He put his glasses back on, his gaze darkening. "He's sacrificing his reputation in exchange for the Hong Kong government's guarantee that Hong Kong Land's operations are free from blockades and interference from Chinese capital... He might even be able to use this to open up supply gaps through other British channels... This kid is incredibly patient and ruthless! I guess I underestimated him before."
At the Sun Hung Kai Properties headquarters, Kwok Tak-sheng removed his reading glasses, rubbed his brow, and said to his eldest son, Kwok Ping-sheung, beside him, "See? This is the price of capital without connections. Kobayashi Tenmo's foundation is too weak. He forced his way into the fat piece of land, only to be surrounded by the Fok family and several of us, and his flaws were immediately exposed. His move today may seem humiliating, but it's actually a retreat to advance, clearly signaling his complete siding with British capital! From now on, he'll be the British capital's thorn in the side of Chinese capital. Be extremely vigilant!"
His eyes became extremely sharp. "Father, you mean..." Guo Binsheng seemed to be thinking about something.
"That's right!" Guo Desheng said firmly, "From today on, he is the public enemy of our Chinese business community! All future business dealings will be subject to increased scrutiny, and any cooperation must be jointly guaranteed by at least three Chinese companies!"
Cheng Yu-tung was playing with a sparkling diamond when he received the news in his Chow Tai Fook office. He shook his head slightly and gave a succinct comment to his confidant: "Bearing humiliation? Ha! Young people rise fast, but they fall fast. Publicly appealing to the Governor like this may seem like a move to sacrifice the rook to save the king, but it actually narrows his path. He's completely aligned with British capital, and the Chinese community will no longer tolerate him. Even if Murray MacLehose were willing to give him some face and mediate between him and us Chinese investors, he's unlikely to achieve anything great." His tone was filled with regret for his lack of tact, but also with relief—another troublemaker had been suppressed.
Inside Cheung Kong Holdings, Li Ka-shing's office was a completely different scene. He slammed the newspaper down on the table, his face instantly livid. He stared intently at the headline "Petition to the Governor," his chest heaving violently.
You're such a jerk! I've been trying so hard to get my hands on HSBC and Jardine Matheson, but I haven't found the perfect opportunity, and I haven't gathered enough evidence to prove my loyalty! And yet, with a simple act of begging, you're putting yourself in a position to pledge your loyalty to the Governor?! Such tactical tactics... shameless!
Li Jiacheng's eyes burned with resentment and anger. No! This Japanese kid couldn't be allowed to enjoy this favor all to himself! I had to have my men figure out an approach right away!
Should I increase my donations to the charities that the Governor's wife is passionate about? Or should I immediately relaunch the previously shelved dock project with Jardine Matheson and offer my loyalty? I must show Sir Stephen Sham and the Governor's Office that I, Li Ka-shing, am more loyal and capable than you, Kobayashi Tenmo!
He picked up the intercom and spoke in an uncontrollable hurry: "Hello? Mr. Zhang! Immediately draw up a few proposals for deepening cooperation with the Hong Kong government and British capital! I want the most urgent and practical ones! Tonight... No! Have them on my desk within the hour!"
On the top floor of the Ming Pao building, Jin Yong's office was filled with the aroma of aged Pu'er tea. He put down the latest few newspapers, leaned back in his chair, and remained silent for a long time. On TV, a reporter was broadcasting the news that Kobayashi Tenmo's motorcade was heading towards the Governor's House. The sharp voice in the news broke the quiet of the study.
Jin Yong stared at the screen, his deep gaze seeming to pierce time and space. He rapidly replayed in his mind the series of moves Kobayashi Tenbo had made since arriving on the island: from the shocking debut of the unexpected Dragon Jump, to the counter-trend of the Asia Daily, to the lightning-fast takeover of the Hong Kong Land... Each move was unpredictable, the tactics radical and open-ended, a true tiger-like aggression.
But today… they actually used such a low-level move?! Jin Yong's face didn't show any dissatisfaction with those Chinese tycoons who were pushing him too far. Instead, it was filled with deep disappointment in Kobayashi Tenwang, even with a hint of the anger that was unique to scholars.
"Although their strategy is brilliant and their tactics are extraordinary, in the end... they lack integrity!" he muttered to himself, his voice sounding particularly heavy in the empty office. "They're using the guise of a public petition to pretend they're surrendering, seeking British protection and opposing Hong Kong's Chinese businessmen!"
He slammed his palm down on the sandalwood table, making the teacups clink. "This is the behavior of a traitor, not a hero! He is narrow-minded and self-degrading! This boy has revealed his true colors today. It may seem to help him temporarily, but in fact it will ruin his future! He is not worth mentioning, nor is he to be feared!"
In his opinion, although Huo Zhenting was far inferior to his father and acted impetuously and recklessly, at least the Huo family had a clear position and its foundation was in China. And Xiaolin Tianwang this son...
At this moment, another piece of news uncontrollably surfaced in Jin Yong's mind—last night at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Liu Rumeng led four beauties to a banquet hosted by Kobayashi Tenmo! While the report was vague, the photos leaked from the hotel were quite ambiguous.
A thought that made his heart tremble violently came to his mind: Could it be... Could it be that Liu Rumeng, whom he had personally praised in his article as "a plum blossom standing in the snow," a woman of both talent and beauty, pure and innocent, had actually been "favored" by such a treacherous and disloyal hero last night... using his power and wealth? Even one dragon and five phoenixes...
Jin Yong felt a surge of resentment surge up his forehead, his chest becoming intensely tight, and his vision instantly darkened. He took a deep breath, trying to calm the overwhelming rage and the indescribable feeling of being...desecrated.
He quickly held onto the chair, steadying himself, his expression grim. After a long pause, he wearily called out to the door, "Wang Yang... give me a cup of ginseng tea... a little stronger..." His voice trembled slightly.
At Jardine Matheson's headquarters, in Newbigin's spacious and imposing office, the television played footage of Kobayashi Tenbo's motorcade. As soon as Newbigin finished his assistant's report, he burst into a hearty, scornful laugh: "Hahaha! Peter! Look at this! This is the new owner of Jardine Matheson that HSBC favored and spent billions to help him take over? Look at how flustered and pathetic he looks now!"
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