August in Taipei felt like a vast sauna, the least physical effort resulted in a flood of perspiration and an enormous lethargy invaded the whole body. A tropical storm was brewing as Ennis arrived at the Mandarin Palace where Lily was waiting to meet him. She looked ravishing in an off the shoulder summer dress that only tall women seemed wear to the full effect. Her shoulders were golden and full and in spite of the oppressive heat she looked fresh, there was just the slightest glow of transpiration on her face and shoulders that gave her skin the appearance of satin.
‘Ni hao qin ai de,’ she said speaking with the soft musical voice of the Chinese upper class, rising and falling in perfect tones. Her depth of her smile betrayed her feelings, she was genuinely pleased to see him, a fact he found hard to believe, after all she had the whole world to choose from, he naively thought to himself.
He planned to spend a week in Taiwan. They had decided to visit Ali Shan to relax, a mountain park that few western visitors ever got to see, almost always disappointed by Taipei, with its heat and traffic to the point of wanting to get out as soon as possible.
First was priority was the meeting that Sutrawan had arranged with his cronies, he had insisted that Ennis be present. He had said to him, pointing a stern finger, ‘I command you to be there!’ With a theatrical fierceness, like the face of a king commanding his courtiers in Chinese television movies. Ennis realised he was not joking, he really was commanding him to be there, an order which he had little difficulty accepting as it coincided with his plan to spend some time with Lily.
Nevertheless, he was curious, for some time Sutrawan’s impatience with his European partners had been building up, he was becoming exasperated. Brodzski’s tactics were getting them nowhere, and the Indonesians were beginning to seriously doubt Papcon’s capability of raising the capital.
It was just as difficult for the Indonesian to comprehend the Byzantine inter-company politics of the Europeans as it was for Ennis to understand the Indonesians.
‘Look,’ he told Lily, ‘first I have to see Sutrawan and his friends, I hope you don’t mind.’
She knew what he meant, an interminable dinner and drinking, during which a few words to the initiated could mean an awful lot. He was beginning to understand some of the subtleties of those dinners, though when they insisted in talking in Taiwanese he was completely lost. He doubted the usefulness of the Mandarin Chinese that he had taken so much effort to learn. More than seven hundred million Chinese spoke Mandarin, but for business and secrets the overseas Chinese always reverted to their dialects, which few westerners ever managed to master, with the possible exception of Cantonese. Many overseas Chinese business people spoke as many as five languages, leaving the ignorant wai guo ren totally at their mercy.
‘Mei you guan xi,’ it does not matter, replied Lily. First business then holidays. It seemed to Ennis that she accepted men’s role in business easier than many western women would have done. Perhaps it was because the Chinese realised that the prosperity of the family depended on the success of their businesses. They knew that life was not easy. The Chinese had lived in a hostile environment for more than four millennia; their larger family concept demanded a greater submission of the individual than in the small Western family units.
The meeting for dinner was in a very unremarkable restaurant, in a private room on the first floor. The manager and staff behaved in an excessively obsequious manner towards them, it went beyond that of a restaurateur receiving his wealthy regulars. Ennis was right in suspecting that the owner was one of the clients of Scar Faced Fung’s protection rackets.
Ennis simply hoped that it would not last too long; he wanted to get back to Lily in a reasonably sober state. He had enough with smiling, drinking OX cognac and eating things, which he often disliked or even recognised. He enjoyed Chinese cuisine, but his taste tended more to the crispy well-spiced pork, and poultry dishes, as opposed to the steamed and fish dishes that Sutrawan preferred.
He did not recognise the guests of Scarface, but they seemed like the usual tough characters that associated were with him. Ennis always had the sneaking suspicion that one day he could end up in a barrel limbless, deaf, dumb and blind, if ever they suspected him of having crossed one of them. They politely ignored him after the introductions and they concentrated on Sutrawan and Fung.
As the dinner progressed, the conversation became more intense with the occasional glance in Ennis’ direction. Then Sutrawan announced to his astonishment that his friends were interested in the Barito project.
Ennis hoped that he had retained his surprise but he doubted it, he could not think why they should be interested in such business, it was obviously out of their class, in any case their participation was all to questionable, after all in plain English they were gangsters.
Sutrawan went on to tell him that they were invited to lunch the next day at the Hong Shing Insurance Company.
Shit! Thought Ennis, wondering how he could politely excuse himself. Insurance! That was furthest from his needs right then. He could see from Sutrawan’s face there was no way out.
Abruptly the dinner finished, it happened like that from time to time, without any explanation, it seemed like business had been concluded, each one of them suddenly had something else more important to do.
Ennis was left struggling with his cigarettes and drink like a child who had not been following in the classroom.
Back at the hotel suite, Sutrawan called for drinks and told Ennis to call Lily, which he did, feeling like a well-trained domestic animal.
‘Drink!’ Sutrawan shouted offering him a glass. He seemed to be relieved and pleased with himself.
‘The Hong family is very rich and powerful John. Tomorrow you must impress them as they are willing to help in the project.’
At such moments Ennis simply said yes, he was completely lost and there was no point in attempting instant understanding.
‘They are willing to put up equity, over one hundred million US!’ said Sutrawan. ‘Tomorrow you must put on a big show and talk about de Berne and the French Indo-China Bank, you know, and the Barito Consortium, convince them the project is good.’
Fine, he thought with resignation, but what authority do I have to negotiate or take a position with these people? I don’t even know who they are, and what does S.C.Gao think of these people?
Ennis could see himself being drawn into something that he was not sure he could control, but for the present there was no way out. The worse he could do for the moment was to listen.
He could not afford to upset Sutrawan. Finally with difficulty and feigning tiredness Ennis worked his way out and left with Lily returning to his own suite. It looked like they could not leave for Ali Shan until after the lunch date the next day with Hong Shing.
The next morning they rose early and took breakfast in the nearby market at a small food stall, seated at a rickety plastic table, on wooden stools. In spite of the appearance, the food smelt good. The morning was still relatively cool with a hint of freshness in the air. They ordered crispy Chinese doughnuts wrapped in a deep fried muffin-like sandwich, which they ate after dipping the sandwich into a bowl of sweet soya milk. Ennis enjoyed the simple pleasure and the noisy friendliness of the market, seated amongst the bright colours of the vendor’s stalls and their extraordinary arrays of fruit and vegetables.
After brief stop at Lily’s Antique Gallery, to say hello to her plain but bubbling cousin, they made their way over to the central station where they booked seats on the late afternoon train.
Ennis then headed back to the hotel to change for lunch and was in Sutrawan’s suite at eleven forty five. Danny Lau opened the door; he was in full swing preparing for their departure to the Hong Shing Insurance building. No drinks, Sutrawan was finishing his watery rice porridge, a late breakfast. Ennis had tried it, being his breakfast guest on many occasions. Sutrawan invited him to take a bowl, which he did, being polite but also because he knew that it would act as a retardant for alcohol, if there was to be any drinking.
They were driven over to the Hong Shing Insurance Building. Ennis not being sure of the exact arrangements resolved to simply listen and let the events unroll. Sutrawan was always rather subdued at that time of the day, tired after a long nights drinking and fornicating, probably more tired from the drinking than the rest - unless he was superman - as he liked people to believe.
Ennis discovered that the Hong Shing Insurance Building was over twenty floors high, it was an impressive building located on a prime site in the Taipei City business area. They rolled up in the usual procession, they were all together nine persons in the Cadillacs, including two of the gangsters whom he had met in the restaurant the previous evening. They could have fitted into two of the limos at a pinch, but Sutrawan wanted to arrive in style.
They were greeted by one of the managers waiting in the lobby who led them to a private lift that they took to the twenty-second floor where to his surprise they stepped out into another lobby, much more impressive than the public entrance on the ground floor, this one was private and a lofty three stories high.
In front of them, Mr Hong stood waiting before a huge block of polished white marble engraved with the company logo and a column of bright red Chinese characters. Hong was accompanied by his senior staff that Ennis soon learnt included two of his sons.
For the first time Ennis was surprised to see Sutrawan a little uncomfortable, like a provincial in an ill-fitting suit, cap in hand before his seigneur. In spite of his wealth Sutrawan was a relatively small fry compared to the Hongs, from Indonesia, a poor undeveloped country compared to Taiwan, he was evidently one of the socially inferior nouveau rich. The Hongs had a solid history of wealth and political connections, going back to pre-war days on the mainland when Chiang Kai Shek’s nationalist government was in power. The Hongs had managed Chiang’s family finances and continued to do so after his death and immortalisation, under the almost dynastic presidency of Chiang’s son and his successors.
Ennis, as always took his cue from Sutrawan, and went through the formality of bowing and paying obsequious respect to such wealth. There was a difference between the president of a company, appointed by its shareholders, and a man who personally owned, and had paid for - one hundred percent - the twenty stories that lay beneath his feet. In Asia the respect that was due was even greater.
They were shown into a private banqueting room, prepared in a princely style with an extraordinary display of fresh flowers under the sparkling light of crystal chandeliers. It betrayed tradition and severity, even the flowers were sober and stiff, there was none of the parvenu extravagance of Sutrawan’s overseas Chinese friends. This empire was built on solidity and continuity.
Ennis was placed next to Hong Xiao Wing, the second son of Hong. Hong went through the preamble of politely toasting the guests, with a light Chinese white wine, just sipping from the glasses. Sutrawan then speaking in Mandarin Chinese described the Barito project, then translating into English and asking Ennis to describe the details of the European consortium.
‘So Mr Ennis, your project is in need a financial partner!’ said Hong in a surprisingly direct manner, his voice was low and firm, tinged with a slight American accent. Ennis could feel that the full attention of the nineteen or twenty people seated around the table was focused on Hong, and then all eyes were turned as one towards him, waiting for his reply.
‘We are certainly interested in any serious offer for participation in our Barito project,’ Ennis replied politely.
‘We are serious people,’ Hong replied in a slightly mocking tone, amused by the thought that anybody could even consider thinking otherwise.
‘We have studied your project. Mr Sutrawan has confirmed that the Indonesian government is prepared to back it. We have also consulted our friend Mr Gao and Yu Mei Chih Pulp and Paper, so we are satisfied by the quality of the project and the work you have accomplished. What I would like you to do Mr Ennis is to inform your partners in Europe of our interest. Mr Sutrawan has informed us that we can rely on your discretion, so please discuss the details with my son, who is also a Senior Vice President of our organisation. We will expect you to inform us of the European position in fifteen days from now.’
Ennis could feel the penetrating eyes. He made an effort to avoid swallowing or showing any external signs of feeling or emotion; he tried to appear inscrutable in a true Chinese manner, and replied, ‘Thank you for your interest Mr Hong. I will certainly inform the partners as soon as I return to Paris. We shall come back to you promptly with our reply.’
Hong held his wine glass with the fingertips of both hands and offered a toast to his guests, looking directly at Ennis.
‘To our future success!’
Ennis thought, if we haven’t decided anything yet, then they certainly have.
They were driven back to the Mandarin Palace. Sutrawan was in a pensive mood; Ennis said nothing, waiting for him to comment on the meeting, but all he would repeat was, ‘Hong is a very powerful man!’
Later that afternoon Ennis saw Sutrawan briefly in his suite, he looked a little more relaxed and told him know that it had been a successful meeting. It was now up to Ennis to convince the consortium and warned he could not fail; otherwise Sutrawan would lose face with the Taiwanese.
It was evident that the Taiwanese role in the project was becoming increasingly important. However, Ennis did not think they could undertake such a project alone, though it seemed that they were prepared join the consortium, if only to take advantage of the European credits. Their objective was to acquire greater experience in international construction and engineering, on a scale that they had not been able to achieve up until that time, because of the risk and lack of credits in dealing with Indonesia. He realised that the ambitions of the Taiwanese, pushed by their government were not to be underestimated.
There was however a nagging suspicion about Fung’s probable links to the Taiwanese concessionaires and perhaps by extension to the Hongs.