Hong Kong Island: From a small stall to a global supplier

An enlarged map of Hong Kong without outlying islands was spread out on the table. Wang Yaotang pointed at the map with a pointer in his hand. “Sheng Yi has added so much territory. Before choosing the leaders of the branches, we need to determine how many branches to set up. Fourth Master, you guys are experienced, so tell us what you think.”

“Alright.” Fourth Master did not refuse. It was obvious that the group had chatted about this before. He said directly, “What I mean is that, with the original branches remaining unchanged, Po Toi O should be renamed Clear Water Bay Branch, and Quarry Bay, Shau Kei Wan, Chai Wan and other branches should be merged. With too many branches, the people from the soft drink factory will inevitably occupy more positions. If we send our own people there, it will seem like we are too guarded. So it would be better to simply merge them.”

"At that time, we can announce to the outside world that the size of the branch is too small and does not deserve the name of Shengyi, which will also shut up the people from the soda factory."

Wang Yaotang raised an eyebrow. The old man was quite good at reading his mind. Although the direction was wrong, the result was good, which saved him the trouble of asking the four-eyed guy to speak.

If it's the old tradition, then of course you should open more temples. A temple with a hundred or eighty people is enough. You can slowly expand the territory. The more temples you have, the more positions you can arrange.

Seeing the smile on Wang Yaotang's face, Fourth Master knew he had spoken correctly and immediately continued, "In that case, there are 14 major branches in Hong Kong: Tsim Sha Tsui, Jordan, Yau Ma Tei, Mong Kok, Tsuen Wan, Sha Tin, Tseung Kwan O, Clear Water Bay, Tuen Mun West, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, Happy Valley, North Point, and Shau Kei Wan. Add to that the overseas branches in Macau and Bangkok, and there will be a total of 16 major branches."

"What do you all think?" Wang Yaotang asked, looking at Sha Lin, Uncle Ding, and the other old guys.

The others naturally nodded in agreement.

Wang Yaotang smiled and nodded, saying, "Since all the uncles think this is good, then it must be good. After all, you have experience. Let's do it according to Fourth Master's wishes. We will change Shengyi into 16 major branches."

Hmph, let's see who dares to call themselves 'domineering' or 'autocratic' in the future, when they're clearly very democratic.

These words brought smiles to the faces of the old men. Wang Yaotang, who now held absolute power, still treated them with such respect. He truly deserved to be called the "Little God of Wealth" who could lead Shengyi to new heights. He was indeed broad-minded.

He continued, "Now that the branch has been decided, it's time to choose the leaders. Let's first draft a long list, and then select suitable candidates from it. Each of you should recommend three people, which will make 36 people. The final 16 branch leaders will be chosen from this list."

"Fourth Master goes first, then Uncle Lin, and so on, in a round."

"Could you please write this down on the whiteboard, Fourth Master?" Wang Yaotang looked around and, finding that there was no whiteboard, shook his head.

The ancestral hall at the mountain gate is too small and does not match the current state of Shengyi. Once we buy the building, we will no longer hold meetings here.

"Alright." Fourth Master got up and took out paper and pen from the desk at the corner of the wall. "Then I'll nominate them first. The gang is so successful today thanks to 'Ah Jie, Ah Ji, and Ah Xiang' following you, the leader, to conquer the world. I'll suggest the three of them."

"Don't call him 'boss,' we haven't chosen him yet," the old fox Wang Yaotang said with a smile, waving his hand.

Although it wouldn't matter whether or not the Fourth Master nominated them, Ah Ji and the other two still had to express their gratitude with a smile and remember this favor. Otherwise, it wouldn't be appropriate for them to nominate each other, as that would make them seem tasteless.

“It’s my turn.” Sha Lin coughed. “Awei has managed the business for the past few years and it’s been thriving. Awei has made great contributions to the gang’s current income. He is definitely the best candidate. Xing Hong and Da Kou Hui have also worked hard. I think they can be promoted as well.”

Awei then uttered a few more words of reflection.

Uncle Ding pursed his lips. The list that was absolutely foolproof had already been given by the two old bastards before him, so he had to consider it carefully. He glanced at the other people behind him who were frowning, and then he smiled again. "Silly Lin has been by the head of the organization's side for the past few years. Although he seems to be keeping a low profile, he has handled many things properly. It's time to let him take charge of the overall situation. Wei Tao, as the head of the organization's secretary, has also learned a lot in the past few years. Finally, let's talk about Mang Hua, to set a benchmark for those who come over."

Damn it, Uncle Niu had a toothache. One of the people he wanted to recommend was Mang Hua, whom he had received 10 from. But now it seemed that the kid had definitely given him more than just money.

Seeing Wang Yaotang looking over, Uncle Niu coughed lightly and said, "Ali has taken responsibility for the gang, and now that he's out on medical parole, he definitely deserves some recognition. Also, Chaozai's cooking oil and pork business has made a lot of money for the gang, so he deserves a reward. Lastly, I nominate Asheng. He's worked diligently at the gang all these years and is one of us, so he should be given a chance."

Uncle Niu is very professional when it comes to getting paid to do things.

Soon it was the turn of the four idle elders. The bait Wang Yaotang had set out was too big; some people had come to burn incense at their neglected place.

The old bald dog rubbed his forehead, his eyes wide open as if they were about to pop out of their sockets. He didn't care when he received the money; he was retired and it was rare for someone to come and burn incense for him, so he was just happy. But now that he was actually sitting here and had the opportunity to show off in front of Wang Yaotang, he suddenly hesitated.

Do you want me to recommend some incense burners?

I don't recommend it, it's a bit unethical, but if I can make a good impression on this new boss, no, the leader, wouldn't I have a chance to make a comeback?

Sheng Yi is not the same as before. His business is so big now. He feels that with his decades of experience, he can definitely do a better job than those young punks who have just climbed up from the bottom.

On one hand, there was the possibility of a fresh start for him; on the other hand, there was his reputation for taking money and doing things. Old Baldy was covered in sweat, and his heart was pounding like a drum. He had never been this nervous when he went out to kill people back then.

finally……

“Tai Tou Po, the western part of Tseung Kwan O is mainly inhabited by Hakka fishermen. It is backward, conservative and very xenophobic. Now that they have finally taken over all the land, I don’t think it will be acceptable to the people if we suddenly replace them with outsiders. It might cause trouble.”

"My second recommendation is Gao Laofa."

"His name is Gao Lishi now," Fourth Master said with a smile after glancing at Wang Yaotang.

Everyone has heard about this. He is Gao Lishi, so Wang Yaotang has become the Tang Emperor.

"Yes, I recommend Gao Lishi. Although he is a traitor, it is precisely because he is a traitor that it is impossible for him to betray us again. Having him lead the people at the soda factory will put their minds at ease."

“The third one I recommend is Dafei. He used to be an inspector. Although he was fired, his personal abilities are not a problem, and he has always had a good relationship with the police.”

Wang Yaotang glanced at the bald man with some surprise. He knew that recently his men had been running around trying to build connections, giving gifts, and sending women to him, all to win over 'Li Meiren' and get her to his side.

Wang Yaotang didn't recognize her when he saw her, after all, he had seen too many beautiful women. He only recognized her when he heard the name 'Lizhi'.

Li Mei is only 19 years old this year. She moved to Hong Kong with her father last year. She has a bad relationship with her stepmother on Hong Kong Island. She works as a saleswoman in a furniture store. Because she can't speak Cantonese, she suffers from exclusion, ridicule, and verbal abuse. Her income is too low to make ends meet. She has changed jobs many times in one year. Her biological father is often away on business trips...

It's not surprising that they were persuaded in this situation.

When Wang Yaotang went in, seeing Li Meiren's tearful appearance, he decided that the person in charge would be 'Super A'.

So, giving it to women is fucking useful!
However, it was almost impossible for Gao Lishi and Da Tou Bo to be left out, and there was no way they would give this bald guy a chance to shine. So, the bald guy was being very fair. Wang Yaotang glanced at him appreciatively and decided to give the old guy a chance to contribute his remaining energy later.

That one glance made the old bald dog's face flush with excitement. I was right after all. As for those who gave money, I can only help you better after I'm in power.

Everyone present was a cunning old fox, except for Ah Jie and Ah Ji. Whether they were acting out of self-interest or not was obvious at a glance. Everyone could figure out the old man's plan after just a little thought.

A-Jie, A-Ji: ? ? ?

The three old guys behind him were a bit awkward, but having made a name for themselves in the Hong Kong underworld of the 60s and then retired peacefully, they were all pragmatic and immediately understood their place under Wang Yaotang's gaze. Sha Gui, being shrewd, chuckled and recommended three men: "Yellow Hair" from Macau, "Horse Tail Bear" from Bangkok, and "Cat Shit Qiang" from Tsim Sha Tsui.

Wang Yaotang's face remained expressionless, but in his heart he had already sentenced the old man to death.

If the old bald dog is fair and just, then this smiling sand turtle is just being cunning. You're a retired guy, what right do you have to be cunning? Who are you trying to impress?

Later, 'Wooden Airplane' recommended 'Paparazzi Xing', 'Dog Mouth Wave', and 'Super A', which made Wang Yaotang take a second look.

Finally, 'Guolanwen' recommended 'Badong', 'Shatian Dahua', and 'Shatian Wubiao'.

After the old guys made their recommendations, Awei looked at the list recorded by Fourth Master, compared the satisfaction levels of the people who gave gifts, and sent up the three people who had not been nominated: 'Hungry Ghost Feng', 'Big Head Sheng', and 'Rat Hui'.

Four-Eyes went on to mention the three soda factory workers, "Black Snake," "Fat Fat," and "Thai Boxing An." As surrendered generals, the three of them really went all out. Black Snake even sent over a pair of twins. What man could resist such temptation?

Ah Jie also nominated the women based on their looks: 'Ma Jiaopei', 'Blind Heng', and 'Piglet Ming'.

Ah Chao coughed lightly, 'Da Kou Wen' 'Da Gen Shuo' 'Di Long'.

After the list was written, Wang Yaotang instructed Sha Ze to go down and call for more people. Soon, 36 people went up to the second floor with trepidation.

At Wang Yaotang's signal, Fourth Master stood up and first praised Wang Yaotang for his great achievements in leading Shengyi through hardships and expanding its territory. He spoke until white foam appeared at the corners of his mouth before wiping it away and getting to the point.

As for the main point, one sentence is enough.

Making it onto the shortlist means passing the first hurdle, but everyone is still on tenterhooks. There are 16 spots available, but with 36 people on the list, most of them will be eliminated. It's still uncertain whether the four brothers, Ah Jie and Ah Ji, will take up their spots, which would further reduce their chances of advancing.

As Fourth Master sat down, Wang Yaotang praised each of them in turn. "You can choose from the 16 positions. Let's switch the order back. Ah Ji, you can nominate first, specifying the branch."

“Okay, Brother Yao.” Ah Ji looked up and glanced at the crowd. “Gao Lao Fa, Bo Ji Wan.”

“Tsuen Wan, Xing Hong,” Ah Jie said.

“Tseung Kwan O, super A,” the four-eyed guy said.

“Shatin Tai Wah,” Ah Wei said.

After going around in circles, it was Guolanwen's turn again. He glanced at Wang Yaotang, and since the four brothers of Ajie hadn't stepped down, it meant they were going to continue. He decisively said, "Jordan, Ajie."

The wooden airplane also tried to choose the correct answer: "Yau Ma Tei, Ah Chi."

Sand Turtle's smile vanished; his forehead was covered in sweat. There were no more 100% correct answers left. He glanced at Wang Yaotang and said hesitantly, "Wan Chai, Ah Wei."

The old bald dog was quite nonchalant, saying, "Clearwater Bay, Big Head Wave."

Uncle Niu wasn't afraid of anything at this point. It didn't matter if he chose the wrong one. Wang Yaotang hadn't given them any hints beforehand, so he wouldn't blame the old man for this. "North Point, Big Mouth Fai."

Uncle Ding coughed, "Happy Valley, Silly Lin."

"Causeway Bay, Ah Cheung." Silly Lin figured out what he meant; Wang Yaotang would only feel at ease handing over the new territory to his own people.

“Mong Kok, Wai Tao,” Fourth Master followed up.

When it came to Wang Yaotang's turn, everyone held their breath.

Wang Yaotang recalled the list finalized last night. "Fourth Master, with Wei Tao gone, there's no one to help me with daily affairs. How about replacing Mong Kok with Ah Li?"

"Okay," Fourth Master said with a smile.

“Uncle Ding, let Sha Lin stay with me. I’ll cough if someone else drives. Happy Valley is a good place to go…” As soon as Wang Yaotang stopped, everyone who wasn’t chosen held their breath.

"Cat poop is strong, right?"

Cat Shit Qiang's pupils contracted, his face suddenly turned red, and he clenched his fists tightly. Sure enough, Brother Yao has the style of Wei Wu!

A few days ago, he went to great lengths to deliberately create the incident of "Zhao Yazhi being attacked by thugs and Wang Yaotang saving her as a hero." During this time, he also arranged for someone to mention to Zhao Yazhi's husband, dentist Huang Hanwei, that he had seen Zhao Yazhi meeting with someone in secret...

In the end, the big shot won the heart of the beauty.

Nobody understands Yao Ge better than me!
“Tuen Mun West, Chao Tsai,” Wang Yaotang continued, “Hoi Kong Yellow Hair, Bangkok Ponytail Bear.”

No one mentioned Tsim Sha Tsui from beginning to end. When Wang Yaotang uttered his last word, a collective sigh of relief rang out. Those who were chosen breathed a sigh of relief, while those who were not chosen were quite disappointed.

"Alright, the positions of the leaders of each branch have been determined. I hope you will all manage your positions diligently. The future of Shengyi is in your hands. Finally, congratulations to everyone." Wang Yaotang clapped, and everyone immediately followed suit.

Xing Hong, Da Hua, Chao A, and others clapped the most enthusiastically.

Wang Yaotang tried several times to calm the crowd down before they finally stopped applauding.

“Now that the leaders of each branch are in place, it’s time for the positions of the white paper fan and the straw sandal. Each of you should submit a list of your preferred candidates. The elders and I will consider them together. This afternoon, I’ve arranged a banquet at the Intercontinental Hotel to celebrate with everyone. That’s all.” After Wang Yaotang finished speaking, he stood up, and everyone immediately gathered around, thanking him in unison.

He said a few words to each of them, offering encouragement and comfort. The conversation lasted for more than an hour. Wang Yaotang drank two pots of tea and his lips were dry from talking before he finally finished.

When he went downstairs, the more than 800 people gathered outside finally dispersed. Wang Yaotang leaned back in his chair, the corners of his mouth slowly turned up, and finally he burst into laughter. Unbeknownst to him, it had already spread to cover the whole of Hong Kong.

"Uncle Dong, how about it? Isn't he much better than you?"

"Don't worry, things will only get better and better. This is just the beginning!" (End of Chapter)