He paused, his weathered gaze sweeping over the heads of the He, Zheng, and Li families one by one:
"Did it start with the Opium Wars of the Qing Dynasty, or with the Hong Kong-Guangdong strike? Our ancestors all endured hardship and displacement under the scorn and oppression of foreigners, building their businesses bit by bit. It's our business to fight among Hong Kong merchants, but why do these foreigners have the right to exploit us?"
The atmosphere instantly became heavy, and no one spoke.
Yes, the Hong Kong government and its various families rise and fall; this is normal business competition. But what right do foreigners have to act so arrogantly?
The old man smiled slowly and said in a hoarse voice, "It's been almost a hundred years, and they still want to ride roughshod over us! I'm an old man with half my body in the ground, am I supposed to just stand by and watch them control the economic lifeline of Hong Kong?"
"Back then, my Ning family donated money, supplies, medicine, and cannons when we fought the Japanese. Even now, as I die here, I will never bow down to the Westerners! And you all understand the principle of 'if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold' better than I do!"
The old man's words, filled with the sorrow and resentment of someone weathered by life's hardships, swept over everyone's hearts.
After a moment, the head of the He family said in a deep voice, "Brother Ning is right! When the nest is overturned, how can the eggs remain intact? If the Ning family falls, the next ones to fall will be the He family, the Zheng family, and the Li family! We all understand the principle of 'if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold'!"
The old man slammed his withered hand on the armrest of his wheelchair, his hoarse voice suddenly rising in anger:
"Gentlemen, if that's the case, can you bear to watch the scene from a hundred years ago repeat itself, willingly becoming fish on a chopping board, at the mercy of foreigners? Or will you unite and fight them!"
The crowd began to whisper among themselves, their emotions gradually rising.
The patriarch of the Li family looked at Old Master Ning with a firm gaze: "The humiliation of a hundred years ago must not be repeated! Brother Ning, you draw the line, and our Li family will follow!"
The middle-aged head of the Zheng family said solemnly, "That's right! Hong Kong Island belongs to us Chinese, and we cannot allow foreign capital to control it at will! My Zheng family is willing to stand with you all!"
The heads of the three major families all expressed their opinions, and the atmosphere in the inner hall instantly became exciting.
Grandpa Ning nodded in satisfaction, a look of relief appearing on his aged face: "Good! I knew it. We Chinese have an indomitable spirit flowing in our veins. If that's the case..."
A sharp glint flashed in his cloudy old eyes: "I propose that we follow the example of our predecessors, unite the four of us, and immediately establish an 'Anti-Foreign Capital Manipulation of the Local Economy Alliance' and set up an 'Anti-Short Selling Fund' to jointly fund the effort to support the market and stabilize public sentiment!"
"At the same time, immediately contact other Chinese business families and try to win them over as much as possible! Also, immediately draft an emergency motion and submit it through our Legislative Council members, requesting the Hong Kong government to intervene and restrict malicious short selling!"
"The He family agrees!" The head of the He family was the first to stand up, his voice firm and powerful.
"The Zheng family seconded it!" The head of the Zheng family followed suit, standing up to express his opinion.
“The Li family has no objection!” The head of the Li family also stood up, his eyes burning.
The four great families, united in purpose, fight against foreign enemies!
The resolution was reached, and the atmosphere suddenly became solemn and respectful.
The old man turned to Ning Bingyu and hissed, "Ayu, go prepare the incense table and invite Guan Yu!"
Ning Bingyu immediately stepped forward, took four sets of incense and candles that had been prepared in advance from the incense table next to him, and respectfully distributed them to the three family heads, He, Zheng, and Li, while keeping one set for himself.
The four sect leaders, holding incense and candles, walked solemnly before the statue of Guan Sheng Di Jun.
Supported by Ning Bingyu and Ning Man'an, Old Master Ning stood up shakily, lit the three incense sticks in his hand, bowed with difficulty, and inserted them into the incense burner.
"We hereby swear our loyalty and righteousness, to share weal and woe, to protect the Hong Kong government, to be of one heart and one mind, to resist foreign investment, and to safeguard the economy of Hong Kong Island! May Guan Sheng Di Jun bear witness!!"
An aged yet resolute voice echoed in the ancient inner hall.
The three heads of the family, He, Zheng, and Li, also stepped forward in turn, lit incense, offered sacrifices, and placed incense sticks into the incense burner.
Following this, Ning Bingyu, Li Zongheng, and all the younger members of each family present stepped forward to offer incense in turn, and finally—
I bowed deeply before the statue of Lord Guan!
The smoke from the cigarette rose gently, illuminating the solemn and resolute faces.
At this moment, the ancient code of brotherhood and the modern business warfare have miraculously merged, forming a powerful force to jointly weather the storm.
Ning Yuan was deeply moved by the scene before her, which was as ceremonial as a movie.
It felt as if we had truly returned to that turbulent old era.
This is the spirit and sense of responsibility of the older generation of Chinese businessmen!
Faced with a greater cause, they set aside personal grievances, united as one, and defended the dignity of the Chinese people!
Her heart was filled with emotion, and she couldn't help but bow down as well!
After offering incense, the old man turned around, glanced at the younger generation, and said in a deep voice:
"From this day forward, you descendants must remember this covenant, work together with one heart and one mind, and live up to Lord Guan's protection!"
The younger generations of the four major families bowed in unison: "Yes!"
After the ceremony, the heads of several companies and their successors, including Ning Bingyu, stayed behind to continue discussing the specific charter of the "Anti-Short Selling Fund" and the details of the next steps.
Ning Yuan and the other younger members of several families were led to rest and wait in several side rooms in the backyard of the Guandi Temple.
The unique scent of old wood mixed with the wisps of incense lingered around her nose, giving her a dizzying, unreal feeling.
The solemn and dignified scene in the inner hall, filled with shared hatred of the enemy, was so impactful that even now, sitting alone in this quiet room, her emotions were still churning and difficult to calm.
The elderly man who led the way offered her a cup of tea, its delicate aroma slightly diluting the strong smell of incense in the air.
Ning Yuan held the cup of tea and drank most of it before her turbulent emotions gradually calmed down. The old man who had been standing by her side suddenly bowed and said in a calm voice, "Seventh Miss, is your tea ready? The old master invites you to the council hall."
Ning Yuan was slightly taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in her watery eyes. The council hall?
There must be several family heads and heirs discussing the most crucial secrets there right now, and what they want her to do.
Her understanding of the financial markets was limited to a superficial level; she was not capable of helping to draft agreements.
Despite her doubts, she immediately put down her teacup: "Thank you for your trouble, I've finished drinking."
The old man nodded and led the way. We passed through the quiet backyard, circled several corridors, and returned once again to the heart of the ancient architectural complex.
The door to the council hall was ajar. The old man gently pushed it open and gestured for Ning Yuan to enter.
Upon entering the council chamber, an invisible pressure immediately enveloped us.
On either side of the large mahogany table sat the heads and powerful figures of various prominent families.
Ning Bingyu, Li Dashao, Ning Man'an, and other powerful figures from various groups were also present.
Even her uncle, Ning Zhengkun, had appeared at some point and was sitting upright to one side.
Ning Yuan understood immediately. Her uncle's appearance now was clearly a deliberate act by the old master, intended to elevate Ning Bingyu's position as the leader.
Grandpa Ning sat in the main seat. When he saw Ning Yuan enter, a faint smile appeared on his originally serious face. He raised his hand and beckoned to her, "Yuan, come here."
"Whoosh!"
In an instant, the sharp, deep, or scrutinizing gazes of everyone in the room focused on her with an imposing air.
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