The Chu Family's Second Young Master (continued)
"Quick but not chaotic, slow but unbroken, the notes never too high, the tempo never too rushed. The melody was elegant and proper. This is for you."
Only when Song Tianyao spoke did the young songstress rise and curtsy to thank him. Rather than rushing to take the tip from the table, she was somewhat surprised that a young man who looked like a student returned from abroad actually knew how to comment on the piece she had just played:
"Have you studied the pipa too, sir?"
"The fingering you just used was from the Chongming School of pipa playing. When I was in Shanghai, I had an old acquaintance who was also skilled in the Chongming School's tremolo technique." After Song Tianyao said this to the young songstress, someone's image came to mind. He waved a hand. "Thank you for the short piece, miss."
Only then did the young songstress come over to collect the tip. She thanked him again and withdrew.
For a moment, though, the expression Song Tianyao had revealed so intrigued her that she wanted to stay and hear him talk about his old acquaintance.
Wu Jinliang was gone for a full two hours. He returned close to five in the evening, excitement written all over his face. Pushing open the door to the private room, he spoke to Song Tianyao before he had even sat down:
"Brother, it's settled. The Chu Family's second young master agreed. I've arranged everything: six o'clock on the third floor of the Taibai Seafood Restaurant, then after ten, some entertainment at the Dancefloor Nightclub in North Point, with seats in the front row by the stage. It cost eight hundred and forty-six dollars altogether, and there's still..."
Song Tianyao smiled at Wu Jinliang. "Brother Leung, I never take back money I've given away. What's left is naturally your reward."
Wu Jinliang had already seen how generously Song Tianyao spent, so he did not stand on ceremony. He sat down opposite Song Tianyao and began briefing him on the background of the Chu Family's second young master, whom they had invited out that evening.
In Hong Kong, chambers of commerce and gangs from different places stood in great numbers. Apart from the indigenous inhabitants of the New Territories, the Chinese in Hong Kong at this time could all be considered outsiders. People from coastal regions such as Chaozhou-Fengshun, Haining, Shunhua and Luzhao had come to Hong Kong to make a living, and naturally had to look after one another and stick together.
Thus, these regional chambers of commerce in Hong Kong were roughly equivalent to the Wenzhou and Zhejiang merchants' chambers of commerce Song Tianyao had encountered in later years. Merchants from the same region gathered together, sharing resources and connections to secure the greatest possible benefits for all.
The societies, meanwhile, had originally been organizations formed to keep people from being bullied by outsiders from other places. Those who knew kung fu and had a strong sense of brotherhood would step forward, gather a band of brothers and stand up for their fellow townsmen. But as their membership grew, the societies' original purpose changed.
Now the chambers of commerce kept the societies, using them for labor and protection, while the societies safeguarded the chambers' interests and, along the way, found dock work for their own brothers so they could put food on the table.
The president of the Chao Feng Chamber of Commerce was Chu Yaozong. His Liheng Trading Company dealt mainly in grain and cooking oil, and he was considered one of the foremost Chaozhou-Fengshun merchants. After the war, Hong Kong had a hundred ruined enterprises waiting to be rebuilt, and businesses of every kind were on the rise. So over the past two years, Chu Yaozong had opened two more small trading companies, moving into the import and export of medicines and the kerosene business.
Chu Yaozong had three sons. His eldest, Chu Xiaozhong, was twenty-nine and currently helped Chu Yaozong manage Liheng Trading Company's business. As president of the Chao Feng Chamber of Commerce, Chu Yaozong had to deal with all the chamber's affairs, large and small, so he had entrusted the family's foundational grain and cooking oil business to his eldest son. In a way, this also told everyone that Chu Lianhai would one day take charge of the Chu Family.
His second son, Chu Xiaoxin, was born to Chu Yaozong's second wife and was twenty-two this year. Outgoing by nature, he had been born when the family was already wealthy, and so had quite the air of a spoiled young master. He loved luxury and show, was wild and unrestrained, but was also warmhearted in the old-fashioned way and loved nothing more than making friends. Chu Yaozong had given the Chu Family's fundamental grain and cooking oil business to his eldest son and put Chu Xiaoxin in charge of the medicine business. Though it was not a large operation, its monthly profits still left a modest surplus after Chu Xiaoxin's considerable expenses were deducted.
The third son, Chu Xiaozhi, was only twelve. He and Chu Xiaoxin shared the same mother, and he was still at school.
The job Wu Jinliang had introduced to Song Tianyao was as secretary to this Chu Xiaoxin, the Chu Family's second young master.
"Chu Yaozong has three sons. As the saying goes, the emperor loves his eldest son, while common folk dote on their youngest. Whether Chu Yaozong follows the emperor or the common folk, he won't place too much importance on the Chu Family's second young master. So although he says he's given Chu Xiaoxin full control of Likang Trading Company and never interferes, he's actually stationed his brother-in-law at the docks to keep watch. This brother-in-law isn't his second wife's brother, but the eldest son Chu Xiaozhong's own maternal uncle—the younger brother of Chu Yaozong's first wife, who died of illness. This brother-in-law keeps his eyes on Likang Trading Company's business every moment, looking for a chance to take the company back for his nephew Chu Xiaozhong. The Chu Family's second young master put out word in the various teahouses long ago that he wanted a sharp-witted secretary to help manage the business and protect this little property of his. He's willing to pay the secretary two hundred dollars a month. Brother, if you really have talent and learning, this is just the place to put your ambitions into action." Wu Jinliang drained the fragrant tea in his cup in one gulp and looked intently at Song Tianyao as he spoke.
Song Tianyao nodded slightly and smiled. "After hearing you out, Brother Leung, I feel as though this job was made especially for me."
The two men drank tea and chatted at the teahouse until five thirty, then got up and took a rickshaw to Tang Sai Deep Bay in Kowloon Tong. By the time they arrived at Deep Bay in Kowloon Tong, the lights had just come on. From a distance, they could see restaurant barges crowding the waters of Deep Bay, resplendent and brightly lit. Lights of every color reflected on the sea, making a beautiful sight. Small boats passed to and fro between the various barges and the pier, ferrying guests to and from the restaurants.
Song Tianyao was no stranger to this kind of floating restaurant in Hong Kong. In later years, he had seen quite a few Hong Kong films with scenes set in them. In To Be Number One, for example, when Ng Sik-ho first met Fei Biu, Fei Biu had rented an entire floating restaurant and was having dinner there with his mistress, played by Yip Tze-mei. He had one of his men give his fellow townsman Ng Sik-ho, who had come to see him, two dollars and send him on his way.
But in this life, it was Song Tianyao's first time coming to such a place. Standing on the pier and looking at the floating restaurants moored out on the water, he did not know how to call them to send a boat for him.
Fortunately, Wu Jinliang was with him. Song Tianyao said nothing; Wu Jinliang stood on the pier and pointed to a small boat that had just finished delivering some guests. "To Tai Pak."
The boatman, dressed in short working clothes, pushed the boat alongside with a bamboo pole and said politely to the two men, "Please come aboard, gentlemen."