Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

The governor's official reprimand was like a death warrant, utterly crushing Magistrate Zhao Guodong. He immediately sent men to release Ji Shan and Jackson, and groveled in apology. Back at the trading post, the two, like victorious generals, became even more arrogant and immediately began plotting revenge. They were convinced that the root of all their troubles lay with Huang Feihong and Wang Huanbo! Especially Wang Huanbo, a man not only highly skilled but also exceptionally intelligent; keeping him alive would be a major threat!

Zhao Tianba of the Shahe Gang, like a hyena smelling blood, also rushed in. The three parties colluded once again in a secret room at Jardine Matheson.

"Huang Feihong and Wang Huanbo must die!" Ji Shan gritted his teeth, his face contorted with rage. "And that traitorous priest, he needs to be taught a lesson too!"

Jackson said coldly, "The consulate has already put pressure on the Qing government, and the officials no longer dare to openly protect them. We can find an opportunity, for example... for them to 'resist arrest and flee,' and be shot dead on the spot!"

Zhao Tianba patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, gentlemen! As long as you provide some 'hard stuff' (weapons) and send a few gunmen to cover for us, we'll leave Huang Feihong and Wang Huanbo to the Shahe Gang! We'll burn Baozhilin to the ground, leaving no one to testify!"

A vicious plan was thus devised: the Shahe Gang would dispatch elite troops, armed with revolvers and Martini-Henry rifles provided by Jardine Matheson, to ambush Po Chi Lam, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. Simultaneously, rumors would be spread throughout the city that Wong Fei-hung and Wang Huan-bo were colluding with rebels and plotting a rebellion, creating public opinion to justify a military crackdown. Meanwhile, the foreigners would deploy their police, under the pretext of "searching for rebels," to block the streets and obstruct any rescue efforts.

A storm was brewing. Dark clouds hung heavy over Foshan. Inside Baozhilin, the atmosphere was equally somber. Huang Feihong and Wang Huanbo had already anticipated that the foreigners would not let the matter rest.

"Master, foreigners are vengeful and will surely use swift and decisive measures this time. Po Chi Lam has become the target of everyone's attacks, so we need to make plans as soon as possible," Wang Huanbo said in a deep voice.

Wong Fei-hung nodded, his brows furrowed with determination: "We'll meet force with force, and water with earth. Po Chi Lam is based in Foshan, and we have nothing to fear from petty villains! It's just... that we've implicated our disciples and neighbors."

"Master, why do you say that? Upholding justice is our duty," Wang Huanbo said. "Right now, the enemy is strong and we are weak, so a direct confrontation is not the best strategy. We need to outsmart them and take advantage of their strengths."

"Leveraging existing resources?" Wong Fei-hung wondered.

Wang Huanbo analyzed, "Although the foreigners are strong, they are not monolithic. The consulate, considering the diplomatic implications, may not want the situation to spiral out of control and escalate into a large-scale civil unrest. Many merchants and ordinary citizens in the city, after this incident, sympathize with us. We can take a two-pronged approach: First, spread the news through reliable channels that the Shahe Gang is colluding with the foreigners, smuggling weapons, and intending to commit violence, especially... to other foreign merchants and consuls, creating pressure. Second, secretly relocate some of the elderly, weak, women, and children, and contact our friendly martial arts comrades and guilds, keeping a watchful eye on them. At the same time, we must prepare... our 'trump card'."

"A trump card?" Wong Fei-hung looked at Wang Huan-bo.

A sharp glint flashed in Wang Huanbo's eyes: "The foreigners rely on their strength only because of their powerful ships and cannons. We must let them know that we are not without the power to fight back!" He did not say it explicitly, but Huang Feihong saw a strong confidence in his eyes.

That night, Wang Huanbo secretly entered the secret room, inspected the modified crossbows and catapults, and carefully maintained the silencer removed from the Type 54 assault rifle (the spare was available in the system space). He sensed that in the final battle, he might have to resort to methods beyond the comprehension of this era. At the same time, he had Yacha Su use his connections with the newspaper to deliver an anonymous letter exposing the collusion between the Shahe Gang and Jardine Matheson to the manager of another trading company that was a competitor of Jardine Matheson.

Aunt Thirteen also sensed the approaching danger. She found Wang Huanbo and handed him a small, pocket-sized pistol: "Junior Brother Wang, take this for self-defense. I... I don't want to see any of you get hurt." Her eyes were full of worry.

Wang Huanbo was deeply moved and took the pistol: "Thank you, Aunt Thirteen. Don't worry, we'll be fine. This land needs Master Huang, and it also needs people like you who open their eyes to the world."

Outside the window, the night was as black as ink, with the faint sound of a night watchman's clapper. Foshan City, in a stifling silence, awaited the arrival of dawn, or rather, awaited an inevitable storm. Inside Baozhilin, lights shone brightly, and everyone stood ready, a tragic yet resolute atmosphere pervading the air. Wang Huanbo knew that this was not merely a contest of force, but a struggle for dignity, justice, and the future.