Too Much Grumbling

The Uncle Generation on both sides wore grim faces. Ko Lo Wah, the chairman, laid out their terms. Chen Ying sat with his arms folded, listening patiently, while Hua Shanrong kept nodding beside him.

"...Kill Fire Dragon within a month, and you can choose between Red Pole and White Paper Fan. Hua Shanrong, the society is giving you a chance to rise. Make sure you seize it..."

Hua Shanrong murmured his assent from below.

"Uncles, I'll certainly seize this chance. Brother Fat Bear did more for me than I can ever repay. That bastard Fire Dragon betrayed us to outsiders. For the society, for my boss, I, Hua Shanrong, have a duty I can't shirk..."

His words were polite, his manner deeply deferential.

The old bastards above finally looked a little more pleased.

Kwai Lee Ho said with a smile.

"Hua Shanrong, I thought getting Dragon City's backing would have you sticking your nose so high in the air you couldn't see the road ahead. This is good. Kill Fire Dragon within a month. Short of men or weapons? I can lend you troops, but I'll charge interest."

"Fat Bear is gone. Other people are looking after his territories now. After all, your branch doesn't have much talent left. Don't take it to heart. It's perfectly normal for brothers to give a little ground to each other."

Uncle Fai also smiled. "Do a good job, and the society will reward you according to your merits. We old fellows have been waiting a long time for you youngsters to make your mark."

Chen Ying found it laughable as he listened. These old bastards wouldn't provide men or money, and had even swallowed up Fat Bear's territory.

Now they were throwing Hua Shanrong out to kill Fire Dragon, without men, guns, or territory. With an atmosphere like this, it was perfectly understandable why Fire Dragon had gone over to Su Xiong.

With the whole society operating this way, no wonder Su Xiong was trampling all over them.

"Young Master Chen, Wo On Sing and Dragon City have always made money together. We hope this incident won't give Mr. Lu any wrong ideas about us."

Ko Lo Wah spoke with a smile.

"I'll visit Dragon City another day to apologize to Mr. Lu in person. Please ask Mr. Lu which day would suit him."

"I'll certainly carry out your instructions, uncles."

"Also, Dragon City raised its powder prices for Wo On Sing by thirty percent this year, but only twenty percent for Changle and Yisheng. As for that figure, could you ask Mr. Lu..."

Uncle Fai followed up with a question.

"I only came on Mr. Lu's behalf to escort Hua Shanrong here to meet you uncles. For business matters, please contact Dragon City's business staff."

Chen Ying answered with a smile.

"I'm just an errand boy. Please don't make things difficult for me."

"Twin-Blade Ying, who took down Yisheng's Red Pole, is just an errand boy? Mr. Lu certainly has plenty of talent under him."

A middle-aged man with a long, thin face and thin lips picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"And you are?"

Chen Ying looked at him.

"Mah Yau Wu, of the Uncle Generation in Wo On Lok." The long-faced middle-aged man set down his cup. "Young man, don't get too cocky. I'm showing Mr. Lu respect. Otherwise, would you qualify to hear my name?"

"A northerner watching over two or three rice shops who learned a few punches. Don't think Wo On Sing is afraid of Dragon City."

Mah Yau Wu sneered. "That month is out of respect for Mr. Lu. Fail, and we'll settle accounts with Hua Shanrong."

"Now, now, harmony brings wealth. Harmony brings wealth."

Ko Lo Wah hadn't expected such a major clash to flare up suddenly either. Mah Yau Wu wasn't particularly high-ranking among the Uncle Generation.

Ordinarily, he kept a low profile, following Uncle Fai's lead in everything.

Why had he suddenly fired the opening shot today to provoke someone from Dragon City?

"Come now, there's no need for such harsh words. Whatever else, we're all branches of Hongmen, all of the same family. Brother Chen..."

Ko Lo Wah hurried to smooth things over.

"Senior Wu is right. I really don't have any standing in the underworld."

"I know respect has to be earned, not handed to you. You're sitting up there, and I'm sitting down here, but we're both sitting. There's no need for me to be too polite. You're raising your voice at me, talking about two or three rice shops and northerners."

Chen Ying answered with a smile.

"Clearly, you have a problem with me personally. That's easy to resolve. It's a private dispute between you and me, nothing to do with anything else. I keep personal and business matters separate. Bosses, I'm sure this won't affect Dragon City and Wo On Sing..."

The elders immediately began chuckling.

"Oh, of course, of course..."

"We're all underworld men. It's just a little trash talk. Young man, be more forgiving. Keeping your temper is good for your health..."

"The words aren't pleasant, but that's the way of it..."

Chen Ying continued.

"If Senior Wu says so, I must have offended him somehow. Why else would he single me out for no reason? I've never even been active in the underworld. All I did was take down Ren Gang."

"Ren Gang must be Senior Wu's godfather. Without that godfather, your mother tosses and turns every night, unable to sleep. And Senior Wu is such a dutiful son, he has to stand up for his godfather."

Chen Ying stood.

"Everyone, let me make this clear. I have little experience in the underworld. From now on, if anything happens to me-say someone slashes my tires, I find grit in my food, or I trip in the street-it will all be Senior Wu's clever arrangements."

"When that happens, I'll certainly demand an explanation. Bosses, I've never bowed before Brother Guan, and I don't understand Hongmen's rules. I'll be leaving now. If I've been rude, you're all my seniors in the underworld. Please don't stoop to taking offense at a junior like me."

"There's a good line of poetry: too much grumbling can break your heart; take the long view of the world. Anyone who grumbles too much and gets his guts and lungs beaten apart shouldn't say he wasn't warned."

Silence fell around the table. Even Ko Lo Wah at its head said nothing.

Without so much as glancing at them, or paying any attention to Hua Shanrong beside him, Chen Ying strode downstairs.

Yu Tai, the Red Pole standing to one side, looked troubled. He wanted to say something, but ultimately said nothing, merely watching Chen Ying descend step by step.

Clack, clack, clack.

Clear footsteps sounded on the old, decaying stairs, growing fainter as Chen Ying moved away.

"This is rebellion!"

Mah Yau Wu's face flushed red.

"That bastard, that lunatic! Fuck his mother's stinking cunt! Some little punk from who knows where..."

The elders all began speaking up.

"Chairman, if word gets out, those Dragon City brats will have trampled Wo On Sing's reputation into the dirt. You have to do something..."

"Who the hell is this Chen fellow? If he hears something he doesn't like, he should swallow it. Who didn't come up through the underworld that way? Doesn't he have a few rice shops? Teach him a lesson. Let him know who calls the shots in Hong Kong and Kowloon."

"We should still speak to Dragon City. Why did they send someone like that? So rash in handling things. Tell Mr. Lu to discipline him properly when he gets back."

Watching the elders all talking over each other, Ko Lo Wah began questioning himself. Why had he insisted on becoming chairman instead of enjoying a perfectly good life?

He was working out what to say to turn the situation around when he noticed the two old fellows, Kwai Lee Ho and Uncle Fai, sitting perfectly composed without a word.

Just then, another voice cut in.

"Um... uncles..."

Hua Shanrong timidly raised his hand.

"If you have no further instructions, I'll be leaving now..."

Ko Lo Wah frowned deeply. "Hua Shanrong, what are you doing?"

"I came with Brother Ying. Naturally, we leave together."

Hua Shanrong's forehead was already covered in beads of sweat.

"Fuck, Hua Shanrong! You want to switch sides like Fire Dragon?"

"A shit-eating dog. Now you've got someone behind you, you dare raise your voice at us?"

"I wish you uncles long lives and endless prosperity. I have something to attend to, so I'll be leaving."

Ignoring the old bastards, Hua Shanrong turned and ran for the stairs.

But he had barely started when a dark figure appeared in front of him.

Yu Tai rose and blocked the doorway, arms folded, his tall figure looming over him as he looked down.

"Brother Tai, I still have to avenge my boss. Thanks for letting me through."

Bracing himself, Hua Shanrong squeezed past, almost pressing against his body.

Yu Tai stood there like a reef across his path, but in the end, he didn't move.

Ignoring the underlings in the building, Hua Shanrong bounded down two or three steps at a time, running downstairs for all he was worth.

His legs were almost weak from the jumps when he finally spotted Chen Ying at the entrance.

Chen Ying stood with his arms folded, his eyes scanning the area around the small building.

"Brother Ying!"

Hua Shanrong spread his arms.

"You really didn't abandon me."

"I was going to give you a minute. I didn't expect you to be so quick."

Chen Ying pushed Hua Shanrong away with one hand.

"What, not planning to stick with Wo On Sing anymore?"

"When did those old bastards ever treat me like a human being? Brother Ying, you saved my life. Would I even be human if I didn't stand by you?"

Hua Shanrong said excitedly, "Brother Ying, what do we do next? With things turning out like this, let's go to Dragon City for reinforcements."

"Calm down. This was definitely more than a simple argument."

Chen Ying gritted his teeth. "Someone is coming after me now. Come somewhere with me first."

"Where? A clinic?"

"No. Come to the docks with me."