20 years of the Republic of China

Chapter 494 Rumors of the Three Tycoons

After getting off the tram, Shi Liancheng and Xi Wenzhao found a nearby Cantonese restaurant and followed the waiter to lead everyone into the private room.

Cantonese waiters are very stern by nature and don't like to flatter. They say what they mean and they don't say a word of nonsense. They say, "I run a business and you come to eat, that's all."

Unlike the waiters in the North, who are always polite when meeting someone, saying "The weather is nice", "You've worked hard", "Please come in", and chat with strangers as if they were familiar guests. It has to be lively and the atmosphere is like two strangers meeting after a long separation, and both the host and the guest feel at ease.

Different in the north and south.

Jiang Lianheng and others were a little uncomfortable.

Liu Yansheng was used to it and felt particularly at home. Besides, he had not eaten authentic hometown food for more than ten years since he was living outside the Great Wall. He ordered several dishes in succession before he felt satisfied.

While waiting for the food, Jiang Lianheng couldn't help but ask, "There are quite a lot of Cantonese people in Shanghai?"

"A lot, a lot!" Shi Liancheng responded, "In the past, six out of ten big compradors in Shanghai were run by Cantonese. Boss Jiang, the 'Guangdong Gang' has a lot of power in Shanghai. Big companies like Wing On Department Store are all controlled by Cantonese!"

Xi Wenzhao nodded and agreed, "The Cantonese are still rich, and their businesses are very impressive. There are so many restaurants on Main Road and Fourth Road, and there are also many prostitutes in the Yangjingbang area!"

Jiang Lianheng nodded, then turned to Liu Yansheng and asked, "Do you have any acquaintances here?"

"I need to look into this matter again." Liu Yansheng felt a little guilty. "It happened more than ten years ago. At that time, Shanghai was not like it is now. My master's father took me everywhere."

More than ten years is not a short time, and it coincides with a period of great changes, so it is not uncommon for things and people to change.

Jiang Lianheng didn't hold out much hope, and then asked Shi Liancheng, "When you said that time in the past, do you mean that the situation has changed now?"

"Now the majority are from the Zhejiang Gang and Jiangbei." Xi Wenzhao continued, "especially those from Ningbo. Whether it's a big business or a small business, they are everywhere. People say that Shanghai is a small Ningbo!"

Everyone laughed and made a few jokes.

Shi Liancheng went on to say, "That's a bit exaggerated, but the Zhejiang Gang is indeed powerful. The biggest tycoon in Shanghai right now, Boss Huang Chujiu, is a capable person from the Zhejiang Gang. He does business in medicinal materials and investments. New World and Great World are all his businesses. He is a real big boss, and even the Municipal Council of the French Concession has to give him face."

As they were talking, the beaded curtain outside the door was lifted, and the waiter came in and served the dishes to the round table.

Everyone was toasting each other, except Liu Yansheng, who was busy eating.

Jiang Lianheng took two bites and found the taste bland, so he put down his chopsticks and asked, "Is there a hometown association for Fengtian people in Shanghai?"

Xi Wenzhao said as he ate, "There are fellow townspeople, but there are too few of them to form a hometown association. Not to mention Fengtian, even the entire three northeastern provinces, including Rehe, don't have a guild hall in Shanghai."

"If you run into trouble at the dock, who are you going to turn to?" Li Zhengxi joked, "You can't turn to the government, right?"

"The government is useless!" Shi Liancheng smiled and waved his hands, "Well, we outsiders who don't have hometown associations usually try to keep a low profile. If we really run into trouble, we just think of it as a loss to avoid disaster!"

Xi Wenzhao nodded and echoed, "There is a Shandong Guild Hall in the French Concession. Sometimes I go there to try to build relationships, but it doesn't work very well. When the situation really demands help, I still have to take care of myself."

At this point, the two of them suddenly became inexplicably interested.

"By the way, Boss Jiang, do you have any plans for your trip to Shanghai? If you open a shop in this foreign land and set up a hometown association, wouldn't it be a good idea for our fellow countrymen outside the Great Wall?"

Jiang Lianheng smiled and shook his head.

He has deep roots in Fengtian and can do whatever he wants. His whole family lives and works in peace and contentment. Even if he wants to do business in Shanghai, it would be nothing more than trade and investment. It is really not worth it to open a business on the Huangpu beach. It is neither cost-effective nor necessary.

However, the task assigned by Marshal Zhang still needs to be done.

Jiang Lianheng thought for a moment and said, "I came here mainly to take a look and understand the market situation. Whether I will do business or not is another matter."

Hearing this, Shi Liancheng and Xi Wenzhao could no longer persuade him, so they nodded and said repeatedly, "That's right, that's right."

Jiang Lianheng asked, "You two, I've often heard that Shanghai is dangerous and the online battles are fierce. How fierce are they?"

"Well, Boss Jiang, after all the fighting, it's all about the docks," Shi Liancheng said. "Shanghai is a port, and whoever has the upper hand at the docks has the final say."

"How much do you know about the so-called 'three tycoons' in Shanghai?"

"It's not good if you don't understand them!" Xi Wenzhao said with a wry smile, "If you want to run a stable business in Shanghai, you must have good relations with the 'three tycoons'. You may not meet them in person, but the scoundrels under their command will always have some intersections."

At this point, Wen Tingge suddenly spoke.

"So, all the docks along the Huangpu River are under their control?"

"Nine out of ten!" Shi Liancheng introduced, "In short, the best docks and the largest warehouses in the Shiliupu Wharf area are all under their control. Even if they are not directly under their control, it is nominally their territory and we have to pay them."

Xi Wenzhao said, "There's nothing we can do. They are members of the Green Gang, and they got their start at the docks. They all have their generation names on their bodies. There are fights between the docks, but as long as the 'three tycoons' speak, they have to stop immediately, otherwise they will be at odds with the entire Green Gang."

"The leader is the boss, the one who makes the decisions." Wen Tingge asked in confusion, "Then there is no distinction between the three of them?"

"Yes!" Xi Wenzhao said hurriedly, "The three tycoons are Huang Jinyong, Du Yong and Zhang Xiaolin. Huang Jinyong was the original boss."

"What about now?" Jiang Lianheng asked.

"Now we have to count Du Yong." Xi Wenzhao suddenly laughed, "The key is that Huang Jinyong is asking for trouble. Two years ago, because of a woman, he beat up the eldest son of Governor Lu. Later, he was arrested and almost executed. Since then, he has stopped making such a fuss."

After hearing this, everyone almost dropped their jaws in shock.

General Lu belonged to the Anhui clique, which had lost its former glory since being defeated by the Zhili-Fengtian coalition. Its leaders were in a state of panic, resigning one after another and hiding in the Tianjin Concession as "retired officials".

General Lu's troops are the last remnant of the Anhui clique. For now, they can only retreat to the left side of the Yangtze River and recuperate.

But a lean camel is bigger than a horse. No matter how miserable a warlord is, he is still a local lord and will not tolerate the vulgar thugs to take advantage of him.

So what if he was in the French Concession? Didn't he still lead his troops to capture him? If General Lu really wanted to kill him, the French Concession Municipal Council would give face to the warlords or to the gangsters. The result is self-evident.

"Is he crazy?" Li Zhengxi asked in surprise, "How many divisions does he have? How dare he attack the son of the governor?"

"He only realized it after the fight. He was so angry for his beloved!" Xi Wenzhao said with a smile, "However, because of this incident, the Sanxin Company founded by the 'three tycoons' almost ran out of local products."

The older one is in the arena, the less courageous he becomes.

Hearing this, Jiang Lianheng could not help but remind everyone: "Did you hear me? I told you a long time ago that you should be polite to others. You don't know who has what power behind them."

Wen Tingge looked confused: "This Huang Jinyong is too stupid, there is no one like him who is so mixed up in the underworld."

"Hey, you are right." Shi Liancheng laughed, "This Huang Jinyong was originally a 'loophole'! He relied on his acting to fool the French and finally became the chief inspector of the police station. He is just a 'loser'. After he got on the big time, he leaned on the Green Gang."

"Don't talk nonsense, he has a good wife!" Xi Wenzhao joked.

Hearing this, Jiang Lianheng's frown gradually relaxed: "No wonder Zhe Man'er can still be a tycoon, it turns out he is an official!"

"However, Huang Jinyong started early," Shi Liancheng said. "Both the black and white worlds give him face. Most of the detectives in Shanghai are under his charge. Many of the Qing Gang's Tongs help him with his work, so he is indeed well-informed."

"What do you think about the other two?" Wen Tingge asked.

"Oh, Du Yong and Zhang Xiaolin are sworn brothers, almost like one person." Shi Liancheng said, "Their houses are right next to each other. I heard there is a door in the middle for easy access."

"Is it possible?" Chuanghu suddenly became interested. "There is a door between the two houses. How many things can happen inside!"

"Huzi, don't get sick!" Jiang Lianheng warned sternly, "Ask what you should ask, and don't get involved in things you shouldn't ask."

"No, no, no, Boss, based on my experience..."

"Don't show off your experience, be honest!"

Jiang Lianheng had no intention of inquiring into the private affairs of the "three tycoons", nor was he interested in understanding how the three of them had opened their own businesses and established a firm foothold in the foreign concessions. He only cared about the personalities and styles of these three people, whether they could cooperate, and if so, whether they could be trusted, and that was all.

Shi Liancheng and Xi Wenzhao understood what Jiang Lianheng meant, thought for a moment, and finally made a conclusion.

"Boss Jiang, although the 'three tycoons' run a company together and appear to be friendly and fraternal on the surface, I heard that their temperaments and personalities are completely different."

"What do you mean?" everyone asked.

Shi Liancheng pondered, "I haven't come into contact with the 'three tycoons' either, but judging from the locals' reputation, if I have to say anything - Huang Jinyong is essentially an 'old man'; Du Yong is actually a businessman at heart; only Zhang Xiaolin is a pure black, a serious match."

"Did he make his fortune by fighting and killing?" Jiang Lianheng asked.

Shi Liancheng shook his head and said, "That's not entirely true, but Zhang Xiaolin is really brave and aggressive. I heard that he beat up the Japanese before. When he was young, he was given the title of 'Anti-Japanese Hero' and he used this incident to gather a group of people."

"Moreover, he seems to have some connections with the surrounding military officers." Xi Wenzhao pondered, "People say that the reason why the 'Sanxin Company' was able to operate was, first, due to Huang Jinyong's protection in the police station, second, due to Du Yong's social skills and management, and third, due to Zhang Xiaolin's relationship with the military officers."

"What rank of officer?"

"That's not known. It's been said that way. How many people do they know? How strong is the relationship? No one knows."

"Is your military rank higher than that of General Lu?" Jiang Lianheng asked with a smile.

Xi Wenzhao also laughed and said, "Boss Jiang was joking. If he knew Governor Lu, would Huang Jinyong have almost been executed?"

"Then why is he so arrogant?" Li Zhengxi said with some disdain, "It's just because there are concessions in Shanghai. If we really move to another place, he may not be able to do anything."

"Third Master, there's nothing wrong with what you said, but..." Shi Liancheng said with a smile, "The problem is that he's in Shanghai, he's powerful, and he has a lot of tough guys under him. If there's a disturbance at a dock, it's really going to be Zhang Xiaolin who has to come. Otherwise, how can he be called 'Marshal Zhang'!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone burst into laughter.

Even the German, Jaspersen, shook his head and said, "In the Far East, we only know one Marshal Zhang, who is in Fengtian."

"How arrogant!" Li Zhengxi snorted, "'Marshal Zhang'! The real Marshal Zhang would have been able to destroy him when he was the commander of the patrol battalion!"

However, Wen Tingge said: "It's just reporting the number, it's nothing. If we want to do business in Shanghai, we still have to pay our respects to the porter. This is the rule."

"What rules?" Li Zhengxi curled his lips. "When you start your business, no one talks to you about rules. If you all follow the rules, then the world will be peaceful."

Wen Tingge frowned, sensing the sting in Xifeng's words, and said patiently, "Third Master, these people have been in Shanghai for more than ten years. We are just passing by. It will be good for us to follow the rules."

Li Zhengxi turned his head away without saying a word, obviously criticizing the person rather than the matter.

Jiang Lianheng waved his hand and said, "I don't care if he is 'Zhang Dashuai' or 'Zhang Xiaoshuai', or if they are 'three tycoons' or small fry. We are not here to cause trouble. If we can cooperate, that's the best. If we can't, forget it. We can think of other ways."

Liu Yansheng finally put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and said, "Boss, I think we should pay our respects to the boss. With their tacit consent, it will be convenient for all of us."

Chuanghu also nodded, secretly glanced at Xifeng, and whispered: "Yes, it's not shameful to pay respects to the pier. Isn't this normal?"

"Then let's pay our respects!" Li Zhengxi leaned back in his chair and said loudly, "And let's see how capable these 'three tycoons' are. We've only heard them brag, so who knows how capable they are."

"Hey, Third Master, please keep your voice down!" Shi Liancheng and Xi Wenzhao said hurriedly, "We can talk about the 'three tycoons', but please don't challenge them casually. There are spies everywhere in Shanghai. If others hear us, they will cause trouble for us..."

Before he could finish his words, he heard the sound of the bead curtain rustling outside the door.

Everyone's heart trembled, and they looked in the direction of the voice, and saw a man and a woman slowly walking into the private room.

(End of this chapter)