Courtyard House: A Start with Black Gold Swallowing 100,000 Silver Dollars

"Don't worry, I'll do it."

"hey-hey--"

The passenger ship sailed smoothly with the wind and current, arriving in Hong Kong in five days.

The atmosphere in Hong Kong is completely different from that in the mainland: capital flows in, business flags flutter, everyone walks briskly on the streets, and even the air is filled with a sense of urgency.

As soon as the group stepped off the dock, they couldn't help but look around in amazement.

"Heh, a country bumpkin from the mainland, huh?"

A middle-aged man in a sharp suit and carrying a black briefcase was hailing a rickshaw. He glanced at them and saw them coming out in a group. Hearing them speaking fluent Mandarin, and seeing Li Wenguo with a charming woman on each side, he felt a pang of jealousy and blurted out a sarcastic remark.

"squeak--!"

Before the words were even finished, five gleaming, brand-new cars screeched to a halt in front of everyone, the sound of tires scraping the ground crisp and clean.

"Master Li, Concubine Dong, Concubine Xu, please get in the car!"

Wen San bowed deeply, his hands clasped at his sides, his voice respectful.

The man in the suit froze on the spot, his mouth half-open and his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

"Haha, we're riding in cars, you're riding in a rickshaw—who looks more like a country bumpkin?"

Li Wenguo smiled to the side and returned the greeting in fluent yet slightly sarcastic English.

The convoy sped away, leaving the man standing there, his ears red, his fists clenched and unclenched.

The car quickly drove onto Queen's Road and turned into Shek Tong Tsui in the Central and Western District.

Queen's Road, the first major coastal thoroughfare after Hong Kong opened to foreign trade, runs across the north shore, stretching from Shek Tong Tsui in the west to Happy Valley in the east, with a total length of about five kilometers. It is divided into three sections: west, central, and east. The road is lined with buildings, banks, and glittering gold shops, making it one of the most prestigious areas in Hong Kong.

In the 1950s, this was the most bustling and dazzling heart of Hong Kong.

While Tsim Sha Tsui and Central in Kowloon are also bustling, they are not as crowded as this area right now.

However, in Li Wenguo's mind, those two places would be marked off sooner or later; it was just a matter of time.

Finally, the convoy stopped in front of a row of detached villas nestled among the greenery and slowly drove into one of the magnificent European-style mansions.

"Mr. Li, this is the most expensive and most secure villa area in the Central and Western District."

Wen San said softly.

"Hmm, not bad. By the way, have you acquired the two buildings on the left and right as well?"

Li Wenguo looked around and nodded, asking a question.

The garden is serene and tranquil, with lush vegetation. The breeze rustling through the treetops is refreshing and invigorating. Just standing at the entrance makes one feel completely relaxed.

After Dong Haitang, Xu Meijing, and Li Guoping got out of the car, their expressions remained calm—after all, they already knew that their husbands and fathers were so rich they could kill someone with their wealth.

But when they heard "you also need to buy the two buildings on the left and right," and the tone was as casual as if they were picking out vegetables at the market, the three of them were shocked and secretly gasped.

"We bought them all, even at a significant markup."

Originally, both buildings on the left and right were occupied. Li Wenguo directly purchased them at a premium: one building was left vacant so that any family that wanted to settle in Hong Kong in the future could be settled at any time; the other building was assigned to his personal guards to be stationed there.

"Okay, let's go in."

Li Wenguo spoke first.

If the exterior is so grand, the interior is naturally even more impressive.

Wen San, being a meticulous person, had already prepared all the daily necessities, so there was no need for last-minute arrangements; as for household chores, they would hire a Filipino maid to take care of them from now on.

Seventeen-year-old Guoxiang led his younger siblings around the house. Li Wenguo leaned back on the sofa, turned to Wen San, and asked, "How's the recruitment going with the club?"

"A total of just over seven hundred, all of which have been settled."

Wen San, Wu Xiaogou, Xiao Jie, and Yu Tou had only set foot in Hong Kong half a year ago, and this was the first time they had assembled such a strong force—these "shorty mules" were all quick and agile and had a lot of guts.

Don't complain about the small number of people; it's just that Hong Kong's population is sparse right now. If we look at it twenty years from now, the number will be more than ten times.

"Sir, are you... going to flip the table?"

When Xu Meijing heard that her husband had secretly gathered so many people, her heart tightened, and she subconsciously thought that he was about to do something earth-shattering.

"What are you flipping the table for? This is Hong Kong, and the Americans are holding it in their hands—they'd love for us to be in complete chaos, the more chaotic the better for them!"

"So, triads aren't really considered 'black' in Hong Kong; rather, they're 'legal troublemakers' tacitly approved by the Americans. You understand? Stability is what's truly crucial. If things are stable, how can they profit or oppress people?"

"Besides, what can you two women and a kid who hasn't even grown up yet accomplish? I'm afraid before things even get started, the woman will be dragged into a dark alley and sold, and the man will be stuffed into a cement bag and sunk in Xiwan Bay."

Li Wenguo wasn't bluffing; he was implying that those thugs really dared to do such a thing.

"Really...that ruthless?"

Xu Meijing and Dong Haitang frowned simultaneously.

Li Wenguo gestured to Wen San with his chin, indicating that he should continue.

"Absolutely true. Robbery, kidnapping, extortion, extortion of stall owners, pimping, loan sharking... We've been watching these cases closely for the past few months, and not a single one of them is clean."

Wen San spoke in a calm tone.

"How dare they be so arrogant? Are they really just going to turn a blind eye?"

Mavis Hee was still somewhat incredulous.

"Aunt Xu, believe it or not—the largest gang in Hong Kong these days is the Triads, with over ten thousand members, entrenched in Tsim Sha Tsui, Causeway Bay, and Wan Chai. This area is full of foreigners, and they always avoid it."

Xiao Jie interjected.

With everyone giving the same answer, Xu Meijing began to believe it to some extent.

But just as he breathed a sigh of relief, he immediately became anxious again, fearing that he might run into those desperate criminals one day.

She looked at her husband, her voice softening slightly, "Sir, this place is too dangerous. Perhaps... I should take the children back to the mainland?"

"Don't worry! Security is handled by Little Dog and Little Jack, what are you afraid of?"

"Besides, those gangs don't even dare to set foot in the Central and Western District easily; at most they carry a few old-fashioned revolvers, but we and Lien Sheng are genuinely armed. You can sleep soundly."

Li Wenguo spoke casually, yet every word carried weight.

As for why it's called "He Lian Sheng" (和连胜), it's simply for good luck, for its catchy pronunciation, and for its commanding presence.

"Meijing, don't be afraid. I used to work for the secret service. Those lowly soldiers trembled with fear when they saw us."

Dong Haitang, on the contrary, remained calm and composed.

After all, back then, the words "Special Service Department" could really scare thugs into kneeling down and begging for mercy.

"Haitang, you're no longer a spy. Now, people just drool over you when they see you. But let me warn you—don't let yourself be caught off guard and fall into their trap."

Li Wenguo smiled and made a comment.

"I understand, Grandpa. From now on, Mei-ching, the kids, and I will stay in Shek Tong Tsui. If we have to go out, the little dog and the others will take over."

She answered crisply and decisively.

"How's the nightclub going?"

Li Wenguo changed the subject.

He had no desire to let the gang get involved in dirty work like kidnapping, extortion, loan sharking, and protection money collection—it was better to do legitimate business: open a bar, maintain the business, and make a steady, quick buck.

Hong Kong will only get more and more prosperous. The nightlife business is more lucrative than making movies or speculating on real estate, without a doubt.

He also had Xu Meijing register a company here, one of the main focuses of which was alcohol—building its own brewery to brew beer, red wine, and spirits, handling the entire production line.

They also ventured into construction and real estate: building bars, hotels, shopping malls, cinemas, and residential buildings... a comprehensive undertaking.

"In the Central and Western District, all five stores are now open."

Wen San answered decisively.

"Mr. Li, you haven't seen it—that nightclub is packed every single day! The doors are always pounding!"

Fish Head's eyes lit up when the topic came up.

There are countless business owners in Hong Kong. If they make money, where else can they spend it if not on nightclubs?

Business negotiations require entertaining guests with drinks, birthday celebrations require booking private rooms, and formal entertainment is practically limited to this: gatherings with friends, meals with colleagues, weddings, and funerals.

"Alright, you guys get to work quickly. Expand the nightclub business in the Central and Western Districts completely. Don't delay hiring either. Get a full staff of 5,000 within two years. Then move into prime locations like Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui. Within ten years, all nightclub businesses in Hong Kong must belong to the Li family! Money? It's worth burning through, understand?"

Li Wenguo's voice was deep and steady, his eyes sharp, and his words carried an imposing weight.

"clear!"

Wen San, Wu Xiaogou, Xiao Jie, and Yu Tou responded in unison, their backs straight and their expressions solemn.

After resting for two days, I set off to take care of some business.

With Wen San's help, Li Wenguo took Xu Meijing, Dong Haitang, and several children to the Immigration Department to complete their Hong Kong household registration and identity cards.

Li Wenguo suddenly had a flash of inspiration—Hong Kong law still allows polygamy, so he could first register his household in Hong Kong, and then bring his other wives to register their household there as well. Wouldn't that make it perfectly legitimate, with all of them legally married in black and white?

Hey!

This trip to Hong Kong was definitely the right one!

With Hong Kong residency in hand, everything will be much smoother in the future, from applying for a passport and opening a bank account to buying property.

As soon as my household registration was settled, I immediately registered a company.

In capitalist territory, procedures are clean and efficient; four new companies were finalized in just two days.

Immediately afterwards, a team was assembled, staff were recruited, and rules were established to get the company up and running quickly.

Li Wenguo was very generous, offering salaries 30% higher than the market rate and top-notch benefits. In less than a week, the company was fully staffed.

More than 70% of them are veterans poached from their peers with high salaries.

This naturally made several business owners grit their teeth in secret.

A narrow-minded and vengeful tea restaurant owner couldn't sit still any longer and went to confront the owner.

Inside an old-fashioned tea restaurant, the noise was deafening and the air was thick with steam.

"Brother Chicken! That new company called 'Yellow River Industry' doesn't follow any industry rules—they just use their few coins to poach my shop's employees! Twelve of them have left, all experienced workers, and my business almost went out of business!"

"You've been taking my monthly 'safety allowance'! Now they're defecating on my head, it's like slapping you in the face! If you don't handle this, who will believe in the Triads anymore?"

He sought out "Chicken Bro," the triad boss—a burly man with a face full of scarred flesh, a gold chain around his neck as thick as a thumb, and two exposed arms wrapped tightly with a blue dragon and a white tiger design. When he sat there, the entire shop seemed half a head shorter.

"Siu mai! Shrimp dumplings! Roast pigeon! Custard buns! Pork tripe soup—!"

A young woman with a ponytail carrying a bamboo food box walked through the hall. As soon as her clear voice finished calling out, Brother Chicken waved to her.

As the young woman leaned closer to order, he took the opportunity to reach out and give her a hard pinch on her waist and hips.

The younger sister stiffened, her eyes suddenly reddened, and her lips turned white from biting them. She just lowered her head and gripped the food box strap tightly, not daring to utter a single harsh word.

"Hahaha!"

Chicken Bro threw his head back and laughed, not caring that spittle splattered onto the shrimp dumplings, and asked while chewing, "Which company are you talking about? Where are they from?"

"He's from the mainland," the boss said in a low voice. "I asked someone who switched jobs there to find out."

"Heh... I bet they're just wealthy landlords fleeing from disaster, running here with gold bars and silver dollars?"

Chicken Bro chuckled. In the past two years, quite a few wealthy mainlanders had indeed fled to Hong Kong with their families to escape trouble; he was used to it—money without roots was just easy prey.