Chapter 276: Your family's gold theory 'cubic'?
Zhang Qikun held up his champagne glass and smiled bitterly, "I can't say anything about my grandfather. I can only say he was a qualified businessman!"
Xiao Peng nodded. "I understand what you mean. 'Respect the respected and keep secrets for the loved ones.' Now that things are over, let's not discuss them."
Zhang Qikun said "hmm" and took a sip of champagne.
It is really hard to comment on Zhang Qikun's grandfather Xiao Peng. From the perspective of a country and a nation, what he did seemed a bit "ungrateful". He did not allow his children to learn Chinese, did not allow his children to interact with Chinese people, and his descendants had to find foreign partners. However, from the perspective of "home", he was definitely a qualified head of the family. He built such a good home in a foreign country. Now his furniture brand is definitely in the first echelon in France, and he also established the "Carpenters Without Borders Workshop" to improve the status of carpenters!
Now, as China's economic status has improved, he has started playing the "China card" again in order to expand the Chinese market. He also gave his children Chinese names to make it easier for himself and Chinese customers to expand the market.
So we have to admit that Zhang Qikun’s grandfather was a qualified businessman and a qualified parent.
Everything in the world has two sides; it all depends on your perspective. Judging a family that has lived in the West for generations using traditional Chinese moral standards is inherently unreliable.
Zhang Qikun smiled wryly and said, "I've actually been studying Chinese culture. What's the saying? 'Thirty years on the east side of the river, thirty years on the west side of the river.' To be honest, my current job is basically supported by my skin color. China has been developing very well in recent years. Since the French labor law reform and the abolition of the wealth tax and other policies, Chinese investment in France has been increasing. Last year, I worked on several Chinese-funded projects involving clean energy, agriculture, and the chemical industry. These projects allowed me to truly witness the prosperity of the Chinese people. My skin color was a huge help in allowing me to obtain the operating rights of these projects. And Mr. Xiao, your rise over the past year or so has been noticed by major banks, and many banks want to win you as a client."
Xiao Peng laughed and said, "This doesn't include the Bank of France."
The Bank of France was founded with the support of Napoleon and is now the central bank of France. They do not care about private savings.
Zhang Qikun shook his head and said, "Of course, that includes the Bank of France! Don't forget, the Bank of France is responsible for managing France's gold reserves. And isn't the main source of wealth from underwater salvage gold and the like? Unfortunately, France's underwater salvage industry is still a bit backward, and there haven't been any major discoveries. The handling of the 'rhodium' you salvaged last time embarrassed the French officials involved, and several people in our bank were punished or even fired for it. I also want to tell you from the bottom of my heart that our bank doesn't normally attach much importance to this silver, but because of you, we are making special arrangements."
Xiao Peng frowned and asked, "Why?"
Zhang Qikun said, "Our bank just wants to establish a good relationship with you. We've observed your salvage work over the past year or so, and so far your efficiency is astonishing. Even Odyssey, the world's best ocean exploration company, can't match your efficiency."
Xiao Peng looked disdainful after hearing this. "What the hell is this efficiency? I just wasted two months at sea, didn't you know that?"
Zhang Qikun continued: "The key is precious metals, which is what we need."
Xiao Peng nodded and said, "You're right. The problem is that we're dealing in business. Precious metals are in demand everywhere, and your Bank of France doesn't have any price advantage. Although you have relevant heavy metal management regulations, I think you understand better than I do that these regulations are sometimes a joke. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to sell all that rhodium."
Zhang Qikun nodded. "You're right, but the French are still quite arrogant. They only correct their mistakes after being slapped hard and feeling the pain. That's what happened this time. I'm here to expand our relationship."
Xiao Peng looked apologetic after hearing this. "Well, Brother Zhang, I'm afraid there's something you don't know. Just before you came, Mr. Sergio Costa from the Italian Maritime and Land Administration left me. He made me a series of irresistible offers, including taxes, heavy metal recycling prices, and so on. I run a marine salvage company, and honestly, even though I made my fortune in Marseille and Mata Hari's jewelry was my first pot of gold, France has never been a maritime power, so the wealth of the French coast really doesn't excite me. If the conditions were the same, I'd rather go to Italy."
Zhang Qikun quickly asked, "Mr. Xiao, can I know what conditions the Italian side has offered you?"
Xiao Peng shook his head: "This is a commercial secret, and it cannot be discussed."
As he spoke, he took out a gold coin and turned it back and forth between his fingers. Zhang Qikun was attracted by the coin and asked, "What is this?"
Xiao Peng smiled slightly: "This is my next salvage target. A large number of gold coins from the Western Roman Empire."
"Hiss." Zhang Qikun took a breath and said, "Are you kidding me?"
Xiao Peng shook his head and took Zhang Qikun directly to his study. He opened a drawer and found half a drawer of gold coins. They were all gold coins from the Western Roman period. How many kilograms of gold coins were in this drawer? Zhang Qikun didn't even dare to calculate.
Xiao Peng pointed at the gold coin and said, "I just picked it up when I found the sunken ship."
"Why don't you go salvage?" Zhang Qikun asked the same question as Sergio.
Xiao Peng grinned: "Because I'm lazy!"
Zhang Qikun's face was filled with black lines.
Xiao Peng continued, "There's a very telling joke in China about how bankers make money: take a piece of meat out of the refrigerator and put it back in, and the fat on your hands is the banker's wealth. And I'm not bragging, but if I wanted to, any bank could scrape a thick layer of fat off me. But you can't just think about scraping fat without thinking about giving, right? Brother Zhang, am I right?"
Zhang Qikun asked, "Can I know how much gold is on that sunken ship?"
Xiao Peng thought for a moment and said, "They're all scattered gold coins. I can't really say for sure. To melt them into gold, I'd need at least half a cubic meter. But after all, we haven't finished searching, so a few cubic meters is possible."
Zhang Qikun felt a toothache after hearing this. "Your gold is measured in cubic meters? One cubic meter of gold is about 20 tons! Why are you leaving all this wealth here to drink and have fun?"
"Mr. Xiao, you must wait for me to go back and discuss this matter with the higher-ups," Zhang Qikun said. "We must formulate a charter suitable for further cooperation between the two parties."
Xiao Peng was about to answer when the alarm suddenly rang in the room.
"Where's the fire?"
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