Li Yong was a Chinese-American triad gangster and the right-hand man of Long Zii Tong boss Mai Ling, whom he married in 1878. After Mai Ling murdered his mentor Kong Pak, the newlyweds soon grew estranged, with Mai Ling fearing that Li Yong would betray her, causing Li Yong to leave the tong.
Biography[]
Li Yong was born in China, and he later emigrated to San Francisco, California, where he became involved with the Long Zii Tong in Chinatown. In 1878, he challenged the newcomer Ah Sahm to a fight when he refused to explain why he was searching for "Xiaojing", the former name of Li Yong's lover and boss Mai Ling, wife of Long Zii. Li Yong helped Mai Ling build up the ranks of the tong, although he disagreed with her alliance with the Fung Hai Tong. After Long Zii was murdered and usurped by Mai Ling, Li Yong agreed to help her take control of the tong.
As part of a mediation with the Hop Wei Tong over Long Zii's right to distribute molasses independently, Li Yong went head-to-head with Ah Sahm and nearly killed him in a fight, leading to the Long Zii Tong acquiring smuggling rights and Ah Sahm being shut out of the triad. Li Yong later failed to prevent Mai Ling from slaughtering the Suey Sing Tong, and he was also disappointed that Mai Ling decided to move into legitimate businesses. Mai Ling later forced Li Yong to agree to trust her, tying a rope around his neck while having sex and securing Li Yong's submission. He and the Long Zii were forced to fight alongside the Hop Wei against Dylan Leary's Workingmen when they assaulted Chinatown, after which Li Yong accompanied Mai Ling to meet with Young Jun; it was there that Mai Ling revealed that she and Ah Sahm were siblings.
Li Yong on his wedding day
In late 1878, Li Yong's mentor Kong Pak and the Jiang Yao Tong merged into the Long Zii, and Kong Pak gradually attempted to persuade Li Yong to doubt Mai Ling's leadership, especially after they were nearly killed in an ambush by the Three Brothers. However, after Mai Ling's brief imprisonment, she changed Li Yong's mind by proposing to marry him, to which he agreed. On the night of their wedding, Mai Ling had the Long Zii elders massacred, and, the next morning, Kong Pak confronted Mai Ling about the assassination attempt. Li Yong reluctantly sided with his wife and was forced to kill his mentor, but, the next day, he was dismayed to see that his wife was surrounded by bodyguards whom she had hired to protect her from Li Yong. Li Yong, feeling betrayed that Mai Ling thought that he would hurt her, took off his Long Zii jacket and left the tong.