The King of Shanghai

by Ian Hamilton

  “All I did was what you wanted.”

  “Do not be so modest.”

  It was Ava’s turn to shrug. “When you said a minute ago that you don’t want to give your brothers a reason not to vote for you, did it occur to you that going after Sammy Wing might already have done that?”

  “I do not think so, or at least I hope not. The attack on Wanchai, given the provocation, will be something they all understand as a reasonable response. What they will not grasp is why I let Sammy live and why I am letting him continue to pretend he is in charge of Wanchai.”

  “Why did you?”

  “I thought it was a good short-term business strategy.”

  “And the others won’t see that?”

  “They may not. Some may even think I am soft.”

  “That would be foolish of them.”

  “Foolish or not, it may give them a reason not to vote for me.”

  “What if it didn’t matter who they voted for?” Ava said.

  ( 38 )

  “I do not know if it is the painkillers I have been taking,” Xu said slowly, “but I am having problems understanding you.”

  Ava leaned forward and put her hand on the edge of the bed. A memory flashed of her laying her head on Uncle’s hospital bed, of his hand covering hers.

  “I went to Guangzhou yesterday,” she said.

  Xu became still, his face impassive. “Why?” he said.

  “To meet with Lam.”

  “Not Li?”

  “No.”

  “Lam asked you to go?”

  “No, I approached him through Uncle Fong. I requested a private meeting.”

  “And he agreed?”

  “He did.”

  “What compelled you to do it?” Xu said, shaking his head.

  “I’m not very good at sitting back and letting things happen.”

  “You were safe here.”

  “I wasn’t so sure. We had Wing under control but Li was still out there. You were here in this bed and Li would know you were badly hurt. So in my mind it became a question of what was better — to sit and hope Li wouldn’t come after either of us again or to do what I could to make peace. I’m fed up with Li trying to kill me, however incidental he claims the attempts have been.”

  “I understand your frustration,” he said. “But how did you think you would resolve anything by going to Guangzhou?”

  “I had some ideas I wanted to discuss. I was told that Lam was reasonable and had influence with Li. I thought it was worth a shot.”

  Xu stared at her. “Well, you made it back, so either you did not have the meeting or Lam was as approachable as you thought.”

  “I had the meeting.”

  “And was he reasonable?”

  “I think so, although the next twenty-four hours will tell the tale.”

  “What tale?”

  “Will it be peace or war.”

  “Not making peace does not mean going to war.”

  “I don’t believe that where you and Li are concerned. He’s tried to kill you several times, and he has to figure you’ll want revenge sooner or later. Will he wait for you to take it or come after you first? Either way, the violence will linger. Then there’s the question of the chairmanship. No matter how the vote goes, nothing will get resolved, Xu. If you lose, you spend two years hunkered down in Shanghai figuring out how to kill Li. If you win, you could spend two years fighting off a vengeful Li and his friends. Tell me, how many votes have actually been committed to you?”

  Xu paused. “Seven.”

  “Well, I would assume that if someone isn’t prepared to declare their vote for you, they’re prepared to vote against you. So that leaves you a lot of votes short of a win.”

  “And did you share that opinion with Lam?”

  “I was hardly that direct, and neither was he. In fact, we spent close to three hours just fencing verbally and trying to find common ground.”

  “And did you?”

  “Well, we finally agreed that to have Shanghai and Guangzhou battling each other was ultimately and inevitably counterproductive and probably destructive.”

  “There is nothing shocking about that conclusion.”

  “No, but then we tried to pinpoint the reasons for the animosity driving the conflict.”

  “I am interested to hear what he thinks they are.”

  “Two of the reasons are obvious enough: the contest for the chairmanship and the insecurity Guangzhou is feeling about becoming economically dependent on Shanghai.”

  “I can understand that the chairmanship race is making Li crazy, but how would killing me or starting a war help them economically?”

  “Lam says Li believes your lieutenants would be more inclined to co-operate.”

  “Then he doesn’t know my lieutenants.”

  “And, in truth, Lam doesn’t share that view either. He said that Li is old school, content with running drugs, women, and gambling. Lam is the one who values your products and respects your business acumen.”

  “They are making enough money with them.”

  “That’s only part of it. He says the police don’t care if they’re selling your devices and that a lot of his men have come to like a life without constant pressure from the law. His problem is that if the Guangzhou gang gives up some of the old business for the new and there’s a supply issue, they’ll have a huge problem with their members. In some ways he sounds like you when he talks about business.”

  “So did you promise to keep the supply lines open?”

  “I promised nothing other than I’d talk to you. He promised nothing in return, other than to talk to Li. We share some views, Lam and I. If you don’t want to hear them, then you won’t. If you do listen and then reject them, I’ll take myself completely out of the picture and you and Li can have at each other.”

  “What did you discuss about supply?”

  “Lam tells me that Guangzhou is your single largest market.”

  “It is.”

  “He wants you to commit to keeping them supplied on a prorated basis. He understands there will be shortages from time to time, but when there are, everyone should be affected equally.”

  “How will they verify that? Am I supposed to send them production reports?”

  “According to Lam — and I heard something similar from Sammy Wing — the territories talk to each other. They all know what everyone else is getting. It doesn’t take a math whiz to figure out if someone is being shorted.”

  “And committing to this prorated deal would make Li happy?”

  “It would make Lam happy, and that would be a good enough start. Let him worry about Li.”

  “You have that much faith in a man you have met once?”

  “Who said anything about faith? He has his self-interest, as we all do. I’m counting on him to look after his.”

  Xu smiled and gently shook his head. “Despite all the paranoia about supply, we have been trying to treat everyone fairly. If Lam needs my personal commitment, he will get it. I am as anxious to secure my markets on a long-term basis as he is about getting supplied.”

  “I thought that would be your reaction.”

  “So that leaves the other issue you mentioned — the chairmanship. What did you and Lam come up with that could possibly satisfy both me and Li?”

  “I’m not sure we have anything workable.”

  “But you have something you want to talk about?”

  “Yes, but first let me give you some background,” she said. “When I met with Sammy Wing and then with Lam, I tried exploring the idea of Li withdrawing his name. Both of them said that would never happen — Li is determined to win. Lam said it’s almost an obsession. He’s an old man and he thinks it’s his time. The chairmanship would be the crown of his career. Lam said he’s been mak
ing at least ten phone calls a day, every day for weeks. He’s offering whatever he thinks it will take to get a vote.”

  “And how many votes does Lam think Li has?”

  “He could have enough, but there is no certainty in the numbers. Lam says Li is as unclear about the outcome as you seem to be.”

  “And where does that uncertainty leave us?”

  “Maybe he’s prepared to strike a deal.”

  “You have lost me again.”

  Ava took a deep breath. The case she’d been constructing on paper seemed less plausible now that it was time to voice it. “Lam told me that the last four chairmen were acclaimed. He said this kind of contested election is unusual to begin with. Add in the fact that it’s between two powerful men who dislike each other intensely, and that makes for an uncomfortable environment for all your colleagues. None of them wants to make enemies, but it sure seems that’s what will happen, no matter who they vote for.”

  “I would never hold a grudge against anyone who voted for Li,” Xu said sharply.

  “Maybe not,” Ava said, surprised by the force of his assertion. “But I’m talking about their mindset, not yours.”

  “I can see how they would expect an angry reaction from me.”

  “And from Li if he lost.”

  “Of course.”

  “Anyway, as Lam was explaining this situation and talking about how confused Li is about the final vote, it struck me that instead of being on this path of certain alienation, you and Li should try to find a way to work together in harmony.”

  Xu leaned forward. “How can harmony emerge from this set of circumstances?” he said quietly, calmly.

  “It can’t. We have to change the circumstances.”

  He collapsed back on his pillows, looked up at the ceiling. “I cannot imagine what you have in mind.”

  “It isn’t my idea alone,” Ava said. “Lam warmed to it and helped me flesh it out.”

  “I am listening.”

  “Well, we believe that a joint chairmanship might be the solution.”

  “What?” His face was still impassive, but for the first time Ava saw a flash of anger in his eyes.

  “I know it sounds far-fetched, but as Lam and I talked about it, it began to make perfect sense,” she said quickly. “You and Li head up the two most powerful societies. If you worked together, there wouldn’t be any question of whether you’d have the complete respect and loyalty of your colleagues. You’d be giving them stability instead of uncertainty.”

  “They want more than stability.”

  “Things like growth and profitability and a way to carry their organizations forward for a new generation to take over?”

  “My words from our meeting in the garden come back to me.”

  “If they were true then, they’re true now. The way I see it, you and Li span two very different generations. The two of you represent the old and the new ways of doing business. You said in Shanghai that you need to find a way to build a bridge from the present to the future. What better way than having a man who represents the past working with a man who epitomizes the best of the present and the future?”

  “There is a lot of wishful thinking in those remarks. You are discounting Li’s character.”

  “No. What I just said is the message that you and Li would have to take to your colleagues. My understanding from Lam is that they have to agree to any major change in the way the chairman is chosen. That is a rationale we thought could be used.”

  “And do you honestly think they will believe for a second that Li and I could actually work together? It is quite a stretch to expect those guys to accept the idea of the two of us discussing and analyzing problems side by side, let alone reaching some kind of consensus.”

  “Yes, we know it’s an unlikely scenario. In fact, Lam said it was a complete non-starter.”

  “So why are we talking about it?”

  “We’re not. What we’re suggesting is that you alternate the chairmanship, each man taking one year. Both of you would agree to consult with the other during his term, but the final decision would rest with the man whose term it was.”

  “That is too complicated.”

  “Not really. All it takes is the willingness to say yes.”

  “And why would Li do that?”

  “Because he isn’t sure that he has the votes to win. So why would he risk losing when he has a chance to settle for something certain that will save his face? Besides, from what Lam told me, Li is very smart — maybe shrewd is a better word — but smart or shrewd, I bet he thinks he could manage you and that ultimately he would come out on top. Lam says that Li would most definitely want to be chairman for the first year. So all you’d have to do is get past that year, assume the chairmanship, and in a heartbeat Li is yesterday’s man. When it comes to politics, people have short memories.”

  “What if he will not step down?”

  “Do you really think that’s realistic? The two of you go to your colleagues, propose a deal that makes everyone feel secure, and then Li takes it upon himself to renege? I can’t believe for a second that it would be tolerated. That is, as long as you are still running Shanghai and Wanchai.”

  Xu closed his eyes and was quiet for a long time. Ava waited. One minute, two minutes, three minutes passed. Finally he said, “What you and Lam have come up with has some appeal.”

  “If you are in agreement, I’ll phone Lam. He was going to speak to Li this morning.”

  “What were his expectations?”

  “He thought Li would go for it.”

  “That gives me pause.”

  “You have thirty years on him and a pipeline full of products. You are the future. Why not throw Li a bone? Give him his year. It will be a year of peace for you, a chance to grow your business without having to look over your shoulder. There’s a certain irony to that, isn’t there. You give him what he thinks he wants, and then he’s done.”

  “Will you be talking to Lam?”

  “Our plan was to touch base after I spoke to you and he spoke to Li.”

  “When you reach him,” Xu said, “tell him I will call him.”

  Ava blinked.

  “I know Lam very well, mei mei. Eventually he will want to hear directly from me that I agree. We might as well make it happen now.”

  ( 39 )

  Ava took a taxi from the clinic to the Star Ferry terminal. Thirty minutes later she was in Central, where she bought a disposable phone and a sim card from a shop near the Mandarin. She called Sonny as soon as she stepped outside.

  “I have a new phone. Lam needs to know the number — Uncle Fong should pass it along.”

  “Okay.”

  “Ask Uncle Fong to confirm when he’s done it.”

  “I will. Is there anything else I can do?”

  “Not right now, but please stay available.”

  She walked to the hotel filled with a sense of anticipation. She’d fulfilled her side of the deal and now it was up to Lam to conclude his, and he couldn’t call her soon enough. She checked the new phone to make sure the ringer volume was set to maximum. As she did, her regular phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and saw a text from Amanda. Spoke with Gillian again this morning. No decision yet, and I think we have a problem. Call me if you can, it read.

  “Shit,” Ava said softly. “Why now?”

  She entered the Mandarin lobby and was almost at the elevators when the new phone rang. “Uncle Fong spoke to Lam. He has your number. He told Uncle Fong that you shouldn’t expect to hear from him till later,” Sonny said.

  “Thanks,” Ava said, her anticipation turning into impatience.

  When she got to her room, she went directly to the desk. She turned on her computer, and while it was booting up she placed the two phones on the desk within easy sight and reach. She checked her email and
saw that Amanda had sent the same message as in the text. Ava called Shanghai on the room phone.

  “Amanda Yee.”

  “It’s Ava.”

  “Thanks for getting back to me, and I’m so sorry I have to bother you,” Amanda said in a rush. “May said you were into something complicated and that we should leave you alone unless there was no other choice.”

  “What’s happened?”

  “I spoke to Gillian yesterday and then again this morning. Yesterday she was hesitant when I asked her what they thought about our offer. Today our conversation started the same way, until I pushed. She finally told me they had some reservations.”

  “What specifically?”

  “Our direct involvement in the running of the business.”

  “Is it Chi-Tze who’s the issue?”

  “She’s obviously part of it, but I don’t think it would matter who we wanted to put in there.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “I think Chi-Tze rattled them. The questions she asked really zeroed in on how demanding and difficult it will be to create this business from scratch. I believe they hadn’t grasped the full extent of it. They may be getting cold feet — this is a huge leap into the unknown. There’s no built-in customer base, there are no guaranteed orders, and there are no private label buyers and designers to give them direction.”

  “And they’re using our active participation as an excuse not to go ahead?”

  “Not directly. Gillian didn’t say anything negative about us. She just kept stressing that she and Clark are capable of running the business on their own and don’t need any help.”

  “Maybe she also sees this as a way of protecting him,” Ava said.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, he’s been in a controlled and comfortable environment ever since he started working, first with his father, then with his uncle, and then with the company that bought the business. They and the customers have provided him with structure and some degree of certainty. Maybe the reality of what he’s about to undertake has hit home. He’s going to be under tremendous pressure — it will all be on him. That may have brought out his insecurities. He might be feeling a need to be surrounded by people who are familiar and nonthreatening.”