"You can't say that! The fact that he can make the Huo family so fearful and force so many bigwigs to join forces against him, doesn't this just prove that this little Lin Tianwang is incredibly powerful? Tsk tsk, if it were me, even if I went bankrupt tomorrow, my life would still be worth it! How many people can live as gloriously as him?"
"I don't think he'll fall! This kid is incredibly cunning. Think about it, how long has he been in Hong Kong? He got his hands on comics from newspapers, and now he owns Hong Kong Land! Is that what an ordinary person would do? The Fok family is targeting him now, and that might just play into the hands of the British! I bet HSBC and Jardine Matheson will definitely step in to protect him!"
"Yes, yes, yes! I think so too! This little Lin Sheng is an invincible 'dragon crossing the river'! Seeing that he is surrounded by enemies on all sides, maybe he will come up with a surprise move and turn the tables in a few days! It's true that the Huo family has deep roots, but this little Lin Tianwang looks like he's no pushover! Let's wait and see!"
At street newsstands, tea restaurants, and even the entrances of securities firms thronged with stockholders, people were whispering and exasperated. Some gloated, declaring Kobayashi Tenwang's fate doomed; others marveled at his "treatment" at such a high level, viewing it as a special kind of honor; and still others instinctively believed this young man had a trick up his sleeve. Opinions were sharply conflicting, and the debate raged.
And on those stock trading floors, the anger and anxiety are even greater.
"Mr. Huo is right! It's just robbery! Where does the Japanese get their money? It's our hard-earned money! The money they rob at high prices and sell at low prices is made up with the losses of retail investors like us!" A middle-aged stock investor who was still beating his chest and stamping his feet over the plummeting price of Hutchison Whampoa yesterday, now has red eyes, pointing at the numbers that are still jumping on the wall and cursing.
"That's right! The money he spent on acquiring Hutchison Whampoa was just a way to take advantage of us! Now the Huo family has brought people to siege him, I wonder what he can do! I think Hutchison Whampoa's stock will continue to fall!" Another person who was furious echoed in a hoarse voice.
The Hong Kong stock market has been a rollercoaster since its opening. Yesterday, Hongkong Land Holdings closed at a precarious 60 yuan mark. Today, as soon as the market opened, the stock price skyrocketed, breaking through the 90 yuan mark in just ten minutes, fueled by a brief period of short-covering and investment from investors optimistic about Kobayashi Tenmo's "trump card."
It seems that after last night's hustle and bustle, the market has new expectations for Kobayashi Tenmo's "luck" or "trump card".
However, Peter Ho's resounding declaration of war during the live TV broadcast was like a basin of ice-cold snow water poured over his head!
Almost at the moment when the news footage cut to the statement of the charter king and others, the red line of the Hutchison Whampoa that had just soared into the sky suddenly stopped, and then began to turn downward, as if it had lost all support.
90…85…80…75…70!
Panic selling poured out. The stock price plummeted like a deflated ball! Investors who had just bought in at the 90 yuan high, anticipating a rebound, paled. By the time Baochuan Wang, Zheng Daheng, and Li Chaoren had each expressed their views, Hong Kong's stock price had already fallen weakly below 70 yuan, finally stabilizing around 65 yuan, then experiencing violent fluctuations. A fierce battle ensued between bulls and bears, with those betting on Kobayashi Tenbo's turnaround and those betting on its downfall battling at this price point. The market was in a state of confusion and chaos.
Inside the top-floor office of Bao's Shipping headquarters at Wharf Wharf, the atmosphere was quite different. Huge floor-to-ceiling windows framed the bustling port scene.
"Daddy, if we stand so clearly on the side of the Huo family, will it... make the Hong Kong government think that we are too close to the Huo family?" Wu Guangzheng watched the TV screen disappear and looked at Pao Yue-kong with a little worry.
Pao Yue-kong leaned back in a comfortable leather chair, fiddling with an exquisite cruise ship model. His expression was calm and composed. "Guangzheng, you're overthinking it. This isn't about choosing sides. This is about repaying a favor, and more importantly, doing business. Fok Ying-tung called me personally, how could I not give him this favor? A debt of favor is more valuable than gold in Hong Kong Island. As for the Hong Kong government?"
He smiled faintly, his eyes penetrating. "We are simply responding to the Huo family's 'righteous act' and working together to deal with a 'troublemaker' who is acting ostentatiously and causing unrest in the industry. We just need to show our support and stop there."
He put down the model and sipped his tea. "That little shipping service from Hong Kong? It's a drop in the bucket for us. But for Xiaolin Tianwang, who just took over Hong Kong and needs to stabilize the situation as soon as possible, every contract is a lifeline. The Huo family is drilling a hole in his newly seized luxury cruise ship, and water will soon flood in. He, Xiaolin Tianwang..." A gleam flashed in Pao Yue-kong's eyes. "The most important thing now is not profit, but stopping the bleeding and stabilizing the situation. If we hand him this knife, he will suffer for a while."
Wu Guangzheng nodded, "I understand. We've given the Huo family face while also putting a dent in that young Lin Tianwang's arrogance. Furthermore, this 'suspension of cooperation' is flexible. As long as the conditions offered by the land are sufficiently favorable, we can resume the relationship at any time. The initiative is always in our hands. It's really great."
Pao Yue-Kong nodded with satisfaction, but then his brows furrowed slightly, his gaze directed to the "Sea Princess" anchored in the distance: "The only pity is... that Kobayashi Tenwang took action in advance and got the Hutchison Whampoa Group. Although he is in a desperate situation now, he has also alerted the enemy. Jardine Matheson has taken back some of the Hutchison Whampoa shares pledged to HSBC? Now Niu Bijian and Shen Bi are more alert to any coveting attempts..." His fingers tapped the armrest unconsciously, his tone with a hint of regret, "We have been planning Hutchison Whampoa for so many years... It seems that the secret route will take more trouble." This is the loss that he really cares about but cannot say out loud.
Sun Hung Kai Properties' Kwok Tak-seng's considerations were more pragmatic. He watched the news with a focused and calm gaze. For him, profit and risk always came first. He might curry favor with the Fok family and display his influence, but these were all means. The core objective was to ensure Sun Hung Kai's stability. Kobayashi Tenmo was indeed a wild card, and with him currently struggling, Kwok Tak-seng would never risk any further involvement with him. Expressing support for the Fok family was a matter of following the trend, severing ties was a matter of risk avoidance, and closing the door to future collaboration was a matter of waiting and watching. For him, this was more of a prudent risk-control operation.
Cheng Yu-tung of New World Development was different. He had a gambling bent and a sense of shrewdness in his bones. He saw Peter Ho's public declaration of war as a gratifying revenge. Fok Ying-tung was an old friend, and he admired the ruthlessness of Fok's actions. Suppressing Kobayashi Tenmo, the sudden and disruptive "dragon from the river," also served his purpose of preserving the existing structure of interests. His stance wasn't merely a favor; it was a way to demonstrate his position and strength during the transition from old to new, emphasizing the Cheng family's influence. Dealing with troublemakers? Cheng Yu-tung was fearless and unsparing in his use of force.
The atmosphere in Cheung Kong Holdings' office is quite different.
Li Ka-shing saw the reporters off, and the modest smile on his face instantly faded, replaced by a harsh mockery and a hint of jealousy. He walked to the huge window and looked out at the skyscrapers in Central.
"Hmph," he sneered. "Do you think HSBC's free shares are a piece of cake? The British are giving you candy, but there's poison behind it! Look, the aftereffects are here, aren't they? That old fox, Huo Yingdong, has brought half his empire to attack you! There's no good outcome if you swallow him! Do you really think this century-old British foundation is so easy to chew?"
His eyes were sharp as knives, as if he could see the young rival in the Landmark building, now in a state of panic. Li Jiacheng's heart was churning with intense desire and unwillingness.
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