In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

Chapter 746 Lin Haoran, you've gone too far!
In the afternoon, Lin Haoran appeared at the Oriental Media Group.

Cui Zilong reported to him that Li Jiacheng had gone to the Governor's Mansion to meet with Governor Mai Lihao.

As the power center of Hong Kong, Lin Haoran's intelligence agents naturally had a presence in the Governor's Mansion, so it was normal for them to know that Li Jiacheng was there.

Upon learning of this, Lin Haoran quickly guessed Li Jiacheng's purpose.

Because he was always wary of whether the Governor's Office would interfere.

Lin Haoran sat in Cui Zilong's office, while Cui Zilong sat beside him, his expression slightly solemn.

“Boss, Li Jiacheng went to see the governor, probably hoping to use official power to exert pressure,” Cui Zilong analyzed. “Should we also pay a visit to the governor?”

Lin Haoran shook his head: "No need. Mai Lihao is a smart man and won't easily get involved in business competition. He often emphasizes the freedom of economic development. If he really interferes at will, then the persona he has worked so hard to create will naturally be difficult to maintain."

Now, with less than a year left before he steps down as Governor of Hong Kong, he probably hopes to get through his term peacefully and without any stain on his political career before returning to Britain to report on his work.

Moreover, the more Li Jiacheng does this, the more it shows that he has run out of options. If Mai Lihao wants to put pressure on me, he will come after me sooner or later. A cold smile appeared on his lips.

He stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the Governor's Mansion in the distance: "Let the public opinion continue to ferment. The Oriental Daily can publish some analytical articles to emphasize the commercial nature of this acquisition battle and avoid politicization."

Just half an hour ago, he received another call from Xu Yuhui, and unsurprisingly, Xu Yuhui had once again persuaded a shareholder.

There was only one shareholder left who could be persuaded.

Basically, once Xu Yuhui persuaded the last person, he completely seized the initiative.

He already controlled 30.3% of Cheung Kong Holdings' shares. If he were to acquire this additional 8.1%, his stake would be equivalent to a whopping 38.4%.

Previously, Lin Haoran always felt that Li Jiacheng firmly controlled the position of the largest shareholder of Cheung Kong Holdings, and he had no chance to surpass him.

But now it seems that there might still be a chance!
It is common knowledge that the Li Ka-shing family holds a 40% stake in Cheung Kong Holdings.

In addition, there is a shareholder who is not known to Xu Yuhui and is also a close confidant of Li Jiacheng, holding approximately 1.7% of the shares.

This means the other party would control 41.7% of the shares.

He also reached 38.4%, and the gap between the two was only 3.3%.

Once Cheung Kong Holdings' trading suspension ends, he could seize the opportunity to surpass his opponent and become Cheung Kong Holdings' largest shareholder.

Of course, it depends on whether it's necessary.

If Li Jiacheng can meet his conditions, then he naturally wouldn't need to spend so much to continue increasing his holdings, since continuing to fight a price war with Li Jiacheng in the secondary market would be very costly.

Although he is very rich, it doesn't mean much.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Standard Chartered Bank will also fully support Li Ka-shing in stabilizing his stake in Cheung Kong Holdings.

As a result, the two sides may fight to a standstill, becoming embroiled in a protracted and extremely fierce tug-of-war over equity.

Most importantly, even if he becomes the largest shareholder of Cheung Kong Holdings, he may not be able to control the company.
As the founder, Li Ka-shing meticulously planned and set up a series of complex equity structures and voting rights mechanisms when listing Cheung Kong Holdings.

Through a multi-tiered holding company structure, he seemingly retained only a 40% stake, yet wielded absolute control over key decisions.

Even if Lin Haoran's shareholding does exceed that of the other party, it will be difficult to effectively check and balance him on major issues.

This is the privilege of being a founder.

Just as many company founders only hold a dozen or twenty percent of the shares, yet still manage to firmly control the company, Lin Haoran understood the power behind Li Jiacheng's equity structure.

But what does this have to do with him? He doesn't want a controlling stake in Cheung Kong Holdings.

What he wants is simply to extract more benefits from Li Jiacheng.

Since the two sides have become business enemies, the more they squeeze each other, the more benefits they can gain.

And the opponent will find it increasingly difficult to return to their peak.

Just then, his mobile phone rang again.

Cui Zilong, who was standing to the side, had originally wanted to say something, but now he shut his mouth.

"Hello?" Without even looking at the number, Lin Haoran pressed the answer button.

"Mr. Lin, I'd like to meet and talk to you." To Lin Haoran's surprise, the call was from Li Jiacheng.

Lin Haoran raised an eyebrow slightly and said to Li Jiacheng on the other end of the phone, "Where would you like to meet, Mr. Li?"

"The Peninsula Hotel, I've booked a private room for 4 pm, how about that?" Li Jiacheng's voice sounded somewhat tired.

“Okay, I’ll be there on time.” Lin Haoran readily agreed.

After hanging up the phone, Lin Haoran smiled and said to Cui Zilong, "It seems that Li Jiacheng has realized that the situation is unfavorable and is preparing to negotiate."

This happened earlier than he expected.

Cui Zilong asked with slight concern, "Boss, should we bring a few more people?"

"No need." Lin Haoran waved his hand. "Li Jiacheng is a smart man. He knows when to compromise. Besides, he wouldn't dare to play any tricks at the Peninsula Hotel."

A slight smile appeared on his lips.

The Peninsula Hotel is his territory!

Since forcefully seizing control of the Hong Kong Grand Hotel from the Kadoorie family, the Peninsula Hotel naturally belongs to Lin Haoran's business.

Today, the hotel's security system is completely taken over by Huanyu Security Company.

Although Xu Yuhui hasn't secured the last shareholder yet, barring any unforeseen circumstances, it's practically a done deal.

Therefore, Lin Haoran was very confident in meeting Li Jiacheng.

He wanted to see what kind of bargaining chips and conditions Li Jiacheng could offer in an attempt to reverse this almost certain outcome.

Or perhaps Lin Haoran wanted to see what other leverage Li Jiacheng had, such as whether he had truly persuaded the Governor's Office.

It was just past 3:30 p.m., and the elegant private room by the window in the Peninsula Hotel's tea room was already filled with a stagnant atmosphere, as if a storm was brewing.

It had been a long time since Lin Haoran had been to the Peninsula Hotel. The last time was for his engagement party with Guo Xiaohan, so Lin Haoran made a special trip early.

After being acquired by Lin Haoran, the Peninsula Hotel continued to operate as usual. Through resource integration with the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, the Peninsula Hotel's business recovered to its peak.

Furthermore, since Lin Haoran's suggestion, a skyscraper is planned to be built in the north wing of the Peninsula Hotel as a landmark building to complement the Peninsula Hotel, and at the same time, it will help the Peninsula Hotel to significantly increase the number of guest rooms.

However, the Peninsula Hotel North Wing, which is currently only on the blueprints, will take at least several years to become a reality.

Just as the waiter poured Lin Haoran a cup of warm Earl Grey tea, the door to the private room was gently pushed open.

Li Jiacheng walked in alone, without his usual bodyguards or assistants.

He wore a well-tailored but slightly tired gray suit, black-rimmed glasses, and his eyes were bloodshot with an undeniable weariness.

The muscles in his cheeks were slightly tense, and although his steps were still steady, he lacked the calm and composure he used to have.

Li Jiacheng was taken aback when he saw that Lin Haoran had arrived ahead of time, but he quickly calmed down.

It was this young man in front of him who made him experience the bitter taste of business failure.

At this moment, Li Jiacheng's feelings were very complicated.

"Mr. Li, please sit down." Lin Haoran raised his head, a perfectly measured, yet utterly cold smile on his face, neither impolite nor warm at all.

He raised his hand to indicate the reserved spot on the other side.

Now that things have come to this point, there's really no need for both sides to continue maintaining a facade.

Li Jiacheng nodded slightly, said nothing, and silently sat down opposite Lin Haoran.

The standoff between two of Hong Kong's top Chinese businessmen began silently in this small space.

When the waiter approached to ask, Li Jiacheng simply waved his hand and said, "Water is fine."

His voice had a slightly dry quality that was barely perceptible.

The private room quieted down, with only the occasional long whistle of the Victoria Harbour ferry outside the window and the faint classical music flowing from the lobby downstairs.

Sunlight streamed through the massive glass curtain wall, casting long, slanted shadows on the carpet. Though bright, it couldn't dispel the invisible chill between the two.

Finally, Li Jiacheng broke the silence. He cleared his throat, looked directly into Lin Haoran's deep and unfathomable eyes, and tried to maintain the demeanor of a senior businessman: "Mr. Lin, this situation was not my intention."

Business disputes are inevitable, but I believe there's still room for us to talk.

Lin Haoran picked up the bone china teacup, took a sip of black tea, and let the warm tea aroma spread between his lips and teeth.

The Peninsula Hotel truly lives up to its reputation as a benchmark in Hong Kong and even the global hotel industry; even this tea exudes a top-notch charm.

No wonder the Kadoorie family was so heartbroken over the loss of the Peninsula Hotel, after all, every brick, every tile, every cup of tea here carries profound heritage and supreme glory.

He put down his teacup and smiled slightly, "Space, of course there is. The key is how Mr. Li intends to define this 'space'. Now that the chessboard is set, there's no point in saying more. Since Mr. Li is here, he must already have a plan in mind, so he might as well speak frankly."

Li Jiacheng frowned slightly. Lin Haoran's confident tone made him very uncomfortable, yet he was powerless to change it.

After all, he was indeed at a disadvantage in this competition with Lin Haoran, and he was almost powerless to fight back, completely outmatched by his opponent.

He took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Let's not beat around the bush. I admit that in this game with Hutchison Whampoa, you are more skilled. Your 46.9% stake does indeed surpass mine. But I think you also know that if I don't voluntarily step down from the chairmanship, it will be difficult for you to truly and completely control Hutchison Whampoa. In fact, even if I step down from the chairmanship, I will still have a lot of say and can still interfere with Hutchison Whampoa's operations."

"So?" Lin Haoran smiled slightly.

"Mr. Lin should also know that I, Li Jiacheng, have been in the business world for decades and am not without a foundation. Cheung Kong Holdings is my foundation. I will do everything in my power to protect that empire. If you also stir up trouble in Cheung Kong Holdings, we will only be locked in a stalemate, and it will be a loss for both of us."

He paused for a moment, then looked directly at the younger member of the Hong Kong business community in front of him, trying to amplify the weight of his words.

“I hope we can each compromise. You can stop increasing your stake in Cheung Kong Holdings, and in exchange, I can step down as chairman of the board of directors of Hutchison Whampoa and hand the position over to you.”

I could even transfer all of Cheung Kong Holdings' shares in Hutchison Whampoa to you at a price slightly below market value! The condition is that Cheung Kong Holdings becomes mine, you withdraw your shareholding in Cheung Kong Holdings, and all competition between us in the business world will cease at that point!

This is already a major concession that Li Ka-shing could make.

By relinquishing control of Hutchison Whampoa and the prestigious position of chairman of the board, and handing over the giant he had painstakingly acquired, he only sought to preserve Cheung Kong Holdings, his own son, and eliminate future threats.

The price he offered was undeniably high, carrying a tragic air of a warrior cutting off his own arm.

After he finished speaking, the private room fell into an even deeper silence.

Li Jiacheng stared intently at Lin Haoran's face, trying to catch a hint of interest or hesitation in that young yet overly composed expression.

Lin Haoran picked up his cup, took a small sip, and then looked directly at Li Jiacheng.

Looking into Li Jiacheng's eyes, which were a mixture of exhaustion, tension, resentment, and the last glimmer of hope, a clear smile finally appeared on his lips.

But there was no satisfaction in that smile, only cold calculation, and even a hint of cruel mockery.

Lin Haoran's voice was calm, as if he were stating a fact unrelated to himself: "Mr. Li, your sincerity does sound quite substantial."

Li Jiacheng's heart skipped a beat.

However, Lin Haoran's next words were hard for Li Jiacheng to accept: "However, Mr. Li seems to have overlooked a reality. The initiative is now in my hands, not yours. Asking me to withdraw from Cheung Kong Holdings? To stop all business competition? It sounds like I'm surrendering to you."

As for stepping down as chairman of the board? Given your current situation at Hutchison Whampoa, you were already in a precarious position. Selling your Hutchison Whampoa shares at a low price? Mr. Li, that's quite a shrewd plan!

You need to understand that the 40% stake in Hutchison Whampoa isn't in your hands, but in Cheung Kong Holdings. Even though you're the chairman of CK Hutchison, tell me, if I become the largest shareholder of Cheung Kong Holdings, can I interfere with the voting rights of that 40% stake held by Cheung Kong Holdings?

"Moreover, Mr. Li seems to have forgotten that you yourself are barely able to take care of yourself! With the pressure from Standard Chartered Bank, the huge debts you're burdened with, plus the Yangtze River shares I hold, do you think you have much bargaining power left?"

Every word struck Li Jiacheng's heart like a heavy hammer.

"Unable to sit still," "In dire need of protection," "Bargaining"...

These words were filled with blatant humiliation, tearing away his last shred of dignity.

Li Jiacheng's face instantly turned ashen!

He suddenly straightened his back, his chest heaving violently, and the weariness in his eyes was replaced by a raging fire of anger.

"Lin! Hao! Ran!" He practically gritted his teeth as he uttered Lin Hao Ran's name, each word distinct and forceful, veins bulging on his forehead.

"You've gone too far!" The hand on the table trembled, the knuckles turning white from the force.

"This is going too far!" Lin Haoran's sneer deepened. "The business world is like a battlefield, where the winner takes all. Mr. Li, you've been in the business world for decades, you should have understood this principle long ago."

Since you chose to be Huifeng Bank's weapon in the first place, and since you've repeatedly chosen to oppose me, you should have expected that one day the weapon would break and you would die. Only now do you feel you've been 'bullied'?

He stared coldly at Li Jiacheng, his gaze fixed on the man's bloodshot eyes, and stated his final condition in an icy and ruthless tone:
"Listen carefully, my conditions are three, and there is no room for negotiation:"

Article 1: Before tomorrow morning, in your capacity as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hutchison Whampoa, you shall voluntarily submit your resignation to the Securities and Futures Commission and publicly declare your support for me to become the new Chairman of the Board.

Article Two: The 40% stake in Hutchison Whampoa held by Cheung Kong Holdings must be transferred to Galaxy Securities at the pre-increase price within three trading days of me becoming Chairman of the Board! Not a single share less, not a single cent less! This is compensation for your unwarranted provocation!
Article 3: I will pay close attention to the operation of Cheung Kong Holdings and will join the board of directors as the second largest shareholder. I will have veto power over any high-risk, high-leverage investment activities of Cheung Kong Holdings!

This is to ensure my rights as the "second largest shareholder of Cheung Kong Holdings," and to guarantee the value of Cheung Kong Holdings as collateral for Huifeng Bank's remaining debt. Standard Chartered Bank should also thank me for helping you stabilize your foundation.

Forced purchase at the pre-price increase price!
He should also voluntarily resign and step down!

Furthermore, as the "second largest shareholder," they should have veto power over Changye!

This is not just about ceding Hutchison Whampoa; it's about skinning them alive!
This is a blatant attempt to undermine Li Ka-shing's complete defeat and to firmly nail his foundation, Cheung Kong Holdings, to the chopping block!
"puff--"

Li Jiacheng instantly felt a surge of anger rise from the bottom of his heart, rushing straight to the top of his head, making him feel like his head was about to explode with anger. He was furious.

He suddenly stood up, and the heavy solid wood chair was knocked to the ground by the tremendous force, making a dull and ear-piercing impact sound!
"Lin Haoran, you're delusional!"

He pointed at Lin Haoran, his fingers trembling violently with extreme anger, his lips quivering, barely able to utter a complete sentence, and the veins on his forehead bulging.

"Lin Haoran! You, you're trying to kill us all!"

His voice was hoarse and strained, filled with grief, indignation, and an absolute determination to not tolerate it.

Lin Haoran remained seated as still as a rock, not even raising an eyelid in the face of Li Jiacheng's fury, only calmly reminding him: "Mr. Li, please mind your image. I am merely making a few reasonable requests."

"Good, good, good, good Lin Haoran, what a reasonable request!" Li Jiacheng squeezed out these words through gritted teeth, his eyes bloodshot.

He glared at Lin Haoran with a look filled with resentment, anger, and a brewing madness of mutual destruction.

There wasn't a single polite word, and there was absolutely no hesitation!

He turned around abruptly and flung open the heavy door to the private room.

Outside in the corridor, two distinguished guests who were passing by seemed to have heard the noise and were peeking out.

When the two guests saw Hong Kong's "Superman" Li Jiacheng rush out looking so distraught, furious, and with eyes bulging with anger, they were both astonished and gaped.

Li Jiacheng completely disregarded the presence of other guests, even ignoring the two surprised and curious gazes.

He stumbled slightly, grabbed the wall to steady himself, and then strode towards the hotel lobby elevator with an almost tragic speed.

His steps were unsteady, and his silhouette, under the bright lights of the corridor, cast a long, thin shadow filled with anger, humiliation, and endless desolation.

Lin Haoran, who was inside the door, did not get up or close the door.

He simply picked up the slightly cooled Earl Grey tea again and gently brought it to his lips.

Outside the window, the last rays of the setting sun sank just below the horizon of Victoria Harbour.

The lights in the Peninsula Hotel's tea room shone even brighter, casting Lin Haoran's sharply defined profile onto the clean windowpane.

Across Victoria Harbour, the Chinatown Building, belonging to Li Ka-shing, was gradually disappearing into the rising shadows of twilight.

Offending Lin Haoran will inevitably come at a price.

Previously, he had shown great respect to the other party because he was a famous Chinese tycoon in his previous life.

But now that they have become business rivals, they are naturally looking out for their own interests.

Perhaps, before coming here, Li Jiacheng had never imagined that the other party would be so powerful.

Li Jiacheng's angry figure disappeared at the end of the corridor, and the private room returned to silence, with only the overturned chairs silently telling the story of the fierce exchange that had just taken place.

Lin Haoran slowly put down his teacup. The cold mockery on his face had vanished, replaced by a deep calm.

That was just psychological warfare.

He had long anticipated Li Ka-shing's reaction. This "superman" had dominated Hong Kong for decades, accustomed to strategizing and being admired. It was almost impossible for him to accept such a humiliating surrender.

This first showdown was an extreme pressure maneuver aimed at completely shattering Li Jiacheng's illusions.

From Li Jiacheng's words, Lin Haoran also learned that the other party had not received any help from Governor Merrihau when he went to see him that morning.

Otherwise, he should have said it already.

However, since Li Jiacheng has found Mai Lihao, there might be other hidden reasons behind it.

Lin Haoran narrowed his eyes slightly, pondering the intricacies of the situation.

"Boss." Ma Shimin had quietly arrived at the door of the private room without anyone noticing. He frowned slightly as he looked at the overturned chair.

Even without the boss's explanation, everyone could guess that the outcome of this negotiation between the two sides would definitely be unpleasant.

Lin Haoran waved his hand and said with a smile, "It's alright, it was expected. If he had agreed immediately, I would have found it strange, because the conditions I proposed were too humiliating."

Just then, Lin Haoran's mobile phone rang again.

He picked up the phone and answered it immediately.

"Mr. Lin, I have accomplished my mission. I have persuaded the third shareholder. In other words, all three shareholders have agreed to sell their shares to you, Mr. Lin, according to the conditions you proposed. The transaction can be completed at any time!" Xu Yuhui's voice came from the other end of the phone.

"So fast? Mr. Xu is indeed capable. Thank you for your hard work!" Lin Haoran laughed heartily upon hearing this.

He was indeed somewhat surprised.

Originally, he gave Xu Yuhui two days because he was worried that Xu Yuhui would not be able to persuade the three shareholders to betray him in a short time.

But now, it's only a little past four in the afternoon, and the task has already been completed, which is truly beyond expectations.

This guy, though rebellious, is indeed capable.

(End of this chapter)