Recaps

Song Chunzhong explained how he had fled Hong Kong, grown rich through fraud, and joined Ning Zikun’s group to plan a major scam in Shanghai. He began recounting the Heavenly Immortal Scheme that led to Ning’s losses, but had not yet explained the betrayal that made Ning seek revenge.

• Song Chunzhong said he planned to return to Malaysia after seeing his family and learning that his grandfather was well.
• Song Tianyao invited Ning Zikun inside, and Ning accused Song Chunzhong of betraying their former partners and causing several deaths.
• Song Chunzhong told Song Tianyao how he had fled to Malaysia, returned to China during the war, and made money by reselling medical supplies on Hainan Island.
• Song Chunzhong described losing most of his fortune in Chongqing and rebuilding it through scams alongside Ning Zikun’s group.
• Song Chunzhong said he and other swindlers joined forces in Shanghai to carry out a Heavenly Immortal Scheme, with Chen Zhifeng and Luo Zongchang among its leaders.

Chen Zhifeng, Song Chunzhong, Luo Zongchang and Ning Zikun carried out a six-month mining-company share scam, collecting more than 1.2 million silver dollars. On the eve of the subscription period’s end, the leaders gathered on the Shanghai Bund and awaited the transfer of the money to a foreign bank before splitting up.

• Chen Zhifeng built a reputation among Shanghai’s prominent figures while Luo Zongchang and Ning Zikun planted accomplices in their households and Song Chunzhong staged mining operations in Western Hunan.
• Chen Zhifeng hosted a banquet, presented detailed company documents and invited guests to invest in a patriotic mining venture with one million silver dollars in initial capital.
• Guests subscribed for shares after hearing reports that the company was buying mines and surveying them, while planted servants and mistresses spread word of prominent investors joining in.
• Over six months, the swindlers secretly and openly collected more than 1.2 million silver dollars, spending less than one hundred thousand on the scheme.
• Chen Zhifeng, Song Chunzhong and Luo Zongchang gathered on the Shanghai Bund and waited for their bank accomplices to transfer the funds to a foreign bank before they divided the money and left.

Song Chunzhong recounted how the Shanghai Bund swindle ended with his partners arrested and Ning Zikun suspecting him of betrayal. After persuading Ning to abandon revenge, Song Chunzhong privately admitted to Song Tianyao that he had orchestrated the entire scheme and pocketed the missing money.

• Song Chunzhong said police arrested Chen Zhifeng, Luo Zongchang, and most of their crews while he escaped, leaving nearly 700,000 silver dollars missing.
• Ning Zikun accused Song Chunzhong of betraying the other crews, and Song showed a real gunshot scar while claiming his disciples had framed him.
• Song Tianyao urged Ning Zikun to let the matter go, and Ning left without attacking Song Chunzhong.
• Song Tianyao sent Lou Fengyun to check on Ning Zikun after he left.
• Song Chunzhong admitted to Song Tianyao that he had tipped off the police, kept the 700,000 silver dollars, killed two disciples, and staged the gunshot wound to lure out survivors.

Song Tianyao distrusted Song Chunzhong despite his claims of wealth in Malaysia and declined to become involved with him. Meanwhile, Lu Rongfang dismissed reports about Song Tianyao’s stock buying as exaggerated and prepared to ignore them.

• Song Chunzhong gave Song Tianyao his business card and said he owned a rubber estate and cement factory in Malaysia, but Song Tianyao treated his story cautiously.
• Song Chunzhong offered to leave his Malaysian holdings to Song Tianyao in his will and asked him to care for Grandpa on his behalf.
• Song Chunzhong left for a hotel before returning to Malaysia, and Song Tianyao refused to ask him to stay because he suspected his uncle had an ulterior motive.
• Lu Rongfang reviewed stock information about Song Tianyao and concluded that his share purchases were too small to threaten the Lin Family.
• The chapter described Lu Rongfang’s wealthy background, her move from Nanyang to Hong Kong with her brother Lu Rongkang, and her habit of making profitable investments.

Lu Rongfang visited Bird's Beak with Pan Guoyang to explore a way to make money, while wondering why she had received an envelope revealing Song Tianyao's stock-market plans. As she considered the government's possible land reclamation project, she suddenly realized something and began pacing, leaving Pan Guoyang bewildered.

• Pan Guoyang arrived at the Lu Family home, where Lu Rongfang recruited him to drive her to Bird's Beak in Causeway Bay in exchange for a share of their prospective profits.
• A young woman arrived at the Lu Family mansion, and Lu Rongfang greeted her as Spring Girl; Pan Guoyang was captivated, but Lu Rongfang kicked him for presuming to court her.
• On the drive, Lu Rongfang wondered why someone had sent her an envelope detailing Song Tianyao's market moves and reasoned that shorting Xizhen Properties might be profitable.
• At Bird's Beak, Lu Rongfang proposed buying or renting dump trucks for a possible government reclamation project, then abruptly exclaimed that she had realized something.
• Lu Rongfang paced in circles repeating “land reclamation,” while Pan Guoyang pointed out that they lacked the capital for a major project.

Lu Rongfang deduced that Song Tianyao might be targeting a barren Xizhen Properties mountain rather than trying to take over the company, and hurried off to meet him. The chapter then began an account of HSBC securities employee Bao Yuehan playing golf.

• Pan Guoyang's mention of a gold mountain led Lu Rongfang to suspect Song Tianyao wanted a portion of Xizhen Properties' land rather than control of the company.
• Lu Rongfang explained how the Lin Family could defend Xizhen Properties against a hostile takeover by buying back shares and restoring its majority stake.
• Lu Rongfang decided to meet Song Tianyao, hoping to make an alliance with him against the Lin Family.
• Pan Guoyang drove Lu Rongfang away from Bird's Beak as she argued that Song Tianyao had brains and would have future opportunities even if he lost.
• Bao Yuehan of HSBC's securities department played golf and sank a shot.

Bao Yuehan, Song Tianyao, Michael Sandberg, and Kong Wing-yan spent time on the golf course and discussed how golf and other elite hobbies helped Song build connections. Michael and Bao then joked about HSBC’s rivalry with Jardine Matheson, and Song learned how Jardine had opposed HSBC’s founding to protect its own financial business.

• Bao Yuehan celebrated a successful golf shot, then praised Song Tianyao for using golf to connect with wealthy people.
• Kong Wing-yan silently disagreed with Bao Yuehan’s view that poor people could find shortcuts to wealth through elite hobbies.
• Michael Sandberg joked that he and Song Tianyao planned to buy a racehorse and beat Jardine’s Persian Prince in the Hong Kong Cup.
• Bao Yuehan recalled that HSBC and Jardine Matheson employees had long disliked each other despite their companies’ shared interests.
• Song Tianyao learned that Jardine Matheson had refused to invest in HSBC and had lobbied against its business license to protect its exchange and lending businesses.

The chapter recounted how Jardine Matheson obstructed HSBC’s licensing and how John Dent retaliated, then described the Cotton Crisis that brought Dent & Co. and HSBC close to collapse. HSBC survived with outside help and later sought to build better relations with Jardine Matheson.

• Jardine Matheson delayed HSBC’s British business license, and John Dent retaliated by taking David Jardine’s mistress and winning the Hong Kong Cup from Robert Jardine.
• The 1866 Cotton Crisis caused British banks and trading firms to fail, while Jardine Matheson avoided the losses by selling its cotton and real estate businesses early.
• Dent & Co. and other struggling firms sought help from Jardine Matheson, but Jardine Matheson let Dent & Co. go bankrupt and targeted HSBC as well.
• The Britain Treasury, the Hong Kong Colonial Government, and HSBC’s other founders helped rescue HSBC, preventing Jardine Matheson from dominating the region unchecked.
• From 1866 onward, HSBC repeatedly invited Jardine Matheson to invest, but the two firms did not begin cooperating until 1877.

Tang Boqi returned to Hong Kong and warned Lin Xiaoze that Song Tianyao planned to use his wig-industry profits and borrowed money to buy control of Xizhen Properties. He explained that Lin Xiaoze risked losing the company if he waited to defend its shares, leaving the outcome of the takeover uncertain.

• After learning that Angie Pellis and Shek Chi-yik had secured the wig industry's position in the United States, Tang Boqi accepted that his own role in the crisis had ruined his reputation.
• Tang Boqi returned to Hong Kong after Gu Linshan flew back, determined to watch Song Tianyao fail in the stock market.
• Tang Boqi told Lin Xiaoze that Song Tianyao intended to acquire 49 percent of Xizhen Properties by combining his order income, company assets, loans, and Likang Company's support.
• Lin Xiaoze asked whether a hundred million Hong Kong dollars could take over Xizhen Properties, and Tang Boqi warned that Jardine-affiliated shareholders might sell as the price rose, making a late defense far more expensive.

Song Tianyao prepared to move his office while two unexpected visitors arrived and asked whether he planned to buy Xizhen Properties shares. Their question followed a newspaper report about an anonymous tip, leaving Song to wonder who had spread the information.

• Song Tianyao prepared to move his office to St. George's Building and told Fu Xinniang to make coffee for his visitors.
• Lu Rongfang and Pan Guoyang arrived, introduced themselves, and joked with Song Tianyao about his wealth and Pan's interest in Alice.
• Lu Rongfang asked Song Tianyao whether he planned to buy Xizhen Properties shares.
• Song Tianyao showed Lu Rongfang a newspaper report claiming that an anonymous message had warned brokerages of his planned share purchases.
• Lu Rongfang said she had not heard about the plan from the newspaper, and Song Tianyao was left facing the question of who had leaked it.

Hong Lai-sau reflected on how his University of Hong Kong degree did not make him exceptional in the newspaper business. He recognized that prominent editors and newspaper owners held far more influence and experience than he did.

• Hong Lai-sau considered his own abilities and limitations.
• Hong Lai-sau compared his academic credentials with the standing of newspaper editors and owners.
• Hong Lai-sau concluded that even editors at well-known tabloids were beyond the reach of a mere top graduate.

Hong Lai-sau learned that Song Tianyao wanted China Hong Kong Business Weekly to become a daily paper focused on stock information and aimed at Shanghainese neighborhoods and financial firms. Luo Zhuankun explained that Song intended the newspaper to help him earn back his investment, leaving Hong Lai-sau facing a much larger workload and circulation target.

• Hong Lai-sau ate and drank at the newspaper office while Xu Minjun brought him dinner and helped clean.
• Luo Zhuankun arrived and told Hong Lai-sau that Song Tianyao had ordered the paper to be published daily starting the next day.
• Luo Zhuankun instructed Hong Lai-sau to prioritize delivery to Shanghainese neighborhoods and financial businesses, with a daily circulation of at least fifteen thousand copies.
• Hong Lai-sau protested that the paper was becoming increasingly focused on stocks and asked whether Song Tianyao meant to run a newspaper or trade stocks.
• Luo Zhuankun explained that he and six men had spent a month compiling the stock index, and said Song needed the newspaper to earn back its costs.

Song Tianyao visited Lin Yujing and learned that someone had upset her, leaving her unwell and taking medicine. He tried to cheer her up by offering to cook dinner, while the reason for her distress remained unrevealed.

• Hong Lai-sau agreed to print Luo Zhuankun’s stock commentary in an overnight extra edition, treating it as a newspaper advertisement.
• Song Tianyao and Huang Liu discussed Wen Jingyuan’s weapons and the suspicious people who had recently appeared around Song Tianyao.
• Wen Jingyuan returned and allowed Song Tianyao to go up to Lin Yujing’s residence.
• Song Tianyao greeted Feng Yunzhi and learned that Lin Yujing had taken herbal medicine after someone upset her.
• Lin Yujing welcomed Song Tianyao and warned him about traveling back after dark, and he offered to cook dinner for her and Feng Yunzhi.

Song Tianyao asked Feng Yunzhi about Uncle Kang while preparing dinner, and Luo Zhuankun organized a team of Shanghai-born brokers to draw Shanghai investors into Xizhen Properties. The brokers accepted their role as tools for Song Tianyao’s plan, and Luo ordered them to begin persuading investors to enter the stock market.

• Song Tianyao asked Feng Yunzhi to explain how Lin Xiaokang had angered Third Aunt.
• Luo Zhuankun gathered the Shanghai brokers whom he had recruited to staff Song Tianyao’s seven licensed securities companies.
• Luo explained that Shanghai investors with money but limited stock-market knowledge were their targets, and that Song Tianyao needed their funds.
• Luo ordered the brokers to promote Xizhen Properties and steer investors away from Hutchison Whampoa Textiles by warning them about its unionized workers.
• A younger broker questioned helping locals fleece Shanghai people, but Luo reminded him that Song Tianyao had rescued the group from hardship.
• Luo told the brokers to follow his orders and bring Shanghai investors’ money into the stock market until Song’s plan gave them a place in Hong Kong.

Lin Xiao qia was excluded from a family meeting and reflected on how his brothers’ education and status had pushed him aside in the Lin Family business. He left to visit his sister Ah Jing at Ngau Tau Shan and offered the hill’s longtime guard, Uncle Yuan, a chance to move into town.

• Lin Xiaokang told Lin Xiao qia that Lin Xiaosen had called a meeting to meet Billy, but Lin Xiao qia claimed he had urgent business and left.
• Lin Xiaokang privately mocked Lin Xiao qia’s excuse before entering the conference room to greet Lin Xiaoze and Lin Xiaosen.
• Lin Xiao qia reflected on being left out of his brothers’ education and company affairs, and on how his role in the family had diminished.
• Lin Xiao qia asked Uncle Bing whether he had delivered money to Fifth Uncle and Sixth Uncle, then told him to drive to Ngau Tau Shan to visit Ah Jing.
• Lin Xiao qia met Uncle Yuan at the foot of Ngau Tau Shan and offered to find him a home in town or near Uncle Bing.

Lin Xiao qia visited Lin Yujing at Ngau Tau Shan and found her entertaining Song Tianyao, while Lin Xiaoze, Lin Xiaosen, and Lin Xiaokang met Tang Boqi at the Lin Family Building. The chapter left Tang Boqi explaining his connection to the Lin family’s youngest son, Lin Xiaoda.

• Wen Jingyuan recalled how Lin Xiao qia had helped stabilize the Lin Family after Lin Xizhen was killed and considered him the rightful family head.
• Lin Xiao qia and Uncle Bing climbed Ngau Tau Shan, but turned back after spotting a car outside Lin Yujing’s house.
• Lin Yujing called them inside and explained that her visitor was A-Yao, Yunzhi’s brother.
• Lin Xiao qia entered the house and saw Yunzhi and Song Tianyao carrying dishes from the kitchen, while Uncle Bing watched Huang Liu.
• At the Lin Family Building, Lin Xiaosen asked Tang Boqi whether he had been Lin Xiaoda’s classmate at Boston University, and Tang confirmed they had attended some economics classes together.

Tang Boqi argued that Song Tianyao was using a rising share price to move Xizhen Properties shares from Jardine companies into retail investors’ hands, setting up a later takeover. Lin Xiaosen challenged the theory, asking why Song would target Xizhen Properties instead of starting his own property company.

• Lin Xiaosen asked Tang Boqi how he had learned that someone planned to buy Xizhen Properties shares, and Lü Jiansheng showed him a newspaper report and an anonymous letter.
• Studwell said the share trading suggested a short-term price-pumping scheme for profit, not a large-scale buyout.
• Tang Boqi suggested Song Tianyao was drawing retail investors into the market so Jardine companies could sell their holdings, making the shares easier for Song to acquire later.
• Studwell dismissed Tang Boqi’s explanation, while Lin Xiaoze silently drank his tea.
• Lin Xiaosen asked why Song Tianyao would acquire Xizhen Properties when he could establish his own property company and buy land from British firms withdrawing from Hong Kong.

Lin Xiao qia recalled how the Lin Family had mistreated Lin Yujing and welcomed Song Tianyao’s effort to make amends for her and Yunzhi. After entering the family conference room, he confronted Lin Xiaokang over his treatment of his full sister.

• Lin Xiao qia remembered Lin Yujing’s forced first marriage, her return to the Lin Family, and the restrictions imposed on her and Yunzhi.
• Lin Xiao qia was pleased that Song Tianyao had visited Lin Yujing and brought signs of wealth despite his apron.
• Yunzhi greeted Lin Xiao qia, and Lin Yujing began introducing him to Song Tianyao.
• Lin Xiao qia entered the conference room, threw tea in Lin Xiaokang’s face, and rebuked him for looking down on Lin Yujing and her daughter.

Song Tianyao confronted Lin Xiao qia over the Lin Family’s treatment of Lin Yujing and Yunzhi, declaring that he would buy Xizhen Properties to avenge them. Lin Xiao qia left to return to the company, while the chapter ended with him throwing tea in Lin Xiaokang’s face and Lin Xiaoze clearing the other guests from the room.

• Song Tianyao told Lin Xiao qia that he planned to buy Xizhen Properties, and Lin Xiao qia recognized him as the businessman behind the wig-industry scheme.
• Song Tianyao explained how Lin Xiaokang had taken Lin Yujing’s repayment money, demanded additional interest, and halved her household allowance.
• Lin Xiao qia ordered a car and said he would address the injustice as Lin Yujing’s brother, but warned Song Tianyao not to interfere with the Lin Family.
• Song Tianyao challenged Lin Xiao qia’s authority, and Lin Yujing nearly struck him before he steadied her.
• Lin Xiao qia threw a cup of tea in Lin Xiaokang’s face, and Lin Xiaoze told Ah Sang to take Mr. Studwell and Mr. Tang outside.

Lin Xiao qia confronted Lin Xiaokang for cutting Lin Yujing and her daughter’s allowance, then told the Lin brothers that Song Tianyao planned to buy Xizhen Properties. Lin Xiaosen proposed a plan to trap Song’s money in shares and cut off his access to bank loans, leaving the Lin family preparing to move against him.

• Lin Xiao qia forced Lin Xiaokang to explain how he had cut Lin Yujing’s allowance and taken her savings, then rebuked him for failing to protect his sister.
• Lin Xiaoze proposed that Lin Xiaokang apologize to Lin Yujing, but Lin Xiao qia explained that she was Song Tianyao’s third aunt and described Song’s plan to buy Xizhen Properties.
• Lin Xiaosen proposed letting Song Tianyao invest in shares, then persuading Hong Kong’s banks to deny him loans and driving down the share price.
• Lin Xiaokang said the soda factory had 5.2 million dollars on hand and nearly three million more due the following week.
• Lin Xiaosen ordered five million transferred from the soda factory and another three million from the trading company to Studwell to raise the share price, and said there was no need to involve Lin Xiaohe.

Song Tianyao explained to Lin Yujing why he had targeted Xizhen Properties, then agreed to abandon the purchase because she feared the Lin Family conflict. He planned to speak with the Lin Family and bring Lin Yujing and Yunzhi back to the Song Family, ending their ties with the Lin household.

• Lin Yujing asked Song Tianyao whether he was buying Xizhen Properties for her and Yunzhi.
• Song Tianyao admitted he wanted land and disliked the Lin Family, though helping Lin Yujing and Yunzhi was part of his motive.
• Lin Yujing urged Song Tianyao not to provoke the Lin Family and said she did not want harm to come to them.
• Song Tianyao agreed to sell his stock-market position and seek land elsewhere, saying he did not want to put Lin Yujing in a difficult position.
• Song Tianyao said he would speak to the Lin Family the next day, stop pursuing Xizhen Properties, and bring Lin Yujing and Yunzhi back to the Song Family.

Song Tianyao decided to proceed with his plan to acquire Xizhen Properties despite Lin Yujing asking him to let the Lin Family's business go. Lin Xiaokang then confronted Lin Yujing, blaming her for putting his position in the family at risk.

• Lin Yujing urged Song Tianyao not to target the Lin Family, and Song Tianyao said he would buy land in Tsim Sha Tsui instead.
• Song Tianyao arranged to take Lin Yujing and Feng Yunzhi to the Lin Family the next day before visiting Song Chengqi in Kowloon.
• Song Tianyao told Huang Liu that his public plans to acquire Xizhen Properties meant the Lin Family would not believe Lin Yujing even if she tried to clear things up.
• Lin Xiaokang arrived at Lin Yujing's home and accused her of telling Second Brother that he had charged her for food, rent, and interest.
• Lin Xiaokang said the Lin Family might remove him from managing the soft-drink factory and threw banknotes at Lin Yujing.

Song Tianyao rushed to Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital after learning that Feng Yunzhi had slashed her throat and Lin Yujing had collapsed during a confrontation with Lin Xiaokang. The doctor reported that both women were out of danger, though Feng Yunzhi’s wound had narrowly missed an artery.

• Feng Yunzhi shoved Lin Xiaokang, rejected his money, and shielded Lin Yujing from his abuse.
• After Lin Xiaokang threatened to marry Feng Yunzhi off to a sickly man, Feng Yunzhi grabbed a fruit knife and slashed her throat.
• Lin Xiaokang realized that his anger over losing control of the soda company had driven him to confront Lin Yujing and Feng Yunzhi.
• Sister Xiang contacted Song Tianyao through Song Chengqi and Qi Weiwen after Lin Yujing and Feng Yunzhi were taken to Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital.
• Song Tianyao hurried to the hospital, where the doctor told him Lin Yujing had fainted and Feng Yunzhi had survived surgery despite a dangerous cut to her windpipe.

After Lin Yujing and Feng Yunzhi were confirmed safe, Song Tianyao confronted Lin Xiao qia over the Lin Family’s debts and Feng Yunzhi’s injury. He threatened to ruin the family and demanded an accounting, while Lin Xiao qia calmly said he would check the books.

• Song Tianyao confirmed that Lin Yujing and Feng Yunzhi would recover, then asked Brother Six to reward the doctor and nurses.
• Song Tianyao confronted Lin Xiao qia and asked how much his third aunt and Feng Yunzhi owed the Lin Family; Huang Liu drew a blade and held Uncle Bing at bay.
• Song Tianyao offered to pay any amount and threatened Lin Xiaokang over the cut on Feng Yunzhi’s neck.
• Song Tianyao denounced the Lin Family’s history of opium dealing and threatened to spend his fortune killing the family if Lin Xiaokang did not answer for the injury.
• Lin Xiao qia said he would return and check the accounts so Song Tianyao could settle the debts.

After Lin Xiao qia threatened Song Tianyao and left the hospital, Song vowed to make the Lin Family personally answer for what happened to Feng Yunzhi. He arranged protection and company for the unconscious women, then left to meet the Foreign Girl at the Dulles Hotel.

• Song Tianyao warned Lin Xiao qia to settle the Lin Family’s account before Lin Yujing and Feng Yunzhi left the hospital, and Lin Xiao qia threatened his family before departing.
• Song Tianyao told Huang Liu to arrange visitors, guards, and protection for Lin Yujing and Feng Yunzhi, and promised Yunzhi he would stand up for her.
• Huang Liu called the factory, and Lou Fengyun arrived with Nine-Tattooed Dragon, Fu Xinniang, Shu Yan, and Shi Yin to look after the women.
• Song Tianyao asked Huang Liu to take him to the Dulles Hotel to see the Foreign Girl.