Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

At this time, shipping on Hong Kong Island was just starting out. Apart from the monopoly of Western giants, the Chinese business community was led by a few families, including Tung, Fok, and Pao, each with their own different approaches.

After in-depth research, Lou's father discovered that his thinking was closest to that of the Huo family—but this path was also the most dangerous.

At the time, Britain and the United States imposed a tight blockade on the mainland, but the Hong Kong authorities had an ambiguous attitude, basically turning a blind eye.

Given its geographical location, many supplies still rely on the mainland. When smuggling is involved, as long as it is not publicized, it is usually not strictly investigated.

However, Hong Kong has its bottom line: it doesn't care if goods are shipped out of the mainland; but if they want to ship goods to the mainland? Then the coast guard will be dispatched immediately.

In the early years, which of those Chinese ship merchants didn't start their fortunes by smuggling goods from the mainland? It's just that, apart from the Huo family, the others have all cleaned up their ways and stopped touching that red line.

Lou's father was thinking of sourcing washing machine parts from the mainland and shipping them to Hong Kong Island for assembly. He would manufacture the outer casing, and once the parts arrived, he would immediately assemble the machine into a complete unit—this way, the goods could be sold on the mainland, the Hong Kong authorities wouldn't be able to object, and he could make a hefty profit.

As for transporting scarce supplies to the mainland, Lou's father was a bit troubled. He Yuzhu, however, waved his hand: "One large cargo ship can handle it, leave the rest to me."

He was confident—with the system space at his disposal, he could silently swallow up tens of thousands of tons of cargo. The coast guard? They wouldn't even be able to touch him. He would only bring a few trusted apprentices on board, and they just needed to keep quiet. When the cargo was shipped out and brought into port, the Hong Kong authorities would either pretend not to see it or fail to catch them.

If Lou's father really succeeds in the shipping business, he'll be far better off than the Huo family. The Huo family gets two ships seized every year, while we manage to keep it a secret and stay afloat.

Upon hearing his son-in-law's words, Mr. Lou immediately understood: the man was absolutely certain about this. He skipped over the troublesome issue and stopped worrying about it.

Shipping is on hold for now; we'll deal with it once the traditional Chinese medicine shop is on track. Anyway, He Yuzhu's martial arts school is just steps away from the shop, so running between the two won't be a problem, and we can keep an eye on things.

"Sixteen disabled people? Can't find them? Haven't even seen their faces?"

Inside Tong Yi Tang, He Shirong nearly overturned the table after hearing the driver's report. A dozen or so triad thugs, just like that, crippled?

"Explain yourself clearly!"

The driver lowered his voice: "Boss, I don't know the specifics either. Everyone at the boxing gym was raided that night, and the news was kept under wraps for several days. I only went to the hospital to find out what happened when I couldn't keep it from them any longer—I heard they've all gone mad."

"Are you stupid?"

"Yes! Broken arms and legs, drooling in the hospital lobby, acting like a mentally challenged child, even the doctors said there was no hope..."

"hiss--"

He Shirong gasped, his face changing drastically. He then shook his head and smiled bitterly, "I really underestimated that Mr. He. He's a formidable force! Pretend you didn't hear about this. Keep that car at home and drive another one."

He owns three cars, which isn't considered luxurious, and losing one wouldn't be a big deal. Besides, the Triads might not be able to trace him back to him.

He dared not offend either side, but if he really had to choose, he would side with He Yuzhu.

He's a businessman; he only partners with those who can bring him profit. What are the Triads? Just parasites, utterly worthless to Tongyitang. And He Yuzhu? He has access to precious medicinal herbs, directly opening up markets in Southeast Asia and Japan.

In one transaction, they acquired goods worth 260,000 yuan, then resold them for double the price, recouping the cost of ten cars.

"Is the Chinese medicine shop about to open? Prepare two wreaths; I'd like to personally offer my congratulations."

He Shirong gave the instructions. The traditional Chinese medicine shop had already been renovated, and all the staff, managers, and TCM doctors were in place.

Although the main products sold were amber pills, medicinal wines, and rare herbs, a good reputation was essential, and a doctor was indispensable. This doctor, who was recruited because of the high salary advertised in the newspaper, was in his forties, reasonably skilled, knowledgeable about herbs and pharmacology, and capable of handling the job.

The shop's interior is simple yet elegant, with custom-made furniture and cabinets by Mr. Lou exuding a classic charm, recreating the atmosphere of an old pharmacy from decades ago. From construction to custom packaging, it took a considerable amount of time, but now everything is ready, just waiting to open its doors to customers.

On the opening day, firecrackers were set off and lion dances were performed, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.

There were quite a few guests. In addition to He Shirong, whom He Yuzhu had met before, Chen Yizhong also invited a group of old friends from the business world to support Lou's father.

Lou's father and He Yuzhu were also generous, giving each guest a gift box containing two bottles of medicinal wine and seven pills, enough for a week.

Once you've experienced the effects, who would doubt the dosage of this pill?

Ladies and gentlemen, the Chinese medicine shop is currently doing three things—

Nourishing medicinal wines, beeswax pills that are effective for specific ailments, and old, treasured medicines kept at the bottom of the chest.

The store's prized possession is a 23-year-old wild ginseng, along with a batch of genuine old medicinal herbs, all of which can withstand scrutiny.

As soon as the lion dance drums and gongs stopped, Lou's father stood still and spoke, his voice loud and clear, full of confidence.

This ginseng was pulled out by He Yuzhu through gritted teeth—it was the oldest ginseng he had, and he had no more to hide.

After ten years, the price of ginseng changes every year.

Ten years ago, a nearly 100-year-old ginseng was auctioned in Hong Kong Island for over HK$200,000; now? It would start at HK$500,000 or HK$600,000, and there's no guarantee anyone would be willing to part with it.

Although it is less than 100 years old, it has been out of stock for many years, with prices starting at 20,000 to 30,000 yuan, and it is impossible to get one even if you try to buy it.

As soon as he finished speaking, all the distinguished guests in the room lit up.

Especially those industrial business owners—the factory owners Chen Yizhong invited, each with a net worth of several million, were doing real business with real money. They didn't play games; they only valued tangible goods.

Half a day after the opening, the lion dance ended and the account had already received 23,000 yuan.

After deducting the cost of the medicinal herbs that He Yuzhu picked up for free in his space, the net profit is easily over 19,000.

The first day is about giving face; afterwards, it's about reputation.

But He Yuzhu knew perfectly well that the medicinal wine would warm him to the soles of his feet, the beeswax pills would make him feel energetic the next day, and the old medicine would even make the old pharmacy master gasp in amazement.

It's not an addiction, it's just that you've gotten used to drinking it, eating it, and can't live without it.

The ceremony concluded in the afternoon, and guests gradually took their leave.

Only his colleagues—He Shirong, Zhou Sheng, and the owners of Baojitang and Chunshengtang—stayed until the end, surrounding He Yuzhu and asking with smiles, "He Sheng, why did your father-in-law pass away first?"

"Please excuse my poor performance," He Yuzhu said with a smile that didn't fade. "My father-in-law is here to lend a hand. From now on, I'm in charge here. As for him... he has his own new projects to manage."

The owners weren't pretentious—they may be young, but what they had in their medicine cabinets wasn't just gimmicks, it was real, hard currency.

They also sell beeswax pills? They use scraps, while the traditional Chinese medicine shop uses snow lotus, deer antler, and Sichuan fritillary bulbs that are over three years old, ground into powder and made into pills.

They prey on the rich, their attacks are brutal and bloody, yet utterly devoid of any stench.

Once you understand this, you'll immediately lose 80% of your wariness.

He Shirong spoke directly: "Mr. He, could you show us that 23-year-old ginseng?"

"We have distinguished guests at our door; how can we refuse them? Please come upstairs."

As soon as the door to the quiet room on the second floor was pushed open, the safe gleamed coldly, and the tea room was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood. Before the boss could even sit down, He Yuzhu had already brought out three black velvet boxes.

The lid was lifted, and the four of them gasped for breath.

The ginseng is plump like a dragon's spine, with gnarled roots like living veins, and has a clear, sweet, and cool aroma—far superior to the batch they bought at a high price last month.

The four men exchanged glances, and He Shirong quickly clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Excellent ginseng! Of excellent quality! Mr. He, Tongyitang is willing to pay in full!"

"We want Baojitang too!"

"Mr. He, our Chunsheng Hall also..."

"Mr. Zhou, please wait a moment—" He Yuzhu raised his hand and smiled, "There are only three available today, and you're fourth. How about this, in five days, I'll personally deliver a brand new one to Chunshengtang, something completely different from what you see today, how does that sound?"

Zhou Sheng's face fell for only half a second before immediately relaxing again.

Five days? No problem.

The patience of the wealthy is measured in hours, not days.

The four checks were settled on the spot.

Chunshengtang didn't take the ginseng, but Zhou Sheng was the first to hand over a pen—money, to be held as collateral, to show he trusted them.

He Yuzhu offered a friendly price: 20,000 yuan for a single ginseng root, and 80,000 yuan for a package of dead roots. The three took the goods, their faces beaming with satisfaction, and turned to leave. Zhou Sheng also left with a smile; although he was five days late, he had finally secured the ginseng.

The upstairs business was booming, and the downstairs customer flow was constant. Some people caught a glimpse of the sign as they passed by, while others came because of the newspaper article, and they all stopped and went into the Chinese medicine shop. There was also a free tasting stall at the entrance. Although the cup of medicinal wine was small, it was mellow and sweet. Those who tried it, unless their pockets were empty, would basically take a bottle with them.

The cheapest medicinal wine costs forty yuan a bottle, which is manageable for someone earning three hundred yuan a month if they grit their teeth. Especially after experiencing that lingering, potent kick, almost no one who loves to drink can resist it.

When they finished work in the evening, Lou's father happily took out a few red envelopes to distribute, and immediately a chorus of compliments about how generous the boss was rang out. Everyone left in high spirits.

When Lou's father opened the account book, his smile never stopped.

"Zhu Zi, besides your order of 80,000, today's turnover is another 26,000. By the way, shouldn't we share some of the profits from these medicinal herbs with them?"

He Yuzhu was taken aback, then realized—the old man assumed these medicinal herbs were obtained through special channels by the Foreign Affairs Bureau, and might even have connected them to the Bai family. It wasn't surprising he overthought things; how could an ordinary person imagine they had a space for growing medicinal herbs?

He chuckled softly, "Dad, don't worry about that. For at least the next twenty years, all the money we earn will be ours."

Lou's father's pupils contracted: "Then this profit... is terrifying. Aside from labor, there's almost zero cost?"

With ten employees, their combined monthly salaries amount to only HK$4,500, and their average daily expenses are just HK$150. After deducting today's expenses, the net profit easily exceeds HK$23,000.

"Moreover, the word-of-mouth has already exploded, and the number of customers will only increase in the future, and the turnover will only soar."

Lou's father was quick-witted and immediately understood – Hong Kong Island didn't have a large population, but it was teeming with wealthy people. Moreover, it was a trading port, and if it grew large enough, it could expand into Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia.

He Yuzhu continued, "Dad, you'll have to keep a close eye on the brewery. The first batch of wine should be on the market as soon as possible."

"No problem, the equipment has already been ordered. The production period is one month, but the brewing process will take at least three months. In the meantime, can I get some spirits from outside to tide me over?"