Sounds a bit like Time & Tide?

i don't remember him taking money from triads though

he worked as a bodyguard for extar money isn't it?

You need to watch Time & Tide at least 4 times to really have a clue what happens in it whatever language you see it in :p

Great film though - gave me really high hopes for Tsui Hark's return from Hollywood... which unfortunately he's since dashed with nothing even close to T&T's genius