Pao Yue-kong's laughter faded. Did that old fox, Shen Bi, even know about his secret accumulation of shares in Wharf Holdings? This reminder was a warning! He suppressed his surprise and resentment. "Ha, I understand what Mr. Shen Bi means. Okay, let me know when you have news. You know, the shipping tycoon can dock at any time." He maintained his heroic tone, but after hanging up the phone, his face suddenly became solemn.
The secretary handed Pao Yue-kong some whiskey, which he downed in one gulp. A nearby confidant whispered, "Mr. Pao, is Shen Bi not giving in?"
Pao Yue-kong waved his hand, his brow furrowed. "This old fellow... is quite cunning! His refusal was impeccable. The key is that he brought up my Wharf Holdings! I was too careless, eager to gnaw at the Hutchison Whampoa. Now, look! He's probably discovered Wharf Holdings' plans, making it even harder to get ahead!" A sense of regret washed over him, a sense of losing more than he gained. He had exposed his strategic intentions, and Hutchison Whampoa seemed to be slipping away.
A few minutes later, when Newby pushed open the heavy mahogany door of Shen Bi's office, it felt like stepping into a space cut off from the outside world. Shen Bi sat at his massive oak desk, his back framed by floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Victoria Harbour. The sunlight streamed in, casting a godlike aura of majesty. The room was silent, save for the rhythmic ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner.
"Sit down." Chen Bi didn't stand up, but just pointed to the chair opposite.
Niubijian sat down as instructed, his hands clasped unconsciously in his lap. The feeling of awaiting the final verdict actually relaxed his previously frantic nerves. His fear faded, and he remained silent, resigned to his fate. Regardless of the outcome, Shen Bi's ruling was ironclad.
Shen Bi didn't speak immediately. He just picked up the internal phone on the corner of the table and dialed a short number, then ordered: "Bring in the records of several important calls I just received."
Soon, the secretary brought in a document. Shen Bi flipped through it casually, his tone as casual as if he was discussing the weather. "New Bijian, you're finally here." He didn't even look up. "In just half an hour, I received two interesting calls. One from Li Jiacheng in Deep Water Bay, and the other from the Bao family. Can you guess what they're calling about?"
Newbijian's heart suddenly shrank, and his lips moved: "Land?"
"That's a good guess." Chen Bi raised his eyelids, a playful smile playing on his lips, and pushed the document towards Newbeckon. "Look. Li Jiacheng is beating around the bush, trying to find out what HSBC's plan is for these 20% pledged shares. Insinuatingly, he wants to know if he can get these shares through a HSBC loan." He snorted, barely audible. "He just got that big subway overpass project, and he can't wait to set his sights on Hong Kong Land. Biting off more than he can chew."
Newbijian quickly scanned the phone log, which clearly recorded Li Jiacheng's attempts to inquire about the possibility of a loan. An uncontrollable wave of anger and contempt washed over him: "This ungrateful bastard! We just helped him get such a big project, and now he's turning around and trying to bite us back, devouring our core assets!"
"Look at Pao Yue-kong," Shen Bi pointed at the following content. "This 'shipping king' has quite a big appetite. He's quite direct, asking directly how to sell these 20% shares." Shen Bi's eyes flashed with a glint. "He's been secretly buying up Wharf Holdings shares recently. Don't forget, Hongkong Land is Wharf Holdings' largest shareholder, holding 28% of Wharf Holdings. He wants to acquire Hongkong Land, but his real ambition is probably to gain control of Wharf Holdings. Now, he's exposed."
"Look, this is Hong Kong Island. Sir Newbigin. One just got a piece of the pie with our support and is eager to grab another bigger piece. The other appears generous but is actually ambitious and wants to use our help to seize the city.
After being rejected by my call, these two Hong Kong tycoons must have felt like they'd swallowed a fly, feeling uncomfortable and frustrated. They must also have been even more puzzled and curious - the Hong Kong Land Development Group I mentioned has a new home, and who will it be?
Newbijian's fingers were trembling with anger. "They're all full of wicked ambitions! Over the years, thanks to our cooperation and support, they've all made a killing, and now they can't wait to carve up our foundation!"
Chen Bi's voice was unusually calm, with a kind of indifference that saw through the world. "Ambition? Sir Newbigin, when has Hong Kong Island not been like this? This has been Chinese territory since ancient times, and the Chinese have always been the majority. Which Chinese who have climbed to the top of this jungle are simple? Superficial cooperation cannot conceal the deep desire to swallow up our British-owned enterprises. They compete with each other, but they are surprisingly unanimous in their covetousness for our British wealth."
Shen Bi leaned back in his chair, looking at Niu Bijian sharply. "Now you see clearly? How many eyes are watching Jardine Matheson Land's fat piece of meat? How many invisible hands are waiting to divide and eat this century-old foundation?"
Niu Bijian met Shen Bi's gaze in silence, his anger gradually giving way to a cold sense of powerlessness. He took a deep breath, as if making a resolution: "Boss Shen Bi, I understand. The situation is pressing. Since you've summoned me now, you must have made the best arrangements. You and Xiaolin Tianwang... have reached an agreement, right? How do I need to cooperate?" He had rehearsed the worst-case scenario many times—Xiaolin Tianwang would simply take the remaining 20% at a low price.
Chen Bi smiled faintly, his expression of control and composure unchanged. "Kobayashi Tianwang's request is simple. HSBC's 20% stake in Hong Kong Land Development must be transferred to his personally controlled company at market value, and a HK$1 billion loan must be provided for the acquisition."
Newbijian's heart suddenly rose and fell. Market price? The current collapsed market price? That meant HSBC would suffer a huge loss on the pledged shares. This outcome was much better than his worst-case scenario—giving away shares for free. He was about to breathe a sigh of relief and nod in agreement when he saw Shen Bi raise a finger and continue:
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