Chapter 641: Green Union

Outside the teahouse, just as Wang Yan and Qi Si got into the car to leave, Liu Yitong opened the back door carelessly, tilted his head at Wang Yan: "Move inside, brother, I'll mooch a meal with you."

Wang Yan shook his head and smiled, moving to the side to let Liu Yitong sit in. After Qi Si started the car and drove toward the restaurant they often went to, he laughed: "Coming out at this time, you are cutting yourself off from those people."

"Just that mob, using your words, they are just bullying the common people and can't achieve big things. Holding onto your thigh, Captain Wang, should I be afraid of them?" Liu Yitong snorted coldly, then asked curiously: "You don't really want to open a bank with them and lead them to make a fortune, do you?"

"Opening a bank is true, and making a fortune is also true. What I want is that whoever I want to make a fortune, can make a fortune. We are good brothers; are you still pretending to be confused with me at this time? Having mixed for so many years, if they still don't understand this, they have mixed in vain."

"You want to completely unify this bunch of people?" Liu Yitong frowned. Although he said "them," strictly speaking, he was also a part of "them." By the time those people in the teahouse discussed it clearly, he would also have to put up money to buy shares in the end.

Because Wang Yan's strength had already clearly indicated his attitude. If all of them disagreed, then Wang Yan wouldn't step forward to withstand the Japanese pressure, and even less would he manage those subordinates of Zhang Xiaolin. If a part of them agreed, then the result for the remaining part would be one: being partitioned by the group under Zhang Xiaolin and the new interest group headed by Wang Yan. From then on, the Shanghai Bund would still be peaceful, and everyone would get benefits, except for those who didn't open their eyes and would be companions with fish and turtles in the Huangpu River.

"What are you worried about? Didn't I say we are good brothers? Can I pit you? Those people are old, young, those with strength have no ambition, and those with ambition have no strength. With our brothers working together, what kind of waves can they make? As long as they open a bank with me, I will swallow their industries step by step in the future. By then, this huge Shanghai Bund, besides the Japanese and foreigners, will be decided by our brothers. Even the Japanese and foreigners will have to respect us."

"However, we can do it, but we can't do it openly. Because once we unify the Green Gang of the Shanghai Bund in the open, with tentacles all over every industry, and can control unions and command the worker group, then we should die. After all, once we reach that point, we won't be any worse than what the Red Party did in the Shanghai Bund back then, and there will be no room for maneuver; we can only die. So we must let those people retain opposing forces, form mutual checks and balances on the surface, and slowly infiltrate them to control everything in secret. Only in this way can we be like now, wandering between the Japanese, foreigners, and the two parties, not being targeted, and making money and living a stable life."

"Old Liu, this is my heart-to-heart talk; I absolutely don't mean to lie to you. If they don't agree today, I will cooperate with those people under Zhang Xiaolin later and wipe them all out. If they agree, they are meat on the chopping block, and I can play with them however I want. They can't escape my palm. As long as we maintain the current appearance, listen to the foreigners' orders, maintain a good relationship with the Japanese, and turn a blind eye to the affairs of the two parties, then this rich life can be lived for a long time."

Liu Yitong's eyes flickered; he was distinguishing the truth from the lies in Wang Yan's words. Although Wang Yan was a big joke in the Shanghai Bund, that could only be considered an anecdote. Even in the widespread circulation of these anecdotes, people would habitually lower Wang Yan's danger level, really thinking he was a big joke. But in reality, Wang Yan could rise from an ordinary worker family step by step to become a Shanghai Bund tycoon today. Although he acted grandly, he was not lacking in sinister cunning. He couldn't see through Wang Yan, and even less understood why Wang Yan said these things to him.

Although he called him a good brother, Liu Yitong knew very well that the two didn't have such a deep friendship, and there was a huge gap in status. Now, Wang Yan's words seemed to have the feeling of sharing the world with him; he was afraid.

If he were in Wang Yan's shoes, he could say such things to others. Mostly, he still wanted to stabilize his footing, borrow some of his strength, and finally eat him dry.

Wang Yan saw his worry and reached out to pat his shoulder: "Don't worry. You helped me before, although I also helped you, but friendship is established by such give and take. Compared to others, I am more familiar with you and more satisfied with your usual style. I find you more pleasing to the eye; otherwise, do you think I would have thought of helping you before? The so-called human favor is something I recognize; if I don't recognize it, it's a fart. With so many people and such a big force, there must be someone I trust to do things together."

"Besides, if I were the only one stepping forward, the target would be too big; it's better to have someone share the attention. I will lift you up to be the second-in-command, and our brothers will become the new two tycoons; isn't that good? You get the benefits, and I have less danger. There are not so many conspiracies in this world, and you are not a child without the strength to truss a chicken; you have a gun. Now we are sitting side by side, and there will be many times when we sit at the same table in the future. Is it easy to die together? Hesitating and not moving forward is not the behavior of a great man. Don't be mother-in-law-like; are you doing it or not?"

Liu Yitong thought for a long time, and finally bit his teeth and slapped his thigh fiercely, making a decision: "Do it, I will listen to you from now on. Old Wang, I have pressed my life on you; don't play with me."

This answer was not strange; it was strange if Liu Yitong didn't agree. Because Wang Yan had already determined that Liu Yitong was likely a latent Red Party member, so undoubtedly, mastering greater power and money was what he needed. At the same time, getting closer to Wang Yan, a ruthless man who could survive among the four parties of foreigners, Japanese, and the two parties and still hold power, was also quite important.

"Look at what you are saying; why are you listening to me? One person's plan is short, two people's plan is long; it's us discussing together, and it's also for yourself. I only hope you can maintain your original heart and not be blinded by power. Du Yong and Zhang Xiaolin are the lessons of the past; Du Yong can survive in Hong Kong, but you might not. I don't have many requirements for you: don't offend foreigners, Japanese, and the two parties, and don't get too close to them. As long as you grasp this point, I guarantee you will live a long life and have a good start and end."

"You are the big brother; whatever you say, I will do." Liu Yitong shrugged his shoulders, adapting well to the new role.

Seeing Wang Yan chuckle and not speak again, he asked: "Old Wang, you don't offend foreigners because you are eating in their hands, and you don't offend the Japanese because they have guns and cannons, surround the concessions, and occupy the traffic arteries, pinching your lifeblood. But why don't you offend the two parties? To tell the truth, their power in Shanghai is not as strong as mine, and they can't compare with you at all. Then why are you so afraid of them? Could it be... you think they can win?"

"Why do you think those traitors defected to the Japanese?"

"That goes without saying; of course, they think the Japanese can win, bet early, and get benefits early. Isn't that what Zhang Xiaolin did? He wanted to be a high official and mayor."

"So he died." Wang Yan sighed and shook his head with a bitter smile: "I am Chinese, but I have no seed. I am a Chinese police captain in the French Concession, with hundreds of Chinese police under me, and I have thousands of brothers under me. If I grit my teeth and exert effort, it's not impossible to arm a regiment. Although the combat effectiveness is poor, it's still an all-American-equipped team. My Yonghua Industry and other rickshaw companies, restaurants, casinos, etc., also have millions of US dollars falling into my personal hands every year. You tell me, how can I dare to die?"

"I dare not die, so can I delay others from dying? Who is willing to kneel down and be a grandson if they can stand up straight? So for the soldiers on the front lines of the two parties and those who are lurking in the Shanghai Bund to carry out enemy-behind struggles, I respect them from the bottom of my heart. Do you know about the prison break two months ago? Later, I inquired about it; the people inside were all subjected to brutal torture by the Japanese, but didn't say a word of intelligence. I think as long as such people are still there, China will not perish."

"So I do business with the two parties, and the prices are very fair. This can be considered my support for them. Of course, there is also the intention of making friends. Although I still don't see any hope of victory, everything is afraid of the 'what if.' If they win, I can mix well with the previous friendship and my influence in the Shanghai Bund. Besides, their action personnel are not white-given. If they really want to kill me, I probably won't live. Do you think I don't know that there are many Red Party members under me? It's just that I open one eye and close one eye."

"Aren't you afraid the Japanese will find out?"

"You think they don't know?" Wang Yan sneered: "It's just that I have value. Regardless of whether there are Red Party members under me, I haven't defected to the two parties, nor have I provided convenience to the two parties. They won't do anything to me. My position is different. If I were still a young kid, whether for ideals or for money and power, I would defect to one side. But now that I am in a high position, this kind of thing is very unnecessary. Although betting early will have a great harvest in the future, one must have a life to live until then."

"So what is the most important thing in being a person? It is to be content. I don't conflict with anyone, and with my status and influence today, everyone needs me to do things. In the future, whether this world belongs to the Japanese, the Kuomintang, or the Red Party, even if I live worse, it won't affect my life."

"You know, I just like to eat a little, drink a little, and sleep with good-looking women. How much money can that spend? The money I have now, besides a large amount of life-saving money, is enough for two lifetimes. If not for the difficulty of leaving my hometown and having to burn paper for my father and mother during the Qingming Festival, I would have taken the money to the United States to enjoy it long ago. Why suffer here?"

"Old Liu, what I told you is all the truth; don't leak it out. That's not good for me, and even worse for you."

"Don't worry, can't you trust me?" Liu Yitong guaranteed repeatedly. In fact, he had nothing to say. After all, what Wang Yan said was what he had been doing. The Japanese were very clear about this. Everyone wanted to be Wang Yan, but they didn't have Wang Yan's ability to do things and make money, and couldn't stay out of it.

"We are here, get off." The two talked all the way, and Qi Si drove to the entrance of the restaurant. The three got out of the car and entered the restaurant, starting to eat and drink extravagantly.

And in the Guangsheng Teahouse, a group of big brother-level figures who usually shouted and shouted had no heart to eat. At most, those who had made up their minds hid in the corner, quietly drinking tea and eating pastries to fill their stomachs. These were the ones with slightly worse strength. They had no choice; if they wanted to save their lives, they had to follow Wang Yan. Only those like Feng Nairong, who were of high generation and had strength, would not be willing to live under a young man like Wang Yan and be controlled by others.

What they thought at first was that Wang Yan would take money to do things, and everyone would be harmonious. But they didn't expect that Wang Yan, who was relatively low-key and never caused much trouble, only focused on doing business, would be so ruthless this time.

No one was a fool, and fools couldn't reach the Guangsheng Teahouse today. Wang Yan let the kid under him beat Feng Nairong's number one subordinate; that was not thinking about developing well, but eating them up.

After buzzing and arguing for a long time, there was no solution. Gradually, the heart of this group of people dissipated, and there were not so many forced words.

These people really had no choice. At this time, defecting to the Japanese would not affect those subordinates of Zhang Xiaolin cleaning them up. After all, it was just the death of a Zhang Xiaolin, not the destruction of Zhang Xiaolin's force. It was just that this force was scattered and no longer listened to one family, each governing their own affairs. But joining forces to annex them was still easy. If it weren't for Wang Yan being complex and involving too much, and having a good relationship with the Japanese, these people wouldn't even be used to Wang Yan and would have wiped him out as well.

They carried the infamy and followed Zhang Xiaolin to defect to the Japanese as traitors; what was it for? Wasn't it for glory, wealth, higher status, and more money? For this, they did all kinds of evil, helping the Japanese suppress the Chinese in the Japanese-occupied areas. Now that there was no big brother on their heads, everyone was working for the Japanese, and no one was afraid of anyone. At worst, if it got chaotic, the Japanese would come out to mediate. But before that, the benefits that should be occupied must be occupied.

If these people like Feng Nairong didn't defect to the Japanese and chose to unite to fight against the Japanese and those subordinates of Zhang Xiaolin, then the result would be that they would be attacked by Wang Yan and those people together, and in the end, it would still be death. This was the disadvantage of having no backer.

As for carrying out assassinations, they hadn't thought about it. Because there was no hope of success, they had no hope. They were not agents of the two parties and didn't have the ability to hide and not be found if they didn't hit with one blow. Killing a few of Zhang Xiaolin's subordinates was useless. And Wang Yan had encountered assassinations only a few times since his debut, either because of gang struggles or business competition. The two parties had never taken action. They couldn't even plant the name of assassinating Wang Yan on the two parties' sanctions as they usually did. If one blow didn't succeed, Wang Yan would definitely hide at home like a turtle, and then without hesitation, wipe out all of them at the fastest speed.

Everyone knew that Wang Yan was a supplier of black market arms; could they have more firepower than Wang Yan?

So when Wang Yan received the news and once again brought Qi Si to the second floor of the Guangsheng Teahouse, what he saw was a group of underworld bosses who had lost their heart like defeated roosters. They were all more afraid of death than Wang Yan and more reluctant to give up power and wealth than Wang Yan. They were all people in their forties or fifties; the older they were, the more they feared death. They were not true strongmen. They just rose luckily by relying on the ruthlessness of bullying the old and weak in their early years.

Wang Yan sat at the table, crossed his legs, and looked at the list of money put up in his hand. The total number was 8 million US dollars. This was very normal, even less. These people all did gambling, prostitution, and drugs, and some even mixed in the business of trafficking people, plus some other legitimate trade, so they were all quite rich. He had said before that they should put up more money. If they put up less, it would definitely be fine in the short term, but it would be hard to say in the long term.

He nodded with satisfaction: "Very good. It seems that all Great-Uncles, Great-Great-Uncles, and other brothers have figured it out. Everyone knows Gu Yongcheng under me; send someone to send the check to him. At the same time, I will look for a bank manager. All Great-Uncles and Great-Great-Uncles have many disciples and extensive connections. If there are any suitable people, don't hide them. When the time comes, let me see them. If they are usable, letting them take charge of the bank is also possible."

"I invited you all to buy shares and build a bank together so that everyone can make a fortune safely, not to want any power. Wang asks himself that his mind is still quite open. You all support Wang so much, so Wang naturally won't be narrow-minded and hold onto everything, which would be meaningless."

"This money will be used for replacing gold reserves, and part of it will be used for public settlement. My suggestion for the bank's preliminary work is to first open a simple office to undertake business. Then take out a sum of money to buy a piece of land in the French Concession or buy a building to use as our headquarters. In addition, I think that next to the headquarters, we should build a place for us to discuss matters and have fun on weekdays. The other casinos and dance halls are already old. Let's open a new one. With the names of so many of us to guarantee, the business will definitely not be bad. It will definitely be another place to burn money in the Shanghai Bund in the future. Let those celebrities and tycoons walk in straight and walk out horizontally."

"This place uses the bank's funds, so it naturally belongs to the bank. The dividends in the future are not a small number, so it's just pocket money for everyone. After all, our bank is newly established, and there are many places to use money. If you want dividends, I am afraid you have to wait a few years."

"The bank's name will be 'Green Union,' the union of uniting. For so many years, everyone has governed their own affairs. Today is the first time we have gathered together like this. This name also has commemorative significance. Look back and let someone design a badge or something. We should also keep up with those foreigners and connect with the world."

"As for the name of the place to burn money, let's call it... 'Golden Building.' This name is grand and atmospheric, rich and compelling, just matching the original intention of the place to burn money. What do you all think?"

Feng Nairong bowed his head in resignation: "Captain Wang, you are the chairman; it's all up to you."

Others buzzed, saying the same thing as Feng Nairong. By this step, they had no way back, so naturally, whatever Wang Yan said was what it was.

Thus, Wang Yan very easily became the new leader of the Green Gang.

"Release the news to the outside world: the Green Union Bank is established, sincerely hiring talents and heroes, with generous treatment, to seek the future together..."

Wang Yan looked around, laughed loudly, and turned to leave, how arrogant it was.

Leaving only a group of people sighing, listless and grieving with each other.

That night, in the air where radio waves were surging, a radio wave crossed thousands of miles, from Shanghai to Chongqing.

"Today I hold the reins of the Green Gang, and soon I will establish the Green Union Bank and recruit widely. You can send people to apply for lurking, or you can infiltrate the interior of the Green Gang, infiltrate the unions, re-lead the worker group, and spread my sparks..."

"Good, well done, hahaha..." ===== CHAPTER 642 =====