Chapter 425: The Unpredictability of Life
"The changes in the city these past two days have been quite bewildering, making it hard to see clearly."
"Who would have thought that the stock price of the renowned HSBC would drop by more than half?"
At the Golden Club, the three magnates gathered again, and Sir Li spoke with great emotion.
The Deputy Commissioner of ICAC sighed:
"Indeed, that's HSBC we're talking about."
Sir Li frowned and asked:
"What exactly happened to Mr. Shen?"
The Deputy Commissioner shook his head:
"I don't know."
The Deputy Director of the Security Bureau said:
"The Governors Office is particularly concerned about Mr. Shen. After all, he is someone who can truly speak with Mrs. Thatcher."
"It's truly strange that he disappeared into thin air."
Sir Li said with a half-smile:
"Disappeared?"
The Deputy Commissioner also found it incredible:
"That's right, he just disappeared."
"According to our investigation, Mr. Shen received two phone calls, then immediately ordered his secretary to book the fastest flight back to London."
"He then drove straight to the airport."
"But our investigators found that Mr. Shen did not go to the airport, and even customs showed no record of his entry or exit."
The Deputy Director nodded repeatedly:
"The Security Bureau's investigation also shows the same."
"Now there are only a few possibilities."
"Either he didn't go through customs but smuggled himself out of Hong Kong."
"Or he was murdered."
"There's also a possibility that he went through customs, but there's no record."
Hmm?
Sir Li looked at the Deputy Director, feeling quite absurd:
"Do you even hear what you're saying?"
"Isn't that contradictory?"
The Deputy Director explained:
"Actually, it's not contradictory."
"Let me give two examples that everyone is familiar with."
"Lui Lok and Lung Shing-pang."
"At that time, several of them were wanted, and we almost set up an inescapable net."
"Yet, weren't they still able to escape?"
The Deputy Commissioner shook his head:
"No, they escaped because we intentionally let them go."
"These people were too deeply entangled with the Governors Office."
"If we didn't let go, who knows what they would have said in the end."
The three nodded in unison.
Lui Lok and Lung Shing-pang, it must be said, were truly a generation of powerful figures.
The network of shared interests they built was so vast that if it were made public, it would truly drag the Governors Office down with it.
Such a thing was not allowed, and rather than saying those two escaped, it would be more accurate to say they were forced to leave by the Governors Office.
Sir Li thought for a moment and said:
"Mr. Shen's situation is more relaxed than Lui Lok and Lung Shing-pang's."
"Whether he wanted to smuggle himself out or leave openly, no one would stop him."
"It would be easier for him to leave Hong Kong than for those two."
The Deputy Commissioner shook his head:
"I doubt it."
"If he left openly, neither customs nor the airport could possibly fail to record Mr. Shen's data."
"The only way he could leave through customs is if he used another identity."
Given Mr. Shen's status, having an additional identity is not difficult.
"However, this is basically no different from smuggling."
"This indicates that his situation is very bad and he cannot leave Hong Kong openly."
"His predicament is very dire."
"We've discussed it privately…"
"Mr. Shen is likely in grave danger."
Sir Li slowly stroked his hand:
"Mr. Shen and I are old friends, and hearing this news about him truly saddens me."
"When one gets old, one always reminisces."
"These past few years, things have changed, and old friends have left one by one."
"It's truly melancholic."
The Deputy Director and the Deputy Commissioner exchanged glances and said in unison:
"Sir, you are in the prime of your life, why such words?"
Sir Li smiled and changed the subject:
"Let's assume Mr. Shen has been murdered. Who is the killer?"
Both shook their heads, hesitated for a moment, and then the Deputy Commissioner spoke:
"It's hard to say."
Sir Li's expression shifted:
"How so?"
The Deputy Commissioner smiled bitterly:
"I was ordered by the Governor to investigate this matter."
"There is 100% evidence that Tycoon and Little Tycoon are backed by Mr. Shen."
"As you know, because of Little Tycoon, Hong Kong suffered a stock market crash."
"He offended too many people."
"Any company or stock investor affected by the stock market crash could have a motive to commit the crime."
Cutting off someone's financial path is like killing their parents; it's a blood feud.
"Furthermore, the two phone calls Mr. Shen received that day, one was from the Chief of HSBC's headquarters."
"The other was from the Financial Secretary."
"Both are respected figures."
"It's quite challenging for us to investigate them."
This is a very helpless task.
"Although the Governor's order has been issued, we all know that the Governor is more likely to be putting on a show than truly intending to imprison Mr. Shen."
"Investigation is investigation, but the method is very important."
"We cannot offend Mr. Shen."
"Our methods cannot be too aggressive."
"Not to mention Mr. Shen himself is a London noble, the sheer size of HSBC alone is astounding."
"Moreover, HSBC has powerful backing."
"A figure like Mr. Shen can be both good and bad for an enterprise."
"With Mr. Shen's ability, HSBC could easily develop a dependency on him."
"However, HSBC stabilized its footing in a short period, even under the influence of the run on the bank."
"HSBC is unfathomable."
"Whether it's Mr. Shen or HSBC, how can we possibly provoke them?"
"Naturally, our methods cannot be too drastic."
"Otherwise, once this period passes, it would be easy for them to seek trouble with us."
Sir Li nodded understandingly:
"Yes, Swire Group is not to be trifled with."
The Deputy Director looked at the Deputy Commissioner sympathetically; this fellow truly landed himself a terrible assignment.
The Deputy Commissioner was also frustrated:
"Our ICAC claims to be independent of the Three Secretaries and Thirteen Bureaus, directly under the Governor's leadership."
"But what the reality is, we all know."
Sir Li laughed:
"Such institutions have long existed in my Mainland, like the Imperial Guard and the East and West Agencies."
"Nothing new."
The Deputy Commissioner sighed heavily.
The Deputy Director frowned and said:
"We also conducted an investigation."
"But according to our findings, it's truly perplexing."
"It's as if everyone is a suspect, and yet no one is a suspect. It's maddening."
Sir Li clapped his hands:
"Mr. Shen and I are old friends, but I must state one thing: Mr. Shen's actions were excessive."
"He offended too many people."
"Are these people so easily offended?"
"All of them have had seeds of hatred sown, and evil will arise whenever some troublesome matter is encountered."
"It would be too easy for people to target him."
"How unwise Mr. Shen was."
"However…"
"The run on HSBC appeared so suddenly. Is it possible that it's related to Mr. Shen's disappearance?"
The Deputy Commissioner smiled bitterly and shook his head:
"No possibility!"
Sir Li frowned slightly:
"No possibility?"
The Deputy Commissioner had nothing to hide from the two, even if it was an ICAC secret.
The Golden Club was a special club formed by the convergence of the three men's industry secrets.
"The run on HSBC was truly a personal vendetta."
"They weren't targeting Mr. Shen; they were targeting Tycoon and Little Tycoon."
Sir Li and the Deputy Director looked at each other in astonishment.
This logic doesn't seem right, does it? If you're targeting Tycoon and Little Tycoon, why not go directly to the principals?
Why target HSBC?
Bullying the weak?
That's not right either!
Compared to HSBC, Tycoon and Little Tycoon should be the weaker party.
The Deputy Commissioner explained:
"This matter seems to defy common sense, but it actually has an internal logic."
"Tycoon was imprisoned, and Little Tycoon also offended the great nobles in London."
"Yet, Mr. Shen was still working on behalf of these two."
"If it weren't for the paparazzi in London exposing it, very few people would have known about such a secret matter."
"Since it was exposed, it could no longer be kept secret."
"Thus, it aroused the anger of one person."
"This person is Lin Feng."
Sir Li and the Deputy Commissioner frowned in unison:
"Lin Feng?"
"That invisible Tycoon of Hong Kong?"
The Deputy Commissioner shrugged:
"That's right, it's him!"
"This person is no ordinary individual."
"He is the most business-savvy among hooligans, and the most street-smart among businessmen."
"Originally, he had nothing against HSBC, but after the London paparazzi exposed it, it triggered his anger."
"As a result, Hung Hing and many Triads friendly with him initiated the run on HSBC."
"This matter was exposed by Sir Brown."
"Otherwise, we wouldn't have known there was such a person at odds with Tycoon."
Sir Li frowned slightly:
"I've also heard about him frequently recently."
If it weren't for the help of the Security Bureau, I might have had to hire Thunder Security.
"How could such a person be an enemy of Tycoon?"
"Is the information reliable?"
The Deputy Director replied to him:
"The information should be true."
"Lin Feng has actually always been in our sights."
"It's just that his record is perfect, and he himself is a Tycoon, so even the Police Station can't touch him."
"Lin Feng has many wives, and the father of his last wife, his eighth wife, Fong Chun-San, was originally kind to Tycoon, but the kindness turned into enmity. When Fong Chun-San fell on hard times, he didn't offer a helping hand."
"The descendants of the Fang family don't have the ability to seek justice."
"However, Fang Ting's man is Lin Feng."
"Everyone in the Triad is clear about grievances, especially Lin Feng."
Sir Li suddenly understood:
"So it's Fong Chun-San's son-in-law, no wonder!"
A person like him was well-versed in the grievances and enmities of Hong Kong.
"I seem to understand."
"Lin Feng wants to target HSBC because he's afraid they'll support Tycoon and Little Tycoon without reason, as they have in the past."
"We all know the situation of Tycoon and Little Tycoon; the possibility of them getting out is very low."
"Lin Feng doesn't want them to have an easy time, so he naturally wants to cut off their external support."
The Deputy Commissioner nodded heavily:
"That's right, that's what Lin Feng means."
Sir Li smiled,
"It's just that Lin Feng isn't us and doesn't know that Mr. Shen has already disappeared, so he simply tripped up HSBC."
"Bank run..."
"He really dares to do it!"
The Deputy Commissioner was silent for a long time before saying: "Not only that."
Under the gaze of Sir Li and the Deputy Director, he explained,
"The main force behind the fluctuations in HSBC's stock is Baisheng Fund."
"The operator of this fund is Chen Taotao."
Sir Li was slightly stunned:
"Isn't that the illegitimate son of that old guy Chan Man-yin?"
"Oh... I vaguely remember that because of him, Chung Ching Society is gone?"
The Deputy Director explained:
"Sir has a good memory."
"That's right, Chen Taotao's boss is Lin Feng, and it's also because of him that Chung Ching Society was expelled from the Triad."
Sir Li marveled:
"A hero emerges from youth, truly remarkable."
"How old is Lin Feng to have such abilities?"
"When I was his age, I was still in school."
The Deputy Director and the Deputy Commissioner shrugged in unison:
"Who says otherwise?"
Sir Li's expression was quite playful:
"This is truly very good news."
The Deputy Commissioner and the Deputy Director were completely confused.
Good news?
Sir Li smiled and said:
"The aim of our Golden Club is to gather information from all directions and focus on money."
"Everyone in the club is an elite in their respective fields."
"Even those in the Triad are elites within the Triad."
"Our goal isn't to dominate, but to make money."
"In our Mainland, there's a saying: 'There are only thousand-year-old families, but no thousand-year-old dynasties.'"
"The ownership of Hong Kong is Anglo-Saxon today, and our Mainland tomorrow."
"What does that matter?"
"Our tentacles spread throughout Hong Kong."
"No matter who comes to power, they will have to use our people."
"As long as our people are there, the club will be there."
"Our interests will also be there."
"What difference does it make who comes to power?"
The Deputy Director and the Deputy Commissioner both said:
"Sir's insight is profound."
Sir Li smiled and said:
"I called you here not to listen to gossip."
"The struggle between Lin Feng and HSBC is good news for us."
"The bank run at HSBC is wonderful!"
"The several banks controlled by our club have truly benefited from him this time."
"We've eaten very well."
The Deputy Commissioner and the Deputy Director were overjoyed:
"Sir, is that true?"
Sir Li chuckled:
"Isn't it?"
"HSBC is an Anglo-Saxon capital. This bank run, although it has caused immense suffering, honestly, it has also implicated Standard Chartered."
"Under normal circumstances, if citizens lose confidence in one bank, after a bank run, they usually deposit their money in another bank."
"Unfortunately, Standard Chartered is also Anglo-Saxon capital."
"Hang Seng should have taken over HSBC's customers, but don't forget, Hang Seng is a subsidiary of HSBC."
"Our banks have truly eaten their fill."
"That was originally for us to launder money, but because the legal person is Chinese, it received this unprecedented traffic."
"This time, we not only ate our fill, but we're also stuffed."
The Deputy Commissioner and the Deputy Director were overjoyed.
Sir Li smiled and said:
"I invited the two of you to gather because I wanted to ask your opinion: based on your analysis, can HSBC still survive?"
The Deputy Commissioner immediately said:
"It's very easy to get through."
Sir Li's smile faded:
"A bank run across Hong Kong, is it possible to get through it easily?"
The Deputy Commissioner immediately explained:
"According to the information I've received, HSBC's assets are still very healthy; they have money in their counters."
"However, the core business of a bank is to attract deposits and issue loans."
"It's impossible to keep all the cash at the counter; no bank can do that."
"Facing loans of this magnitude, any bank would have a headache."
"HSBC is a giant after all, and they have made a decision in a very short time."
"According to the news I've received, they have already temporarily borrowed 20 billion hong kong dollars from Standard Chartered to cope with this bank run."
"I think the news will be released very soon."
Sir Li was slightly stunned:
"In other words, HSBC's situation has stabilized?"
The Deputy Commissioner pondered for a while before saying:
"Hard to say."
Sir Li was surprised:
"20 billion hong kong dollars is still hard to say?"
The Deputy Commissioner smiled bitterly:
"According to the information I've received, more than 10 billion of that needs to be withdrawn immediately."
Sir Li's heart stirred:
"The Governors Office's more than 5 billion?"
The Deputy Commissioner replied:
"That's one of them."
"Another 5 billion plus is... General Cunningham's."
Sir Li was surprised:
"General Cunningham still has more than 5 billion?"
The Deputy Commissioner also frowned:
"That was transferred from London. Logically, such a large sum of money shouldn't require cash."
"But the problem is, General Cunningham just wants cash."
"These two alone account for 10 billion."
"You see, who can guarantee there isn't a third party?"
The Deputy Director, however, said:
"The bank run should have subsided."
Both looked at him in unison:
"Why do you say that?"
The Deputy Director said seriously:
"HSBC is inherently a behemoth."
"Although this bank run is unprecedented, HSBC's response has been quite chaotic."
"But I have to say, this is just HSBC being caught off guard."
"However, once HSBC recovers, it will be Lin Feng's defeat."
Sir Li frowned and said:
"The contest between HSBC and Lin Feng concerns our next step, and we cannot act solely on emotion."
"I need proof."
"You should know that the hang seng index has fallen by half, and HSBC Group's stock has also plummeted by half."
"This means that HSBC Group's market value has evaporated by half."
"Why should it recover?"
The Deputy Director immediately explained:
"Sir, don't forget that HSBC Group's major shareholder has not yet entered the fray."
Sir Li was startled:
"Swire Group is about to enter the fray?"
The Deputy Director whispered:
"Sir Brown is from Swire Group."
Sir Li was surprised:
"Brown is from the Swire family?"
The Deputy Director nodded:
"Besides the Swire family, no one else would have immediately consolidated HSBC's mess after Mr. Shen's sudden disappearance."
Sir Li smiled:
"That makes sense!"
The Deputy Director further added:
"Under normal circumstances, Brown would definitely use HSBC's own connections for self-rescue."
"If it cannot be relieved effectively, then Swire Group, as the major shareholder, will have to step in."
"Swire Group is also a behemoth."
"If they take action, I believe HSBC's problems will be solved head-on."
Sir Li burst out laughing:
"This is truly a very wonderful piece of news."
"So, our focus of work comes into play..."
"Buy HSBC shares at the bottom, and let's show goodwill to HSBC and Swire Group too!"
+++
Chapter 426: You Guys Are Really Bold
"What?"
"Mr. Lin wants to set up a charity foundation?"
Dai Kuen Pao looked at Benny in surprise.
Benny in front of him was a completely different person from two or three months ago.
His body had started to put on a little weight, his belly had a slight protrusion, and his face had rounded out.
He exuded an aura of wealth.
If not for a detailed introduction, no one would have said this was a gang boss.
Benny said seriously:
"Brother Bao, as you know, Brother Feng has always had a tradition of doing charity."
If he hadn't returned to his Mainland and met Sister-in-law, Benny would never have imagined that Lin Feng's business in his Mainland was so massive.
Even more, he hadn't expected that from the very beginning, a significant portion of his revenue was dedicated to charity.
This was completely beyond his expectations.
Who among the Young and Dangerous in the underworld would do charity?
Young and Dangerous live day to day... what do they gain from charity?
But that was his thinking when he first arrived in his Mainland; now, Benny had long since discarded those initial thoughts.
We are legitimate entrepreneurs, we must bear social responsibility, and we must pursue long-term development!
This was Benny's new mindset.
The network operated by Lin Feng's second wife, Gang Sheng, made Benny feel that smuggling business was just so-so!
Her business, on the other hand, spanned the globe.
This made Benny envious, jealous, and resentful—why didn't you tell me this sooner?
Benny's meeting with Gang Sheng was not long ago, just a week prior.
The reason, to be frank, was amusing.
The Lin Feng family held regular monthly gatherings.
He had eight wives, but only three were in Hong Kong.
The others were scattered across the world.
For example, Ding Yao in Taiwan, Gang Sheng in his Mainland, Tang Xin in America, Fu Zhen in South Korea, and so on.
These women were all career-oriented.
They all wanted to prove themselves in this male-dominated world.
Lin Feng let them be.
It was also thanks to them that Lin Feng was able to expand his empire so widely in just three short years.
This was a matter of exponential growth.
Like lotus leaves on a pond.
At first, there was only a single, isolated leaf; the next day, another appeared, making two; on the third day, two became four; on the fourth day, four became eight... yet it still seemed insignificant and isolated.
But as time went on, before anyone knew it, half the pond was covered.
So, how long would it take to cover the entire pond?
The answer is, it could be done the very next day!
Lin Feng's business developed both slowly and rapidly in this manner.
And because his wives were in different places, they were both independent and connected, unconsciously integrating and mutually promoting each other, developing more fiercely than anyone else.
Lin Feng did not want to expose them.
He was involved in the underworld, with enemies everywhere.
Before he had enough power, exposing them was not a good idea.
Only Liang Kun and his subordinates knew the specific identities of Lin Feng's wives.
Originally, according to the previous plan, Gang Sheng in his Mainland, Ding Yao in Taiwan, Fu Zhen in South Korea, and Tang Xin in America would all come to Hong Kong for three days each month.
This was Family Day.
But unfortunately, it coincided with Little Tycoon causing trouble.
This matter was then delayed.
Who would have thought that one delay would stretch to three months.
Fortunately, because of this incident, his Mainland became particularly tense, and Police Woman appeared.
Lin Feng then assigned them to his wives.
That's how Gang Sheng came into contact with Benny.
Otherwise, even if Benny was his partner, given Lin Feng's cautious nature, it would have been impossible for him to tell him.
Gang Sheng's appearance greatly shocked Benny.
He had long known that Lin Feng had eight wives, and none of them were mere pretty faces.
Yet, Benny was still speechless.
How did Lin Feng win such a beautiful woman?
And he had eight more beauties of the same caliber!
The joys and sorrows of people are never the same; Lin Feng was surrounded by women, like stars holding up the moon, while he couldn't even win over a tomboy like Sister Thirteen!
Envy!
Jealousy!
Hatred!!!
Of course, this was just a joke.
Gang Sheng's appearance made Benny realize Lin Feng's grand vision.
He had not expected that in his first year of doing business, he had already begun a massive layout in his Mainland.
Even more, he hadn't expected that in just three short years, the enterprises in his Mainland had already begun to take shape.
In his Mainland, Lin Feng employed hundreds of thousands of people.
Wherever Gang Sheng went, she was a distinguished guest of the government.
And the reason for her popularity was not only that she could provide employment opportunities but also because she could do charity.
Truly doing charity!
At that time, his Mainland was short on money, and government officials tried every possible means to get investors to donate. They had no personal motives, purely for the sake of the common people under their governance.
However, this kind of behavior was quite difficult for people to accept.
Those businessmen who returned to their Mainland were there for money, not for anything else.
And you're asking me to donate?
They'd agree when pigs fly.
Gang Sheng didn't even need the government to subtly hint or explicitly ask; wherever a factory was built, she would donate—building bridges, paving roads, and constructing schools was practically a one-stop service.
How could such a big businessman not be popular?
Gang Sheng casually mentioned a number to Benny—that was the money spent on good deeds in his Mainland.
Benny was stunned for a long time—that money was already far more than his entire net worth.
Dai Kuen Pao said with a bitter smile:
"Mr. Lin is a great businessman with a sense of social responsibility; we have no doubt about that."
"However, doing good deeds can be done at any time; there's no need to do it now, right?"
Benny said speechlessly:
"People are scrambling to receive donations, so why are you turning them down?"
Dai Kuen Pao was torn between laughter and tears:
"Don't harm me!"
"If those words get out, I'll be in a lot of trouble."
"Of course we need donations; his Mainland is in ruins, and the more donations, the better."
"However, we hope that the donations are not just for a moment, but a long-term thing."
"Right now, Mr. Lin is in a fierce struggle with someone in Hong Kong."
"Is it convenient to do charity now?"
Benny said with a bitter smile:
"It's more than just fierce!"
"They are fighting tooth and nail."
Lin Feng's actions in Hong Kong had not been hidden from Dai Kuen Pao, nor had they been hidden from Benny.
Both of them were clear about Lin Feng's situation.
HSBC was a colossal entity.
Not only in itself, but also because the members of the HSBC board of directors were all colossal entities.
Like Swire Group, that was also a colossal entity.
Lin Feng appeared to be opposing HSBC Group, but in reality, his opponent was the true Anglo-Saxon capital group.
Dai Kuen Pao was very worried.
Benny smiled and said:
"Brother Bao, are you very worried about Brother Feng?"
Dai Kuen Pao said bluntly:
"Mr. Lin is a truly patriotic businessman and our important partner."
"For both public and private reasons, we hope Mr. Lin can win."
Benny asked curiously:
"Since that's the case, if Brother Feng wants to set up a charity foundation, why would you politely decline?"
Dai Kuen Pao said with a bitter smile:
"Good steel should be used on the cutting edge; dispersing funds at this time is not a wise thing to do."
Benny smiled and said:
"Brother Bao, you're overthinking it."
"This fund is not solely from Brother Feng."
Dai Kuen Pao frowned:
"Really?"
Benny nodded:
"Yes!"
"This charity fund is actually primarily led by Mr. Lee Chin-Kwan, the chairman of our group."
"Mr. Chiang Tin-Yeung, another vice-chairman of our group, also contributed."
Dai Kuen Pao asked with a smile:
"Mr. Lin didn't contribute?"
Benny said with a bitter smile:
"How could they be left out of something like this?"
Dai Kuen Pao sighed:
"You see, what did I say?"
"Now is a critical moment in the battle with HSBC Group; dispersing our strength at this time is not good news."
Benny thought it was right:
"Since Brother Bao thinks so, I'll report this news back to Brother Feng."
Dai Kuen Pao breathed a sigh of relief:
"Right, right, right, let's concentrate our forces to win this battle. After this battle, we can do any kind of good deed."
Benny said earnestly:
"Brother Bao, you are truly thinking for Brother Feng."
Dai Kuen Pao didn't care:
"We are friends."
Benny sighed:
"Alright, I'll return this two billion money right away."
How... how much?!
Dai Kuen Pao's eyes widened:
"Benny, wait... how much did you say?"
Benny explained:
"Two billion!"
"It's like this: Mr. Li's wife is pregnant, and the couple wants to do good deeds to accumulate blessings for the child."
"Mr. Chiang believes that he cannot be left out of such a meaningful endeavor, so he also wants to participate."
"Mr. Lin and Mr. Li are sworn brothers, so Mr. Lin also joined in."
"The three of them put their money together and raised two billion."
Dai Kuen Pao gasped:
"Really?"
Benny said seriously:
"Brother Bao, you also know that Mr. Li and his wife used to be involved in the underworld."
"It wasn't easy to have a child, so naturally, I don't want my child to follow in my footsteps."
"This kind of thing is for the child's blessing, so there's no possibility of faking it."
Dai Kuen Pao gave a wry smile:
"Two billion!"
If the amount were smaller, he might have been able to say something, but two billion? Did they really want them not to do good deeds?
Dai Kuen Pao suspected that if he dared to stick to his previous opinion, the higher-ups would tear him apart if they found out.
Forget the higher-ups; even if he were acting on orders, facing two billion, his mouth would still be dry.
His Mainland was currently in ruins, waiting to be rebuilt. Forget two billion, how much could even two hundred million accomplish?
money was truly valuable now!
Take the bridge from Guangdong Province to Fishing Village, for example; the budget was only one billion!
If they had two billion… Of course, this money would definitely not be used for commercial purposes.
But then again, building bridges was also a good deed!
Should he really refuse?
As Dai Kuen Pao was feeling conflicted, he heard Benny continue:
"Mr. Li and his wife are firm in their intention to do good deeds."
"Mr. Chiang is the same."
"Brother Feng, of course, goes without saying."
"If it weren't for the ongoing business war in Hong Kong, they might have invested even more money into good deeds."
Dai Kuen Pao was dumbfounded:
"Wait, is this two billion not the final donation?"
Benny explained:
"No!"
"This donation is long-term."
"I spoke with the three of them in detail. Brother Feng told me he plans to donate ten percent of the profits from this business war to charity."
Hiss!
Dai Kuen Pao gasped.
Ten percent?
Dai Kuen Pao was Lin Feng's liaison with his Mainland, and his role had long since expanded beyond the original.
According to his colleagues, this business war involved capital on the scale of tens of billions.
If there was another ten percent later, even if calculated at ten billion, there would still be over one billion more… Dai Kuen Pao pondered for a long time, then finally gritted his teeth and said:
"I can't make this decision. I need to report to the higher-ups."
Benny smiled:
"Of course."
Dai Kuen Pao said frankly:
"I certainly won't doubt the motives of the gentlemen of Hung Hing Group."
"It's just that the business war in Hong Kong is in full swing, and I originally hoped to invest the limited money into the business war."
"This amount far exceeds my psychological bottom line…"
"I have to report it."
Benny nodded repeatedly:
"Understood!"
"I understand!"
Dai Kuen Pao left in a hurry.
Benny shook his head, checked the time, and called Lin Feng:
"Brother Feng, I told Brother Bao, and Brother Bao was scared."
He recounted the matter in its entirety, without adding any embellishments.
"I think Brother Bao is right. Wouldn't it be better if we used this money in the business war?"
Lin Feng shook his head slightly:
"No need, we're not short on this two billion."
Benny gave a wry smile:
"Brother Feng, what you're saying… this is two billion."
"Hung Hing combined isn't worth two billion."
Lin Feng smiled:
"That was when Chiang Tin-Sung was around."
"One should look at a scholar with new eyes after three days."
"The Hung Hing of today is not what it used to be."
"You are Hung Hing's chief logistics manager. How much have you handled in department store expenses alone?"
Benny sighed heavily.
Hung Hing Group's convenience stores had already been established.
The daily volume of goods moved was in the millions.
Most importantly, the bulk of these were fast-moving consumer goods.
Lin Feng said softly:
"Our Hung Hing is slowly integrating."
"The group has already taken shape."
"After this business war ends, we will truly become Hung Hing Group."
Benny frowned:
"Brother Bao is really good to us. If it were anyone else, they wouldn't care whether you were in a business war or not; they would have already taken the money."
"I think he's right."
"Good steel should be used on the blade."
"This two billion is a huge sum…"
Lin Feng interrupted him:
"No!"
"This money must be used for charity."
"This is my promise."
Benny gave a wry smile:
"Wouldn't it be better to do such a thing after the business war ends?"
Lin Feng sighed:
"I've received news that Swire Group is about to enter the fray, and the business war is coming to an end."
"If we don't transfer it now, it will be difficult to transfer it later."
A bad premonition arose in Benny's heart:
"Brother Feng, will this business war be lost?"
Lin Feng said in surprise:
"Since I dared to make a move, how could I lose?"
Benny asked in confusion:
"Since we won't lose, why can't we wait until the war is over?"
Lin Feng shook his head:
"We can't!"
"Our business war has actually been targeted by Anglo-Saxon capital."
"At this time, investing two billion in good deeds, they will absolutely not obstruct it."
"After the business war ends, it will be troublesome to enter and exit the Mainland so freely."
"Every fund will be tracked."
Benny quickly asked:
"Brother Feng, Swire Group is not to be trifled with. That is a major Anglo-Saxon capital."
Lin Feng did not deny this:
"Of course I know that!"
"If we were fighting a business war in America, I would definitely concede."
"However, this battle is in Hong Kong."
"Then I will not lose!"
Benny gave a wry smile:
"Brother Feng, you are so confident. I'm listening with trepidation."
"HSBC, Swire, each is a behemoth."
"You still dare to fight them…"
Lin Feng said faintly:
"It's not that I want to fight them; it's that they want to provoke me."
Benny was speechless!
Was there any difference?
Lin Feng said confidently:
"After this business war, our Hung Hing will also become a group respected by the business community."
"Others will weigh us carefully when they see us."
"We don't need to belittle ourselves."
Benny gave a thumbs up, regardless of whether Lin Feng could see it:
"Brother Feng is mighty!"
Benny's original address for Lin Feng was "Ah Feng," and at some point, it became "Brother Feng."
This change was subconscious and very smooth.
However, Benny was willing.
Lin Feng reminded him:
"After Brother Bao returns, he will most likely not accept it."
"The Mainland emphasizes clear distinctions between gratitude and grievances."
"This is a critical moment in our business war, and Brother Bao will definitely use this reason to reject our donation."
Was there anyone who wouldn't be moved by such a huge donation?
Benny thought about the Mainland's style — they really could!
"You tell Brother Bao."
"Firstly, transferring this fund at this time is convenient. Secondly, it is to paralyze HSBC Group. Thirdly, it is to use this method to tell HSBC that we have someone behind us."
"Let the Mainland endorse us."
Benny was astonished:
"Isn't our Mainland always behind us?"
Lin Feng sighed:
"That's right, our Mainland has always been behind us."
"But the other party doesn't know!"
"They might even think we're someone's front."
Benny spat fiercely:
"I'm a native of the Mainland."
Lin Feng asked:
"You haven't forgotten all your Mandarin, have you?"
Benny shrugged:
"No, I haven't."
"But more Cantonese is spoken here."
"Anyway, there's no barrier to communication."
Lin Feng sneered:
"Sixth Uncle of TV did a good job!"
Benny was speechless.
The Sixth Uncle could be ennobled; the things he did seemed insignificant, but they were very malicious.
Through TVB, he promoted speaking Cantonese and took pride in speaking it.
Hong Kong was originally an immigrant city.
Normally, the common language in an immigrant city is Mandarin.
Fishing Village is a typical example.
People from all corners of the world have different dialects, but their children speak Mandarin more standardly than anyone else.
A typical example of this is the second generation of oil field workers.
Hong Kong was originally the same.
Either Mandarin or a foreign language.
However, the Sixth Uncle vigorously promoted Cantonese and thereby earned a peerage.
The reason was that doing so created a cultural filter and barrier between Hong Kong and the Mainland.
The local dialect system is a barrier to integration with the entire country.
If there were no Mandarin, not to mention other places, people in the southern part of the Mainland would basically not be able to leave their own city — the saying goes that accents change every ten miles, and in some places, the language of a single township is different.
What Foreigner found difficult to achieve, Shao Sixth Uncle managed to do, and he was ennobled for it.
The negative consequences were not yet apparent, and the lingering poison would only manifest three or four decades later.
"Benny, while you're at it, please ask Brother Bao to help me scout a group of TV station staff. After this business war, I plan to acquire a TV station license."