With the wealth and influence of the Shanghai people and the elite troops of the 14K, a joint effort could definitely unify the Hong Kong underworld. Moreover, if he managed things well a few years later, it wasn't impossible for him to bring the entire 14K under his Green Gang.
"Mr. Choi Fat," Chen Zhongying smiled, "You should know that 14K doesn't belong to me, Chen. Although I'm temporarily in charge of Incense Master situation, there are still the Old Mountain Master and the Young Mountain Master above me. If I were to make a decision on my own and agree to this kind of external cooperation, I couldn't bear the consequences if the Old Mountain Master blamed me."
"It was my oversight in making the decision, but I had long heard that Old Mountain Master Ge was seriously ill, and Young Mountain Master Ge was extremely filial to his father and had no time for anything else. All the affairs of the 14K were entrusted to Brother Zhongying. When we joined forces with the Chiu Chow Gang to take over the Eastern Guangdong Gang's territory, and later when we clashed with the Chiu Chow Gang, neither of the two mountain lords of the Ge family showed up." Li Caifa continued speaking what he thought were refined words, his eyes fixed intently on Chen Zhongying.
Chen Zhongying, however, couldn't stand Li Caifa speaking to him in broken, grammatically incorrect Chinese. Having been handpicked by Ge Zhaohuang to become a high-ranking official in the 14K, assisting Prince Ge Zhixiong, Chen Zhongying's vision and intellect far surpassed those of self-important gangsters like Li Caifa. These past two days, he had been pondering how to quietly He-prefix gangs eliminate the Green Gang, allowing Green Gang 14K to take over and develop under the backing of wealthy Shanghai. This way, there would be no conflict with local gangs, and they would have a financial backer—the perfect solution for the 14K.
Now that Chen Zhongying's scheme is beginning to take shape, why would he still help Li Caifa dream of unifying Hong Kong's underworld?
Only someone like Li Caifa, who got carried away by being praised and called the Du Yuesheng of Hong Kong for a few days, would actually believe that he could unify the underworld simply by killing and suppressing his opponents.
"Regardless of whether the Old Mountain Master intervenes or not, I must first inform him. After he knows about this, I will then discuss it in detail with Mr. Choi Fat. Mountain Lord Ge values his reputation above all else. Since he trusts me, I cannot afford to embarrass him in this matter. What do you think, Mr. Choi Fat?" Chen Zhongwen replied to Li Caifa.
Although Li Caifa was eager, he couldn't insist that Chen Zhongying give him an answer immediately, so he could only nod repeatedly. "Of course, of course. I'll invite Brother Zhongying to Lichi for tea again in the next couple of days."
"Of course, of course," Chen Zhongying said gently to Li Caifa.
But in his heart, he was pondering where exactly Hung Mun East Liang Mountain of the Hongmen mentioned by Weiwen was located. He had searched through most of the Hong Kong, but no one could give a decent answer. Now, if Chen Zhongying could find Hung Mun East Liang Mountain of the Hongmen in Hong Kong, it would be equivalent to giving 14K an opportunity.
Chapter 152: A Flaw?
"Want one?" After his second brother Zhang Yujie Zhang Yuqi took out a cigar from the hand beside him and waved it at him, asking.
Zhang Yuqi smiled and shook his head, his fair and refined face still flushed with lingering wine red. He took out Double Happiness cigarette from the pocket of his Zhongshan and lit it. "I still prefer China cigarettes a little more."
Zhang Yujie a cigar, glanced at A-Yin and Alice who were whispering on the living room balcony, and asked with a smile:
"You really don't plan to marry your little Alice?"
"You make Alice sound like she's some kind of unofficial friend like Sister Yin. She's my assistant, not my lover." Zhang Yuqi chuckled, then turned to look at Alice's smiling face. "There are so many English newspapers, and my English isn't very good. I need Alice to translate them for me so I can read them. Besides, having a woman around makes you more attentive."
"Did the HSBC tycoon agree?" After chatting with the women for a while, Zhang Yujie got back to the main topic and asked Zhang Yuqi about the meeting with the HSBC tycoon that evening, which was arranged by several directors from East Asia and Hang Seng Bank of East Asia.
Zhang Yujie's second brother was the one who suited his tastes best. Zhang Yujie was used to using a straightforward and direct approach to open up new opportunities, and Zhang Yuqi was paving the way for him behind the scenes. The Zhang Family was now a well-known group of Chinese businessmen in the Five Counties. If they couldn't even satisfy the appetite of the foreign governor of Foreign Devil, or if they couldn't even establish a connection with the outside world, then that would be a joke.
After Zhang Yulin made a late-night phone call, recounting in detail everything that had happened in the Zhang Family recently, Zhang Yuqi, still in Australia, began to analyze the situation. He learned that Chu Xiaoxin had set up the scheme through his connection with Shek Chi-yik, the deputy director of the Industrial and Commercial Administration Office. Analyzing the situation further, that same evening he immediately concluded to Zhang Yujie that Chu Xiaoxin's Likang had been tricked by the Foreign Devil. Following the issues raised by Zhang Yuliang, Zhang Yuqi indicated that a draw was the best outcome, so as not to damage the superficial relationship between the Zhang Family. On the surface, he simply admitted defeat, pushing Zhang Yuliang, who had gotten himself into trouble, and some counterfeit medicines onto him with a minor, innocuous charge. This allowed the Foreign Devil Shek Chi-yik, to gracefully exit the situation and save face. Behind the scenes, he secretly established another connection to deal with Governor Grantham. As for the money involved, he had the Pharmaceutical Association members share the costs. This way, firstly, he wouldn't offend Shek Chi-yik, and secondly, he satisfied the appetites of Governor Grantham and the British Army. Once these two matters were settled, the seemingly terrifying dark cloud hanging over the Zhang Family dissipated.
As for the minor conflict between Zhang Yuliang and Likang regarding deworming medication, it didn't even need to be brought up for discussion.
"Mr. Ji's Bank of East Asia guarantee, Mr. Morse has agreed to help the Zhang Family's Luen Kim Properties Company secure a loan from HSBC," Zhang Yuqi said gently to Zhang Yujie. "This kind of thing only looks scary. With the Korean War, Hong Kong's entrepot trade plummeted. If it weren't for the influx of wealthy Shanghai residents and cheap labor from Guangdong propping up Hong Kong's current economic bubble, Hong Kong would have collapsed long ago. The Foreign Devil, in this environment, don't want a family like the Zhang Family, who have influence in the pharmaceutical industry, to really have major problems. It's just a smokescreen. I'm more worried about Yuliang's situation..."
"What are you worried about? Does he think he's all grown up now, all independent, and is secretly colluding with those speculators in Shanghai behind his family's back? Planning to ruin his three older brothers?" Hearing Zhang Yuqi mention the fourth brother, Zhang Yujie's face no longer held the murderous intent he had shown in Australia. His tone was as cold as if he were talking about a dog. "I've already had Yulin call Cheung Wing-kam and have his men help bring Yuliang back to see Mother first. Have the company's lawyers prepare the documents to look good, and pin all the blame on Yuliang. Lock him up in Xiaogan Prison for a few months to reflect on his actions. After he gets out, send him to Macau. Don't let him return unless Mother gives the order."