Chapter 9

Two days passed, and finally, Wong Fei-hung managed to arrange a meeting with the newly appointed governor, Mr. Zheng, and the foreigners from England and America at the Western Restaurant in the Pearl River. He wanted to seek compensation from the foreigners for the injury of Uncle Nine.

Since Ye Xuan and Ah Cha Su had both studied abroad and could speak foreign languages, while Wong Fei-hung himself did not understand foreign languages, he brought the two with him to the meeting to facilitate communication regarding the compensation.

The meeting with the foreigners was scheduled for 10:00 AM, but when Wong Fei-hung and his companions arrived at the Western Restaurant, it was only a little past 9:00 AM. Since they had arrived early, they naturally did not wait outside, and Wong Fei-hung led the two into the restaurant.

"Ring! System Task: Defeat Mr. Jishan's bodyguard, Tiger. The system will award points based on Tiger's condition: 1000 cultivation points for a light injury, 2000 cultivation points for a severe injury, and deduct 1000 cultivation points for failure."

Just as Ye Xuan was about to step into the Western Restaurant, the system's task notification suddenly sounded in his mind. Hearing this task, Ye Xuan's expression darkened, realizing that today's negotiation would not go smoothly.

"Sir, I'm sorry, what do you need?" As soon as the three entered the hall, a foreigner in a white suit walked over, hands behind his back, and looked at Wong Fei-hung and his companions with a disdainful gaze, speaking in English.

In the eyes of these foreigners, the Chinese were an inferior race. The Western Restaurant was a place for the elite, and these poor Chinese could not afford Western cuisine. Some Western restaurants even had signs at the entrance that read, "No Chinese or dogs allowed."

Seeing the disdainful look from the foreign manager, Ye Xuan felt a surge of anger, and a cold light flashed in his eyes.

Wong Fei-hung's eyebrows furrowed, but he did not lose his temper. Instead, he turned to Ah Cha Su and said, "Ah Su, explain to the manager."

"Yes!" Ah Cha Su smiled confidently, stepped forward, and said in English to the waiter, "Excuse me, we have an appointment with Mr. Jishan of the China Pacific Company and General Wiggins of the British Navy. I believe they have reserved a table for us so we can have a relaxed discussion." He paused, smiled, and then turned to introduce Wong Fei-hung, saying, "This is our master, Wong Fei-hung. Please lead us to our reserved table, thank you!"

After several months of interaction, Wong Fei-hung and Ye Xuan had come to understand that Ah Cha Su, for some reason, always stumbled over his words when speaking Chinese but was very fluent in English. Therefore, they usually communicated in English at the Po Chi Lam, as speaking Chinese with him was too frustrating.

"Please, this way, gentlemen!" Upon hearing that these three had an appointment with General Wiggins of Britain and Mr. Jishan of America, the manager immediately put aside his disdain, extended his hand in invitation, and led them to their reserved table.

"Please sit down!" As the three sat down, an Arab waiter approached, handed each of them a menu, and said to Wong Fei-hung, "Sir, here is your menu!"

Wong Fei-hung opened the menu but found it was all in a foreign language. After a moment of hesitation, he closed the menu and said to Ye Xuan and Ah Cha Su, "Xuan, Ah Su, you two decide. Order a few snacks for us!"

In the end, the three ordered two cups of coffee, one cup of tea, and a few small snacks, and they began to wait while they ate.

They waited for nearly an hour before the newly appointed governor, the American businessman Jishan, and British Navy General Wiggins, accompanied by a few soldiers, walked in, chatting and laughing. Ye Xuan noticed a foreigner with long, dyed hair and wearing a red suit following behind the American businessman Jishan.

"Governor!" Seeing the group, Wong Fei-hung quickly stood up, walked to the middle-aged man in Qing dynasty official attire, and greeted him with a bow.

"Hmm, Wong Fei-hung, you arrived so early." The governor ignored Wong Fei-hung's greeting, merely nodding casually, and then warmly invited the two foreigners to their seats.

A flash of anger crossed Wong Fei-hung's face, but he quickly concealed it. The foreigners were powerful, and even the government feared them. Although he was determined to help the people, he was just a martial artist and a commoner.

Once everyone was seated, neither the governor nor the two foreigners gave Wong Fei-hung a second glance. The governor was particularly attentive to the two foreigners, engaging in constant laughter and conversation.

Ye Xuan stood behind Wong Fei-hung, listening to the governor ask about British customs and American culture, as if he had come here just to chat with the foreigners, completely forgetting about the matter Wong Fei-hung had come to discuss. A growing sense of frustration built up inside him. In contrast, Wong Fei-hung seemed unperturbed, sipping his tea as if the three people in front of him were mere air.

Half an hour passed, and the governor and the two foreigners chatted for a long time before casually mentioning the incident a few days ago when someone had mistakenly boarded a British merchant ship.

"Entering the ship of the British Empire without permission should have been punishable by death. However, for the sake of our relationship, the British Empire has decided not to pursue the matter. This is the stance of the British Royal Family. Governor, what do you think?" General Wiggins glanced at Wong Fei-hung and said to the governor in a calm tone.

"General Wiggins, your government is truly magnanimous," the governor smiled and nodded in approval, then turned to Wong Fei-hung and said, "Wong Fei-hung, General Wiggins of Britain and Mr. Jishan of the American merchant ship have both shown great magnanimity and will not pursue the matter of the vegetable vendor boarding the ship. You should not insist on seeking compensation. Let's put this matter to rest. What do you think?"

"Governor, Uncle Nine only went on the ship to sell vegetables, not to force his way in. He simply couldn't distinguish between the British and American flags. Sir, if Britain does not compensate, it is unfair to Uncle Nine. The people of Foshan are already aware of this matter. How will you appease the public?" Hearing the governor's words, Wong Fei-hung's eyebrows furrowed, and he clenched his fists as he asked the governor.

"Public anger?" Seeing Wong Fei-hung question him, the governor's face flashed with anger, and he sneered, "Wong Fei-hung, which government department do you represent? You are just a commoner. What right do you have to discuss policy with the government? The capital is currently promoting the Self-Strengthening Movement, and relations with the foreigners are harmonious. Don't let a trivial matter undermine the greater good of the court. Wong Fei-hung, a moment of patience brings calm, and a step back brings a broader horizon."

Standing behind Wong Fei-hung, Ye Xuan listened to the governor's words, and his hands, which were behind his back, slowly clenched into fists. A human life was being treated as a trivial matter by this corrupt official...

Wong Fei-hung was clearly angered by the governor's words, and his breathing became heavy. Ah Cha Su quickly opened his fan to help him calm down.

Taking a deep breath to calm his anger, Wong Fei-hung picked up a piece of bread from in front of him and said to the governor, "Sir, this bread is made from our flour."

"What, do you appreciate Western cuisine?" The governor was puzzled by Wong Fei-hung's sudden mention of bread.

"The foreigners have established concessions and restricted areas in our land. If we continue to suspect each other and yield to the foreigners at every turn, we will eventually lose even the flour to make our steamed buns." Wong Fei-hung looked at the governor, his face showing anger.

Seeing Wong Fei-hung dare to lecture him, and in front of the two foreigners, even though they did not understand Chinese, the governor felt his authority was being challenged. His face darkened, "Wong Fei-hung, I know you are a close friend of Liu Yongfu of the Black Flag Army. He thinks the court cannot reach him in the south, so he constantly opposes the court. The court has sent me south to watch over you and to set an example. If you persist in seeking compensation from the British, I will have you punished."

With that, he slammed his hand on the table, staring at Wong Fei-hung with a menacing look, clearly warning him that if he did not back down, he would be dealt with.

"Crack! Crack! Crack!" Wong Fei-hung's eyes widened, and his fists slowly clenched, the sound of his knuckles cracking indicating his intense anger. It seemed he was about to punch the governor in the face at any moment.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

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