What do you mean by quitting the business? I'm not a big shot.

Chapter 577 Meeting the Rival
Liu Jianxiong got into Yin Zhaotang's Rolls-Royce, picked up his mobile phone, dialed Li Fuzhao, the representative of the Far East Chamber, and said, "Uncle Zhao, Mr. Yin wants to see you."

Li Fuzhao, who had as much as HK$1.3 billion tied up in 0002, spoke angrily upon hearing Yin Zhaotang's name, saying, "What are you doing here, trying to make a fool of me?"

Liu Jianxiong covered the microphone and whispered, "Mr. Yin wants to find you to help save the market."

Li Fuzhao paused for a moment, his voice hoarse, and said in a deep voice, "Come see me at the Chinese Building tonight. I am having a meeting with the Financial Secretary."

"Understood, Uncle Zhao." Liu Jianxiong hung up the phone and looked at Yin Zhaotang with a dry laugh. "I'm sorry, Mr. Yin, Uncle Zhao is in a meeting with the Financial Secretary."

Yin Zhaotang understood perfectly. He took a puff of his cigar and exhaled, "Uncle Zhao is the chairman of the Stock Exchange. With such a big thing happening in the international market, the Financial Secretary will definitely want to talk to him."

Liu Jianxiong quickly added, "At six o'clock tonight, at the Chinese Community Center, Uncle Zhao wants to meet you."

"You've worked hard, Mr. Liu. I'm not familiar with Uncle Zhao, so I'll have to rely on you a lot tonight." Yin Zhaotang patted Liu Jianxiong on the shoulder.

Liu Jianxiong secretly groaned and cautiously reminded him, "Mr. Yin, Uncle Zhao is actually quite interested in you. The Zhongyi Foundation has made several moves before, all of which were to take advantage of Uncle Zhao's financial resources."

"Also, Uncle Zhao seems to have bought quite a lot of 0002."

Yin Zhaotang frowned slightly, but then suddenly realized what was going on. He said, chewing on his cigar, "It's alright. I'll bring a gift to apologize to Uncle Zhao."

"In times of great importance, personal face should be put aside for now. I believe Uncle Zhao understands that the Far East Association has saved many Chinese-owned companies in the past."

Liu Jianxiong looked embarrassed, but smiled and agreed, "I hope so."

Since he couldn't see Li Fuzhao anytime soon, Yin Zhaotang left Liu Jianxiong behind and rushed back to the trading building to instruct fund managers to prepare a market rescue plan.

Yin Zhaotang, who doesn't own any listed companies, has thus escaped the worst. He holds shares in numerous Chinese-owned companies, including Kowloon Motor Bus, Hong Kong Electric, Sun Hung Kai Properties, and New World Development, totaling HK$400 million. Since it's triad money, he'll need to carefully manage the market to try and recover the share price by the end of the year. He's not concerned about the year-end dividends; in the context of the stock market crash, avoiding significant losses will allow the triad to maintain its operations.

Furthermore, the passionate speeches within the chamber of commerce require substantial financial investment. The members below are watching, and so are other chambers of commerce outside. Everyone is waiting for the leaders of the Chaoshan Chamber of Commerce to step up and set an example!
After selling all its British-owned shares ahead of schedule, Chung Yee Fund had ample cash flow of HK$600 million. While this would be a drop in the bucket for market intervention, it should be sufficient to support its core holdings.

After returning to the company and arranging the market rescue plan, Liu Jianxiong arrived at Exchange Square early to wait. Around 5 o'clock, the two took a car to the Chinese Building on Queen's Road, parked the car at the bottom of the building, and Yin Zhaotang went upstairs with only two bodyguards, Niu Qiang and Xu Gang, carrying a leather suitcase in his left hand, which reassured Liu Jianxiong a lot.

Uncle Zhao is a man who cares a lot about his reputation. He is very polite and will not quarrel with someone even if they cannot reach an agreement.

In contrast, the Far East Association only sent two men in suits to greet them at the elevator, causing Zuo Shou to frown and feel dissatisfied. Passing by the brightly lit kitchen, Chef Liang Tang and his five disciples were busy at work, waving and calling out to people enthusiastically. When they arrived at the restaurant entrance, the four big bosses, Li Fuzhao, Li Fuqing, Wang Qiming, and Hu Baixi, were already dressed in suits, sitting upright, staring intently at the people entering the door.

Liu Jianxiong sensed the tension in the air and quickly covered it up with a loud laugh. He stepped forward and called out, "Hahaha, Uncle Zhao, Uncle Qing, Brother Ming, Brother Xi, I've brought Yin Sheng with me."

Yin Zhaotang, dressed in a navy blue suit and wearing a Patek Philippe watch, pulled out a chair and sat down without hesitation, saying, "Gentlemen, it's an honor to meet you." Wang Qiming, short and thin with a weasel-like face and a receding hairline, chuckled while smoking a cigar, "So, you're the Immortal Tang, aren't you? I heard you even have inside information on Wall Street. Are you planning to teach us how to do things?"

Yin Zhaotang leaned his elbow on the table and, seeing the waiter begin serving the dishes, said calmly, "When it comes to inside information, who can compare to these few? I'm not here to teach my elders how to do things; I'm just representing all my colleagues in the Chaoshan Chamber of Commerce to ask my uncles for a helping hand."

Wang Qiming raised his hand and said, "Young man, don't use the name of the Chamber of Commerce to intimidate people. I'm not in the business of manufacturing, why would I be afraid of your Chamber of Commerce?"

Yin Zhaotang sensed that something was amiss, sighed, and said, "I don't know where I have offended you uncles in the past, but as a junior, I must express my gratitude. Today I have brought five million shares of New World Development stock to give to you uncles as a token of my appreciation."

“I often hear people say that without the Far East Association, a large number of Chinese-owned companies would have gone out of business long ago. Many business colleagues remember the good things the Far East Association did. When the market opens on Monday, Chinese companies have to rely on your uncles to save themselves.”

With a cold expression, Zuo Shou slammed the suitcase onto the table, opened it to reveal a share transfer agreement, and pushed it directly in front of the four people.

Wang Qiming, flicking his cigarette ash, didn't even glance at it, scoffed, his expression disdainful: "Five million shares of New World Development, at Friday's price, are only two dollars and thirty cents per share. You think you can get us to do things for ten million Hong Kong dollars?"

Wang Qiming suddenly slammed his hand on the table and roared, "Damn it! We've invested 1.3 billion in 0002. I heard you're going to dump it on Monday. Even a drop of one cent in 0002 would be more than ten million. If you're sincere enough, hand over 1 billion. I'll admit defeat on the remaining 300 million!"

Yin Zhaotang looked astonished, never expecting that Far East would invest HK$1.3 billion in stock 0002, bringing its stake to nearly 20%. It turned out that the big gains of the previous two months were actually the result of the four individuals in front of him manipulating the market behind the scenes. The two were trading against each other; no wonder Far East wouldn't give them any face.

As Wang Qiming slammed his fist on the table, Xu Gang and Niu Qiang drew their sidearms and pointed them at the people on the table. However, upon seeing the guns, Li Shanzhao and the others burst into laughter.

"Hahaha, a gun?"

"Mr. Yin, in the stock market, guns are useless; bullets are paper, not gunpowder. Put away your junk first, kill me, and you're finished too!" For the dignified Chairman of the Stock Exchange to fall to the gun of a gangster would absolutely shock the entire city. Yin Zhaotang's hard-earned business standing would be lost in an instant, and no one would protect him.

Seeing the four men's smugness, Zuo Shou was furious, but still raised his hand to tell the two to put away their guns. Yin Zhaotang remained calm and spoke up to mediate: "In the stock market, buying into opposing positions simply means having different market expectations. I have no malicious intent, and I believe Mr. Li also has malicious intent. Profits and losses are one's own responsibility; there's no reason to make someone else foot the bill. Today I represent the Chamber of Commerce, not myself. I only hope that the Far East Association can sell to save the market, and that Mr. Li can shoulder the responsibilities of the Chairman of the Stock Exchange. I only want to ask Mr. Li one question: Will you save Chinese capital?"

Li Fuzhao tossed aside his lighter, lit a cigar, and said arrogantly with a haughty look in his eyes: "I've already spoken with the Finance Minister. We'll definitely bail out the market on Monday, but how we do it is none of your business."

"I can tell you're so angry, you probably won't be able to eat much. Da Liu, let's see you out."

"Phew." He exhaled a puff of smoke.

Liu Jianxiong, who had been standing frozen in fear, suddenly snapped out of his daze and stepped forward to ask in a low voice, "Mr. Yin?"

(End of this chapter)