Chapter 559: Takeover (IV)

In the afternoon, within Macau City, atop a hill. Zong Ben, Old Master Zong, clutched a wooden chest, mingling in the front ranks of the procession, his expression exaggerated, his stride vigorous.

Old Master Zong had only just caught up with the main troops.

Before this, after Li Dazui, Li Qing, had finished handling the matter of Master Niu blocking the road to cry out grievances, he had taken the main troops off to eat and drink at public expense. Old Master Zong, meanwhile, had stayed behind at the Municipal Hall, striking while the iron was hot to process the real estate transfer procedures.

With the leadership having publicly set a model, naturally no one dared be negligent. At this point, everyone could forget about lunch; several civil servants moved with lightning speed, transferring all the title deeds Master Niu had previously brought over into Zong Ben's name.

Among these deeds were not only the "Guangyu" line of businesses that Zong Ben had previously sold off, but also the "Dezheng" line of businesses that Master Niu had spent half a lifetime accumulating.

Compared to Zong Ben's businesses, the "Dezheng" line was clearly larger in scale. This commercial firm owned several street-facing shopfronts, each with an attached courtyard. In addition, there were outer warehouses, goods yards, and seven or eight residences within Macau City.

It should be noted that of these seven or eight residences, only two had been purchased by Master Niu earlier. The deeds for the other several had all been transferred recently — before the Portuguese made their escape, they naturally needed to offload their immovable assets, and Master Niu, in his capacity as translator, became the most suitable bag-holder.

In truth, there were details here unfit for outsiders. When temporarily taking over these properties earlier, time was so pressing that no one could produce that much capital, so Master Niu had not paid out much money at the time. He had actually made a gentleman's agreement with these fleeing wealthy Portuguese: he would hold the house and land deeds in trust, and when the situation eased and the Portuguese returned in the future, Master Niu would earn a favor by returning the residences.

However, when he finally discovered that the imperial court was dead set on "replacing native chieftains with state officials" in Macau, Master Niu, knowing the Portuguese would never again hold power in Macau, decided to pull a double-cross and brought the Portuguese deeds to the new government for transfer.

Unexpectedly, today Master Niu was double-crossed by Li Dazui, and in the end, these immovable property deeds were all transferred en masse by the civil servants into the name of Zong Ben, Director Zong.

The span of a single banquet was just two hours.

Two hours later, Li Dazui finished his meal, and Director Zong, hesitant and stammering, walked out the main gate of the Municipal Hall clutching his chest. Even with the profound cultivation of our socialite Old Master Zong, at this moment, he was still digesting the absurd blessing brought by the "instant" colossal expansion of his assets.

Residences totaling over ten, plus various shopfronts, goods yards, warehouses, and the attached floating wealth (movable property), and even the various goods and commodities Master Niu had privately hoarded — all of it now belonged to him, Zong.

Standing before the City Council gate, Old Master Zong tilted his head back to gaze at the blue sky and white clouds, his expression blank, murmuring to himself: "I have long heard of seizing land on horseback when dynasties change; today I finally taste it... No wonder everyone wants to be a founding marquis... fine flavor... fine flavor..."

Having gained a profound impression of the phrase "dynastic change," Old Master Zong next hurriedly rushed to the front lines of thigh-hugging. Are you kidding? In just one Macau City, a bootlicker like him had already reaped enormous benefits. If he were to follow Lord Cao to the capital, wouldn't he truly get to seize land on horseback?

So he had to rush to the "front lines" to seize more future opportunities.

Speaking of the front lines, some might not have seen the wind direction clearly before, but now, when everyone discovered that the one calling the shots in Macau was not the government office, but this arrogant City Lord sent by the General Headquarters, this place truly became the "front lines": many new powers could see that Macau City had become a blank sheet and intended to enter and fill the void; City Lord Li's side was now the front line.

In the end, Old Master Zong and Lord Li's party converged at the hill.

The hill was located south of Macau City, lush with vegetation, facing the sea, with spring warmth and blooming flowers. Atop it stood a dilapidated, deserted temple, enshrining a statue of Mazu. In later generations, hills like this within the city had long been leveled flat, built up with high-rises and great mansions. Only a seventeenth-century island could still preserve such an original landscape of birdsong and fragrant flowers.

Li Dazui, hands clasped behind his back, the very picture of a great leader, climbed step by step up the stone stairs paved with blue flagstones. Following behind him were the various old masters, along with guards and attendants, a procession of over a hundred people in total.

Climbing to the hilltop, Li Dazui took a towel and wiped his sweat, facing the cool sea wind, and unbuttoned his shirt: "Come, come, everyone have some tea."

He gulped down a large mouthful of cold tea, let out a long, comfortable breath, then placed his hands on his hips, striking the pose of a great man pointing out the landscape: "Gentlemen, now that the Portuguese have been driven out, this Macau Island has returned to the king's land. The development to come will rely on everyone's joint efforts!"

"We dare not presume."

"We wish only to follow in your lordship's wake."

"No need to say more, we will all take our lead from your lordship!"

What answered Li Dazui's question was a string of clamorous, overlapping voices of agreement. Aside from the pronunciation of "Portugal," which everyone still found slightly awkward, no matter what medicine Lord Li was planning to sell from his gourd next, everyone would follow. Why else would one need to first set up a role model for everything? With the horse-bone precedent of Director Zong transforming into a real estate tycoon in the span of a meal, now everyone knew to hug the thigh.

"Heh heh, well that's wonderful."

Hearing this great wave of loyalty-swearing language rolling in, Li Dazui nodded repeatedly, yet the smile on his face was somewhat inscrutable: "All you old masters are respectable men; I trust your words can be counted on."

Immediately after, Li Dazui reported a piece of terrible news to the old masters: "In fact, according to the Regional Commander and this official... mainly this official's planning for the future of Macau Island, firstly, this place will no longer serve as a goods distribution center, nor as a port for exchange between Chinese and foreign merchants."

Looking at the group of speculative merchants whose faces instantly changed color, Li Dazui followed up with a beaming explanation: "As you all know, we brothers have always been doing business with our Western friends. After Macau's return this time, the General Headquarters will leverage the momentum to push the court's 'Reform and Opening Up,' allowing Western friends to sail their ships directly into Guangzhou's New District."

He paused briefly, waiting for the people before him to process his Mandarin and new terms, then Li Dazui added final confirmation: "I can responsibly tell you all here that this work is not only already underway, but progressing very rapidly. Cao Darao's memorial was sent to the court just yesterday... The current Emperor and ministers are all reasonable people; the request to open the port in Guangzhou's New District will certainly be approved."

"Of course, even if the court does not agree to Western ships entering Guangzhou..."

At this point, Li Dazui's face revealed the classic "you know what I mean" expression. Although he did not continue, every merchant present was very clear on City Lord Li's implied meaning: whether the court agreed or not, this matter was already settled.

Having made it clear that Macau would in the future be stripped of the foreign trade function it had previously relied on for existence, and seeing the uneasy expressions on these speculators' faces, Li Dazui let out a hearty laugh and unveiled the mystery: "Someone, bring out the promotional images."

Attendants who had long been prepared immediately set up folding wooden stands on the spot, then pasted the advertising images they had brought onto the stands. Very quickly, a set of high-definition promotional images for a pedestrian street business promotion, familiar to later generations, appeared before the natives.

"Hmph, it's only me. If it were those other guys, at a time like this, who would still have the 'quota' to do this kind of thing?"

Smug and self-satisfied, Li Dazui unhesitatingly shouldered the sales promoter role he was once familiar with: "Take a look. Macau's future is all right here."

Upon hearing this, the native old masters swarmed in front of the promotional boards, many of them pulling handcrafted silver-rimmed glasses from their bosoms and putting them on their noses.

What was presented before the old masters were one exquisitely beautiful, high-definition large image after another.

Image One: Under bright electric lights similar to those in the White Goose Pool Hotel in the New District, was a resplendently magnificent great hall, within which were arrayed fan-shaped green felt tables.

Behind each fan-shaped table sat a smiling, "sparsely" dressed young woman. In full public view, these women wore long white rabbit ears on their heads and black "clothing"; aside from being cute, they prominently displayed the two bulging masses on their chests, along with their bare arms, exerting every effort at seduction.

On the green fan-shaped tables before the women, besides some strange symbols and numbers outlined in white lines, there were also some colored round chips thrown on top.

Sitting across from the fan-shaped tables were several men, faces flushed red, staring intently at something on the table surface, appearing to be shouting at the top of their lungs. Judging by the "dress code for the upper class in the New District" that the old masters had only recently learned, these men were probably not paupers either.

After the first color image, the second color image was likewise an inner hall, seemingly a licentious theatrical troupe run by a wealthy household. On a bizarre and dazzling stage stood a row of alluring women wearing strange tall hats. These women wore undergarments, their legs wrapped in black fishing nets, arms linked, their seductive eyes like silk, all extending their stark white thighs in unison — a scene that could only be understood, not described.

And seated below that stage were also tables of upper-class men with slick, shiny hair. Among them could also be seen servants carrying drink trays, weaving back and forth.

The final image was likely a "pictorial map" of Macau Island. On it were great towers soaring into the clouds, below which pedestrians were like ants, and vehicles and boats like fruit pits — a scene of extraordinary grandeur.

"This is the future development direction of our great Macau!" Li Dazui asked excitedly: "Fellow countrymen, what do you think? Can you discern any key points?"

Li Dazui's question did not receive a warm and enthusiastic response from the natives. After exchanging a few glances of mutual bewilderment, one of the old masters, with a stern and upright face, hesitated for a moment, then cautiously opened his mouth to ask: "A brothel? A gambling den?"

Li Dazui's originally hopeful face was instantly replaced by an expression of constipation: "What brothel, what gambling den — so vulgar! This is a casino city and supporting entertainment facilities! Hmph, you have no eye for quality!"

Immediately after, City Lord Li's eyes began to sparkle with an excited light again, his face filled with the longing of a dream from years past about to be realized... "Gentlemen, actually, this casino city, if done well, benefits the country and the people... especially in a godforsaken place like Macau..."

"To commemorate the Portuguese getting lost, this place will be leveled in the future, and the casino city will be named 'Lisboa'... and the one next door will be called the Venetian!"

"Hey, I say, you so-and-so, and you over there, why are you walking away halfway through listening?"

"Replying to Lord Li, though I am in trade, my clan has been a good and honest family for generations. This business of brothels and gambling dens... I beg your lordship to spare me!"

"Oh, for the love of..."

Later that evening, a piece of news spread like lightning, gleefully circulating among the Transmigrators: Li Dazui's grand development plan for Macau had suffered a heavy blow.