Chapter 416 The Real Trouble (4802)
Fang Yu didn't care about Robert's tragic experience at all, nor did he have time to care.
Just as Chen Shian said, obtaining the bidding rights for Qianxun is only the first step, and the real trouble is yet to come.
Putting aside the BlackRock factor, Qianxun is a Nasdaq-listed company. If Youzi Technology wants to acquire Qianxun, it must make a formal privatization offer to the Qianxun board of directors.
The prerequisite for a privatization offer is to formulate an acquisition plan and financing structure.
Although using "Transaction Insights" can find the most reasonable pricing for Qianxun, the SEC does not recognize the results of magic, but only the results of due diligence. It is necessary to hire a professional investment bank to come up with a reasonable valuation report based on many aspects such as financial status, assets and liabilities, market prospects, and regulatory risks.
There is no need to worry too much about the financing needed for the acquisition. For this kind of monopoly business, countless banks and financial institutions will rush to provide money. At the very least, they can issue bonds, and there is no need to look for PE at all.
After formally submitting a privatization acquisition offer to the Qianxun board of directors, the Qianxun board of directors needs to form a special committee composed of independent directors and hire a third-party financial advisor (also an investment bank) to conduct an independent assessment to ensure the interests of small shareholders.
Then, Qianxun needs to hold a shareholders' meeting, and the privatization offer must be approved by at least two-thirds of the shareholders present. If there are shareholders who disagree, they will be regarded as nail households, and a solution will need to be negotiated with these shareholders.
After completing all these, the acquisition process is less than halfway completed, and the pain is yet to come.
Documents required to be submitted to the SEC, such as 14A and 13E, may have to be repeated many times and must be approved by the SEC, the Ministry of Commerce, and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).
Finally, only after all the money has been handed over to Qianxun shareholders can the company formally submit a delisting application to Nasdaq, and a lot of information must be submitted.
The entire acquisition process is considered complete only after Nasdaq's approval is completed.
These are just the privatization and delisting processes for general Nasdaq-listed companies. Qianxun is obviously not an ordinary company and its procedures are several times more complicated.
Because Robert ran away.
Robert holds 15.4% of Qianxun shares. Among these shares, 11% are Class B shares, which have ten times the voting rights. In other words, Robert firmly holds more than 70% of the voting rights.
Even if he is wanted in the future, his rights as a shareholder of Qianxun Company will not be automatically deprived because of his fugitive status.
In most jurisdictions, including the United States, the exercise of shareholder rights is separate from the shareholder's personal criminal status.
Even if, according to the company's articles of association, the excess voting rights of Class B shares will automatically become invalid in this case, the voting rights themselves will not disappear.
If the Qianxun board of directors wants to resolve this issue, it can either ask the court to freeze its shares or apply for entrusted management.
Of course, the situation would be more complicated if Robert Lee authorized an agent to manage his equity and proxy voting at this time.
However, for Fang Yu, these troubles are just a waste of time and are not real troubles.
The real trouble is in the main plane.
——
Loirac, Saint Egmont.
This is a city that looks extremely clean. There seems to be no garbage or a trace of dust on the streets or rooftops.
This city, which accommodates nearly 200,000 people, is laid out in a sun-radiating pattern, divided into five layers from the inside out. The two outermost layers are densely packed with residential houses, and almost every house is exactly the same in size and style, except that the houses on the fourth floor appear to be larger than those on the fifth floor.
The third and second floors are obviously the residences of senior clergy or certain institutions. The innermost mountain is the highest point and the center of the entire city.
The peak may be only a little over 300 meters high, but it is high enough for the Great Cathedral of Glory built on it to overlook the entire city.
In the very center of the Great Cathedral of Glory, a huge white tower with a diameter of dozens of meters and a height of nearly two hundred meters rises from the ground.
In the main plane where productivity is not well developed, this giant white tower can be regarded as the tallest building in the entire Nowen continent.
Legend has it that this is the place where the God of Light first performed a miracle, and it is called "the place where miracles descend." It was here that Alkain, the God of Light, spread his divine light all over the earth.
Eight wide stone steps lead directly from the foot of the mountain to the "Great Cathedral". Each step has 999 steps. On each step, there are always countless pilgrims praying devoutly, bowing with each step, climbing up. The flow of people is winding, like eight long snakes, wriggling forward.
Although there were many people, they were orderly and no one cut in line.
On one of the stone steps, a group of priests in white linen robes surrounded a middle-aged priest in a white cotton robe with gold thread piping and a golden hat, who was also climbing up the steps. When the pilgrims on the stone steps saw these priests, they automatically made way for them and knelt on the ground.
The middle-aged man in the middle, who looked like a senior priest, had an expressionless face and looked arrogant and indifferent, but he would stop from time to time and touch the heads of some old and weak believers who were already exhausted. Then these believers would immediately recover their strength as if they had taken stimulants.
Surrounded by believers crying with gratitude, the middle-aged priest walked into the Glorious Cathedral. The low-ranking priests passing by in the cathedral all placed their hands on their chests and lowered their heads, performing standard religious etiquette for the middle-aged priest.
The middle-aged priest walked through the church hall without looking around and headed towards the huge white tower in the center of the church.
When they reached the gate of the giant tower, all the other priests in white linen robes stopped, and only this middle-aged priest entered the tower alone.
The middle-aged priest went up to the third floor of the giant tower, walked through several corridors, and came to a not-so-big room. He bowed deeply to an old man in the room who was also wearing a white robe and a tall hat.
"The holy light is immortal. May your guidance illuminate the way for those lost."
"Cecil Solas, the Glorious Envoy of the Third Judgment Chamber of the Holy Orders, pays homage to Archbishop Caramon's Holy Redemption."
Archbishop Caramon, who looked to be in his sixties or seventies, had no beard at all. "May the Holy Light be with you, Cecil. You've had a hard time traveling. I heard the matter has been resolved?"
Cecil Solas lowered his head and said, "Yes, Archbishop Caramon, under the protection of the God of Light, the situation in the Umbria Diocese has stabilized, and the fallen Elias Morgaz has been purified by the Holy Light."
"He deceived 12 clergymen and 139 followers. The 18 leaders have been executed, and the rest are being held in the Umbria Judgment Camp, awaiting trial."
Archbishop Caramon nodded slightly, his face showing satisfaction. "Well done, Cecil. Your faith remains as firm as the Shield of Holy Light."
Cecil Solas showed a slight joy on his face. Archbishop Caramon was one of the twelve glorious archbishops of the Holy Council of the Temple of Light, second only to the Pope.
The twelve Glorious Archbishops are all the top ninth-level priests in this world.
To receive praise from Archbishop Caramon, it was undoubtedly a special honor for Cecil, the seventh-level priest of the Temple of Light and the Herald of Light.
A level seven priest and a level nine priest appear to be only two levels apart, but in reality the gap between these two levels is as huge as a chasm.
Because there are only 12 places for ninth-level priests of the God of Light.
Unless one of them dies or is stripped of his priesthood for serious crimes, a new ninth-level priest will be promoted.
Otherwise, everyone will be assigned their own position, and no matter how devout others are, they can only watch helplessly.
This is also the reason why the Temple of Light, as the strongest temple in the main plane, is not keen on expanding its territory.
Firstly, there are the constraints of the divine oath contract between the six gods and the thirty-two countries. Secondly, no matter how much the expansion is, the priesthood is limited. There are only so many places that can obtain high-level divine arts. There is no practical significance in expanding it further.
But this does not mean that the temple can accept the loss of territory.
Cecil said respectfully, "Bishop Caramon, I believe we need to strengthen the development of the Umbria Diocese. I suggest that the four traditional dioceses of the Umbria Diocese be further subdivided into..."
Archbishop Caramon waved his hand and said, "Put aside the Umbria matter for now. I asked you to return to the Holy Tower because I have an important matter for you to attend to."
Cecil was slightly stunned, then lowered his head again: "I look forward to the guidance of the light."
Archbishop Caramon's expression was slightly serious. "I need you to go to Albery as soon as possible and find out what exactly happened there."
"Albery?" Cecil looked up, slightly surprised. "Temple of Wealth?"
Archbishop Caramon nodded and said, "Yes, since you have also heard the news that the Temple of Wealth has moved here, I don't need to explain too much. I need you to go to Albery and find out why the Temple of Wealth has moved there."
"More importantly, we need to thoroughly investigate what exactly happened to that 'divine punishment'. How did the former Pope of the Temple of Wealth, Pascal Arum, die? Was it divine punishment or a natural disaster?"
Eight months have passed since the "God of Wealth" issued an oracle ordering the Temple of Wealth to move to Elbery, and the news has already spread throughout the thirty-two countries of Norwen.
As a temple that has been passed down in the main plane for thousands of years, the Temple of Wealth, although it previously lacked a unified program and was the loosest organization of all temples, still had a huge influence in Nowen.
It is conceivable how shocking this incident was to all the countries and temples on the Norwen continent.
The most shocking thing was that the God of Wealth brought down divine punishment for the first time, depriving eight cardinals of their powers at one time and turning the former Pope Pascal Arum into ashes in full view of the public.
Cecil frowned slightly. "Archbishop, the highest cardinals in the Temple of Fortune are only level seven priests, and they are basically useless. Their actual combat power is not even as good as our level five priests. It's a bit difficult for us to solve this problem... Wouldn't it be faster to ask the Lusen Diocese to send someone to investigate?"
Archbishop Caramon shook his head slightly. "No, His Holiness the Holy See is also very concerned about this matter. The Court of Arbitration must investigate it."
Is His Holiness also concerned?
Cecil looked surprised.
The Holy See is the name given to the Pope within the Temple of Light.
Pope Elius XXXV of the Temple of Light has been in charge of the Temple of Light for more than thirty years. He is the only level 11 transcendent in the Temple of Light who can cast 6-ring divine spells.
It should also be the only one in the main plane at present.
For a quasi-high-ranking official like Cecil, the Holy See is the synonym and human form of the God of Light, an existence that cannot be clearly seen even when looking up.
It is also an invincible existence.
What merits did the Temple of Wealth have? Even His Holiness paid attention to it?
"Besides..." Archbishop Karamon hesitated. "The Rusen Diocese has already sent people to investigate. Frankly speaking, I don't trust their findings."
Cecil was shocked. "Has a clergyman in the Russen diocese 'fallen'?"
Caramon waved his hands in denial. "That's not what I meant. It's not about falling. It's about..."
Caramon paused. "Don't worry about that for now. Take people to Albery first. The other temples should have sent people there as well. They say they've installed a set of Woking mirrors there that can see all transcendents. You should pay attention to this."
Cecil nodded in understanding, "I understand, Lord Caramon. I will be careful to conceal my identity."
Caramon shook his head again. "No."
Cecil was stunned. No? What does that mean?
A hint of arrogance flashed across Caramon's face. "We are the Temple of Light. Aside from dealing with the evil gods, which may require some methodical tactics, everything else can be handled with integrity. When you arrive, simply visit their acting pope."
Cecil suddenly understood and couldn't help but smile.
Yes, they are just a bunch of greedy money-grubbers. If it weren't for the restrictions of the God's Oath Contract, they would have been destroyed eight hundred times already.
This is really strange. The God of Wealth is clearly not involved in the Oath of God Contract, so how can the Temple of Wealth be recognized as the temple of the "true god"?
It is simply a blasphemy against the word "righteous God"!
After leaving the Holy Tower, Cecil gathered the low-level priests who were waiting at the door again, and then, with the order of Archbishop Caramon, went to the Knights Templar to ask for a team of thirty Knights Templar. After a little supply, he galloped towards Elbery.
Before reaching Elberg, just a few dozen kilometers away from St. Egmont, Cecil felt the changes compared to a few months ago.
He had just walked this road half a year ago, and there were not so many caravans on the road at that time.
But now, he found that he didn't need to bring supplies at all. There were endless caravans along the way, and even several supply point settlements formed along the way specifically for supplying the caravans.
You know, it's not spring yet. In previous years, there were few caravans on the road at this time because of the cold weather. The caravans will only increase after spring.
I have never seen any supply point settlements before.
Originally, he thought that these caravans were heading to larger cities farther away, such as Novian, but upon inquiring, he discovered that all of these caravans were heading to Albery!
There were also many caravans heading in the opposite direction. Although not as many as those going to Elbery, they were more than double the number before.
Upon inquiry, we found out that these caravans also came from Albery.
They are indeed a group of money-grubbers.
Thinking that the base camp of this group of money-swindlers was more than a hundred miles away from Saint Egmont, and that the originally orderly road was now filled with chaotic caravans, Cecil couldn't help but frown in disgust.
Until he happened to see some of the goods that these caravans brought back from Albery.
Most of the goods brought back by these caravans were things he had never seen before.
Fine silk so fine that it would fray if touched, glassware so translucent it wouldn't burst even if hot soup was served, chalk that could be used to write on a black board, a black powder called cocoa powder that smelled so good it could be mixed with milk, and sugar as white as snow...
What surprised him the most were those exquisite weapons that seemed to be shining brightly.
Long sword, long knife, battle axe, armor...
Among them, there is a set of armor made of an unknown material. It is very light, but its protective power is stronger than ordinary steel armor. Although it cannot be compared with the divine arts such as "Shield of Light", it can also be regarded as the strongest protection under the divine arts.
And those weapons were even more amazing. Several knights of the Knights Templar could not help but buy a few weapons from these caravans. The quality of these weapons was better than any weapons made by human craftsmen they had ever seen, and their texture was tough.
The team's knight commander, Savien, even used a long sword and released sword energy ten times in a row before the sword was scrapped.
You know, the weapons of the Knights Templar are consumables. The weapons made by ordinary human craftsmen can only withstand three sword energies after being infused with fighting spirit by Sevian, and then they will be scrapped due to metal fatigue.
But it is incredible that this gorgeous sword that looks like a sacred prop in the temple can withstand ten sword energies.
Are these things made by those money-grubbers?
Cecil found it a little unbelievable.
"In reply to the pastor, these are not sold by the Temple of Wealth, but by the Wanfang Trading Company."
Facing Cecil who was riding high on his horse, a caravan leader took off his hat with earmuffs and said with a smile.
"Wanfang Trading Company?" It was the first time Cecil heard this name.
"Yes, Master Priest, the owner of Wanfang Trading Company is the Lord of Albery, also a druid. These are all gifts from nature."
The caravan leader bowed and nodded, holding his hat.
A gift from nature?
When did Nima Ziran have these gifts?
Also, can a druid do business? Or is he the lord of Albery?
What is this about?
Extraordinary people cannot become lords and nobles. Don’t you know the agreement of the divine oath contract?
(End of this chapter)
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