mijobooks Chapter 63: Entering the Dock, the Purpose is to Establish a Temporary Unloading Area.
Chapter 63: Entering the Dock, the Purpose is to Establish a Temporary Unloading Area.
Regardless of whether Yu Touming listened or not, Zhao Deshun felt that he had done his job by coming over in advance to give them a heads-up.
To avoid an awkward encounter with Lin Guoji, Zhao Deshun got up and left.
He walked out of the dock alone, found a rickshaw again, and headed towards Chao Yongyi's gang in Shek Kip Mei.
Unlike Fish Head Ming, whose business was located at the pier, Rotten Fate Biao's business was a noodle stall in Shek Kip Mei Estate.
At the dock, he simply rented a warehouse and arranged for a foreman to lead a group of laborers to start work.
Sure enough, not long after Zhao Deshun left, Ji Shao brought over a dock manager.
During this period, the wharves in Hong Kong were divided into two categories.
One type is officially registered docks, and the other type is unregistered, unregulated illegal loading and unloading areas, also known as unlicensed docks.
The first category, in detail, can be divided into two subcategories.
A. It is officially registered and has a fixed ferry route, which is commonly known as the passenger terminal.
B. Officially managed, formal cargo terminals, mainly handling ocean/inland waterway bulk cargo, can also be described as cargo-carrying terminals.
The Sham Shui Po pier is classified as a Category A pier among officially registered piers: it has fixed ferry routes and is mainly for passenger transport, not for cargo.
In reality, there are always policies from above and countermeasures from below.
The British officers sent by the Marine Department to manage the docks marked out a temporary unloading area along the Tongzhou Street waterfront.
This is equivalent to the British taking the lead, skirting the line, and creating a tacitly approved small roadside dock/freight yard.
Some people may not understand why it's made so complicated?
The British should just change the documents! Add a "cargo" function to the ferry terminal, and the problem would be solved. Why go through all that trouble?
Well, if we say that this temporary unloading area is where every batch of smuggled goods enters and leaves.
The British staff at the dock management office, the local gang responsible for loading and unloading cargo, the criminal investigation department of the local police station, uniformed officers, firefighters, marine police...
Every department or force that can be connected gets a share of the money.
If the authorities investigate thoroughly, or if the media needs to whitewash the situation.
With just one notification, the entire unloading area can be immediately closed.
Once the storm has passed, it will be possible to set up operations again, and everyone can smuggle goods under the umbrella of a legal dock. Wouldn't that make sense?
Three years ago, Wu Shih-hao had already said that he could earn three yuan a day by moving goods at the dock, and there wasn't work every day. He could earn thirty yuan for each fight.
Bien-tan-wai bet everything, wanting to lead his gang into the Sham Shui Po pier.
Besides being able to get most of the nominal blue lantern workers to start work, the most important reason is that they came for this temporary unloading area.
Gang leaders can't make a living by just taking money from the laborers.
Lin Yuanshan was confident he could meet Lei Luo because he owned a factory, had secured orders from Li Yicheng's factory, and had the men of Biandanwei's gang.
We have the goods and the manpower we need.
Although Lin Yuanshan's operation is not large, it actually spans both the legal and illegal worlds, and has barely formed a basic smuggling team, making it worthwhile for Lei Luo to invest his personal connections in it.
If any one link in the chain is missing, Lei Luo will not agree.
Back to the Englishman who accompanied Lin Guoji, upon seeing Yu Touming, he unfolded his suit handkerchief and covered his mouth and nose to filter out the sweat odor on the other man: "In the next couple of days, a new group of freight workers will be coming to work at the docks."
Go and clear out those warehouses in Zone C.
The dock management office has already sublet Warehouse Area C to them.
Remember, you are all Chinese. In your work, you must unite and help each other. Don't make a mess of things like last month.
After saying that, the foreigner turned and left, not wanting to stay for even a second longer.
Yu Tou Ming remembered Shun Ge's reminder, suppressed his anger, and quickly stepped forward to stop the other party.
With a broad smile, Yu Tou Ming rubbed his palms together: "Mr. Smith, I paid two years' rent for Warehouse C, and only three months have passed..."
"Oh? You mean the Sham Shui Po Pier Management Office illegally built cargo warehouses and illegally rented them to you, who are engaged in illegal businesses in this area?" Smith looked down at Fish Head Ming, his light brown pupils resembling those of a leopard.
Yu Tou Ming shuddered, muttering under his breath, "I've already given up the warehouse, rent, rent..."
Unable to bear it any longer, Mr. Smith stepped forward and handed him a small ring-top cigar: "Mr. Smith, the air here is too polluted; it's not a place for a gentleman like you to linger."
"Why don't we go outside and talk about that 'Golden Ingot' with odds of 38?"
"Good! That's a good idea." Smith, the foreigner, took the cigar, smiled, and walked out.
Lin Guoji quickly followed, walking past Yu Touming. He muttered under his breath, "Asking a foreigner for rent? Are you out of your mind?"
That cigar cost 100 yuan; remember to pay the difference next time you pay the fare.
One hundred dollars?
That lousy cigar is only worth a hundred dollars?
Yu Tou Ming looked up in bewilderment, but Lin Guoji had already walked away quickly, standing beside the foreigner Smith, talking about the racehorse named "Golden Ingot".
……
That evening.
In Kowloon Walled City, Carrying Pole Wei still brought two bottles of double-distilled liquor and a fat roast goose to visit Lin Yuanshan.
However, compared to last time, Biandanwei was now taking a chance, even if it meant hitting a target.
Tonight, he walked along with a wide smile that almost revealed his back teeth.
About three hours ago, Lin Guoji suddenly came to Da Shun Mahjong Hall and said that the dock had already made arrangements and allocated Warehouse C for them to use.
The warehouse rent is 200 yuan per month, payable in full for two years.
Tomorrow, Biandanwei will go to the dock management office to pay the money himself. As for the smuggled goods, the bribes he has to make to various parties will have to be calculated separately later.
After listening to Biandanwei recount what had happened, Lin Yuanshan placed a roast goose leg on Xiaotu's plate and said casually, "The British get 4800 yuan for two years' rent."
"You'll have to spend money to host a banquet and invite the plainclothes police later, but now you actually have money to buy roast goose and double-distilled liquor to show your respect to me?"
"Hehe, before, when I forcibly led people into the dock, they definitely wouldn't dare to fully support me when they couldn't stand firm."
"Thanks to Mr. Lin for helping me get in touch with the authorities, as soon as word got out at the docks, my boss insisted on sending someone to give me 1 yuan for expenses." Biandanwei patted his pocket and smiled somewhat apologetically, "Indeed, there are still many places where the branch will need to spend money in the future."
Otherwise, I'll have to go to Lung Yu tonight, steam a grouper, and also serve some pier rats as a treat for you, Mr. Lin.
Lin Yuanshan waved his chopsticks, picked up his wine glass and clinked it with Biandanwei and Tietou: "Alright, alright."
It's alright if my big tap is just for show and I can't turn on the tap to support you guys for the time being.
Instead of going to Longru to show off his wealth, why bother with some lousy rat feast?
You'd be better off saving that money and getting some Western medicine to take back to your hometown. You could earn some money and also help alleviate the current shortage of Western medicine there.