Chapter Summaries

Song Tianyao and Angie Perlis discussed his attitude toward Britain and her suspicions about Qi Weiwen, while Lam Kong investigated reports of counterfeit money and suspicious Thai visitors at opium dens. Lam ordered his subordinates to watch the Thais and look for a link to the counterfeiting.

• Angie Perlis called Song Tianyao a narrow-minded nationalist, and he insisted he was guided by interests rather than hostility toward Britain.
• Angie Perlis threatened to report Song Tianyao to the Queen if he slept with Qi Weiwen, and Song denied that helping him meant they had been lovers.
• Lam Kong asked Yan Hung whether Thais had been causing trouble and learned that the police were investigating counterfeit money reported by HSBC and Standard Chartered.
• Lam Kong told his subordinates that Thais were appearing around opium dens in several districts and ordered them to watch the visitors for signs of smuggling or counterfeiting.

Song Tianyao called Michael Sandberg from Glasgow and hinted that he was arranging loans and had just witnessed an explosion at a restaurant. In Hong Kong, Yu Zhenzhong prepared to leave for Europe but was stopped by a young man seeking to speak with him.

• Lam Kong ordered his men to follow a Thai man because he suspected him and held a grudge over a fight at a dance hall.
• Michael Sandberg reflected on Song Tianyao’s influence and the conflict among Chinese shipping companies before taking Song’s call from Britain.
• Song Tianyao told Sandberg to prepare loans, then an explosion destroyed the Whistle Restaurant across from his hotel in Glasgow.
• Song Tianyao told members of the Civil and Martial Association to keep clear of the matter and said his fiancée would report the explosion to the police.
• Yu Zhenzhong prepared to leave Hong Kong for Europe, but a young man parked in front of his car and asked to speak with him.

Huang Liu brought Yu Zhenzhong, Xu Enbo, and Di Junda together with Lei Yingdong for an unexplained meeting, while Yan Hung, Lui Lok, Lam Kong, and Hon Sam also gathered at a dance hall. The chapter left both groups seated together without revealing what they would discuss.

• Huang Liu introduced himself to Yu Zhenzhong as Song Tianyao's subordinate and invited him to talk.
• Huang Liu apologized to Xu Enbo, Yu Zhenzhong, and Di Junda for bringing them together and said Song Tianyao would apologize to Yu Zhenzhong in person.
• Lei Yingdong arrived, greeted Yu Zhenzhong and Di Junda, and sat beside Xu Enbo.
• Xu Enbo asked what the four men had gathered to discuss, but the chapter did not reveal their purpose.
• Yan Hung, Lui Lok, Lam Kong, and Hon Sam met at the Golden Phoenix Dance Floor, where Hon Sam remarked on their unusual gathering.

Lu Rongkang warned Lu Yuanchun against risking her fortune to help Song Tianyao, offering to have their family call her back to Malaya. Lu Yuanchun rejected his distinction between proper and unorthodox business and said she admired Song Tianyao for fighting those who had built their wealth through evil.

• Lu Yuanchun offered to transfer her Guangyi Bank shares to Lu Rongkang in exchange for his help.
• Lu Rongkang warned Lu Yuanchun that Song Tianyao’s dangerous methods could ruin her and said he would ask their relatives to bring her back to Malaya.
• Lu Yuanchun went to the piano and argued that business methods were not inherently proper or crooked; what mattered was whether they served good or evil.
• Lu Yuanchun said she admired Song Tianyao because his wealth came from fighting the Zhang Family, the Lin Family, and Hong Kong’s criminal bosses.

Rotten-Life Ju interrogated a Thai man caught selling copied Chinese racing tips and learned he had not known the newspaper belonged to Song Tianyao. The man’s discovery left Rotten-Life Ju questioning how widely Song Tianyao’s name was known.

• Rotten-Life Ju watched Chao Yong Yi’s underlings beat the Thai man while nearby Uniformed Branch cops turned away.
• Rotten-Life Ju accused the Thai man of stealing business by copying racing tips and taking bets on his turf.
• Rotten-Life Ju removed the Thai man’s thumbnail when he refused to explain who printed the tips.
• The Thai man insisted he only sold newspapers and was unaware that the racing-tips paper belonged to Song Tianyao.
• The Thai man said people had called the newspaper’s owner Boss Kang, and Rotten-Life Ju wondered how he had heard of Song Tianyao.

Chen Weilun and his companions secretly loaded penicillin onto a boat at Fish-Mouth Bay, hoping to profit from shipping it during Hong Kong’s strike. Their operation was interrupted when Mad Dog Shan arrived at the pier and confronted Chen Weilun.

• Chen Weilun, A-Zhong, A-Kuan, and Zhang Yizhi loaded crates of medicine onto a cargo boat in the dark.
• Zhang Yizhi thanked Chen Weilun for obtaining the medicine, and Chen Weilun said he needed help shipping it out during the strike.
• A-Kuan explained that shipping faced checkpoints and complained about the people who had stopped boats, then spotted someone approaching.
• Chen Weilun went to meet the five newcomers and recognized their leader as his sworn big brother, Mad Dog Shan.
• Mad Dog Shan demanded to know why Chen Weilun was using his pier, and Chen Weilun said he was trying to earn money and promised to pay his protection money.

He Xian decided to use Song Tianyao to mediate the standoff between the Shanghai and Hong Kong gangs over shipping, while preparing to intervene if the merchants refused to cooperate. The chapter also recounted how Bai Qishan betrayed Chen Weilun and destroyed the smuggling boat carrying Zhang Yizhi, A-Kuan, and A-Zhong.

• Bai Qishan agreed to let Chen Weilun's boat leave his pier after demanding protection money based on the price of genuine goods.
• After the boat sailed, it exploded at sea, and Bai Qishan stabbed Chen Weilun and had his body thrown into the water.
• Bai Qishan watched the burning boat sink off Tsim Sha Tsui Pier, four days after Hong Kong shipping magnates demanded that Yu Shiting hand over Zeng Pingsheng.
• Huang Ziya offered to travel to Hong Kong or seek help from overseas friends, but He Xian said neither option could resolve the immediate shipping crisis.
• He Xian learned that Song Tianyao was in Glasgow and ordered Huang Ziya to summon him to Macau within four days.
• He Xian planned to let Song Tianyao approach both sides and step in himself if they refused to listen.

Song Tianyao abandoned his plans in America and prepared to return to Hong Kong at He Xian’s request, while Fish Stall Kun carried out Brother Ten’s order to burn a freighter and confront Shanghai men. Zeng Chunsheng remained in hiding at Hanging Neck Ridge, where Mr. Hu arrived after delaying his promised escape.

• Song Tianyao complained that He Xian’s summons interrupted his plans, then agreed to return to Hong Kong because he could not afford to offend him.
• Fish Stall Kun ordered his men to sink a freighter, and Ah Hing’s men killed the sailors and set the ship’s engine room on fire.
• When armed Shanghai men charged toward the burning freighter, Fish Stall Kun approached them with a beef knife and said Brother Ten had ordered him to teach them about local power.
• Zeng Chunsheng, worn down and fearful of being found by Xu Pingsheng and Yu Shiting, confronted Mr. Hu for failing to get him out of Hong Kong as promised.
• Mr. Hu reassured Zeng Chunsheng that his pursuers could not reach him at Hanging Neck Ridge.

Tan Jingwei had Zeng Chunsheng killed and arranged for his body to be found in a way that would deepen suspicion between Hong Kong and Shanghai. He then visited his brother Tan Bangguo’s grave and lamented the path his brother had taken.

• Zeng Chunsheng complained to Hu Yu about his confinement and asked to leave Hong Kong for Taiwan to reunite with his family.
• Tan Jingwei arrived and introduced himself as the new mountain lord of Hung Mun’s Hongfa Mountain, saying he would take over the remaining business involving the Hong Kong and Shanghai boat gangs.
• Tan Jingwei ordered Fourth Brother to strangle Zeng Chunsheng while he watched.
• Tan Jingwei told Hu Yu to leave Zeng Chunsheng’s body in a busy area so people would suspect different factions and motives.
• Tan Jingwei visited Tan Bangguo’s grave, left a cigarette, and recalled his brother’s choices and nicknames.

Tan Jingwei mourned his younger brother and ordered an investigation into the Lin Family, while plotting to punish smugglers and Qi Weiwen. Song Tianyao returned to Hong Kong, learned that Song Chunzhong was still missing, and asked Huang Liu for news about three men and Lei Danzi.

• Tan Jingwei disparaged his dead younger brother Tan Bangguo and said he would handle matters for their family.
• Tan Jingwei ordered Fourth Brother to use Zeng Chunsheng's death to find and attack embargo smugglers, investigate the Lin Family, and find Qi Weiwen so she could be buried with Tan Bangguo.
• Song Tianyao arrived at the airport, where Huang Liu teased him about three women waiting to see him and said Qi Weiwen was among them.
• Song Tianyao told Huang Liu to arrange a boat to Macau so he could visit Mr. He, and said he had returned from working with Lu because he could not afford to offend Mr. He.
• Huang Liu reported that Song Chunzhong's whereabouts remained unknown, and Song Tianyao doubted that his eldest uncle had truly retired.
• Song Tianyao asked Huang Liu what Lei Danzi had said about Xu Enbo, Yu Zhenzhong, and Di Junda.

Song Tianyao returned from Britain to Macau at He Xian’s request and met him for dinner. He Xian apologized for interrupting Song’s work, while Song said he understood the reason for his recall.

• Song Tianyao and Huang Liu crossed to Macau, where Huang Ziya picked them up for He Xian.
• Huang Liu complained that Song’s return had cut short his chance to wield authority, but Song stopped him from continuing.
• He Xian welcomed Song at a residence in Tianshen Alley and joked about the newspaper accusations that called him a Macau tyrant.
• He Xian explained that the residence served Tan Family Cuisine and shared a bowl of wine with Song as an apology for summoning him from Britain.
• Song told He Xian he had guessed why he had been recalled and that his work in Britain was less important.

Qi Weiwen went to meet Tan Jingwei at Tsim Sha Tsui Pier after he kidnapped her disciple, Chen Yanni. Tan threatened to bury Qi and Chen beside his dead brother, and Qi sent Chen back toward Song Shiyi as the confrontation began.

• Qi Weiwen arrived at Tsim Sha Tsui Pier with Nine-Tattooed Dragon and Song Shiyi.
• Tan Jingwei’s bodyguard, Fourth Brother, revealed that he had bound Chen Yanni and dislocated her jaw, then freed her when Qi arrived.
• Chen Yanni called Qi Weiwen her master and returned to Qi’s side after Fourth Brother released her.
• Tan Jingwei introduced himself as the Number Gang’s new leader and said he wanted Qi and Chen buried beside his dead brother.
• Qi Weiwen mocked Tan Jingwei for moving his ancestors’ ashes, then told Chen Yanni to return to Song Shiyi.
• Tan Jingwei asked whether Qi and Chen would join his brother in death or whether he would.

Lam Kong arrested Tan Jingwei and his companion after their confrontation with Qi Weiwen, but Qi warned him that she had fallen into a trap and ordered him to kill the two safely. The chapter then explained how Lam Kong and other men handling Song Tianyao’s affairs had built close ties with the women around him.

• Tan Jingwei agreed to go with Lam Kong to the Police Station and threatened Qi Weiwen as he passed her.
• Qi Weiwen told Lam Kong she had fallen into a trap and urged him not to take the two men to the Police Station.
• Lam Kong decided to have Tan Jingwei and his companion killed, and Qi instructed him to use guns and avoid riding with them.
• Lam Kong agreed to act at once because he trusted Qi Weiwen’s judgment and knew they had faced danger together.
• The narration described Golden-Tooth Lei’s bond with Lou Fengyun and Yan Hung’s ties to Meng Wanqing and her parents.
• The narration explained that Lam Kong had abandoned his attempt to get close to Angie Perlis and had instead grown close to Qi Weiwen.

Lam Kong was about to have Tan Jingwei and Fourth Brother killed, but a British lawyer intervened and forced him to release them. Tan Jingwei drove away safely, while Lam Kong arranged protection for Sister Wen and headed to the Kowloon Restaurant.

• Lam Kong ordered Chen Wenjiu to shoot Tan Jingwei and Fourth Brother and claim they had resisted arrest, but Chen Wenjiu hesitated.
• Lam Kong took out his pistol, but he put it away when Frank Smith, a lawyer for Tan Jingwei, arrived.
• Tan Jingwei told Smith that Lam Kong wanted to take him to the station, and Smith threatened to complain to the Security Secretary about the handcuffing.
• Lam Kong released Tan Jingwei and Fourth Brother, who left in a Chevrolet with Smith and his assistant.
• Lam Kong sent Chen Wenjiu back to the station with two men, ordered his other men to protect Sister Wen, and headed for the Kowloon Restaurant.

Yu Shiting received anxious Shanghai shipping merchants at Jing Garden as violence threatened their ships and businesses in Hong Kong. He listened as they named the men behind the attacks, leaving their appeal for his help unanswered.

• Tan Jingwei told Fourth Brother to attend the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce dinner with him instead of going to the police station.
• Gang violence escalated after a Hong Kong smuggling boat was blown up and Chao Yong Yi set fire to a Shanghai steamer.
• Shanghai businessmen began visiting Yu Shiting at Jing Garden to ask him to intervene with Xu Pingsheng.
• Huang Jianfu insisted the Shanghai merchants had no part in the attack on the Hong Kong boat and called it an attempt to sow discord.
• Wang Yanqi identified Bai Qishan and Fish Stall Kun as likely culprits behind the two attacks.
• Yu Shiting yawned and looked at Wang Yanqi as the merchants waited for his response.

Song Tianyao and Tan Jingwei waited at Wangyang Building to meet Yu Shiting, while Song tried to assess the Taiwanese businessman who had bought Zeng Chunsheng's businesses. Their conversation turned to the dangers of doing business in Hong Kong as they awaited Yu Shiting.

• Yu Shiting learned that Tan Jingwei had arrived after buying Zeng Chunsheng's businesses and that Song Tianyao had come on He Xian's behalf, so he asked them to wait together at Wangyang Building.
• Song Tianyao arrived with Huang Liu and found Tan Jingwei and Fourth Brother waiting on the third floor.
• Huang Liu challenged Fourth Brother to a chess game after Yu Shiting's invitation left him unable to carry out his threat to burn down Xu Pingsheng's house.
• Tan Jingwei asked Song Tianyao about shipping, and Song described the protection demands and pressure facing Hong Kong businesses.

Sai Charoenwang met Kondo Kohei at a discreet clinic in Wan Chai and learned how Kondo’s father had founded it to serve Japanese expatriates in Hong Kong. The meeting continued as Kondo explained the clinic’s origins and showed Sai a photograph of its original staff.

• In Sheung Wan, Song Tianyao and Tan Jingwei joked about Yu Shiting’s elusive adopted daughter while they waited to see Yu Shiting.
• Sai Charoenwang arrived at the Men’s Venereal Disease Clinic in Wan Chai with Paitoon, Nairen, and other subordinates.
• Sai told Paitoon and Nairen to wait outside while he met Kondo Kohei in the clinic director’s office.
• Kondo explained that his father had founded the hospital for Japanese expatriates and pointed out a photograph of the original staff.

Song Tianyao met Tan Jingwei at the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce dinner before Uncle Shui summoned him to speak with Yu Shiting. After Song left, Tan discussed the Green Gang and wondered whether Song was really only a factory owner.

• Uncle Shui invited Song Tianyao to meet Yu Shiting in the Waterside Pavilion Hall and asked Tan Jingwei to wait.
• Song Tianyao left with Uncle Shui and Huang Liu, while Tan Jingwei watched them go with Fourth Brother.
• Fourth Brother won the fifth chess game after Huang Liu hurried his moves, leaving their score tied at two wins each.
• Tan Jingwei said he hoped to learn from Song Tianyao and perhaps persuade him to move his business to Taiwan.
• Tan Jingwei rejected using the Taiwan Green Gang and said he had only asked Fourth Brother to find suitable Green Gang figures in Hong Kong.
• Tan Jingwei wondered whether Song Tianyao had lied about being a factory owner because Yu Shiting had agreed to meet him.

Huang Liu recognized Uncle Shui as the famed Shanghai Bund fighter Braid and apologized for his earlier offense, hoping to keep the meeting with Yu Shiting peaceful. A crash from inside Yu Shiting’s study interrupted Huang Liu as he tried to ask Braid for an autograph.

• Tan Jingwei speculated that Song Tianyao might be an envoy and joked about having missed a chance to attack him.
• Song Tianyao and Huang Liu followed Uncle Shui to Yu Shiting’s study, and Song warned Huang Liu not to cause trouble.
• Huang Liu recognized Uncle Shui as Braid, the renowned fighter from the Shanghai Bund, and apologized for offending Yu Zhenzhong.
• Huang Liu asked Braid for an autograph, but a crash of smashing porcelain sounded from Yu Shiting’s study.

Song Tianyao and Yu Shiting’s confrontation turned violent, and Huang Liu held Yu Shiting at gunpoint while Song demanded that he be shot. Tan Jingwei intervened, but Song took Huang Liu’s pistol and fired toward Yu Shiting.

• Huang Liu attacked Uncle Shui with a knife and drew his pistol as Song Tianyao and Yu Shiting argued inside the study.
• Yu Shiting came out with a bleeding temple, and Uncle Shui stopped Song from striking him with a bowl by kicking Song back into the study.
• Huang Liu fired a warning shot and held Yu Shiting at gunpoint while Song emerged with a bruised cheek and ordered Huang Liu to shoot Yu.
• Tan Jingwei arrived with Fourth Brother and aimed his pistol at Song to stop him from frightening Yu Shiting.
• Song took Huang Liu’s gun and pulled the trigger in Yu Shiting’s direction.