In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

Chapter 679 Lin Haoran's Tough Stance! Just because I'm not showing my teeth doesn't mean I'm a pushover!

When Lin Haoran was doing business with these British people, he knew that they wouldn't let him make a profit easily.

I had already experienced the arrogance and scheming inherent in these British people in past interactions.

After all, he had dealt with British companies before.

Therefore, Lin Haoran never regarded Standard Chartered Bank as his true ally.

Now that they've taken over Huifeng Bank, they've indeed started to turn their backs on us.

Although it was somewhat unexpected, Lin Haoran was not as angry as He Shanheng.

These British-owned conglomerates always brought out the Governor's House, as expected.

Lin Haoran's lips curled up slightly, with a hint of disdain and mockery, and he slowly said, "The Governor's Mansion? Mr. Brown, you don't think that with the Governor's Mansion backing you up, you'll have nothing to worry about in this matter, do you?"

“Mr. Lin, we are merely proposing a reasonable solution. The Governor’s Office’s ruling will certainly be fair and objective, so why are you so resistant?” Brown seemed full of confidence.

In his view, under normal circumstances, the Governor's Office would certainly favor the British conglomerate.

Moreover, Hong Kong's business community has gradually stabilized since Standard Chartered Bank took over HSBC.

In Brown's view, Standard Chartered Bank deserves the most credit for the rapid stabilization of Hong Kong's business community!
He Shanheng hesitated to speak, but was stopped by a look from Lin Haoran.

Lin Haoran didn't take Standard Chartered Bank's underhanded tactics seriously and wasn't afraid at all.

Long before he brought Huifeng Bank, a company that once dominated Hong Kong's financial world, to the brink of bankruptcy, he had already gradually realized the immense power he now wielded in Hong Kong's business community.

He's not afraid of even Huafeng Bank, so why would he be afraid of Standard Chartered Bank?
Moreover, even though Standard Chartered Bank's market share in Hong Kong has increased significantly, it still lags far behind the market share held by banks under Lin Haoran's control.

"It seems Mr. Brown is truly convinced that Mr. Merrihau will stand by your side and support you, but I don't think things will turn out the way you want," Lin Haoran said casually, sitting in his chair with his legs crossed and a faint smile on his lips.

Upon hearing this, Brown felt a bad premonition.

Brown forced himself to remain calm, puffed out his chest, and tried to hide his inner panic. He said, "Mr. Lin, are you questioning the impartiality of the Governor's Office? Mr. Merrihau has always been known for upholding Hong Kong's commercial order and fairness. He will naturally handle this matter according to facts and rules."

Even now, Brown is still emphasizing the so-called "fairness," which makes Lin Haoran want to laugh.

He turned to Ho Sin-hang and asked, "Uncle Ho, that HK$13.5 billion hasn't been transferred to Hui Fung Bank yet, has it?"

He Shanheng frowned slightly. Although he didn't understand what Lin Haoran meant by asking this question, he quickly sorted out his thoughts and said, "Not yet. I've already given the finance department approval at East Asia Bank."

However, the finance department needs to go through a series of procedures, including internal approvals, fund transfer verification, and confirmation of account information with Huifeng Bank. All of this meant the transfer was originally scheduled to be completed by evening.

"Alright, in that case, call the finance department of East Asia Bank now and suspend the transfer of this fund. The subsequent disbursement time is to be determined!" Lin Haoran said leisurely with a smile on his lips.

Brown, who clearly understood Hong Kong dialect, was not angry at all. Instead, he smiled and said, "Mr. Lin, are you planning to terminate the acquisition of Hengsheng Bank? If so, we at Standard Chartered Bank would be more than happy to support it."

It's worth noting that Hang Seng Bank's influence in Hong Kong's financial sector is in no way inferior to that of Standard Chartered Bank.

Standard Chartered Bank was extremely unwilling to hand over Hengsheng Bank to Lin Haoran, but due to the circumstances, it had no choice but to agree.

Now, upon hearing Lin Haoran say that he wanted to suspend the transfer of funds, Brown subconsciously felt that Lin Haoran was furious about the HK$50 billion issue and intended to terminate the acquisition.

This is undoubtedly fantastic news for Standard Chartered Bank.

They have long coveted and coveted Hengsheng Bank.

If Standard Chartered Bank can gain market share from Hang Seng Bank, its influence in Hong Kong will be greatly enhanced and reach new heights.

It's important to understand that although Huifeng Bank has signed a share transfer agreement with Bank of East Asia for Hengsheng Bank, the deal is not finalized until the funds are transferred in place!
He Shanheng was also as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. If the acquisition of Hengsheng Bank fell through, wouldn't the series of plans that followed around Hengsheng Group become a joke in everyone's eyes?

"No, no, Mr. Brown, I never said I would stop the acquisition of Hengsheng Bank. If I remember correctly, there is a clause in the acquisition contract we signed that clearly stipulates that Huifeng Bank must resolve all potential debts and disputes involving Hengsheng Bank before transferring the management of Hengsheng Bank to East Asia Bank."

"And this HK$50 billion in irregular loans is clearly the most troublesome one. Therefore, if Huifeng Bank and your Standard Chartered Bank don't resolve this matter, I don't intend to take over the management of Hengsheng Bank for the time being," Lin Haoran said, shaking his head.

"In that case, why don't we wait until we've completely resolved this matter before Mr. Lin takes over the management of Hengsheng Bank? What do you think?"

Brown was so surprised he could hardly believe his ears. He had expected Lin Haoran to say something that would embarrass Standard Chartered Bank, but instead he heard this suggestion. His eyes crinkled into crescent moons with laughter.

In his view, this was nothing short of a great thing.

If they could deliberately drag out the problem, even if it takes three years to resolve the debt issue of Hengsheng Bank, wouldn't Standard Chartered Bank be able to continue to control Hengsheng Bank for a full three years?
For Standard Chartered Bank, this is an unexpected and wonderful surprise!
“Mr. Brown, you are really overthinking it. Although I do not intend to take over Hengsheng Bank for the time being, I have already decided to make this matter public. HK$50 billion, zero interest and a term of up to three years, and it is also illegally transferred funds. Once this news is spread, the eyes of the entire Hong Kong will definitely be focused on it, and it may even spread to Europe and the United States.”

Mr. Brown, you should be aware of the devastating impact this will have on Huifeng Bank, right? More importantly, how worried will Hengsheng Bank's clients be about the safety of their funds once they learn of this?
Perhaps a large-scale demonstration will break out, and I think the Governor-General certainly wouldn't want to face such a thorny situation.

As far as I know, Mr. Merrihau's term is less than a year old. I think that before he leaves office, he would not want to leave such an indelible stain, to be criticized by future generations for saying that the financial order was chaotic during his term and that he condoned rampant illegal operations.

"What exactly is it that makes you have the absurd illusion that the Governor's Office will definitely support your Standard Chartered Bank?" Lin Haoran said with a calm smile.

Lin Haoran's words immediately wiped the smile off Mr. Brown's face.

Pu Weishi, who was sitting next to him, was even paler.

Because he was the one who signed off on the matter, which means that no matter what, he bears the greatest responsibility.

At that time, he will inevitably face imprisonment.

Seeing Brown remain silent, Lin Haoran's lips curled up slightly, and then he said slowly, "Mr. Brown, I'm very curious, what exactly gave Standard Chartered Bank such audacity? Our cooperation hasn't even come to an end yet, and you're already using methods against me."

Haven't you, Standard Chartered Bank, seen the fate of Jardine Matheson and HSBC? Or are you so confident in your strength that you think you're even better than Jardine Matheson and HSBC at their peak?
You must understand that your actions are tantamount to a formal declaration of war against me, Lin Haoran, and all the companies under my control! I, Lin Haoran, have always preferred to make money peacefully, but Standard Chartered Bank's actions make it impossible for me to continue to do so!

Mr. Brown, please don't misunderstand. I'm not threatening you or Standard Chartered Bank; I'm simply stating a fact. I hope you'll understand!

He Shanheng turned to look at Lin Haoran in surprise.

Lin Haoran rose to prominence in three years. During this time, although his rise was very rapid, he always appeared calm, reserved, humble, and polite in front of others, rarely speaking so sharply and confrontationally.

These days, it's rare to hear him say something like this!

Lin Haoran's words did indeed make Brown's lips twitch, but he ultimately didn't know how to respond.

Faced with a debt of HK$50 billion, Brown knew that Standard Chartered Bank's senior management had held a special meeting on the matter. During the meeting, a senior executive raised the question of whether Standard Chartered Bank could withstand the retaliation from Lin Haoran if they did so.

However, in the end, most of the senior executives were blinded by the huge profits brought by HK$50 billion.

They naively believed that, given Standard Chartered Bank's deep roots and extensive network in Hong Kong's financial sector, even if Lin Haoran made any moves, he wouldn't be able to cause too much of a stir.

Moreover, they felt that Lin Haoran was just a young man who had just started out, and even if he had achieved some success in a short period of time, it would be difficult for him to compete with the well-established Standard Chartered Bank.

Therefore, the final vote was to follow the majority rule and decide to forcibly legitimize the loan, despite the risk of angering Lin Haoran.

Brown was actually against it, because as the head of Standard Chartered Bank in Hong Kong, he was very aware of Lin Haoran's power.

But the people at Standard Chartered Bank headquarters couldn't possibly grasp Lin Haoran's power.

Standard Chartered's senior management has already made the decision, and Brown, as the regional head, naturally has no choice but to go all the way.

But after hearing Lin Haoran's words, Brown lost his previous confidence and began to worry about the future of Standard Chartered Bank.

However, he still insisted firmly, "Mr. Lin, Standard Chartered Bank is not the same as HSBC or Jardine Matheson. Hong Kong is just one of our markets!"

"Oh? Is that so? As far as I know, after Standard Chartered Bank acquired HSBC, it not only needed to provide HSBC with HK$20 to 30 billion in funding to help it stabilize its operations and repay some of its debts, but it also had to deal with various regulatory reviews and market fluctuations caused by the acquisition."

After these actions, Standard Chartered Bank's cash flow in Hong Kong is actually in a very tight state.

In addition to acquiring HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank has also made several acquisitions internationally. HSBC has also spent a lot of money on investments. The acquisition of HSBC should have disrupted your plans for this year.

So, I imagine your Standard Chartered headquarters isn't having an easy time either, right? Otherwise, you wouldn't be trying to embezzle HK$50 billion over three years to alleviate your financial pressure.

However, if you intend to help yourself through this difficult time by harming my interests, then I think you've chosen the wrong target to bully!

"As far as I know, Lloyds Bank is trying to acquire Standard Chartered Bank. You're currently facing a severe crisis. If I were to join forces with Lloyds at this time, I wonder how Standard Chartered would cope with the challenges ahead?" Lin Haoran continued calmly with a smile. It was no secret that Lloyds Bank, as a long-established British bank, wanted to acquire Standard Chartered.

Standard Chartered Bank and Lloyds Bank are highly competitive in their business operations, particularly in the European market and in some Commonwealth countries.

Therefore, the more powerful Lloyds Bank set its sights on acquiring Standard Chartered Bank. Once they acquired Standard Chartered, the competition between Lloyds Bank and Standard Chartered would naturally cease.

However, although Lloyds Bank attempted to acquire Standard Chartered Bank, it was met with strong resistance from the consortium behind Standard Chartered Bank.

Hong Kong media have reported on this extensively.

As soon as Lin Haoran finished speaking, Brown's expression turned even uglier.

Because he could imagine what kind of crisis Standard Chartered would be plunged into if Lin Haoran joined forces with Lloyds Bank to launch a full-scale offensive against Standard Chartered Bank, with one bank responsible for attacking Standard Chartered Bank's market in Hong Kong and the other responsible for attacking Standard Chartered Bank's overseas market.

Brown was well aware that Lin Haoran was no bluffer; since he dared to propose such a plan, he must have had a scheme and preparation behind it.

Moreover, given Lin Haoran's current strength and influence, joining forces with a financial giant like Lloyds Bank is not a difficult task.

In fact, Lloyds Bank probably wishes it had an ally like Lin Haoran.

"Mr. Lin, why are you doing this? We have no deep-seated hatred between us, why do we have to come to this?" Brown finally put down his previous tough stance, his tone carrying a hint of pleading and helplessness.

Where was that arrogant face he had just had?
Even though the air conditioning was on in the office, beads of sweat were appearing on his face, clearly because Lin Haoran's words had made him nervous.

Lin Haoran raised an eyebrow slightly and said calmly, "Mr. Brown, I had no intention of going this far. I originally wanted to compete peacefully with Standard Chartered Bank in the Hong Kong market and share the Hong Kong market, but Standard Chartered Bank's behavior this time is really too much."

In business cooperation, integrity and respect are the cornerstones. However, for your own selfish interests, you not only attempted to harm my interests but also tried to renege on the signed contract, wanting to maintain control of Hengsheng Bank. This has crossed my bottom line.

Meanwhile, He Shanheng, who was standing to the side, no longer had any worries about whether Hengsheng Bank could be acquired.

He couldn't help but look at Lin Haoran with admiration; the young man's courage and methods were far stronger than he had imagined.

No wonder he has become the most influential person in Hong Kong at such a young age.

It’s really not that simple!

With Lin Haoran's capital background, the possibility of the soon-to-be-established Hengsheng Group becoming an international financial giant has increased significantly.

“Mr. Lin, I…” Brown was speechless for a moment, completely at a loss for words.

“Mr. Brown, since you haven’t sorted out the Hengsheng Bank matter yet, we’ll put our takeover of Hengsheng Bank’s management on hold for now. However, I have to be upfront: I’ll give you half a day to discuss a solution.”

I need a clear answer from you by 9 a.m. tomorrow, no matter what. If you remain obstinate and insist on your own way, don't blame me for being impolite.

"Then we'll have to settle this in the business world, a real battle, to see if Standard Chartered Bank prevails, or if I, Lin Haoran, can rally the forces of all sides to defeat you. We'll see!"

After saying that, Lin Haoran first instructed He Shanheng: "Uncle He, please immediately notify the finance department of East Asia Bank and have them suspend the transfer to Huifeng Bank."

Then, he turned to the finance manager who had come to report the news and said, "Mr. Yang, please inform our finance department that we need to prepare to go back."

"it is good."

"Yes."

Brown looked grim and hesitated, but Lin Haoran didn't give him a chance to respond and strode out of the office.

Now that he has suspended the takeover of Hengsheng Bank's management, there is no need for him to stay with Hengsheng Bank any longer.

Lin Haoran strode out of Hengsheng Bank, followed closely by He Shanheng and Mr. Yang, the financial manager.

Looking at Lin Haoran's tall and straight back, He Shanheng was filled with emotion. This young man always managed to demonstrate extraordinary decisiveness and courage at crucial moments.

Before long, all the people they brought gathered together and left Hengsheng Bank in a grand procession with their bodyguards.

At this moment, hundreds of reporters have gathered outside the Hengsheng Bank Building.

Hong Kong is only so big, and the news that Lin Haoran, He Shanheng, Brown, and Pu Weishi appeared at the Hengsheng Bank building had already spread throughout the media circle.

As a result, many media outlets gathered outside the Hengsheng Bank building, wanting to conduct interviews, but were stopped by security guards at the gate.

Upon seeing Lin Haoran and He Shanheng emerge, many reporters became excited. Like sharks smelling blood, they swarmed forward, surrounding Lin Haoran and his companions completely.

Countless microphones and cameras were pointed at Lin Haoran, and flashes went off one after another, hurting people's eyes.

However, Lin Haoran is not in the mood for an interview right now.

"Mr. Lin, is there any important business decision you're making by meeting with representatives from Hengsheng Bank and Standard Chartered Bank today?" A young female reporter asked first, her eyes filled with eagerness and curiosity.

Lin Haoran smiled slightly, calmly scanning the surrounding reporters, and said unhurriedly, "I'm here today mainly to discuss some cooperation issues with Hengsheng Bank and Standard Chartered Bank. As for the specific cooperation projects, I'm sorry, that's a trade secret. Ladies and gentlemen, I have other matters to attend to, so I won't stay any longer. Please make way."

As he spoke, the bodyguards quickly formed a human wall, separating Lin Haoran from the surging crowd of reporters.

They were burly and had serious expressions, like an insurmountable steel wall.

Under the protection of his bodyguards, Lin Haoran quickly walked towards the parking lot without the slightest panic.

The reporters were not about to let go of this excellent interview opportunity, and they all struggled to push forward, trying to break through the bodyguards' defenses.

They kept throwing out all sorts of sharp questions, their voices rising and falling, creating a cacophony of sounds.

"Mr. Lin, what are your further thoughts on Standard Chartered Bank's acquisition of Huifeng Bank?"

"Mr. Lin, after Standard Chartered Bank acquired Huafeng Bank, its market share has increased significantly. Are you worried that Bank of East Asia's market share will be surpassed by Standard Chartered Bank in the future?"

"Mr. Lin,..."

However, Lin Haoran only frowned slightly, did not stop walking, and did not respond to these questions.

Under the tight protection of the bodyguards, who were like an impregnable fortress, Lin Haoran successfully climbed into the car.

Just as the reporters, with a touch of regret, were about to put away their high spirits and turn back, the car window that Lin Haoran was leaning against slowly rolled down.

In an instant, this action once again acted like a magnet, drawing the reporters' attention to it.

Many reporters once again brought their microphones as close as possible to Lin Haoran.

Because they understood that since Lin Haoran had rolled down the car window, he obviously had something to say.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am really unable to disclose any details about the cooperation today. However, we will have a major announcement to make by tomorrow morning at the latest. Please stay tuned."

"If all goes well, we will hold a press conference. However, the venue has not yet been decided. It may be held in the Kang Le Building or the Heng Sheng Building," Lin Haoran said calmly to the group of reporters with a smile.

At this moment, he is quietly waiting for Standard Chartered Bank's reply.

If Standard Chartered Bank remains stubborn and insists on its own way, then it should expect a strong response.

If Standard Chartered Bank ultimately chooses to compromise and back down, then tomorrow it can naturally announce the acquisition of Hengsheng Bank.

Therefore, regardless of the final outcome, they will hold a press conference or press briefing.

Upon hearing this, the reporters erupted in excitement, their excited discussions rising and falling like a tidal wave.

The slight regret on their faces was instantly replaced by fervor and anticipation, and everyone's eyes sparkled with excitement.

Because they knew this must mean there was big news again.

Seeing this, Lin Haoran smiled and didn't say anything more, but slowly raised the glass window.

The convoy slowly drove away from Hengsheng Building.

(End of this chapter)