Shek Chi-yik was stunned by these words, but he quickly sat back down at his desk and said calmly, "That's right, I remember it was me who invited him in. Thank you, Jeff."
Not long after, Song Tianyao was led in by his secretary. After thanking the departing secretary, Song Tianyao looked at Shek Chi-yik behind the desk and said with a reserved smile, "Mr. Shi, working with you has certainly not been easy."
Shek Chi-yik stared at the young man in front of him with his deep-set eyes. "The news in the Observer, why? You could have confronted the Zhang Family head-on, and with Likang clearly having the upper hand, instead of like this. You should know that, putting aside the Governor of Hong Kong, my current aversion to Likang far exceeds my aversion to the European Coast Company described in the newspaper."
"You're a China expert, Mr. Shi, but you clearly don't understand China businessmen very well. We don't like to ruin superficial relationships, even if we secretly want to kill each other. If we act like knights and the Chu Family goes to war with the Zhang Family, the chain reaction will be huge. As for your dislike of Likang, I think the current situation might be embarrassing for you. The Governor needs you to handle this perfectly, right? That's why I'm here." Song Tianyao took a stack of photos from his suit pocket and placed them on Shek Chi-yik's desk. "The photos show military supplies and medicines seized by Customs and the British Army, from the European Coast Company. They're still in the Customs warehouse. They have more details than the photo published in the London newspapers, and if you approve, tomorrow morning, major Hong Kong newspapers will be in sync with London newspapers, reporting the news of Customs seizing smuggled military supplies and medicines from the European Coast Company. Trafficking military supplies and medicines is far more serious than trafficking ordinary medicines."
"What if the Zhang Family's European Coast Company refuses to acknowledge it? They're very wealthy; they might be able to hire many top lawyers to appeal this matter," Shek Chi-yik said to Song Tianyao, picking up the photos on the table and examining them.
Song Tianyao took out the Zippo lighter Zhang Yuliang had given him and slowly placed it in front of Shek Chi-yik: "What if the Zhang Family is guilty and destroys evidence? Tonight, the Customs warehouse might be suddenly and maliciously attacked and set on fire. The Pharmaceutical Association's drugs seized by Customs might be burned. It's the Zhang Family colluding with outside gangs to do that. And I think someone in the Zhang Family will admit that they trafficked military funds. As far as I know, Zhang Yujie's younger brother, Zhang Yuliang, is very willing to testify for Customs. Even members of the Zhang Family admit to trafficking military funds and colluding with gangs to attack and maliciously set fire to the Customs warehouse. Do we still need to give them the opportunity to hire lawyers to appeal?"
"A fire will break out after 9 PM tonight. Customs and Police Station will then conduct a joint operation to arrest the foreign gang members responsible for storming the Customs warehouse and setting the fire, as well as Zhang Yujie, the person in charge of the Zhang Family behind it. When Hong Kong reports this news tomorrow morning, some skeptical people will realize that the Britain were not at fault; the China person were. Furthermore, I just discovered in Oxfam's accounts that the Honorary President, Mrs. Ge Mulian, wife of the Governor of Oxfam, and the first President, Mrs. Bess, each purchased Hong Kong dollars 1 million worth of deworming medication to donate free of charge to the people of Hong Kong. However, due to insufficient production capacity and malicious hoarding of raw materials, Likang is temporarily unable to supply these medications. Therefore, the Hong Kong dollars 1 million from the two ladies will be returned to their Oxfam accounts in a few days for them to use for other charitable purposes. This is the original intention of everyone doing charity, don't you think?"
With a calm expression, Song Tianyao asked Shi Shek Chi-yik in a low voice, "Or do you still insist on maintaining your dislike for Likang, who is so enthusiastic about charity?"
Chapter 168 Conflict in the Martial World
"Everyone, stay alert," Gao Lao Cheng said to his trusted subordinates. "No matter what you hear later, don't go to the dock pier unloading area. Stay here at the warehouse. By the time I give the order, Chao Yong Yi's men will have already moved over two hundred catties of kerosene into the warehouse. Once you've lit it, get out of there immediately."
Although he said that, his eyes couldn't help but glance towards the dock unloading area, which was completely hidden by various warehouses.
There, the Hong Kong He-prefix gangs and the foreign Green Gangs were about to have a fierce battle to test each other's mettle.
Gao Lao Cheng imagining the scene, but both Fuyixing Chao Yong Yi had already withdrawn from the dock under the orders of Likang Company, leaving only him with a few men to wait for Song Tianyao's order to set fire to the Customs dock.
Just as Gao Lao Cheng imagined, more than twenty gas lamps were hung up early at the Central Pier unloading area, illuminating the unloading area, which could accommodate thousands of people and hundreds of ships unloading at the same time, as bright as day. The two groups each occupied one side. The Green Gang had more than a hundred people, He-prefix gangs had slightly more, about two hundred people.
To distinguish themselves, the two sides dressed differently. On the Green Gang's side, even the lowest-ranking members wore black vests resembling those worn by waitresses at the Lichi Nightclub, making them appear quite uniform at first glance. In contrast, the He-prefix gangs's group was somewhat chaotic, with members wearing undershirts, short jackets, martial arts uniforms, and even shirtless—a mixed bag, except for a white towel wrapped around their left arm. At this moment, the two groups were dozens of meters apart, glaring at each other in a noisy and disorderly manner.
In this kind of armed conflict, Li Caifa would naturally not step forward. At this moment, he was far away at the edge of the unloading area, wearing a windproof woolen overcoat, holding up a military binoculars, carefully observing the two groups of people in the unloading area.
"The men from 14K are here," his bodyguard said. Li Caifa aimed his binoculars at the spot the bodyguard pointed to, and sure enough, eighty or ninety strong young men, all wearing black vests provided by Li Caifa, stood next to the Green Gang's men.
The appearance of person 14K caused quite a commotion among the people on the opposite side who had the He-prefix gangs.
"Mr. Choi Fat, aren't there a few fewer people than 14K?" his bodyguard asked.
"Chen Zhongying said these hundred men are all ruthless characters from the Outer Eight Halls of the 14K, the old hands who came to Hong Kong in '49 to build their empire. He shouldn't be lying to me. If he is, the 14K can forget about getting involved in the morphine business again." Li Caifa said slowly, "Send a signal to Ah Sang and Qi Nian, hurry up and make your move. Who has the patience to stand here and let the wind blow?"