Chapter 437: The Government is Full of Savvy Individuals
Superintendent Chan Yan-Kin stood ramrod straight in his military uniform, adorned with an aiguillette.
He was currently on a special assignment—standing guard for the gentlemen of the Governors Office.
Periodically, the Police Station would assign meritorious officers to stand guard at the Governors Office.
This was also a way to gain exposure; if any of the gentlemen noticed these officers, their future paths would be much smoother.
Chan Yan-kin was chosen.
However, his expression was quite subtle.
Yesterday, Chief Wong Bing-Yiu had just mentioned that Lin Feng was going to promote him.
He never expected to see him at the Governors Office today.
That's right.
Today's distinguished guests at the Governors Office were the members of the Hung Hing Group.
A colleague quietly asked:
"Old Chen, I just saw Mr. Lin greet you."
Chan Yan-kin glanced sideways, noticing the envy on the other person's face.
The corners of his mouth turned up:
"Don't overthink it. Mr. Lin started in Mong Kok, and even though he's been in Causeway Bay ever since, he hasn't forgotten old friends like us."
"It was just a polite greeting."
The colleague said enviously:
"That's Mr. Lin, the current Hong Kongs richest man, the Governor's honored guest."
"Didn't you see what happened earlier?"
"The Governor and Three Divisions were all surrounding them."
"He's truly a person above others now."
"If he takes notice of you, a casual word from him could make your career soar."
"You're about to strike it rich!"
"Oh dear."
"I wish I had been at the West Kowloon Police Headquarters before."
"But I ended up in New Territories."
"I completely missed the chance to connect with Mr. Lin."
"I'm really, really envious of you!"
Chan Yan-kin was also delighted, but everyone is a social person, and one must be humble when appropriate, otherwise it's easy to be isolated.
"Who would have thought Mr. Lin would rise so quickly in such a short time?"
"If I had known this day would come, I would have definitely gone out of my way to befriend him."
"Now, Mr. Lin and I are truly just ordinary friends."
His colleague absolutely did not believe what he said:
"Are you kidding?"
"Mr. Lin has always been on good terms with the Police Station."
"Even before he made a name for himself in the Hung Hing Society, he was already one of the top three donors to the Police Station's charity fund."
"Your Police Station doesn't have a good relationship with them?"
"You're lying to a Foreigner!"
Chan Yan-kin said in surprise:
"How do you know so much?"
His colleague sighed:
"What else can I do?"
"He's the newly risen Hong Kongs richest man."
"Who wouldn't want to know more about him?"
"Even if we can't build a connection with him, we certainly can't offend him."
"If you offend the Governor, you still have a way out, but if you offend Brother Feng, isn't that just asking for death?"
Chan Yan-kin remained silent for a while before saying:
"You have a point!"
They were all cunning individuals, not a single fool among them.
"So, what did you find out?"
His colleague chuckled:
"I found out quite a bit."
"Mr. Lin has a very good relationship with many Chiefs of the Police Stations."
"Mr. Lin is among the top three donors for charity funds in many Police Stations."
"Most importantly, Mr. Lin's record is spotless, and he's also one of Hong Kong's hidden tycoons. If I were a Chief of a Police Station, I would treat Mr. Lin with a different attitude too."
Chan Yan-kin nodded slightly.
This was a certainty.
His colleague suddenly lowered his voice:
"Old Chen, your opportunity has come. Don't forget me after you get rich."
Chan Yan-kin's heart stirred, but he humbly said:
"Stop joking with me."
"I'm just a small Senior Superintendent, how could I catch Mr. Lin's eye?"
His colleague sighed:
"In the Police Force, we Senior Superintendents are actually mid-to-high level management of the Police Station."
"But in the eyes of truly important figures, let alone a Senior Superintendent, what's a Superintendent?"
"Isn't it still the same?!"
"We belong to the category of low-ranking officers; they only associate with people above Assistant Commissioner."
"Alas!"
Chan Yan-kin breathed a slight sigh of relief:
"Didn't you say that even a Superintendent can't catch Mr. Lin's eye? I'm only a Senior Superintendent."
His colleague shook his head:
"Times have changed."
Chan Yan-kin was startled:
"What do you mean?"
His colleague chuckled:
"Let's be frank with each other."
"Mr. Lin has always been a smooth operator; it's widely rumored in the underworld that he has friends everywhere and no enemies."
Chan Yan-kin thought to himself, 'Of course, all of Mr. Lin's enemies are dead!'
So naturally, he had no enemies!
"Mr. Lin has very high emotional intelligence. If he wasn't fond of you, why would he specifically greet you in such a setting?"
"Do you know who was with Mr. Lin at that time?"
Chan Yan-kin naturally knew.
The Governor, the Three Divisions, and a host of other celebrities.
"Mr. Lin is promoting you!"
"From today onwards, your name will leave a mark in their hearts."
"How could they not pay attention to someone Mr. Lin pays attention to?"
This colleague was truly a savvy individual, stating with certainty:
"Old Chen, you're going to be promoted."
"I heard that Chief Huang of your Headquarters is going to be promoted?"
"I reckon there's a good chance that you'll take Chief Huang's vacant position."
"Why don't I ever meet such a noble person as Mr. Lin?"
Chan Yan-kin was greatly alarmed.
Wong Bing-Yiu had indeed mentioned such a thing to him.
He had only told him not to tell anyone else until the matter was finalized.
He never expected that this colleague, standing guard with him, could analyze the situation with such accuracy, merely from a single gesture by Mr. Lin.
Indeed, one should not underestimate anyone in the world.
Chan Yan-kin certainly knew what Lin Feng's gesture just now meant; he was genuinely promoting him.
Otherwise, who among the attendees of the banquet would pay attention to the doorman?
Even if they recognized an acquaintance, who would specifically greet them at that moment?
Virtually no one!
Chan Yan-kin's heart was ablaze—Mr. Lin was indeed a man of principle.
His colleague continued:
"Old Chen, you must treat us when you get back."
"Don't forget us when you get promoted."
Chan Yan-kin had to respond:
"Old Li, watch your words!"
"Mr. Lin's greeting might have been unintentional."
"We shouldn't over-interpret it."
His colleague sneered:
"Don't worry, we won't over-interpret it."
"Regardless of whether Mr. Lin intended it or not, you're going to be promoted."
Chan Yan-kin frowned:
"How so?"
His colleague looked at him with genuine envy, jealousy, and even a touch of hatred:
"What's there not to say?"
"Who in the Governors Office, from top to bottom, isn't a savvy individual?"
"Mr. Lin's action might have been unintentional, but do you think the people around him will believe it was unintentional?"
Chan Yan-kin thought seriously for a moment:
"Better to believe it than not!"
His colleague nodded emphatically:
"Exactly!"
"Better to believe it than not, that's what they're thinking."
"Those who want to curry favor with Mr. Lin are just looking for an entry point."
"And you, coincidentally, gave them an opportunity!"
Chan Yan-kin wondered:
"Me?!"
His colleague grew even more envious:
"Yes, you!"
"If they simply facilitate your promotion, it becomes a way to connect with Mr. Lin."
"The next time they see Mr. Lin, they can bring this matter up."
"Regardless of whether Mr. Lin genuinely intended it, facilitating your promotion is a good opportunity to strengthen their relationship with Mr. Lin."
"Do you understand?"
Chan Yan-kin said with a bitter smile:
"So, I've become their tool?"
His colleague gritted his teeth and said:
"You should be secretly happy."
"If I were you, I'd be ecstatic!"
"Happy!"
"It's truly different fates for different people. Why don't I have such a relationship with Mr. Lin?"
Chan Yan-kin's heart was shaken.
Suddenly, he understood that Lin Feng's status was truly worlds apart from before.
That he wanted to promote him, Wong Bing-Yiu had personally told Chan Yan-kin.
Chan Yan-kin just couldn't understand, even if Lin Feng was Hong Kongs richest man, he used to be from the underworld, so how could he promote him?
It would probably be very difficult, right?
Now he understood.
Was it difficult to promote him?
Not necessarily!
It was just a casual word.
No wonder Chief Huang was so happy; it turned out Chief Huang had understood this principle all along.
Oh, and Li Wenbin, who was standing guard next to him, probably understood it early on too.
It was just him who was still foolish!
Li Wenbin suddenly said:
"Old Chen, after you get promoted, can I ask you for a favor?"
Chan Yan-kin asked:
"What is it?"
Li Wenbin gritted his teeth:
"Could you introduce me to Mr. Lin?"
Chan Yan-kin said with a bitter smile:
"You think too highly of me."
"How could I introduce Mr. Lin?"
Li Wenbin said seriously:
"For Mr. Lin to take the initiative to greet you in such a setting, that's a form of recognition for you."
"You'll be promoted very soon."
"No matter what, you must go to the Lin Residence to express your gratitude then."
Superintendent Chan Yan-Kin thought for a moment and said,
"I can't guarantee that."
"If I really get promoted, it's only right for me to go to the Lin Residence to express my gratitude, but Mr. Lin might not see me."
Li Wenbin smiled and said,
"That's natural."
"Mr. Lin is so busy, it's not certain if you'll even get to see him."
"If you do see him, could you perhaps mention my name?"
Superintendent Chan Yan-Kin readily agreed:
"Of course."
Li Wenbin was overjoyed:
"Thank you, Superintendent Chen!"
Superintendent Chan Yan-Kin said with a wry smile,
"Let's wait until I'm promoted; otherwise, we might be happy for nothing."
"And don't spread the word about my situation..."
Li Wenbin rolled his eyes:
"I'm not an idiot!"
"It's always better for fewer people to know about this kind of thing!"
"You're my connection!"
Superintendent Chan Yan-Kin chuckled,
"I'm now qualified to be considered a connection by others?"
Li Wenbin laughed and cursed,
"Our Senior Superintendents from the front lines have always had a poor relationship with those above, while the clerical staff get promoted much earlier."
Superintendent Chan Yan-Kin slowly nodded.
In Hong Kong, some people always say that the positions of Chinese people in the Police Station are not high.
Actually, that's not correct.
To be precise, the positions of front-line police officers are not high.
As early as the 1950s and 1960s, Chinese police officers had already served as Deputy Commissioners.
It's just that the status of front-line police officers has never been elevated.
Then came the chaos caused by Lui Lok, Lung Shing-pang, and others.
Afterward, the Police Station gradually opened up promotion channels, but the Chief officials of the Three Secretaries and Thirteen Bureaus were always Foreigners.
The two chatted and laughed, not feeling bored at all.
Three or four hours quickly passed, and the guests slowly dispersed.
The Governor began to see off guests, personally escorting Liang Kun, Chiang Tin-Yeung, and Lin Feng to the door.
Lin Feng smiled at Superintendent Chan Yan-Kin:
"Superintendent Chen, you've worked hard."
"Let's have a drink together sometime!"
Superintendent Chan Yan-Kin was uncontrollably excited.
Li Wenbin was so envious he was almost sour!
The dignitaries from the Governors Office and various social luminaries all looked at Superintendent Chan Yan-Kin, not knowing what they were thinking.
Lin Feng said to the Governor,
"Governor, please go back; we'll be leaving now."
Despite his words, the Governor still insisted on seeing them out of the Governors Office.
Wang Jianguo was already waiting for them in the extended Bentley.
After everyone got into the car, Liang Kun complained,
"I thought high society banquets would be so novel, but this is it?"
"Couldn't even eat properly."
"Damn it!"
"I'm not coming again!"
Chiang Tin-Yeung smiled and shook his head:
"You are the chairman of our Hung Hing Group; such banquets are unavoidable."
"These are all superficial things; everyone tries to be as polite as possible."
"The real debauchery happens outside of the banquet."
Liang Kun snorted,
"So hypocritical."
Chiang Tin-Yeung shrugged:
"The richer people are, the more they care about appearances."
"No matter how many scoundrels and prostitutes they have behind the scenes, they will never show their true selves in public."
"That would affect their image."
Liang Kun asked Lin Feng,
"I saw you greet Superintendent Chan Yan-Kin twice; you never do anything meaningless."
"What are you trying to do?"
Lin Feng casually said,
"I just want to give Chief Huang and Superintendent Chen a little push."
Liang Kun immediately became interested:
"Give them a push?"
Lin Feng explained:
"We're in the legitimate business now, so we need our own allies and subordinates."
"The Police Station is a pretty good source of power."
"Wong Bing-Yiu and Superintendent Chan Yan-Kin are forces we can utilize."
Liang Kun nodded slightly:
"That's not a bad idea."
"However, we were all in the underworld before; how do you plan to promote them?"
"That might be a bit difficult, right?"
Lin Feng and Chiang Tin-Yeung burst out laughing.
Liang Kun asked curiously,
"What are you two laughing about?"
Lin Feng glanced at Chiang Tin-Yeung:
"Mr. Chiang, why don't you explain it? Brother Kun doesn't seem to understand how high his status actually is."
Chiang Tin-Yeung smiled and said,
"In the Western world, money is everything."
"Mere money isn't enough; you must have people working for you."
"In other words, you must be a successful entrepreneur."
"Not only possessing a large amount of money, but also being able to provide a considerable number of job opportunities."
"That is to say, enough people must rely on you for their livelihood."
"This is the cornerstone of social stability."
"There's a saying in our Mainland: 'Poverty breeds cunning, wealth fosters conscience.'"
"People are still the same people; there's nothing different about them, but the difference between having money and not having money is huge."
Lin Feng also smiled and said,
"Guan Zhong said, 'When granaries are full, people know etiquette; when food and clothing are sufficient, people know honor and shame.'"
"The meaning is the same."
Chiang Tin-Yeung nodded:
"Exactly!"
"If people aren't well-fed and clothed, their first priority is survival."
"Only after they have money will they pursue spiritual satisfaction."
"Like doing charity and such."
Liang Kun frowned and said,
"Why are you telling me this?"
Chiang Tin-Yeung smiled and said,
"Brother Kun, you are now qualified to pursue these spiritual things."
"You are already a genuine member of high society in Hong Kong."
Liang Kun was taken aback.
"For someone in high society, converting influence into tangible results is actually very easy."
"You don't even need to do it yourself; as long as you show a little inclination, many people who want to rely on you will help you accomplish it."
"Ah Feng just spoke a couple of sentences with Superintendent Chan Yan-Kin."
"He said one thing when attending the banquet, and another when leaving the banquet."
"He didn't even show any intention of wanting to promote Superintendent Chan Yan-Kin."
"But do you believe that those shrewd individuals who want to curry favor with Ah Feng will naturally use Superintendent Chan Yan-Kin as a stepping stone to establish a relationship with Ah Feng?"
"So the question is, how do they use Superintendent Chan Yan-Kin as a stepping stone?"
Liang Kun thought for a moment, then his eyes suddenly lit up:
"Promote Superintendent Chan Yan-Kin?"
Chiang Tin-Yeung clapped his hands:
"Exactly!"
"It's about promoting Superintendent Chan Yan-Kin!"
"Otherwise, how else could they establish a connection with Ah Feng?"
Liang Kun gasped sharply:
"Good heavens, we don't even have to do anything, and someone will get things done for us?"
Chiang Tin-Yeung nodded solemnly:
"That's natural."
Hiss!
Liang Kun drew a sharp breath:
"Is our influence that great?"
Lin Feng said indifferently:
"Brother Kun, you need to understand how many people depend on us for their livelihood?"
"That's hundreds of thousands of people."
"For these government officials, this is a huge amount of public opinion."
"How much money is public opinion worth?"
"That's crucial to whether they can be re-elected."
"And this public opinion is controlled by us."
"To put it bluntly, if someone from our Hung Hing Group wanted to run for councilor... he would definitely be elected."
"Without a shred of doubt!"
"Because we hold the largest public opinion."
"The better our group develops, the more jobs we provide, and the more money we have, the greater our influence."
"Any casual word from you would shake Hong Kong."
Liang Kun showed a wicked smile:
"So does that mean I can say that if I stomp my foot, Hong Kong will tremble three times?"
Lin Feng shrugged:
"Of course!"
Liang Kun said speechlessly:
"Is that really true?"
Chiang Tin-Yeung smiled and said,
"Brother Kun, you need to adapt quickly, after all, you are the chairman of our Hung Hing Group."
Liang Kun sighed:
"So I can't just speak casually anymore?"
Lin Feng said directly:
"Look before you leap."
"Especially regarding political matters, speak less."
Liang Kun snorted coldly:
"I am a staunch supporter of the Mainland faction."
Lin Feng smiled and said,
"I know you are a staunch supporter of the Mainland faction, but still, speak less."
"Wouldn't it be better if you just quietly did things?"
"The Mainland will see."
Liang Kun thought for a moment and finally nodded:
"Alright, then that's how it is."
"Oh, right, I didn't eat enough at the banquet earlier, do you guys want to get something to eat?"
Chiang Tin-Yeung smiled and said,
"How about we call Sister-in-law and go to my place?"
Chiang Tin-Yeung had moved back to Hong Kong, and his home was naturally in Mid-Levels.
Liang Kun laughed and said,
"We definitely have to go."
"Ah Feng, are you coming?"
Lin Feng sighed:
"I have a busy life; I have to work hard for our group."
Liang Kun didn't believe him.
Lin Feng explained:
"Brother Bao has arrived; I have to go see him today."
+++
Chapter 438: Affirmation from the Mainland
"Mr. Lin, congratulations on becoming Hong Kongs richest man!"
Dai Kuen Pao solemnly raised his glass in celebration.
He recalled the first time he met Lin Feng, which was in a car.
Now, he was in Lin Feng's villa.
Previously, every time Dai Kuen Pao came to Hong Kong, he had to find a place to stay, but now he didn't have to worry at all, as Lin Feng would naturally take care of everything.
"There's nothing to congratulate."
Compared to others' joy, Lin Feng was particularly calm.
Dai Kuen Pao looked at him in disbelief:
"Mr. Lin, this is Hong Kongs richest man."
Lin Feng shook his head:
"Being Hong Kongs richest man is just like this."
"Most of my assets are in company stocks, not pure cash flow."
"Besides, what does it matter to be Hong Kongs richest man?"
"It's not Asia's richest man."
At this time, Asia's richest man was in Okamoto, and he was also the world's richest man.
Well, the world's richest man on the surface.
Anyone who took that seriously would be an idiot!
Dai Kuen Pao shook his head:
"Mr. Lin, you are truly magnanimous!"
Lin Feng chuckled:
"Just speaking the truth!"
"This richest man title, it just sounds good."
"In the grand scheme of the world, it's nothing at all."
"Wait until I become the real world's richest man, then it won't be too late to congratulate me!"
These were big words.
Yet, Dai Kuen Pao had a feeling that perhaps, this goal could truly be achieved.
Lin Feng smiled:
"Brother Bao, you are so busy with daily affairs, yet you still made time to come over. Do you have any instructions?"
Dai Kuen Pao was speechless:
"I just have an ordinary job; how dare I call it being busy with daily affairs?"
"I came this time at the request of the leaders."
He said seriously,
"The leaders asked me to thank you!"
Lin Feng asked in surprise:
"Thank me?"
Dai Kuen Pao said seriously:
"Yes, thank you!"
"The matter of Tycoon Group and Little Tycoon has been going on for a long time, and if it continues, it will affect the lives of Hong Kong citizens."
"Although Hong Kong's governance is currently in the hands of the Anglo-Saxon, it is still our Mainland people who are affected."
"This is something we don't want to see."
Lin Feng nodded slightly:
"That's true!"
Dai Kuen Pao invigorated his spirit:
"That punch you threw was excellent; it opened up a whole new sky."
"It also let the Anglo-Saxon know that we in Hong Kong still have our own national enterprises."
Lin Feng shook his head:
"I didn't think that much."
"Hung Hing needs to transform, and it needs a vehicle. Tycoon Group is a good choice."
"It was also a matter of circumstances."
Dai Kuen Pao gave a thumbs up:
"Only you would dare to say that."
Hung Hing used a small stake to defeat HSBC Group and the Swire Group behind it, and even acquired Tycoon Group at a super low price.
And successfully replaced it, making it the true leading enterprise in Hong Kong.
The struggle involved has long been repeatedly studied.
The Mainland studied it with particular enthusiasm.
The more they studied, the more surprised they became. They suddenly discovered that Lin Feng had not targeted Tycoon Group when the stock market began, but had already laid the groundwork several months prior.
He had been eyeing Tycoon Group for a long time.
Like an assassin hiding in the shadows, carefully watching for any flaws exposed by Tycoon Group.
When Tycoon Group made no mistakes, he remained motionless.
As soon as Tycoon Group showed the slightest flaw, Hung Hing Group moved.
And when it moved, it was with thunderous force.
Lin Feng only made one move against Tycoon Group, and that one move completely changed the ownership of Tycoon Group.
This chapter was truly a classic among classics.
Many universities in the mainland have included this acquisition battle in their textbooks for students to repeatedly study and learn from.
"The leaders asked me to thank you, and because of your actions, we now have an additional director on the HSBC board."
Lin Feng shook his head:
"Board meetings are decided by majority rule; never think that HSBC can become a commercial group for the Mainland."
Dai Kuen Pao chuckled:
"We don't have such thoughts."
"Having a director on the board is enough to let us know their economic strategy."
"The Mainland is currently undergoing reform and opening up, and the demand for capital is immense."
"HSBC will be a great help."
Lin Feng nodded slightly.
Dai Kuen Pao said seriously:
"I came this time to ask Mr. Lin for help."
Lin Feng extended a hand:
"Please speak."
Dai Kuen Pao explained:
"Firstly, I want to ask Mr. Lin to help attract some investment for the Mainland."
There can never be too much investment.
The Mainland is currently booming, and it is precisely the time when investment is needed.
Lin Feng thought for a moment and nodded slightly:
"I can make some contacts, but you know that the Anglo-Saxon are very wary of us, so don't have too high expectations for the amount."
Dai Kuen Pao smiled:
"As for investment, naturally, the more the better."
"We won't dislike more, nor will we dislike less."
Lin Feng smiled:
"No problem."
Dai Kuen Pao then said:
"The second matter is about the Triad."
Lin Feng waved his hand:
"Hung Hing has already set an example; other Triad will naturally know how to proceed."
Dai Kuen Pao gave a wry smile:
"I'm just afraid of those small Triad…"
There are many Triad in Hong Kong, to what extent?
There are three to five Triad on one street.
Some people ask, why are there so many Triad?
The reason is that Hong Kong's population density is one of the highest in the world.
Even a few Triad on one street can survive.
In fact, the territories of Triad in Hong Kong are generally not large; Tsuen Wan being completely controlled by one group is quite rare.
Just like Sister Thirteen, her initial territory was only Portland Street!
And that was already enough to make other Triad envious, jealous, and hateful.
Lin Feng thought for a moment and said:
"I heard there's a feed mill in Sichuan that specializes in producing pig feed?"
Dai Kuen Pao was startled:
"You know about that too?"
Lin Feng shrugged:
"After all, I also have investments in the mainland, so I naturally learn about some things."
Dai Kuen Pao nodded:
"There is indeed one; its product is 'Four-Month Fat'."
Lin Feng leaned forward slightly:
"Has the supply of pork in the mainland caught up now?"
Dai Kuen Pao sighed:
"Life now is definitely much better than before."
"But to achieve pork freedom, it's still a long way off."
"Pork at one yuan per catty is not something everyone can afford."
Lin Feng sighed:
"The price of pork here in Hong Kong has already reached twelve hong kong dollars per catty."
Dai Kuen Pao was astonished:
"You mean?"
Lin Feng said seriously:
"I want to engage in food ingredient smuggling."
Dai Kuen Pao's eyes nearly popped out:
"No, Mr. Lin, you, a dignified Hong Kongs richest man, still want to engage in food ingredient smuggling?"
Lin Feng said unhurriedly:
"Hong Kong is a small place, palm-sized, and produces very little."
"Now, the average salary of ordinary people in Hong Kong has reached three thousand."
"Good white-collar salaries are as high as ten thousand."
"Golden-collar average salary is twenty thousand."
"Consumption levels are very high."
"If we monopolize food ingredients, this will be a huge profit."
"Pork alone yields an annual profit of two billion hong kong dollar."
Dai Kuen Pao's pupils constricted:
"That high?"
Lin Feng spread his hands:
"Otherwise?"
"Pork is one item, and other fruits and vegetables are the same."
"If we can control this, the more investment we can give back to the mainland."
"Of course…"
"I am not doing this for our Hung Hing Group."
Dai Kuen Pao's heart stirred:
"Mr. Lin, what do you mean?"
Lin Feng smiled:
"I want to set an example for the underworld."
"These Triad, in the eyes of truly influential people, are like toilets."
"Used when convenient."
"When not convenient…"
"Just discarded!"
"The reason there are so many Triad in Hong Kong is ultimately due to a lack of job opportunities."
"As the saying goes, poverty breeds cunning, while wealth cultivates conscience."
"Those Young and Dangerous who mix with Triad have no jobs, yet they harass ordinary people who do have jobs."
"They dare not harass the rich; they can only harass the poor."
"This situation must change."
"If these smuggling businesses are handed over to a few selected Triad, changing things from the top down, I think the situation in Hong Kong will become vastly different."
Dai Kuen Pao almost applauded in admiration.
Lin Feng said calmly:
"Young and Dangerous who join Triad do so because they have no other choice."
"While the bosses feast on delicacies, the low-level subordinates starve for days."
"If there was a stable job for them, few of these people would be willing to join Triad."
"If they can't even make a living, they'll risk their lives for tens of thousands of dollars!"
Dai Kuen Pao nodded slowly.
Survival comes first; if survival cannot be guaranteed, then fighting for one's life becomes a natural course of action.
"I want them to develop a habit of working, whether as waiters, salespeople, or doing other things.
As long as they can work steadily, they naturally won't join a Triad."
Dai Kuen Pao thought for a moment and asked,
"What about those gangsters?"
Lin Feng smiled, but his smile was a little cold.
"Real gangsters must be severely cracked down upon."
"One reason I established Thunder was to crack down on these gangsters."
Dai Kuen Pao clapped his hands and said,
"Good, I'll go back and report it.
I imagine the higher-ups will agree."
"But do we have to smuggle?"
Lin Feng rolled his eyes:
"Most of my funds are in the company's stock price."
"These ingredients add up to a sky-high price."
"How can we not smuggle?"
"The Mainland needs foreign exchange, and smuggling also involves exchange rate conversion, which can save a lot of money."
"Once we grow bigger, how about transporting through legitimate channels?"
Dai Kuen Pao still felt something was off.
Lin Feng said, speechless:
"You… "
"My people will directly connect with your people, and your side can just go through legitimate channels, right?"
"We'll transport the ingredients ourselves."
"We'll bear the risks ourselves."
Only then did Dai Kuen Pao feel slightly relieved.
"Alright, it's settled then."
He paused and said,
"One last thing, what is the level of identification Hong Kong people have with the mainland?"
Lin Feng spoke truthfully:
"Not good!"
Dai Kuen Pao's expression changed.
Lin Feng said frankly:
"Hong Kong was originally an immigrant city, and its people came from all corners of the world.
Their next generation should have all spoken Mandarin."
"Otherwise, they wouldn't know how to communicate."
"In fact, the older generation did exactly that."
"But at some point, this place became the domain of Cantonese."
"What's particularly special is that the Cantonese accent here is still different from that of Guangdong Province."
Dai Kuen Pao asked in surprise:
"Just because of this?"
Lin Feng said earnestly:
"Don't you understand?"
"Language is inherently a tool for communication."
"The same language naturally creates a sense of closeness between two people."
"Language barriers will artificially separate people."
Dai Kuen Pao's face changed drastically:
"Are you saying this is an artificial barrier?"
Lin Feng said amusingly:
"Otherwise?"
Dai Kuen Pao frowned deeply:
"Whose insidious trick is this?"
Lin Feng shrugged:
"The one who came up with this insidious trick is, of course, the Anglo-Saxon."
"The one who executed this insidious trick is the old six of the TV Television Station."
"He used the TV Television Station to carry out a series of packaging, telling Hong Kong citizens that Cantonese is the most noble, and speaking Cantonese is something to be proud of."
"Subtly, over twenty years, Mandarin was completely erased from Hong Kong."
"This is a great achievement, and for this, the old six was knighted."
Lin Feng's mouth was full of sneers.
Dai Kuen Pao was dumbfounded.
"This…"
Lin Feng mocked:
"Wars in the Mainland since ancient times have been to destroy its country but not its lineage, so that the other side has something to inherit."
"This old six of the TV Television Station, by his own power, forcibly eradicated Mandarin from Hong Kong."
"He forcibly isolated Hong Kong from the mainland."
"You know, the connection between Hong Kong and the mainland dates back to the Han Dynasty."
"Now…"
"A fault line has been forcibly created."
"Hong Kong is a famous cultural desert, but historically, there was no such saying."
"None of Hong Kong's so-called four talents are from Hong Kong."
"This should have made them vigilant…"
"But then the old six pulled off this move."
Dai Kuen Pao's face was as black as the bottom of a pot.
After a long while, he asked,
"What should be done then?"
Lin Feng shrugged:
"Take it slow."
"In fact, this phenomenon is not only in Hong Kong; in economically developed areas of the Mainland, dialects are starting to flourish again."
"This is a problem worth noting."
If the Mainland is likened to a world, Mandarin is the world language.
Dialect parties are naturally separatist forces.
To achieve integrated development in the Mainland, dialect parties must be suppressed.
The flourishing of dialect parties will hinder integration.
This is a certainty.
To give an example, in some parts of Jiangnan in the Mainland, customs differ every hundred li, and accents differ every ten li.
If dialect parties flourish, you can't even leave a single town.
Want to develop? Forget about it!
Therefore, the Qin and Han dynasties are absolutely worth praising highly.
Dai Kuen Pao felt as if his backside was pricked with needles; he jumped up, not even eating his meal:
"No, I have to go back quickly."
Lin Feng said, speechless:
"Is it that serious?!"
"It won't make a difference this one night."
Dai Kuen Pao was helpless and had to sit down and eat properly.
However, that night, he tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
When Lin Feng came down for breakfast the next day at noon, he saw Dai Kuen Pao with prominent dark circles under his eyes.
"You didn't sleep all night?"
Lin Feng was particularly surprised.
"I couldn't sleep!"
Dai Kuen Pao sighed:
"Every time I think about what Mr. Lin said, I feel a chill down my spine."
"Hong Kong has been away from home for a hundred years, and after finally returning home, it's going to have a rift?"
"I really couldn't sleep."
Lin Feng glanced at him and sighed:
"That's enough to keep you awake?"
Dai Kuen Pao suddenly felt a pang of fear:
"Are there other problems?"
Lin Feng shrugged:
"Yes!"
"Hong Kong is known as the capital of spies, and the number of spies here is unknown."
"Those countries behind them don't want to see Hong Kong return to the Mainland, but this is a major trend, and they can't stop it."
"So, what kind of actions do you think they will take?"
Dai Kuen Pao's face was terrifyingly dark.
Lin Feng said calmly:
"They will plant mines, frantically planting mines."
"The specific manifestation is to cultivate agents from various countries, lurking in various positions in Hong Kong, waiting for an opportunity to promote foreign countries and subvert the thinking of Hong Kong people."
Dai Kuen Pao was silent for a long while before asking,
"Does Mr. Lin have any suggestions?"
Lin Feng shrugged:
"As long as the Mainland becomes strong, the evil spirits are just four little ghosts, easily extinguished with a wave of a hand."
Dai Kuen Pao said with a wry smile:
"You make it sound easy."
"The Mainland has only been open for reform for a few years, and it's still far from developed countries."
Lin Feng said earnestly:
"By the new century, the Mainland will surpass Okamoto."
"In another thirty years, surpassing America will be no problem."
Dai Kuen Pao almost choked on his words:
"Mr. Lin, you really dare to dream."
Lin Feng shrugged:
"What's there not to dare to dream about?"
"I am full of confidence in the future of the Mainland."
Dai Kuen Pao murmured:
"If only you could give me some of your confidence."
Lin Feng said with interest:
"If you don't believe me, how about we make a bet?"
Dai Kuen Pao shook his head:
"Never mind, no need to bet."
"I'd rather lose."
He said,
"There is one thing, though, that requires your help."
Lin Feng asked:
"What is it?"
Dai Kuen Pao said with a grim face:
"Something has happened at customs recently."
"One of our anti-drug police officers mysteriously passed away."
"The forensic examination determined that she committed suicide."
"But our colleagues are convinced that this colleague could not possibly have committed suicide."
Lin Feng asked in return:
"Why?"
Dai Kuen Pao explained:
"She was passionate about her work, and she had just given birth to a baby."
"The couple was also deeply in love."
"The most absurd thing is that if she were to commit suicide, she could have chosen another method, but she used a very peculiar method."
This piqued Lin Feng's curiosity:
"What method?"
Dai Kuen Pao said word by word:
"Injecting sleeping pills!"
Lin Feng's heart stirred:
"What was the name of the deceased anti-drug police officer?"
Dai Kuen Pao said:
"Zhong Sujuan!"
Lin Feng was surprised:
"Her husband is Li Jianzhong?"
Dai Kuen Pao's eyes widened:
"You know him?"
Lin Feng frowned:
"Where is Li Jianzhong?"
Dai Kuen Pao sighed:
"Li Jianzhong, like Zhong Sujuan, was also an anti-drug police officer."
"He absolutely doesn't believe his wife would commit suicide, so he just left the Police Force and went to investigate on his own."