Shadow Empire

Chapter 218 Greed
Lenny put down the phone, picked up the cigar next to the ashtray, and took a puff.

"He said we needed to meet and talk."

There are two specialists in the office, both of whom are representatives from the Liji Group headquarters who came to handle some work.

In fact, it’s not just the two of them, there’s an entire legal team.

Lance is just one of their clients, and there are others with similar, but not identical, situations.

"So the headquarters has decided to tear up the agreement completely?" Lenny looked at the two commissioners and frowned. "Will this bring us some negative comments?"

Both of them are very professional managers. In fact, adding the word "professional" before the special noun "manager" can make people feel their inhuman attitude.

One of them was someone Lenny knew, a man called Bridge, one of the partners in the firm.

This guy's position in the company is not low, but his reputation is very bad. Some people say that he is the executioner of the board of directors, who specializes in doing things that the board of directors wants to do but cannot bring themselves to do.

For example, layoffs and the like will be handled by the department headed by Bridge.

He is a "cold-blooded" person, this is how people describe him. What he says most often is "company rules do not allow me to let you go", just like a robot.

He would not talk about human touch with anyone, and even he was very strict with himself, strictly following the company's rules and regulations and work manual.

This time I came to Jingang City, my main focus was on Bridge.

"Lenny, you can question the company's decision, but until the company makes a new decision, all we have to do is obey."

Lenny sneered. As the general manager of a branch, his position was definitely higher than that of this biting dog, but many people on the board of directors liked this dog very much.

He is easy to use, obedient, and tough on himself. Until now, he has not developed his own faction in the company, which is one of the reasons why the directors are confident in using him.

When they need him, they can find any reason to kick him out and put all the blame on him.

This stupid dog!

This time, the company arranged for specialists and the legal department to come and completely tear up some of the fruit and crop sales contracts that had already been signed.

The explosion at the Jingang City Hazardous Materials Administration led to Congress giving this new department more power, and the national prohibition situation suddenly became more serious and no longer a casual thing.

Many areas began large-scale bans on alcohol, and the Hazardous Materials Management Bureau also began to get into shape and they passed the "newbie period".

Not only in Jingang City, dangerous goods management bureaus in many areas have begun to increase their efforts to crack down on the smuggling and trafficking of alcoholic beverages. They will even arrest people who drink in public and throw them into jail for three months or six months.

But strangely, the unprecedented severe situation has not made people lose their enthusiasm for drinking. On the contrary, more people are drinking in many areas.

This not only caused the price of alcohol to soar, but also the prices of some brewing raw materials began to soar wildly.

They can't afford to buy wine, so they make their own. Among the many ways of making wine, grape wine is one of the easier ones.

In some areas with a tradition of home brewing, many home brewing workshops have emerged and the number of agricultural products used for brewing has begun to increase.

As a country with a free trade market, when demand increases significantly, it becomes a seller's market and they start to raise prices.

At the end of January and the beginning of February, the purchase price of ordinary grapes was still 77 or 78 yuan per ton - this was the price in the purchase agreement they signed with farmers, but the price for them to take away was more than 100 yuan.

But now, the selling price per ton has risen to one hundred and seventy-five yuan. In just over a month, the profit has skyrocketed from a dozen percent to about one hundred and five percent!

Such high profits are enough for these capitalists to trample on the law while shouting "We want freedom".

The company's price trend analysts believe that as the power of Prohibition begins to spread and continues to ferment, the prices of any agricultural crops that can be used to make wine, such as grapes, corn, potatoes, wheat, etc., will continue to rise.

They believe that the market price of grapes in the first quarter of this year may exceed 300 yuan per ton!
You know, the selling price is rising, but the purchase price they signed with farmers before has not changed, and is basically less than 90 yuan.

Three or four times the profit, maybe even more!
Faced with such huge expected profits, Liji Group was certainly unwilling to recognize the contracts that they had previously sold at a price of more than one hundred yuan per ton.

After discussion in the board of directors, they unanimously decided to tear up the sales contract and sign a new one at this price, or simply not sign it.

Of course there are business ethics risks and moral accusations in doing so, but this is a matter of tens of millions in profits, so what's wrong with a few scolds?
If you don't shout and curse harshly, donate some money to a charity under your own name and do charity for yourself, public opinion will calm down.

If they curse too harshly, they will just pick a few people to be scapegoats, and then the board of directors will apologize collectively.

If they can get back tens of millions of profits by bowing and saying sorry, they can bow from morning to night.

This is also the reason why they sent Bridge over. Jingang City has the most contracts, and they need the sharpest spear without flexibility!
For those contracts with low penalty amounts, such as only 30% or 50%, they simply tear up the contract and arrange for legal departments to sue those people.

Many people are reluctant to sue large corporate groups because they have strong legal systems and know many people in the judicial department.

It’s not that you can’t win the case, but it costs a lot to win, and you may have to pay thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees.

This expenditure may not be as much as the amount mentioned in the penalty for breach of contract, so they are likely to choose to settle out of court - Liji Group returns their deposit to them and gives them a symbolic compensation of a few thousand or a few hundred yuan.

For those with higher penalty amounts, such as one, two, or more, they will try to communicate.

If all else fails, we'll just file a lawsuit. It's impossible to ask them to give up the profits they've already pocketed!
Just drag it out, they have plenty of experience!
As for farmers?

Judging from the style of the three super agricultural trade groups including the Liji Group, if any farmer dares to propose a new price increase contract, they will ask the legal department to sue these farmers so hard that they won't even be able to afford to wear pants.

Not only will they lose the first season's grapes this year, but also their estates, farms, and everything will be lost to them because of the lawsuit!
The federal capital consortium has always been like this, and it is not at all like what they advertise to the outside world.

A capitalist did something wrong and, under the spirit of contract and the fair and just operation of the law, compensated a staff member with tens of thousands of yuan.

In fact, we have heard many such stories all over the world, such as an old man falling down in a shopping mall, and then the mall paid tens of thousands of dollars in compensation.

Maybe this case does exist, but they won’t tell you that the elderly person may only get a few dozen dollars in the end.

The remaining money basically went into the pockets of lawyers and certain people.

Ordinary people never get fairness and justice in the face of big capital.

Lenny knew why they did this. In fact, this kind of thing happened more than once or twice.

The same is true in reverse. For example, if the price of agricultural products plummets, they will demand that customers fulfill their contracts and that farmers renegotiate contracts. Otherwise, they will organize the three major agricultural merchants to refuse to purchase their crops.

The capitalists are shameless and ruthless in their pursuit of profit, and no one can stop them from putting the most money into their own pockets.

Bridge looked at Lenny who was thinking, the corners of his mouth raised slightly, his "backer" told him that if he could do this job perfectly.

Then his backer will nominate him to be promoted to senior partner in the board of directors, and he will be eligible to hold no more than 0.03% of the shares.

Of course, this part of the shares does not have the right of inheritance, nor the right to freely sell or transfer. He can only choose to keep it for himself and return it to the board of directors after his death or voluntarily.

This may sound unfair, but for some senior workers, this is their ultimate dream, to become one of the shareholders of the company!

So this time, no one can stop him.

"Keep on calling, Lenny. You don't need to think about how we're going to do this. That's my job. All you need to do now is do your job well."

"Pick up the phone, make a call and tell them there's a problem with the contract!"

Lenny looked at Bridge and shook his head. He really couldn't understand the situation!

But this has nothing to do with him, he will explain the situation to those partners.

The next morning, Lance arrived at the office building of the Liji Group's branch, a sixteen-story building located in the city center of Jingang City.

There are even taller buildings around it!

In fact, this is incredible. When even three- or five-story buildings are rare in some countries, the Federation has already begun to build buildings over 200 meters high.

Lance had the car parked. As soon as he entered the lobby on the first floor, he saw several guys in flat hats waving documents and cursing, shouting "I'm going to fucking sue you."

Several security guards were trying to stop them and drive them out. A man who should be the person in charge in the hall came forward. Of course, he looked at Lance with some caution and stood between Lance and those people, fearing that Lance would suddenly take out a camera and take pictures of them.

"Sir, is there anything I can do for you?" He had a smile on his face. Although he was not very old, his hypocritical tricks were already very mature.

Lance nodded. "Manager Lenny called me yesterday and asked me to come over today to discuss the contract with you guys."

The young man kept that hypocritical smile, but his waist was slightly bent.

Those who were invited to talk were basically rich people. He didn't know Lance, but he knew that Lance was a rich man. It was his instinct to be respectful to rich people.

"Sir, please follow me this way." He led the way and walked towards the elevator.

Lance asked casually, "What happened to those guys?"

The young man's expression didn't change at all. "I'm not sure, but they obviously don't have a suitable attitude, so I can only ask them to leave first."

"I believe you are different from them, sir."

Lance was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help laughing. He looked the young man up and down, "Do you know?"

"You're threatening the wrong person."

The young man's grin widened. "I don't understand what you are saying, sir!"

Lance reached out and smoothed his collar. "You'd better pray that Lenny doesn't make me angry!" Then he took his hand back and patted the young man's arm. "Treasure your good health now."

As he spoke there was a ding sound, the elevator door opened, and Lance walked in.

The young man kept smiling, but one could vaguely see the arrogance in his eyes.

After all, they are one of the three major agricultural merchants. Even if he is just a manager of a hall, for many ordinary people, he is a proper middle class, or even a small prominent figure.

The elevator door finally cut off the two people's line of sight. The young man retracted his smile, looked coldly at the few people who were still making trouble at the front desk, and frowned, "Didn't you eat?"

"They have affected our work, kick them out!"

"immediately!"

When the security guards who were pushing and shoving heard this, one of them pulled out a rubber stick and said that although it couldn't fill their stomachs, it could pay their wages.

Lenny's office was on the top floor. The elevator was not fast, but very smooth. When it stopped, there was almost no feeling of weightlessness or heaviness.

I could only feel a slight pause, and then with a ding, the door opened.

As soon as you walk out of the elevator door, there is a large room with a separate front desk and several sets of sofas next to it.

Today's newspapers and recent magazines were placed on the newspaper rack. The blonde girl at the front desk stood up and said, "Hello, sir. How can I help you?"

Lance walked over to the counter on the soft carpet, "Mr. Lenny asked me to come over to discuss the contract."

"Can I know your name?" the girl asked.

"Lance."

The girl was distracted for a moment, and her expression seemed frozen, but soon a smile appeared on her face again. She lowered her head and began to look through her notebook.

Then he picked up the phone again, "Mr. Lance is here, right here with me...Okay."

She said as she hung up the phone and walked around the counter.

She was wearing a white top with red dots, which looked very thin and light, and the material must be good. She was also wearing a bright red one-step skirt, which was a very fashionable outfit.

"Please come with me, Mr. Lance." She led Lance to the innermost part, knocked on the door, and got Lenny's permission before pushing the door open.

"Please come in."

As soon as Lance entered, Lenny came out from behind the table.

The reason he did this was not only because Lance's order totaled more than 800,000 yuan, but more importantly, because of Lance's fame here.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Mr. Lance. I'm extremely sorry about this!" He held Lance's hands with both hands and apologized right away.

Then he looked at the secretary and said, "Bring me a cup of the best coffee, right now!"

The secretary trotted off.

Lenny welcomed him to sit on the sofa, "I don't know how to start, Mr. Lance, I feel ashamed of the company's decision!"

Lance watched his performance quietly. Lenny was also a professional manager. What he showed you was never the real him.

Seeing that Lance didn't respond, he could only continue, "The company hopes to renegotiate the agreement with you. Due to our internal technical problems, we used the wrong base for the price."

"In fact, the price of grapes in the first quarter of this year will be more than 300 yuan per ton, but we only gave it to you at a price of just over 100 yuan."

"We cannot afford such a huge loss, so the company hopes to renegotiate the price or sign a supplementary contract."

"We can give you a discounted price of two hundred and seventy dollars. This is the lowest price I offer today."

Lance smiled after hearing what he said. "I've already paid the deposit and signed the contract. Why are you telling me you want to raise the price now?"

He shook his head. "Mr. Lenny, I am shocked by the low moral standards of your company, but I refuse."

"Everything is in accordance with the contract. Either give me the grapes, or give me..." He recalled, but the number was rounded, "It should be more than 4 million in liquidated damages."

"Stuff or money, you have to choose one."

Lenny was also a bit troubled. "I actually want to respect our contract, but the head office..."

As they were talking, someone suddenly opened the door and walked in. Lance glanced back and it was not the secretary.

They are two young men.

One of them had obvious arrogance on his face. He looked back at Lenny, who could only smile awkwardly and whispered "sorry".

Lance didn't move, just looked at the two people who came in.

"Hello, Mr. Lance. I am Bridge from the Second Legal Department of Liji Group. Our employees used the wrong numbers when calculating prices, which led to errors in our price forecasts."

“Now we have come all the way from the capital to correct these mistakes.”

They walked to the sofa on the other side and sat down.

"Manager Lenny should have told you just now that we can give you a preferential price..."

Lance interrupted him directly, "I refuse."

Bridge didn't care at all, and even smiled, "Mr. Lance, this is not a discussion with you."

"And I've read the contract between you and the company. The liquidated damages are obviously unreasonable. I have reason to suspect that you may have colluded with the employee involved to use the illegal contract to gain company benefits."

Lance stood up and looked down at Bridge, then at Lenny. There was no emotion on his face, just calm.

"Is this why you called me here today?" He shook his head. "This may be the stupidest thing you have ever done, Mr. Lenny. Have a good talk with your stupid friend."

"I hope that the next time you call me, it's to tell me that you intend to fulfill the contract, instead of showing your greed like a clown!"

(End of this chapter)