The Portuguese man who was helping Nai Khun off the boat heard that Cai Bao was speaking Thai, and immediately said to Nai Khun in Thai, "Sir, tip."
Nai Khun glanced at the bowing, smiling Portuguese man with interest, then casually pulled out two hundred-dollar Hong Kong dollars from his pocket and handed them to him.
The Portuguese waiter at the dock had never seen anyone so generous. He was the kind of person who would give away even a one- Hong Kong dollars tip as a token of gratitude. But now, seeing enough for one or two months' wages, he was so excited that his face turned red, and he kept thanking Nai Khun in Thai.
Nai Khun didn't look at him again, and strode towards the dock exit, instructing Cai Bao behind him, "Find a hotel to stay in first, then call them."
"Yes!" Cai Bao replied, then stopped talking and followed closely behind Nai Khun with several of his Thailand companions.
Nai Khun walked along the Macau coast, looking around at the surroundings. The Macau pier was brightly lit under the night sky, and taxis and rickshaws waiting to solicit customers were lined up in two distinct rows.
Nai Khun withdrew his gaze, a smirk playing on his lips. "Song Tianyao's sister lives here? I was thinking about how to persuade my father to let me come to Macau, but I didn't expect the opportunity to come so quickly. I should thank these Golden Triangle opium-selling deserters."
He spoke in a very low voice, almost to himself, so much so that even Cai Bao was following behind, couldn't hear him clearly and couldn't help but ask, "Young Master Kun, what did you say?"
Nai Khun said with a smile, "I must say, Macau is truly a wonderful place. We originally thought that our business would be affected because the goods from the Golden Triangle hadn't arrived for a while, but we didn't expect to find the source of goods we wanted right next to Hong Kong."
Upon hearing Cai Bao and his companions smiled and said, "This is Buddha blessing Sai Ba and Young Master Kun. He knows how hard life is for us poor folks and has shown us a bright path."
Nai Khun smiled noncommittally and strode forward.
Nai Kun had only one goal in coming to Thailand: to find Song Wenwen, whom he had been longing for. As for the matter of Sai Charonwang asking him to contact the defeated soldiers of the Golden Triangle in Macau to purchase opium due to a shortage of raw materials, Nai Khun didn't take it to heart at all.
Even if it were Yellow Arsenic trafficking, how much money could one make? And it would involve enormous risks. If they could find Song Tianyao's family, wouldn't Song Tianyao obediently hand over all his businesses? And that batch of aircraft engines that the Taiwan person longed for—if it fell into their hands, they would naturally exchange it for even greater benefits from the United States. Only a foolish China person wouldn't see the situation clearly: the Britain are finished; the future world belongs to the United States.
As Nai Khun thought this to himself, the smile on his lips grew even wider. He believed that as long as he gained the trust and help of the United States, his future achievements would surpass those of Sai Zhalunwang, which had always been his dream.
"Macau, truly a holy land for fulfilling dreams!" Nai Khun shouted loudly into the night wind, arms outstretched, amidst the astonished gazes of the Thailand, including Cai Bao, behind him.
Chapter 549 Offering Tea
Xu Pingsheng has been in Hong Kong Guangdong decades, having come from a family that was not particularly wealthy. So even though he now enjoys the title of Shipping King of Hong Kong, he is still far less able to enjoy life than Shanghai businessmen like Yu Shiting, who have seen it all.
This is why Shanghai people, after coming to Hong Kong, would call Hong Kong "country bumpkins" who have never seen the world.
Just like when Yu Shiting entertained Song Tianyao, he chose Jing Garden he had purchased for hundreds of dollars, as the venue. Jing Garden alone was worth as much as all the shops on five streets in the Eastern District of Hong Kong Island combined. But for Yu Shiting, it was just a leisure garden where he entertained guests and relaxed, and he might not even go there once a month.
In contrast, Xu Pingsheng's reception for the local and Hong Kong ship merchants tonight was much smaller in scale. He set up the banquet in his backyard, with a dozen tables set up outdoors. Although the lighting and other facilities were all there, and he even hired a Western band to accompany the Yu Shiting, Xu Pingsheng seemed more like an ordinary businessman who was frugal and hardworking than Yu Shiting.
However, no one would laugh at Xu Pingsheng for being stingy; it's just a matter of different hobbies. He enjoys horse racing, and the money he's spent on his horse team over the years would probably be enough to buy two or three Jing Gardens. He's put the pursuit of his own quality of life last.
Moreover, all the guests present today know that Xu Pingsheng's invitation to the banquet was merely a decorative supporting role; the real protagonists were the currently rising stars, Song Tianyao and Tan Jingwei. Especially Song Tianyao, who currently has a high bounty on his head. By hosting the banquet at Xu Residence, even the most shameless scoundrel would probably have to give up any such thoughts.
"Boss Xu is protecting Song Tianyao!" A Hong Kong shipping merchant, sitting at a dining table, observed the guests coming and going and shared his opinion with his tablemates.
Another merchant sitting to his left shook his head. "Whether he's safe or not depends on how the two sides negotiate tonight. If they can't reach an agreement, Song Tianyao might not be able to leave the Xu Residence."
The remaining ship merchants at the table nodded in agreement, clearly agreeing with this statement. The crux of the matter now lay in the irreconcilable conflict between Song Tianyao and Tan Jingwei. If this issue wasn't resolved, it would be impossible for them, as outsiders, to discern who was the enemy and who was the friend.
"I heard that Chu Xiaozhong also offered two million to assassinate Song Tianyao. Tonight, it's probably not just a feud between Song Tianyao and Tan Jingwei!" A Shanghai merchant sitting at another table picked up his wine glass and looked towards the side gate of the backyard, where a small Western-style building had been built. Through the windows of the building, one could vaguely see figures inside.
In addition to the shipping merchants from Hong Kong and Shanghai, Xu Pingsheng also invited Chu Yaozong, Yu Shiting, Lu Wenhui Zhou Xiyu, Cai Wenbai, Gu Quan, and others. Any one of these people could cause turmoil in the entire Hong Kong economic chain if they stomped their feet. Only a Chinese tycoon of Xu Pingsheng's caliber could invite all these people to gather together.
These real Chinese tycoons certainly couldn't just set up a few tables on the green lawn in the backyard to entertain the guests like the supporting characters downstairs. Even if they didn't care, Xu Pingsheng, as the host, couldn't afford to lose face.