Rebirth of the Hong Kong Millennium Conglomerate

Chapter 85 The Benefits of the Oil Crisis

Wu Guangzheng was well aware of his father-in-law's feelings at that moment, because he had also been involved in the entire initial collaboration.

As the son-in-law of Y.K. Pao and an important manager of the Worldwide Shipping Group, he was initially responsible for coordinating the crude oil transportation of the Qian Gu Group and was very familiar with the scale and cost of the Qian Gu Group's crude oil stockpiling.

He had also been puzzled by the actions of the Qian Gu Group, and even discussed it privately with his father-in-law, but neither of them could see through the mystery.

Looking back now, it seems that the Qian Gu Group's initial strategy was based on anticipating the outbreak of the oil crisis, allowing them to make a fortune by positioning themselves in advance.

"Father-in-law, I never expected that Mylis from the Qian Gu Group would have such a sharp eye." After a long silence, Wu Guangzheng finally broke the silence, his tone tinged with helplessness, "Who would have thought that a Middle East war would cause oil prices to rise so sharply?"

Bao Yugang sighed softly, put down the newspaper in his hand, looked out the window at the panoramic view of Hong Kong, and said with a sigh, "Yes, we underestimated him."

He paused, then continued, "Having worked in the business world for so many years and weathered countless storms, I believe my judgment isn't bad."

But this time, we missed such a huge opportunity. We personally transported that crude oil, personally helped with the procurement, and in the end, someone else made a fortune from it. It's almost laughable.

"It's not your fault, father-in-law," Wu Guangzheng comforted him. "Who could have predicted that a war would suddenly break out in the Middle East and that an oil embargo would be imposed? These are all factors beyond our control."

"That's true, but the opportunity was right in front of us, and we failed to seize it, which is a missed opportunity." Bao Yugang shook his head, a hint of resentment in his eyes.

"I never expected that Mylis from the Qian Gu Group could have such accurate predictions and decisive actions. I have to admire him!"

Wu Guang nodded, deeply agreeing. He looked at the newspaper article about Qian Gu Energy; perhaps this wasn't just a missed opportunity for wealth.

The Qian Gu Group has amassed a massive fortune through the oil crisis and is likely to expand into more sectors in the future, potentially having a profound impact on the business landscape of Hong Kong and even Asia.

And their Global Shipping Group may have more interactions with Qian Gu Group in the future.

Silence fell in the living room once more. The sun was still shining brightly, but a faint gloom hung over the hearts of Bao Yugang and Wu Guangzheng.

They knew that the wealth reshuffling triggered by the oil crisis had completely changed many things, and Qian Gu Group had firmly stood at the pinnacle of Hong Kong's business world thanks to this crisis.

Meanwhile, in the office building of Qiangu Energy, Myris stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of his office, looking at the endless stream of purchasing vehicles below, a satisfied smile on his face.

He had just received news that, in just one day, the company had signed preliminary procurement agreements with energy companies in five countries, with the order amount exceeding $10 billion.

He picked up the phone and dialed Zhang Zeyang's number: "Mr. Zhang, good news! Spot sales have started very smoothly. Buyers from all over the world are coming in droves, and orders are pouring in. Rest assured, we will complete the clearance as soon as possible and achieve maximum profit."

On the other end of the phone, Zhang Zeyang calmly replied, "Very good, Mylis. Keep up this pace and make sure everything goes smoothly."

After hanging up the phone, Zhang Zeyang stood at the window of his villa in Repulse Bay, gazing at Victoria Harbour in the distance.

He knew that with this wealth coming into his account, his business empire would have even greater room for development.

Time flies like an arrow; 40 days have passed since Qian Gu Energy Company began shipping its products.

When the last batch of crude oil was pulled out of the storage area, it meant that this project had finally come to a successful conclusion.

At this moment, in the top-floor conference room of the Qiangu Group, Mylis was reporting the results to Zhang Ze!

"Sir, as per your plan from a month ago, the last batch of crude oil has been sold as of today. The total revenue from this crude oil spot transaction has been calculated, amounting to HK$300 billion."

At this moment, the conference room fell into a brief silence.

Then Ma Shiming added: "Sir, the investment this time is about HK$120 billion, but the expenditure in the intermediate links is slightly higher than expected."

The largest expense was transoceanic transportation, which required leasing very large crude carriers and paying expedited shipping fees, totaling HK$9.2 million.

The temporary expansion and security costs for the warehouse center amounted to HK$3.8 million.

In addition, there were HK$4.5 million in tariffs and intermediary fees paid to circumvent trade barriers, and another HK$2.5 million in miscellaneous expenses including overtime pay for staff and equipment depreciation, bringing the total expenditure to HK$20 billion.

Zhang Zeyang sat upright in the main seat, his fingers lightly tapping the table, his gaze calmly sweeping over each piece of data on the report.

He didn't speak immediately. The net profit of HK$300 billion, after deducting HK$20 billion in various expenses, resulted in an actual net profit of HK$280 billion. Although this figure was less than the HK$340 billion net profit in the futures market, it was still an unexpected achievement for the asset-heavy and long-cycle trading model of spot trading.

"Very good." After a moment, Zhang Zeyang showed a relieved smile.

"A net profit of 280 billion, you have done an excellent job."

His gaze swept over everyone present, and his tone was full of praise: "Worthy of commendation."

"All deserved rewards will be given without exception. The group's outstanding performance in this spot trading is inseparable from the hard work of every participant. Now, I announce the bonus distribution plan for this event."

"Marys," Zhang Zeyang said, turning to his capable lieutenant, "in view of your core role in this project and your outstanding performance, you are hereby awarded HK$500 million."

"500 million? Thank you, Mr. Zhang—"

Zhang Zeyang smiled slightly and continued, "Ma Shiming, you are hereby rewarded with HKD 400 million."

Ma Shiming was no less excited than Mylis; he pushed up his glasses, his eyes slightly red.

"Next up are the department heads." Zhang Zeyang's gaze swept over the other department heads present in the conference room. "Each department played a crucial role in this project. Therefore, each department head who participated in this project will receive a reward of HKD 100 million."

As soon as he finished speaking, several department heads broke into bright smiles and stood up to thank Zhang Zeyang.

HK$100 million is a considerable sum for managers of their level, enough to maintain their standard of living.

Take another step up.

Just then, Zhang Zeyang changed the subject: "Lin Huimin, the group has mobilized a lot of manpower and resources for this project, with nearly 1000 employees from the group and its subsidiaries participating. Every task is inseparable from your overall planning and arrangements. I have seen all your efforts."

Lin Huimin felt a warmth in her heart, and her eyes instantly welled up with tears. She hadn't expected that her boss had noticed her performance.

"Therefore, your reward cannot be based on the standard for a regular department head. I have decided to award Lin Huimin HK$200 million in recognition of your contributions to the company."

"Two million?" Lin Huimin covered her mouth in surprise, then immediately said, "Thank you, Mr. Zhang. I—I will definitely work harder in the future and live up to your trust."

"Okay." Zhang Zeyang nodded, gesturing for her to sit down, and then continued announcing the remaining reward scheme, "In addition to core management personnel, all middle-level managers in the group who participated in this spot project will each receive a reward of HKD 50; grassroots employees, regardless of their position..."

Each person will be awarded HKD 10 based on their contribution.

In addition, to thank everyone for their hard work, the group will organize a week-long overseas vacation for all employees, with all expenses covered by the group.

The news was like a bombshell, instantly exploding in the conference room. The department heads present whispered among themselves, their faces filled with surprise and delight.

For middle managers, a bonus of HK$50 is already a generous reward, and adding a free overseas vacation makes it a double surprise.

For entry-level employees, a bonus of HK$10 is a considerable sum, enough to give their families a New Year's gift.

It's a huge surprise for everyone, not to mention the opportunity to travel abroad and relax.

"Mr. Zhang, isn't this reward a bit too high?" Ma Shiming hesitated for a moment, but couldn't help but ask. He roughly calculated that the total expenditure, including the bonus and the cost of the overseas vacation, would probably exceed HK$3 million.

Although this expenditure is not much compared to the group's net profit of 280 billion, such a large-scale reward is still extremely rare in the industry.

Zhang Zeyang smiled dismissively: "High? I don't think so. Shiming, think about it, no matter how much money we make, in the end we still have to rely on people to achieve it."

The Qian Gu Group's current scale is not due to my efforts alone, but rather the result of the collective hard work of every employee.

These bonuses seem like a lot, but compared to what Zhang Zeyang has earned, they are just a drop in the ocean.

Zhang Zeyang recalled that in his previous life, some companies would brainwash their employees and make empty promises to cultivate their loyalty.

But Zhang Zeyang thought all of that was nonsense. His employees were there to make money, so giving them money directly was the most reliable thing to do.

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