Chapter Summaries

Song Tianyao confronted Chen Zhongying over the attack on Song Chunliang, but was stunned when Song Chengqi appeared and called him his grandson. Golden-Tooth Lei mistook Song Chengqi’s arrival for a kidnapping and ordered Fuyixing to attack 14K.

• Chen Zhongying drove Liang Pei away after rebuking him for striking Chen Yanni and defending 14K.
• Song Tianyao arrived and threatened to have British soldiers shoot Chen Zhongying and the others, accusing him of sending men after Song Chunliang.
• Song Chengqi stepped out of Qi Weiwen’s car and angrily confronted Song Tianyao about supposedly entering legitimate business.
• Song Tianyao recognized Song Chengqi as his grandfather, leaving everyone stunned.
• Golden-Tooth Lei shouted that Chen Zhongying had kidnapped Song Chengqi and ordered hundreds of Fuyixing members to attack the 14K group.

Song Tianyao confronted Chen Zhongying and his men after discovering they had brought his grandfather into a conflict involving the customs warehouse and Hongfa Mountain. Song Chengqi stopped Song Tianyao from having them killed and sent Chen Zhongying away with a message for Ge Zhaohuang about East Liang Mountain.

• Song Tianyao ordered Golden-Tooth Lei to stop the fight and asked Song Chengqi why he had come with the Fuyixing gang.
• Song Chengqi explained that Ge Zhaohuang had invited him to meet and that his companions had hurried him to the warehouse; Song Tianyao accused Chen Zhongying's men of threatening his family and trying to steal the goods.
• Song Tianyao ordered Golden-Tooth Lei to have Chen Zhongying and the others beaten and shot, but Song Chengqi told him to release them.
• Song Chengqi told Chen Zhongying to leave and tell Ge Zhaohuang that he had misremembered their agreement and had another grandson who counted as East Liang Mountain's Young Mountain Lord.
• Chen Zhongying helped Bayonet Wing and the other battered men into the cars, apologized to Song Chengqi, and promised to return after facing Ge Zhaohuang's punishment.

After Chen Zhongying left, Song Tianyao escorted his grandfather back toward Kowloon while Golden-Tooth Lei wondered whether Song Chengqi’s family history could threaten Fuyixing. Lei refused a proposal to kill the Songs, insisting he would not cover for the society elders who had betrayed and killed Song Tianyao’s third uncle.

• Song Chengqi told Chen Zhongying that the hundred thousand dollars would be donated to build an Elderly Home, and Golden-Tooth Lei threatened to visit Fourteen K after Fuyixing finished Likang’s business.
• Song Tianyao watched Qi Weiwen and Chen Yanni leave, while Rotten-Life Ju noticed his killing intent and asked whether men should sabotage their boat.
• Song Chengqi asked Song Tianyao to take him back to the Walled City and reminded him that Chen Zhongying had come to apologize for his third uncle’s death.
• Golden-Tooth Lei worried that Song Chengqi’s ties to Fourteen K might bring the Chu Family’s support to Chen Zhongying.
• Gao Lao Cheng and Mangongshi explained that Song Tianyao’s third uncle had fought the society elders during the Japanese invasion and had been killed.
• Mangongshi proposed killing Song Chengqi and Song Tianyao, but Golden-Tooth Lei refused, saying he would not protect the traitorous elders who had killed Song Tianyao’s third uncle.

Golden-Tooth Lei, Gao Lao Cheng and Mangongshi discussed Fuyixing’s powerful former collaborators with the Japanese, and Lei resolved to retire from the society. After returning to Likang, Song Tianyao cleaned the office himself while his exhausted companions rested.

• Gao Lao Cheng and Mangongshi said they would stand with Song Tianyao rather than protect the traitorous uncles.
• Golden-Tooth Lei decided to tell the uncles he was retiring once the current business was settled.
• Song Tianyao returned to Tai Wo Street with Rotten-Life Ju and Song Chengqi in the early morning, then got up after little sleep.
• Song Tianyao drove Second Young Master Chu’s Ford 49 to Likang, where he was the company’s only remaining official employee.
• Rotten-Life Ju offered to clean the office, but Song Tianyao told him and the others to rest while he wiped the furniture himself.

Song Tianyao joked with the Chu brothers about spending Madam Chu’s money, while Chu Xiaoxin proposed saving half of his salary through Chu Xiaozhong’s logistics business. Chu Xiaozhong wondered whether Zhang Yuliang would appear at Likang that noon, as the Zhang brothers sought to take him away from the company.

• Chu Xiaozhong arrived at Likang with Chu Xiaoxin and Kong Wing-yan and teased Song Tianyao for cleaning so early.
• Chu Xiaoxin accused Song Tianyao of wasting Madam Chu’s twenty-thousand-dollar gift on two women, but Song said they had left with another man.
• Chu Xiaoxin proposed deducting half of Song Tianyao’s salary and investing it in Chu Xiaozhong’s Li Heng logistics business to help Song save.
• Song gave Chu Xiaoxin ten thousand dollars and told him to donate it to poor schools in Kowloon, while Chu Xiaoxin showed off a hundred-thousand-dollar deposit certificate from Madam Chu.
• Chu Xiaozhong asked whether Zhang Yuliang would show up at noon, saying he wanted to see how the Zhang brothers would take him away from Likang.

Zhang Yuliang arrived at Likang to face his brothers and the Chu family after setting fire to his bedroom and exposing the Zhang Family’s commercial bribery. Zhang Yuqi understood that Yuliang had never intended to negotiate and took him home to see their mother.

• Zhang Yuqi and Zhang Yulin arrived at Likang and told Chu Xiaozhong that they had come to take Zhang Yuliang back.
• Zhang Yuliang arrived alone, lent Song Tianyao his Zippo lighter, and entered the office.
• Zhang Yulin slapped Zhang Yuliang for setting the family house on fire, but Yuliang calmly explained that he had burned only his own bedroom.
• Zhang Yuqi told Zhang Yuliang that their eldest brother wanted him to spend several months at the Siu Gam Psychiatric Detention Centre.
• Zhang Yuliang revealed that he had arranged for newspapers abroad to expose the Zhang Family’s commercial bribery, and Zhang Yuqi said he had already anticipated it.
• Zhang Yuqi finished straightening Zhang Yuliang’s tie and took him home to see their mother.

Zhang Yuqi revealed that he had secured commitments from the pharmaceutical companies, removing Zhang Yuliang’s leverage over the Zhang Family. Zhang Yujie then announced the family had settled the customs crisis, had Zhang Yuliang taken to the police, and repaid Chu Xiaoxin the money Yuliang had stolen.

• Zhang Yuqi gave Zhang Yuliang letters showing the pharmaceutical companies would restore their agency arrangements after Zhang Yulin disclosed the Zhang Family’s bribes.
• Zhang Yuqi challenged Zhang Yuliang about his other plans and told him to come see their mother.
• Zhang Yujie reported that the British Army had left the docks, the seized medicines would be returned, and Zhang Yuliang would face questioning over counterfeit medicine.
• Zhang Yujie ordered Cai Jianxiong to take Zhang Yuliang to the car and then to the police station.
• Zhang Yujie gave Chu Xiaoxin a deposit slip showing one million Hong Kong dollars had been transferred to Likang to repay the money Zhang Yuliang had taken.

After the Zhang Family left Likang with a one-million-dollar deposit, Song Tianyao revealed that Zhang Yuqi had fooled Zhang Yuliang with a fake document and began preparing a scheme involving counterfeit medicine and the customs warehouse. He arranged for help from Chan Ah-sap and Kong Wing-yan while confirming that Angie Pellis had arranged for newspaper proofs to be printed in Britain.

• Zhang Yujie left Likang after depositing one million Hong Kong dollars, and Zhang Yuqi and Zhang Yulin followed him with Zhang Yuliang.
• Song Tianyao told Chu Xiaozhong and Chu Xiaoxin that Zhang Yuqi's document was fake and ordered Rotten-Life Ju to find Chan Ah-sap and Heizai Jie.
• Chu Xiaoxin gave Song Tianyao his watch, and Song called Angie Pellis in London, who confirmed that newspaper proofs had been printed for distribution across Britain.
• Song told Chu Xiaozhong that four hours would be enough to empty the customs warehouse and bring in evidence, then asked to borrow Kong Wing-yan's help.
• Song instructed Kong Wing-yan to fund Lei Danzi's purchase of counterfeit medicine and packaging while Chan Ah-sap and Chao Yong Yi's men moved the genuine medicines to Likang's warehouse and guarded them.

Song Tianyao explained his plan to Chu Xiaozhong, then went to meet Zhu Xuguang, the He Yong Yi elder known as Uncle Guang. He reached Uncle Guang’s mahjong hall in Kowloon and was directed to a private room upstairs.

• Chu Xiaozhong warned Song Tianyao that swapping the medicines in the customs warehouse could make Likang a scapegoat and hurt the Chu Family.
• Song Tianyao took Chu Xiaozhong into the office and explained how Likang could turn the Zhang Family’s moves against them.
• Song Tianyao left Likang with Rotten-Life Ju and asked him where to find Zhu Xuguang, known as Uncle Guang.
• Rotten-Life Ju led Song Tianyao to the Eight Harmonies Mahjong Hall, where a worker said Uncle Guang was waiting in a private room upstairs.

Song Tianyao met Zhu Xuguang at the Mahjong Parlor and asked him to help arrange a fight between the He-prefix gangs and Li Caifa’s Green Gang. Zhu Xuguang explained that the elders were meeting Li Caifa that day, and the chapter ended with him considering Song Tianyao’s proposal to hold the fight that night at Central Pier.

• Zhu Xuguang welcomed Song Tianyao and led him past Fourteen K men into a private room, where Qi Weiwen was waiting.
• Song Tianyao warned Qi Weiwen that the man who had attacked his family would suffer worse if he provoked them again.
• Song Tianyao asked Zhu Xuguang about the brewing conflict between Wo Shing Yee and Li Caifa’s Green Gang.
• Zhu Xuguang said the He-prefix elders planned to meet Li Caifa and that the gangs would likely need to fight before they could negotiate.
• Song Tianyao asked Zhu Xuguang to help arrange a fight at Central Pier that night, and Zhu Xuguang considered whether the elders could approve it.

Shek Chi-yik reviewed reports on the effects of Japanese goods dumping on Hong Kong industries while working in his office. The chapter ended as he received a call from Customs Department director Shen Wenkang.

• Shek Chi-yik examined records from a Chinese Manufacturers' Association symposium on Japanese goods dumping.
• Shek Chi-yik sorted the reports by how severely the affected industries were impacted.
• Shek Chi-yik carefully studied reports on hardware, enamelware, stationery, glass, thread spools, fabric dyeing, and mosquito coils, marking key figures.
• Shen Wenkang called Shek Chi-yik while he was reviewing the reports.

Shek Chi-yik assessed the damage Japanese dumping and the embargo were causing Hong Kong industries, then allowed Likang to move seized medicines under close customs surveillance. The chapter left Song Tianyao driving with Rotten-Life Ju after Angie Pellis returned to Hong Kong.

• Shek Chi-yik reviewed figures showing Japanese goods had pushed Hong Kong stationery out of several overseas markets and threatened other industries reliant on Mainland Chinese raw materials.
• Shen Wenkang told Shek Chi-yik that Likang was removing seized medicines from the customs warehouse while bringing other medicines in.
• Shek Chi-yik permitted Likang to move the medicines to its own warehouse but ordered customs and the Marine Police to prevent them from being shipped away and to seize any freighter used.
• Shen Wenkang concealed that he and British soldiers had posed for photos in the warehouse with seized military supplies after receiving money from Song Tianyao and Angie Pellis.
• Song Tianyao drove with Rotten-Life Ju and complained that he felt uncomfortable without Angie Pellis beside him.

Song Tianyao explained how he planned to use 14K’s ambitions and visit Huang Xiaoqiu to pressure the Zhang Family, while predicting Zhang Yuliang still had a hidden move. Meanwhile, Zhang Yujie dismissed concerns about the medicines moved by Chao Yong Yi and ordered Cai Jianxiong to investigate, suspecting Chu Xiaoxin might be involved.

• Song Tianyao told Rotten-Life Ju that 14K’s promised support against the Green Gang served his own plans, and that he intended to exploit the gang’s ambitions to secure leverage.
• Song Tianyao said they were going to visit Huang Xiaoqiu, whose pharmaceutical business had been hurt by Zhang Yujie’s return and the Zhang Family’s control of medicine supplies.
• Song Tianyao argued that Zhang Yuliang would not accept becoming his family’s scapegoat without resistance and predicted he still had a trump card.
• Cai Jianxiong told Zhang Yujie that Chan Ah-sap’s men were moving seized medicines to Likang’s warehouse and replacing some stock with fake medicine.
• Zhang Yujie said he would wait two days before claiming the goods from customs, then ordered Cai Jianxiong to discover where they had been taken and suggested Chu Xiaoxin might be responsible.

Zhang Yujie planned to punish Young Master Liang and use the family conflict to drive his brothers away from the Zhang Family business before moving to Australia. Meanwhile, Li Caifa met with He-prefix gang leaders, who challenged his handling of the conflict with Wo Shing Yee.

• Cai Jianxiong warned Zhang Yujie that workers had seen Chao Yong Yi's men moving the medicines, but Zhang dismissed the risk of them making trouble.
• A-Yin told Zhang Yujie that his mother approved sending Young Master Liang to Xiaogan Prison and then to Macau, while Zhang said he had also arranged to deal with Fourth Brother once he was imprisoned.
• Zhang Yujie explained that he intended to use the crisis to remove Fourth Brother and frighten Second and Third Brother away from the family business, and he promised A-Yin a proper status before the family moved to Australia.
• Li Caifa met seven He-prefix uncles at the Rising Sun Tea House, while the bosses of Wo Shing Yee stayed away.
• Su Wenting accused Li Caifa of dishonorablely attacking Wo Shing Yee's businesses, and Sun Zhenchuan retorted that Wo Shing Yee had burned Mr. Du's residence without warning.
• Fei Ping argued that Li Caifa should have demanded an explanation before starting a fight, rather than immediately setting Wo Shing Yee's businesses on fire.

Shek Chi-yik prepared to attend a Hong Kong Club dinner honoring his wife, whose public charitable work had won her recognition. The chapter left him reflecting on how the club’s treatment of Bess had changed.

• Li Caifa met with Chen Zhongying and Qi Weiwen after learning that 14K had agreed to ally with the Green Gang.
• Li Caifa offered 14K three million Hong Kong dollars and promised it exclusive white powder distribution rights in Kowloon in exchange for help against the He-prefix gangs.
• Qi Weiwen proposed that the Green Gang and 14K confront the He-prefix gangs that night, and Li Caifa and Chen Zhongying agreed.
• Shek Chi-yik finished work and prepared to go home to change for the Hong Kong Club dinner honoring his wife.
• Shek Chi-yik recalled that the club had once excluded Bess but now invited her as the philanthropist Mrs. Bess.

Shek Chi-yik learned that The Observer had published a story linking the Zhang Family’s European Coast Company to smuggling and profiteering, making the case a diplomatic success for the Governor and leaving Shek Chi-yik responsible for handling the fallout. As he prepared to pressure Likang, Song Tianyao arrived for a meeting.

• The Government House Secretariat told Shek Chi-yik that The Observer had run an exclusive story about Hong Kong and urged him to handle the matter properly.
• Shek Chi-yik called Edward Hill in London, who described the report accusing European Coast Company of smuggling military medical supplies, inflating medicine prices, and hoarding materials needed by Oxfam.
• Shek Chi-yik realized that the report had put the Governor in a difficult position and that he could no longer shift blame onto Likang without undermining the British case to the Americans.
• Shek Chi-yik decided to establish European Coast Company’s guilt and warn Song Tianyao against scheming against him.
• Shek Chi-yik was about to order Shen Wenkang to seal Likang’s warehouse when his secretary announced that Song Tianyao had arrived for their meeting.

Song Tianyao offered Shek Chi-yik evidence and a plan to make the Zhang Family’s European Coast Company appear responsible for smuggling military medical supplies and burning the customs warehouse, while protecting Likang’s reputation. At Central Pier, Li Caifa watched the Green Gang and He-prefix gangs assemble for a fight as Gao Lao Cheng’s men prepared to set the customs warehouse ablaze.

• Song Tianyao presented Shek Chi-yik with photographs of military medical supplies seized from the European Coast Company and warned that the customs warehouse would be attacked and burned that night.
• Song Tianyao said Zhang Yuliang would testify against Zhang Yujie and promised that customs and police would arrest the arsonists and Zhang Yujie after the fire.
• Song Tianyao pointed out that Ge Mulian and Mrs. Bess would receive refunds for their Oxfam donations because Likang could not supply the deworming medicine, then challenged Shek Chi-yik’s hostility toward the company.
• Gao Lao Cheng ordered his men to stay by the warehouse and prepare to ignite the kerosene after Chao Yong Yi’s men had brought it inside.
• At Central Pier, the Green Gang and He-prefix gangs gathered in force, while Li Caifa spotted 14K’s men joining the Green Gang and ordered Ah Sang and Qi Nian to begin moving.

The Green Gang and He-prefix gangs assembled at the docks for a carefully limited clash, while a boastful new 14K recruit named Deng Zhilong introduced himself to his fellow members. The opposing gangs exchanged their identifying verses, and the gathering ended with the fight still about to begin.

• A bodyguard exchanged flashlight signals with a distant lookout, and Wang Qinian led the Green Gang men in reciting their initiation verse.
• Swift Blade Cheng answered with the He-prefix verse as the He-prefix gangs assembled two hundred fighters under his command.
• Chen Tai stood with the He-prefix fighters but remained in the back row, while five Double Red Poles led their side.
• Deng Zhilong mocked the gangs for reciting verses and told a fellow 14K member how he had joined after arriving in Hong Kong.
• Deng Zhilong boasted that his iron whip and fifteen years of kung fu would make him a star in the coming battle, while his companion warned him about the danger.

The Green Gang and 14K fought the He-prefix gangs at the docks, where Handkerchief Qing badly injured Nine-Tattooed Dragon. While the battle continued, Chen Zhongying killed Li Caifa and his men killed Li Caifa’s bodyguards.

• Bai Huansheng led the Green Gang in a charge against the He-prefix gangs, and 14K joined the fight.
• Handkerchief Qing blocked Nine-Tattooed Dragon’s attack, and another He-prefix man slashed Nine-Tattooed Dragon across the back.
• Handkerchief Qing broke Nine-Tattooed Dragon’s ankle and shoulder and left him badly injured on the ground.
• Chen Zhongying arrived at the unloading area and stabbed Li Caifa in the heart while his men killed Li Caifa’s four bodyguards.

Chen Zhongying and Liang Pei staged the aftermath of a dockside gang battle, while the Zhang family discovered that the Political Department had taken Zhang Yuliang away. Zhang Yujie decided to have Yuliang’s wife take the blame if he could not be produced.

• Chen Zhongying killed Li Caifa and left him at the docks as the fighting continued.
• Song Tianyao ordered Rotten-Life Ju to signal Gao Lao Cheng, whose men set the customs warehouse on fire as police surrounded the brawl.
• Liang Pei shot Chen Zhongying and his men, then ordered his officers to plant evidence linking their deaths to the Green Gang.
• Zhang Yuqi told Zhang Yujie that the Political Department had taken Zhang Yuliang from the police station on British orders.
• Zhang Yujie decided that if Zhang Yuliang was still missing in two days, his wife would confess in his place.