Chapter 454 Someone Will Help: A Noble Person
Hearing her assurance, Director Yuan breathed a slight sigh of relief and stood up to clink glasses with the newcomer and greet her.
Before the other party could even exchange pleasantries, Wang Xiao, with a serious expression and beaming excitement, said, "Mr. Wu, what a coincidence! Director Yuan is also a farming expert, incredibly experienced. Hearing your words today is like gaining ten years' worth of knowledge. Let me tell you, the irrigation of rice paddies..."
Poor Mr. Wu was so dizzy that he quickly mumbled a few words in agreement, and then seized the opportunity to make a hasty escape.
The rumors were true; this Mr. Wang has become obsessed with farming.
She was born 20 years too late. If she had been 20 years older, she would definitely have been working in the countryside reclaiming wasteland and farming.
They've never experienced hardship before; they're just asking for trouble.
Wang Xiao clicked his tongue with regret: "What I said were all valuable insights gained from real money invested, why wouldn't they listen?"
Director Yuan laughed out loud: "People as smart as President Wang are, after all, a minority."
Wang Xiao nodded seriously, without blushing at all: "I think so too. I feel that the short sellers on Wall Street are really stupid. There are so many international speculative funds and so many advisors, yet they don't know how to adapt to local conditions and treat Hong Kong like Thailand."
She looked at the amber-colored beer in her glass and sighed softly, "They didn't understand the reasons why Hong Kong had the confidence to defend the Hong Kong dollar."
Director Yuan wanted to say that Wall Street hadn't understood the central government's determination.
But as soon as he was about to say it, he realized something was amiss; this Mr. Wang must have had ulterior motives.
As expected, Wang Xiao said slowly, "Whether Hong Kong people look down on mainlanders is one thing, but whether Hong Kong people have deep faith in the financial strength and power of the mainland government is another. Otherwise, they wouldn't have rushed to build so many buildings for top officials."
Director Yuan couldn't quite manage a smile. From his personal perspective, the "Chief's Building" should never have been built in the first place.
It not only tarnished the image of mainland officials, but also severely inflated Hong Kong property prices, exacerbating the economic bubble.
Wang Xiao took another sip of beer, then suddenly changed the subject: "So, if a smart person wants to make a move, they should start from here. That's what makes Hong Kong so special."
Director Yuan was instantly stern, but he didn't understand how she was going to proceed.
Are they spreading rumors and slandering the central government, saying that the central government won't care about Hong Kong's fate?
It probably won't have any effect; even a fool knows that's absolutely impossible.
Moreover, she just emphasized that Hong Kong people believe in the strength and financial resources of the mainland government.
South Africa has a good power supply, and there are few power outages at night. The amber light cascades down like flowing water, blending seamlessly with the beer in her glass.
Wang Xiao looked at the beer glass and said slowly, "How can borrowing Hong Kong dollars from banks and other financial institutions be enough? We can borrow money from the company, like those mainland companies in Hong Kong. How could they not have money in their accounts? We can lend it out with a little more interest."
Director Yuan's expression changed drastically, and the muscles in his cheeks became as stiff as stone.
Wang Xiao acted as if he couldn't see it, and even if he did, he didn't react, just admiring the beer in his glass.
This dinner was worthwhile; I even managed to promote the beer brewed from broken rice from my farm, which was great.
She couldn't help but take another sip, swallowing before speaking: "Using mainland money to short the Hong Kong dollar is the most effective way. After all, whether the Hong Kong dollar can hold up depends on the confidence of the Hong Kong people. If they knew that the person they thought they were relying on had stabbed them in the back, what would they think?"
She sighed, "The Thai baht eventually collapsed because the Bank of Thailand also started shorting the baht. The Thai people felt like the sky was falling; what else could they do but sell their baht?"
Director Yuan almost stood up abruptly.
Because what she said could very well become a reality.
The heads of mainland companies in Hong Kong are a mixed bag, and there are more than just one or two who are arrogant and disdainful of others.
That young master Zhou from Shougang was a perfect example of what it means to be a "red prince" in Hong Kong.
Director Yuan could no longer sit still; he sensed a strong sense of crisis.
But Wang Xiao wouldn't let him off the hook: "Then the short sellers can spread some propaganda, saying, 'Look, no matter how nicely the mainland talks, it still sees Hong Kong as a piece of fat meat. A bunch of poor relatives are all trying their best to take advantage of the big spender.' What are the people of Hong Kong supposed to think?"
Director Yuan is now truly experiencing her public relations prowess.
No wonder she was able to turn the tide in the Russian presidential election with just one move.
If she were to short the Hong Kong dollar this time, given her strategic acumen and the combined wealth of Russian oligarchs and Wall Street speculators, she might actually be able to break through the Hong Kong dollar's defenses.
Director Yuan felt his vision blurring.
Wang Xiao was quite understanding and comforted him with a few words: "Wall Street speculators understand economics but not politics. After all, their history is too short, so it's not easy for them to overthink things."
Before Director Yuan could even manage a wry smile and say, "Thank you for comforting me," she dropped another bombshell: "However, Hong Kong has no shortage of foreign compradors. What Soros and his ilk can't think of, they might think of in a couple of days."
Director Yuan could no longer sit still. He stood up, raised his glass, and solemnly thanked Wang Xiao: "President Wang, thank you for your reminder."
Wang Xiao smiled and nodded, saying, "You're too kind. I look forward to a prosperous and strong motherland, so that we can have confidence when doing business abroad."
She didn't stay until the end of the banquet. After all, she wasn't the host of the banquet and had no obligation to stay until the end. Besides, she couldn't find anyone else to listen to her farming tips, so why should she stay?
After greeting them, someone was there.
The president of the local Chinese Chamber of Commerce, who organized the banquet, personally saw her off at the hotel entrance and waved goodbye only after watching her get into her car.
Turning around, the chairman remarked to the delegation, "President Wang is a capable person here, especially skilled at dealing with the government. When we business people here have any problems that we can't resolve, we usually end up asking her for help. It was also she who facilitated the export of grain from South Africa to Russia."
As she spoke, the chairman laughed, "That's why she dares to farm. No matter what she grows, she's not afraid of not finding buyers."
The people around laughed, "Even if she didn't grow them, if she wants to sell them, why would she have trouble selling them?"
Director Yuan nodded haphazardly, his mind already wandering far away. He was eager to go back and report, because it was indeed a rather terrifying loophole.
Once short sellers discover this and exploit it, the Hong Kong dollar will be in danger, and Hong Kong will be in danger.
The short sellers have just slaughtered Southeast Asian countries and are riding high.
When Wang Xiao returned to her residence, she checked the time, took a nice bath, put on a face mask, and then rested with her eyes closed for half an hour before making a phone call.
There's nothing we can do! There's a six-hour time difference; it's only 6 a.m. in China right now.
If it weren't for Secretary Fang's habit of getting up at 5:30 in the morning to wash up, then reviewing documents for an hour before going downstairs for breakfast...
Wang Xiao called at 6 a.m., which is typical of people who don't know any better.
Even though she had stalled for time, Secretary Fang still sensed something was wrong and didn't bother with pleasantries: "Wang Xiao, just tell me, what's the urgent matter that you need to call me about?"
Wang Xiao laughed and said, "Actually, it's not something extremely urgent, but I'm not very good at handling things. If I have something on my mind, I won't be able to sleep well at night. The Chinese delegation is here in South Africa to discuss specific matters related to the establishment of diplomatic relations, and there's a reception banquet tonight."
She briefly explained that Director Yuan had spoken to her about the Hong Kong dollar.
"At the time, it just popped into my head, and I thought of the possibility that mainland companies could be exploited, so I just blurted it out. On the way back after I said it, I suddenly realized, oh dear, don't they also have companies in Jiangdong with offices in Hong Kong? What if they are so eager to earn foreign exchange that they let short sellers take advantage of the situation, and then the central government catches them? Wouldn't that be a disgrace to Jiangdong? I would be in big trouble. I have to quickly inform you, leader."
Secretary Fang was speechless with astonishment.
After the Thai financial crisis was triggered, she also brushed up on her financial knowledge and felt that it broadened her horizons.
In currency trading, traders also borrow currency from residents or banks through external accounts to short sell.
The offshore market can inflict staggering losses on currencies.
She felt this was even more terrifying than a family member's wayward son accumulating huge gambling debts while the adults were completely unaware.
What Wang Xiao said now has a greater impact on her than the offshore market.
She immediately became alert: "You're right, there is indeed this risk, and we need to plug this loophole as soon as possible."
Wang Xiao smiled and said, "Well, boss, I've discussed this with you, so I'm relieved. I'm going to sleep now."
Secretary Fang was also in a hurry to assign tasks, so he didn't stand on ceremony with her and hung up the phone as well.
However, after Wang Xiao hung up the phone, she still had to call Governor Zhao of Jiangbei Province. Otherwise, when she returned to China and met him in Jiangbei, he would definitely tease her, saying, "Oh, that's not nice of you. You only think about notifying Jiangdong and don't even think about Jiangbei."
After making both phone calls, she finally felt relieved, lay down on the bed, and went to sleep.
That's right, her call to Jiangdong and Jiangbei was just a side note.
Her real purpose was to patch things up.
How could she possibly know Director Yuan's true identity? So what if he's in the security department? What organization doesn't have a spy? There are tons of double agents out there.
Therefore, she cannot rely on a single line of communication; she must have backup options to ensure that information can be transmitted.
So why didn't she do this sooner? Because she never intended to directly intervene in Hong Kong affairs. The battle to defend the Hong Kong dollar involves both the Hong Kong government and the central government.
Her goal was to attack from the outside while burning the enemy's supplies from behind.
Since everyone has different roles, why force yourselves into the same track?
Mainland companies in Hong Kong may become targets of attack, which is why she remembered this tonight when Director Yuan suspected her of shorting the Hong Kong dollar and she was unhappy about it.
Since I've remembered it, I should definitely talk about it.
Did the short sellers really not think of this? It should be easy for them to think of it.
If they can't figure it out, it only proves one thing: they are too arrogant, and they don't even bother to understand their opponents.
It's no wonder they lost.
Lyuba was speechless at her boss's words and told her with absolute certainty, "Unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable."
She hadn't even considered this possibility.
Wang Xiao remained defiant: "That's because there are cultural barriers; it's not surprising that you can't think of that."
Lyuba had to emphasize: "But Xiao Gao and Xiao Zhao couldn't have imagined it either, they're both native Chinese, right?"
Wang Xiao pointed to his own head and said seriously, "They don't make a living from this."
The two people in the room burst into laughter.
The two male bodyguards outside the door looked at each other, completely baffled as to why they were so happy so late at night.
Alright, whatever, they should go back to sleep too.
It's almost midnight, can't you see the stars in the sky have closed their eyes wearily?
What a gentle spring night it is, the spring breeze is intoxicating.
The next day, the assistant came to the boss with a dazed look on his face and handed him the post that he had spent the whole night working on.
These days, the internet is all about chat rooms and forums. Whether a post can attract netizens' attention depends primarily on its quality.
Wang Xiao went through the entire post from beginning to end, and from the perspective of a veteran internet celebrity, she revised the wording of the post, emphasizing the emotional aspect rather than just focusing on logic.
Only when emotions are right will people get excited and passionate.
What do you do when you're all fired up? Go after America! Go after Wall Street speculators, go after the US stock market!
Southeast Asia was originally well-developed, with its own order for production and construction.
You bunch of fat, rich bastards, like bears breaking corn cobs, rushed into our territory and destroyed our crops and our lives for a few ears of corn.
Then you just pat your butts, stand by and laugh and watch the show, even making sarcastic remarks, mocking us for not making our fence posts strong enough and saying we deserved to have our crops destroyed by wild boars.
Pooh!
Since that's the case, we'll let you know: in Southeast Asia, any wild boar that dares to destroy crops will be shot and end up on the dinner table as wild boar meat!
Wang Xiaoshun, having calmed the mood of the post, handed it to his assistant: "Just do it this way."
The assistant quickly followed up, "So, should we follow the usual practice and arrange for 100 people to bump the post after it's published?"
In 1997, there was indeed no concept of online trolls, but the assistants and others learned it all on their own.
After all, the profession of childcare has a history of thousands of years in China.
Having shills offline is essential to quickly generate traffic for a store. Similarly, having shills online helps posts go viral and attract more netizens' attention.
Wang Xiao nodded: "Let's send 100 first. Remember, send them in Thailand first, then forward them to Malaysia, and then to a few other countries."
The assistant nodded, understanding that Thailand was chosen first because the Southeast Asian financial crisis originated in Thailand.
The reason for reposting it on a Malaysian forum is that Malaysia has taken the toughest stance throughout the crisis; its prime minister has confronted Soros several times, accusing him of being the culprit. The post has a basis in public sentiment.
The post first went viral in these two countries, and then spread to other countries, making the expansion of emotions a natural progression.
The assistant pressed further, "When will you add more people to cover? And how many?"
Once it's confirmed, he can make the arrangements as soon as possible.
Wang Xiao laughed and shook his head: "No need to add anything. Just post it and keep an eye on it to see the public reaction."
The assistant was really anxious. He couldn't be as calm as his boss. He had to remind his boss, "100 people aren't enough. With so many posts every day, I'm afraid their attention will be diverted very quickly."
Good heavens! Boss, those Wall Street speculators are organized.
If you don't intend to go it alone, and you want to get investors from all over Southeast Asia to join you in investing in the US stock market, and you're not going to show your face publicly, but relying solely on the internet to gather strength, then you definitely have to find a way to maximize that effort.
If we miss this great opportunity, the Southeast Asians won't be so willing to give us a chance next time.
Wang Xiao smiled and reassured his assistant, "Don't worry, someone will step in to keep the post up there."
The assistant was completely baffled and suspected that his boss was being too optimistic.
Who will step up? Is it the outrageous sentiments of the people of Southeast Asia?
Oh dear, this statement is just as self-deceptive as saying, "As long as my product is of good quality and low price, good wine needs no bush, and it will definitely sell well."
That's not how the market works at all.
Seeing his furrowed brows, Wang Xiao smiled and comforted him, "Alright, alright, if no one else will step in, we'll do it ourselves."
What can you do? The boss has already said that, so the assistant can only grit their teeth and accept it.
The boss isn't worried, so why are the employees in such a hurry? It's like the emperor isn't worried, but the eunuchs are.
Pshaw, he's not a eunuch.
The assistant left, grumbling all the while.
After he finished posting, he kept an eye on forums in Southeast Asian countries every day, wanting to see which local saint would do a good deed like Lei Feng and help push the post to the top.
Sure enough, after sending it out for two days, there was no significant reaction.
I told you! There aren't that many good people and good deeds in the world!
On the third day, the post suddenly went viral, and the focus of the entire forum discussion was on how to attack the US stock market and raid Soros's headquarters from the rear.
The assistant could hardly believe his eyes. He rubbed them repeatedly and blurted out, "Holy crap, there really are so many living Lei Fengs?"
He hurriedly checked all the forums, and they were all trending. He had become an overnight sensation, and netizens in Southeast Asia were united in their hatred of him.
He dropped the mouse and rushed to his boss to report: "Everyone's up, everyone's up! The response is incredibly enthusiastic!"
The poor assistant was completely baffled. "Boss, where did you find these people? Where did they come from?"
Wang Xiao laughed, glanced around, and gestured to the people in the room: "Tell me, where did this guy come from?"
Xiao Gao and Xiao Zhao looked at each other, then shook their heads in unison, not knowing either.
Ever since the boss said that someone would help bump the post, the two of them have been racking their brains trying to figure out who would be so generous.
I've been thinking about it for several days, but I still can't come up with a solution.
Lyuba spoke up again: "I guess it's very likely Japan."
The assistant instinctively asked, "Why?"
Xiao Gao and Xiao Zhao stared intently at their colleague, both filled with questions.
“First of all, Japan has the capability to accomplish this,” Lyuba explained. “Japan has a highly developed electronics industry and is familiar with the internet. Moreover, Japan has invested in Southeast Asian countries for many years and has a very deep-rooted influence. Before entering a market, the Japanese conduct extensive preliminary research, and their understanding of Southeast Asian countries far surpasses that of other foreign investors.”
She remembered that when she went to Romania with her boss, Ms. Ruan mentioned that the Japanese habit is to invest in the future ten years from now.
They conduct continuous research beforehand, making sure they understand everything before taking action.
This cautious approach may cause them to miss many good opportunities, but it will also give them a strong competitive edge once they actually invest.
So they've always done it this way.
This explanation won the approval of everyone present. Indeed, Japan does have the capability to guide online public opinion in Southeast Asian countries.
Lyuba then gave a second reason: "A crisis is an opportunity. For Japan, the Southeast Asian financial crisis is a good opportunity to push forward the establishment of the Asian Monetary Fund."
"The International Monetary Fund has always been dominated by Europe and the United States. Even though they don't contribute money, they still want to have the final say. The aid package they gave to Thailand didn't take into account Thailand's actual situation at all. The conditions were harsh, which seriously affected Thailand's national pride, and to this day, we still can't see any results."
"Southeast Asian countries are watching this situation closely, harboring resentment and growing agitated. Japan can seize this opportunity to convey the message that Asian affairs should be resolved by Asia itself. In this way, it can directly challenge the global financial system established after World War II, dominated by the United States and built through the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Japan will then naturally become the new standard-bearer of Asia."
Having grown up receiving Soviet education, Lyuba has never had much affection for Japan.
This country is quite cunning, always hiding in the shadows, and could bite you at any moment.
But she also admired Japan's resilience. They would never willingly accept being second best. They were always looking for opportunities to turn the tables, no matter how insidious or despicable the methods were.
Winning is their eternal belief.
Now that they have the opportunity, the Japanese will definitely make a concerted effort.
Once the Asian Monetary Fund is established, given Japan's current status as the world's second-largest economy, it could very well become the core of the Asian Fund, and even push for the yen to become the main currency for contributions and settlements within the Asian Fund.
As a result, the international status of the yen has also been enhanced.
Japan could also become the true hegemon of Asia by dominating the Asian Monetary Fund, and take the opportunity to emerge from the economic slump it had been experiencing since the early 1990s.
It can be said that having such an Asian Monetary Fund is a great treasure for Japan, a treasure that can ensure its peace of mind for the next half century.
To achieve this goal, they will seize every opportunity and spare no expense to promote the necessity and urgency of establishing the Asian Foundation.
The assistant then understood why the boss wanted Asia to form an alliance and work together when revising his posts, so that they wouldn't be bullied.
So it was all a ploy to lure the Japanese into a trap.
He was truly astonished. He never imagined that the ally his boss had found, whom he would never meet, would actually be Japanese!
It's no wonder he's ignorant, inexperienced, and can't think straight. You know, the boss is also shorting the Japanese stock market and the yen, although not heavily, it's still a legitimate shorting operation.
Haha, when you stab someone in the back, you expect them to lend a hand.
The assistant felt his worldview was in turmoil. Was this an ally or an adversary?
Wang Xiao smiled and said, "In all struggles, you should make more friends and fewer enemies. Even if you are not in the same camp and your big goals are completely opposite, as long as you have common interests, even the smallest common interests, you can form an alliance temporarily."
Don't fantasize about everlasting relationships or unwavering allies. All relationships are fluid, and everyone has their own interests. Always be mindful of maximizing your own interests.
The assistant listened and nodded, feeling as if a new world had been opened up for him.
Xiao Gao and Xiao Zhao didn't participate in the conversation between the boss and Assistant Chen; their eyes were both fixed on Liu Ba.
Suddenly, Xiao Gao slapped his thigh and gave Liu Ba a thumbs up: "President Liu, you really are something else."
"General Manager Liu" is a nickname they use to tease Liuba. Many outsiders don't understand this, so they think Liuba is actually Liuba's Chinese name and also call her "General Manager Liu".
Xiao Zhao nodded vigorously beside him, completely agreeing with the statement.
Who says Russians lack political acumen? Look at their President Liu—how sharp his vision, how clear his mind, and how comprehensive his analysis!
He sighed, "If our Ms. Tyachenko were half as good as you, President Liu, the President would probably be laughing in his dreams."
Honestly, if you compare the two of them side by side, Tyachenko, the president's daughter who is said to be born into a political family, is completely outclassed.
Wang Xiao glared at Xiao Zhao: "Watch your words. You need to respect the head of state and his family."
Xiao Zhao chuckled and continued to egg him on: "President Liu, really, if you were to run for councilor, we would definitely campaign for you!"
Xiao Gao nodded vigorously.
Lyuba rolled her eyes, too lazy to bother with these two old men.
The assistant was laughing uncontrollably beside him until the boss gave him a new task, at which point he obediently went out to work.
Wang Xiao looked at Lyuba seriously and said, "If you are really interested in politics, I will definitely help you. But you can't give up halfway, or I will beat you up."
The political resources invested are extremely costly; if the project is abandoned halfway through, investors will definitely hate it.
Lyuba was about to roar: "No, no, I have absolutely no interest in it!"
Her political ideals died out completely when the Soviet Union collapsed!
Wang Xiao shrank back at her outburst, scratched his head, and still wouldn't give up: "If you want to change your mind, just tell me anytime. I also think there are too few women in Russian politics, and capable people should be in charge."
Seeing that Lyuba was about to become Godzilla, she quickly ran outside, trying to save face as she ran: "Let me check the stock market trend."
My goodness! She is truly noble and virtuous. She knew perfectly well that the Hong Kong stock market was going to plummet and that shorting it would make her a fortune, yet she still refrained from taking any money.
It is evident that she has become a noble person, a pure person, a moral person, a person who has transcended vulgar interests (Note ①), she has become humane, she is almost a saint.
It is truly a sublimation of humanity.
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Note ①: This is from "In Memory of Norman Bethune". The original text is: "A person's ability may be great or small, but as long as he has this spirit, he is a noble person, a pure person, a moral person, a person who has transcended vulgar interests, and a person who is beneficial to the people."
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