Sitting quietly in his place, Zhou Quan felt a few ripples stir within him as he sensed the gazes of the three elders before him.
Being given a place in this study clearly meant that his standing and influence within the Lee Family had risen.
In the past, no matter how much Zhou Quan was cherished by his family and doted on by all the elders, in their eyes, he was still just a young lad.
Although he was still a young lad in the elders' hearts, the significance of his status had changed completely.
The official's chair he was sitting in belonged to his father.
Now that he had inherited this seat, it meant the elders truly recognized him as an adult.
From now on, the Lee Family's political resources within the Hong Kong Government, as well as its influence within the Police Force, would begin to flow toward him without reservation.
"I stand implacably opposed to crime. Chun, that declaration of yours was truly rousing!"
After studying Zhou Quan for a long while, Old Master Lee Shu-tong smiled kindly and said, "When your grandpa was young, I couldn't compare with a youngster like you!"
Old Master Lee had lived through the era of money. Although his family's influence had ultimately kept him out of the Police Force's corruption crisis, it would have been absurd for him to claim that he stood implacably opposed to crime.
Back then, how many Police Officers could really claim to have kept themselves entirely on the right side of the law?
Not only Old Master Lee, but even Lee Man-bun and Wong Bing Yiu couldn't claim to have been completely spotless.
If Hong Kong Island were still under the foreigners' rule, none of this would have mattered much.
But with 1997 now just a few years away, no one could say for certain what the Lee Family's future position in the Police Force would be.
Although the Lee Family, out of a desire to return to its roots, did not oppose Hong Kong Island's return to the Motherland and had even worked hard to bring it about, its loyalty to this land had never wavered.
When the decisive war to establish the nation was fought on the mainland, the Lee Family had chosen to flee to Hong Kong Island to preserve its legacy.
Even so, the Lee Family had supported tycoon Pao in aiding the mainland when the Motherland stood alone against seventeen countries and faced off against the many factions of the United Nations.
However, Old Master Lee, the Lee Family's heir at the time, held a position within the Police Force, so none of this could be openly acknowledged.
That was precisely why his advancement within the Police Force had not been affected.
Of course, the Motherland had kept its own account of the Hong Kong Island patriots.
Otherwise, after Hong Kong Island's return had been officially confirmed, the Motherland would not have actively reached out to Old Master Lee.
The promise Old Master Lee made at the time was that although his beliefs were not red, he had never denied his love for this land.
Accepting the foreigners' rule was a product of the circumstances, not his personal wish.
As a Chinese person, he had never wavered in his original commitment to supporting the Motherland's reunification.
It was only because of the political situation that he served the laws that maintained Hong Kong Island's stability.
That did not mean he approved of the foreigners' rule.
It was like how people would not assume a thief was good at heart simply because he protected the artifacts he had stolen.
Though Hong Kong Island had prospered under foreign rule, that did not change the colonial and imperialist nature of that rule.
Old Master Lee's firm belief in the Motherland's reunification had clearly earned its approval.
The Motherland had therefore promised that Old Master Lee and his descendants would not be punished after the handover for having been forced into their past circumstances.
After all, the Lee Family had already come through the corruption crisis of the money era unscathed.
What was more, the Lee Family had secretly provided considerable assistance during the war to establish the Motherland.
With 1997 now approaching, the Lee Family was also actively cooperating with preparations for the handover and other related matters.
For both public and private reasons, the Motherland would remember the Lee Family's kindness.
But from a broader perspective, the Motherland clearly would not give the Lee Family special treatment.
If the Lee Family were merely an ordinary business family, that would be one thing. There would certainly be plenty of policy support for it after the handover.
But the Lee Family held extremely high prestige among the Chinese Police Officers on Hong Kong Island.
If the Motherland openly backed the Lee Family-from Lee Shu-tong to Lee Man-bun, and then to Lee Man-bun's descendants-wouldn't the Hong Kong Police Force become the Lee Family's personal fiefdom?
So the Motherland could guarantee the Lee Family's current power, but it absolutely would not deliberately help the family dominate the Hong Kong Police Force.
Balance and stability were always factors the higher-ups had to consider.
Of course, if a member of the Lee Family proved capable, the Motherland would not deliberately suppress them.
If someone from the Lee Family could distinguish themselves amid competition from all sides, then taking charge of the Police Force would be entirely reasonable.
The Motherland had promised to support the Lee Family's business interests after Hong Kong Island's handover.
But when it came to power, it would only provide a fair competitive environment.
Old Master Lee understood this outcome and agreed with it.
Yet deep down, Chinese parents wanted their children to distinguish themselves, and Old Master Lee was no exception.
He had spent many years building his position in the Police Force, and of course he hoped his children would inherit his mantle and rise even higher.
If their descendants could do the same, that would be even better.
Passing down the family's legacy was an idea deeply rooted in the hearts of Chinese people.
Besides, Old Master Lee had lived a life of extraordinary upheaval. Born during the Republic of China, he had experienced warlord battles and bandit invasions as a child.
As an adult, he had joined the Police Force and drawn a regular salary. How could he not understand the importance of having armed force behind you?
If it were possible, he would certainly want his descendants to climb as high as they could in the Police Force.
Among the descendants of Old Master Lee's children, Zhou Quan was the only one who had come of age and shown exceptional ability in the Police Force.
While he still had some influence to draw on, and could still make his voice heard within the Police Force, Old Master Lee naturally wanted to do all he could to support Zhou Quan.
What was more, the current situation was highly unusual. With his full support, Zhou Quan would find it easier to rise than he would in peacetime.
"Chun, I plan to recommend that you finish your probation next year."
After a moment's thought, Old Master Lee gave Zhou Quan some earnest advice.
"During this period, you must do your utmost to distinguish yourself. Whatever commendations you can earn, you must earn."
"If possible, I hope you'll reach commissioned rank in the Police Force before the handover."
Old Master Lee spoke in an unhurried tone, but his words brimmed with confidence.
That confidence came from his command of his own power, and from the authority he had earned through decades of work in the Police Force as its leading Chinese officer.
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