In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

Chapter 787 Such a good thing?
Tyron's face had turned from pale to ashen, and cold sweat soaked his shirt collar.

He never imagined that his carefully prepared negotiation strategy would be so vulnerable to Lin Haoran's straightforward and aggressive offensive.

The other party didn't play by the rules at all; they overturned the negotiating table and tore away all pretenses.

“Mr. Lin…” Tyron’s voice trembled noticeably, “I admit that some of my previous actions may have caused you to misunderstand.”

But I can assure you that neither I nor Standard Chartered Bank have any intention of being enemies with Hengsheng Group or Mr. Lin. We simply want to find a solution that benefits both parties.

“Profitable?” Lin Haoran scoffed. “Five billion to acquire a mess, you call that profitable? Mr. Tyron, do you have some misunderstanding about the word ‘profitable’?”

Tyron forced down the dryness in his throat and said, "Mr. Lin! Huifeng Bank is not as bad as you say!"

It still holds a market share of over HK$20 billion in Hong Kong! This is a solid foundation. We have already submitted the information to Hengsheng Group, and I'm sure Mr. Lin has seen it!

A powerful company like Jianing Group has signed a deep cooperation agreement with Huifeng Bank, making it one of its most important clients!

The long-term value and cash flow inherent in these high-quality corporate clients far exceed the fluctuating market value of the stock market. These key clients alone can generate at least HK$20 billion in profits in the future!

And there's Haifeng Bank! Yes, it's currently operating at a loss, but this is entirely a temporary strategic adjustment period!

It's the thirteenth largest bank in the US! Its total assets exceed two hundred billion US dollars! This size, this license to access the core US financial market, and over three hundred branches are priceless! How many foreign banks dream of having it?
With the right business strategy and sufficient investment, turning a profit is just around the corner! It represents the key to unlocking the vast North American market! Mr. Lin, you have a long-term vision; you will surely see this potential!

Tyronn poured almost everything into his description, attempting to reshape Huifeng's value.

This eagerness, ironically, only made its intention to get rid of its burdens more obvious.

Lin Haoran listened quietly, his face expressionless. He even picked up his teacup and slowly blew on the floating tea leaves.

His calm and composed demeanor contrasted sharply with Tyron's agitation.

He took a sip before looking up, his gaze calm to the point of being cold.

"Mr. Tyron, your words are eloquent, but in my eyes, Lin Haoran, the current Huifeng Bank—"

Lin Haoran paused deliberately before continuing, "Not worth a single penny."

"Boom!" Tyron felt a darkness engulf his vision.

"The fact that we're pricing it according to the current secondary market share price is already the biggest favor I've given you, considering Huifeng Bank's century-old reputation."

But the problem is, you, and Standard Chartered headquarters behind you, are now focused on only one thing: getting rid of this mess that you've personally drained dry, sucked dry of its essence, and now only leaves a heavy burden! Throw it as far away as possible!

Lin Haoran continued, "Your Standard Chartered Bank is so eager to get rid of this 'trouble,' so why do you think I, Lin Haoran, would be foolish enough to take it over and treat it like a treasure? Hmm?"

"Therefore, I am now giving you only three choices."

First, fulfill your promises according to our written contract! Within five days, grant my Bank of East Asia or Heng Sheng Bank the right to issue currency in Hong Kong in a fair and complete manner!
"If we achieve this, the 3 billion in compensation will naturally be nullified, and we'll be even."

“Second,” he said, pointing his second finger, “if you are unwilling to see Heng Sheng Bank or East Asia Bank obtain the right to issue banknotes, or if the Governor’s Office is too concerned about saving face, then fine, just admit defeat.”

Five days later, the HK$3 billion compensation, in full, was deposited into Heng Sheng Group's account on time. With the money in hand, our contractual dispute is now resolved. As for the issue of currency issuance rights, Heng Sheng Group will find another way; Standard Chartered need not worry about it.

Tyron's heart sank further with Lin Haoran's words, and his face turned from white to pale.

Either of these two choices would mean the complete failure of his personal and Standard Chartered Bank's strategy in Hong Kong!

"Third, if Standard Chartered is unwilling to fulfill the contract and unwilling to pay the 3 billion, and is determined to push Huifeng, this burden, onto me, then do as I say!"

Tyron's breathing quickened immediately; he wanted to know what happened next.

Lin Haoran continued, "I only want an empty shell of Huifeng Bank, the signboard of that century-old store, and the only useful thing attached to that signboard—the right to issue banknotes in Hong Kong!"
In addition, all of Huifeng Bank's assets, liabilities, customers, and businesses in Hong Kong, including the more than HK$20 billion market share you mentioned, as well as all overseas markets, such as Haifeng Bank in the United States...

"I don't want any of it. Standard Chartered Bank can take it all! As for this 'Huifeng,' which is just an empty shell with a banknote issuing license?"

He smiled and held up his index finger: "I'm willing to spend an extra HK$100 million to buy it!"

"One hundred million?" Tyron exclaimed, his voice trembling.

A profound sense of humiliation and despair overwhelmed him like an icy tide.

For this negotiation, he mobilized the entire team, analyzed countless data, rehearsed various possibilities, and prepared one seemingly meticulous set of arguments and bottom-line plans after another.

But faced with Lin Haoran's almost tyrannical and core-targeting three-pronged attack, all his preparations became laughable waste paper!

The other party didn't bother with those roundabout business negotiation tactics; they simply flipped the table and laid their cards on the table!

The office fell into a deathly silence.

He Shanheng, standing to the side, was also shocked by Lin Haoran's ruthless conditions, which were almost like "scraping the bone to remove the poison," but a hint of understanding and admiration was faintly revealed in the depths of his eyes.

This is the style of a business tycoon: either don't do it at all, or do it thoroughly and decisively, leaving no room for any messy troubles!
Tyron's face was ashen, his lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a single word.

He wanted to refute, to argue logically, and to emphasize Huifeng's brand value and Haifeng's potential...

But Lin Haoran's words, "Why should I take on trouble that even Standard Chartered doesn't want?" echoed in his mind like a curse, completely blocking all his reasons.

Yes, why should buyers treat goods that sellers are desperately trying to get rid of as treasures?
The immense sense of frustration and fear of the future nearly broke him.

Three billion in compensation?
Or... accept this almost humiliating "empty shell" deal?
Either way, it was a Waterloo for his career.

Time passed second by second, each second feeling like a dull knife cutting into flesh.

Beads of cold sweat gathered on Tyron's forehead, rolled down, and landed on the expensive carpet.

His hands, resting on his knees, were trembling slightly, his knuckles white from gripping them so tightly.

Just as the suffocating silence was about to crush Tyrone, Lin Haoran seemed to lean back slightly in his chair, his imposing aura softening a little. He picked up his teacup and took another sip.

This subtle change is like a straw suddenly appearing before a drowning person.

Tyronn's heart skipped a beat!
A crack appeared in the ice of despair!
The other party's attitude...

It doesn't seem like there's absolutely no room for maneuver?

Those three options were an ultimatum, but does this momentary pause mean there's still room for negotiation?

The instinct for survival overcame the feeling of humiliation.

Tyron took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his turbulent emotions, his voice hoarse and urgent with a sense of desperation: "Mr. Lin! I, I understand your concerns! I understand them completely!"
Huifeng Bank is indeed facing some challenges, but are the assessments of it as 'worthless' and 'empty shell' too harsh?

Admittedly, we did want to sell Huifeng Bank, but Huifeng Bank is definitely not worthless as you say; it is still a bank with great potential.

Mr. Lin should also be aware of our situation at Standard Chartered Bank. A few months ago, we paid a huge price to acquire Huifeng Bank, which caused the entire Standard Chartered Bank to fall into crisis..."

He paused, seemingly feeling that the term "financial difficulties" was too weak, and changed his words to: "We are all in a phase that requires careful adjustment."

It's not that we're pessimistic about Huifeng's long-term value, but from a global strategic perspective, we need to optimize our asset structure.

Lin Haoran listened quietly without interrupting, simply looking directly at the other person, which put a lot of pressure on Tyron.

He dared not look into Lin Haoran's eyes again, and his gaze turned urgently to He Shanheng, who had been silent beside him, as if he wanted to find a trace of recognition from the founder of Hengsheng: "Mr. He, you are a titan in the Hong Kong banking industry!"

As you know best, the value of Huifeng Bank's century-long reputation and its extensive overseas branch network, especially in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, is intangible assets that cannot be measured by the fluctuations in the stock market!

Haifeng Bank's foothold in the United States is an excellent springboard for Hengsheng Group's future entry into the North American market! Can all of this really be bought out for just HK$100 million?

He turned back and looked at Lin Haoran with an almost pleading sincerity: "Mr. Lin! Standard Chartered Bank is absolutely sincere in resolving this matter, and we are not just trying to get rid of this burden!"

We acknowledge that there are real regulatory obstacles to transferring the currency issuance license to your private bank in the short term, especially from the Governor's Office... well, let's just say we keep the spirit of the contract firmly in mind!

A 3 billion yuan compensation is a huge loss for both parties; it's a lose-lose situation! And your proposed 'shell company' solution is practically equivalent to completely dismantling Huifeng Bank, rendering it a mere shell. This is a serious violation of business ethics and is absolutely unacceptable to the Standard Chartered board!

Tyron's voice carried a hint of sorrow: "Mr. Lin, could you give us another chance? A chance that truly reflects the sincerity of both sides and seeks a win-win situation?"

We're willing to discuss the price! We can also negotiate the terms! As long as we preserve Huifeng Bank's integrity as a legitimate bank and its future development potential!

He was practically going all out, lowering himself to the dust.

He knew this was his last chance.

We must seize that moment when Lin Haoran seemed to have a moment of weakness!

Lin Haoran looked at Tyron in surprise. This professional manager in front of him was completely different from the professional managers he had encountered before!

In this situation, one can still be flexible and adaptable.

It's rare, truly rare. If it were any other professional manager, such as Sir Michael Sandberg, the former head of Huifeng Bank, or John Leigh, the former head of Jardine Matheson, they would have already stormed out when Lin Haoran turned hostile.

Lin Haoran did not answer immediately.

He picked up the teacup, took a small sip, and his gaze fell on the rising steam from the rim of the cup.

It was as if they were examining the truth or falsehood in Tyron's words through the swirling mist, weighing the weight of each word.

The air in the office seemed to freeze, with only Tyrone's heavy, tense breathing and the clear, piercing ticking of the second hand of the antique clock on the wall.

Every second feels like a century.

He Shanheng kept his eyes focused on his nose and his mind, like an old monk in deep meditation, and did not interrupt.

But his slightly leaning posture indicated that he was also waiting for his boss's final decision.

After a long while, just as Tyron felt his heart was about to leap out of his chest and the straw of hope was about to break, Lin Haoran finally slowly raised his eyes.

That gaze, calm and undisturbed, carried a knowing understanding of everything and an indifferent control over the entire situation.

“Mr. Tyron, you keep saying that Huifeng Bank still has a market share of more than 20 billion, and that these important clients are worth at least 2 billion Hong Kong dollars.”

Lin Haoran looked at Tyron's appearance and sneered inwardly, but he stopped pressing the issue.

The art of negotiation lies in striking a balance between tension and relaxation. Once the other party's psychological defenses have been completely broken down, a "way out" should be offered at the appropriate time.

“Mr. Tyron,” Lin Haoran’s tone softened slightly, but still carried an undeniable force, “I don’t want to waste any more time arguing about these meaningless things.”

These are the three options, the final solution. However, considering that you, Mr. Tyron, personally came all this way tonight, which shows some 'sincerity,' I can compromise on the third option.

Tyron's heart leaped into his throat. He held his breath, focusing all his attention on Lin Haoran's lips.

“One hundred million Hong Kong dollars to buy a mere shell company and the right to issue currency, you feel humiliated and find it unacceptable, I understand.” Lin Haoran’s voice was calm, as if stating an objective fact. “Then, I can offer one billion Hong Kong dollars.”

One billion!

Tyronn's heart skipped a beat!
Although it's a far cry from the initial five billion, and even far below Standard Chartered's internal minimum target, it's a world of difference compared to that humiliating offer of one hundred million!

The glimmer of hope seemed to brighten considerably in an instant!

But Lin Haoran's next words immediately dampened most of his excitement.

"But this HK$1 billion includes its brand, the right to issue banknotes, its existing branch network, overseas markets, and all its personal customer savings business."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Tyron: "As for those 'priceless' corporate clients you mentioned, such as the 'powerful' Jianing Group, and all other corporate clients with deep cooperation with Huifeng Bank in areas such as funding, loans, and credit lines..."

Lin Haoran's voice was resolute, leaving no room for negotiation: "Strip them all away! Leave none behind! Transfer all their loan contracts and debt relationships with Huifeng Bank to your Standard Chartered Bank!"

From this day forward, these companies will have absolutely no connection with Huifeng Bank after my acquisition, and the money these companies owe Huifeng Bank will be offset against Huifeng's debt to Standard Chartered!

Tyron's mind was buzzing.

Strip away all enterprise clients?
This is practically equivalent to draining Huifeng Bank of most of its lifeline in the Hong Kong commercial credit market!
Is there such a good thing?
Why don't they want these big clients?

If it weren't to make Huifeng Bank appear more valuable, Standard Chartered Bank would have already transferred all these customers there themselves.

Unexpectedly, the other party actually took the initiative to reject these most crucial clients of Huifeng Bank.

Although many British companies have moved to Standard Chartered Bank, quite a few companies still continue to cooperate with HSBC.

In particular, companies like Jianing Group, which have a deep partnership with Huifeng Bank, find it extremely difficult to switch partners.

For example, among Huifeng Bank's remaining important clients are more than a dozen real estate companies with decent financial strength.

A surge of elation flashed through his mind, but it was quickly overshadowed by deeper doubts.

This is a great opportunity for Hengsheng Group to increase its market share!
Lin Haoran is such a shrewd person, how could he possibly do a losing business?
His decision to voluntarily relinquish these seemingly valuable assets must have a deeper purpose behind it.

"Mr. Lin... what are you doing..." Tyron's voice trembled with disbelief, "Are you sure? You don't want any of the corporate clients and related debts, including the Jianing Group?"

"What?" Lin Haoran raised an eyebrow, his tone tinged with amusement. "Mr. Tyron, do you think that leaving these 'high-quality assets' to Standard Chartered and letting you handle them is putting you in a difficult position?"

"No! No!" Tyron quickly denied, afraid that Lin Haoran would change his mind. "It's just... it's just that the conditions..." He didn't know how to describe it for a moment. For Standard Chartered, the conditions were a complete turnaround!

Although HK$1 billion was far below expectations, it was enough to get rid of the bottomless pit that was SITC Bank, retain most of the corporate clients, and most importantly, preserve Standard Chartered's reputation and its relationship with the Government House!

Although the right to issue currency has been lost, Huifeng has barely managed to preserve its core business...

No, it's more like they've shaken off the majority!

"Mr. Lin, do you mean to acquire HSBC's brand, note-issuing rights, branch network, overseas markets, and... all personal savings business for HK$1 billion? And strip all corporate clients and related debts to us?"

Tyron needed to confirm it again; the good news came so suddenly that he felt a little dizzy.

“That’s right.” Lin Haoran said calmly, “Personal savings business is the most stable source of funds for banks and the foundation of their reputation. What I want is this ‘clean’ foundation and that license.”

As for those corporate clients who are too deeply tied to real estate and capital, even if they come with Huifeng Bank, they are not familiar with Hengsheng Group and will likely leave in the future. Why don't I do you a favor and give these corporate clients to you?

He certainly wouldn't tell the truth.

The Hong Kong property crisis has not yet truly erupted, but Huafeng Bank's existing property clients are clearly a ticking time bomb.

It is known that the Jianing Group will definitely go bankrupt.

As for other real estate companies, there are certainly many that have also fallen into a crisis of broken capital chains.

They pushed them to Standard Chartered Bank, who thought they had gotten a great deal, but little did they know they had taken on a hot potato.

Seeing the undisguised joy in Tyron's eyes, Lin Haoran's sneer intensified.

This Standard Chartered representative was clearly blinded by the immediate "benefits" and completely unaware of the enormous risks hidden beneath the glamorous facade.

For Lin Haoran, acquiring Huifeng Bank for one billion yuan was a very worthwhile deal.

Anyway, once he gets rid of all those real estate time bombs like Jia Ning, then he naturally has nothing to worry about.

As for US-based SinoPac Bank, there are even more options available.

If all else fails, just sell it. If it can't be sold in two or three months, surely it can be sold in one or two years?

After all, this is the thirteenth largest bank in the United States!
"Mr. Lin is indeed very understanding!" Tyron quickly said. "This proposal truly reflects the sincerity of both sides, but could the price of one billion Hong Kong dollars be increased further...?"

“Mr. Tyron,” Lin Haoran interrupted him directly, “this is my final concession: one billion Hong Kong dollars for a clean banknote issuing license and a stable personal savings base. It’s already an incredible bargain for you. If you’re still not satisfied…”

Lin Haoran made a move to stand up. "Then let's stick to the original two plans. Either fulfill the contract and grant the right to issue currency, or pay 3 billion in compensation."

"No, no, no!" Tyron hurriedly waved his hands. "Ten billion it is! This plan is excellent! I completely agree. I will immediately apply to the UK headquarters to expedite the transaction!"

Tyron quickly calculated in his mind: although one billion was far below expectations, it was still much better than the humiliating offer of one hundred million initially.

More importantly, this plan allowed Standard Chartered to retain most of its corporate clients, shed the burden of SITC Bank, and avoid a 3 billion dollar compensation payment.

At least he could give an explanation to headquarters.

After taking over HSBC, Standard Chartered actually tried to get HSBC to sell off its subsidiary, SITC.

However, given the current economic downturn, it is not easy to sell off Haifeng Bank shares in a short period of time.

Furthermore, since Huifeng Bank's market share under Standard Chartered Bank's control has not only failed to increase but has continued to decrease, they have tried to pass Huifeng Bank on to Lin Haoran.

Seeing the fleeting smugness in Tyron's eyes, Lin Haoran's sneer intensified.

The newly appointed head of Standard Chartered Hong Kong was clearly blinded by the immediate "profits" and completely unaware of the enormous risks hidden beneath the glamorous facade.

However, this is normal.

Who would have thought that Hong Kong's real estate crisis would erupt so thoroughly?

In another world, after the collapse of the Caring Group, it owed more than HK$10 billion to financial institutions such as Yu-Ming Finance, Hui-Feng Bank, and Hong Kong Bank of Communications.

If these financial giants had truly foreseen this, this situation would never have occurred.

(End of this chapter)