Hong Kong Film Intelligence King

Chapter 328 You say you'll save me, and I'll save you?
"The governor asked me to resolve this matter?" Wang Dao found it quite absurd.

Simon said seriously, "Mr. Wang, the most important thing for a free port is social stability. The situation in Hong Kong is not good right now. If it continues to develop like this, it may cause an economic crisis."

"This is not good for anyone."

"What's this?" Wang Dao retorted. "You've caused this mess, and I'm supposed to clean it up for you?"

Simon quickly distanced himself: "This wasn't my doing."

Wang Dao mocked, "Your Fog City Capital has always enjoyed policy benefits, and I don't need to elaborate on these benefits. The simplest one is that the Governor's Mansion has never caused you any trouble."

“There wasn’t even a regular census.”

“I don’t believe the ICAC is unaware of the actions of banks like HSBC.”

"However, the Governor's Mansion never cared."

"If any other Chinese businessman had done what Shen Daban did, he would probably have spent his life in jail by now, right?"

"They might even eat peanuts."

"However, when it came to Shen Daban, nothing happened to her at all."

Simon wasn't embarrassed at all:
"That's a characteristic of that era, it has nothing to do with us."

Wang Dao chuckled and said:

"Simon, you're really shameless."

"If it has nothing to do with you, why are you in such a hurry to mediate for the Governor's Mansion?"

"Shen Daban wants you dead!"

One sentence silenced Ximen, who finally spoke after a long pause:
"Now is not the time to pursue these matters. If order is not restored in Hong Kong, we will all suffer."

Wang Dao laughed and said:

"I don't care."

Simon was dumbfounded:

"Mr. Wang, you are one of the biggest capitalists in Hong Kong, and the richest Chinese person. You don't care?"

Wang Dao said calmly:
"I don't care. At worst, Hong Kong's economy will be reduced to ruins. If I can't make it, I'll just go back to my hometown to make a living."

"I am still young, and I have not been the richest Chinese person for long."

"It's okay if you don't have the chance this time, you can come again next time."

Ximen was choked half to death.

It was only then that he remembered Wang Dao's age.

To be honest, when I first met Wang Dao, it was easy to overlook his age.

Rich people always look much younger than they actually are.

However, the path of the king is different.

Wang Dao's demeanor makes people overlook his age.

Ximen then remembered that Wang Dao was only twenty years old.

The difference between people is greater than the difference between people and dogs.

Back when I was twenty, I was still studying, while he was already a big capitalist on par with me.

Youth is an asset.

Anyone with a history of success like Wang Dao, even if they go bankrupt, has a very high probability of making a comeback as long as they are young.

This is something that ordinary people cannot compare to.

Ximen was momentarily at a loss for words to reply to Wang Dao.

After thinking for a moment, he gritted his teeth and said:

"Mr. Wang, the Governor supports your takeover of HSBC."

Wang Dao sneered:
"Support my takeover of HSBC?"

“Simon, you’re not an honest man either.”

"HSBC is now at the center of the financial tsunami. Not to mention how much money it would take to take over HSBC, just quelling the financial tsunami caused by HSBC would require tens of billions of dollars in cash."

Do you think I'm easy to fool or what?

Ximen smiled wryly:
"Wang Sheng, actually, it doesn't need to be over 10 billion..."

Wang Dao countered with a question:
Why don't you take over HSBC?

Ximen was speechless for a moment, and just as he was about to speak, he heard Wang Dao say,

"Don't tell me that HSBC never runs a bank."

"You can only fool laymen with that kind of talk."

"Why do I remember that your board members were on Standard Chartered's board of directors?"

Simon smiled wryly. "You've said everything I wanted to say. What else can I say?"
Wang Dao said calmly:
“I have acquired a significant number of HSBC shares, and I am considered one of HSBC’s major shareholders.”

"But don't expect me to clean up your mess."

"You should understand why I did this."

He used a declarative sentence, not an interrogative one, and was certain that Simon would understand his words.

Simon understood, of course. It simply meant that one day, when Hutchison Whampoa needed bank financing, HSBC would give them priority in providing assistance.

This is a practice that all large companies follow.

Just like Jardine Matheson, they do not operate a bank, and their core business does not include banking assets, but that does not prevent Jardine Matheson from owning a considerable number of Standard Chartered shares.

If Jardine Matheson needs to inject capital, Standard Chartered will be the fastest to respond.

Basically, capitalists with the means operate in this way.

Capitalists without the means have other options.

That means trying to build a good relationship with the banks.

For example, salary payments and loans are all handled by the same bank.

In this way, even without a close relationship like Simon's, Standard Chartered Bank will still take care of its well-cooperative clients when problems arise.

Ximen had no choice but to say:
“Mr. Wang, if HSBC goes bankrupt, your interests will also be harmed, and the stocks you hold will become worthless.”

"This isn't what you wanted, is it?"

Wang Dao shrugged:

"What does that matter?"

"The stocks I hold were only worth a few hundred million Hong Kong dollars."

"If I can get back to where I started, then my assets will increase dozens of times without any problem."

"If we don't return to where we started and remain in this half-dead state, that's alright too."

"At most, we'll lose a few hundred million Hong Kong dollars."

"I do not care!"

The secret passage to the west gate is in trouble.

The king on the other side is a reckless and unruly guy.

Don't eat soft or hard food.

Come to think of it, Wang Dao may be young, but he is a super genius who fought his way up from the bottom.

Such a person naturally has a strong personality and unwavering beliefs. Unless you can move him, some tricks will have absolutely no effect.

Thinking about it this way, he suddenly had no ideas.

Ximen smiled wryly:
"In that case, HSBC is doomed to go bankrupt."

"Our interests will all be affected."

"If things go wrong, it could trigger another financial crisis."

The kingly way disagrees:

"Isn't that something you're good at?"

Ximen was taken aback:
"What we're good at?"

Wang Dao countered with a question:
"Isn't this something you're good at?"

"You have caused two economic crises in the last decade."

“It’s the same this time.”

"If I hadn't suppressed it before, the financial crisis might have already broken out."

Simon protested:
"Your Majesty, aren't you going too far with those words?"

Wang Dao sneered:
“Simon, there’s no point in you saying that.”

"You Chongqing capitalists are fleeing and looking for scapegoats and shepherds. Do you really think I don't know?"

Ximen gritted his teeth and said:
I don't know what you mean.

Damn, this guy has a really sharp eye!

However, they would never admit to such a thing.

Ximen earnestly advised:
“Wang Sheng, you’re a big capitalist now. The business environment in Hong Kong has deteriorated, which is not good for you.”

Wang Dao smiled and said:

"No, no, no, I think the business environment is gradually improving."

“Before, you capitalists in Chongqing were protected by the Governor’s Mansion, so you would grab whatever good things you saw and put them in your own bowl.”

"It's not possible now, is it?"

"I feel great right now."

"Chinese merchants and foreign firms compete fairly."

"How many advantages do you think you currently have over us?"

Ximen Secret Passage is damned!

Yes, that's exactly what he's been worried about.

Anyone with a keen eye can see that Hong Kong's economy has an exceptionally bright future.

For ordinary people, this is great news.

But for Simon, this was not a good thing.

Under consistent policies, Chongqing merchants cannot compare to Chinese capital.

Simply put, this is Hong Kong.

Locals have a natural advantage when doing business.

Simon was often worried.

That's where the worry comes from.

He always felt that if Jardine Matheson didn't move away, it would be devoured by Chinese businessmen, represented by Wang Dao, until nothing was left.

On the contrary, he didn't react much to Hutchison Whampoa being acquired by Wong Tao.

Hutchison Whampoa's major shareholders have long since fled back to Chongqing, and a significant portion of the shares are held by HSBC on their behalf.

Simon was worried that he couldn't escape.

Jardine Matheson was different from other foreign firms in that its core assets were all in Hong Kong.

Retreat is easier said than done.

Otherwise, just move the registered address out of Hong Kong.

Simon made a decision in secret.

"My lord, let's be frank. How do you intend to save HSBC?"

The Way of Kings is straightforward:
"From a business perspective, I don't care whether I have another bank under my control."

"But to be honest, you're asking me to save HSBC, and you're not even giving me a reward... isn't that a bit much?"

"Please relay this to the Governor: if you don't offer me sufficient benefits, don't even think about getting me to do anything!"

"Simon, you don't need to tell me anything else. I'm just asking you, if I want to save HSBC, does it require a real financial investment?"

"You must know how badly HSBC is behaving."

"The bribes from just the three ICAC commissioners amounted to nearly 100 million."

"What about the money Shen Daban made for herself? What about the money the HSBC board members made for themselves?" "Don't tell me they didn't make money!"

"Then I will really look down on you."

"Think about it, Shen Daban is just a senior teacher, would he dare to do this?"

"Are all those HSBC directors dead?"

Ximen suddenly realized:
"You want to audit the accounts? You want to settle accounts?"

Wang Dao countered with a question:
"Shouldn't it be?"

Simon was speechless for a moment, and could only say:

"I'll pass this on to the Governor later."

Wang Dao hung up the phone while cursing.

Shi Bao and Xu Zhengyang listened in disbelief as Wang Dao made the phone call.

"What kind of looks are those?" Wang Dao was very dissatisfied with the two men's expressions. They were just insulting foreigners, hadn't they seen it before?
Stone Leopard gave a thumbs up:

"Brother Dao, you're really sharp. You even dare to curse foreigners."

"But are you really going to acquire HSBC?"

Wang Dao shrugged:

"Of course, HSBC was bound to be acquired. Isn't this the kind of thing I've been doing all this time?"

"How much blood has HSBC sucked from our country over the past 100 years?"

"Should we let him keep inhaling?"

"I won't do that!"

Stone Leopard said worriedly:
"HSBC is a big bank, can they really do it?"

Wang Dao smiled and said:
"What I want is this century-old bank."

“Ah Bao, you don’t understand these things, so you don’t need to worry about them.”

"Alright, it's good that you're both here."

He pressed the bell on the table, and Wang Jianjun walked in.

"Jianjun, take Abao and Zhengyang and go deal with someone."

Wang Jianjun asked, puzzled:

"Do you need the three of us to go?"

Wang Dao's face was filled with murderous intent:
“Hung Hing’s Baji violated the triad rules and, according to the rules, should be punished with three cuts and six holes.”

“You go and deal with him.”

Wang Jianjun suddenly realized:
"The punishment hall is about to take action."

After Uncle Six retired, the position of head of the auditorium fell to Wang Dao. After discussing it with Jiang Tianyang, Liang Kun decided to establish a disciplinary hall outside the auditorium.

Like the auditorium, the positions in the punishment hall were supported by the community.

They are all internal.

The blame is placed on the scoundrels who break the family rules.

By the way, unless it's a large gang, you basically won't have these two branches.

Even large societies may not necessarily have two branches at the same time.

The reason is simple: no one is willing to serve as the head of these two halls.

Like the auditorium, it was a prestigious government office; its status was high enough, but the profits were meager.

Neither of these two branches had their own territory, which meant they had no income of their own and relied entirely on the organization for support.

How much support is provided depends entirely on how much the gang leader gives.

The punishment hall is a different case; it serves as an internal deterrent of force.

Those who join gangs are all scoundrels; to intimidate them, you need to be a top-tier fighter at the "Red Stick" level.

Then the problem is coming.

Since he's a master of the Red Pole (a high-ranking official position), why doesn't he just become a Fitman (a high-ranking official in the criminal justice system) instead of this bland and unremarkable head of the Punishment Hall?
It's important to understand that the punishment hall and the auditorium are not the same. In the auditorium, one gets along well with everyone, while in the punishment hall, one doesn't get along well with anyone.

The two bigwigs decided that Wang Dao would be the head of the Punishment Hall, since it would be difficult for the gang to find another person to fill the position.

The reason is very practical: no one in the organization really wants to be the head of the punishment hall.

That's the way of the king; he doesn't need to rely on the gang's business to make a living, and he has enough people to do the work.

Wang Dao doesn't attend club meetings, but he knows everything he needs to know.

“Baki has broken the rules of the underworld. Jianjun, you take Ah Bao and Zheng Yang and personally take action.”

"It'll also allow the two of them to make their mark in the martial arts world."

"No need to be too deliberate."

Wang Jianjun nodded: "I understand."

Wang Dao also said:

“Zhengyang will be my secretary from now on. You should mentor him. Once he can work independently, you can start taking care of your own things.”

Wang Jianjun was overjoyed:
"Brother Dao, I will teach Zhengyang as soon as possible."

Wang Dao thought for a moment and asked:
"How are our brothers' lodgings?"

Wang Jianjun glanced at Xu Zhengyang:
"There are still empty rooms in the brothers' building, but the 10,000-square-foot ones are all gone."

"Would two thousand feet be okay?"

Wang Dao clapped his hands and said:
"Zhengyang is my secretary, so he has to follow our rules too."

“Give him a two-thousand-square-foot apartment.”

After thinking for a moment, he took out a drawer, pulled out three stacks of large yellow oxen, and threw one stack to each of them.

"A-Bao and Zheng-Yang, here's your advance on your wages."

"Jianjun, the money in your hand is the reward for your three-person operation."

Shi Bao and Xu Zhengyang couldn't help but look at the money in their hands. This stack must have been worth over ten thousand.

Doesn't this include rewards?
Wang Jianjun smiled and said:
"Don't worry, brothers. With Brother Dao, rewards and punishments are always fair."

"When I first arrived, I also received an advance on my salary."

After hearing this, the two of them immediately calmed down.

Wang Jianjun smiled and said:
"You two, come with me."

Shi Bao and Xu Zhengyang naturally had no objections.

Wang Dao picked up the phone and called Han Bin:
"Binny, how's your business going?"

Han Bin complained:
"Ado, I just realized you're really good at ordering people around!"

"You just assigned me the task a few days ago, and you're already going to inspect my work?"

Wang Dao asked in bewilderment:
"It's just a supermarket, does it really need to take this long?"

Han Bin's eyes widened:
"Wait, do you think this job is quick?"

Wang Dao nodded:
"In my opinion, this job is very simple."

Han Bin was furious:
"How can this be simple?"

The kingly way disagrees:

"It's just conducting market research, what's so difficult about that?"

"First, you need to determine the price range of your supermarket."

Is it a luxury supermarket? A middle-class supermarket? Or a budget-friendly supermarket targeting lower-tier markets?

"Then go to the corresponding supermarket in Hong Kong, take a look at their layout, and see what products they have."

"Then let's look at which types of products sell best, which products make the most money, and which products are indispensable..."

"Isn't that simple?"

Han Bin was taken aback:
"It seems so."

Wang Dao asked in bewilderment:
"How did you conduct your investigation?"

Han Bin blushed:
"I'll just make a list based on what I have and don't have in my own home..."

The kingly way directly calls for talent:

"How lazy are you to move?"

"Boss, you're a product manager, not a dreamer."

"What kind of family do you have that allows you to bring the entire supermarket to your home?"

"How about this, let's call for your sister-in-law, women are more meticulous."

"Then, you go to the supermarket for a few days and do a good job of compiling statistics."

"Running a supermarket isn't that difficult."

Han Bin's heart pounded with anxiety:
“…Ado, I’m afraid I won’t do it well.”

Wang Dao sighed:

"Chain supermarkets are much easier to operate than the smuggling you used to do."

"This is such a simple thing."

Han Bin looked completely bewildered.
"Is it easy?"

The kingly way disagrees:

"How difficult could it be?"

Do you know what attracts supermarkets most to the lower-tier market?

Han Bin thought for a moment and asked:
"Daily necessities?"

Wang Dao angrily said:

Food!

To put it simply, it's about dishes and meat.

"If you do this well, you will attract customers here."

"Do you understand?"

"For a supermarket to succeed, foot traffic is the most important factor."

"As long as you have traffic, and other products are similar, it's hard not to succeed."

"Hurry up and take your sister-in-law to the supermarket!"

Han Bin asked:

Where do the ingredients come from?

Wang Dao laughed and said:

"Ah Bao is back."

"You should investigate this matter quickly, and tell Adao if anything is wrong."

"We are preparing to start investing in our hometown."

"As long as the supermarkets support us, the factories back home can be set up and started operating quickly."

Han Bin quickly agreed, realizing that it was unwise to sit at home and work in isolation.

Wang Daozhi shook his head, saying that even the wisest person can make a mistake.

Taking too long to think things through led to a bad move!
On the other side, Wang Jianjun brought Shi Bao and Xu Zhengyang to the seaside.

Chen Yao quickly went to greet him:

"Brother Jun."

Wang Jianjun introduced them to:

“Ah Bao, Dao Ge’s younger brother.”

"Xu Zhengyang, Dao Ge's secretary."

Chen Yao's pupils contracted. Had Brother Dao hired another secretary?
Wang Jianjun asked:
Where is Bucky?

(End of this chapter)