Most people at the table nodded in agreement. Zhang Yulin's words were correct. Indeed, even if Chu Xiaoxin caused a big scene, it should be aimed at the Zhang Family. There was no reason for so many people to be implicated. Moreover, even if something happened, everyone received the goods from the Zhang Family, so the Zhang Family should be the ones to take the lead.
"Tomorrow afternoon, I'll have Chen Fu call everyone and let you know what I found out when I had dinner with the Foreign Devil," Zhang Yulin said, standing up to reassure everyone at the table.
After the social gathering ended, Zhang Yulin went to the restroom of the Five Counties Restaurant to vomit up whatever he had drunk. He then returned to the now empty private room, asked the waiter to bring him a pot of tea, and waited until the taste of alcohol in his mouth was gone before getting out and sitting in the back seat of his car. He closed his eyes to rest and prepared to go home to rest.
As the car approached the intersection of MacDonnell Road, two rickshaws suddenly darted out from the side and blocked the street. The driver braked and honked twice. Chen Fu, the assistant sitting in the passenger seat, rolled down the window to ask what was wrong. Gao Lao Cheng got out of one of the rickshaws, ignoring the driver and Chen Fu, and walked to the rear door to gently knock on the window.
Zhang Yulin opened his eyes and looked out. Gao Lao Cheng said through the glass, "Mr. Zhang, Secretary Song from Likang has been waiting for you for a long time and wants to have a chat with you."
"The Sze Yap Gang, sigh..." Zhang Yulin sighed dejectedly, "When the Big Brother went abroad with my older brother, none of his underlings came out to protect me. Now even Tom, Dick, A-Mao can stop my car."
As he spoke, he opened the car door and, still with a friendly demeanor, addressed the uninvited guest, Gao Lao Cheng: "Where is he? If he wants to see me, wait until tomorrow. I'm going home to sleep."
"Central Pier." Gao Lao Cheng didn't get into the car, but said to Zhang Yulin, "Secretary Song said Mr. Zhang should be interested in these things."
As he spoke, Gao Lao Cheng took out several photos from his pocket. The photos showed the Customs Department and several British Army inspecting more than a dozen boxes of what appeared to be military-grade hemostatic powder in Customs warehouse.
"Chu Xiaoxin and Yuliang got drunk and started arguing. It's a wonder that Secretary Song actually sent the photographer and all sorts of lights to the Customs warehouse. Is he trying to scare me? Take me to see him and see how arrogant he really is." After looking through the photos, Zhang Yulin casually tossed them onto the back seat, closed his eyes, and said nonchalantly.
"Please have Mr. Zhang's car follow mine. Don't worry, the Sze Yap Gang hasn't arranged any manpower, and I, Gao Lao Cheng, can definitely guarantee Mr. Zhang's safety." After Gao Lao Cheng finished speaking, he walked back to his rickshaw. The two rickshaws were positioned in front of and behind Zhang Yulin's car, as if escorting him, and they drove the car towards the Central Pier.
From an angle unnoticed even by the driver and Chen Fu in the front row, Zhang Yulin's hands trembled slightly, veins bulging from the back of his hands, as he gripped his trousers tightly.
Trafficking in prohibited goods and trafficking in military supplies are two completely different concepts.
Has Chu Xiaoxin of Likang gone mad? Is he resorting to framing someone? Is he prepared for a fight to the death?
After seeing off the Customs Department, who had taken the time to visit the warehouse after receiving Hong Kong dollars 150,000 and had taken a photo to commemorate the occasion, Song Tianyao and Angie Perlis gave each of the more than 30 British Army on night duty guarding the Customs warehouse Hong Kong dollars 1,000, and the sergeant in charge gave them Hong Kong dollars 5,000.
These Britain were very cooperative about getting published and paid; some British Army even posed for photos while being photographed in the warehouse.
After everyone, including the photographer, had been settled and sent away, Song Tianyao led Angie Perlis slowly to the pier, gazing at the dark sea and saying:
"Did I remember everything I told you? Keep the photos safe. I'll have someone take you back to your hotel to rest, and we'll book the earliest flight to London tomorrow."
"What should I do if I never receive your call?" Angie Perlis looked at Song Tianyao beside her. "If someone kills you once, someone else might kill you a second time."
"A week, a whole week without a call from me. Send those photos and documents to the United States newspapers. If Song Tianyao's luck really runs out and he accidentally dies, then we can't let these living guys live too comfortably." Song Tianyao turned to look at Angie Perlis: "You're dressed warmly enough today, so I won't pretend to be a gentleman and take off my coat for you. Let's go back to the hotel and rest for a while. I'll see you off from Hong Kong tomorrow."
Angie Perlis didn't say anything more, turned around and followed behind Rotten-Life Ju and four or five members of the Chao Yong Yi towards the dock.
"No need for me to stay and follow you, Secretary Song?" Rotten-Life Ju asked Song Tianyao before leaving. Song Tianyao pointed to a row of fishing boats on the water and more than thirty dark figures twenty or thirty meters away. "If five hundred members of Fuyixing can't keep an eye on me, I might as well let them jump into the sea and commit suicide, so they won't be ashamed of the term 'Jianghu people' while they're still alive."
Zhang Yulin's car slowly drove into the dock. Song Tianyao turned around, looked at the third young master of the Zhang Family who got out of the back seat, and smiled as he said, "Mr. Zhang, are the photos clear? I specially used four battery-powered lights and more than a dozen kerosene lamps for lighting to make the dark warehouse look like it was daytime."
"Black is black, no matter how brightly it's photographed, it's still black." Zhang Yulin looked around and walked to Song Tianyao's side, saying, "The guy who led the way said it was Secretary Song from Likang who was meeting me, but it turns out it really is just your secretary here. I thought Chu Xiaoxin would at least show up, but he spilled a cup of tea on my fourth brother and then spit all over my face."
"I've come to see you to tell you that you can't make the decision in this situation. I'd like you to call Zhang Yujie and ask him to return to Hong Kong as soon as possible so that he can decide whether Likang and the Zhang Family should fight or make peace." Song Tianyao looked at Zhang Yulin calmly and said, word by word.
Zhang Yulin chuckled dismissively, "Frame-up, taking photos and publishing them in the newspaper—these are such shady tactics, why would my elder brother need to go all the way back to Hong Kong for them?"
"It'll be too late to fight after tonight. You think if this drags on, Likang won't be able to hold on, and someone has to be a scapegoat, right? That's what I think too, but the scapegoat isn't Likang now, it's the Zhang Family. I'll introduce you to someone." After saying that, Song Tianyao waved to Gao Lao Cheng was a dozen meters away.