Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Fang Wen strode out of the restaurant, with Zhao Junping and Gong Xiuneng following closely behind. At the elevator, he instructed, "Zhao Junping, go down to the waiting room and invite that professor from the History Department of Peking University to my office."

Zhao Junping took the elevator on the left down, while Fang Wen and Gong Xiuneng took the elevator on the right to the top-floor office area.

He went into the office and pried open the fingers of a wooden figure on the opposite side of the desk.

The sound of gears turning filled the air as the wall moved to the right, revealing a hidden space behind it.

That room was actually the deputy general manager's office next door. Because his wife went to the United States to give birth, it hadn't been used for a long time. When Fang Wen renovated the office last time, he simply sealed off that room and turned it into his own storage room.

Inside were 14 boxes, which were exactly what Fang Wen had prepared for experts to appraise.

After a while, Zhao Junping brought the professor with him.

The professor, nearing sixty, wore a dark blue long gown, his hair neatly combed, and a pair of round-framed reading glasses perched on his nose. He carried an old wooden box in his hand, exuding the air of a scholar from the old era.

Fang Wen took the initiative to shake hands, saying, "Professor Chen, you must be tired from your journey."

"It's not hard work, we'll arrive quickly on your plane. Where's my stuff?"

Professor Chen looked around anxiously, even more so than Fang Wen.

“It’s next door.” Fang Wen led Professor Chen through the hidden door into the storage room and pointed to the boxes on the ground, saying, “These cultural relics were all brought back from Paris. Most of them are treasures looted in the late Qing Dynasty. However, there may be fakes mixed in. I need you to examine them to determine their authenticity.”

Professor Chen nodded in acknowledgment, his gaze falling on the wooden box on the ground, his tone tinged with respect: "Mr. Fang's act of bringing back Chinese cultural relics that have been scattered overseas is a great act of kindness. I will certainly examine them carefully, and decide where to begin."

Fang Wen pushed out the four boxes and used a crowbar to pry open the nails sealing the boxes.

They also asked Gong Xiuneng to bring an empty table from the storage room for the purpose of appraisal.

Professor Chen placed the wooden box he had brought on the table, opened it, and took out the items for identification.

He then bent down and carefully picked up the soft cloth wrapping the artifacts from the box and placed it on the table, then carefully unfolded it.

The first item was that Qianlong jade thumb ring.

Professor Chen took out his magnifying glass and carefully held the thumb ring in his palm. He first examined it closely under natural light, then moved it under a desk lamp for a closer look: "It is made of Hetian mutton fat jade, warm and smooth to the touch like solidified fat, with a dense texture and no stone flowers or cracks. It is a top-grade jade material. The four characters 'Qianlong Yuzhi' (Imperial Made by Qianlong) on ​​the inner wall are engraved in regular and powerful characters, with neat and smooth carving and no chipped edges. It is a typical craftsmanship of the Qing Dynasty Imperial Workshops—only the top craftsmen of the Imperial Workshops could carve such a fine mark on such a small piece of jade. The edge of the thumb ring has a patina, which cannot be formed without years of wear. It is indeed a genuine piece used by the imperial family during the Qianlong period and is of considerable value."

Fang Wen felt relieved; the first item was genuine, which was a good omen.

Professor Chen then moved on to the next item—a painting by Giuseppe Castiglione (Lang Shining).

The scroll is unfurled, revealing lifelike depictions of flowers and birds in meticulous brushwork.

Professor Chen leaned down and stared at it for a moment, then slowly frowned, took out a soft brush from the wooden box, and gently swept it across the corner of the painting: "Mr. Fang, this is a fake."

"Oh?" Fang Wen leaned closer. "Please explain in detail, Professor Chen."

"Lang Shining was most adept at combining Chinese and Western techniques. This painting seems to incorporate both Western perspective and meticulous Chinese brushwork, but its flaws are obvious." Professor Chen pointed to the texture of the petals. "Look at the color transitions. The genuine work used specially made mineral pigments from the imperial court, resulting in a deep, bright, and richly layered color. This one, however, uses synthetic pigments, which, while bright, appear gaudy. The texture of the azurite and malachite is far from that of the genuine imperial work. Furthermore, look at the brushwork. When Lang Shining painted the feathers of flowers and birds, his brushstrokes were as fine as hair yet powerful. The lines in this one are too soft and lack spirit. The inscription 'Respectfully painted by your subject Lang Shining' appears to be a good imitation, but the brushstrokes are stiff and hesitant. The seal is also a later imitation, with a darker ink color that lacks the weight and depth of a century of accumulation. It should be a forgery from the Republican era."

Fang Wen was not surprised, having already prepared himself for the possibility of counterfeits mixed in. He nodded and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Professor. Let's continue."

Next came a pair of gilded bronze elephants symbolizing peace and prosperity. The attendant gently placed them on a cushioned table. Professor Chen crouched down, his fingertips tracing the base of the bronze elephants, focusing on the inscription and the gilding: “The inscription is from the Guangxu era, engraved on the inside of the base. The characters are neat and in the style of the Imperial Workshops. The gilding is thick and even, using the ‘unified gold’ technique. After a century, there are only a few minor scratches on the edges, and the patina is natural, with no trace of later gilding. The rubies and sapphires inlaid on the elephants' bellies, though small, are of pure quality, and the inlay technique is also in the Qing Dynasty court style.”

After a pause, Professor Chen questioned, "But there is an 'R' mark on the base. I don't know what it is, and I'm not sure if it was forged by a foreigner."

Fang Wen explained, "I know this. During the Eight-Nation Alliance period, the French army marked the cultural relics they looted with the letter 'R' to facilitate transportation and management."

"Oh, I see. Then there's no problem."

Next up was a gilded Guanyin statue. Professor Chen lifted the statue and carefully examined the base and drapery: "This is a Qing Dynasty Yonghe Temple imitation of a Tang Dynasty statue. It is not a genuine Tang Dynasty piece, but its craftsmanship is not low. The four characters 'Made in Yonghe Temple' on the base are clearly visible, the gilding is exquisite, the statue's face is round and dignified, and the drapery is smooth and natural, consistent with the style of Yonghe Temple statues from the mid-Qing Dynasty. The drapery of genuine Tang Dynasty statues is more flowing and unrestrained, and the body of the porcelain is also different from this one. This piece has a thicker body, which is a typical characteristic of Qing Dynasty imitations. It can be considered a fairly accurate imitation and has some collectible value."

Items were appraised one by one; some were genuine, some were fake, some were good, and some were bad.

When the third box was opened, Professor Chen's eyes lit up instantly when he saw the fragments of Dunhuang silk paintings inside.

He specially put on silk gloves, his hands trembling slightly as he picked up a scroll and slowly unfurled it under the lamp: "Genuine! This is a fragment of a Tang Dynasty silk painting that came from the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang!" His voice was filled with excitement. "Look at these pigments, they are mineral pigments unique to the Tang Dynasty. The orpiment and ochre colors remain bright and resistant to fading even after a thousand years; the brushstrokes are lively and elegant, the lines of the apsaras' robes are like flowing clouds and water, possessing the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty's painting style. The silk paper is a specially made coarse silk from the Tang Dynasty, with clear fiber texture, and the wear and tear marks on the edges are natural, without any deliberate artificial aging. Each scroll is a rare treasure, with immeasurable academic value."

Fang Wen nodded and opened the fourth box: "There are some ancient books here, take a look."

The box was quite large, and it contained more than one hundred volumes of fragments of the Yongle Encyclopedia that Fang Wen had brought back from Paris.

Whether it's true or false, we'll have to wait for Professor Chen's assessment.

Professor Chen, his face serious, examined the text on the scroll. Wearing gloves, he carefully moved the ancient books to the table, then took one out and turned the pages with great care. His gaze swept over the characters, seals, and paper, his expression growing increasingly solemn: "It is indeed a Jiajing copy of the Yongle Encyclopedia, an authentic work without a doubt. The paper is Kaihua paper, specially made for the Ming court, tough in texture and slightly yellow in color. It bears the seals of the Qing Hanlin Academy and the Grand Secretariat, the characters are clear, and the ink is thick, conforming to the style of collections during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The characters are neat, and the taboo characters are standardized, completely consistent with the format and style of existing Yongle Encyclopedia fragments in China. Although it is a copy, it is a unique copy in the world, extremely precious."

Fang Wen was pleased with this and said to Zhao Junping, "Go to the restaurant and call Minister Fang of the Administration Department over."

Zhao Junping went out.

Fang Wen then pried open the other boxes, letting Professor Chen look at everything he had brought back.

These boxes were full of genuine artifacts, which captivated Professor Chen.

Dunhuang silk paintings, Buddha heads, bronzes, and even forty volumes of Jiajing edition of the Yongle Encyclopedia were discovered.

In response, Professor Chen exclaimed, "I probably haven't handled as many genuine artifacts in my entire life as you have in your room, but I probably can't see them all in one day. I'd rather stay here for two days and register these treasures."

Fang Wen nodded: "Okay, then I'll trouble Professor Chen."

At this moment, Zhao Junping and Fang Shouxin entered.

Fang Wen smiled and said to Fang Shouxin, "Uncle Fang, let me show you something."

Fang Shouxin was puzzled.

Fang Wen pointed to the items on the table, "These things were looted from the Qing Palace by the Eight-Nation Alliance back then, and I brought them back from Paris."

Fang Shouxin didn't understand the authenticity of cultural relics, nor could he appreciate them, but he believed what Fang Wen said.

Forty years ago, he joined the Boxer Rebellion with his master and fellow disciples to fight against the foreign devils, but his master died on the way. The disciples carried his master's body back to their hometown after many twists and turns.

Those scenes are still vivid in my mind.

It filled him with mixed emotions.

Fang Wen brought back the things that the Eight-Nation Alliance had looted, which was like a kind of redemption, releasing the pent-up frustration that had been weighing on his heart for a long time.

"Master." Fang Shouxin was overcome with tears.

Seeing this, Fang Wen quickly comforted him: "Uncle Fang, why are you crying? You should be happy."

Fang Shouxin wiped away his tears: "I couldn't help it, the tears just flowed out, but I feel relieved." Seeing this, Fang Wen smiled and said: "Then let's go downstairs and celebrate." Then he said to Professor Chen, who was conducting the appraisal: "Professor, since you're staying, there's no rush. Let's go downstairs and get something to eat."

Professor Chen nodded: "Very well, I was just wondering how you got so many treasures from the French."

Then, the group went downstairs and sat at a separate table in the restaurant.

Fourteen boxes of cultural relics were identified, and a large number of them were genuine. However, given the turbulent times we live in, properly preserving them is a problem.

Therefore, Fang Wen planned to take it to the base in northern Myanmar for safekeeping, where it would be safer.

Two days later, Professor Chen finished registering the students. Fang Wen was about to return to China, so he sent him back.

Sun Debiao from Southwest Logistics Company was also traveling along the same route.

After the passengers boarded, Fang Wen piloted the plane into the air.

The plane landed at its base in northern Myanmar and unloaded the batch of artifacts that had been registered.

It was received by Shen Weitao, the head of the base in northern Myanmar.

Fang Wen specifically instructed: "These things must be kept safe. They must be checked and inventoried every week. They can't be lost."

"Don't worry, General Manager. There might be Japanese spies in the base, but there are no thieves," Shen Weitao replied.

Fang Wen nodded, started the engine, and the plane taxied and took off.

The plane took off along the Burma Road, and the next stop was Kunming Lake Water Airport, where Professor Chen was dropped off. The plane then took off again and flew directly to Chongqing.

At 2 p.m., the plane entered Sichuan.

As they approached a dangerous airspace, Fang Wen activated his special ability and used a radar detection device to explore the area.

The radar detection device relayed a large number of aircraft signals.

Based on information such as heading and speed, Fang Wen can make a general judgment about the situation.

Thirty Japanese aircraft appeared over Chongqing, and more than a dozen Il-16s attempted to intercept them.

After dropping their bombs, the Japanese air raid squadron immediately returned to base, but another bombing squadron was on its way from over 100 kilometers away.

This gap in the flight schedule presents the perfect opportunity for the plane to land in Chongqing.

However, given the current combat situation, flying over there rashly would easily result in friendly fire from Chongqing's ground-based air defenses.

Therefore, Fang Wen sent a telegram to Chongqing via airborne telegraph.

The telegram was sent to the National Government Air Force Committee, inquiring whether it was permissible to land.

The other party quickly called back, saying that the plane could not land at the moment, but could land in Chengdu first and fly to Chongqing in the evening.

Fang Wen understands this.

The Japanese air raids could not be completed at night, so they usually stopped bombing in the afternoon when the sun was about to set.

If the plane then flies to Chongqing to land, it will not affect the ground-based air defense operations.

He then piloted the plane to change course and fly to Chengdu.

At 3 p.m., the plane landed at the Chengdu South Logistics Company's seaplane airport.

Fang Wen rested and waited inside the company after disembarking.

Two hours later, he took off again.

It arrived over Chongqing forty minutes later.

The airport where we landed this time was Shiraichi Station.

Baishiyi Airport was only built last year, and Taishan Airlines' domestic terminal station was moved here after the airport was completed.

This was also Fang Wen's first time landing at this airport.

He picked up the microphone and called the ground control tower on an aviation communications frequency.

"This is a temporary flight of Taishan Airlines, registration number 032, requesting to land."

After two calls, the ground responded: "Landing is cleared. Runway 2 is available. You may land on runway 2."

"Ok."

Fang Wen ended the communication, controlled the aircraft to straighten its position, reduced altitude, and landed steadily on the runway.

Once the plane came to a stop, ground crew waved flags to guide the way, and Fang Wen steered the plane to its parking spot.

He then got off the plane along with Sun Debiao and Gong Xiuneng.

Two men in military uniforms walked over.

"Hello Mr. Fang, we were sent by the Aviation Commission. It's getting late, and the Commission has arranged for you to attend an aviation procurement negotiation meeting tomorrow. Would you like us to arrange accommodation?"

Fang Wen replied, "No need, I'll take care of my own accommodation. What do you mean by the aviation procurement negotiation meeting? No one notified me before I came?"

One of the men explained, "That's right, Curtiss-Wright Corporation from the United States only arrived today. The procurement negotiation meeting was prepared for them, and since your Taishan Military Industry is also our aircraft supplier, the committee decided to do it together."

It turned out to be the case.

Fang Wen pretended not to know and asked, "What kind of aircraft are you planning to buy from Curtiss-Wright?"

"P-40 fighter jet. It is said to be the best fighter jet in the United States."

"Really? Then when is the aviation procurement negotiation meeting tomorrow? I will attend on time."

"At 9 a.m., in the committee's underground air-raid shelter."

"great, see you tomorrow."

Fang Wen concluded his conversation with the two representatives from the Nationalist Government's Aviation Commission. (End of Chapter)