Chapter 222: Judging by Deeds, Not by Intent

A brand-new Toyota slowly pulled into the parking lot of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Central.

A middle-aged Gweilo in a greyish-white suit with greying hair stepped out of the car and strode toward the café on the first floor of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

The high-ranking Gweilo and Commissioner of the ICAC, Ban Naixin, had already been waiting there; hearing footsteps, he looked up and smiled, saying, "Henry, over here."

"Thomas."

The middle-aged Gweilo strode up to Ban Naixin and shook his hand.

"Sit."

"Please, sit."

"Sir, what would you like to drink?"

A waitress walked over gracefully with a menu.

"An Americano, please."

"Get him an Americano."

Ban Naixin knew his friend's taste; the two spoke almost in unison.

"So many years, and you haven't forgotten my taste."

The middle-aged Gweilo looked at Ban Naixin with a chuckle: "Thomas, come to think of it, it has been a full five years since we last met."

"Indeed, I still remember,

that year, we joined forces to arrest 140 police officers in the Kowloon district, triggering the first police-ICAC conflict in Hong Kong...

In the end, it was Sir Mai Lihao who, in order to appease the Police Force, stepped forward to issue a partial amnesty order, which finally quelled the first police-ICAC conflict. How is it? How does it feel to not have been to Hong Kong for so many years?"

Ban Naixin took out a pack of White Marlboro and lit a cigarette, a hint of reminiscence revealing itself in his words.

The middle-aged man took out his wallet, produced a pipe made of cheap corn cob, put some tobacco into it, then took out a lighter to ignite it, and took a few deep puffs:

"It's more prosperous, the streets are still as narrow as before, and there are fewer addicts on the streets, but there are always some vermin in this city that make one want to avoid them."

"As the current Deputy Commissioner of the Police Force, you've come to meet me, the Commissioner of the ICAC; aren't you afraid the police officers will have something to say about you?" Ban Naixin said with a smile.

That was correct.

The middle-aged man was none other than the newly appointed Deputy Commissioner of the Police Force—Yan Liguo.

Taking a puff of his pipe and savoring the fragrance of the tobacco, Yan Liguo said slowly: "Back then, I was entrusted by Sir Mark, the Commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police, to investigate the corruption within the Scotland Yard police force. Within half a year, we received a thousand complaints. That year, I investigated the entire police staff of Scotland Yard, and in the end, 60 police officers were dismissed. Because of this, I was privately called 'the Vulture' by the police officers of Scotland Yard."

"To quell the unrest at the time, I was seconded by Sir Mark to Hong Kong to provide advice for the establishment of the Independent Commission Against Corruption... Facts have proven that I did the right thing; squeezing out some abscesses is more conducive to the development of this city."

"You know my character; if I were to stop working just because the police officers had opinions about me, would I get anything done?"

At this point, Yan Liguo thanked the waitress who had brought the coffee:

"Thank you."

Ban Naixin nodded, quite approvingly: "You are right. So, are you planning to squeeze out those abscesses this time?"

"The Political Department. In my first month in Hong Kong, I received an anonymous tip-off letter from the Police Force. The Director of the Political Department, He Guorong, has had frequent private contact with the Chairman of the Hongxing Group, Sir Chen Jiajun."

With a shocking statement, Yan Liguo said slowly.

"This is a major case, and very tricky." Ban Naixin's expression immediately turned stern.

"That's right. The content of the tip-off letter is staggering. Furthermore, the two parties are also collaborating in a Gambling Hall in Macau. This is a scandal of the century."

Yan Liguo said sonorously, "I don't understand why the leader of a criminal organization would appear openly on Her Majesty's New Year Honours List, and be recommended by the Director of the Political Department at that. It seems the elites of Military Intelligence Section 5 are having such a good time in Hong Kong that they've forgotten home."

"Besides the Political Department, the officers of the Anti-Triad Unit must also be investigated by the ICAC."

"I hope your ICAC can help me squeeze out these abscesses."

Ban Naixin asked: "The Anti-Triad Unit?"

"Yes. I highly suspect that the Hongxing society is using the hands of the Police Force to eliminate dissidents."

Yan Liguo took a small sip of coffee, took the letter from the inner lining of his suit, and placed it in front of Ban Naixin: "This is the tip-off letter. Your ICAC needs to act quickly."

"Understood."

Ban Naixin put the letter into his suit pocket.

Yan Liguo added: "Related operations are already being planned in secret. Only by removing these protective umbrellas can my operations slowly unfold."

Ban Naixin raised his coffee and said: "Then, let's celebrate the first police-ICAC cooperation."

"Happy cooperation."

The Mercedes-Benz slowly pulled up to the entrance of the Chen Family Zhuangyuan.

"Big Sir, we've arrived." The Political Department agent Yang Jinrong said softly.

"Wait for me outside. If I haven't come out after half an hour, then you head back first."

He Guorong opened his eyes and tossed a pack of Red Man to the young Yang Jinrong.

"Understood, Big Sir." Yang Jinrong took the cigarettes and nodded.

He Guorong picked up his briefcase, pushed open the car door, straightened his attire, walked to the manor gate, and pressed the doorbell.

When the Butler Carson saw it was He Guorong, he immediately opened the door: "Mr. He, our young master has been waiting for you for a long time."

"Apologies, I was handling some official business today."

He Guorong nodded to the butler and walked into the manor alone.

Arriving in the living room, Chen Jiajun was smoking a Cigar and chatting with a middle-aged man in a suit. Hearing footsteps, Chen Jiajun turned his head, and seeing it was He Guorong, he called out: "A Rong, go sit to the side for a moment and have some coffee. I still have a matter to attend to here."

"Yes."

He Guorong showed a docile expression and nodded to Chen Jiajun.

To the side, Lawyer Huang Dawen's pupils contracted slightly when he saw the newcomer.

Chen Jiajun put down the heavy Royal Letters Patent in his hand, took a sip of Pu'er tea, and asked: "Huang Dawen, I've read many legal books these past two days, but there is one question I haven't been able to find an answer to."

"Sir Chen, you can state it, and I will help provide you with some ideas." Huang Dawen looked at Chen Jiajun, who was sporting a slicked-back hairstyle, and for some reason, he always felt that Chen Jiajun had been like a different person these past two days.

Dealing with Chen Jiajun before, this young man always gave people a sense of kindness and strong approachability.

But at this very moment, sitting before him, Chen Jiajun made Huang Dawen feel a chill.

"If someone wants to use infringement issues to strike at our Hung Hing industries on Sneaker Street and Women Street, how should I evade it, or rather, how would an opponent strike?"

Over these past few days, Chen Jiajun had scoured through legal books.

Only then did he discover why the infringement issues in Hong Kong during the eighties and nineties were so severe; in short, there were no relevant copyright laws to rely on.

"Sir Chen, I would like to ask, are the relevant industries on Women Street and Sneaker Street registered under Guojun Garment Factory?" Hearing the question Chen Jiajun asked, Huang Dawen was slightly taken aback.

Chen Jiajun briefly summarized: "There were business dealings before, but starting from last year, after Guojun Garment Factory received authorization from relevant brands and foreign trade business, I excised this part of the business. I have already cleared the records for the legal representatives of these factories..."

After removing all the New Territories boys like Luo Yongjiu from the Hung Hing Sea Registry, Chen Jiajun excised the relevant A-Goods business from Guojun Garment Factory, dividing it into 100 factories of various sizes based on the production process; the legal representatives of these factories were all New Territories boys previously in Hung Hing.

With these factories, the New Territories boys associated with Hung Hing could recruit workers in the walled villages, provide them with job positions, and elevate their influence within their clans.

As for the New Territories boys sent out initially, Luo Yongjiu had already successfully become a low-ranking Legislator, while people like Peng Sen had become members of the Rural Committee, or village chiefs, deputy village chiefs, and so on, in various walled villages.

At the same time, Guojun Garment Factory also used its excellent craftsmanship and low prices to attract OEM business from several major international brands; so-called OEM business is contract manufacturing.

In this way, the A-Goods business could obtain the latest clothing styles at the same speed as the major foreign brands.

After listening to Chen Jiajun's summary, Huang Dawen praised him inwardly:

"Relevant copyright issues are illegal internationally, but in Hong Kong, there is no law to rely on. Some situations where there is no law to rely on are oversights, and some are for the convenience of the Gweilo. Copyright issues are an oversight; the Gweilo pride themselves on being gentlemen and won't earn this kind of money."

"If an opponent really wants to use copyright issues to strike at you, having no law to rely on does not mean there is no crime. Copyright issues have relevant legal basis in England, and there is also relevant legal basis in the Mainland."

"But for your situation, it is quite troublesome for a lawyer to handle, and looking at the business of any single factory alone, it is legal. Unless one can obtain the Hung Hing Sea Registry, the Account Book, and the account books of these 100 factories to prove the relevant subordinate relationships, otherwise, it is impossible to convict you."

Chen Jiajun puffed on his pipe: "If I want to use copyright issues to strike at relevant peers, is it more advantageous for me to have a law to rely on, or to have no law to rely on?"

"That depends on to what extent you want to go," Huang Dawen asked.

Chen Jiajun immediately replied: "Bite them all to death and devour them."

Huang Dawen smiled and said: "That's simple. Hong Kong has no law to rely on, so of course, one can refer to English law and use this case as the basis and benchmark for Hong Kong's legislation, but with more flexible standards—which is to say, your appetite can be even bigger."

Chen Jiajun asked again: "Huang Dawen, Feilao Li's lawyer is named Lv Qinghong; are you familiar with this person?"

"Big Brother, I have relevant information on him here."

Not far away, Director of Political Department He Guorong heard the familiar name and called out.

Chen Jiajun glanced at He Guorong and said: "Come here."

"Yes."

He Guorong carried the relevant documents, sat down beside Huang Dawen, took out some files, and reported in a measured tone:

"Li Biao is an ambitious figure in Hong Kong who can achieve great things. To clear his record and find himself a backer, he drove his three children and his ex-wife, a flight attendant, all away to the Philippines."

"His current wife is named Li Yunqin."

"He relied on self-defilement to win the sympathy of his current wife, Li Yunqin, and then used every effort and means, spending a large amount of money, to pursue her."

"The reason for doing this is very simple: Li Yunqin has three sisters. The eldest sister married Liang Sen, a young talent in Hong Kong politics; the second sister is Li Yunqin; and the youngest sister married into a famous Hong Kong artistic family. The families the three sisters chose happen to be one in politics, one in business, and one in art."

"Among them, Liang Sen's former superior was named Lv Mingzhu. He is Ahong Kong Legislative Council Member and a famous leftist lawyer who has long passed our Political Department's background check and become a lackey of our Motherland. Lv Mingzhu has a son named Lv Qinghong, a Justice of the Peace."

He Guorong did not directly point out Lv Qinghong's identity, but instead methodically sorted through all of Feilao Li's political and business connections, finally pointing to Lv Qinghong.

Upon hearing the name Lv Mingzhu, Chen Jiajun's pupils actually contracted.

He felt a chill running down his spine.

Lv Mingzhu and Feilao Li—damn it, they actually had such deep roots.

He Guorong continued: "We have always suspected that Feilao Li donated a lot of political contributions to Lv Mingzhu, but Lv Mingzhu is one of our own... Additionally, the Hong Kong Police Force has a new Deputy Commissioner of Operations, Yan Liguo. He is the one who restarted Operation Dragon Slayer. That dragon is you, the Underground Emperor of Hong Kong Island."

"This is his resume."

He Guorong handed another set of materials to Chen Jiajun.

Yan Liguo enlisted in 1948, was demobilized two years later, and joined the London Police Force.

In 1969, he served as Chief Superintendent, then was transferred to Anguilla as the head of the police force. Later, he returned to the country and was in charge of the London Metropolitan Police's disciplinary unit.

In 1972, he served as Commander, and in 1975, as Assistant Commissioner of Police. In 1979, he served as Police Commissioner of England and Wales.

In 1983, he came to Hong Kong, first serving as Deputy Commissioner of Police. In 1985, he served as Commissioner of Police.

During this period, Yan Liguo trained at the CIA in 1975, and he established the Independent Commission Against Corruption, personally arresting Godber, that Gweilo Chief Superintendent, as well as two Gweilo Inspectors. Additionally, he arrested the four Chinese Chief Inspectors: Lei Luo, Yan Xiong, Lan Gang...

Seeing the three letters CIA, Chen Jiajun felt a chill down his back once again.

Doesn't this all connect?

Lv Mingzhu's big backer is the United States, and Yan Liguo also trained at the CIA, damn it.

This is clearly the CIA trying to deal with him.

Why deal with him, a businessman with a clean record?

There are too many reasons.

First, although Chen Jiajun plays both sides and is even a knight honored by the British Royal Family, in reality, his work focus is still in the country; that Guojun Industrial Park alone is proof of that.

Who was it that, when investment promotion in the Shekou Industrial Zone was unfavorable, went in with great momentum to invest heavily in the Shekou Industrial Zone?

And who was it that circled a large piece of land in Pengcheng to build a massive industrial park?

It was all him!

Secondly, he walks too closely with leftist businessmen like Huo Yingnan and Lin Mingze, and conversely, is not very intimate with the big British companies in Hong Kong.

In a game of Werewolf, if a wolf jumps to claim the Seer role, no matter how beautiful their speech is, their voting and behavior will still betray their true identity.

This is called judging by actions, not by intentions.

And Feilao Li is just a dog released by Yan Liguo and Lv Mingzhu to bite him; the masters are preparing to use him to extort people at any time.

If a dog bites a person, the person can't possibly bite back, right?

But Feilao Li happens to be a person.

If Chen Jiajun bites back and deals a lethal blow to Feilao Li, that would actually be falling right into the trap set by Yan Liguo and Lv Mingzhu.

Huang Dawen felt that Chen Jiajun was worrying unnecessarily, so he picked up his teacup and said, "Sir Chen, you don't need to be alarmed. With your current status and position, even if Lv Mingzhu and Yan Liguo really wanted to mess with you, they wouldn't be able to."

"What if it isn't Yan Liguo and Lv Mingzhu who want to mess with me? What if the mastermind behind the scenes is someone else entirely? Do you know who it was that suppressed Huo Yingnan back then?"

Chen Jiajun revealed a rare look of gravity and answered his own question:

"To be precise, the one who truly suppressed Huo Yingnan was not England, but the United States. The reason is that Huo Yingnan smuggled a large amount of kerosene and medical supplies into the Mainland back then."

Huang Dawen gripped his teacup, his expression turning to one of shock as he said, "You mean..."

Realizing that what he was about to say was somewhat shocking, Huang Dawen immediately fell silent. After a pause of a few seconds, he asked, "Why would they want to suppress you?"

Chen Jiajun smiled, shook his head, and said:

"Huang Dawen, the United States is composed of many departments, but the problem is that there are countless agencies beneath them."

"Have you heard of the CIA? Do you know that it is precisely because I am in Hong Kong Island that the drug-dealing bosses from the 14K and Dongxing have been unable to gain a foothold in Hong Kong Island?"

"Furthermore, let me tell you one more thing: the source of this ice and powder is Myanmar North."

"The backers of those warlords in Myanmar North are the KMT."

"Back then, those warlords asked Taiwan for military funding, so the KMT and the CIA jointly came up with a method: they taught them how to make ice and powder. The money the warlords earned from selling ice and powder could be used to purchase arms from the Soviet Union and the United States, while also providing a portion of the funding to the CIA."

"The vast majority of the CIA's funding comes from cooperating with drug lords all over the world. They even use planes to transport ice and powder to the United States to sell to the niggers."

"This is the origin of why Myanmar North is so chaotic."

"I have a feud with the largest warlord in Myanmar North, the Kunsha Group."

"Because several of Kunsha's distributors in the country were taken out by my people."

"Even Kunsha's right-hand man, Ba Mian Fo, was killed by me."

"Do you think Kunsha hates me or not?"

"Kunsha would love to eat my flesh raw and drink my blood."

"As long as nothing happens to me, they won't be able to gain a foothold in Hong Kong Island for a single day; as long as I don't die, they won't be able to expand their business."

"I have cut off more than half of their revenue streams, so I ask you: in their eyes, should I die or not?"

Huang Dawen was shocked beyond measure by this news.

(End of this chapter)