Step to the side!
Step aside! Keep going!
Move it! Move it!
- Go home! Get out of here! - Chinks, go home!
- Chinks, go home!
Chinks, go home!
Chinks, go home! Chinks, go home!
Go home!
- Go home! - Go home, you fucking coolie!
Go back home, you fucking spooks!
Hey, chink.
Chinks, go home! Chinks, go home!
Get out of my way. Christ, these people stink.
Open the fuckin' bag, you punk.
I don't understand how the little shits
can even stand to be around themselves.
Hey, Chingchong, do you smell yourself?
Yeah? Yeah?
You don't walk away when I'm talking to you, Chingchong.
Shit, he's gonna eat it off the dirt.
What's with this one?
You sticking up for your little buddy over there?
I asked you a question, slant.
- He don't understand shit. - Yeah?
Well, he better learn it fast,
because if he don't answer me now,
he's gonna bleed all over that fancy shirt of his.
I wouldn't do that again if I were you.
Fucking slant can talk American!
Holy shit. Do it again.
Say something.
I didn't travel halfway across the world
in that damn boat
just to amuse a few fat white fucks.
There.
I said something.
You think because you speak American,
you can talk shit to me?
Well, you have to admit, it helps.
This uppity chink needs to learn his place.
You think you can take me on?
That's the wrong question.
Oh, yeah? What's the right one?
The right question is, do you really wanna find out?
Motherfucker.
- Hello. - How are you?
Whoa!
Oh.
Trust me, he's got serious skills.
I just saw him take out three immigration bulls.
Fast as shit.
Went through them like they weren't even there.
No shit.
Three of them, huh?
This one, he's very well-trained.
I thought I'd bring him here first.
Hmm.
Just crossed?
Today.
You know who we are?
Yeah, black and red. Hop Wei.
Three bulls, huh?
Nah, I don't think so.
I'm guessing they don't pay you to do the thinking.
Fuck did you say?
This fucking onion's itchy.
I like it. I like it.
- The usual? - Mm-hmm.
So...
this is a new one?
Chao says he can scrap.
Chao can be a fucking pain in the ass,
but he's generally right about these things.
- What's your name? - Ah Sahm.
Where are you from?
Fo Shan.
Who trained you?
Sifu Li Qiang.
Hmm.
War is coming between the tongs.
If you can scrap, you're in.
Young Jun will get you settled.
Tomorrow we'll start to work you
and then see what you're worth.
Ah Sahm.
Did I just get off a boat?
Excuse me?
I asked if I was the one
that just crossed the salt on a fucking boat.
No, you're not.
No, I'm not.
What I am is the boss
of the most powerful tong in Chinatown.
What you are
is 1 in 25,000
broke Chinese fucking nationals
I just bought for the price of a shitty bottle of wine.
I tell you this, at the risk of stating the obvious,
to remind you that you are a fucking onion!
And before a fucking onion turns away from me,
he'd better fucking bow.
A word of warning.
You wanna be careful how you speak to Father Jun.
Yeah.
Does he always have that stick jammed up his ass like that?
Yes, and I would know, since he's my father.
Shit. Hey.
- I meant no disrespect. - Really?
'Cause it sounded like that's exactly what you meant.
- No, I-I... - "No, I"...
I'm just fucking with you, man.
Not the part of about him being my father.
That part's true.
I'm the spawn of a whore
and the most powerful boss in Chinatown.
How I got this pretty is anybody's guess.
Look.
Father Jun can be a hard-ass, okay?
That's because he's the real deal.
He scrapped against the British navy during the Opium Wars.
Battle of Shanghai.
A fishing junk with a couple of shitty cannons
against a British warship.
He swam over and diced the whole fucking crew
with a sword.
Point is:
he may be older now,
but you never wanna fuck with him.
- You get me? - Yeah, I get you.
Okay.
House rules: you're not skinned in yet,
so you stay in your room,
unless you need to take a piss or a shit.
Use the toilet down the hall.
Get some rest.
We're gonna start working you in tomorrow.
Shit.
- A lovely boy. - Oh, Officer.
- Evenin'. - Evening.
Sir.
It's okay, honey. Don't look.
Sir!
Hey, stop!
You put 'em down, fellas. I'm warning you.
Stop. Stop!
Ugh.
Good morning.
Thank you.
Aren't you going to eat?
If I let you waste away, your father will have words for me.
Buckley!
What brings you here?
Good morning, Mr. Mayor.
Mrs. Blake.
How are the newlyweds?
What's wrong, Buckley?
Please.
Two chinamen were killed last night over on Howard Street.
Yes, and?
They were working on the Merriweather building.
From what I gather, a couple of Labor thugs
smashed their heads in with hammers.
- Oh, my God. - Shit. Press?
Not yet, but we arrested a few,
so they'll sniff it out soon enough.
Let's see if we can shut that down.
I don't need any more attention from Sacramento.
Yes, by all means, let's keep murder out of the paper.
These are affairs of state, dear.
And they don't concern you.
And yet I'm concerned.
You're sure they were Merriweather's?
The development on Broome.
God damn it. He'll want to be compensated.
- Let's go. - They're people, you know.
And the government treats them
like just another legislative problem to be solved.
Careful, dear.
You're married to the government.
Two men were put through central booking.
One prior arrest each for minor offenses.
They spent the night in holding.
How fast can we get them arraigned?
I want them in and out before the reporters
have finished breakfast.
Well, they're on this morning's docket,
- but it's a busy one. - Well, see what you can do.
- Good morning. - Good morning, gentlemen.
Good morning, Mr. Mayor.
Merriweather is going to have a conniption.
We promised him protection.
The Workingmen's movement is growing
right along with the unemployment numbers.
- Leary is out for blood. - Good morning.
Good to see you again. Leary is not going
- to fund my campaign. - Very true.
I'm telling you, it's getting worse.
They used to just beat the Chinese.
Now they're killing them in the streets.
And murder's never good for reelection.
Neither is running afoul of Leary and the Irish vote.
Go see Merriweather, first thing.
Maybe you can calm him down
before he gets worked up.
Little late for that.
Mr. Merriweather! You got an early start.
Please.
Tea, coffee?
Or would you like something stronger?
- No, thank you. - Please, uh, take a seat.
You promised me protection, Blake.
These were skilled bricklayers.
There are presumably plenty more where they came from.
Lymon, what do you want me to do?
My men can handle the sites,
but they cannot police Chinatown.
That is your job.
I've got 1/4 million people in this city and only 75 cops.
Then I suggest you figure something out
fast...
for both our sakes.
And here he is.
Bill, you know Mr. Buckley.
Of course. How are you, Mr. Buckley?
Chief Flannagan tells me you're our man in Chinatown.
I guess so.
The mayor would like to form a Chinatown squad.
And I'd like you to head it up.
I was told I'd be transferred out by year's end.
No one knows Chinatown like you do, Bill.
Four men should do it. And yourself, of course.
With all due respect, sir,
it's high risk, with no real chance for advancement.
No one's gonna volunteer for this.
Well, then it's a good thing you outrank them.
From the mayor himself.
Congratulations, Sergeant.
Chief.
This is bullshit.
Course it's bullshit.
That was a politician speaking, wasn't it?
Blake has to show the barons he's protecting their interests
and show everybody else he's cracking down on the chinks.
Look, Bill, it's a straight climb up the ladder
without kissing a single arse.
So what? Now I've got to pick four men?
I've taken the liberty.
McLeod, Harrison, Stone, and Keller?
Are you kidding me?
It's bad enough with you in that shithole.
I can't waste any more good cops on the Chinese problem.
Keller's an opium addict.
You wanna put him in Chinatown?
Okay, fine, pick a fourth. But no one I'll miss.
This is a steaming pile of horseshit.
It's pageantry, Bill.
Just put on a good show.
The state versus Morgan and Davis.
Murder in the first.
And how do the defendants plead?
They're innocent, Your Honor.
In fact, they never should've even been locked up
in the first place.
I have filed a motion to dismiss,
on the grounds that there is not a single eyewitness account
of this alleged crime.
Your Honor, uh, one of the arresting officers
- will stand as an eyewitness. - Is he present?
Present, Your Honor.
And who are you?
Officer Richard Henry Lee, Your Honor.
And you're prepared to testify for the prosecution?
I am.
Good. Proceed.
Mr. Prosecutor, did you finalize a trial date?
- Yes, Your Honor. - Uh, the 14th?
- Your Honor. - Good, thank you.
Hiyah!
Don't hurt yourself.
Get ready. Meet me outside.
Right now, there's plenty of protection and gambling
to go around.
But the molasses?
That's our fucking bowl. Mm-hmm.
We built an entire opium network from the ground up.
Paid off the ports on both sides.
Then we had some trouble back in China.
Someone fucked someone who knew the emperor's nephew.
I don't know. Point is,
we went a few months without molasses;
Long Zii moved in with lower prices.
- It's business, right? - Yeah.
Wrong.
We're gonna take it all back
and bleed those fuckers out for good.
What?
I just, um... I see a lot of men.
Where are the women? Oh.
Thought you'd never ask. Come on.
Let's go get you some sticky.
Come on, put your bowl down. Let's go.
Your average Chinese onion can't afford to bring his wife
across the salt, so almost all the women that come here
are the ones that are sold in China.
- Hi. - How are you?
- I'm good. - Mm.
Now, there are whorehouses up and down Waverly.
But it's mostly steakhouse, the discount shit.
Ah Toy has the premium girls.
She's like a fucking curator of pussy.
Did someone mention my name?
Ah Toy.
Young Jun.
- Good evening. - How's your father?
- He's very well, thank you. - Good.
- Who do we have here? - This is Ah Sahm.
- Just crossed. - Fresh off the boat.
And how are things in the motherland?
Famine, revolution. The usual shit show.
So you came west to seek your fortune.
Or just not get killed.
Around here, that's something of a crapshoot.
- Hmm. - So...
are you men here for business
or business?
You know me.
The insatiable Young Jun.
I swear, this boy's cock has its own beating heart.
Bum-bum, bum-bum, bum-bum,
bum-bum, bum-bum.
Come on. The bell.
Ah Toy's here.
Ooh.
Okay. Hmm.
Dinner...
- and dessert. - Oh.
See anyone you like?
Uh...
is this all of them?
You mean there's no one in this entire group
that meets your standards?
I'm looking for someone.
She would've crossed about two years ago.
Her name is Xiaojing.
Xiaojing.
I don't know anyone by that name,
and I pretty much know all of them.
Why don't you take Zhang Yan?
Trust me,
she'll make you forget whoever it is you're looking for.
Back to work, ladies.
It's these fucking politicians made fat
by their industrialist cronies
that are cutting the heart out of this country.
Aye, aye.
- I came here like y'all did. - Uh-huh.
To work hard, feed my family.
Build a better life.
Then they told me, "Dylan,
we need you to fight in our war."
So I went.
Me and 150,000 Irishmen
to fight in Lincoln's war,
against other Americans and other Irishmen.
I killed men that didn't need killing.
- Aye. - Aye.
And I saw too many of me own brothers die.
- Aye. - Aye.
But we won.
- We freed the fucking slaves. - Yes.
God bless them.
They didn't go back home to Africa.
No.
They came north and took our fucking jobs.
- You're welcome. - Aye, aye, aye.
And now they're bringing in these Chinese by the boatload.
Because the rich men whose fucking war we fought
don't wanna pay us a fair day's wage.
- Right. - Aye.
And what I've come to realize is,
this country won't ever stop looking for more
fucking subhumans to do our fucking jobs
- cheaper than we can. - Fuckin' aye.
What they don't see
is the cost of that.
Because in the long run,
it will cost them their fucking country.
- Aye. - Yeah.
We fought for this country.
- We bled for it. - Aye.
And now we're gonna save it from itself.
And if that means another fucking civil war,
then so be it!
Whatever happens, the Chinese must go.
The Chinese must go!
Ah!
What the fuck?
Asshole. Do you know who I am?
What the hell is this? Get off him.
Motherfucker.
The Long Zii have no business being here.
Is this the onion who was asking about Xiaojing?
No.
That was me.
Then I guess you're coming with us.
Thanks, but if I was looking for dick,
I probably wouldn't be in a brothel.
You can either come walking,
you can come in a fucking bag.
Either way, you're coming to see Long Zii.
Well, I don't know Long Zii, so I'm just guessing here,
but I'm pretty sure he can kiss my salty ass.
Uh, hah.
So...
the new guy can scrap.
Ah, they didn't recruit me for my sharp wit.
Yes, you're very good.
Just not as good as you think.
Yeah?
Maybe that's why you sold me out
right after I got here.
You think I sold you out?
You. Or one of your girls.
Same thing, though, right?
Hey, new guy, you just got here.
Maybe take a minute before you think
you've got it all figured out.
I may be fresh,
but I know when I've been fucked.
You got fucked
because you spoke your business in a room full of whores.
This is not China.
It's Chinatown.
And our blood is cheap here, so you'd better learn to adapt.
You understand?
If I say yes, will this conversation be over?
You're not the typical hatchet man.
You didn't come all this way just to scrap for the Hop Wei.
You need someone you can trust.
Someone outside the tong.
And you're saying that's you?
I'm saying it could be.
- You don't know me. - No.
But I'm thinking I should.
So...
Xiaojing?
I don't know who that is.
You've been a big help. Thanks.
I do know that someone else came looking for her.
About a year ago.
He was dead within a day.
Who is she to you?
I would tell you, but...
someone once advised me not to speak my business with whores.
Ah Sahm.
Confucius said
a man in a brothel is nobody's judge.
Confucius never said that.
No, he didn't.
As you may have heard,
the mayor himself has asked me to start a new Chinatown squad.
Harrison.
McLeod.
Stone.
I've got one more spot.
Any volunteers?
You can't force this shit on us.
Come on, Bill, it's a fucking cesspool crawling with disease.
Well, I'm not asking you to fuck it,
- just patrol it. - Fuck's sake.
Officer... Lee, is it?
- Yes, sir. - Can I help you?
Well, I'd like to volunteer, sir.
Am I hearing an accent there?
I'm from Savannah, Georgia, sir.
Well, that must make you very popular around here.
How long have you been a cop?
Uh, counting today,
about six weeks.
I'm not fucking working with no grayback.
- Shut up, Stone. - Damn Confederates.
Should have all been strung up by their balls.
- Too right. - Hear, hear.
Ooh.
There's nothing gained in pounding the tar off a drunk.
One of these days, I reckon you'll be sober,
and when that day comes,
Lord willing and the creek don't rise,
won't be enough left of you to spread on toast.
Ooh.
Calm down. Officer Stone!
Are you finished?
Are you?
Aye.
Son...
I don't understand a word you just said.
But I like the way you said it.
You're hired.
Loyalty above all.
Yeah!
Yes!
Yes! Brother!
So where did you say you're from, again?
- North Carolina? - Georgia, sir.
Oh, a goober, huh?
Mm-hmm.
What made you leave?
The war.
The war ended when you were a kid.
Well, the war is still going on for my family.
Uh...
my two older brothers died at Gettysburg.
Huh.
I fought in Gettysburg.
Oh.
Two nuns are riding bikes on a cobblestone street, right?
First nun says to the second one,
"I've never come this way before."
And the second nun, she says...
Huh?
Oh, Officer O'Hara.
I'm sorry. Sergeant O'Hara.
Congratulations. You have new Chinatown squad.
Different uniforms. Very nice.
This is Officer Lee. He's with me.
Can we do this?
Of course.
Shut the door.
- I'll be damned. - Five bowie knives, sharpened.
Five sheaths, finest-quality leather.
Five blackjacks, double-weighted.
And for you, Sergeant, two knuckles, brass,
with my compliments.
Just wrap it up.
What do we need this for?
We have revolvers.
Six bullets, 25,000 Chinese.
You do the math.
This man deals weapons to the tongs.
Shouldn't we be shutting him down?
Shut me down?
But I am friend to police. You ask Big Bill, he tell you.
Sure, Chao.
You're a friend to everyone, aren't you?
Why in the world aren't we arresting this man?
Forget everything you know, kid.
That shouldn't take too long.
You boys are officially sprung.
Who bailed us out, Jimmy?
- Thank you, Mr. Leary. - Thank you, Mr. Leary.
Your bail was 15 bucks apiece.
The boys all chipped in.
So don't get any fucking ideas about runnin'.
- Don't worry, Mr. Leary. - The cop, the Southern one.
- He can put us away. - You just stay put.
You hear me?
I'll deal with the cop.
Looks like business is doing good.
What the fuck, man?
I just saw those guys outside the shop.
Just wanted to see what they were up to.
You're way too fresh to be wandering around here.
- That's their place? - That's Long Zii's house.
Everything this direction is Long Zii territory.
We stay out. You get me?
- Yeah. - Okay.
Come on, let's get the fuck out of here.
There you go, Dylan.
Your cop, the young one.
Lee.
I don't give a fuck what his name is.
He can't show up in court, understand?
Won't be good for him...
for you...
for any of us.
- Mr. Leary. - What is it?
This fella here wants to have a go.
Okay, take him back.
Divide it up however you want.
Come in from the rain.
You will find everything as you like it.
Well, good evening.
And good evening to you.
Ah!
Leary, Leary, Leary, Leary...
I'm looking for Xiaojing.
You're the onion who scrapped with my guys
the other night.
Mm.
Who is Xiaojing to you?
Who is she to you?
Why are you looking for her?
I'll tell her when I see her.
That's not going to happen.
Oh.
You know, I could've diced these
slow-as-shit onions on my way in.
I might not be so polite on my way out.
Enough!
Leave us.
Xiaojing.
What are you doing here?
I came for you.
To bring you home.
It's safe now.
Sun Yang is dead.
And our father?
I'm sorry.
Sun Yang had him killed soon after you left.
Don't you dare put that on me.
No, that's... that's not what I meant.
You did this.
You did all of this.
Sun Yang would've had you killed years ago
if I hadn't agreed to marry him.
You know how grateful I was to you.
He beat me,
raped me...
not once,
regularly.
Where were you then?
And now...
the great warrior Ah Sahm crosses the salt
to save his poor, lost sister.
- Xiaojing, please. - My name is Mai Ling.
Xiaojing was a stupid farm girl
who died in Sun Yang's bed.
You don't belong here.
This is exactly where I belong.
As a Long Zii whore?
I am nobody's whore.
My God.
This doesn't mean anything.
If you think that, then you're just as stupid
as you always were.
Get out.
- Xiaojing... - Get out!
I heard noises earlier.
It was nothing.
Just a couple of Hop Wei drunks getting itchy.
Men chased them off.
Everyone is itchy.
This tension between the tongs is not good.
I should reach out to Father Jun.
Well, let him reach out to us.
We're the ones who broke the agreement.
Chinatown has grown tenfold
in the years since you made that agreement.
It's absurd to think that it should still be binding.
Mai Ling.
Who knew you were such a tough bitch?
You did.
These are dangerous times for all Chinese.
We can't afford to be at war with each other.
Set a meeting.
I'll reach out to Father Jun.
What's wrong, Mai Ling?
Whiskey.
Coming right up.
The itchy onion.
I heard you got skinned in already.
You know, a guy with your skills,
there's a lot of money to be made,
if you're smart about it.
What's your name again?
Wang Chao.
Take it easy, Wang Chao.
You already sold me once.
I just took a small fee.
You wanna earn another one?
Can you get me passage...
back?
You're Hop Wei now.
And whatever else that means, that means you can't go back.
They own you.
So the new guy's packing it in already?
Mm.
Well, the new guy had a shitty day.
Just remember this.
A gemstone is not polished without rubbing,
nor a man perfected without his trials.
No one likes a preachy drunk.
Fair enough.
Congratulations.
- Asshole. - Hey.
There's more to a man than what you see from across the bar.
So this Xiaojing,
I take it you found her.
I found Mai Ling.
You knew?
I had a feeling.
You could've warned me.
Would that have changed anything?
Might've liked you better.
I think you like me just fine.
Come on.
I know what you need.
Is this opium?
No.
It's my own herbs.
It'll help with the pain.
She's my sister.
Do you wanna talk about it?
I can't begin to tell you how much I don't.
So let's talk about something else, then.
You didn't fuck Zhang Yan last night.
Do you prefer men?
I can arrange that.
No, I guess I just prefer women who have a choice.
Oh.
Well, as far as I know,
there's exactly one woman in this house
who's not for sale.
Whoa.
We weren't supposed to meet until next week.
Long Zii asked to set a meeting up with Father Jun.
He wants peace.
Peace won't serve my purposes
- or yours. - I'm well aware of that.
I'll expedite delivery.
Your men can pick up the shipment tomorrow.
- That's fine. - Remember,
I can take you out of the opium business
as fast as I put you in it.
If the old man decides to honor the treaty with the Hop Wei...
There will be no peace.
That-a-girl.
Good night, boys.
Well, that's it for me tonight.
Well, listen. Cheers. He... he... he takes this mixture...
- You listening to me? - I'm listening.
He takes these berries and he crushes them up, right?
And you smear it on your fella.
You want me to rub berries on my cock?
You smear it on your cock. Listen.
And you can go all night.
What the fuck?
Ah!