Hong Kong Storm: The King of Jobs

Chapter 533, Part 123: Feeding the Tiger with Flesh (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
"Brother Guangrong, stop embarrassing me. I'm not cut out to be a top-tier talent. I'm just a piece of trash. If you ever need any business, be sure to think of me. I promise I'll get it sorted out for you."

"This is my girlfriend, Xiren!"

"Xi Ren, this is Brother Guang Rong." Chi Mengli introduced Guang Rong and Xi Ren to each other.

The last time the two sides dealt with each other was because of that bastard Tian Si, Da Kou Ya. Da Kou Ya was using Happy Pills, which made the Liu family's girl foam at the mouth. Gloriously, he cooperated with him to work with Da Kou Ya.

After securing the deal with Big Mouth Duck, the two companies, together with Da Luo, set up a drug rehabilitation foundation, and then parted ways, never communicating again.

That's how the world of martial arts is; it's all about calculations, not back-and-forth exchanges.

"A handsome guy and a beautiful girl, a match made in heaven. Shengzai, are you here to stir up trouble too?"

He offered a flattering remark and then inquired about Chi Mengli's purpose in coming to the Governor's Mansion.

"Stay warmly? How would a gangster know where it's hot or cold!"

"I came here to see the boss, bought a ticket, but I don't know if I'll actually get to see him!"

Of course, Chi Mengli wouldn't tell Glory who she was going to see, so she just made up a half-true, half-false reason to get over it.

"It's all the same! If Lian Gongle wants to do business at the docks, he has to stuff these foreigners' mouths full before they'll happily worship the Lord and offer incense to the Dragon King of the Sea."

Lian Gong Le specializes in dock business. With a new head of customs, Guang Rong will definitely buy a ticket to pay respects to the new head and pray for peace and tranquility.

This ticket is worth it. Spending two or three hundred thousand yuan to buy the opportunity to speak out after the incident is a great deal!

"Let's have tea together sometime. If any old friends arrive, I'll go say hello."

Glory was just there to say hello. Since he had finally come to the Governor's Mansion, he naturally wanted to have a good chat with his acquaintances and make the most of his time in front of the paparazzi.

Being in the entertainment industry means more exposure is good for my business.

"Brother Guangrong, you go ahead with your work! I'll go get some ham to fill my stomach."

Chi Mengli told Guangrong to go ahead and get busy, then took Xiren's hand and went to the food cart. She picked up a beef sausage, added a few slices of vegetable salad, and got a sirloin steak that was cooked to medium-rare. She then carried the plate back to the table and quickly ate her dinner.

Xi Ren, carrying a plate, returned quickly. She didn't seem to have much of an appetite; the plate only contained vegetable salad.

"The protagonist is here!"

Xi Ren had been keeping a close eye on everything and listening to everything around her. When she saw the main guests of the banquet, Mr. and Mrs. Renekton, walking in dressed in formal attire, she immediately reminded Chi Mengli.

The beef sausage had been fried for too long and was a bit tough, making it difficult to chew and getting stuck in his teeth. He put down his fork and looked at the Renektons, who were greeting their old friends.

The Renektons wanted to chat with old friends and colleagues first, and wouldn't bother with these hooligans who had bought tickets and were just there for the fun.

Chi Mengli glanced at them a few times, memorized the facial features of the Renektons, lowered her head, and continued eating the food on her plate.

Waste is shameful! Especially when it comes to food.

Before long, Dan Sijie and Zhang Jieli arrived at Chi Mengli's table with their wine glasses in hand.

"Chisheng, it's been a long time!"

"Chita, it's been a long time since I've seen you play tennis at the Peninsula Hotel's court. Could you give me some pointers sometime so I can improve my tennis skills?"

Zhang Jieli likes to play tennis and can often see Xiren on the court at the Peninsula Hotel. The two can chat for a while in private.

“Attorney Zhang! No, we should call him Commissioner Zhang now. I heard that the Chief Secretary and the Department of Justice will send Commissioner Zhang an appointment letter after the New Year. I hope to receive an invitation to Commissioner Zhang’s inauguration ceremony.”

After the Lunar New Year holiday, Zhang Jieli will become the Hong Kong Chinese Prosecutor. This is a very rare position. Every prosecution case must go through his hands. The prosecutor comes from his ancestral home and is only in charge of daily management. He will not interfere in specific cases.

This is an old practice in the prosecution department: the foreigners are in charge of collecting money, while the Chinese chief prosecutor is in charge of the specific cases. They cooperate closely.

"Things are different now, so it's better to keep a low profile. However, I will host a few tables at Fook Lam Moon and invite my friends over to celebrate. Mr. Chi and Mrs. Chi, please do me the honor of attending."

Zhang Jieli is a senior lawyer and comes from the law firm of Luo Wenjin. It's a bit too sensitive for him to hold an inauguration ceremony. Things are different now. Back then, when a Chinese commissioner took office, he would definitely hold an inauguration ceremony to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars and recoup his losses.

But now that we have the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), these ICAC investigators dare not investigate foreigners, but they nitpick and attack Chinese employees with heavy blows.

With a powerful figure like Luo around, dealing with the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) shouldn't be a problem, but if it makes the newspapers and there's negative news, that's not a good thing.

"Chi Sheng and I will certainly do you the honor of joining us."

Xi Ren smiled and nodded, indicating that she would definitely arrive on time.

“Teacher, Mr. and Mrs. Chi are major clients of the law firm. Mr. Da Luo mentioned before that he wanted to visit Mr. and Mrs. Chi, but there hadn’t been a suitable opportunity. Now that we’ve all met at the Governor’s Mansion, why don’t we…”

The single-strand knot deliberately drew out its syllable, not finishing its sentence, to save face for Zhang Jieli.

Zhang Jieli, also a renowned film star, feigned a look of sudden realization, as if he had forgotten his purpose, and said with annoyance, "Mr. Chi, Mrs. Chi, as you get older, your memory starts to fail."

“Mr. Da Luo has been wanting to meet you, but the timing has always been inconvenient. I wonder if Mr. Chi is available now? I can introduce you to Mr. Da Luo.”

"Of course, thank you for your help, Attorney Zhang and Miss Shan."

The opportunity had been presented, so Chi Mengli nodded and took the chance, following Zhang Jieli to Da Luo's table.

As one of Hong Kong's top tycoons, Da Luo's table was much larger, and his seat was in the first row, directly in front of the stage, near the Governor's wife. This was far superior to his own seat at the very back, near the main entrance.

Upon seeing Zhang Jieli arrive with a young man he had never met before, Da Luo stood up and nodded to the upstart Shanghainese.

The Wang family is one of the leading families among the Shanghainese. Even if the youngest son of the fifth son of the Wang family is a native Shanghainese, he is still a member of the Shanghainese. Following the big boss means following the family, and it is not easy to change.

“Ali has been telling me that one of his clients is a young talent named Chi Sheng. Actually, we are not strangers, we just haven’t had the chance to meet. The drug rehabilitation charity foundation you proposed has received a very good response.”

"Hong Kong has been plagued by problems like opium and 'Miss White' due to historical reasons. If we work together to eradicate these problems, it will be a great thing for Hong Kong."

"As a non-official member of the Executive Council, a member of the Legislative Council, a representative of the Gentry Association, and the Chief Advisor to the Department of Justice, I have an inescapable responsibility."

Da Luo raised his voice high, while simultaneously revealing his identity to Chi Mengli.

The meaning is simple: you helped me last time, so I do owe you a favor. I can help you out, but when you make a request, you should think about my identity. If it's a trivial matter, don't ask.

Listening to the tune of the opera and the meaning behind the words, Chi Mengli quickly realized what was going on and nodded with a smile, saying, "Miss Bai, the opium is very harmful. If it can be eradicated, I am willing to do my part."

“With Mr. Da Luo protecting the people of Hong Kong, we small business owners and ordinary citizens feel very reassured.”

"You are an elite Chinese in Hong Kong, a sharp blade. A sword's edge is honed through tempering, and the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from bitter cold. A sharp blade can only be revealed at crucial moments. We hope that Mr. Da Luo can shine for the people of Hong Kong!"

Chi Mengli's visit to the Governor's Mansion was not for Da Luo's sake. A nod, an exchange of business cards, and a reassurance between them would suffice.

Seeing that Chi Mengli was sensible, Da Luo no longer needed to warn her. Every year, countless young people emerge in the business world, but few know the rules. They are all like leeches, once they stick to you, you can't get rid of them.

This young gangster in front of me is not bad; he doesn't have the utilitarianism of a young man.

Young people are too focused on results; they have to get something out of it and can't stand being taken advantage of. If they are taken advantage of and don't get what they want, they will treat you as an enemy and wish they could wipe out your whole family.

"Mr. Luo, please continue with your work. The person I'm waiting for has arrived. Goodbye!"

Chi Mengli saw Xia Jiade's figure. Whether the plan could succeed depended on whether Yihe was willing to be her backer and the leader.

“Mr. Chi, you are a major client of the law firm. I have a piece of advice to tell you. My Luo family has been dealing with Jardine Matheson for almost a century. The first Chinese magistrate of Jardine Matheson in Hong Kong was the Cai family.”

“The Cai family is an old family in the Thirteen Factories and the head of Xiangshan, but the Chinese deputy head of Jardine Matheson is my Luo family. My ancestors, my great-grandfather, my grandfather, my father, and my uncles were all Chinese deputy heads of Jardine Matheson.”

"Jardine Matheson is a rotten monster that eats people without spitting out the bones. It eats both its enemies and its own people. Over the course of a century, it has devoured quite a few Chinese students."

"When my great-grandfather was still alive, he would always think that once the abacus started working, he wouldn't even be able to eat a single piece of dog meat!"

"Farewell!"

Da Luo gave him the order to leave, so even if Chi Mengli was eager to learn, he couldn't bring himself to speak. He walked back to his table and greeted Xia Jiade.

Xia Jiade, who was chatting enthusiastically with Xiren, quickly stood up from his chair. He turned around and looked around, noticing that the food cart had been cleared away. He then said, "Chisheng, the ball is about to start. Why don't you dance a round with Mrs. Chi?"

Chi Mengli is good at fighting and boxing stances, but he really can't dance.

I'm not good at dancing!

“We’re not here to dance today. I’ve already sent the first deposit to Jardine Matheson Insurance. I think you’ve met your performance target for this year, Mr. Xia. Starting next week, there will be two more deposits going into Jardine Matheson Insurance.”

"Achieving the performance target is something to be congratulated on. Being debt-free is a relief, and nobody likes living with debt."

"All of AKB's insurance policies also belong to Jardine Matheson Insurance, not to mention that future acquisition payments will also be attributed to Natsumi."

"With my help, I believe Xia Sheng will soon be able to go from senior vice president to senior president."

"Even without mentioning his position, the commission alone could make Xia Sheng a millionaire, and the currency of this millionaire would definitely be the ancestral pound." "Miss Shan is right next to Mr. Luo. I think she must know many of his classmates, including some big shots working in insurance companies."

“Xia Sheng, it’s true that you are a partner at Jardine Matheson, but Jardine Matheson will not want a partner who has no performance record, nor will it want a partner who breaks the rules.”

“I, Handsome Sheng, am a gangster. As long as I have money in my hand, even if my reputation is bad, people will still come to me seeking cooperation. But the high-end insurance industry is only so big. If your reputation is ruined, there is no way out.”

When Chi Mengli saw that Xia Jiade's bow tie was crooked, she reached out her hands to help the foreigner, who had taken countless benefits from her, straighten the bow tie.

"Chi Sheng, Mr. Ximen won't be coming today because he's in a bad mood."

"However, Mr. Chi, you have already shown your sincerity, and Jardine Matheson will also express its sincerity. This is Jardine Matheson's final offer for Daily Fresh Supermarket."

Simon won't be coming. A partner from Curry Country has arrived to discuss Jardine Matheson's future in Curry Country. This is a matter of life and death, after all, Jardine Matheson has a steel mill with 9,000 employees in Curry Country.

Although I can't be there in person, I have sent my quote.

After Xia Jiade finished speaking, he took out a folded sticky note from his pocket, placed it on the table, and continued, "Mr. Chi, Jardine Matheson's offers have always been stingy, so please don't be surprised."

After the kind reminder, Xia Jiade picked up his champagne glass, took a step back, and created a safe distance.

Seeing Xia Jiade's performance, Chi Mengli realized that the price quoted on the note must be terrible. But after opening the note, he admitted that he had been too optimistic.

Thirty million Hong Kong dollars!
Jardine Matheson's final offer for a 39% stake in Daily Fresh Supermarket was HK$30 million.

This can't be described as a floor price anymore! This is like smashing the earth's core!

After reading it, Chi Mengli didn't say anything. She just put the note in her pocket, turned to Xia Jiade, and said, "Xia Sheng, Mr. Ximen must have something for you to give me."

"I am ready now, and I am all ears."

Seeing that the gangster in front of him was not angry, Xia Jiade was slightly surprised. He returned to the table, put the champagne glass on the table, coughed, cleared his throat, and said softly, "Chi Sheng, Mr. Simon only said one sentence."

"That's an interesting statement!"

"The hunter has already killed the prey, why let others benefit from it!"

“Chi Sheng, I think Mr. Ximen believes that you did not contribute much in this hunt.”

"You Chinese often say this, but I think it's not very appropriate. On the road to sharing the golden apple, there is no hard work, only merit. Whoever delivers the fatal blow will be the one to share the fruits."

"If Chi Sheng insists on taking control, then he must make sure that the benefits Jardine Matheson can obtain are paid out in advance. He can't get something for nothing!"

There are no fools in the Hong Kong business world.

Ximen, whom I haven't met yet, may be the first person to fully understand my thoughts.

Chi Mengli picked up her champagne glass, took a sip, and calmed herself down.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Renekton's farewell party is now officially beginning. Please return to your seats and let us welcome Mr. Renekton with a warm round of applause to deliver his opening remarks."

The farewell party was about to begin. The host went up on stage to remind the guests that the farewell party had officially started and that they should not wander around. He then invited the main character of the farewell party, Renekton, who would soon become the Chief of Customs, to the stage to give a speech.

Chi Mengli stared at Renekton, who had already stepped onto the stage, clapping her hands, but said to Xia Jiade, "I want to know, when can I swallow the flesh that belongs to me?"

"That depends on the Commercial Crime Bureau. As long as they file a case in time, Jardine Matheson can go through the claims process and apply to the Chief Executive to freeze all of the other party's assets."

"Within a week, we will organize the first compensation negotiation. If the negotiation fails, the second negotiation will be held a week later. If the second negotiation also fails, Jardine Matheson will hold the third and final negotiation three days later."

"If the negotiation fails, Jardine Matheson will make advance payment for the losses. According to Article 5, Section C of the insurance contract, Jardine Matheson has the right of first refusal, and Mr. Chi Sheng's Daily Fresh has the right to receive compensation first."

"If it is determined that the other party is in breach of contract, your supplier is the fat sheep on the chopping block, but you have to ensure that this fat sheep is enough for everyone to share."

Xia Jiade explained in great detail, addressing the two points that Chi Mengli cared about most, while continuing to smile and applaud along with the crowd.

"Taking the benefits first, then doing the work, is in line with Jardine Matheson's methods."

Yihe is a roadblock. It's impossible to get the tiger to obey now. We can only feed the tiger first so that Chi Mengli can take a small step forward.

"I agree to this transfer price!"

"When will we do it?"

Buddha cut off his own flesh to feed an eagle, but Chi Mengli dares not compare himself to Buddha; however, he is now about to cut off his own flesh to feed a tiger.

“Chi Sheng, the initiative has always been in your hands. What we at Jardine Matheson say doesn’t count. But the letter of intent for the contract can be signed tonight. After all, it’s understandable that the equity transfer process could take a year or two just to go through the formalities.”

"According to our agreement, 80 percent of the insurance payout will be transferred to the bond agreement of Hong Kong Land."

Xia Jiade smiled, extended his hand, and said calmly, "It's a pleasure to cooperate with you!"

"Happy cooperation!"

Chi Mengli shook hands with Xia Jiade and replied with a sentence.

The protagonist on stage has changed. The governor's wife, who arrived late, is reminiscing about her time working with Renekton and is telling a lame, dry joke on the spot.

If it were anyone else, it would likely be an awkward silence, but on stage was the Governor's wife, and no matter how harsh her words were, she could still elicit thunderous laughter.

That's the allure of power!
After the Governor's wife finished her speech, she went down to the stage, followed by the Governor's Chief Secretary and Rexton's subordinates. They all came up to the stage one by one to recount Mr. Rexton's dedicated career.

Having spent his entire life working, only to achieve the status of a third-class officer student, Rexton could not be considered a failure. Whether it was his family, the overseas colonial department, or Hong Kong, it was mostly a case of one person filling one position.

With limited positions available, few people can break through the status of a third-class official student through their own efforts without the favor of a political heavyweight.

This farewell party at work can also be seen as Renekton's farewell party in life, because he can only sit there for six months to a year. When his time is up, this diplomatic secretary will have to make way for other younger and more capable colleagues.

A man's life is both long and short. A great man cannot live a day without power, and a lesser man cannot live a day without money. Without power and money, what moves under the sun is just an empty shell.

The speech ended, and it was time for the main event: the donation session.

The Governor's wife set up a new youth aid foundation, and representatives from the four major trading companies all generously contributed, each giving 500,000.

The Chinese tycoons who came to show their support also generously donated money, believing that education should not be neglected no matter how poor they are, and children should not suffer no matter how hard life is. They all donated 500,000 dollars to make their presence known to the Governor's wife.

After all, the election of Justices of the Peace is coming up soon. There are fifteen spots, five for government officials, five for foreigners, and the remaining five are for Chinese.

Although Justices of the Peace can no longer operate under orders to fire like before, they are still a reliable talisman.

The tycoons of Tung Wah Group of Hospitals and Po Leung Kuk donate at least several million dollars every year, so they don't care about another 500,000 dollars. They can feed the Governor's wife first, which will also make it easier to deal with her later.

Xi Ren glanced at Chi Mengli and saw that her man was still neither sad nor happy, discussing football with Xia Jiade. She then raised her hand and asked the waiter to come over and hand over the 200,000 yuan check that she had prepared in advance.

"Thank you, beautiful lady, thank you, Mrs. Chi at table number 37, and thank you for your efforts for the youth of Hong Kong."

The host glanced down at the location card, confirmed the name, and thanked Xiren for her generosity.

The lights shone on Xiren, and Chi Mengli and Xia Jiade quickly stepped back, giving the stage to Xiren.

Xi Ren waved to the guests around her, indicating that this was all she should do.

The check for 200,000 only garnered attention for less than ten seconds before other donations quickly overshadowed Xi Ren's donation.

“Iketa, your generosity will benefit many teenagers.”

"cheers!"

Xia Jiade noticed Xiren's slightly disappointed expression and quickly offered a compliment.

"Cheers to Iketa's kindness and beauty!"

Chi Mengli also raised her wine cup and clinked it with Xiren's.

After the Governor's wife finished her charitable donation, she bid farewell to Rickton and left the banquet hall with her entourage, leaving the scene to the real protagonists.

Many of the guests, who came out of respect for the Governor's wife, have already begun to leave. This is not a sign of disrespect for Mr. Rexton, after all, 80 percent of business in Hong Kong is related to freight and customs.

The governor's wife was indeed good at using her influence, but they also knew that a local official was more powerful than a distant one. They understood that Mr. Raketon could easily stop their goods with a flick of his finger.

But this was the rule at the banquet; those who stayed were all people who needed something from this future customs chief.

We didn't buy tickets, so we felt really bad about taking this ride.

There were fifty tables in the banquet hall. More than thirty people left with the governor's wife, leaving only a dozen or so tables occupied.

Renekton's smile was radiant, because these dozen or so tables represented his future clients, his future cash cows!

(End of this chapter)