Hong Kong Movie: At the beginning, Big Boss B asked me to draw the death lottery

Chapter 208 Fat Peng: I've finally become like Wei Yixin

The air seemed to freeze in the drawing room of Government House.

After the Queen finished speaking, the entire space fell into an eerie silence.

He Yaozong could feel the gazes directed at him from all around—some were shocked, some were angry, and some were even subtly admiring.

"His Majesty!"

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Fei Peng's forehead, and his voice trembled slightly: "Please allow me to explain..."

The Queen raised her hand, stopping him from continuing.

She turned to He Yaozong, her deep blue eyes flashing with a complex light.

“He, I know you are a proud Easterner, but I think we need a more private space to discuss this matter. What do you think?”

It is often said that the Queen is merely a mascot for Britain, but He Yaozong believes that is not the case.

At least the Queen's composure and poise in the face of such a scandal far surpass what a seasoned politician like Owen Pompeo could ever achieve.

As He Yaozong pondered, the Queen spoke again in a low voice.

"Two hours is fine, Mr. He. Things will be resolved satisfactorily!"

He Yaozong nodded slightly, a barely perceptible smile curving his lips.

"As you wish!"

After receiving He Yaozong's permission, Fei Peng's expression softened slightly.

He immediately ordered strict confidentiality at the scene and hurriedly escorted the Queen to the lounge.

Before leaving, he gave He Yaozong a meaningful look.

However, Fei Peng's gaze towards He Yaozong had clearly changed this time; he was a madman who didn't care about the consequences.

Interestingly, while waiting at Government House for the Queen to discuss matters with Fat Peng, the advisor Su suddenly brought a message to Ho Yiu-chung.

"Mr. He... Mr. He, the Big Circle Leopard is here. It just got off the helicopter and is already at the Governor's House."

He...he's planning to see you!

He Yaozong couldn't help but chuckle. It seemed that this was Fat Peng's last-ditch effort, inviting people from the mainland to act as lobbyists.

This guy still stubbornly believes that his confrontation with himself is actually a game against the mainland.

From beginning to end, he never figured out who his opponent was or how to win.

"where do we meet?"

"It's in the VIP room upstairs!"

"Take me to see him!"

In the VIP room upstairs, Shi Yong's face was filled with a strange expression.

With a mixed expression of worry and joy, she immediately gave He Yaozong a polite smile upon his arrival.

"Mr. Shi, it's been a long time!"

"It won't be long now. By the way, Happy New Year before the Lantern Festival is over!"

Shi Yong picked up the conversation, but instead of mentioning what had happened that night, he talked to He Yaozong about Hengyao's development in mainland China.

"Your Hengyao has a strong execution capability. In just a few months, logistics warehouses have been fully deployed across the mainland."

I obtained some data from the statistics department, which showed that Hengyao has not yet entered the profit stage in mainland China, but its investment in employees and regions continues to grow.

As a citizen born and raised in mainland China, I sincerely thank you patriotic overseas Chinese businessmen for your contributions to our motherland!

As Shi Yong spoke, he stood up and bowed slightly to He Yaozong.

"You're too kind, Mr. Shi!"

He Yaozong helped Shi Yong up, and the two sat down again, one on each side. Shi Yong started talking again.

"Many people, including those in mainland China, believe that you are my downline in Hong Kong."

In truth, only I know that you and I have absolutely no connection whatsoever!

There's something I hope you'll forgive me for: I've investigated more than just your financial background, because I still can't figure out what your real motives are!

He Yaozong narrowed his eyes: "I wonder what Mr. Shi has found out?"

Shi Yong shook his head and gave a faint smile.

"We didn't find anything, but it doesn't matter anymore!"

No one but Chinese could do something like this.

Mr. He, I am truly grateful that you have always stood on the side of righteousness!

Shi Yong was clearly not good at giving compliments, but his words still made He Yaozong feel slightly embarrassed.

To be honest, he wasn't that selfless; it was just the system's way of making him choose the most reasonable way to spend his money.

Given a choice, who wouldn't want to present themselves as virtuous and upright, instead of becoming a rat in a stinking ditch?
"Mr. Shi, we will be there in two hours from the time Queen Elizabeth agreed upon."

I think we should talk about serious matters first!

Shi Yong nodded and immediately responded.

"Mr. He, these kinds of political matters are beyond my control. I'm just here on behalf of someone else to give you some advice."

London has agreed to make further concessions on the Hong Kong Island issue, but Hong Kong Island still has a long way to go before it is returned to China.

Don't be impatient for quick success; it's best to proceed steadily and surely!

As he spoke, Shi Yong sighed softly: "Five years is neither a long nor a short time."

Five years is a long time coming; we should be able to bring a perfect end to the century-long colonial history of foreigners in Hong Kong!

"I understand, but Mr. Shi, do you believe me if I say that I don't care about these things at all?"

Faced with He Yaozong's smiling inquiry, Shi Yong couldn't help but chuckle.

“Should I believe it?”

"Let's not talk about this anymore. I know what I'm doing!"

……

Ten minutes after Shi Yong left, the atmosphere in the private meeting room at Government House was even more somber than in the reception room.

The Queen, Fat Peng, and two senior British advisors sat on one side of the long table; on the other side, only He Yaozong was present, but the victor's aura was in no way inferior to the four opposite him.

"Mr. He!"

The Queen got straight to the point: "London has indeed received reports about Government House's contact with Wall Street, but I assure you that this was by no means an officially authorized action."

He Yaozong chuckled, took a document from his suit pocket, and slowly pushed it to the center of the table.

"Your Majesty, this is a record of the meetings between the Government House and representatives of Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley over the past three months, including the key points of the discussions."

It explicitly states that shorting the Hong Kong dollar will "force certain local conglomerates to comply"—I'm afraid that refers to my Hengyao Group, isn't it?

Fat Peng's face turned deathly pale instantly. He stood up abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor with a screeching sound.

"This is a frame-up! These documents must be forged!"

"Christopher!"

The Queen's voice suddenly rose, carrying an unquestionable majesty. Fat Peng felt as if his spine had been removed, and he slumped back into his chair.

The Queen took a deep breath and turned to Ho Yiu-chung, her face regaining its composure.

"Mr. He, assuming these documents are authentic, what do you want?"

Ho Yiu-chung's gaze shifted between the Queen and Fat Peng before finally settling on the night view of Victoria Harbour outside the window.

"I don't want anything, I just want you British people to leave me alone!"
"Your Majesty, I believe you have already reached agreements with your counterparts regarding what needed to be discussed; there is no need for you to come here unnecessarily!"

Silence fell in the meeting room once again. Fat Peng's breathing became heavy, while the Queen frowned slightly, waiting for He Yaozong to continue.

He Yaozong's voice was deep and firm.

"Hong Kong Island was a British colony, and with 1997 approaching, the transition period should have been smooth and orderly."

But the actions of Government House have severely disrupted this balance.

He stood up, walked to the window, and turned his back to the crowd.

“If you insist on me stating my demands, I have three: First, the Legislative Council must be reformed immediately to increase the proportion of elected members; second, the Governor must relinquish his veto power over the Legislative Council; and third, the Hong Kong Island civil service system must be kept stable during the transition period.”

"This is impossible!"

Fat Peng practically roared, "You're trying to undermine the Airport Governor's Office!"

He Yaozong turned around, his eyes sharp as knives.

“Mr. Governor, you seem to have forgotten who is in control of the situation now.”

The Wall Street Journal's report is just the beginning. Tomorrow, the global media will know what Britain has been doing in Hong Kong, not what you call the Governor's House!
Five years have passed so quickly, I really don't know what you still can't let go of?!

The Queen tapped her fingers lightly on the table, making a rhythmic sound.

She looked at Ho Yiu-chung and suddenly asked, "Mr. Ho, are you really doing all this just for Hong Kong Island?"

He Yaozong met the Queen's gaze, his eyes showing no sign of yielding.

"Your Majesty, is it for the sake of your Great Britain?"

He walked closer to the table and placed his hands on it.

"I'm fighting not only for the future of Hong Kong Island, but also for justice!"

A fleeting, unreadable emotion crossed the Queen's eyes.

She was silent for a moment, then suddenly stood up.

“Mr. He, I have no authority to interfere in cabinet and parliamentary matters. I need to speak with London. You will receive a reply within 24 hours.”

He Yaozong straightened up and nodded slightly.

"I will await His Majesty's news, but please remember, time waits for no one."

As he was leaving Government House, Ho Yiu-chung's cell phone rang; it was a call from Soros in New York.

He Yaozong got into the car and signaled the driver to start the car.

Then he gripped the cell phone tightly: "How is the situation?"

Soros's excited voice came through the phone: "The Bank of England has announced it's abandoning its efforts to maintain the pound's exchange rate! We won, man! Preliminary estimates suggest the Quantum Fund has made over $10 billion in profit, and your share will arrive on time."

He Yaozong's lips curled into a slight smile. "Very good. What about the media?"

"The BBC is broadcasting the Chancellor's resignation statement live, and the Financial Times' front page is full of our 'masterpieces'."

Soros paused, then said, "Honestly, I've never seen the Bank of England so disheveled!"

“Everyone has a price, George.” He Yaozong glanced at the neon lights flashing past the window: “It’s just that the British can’t afford my price, and you can’t afford it either!”

After hanging up the phone, He Yaozong closed his eyes to rest.

The next morning, while He Yaozong was having breakfast at the restaurant, his advisor Su rushed over.

"He Sheng!"

The advisor, Su, pushed up his glasses, unable to hide his excitement: "There's news from London! The Prime Minister's Office has called the Governor's Office and agreed in principle to negotiate on Legislative Council reform."

He Yaozong took a sip of coffee, his expression calm.

"What was Fatty Peng's reaction?"

"It is said that he was furious, but had no choice but to obey London's orders."

The advisor, Su, lowered his voice: "The Queen has cancelled her scheduled visit this morning. According to inside sources, she will return to England this afternoon."

He Yaozong nodded, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

"Make arrangements, I need to speak with those members of the Legislative Council!"

"It's already arranged, noon at the Peninsula Hotel."

At noon sharp, He Yaozong's motorcade arrived at the Peninsula Hotel.

At the hotel entrance, several middle-aged men in suits were waiting. They were among the few Chinese members of the Legislative Council, which had long been marginalized in a pro-British majority.

Mr. He!

Councilor Chen, who was in the lead, quickly stepped forward and said, "Your actions yesterday were truly gratifying!"

He Yaozong shook hands with each of them and then led them into the private restaurant on the top floor of the hotel.

After taking his seat, he got straight to the point: "Gentlemen, the British will agree to reform the Legislative Council, but we must be prepared."

Councilor Chen exchanged glances with the others.

"Mr. He, we understand what you mean."

But the pro-British faction is deeply entrenched in the Legislative Council, even with the increase in elected seats…

"The pro-British faction will soon lose its backer."

Ho Yiu-chung interrupted him: "London is only concerned with one thing right now—how to leave Hong Kong Island gracefully."

What we need to ensure is that the people of Hong Kong Island truly control their own destiny.

He took a document out of his briefcase and handed it to Councilor Chen.

"This is my proposed reform plan for the Legislative Council, which has two core points: the number of members will be increased from 60 to 90, with two-thirds of them being elected by functional constituencies and direct elections; the Governor's veto power will be changed to a suspended veto, and the Legislative Council can overturn it with a second vote."

Several members of parliament passed the documents around, their expressions gradually shifting from surprise to excitement.

"This...this is a revolutionary change!"

A young member of parliament couldn't help but exclaim.

He Yaozong's gaze swept over everyone present.

"This is not a revolution, but a return to common sense."

After lunch, He Yaozong received a call from Fei Peng's private secretary.

The other party informed them that the British government had formally authorized the Government House to negotiate with the local forces represented by Ho Yiu-chung to discuss the reform of the Legislative Council.

"The negotiations will take place at Government House at 10 a.m. tomorrow."

The secretary's voice was polite but tinged with coldness: "Her Majesty the Queen hopes that both sides can prioritize the stability of Hong Kong."

He Yaozong hung up the phone, a cold smile appearing on his lips. The British had finally lowered their arrogant heads.

Indeed, what era are we living in? Does Britain still think it's the same Britain it was back then?

The following morning, a delegation of Hong Kong business leaders led by Ho Yiu-chung confronted the Hong Kong British government team led by Fat Peng in the Governor's House conference room.

The atmosphere on both sides of the conference table was tense.

Fat Peng forced himself to remain composed and tried to maintain his authority: "Mr. Ho, London has agreed to consider Legislative Council reform, but stability during the transition period must be ensured."

Your proposal is too radical and may cause unnecessary unrest.

He Yaozong calmly took out another document.

“Mr. Governor, this is a joint statement signed by the six major chambers of commerce on Hong Kong Island, the three major labor unions, and the district councils of all 18 districts in Hong Kong, supporting the democratization reform of the Legislative Council.”

He pushed the documents to the center of the table. "If this isn't enough to represent public opinion, then..."

He made a gesture, and his assistant immediately turned on the television in the conference room.

The screen was showing footage of street interviews, in which over 80% of the respondents supported the Legislative Council increasing the number of elected members.

What shocked Fat Peng even more was that the president of the Hong Kong Island General Chamber of Commerce, who has always been pro-British, said in an interview, "It's time for the people of Hong Kong Island to participate more in governance."

Fat Peng's face turned ashen.

"Mr. He, public opinion is certainly important, but the Sino-British Joint Declaration clearly stipulates the arrangements for the transition period..."

"The Joint Declaration also clearly states the principle of a high degree of autonomy for Hong Kong Island."

Ho Yiu-chung calmly retorted: "What kind of autonomy does a legislature that is completely controlled by the British have?"

The negotiations lasted for a full six hours.

The two sides engaged in heated debate over details such as the method of electing legislators, the scope of the governor's powers, and transitional arrangements.

In the evening, a Memorandum of Understanding on the Reform of the Legislative Council on Hong Kong Island was finally reached.

The core contents include: increasing the number of Legislative Council members to 90, with 60 seats elected by functional constituencies and direct elections; changing the Governor's veto power over bills to a "delayed veto," allowing the Legislative Council to overturn them by a two-thirds majority; and establishing an Election Committee supervised by both China and the UK to ensure fair elections.

As Fat Peng signed the document with trembling hands, Ho Yiu-chung noticed the resentment and humiliation that flashed in the Governor's eyes.

After the signing ceremony, Ho Yiu-chung went to Victoria Harbour alone.

As night falls, the neon lights on the opposite bank gradually illuminate, reflecting on the dark water like scattered stars.

Mr. He!

The advisor, Su, appeared quietly behind him: "I just received news that the Queen's private jet has taken off."

He Yaozong nodded, his gaze still fixed on the distance.

"Takeoff is takeoff, there's no need to inform me about this!"

"Are you worried about...the situation on the mainland...?"

"What I'm worried about is ourselves."

He Yaozong turned around, his face expressionless.

"Inform Councilor Chen and the others that they will have a meeting in my office at nine o'clock tomorrow morning."

What we need to discuss is not only the reform of the Legislative Council, but also how to prevent foreigners from making a comeback in the Legislative Council.

The thought of those foreigners pointing fingers at me before still makes me angry!

At the residence of Fat Peng on Victoria Peak, the Governor of Hong Kong, who had lost a high-stakes gamble, was inviting Chen Fang'an to his family dinner.

"Chen, London will not be sending a new governor to Hong Kong."

As the last Governor of Hong Kong, my name will surely be written into history books. However, I deeply regret that I was powerless to spread the hope of civilization across this land of Hong Kong Island!

Chen Fang'an looked at the table full of food, but she also had no appetite at all.

"Sir, hasn't public opinion already been brought under control?"

You are still the Governor of Hong Kong Island, and the Governor still needs to govern under your rule to welcome a new tomorrow!

"This is the result of my compromise. Didn't you see that the Legislative Council has already made reforms?"

Fei Peng smiled bitterly, and then spoke.

"Just wait and see, next it will be your turn, the Provincial Administration Commission. The mainland is slowly eroding our last stronghold."

I just hope that when the day comes that I leave, I won't be in such a sorry state!

Chen Fang'an's heart skipped a beat.

She had the potential to become the first Chinese Chief Secretary of Hong Kong Island!
But this hope seems about to vanish?

Not reconciled!
Absolutely unwilling!

But upon catching a glimpse of Fei Peng, he had completely lost his fighting spirit.

"No! Sir, you should pull yourself together!"
"At least for now, Ho Yiu-chung only controls the Legislative Council, so we still have a lot of room to maneuver!"

"We have lost control of the Legislative Council, which means we have lost all room for maneuver."

Chen, do you intend to deny the rule of law? What's the difference between that and digging your own grave?!

"No, what I mean is, we can still make a final effort from other angles!"

Chen Fang'an offered his suggestion again: "I have done the analysis. The reason why He Yaozong has always been able to remain undefeated in his confrontations with us is simply because he has huge financial support behind him."

From advising the Governor's Office to establish a Housing Estate Relief Department to the current currency war, every step he has taken has required an enormous financial investment.

I believe that no matter how much financial support he has given to do all this, he is now struggling to keep up!

No one will continuously pour large sums of money into Hong Kong Island. What we need to do is to make what Ho Yiu-chung is doing a regular occurrence!

Fei Peng pondered for a moment before finally speaking: "Chen, how are your suggestions different from Huo De's previous proposals?"

"Of course there is a difference. Sir Hodd proposed to empty Ho Yiu-chung's pockets."

And Mr. Governor, please take note of my words. I mean that we can put Ho Yiu-chung on a pedestal and make his previous strategic plans a long-term, normalized practice!

We cannot allow him to stop investing money in Hong Kong Island once he has achieved his strategic goals. In other words, we should find more places for Ho Yiu-chung to spend money before the Governor's House is rendered powerless!

Doesn't he enjoy winning people over? Then let him win them over to his heart's content!

"Chen, do you think He Yaozong looks like a fool?"

Fat Peng's question left Chen Fang'an speechless, but after a long while, she still stubbornly responded.

"Sir, whether you want to or not, you have to try to find out!"

I only hope that you will never give up hope, no matter what!

This time, Fei Peng's contemplation lasted even longer.

In the end, he shook his head helplessly: "Chen, I can't control what you want to do, but right now, I really have no way to do it!"
Go find your own hope. I'm a bit tired lately and want to take a good rest.

Let's eat; let's not talk about work anymore!

Chen Fang'an was dejected. She looked at Fei Peng, who had already started using a knife and fork, and saw the shadow of Wei Yixin in him.

This newly appointed Governor of Hong Kong, who was full of fighting spirit just a few months ago, has become the kind of person he despises the most!
-
[P.S.: I'm never writing about politics like this again...]

(End of this chapter)