Original subtitles

Business

can make a nation

as well as break a nation.

The essence of great business

is to manage the household,

govern the nation,

and bring peace to the world.

Mr. Lin.

I'll wait on the side.

It's all right. Go home first.

Not bad. Come on.

Mr. Lin, you're here.

- Come on inside. - Okay.

Congratulations, Mr. Huang.

Come to me if you need anything.

I'll ensure it goes well.

You can prepare the fabric

to make me a suit.

Thank you.

Hung-ta.

The fact that you convinced Master Chuang

is very impressive.

The fact that I'm able to survive until now

wasn't easy either.

Later on, within Chunghua Cement,

I'll surely give you a good position.

Godfather.

You're here.

Great job, you two.

I, Ma Renfu,

should really show my appreciation to you both today.

What's with these cups?

Get new cups, big ones.

- Here you go, General Ma. - Oh gosh.

It's such a fine day today,

I must use big cups to toast to you two.

Here, bottoms up!

You gave us this chance, General.

I'm at your service.

I'll surely help you establish political power.

Hung-ta.

Have you had too much to drink?

We're at Yenhua Club.

Establish political power?

Jiangshan Restaurant is on Chongqing North Road.

Masami.

Go and sit there.

Congratulate Mr. Lin Teng.

He

will become

Chunghua Cement's president!

Thank you, General.

Come.

You're getting prettier.

General.

What's going on?

While you were in Shanhua

taking your sweet time

watching and singing opera,

Fifth Master Kao

announced

that he would donate approximately 5,000 hectares of land

in support of the government.

But Fifth Master Kao

keeps a lower profile.

He doesn't want to advertise it.

Then when I reported back to you, why didn't you say anything?

Fuck you!

Do you have stars on your shoulders?

Do I need to report this to you?

Without letting me know ahead of time,

you advertised in the papers.

If Fifth Master advertised afterward,

he would come off as a fucking follower.

Do you think Fifth Master is someone who would do that?

Godfather.

Let's have a toast for Mr. Lin Teng.

General.

Cheers.

You're humble and competent,

unlike some people,

who merely did what they're supposed to do

and advertised in the papers

to show off

and kept bragging to women.

Masami, come.

Dance with me.

Okay.

Military men

speak more crassly.

Don't mind him.

Mr. Lin, congratulations.

I'll be needing your guidance in the future.

Not at all.

Chunghua Cement's privatization--

Mr. Lin,

too much humility makes one phony.

Pour the wine!

Lin Teng.

Come.

Come and dance. I'm old, I don't have the stamina.

Come, enjoy with Masami.

I can't dance.

Come.

You're out to relax.

Come.

Mr. Lin.

You didn't drink much at all.

Why is your face getting flushed?

I can't drink much alcohol.

You were observing me?

I'm just concerned about you.

Don't just sit here.

Sleep.

What?

What are you doing?

Face!

Face!

That's not fair!

- You yell "face" and attack the leg. - I'm so good!

Let's go again after we eat.

You're too good.

However,

sometimes you don't use kendo methods.

I often fight with people.

They don't use kendo methods either.

Since I've taught you kendo,

and you've learned it,

we should seek to improve those skills.

It's fine as long as I win.

It's different.

What's the difference?

If you want to win,

you must do it the right way.

If you lose,

lose with grace.

If you win,

no one cares how you do it.

If you can't accept it,

try to win against me then.

Come on.

He's here!

Lin Teng.

Lin Teng.

1954, TAIPEI, ZHONGSHAN RESTAURANT

It's very festive today.

So many people have come.

Mr. Lin Teng.

- Congratulations! - Congratulations!

We're all counting on you now.

I'll do my best.

- Lin Teng, congratulations! - Congratulations!

You're the company president.

Congratulations.

Lin Teng.

It's such a big day today.

Let's take a photo as a memento.

- Come on. - Let's go.

Let's all take a photo together.

- Come. - Let's take a photo.

WELCOME TO THE CHUNGHUA CEMENT SHAREHOLDERS MEETING

We shall now proceed

with the chairman candidate nomination and election.

- It has started. - According to the current tally of equity,

Taipei's Kao family,

Lukang's Hu family,

Shanhua's Chuang family,

Keelung's Wu family,

Kaohsiung's Wang family,

Hsinchu's Huang family,

Taichung's Liu family

Sinkang's Yao family,

Tainan's Kuo family,

Taoyuan's Chao family,

Tainan's Liao family,

and Tainan's Ding family

are among the over 40 largest shareholders.

We shall now begin

the chairman nomination and election.

Please raise your hand for nominations.

Excuse me.

Mrs. Lin.

Why have I never seen

Mr. Lin's suit?

I nominate

Kao Pai-lu of the Taipei's Kao family,

Fifth Master Kao.

I nominate

Liu Hao-yu of the Taichung's Liu family for the position.

I nominate

Tainan's Liao family's Liao Wan-chien.

All right.

Those in favor

of Taipei's Kao family's Kao Pai-lu as Chunghua Cement's chairman,

please applaud.

It'll be Lin Teng's turn later.

Those in favor

of Taichung's Liu family's Liu Haoyu

as Chunghua Cement's chairman,

please applaud.

Then

those in favor of Tainan's Liao family's Liao Wanchien

as Chunghua Cement's chairman, please applaud.

All right.

Congratulations to Mr. Kao Pai-lu

for being elected

as Chunghua Cement's first chairman after privatization.

Please applaud!

It's coming!

Next,

we will nominate and elect

the president.

Chairman Fifth Master Kao, please make the nomination.

Are you sure Lin Teng will be the president?

- Relax. - For your regard for the Kao family,

I'm sincerely thankful.

The position of the president

comes with great responsibility.

After much consideration,

I've decided to concurrently serve as the president,

and Huang Hung-ta will serve as the assistant vice president.

Together, we will work to privatize the company.

Thank you, Chairman.

So Kao Pai-lu, Fifth Master Kao, will serve concurrently as president.

- What's going on? - And Mr. Huang Hung-ta

- Mrs. Lin. - will be

- Shouldn't Mr. Lin be the president? - the assistant vice president.

- Why wasn't he nominated? - Please applaud.

Lin Teng.

This game isn't one you can play.

However, my friend,

I won't mistreat you.

At least,

you still have me as a friend.

Lin Teng.

How did this happen?

Wasn't there an agreement?

All right.

Let's go home.

You look very handsome today.

You go home first.

Welcome.

You know everything, right?

Your godfather has been using me from the start.

Speak.

I thought

Mr. Lin Teng was gentle and refined.

It turns out

you're like all other men.

I simply want to know

what exactly happened.

Not long ago,

my godfather gave me two sets of measurements

and asked me to make two suits.

Later on,

one was delivered to Fifth Master Kao.

CHIEN-FUNG COMRADE

And the other

to Master Chuang.

Get the car ready.

We're going to this place.

Yes.

In that case,

Mr. Lin in the living room…

Give him a cup of tea and a cigarette.

When he finishes the tea, let him go.

If he doesn't leave, give him more.

Yes.

What Mr. Chien-fung wants

is for one to be Chunghua Cement's chairman

and the other its president.

I'm not interested in your plans.

I used to be

from Wollonggong, a carefree man.

If I give up the most land in Taiwan,

just being the president is not enough.

But I'm interested in that young man, Huang Hung-ta.

If you give him a good position,

I will agree to Chunghua Cement's terms.

All right.

I'll make it happen.

Mr. Lin.

It's too late.

You're useless!

You took all of the Huang family's land and traded it for stocks?

Do you know how close General Ma is to us?

Even if you don't donate the land,

in Chunghua Cement,

he still would've given you a position!

During the Civil War,

even the cost of keeping women

and opening up shops came from the Huang family!

What does Ming-chiu love about you?

It's just a few patches of worthless land,

is it really worth all this fury?

Shut up!

You married this useless man

to sabotage the Huang family,

didn't you?

You really think the Huang family is so great?

We have but two run-down houses,

and you yammer on all day.

Letting you carry Huang's name

has brought shame upon us!

You…

Uncle, I apologize.

I'll handle everything.

The heaven

has doomed the Huang family.

Where did you go just now?

Where did you get

this suit made?

What?

A woman made it?

What if it's a woman?

Is it that Japanese woman?

What do you want to know?

Can you ask them all at once?

Before this,

did she also sew that button for you too?

So what if she did?

You and her…

She is General Ma's goddaughter.

I approached her

for General Ma

and for Chunghua Cement.

All right?

Lina.

- Get me Masami! - Your name is Masami, understood?

- Masami. - Mr. Huang.

Your Masami is here!

Mr. Huang.

- Young master! - Have a drink.

Have a drink.

Young Master, have a drink!

Don't do that!

Shut up.

- Young Master! - Young Master!

Masami.

Mr. Huang.

I'm sorry.

We're closed.

You don't like me?

What makes me inferior to Lin Teng?

- Why don't you like me? - We're closed.

Mr. Huang!

Don't!

Don't do this!

Mr. Huang!

No!

Don't!

MASAMI WESTERN CLOTHING

Do you know

what you are doing right now?

Lin Teng!

It's you again.

What?

Are you a sore loser?

You come here to play the hero?

Sure, try me.

Come on!

Come on.

Aren't you so capable?

Come on.

Aren't you very competent?

Go.

Master Chuang wants you to get up.

Follow me.

I used to pity this dog

and often fed it.

Later on, I stopped feeding it,

and it turned on me.

What are you doing?

Gross.

Do you understand now?

Deal with a dog the way you should.

This is for you.

I can't take it.

Your mother gave this to you.

Just take it.

You gave me food

and taught me kendo.

You keep losing though.

Just take it.

If you see me as your friend,

cut the crap.

Fine.

I'll keep it well.

Before the Nationalist government arrived, Kuo-hui and I had already met.

He collected resources and arms

for the government at the Resource Provision Bureau then.

The Nationalist government relied heavily on him.

Master Chuang.

Please don't say that.

If not for your support and guidance,

I would not have done it.

Right?

Young man,

when carrying out business,

we must be open about it.

There's no need to sneak around.

So much money.

Even if we work for years,

we won't be able to make this amount.

Here.

A bonus for you.

Thank you.

So generous.

I want some too.

All right. Everyone gets some.

- Everyone gets a share, here. - So greedy.

How can I miss out on a bonus?

Fung-yi, your hearing is so good.

Here.

All the pretty girls can get some.

You're with a child, you get double.

Thank you.

Don't say that.

Don't be a stranger.

Master Chuang.

Here's a toast to you.

A toast to you.

Young man, you too.

Here.

Come here.

Let me introduce you.

This is Tang Yue.

Tang Yue, from the film Return to Me Someday.

This is the Resource Provision Bureau chief, Chou Kuo-hui.

Hi, Chief.

Hello.

Won't you have a drink with the chief?

I just finished working on the set

and you want me to drink?

Have a drink with the chief.

All right.

You just came from a film set?

You've worked hard.

It's all right.

Drink what you want,

bottoms up for me.

Ms. Tang Yue, what film are you making?

Chief.

Mr. Huang.

Even if you're drunk,

you shouldn't have bedded Master Chuang's woman, right?

If word gets out,

how will you and Ms. Tang face people?

No.

I also don't know how this happened.

- I-- - Since it already happened,

I think we should handle this quietly.

What do you say?

Young man.

No.

Then tell me.

How much money do you want?

I'll give it to you.

Money?

I don't want it.

Let's do something

more interesting.

This is bad. There's no cement again.

- Let me through! - Will you get cement if you yell here?

You run a cement company, but don't have cement!

If you can't do your job, get someone else who can!

Stop!

Stop it!

Stop!

Stop it!

Fifth Master.

People downstairs want to trade for cement.

Now, even distributors with allocations are unable to buy cement.

It's affecting their livelihood.

The two factories in Kaohsiung and Suhua

were able to produce 250,000 tons a year in the Japanese era.

But after the war,

production dropped to only 90,000 tons a year.

And they're very unstable.

No two months have the same amount of output.

If production is unstable, there's bound to be months with no cement.

Will you fix this problem?

This problem needs to be fixed anyway.

To increase production, production lines must be upgraded,

but work needs to be stopped.

However,

military supplies must remain stable too.

Even if

we were to build new ones, it would take too long.

If you cannot change the production volume,

what do you want me to do?

Permits keep being issued,

land owners have too many of them.

What's this got to do with land ownership?

Rations are managed by the Resource Provision Bureau.

You need to talk to them about this!

Yes.

There's another thing I need to ask of you.

What is it?

Please don't sue

the people downstairs.

With you in Chunghua Cement, I thought

you'd be able to take care of us.

And now?

You've taken of us so well that we've run out of cement.

There's not enough cement

for us to distribute.

Yet it's everywhere on the black market.

Fuck!

Fuck!

Then we might as well save our money

and buy it from the black market!

The cement on the black market is smuggled.

There are issues with quality.

We can't do that.

Why not?

Lin Teng.

Don't you know?

There's good stuff on the black market too.

If you've got money, what can't you buy?

Where is it?

A bag of white rice!

Here, thank you!

Thank you!

Thank you, master!

Please come again!

Thank you!

Take care!

Over here.

This is a rice shop.

Just watch me.

Sir, hello.

What rice would you like?

What rice have you got?

Penglai rice,

Zaihsing rice, glutinous rice.

I have all kinds of rice!

Any kind of rice is here!

Do you have black rice?

Black rice?

Don't make me laugh.

Stop pretending.

Black Face sent me.

You got it?

Who is he?

My accountant.

Say hello.

You're so slow.

You just can't learn.

Say hello.

Hello, sir.

Youngsters are a pain to train nowadays.

Come, follow me.

Hurry! Keep up!

WAREHOUSE

Come in, quick.

Do you want official or private cement?

How much for private cement?

Private?

It's cheap, NTD 15 a bag.

Is the quality all right?

You want quality?

Then you want official cement.

Cement from Chunghua Cement

is NTD 55 a bag.

NTD 55?

Chunghua Cement sells it for NTD 30 a bag.

You're selling it for NTD 55?

Then you can try buying it from Chunghua Cement

and see if you're able to.

Also,

your accountant

is such a nag.

We are discussing business.

What's he interrupting us for?

- I-- - Shut up.

Stand aside.

Things are getting complicated now.

The company's cement is

selling for NTD 55 a bag on the black market.

Now, many developers

are beginning to use smuggled goods

after failing to buy them from us.

This will lead to building safety issues.

I think

you should have

more trouble than that.

Mr. Ma,

you didn't call ahead of your visit.

Lin Teng.

Leave us for now.

Stay first.

It seems like

General Ma has come bearing trouble.

There's not enough cement for the military.

You lot at Chunghua Cement, how the fuck are you running the company?

If it's about this, you can simply call and tell us.

Why make the trip yourself?

CHAIRMAN, KAO PAI-LU

It is all thanks to you lot.

Since the privatization,

I have not visited…

Chunghua Cement for a long time.

How are you two?

Are you comfortable in your positions?

With you and Executive Director Lin's capabilities,

within a week,

getting military cement supply levels back up

should not be a problem, right?

General.

It's impossible to have 3,500 tons in a week.

Or can you--

Executive Director Lin.

It seems to me that you…

still haven't understood the situation.

I'm not here to negotiate with you.

I'm here to tell you

to fulfill the cement demand

within one week!

And you call yourself the fucking head of the Cement Union?

The moment you civilians take over the country,

you cause me trouble!

Fuck you.

Stop playing with it.

Stop playing.

Wait for your father before eating.

But we don't know when Father will get home.

A family must eat together to stay close, understood?

Yes.

Stop playing.

Be good.

Leave it.

Lin Teng.

Let's eat.

I'm not hungry, you eat.

It smells good. We'll come eat in a bit.

Let's eat.

Here.

MASAMI WESTERN CLOTHING

Welcome.

Mrs. Lin.

Hi.

You made

my husband's suit, didn't you?