Hong Kong: Rise of the Kings.

Chapter 913 0901 [Half a Step to Victory]

"By the way, Ah Xiao, there is something I cannot help but mention." Mr. Huo's face suddenly turned serious.

"Whatever it is, just tell me." Du Yongxiao gestured for invitation.

"You also know that my father used to be the president of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. He will give up his position to you after you take the position. His meaning is very simple. You are the most capable of the younger generation and can lead the Chinese merchants to prosperity. Now that something has happened, those people are saying that you are colluding with the Japanese and making money from the hard-earned money of the Chinese. Although my father has retreated to the second line, he still has to treat everyone equally. No matter what, you should not let him be caught in the middle and make things difficult for him."

"Don't worry, the accusations that I was a traitor and colluded with the Japanese are all false. When doing business, it is inevitable to come into contact with all kinds of people."

"But the Japanese Mitsubishi Group is not a good thing. You should know that they provided military industrial assistance to the army during World War II. Although it is post-war now, we still have to settle the accounts." Young Master Huo also has a strong sense of patriotism. He is afraid that Du Yongxiao will be blinded by greed and refuse to admit his mistakes.

"I can't say much else, but I can assure you that I have carefully considered cooperating with Mitsubishi to develop an automobile production line. If a national industry, especially the automobile industry, wants to rise, it sometimes has to rely on external forces." Du Yongxiao raised his wine glass with an affirmative tone and said to Mr. Huo, "When our own automobile industry begins to grow, you will understand why I want to cooperate with Mitsubishi."

"I believe you." Young Master Huo raised his wine glass and clinked it with Du Yongxiao's. He then drank the wine and said.

Boom boom boom!
The two men finished their drinks and were about to continue their conversation when there was a sudden knock on the door.

"Please come in!"

Zhuang Dingxian walked in from outside and whispered a few words to Du Yongxiao.

Du Yongxiao frowned, twirled the wine glass in his hand, and said nothing.

"Ah Xiao, what happened?" Young Master Huo asked with concern.

"Nothing, just an accident at the construction site." Du Yongxiao said calmly, turning back to Zhuang Dingxian and said, "It's not convenient for me to be involved in this kind of thing. Now, contact Datou Wen to send the police team over for support. Also--"

"Let Yan Xiong handle this matter!" Du Yongxiao made the decision.

"Yes, Brother Xiao!" Zhuang Dingxian nodded, turned and left.

Young Master Huo looked at Zhuang Dingxian's back in confusion, then looked at Du Yongxiao: "Yan Xiong? It looks like the accident at your construction site was quite serious, even this old fox had to be dispatched."

Du Yongxiao said nothing, but raised his glass again and said, "Drink."

……

After meeting Du Yongxiao, Mr. Huo returned home and found his father still practicing calligraphy in the study with a calm mind. He took the ginseng tea from his third sister-in-law and personally helped his father to go in. Then he stood next to Huo Yingdong and watched his father copying the calligraphy quietly.

After finishing writing the last word, Mr. Huo exhaled lightly, put down his pen, picked up the ginseng tea and took a sip, then looked at Mr. Huo: "Why don't you go to rest?"

"Ah Xiao and I just had a few drinks at the Rich Man. I'm not that sleepy now. Instead, I feel very energetic." Young Master Huo picked up the colorful butterfly cigarette that Boss Huo used to smoke on the table, lit one, and said to his father, "He is thoughtful. He just came back from Japan and asked me to drink. I couldn't refuse, so I drank a few more glasses. I didn't expect that I felt more energetic the more I drank.

"Just drinking?" Boss Huo looked at his son, "How could I not know what you were thinking?"

Young Master Huo chuckled and leaned over to say, "We also talked about some things about his car production line. He asked me if I knew anyone in the Environmental Protection Agency, and I told him that I did."

After a pause, Young Master Huo looked at his father cautiously: "Is this my answer, right?"

Boss Huo hummed, "You know whether it's right or not. I won't get involved in your affairs with him. But there is one thing, he would rather go to a far place and ask you for help, which shows that he still has some brains."

"Of course, Ah Xiao is very smart, at least smarter than me." Young Master Huo smiled foolishly, "He told me that if I put pressure on those foreigners, they would say that he abused his power recklessly, which might cause a public opinion storm, so he planned to get through the Ren and Du meridians of the Environmental Agency, insert spies in it, and get that guy named James out of office. Dad, do you think this move is cruel enough?"

Mr. Huo put down his teacup, reached out and snatched the cigarette from Mr. Huo's mouth, "Smoke less, it's not good for your health." He crushed the cigarette in the ashtray, then said lightly: "That's why I asked you to learn from him. Do things more thoroughly. Solving the problem fundamentally is the best way."

Young Master Huo nodded. "Oh, there is one more thing. Someone is fanning the flames and saying that he is a traitor and colluded with the Japanese to open a car production line. I told him that he must resolve this matter and not let you get into trouble..."

"You are thoughtful. You know that your father is powerless now." Mr. Huo picked up the teacup again and lowered his head to take a sip of tea. He thought that his words might be a bit vague and his son might not understand them. Anyway, there were only him and Mr. Huo, so it would not hurt to say a few more words. So he raised his head and smiled and said, "Although I used to be the chairman of the Chinese Merchants Association, it was the Hong Kong Li family who gave up the position at that time. The Li family wanted to whitewash themselves and wanted to please us Chinese businessmen, and I was a representative of many Chinese businessmen. Li Xiaohe asked me to be the chairman. The meaning was very clear. Their Li family would no longer fight for power and profit, but only seek development. Facts have proved that the Li family has indeed been very low-key over the years. As one of the five major families in Hong Kong, it is a miracle that they can endure to this extent."

"Now, the Li family is rising again. Li Xiaowo is old, so he handed over the power to his second son Li Zhaoheng. Li Zhaoheng is also an ambitious person. He has an MBA in the United States, is an investment elite on Wall Street, and is a real estate tycoon in New York. These reputations make him far superior to his peers. Of course, he will look down on Du Yongxiao, a young hero who started from scratch."

"This battle is between two young men, or rather, it is a battle between the Li family and the Du Group. The only role of our Huo family in the middle is to serve as a foil, and we cannot act as a buffer zone. Do you know why?" Boss Huo looked at his son.

"Because you are too old to participate in the fight?"

"No, it's because you're too stupid!"

"what?"

"No, am I wrong?" Mr. Huo looked at his son. "I am old and it is not convenient for me to participate in the fight, but you are still here, right? If you were not so stupid, our Huo family would not sit idly by and watch this fight. After all, it is thousands of acres of land, and the profit is so great that even I am a little greedy."

"You don't think highly of me?" Mr. Huo muttered beside him.

Boss Huo nodded. "To be honest, you are my son. I know it best. It is difficult for you to be a king who can maintain the status quo, let alone expand the territory. I have already planned your future. You can develop in sports and go directly into politics!"

"Ah, going into politics? Then who will inherit the family business?" Young Master Huo asked in surprise.

"Of course it's your two brothers! They are more talented than you."

"No way, Dad, do you look down on me so much?" Mr. Huo said with a sad face.

Mr. Huo smiled, put down his teacup, stood up, patted his son on the shoulder, and comforted him: "You are my eldest son, how could I look down on you? In fact, our Huo family's century-old foundation will rely on your lineage in the future--"

Mr. Huo was stunned for a moment: "What do you mean?"

"From ancient times to the present, merchants have always been the lowest class. Workers, peasants, scholars and merchants, their grades are already determined. No matter how successful you are as a businessman, if someone in power wants to get you, it will happen in a matter of minutes. Isn't Hu Xueyan powerful? That's because Zuo Zongtang backed him up. As soon as Zuo Zongtang died, Hu Xueyan fell! As the most powerful businessman in Chinese history, do you think Hu Xueyan was powerful? But the final outcome was like this, because he didn't see through the key point that business serves politics!"

"From ancient times to the present, starting with Lü Buwei, merchants have always been vassals of politics. No matter how successful a businessman is, he can only stand firm in the future if he relies on the political stage and has someone behind him. Lü Buwei relied on the prince of Qin and was a rare commodity, but he was eventually killed by Qin Shihuang because he was always just a businessman who only considered his own interests and did not understand what politics was." Young Master Huo shook his head slightly, "Now that you put it that way, I am even more confused. What exactly is politics?"

"Politics is all about cannibalism and scheming for the world!" Boss Huo said bluntly, "So since ancient times, politics has never been humane. There is only winners and losers! So if our Huo family wants to stand firm and remain undefeated for a hundred years, we must have someone in politics and move closer to politics!"

Next, Mr. Huo told Young Master Huo everything that he had kept in his heart for many years.

Young Master Huo had never thought about it so much. The more he listened, the more shocked he became, and the more he felt that his father was amazing.

Boss Huo's vision and insight have completely surpassed everyone of his contemporaries, including Li Jiacheng, Pao Yue-kong, Zheng Yutong and others.

At this moment, Young Master Huo finally realized his father's good intentions again.

If the Huo family wants to stand for a hundred years, they must pay a lot and advance in both politics and business!

The more Boss Huo spoke, the more excited and passionate he became, as if he was lost in memories. At that time, he was driving a ship loaded with banned drugs to transport them to the mainland. There were thunder and wind, and the waves were surging. Who could understand this kind of life and death, wealth and honor are determined by God?
"Tou Wing-hau is in a very delicate situation now. On the surface, as the Commissioner of Police of Hong Kong, he is in a high position with great power, but this power also restricts him from doing many things himself, and he cannot use his power easily, because many people are watching him. As long as he does something wrong, it will trigger a chain reaction..."

Young Master Huo thought about it and nodded, "That's true. No wonder he asked Yan Xiong to come forward when something happened at the construction site, while he hid behind the scenes."

Boss Huo sat down again, holding the teacup and continued, "This is where he is smart. Oftentimes, people of his status and position would not bother to deal with such small matters, but if these small matters are not handled properly, they can lead to big disasters, so people like Yan Xiong have their place."

"Then what will Yan Xiong do..." It was rare for his father to talk so much to him, so Young Master Huo listened very attentively. When Young Master Huo stopped talking, he opened his mouth and wanted to ask his father to continue.

Boss Huo turned his head to look at him and said with a smile: "No matter what he does, Du Yongxiao has already made a good move. If Yan Xiong does it well, the crisis on the construction site will be solved directly; if Yan Xiong fails, then he will stand up and be the scapegoat, and Du Yongxiao can win sympathy. So, no matter good or bad, Du Yongxiao will win. As for you, you must learn this point well. A merciful army cannot be commanded. This has been the first element of a commander since ancient times!"

Young Master Huo really wanted to tell Boss Huo that he had learned a lot from Du Yongxiao, but he just couldn't learn such ruthlessness.

He had been living a life of luxury since childhood. When he grew up, the Huo family had become a wealthy family in Hong Kong. He had never suffered any hardship and was naturally kind-hearted. He would never be able to be as decisive and murderous as Du Yongxiao.

Mr. Huo seemed to see what his son was thinking and planned to end the bedtime chat with a few more words.

"I know what you are thinking. Sometimes it is really difficult to make a decision." Mr. Huo patted Mr. Huo on the shoulder, turned and faced the study door, and said in a faint voice: "It is not a bad thing to be kind, but being kind to the enemy is being cruel to yourself. You must remember this! Remember it!"

"Okay. It's late at night, go to bed early."

Young Master Huo looked at his father's back as he walked out of the study, and felt that he understood something. However, when he shook his head, he found that he seemed to understand nothing.

"What will that old guy Yan Xiong do? He is as ruthless as Du Yongxiao. Is he going to do something big this time? I heard that those people are loyal and trustworthy. They are young and fearless. Who will win when these little tigers meet the old fox Yan Xiong? Yeah, I'm looking forward to it!" Young Master Huo nodded, very hopeful.

……

"My godfather asked me to solve this matter, so I must solve it!"

In the Wan Chai villa, Yan Xiong paced in the living room and spoke loudly.

Lai Pihua, a trusted subordinate, stepped forward and said, "No, Master Yan, I think we need to think about this matter carefully. You know, the people in Zhongyixin are all fearless scoundrels. It's easy to deal with them, but the problem is the follow-up issue--"

Yan Xiong pinched his chin, "You mean... I'm afraid these guys will take the opportunity to bite me?"

"That's right! Master Yan, you are now a well-known figure after all. It would be terrible if those people accused you of premeditated murder or something like that."

Yan Xiong nodded, "I understand what you mean. How can I, with such a fine jade, fight with these broken stones?"

"That's right! Master Yan, there's no need for you to fight with these inferior people." Lai Pihua had betrayed Yan Xiong before, but Yan Xiong later turned the tables and accepted him regardless of the past, which made him very grateful. That's why Lai Pihua gave Yan Xiong advice and always considered Yan Xiong's interests.

Yan Xiong thought for a moment, then pinched his chin and told Lai Pihua: "Prepare the car now, I need to go to Wan Chai Police Station."

"Uh, what?"

"Of course I'll report it to the police. Just say there's a gang fight. As a law-abiding citizen, I have the right and obligation to report it to the police to assist in the investigation!"

"Ah, this-"

"What's this? When I go to the police station, tell that damn Kun that he can kill as many people as he wants at the construction site. I'll protect him!"

"Ah?" Lai Pihua was stunned again, but he immediately understood, "I understand, I'll do it right away!"

"That's right! You say I'm the culprit, but I'm in the police station, how can I be the culprit? I'm a good person, and I'm the one who took the initiative to report the case! Haha!"

Just when Yan Xiong was feeling smug, detectives from the Wan Chai Police District's Anti-Triad Squad knocked on the door of his villa.

The person who opened the door was a dark-skinned Filipino maid who asked in a slightly stiff Cantonese: "Who are you?"

The two policemen showed their work ID cards and said to the maid, "We are from the Wan Chai Police District Anti-Triad Unit. We would like to ask Mr. Yan Xiong to accompany us back to the police station to assist in the investigation."

"Please wait a moment." The maid closed the high-end wooden door through the security door. After a while, she opened it again and opened the security door: "The master said that he would come out immediately! Oh, by the way, he also asked if he had hired a lawyer?"

The two policemen smiled at each other and said, "We have hired lawyers for him! They are all big-name lawyers!"

At this moment, both Yan Xiong and the two policemen understood that they were chess pieces placed on the chessboard by Mr. Du.

The path Yan Xiong wants to take,
Mr. Du had already thought it through for him.

(End of this chapter)