What do you mean by quitting the business? I'm not a big shot.

Chapter 654 Ending 1: The King of Hong Kong
When Youde heard "Lantau Island," he found it particularly jarring and immediately understood Peng Jiakang's intentions. However, cooperating with the handover between the new and outgoing governors was the duty of the outgoing governor, so he forced a smile and said, "No problem, Peng sir, please get in the car."

"Thank you, thank you." Peng Jiakang smiled warmly as he stepped into the Crown-plated car and specially invited Youde to ride with him.

Without hesitation, Youde boarded the official car again, this time switching from the main seat to the passenger seat. Compared to Youde, who had been appointed to the position amidst a crisis and bore heavy responsibilities, Peng Jiakang's political burden was much lighter before he took office, as the situation had already completely collapsed. He only needed to raise tax revenue to 97% and then leave office gracefully. Peng Jiakang chatted and laughed with Youde on the way, enjoying a pleasant conversation. Even Youde felt a little envious, thinking to himself, "Damn it, when I took office, there were a dozen guns pointed at me as soon as I got off the plane."

Lantau Island.

More than 100,000 believers flocked to the island, forming a dense and continuous crowd from the pier at the foot of the mountain to the statue of Guan Yu on Lotus Peak, and the incense offerings were at their peak.

Along the bluestone mountain path, incense sticks were stuck under many trees, and each incense burner was crowded with people, the smoke making tourists cough repeatedly.

At this moment, more than a hundred guests dressed in suits and wearing red banners are standing behind Yin Zhaotang, bowing towards the statue of Guan Yu.

Gao Laosen, wearing a red turban and a yellow robe, shouted loudly, "Pay homage to Guan Yu, the protector of the country and the people, a hero with courage!"

"bye!"

The guests bowed down in unison, their faces full of respect. The red banners draped over their shoulders bore names such as "Xiang Yan, Master of Yi An Hall," "Lai Dongsheng, Master of An Le Hall," "Hu Bochao, Speaker of Kowloon Council," "Ren Darong, Commissioner of Police," "Chen Weinan, Vice President of Chaoshan Chamber of Commerce," "Zhuang Zhuoyan, Commissioner of the Independent Commission Against Corruption," and "Fan Yiquan, Master of Erlong Mountain," among others.
There are so many guests today that we must categorize them into different classes for hospitality. VIPs must wear red banners to distinguish their status, otherwise the underlings won't be able to tell them apart.

Looking around, all the guests who could offer incense with Mr. Yin were influential figures from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and both domestically and internationally. Among them were Wan Shilong, the "Master of the North American Hung Society Zhi Gong Tang," and Huang Dingyu, the "Huang Dingyu of the Chinese Zhi Gong Association," who occupied a separate row, standing on either side of Mr. Yin, stepping down slightly to indicate their status as hosts and guests, offering incense together.

Gao Laosen, his face flushed with excitement, shouted loudly, "I bow to Guan Yu, and secondly to the unparalleled loyalty and righteousness, and the complete benevolence and justice!"

"bye!"

Halfway up the mountain, the newly appointed Bishop Edward of Hong Kong Island, dressed in red, was leading his congregation in distributing pamphlets to worshippers. Initially, the worshippers of the Second Master (a deity associated with Guan Yu) were indignant at the sight of Anglicans causing trouble, seemingly ready to fight. However, upon seeing the pamphlets featuring Guan Yu and the pastor preaching Guan Yu's virtues of "benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom," their expressions gradually became strange. Watching the white people addressing him as "Second Master" and "Guan Yu," some laughed, some were disgusted, but none could deny that the Second Master's followers seemed to have increased significantly.

"Pay homage to Guan Yu, and follow the story of the Peach Garden Oath three times; may you be invincible!"

"Invincible in courage!"

The distinguished guests shouted in unison and bowed deeply.

After Yin Zhaotang offered incense, the remaining guests followed their assigned places to place their incense. Then, the distinguished guests, draped in red banners and led by their brothers, moved to a five-story teahouse to chat.

Fan Yiquan, the master of Erlong Mountain, dressed in a gray Zhongshan suit, pulled aside the familiar Dong'an Society leader, Yaoji, and said, "Uncle Ji, when would be a convenient time to go and ask Mr. Yin for a cup of tea?"

Yaoji, dressed in a blue robe, said cheerfully, "What a grand occasion today! Ah Tang doesn't have time to entertain you. Come sit with us and have some tea."

"There will be an opportunity tonight, during dinner."

Fan Yiquan nodded repeatedly: "Oh, okay, thank you for the treat, Uncle Chicken."

Several mountain lords from Taiwan hurriedly followed and entered a private room with the leaders of the smaller gangs. They no longer expected to be able to speak with Yin Sheng, but as long as they could get in front of Ren Darong, Hu Bochao, Chen Weinan and others, they would consider it a huge gain.

As for Ren Darong and his group, they would definitely not share a private room with people from the underworld. They would only associate with people from the political and business circles, and the conversation would occasionally veer to the No. 1 private room upstairs.

Huang Dingyu, Wan Shilong, and Yin Zhaotang were sitting inside. Rumor had it that there were also important figures from Guangdong Province and Liang Sheng from Xinhua News Agency.

"Mr. Wu, have some tea." Gensheng raised the teapot, his eyes sweeping over Wu Xiang, the current head of Guangdong Province, his heart not at peace. Gao Laosen sat at the end of the table by the door, eating an egg tart with his head down, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart: "He's made something of himself, really made something of himself. Now when Lao Zhong throws a party, even the big shots of Guangdong Province have to come and have a couple of cups of tea."

"Sigh, I wish Brother Cat could have witnessed this grand occasion!"

Wan Shilong clasped his hands in greeting to Wu Xiang, Huang Dingyu, and Liang Manping, speaking with humility and politeness: "Although the San Francisco Hongmen Headquarters is overseas, it still has a deep patriotic heart. In the future, we must return to China more often, for the roots of the Chinese people still lie on the mainland."

As a high-ranking official, Wu Xiang politely offered tea and said, "Thank you, Mr. Wan. Guangdong Province welcomes overseas Chinese to return to China to visit relatives, invest, and do business at any time."

"The mainland market and policies are simply open doors!"

Huang Dingyu agreed, saying, "Although the Hongmen General Association has taken root overseas, its contributions to the War of Resistance against Japan are evident to all. Our fellow members in China also remember this, and the Association will always have a place for you."

"Thank you, thank you." Wan Shilong said with emotion, repeatedly expressing his gratitude, and he really decided to go back to China to take a look. It's true that the San Francisco headquarters has always had a good relationship with Taiwan, but that doesn't mean they haven't considered making money on the mainland. With Yin Zhaotang backed by the mainland and rising in Hong Kong, the overseas Hongmen have also been greatly moved.

Many people have realized that Taiwan's economy is truly failing, and the new era and future lie in the mainland!

Yin Zhaotang raised his cup to toast: "Thank you, Mr. Wan Shan, for traveling all the way to Hong Kong. As the organizer, I am honored to be here."

Wan Shilong waved his hand and smiled, "Master Yin, you are too kind. The Hong Kong Hongmen, the Taiwan Hongmen, and the San Francisco Hongmen have been separate entities for many years."

"My title of 'Mountain Lord' is merely a title. I've heard that Mr. Yin once convened a Hong Kong Hongmen conference. Do you have any plans to hold such a conference in the future?"

Yin Zhaotang raised his eyebrows and said with interest, "Yes, we are just about to use the name of the Hongmen Conference to contact overseas Chinese and maintain the influence of Zhongyi Hall in Southeast Asia."

"If you don't want this influence, someone else will."

Liang Manping, Huang Dingyu, and the others nodded slightly.

After all, the Hongmen in Taiwan is an independent entity that has held numerous Hongmen conferences. Hong Kong, on the other hand, has not established its own independent entity, so those triads and organizations would collude with those in Taiwan.

Wan Shilong clapped his hands and said, "Then the gift I brought for Yin Sheng wasn't in vain!"

Two brothers from Zongshan carried a plaque and pushed open the door to enter the house, attracting everyone's attention.

Wan Shilong personally stood up, untied the red cloth, and wrote on it: "The Loyal and Righteous Hall of the Asian Hongmen Headquarters!"
He cupped his hands and smiled, saying, "This is a major matter that was voted on and passed by the elders of the main mountain. The Zhongyi Hall is hereby specially appointed to oversee the affairs of the Hongmen in Asia, record the history of the Hongmen, and spread it throughout the world to uphold the principles of governance!"

Liang Manping, Wu Xiang, and the others looked at the sign with slight surprise on their faces, but no other emotions.

No matter how big a triad's sign is, can it be bigger than the sky?

Gao Laosen and Uncle Gensheng's faces were unusually excited, with tears glistening in their eyes.

What a magnificent achievement!
He was able to gain the approval of the head of the Hongmen and take charge of Hongmen affairs in Asia, which can be described as being in charge of half of the country.
Yin Zhaotang was surprised for a moment, but then regained his composure and stood up to express his gratitude: "Thank you, Master Wan, for your kindness."

"Of course, of course." Wan Shilong said with a gentle smile, sitting back in his seat, still as humble as ever.

The Zongshan's sphere of influence is only in North America. The various branches in Southeast Asia either originated from Taiwan or spread from Hong Kong, and they originally had no connection with the Zongshan.

What was given away was not power, but a title.

Although both reputation and reality have their own meanings, a title must be commensurate with power. Doing something merely to add to one's prestige is hardly a favor.

But making their stance clear, supporting the domestic situation, and abandoning Taiwan had a very positive effect! As Liang Manping, Wu Xiang, and the others chatted, they gradually became familiar with each other and grew closer.

Just as they were having a pleasant conversation inside, a commotion suddenly arose outside. He pushed open the door with his left hand and entered, whispering, "Boss, the Governor is here."

"Yo De?" Yin Zhaotang frowned slightly. "Or is it the new Governor, Ah Peng?"

Zuo Shou said, "Youde came with the new governor, flying a helicopter straight to Lotus Peak, and just landed at the Temple of Heaven."

Gao Laosen's heart skipped a beat. He glanced at Wu Xiang and the others, and immediately understood. He cursed, "Which star did you pick? The new governor is something else. He dares to come to the Guan Sheng Grand Ceremony to show off his power. I'll be the first to chop him down with my sword!"

"You didn't bring any troops, did you?" Yin Zhaotang put down his teacup, stood up, and asked.

"No, just a few bodyguards." Left Hand shook his head: "They said they came to offer incense, but the brothers don't believe them. It's a complete mess outside."

Yin Zhaotang nodded and said, "Since you didn't bring any soldiers, you're a guest. Since you're a guest, I should go and greet you. Mr. Wu, Mr. Wan, Brother Ping, please forgive me for not being hospitable enough."

"Go ahead, go ahead, I'll make some tea and catch up." Wu Xiang waved her hand, not caring at all.

When Yin Zhaotang, accompanied by a group of brothers, walked through the crowd and arrived in front of the Guandi statue at the Temple of Heaven, he finally understood why the brothers on the mountain had reacted so strongly.

Because Peng Jiakang was one of three government air force helicopters that landed directly on the mountaintop, making him look like a special forces unit from a movie.

Wei was indeed imposing, but at the same time, he was too conspicuous, which aroused the dissatisfaction of his brothers. Thousands of believers surrounded a few foreigners, which startled Youde so much that he broke out in a cold sweat.

It wasn't until Yin Zhaotang and his men showed up that You De, as if grasping at a straw, hurriedly greeted them: "Mr. Yin, don't misunderstand, I've brought the newly appointed Governor Peng Sir to participate in the event."

Yin Zhaotang, dressed in a suit and tie and smoking a cigar, approached You De and said, "Old You, it's fine for the brothers to go up the mountain for fun, but at least give us a heads-up beforehand so that no one will misunderstand."

Yu De smiled wryly and said, "Inspector Peng suddenly had a whim and insisted on coming to see you."

"It's gone."

"Disperse." He waved to his brothers with his left hand, and they gradually dispersed. However, many VIPs in the teahouse had already stood outside the door, looking down from above. Even more powerful figures, rising stars, and gang leaders watched from afar, deeply shocked.

On the first day of his term as Governor-General, the first thing he did was not to meet with administrative officials or hold a press conference, but to rush to Lantau Island to see Mr. Yin.
What else could this be but paying homage to the powerful?
At the village entrance, Qin Huanxi, dressed in plain clothes, had just finished offering incense with a few of his men and exclaimed in amazement, "Impressive! Even the governor-general has to come and pay his respects upon taking office!"

"From now on, Hong Kong will belong to the Yin family."

The men looked at each other, unable to find any reason to refute it.

When Peng Jiakang got off the plane, he was indeed a little flustered, but after following Yin Zhaotang into the teahouse, his smile grew wider and he said, "Mr. Yin, do you know why I came to see you first after getting off the plane?"

Yin Zhaotang said, "Inspector Peng couldn't possibly be here to offer incense to Guan Yu, could he?"

“Well, I am a member of the Anglican Church, so I should indeed offer incense to Guan Sheng.” Peng Jiakang said with a straight face and a serious expression, making a joke before continuing, “However, I came to see you because you have more administrative officials here than the Governor’s Office.”

"With your support, I can manage Hong Kong well."

Yin Zhaotang nodded and laughed, "You flatter me, Officer Peng. May I ask what new policies you have in mind for managing Hong Kong?"

Peng Jiakang slowly shook his head and corrected, "My job is to cooperate with you."

"I'll cooperate with you on whichever path you want to take for Hong Kong's development. I believe that as long as we can improve Hong Kong's economy, Mr. Yin will be happy to pay taxes legally and protect Hong Kong capital, right?"

"As for specific policies, with so many talented people under Yin Sheng, does he really need me?"

Before taking up his post, Peng Jiakang had already decided that he would not become a second MacLehose, nor a second Youde, but a second Yin Zhaotang!
Only then can you achieve good political results!
In Great Britain, he was the Governor-General of the Queen; in Hong Kong, he was the Governor-General of Mr. Wan.
night.

Peng Jiakang, accompanied by his family, entered the governor's residence, carrying a copy of the "Housing for All" plan.

"I never expected that he would not seek personal gain, but instead intensify his attack on public housing to drive down Hong Kong property prices."

Although Hong Kong Island already has Home Ownership Scheme flats and a Housing Authority to manage them, newly built Home Ownership Scheme flats and public housing are sold and rented out.

However, the Home Ownership Scheme on Hong Kong Island has not progressed smoothly, mainly due to obstruction from large property developers. This is because the addition of new Home Ownership Scheme flats would not only lower the average property price of the land parcels but also reduce the number of potential homebuyers.

Unlike the early 1980s, as we entered the 1990s, major real estate developers on Hong Kong Island were mainly Chinese-owned.

If Yin Zhaotang wanted to, he could easily develop real estate and make a huge profit, at least tens of billions of Hong Kong dollars!

"Is this an attempt to squeeze the real estate market and get major corporations to invest their money in manufacturing? If the electronics and technology industries can develop, the tariffs collected will be far higher than the land taxes and deed taxes from building construction."

"It really is a win-win plan."

After a moment of contemplation, Peng Jiakang decided to select the largest available space on Hong Kong Island and entrust it to Yin Zhaotang to develop the ePort.

The products produced are shipped directly from Gangan Port, bypassing the land transportation link, and sent to all parts of the world.

We should no longer be bound by Chinese or British capital, nor limited to the Commonwealth of China, but prioritize the development of Hong Kong Island.

The world remains vast and full of opportunities.

(End of this chapter)