Chapter 198: Advice to Gu Long and a Visit from an Old Friend
Central, Hong Kong Island — inside Ganghua Tower:
Yang Wendong looked at the dozens of photographs spread before him and couldn't help but laugh in amazement. "Seven cargo ships for just HK$3.5 million? That price is absolutely unbelievable."
Sitting beside him, Zheng Yuhua nodded. "Yes, the U.S. government originally planned to scrap those ships. Selling them to us saved them the trouble and cost of dismantling.
Tung Chao-yung also purchased eleven vessels—spent nearly HK$6 million. The price per ship was about the same as ours."
"Hm." Yang raised an eyebrow. "Is Hong Kong the only place in the world willing to buy these secondhand freighters?"
Zheng Yuhua explained, "Western countries generally don't use old ships because maintenance costs are too high. Labor is expensive over there, and workers are slow. Ships that need frequent maintenance just aren't worth it for them.
Meanwhile, developing nations don't have the capability or infrastructure to service large ships. Hong Kong is uniquely positioned — we have the technical base, logistics infrastructure, and cheap labor."
"That explains why there are so many shipping tycoons in Hong Kong," Yang mused.
He had never really thought about it before, but it made sense now. How had a single city produced world-class shipping giants like Pao, Tung, and Chao? Even considering Japan's postwar restrictions, there were plenty of other countries nearby, yet only Hong Kong became a breeding ground for shipowners.
Zheng continued, "But these old ships come with limitations. They're only good for point-to-point routes. Every time they go out, they need to return to Hong Kong for maintenance.
New ships, on the other hand, don't need that—they can sail globally without frequent checks. That's why many top Chinese and British shipping companies prefer to buy new vessels."
"Well, we don't need to worry about that for now," Yang smiled. "We'll focus on just transporting cargo between Hong Kong and fixed overseas points."
No wonder shipping tycoons like Pao started upgrading their fleets once they had enough money. To play in the global arena, you couldn't keep relying on old ships forever.
While Hong Kong was already one of the world's top transshipment ports, it was still only one of many.
If Yang wanted to take shipping seriously in the long run, he'd eventually need to invest in new vessels too.
Zheng added, "The seven ships will undergo final inspections in the U.S. before sailing to Hong Kong. They should arrive around the Lunar New Year. After some final maintenance and registration, they'll be ready to launch by early March."
"Good." Yang looked to Wei Zetao. "Old Wei, make sure Changxing Industrial is ready for mass production. As soon as the ships are ready, load them and send them out."
"No problem on the production side," Wei replied. "But for storage—these new suitcases take up a lot of space. We'll need extra warehouses, and we can't stack the boxes too high."
"Then buy nearby warehouses," Yang said without hesitation. "Or just purchase land and build new ones. There's no use sitting on Changxing Industrial's cash."
The money for the ships had come from Changxing Industrial's own accounts. Among Yang's many ventures, this was the biggest cash cow.
Real estate and shipping had incredible long-term potential, but it would take time before they saw real profits.
With capital on hand and banks willing to lend, buying land was the best investment—especially because Yang knew that in 1966, a real estate crash was coming. He could make informed, selective investments now.
Prime properties in Central that wouldn't fall much were one option. But another was low-valued warehouse or industrial plots, like the many empty lots around Tsim Sha Tsui.
They weren't expensive now, and even if the market dipped in '66, how much lower could they go? By the '70s, as Tsim Sha Tsui became a new commercial hub and the market expanded outward, those properties would skyrocket in value—whether developed and sold or held for income.
Plus, Changxing Industrial actually needed the warehouses. A multi-purpose investment like that was a win-win.
"Got it," Wei agreed. "Should the properties be held under Changxing Industrial or under Changxing Real Estate?"
"For now, keep them under Industrial," Yang replied after a moment's thought. "Later, when the land is ready to be developed, we'll sell it to the real estate arm at market price—maybe with a slight discount.
If you ever need land for new facilities, just make sure to buy extra. But don't let Changxing Industrial get involved in real estate development."
Real estate was a seductive poison for any company. Once they got a taste, it was easy to shift focus and slack off in their core business.
Changxing Industrial might be exceptional due to its high margins, but if they were allowed to develop real estate independently, it would be a slippery slope.
This was a rule Yang applied to all his subsidiaries—stick to your core business. If there was a good opportunity outside it, pass it to the relevant sister company.
"Understood," Wei nodded.
"Alright, that's it for today." Yang clapped his hands together. "Make sure all departments communicate well. Try to resolve things internally before coming to me."
Though his empire now spanned manufacturing, media, real estate, and shipping, there were still connections between all of them. Yang hoped the businesses could reinforce each other as they grew.
Later that afternoon, he headed down to the third floor to check in on his media companies.
Ganghua Daily was still on track, with steadily growing circulation. As he passed through the editorial office, he spotted Gu Long preparing a manuscript.
"Mr. Xiong," Yang called out with a smile. "How's the writing going lately?"
"Mr. Yang?" Xiong Yaohua looked up, startled. He seemed lost in thought. "I just submitted my manuscript. The novel is finished.
Now I'm thinking about what to write next. Mr. Qin wants my next book to start immediately—no breaks between serializations."
"That's a tight schedule," Yang nodded. "It's hard to jump into a new novel right after finishing one."
Unlike modern web novels that could start with little planning, writers like Jin Yong and Gu Long needed a solid outline before they even began. Without the internet, researching background material was even harder—it all had to come from imagination.
Xiong nodded. "Yeah… but Mr. Qin recently raised my pay again, and I'm planning to buy a house. So I need to write something new quickly."
"You're buying a house?" Yang asked. "So you've decided to settle in Hong Kong? I thought you were still considering moving back to Taiwan?"
"I was," Xiong said. "But my wife's pregnant now, and my career is here. So we've decided to settle in Hong Kong for the time being.
Once the child is older, we might consider moving back."
"Sounds like a good plan," Yang nodded.
"I originally wanted to buy a unit in our own Ti Xiang Shijia project," Xiong added, "but the down payment is too steep. I just can't afford it yet."
"Don't worry about it," Yang laughed. "Go upstairs and talk to Zheng Zhijie from Changxing Real Estate. Tell him to prepare a unit for you.
If you're short on funds, treat it as a loan from me."
There was no doubt Gu Long would eventually make enough to pay off a modest flat. Right now, he was just getting started and didn't have the fame or fortune yet.
But Ganghua Daily had already benefited greatly from having him onboard.
Xiong's face lit up. "Thank you, Mr. Yang! Once I get home, I'll only sleep eight hours a day—use the rest to write as much as I can!"
"Good," Yang chuckled. "By the way, I've got a suggestion for your next novel."
"Please," Xiong said earnestly.
Yang said, "I've read a lot of martial arts novels. Most focus on revenge and vendettas. Jin Yong's books emphasize national grievances and heroism.
Why not try something in between?"
"Something in between?" Xiong looked confused. "You mean combining martial artists with government officials?"
"Exactly," Yang said. "In most stories, the government is completely absent. But in reality, it wouldn't make sense for a bunch of armed men to run around in broad daylight without interference, right?
What if the martial arts world had to reckon with official power?"
"That makes sense," Xiong nodded. "A protagonist caught between both worlds could make for some interesting conflicts."
Yang continued, "How about a brilliant detective-type protagonist? A wandering swordsman who also solves crimes. He could help the government solve cases—what do you think?
People love those mystery elements. Tons of movies are built around stories like that."
"A detective?" Xiong thought for a moment. "But if he's that free-spirited, why would he help the authorities? And if he officially joins them, doesn't that kill the martial arts feel?"
Yang grinned. "What if he was framed? Forced to prove his innocence by solving a case? Then the plot unfolds from there—maybe it's all tied to a prince's plot to usurp the throne."
"Brilliant!" Xiong's eyes lit up. He grabbed a Post-it pad from his desk and started jotting ideas down. "I carry these everywhere now—helps me capture thoughts on the fly."
"Good habit," Yang said approvingly. "Better to write it down than try to remember it."
They discussed the idea further, and Xiong eventually left the office, grinning ear to ear. "Mr. Yang, if you ever write a novel, you might just become a martial arts legend yourself."
"I've got ideas, not the writing skills," Yang laughed.
In truth, he had just pitched the core plots from Lu Xiaofeng and Li Xunhuan from his previous life, hoping Xiong would craft them into something fresh.
These detective-style wuxia stories were naturally engaging. In a few years, when Yang expanded into film and television, they'd also be easier to adapt into screenplays.
Of course, he had only provided the narrative direction—he hadn't shared any specific moves or plot resolutions.
With his core businesses all stabilizing, Changxing Group was now fully on track.
In January, Yang attended another land auction and acquired two more residential plots for future luxury developments.
By late January, a special guest arrived at Changxing Industrial. Yang personally went to the entrance to greet her.
"Ms. Elena, welcome," he said warmly.
The visitor was none other than the white woman who had helped him break into business in the very beginning.
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/johanssen10