San Pang returned to Yangli Village and went directly to the Yaochi Garden project department instead of going home.
"Fatty, you're back. Did you resign from Brother Mao?"
Liangliang greeted him enthusiastically. They had discussed resigning several times.
San Pang sat opposite him and offered him a cigarette. "I officially submitted my resignation to my master today."
"That's right. Your current financial strength is no less than Brother Mao's. Why are you still working for him? Brother Jian also agreed long ago for you to come back to work for the company. You've been dragging your feet for so long."
"It's not that I'm dragging my feet. It's just that I haven't seen my master much in the past six months. He just got back today. Besides, I still want to find evidence of his crimes for Brother Jian. I feel like my master is starting to go back to his old ways."
Liangliang was slightly stunned, then showed a dismissive expression. "Brother Jian doesn't need to catch Brother Mao's handle to deal with him. He can just find someone to do it. It's just that he doesn't want to cause trouble now and wants to settle his own case first."
"That's true. Without Hongxing's backing, my master and Baoguo have completely restrained themselves and are very cautious when they go out."
"Since you've resigned, when will you officially start working? I'll prepare an office desk for you."
San Pang's return to work at the company was arranged by Yang Jian. Yaochi Garden needed many management personnel, and San Pang could be a supervisor of a small department.
"Not yet. My master asked me to go on a business trip with him, which will take about a month."
"What the hell? You've resigned, so why are you still going on a trip with him? It's not drug trafficking, is it? Don't go. Come to work tomorrow, and don't have any contact with him anymore."
"But I've already promised him, and it's not drug trafficking, it's a mahogany business?"
"Mahogany business? Where are you going?"
"I haven't asked the specific location yet, but it's in a border area. The mahogany is brought in from Southeast Asia."
Liangliang didn't know much about this. "I advise you to refuse. Brother Mao is insidious and cunning. His business in the border area might not be legitimate. It might be related to drug trafficking. It would be terrible if you were used as cannon fodder."
"No way. I'm not going alone. He also asked me to hire a few people to go with me. They'll be paid 300 yuan a day, with all expenses covered. It shouldn't be fake."
San Pang didn't think there was anything wrong with it. With five or six people going together, what could happen to them?
"It's up to you. I don't think you need to take that risk. Just work here peacefully, and nothing will happen. He wouldn't dare to come here to settle the score with you."
Although Liangliang couldn't guess if San Pang's business trip would be risky, he always felt a sense of unease.
"Forget it. We've been master and disciple. He's never asked me to help him with anything. I'll help him one last time."
San Pang made a decision he would regret for the rest of his life.
A week later, San Pang and his five companions went to Hancheng Railway Station and boarded a train to the southwest.
These five companions were all former troublemakers he used to hang out with in Xinqiao Town. Since Shen Hua was shot and killed at Xiaosha River, the police had increased their efforts to manage public security in Xinqiao, making life difficult for these troublemakers.
When they heard that San Pang said they would get 300 yuan a day, they all vied to go. In the end, only his five closest companions came along.
The six train tickets were delivered by Brother Mao's men, along with 3,000 yuan for their travel expenses.
Their final destination was Dalou Town, Menghai County, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. Brother Mao said he would drive there to meet them.
With free train tickets and travel expenses arranged, this trip seemed very interesting. San Pang and his companions were very excited, playing cards and drinking on the train, having a great time.
They were originally ruffians. Although they hadn't gained much fame, fighting was a common occurrence, so no one dared to say anything about their unrestrained noise on the train.
After more than thirty hours on the train, they arrived at the provincial capital of Yunnan and then transferred to Menghai.
Brother Mao was indeed waiting for them in Dalou Town. This was a border port. Although it was a small town, it was very prosperous, with many tourists.
Brother Mao first took them for a big meal, booked them a guesthouse for a night's rest, and then took them to visit nearby scenic spots.
They visited famous local attractions such as "One Tree Forest," "Thousand-Hand Guanyin," and the "Expeditionary Force Memorial Hall."
Seeing elephants at Wild Elephant Valley and experiencing Dai culture made San Pang and the others linger, feeling that the trip was worthwhile. Brother Mao was too good to them. As long as he continued to do business here, they would definitely come with him again. Of course, San Pang was an exception. After this business was done, he would start working at Lijian Company.
"Master, when do we start doing business?"
After eating and drinking and sightseeing in Dalou Town for two days, San Pang went into Brother Mao's room after dinner.
Brother Mao handed him a cigarette. "I was just about to tell you. Tomorrow at noon, a man named Uncle Nan will take you across the border by water to Xiaomengla. Your task there is to count the goods and check the quality of the mahogany. Since mahogany is calculated by tonnage, some people often pour cement into mahogany, and some people use fake mahogany colored to pass off as genuine."
"But we don't understand these things!"
"Don't worry, just listen to Uncle Nan. He's an expert, and he just needs someone to help him."
"Master, aren't you going?"
"I need to stay here to coordinate, rent venues, and find trucks. I'm too busy alone, so I asked you to come and help."
"Then, will there be any problems crossing the border? We don't have passports or border passes!"
"You don't need to worry about any of that. Uncle Nan will help you with it. This place isn't that strict, and nothing will happen. Go and inform them to get some rest early, and start working tomorrow. As long as this business is successful, we'll open up this channel, and we'll come here often in the future. When I make money, I'll definitely give them a raise."
With the grand plan laid out, Brother Mao knew that those young men would be tempted. He had already let them taste the benefits of traveling in the past two days, so they wouldn't doubt the upcoming itinerary.
San Pang didn't notice anything wrong and turned to convey Brother Mao's plan to his companions.
Brother Mao also went out and walked into a nearby folk museum, knocking on a room on the second floor.
"Brother Nan, I've already spoken to him. You can take them across the border directly tomorrow, and there won't be any accidents."
Sitting opposite Brother Mao was a thin, dark-skinned middle-aged man. This was his partner here, Nan Feng. No one knew if this name was real.
Nan Feng took out six stacks of ten thousand yuan cash and placed them in front of him. "This is half the deposit. You'll get the other half after they get on the boat. Do you have any objections?"
Brother Mao's expression turned a little unpleasant, as this was different from the price they had agreed upon earlier.