Chapter 130: Big Bottom Pass
Chapter 130: Big Bottom Pass
As the year draws to a close, Zhuang Xiong comes to Tangkoutuodi on Shanghai Street, opens the briefcase he has tucked under his arm, and takes out a pair of couplets: "Brother Tang, Grandpa asked me to bring a few pairs of couplets to put up at the door for good luck."
The couplet reads: Live happily in a precious land and prosper for a thousand years; blessings shine upon the family and everything goes well.
This one is obviously posted on houses, and there are also special ones for companies, such as the one at the back, "Spring breeze turns green to make money trees, and happy rain waters flowers that bring wealth."
Yin Zhaotang was sitting with Danta and Jiang Hao, calculating the year-end accounts of the hall. He was holding a calculator in his hand and laughed, "Brother Xiong, have you changed your business to selling Spring Festival couplets recently?"
Zhuang Xiong put a few blessing characters on the table while holding a cigarette in his mouth, and nodded in surprise: "Good idea, selling couplets and firecrackers during the Spring Festival is more profitable than selling white powder. Brother Tang is really the God of Wealth of Lao Zhong, and he brings wealth just by opening his mouth."
Yin Zhaotang wore a white shirt inside and a leather jacket with a notch lapel. He stood up and said, "Brother Xiong, you are joking. Selling couplets during the Spring Festival has been going on for thousands of years. Is it our turn?"
"Xinji, the Number Gang shipped a batch of firecrackers, spring couplets and red paper from the mainland a month earlier."
There were no special red envelopes for sale these days, so red envelopes had to be folded with pre-cut red paper. The red paper was as big as a palm, and the money was wrapped in a square, usually only the size of the palm.
These three items are in-demand commodities during the Spring Festival. The firecrackers from the mainland are the cheapest in the world, even cheaper than those from Singapore. There are a large number of firecracker factories in Hong Kong Island.
Zhuang Xiong pinched the cigarette butt, exhaled a long puff of smoke, and said with a smile: "It's over. Among the hundreds of fireworks and firecracker stalls in Hong Kong during the New Year, there is not a single person named Jing Zhongyi."
"Fortunately, the uncles in the society have the tradition of writing Spring Festival couplets for the younger generation every year, so the more money we can save, the better."
"Ah Hao, Dan Tart, Zuo Shou, Ah Le, the four of you should also take one back."
Originally, only the big members of the community could receive couplets from the uncles, but the Mong Kok Hall was so prosperous that the elders were happy to give out a few more pairs to show their appreciation.
The Four Young Masters of Shanghai Street may not be known as big shots in reputation, but they are already big shots in reality and are regarded as the leaders of the gang in the society.
Everyone has money, connections and territory.
They were all regarded as talented people who could get a good job. They felt proud and happy when they received the couplets.
Zhuang Xiong found a seat, crossed his legs, and proudly said, "In previous years, Grandpa didn't write anymore, but this year he specially wrote a few pieces and sent them all to Mong Kok Hall."
"Lao Mo, it's no use for the street market guys to glare at you. Mong Kok will definitely be the most popular place next year!"
Yin Zhaotang opened the cigar cabinet under his desk, took out a box of Cohiba, and gave one to each of the six people present. The cigars were then divided among them.
He asked, "What is Xiong doing?"
Zhuang Xiong leaned back on the sofa, lowered his head and sniffed the aroma of cigars. Hearing this, he smiled and said, "After selling the last batch of goods to Taizi Rong at a low price, the company has not sold any more goods. The places of several halls all let the people of the Number Gang come in to sell the goods and collect a little rent."
"Brother Tang, sometimes I really doubt that Grandpa is too old and useless, and he has made me unemployed."
Yin Zhaotang threw a book of accounts to him and said jokingly, "Brother Xiong is from my sect. You must be very busy reviewing the accounts at the end of the year. You are joking when you say you are unemployed."
"Are you worried that I won't hand in the account book?"
Zhuang Xiong smoked a cigar, put on his lighter, stood up and said, "Pick, I'll tell you what you guys are doing in the office, cooking the accounts?"
"Don't worry, just give me a 5% commission and pretend you didn't see anything."
Egg Tart was very unconvinced: "Five points?"
"Robbery!"
Jiang Hao pushed him and said, "Pay less, we are one family."
"One of our own, one of our own is cooking the books?"
Zhuang Xiong pushed Jiang Hao away, picked up the account on the table, flipped through it and said, "I don't think it looks fake."
"Hey hey hey."
Several men holding cigars in their mouths all laughed in unison. Today, Zhuang Xiong not only came to deliver the couplets, but also to help the gang with its accounts. He did not need to change a single word, and bringing the couplets meant that the gang's accounts had passed.
Firstly, the stable and hotel business of the Mong Kok Hall were very popular. Secondly, the pornographic magazines boosted the industry of the entire society. Thirdly, the society also had shares in the sneaker factory.
Each of these items is a dividend of over a million, and the year-end accounts of the three major gangs are more than half of the previous years. This year, even if the Mong Kok Gang does not pay a penny, the gang leader will not be angry.
If the Mong Kok Hall can help the three major halls earn more every year, in a few years, Ding Ye will not even be qualified to collect money.
Other halls would send the accounts to Yin Zhaotang, begging Shenxiantang to accept the money, so it would not be surprising to create a new Jing Zhongyi.
What's more, Yin Zhaotang's money was in the legitimate business, and the business of the gang was almost divided among his brothers to make money.
He is not the one who takes everything. Even if he gives more to his brothers, there will still be a lot of cake left.
Zhuang Xiongduo asked how much he planned to give to the company. Seeing Yin Zhaotang holding up five fingers, he was surprised and said, "Five hundred thousand? Brother Tang, Lao Mo and his men also gave this amount in the past two years."
"The Mong Kok Church is a new church. Paying 200,000 or 300,000 is already very good!"
Yin Zhaotang said: "If I don't feed my uncles, who will speak for me if something happens?"
Ah Le was standing nearby and said somewhat unhappily, "Brother Tang also took out 100,000 yuan and planned to give each of the uncles a big red envelope."
Zhuang Xiong gave a thumbs up and said, "The uncles will definitely praise you for being filial. Even the big guys in the Number Gang can't do that."
"Just a little token of my appreciation."
Yin Zhaotang flicked the ash off his cigarette, very modestly.
He was just using Jing Zhongyi's name to do business, and he found it more and more useful, so he decided to clean up the name.
Take advantage of the New Year to bribe all the uncles so that they won't support him, but they won't stand up and scold him either.
After all, cutting off a source of income will lead to opposition from everyone in the interest chain.
Becoming a fan is still a great way to make money. Even if it is not the uncles' business, if someone causes trouble in the future, the uncles' support will be useful.
Zhuang Xiong sat back on the sofa, swung his feet calmly, and said proudly: "On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the society will open its doors. Remember to dress nicely. Ah Hao, Zuoshou, all the four or nine guys you call to the hall must be in place."
"The company is going to hold a buffet on Baolin Road. It will be a grand event. Many underworld bosses will be in attendance. The uncles all said that the mountain gate was opened specifically for you. It has been a whole cycle since the society opened the mountain gate. It has been twelve years!"
"The club hasn't opened its doors for more than a decade, and its signboard is covered in dust. It's really a sunset club. After the opening of the gate this time, the Jing Zhong Yi signboard can be said to be shining again."
"There is another very important thing. Many gangsters want to work for you. I won't mention those bad boys and those idiots. It's up to you whether to accept them or not."
"But some of them are big members of the gangs, willing to wash away Hong Ying behind them, and even the idiots will come to follow you!"
"Will you accept these people?"
According to the rules of the underworld, it is only natural to transfer Dadi to Hongying and start from Sijiuzi. But he is willing to start from scratch and become a disciple of the mountain sect, so he must give a clear answer in advance whether he will be accepted or not.
Otherwise, if you suddenly decide to refuse admission to someone, it will lead to a life-and-death situation.
They followed the way of the underworld people and passed the message to the white paper fan Zhuang Xiong of Mong Kok Hall to express their sincerity in wanting to become his disciple.
"Who is there?"
"You don't even make soles, and you want to come and work for me?"
Yin Zhaotang leaned back in his boss chair, puffing smoke with a smile on his face.
(End of this chapter)