In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

Chapter 747 Desperate
"Boss, now that we've reached an agreement, let's not delay and sign the equity transfer agreement with them as soon as possible, lest something unexpected happens!" Ma Shimin, who was standing to the side, had already guessed from Lin Haoran's answer that Xu Yuhui should have been dealt with, so he reminded him.

Lin Haoran nodded; he naturally understood this principle.

Before acquiring the equity, any changes could occur at any time.

In particular, if Li Jiacheng were to find out by accident, he would definitely do everything he could to stop the deal.

Given Li Ka-shing's long-standing relationship with these shareholders, he certainly has ways to persuade them to abandon the deal.

Holding 30% of the shares is completely different in nature from holding a stake close to that of Li Ka-shing.

“Mr. Xu, now that we’ve reached an agreement, let’s not delay and get ready to make the deal. I have an empty villa in the Mid-Levels area that can keep things absolutely confidential. I don’t think you want Li Jiacheng’s intelligence to discover our deal so soon, do you?” Lin Haoran said with a smile to Xu Yuhui on the other end of the phone.

The Peninsula Hotel has luxurious conference rooms, which would be a perfect place for them to sign contracts.

However, the Peninsula Hotel is too conspicuous. If Xu Yuhui and other major shareholders of Cheung Kong Holdings were to come, they might very well be discovered by Li Ka-shing's spies at any time.

Even if others discover it and it accidentally reaches Li Jiacheng, this matter could still cause trouble.

On the contrary, the hillsides and mountaintops are lined with luxury homes and sparsely populated, making signing the contract in a villa the safest option.

As for letting Xu Yuhui and others decide the location?

Of course not. Lin Haoran understood the principle that a wise man does not stand under a crumbling wall.

If Li Jiacheng hadn't chosen the Peninsula Hotel, his own property, as the meeting place, he probably wouldn't have agreed.

Xu Yuhui remained silent for a moment on the other end of the phone, seemingly weighing the pros and cons.

Lin Haoran could hear a faint electrical sound coming from the other end of the phone line, which meant he was obviously discussing the matter with other shareholders.

Finally, Xu Yuhui spoke, his voice somewhat low: "Mr. Lin, we'll do as you say. However, we must ensure that the entire process is foolproof and that no mistakes are made."

Lin Haoran didn't want Li Jiacheng to discover this matter so early, and Xu Yuhui and the others felt the same way!

Lin Haoran's lips curled up slightly, revealing a confident smile: "Don't worry, Mr. Xu, I will arrange everything. I will have the villa cleared out in advance and security personnel deployed to ensure that our transaction will not be disturbed by the outside world."

Afterwards, Lin Haoran gave Xu Yuhui an address.

“Okay, Mr. Lin, then let’s meet in half an hour.” Xu Yuhui replied.

After hanging up the phone, Lin Haoran looked at Ma Shimin and smiled, "Let's go, let's get this done as soon as possible."

"Okay, boss, I'll notify the lawyer first."

After speaking with Lin Haoran, Ma Shimin picked up his mobile phone and made a call.

Half an hour later, Lin Haoran appeared at a villa halfway up the mountain.

This place is near the headquarters of Hong Kong Electric Group. The road winds up the mountainside, with lush trees on both sides. Under the setting sun, it exudes a sense of mystery and tranquility.

Lin Haoran owns quite a few villa properties, most of which are used by his group for rental or other purposes.

However, Lin Haoran kept several villas for his own use.

These include Lin Haoran's own villa on Shi Xun Road, Guan Jiahui's current villa on Old Peak Road, and the luxury villa in the hillside area in front of us.

Lin Haoran doesn't usually come to this villa; he's only been here once. There are people who come regularly to clean it.

As soon as Lin Haoran got out of the car, the villa gate slowly opened, and several security personnel dressed in black suits and wearing headsets quickly came forward, their eyes scanning the surroundings warily.

"Mr. Lin, everything has been prepared as you instructed," the head security captain said in a low voice.

These people are all elite security guards from Huanyu Security Company, and they are all trustworthy people who often help Lin Haoran with various matters.

He could tell from their loyalty that they were all people he could absolutely trust.

Lin Haoran nodded slightly and stepped into the villa.

Ma Shimin and his legal advisor followed closely behind.

A few minutes later, several more cars arrived.

These people are the shareholders of Cheung Kong Holdings.

Walking in front was Xu Yuhui.

Behind him were three men with different expressions.

The man with the receding hairline and wearing a tight-fitting suit is Chairman Wu;

The other person, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and with large knuckles, is Boss Qian;
The last one, with shifty eyes and constantly making small adjustments to his tie, was Chairman Zhao.

"Mr. Lin, you have lived up to expectations." Xu Yuhui smiled broadly, with undisguised flattery. When he turned to introduce the three shareholders, their smiles were somewhat stiff and forced.

After all, all three of them were essentially forced into this situation.

If Xu Yuhui hadn't used those incriminating facts to threaten them, how could they have betrayed Li Jiacheng!
In reality, many wealthy people in Hong Kong have a lot of dirt on them, and if you really investigate, not many of them can withstand scrutiny.

These three people never imagined that they would be betrayed by their own people.

"Mr. Xu, Mr. Wu, Mr. Qian, Mr. Zhao, the equity transfer agreement has been drafted. Please take a look and see if there are any problems. If there are no problems, you can sign it. As for the premium payment, I will transfer the funds immediately after your press conference. You should be able to trust our boss's reputation!" Ma Shimin handed several copies of the agreement to the men one by one.

After receiving his contract, Xu Yuhui deliberately kept his distance from the other three.

After all, his own premium was as high as 25%, while the premiums of the other three were only 10%.

Lin Haoran and Ma Shimin both noticed Xu Yuhui's subtle actions, but they both tacitly remained silent.

Lin Haoran knew that Xu Yuhui was afraid that if the three people found out that he had offered a higher premium, it would cause unnecessary trouble.

After all, at such a sensitive time, even the slightest disturbance could cause a huge upheaval.

"Good, Mr. Xu's efficiency is commendable." Lin Haoran's voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet space.

The group quickly and carefully reviewed the contract several times to ensure there were no problems, and then nodded to each other.

This time, in order to avoid being discovered by Li Jiacheng, they didn't even bring a lawyer, just to prevent the lawyer from leaking information.

However, they are all seasoned business veterans, so they have no problem understanding these contracts.

The scratching sound of pens slicing across paper, mixed with the shareholders' slightly hurried breathing, became the only rhythm in the room.

Chairman Zhao's fingers even trembled slightly at the signature.

After all, this was a complete betrayal of Li Jiacheng.

They never intended to force Li Ka-shing, but under Xu Yuhui's threats, the premium stock price, and a mix of pessimism about the future of Cheung Kong Holdings, they ultimately took this step.

At this moment, every mark left by the pen tip is like a sharp blade severing a close connection with the past, carrying both helplessness and determination.

Lin Haoran stood aside, calmly observing everyone and taking in their subtle reactions.

Seeing that everyone had signed the contract, Ma Shimin, on behalf of Hongkong Land Group, also signed his name, making two copies for each party.

This time, these shareholders resold their shares in Cheung Kong Holdings to Galaxy Securities, which is a subsidiary of Hongkong Land Group. Therefore, it is entirely appropriate for Simon Murray to represent them.

Looking at the contract signed by the group, Lin Haoran smiled. The matter was now truly settled, and even if Li Jiacheng knew, there was no way to reverse it.

What kind of expression will Li Jiacheng have when he finds out that almost all of his business partners have betrayed him?

Lin Haoran felt a sense of anticipation.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the contracts have been signed, and your first payment will be deposited into your accounts within two hours. Also, since you are all so cooperative, I think the press conference about Mr. Li's financial crisis doesn't have to wait until Monday."

He paused briefly, then continued casually, "Let's put it tomorrow afternoon, Sunday, when the public is more relaxed and the media is less busy."

As soon as he finished speaking, the air in the private room froze instantly.

"Tomorrow? Mr. Lin, didn't you say the meeting would be held on Monday?" Chairman Zhao exclaimed, his face drained of color, the relief he had felt after signing the papers completely gone.

The sudden acceleration of the plan, without any buffer, undoubtedly exposed them to Li Jiacheng prematurely.

After all, they chose to betray Li Ka-shing, and they really had no face to stay in Hong Kong any longer.

Therefore, since the equity has already been cashed out, the best course of action is to withdraw from Hong Kong.

Leaving Hong Kong always takes time, such as selling off fixed assets in Hong Kong and making arrangements for the future.

Xu Yuhui's fawning smile froze, and his brows furrowed. Clearly, holding a press conference ahead of schedule had disrupted his plans.

But then he thought of the huge premium he was about to receive in his account, and his current predicament with no way out. He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing, and forced a smile, saying, "Brother Lin, you're brilliant! Good tomorrow, let's finish this quickly!"

That smile was three times uglier than a cry.

The other three frowned as they looked at him.

They agreed, but the day after tomorrow, Monday, they will hold a press conference where they will reveal in detail Li Ka-shing's financial crisis, especially his excessive leverage in order to acquire Hutchison Whampoa. After the revelation, they will also announce that, for the sake of Cheung Kong Holdings' future, they have decided to sell the shares to Lam Ho-yin. All of this is for the sake of Cheung Kong Holdings' future, etc.

It's safe to say that this move will have a significant impact on Li Jiacheng. They could have argued that secretly selling the shares to Lin Haoran was a desperate measure, forced upon them by threats.

Holding a press conference to annoy Li Jiacheng is definitely for the sake of that premium profit.

This means that they have also completely betrayed Li Jiacheng in their hearts.

Looking at the various expressions on everyone's faces, Lin Haoran smiled and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, the business world is like a battlefield, and opportunities are fleeting. Holding a press conference a day in advance can only benefit us, not harm us."

Li Ka-shing has deep roots in Hong Kong's business community. If given another day to prepare, no one knows what countermeasures he might come up with.
Now that you've chosen this path, you've completely offended Li Jiacheng. You don't want him to stabilize things and then turn against you, do you? So, wouldn't it be more advantageous for you to leave Hong Kong as soon as possible?"

Chairman Wu frowned, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Mr. Lin, that's true, but if it's brought forward so suddenly, there are many things we haven't arranged yet."

"Isn't evacuation simple? You can leave with just a plane ticket. If all else fails, you can take a boat. If you can't handle it yourselves, I can help you leave Hong Kong. Do you really expect Li Ka-shing's forgiveness?"

You're all just going to places like the UK, Singapore, the US, or Canada. I'm sure you already have your immigration destination in mind.

"As for the fixed assets here in Hong Kong, don't forget what Hongkong Land does. You can completely entrust Hongkong Land to handle your assets. You all know Hongkong Land's reputation, and their prices are absolutely the fairest," Lin Haoran said with a smile.

Originally, he wasn't in such a hurry, but after Li Jiacheng's harsh words when he left today, and Xu Yuhui's quick success in winning over these shareholders, Lin Haoran decided to move up the time.

Since you, Li Jiacheng, are so confident, then I will continue to make moves and see how you, Li Jiacheng, respond!

The sooner the announcement is made, the faster Li Ka-shing's camp will panic and collapse, giving him more overwhelming leverage in his eventual takeover of Hutchison Whampoa.

What he wanted was complete control of Hutchison Whampoa, not another shareholder with the power to interfere.

Upon hearing this, the group exchanged glances, their expressions filled with entanglement and struggle.

Xu Yuhui broke the silence first. He took a deep breath and said, "Everyone, Mr. Lin is right. Since we've come this far, there's no turning back. Let's do as Mr. Lin said and hold a press conference tomorrow afternoon."

Chairman Wu, General Manager Qian, and Chairman Zhao exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with helplessness.

Mr. Wu sighed and said slowly, "So be it, things have come to this, there's nothing we can do. I just hope that Mr. Lin can do as you said and arrange for us to leave Hong Kong as soon as possible and properly handle our assets."

Lin Haoran smiled slightly, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes: "Everyone, rest assured, I, Lin Haoran, always keep my word. Mr. Ma, please immediately begin arranging the relevant matters for tomorrow's press conference to ensure that everything goes smoothly."

At the same time, the immigration agency and asset management team under the Hongkong Land Group will provide the highest quality services to the shareholders.

Ma Shimin nodded quickly: "Boss, please rest assured, I will definitely handle these matters properly!"

……

On the other hand, after leaving the Peninsula Hotel, Li Jiacheng first visited several business friends, hoping to get help from them.

Although he hadn't held out much hope, when everyone politely declined, or even subtly hinted at their close relationship with Lin Haoran, Li Jiacheng's face grew increasingly gloomy, and the anger in his heart surged like a volcano about to erupt.

These people, although they are among the top or second-best in Hong Kong in terms of strength, even if they are rich, they would not dare to offend Lin Haoran for Li Jiacheng, so they would not help him.

Why should someone who is not related to you offend someone with greater power?

After leaving the office of his last business friend, Li Jiacheng sat in the back seat.

The atmosphere inside the car was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe. The driver sensed his boss's volatile temper and didn't dare to say anything more.

Li Jiacheng's mind was filled with the terrifyingly calm face of Lin Haoran in the Peninsula private room, and the three icicles hanging over his heart:

Get out of Hutchison Whampoa!

Selling 40% of Hutchison Whampoa shares at a bargain price as atonement!

Let that Lin guy use Cheung Kong Holdings' veto power to shit on my head!

"Arrogant! Shameless! Drive them to extinction!" He slammed his fist on the chair in front of him, making a dull thud.

His body trembled slightly from extreme anger, and the veins on his temples throbbed menacingly.

Throughout his life, he has experienced ups and downs in the business world, encountering countless attacks and betrayals, but never before has he been cornered by a young man like this, like a fish waiting to be slaughtered on a chopping board!
The unfathomable sense of humiliation and the immense fear of impending doom coiled around his heart like a poisonous vine, tightening ever more.

After Li Jiacheng gradually calmed down, his driver and bodyguard finally asked, "Boss, where are we going now?"

"Go to Standard Chartered Bank!" Li Jiacheng said, his eyes turning sinister, as he snapped out of his daze.

Now, it seems that Standard Chartered Bank is the only thing he can rely on.

Twenty minutes later, in the office of Tyronn, the tycoon at Standard Chartered Bank.

“Lin Haoran! He’s gone too far! He’s utterly shameless! His condition for me is to skin me alive, tear me apart, and leave me with nothing but crumbs. Mr. Tyron, you must help me, otherwise, losing the market of these two major companies will also be a huge loss for your Standard Chartered Bank!” Li Jiacheng said angrily to Tyron.

Tyronn frowned, not immediately trying to comfort his ally who was nearly out of control.

However, he was also able to understand the other person.

After all, Lin Haoran really went too far.

Putting yourself in Li Jiacheng's shoes, even he would find it difficult to remain calm.

He walked around the large desk, picked up a whiskey glass that had been prepared on the table, poured a small amount into it, and handed it over calmly, saying, "Mr. Li, stay calm! Anger will only give your opponent a bigger opening."

Lin Haoran's arrogance today stems from the fact that he holds ample cash in his hands.

"Calm down? How can you tell me to calm down? I also had the opportunity to negotiate with Lin Haoran back then, but I hoped that Standard Chartered Bank would terminate the contract I signed with Huifeng Bank. I was willing to pay for it, but you refused. In the end, you also bear responsibility for how Cheung Kong Holdings and Hutchison Whampoa have come to this point!"

Li Jiacheng's throat stung from the anger and the alcohol, and he coughed violently, his face turning bright red.

Now that things have come to this, he is truly at his wit's end and has nowhere to turn.

Tyron coldly watched Li Jiacheng cough violently and his face turn red, a fleeting look of annoyance flashing in his eyes, but he quickly regained his calm and composed demeanor.

He raised his hand and gently patted Li Jiacheng's slightly trembling shoulder. After Li Jiacheng's cough subsided and his emotions calmed down a bit, he slowly said, "Mr. Li, the decision to refuse to terminate the contract was made entirely by the bank based on its own risk assessment and overall strategic planning."

Banks have their own stance and won't easily give up their rightful profits. Dwelling on the past is pointless; we need to focus our energy on resolving the current predicament.

Li Jiacheng was panting heavily, his eyes still full of resentment, but reason was gradually returning.

He took the tissue Tyron handed him, wiped his mouth, and asked, "Mr. Tyron, do you have any good ideas? Lin Haoran is pressing us hard now. If we don't fight back, we'll probably be driven to a dead end and fall into a desperate situation."

“Mr. Li, as you know, Standard Chartered Bank paid a huge price to acquire Huifeng Bank, and our current financial situation is not as optimistic as it appears.”

Tyron sighed softly, walked to the window, looked at the bustling yet turbulent cityscape outside, and continued, "Lin Haoran's actions this time were so swift and targeted, it's clear that he had been planning this for a long time."

He is not only ruthless and decisive in business, but also has a deep understanding of human nature and the situation. He is incredibly patient. Not only did you not notice that he had his eye on Hutchison Whampoa and Cheung Kong Holdings so early on, but even we at Standard Chartered Bank were completely unaware of it.

We at Standard Chartered Bank will naturally do our best to maintain your control over Cheung Kong Holdings. However, even with our best efforts, given Lin Haoran's current shareholding in Cheung Kong Holdings, there's nothing we at Standard Chartered Bank can do if he wants to join the board of directors and interfere in the company's affairs!

Hearing Tyron's words, Li Jiacheng even felt a sense of despair.

After a long pause, Li Jiacheng's eyes were bloodshot, and his voice was hoarse: "Mr. Tyron, please help me! Go to the Governor in the name of Standard Chartered Bank!"

Lin Haoran's expansion at this speed is already a monopoly! It's going to shake the foundations of Hong Kong's economy! Mai Lihao can't sit idly by!

With Mr. Merrihau involved, the situation will surely be turned around, just like with Jardine Matheson last year!

In Li Jiacheng's view, it was useless for him to go to Governor Merrihau in person, because he was just a Chinese businessman.

But Tyronn is different; he is backed by a huge British conglomerate and has a strong network of connections in Britain.

If Tyronn had represented Standard Chartered Bank in speaking with Governor Merrih, the outcome would certainly have been different.

Although Li Jiacheng was 100% confident that Lin Haoran could not possibly seize control of Cheung Kong Holdings from him.

However, if Lin Haoran continues to hold a large number of Cheung Kong shares, it's like having a time bomb planted on him, ready to explode at any moment.

Therefore, what he needs most now is to get Lin Haoran to completely withdraw from Cheung Kong Holdings.

But in the afternoon, after he took the initiative to lower his head and promised Lin Haoran a series of benefits, the other party not only remained unmoved, but even went too far and made some insulting conditions.

It's clearly impossible for him to drive Lin Haoran out of Cheung Kong Holdings on his own.

Even if Standard Chartered Bank had the money, it clearly couldn't do that.

In other words, it seems that only the Governor's Office can help him.

He vividly remembered that Jardine Matheson & Co. had been under Lin Haoran's control back then.

Ultimately, under the intervention of the Governor's Office, Lin Haoran had no choice but to spit out Jardine Matheson.

Tyron held his wine glass, lost in thought for a long time.

“Mr. Li, using the power of the Governor’s Office is a double-edged sword, and the timing is very delicate. The Jardine Matheson case you mentioned has its own special characteristics. Jardine Matheson is the flagship of British capital in Hong Kong. Its turmoil directly touches the nerves of London. The Governor’s Office’s intervention is backed by pressure from Downing Street and a clear political intention to protect the interests of British capital.”

But you don't have those advantages at all. However, please rest assured, I will represent Standard Chartered Bank to communicate with Mr. MacLehose. Whether I can get his help, I'm not sure!

Upon hearing this, Li Jiacheng finally felt joy in his heart.

"Mr. Tyron, I'm begging you!"

(End of this chapter)