antatsia and previte seemed to have the impression that johnny chang was not a big fan of merlino but he sort of went along with it because when he got out merlino and his guys had won the war. Remember merlino was betting into johnny changs book aswell. I think people make them seem closer than they are johnny chang and merlino dont get me wrong they are prob get on but they are not exactly close pals if you get what i am saying. According to antasia ligambi when he went away wanted johnny chang as his acting boss but merlino wanted steve mazzone

i think it is quite likely if he had been on the streets there would have been no war johnny chang would have settled thinsg