Rebirth of the Hong Kong Millennium Conglomerate

January 1972, 11

Morning light streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Repulse Bay villa, casting dappled shadows on the gleaming marble floor.

Zhang Zeyang held his bone china coffee cup, his gaze falling on the newspaper spread out beside him, the curve of his lips almost imperceptible.

The headline in the newspaper read: Hong Kong Land: Has acquired more than 51% of Dairy Farm International Holdings Limited, and the share swap acquisition is a sure thing.

A line of striking bold text sealed the final outcome of this months-long "bull market battle" that had shaken the entire Hong Kong capital market.

"As expected." Zhang Zeyang finished speaking, slowly stirring the coffee in his cup, his dark eyes showing no ripples. "From the very beginning, the course of this battle was already very clear."

Sitting opposite him, Zhang Lingyun was taking small bites of a croissant. Noticing her brother's expression, she couldn't help but curiously peek over and ask, "Brother, aren't you eating breakfast?"

"Eat, brother will eat now!" Zhang Zeyang said, putting down his newspaper and starting to eat breakfast with his sister.

The hands of time quietly swept through the day, steadily moving towards six o'clock in the evening.

The Landmark Tower, located in the heart of Central, is currently enveloped in a warm and grand atmosphere.

The central conference room on the top floor of the headquarters was brightly lit, with crystal chandeliers reflecting dazzling light, illuminating the entire space as if it were daytime.

Hundreds of black leather chairs were neatly arranged and all seats were occupied. Attendees at this press conference included not only all members of the board of directors of Hong Kong Land and its powerful major shareholders, but also a host of financial giants from Hong Kong and senior reporters from major newspapers.

Amidst the rustling of clothes and the clinking of glasses, the air was filled with the joy and clamor of a successful outcome.

Beside the podium at the front of the conference room, Henry Joseph was dressed in a well-tailored dark suit, his hair neatly combed.

He stood tall and straight in the crowd, with sharp eyes, exuding an air of self-satisfaction.

Beside him, Hong Kong Land's General Manager, Niu Bijian, was also beaming, nodding to his business associates around him from time to time, his smugness impossible to hide.

According to Henry Joseph's prior arrangements, this celebratory press conference was supposed to be a "showcase of victors and vanquished."

He personally extended an invitation to the board of directors of the Dairy Farm Company, whose list included Chairman Zhou Xinian, General Manager Ke Lin, as well as Hutchison International Chairman Qi Dezun, Defeng Chairman John Madden, and other key figures of the Dairy Farm Company.

In his view, the victors' glory should be highlighted by the presence of the losers at the end of this acquisition battle.

But as the clock ticked toward six o'clock, those invited figures never appeared at the meeting room door.

Henry Joseph's gaze swept casually over the row of empty seats, a barely perceptible sneer playing at the corners of his lips.

In his view, the absence of Zhou Xinian and others was nothing more than the dignity of the losers.

How can a defeated general dare to speak of bravery? He must be ashamed to face this jubilant celebration and can only hide in the shadows, alone to taste the bitter fruit of defeat.

"Distinguished guests, friends, thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend this press conference."

A loud voice came through the microphone and filled the entire conference room, instantly silencing the noisy atmosphere.

All eyes were on Henry Joseph, who had stepped onto the podium.

He stood under the spotlight, his face ruddy, his spirits high, and every gesture exuded confidence that he was in control of the situation.

The sound of reporters' camera shutters clicking incessantly, and the dazzling flashes of the spotlights, all captured his figure firmly.

Henry Joseph raised his hand to signal for silence, then took a deep breath and solemnly announced the final result of this capital war in a calm and powerful tone:

"In my capacity as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hong Kong Land Development, I solemnly announce to the entire city of Hong Kong that after months of effort, Hong Kong Land has successfully acquired Dairy Farm Company!"

As soon as he finished speaking, thunderous applause erupted in the conference room. Cheers and applause mingled together.

Henry Joseph smiled, raised his hand in acknowledgment, and waited for the applause to subside before continuing:

"You need not worry about the future of the Dairy Farm Company. I can promise that after the acquisition is completed, the original name of the Dairy Farm Company will be retained, and the business model that has been formed over decades will remain unchanged."

These words immediately sparked a murmur of discussion among the audience.

Henry Joseph smiled slightly and spoke again, dropping an even more unexpected message: "In addition, I want to emphasize one point again—I will give Mr. Zhou Xinian full respect and assurance that he will continue to serve as the chairman of the Milk Company."

These words were like a pebble thrown into a lake, instantly creating ripples in the audience.

The reporters' questions came like a tidal wave, and the sound of camera shutters clicking was as dense as a drumbeat.

Henry Joseph stood behind the podium, calmly accepting the congratulations and questions from the crowd, his smile growing ever brighter.

This months-long capital battle ultimately ended with Hong Kong Land emerging victorious.

On November 30, 1972, as dawn broke through the morning mist, Zhang Zeyang drove to Qiangu Securities Company. Unlike his usual routine inspections, his brows were furrowed with a solemn expression, and his steps were unusually hurried—he was there to plan a crucial matter.

The moment he stepped into his top-floor office, he immediately summoned Su Qing. As Su Qing strode in, Zhang Zeyang, without a word of pleasantries, went straight to the point and said in a deep voice, "Immediately select a group of reliable traders within the company who are technically skilled and of good character, and form a special task force." He paused, his gaze sharp as a blade, his tone becoming increasingly solemn, "Make sure to inform the selected individuals that for the next few months, they may need to be stationed at the company around the clock, with virtually no opportunity to leave."

Su Qing felt a chill run down her spine, instantly realizing that something big was about to happen. She immediately responded and turned around to quickly go and finalize the personnel selection.

After Su Qing's figure disappeared outside the door, Zhang Zeyang walked to the telephone behind his desk and steadily dialed a number. The first call was to the legal department of Qiangu Group. He said in a deep voice into the receiver, "Chen Mo, immediately draft a strict confidentiality agreement and send it to the securities company right away."

After hanging up the phone, he thought for a moment and then dialed the dedicated line of Qian Gu Security Company, his tone leaving no room for argument: "Dispatch a team of absolutely trustworthy core security personnel to be on standby at the securities company immediately, responsible for 24-hour duty here."

After putting down the microphone, Zhang Zeyang walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the bustling street below, his eyes deep and unfathomable.

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