wavenovel Chapter 116, Part 3: The Old Man Bullies the Young Dog
Chapter 116, Part 3: The Old Man Bullies the Young Dog
The mornings in Wangjingwei begin with mist and haze.
The village is nestled against a low hill, which resembles a warm palm, gently supporting this land.
Nansha Ridge to the west and Linkeng Mountain to the southwest, like two overlapping emerald screens, filter the salty sea breeze blowing from Houhai Bay into a gentle breeze.
Turtle Mountain lies prostrate on the ground to the northeast, its rounded ridgeline appearing and disappearing in the thin mist, silently guarding the edge of this plain.
After crossing the Tianshuiwei Canal, we arrived at Wangjingwei Village.
Chen Guanjiang looked at the group of more than twenty people not far away, bought some well water from a farmer, brewed a pot of tea, and waited for the unwelcome guests to arrive.
Before long, the oxcart arrived.
These strong young men helped the three elderly men off the oxcart, and Chen Guanjiang stepped forward to greet them in turn, saying, "Grandpa Deng, Grandpa Huang, Grandpa Xue..."
The eldest man, Old Master Xue, rubbed his back and said with displeasure, "Why doesn't the little brat come into the village? Why do you have to talk in this peasant's house? There's not even a place to sit."
"Hehe! I'm used to living in the city, so I like to see the scenery in the countryside. Don't take offense, old man." Chen Guanjiang glanced at the tire tracks on the ground with a forced smile.
Since ancient times, imperial power has never extended to the county level!
Unlike towns, rural areas are governed by blood ties, making governance extremely costly. Even the Hong Kong government only established the Government of the People and did not truly form an effective rule.
Before even entering the village, they attracted more than twenty armed young men. If they entered the village, who knows how many people would surround them.
Although the number of vehicles visiting Wong Tsing Wai to inspect the site has gradually increased since the news of the acquisition of the 480 million square feet of land spread, it is impossible for an ordinary car to leave such a dent.
In particular, Chen Guanjiang has already found out that the fortune teller last time had taken money from the Ma family, which is why he ruined the marriage between his third sister and Li Peicai's family.
The reason is not hard to guess: the speed of the news agency's development is simply too fast. It not only completed its listing but also acquired a 25% stake in wireless.
Given time, they will surely target the Oriental Daily News. The Ma family's move can be seen as a preemptive strike, and the Shaw Brothers and the Li family may well be behind it.
As a result, Chen Guanjiang would naturally be wary and would not easily take any risks.
Even if all 383 villagers of Wangjingwei were armed, they could still escape the village with the help of eight bodyguards escorting them to a vehicle.
However, if the Ma family sends a large number of gang members into the village, even if Chen Guanjiang hires a bodyguard company, it will be of no use.
It wouldn't be surprising if the Ma family dared not gather in large numbers with guns in the city, but it wouldn't be surprising if a bomb appeared in a rural village in the New Territories far from Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.
As for whether the Ma family sent anyone, the brand-new tire tracks and dents on the ground already tell the story.
Besides, even without the Ma family, Chen Guanjiang wouldn't have entered the village. Who knows what kind of contract he would be forced to sign by the villagers after entering?
"Cough cough..."
Old Master Xue covered his embarrassment with a cough, sat down and said, "Never mind, let's talk here."
The three elders and one child sat at the square table.
Chen Guanjiang asked with a smile, "Three great gentlemen, what will it take for this junior to allow us to begin construction?"
"Why…"
Old Master Huang sighed and said, "This land has been passed down from generation to generation. How will you, our descendants, live? Mr. Chen, you should at least provide us with some security."
Chen Guanjiang asked with a smile, "Then how can I ensure this?"
The three old men exchanged a glance.
Old Master Deng took out a list from his pocket and handed it over, saying, "As long as Mr. Chen meets the above conditions, the villagers of Wangjing will definitely cooperate in building the farm."
Chen Guanjiang took the list, but the more he looked at it, the more he wanted to laugh.
Building a school, constructing a hospital, donating a building, or repairing a highway—this is not just asking for the moon; it's like trying to squeeze every last drop of urine out of a toad.
In many places, the tolerance of criminal gangs stems from this reason: local authorities can only manage illegal and criminal activities, but not shameless ones.
Reasoning with them is useless; they are unreasonable and will drag their feet to prevent construction until the developer's cash flow runs dry. Only then will they be able to achieve their goal.
For example, the famous "Eye of Haizhu" was offered an 80-square-meter resettlement house and 24 yuan in compensation by the local government, but a certain woman refused to move because she knew that her house was in the most critical location.
After repeated delays, the compensation was raised to 400 million yuan, but the demand for 1500 million yuan was still unrealistic. In the end, the construction company was forced to abandon the demolition and revise the blueprints, leaving behind the unsightly "Eye of Haizhu".
A woman couldn't understand why, since modifying the blueprints to build it in a "split" configuration would have been more expensive, they didn't just give her 1500 million.
Little did they know that they couldn't give it to her. If they did, the other residents affected by the demolition would cause trouble, and the cost of 1500 million yuan per household would be even higher.
and so!
While it cannot be denied that the existence of most gangs is indeed illegal and criminal, it is precisely because of the existence of such people that gangs can never be eliminated, and the so-called construction of civilization can never be achieved.
After all, not every place is this awesome!
The project's renovation and extended construction period, along with the increased difficulty, will cost at least 1 million more. The lengthy process of obtaining and dismantling permits, negotiating, and handling legal matters will take ten years.
In addition, there are hidden costs that are difficult to quantify, such as traffic efficiency, safety assurance, roadbed reconstruction, delays in development, and shortening of pedestrian bridges.
Civilized demolition is indeed civilized, but civilization should not be a lose-lose situation, and even less should it be the price of civilization borne by all taxpayers and the public.
In such situations, community organizations are necessary; their use of force and violence against shameless individuals might be a form of civilization.
"I cannot accept this condition!"
Chen Guanjiang put down the list and continued, "The condition of building a large building for the villagers within ten years remains unchanged. I can agree to build a highway immediately. This is my final offer of sincerity."
"The villagers are honest and kind; Mr. Chen, please don't try to deceive us."
Old Master Xue shook his head and refused, saying, "What year is 'within ten years'? I don't even know how many more years I have left to live. You should at least show us some visible sincerity. Besides, hospitals and schools are also essential."
According to the villagers of Wong Tsing, the road construction was not a sincere effort. Whether it was transporting hay from Wong Tsing Wai and Tin Shui Wai or supplying fresh milk to Hong Kong and Kowloon, Chan Kwun-kong needed a road built.
Building a large building within ten years shows a lack of sincerity. Who knows how the negotiations with the University of Tokyo will go? If the two sides reach an agreement but the University of Tokyo refuses to acknowledge it, Chen Guanjiang will probably run away immediately.
after all!
They had the final say before the cattle farm was built, but they will immediately lose that power once it is completed.
If they dare to cause trouble again and cause a work stoppage, the workers will stop receiving their wages and will naturally retaliate against them. The number of able-bodied young people in the village is simply no match for the number of workers.
Therefore, they want tangible benefits now, not a promise that is out of their control.
Chen Guanjiang sighed and said, "If you don't agree... then there's nothing I can do."
"If you don't agree, the site can't be built!"
"Yes! We can't let him build the facility!"
"What right does an outsider have to use our land!"
“…………”
The words had barely left his mouth when they sparked a wave of outrage among the crowd.
The three old men drank their tea without stopping it, or perhaps it was their doing to give Chen Guanjiang a hard time.
"The Far East Group will officially start construction in three days. I'd like to see if this project can be built," Chen Guanjiang said as he slowly stood up.
Old Master Xue tapped his cane and said, "Little child, do you really want to make such a scene?"
"Are you sure I'm the one making a scene?"
“…………”
For a moment, tensions rose between the two sides, but neither side had any reservations and was willing to turn against the other on the spot.
Seeing that the other party would no longer answer, Chen Guanjiang turned and walked away. The villagers around him, who were armed, glared at him angrily but ultimately dared not stop him. The three old men knew they could not stop him and dared not speak up to stop him.
From the moment Chen Guanjiang saw the list, he knew that the two sides could no longer negotiate, because the conditions were completely endless.
What level of educational resources should a school have? Is it the educational level of a secondary school? Or the teaching staff of a university?
What level of medical resources does the hospital need to have? Is it the level of a veterinary clinic? Or world-class medical standards?
The answer is: We can only continue negotiating!
Agreeing is a compromise, which will lead to more stringent conditions and endless negotiations and tests.
Of course, this also made Chen Guanjiang even more convinced that there must be someone backing Wangjing Village. Fortunately, Chen Guanjiang was not alone.
"Mr. Chen, what should we do? They're sure to cause trouble on the day construction starts!" Yu Yisheng said helplessly.
"Let them cause trouble... let them cause trouble."
Chen Guanjiang spoke nonchalantly, but his eyes kept looking around. He quickly found an excellent spot and pointed to Linkeng Mountain, saying, "Reverse the car to Tianshuiwei Canal and we'll go up the mountain."
"Up the mountain?" Yu Yisheng's face turned green.
Although Linkeng Mountain in the southwest is not like the wetlands in the southeast, it is still full of mosquitoes and dense vegetation. I don't understand why Chen Guanjiang went up the mountain.
The convoy drove out of the Tianshuiwei Canal and made a temporary stop in Tianheng Village. Chen Guanjiang began selecting materials from the trunk, leaving two bodyguards to watch the car while the rest of the convoy went up the mountain.
Upon arriving at the designated location, Chen Guanjiang observed the only road leading to the outside world from Wangjingwei, setting up his long cannon and constantly adjusting the focus, leaving Yu Yisheng dumbfounded.
"Mr. Chen, what's going on?"
"Shh! Be quiet, they're here..."
Following the direction of the viewfinder eyepiece, Yu Yisheng saw a convoy of vehicles driving out of Wangjingwei, with people standing on the cargo boxes of the two large trucks.
Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that some of the people also carried pistols and homemade hunting rifles, which made Yu Yisheng tremble and lose his balance.
Chen Guanjiang calmly pressed the shutter and took several photos, then quickly packed up his camera and tripod, his gaze coldly fixed on the gradually dissipating Wangjingwei.
Without a doubt, these people came for him. The Ma family in Hong Kong and Kowloon could do nothing about him. The triads had been suppressed by the Hong Kong government like rats. No matter how powerful the police were, they had to kneel before the British troops stationed in Hong Kong.
Once they arrived in the rural areas of the New Territories, they had no scruples whatsoever. Even if they killed the entire group, they could blame it on the villagers' reluctance to allow land development, which caused a disturbance.
Conflicts between developers and holdout residents occur to some extent on almost every plot of land; the only difference is the intensity. Chen Guanjiang may have just been unlucky.
With no surveillance footage and no witnesses, it seems that everyone is more concerned about the assets Chen Guanjiang left behind than the cause of his death, including his biological parents.
When a person dies, it's like a lamp going out, or hot soup being poured on snow.
No one cares about the so-called truth, and the truth is even more meaningless to the dead.
"Mr. Chen...who are they?"
"Let's go back!"
Chen Guanjiang ignored Yu Yisheng and looked at Wangjingwei with a chilling gaze.
Since the three old men didn't mention it, it means that they were the ones who helped give it the green light.
After all, if they were to die, the Wangjingwei land, which was already connected, would most likely be developed for commercial purposes rather than for agricultural production, so they would certainly be happy to facilitate this.
However, Chen Guanjiang was not so happy.
Greed knows no bounds. Even though the cattle farm boosted the economy, these villagers still wanted to gain more commercial benefits, even though no developer had previously shown interest in the land.
Since that's the case, there's nothing to worry about anymore. Since we've already torn off all pretense, let's all just throw caution to the wind.
…………
Back at the Kowloon Society, Chen Guanjiang immediately called Henry Keswick, tearfully accusing him, "Mr. Henry, it's not that I don't want to build a cattle farm, it's just that they've gone too far!"
"The villagers in Wangjingwei won't let us build anything. They insist that I build them a school, a hospital, a large building, and pave a road. Should I just choose another plot of land to build on?"
“…………”
Henry Keswick suppressed his anger and said, "The land for the site doesn't need to be changed, and the construction dates don't need to be altered. Landmark will handle this."
"Thank you, Henry, you've truly saved me..."
boom! !
Henry Keswick didn't want to hear a single word of nonsense and hung up the phone immediately.
What the hell are these Wangjing villagers?
What kind of land dispute is this?
Back then, when the Qing Dynasty was forced to cede territory, what use was it for all the villages in the New Territories to resist? They were all a joke in the face of armed forces, let alone today, after nearly a century of rule.
In contrast, Henry Keswick hated Chen Guanjiang even more, this little mad dog who had repeatedly taken advantage of him.
He had lost count of how many times he had been used by the other party, but he had no choice but to be used in order to sell the dairy cows.
What's even more infuriating is that Chan Kwun-kong acquired a large amount of land in the New Territories, which completely contradicts the East University's philosophy on land.
Locals are eagerly anticipating that Dongda University will refuse to grant land leases beyond the expiration date, at which point Chen Guanjiang, who will lose everything, will become a pawn in their scheme.
In this situation, the local authorities certainly do not want Chen Guanjiang to get into trouble. If anything is to happen, it should be done by Dongda University. They will not allow him to take action against an important pawn for personal grudges.
Little did they know, this was an image deliberately crafted by Chen Guanjiang; only by walking a tightrope between the two sides could one reap the greatest benefits.
Ignoring Henry Keswick's feelings, Chen Guanjiang was only thinking about how to get revenge on the Ma family for their foolish behavior.
The best time to deal with the Ma family is, of course, when the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is established and a full investigation of the Ma family is launched.
At that time, we should launch another attack on the Ma family and, before other newspapers can react, quickly cooperate with the Independent Commission Against Corruption to defeat the Ma family, so as to completely take over the horse racing business of Oriental Daily News.
It seems the Ma family had anticipated this and wanted to resolve this problem before the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) was established. Chen Guanjiang has decided not to wait any longer.
After a thousand days of training, it's time to put some pressure on Hong Kong, which has been peaceful for so long...