yangon to learn how to fly before discussing the purchase, but he hadn't expected Pierre to have already arrived without a word.

Shaking off his thoughts, Fang Wen continued, "Among these 128 members, are there any with connections or business influence in New Zealand and Australia?"

(End of this chapter)