In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

Chapter 742 One wrong step leads to another!

Let's rewind to 12:30 PM.

Hutchison Whampoa Building, Central, Hong Kong, Chairman's Office.

Li Jiacheng sat in his boss's chair, wearing a pair of black-rimmed reading glasses, looking silently at the tall buildings outside the window.

He was waiting for news from the stock exchange.

What happened this morning completely disrupted his rhythm.

At this moment, his mind was filled with regret, and he had no intention of letting Hutchison Whampoa compete with Hongkong Land.

He never expected Lin Haoran to go to such extremes.

If you don't move, all is well; but if you do, it will be fatal.

If they hadn't offended Lin Haoran, perhaps none of this would have happened today?
This was the umpteenth time he had regretted it.

At this moment, he couldn't help but recall the scene when Bao Yugang persuaded him when he first visited him.

He should have listened to Bao Yugang's advice back then. With Bao Yugang's intervention, he could have reconciled with Lin Haoran. How could he have ended up in this situation today?
Even if it offends HSBC and Standard Chartered Bank, they are willing to do so.

Unfortunately, thinking about these things now seems pointless.

He has been in business for decades and has made countless choices, including many important ones, such as giving up Wharf Holdings and selling Bao Yugang to Huifeng Bank to save face.

In his view, all those choices were absolutely correct.

But now it seems that choosing to be Lin Haoran's enemy was the biggest mistake he ever made.

The sky outside the window was overcast, with dark clouds hanging low, as if they were about to crush this bustling city at any moment.

Li Jiacheng's fingertips unconsciously tapped the mahogany tabletop, producing a rhythmic, soft sound.

His inner turmoil made it difficult for him to calm down.

At this critical juncture in his career, he seemed to have aged several years overnight.

The phone suddenly rang, its sharp ring shattering the silence of the office.

"Mr. Li, the application for trading suspension by Hutchison Whampoa and Cheung Kong Holdings has been finalized. Trading in the two companies' shares will be suspended this afternoon and will not resume until next Monday." The news he had been waiting for came from the other end of the phone.

Li Jiacheng's fingers tightened slightly as he held the phone. The voice on the other end continued speaking, but he could no longer make out the details.

Outside the window, the first raindrop hit the glass, leaving a thin trail of water.

"Understood." He finally uttered only these three words and slowly put the receiver back on the landline.

He breathed a deep sigh of relief; this was good news.

It's good that trading is suspended. With trading suspended, Lin Haoran will be unable to acquire new shares for the time being.

Although it's only a temporary solution, at least it gives him enough time to prepare mentally. With enough time, he might come up with an effective way to deal with it.

He still doesn't know exactly how many shares Lin Haoran holds in Hutchison Whampoa and Cheung Kong Holdings.

However, in his opinion, no matter how much he increases his holdings, it should not exceed 40%.

But if Lin Haoran's people continue to make acquisitions in the secondary market in the afternoon, then it's only a matter of time before they surpass it.

He didn't have the financial resources to compete with Lin Haoran, and even Standard Chartered Bank wouldn't dare to.

A year ago, he was making a fortune in the real estate industry, so he had the confidence to do so.

But right now, he really doesn't have any.

Therefore, the next three days are the time to think about how to deal with Lin Haoran's barbaric challenge.

Li Jiacheng leaned back in his chair, took off his glasses, and rubbed his temples.

The raindrops pounded against the windowpane, as if urging him to make a decision.

There was a knock on the office door, and then the secretary brought in a packed lunch.

However, Li Jiacheng had no appetite.

This was the biggest crisis he had ever encountered since he started doing business.

"Hey!"

Not long after, Richard also walked in.

"Mr. Li," Richard said.

"Yes, have a seat!" Li Jiacheng said wearily.

After Richard Xin sat down, Li Jiacheng continued, "The suspension of trading has been approved, and we have three and a half days to breathe. During these three and a half days, we must come up with a solution. Otherwise, Hutchison Whampoa will have a new owner, and you, as the CEO, may lose the position you have worked so hard to build over the years."

He emphasized this point specifically to make Richardson aware of the seriousness of the crisis.

Richard Shin is a talented individual; otherwise, he would not have been able to assume the position of CEO of Hutchison Whampoa. Over the years, he has made significant contributions to the development of Hutchison Whampoa with his keen business acumen and decisive decision-making abilities.

Therefore, Li Jiacheng urgently needs Richard's help now.

Only by working together to find a solution can we meet the challenge from Lin Haoran.

What he feared most was that at this moment, these British professional managers would lose their composure due to pressure and fear, or even develop ulterior motives.

After all, Lin Haoran's arrival has been aggressive, and once Hutchison Whampoa changes hands, their career prospects will inevitably be uncertain.

"Rest assured, Mr. Li, even if Lin Haoran's shareholding catches up with yours, I will still support you to continue serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hutchison Whampoa!" Richard said.

Li Jiacheng nodded in satisfaction. He did indeed need Richard's support now. If Richard, Xia Boyin, Peter Wei, and other members of the management team supported Lin Haoran instead, he would truly be isolated and helpless, facing utter ruin.

Thinking of this, his expression grew even more serious. He looked at Richard and said, "Given the current situation, we need to come up with a solution as soon as possible. Since Lin Haoran dares to make such a high-profile acquisition, he must have something to rely on. What do you think he will do next?"

Richard frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Mr. Li, Lin Haoran has always been decisive and has a clear goal. His sudden large-scale acquisition must mean that he had already secretly held a lot of shares before, but it should not have exceeded yours, Mr. Li."

In addition, I also noticed that they may have also targeted Cheung Kong Holdings. So I guess he might be secretly contacting some of Cheung Kong Holdings' minority shareholders to try to gain their support and increase his shareholding.

After all, Mr. Li, you're using Cheung Kong Holdings to control Hutchison Whampoa. If Cheung Kong Holdings also falls under Lin Haoran's control, things could get very dangerous.”

Upon hearing this, Li Jiacheng said in a deep voice, "You can rest assured about that. Most of the major shareholders of Cheung Kong Holdings have close ties with me and would not easily betray me. I didn't expect him to start with Hutchison Whampoa. After all, I have only been in control of Hutchison Whampoa for less than a year, and my relationship with those shareholders is still just so-so."

This is also the main reason why Lin Haoran did not start by targeting Cheung Kong Holdings.

As a company founded by Li Ka-shing, Cheung Kong Holdings was very well managed by him. Acquiring Cheung Kong Holdings would be many times more difficult than directly acquiring Hutchison Whampoa.

He also investigated and found that it was indeed not easy to win over the shareholders of Cheung Kong Holdings.

On the contrary, the shareholders of Hutchison Whampoa were easily turned by Li Ka-shing because he had only recently taken control of the company.

Even Lin Haoran didn't expect that among these shareholders, there would be an ally of Li Jiacheng, such as Chairman Wang, which almost caused him to fail at the last minute.

Fortunately, Dai Shi performed well in the secondary market, allowing him to seize the last ten minutes of the morning to surpass Li Jiacheng in the number of shares he controlled.

However, neither Li Jiacheng nor Richard Xin are aware of these circumstances yet; they remain completely unaware.

Just as the two were discussing how to deal with the challenges ahead, the phone rang again like a death knell.

Li Jiacheng picked up the telephone receiver impatiently.

"Mr. Li, something terrible has happened!" The person on the other end of the phone was his intelligence chief.

A sense of foreboding washed over Li Jiacheng, but he forced himself to remain calm and said, "Don't panic, tell me slowly, what exactly happened?"

The intelligence chief stated directly, "Just now, we received the latest news that Galaxy Securities has officially announced that they hold a 46.9% stake, officially becoming the largest shareholder of Hutchison Whampoa. At the same time, they will join the Hutchison Whampoa board of directors at a later date and propose to convene a special shareholders' meeting to re-elect the board members!"

Li Jiacheng felt a sudden darkness before his eyes, his body swayed, and he almost fell off the chair.

46.9%, isn't that more than his 6.9% stake?
Even with Chairman Wang's 3% stake supporting him, it still can't compare to others.

Richard, quick-witted and agile, rushed forward to support him, anxiously asking, "Mr. Li, are you alright? What happened?"

However, the intelligence chief on the other end of the phone hadn't finished speaking.

"In addition, Galaxy Securities also announced that they hold more than 30% of Cheung Kong Holdings' shares, officially becoming Cheung Kong Holdings' second largest shareholder. At the same time, they are also preparing to convene a special shareholders' meeting of Cheung Kong Holdings' board of directors to re-elect the board members!" The intelligence chief's voice continued to reach Li Jiacheng's ears.

Li Jiacheng felt a buzzing in his head, as if he had been hit hard by a heavy hammer. He stood there dumbfounded, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

Richard's eyes widened, his mouth slightly agape, and he was speechless for a moment.

After a long while, Li Jiacheng slowly came to his senses and said in a trembling voice to the person on the other end of the phone, "Are you sure the information is accurate?"

The intelligence chief said urgently, "Mr. Li, it's absolutely true! Galaxy Securities has already reported to the stock exchange, and there's no falsification. I've already had it verified, and I'll send you a copy of the details via fax now!"

Li Jiacheng waved his hand weakly, signaling the intelligence chief to hang up the phone, then slumped into a chair as if all his strength had been drained.

He never expected that Lin Haoran would act so quickly and ruthlessly, not only unexpectedly gaining an absolute advantage in Hutchison Whampoa, but also confirming that the situation at Cheung Kong Holdings was indeed caused by the other party.

Ruthless, really ruthless.

This is going to completely uproot my foundation, Li Jiacheng!

Li Jiacheng clenched his teeth, gripping the armrests of the chair tightly with both hands, his knuckles turning white from the force.

Just then, the fax machine rang. Richard picked up the receiver and simultaneously received the detailed information sent by the intelligence chief. After reading the information, Richard was stunned.

46.9% of the shares?

How can this be?

Richard's hands trembled slightly as he examined the fax again in disbelief.

“Impossible, absolutely impossible. How could so many shares be acquired in just one morning? Unless…” Richard muttered to himself.

Li Jiacheng suddenly raised his head, a flash of realization in his eyes: "Unless they've been planning this all along, Lin Haoran's low profile these past few months has simply been a way to lull us into a false sense of security!"

Isn't this just his usual style?
Li Jiacheng's greatest strength lies in his ability to endure and bide his time, waiting for the right moment to strike. Now, Lin Haoran has used this tactic against him, which makes him both angry and helpless, as if he has met his match.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, and looked back at Richardson, saying, "Mr. Richardson, now is not the time to panic. We must calmly analyze the situation and find a solution."

Richard nodded slightly. Although his heart was still in turmoil, his years of professional experience allowed him to quickly adjust his state and begin to think of a solution.

However, at this very moment, he had already begun to harbor ulterior motives.

At the beginning of this year, Li Jiacheng ousted Wei Li from his position, but kept the three of them as his driving force.

He knew the reason; the purpose was simply to stabilize Hutchison Whampoa.

After all, Li Ka-shing used to primarily focus on the real estate industry.

Hutchison Whampoa is a large, diversified conglomerate. If Li Ka-shing were to drive them all away, it would be impossible to find suitable people to take over such a complex business in a short period of time. Hutchison Whampoa would inevitably fall into chaos, giving its competitors an opportunity to take advantage of the situation.

Therefore, he actually had no loyalty to Li Jiacheng whatsoever.

Faced with Lin Haoran's aggressive offensive, Richard maintained a calm demeanor on the surface, but his mind was already racing with calculations.

Although he was the CEO and seemed to have a glamorous life, he was actually always subject to Li Ka-shing's decisions.

Now that Hutchison Whampoa has lost control, it remains to be seen whether Lin Haoran can retain his position once he takes full control.

Even if they manage to retain their positions, they may not be able to exert their influence as effectively as they do now under the new power structure.

So, could I go and join Lin Haoran's side first?
He believed that even if Lin Haoran took over Hutchison Whampoa, he would not easily dismiss him in the short term. After all, he was still the CEO of Hutchison Whampoa, with deep roots and extensive connections within the group, and a thorough understanding of all business operations.

If Lin Haoran wants Hutchison Whampoa to have a smooth transition and continue to develop, he is undoubtedly an extremely important pawn.

If he surrenders now, he might still be the one in charge of Hutchison Whampoa in the future.

As far as he knew, Lin Haoran disliked interfering in the company's daily management and gave professional managers maximum power.

Simply put, it's about delegating power!

Isn't this exactly what he's been hoping for?
If he could receive the same treatment by siding with Lin Haoran, then Lin Haoran would undoubtedly be a better fit for him as the boss of Hutchison Whampoa. What he most wanted was for the boss to be just a puppet.

Richard thought to himself that if Lin Haoran really did act this way, then his early defection would undoubtedly be a way to secure his future.

He even noticed that Li Jiacheng's fingers were trembling slightly; this usually composed business tycoon was clearly flustered at this moment.

“Mr. Li,” Richard began cautiously, “perhaps…perhaps we should consider negotiating with Mr. Lin. After all, the business world isn’t a battlefield; cooperation is often more profitable than confrontation.”

Li Jiacheng abruptly looked up, his eyes sharp as knives: "Are you suggesting I surrender to that young man?"

“It’s not surrender, it’s strategic cooperation. Since Lin Haoran has already gained an absolute advantage, a head-on confrontation will only result in mutual destruction. Why not take this opportunity to turn enemies into friends and perhaps open up new avenues for cooperation?” Richard quickly explained.

Just then, the phone rang again.

"Hello, this is Li Jiacheng," Li Jiacheng said quickly, picking up the phone.

"Brother Li, it's me. I have some news for you. Just now, Simon Ma of Hongkong Land Group called me and invited me to visit Hongkong Land Group. I guess they want to acquire my shares in Cheung Kong Holdings, so I wanted to tell you."

The person making the call was a long-time partner of Li Ka-shing, as well as a board member of Cheung Kong Holdings, who also holds a certain number of shares.

By now, the news from Galaxy Securities must have spread, so this partner naturally understood the other party's purpose immediately, and therefore made a special call to Li Jiacheng to inform him.

Li Jiacheng's grip on the phone receiver tightened instantly, his brows furrowing even more. He said in a deep voice, "Thank you for informing me, brother. I am aware of the general situation. Please remain calm and do not make any hasty decisions. I will discuss the details with you once I have a solution."

"Brother Li, don't worry. You know our relationship. I would never betray you!" the other party solemnly stated.

After hanging up the phone, Li Jiacheng's face was so gloomy it seemed like water could drip from it. He looked at Richard Xin and said in a somewhat suppressed voice, "Lin Haoran is planning a full-scale attack, not even sparing the shareholders of my Cheung Kong Holdings."

It seems he's determined to drive me into a corner.

However, before he could calm down, the phone rang again.

This time, it was another shareholder of Cheung Kong Holdings, and the purpose of their call was similar to the previous one.

Next, he received several phone calls, all of which, unsurprisingly, were from shareholders of Cheung Kong Holdings.

Without exception, these people were all informing Li Jiacheng that they had also received a message from Ma Shimin, and their purpose was self-evident.

Each time the phone rang, it was like a heavy hammer blow to Li Jiacheng's already tense nerves, making his face even more unsightly.

Richard witnessed this scene, which further solidified his belief.

The best course of action is to pledge allegiance to Lin Haoran as soon as possible, so that he can provide timely assistance rather than waiting until Lin Haoran takes over Hutchison Whampoa and then add to the existing benefits.

Moreover, he also believed that Lin Haoran needed his support now.

After all, Lin Haoran's shares were only slightly ahead of Li Jiacheng's.

“Mr. Li, the situation seems more serious than we imagined. Ma Shimin personally lobbied the shareholders, which shows that Lin Haoran’s purpose is very clear. He not only wants to take over Hutchison Whampoa, but also Cheung Kong Holdings.” Richard Xin spoke up at the right time.

Li Jiacheng rubbed his temples wearily: "What suggestions do you have?"

Richard pretended to ponder for a moment, then cautiously said, "Perhaps I could try to contact Lin Haoran and probe their true intentions, since we currently know nothing about their plans."

Li Jiacheng suddenly looked up, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by the reality of his predicament.

He sighed deeply: "Very well, but you must be careful not to let the other side think we're showing weakness."

“I understand.” Richard nodded, secretly pleased that the opportunity had come so quickly.

After Richard left the office, Li Jiacheng sat alone in his chair. The office was so quiet that only the sound of raindrops hitting the glass outside the window could be heard. The rhythmic sound was like a heavy hammer, striking his heart again and again.

He gazed at the rain outside the window, his eyes filled with confusion and exhaustion. He had been in business for decades and had weathered countless storms, but this time, he truly felt more powerless than ever before.

The food on his desk was getting cold, but he had absolutely no appetite.

Lin Haoran's move completely disrupted all his plans.

He originally thought that suspending trading would give him some breathing room, but he didn't expect that the other party had been planning for a long time and had acquired such a large number of shares in such a short period of time, putting him in a desperate situation from which he could hardly recover.

Meanwhile, the constant phone calls from shareholders at Cheung Kong Holdings made him realize that Lin Haoran's ambitions extended far beyond Hutchison Whampoa; he intended to completely destroy his business empire.

He picked up the documents on the table, trying to find a glimmer of hope, but no matter how he looked at them, the data and terms felt like cold shackles, binding him tightly.

He knew all too well that Cheung Kong Holdings was his foundation, and if Cheung Kong Holdings also fell into Lin Haoran's hands, then he would truly lose everything.

But now, how can he stop all of this from happening?

Li Jiacheng stood up and paced back and forth in his office, trying to clear his mind.

He thought of the network of contacts he had accumulated over the years, those friends who had fought alongside him in the business world, who might be able to lend a helping hand at this critical moment.

Bao Yugang, Zheng Yutong, Huo...

But when he picked up the phone, his finger hesitated on the dial key for a long time before finally putting it down.

The business world is like a battlefield; there are no permanent friends, only permanent interests.

Now that he is in trouble, would those people be willing to become enemies with Lin Haoran for his sake?
He knew perfectly well what was going on in his heart.

Calling these business tycoons would be futile.

Even Standard Chartered Bank couldn't help him, so how much help could his "friends" in the business world give him?
At the same time, the Hong Kong business community was completely shaken.

As Galaxy Securities' announcement was released, the phones in the offices of the wealthy rang incessantly.

Prince's Building, Bao Yugang's personal office.

Bao Yugang was reviewing Global Shipping's reports when his secretary rushed in to hand him the latest news.

He put down his reading glasses and sighed deeply, "Haoran, he's truly no ordinary man. I wasn't wrong about him. Brother Li is likely to suffer a great loss this time."

Without anyone's knowledge, he directly became a major shareholder of Hutchison Whampoa and held more than 30% of Cheung Kong Holdings' shares, which is truly shocking.

It's worth noting that Li Ka-shing holds a 40% stake in Cheung Kong Holdings, which in turn holds a 40% stake in Hutchison Whampoa. Under normal circumstances, this wouldn't amount to absolute control, but it would be close.

In the common understanding, how could it be possible to seize Li Jiacheng's controlling stake under such circumstances?
But now it seems that Lin Haoran is about to do it.

He had advised Li Jiacheng before, but the other party wouldn't listen.

He has good relations with both sides, so he can't possibly take sides.

“Brother Li, oh Brother Li, life is like a game of chess. One wrong move leads to another, and the whole game is full of regrets!” Bao Yugang murmured as he put down the documents in his hand.

(End of this chapter)