I'm in the county town, and you say I'm a big shot?

Chapter 741 Something felt off, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

The report, titled "Special Report on the 'Jinghai Anying-Intelligent Manufacturing Phase I' Wealth Management Product," states that the company raised US$1.8 million (approximately RMB 12.5 billion).

The funds will be used to acquire the accounts receivable revenue rights held by three companies—Xinsheng Precision Industry (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., Huachuang Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd., and Yangtze New Energy Technology Co., Ltd.—based on genuine trade backgrounds.

The project is a prime example of Huangpu Branch's "financial innovation serving the real economy": it has served the real economy, precisely targeted three leading high-end manufacturing enterprises, effectively revitalized their existing assets, and accelerated capital turnover.

It is also expected to bring more than RMB 5 million in corporate deposits to the bank and attract a large number of high-net-worth private clients.

Goldman Sachs China's guarantee brings "world-class risk management and credit enhancement," making the product safer. Furthermore, the successful collaboration with Goldman Sachs will greatly enhance our bank's professional image and brand in the financial market.

The underlying asset analysis and transaction structure highlights were all perfect, and it even had the signature of Chen Danlu, the vice president in charge of off-balance-sheet business.

But Fang Qingye always felt that something was wrong.

Is it because this contract involves a large sum of money?
Or is it because Gao Pan, the branch manager of Huangpu branch, is inherently a radical person?
Is it because the intermediary guarantor of the product is Goldman Sachs China?
Fang Qingye couldn't explain it.

After thinking for a moment, he picked up the landline on his desk and dialed a number: "Chen Xing, this is Fang Qingye. Please send me all the information about the 'Jinghai Anying-Intelligent Manufacturing Phase I' wealth management product in both electronic and fax formats."

At that moment, Chen Danlu was leading a team to conduct on-site verification at the Huangpu branch. Hearing Fang Qingye's request, he was taken aback, but still agreed.

"Gao Xing, immediately send all the information about the 'Jinghai Anying-Intelligent Manufacturing Phase I' wealth management product to headquarters. Fang Xing wants to see it." Chen Danlu then said to Gao Pan, who was busy cooperating with the inspection.

"Ah, Fang Xing wants to see this document?" Gao Pan was a little surprised, but then said confidently, "This contract is absolutely fine. I checked it repeatedly when it was signed."

"I know." Chen Danlu glanced at him. "If that's the case, what are you afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid at all." Gao Pan said easily, "This isn't the trust contract I signed with New Era Trust during the cash crunch two years ago!"

That time, in response to the widespread cash crunch in the domestic banking sector, Fang Qingye ordered an inspection of the bank's interbank business to prevent defaults and financial collapses caused by market liquidity issues.

As a result, Gao Pan, who was then the deputy branch manager of the Pudong branch, signed a trust contract, but it was actually a mortgage project, which was short-term debt for long-term investment, and thus violated two regulations.

After the matter was discovered, the bank handled it promptly by transferring the trust product. Although some returns were lost, the principal was recovered.

As a result, Gao Pan had six months' performance bonus deducted.

However, Gao Pan's business skills were indeed outstanding, and Fang Qingye appreciated them. Later, when the Huangpu branch was established, Fang Qingye transferred Gao Pan to serve as the branch manager.

Gao Pan said he wasn't afraid, but he was still a little uneasy. Although Fang Qingye didn't seem to care much about the bank, he had a very sharp eye and had never been wrong about someone!
Of course, the necessary gifts still needed to be given, and Fang Qingye soon received all the information about the financial product.

As Fang Qingye sipped her tea, she looked at the tea closely.

Everything seemed clear: investors' money → Jinghai Bank → three manufacturing companies (Xinsheng, Huachuang, and Changjiang), with Goldman Sachs acting as guarantor. The product brochure and marketing materials perfectly supported this story of "serving the real economy," but Fang Qingye's lingering doubts made him uneasy.

what happened?

Fang Qingye was completely baffled.

"Fang Xing, it's time to get off work," Secretary Hu Lingling reminded Fang Qingye. Fang Qingye glanced at the alarm clock on the wall; it was already six o'clock in the afternoon.

"Oh, Hu Lingling, did I make you late getting off work?" Fang Qingye joked. "No, I was just reminding Fang Xing to take care of his health and not overwork himself," Hu Lingling replied.

My secretary is getting better and better at talking.

"Okay, time to go home." Fang Qingye stood up, and Hu Lingling quickly helped tidy up the documents in the office.

In Shanghai, after having dinner at her grandfather's house, Fang Qingye took a walk in the nursery, with her old dog Wangcai following behind.

Fang Qingye looked at the blooming roses, still thinking about the financial contract.

Where is the problem?

Suddenly he thought of Xia He, who was far away in Singapore. She had also worked in a bank and was now managing a private trust. She was quite familiar with this kind of financial product. He wanted to hear her opinion.

Fang Qingye took out her phone and dialed Xia He's number. The call was quickly connected, and Xia He's sweet voice came through.

"Aoba, why are you calling so early?"

Usually, the two of them would talk for a few minutes before going to bed.

"I've run into a problem at work and would like to ask you for advice." Fang Qingye briefly explained the contents of the contract and concluded, "From this document, I don't see any problems, but I still feel uneasy, and I don't know why I have this feeling."

On the other end of the phone, Xia He listened and pondered for a moment before replying, "I haven't seen the specific details of the investment product, but if you say there's no problem, there probably isn't. Here's what I suggest: you check the transaction history for this product again to see if you can find any issues."

"You reminded me. I'll have someone check tomorrow at work!" Fang Qingye immediately felt relieved.

"Xiahe, what is Qingqing doing? I want to talk to her."

"Qingqing, Daddy's calling you!"

The next morning, as soon as Fang Qingye arrived at the office, he called Chen Danqing and asked him to print out and send over all the transaction records involved in the contract. Chen Danqing did so very quickly.

Fang Qingye carefully examined the bank statements page by page and finally discovered a key detail: after Jinghai Bank paid the raised funds to three manufacturing companies, just three days later, these three companies transferred almost the same amount of funds to an organization called "The DE Shaw Group".

Fang Qingye had heard of "D.E. Shaw Group," a British private equity firm. Although it wasn't as famous as Goldman Sachs or Sequoia Capital, it was still a very professional investment firm, but it didn't have a physical presence in mainland China.

Why did the three companies rush to transfer the funds to this private equity firm as soon as they received the financing?

Alarm bells rang in Fang Qingye's mind; the more she thought about it, the more uneasy she felt.

He pondered for a moment, then picked up the landline and called Chen Danqing again, recounting all the anomalies he had discovered and expressing his doubts.

"Chen Xing, please have your team suspend all other work and immediately review all the documents related to this contract, especially this 'De Shao Group'—we must find out why the three companies rushed to transfer the money to it as soon as they received it!"

Surprisingly, Chen Danqing's response on the other end of the phone was: "We have also discovered this problem and have already inquired about it."

(End of this chapter)