Who would still start a business seriously after being reborn?

Chapter 643. Negotiating peace?

Everyone understands that this $1.2 million in aid is more like a poisoned pill disguised as sugar, exacerbating Lianxiang's financial difficulties.

This meeting remained a gathering place for executives to vent their dissatisfaction and panic; even Yang Yuanqing was not present.

After the meeting, the CFO immediately forwarded the report to the three major shareholders of Lianxiang Group.

Upon receiving the report, Xianke Holdings, the largest shareholder holding 29.71% of Lianxiang Group's shares, and Tianhai Holdings, the second largest shareholder holding 12.17% of the shares, immediately became uneasy.

In the chairman's office of Xianke Holdings, two heavyweight figures are having an emergency private meeting.

An elderly man with graying temples, exuding an air of authority despite his lack of anger, slammed an internal risk assessment report onto his mahogany desk and snorted, "What on earth is Yang Yuanqing doing? How did she lead Lianxiang to this state? Still the world's third largest? Look at this profit margin, look at this cash flow! If this continues, we'll be dragged down by ourselves without anyone else even having to intervene."

A shrewd and capable-looking middle-aged woman glanced at the old man.

She wanted to see whether the old man was truly angry or feigning anger.

If the old man is truly angry, then she intends to tell the truth.

If the old man is just putting on an act, then she'll just chime in with a couple of words and that's it.

As the chairman of Xianke Holdings, this elderly man holds supreme authority in the technology industry.

Seeing that the old man was truly angry, the middle-aged woman frowned and said, "We supported his move into the mid-to-high-end market in the hope that he could open up a second front. Now that his relationship with Dell and HP is so strained, he's lost the low-end market, hasn't gained any benefits in the mid-to-high-end market, and has incurred such a huge debt of gratitude to Microsoft! This $1.2 million is said to be interest-free and indefinite, but there's no such thing as a free lunch. What does Microsoft want next? Control of Lianxiang?"

The old man took a deep breath, a resolute glint in his eyes: "Yang Yuanqing's thinking has become rigid. He only follows the rhythm of his opponent, running himself ragged. We can no longer sit idly by; we must find an external force to break the deadlock."

"Mr. Li, you mean...?" The middle-aged woman immediately understood, but did not say it outright.

"You don't need to hide anything today. If we want to get through this difficult time, we'd better be open and honest," the old man said. "You know what I mean."

The middle-aged woman smiled somewhat embarrassedly and said, "I just didn't expect Old Li to be so ruthless."

"If we don't make a tough decision now, the Lianxiang brand will really be gone." Old Li snorted and said, "Old Liu is unwilling to come out of retirement now, so we'll probably have to choose someone else who can take on the responsibility."

"Of course he doesn't want to come out of retirement. The current situation is a dead end. Whoever steps forward now will ruin their reputation in their later years," the middle-aged woman sneered.

Old Li said slowly, "I think we think the same thing."

"Mr. Li, do you mean you're planning to invite Cheng Yi from Momo Group?" the middle-aged woman asked in return.

Lianxiang is currently in a deadlock, and the only way to untie it is to find the person in the department.

She meticulously reviewed the entire struggle between Lianxiang Group and Momo Group, as well as every breakthrough strategy employed by Lianxiang Group.

But the result was almost exactly the same as what Mr. Li had thought.

The one who tied the knot must untie it. Back then, Starcom Group's move to invite Cheng Yi to serve as president was a perfect way to resolve the issue.

Not only did they turn hostility into friendship, but they also enabled Starcom to surpass Huawei and become the dominant player in the PHS (Personal Handyphone System) market.

Mr. Li nodded slowly and said, "Well, in the current IT industry in China, the only one with the strength, courage, and willingness to take over this mess is probably Cheng Yi of Momo Group. He controls the Moc-os system and a huge offline channel, and he also has the low-end brand Shenzhou Computer, which can form a natural complement to Lianxiang."

"Moreover, their Honor computers have never developed in China, which shows that they still care about domestic brands like us," said Mr. Li. "If Yang Yuanqing hadn't provoked Momo Group, things probably wouldn't have turned out this way."

"However, Yang Yuanqing and Cheng Yi are sworn enemies. If we invite Cheng Yi to serve as president, how will we settle Yang Yuanqing? I'm afraid Lao Liu won't agree to this."

"We can't worry about that now." Old Li interrupted her, saying firmly, "Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. If we try to get them to agree step by step, it'll be too late! I'll talk to Old Liu. Saving Lianxiang is the most urgent task right now."

After speaking, Old Li pondered for a moment and dialed the number he had saved for a long time but rarely dialed.

This is the private phone number of Liu Guiwu, Vice President of the China Information Industry Association and General Manager of Huaxia Software Group.

The phone rang a few times before being answered. Liu Guiwu's calm yet warm voice came from the other end: "Old Li? What brings you to call me today? You're a rare guest indeed."

Without much pleasantries, Old Li cut straight to the point, saying in a serious tone, "Guiwu, you wouldn't come here without a reason. You must have heard about Lianxiang's current situation. I've really run out of options, so I've come to you to ask for your help, to help me make a connection."

Liu Guiwu paused slightly on the other end of the phone. He was well aware of Lianxiang's predicament and understood who Old Li was referring to as the matchmaker.

He frowned and said, "Mr. Li, this time it was Lianxiang Group that made the first move. I'm afraid I can't mediate for you. I can't bring myself to ask them to."

Mr. Li said, “I know this is difficult for you, but considering the hard work and dedication of the Lianxiang brand over the years, please do me a favor. Xianke Holdings and I will remember this favor.”

Liu Guiwu quickly weighed the options in his mind.

This is Li Yongliang of Xianke Holdings.

Li Yongliang holds a pivotal position in China's science and technology community, so we really can't refuse to give him this face.

Moreover, if this matter is successfully facilitated, it will be entirely beneficial to stabilizing the domestic IT industry landscape.

The only difficulty now is that Cheng Yi might not agree.

That kid is so clever, he's not human at all.

After a moment's thought, Liu Guiwu agreed, saying, "Mr. Li, you flatter me. Okay, I'll help you with this. I'll call Cheng Yi right away and get back to you as soon as I have any news."

After hanging up with Li Yongliang, Liu Guiwu immediately dialed Cheng Yi's number.

When the call connected, Cheng Yi's background noise was very loud, like firecrackers were going off.

"Cheng Yi, what are you doing?" Liu Guiwu asked, his tone slightly probing.

"It's nothing, it's almost Chinese New Year, we're just testing the quality of the firecrackers," Cheng Yi said with a smile. "You're really good at keeping your cool, Microsoft's fist is right in front of you, and you're still setting off firecrackers?" Liu Guiwu was amused by Cheng Yi's words.

"Why wouldn't I set off firecrackers? Cry?" Cheng Yi laughed and said, "Uncle Liu, there are only three days left until New Year's Eve. You didn't call to ask me to visit you, did you? You're not on my visit list."

"Do I need your rice and flour?" Liu Guiwu replied irritably.

He really enjoys talking to Cheng Yi on the phone because chatting with Cheng Yi makes him feel relaxed and at ease.

Liu Guiwu organized his thoughts and tried to be tactful as possible: "Here's the situation. Mr. Li Yongliang of Xianke Holdings, the major shareholder of Lianxiang Group, just contacted me. Their situation is not optimistic, and they want to arrange a meeting with you through me to discuss it. I know that Lianxiang has had some past conflicts with you, but Mr. Li is highly respected in the industry, and he personally made the request..."

“Old Li? I thought it would be Old Liu.” Before Liu Guiwu could finish speaking, Cheng Yi laughed on the other end of the phone and said, “Whether it’s Old Li or Old Liu, just agree to their request. I still have to give them face. Tell them that I welcome them to visit Jingzhou anytime.”

Liu Guiwu was stunned; all the words he had prepared stuck in his throat.

Cheng Yi's reaction was too decisive, even implying that he had been waiting for it for a long time.

He couldn't help but blurt out, "Did you foresee this day? I get the feeling you can predict the future!"

Cheng Yi chuckled on the phone and said, "Uncle Liu, I'm not that capable. I'm just giving you face. You can bring them over without worry. I also want to exchange ideas with a senior like Elder Li."

Liu Guiwu hung up the phone with a belly full of surprise and doubt, and immediately replied to Li Yongliang.

Li Yongliang and Sun Meng, the chairman of Tianhai Holdings, were both surprised and secretly pleased to learn that Cheng Yi had agreed so readily, feeling as if they had seen a glimmer of hope.

Two days later, at Jingzhou International Airport.

A flight from Yanjing landed smoothly.

Liu Guiwu accompanied Li Yongliang, Sun Meng, and their entourage as they walked out of the VIP passage.

A convoy was already waiting outside the passage, and standing at the head of the welcoming team was Zhang Qiming, the vice president of the Handong Provincial Political Affairs Association.

Liu Guiwu is, after all, the vice president of the National Information Industry Association. Since he came to Jingzhou City in person, Handong Province naturally had to send an official of the same rank to accompany him, which was considered proper etiquette.

Zhang Qiming's appearance greatly enhanced the level and significance of this meeting.

"Brother Guiwu, Elder Li, Chairman Sun, welcome to Jingzhou." Zhang Qiming greeted them with a smile, shaking hands with each of them in a warm yet measured manner.

After exchanging pleasantries, the group took a Coaster bus directly to the Momo Technology Industrial Park.

Upon arriving at the industrial park, they received a warm welcome ceremony from Momo Group.

Cheng Yi personally led the team, with a group of senior executives from the group standing at the park entrance to welcome them, showing them great respect.

Upon seeing everyone get off the car, Cheng Yi immediately went up to them and said with a smile, "Welcome everyone, you must be tired from your journey."

His gaze swept calmly over Li Yongliang and Sun Meng, as if he were looking not at the leaders of his former rivals, but at ordinary business partners.

Zhang Qiming and Cheng Yi already had a good relationship. With his assistance, the group arrived at a minimalist yet technologically advanced and luxurious strategic conference room on the top floor of the Momo Group building.

The meeting room door closed, and the atmosphere immediately became serious.

Having seen many ups and downs, Li Yongliang didn't waste any words and spoke first: "President Cheng, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to meet with us. We'll get straight to the point this time. I'm sure you're well aware of the current predicament facing Lianxiang Group. Lianxiang previously took some unwise actions against your group in terms of competitive strategies. On behalf of the board of directors, I would like to express my sincere apologies to you."

As he spoke, Li Yongliang even stood up and bowed slightly.

Sun Meng followed suit, expressing a similar apology.

This moved Liu Guiwu, who was standing to the side, to some extent. The fact that two influential figures in the industry were so humble showed just how critical the situation was for Lianxiang.

Li Yongliang continued, “In business competition, there are no undefeated generals. We admit that in past encounters, Lianxiang has been at a disadvantage, and in a comprehensive way. Now, Lianxiang is facing difficulties both internally and externally. Its cash flow, market share, and brand reputation are all facing unprecedented challenges. Without strong external intervention and reform, the Lianxiang brand may really be unable to continue.”

He paused, his gaze fixed intently on Cheng Yi: "Therefore, we have come here with the utmost sincerity, hoping to invite you, President Cheng, to serve as the President of Lianxiang Group and take full charge of the company's overall situation. At the same time, we also hope that Lianxiang Group can establish the deepest strategic business alliance with Momo Group to seek a win-win solution."

Upon hearing Li Yongliang's words, both Zhang Qiming and Liu Guiwu looked shocked.

Should Cheng Yi be appointed as the president of Lianxiang Group?

What is this operation?
Seeing that Cheng Yi remained silent, Sun Meng quickly said, "President Cheng, it's easy to destroy a brand, but it's extremely difficult to create one. Lianxiang has come a long way to get to where it is today; it's truly not easy."

Cheng Yi gently turned the teacup in his hand, pondered for a moment, and then slowly said, "Mr. Li, Chairman Sun, thank you for your honesty and kindness. I also feel deeply sorry for Lianxiang's predicament."

He then changed the subject, his tone carrying an undeniable authority, and said, "However, cooperation needs to be based on fairness and equality, and it also needs a clear direction and constraints. Before discussing specific cooperation plans, I would like to ask you both to understand a precedent."

Cheng Yi slowly said, "Not long ago, Samsung Group also had some unpleasant conflicts with us due to some misunderstandings. In the end, in order to settle the matter, they paid for the complete transfer of Actoz, a deposit of 30 billion US dollars, and the division of the hotel business to my partner, Lee Boo-jin."

"Mr. Li, Chairman Sun, do you think Lianxiang Group currently has the capacity to pay a similar settlement fee?"

Upon hearing this, Li Yongliang and Sun Meng gasped in shock.

Samsung Group's compensation terms were so harsh that they never expected it.

In comparison, Lianxiang's current financial situation simply cannot afford such a price.

Their hearts sank instantly, and their faces even turned pale.

Seeing their reactions, Cheng Yi's lips curled up slightly, his tone softened, and he said with a smile, "You two don't need to be nervous. I didn't mention Samsung's example because I wanted Lianxiang to follow suit. I'm ruthless towards Samsung because it's an outsider. I'm very gentle with my own people. As long as you agree to my three small conditions, we can achieve a win-win situation."

(End of this chapter)