Siheyuan: Hang Jia Dongxu, smash Banggeng to death!

The Shanghai Bund docks in 1932 were bustling with activity.

The sounds of steam whistles, work chants, and the rough shouts of foremen carrying loads mingled together, and the steam from the Huangpu River, carrying the smells of sweat and coal smoke, wafted towards us.

Cargo ships were docked at the shore, and in a corner of the dock, several old wooden crates were piled up, covered with tarpaulins, revealing moldy wooden planks.

No one is watching here; the light is dim, making it a good place to hide.

The air suddenly distorted, as if someone had thrown a pebble into the water, causing ripples to spread, and a small figure appeared out of thin air behind the wooden box.

Lin Tian steadied himself, still wearing that custom-made Hong Kong suit and shiny leather shoes.

He emerged from behind the wooden crate and slowly walked along the edge of the dock.

The people carrying large bags around them all turned their heads, some with curiosity, some with scrutiny, and some with a hint of awe.

The child's clothes are made of high-quality material and are finely crafted; they clearly don't come from an ordinary family.

Some people whispered among themselves, "Whose young master is this? Why is he at the dock all alone?"

A bearded worker nearby lowered his voice and said, "Don't talk nonsense. People who can afford to wear clothes like this are either rich or powerful. We can't afford to offend them."

Lin Tian pretended not to hear and continued walking forward.

A middle-aged man wearing a traditional Chinese jacket stepped out from the crowd and looked Lin Tian up and down a few times.

His surname was Sun, and he was the head of the dock management. He had been in this area for twenty years and had a sharp eye. He could tell at a glance that the clothes Lin Tian was wearing were worth a lot of money.

A smile immediately spread across his face, and he bent over to get closer, his fawning manner resembling that of an old dog wagging its tail.

"Oh my, young master, what brings you to this filthy dock all by yourself? It's a mess here, all sorts of people are out here. What are you looking for? Just tell me, and I'll take care of it for you."

Lin Tian stopped and looked at him, a slight smile playing on his lips. He took out ten silver dollars from his pocket and casually tossed them to him.

The silver dollar traced an arc in the air, gleaming in the sunlight.

Manager Sun hurriedly caught it, held it in his hands, turned it over and over to look at it, then bit it, his eyes instantly shining.

"Young master, what... what is this..." He stammered, unable to speak coherently.

"I'm here to find some thugs."

Lin Tian's voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear on the noisy dock: "The strong, the good fighters, and the obedient ones will be paid ten silver dollars a month, or thirty if they perform well."

Manager Sun's eyes lit up even more. He stuffed the silver dollar into his pocket and bent down even lower: "Young master, don't worry, this dock may not have much else, but it's full of people."

"If you need someone strong, we have plenty, someone who can fight..." He hesitated for a moment, "We have those too."

Lin Tian nodded: "Call the person over here, let me take a look."

Manager Sun scurried to the center of the dock, yelling at the top of his lungs, "Stop! Stop! Don't work! Come and assemble!"

The workers looked at each other, bewildered, not knowing what had happened.

Several foremen came over and asked in hushed tones.

Manager Sun briefly explained the situation, and the foremen's eyes lit up.

Ten silver dollars a month, or thirty if you do well.

These days, carrying heavy loads for a month only earns three to five yuan, which is like a windfall.

The news spread quickly, and the workers dropped what they were doing and rushed over.

There were hundreds of people standing there, carrying sacks, pulling carts, and unloading goods.

Manager Sun stood at the front and cleared his throat: "Gentlemen, this young master is looking to recruit a few men. As for the conditions, as I just mentioned, it's ten silver dollars a month, and thirty for good performance."

The crowd erupted in a buzz of discussion.

"Ten silver dollars? Really?"

"Is this a scam?"

"That young master looks quite wealthy; he probably wouldn't lie."

Steward Sun clapped his hands: "Quiet! Quiet! The young master wants to see your skills. Those who are strong and good at fighting, step forward."

A commotion broke out in the crowd.

Dozens of burly men squeezed to the front, rolling up their sleeves to show off their muscles.

Some were pushing stone rollers, others were carrying sacks...

Looking at these people, Lin Tian realized that most of them had only brute strength but no skill, let alone martial arts ability.

He shook his head. Manager Sun was anxious, but he couldn't conjure up any experts.

At that moment, a steady voice came from the back of the crowd: "Let me try."

The crowd parted automatically, and a young man stepped out.

He was in his early twenties, with thick eyebrows, big eyes, a square face, dark skin, wearing a tattered short jacket and straw sandals.

He wasn't particularly tall or muscular, but standing there, he resembled a pine tree—upright and steadfast.

Lin Tian glanced at him, a thought flashing through his mind.

This person is not simple.

"What's your name?"

"Ma Yongzhen."

The young man's voice was calm, without flattery or ingratiation.

Lin Tian's heart skipped a beat.

He had heard of the name Ma Yongzhen.

A legendary figure in Shanghai, a tough guy from Shandong, who made a name for himself in Shanghai with his fists.

"You say you can fight?"

Ma Yongzhen nodded: "They can fight."

"Call me and let me see."

Ma Yongzhen looked around and his gaze fell on a wooden stake next to him. The stake was about the thickness of a bowl and half of it was buried in the ground. It was used to moor boats.

He walked over, assumed a horse stance, took a deep breath, and slammed his fist into the wooden stake.

"Click—"

The wooden stake snapped in two, the upper half flying a long distance before rolling several times on the ground.

A gasp erupted from the crowd. The burly men who had just been rolling up their sleeves and showing off their muscles turned pale and instinctively took a step back.

What kind of fist is that?

Is this made of iron?

Manager Sun's mouth gaped open in an "O" shape, his jaw almost dropped, and it took him a long time to close it.

Lin Tian looked at Ma Yongzhen, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes: "Alright, you're the one."

Ma Yongzhen clasped his hands in a respectful bow and said, "Thank you."

Lin Tian said, "From today onwards, you will follow me. You'll receive fifty silver dollars a month, and if you perform well, you can get a raise."

Upon hearing this, Ma Yongzhen was delighted and nodded quickly.

He never treats anyone like a servant.

But this child gave him a different feeling; he wasn't like those arrogant rich kids, nor like those bullying thugs.

His invisible aura reminded Ma Yongzhen of the eminent monks he had met when he was learning martial arts at Shaolin Temple.

"it is good."

Lin Tian laughed, turned around and picked out twenty workers who were still standing there in a daze, and said in a loud voice: "The same goes for the others. As long as you have the ability, I won't be stingy with money."

But let me make this clear from the start: if you follow me, you have to abide by my rules.

Those who are disobedient, treacherous, or cunning should leave now. I won't hit them, but I'll make them regret it.

No one left.

Who would be willing to leave for ten silver dollars a month?

Even if you can't endure the hardship, you have to grit your teeth and persevere.

Manager Sun rubbed his hands together, a fawning smile plastered on his face: "Young Master, look at me..."

"You'll be in charge of managing them, and I'll give you fifty dollars a month."

Steward Sun bowed even lower: "Young Master, please rest assured, I will definitely do my job well, I will definitely do my job well."

Lin Tian gave a few instructions, gave Manager Sun a hundred silver dollars to settle the people in first, and Ma Yongzhen accompanied him to the dance hall.

Having come all the way to Shanghai, you have to see what fun things there are to do.

……