The Day of Days

In spite of the continuous upheaval in China during the 1930s, Guangzhou is still under the fa_ade of peace and prosperity. Running the business of Hip Wo Hong, the Tong's family is one of the four big firms in Guangzhou. Their matriarch is Tong Nga-Wun, the eldest daughter of the Tong's family, who is very skillful in taking advantage of various situations. Bringing along her assistant Wong Wing-Chai, Nga-Wun goes to Sheung Pun Lau, a restaurant run by her family, to conduct an on-site inspection. After seeing that her aunt Yuk-Hing, uncle Pak-Nin and her cousin Siu-Yip, who are all in charge of management, have been muddling along, Nga-Wun cannot help lecturing them. Nga-Wun then goes to meet with Brother Lung, the leader of Cheung Tai Gang, who plans to forcibly double their protection fee, but Nga-Wun instantly rejects him, incurring the displeasure of Brother Lung. Wing Cheong Shing is a small coolie gang, running a pulled rickshaw and coolie house. And its leader So Fei is gloomy about how to raise money to pay off their tax debt owed to the municipal government, however, So Fei's mother Mak Tai-Ching is unable to help him deal with the tribulations. So Fei's younger sister, So Fun, brings back all the coolies, telling So Fei that they have gotten into trouble again. Being told by adviser Chan Yat-Chiu that Brother Lung and the Tong's family had a falling-out, So Fei is planning to meet up with Nga-Wun in order to take over the territory that once was under control of Brother Lung. On the other hand, simple and honest Sung Lai-Wo has always lived with the Tong's family, and his only hobby is to watch movies in the theatre. In celebration of their 100th anniversary, Hip Wo Hong is hosting a Centenary Charity Premiere, during which someone schemes to forcibly take possession of the film stock. At such a critical moment, Lai-Wo is entrusted to find duplicate film in the warehouse.

Finally, the problem is solved, but Nga-Wun misconstrues that So Fei and the others are the masterminds behind the whole plot. Worrying that his life is under threat due to the tax arrears and his assistance to Tong's family, So Fei goes to discuss this with Nga-Wun, but to no avail, so Wing Cheong Shing needs to leave within half a month. Feeling so dejected, So Fei dismantles the signboard of Wing Cheong Shing, during which he discovers a brocade box, leading to a way out of his predicament. Having managed to settle down at the Huadi Pier, So Fun and the others intend to analyze the workload there, but it turns out that they can hardly make a living as the area is too remote. In the evening, Yuk-Hing proposes treating the Central Government Commissioner with a feast so as to gain credits, while Pak-Nin indicates that she is merely making a futile effort. As such, Nga-Wun has no alternative but to offer a helping hand. Finally, Central Government Commissioner Auyeung Yuk-Tak arrives at Guangzhou, however, Mayor Kai-Yiu declines to attend the feast.

Yuk-Tak is so outraged that he leads everyone to the Mayor's residence to meet Kai-Yiu. He not only emphasizes his position as the Central Government Commissioner, but also as the son of the Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, however, Kai-Yiu still refuses to give in. During his meeting with the four big firms, Kai-Yiu announces that the Central Government is to increase taxes and the four big firms need to shoulder their share of the taxation responsibilities. As one firm points out that managing Huadi Pier has led to a great deficit year after year, Nga-Wun has no choice but to take over this hot potato, which reaches to Lai-Wo after passing through many different hands. As soon as So Fei and the others learn that the Tong's family will take over the management of the Pier, they start flattering Lai-Wo. Unexpectedly, it turns out that the Tong's family has not strengthened its investment at the Pier. Nga-Wun's younger sister -V Nga-Man returns to Guangzhou after travelling out of country, but she is apoplectic with fury after knowing that Nga-Wun is not in the office.

When her conversation with Pak-Nin and the others gets disagreeable, Nga-Man goes to Huadi Pier to visit Lai-Wo During the journey, she gets besieged by some coolies. Grasping at the chance to flatter her, So Fei helps her out of the trouble, but she shows no appreciation at all. So Fei gets the coupon of the Man Fa Department Store, so he brings So Fun to go shopping there, during which the enmity between him and Siu-Yip is generated. Ever since So Fei has established the Flowers Market at the Huadi Pier, the business is booming. However some customers go to the Man Fa Department Store and ask for monetary compensation after they have purchased some inferior quality products in the Flowers Market. Having checked the products, Pak-Nin and Siu-Yip look perplexed. One day, Pak-Nin and his son lead some policemen to sequestrate the Market, giving So Fei and the others quite a shock.

After being arrested, So Fei takes full responsibility, so Tai-Ching and the others go to seek help from Lai-Wo Having gone through the whole story, LAI-WO learns that it is Pak-Nin who reported So Fei to the municipal government and alleged that So Fei had infringed the trademark of "Man Fa". Everyone is frightened out of one's wit after hearing that. After some time, things settle down. While Wing-Chai brings along So Fei to have a word with Nga-Wun, unexpectedly, Nga-Wun demands Wing Cheong Shing to leave Huadi Pier in ten days, which terrifies So Fei and the others so greatly. Brother Lung makes an appointment with Nga-Wun to suggest taking over the work at the Huadi Pier. Nga-Wun catches up with her old classmate Shuk-Yin, who mentions about arranging a blind date for Nga-Man. Nga-Wun has second thoughts and decides to create a chance encounter.

Having arranged Nga-Man and Chi-Him to practice fencing, Nga-Wun leaves early by using an excuse of having a business appointment, with which Nga-Man is so dissatisfied that she angrily returns home. In view of this, Yuk-Hing seizes the opportunity to sow discord. Although Wing Cheong Shing is assigned with a new job, they can hardly make a living. At that moment, Nga-Man arrives at the Huadi Pier, seeking So Fei. Moreover, she actively invites So Fei to go boating with her. Pak-Nin, Yuk-Hing and Siu-Yip all criticize that Nga-Man is beneath her dignity to behave like that, to which Nga-Wun expresses no comment. Inviting So Fei to ride a bicycle with her, Nga-Man deliberately requests him to travel back and forth in the downtown area. So Fei misconstrues that Nga-Man has a thing for him, so he promises to see the sunrise with her. All of a sudden, Wing-Chai pays a visit to So Fei, relaying a message from Nga-Man that there have been some misunderstandings between her and So Fei. Nga-Wun attempts to have a word with Nga-Man, but is shut out. Fortunately, with Auntie Cheung's ploy, Nga-Man comes to realize the truth.

Master Shum from one of the four big firms bribes Wong Mei-Lin to make a dinner appointment with Chun-Bong and Yiu-Cho, who are both military rulers. Master Shum raises the issue that a new shipping line should be extended since the current one has been monopolized by the Tong's family. As soon as she learns about it, Nga-Wun is eager to work out a countermeasure, however, none of the top ranking government officials attends the meeting with her. Nga-Wun takes a hint from Mei-Lin, deciding to approach Chun-Bong. Wing Cheong Shing finally earns a profit since its relocation, so So Fei not only distributes bonuses to his co-workers, but also invites Lai-Wo, So Fun and To Foo to dine out in a western style restaurant. While dining, So Fei catches a glimpse of a woman, who resembles his childhood neighbour -V Mei-Fung. Pak-Nin hosts a banquet, where he introduces his confidant Tung Po-Po to all his relatives and friends, claiming that she is from an aristocratic family of the fallen Qing Dynasty, but Yuk-Hing thinks they should beware of Po-Po. As Lai-Wo speaks of Po-Po, So Fei believes she is Mei-Fung, so he goes to the antique store managed by Po-Po.

Po-Po makes friends with celebrities as Pak-Nin's confidant, and the May-December Romance between the two has become the talk of the town. Pak-Nin cannot bear to see Po-Po being wronged, so he decides to marry her, yet he gets no family support. Tai-Ching tries every possible ways to hook up her daughter So Fun with Lai-Wo, resulting in endless jokes. Having learnt about that, So Fei apologizes to Lai-Wo, who reveals that he has already an interest in someone else. When Nga-Man tries to find the turtle for Lai-Wo, she accidentally finds a small box, which is then passed to Nga-Wun for further processing. Out of the blue, Nga-Wun discovers Lai-Wo's secret after opening the wooden box. Wan-Kit has vanished into thin air for so many years. All of a sudden, there comes some news, which pleasantly surprises Kai-Yiu.

Under Kai-Yiu's order, Chun-Bong and Yiu-Cho go to meet up with Siu-Wu, who provided the information about Wan-Kit. The two follow Siu-Wu to a mountain in search of Wan-Kit, where they get attacked by someone unexpectedly. Regardless of Siu-Yip's objection, Pak-Nin keeps insisting on getting married to Po-Po, who then even manages Pak-Nin's winery as Madam Po. Following her marriage, Po-Po purposely curries favor with everyone in the Tong's family. Seeing that Po-Po has married well, So Fei begs her to offer business opportunities. While So Fei and the co-workers from Wing Cheong Shing go to order new custom-made clothes, they bump into Nga Man and get insulted by her. For several years, Kai-Yiu has been trying every effort to look for his missing son, but in vain. The stress of that has accumulated so that he becomes too ill to administer his municipal duties. None of the officials dare to make a decision in his stead, inevitably causing the delay of military supplies to France. Cheung Yue explicitly tells Chun-Bong that imperial treasures from the mausoleum of the Qing Dynasty are hidden inside the military supplies.

Chun-Bong and Cheung Yue go to Huadi Pier to conduct an on-site survey, thinking that it is an ideal place to smuggle the imperial treasures out of the country. On the other hand, led by Ping-Choi, some loyal die-hard court officials of the fallen Qing Dynasty send Tai-Ying and Siu-Ying to secretly probe into the matter in hopes of retrieving the treasures for the restoration of the Qing Dynasty. Tai-Ying and Siu-Ying sneak into Huadi Pier and successfully gain trust from So Fei, who lets them work for Wing Cheong Shing. Wing Cheong Shing accepts an offer from Po-Po, taking over the job of transporting wines. When transporting, one coolie incautiously drops one of the boxes, which makes Cheung Yue so nervous that he even sends a troop to guard the warehouse. In the evening, Lai-Wo, under Pak-Nin's request, takes away a bottle of luxury wine with him after counting the goods. It turns out that Tai-Ying and Siu-Ying have also sneaked into the warehouse.

While Chun-Bong leads troops to check the goods, he discovers that the most precious Jade Seal of Emperor Qianlong is missing. So he immediately coerces all people there, asking anyone who took it to give himself up, otherwise, he will shoot them all at the Pier. Fortunately, Nga-Wun arrives just in time and stops him from doing so in a split second. However, before the ship containing the imperial treasures can be handed over, they are detected by the Coastal Patrol Anti-smuggling Unit, leading to another delay. Such a mistake has struck Chun-Bong so heavily that it adds fuel to his hatred for the Tong's family. Wing-Chai comments that the issue stems from the fact that Lai-Wo lacks experience, as such, Nga-Wun decides to send Lai-Wo back to the Pak Lok Mun Theatre. With Po-Po's recommendation, the management of the warehouse is taken over by Siu-Yip, who not only brings along his trusted confidant Chan-Kai, but also dismisses two senior employees Uncle Wing and Uncle Kin as soon as he assumes his office. While eating congee with So Fei at the Pier, Lai-Wo encourages So Fei to hang on. Siu-Yip announces ten regulations to deprive the laborers of their due rights and benefits, leading to an acute discontent among them.

Ever since he took over management of the Pier, Siu-Yip wantonly dismisses the employees there, leaving everyone being on tenterhooks. So Fei intends to find Po-Po, asking her as Siu-Yip's step-mother to persuade him to stop doing so. With regard to the lost Jade Seal of Emperor Qianlong, Tai-Ying and Siu-Ying believe that it is the fault of Guangzhou people, rendering their effort of restoration of the Qing Dynasty in vain. So they decide to wreak havoc upon the city, seeking a chance to resume the reign. Although Kai-Yiu resumes his duty after resting for a while, his condition has deteriorated. With Chun-Bong and Yiu-Cho getting the information of Wan-Kit's whereabouts, Kai-Yiu rushes there, yet only finds a pile of bones and some personal belongings of Wan-Kit. Bearing the mindset that the credit of having such a peaceful and prosperous Guangzhou goes to Kai-Yiu's excellent governance, Ping-Choi sends Tai-Ying and Siu-Ying to assassinate Kai-Yiu. The following day, with the news of the Mayor getting assassinated being wildly spread to every corner of Guangzhou, So Fei leads the co-workers from Wing Cheong Shing to the hospital in order to find out what is going on. So Fun is inadvertently knocked down, fortunately, she gets help from poet Man Chi-Mor. The Nanjing Government accepts Hau-Yung's proposal, establishing a Joint Management Committee in Guangzhou.

On the day of the Joint Management Committee Chairmanship Election, Hau-Yung proposes adopting a secret ballot as a voting method. Though the suggestion is met with Chun-Bong's objection, Chun-Bong still wins the Election handily. As soon as he assumes his office, Chun-Bong immediately wreaks vengeance on the Tong's family. As such, Sheung Pun Lau, the restaurant managed by Yuk-Hing, becomes the first to suffer as it is alleged to have violated the sanitary requirements of the Hygienic Regulation. Following that is the Man Fa Department Store as someone wreaks havoc in it. Yat-Chiu reveals that the Tong's family has been boycotted. Seizing the opportunity, So Fei leads everyone to Tai Lei Warehouse, venting their anger over Chan Kai. Nga-Wun tries to explain, however, the anger of the masses is difficult to tackle. During the chaos, she even sprains her ankle. At last, So Fei comes to realize that the whole anti-Tong rally is actually manipulated by the three major gangs, so he decides to persuade So Fun and the others to break away from the anti-Tong rally. With Nga-Man being dragged out of the vehicle by the masses, So Fei and Tai-Ching go to her aid. As everyone in the Tong's family blames Nga-Wun, Lai-Wo seeks to refute it for her.

Being a subject to a tax inspection as per the Taxation Master, Ting-Kwok, everyone in the Tong's family falls into a flutter. Yuk-Hing suggests splitting the family fortune with the purpose of diminishing the damage done to the Tong's family, but Nga-Wun refuses to do so, claiming that there must be some other ways to deal with it. Having met with Mei-Lin's rejection, Nga-Wun has to go to Nanjing with Wing-Chai, seeking aid from the Nanjing Government. Although she manages to meet with the Vice President of the Executive Branch Auyeung Kwan in Nanjing, she is arrested for tax evasion upon her return to Guangzhou. She then authorizes Nga-Man as the Acting Chairwoman of Hip Wo Hong, however, Yuk-Hing remains unconvinced so that she calls for a special board meeting to discuss splitting the family fortune. After learning of Nga-Wun's arrest, So Fei meets with Lai-Wo to find out what is going on, above which he makes an appointment with Po-Po for discussion. With Nga-Man taking up the position as the Acting Chairwoman at the board meeting, all the board members tend to back up the idea of splitting the family fortune because they do not know Nga-Man. Finally, Kai-Yiu regains his consciousness, which is immediately announced by Chun-Bong through radio broadcasting.

With Hip Wo Hong being found guilty over alleged tax evasion worth around three hundred and seventy thousand dollars, Nga-Wun is remanded in custody awaiting sentencing later. While the Tong's family falls into a flutter without their matriarch, the creditors call to demand the payment of the debt from Siu-Yip. On the other hand, having awaken from his unconsciousness, Kai-Yiu blearily mentions about wanting to see his second son SAI-KIT. It turns out that he has another son, who was slow-witted and entrusted to be taken care of by his best friend so many years ago for the purpose of avoiding losing face. Chun-Bong leads his subordinates to the Tong's residence, making everyone panic for fear that their property will be confiscated. Brother LUNG, Uncle WAH and Brother KAU bring along their gang members to Huadi Pier to challenge Wing Cheong Shing. When they are at daggers drawn with each other, CHUN-BONG leads troops and arrives at the Huadi Pier, defusing the crisis in a split second.

Lai-Wo's mind is in turmoil when Kai-Yiu asks him to be the Acting Mayor; whereas Nga-man is faced with the objection from the Tong's family for the performance of her duty as Chairwoman on behalf of Nga-Wun. Knowing that Lai-Wo still keeps the Tong's family on his mind, Mei-Lin goes to ask So-Fei to talk to him, stating that the tax evasion charge faced by the Tong's family could be solved as long as Lai-Wo becomes the Acting Mayor of Guangzhou. Soon after Lai-Wo assumes his office, he comes across a knotty problem, fretting over whether a third bridge should be constructed in Guangzhou. While he pays a visit to Kai-Yiu, he blearily hears some hints from Kai-Yiu. Considering himself lacking administrative skills, he then discusses with Yiu-Cho about organizing a think tank to assist him in some administrative duties. As such, So-Fei and Nga-Wun join the think tank as representatives from the Labor Class Union and the Chamber of Commerce respectively. Nga-Wun agrees to join the think tank because she is pleased that Lai-Wo has turned over a new leaf.

In order to perform his duty in the think tank better, So Fei is willing to pay by himself, hiring someone as his private tutor. Having heard of this, poet Chi-Mor, who has hidden in Guangzhou, decides to apply for the post in an attempt to approach the Acting Mayor, but to no avail. Feeling overwhelmed with disappointment, he re-encounters So Fun and is thrilled with joy after knowing she is So Fei's younger sister. Yat-Chiu finds out that So Fei cannot get Nga-Man out of his mind, whereas Nga-Man only regards So Fei as her good friend. All of a sudden, So Fun dresses up in refined clothes, which is considered suspicious by Tai-Ching and the others, who then follow her surreptitiously. So Fei shows off to Chi-Mor that he is the best friend of the current Acting Mayor, voicing that he can make an introduction for them. Being so gloomy on a rainy evening, Chun-Bong comes across Mei-Fung, who is seeking shelter from the rain. They feel like long-lost friends at their first encounter.

Before he is sent to the hospital, Kai-Yiu has agreed to an interview with a foreign radio station, so Lai-Wo cannot equivocate. Lai-Wo reviews Kai-Yiu's previously recorded radio interview to help learn about public administration. After the interview is aired, the rumor that the Acting Mayor has a crush on Tong Nga-Man causes a temporary clamour, therefore So Fei intends to clarify it. Quite the contrary, the secret that Lai-Wo's unrequited love towards Tong Nga-Man is exposed. Once again, Lai-Wo encounters difficulties regarding the enforcement of the government policy because there is not enough government fiscal funds for Guangzhou to meet any demand. Kai-Yiu reveals that the Wong's family has a secret treasury, which is going to enable efficient policy implementation. With the message reaching to the Wong Lin Cult, Ping-Choi believes that they will be able to restore the reign of Qing if they can steal the gold, so he decides to dig a tunnel to reach the cemetery and steal the gold. Chun-Bong suspects the real identity of Chi-Mor, thus he sends his subordinates to spy on him, but in vain, which affirms Chun-Bong's suspicions that Chi-Mor is more than just a scholar.

Chun-Bong tracks Chi-Mor down to the Poetry Club, where he discovers Chi-Mor's real identity. On the Winter Solstice, Lai-Wo returns to the Tong's residence to have dinner with the Tong's family members. They know that Lai-Wo has a thing for Nga-Wun, so try to hook up the two on purpose. Mei-Lin pays a visit to the Tong's residence without warning, implying that Nga-Wun should not have any improper expectations for Lai-Wo. So Nga-Wun resigns from the think tank on the excuse of other business engagements. While dating Chi-Him, Nga-Man runs into So Fei and So Fun at the restaurant. In view of So Fei being disappointed in love with Nga-Man, everyone in the So's family can only worry about him. Wing Cheong Shing is planning to reopen their coolie house on the fifth day of the first lunar month, whereas Ping-Choi anticipates that they will be able to reach the secret treasury on that day after monitoring the tunnelling progression. With regard to the doctor's diagnosis that he can never resume his administrative duties, Kai-Yiu decides to step down in favor of Lai-Wo. Chun-Bong is unwilling to come off as second in command to Lai-Wo, attempting a military coup on the day of Mayoral Inauguration.

While Wing Cheong Shing has a big surge in business, the Tong's family also has a significant change in a short period of time with everyone making great progress. For the first time, Lai-Wo spends time with the Wong's family for the lunar new year after resuming contact with his father, and a strong father-son bond has been established even though they say nothing at all. During Lai-Wo's Mayoral Inauguration on the fifth day of the first lunar month with so many ranking officials and celebrities in the place, the people from Wing Cheong Shing present a lion dance performance to boost morale. When So Fei sees Nga-Man and Chi-Himchatting with each other cheerfully and humorously, he is distracted and makes a mistake suddenly. In the middle of Wong Lin Cult's tunnel-digging, Tai-Ying and Siu-Ying notice an object which is suspected to be Qing Emperor's Jade Seal. As Lai-Wo takes his Mayoral oath, he is targeted by a sniper from far away. Shortly after the gunshot, a military coup led by Chun-Bong is staged. In order to save Lai-Wo, So Fei gets shot, falling down to the ground. Nga-Man dashes to the hospital in search of So Fei, then she bursts into tears after hearing something from the nurse.