On the other end of the phone.
Shen Bi's breathing remained steady.
Terribly calm.
He listened quietly to Newbigin breathing in the embers of his anger.
Listening to the deep resentment burning through the telephone lines.
Newbigin's throat was burning with pain.
After yelling.
It was as if all the strength had been drained away.
My body involuntarily slid back into the wide seat.
The leather seats were cold.
It was not as cold as his heart at this moment.
After anger.
All that's left is a huge feeling of powerlessness.
Like a cold quagmire enveloping the whole body.
Sinking little by little.
"So... it's him." The voice was hoarse.
Every word seemed to be laced with blood. "Huo Yingdong... What a Huo Yingdong!"
He thought of Ho Chun-ting's stupid look.
I remembered the farce at Repulse Bay No. 3. Setting off firecrackers? I was just watching the fun and laughing at the joke!
It turns out it was all acting.
It's all acting!
Huo Zhenting is stupid.
It’s just a maze set up by me!
He deliberately made his son and Kobayashi Tenwang jealous of each other.
Deliberately bringing the war to Jardine Matheson!
Just to numb myself!
For today's fatal blow!
Newbigin closed his eyes.
Everything before my eyes was blood red. The Huo family. Huo Yingdong.
This old fox!
It turns out that an ambush was waiting for me here!
Those rumors...those vicious rumors!
What a huge loss in silver!
What a bottomless pit in Australia!
What's the use of taking time off for a subsidiary?
It must be the Huo family!
They must be setting the fire!
They are fanning the flames!
We must burn Jardines to ashes!
"Peter..." Newbigin's voice was extremely tired.
With a kind of resigned silence.
"I understand... I understand..."
He held the microphone.
The metal was so cold it could freeze my fingers. It was over. It was completely over.
The Huo family carefully arranged a killing plan.
With Jardine Matheson now facing a situation where there are leaks from all sides, how can we stop it? With the 300 million Hong Kong dollars in hand?
Throw it into that storm.
Not even a splash of water could be seen.
It will be swallowed up in an instant.
He imagined the market opening tomorrow.
Selling orders poured in.
The stock price plummeted.
If HSBC's 20% were to explode... that scene gave him a chill.
Shen Bi finally spoke again.
The voice was flat and calm.
Without any emotion, he said: "Sir Newbigin.
I appreciate your continued judgment.”
The words sounded like a mockery.
Newbigin smiled bitterly.
His chapped lips almost tasted blood.
"I regret.
This is how the situation has developed.”
Shen Bi’s tone was as if he was talking about the weather, “The situation of Yihe.
HSBC has to be careful.”
Caution? It means abandonment.
Newbigin said nothing.
He knew it was no use begging for mercy.
That's what capital is.
"Peter." He practically squeaked the name out through gritted teeth.
With the last trace of unwillingness.
A trace of... indescribable humiliation. "You are the boss of HSBC.
You are the...emperor of Hong Kong Island.
You are British.”
He himself felt that these words were pale and powerless.
But I still have to say, "How could you...how could you help Huo Yingdong?
Helping the Huo family... to erode our own foundation?
That is British property!
It is the face of the empire in the Far East!"
The voice rises.
With questioning.
“Have you forgotten?
You summoned us!
Tell us about HSBC’s role!
Protect British assets!
Suppress Chinese capital!
Especially the pro-mainland Chinese capital!"
He inhaled sharply.
Like grasping at the last straw, he asked, “Are you going to hand over Hutchison Whampoa to Henry Fok now?
Who is he? Red Hat! The most pro-mainland Chinese person in Hong Kong!
He imagined what it would be like if Henry Fok were in control of the Hong Kong Land Group.
Those properties in Tsim Sha Tsui.
The commercial heart of those bustling areas.
Falling into the hands of a Chinese close to mainland China?
This is more unacceptable to him than bankruptcy!
Lost to Henry Fok?
I can’t close my eyes even if I die!
There was silence on the other end of the phone for a few seconds. Then, Shen Bi chuckled softly.
The laughter was soft, yet cold.
"Sir Newbigin.
I think you have misunderstood HSBC's position.
And I misunderstood my responsibilities.”
His voice became clearer.
Like a cold scalpel. "My fundamental goal.
There is only ever one.
That is to maintain the stability and economic prosperity of Hong Kong Island.
It is for the continuation of the interests of the British Empire here."
Newbijian's heart sank little by little.
“You saw it.
What are you British companies doing?
There was a lot of panic.
extremely suspicious.
I’m afraid the sky in Hong Kong will change color tomorrow.
I’m afraid my assets will vanish in the blink of an eye.”
There was a subtle sharpness in Shen Bi's tone.
“This year.
How much money was withdrawn?
Transferring to London?
Moving to Australia?
Even North America?"
He paused, “You’re all thinking about how to get out.
Everyone is thinking about how to spend the money they earned in Hong Kong Island.
Move out faster.
Move to a safer place.”
"Then why do you do that?
Still counting on me, the 'Emperor of Hong Kong Island'.
Using HSBC's money.
Falling into a quagmire that you all want to get out of as soon as possible?
To help you preserve the assets…that you are giving away?"
His voice suddenly turned cold. "Yihe is the one who got ahead of others.
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