"I just had a couple of drinks with A-Yao." Chu Xiaoxin picked up a cheap Double Happiness cigarette from Chu Yaozong's table, lit one, and said to his father, "That guy, with his restless nature, when it comes to business, he just does business. He started making wigs first, then actively courted and flattered everyone, seizing every opportunity. In the end, now the ten wig factories he started working with treat him like an enemy. Business shouldn't be done like that by A-Yao."
Chu Yaozong hummed in agreement. "Not bad. It's good that you know how to use your brain. Although what you said wasn't entirely correct, it at least proves that you've started to seriously think about how to do business."
"Incorrect?" Chu Xiaoxin looked at Chu Yaozong: "Shouldn't business be about making money through harmony? One person can't do all the business in the world."
"Business should be conducted with harmony, but timing and environment also matter." Chu Yaozong lowered his head and took another sip of tea. He thought his words might be a bit vague, and his Second Son might not understand. Anyway, it was just him and Chu Xiaoxin, so there was no harm in saying a few more words. He then raised his head and smiled, saying, "In the current environment in Hong Kong, business is very difficult. Many people from Shanghai people, Shunde, Dongguan, Five Counties, Eastern Guangdong, and even Chiu Chow people, don't lack capital, but rather a profitable business to invest in."
"Then let's put it in, okay? He makes wigs, and everyone else makes wigs too, so there won't be any conflict," Chu Xiaoxin said from the side.
Chu Xiaoxin shook his head slightly, as if lost in memories. "Song Tianyao's current situation is just like in 1949. In 1949, there was a newspaper that made Zhou Xiyu, Cai Wenbai, Du Zhaojian, and many other Hong Kong Chinese businessmen break out in a cold sweat. We sat together speechless. Do you know what news was published in that newspaper? It was a statistic by Foreign Devil on the assets of mainlanders who came to Hong Kong. There were six people with names and surnames who had assets of over Hong Kong dollars 100 million, fifteen people with assets of Hong Kong dollars 50 million, and forty-three people with assets of over HK$10 million. Millionaires were as numerous as hairs on a cow. In 1949, almost all the wealthy people in China, 30% went to Taiwan, 30% stayed on the mainland, 10% went overseas, and the remaining 30% all flocked to this small place, Hong Kong. The newspaper said that this influx of funds into Hong Kong would bring about explosive development for this port city, and Hong Kong's future was very bright."
Chu Xiaoxin imagined the scene of so many tycoons arriving in Hong Kong and couldn't help but swallow hard. At that time, he was living a life of debauchery and was naturally oblivious to such a grand occasion in the business world.
Chu Yaozong, holding his teacup, continued, "But we old guys who've been in Hong Kong for years are restless about this. All of our combined wealth probably doesn't even amount to a fraction of what those people have in cash. Xu Jizhuang from Shanghai people was detained, and his mistress could easily hire all the top lawyers in Hong Kong, setting bail at five million Hong Kong Hong Kong dollars. She didn't even need to set aside time to prepare it; she just produced it immediately. That's five million Hong Kong dollars in cash! In the most prosperous area of Kowloon, that's enough to easily buy two streets of land and all the shops. Most Hong Kong Chinese businessmen, even after generations, only have five million Hong Kong dollars in their fortunes. Yet, five million Hong Kong dollars was taken by a guy from the Mainland..." Xu Jizhuang's concubine can throw away five hundred or fifty dollars like it's nothing. Aren't we old guys scared? Of course we are, scared to death. Hong Kong is so small, and the Shanghai people are clearly trying to settle down and develop their businesses permanently. This means they're taking away our business. If both sides just keep to themselves and develop peacefully, how can we compete with those wealthy capitalists? These dragons who have made millions in the Mainland and then come to Hong Kong are all far more capable and shrewd in business than us old guys stuck in Hong Kong. If we go head-to-head with them, we locals will be forced to beg on the streets sooner or later.
"And then..." It was rare for his father to say so much to him, so Chu Xiaoxin listened attentively. When Chu Yaozong stopped talking, he asked his father to continue.
Chu Yaozong turned to look at him and said with a smile, "Song Tianyao was one of us local bullies back then. Countless wealthy people with capital waiting for the right opportunity were like powerful dragons crossing the river. The Tang family and the ten factories were the first to try to steal our business in 1949. Song Tianyao was in the same situation as us back then. If he gave in, it would be like giving up everything. In the end, he wouldn't even be able to keep his orders from the Britain department store. He saw this clearly long ago."
Chu Xiaoxin wanted to tell Chu Yaozong that he no longer wanted to hear about Song Tianyao and the wig industry. He wanted to hear Chu Yaozong talk about how his father's generation and several major local chambers of commerce joined forces to fight against the Shanghai visitors when they were outnumbered in 1949. However, judging from his father's expression, it seemed that he did not intend to continue talking about his past and was preparing to end this bedtime chat.
"An industry, a city, it's all the same." Chu Yaozong patted Chu Xiaoxin on the shoulder, turned to the door of the study, and said in a calm voice, "Sudden rise, followed by chaos, and then order, thus establishing rules. Otherwise, why do you think so many people were eyeing Song Tianyao's wig business, but only ten factories rushed out to produce them? It's because the other Big Brother just wanted to make money peacefully. They were waiting, waiting for the rules of this industry to be established before entering the market."
"It's late, get some rest."
Chu Xiaoxin watched his father's retreating figure as he walked out of the study, feeling as if he understood something, but shaking his head, he realized that he seemed to have understood nothing at all.
An industry may suddenly rise, but its rise is inevitably followed by chaos, and only after chaos comes order and the establishment of rules.
What are the rules?
Chapter 276 The Big Dragon Phoenix
"A-Yip, having been transferred from Brother Hung's lucrative Mong Kok area to this desert area of Hong Kong Island, do you feel any sense of unease?" Lam Kong handed Zhao Wenye a cigarette and asked him.
Zhao Wenye was officially transferred from the Kowloon Mong Kok Police Station to the Central Police Station Hong Kong Island today to report to Lam Kong. Previously, he worked as a Uniformed Branch henchman in Yan Hung's territory. Now, he has changed into civilian clothes and been transferred to work for the newly promoted Lam Kong. Although it was his first day here, Lam Kong and Zhao Wenye had met several times before. Zhao Wenye's transfer to Hong Kong Island was the result of arrangements made by Yan Hung and Lam Kong. Mong Kok Island is a better environment. Moreover, there are more Foreign Devil on Hong Kong Island. With Song Tianyao as his backer, Zhao Wenye. It is easier for him to use money to open up connections with Foreign Devil and get promoted on Hong Kong Island. Therefore, after discussing it, Yan Hung and Lam Kong arranged for Zhao Wenye to work for Lam Kong on Hong Kong Island.