The article was relatively restrained in content, but it was full of British arrogance and skepticism.
"...We acknowledge Mr. Lin's business achievements in Hong Kong, but Hong Kong is a tiny island and cannot be compared to the great Britain. Success in finance and media does not mean he is capable of navigating the complex automotive manufacturing industry. We shall wait and see whether this 'magician' from the East will create miracles or suffer a major setback here."
The Sun's headline was even more sensational and acrimonious: "Yellow-skinned monkey wants to swallow our Land Rover! Is he insane?!"
The accompanying illustration is a highly caricatured cartoon depicting a thin man in a Tang suit with a braid, his mouth agape as he attempts to swallow a giant Land Rover model.
The article is full of sarcasm, calling Kobayashi Tenno a "money-blinded oriental boy" and calling on all Britons to unite against this "commercial invasion" and protect the industrial heritage of the British Empire.
For a time, the whole of Britain was abuzz with discussion about this Hong Kong Islander named "Kobayashi Tenmo".
Inside the Parliament building's lounge, several members of parliament were chatting over coffee.
"Hey John, did you see today's paper? There's some kid from Hong Kong Island who says he wants to buy a Land Rover and a Rover."
"Of course I saw it. It's the funniest joke I've heard all year. Do they think cars are cheap toys they sell on the street?"
"Who knows? Maybe he thinks our factory is as big as his backyard workshop. I bet he doesn't even know how many toilets Leyland has."
"Hahaha, maybe we should suggest he acquire a Chinese restaurant; that might be more suitable for him."
The lawmakers burst into laughter, completely disregarding the matter and treating it merely as an amusing topic of conversation.
Indeed, at that time, apart from Japan, the productivity of other Asian countries was severely despised by the Western world.
Just like Hong Kong Island at this time, even with the titles of international financial port and free trade port, the most famous of its exported products is still "plastic flowers", which have nothing to do with high technology such as automobiles.
So when these lawmakers heard that a Japanese-Chinese from Hong Kong Island dared to boast about acquiring a British car brand, it was the funniest joke they had heard all year.
Inside the Rover factory in Birmingham, the atmosphere was even more hostile.
The workers gathered in the break room, smoking and grumbling.
"Have you heard? There's some Asian guy named 'Kobayashi Tenmoku' who wants to buy our factory!"
"I've heard about it, what a fucking bastard! No matter how difficult things are for Rover, it's none of these yellow-skinned monkeys' place to tell us what to do!"
A burly man with a face covered in grease slammed the newspaper onto the table.
"Exactly! Do they even know what a car is? All they know how to do is make cheap plastic flowers! Let them tell us what to do? I'll be the first to object!"
"That's right! The workers of our Great British Empire will never work for an Oriental! It's a disgrace!"
The workers were outraged; in their view, this was no longer a matter of a job, but had risen to the level of national and racial dignity.
It must be said that, because of the existence of the Soviet Union, Western countries at this time had to raise the level of workers' treatment to a very high standard in order to prevent the spread of communist ideology among the oppressed working class.
So, you see! At that time, British workers were all acting like big shots.
They would rather the factory close down and everyone lose their jobs than be ruled by an Asian they despise from the bottom of their hearts.
For a time, from top to bottom, from elites to commoners, the entire British society was filled with contempt, ridicule and hostility towards Kobayashi Tenno.
No one in all of Great Britain believed in him; everyone was waiting to see him fail.
And this is exactly the effect Lin Huowang wanted to achieve.
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