Chapter 583: Prize-Based Sales!

After the meeting, Li Yi didn’t go home!

Instead, under the protection of Zhang Ziqiang and the others, he took Sun Feng back to his office.

He knew full well that brute force could suppress the factory’s workers and managers for a time, but if the crisis at the TV factory remained unresolved, these people would never truly accept his authority from the bottom of their hearts.

So, ultimately, the key was to completely revitalize this rundown factory.

And the most urgent priority right now was to sell off the inventory, recoup funds, and resolve the factory’s financial crisis.

At that moment, inside the office, Jiang Longcheng and Long Zhanjun were sitting in their chairs, idly sipping tea.

When they saw Li Yi and Sun Feng push open the door and walk in, the two immediately stopped chatting.

“Brother-in-law, you’re finally done with your work. Can we head back to the city now?” Jiang Longcheng asked with a smile.

“Hold on a minute—I still have a few things to take care of!” Li Yi said.

“Then you go ahead. Dajun and I will go take a walk outside!”

Although Jiang Longcheng was a bit of a loose cannon, he came from a distinguished background and usually knew his place.

“No need. What’s coming up concerns your cotton mill too—you should listen in,” Li Yi said.

“What’s going on? How does it relate to our cotton mill?”

Li Yi didn’t answer his question. Instead, he and Sun Feng each pulled up a chair and sat across from Jiang Longcheng and Long Zhanjun.

With a small round table right in the middle of them, it felt a bit like a roundtable meeting.

After sitting down, Li Yi looked at Sun Feng and said, “I know you’re under a lot of pressure right now and very worried about product sales, so let me go over the plans for what’s next!”

Hearing this, Sun Feng and the others in the room instinctively sat up straight, pricked up their ears, and their expressions turned serious.

“I’ll approach the sales strategy for Yanjing TVs in two phases. The first step is to build brand awareness for Yanjing TVs. I’ve already mapped out the specific plan—it just needs to be put into action!”

However, Li Yi didn’t elaborate on the specifics. Instead, he continued, “The second step is to capitalize on the surge in Yanjing TV’s popularity and collaborate with the United Cotton Mill No. 2 to launch a large-scale promotional giveaway campaign!”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Jiang Longcheng asked curiously, “Brother-in-law, what’s a prize-based sales campaign?”

“As the name suggests, it means you buy my products and I give you a reward!”

Li Yi continued, “Take the Cotton Spinning Factory as an example. You can announce publicly that anyone who spends at least 100 yuan on clothes at a company-owned store gets one chance to enter a raffle. Prizes could be towels, soap, or clam oil—or they could be color TVs, refrigerators, or washing machines. And of course, they could be Yanjing-brand TVs!”

“But… our clothes only cost a few yuan each, while a TV costs at least three or four hundred yuan. Won’t we lose money on that?” Jiang Longcheng asked.

“How could we lose money? We control exactly how many prizes we give out. We can easily adjust the number of prizes based on our sales volume!”

Li Yi continued, “Besides, a prize-based sales campaign is sure to greatly stimulate people’s desire to spend. If sales go up, why would we worry about losing money?”

Li Yi had vivid memories of the prize-based sales campaigns that had swept the nation in his previous life, and he fully understood the effectiveness of such marketing strategies.

The trend of prize-based sales in China began in 1983–1984 and continued well into the 1990s.

During this period, various “prize-winning” campaigns attracted massive participation.

Whether selling clothes, home appliances, or even sunflower seeds, businesses would often organize large-scale prize-based sales, with extravagant prizes ranging from color TVs, refrigerators, and washing machines to even cars.

Later on, some people felt that prize-based sales were too troublesome and that the pace of raising funds was too slow, so they simply switched to games like “lotteries” and “scratch-off tickets.”

Whenever such events were held in a particular area, people from miles around—and even from neighboring counties and cities—would come to participate. Compared to these, welfare lotteries and sports lotteries paled in comparison.

In a sense, the entire 1980s could be described as the “prize-filled” era.

However, no one in China was doing this yet, and Li Yi intended to be the first to take the plunge.

Jiang Longcheng wasn’t entirely convinced about the prospects of prize-based sales, but Sun Feng was a different story. As a professional in sales, he quickly grasped the intricacies of the concept.

“If we really do this,” he exclaimed excitedly, “Feixue Apparel’s sales could at least double!”

“That impressive?” Jiang Longcheng asked in surprise.

“That’s just a conservative estimate. If the cotton mill is willing to invest heavily and offer more grand prizes in the early stages, the results will be even better!” Sun Feng said.

“If that’s the case, then it’s worth a try!”

Then, as if a light bulb had gone off, Jiang Longcheng immediately said, “So, our cotton mill runs this prize-based sales campaign using Yanjing-brand TVs as prizes. That means we’ll have to buy TVs from your factory, and then your TVs will sell—is that the idea?”

Li Yi smiled and said, “If I were counting on selling TVs that way, it would take ages to move 70,000 to 80,000 units!”

“I’d guess that for this promotional campaign, you’ll be giving away a hundred or so TVs at most—that’s the limit. It won’t have much of an impact on the TV factory’s sales!”

Jiang Longcheng asked in confusion, “If that’s the case, then why are you organizing this event, brother-in-law?”

“Heh, while your campaign won’t directly boost the TV factory’s sales by much, the prize giveaway can help elevate and solidify the reputation of Yanjing TVs. That’s a huge help for our future plans!” Li Yi said.

At present, Feixue Apparel has already established its brand value. In the minds of people across the country, Feixue Apparel is synonymous with high-end, sophisticated, and upscale.

By using Yanjing TV Factory’s products as the grand prize for Feixue Apparel’s sales campaign, people would instinctively perceive Yanjing TVs as high-end products as well.

Combined with Li Yi’s upcoming plan, this would undoubtedly create a synergistic effect where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

“Brother-in-law, what should we do now?” asked Jiang Longcheng.

“I’ll go over this promotional plan again shortly. When I’m done, take it back to An Hong and have her implement it immediately!”

“Alright, I’ll make the arrangements as soon as I get back and aim to roll this out within a week!” Jiang Longcheng said.

“That’s too late. We have three days at most!”

“Got it!”

Li Yi then turned to Sun Feng and said, “You can’t just sit around either. Start distributing the products to the areas where sales channels have already been established as soon as possible. At the same time, I’ll put together a new sales plan for your team—make sure to implement it right away!”

“Got it!”

Immediately, Li Yi asked the group to wait in Sun Feng’s office for a while, while he set to work on the promotional sales plans for the two factories.

By 3:00 p.m., when Li Yi emerged from his office, two complete plans were ready.

Everything was now in place; all that was missing was the final push…

………

Yanjing Television Factory. Conference Room!

Same location, same factory executives in attendance, but everyone’s mood was completely different.

The factory leaders, who had been summoned to the meeting at the last minute by the factory office secretary, were already in a gloomy mood. They held meetings every day without resolving a single substantive issue; in their view, such meetings were a complete waste of time.

However, when they walked into the conference room today and saw Li Yi seated at the head of the table, everyone was taken aback.

For no apparent reason, it was as if everyone had found a pillar of strength!

Especially Sun Feng—he’d been living in constant fear and anxiety lately!

After all, hundreds of thousands of yuan had been poured into the project. If Li Yi’s follow-up plans fell short, the consequences would be truly unimaginable.

Not to mention whether he, having served as deputy plant manager for just 20 days, would be fired—the most serious issue was that, having caused such massive losses to the plant, he might even face criminal charges from higher-ups.

Fortunately, Li Yi had finally returned. Knowing him as he did, Sun Feng was certain that something earth-shattering was about to happen!

At this thought, Sun Feng’s eyes brimmed with anticipation!

Soon, every empty seat in the conference room was filled.

Li Yi scanned the room. Seeing that nearly all the factory’s senior and junior leaders were present, he said, “Since everyone’s here, let’s get started!”

At these words, everyone in the conference room instinctively sat up straight.

Although Li Yi had only presided over a few meetings with them before, these factory leaders were well aware of his management style and knew he had no patience for those who were lackluster or lackadaisical.

“Director Jiang, as the head of the factory, please give us a brief overview of the factory’s current situation.”

“Um… everything at the factory is running smoothly. Since resuming operations, the production department has been running non-stop for 22 days, producing a total of over 6,600 televisions. Currently, our inventory of televisions has reached 71,400 units!”

Then Director Jiang continued, “Additionally, the factory took out a 1 million yuan loan from the bank, but currently, less than 300,000 yuan remains. Aside from a portion used to pay suppliers, the rest has all been squandered by the sales department…”

Before he had even finished speaking, Li Yi turned to Sun Feng, who was sitting nearby, and asked, “Deputy Plant Manager Sun, have your sales expenses amounted to 400,000 yuan during this period?”

At this, everyone in the conference room instinctively turned to look at Sun Feng, some with a hint of schadenfreude in their eyes.

Sun Feng, however, replied calmly, “More or less. To be precise, we spent 364,200 yuan!”

“Smack!”

Li Yi slammed his fist down on the table in front of him and shouted angrily, “This is outrageous!”

Just as everyone expected Li Yi to harshly reprimand Sun Feng for reckless spending, his next words left them completely baffled.

“Deputy Plant Manager Sun, didn’t I tell your sales department to expand sales channels at all costs when I left? How come, after more than twenty days, you’ve only spent this little on sales expenses? Isn’t this a complete farce?”

Plant Manager Jiang: …%￥#￥

Deputy Plant Manager Gao: &……%￥

Director Yang: &……%￥

Sun Feng, however, felt a great sense of relief. He grinned and said, “It’s not that we’re unwilling to invest more, but with the help from the Second National Cotton Mill, the costs of building our sales channels have been far lower than we expected.”

“Secondly, our factory’s finance department is keeping a really tight grip on our sales budget. We simply can’t get approved for any more funds! Even for this expenditure of less than 400,000 yuan, they’re holding us to account and demanding explanations every single day!”

As soon as Li Yi heard this, he knew exactly what was going on and immediately turned to the finance section chief standing nearby.

“Have you forgotten everything I told you before I left?”

“I…”

The finance director looked up at Factory Director Jiang beside him. Seeing him remain silent, he was instantly overcome with anger.

But he knew that at this moment, he couldn’t say a word; he could only lower his head and prepare to silently bear the brunt of Li Yi’s anger.

However, Li Yi didn’t dwell on the matter any further.

Instead, he changed the subject and asked Sun Feng, “How’s the channel development going in your sales department?”

Sun Feng replied immediately, “We’ve fully established sales channels in all 10 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions in the north. Now all that’s left is to stock the shelves, but…”

“But what?”

“But these provinces all have their own TV manufacturers. Our products don’t have a clear advantage over theirs, so even with established sales channels, it will be difficult to boost sales,” Sun Feng explained.

No sooner had he finished speaking than a factory executive chimed in, “That’s right. Although our sales increased by over 500 units this month, compared to the more than 300,000 yuan we spent on sales expenses, we’re essentially losing money just to make a splash!”

“You’ll find out soon enough if it’s just a money-losing publicity stunt!”

Li Yi then spoke up again: “Let me reiterate: establishing new sales channels was my decision. No matter who has any objections, keep them to yourselves!”

“If anyone dares to blab about this in the future—or worse, try to strangle the sales department—get ready to pack your bags and get the hell out!”

“Whoa!”

Everyone present was startled by Li Yi’s sharp, domineering words. He really dared to speak like that—anyone unaware might think he was the factory director!

Yet no one dared to ignore Li Yi’s words. Although the factory hadn’t yet turned a profit, Li Yi had already demonstrated his immense influence.

Whether it was securing funds from the district government or securing a million-yuan loan from Banbanhaobang Bank, those were feats beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Before Li Yi stepped in, the factory had tried to save itself, but the district government was powerless to help, and the banks wouldn’t dare lend to them.

Yet Li Yi had secured over 1.1 million yuan for the factory with just a single intervention. Who would believe he had no backing?

Having intimidated the factory leadership, Li Yi spoke again: “Deputy Factory Director Sun, starting immediately, begin distributing the goods through all available channels. You have three days to transport all 70,000 televisions from the warehouse to the various sales points. Can you do that?”

“We can do it, but how will the inventory be allocated?” Sun Feng asked.

“Prioritize the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region first, then distribute the rest evenly!”

“Alright, we’ll get the job done!”

Li Yi nodded and continued, “Director Jiang, effective immediately, all employees and management at the TV factory are to cancel all leave. The factory premises will be placed under full lockdown. Without my orders, no one except sales department personnel is permitted to leave. Can you handle that?”

“Well…”

“If you can’t do it, just say so. I’ll find someone who can to take your place!” Li Yi said calmly.

“I… I can do it. It’s just that the duration of this lockdown is so long—I’m afraid it might be too long…”

“Two weeks!”

Factory Director Jiang immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Two weeks wasn’t a long time; the employees should be able to understand. If it were any longer, it would truly be difficult to manage.

“During these two weeks, you must step up production. By early next month, you must produce at least ten thousand televisions!”

“Yes, sir!”

Li Yi then looked around and said loudly, “Comrades, we’ve nearly finished establishing sales channels and ramping up production. As for how to sell the products we produce, I’ll personally take charge of that—you needn’t worry.”

“I don’t expect you to be of great help, but I do hope you’ll cooperate with the factory’s decisions and not hold us back. Can you do that?”

“We can!” the crowd replied in unison!

“Good. Whether the factory can break through this crisis and soar to new heights depends on this final push. Dismissed!”

………

On the morning of September 22, Li Yi left Hong Kong Island in grand style, seen off by Li Fuzhao, Huang Lixing, and others!

Learning that Li Yi, the “Killing God,” had finally left, many people in Hong Kong Island breathed a sigh of relief.

In just 20 short days, this young man had once again demonstrated his terrifying business acumen through a series of strategic moves.

It was as if only yesterday that Li Yi had just returned to Hong Kong Island, and almost everyone had assumed that a fierce battle would erupt between Starry Sky Company, controlled by Li Yi, and the Blue Dragon Society, controlled by Ma Biao.

The members of these wealthy, established families had all taken their seats, ready to watch the show.

But to everyone’s surprise, he completely ignored Ma Biao—that two-faced traitor—and instead set his sights directly on the Lai family, whose assets were worth 2 billion.

Backed by a British-owned conglomerate, the Lai family proved utterly helpless against Li Yi, collapsing in just two rounds.

The Li family clearly had all the advantages—timing, location, and support—yet they suffered a crushing defeat, catching everyone completely off guard.

What was most astonishing was that even though Li Yi’s side had clearly cornered the Li family, they ultimately chose to spare them.

Last night, when news broke that the Li family and Starry Sky Company had purchased Longheng Bank’s shares and all seven real estate projects from the Li family at rock-bottom prices, the heads of all the major clans were stunned. It seemed the Li family had successfully cut their losses to survive, and the two sides had reached a settlement.

But immediately afterward, this morning, numerous newspapers published the latest statement from Li Jiuying, the head of the Li family. Not only did he publicly announce a break with the Yingzi Group, but he also detailed the misdeeds of several Yingzi Group heavyweights in the papers, causing a massive sensation.

Anyone with eyes could see right away that this wasn’t a reconciliation between the Li family and Star Company—it was clear that the Li family had completely sided with Star Company.

However, when everyone saw Li Jiuying’s public exposure of the British Capital Group’s actions in this matter, they were all shocked by the group’s shamelessness.

Sending agents to turn Ma Biao against Huang Lixing was already despicable enough. Yet, when the Li family was teetering on the brink after Li Yi’s counterattack, instead of offering a helping hand, they chose to kick them while they were down, attempting to completely swallow up the Li family’s assets.

Overnight, public sentiment toward the Yingzi Group in Hong Kong plummeted, and the group’s reputation suffered severe damage.

The consequences might not be immediately apparent, but nearly all the prominent clans and families could see that the British-owned conglomerate had suffered a crushing defeat in its clash with Li Yi.

As for the Chinese-owned enterprises and families that had long been dependent on the British-owned conglomerate, after reading Li Jiuying’s accusations and condemnation of the conglomerate, they all quietly adjusted their own strategies.

As the saying goes, “When the birds are gone, the bow is hidden; when the hare is dead, the hound is cooked.” No one wants to be that bow or that hound!

Overnight, the situation on Hong Kong Island was quietly shifting!

Although these changes were not very obvious, their impact was profound…

……..

Beijing. Airport!

As Li Yi walked out of the terminal building, flanked by Zhang Ziqiang, Zhou Wen, Yang Zhiwen, and Guo Jianjun, he spotted Jiang Longcheng and Long Zhanjun waiting for him at the entrance from a distance—truly a scene of brothers-in-law and uncles-in-law all there to greet him.

Upon seeing Li Yi and his party, Jiang Longcheng immediately waved and called out, “Brother-in-law, over here!”

Seeing this, Li Yi immediately led his group over to greet them!

After a brief exchange of greetings, they all got into the cars.

Li Yi shared a car with Jiang Longcheng, Long Zhanjun, and Zhang Ziqiang, while the rest—including Zhou Wen—took another.

Once in the car, Jiang Longcheng couldn’t help but say, “Brother-in-law, you’ve finally made it back. That old guy Sun Feng has been bombarding me with calls these past few days—at least five a day. It’s driving me crazy!”

“Haha, looks like he’s getting anxious!”

“How could he not be anxious? I heard from that guy that the workers at the TV factory are getting restless again. If you don’t come back soon, they might cause trouble again!” Lu Zhengjun said.

“In that case, let’s not go back to the city—we’ll head straight to the TV factory!” Li Yi said.

“You’re really not coming back? I had a welcome dinner all set up for you,” Jiang Longcheng said.

“Dinner can wait. Let’s take care of the important business first!”

“Alright then!”

With that, Jiang Longcheng spun the wheel, made a sharp right turn, and the car sped toward the Yanjing TV Factory in the distance.

While they were still some distance from the Yanjing TV Factory, Li Yi turned to Jiang Longcheng and asked again, “Third Brother, how’s your factory doing these days?”

“What do you mean, ‘how’? Profits?”

“Exactly. Don’t forget, I’ve got a 20 million yuan profit bet with you guys!” Li Yi said.

“Hehe, as of mid-month, our National Cotton Mill No. 2 has reached 48 million yuan in sales and 30 million yuan in profits. That bet was settled long ago!” Jiang Longcheng said with a smile.

“That puts my mind at ease. But you still can’t let up. You need to keep expanding your sales channels. While we don’t necessarily need a store in every county, we must have flagship stores in every prefecture, autonomous prefecture, and regional administrative center!”

Li Yi was well aware that the current years marked the peak of the domestic ready-to-wear apparel industry’s growth. If they seized this opportunity, State Cotton Mill No. 2 could very well become a leading enterprise in the domestic clothing sector.

With this track record, whether Jiang Longcheng chose to stay at the cotton mill or advance further, the benefits would be immense!

“Don’t worry, brother-in-law. We’re proceeding exactly according to the plan you laid out. Just this month alone, we’ve opened 15 branches in the coastal regions, and our sales channels in the Northwest and Northeast are expanding rapidly as well!”

“Mm-hmm!”

Li Yi then turned to Long Zhanjun in the passenger seat and asked, “Third Brother-in-Law, how’s business at the store been lately?”

“It’s just as booming as ever!”

“Can you guys keep up with the workload?”

“It’s manageable. I called Ni Qun and the others over from Yong County and had them quietly rotate shifts with Dongzi’s team. This way, Dongzi’s team can get some proper rest, and at the same time, we’re training Ni Qun and the others—it’s working out pretty well!” Lu Zhengjun replied.

“How are the preparations for the branch store coming along?” Li Yi asked again.

“We’ve found two locations that look promising, but I’ll need you to give the final approval!” Long Zhanjun said.

“Where are they?”

“One is near Dong’an Market, and the other is right next to Jingcheng University!”

“Those two locations sound decent. If the properties are suitable for a restaurant, I don’t think there’ll be any major issues!”

“The properties are just average, though. We’ll need to renovate them. We’ll discuss the specifics once you’ve seen them,” said Long Zhanjun.

“Alright!”

Just then, Long Zhanjun suddenly asked, “Bro-in-law, do you have any other money-making leads? Let me in on them too!”

“What’s up? Short on cash?”

“You bet. I used to be able to get some expenses reimbursed through work, but I don’t know what Grandpa was thinking—he suddenly called the whole family to the old house for a meeting a while back!”

Jiang Longcheng continued, sounding a bit frustrated, “It’s one thing to call a meeting, but he also issued a strict order to everyone: we’re absolutely forbidden from asking our workplaces for money. If anyone is caught touching money they shouldn’t, they’ll be kicked out of the Jiang family immediately!”

Hearing this, Li Yi couldn’t help but nod.

Old Jiang really knows his stuff. When it comes to money and power, the old man sees things very clearly.

With that order in place, while he couldn’t guarantee the Jiang family’s young members would never cause trouble, the likelihood was far lower than in other families.

With that in mind, Li Yi said, “Let’s put making money on hold for now. I’ll think it over later, but there’s something I need your help with!”

“What is it?”

“Help me get in touch with that friend of yours who works at the newspaper. If you have any connections at the TV station too, that would be even better!”

“Sure, I’ll get in touch with them later!”

“Hmm…”

As they spoke, the car turned onto the internal road of the Yanjing Television Factory, and the factory gates loomed ahead…

………

Beijing. Yanjing Television Factory!

In early autumn, the leaves of the vast maple groves in Yanjiao had turned red. From a distance, the mountains and fields were a sea of fiery red, as if ablaze.

But not far from the foot of the mountain, the television factory presented a different scene. The mood among the factory’s many workers and managers was gloomy, with worried expressions on everyone’s faces.

Although the factory was still filled with the roar of machinery and everyone was swamped with work, the place appeared peaceful and bustling.

But no one knew how much longer this could last—ten days… half a month… or a month?

Almost all the workers and managers knew that the televisions produced at the factory weren’t being sold once they rolled off the assembly line; instead, they were all being sent to the large warehouse.

Compared to last month, the factory’s sales figures had improved slightly, but only from 3,000 units to 3,500.

A mere increase of 500 units—not even a day’s worth of production.

For a factory of this size, it was practically insignificant.

More importantly, everyone now knows that the month’s wages the factory paid them were allocated by the district government.

Furthermore, the factory has taken out a massive loan of 1 million from the bank.

In other words, not only have the problems not been resolved, but the factory’s debt has actually increased.

What everyone finds most unacceptable is that the guy who kept promising to solve their problems only showed up once on the day the workers protested, and hasn’t been seen since.

As a result, every employee and manager at Yanjing Television Factory is seething with frustration.

It’s like a massive powder keg, ready to explode at any moment.

In the factory office conference room, several factory leaders were in a meeting!

Seated at the head of the table, Plant Manager Jiang—who had recently returned to the factory after recovering from his injuries—glanced at the “newcomer” Sun Feng sitting below him, then frowned and asked, “Deputy Plant Manager Sun, haven’t you been able to get in touch with Consultant Li yet?”

“No. I spoke with Director Jiang from the Second National Cotton Mill. He said Consultant Li is busy with other matters and is currently unavailable,” Sun Feng replied calmly.

“What are we going to do then? There are only about ten days left until the deadline we agreed upon with the Electronics Factory and the other units. If Consultant Li still hasn’t returned by then, we won’t be able to explain ourselves to anyone!” Director Jiang said gravely.

“I trust Consultant Li. Since he said he’d resolve the issue within a month, I’m sure it’ll be fine!” Sun Feng replied.

“What good is your trust? If something goes wrong, they won’t be coming after you, the deputy plant manager!” Plant Manager Jiang said bluntly.

Factory Director Jiang was thoroughly dissatisfied with this newly appointed executive.

“By the way, I heard from the finance department that your sales division spent 400,000 yuan in just 20 days. Where did all that money go? Don’t you owe the factory an explanation?”

Sun Feng frowned and said, “Director Jiang, what do you mean by that?”

“I don’t mean anything by it. You’ve squandered 400,000 yuan without any clear explanation. This factory has a right to know where that money went,” Director Jiang said coldly.

Sun Feng suppressed his anger and said, “What do you mean ‘squandered’? We used that money to expand our sales channels. If Director Jiang has any doubts, he’s more than welcome to have someone audit the books.”

“But I must warn you: I’ve noticed that the production department’s efficiency hasn’t been very high these past few days. If this causes a delay in Consultant Li’s production schedule, I think he’ll hold you accountable!”

“You…”

Before the other man could even open his mouth to explode, Sun Feng stood up abruptly and strode out of the conference room!

As soon as he stepped out the door, he heard the sound of cups shattering inside, followed immediately by Director Jiang’s furious roar.

Sun Feng didn’t look back; he just let out a long sigh and headed downstairs!

Although he had been firm just now, Li Yi’s continued absence still left Sun Feng feeling a bit uneasy.

After all, Li Yi had promised the factory’s staff and management that he would resolve the matter within a month, and he had also told the upstream suppliers that payment would be made in a month’s time.

But twenty days had already passed, and he still hadn’t taken any further action, which made Sun Feng quite worried.

Sun Feng didn’t doubt Li Yi’s capabilities, after all, he had witnessed firsthand how Li Yi had transformed the Second National Cotton Mill—a factory with a completely ruined reputation—into the most profitable factory in the Beijing area.

That extraordinary marketing skill was truly a sight to behold, and on top of that, he had casually revived the candy factory. The TV factory was in far better shape than those two plants, so there was no reason he couldn’t turn it around.

Most likely, he was currently held up by some other matter and had no time to attend to this.

He feared that by the time Li Yi returned, the one-month deadline would have passed. By then, the factory would be beset by internal and external crises, and implementing the subsequent plans would likely be fraught with difficulties!

But with things having come to this, there was nothing he could do. He could only pray to heaven that Li Yi would return as soon as possible to take charge—otherwise, the Beijing TV Factory would truly descend into chaos!

……….

Hong Kong!

Whether it was in response to Sun Feng’s prayers or not, Li Yi was indeed preparing to return.

The matter with the Lai family had only just been resolved, and with his brother-in-law and the others having just arrived in Hong Kong, there were still some matters he needed to settle.

Otherwise, even if he went back, he wouldn’t be able to rest easy.

Fortunately, things went relatively smoothly from there!

On the evening of September 21, Huang Lixing personally led a team to Wan Chai Pier to meet with Mr. Jiang of the Qinglong Society.

After a round of “friendly” negotiations, Mr. Jiang not only agreed to return all of Old Huang’s assets but also decided to retire from the underworld, handing over the Blue Dragon Society’s entire organization and assets to Old Huang to manage!

Upon hearing the news, Li Yi nodded in satisfaction!

The other side was quite reasonable, which spared them the need to resort to force.

As for the Wan Chai Pier, Li Yi was determined to secure it.

It wasn’t that he truly wanted to get involved in the underworld business on Hong Kong Island; to be honest, he didn’t really care about the Blue Dragon Society’s shady operations.

With all the investment opportunities swirling in his mind—where a few simple moves could yield tens of millions or even hundreds of millions in profits—why would he dirty his hands with those harmful enterprises?

However, the smuggling fleet under Old Huang’s control held immense significance for Li Yi—and even played a crucial role for the nation. To put it plainly, just transporting the money he earned for the country back home required Old Huang’s fleet.

Similarly, when it came to procuring equipment and technology in short supply domestically, Old Huang’s fleet was the only viable option.

Therefore, control of the Wan Chai Pier—the only place where the fleet could dock—had to remain firmly in his hands.

Shortly after news broke that Old Huang had reclaimed the Wan Chai Pier, the Li family also received good news.

Through their secret operations, they successfully acquired 16% of the shares held by other shareholders of Longheng Bank.

In addition, they acquired 11% of the floating shares through the stock market. Combined with the Lai family’s 42% stake, the Li family now held a total of 69% of Longheng Bank, securing a controlling interest.

With this, they would be able to successfully convene a shareholders’ meeting and restructure the board of directors.

At that time, leveraging their massive 69% stake and the “capital” used to resolve the Li family’s 1 billion yuan in bad debt, the Li family would be able to directly secure the position of Chairman of the Board, thereby gaining complete control over Longheng Bank.

Upon hearing this news, Li Yi realized that matters here could be temporarily put to rest, and that it was time for him to return.

So he said his goodbyes to Huang Lixing and Li Futiao, then prepared to set off on his journey back north!

…….

“Sir!”

After uttering those two words, Li Jiuying couldn’t help but let out a long sigh; clearly, this name held special significance in his heart!

Meanwhile, Li Futao and Huang Lixing, standing nearby, turned pale upon hearing the name, while only Li Yi remained composed, his expression unchanged.

“Who exactly is this ‘Sir’?”

“His name is Anluns. He’s the head of the British-owned conglomerate in Hong Kong. His status is higher than that of an ordinary company executive; to a certain extent, he holds even more power than the Governor!” Li Jiuying explained.

Li Yi furrowed his brow and said, “We don’t seem to know this man. Why would he come after us?”

“Because the Governor’s daughter is the Sir’s son’s fiancée. Since Miss Su Li was humiliated by you, the Sir naturally has to avenge his future daughter-in-law, so…”

Before she could finish, Li Yi said calmly, “If it were merely because of that, they wouldn’t have gone to such extremes. It seems those foreigners are trying to test my background and connections!”

Hearing this, everyone present fell silent—including Li Jiuying!

“Apart from you, was anyone else involved in this?” Li Yi asked.

“I’m not entirely sure about that, but the person who contacted me initially was a senior executive from Jardine Matheson, and the Duke also reached out to me personally afterward!” Li Jiuying replied.

“Alright, I see.”

At that moment, Li Jiuying suddenly looked at Li Yi and asked, “Mr. Li, do you plan to continue handling this matter?”

“That’s none of your concern!”

Li Yi then added, “Although we’re letting you off the hook this time and didn’t stop your family from leaving Hong Kong, that doesn’t mean the Li family will be forgiven.”

“Mr. Li… you…”

“Rest assured, I said I’d let you off the hook, so I won’t hold this against you. But whether the Li family survives depends entirely on your future conduct!”

Li Jiuying was a shrewd man. He understood why Li Yi and his men had spared him when the odds were heavily in their favor—it was to make him a thorn in the side of the British-owned conglomerates, and to set an example for certain wavering factions.

If he could pull this off, he could turn the extremely unfavorable situation around—at the very least, he wouldn’t be fighting on two fronts like he was now.

Besides, this was exactly what he wanted to do!

As expected, once word got out that he’d sold most of his assets to Li Yi and his group, the British-funded conglomerate would come after him with everything they had.

Rather than sitting idly by and waiting for the end, he might as well strike back—at worst, it would be a case of “sink or swim”!

With that in mind, he immediately said solemnly, “Mr. Li, please rest assured—I know exactly what to do!”

Just then, Li Yunbao finished reviewing the documents.

After confirming there were no issues, the HK$1 billion transaction was quickly finalized under the supervision of both parties’ lawyers.

However, after signing the agreement, Li Jiuying didn’t receive a single cent; the two parties simply signed another agreement.

The terms stipulated that the Li family would assume the Li family’s 1 billion debt to Longheng Bank. With this agreement in place, the massive debt to Longheng Bank would no longer be the Li family’s responsibility.

The reason for this arrangement was primarily the concern that Li Jiuying might abscond immediately after receiving the money.

Given the Lai family’s current predicament and Lai Jiuying’s audacity, it was entirely possible that he would do just that if he actually received the HK$1 billion.

If that were to happen, the Li family’s shares in Longheng Bank would become a hot potato, and they might even have to inject massive amounts of capital again to revive the bank.

But with this agreement in place, there’s no need to worry about any of that. When the time comes, the Li family will simply take their shares and bring 1 billion in cash to take over Longheng Bank—essentially joining the board with capital in hand. Who would dare to complain then?

Although Li Jiuying felt deeply resentful, the situation had reached this point, and he had no choice but to swallow his pride.

The greatest dignity of an adult is understanding the situation—knowing that if you’ve done something wrong, you must accept the consequences!

Since the Li family’s acquisition of the other shareholders was still underway, Li Futiao requested that this transaction between the two parties remain confidential for the time being; it wouldn’t be too late to announce it once the Li family had secured all the major and minor shareholders of Longheng Bank.

Li Jiuying, however, already harbored a deep-seated hatred for the British Capital Group and was only too happy to see them get what was coming to them, so he readily agreed.

After the deal was finalized, Li Jiuying had no desire to linger and immediately left Cloud Peak No. 1!

Watching Li Jiuying’s receding figure, Li Futao took a deep breath and said, “I can’t help but feel like I’ve let a tiger back into the wild!”

“Are you afraid?” Li Yi asked with a smile.

“I’m not exactly afraid, but I just can’t shake this uneasy feeling!”

At that moment, Li Yi interjected, “We could have easily crushed him with a single blow, but now we’ve let him go. We’ll have to put up with him running around right under our noses, and we’ll have to watch out for him turning on us. It’s a bit unsettling and frustrating—is that how you feel?”

“Exactly. Since things have come to this, we might as well uproot the problem completely!” Li Fu said.

Li Yi, however, gave a faint smile and said, “Old Li, if we really did that, those foreigners at the British Capital Group would thank our ancestors for eight generations. They’d be more than happy to see that ‘blemish’ Li Jiuying disappear immediately!”

“You have to understand: the enemy of my enemy is my friend. When the enemy is strong and we are weak, we must unite every force we can. Only then can we defeat a powerful foe.”

Li Futiao shook his head and said, “With the Li family’s meager strength, even if we could use them, it wouldn’t be of much help!”

“One Li family isn’t much, but what about ten Li families? Or even a hundred?”

Li Yi continued, “As I said earlier, the Li family is currently a stain on the British-owned conglomerate—and at the same time, a cautionary example of those willing to work themselves to the bone for the conglomerate.”

“After this battle, I think anyone with half a brain will consider whether it’s worth it. As long as they don’t want to end up as miserably as the Li family, they’ll have to think about leaving themselves an escape route. The British-funded Group, which was never a monolithic bloc to begin with, will soon crumble into a pile of loose sand. By then, whether it’s Jardine Matheson or that worthless ‘Journeyman,’ they’ll all be nothing but worthless trash!”

“You’re thinking of taking action against the ‘Jarl’?” Li Futao frowned.

“Is that not allowed?”

“It’s possible, but as far as I know, the ‘Jarl’ isn’t just the head of British-owned conglomerates like Jardine Matheson and Swire; he’s also connected to John and the major financial groups on the ‘Thief Eagle’ side. It won’t be easy to shake his foundations!”

“Hah, just because it’s hard to shake doesn’t mean it can’t be done. Just because we can’t do it now doesn’t mean we can’t do it later!”

Li Yi continued, “In any case, I, Li Yi, am not in the habit of taking a beating without fighting back. I never have, and I never will!”

“What do you need me to do?”

Li Yi thought for a moment and said, “I know your Li family wields considerable influence in Hong Kong’s political circles. Help me and Old Huang weather some of the official pressure—don’t have people coming to investigate this and that at the drop of a hat. It’s a pain!”

“No problem!”

“Also, help me look into that damn ‘Journeyman.’ First, find out what his core business—or his family’s core business—is. Second, figure out who his connections are. No need to dig too deep; just get a general idea!”

As the saying goes, “Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will never be defeated.” Li Yi never fought battles he wasn’t sure he could win. Before taking action, he would study his opponents repeatedly until he uncovered their fatal weaknesses.

Of course, weaklings like Ma Biao and Li Jiuying were a different story—in Li Yi’s eyes, they were nothing but gaping holes and weaknesses!

“Alright, leave it to me. I’ll let you know as soon as I have any news!”

“Mm…”

……….

At the foot of Taiping Mountain, an ordinary sedan was climbing the winding mountain road!

Inside the car, Li Jiuying stared out the window with a grave expression, looking deeply troubled.

Just half an hour ago, he had received a call from Li Yunbao, the eldest son of the Li family. The other party said that Mr. Li from Starry Sky Company had agreed to meet him.

However, the caller had instructed him to bring a lawyer along, as well as the share certificates for Longheng Bank and the relevant property titles for those real estate projects.

The implication was clear: they intended to finalize the property transfer at the same time!

Although he was reluctant, Li Jiuying knew this was the only hope left for him and the Li family!

Fortunately, the other party had no intention of completely destroying them. Although they had taken the vast majority of the Li family’s assets, they had also agreed to offer 1 billion yuan.

More importantly, they had left the Li family’s most valuable gold shops in his possession.

As long as these gold shops remained, Li Jiuying believed that with his own abilities, he would surely be able to make a comeback.

When that time came, whether it was those bastards at the British Capital Group or that big shot, he wouldn’t let them off the hook.

However, just as Li Jiuying was seething with indignation, the car suddenly came to a stop.

Immediately, several security guards approached, demanding they show their passes; otherwise, they would not be allowed into the gated community.

Liao Yong, in the driver’s seat, immediately rolled down the window and shouted angrily, “Open your dog eyes! The man in the car is Mr. Li of the Li family. We are…”

“Da Yong, don’t say another word!”

Li Jiuying then leaned out and said, “We were invited by Mr. Li Yi of Cloud Peak No. 1. You can call and verify it!”

One of the security captains looked at Li Jiuying, then at the ordinary Mazda, and said, “Please wait a moment. I’ll call Mr. Li right away!”

After some back-and-forth, Li Jiuying and the others were finally let in, but everyone in the car felt a sense of frustration.

“Boss, why didn’t you give those snobbish bastards a good scolding just now…”

Li Jiuying replied calmly, “We’ve already lost the right to demand their respect. In their eyes, I, Li Jiuying, am nothing more than a stray dog. They don’t care about making life difficult for someone like me—a former man of influence—within the bounds of their authority!”

“Hmph, I’ll make them pay for this someday!” Liao Yong said, suppressing his inner rage.

“Enough. The waters are too deep and the winds too strong. Without real power, keep your mouth shut—silence is best!” Li Jiuying said calmly.

In the past, Li Jiuying had relied on his smooth sailing in the business world, and others were happy to flatter him, addressing him as “Mr. Li,” “Lord Li,” or “Ninth Master.” As a result, full of confidence, he had come to see himself as a big shot, his ego swelling to unbearable proportions.

But now that the Li family faced a life-or-death crisis, when he called his former friends and brothers for help, one after another, they made excuses and brushed him off, their dismissive attitudes painfully obvious.

Some didn’t even bother with the pretense of politeness; their cold, dismissive attitudes made it painfully clear they wanted nothing to do with him.

And some were even more despicable—not only did they refuse to help, but they actually kicked him while he was down.

If it weren’t for those bastards stabbing him in the back, the Li family’s situation, though difficult, wouldn’t have been driven to the brink of ruin.

After all, even now, the Li family wasn’t insolvent—they simply lacked the cash flow.

It was only then that he realized everything he had seen before was a lie.

But ironically, when he hit rock bottom, everything around him felt so real, so stark—even cruel.

So Li Jiuying silently vowed to cherish this low point, because when you’re at rock bottom, everything is real!

………

In the small living room on the second floor of Cloud Peak No. 1, Li Yi met Li Jiuying!

Compared to the photos he’d seen before, the real person looked much older—or perhaps just much more weathered.

It was clear that he had been going through a rough patch lately.

As Li Yi sized up Li Jiuying, Li Jiuying was also looking at Li Yi.

Although he had already known that this young man from the mainland was very young—reportedly just a little over twenty—he still found it hard to believe he could be this young.

The thought that he had actually been defeated by such a greenhorn left Li Jiuying with a mix of emotions—even a touch of despair.

A powerful enemy isn’t scary; what’s truly terrifying is when your opponent is not only more skilled than you, but also younger.

To put it simply, as long as the other party didn’t go looking for trouble, he could simply outlast him—wear him down until he collapsed!

The two sized each other up for a few seconds before Li Yi said calmly, “Mr. Li, do you have anything to say about the current situation?”

“It has come to this. I have nothing to say. I only beg you, Mr. Li, to show mercy and spare the Li family!”

Li Jiuying adopted a very humble posture; he was well aware that the people before him truly held the power over his life and death, especially this young man standing before him.

“Do you know what came to mind the moment I laid eyes on you?” Li Yi asked.

“What?”

“I thought you resembled someone!”

“Oh? I wonder who Mr. Li thinks I resemble?” Li Jiuying asked curiously.

“Lu Bu, the bravest general of the Three Kingdoms!”

Upon hearing Li Yi’s words, Li Jiuying’s expression immediately darkened.

It was true that Lü Bu was the bravest of all the generals, but his character was despicable; the label of “traitor to three lords” had firmly branded him with shame.

More importantly, Lü Bu had spent most of his life in battle, yet his final fate was far from glorious—he was, in every sense, a complete failure.

By describing him this way, was Li Yi perhaps implying that he was destined to fail?

But just then, Li Yi’s voice rang out again in his ear: “You’re a clever man who knows when to make sacrifices. You’re also resourceful and bold. If I weren’t your opponent, you might not have lost after all!”

Li Jiuying sighed but said nothing.

At that moment, he truly felt a sense of “Why was Zhuge Liang born when Zhuge Yu was already here?” Had this young man before him not been a cut above, he might not have suffered such a crushing defeat.

“All right, enough of that. You know my conditions by now. If you fulfill them all, I’ll let you off the hook—out of solidarity as fellow Chinese,” Li Yi said.

Li Jiuying immediately replied, “Thank you, Mr. Li, for sparing me!”

With that, he pulled a stack of photos from his jacket pocket and pushed them toward Zhou Yang.

Upon seeing these photos, even someone as tough as Li Yi couldn’t help but shudder.

The photos showed a mangled, blood-soaked human form—especially the deep gash across the neck. Even a divine being couldn’t have saved that person.

There were eight such photos in total, each showing a similar scene—meaning at least eight people had died at Li Jiuying’s hands.

Though deeply shaken inside, Li Yi gave no outward sign of it.

He said nothing, merely pushing the photos toward Huang Lixing, who was standing nearby, so he could examine them.

Huang Lixing picked up the photos and examined them carefully, then asked, “Did you execute them all?”

“Isn’t that exactly the outcome you and your people wanted, Mr. Huang? Besides, I wouldn’t be able to sleep soundly if Ma Biao were still alive!” Li Jiuying said.

When he received the call from Li Futiao yesterday and learned the situation, he understood Li Yi’s intentions. Li Yi wanted Ma Biao dead but didn’t want to do it himself and leave himself open to criticism, which is why he’d left it up to him to handle.

Likewise, Li Jiuying didn’t want Ma Biao to live either. After all, as long as those bastards were alive, the threat they posed to the Li family was simply too great.

Consequently, last night he personally led a team to execute Ma Biao and several of his key henchmen.

“There’s no point in talking about this. Did you bring the goods?” Li Yi asked indifferently.

“I have!”

With that, Li Jiuying immediately opened the briefcase in his hand, pulled out a thick stack of documents, and pushed it toward Li Yi.

But Li Yi didn’t take it; instead, he handed it directly to Li Yunbao, who was standing beside him.

Li Yi understood the principle that professional matters should be left to professionals!

While Li Yunbao was reviewing the documents, Li Yi suddenly fixed his gaze on Li Jiuying and asked in a deep voice, “Tell me—who exactly is out to get us?”

As soon as those words were spoken, everyone in the living room turned their gaze toward Li Jiuying…

………

The next morning!

In his sleep, Li Yi was startled awake by the sound of footsteps outside.

Shaking his dazed head, he climbed out of bed.

Last night, after chatting with Yan Guangming, Jin Junze, and the others, Li Yi had called Yuanji Restaurant and had them deliver two banquet tables.

He then hosted a banquet for Yan Guangming, Yang Wenguang, and their group at his own villa.

To show his sincerity, Li Yi had his staff prepare plenty of fine wine, and he even joined the group for a few drinks himself.

However, his tolerance was limited. Although Yan Guangming and the others were drinking baijiu while he was drinking red wine, Li Yi still managed to hold out only until the middle of the evening before blacking out.

After resting on the bed for a while, Li Yi’s mind finally cleared a bit.

Hearing a noise coming from outside, he immediately made his way to the window, still half-asleep.

Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, Li Yi saw a group running around the villa below. Upon closer inspection, it was none other than his sister’s husband and his men.

The entire group moved in perfect unison, even their footsteps in sync—it was clear that the “thud-thud” sounds that had disturbed his sleep earlier were coming from them.

Li Yi stood at the window watching quietly for a while, and the more he watched, the more he felt that these people were no ordinary group.

Although they didn’t shout slogans while training like the military back home, their formidable presence was still palpable.

Thinking that with these people manning the security firm, they should be able to break into the Hong Kong market quickly, and by then they would have a force at their disposal to handle emergencies.

With that thought, Li Yi’s drowsiness vanished. He immediately went to the bathroom for a shower, changed into clean clothes, and went downstairs.

Downstairs in the living room, Zhang Ziqiang and the others were already up.

Seeing Li Yi come down the stairs, they immediately stood up to greet him.

“Brother Yi!”

“Go get some breakfast for everyone—make sure to get plenty. We can’t let the brothers go hungry!” Li Yi said.

Although Cloud Peak No. 1 was lavishly decorated and spacious, since he rarely lived there, they didn’t cook meals on the premises.

Since arriving here a few days ago, they had mostly gone down to the city to eat.

Zhang Ziqiang immediately replied and then left the living room with a bodyguard.

After that, Li Yi walked over to the sofa, picked up the phone, and dialed the Li Family Estate!

The Li family’s butler answered the call. Upon hearing Li Yi’s voice, he was about to go fetch Li Fuzhao, but Li Yi stopped him.

Li Yi told him to pass a message to Old Huang, asking him to come to Cloud Peak No. 1 once he woke up.

After several days of recuperation, Old Huang’s injuries hadn’t fully healed, but he was already able to get out of bed and walk around.

The doctor said as long as he avoided strenuous activity, there shouldn’t be any major issues!

Zhou Yang had asked him to come mainly to discuss upcoming matters, and also to have Yan Guangming and the others officially start work at the security company.

Once Yan Guangming and the others were settled and he’d helped Old Huang wrap up loose ends, he would return to Beijing!

It had been over twenty days since he’d left home in such a hurry; he wondered how Jiang Xue and the two children were doing.

As for Third Sister and Long Zhanjun, he had specifically called them before leaving, asking them to take a trip into the city whenever they had a moment to spare and look for a suitable location to open a store.

Business in Beiguan Village had reached its limit; they had to divert some of the traffic. Otherwise, the staff simply couldn’t handle the volume, and the customers’ experience would suffer, damaging the shop’s reputation.

Therefore, opening a branch is now imperative. I wonder if my third sister and the others have found a suitable location.

Then there was the Yanjing Television Factory—he wondered how their production targets were coming along over the past twenty days.

The one-month deadline he’d promised the workers was fast approaching, and he’d also pledged to settle the debt with the electronics factory as soon as possible—all of which were waiting for him to handle upon his return!

So, Li Yi decided to return to Beijing before the 23rd.

……….

At 8:30 a.m., just as Li Yi and the others had finished breakfast, a series of beeps sounded outside the villa.

Immediately afterward, a convoy of seven or eight vehicles drove into the villa’s courtyard.

The car doors opened, and to Li Yi’s surprise, Li Futiao and Li Yunbao stepped out.

Huang Lixing was in the car behind them; protected by the one-armed hero Tie Ying and others, he also stepped out of the vehicle.

Although Old Huang’s gait wasn’t quite steady yet, he clearly looked to be in good condition.

After the Li family and Old Huang entered the house, they were startled to see the villa’s grand hall packed with people.

Especially since every one of them was broad-shouldered, muscular, and imposing—a single glance from them was enough to make your heart race.

This instantly put the Li family’s bodyguards on edge…

Seeing this, Li Yi immediately said, “Everyone, don’t be nervous. These are our own people from Banbanhaobang!”

Hearing this, the Li family’s bodyguards finally breathed a sigh of relief, but their eyes remained filled with wariness as they looked at Yan Guangming and the others!

Ordinary people might not notice, but as professional bodyguards, they could tell at a glance that the people before them were military veterans—elite soldiers who had seen combat and taken lives.

However, Li Yi didn’t bother explaining anything to the bodyguards; instead, he led the Li family—father and son—and Old Huang straight upstairs to the study!

As soon as they entered, Li Futao asked in surprise, “Brother Li Yi, where did those guys downstairs come from? They’re so intimidating!”

“I transferred them over from there to help set up the security company!” Li Yi replied.

Li Futiao seemed to catch on to something and immediately asked, “Are they military personnel?”

“They’re retired. I found them through my older sister’s husband’s personal connections—they’re all his comrades-in-arms!” Li Yi replied, half-truth, half-lie.

“So that’s how it is!”

Just then, Old Huang spoke up: “Brother Li Yi, you called me over so I could pick them up, right?”

“Not entirely. I want you to rally these men and retake the Wan Chai Pier!” Li Yi said.

Old Huang immediately replied, “I’ve heard that after Ma Biao was taken over by the Li family, the Wan Chai Pier, along with my fleet and Ma Biao’s fleet and the casino, have all been seized by that Jiang guy. Now that he’s taken full control of the Blue Dragon Society, he might not be willing to give up control of the pier!”

“That’s fine. If he knows what’s good for him, everything can be worked out. But if he thinks he’s all that, then we’ll settle the score with him once and for all.”

Li Yi continued, “He’s definitely involved in why Ma Biao was able to ambush you back then!”

“Alright, then I’ll go see him and see what that old fox has to say!” Huang Lixing said.

“Mm-hmm!”

Li Futao chimed in, “Brother Li Yi, I got a call from Li Jiuying this morning. He said he’s willing to accept our terms and that the matter has already been settled. He also asked to meet with you and me!”

“Alright, I happen to have some free time. Tell him to come to Cloud Peak No. 1!” Li Yi said.

“Alright!”

Li Futiao then turned to Li Yunbao standing nearby and said, “Yunbao, go make the call!”

Just as Li Yunbao was about to get up, Li Yi said, “Tell that Li fellow to bring his lawyer and the relevant share certificates with him!”

“Got it!”

With that, Li Yunbao walked out of the study.

Once Li Yunbao had left, Li Yi looked at Huang Lixing and said, “Old Huang, Old Li and I worked it out yesterday. The shares in Longheng Bank go to him, and all seven of the Li family’s real estate projects go to us. You and I each put up 300 million. How does that sound?”

“No problem!” Huang Lixing replied.

Li Yi added, “But I don’t have that much cash on hand right now. Could you cover my 300 million for me? I’ll pay you back once Starry Sky settles the dividends!”

“Alright…”

………

Hong Kong Island. Victoria Harbour!

When Yang Wenguang and his team disembarked from the ferry and saw the rows of skyscrapers lining the harbor, they were all stunned!

Although they had all traveled south from Beijing and had witnessed the city’s prosperity,

They had assumed the skyscrapers in the capital were already tall, massive, and numerous enough, but they never expected to be so overwhelmed the moment they arrived here.

Even the buildings along the harbor alone left them in awe.

Compared to the buildings back in the capital… never mind, let’s not even compare them—there’s simply no comparison!

Just as everyone was utterly stunned by the scene before them, Zhang Ziqiang spotted them too.

Although Yang Wenguang and the others were now dressed in brand-new black suits and wearing shiny new leather shoes, Zhang Ziqiang recognized them at a glance.

After all, the way they were looking around in all directions, their faces filled with astonishment—looking just like Grandma Liu visiting the Grand View Garden—was almost exactly the same as when he first came here!

Without hesitation, he strode toward them.

Yang Wenguang also spotted Zhang Ziqiang. They had met before in Nianzishan Village, so he immediately greeted him: “Comrade Zhang, it’s good to see you again!”

“Hello, Brother Yang. Brother Yi asked me to come here to pick you up. Please follow me!” Zhang Ziqiang said.

Yang Wenguang and the others didn’t linger on pleasantries; they immediately followed Zhang Ziqiang, striding out to the parking lot outside the port.

After driving along the Ring Road for nearly half an hour, they arrived at the foot of Taiping Mountain. They then wound their way up the mountain road and finally entered the Yunding Villa District a little after five o’clock, eventually pulling up in front of Yunding No. 1.

When these exceptionally capable veterans entered Cloud Peak No. 1, everyone was once again left speechless.

As Hong Kong’s most prestigious villa, the opulence of Cloudtop No. 1 would leave even the wealthy elite of Hong Kong’s high society speechless—let alone these men who had just arrived from the mainland.

In the villa’s living room, Li Yi, dressed in his finest, was already waiting for them.

Knowing that these men were either the Big Sister’s husband’s comrades-in-arms or veterans selected by State Security who were about to retire, Li Yi held them in high regard and treated them with great respect!

As Zhang Ziqiang led the group into the villa’s foyer, Li Yi immediately stood up to greet them!

“Hello everyone, I’m Li Yi. Welcome to Hong Kong Island. Please, make yourselves at home!”

Hearing this, the veterans realized that this was the man who had hired them, and they were once again stunned.

Mainly because the man before them was simply too young!

Although they had known before arriving that the big boss, Li Yi, was Yang Wenguang’s brother-in-law and was reportedly not very old, they never imagined he would be a young man in his twenties.

For a moment, everyone was speechless, unsure of what to say.

Seeing this, Yang Wenguang immediately said, “Everyone, please sit down. Don’t be shy!”

At Yang Wenguang’s invitation, the group quickly took their seats on the two rows of sofas in the living room.

But with so many people, there simply weren’t enough seats in the living room, so more than half of them had to stand.

It was at this moment that the exceptional discipline of these men became evident.

Without needing to be told, everyone standing stood with their backs straight, forming a neat, orderly line, as straight as javelins.

This single, unplanned moment was enough to make Li Yi look at them with newfound respect.

After all, the vast majority of the people before him, just like his brother-in-law, had been retired for several years.

Yet, when gathered together, they still maintained such a high standard—proof that these movements and postures had become second nature, ingrained as muscle memory.

There was no doubt about the combat effectiveness of such soldiers; they only needed to resume training for a short while to reach a very high level of combat readiness.

With that in mind, Li Yi immediately said, “Brother-in-law, please introduce everyone to me!”

Yang Wenguang didn’t beat around the bush. He stood up and pointed to a middle-aged man standing nearby who exuded an extraordinary presence. “Xiao Yi, this is my old squad leader, Yan Guangming. He’s from Pingcheng. During his time in the army, he was awarded one First-Class Merit, two Second-Class Merits, and four Third-Class Merits. He’s a renowned combat hero throughout our entire army group!”

Li Yi was deeply impressed. He quickly stood up and said, “Hello, Sergeant Yan!”

He knew full well just how difficult it was to earn a First-Class Merit these days—especially one earned while still alive.

There is an unwritten rule in the military that, in most cases, the First-Class Merit Award is given to martyrs—after all, the dead are held in the highest regard.

Consequently, among the living, very few are ever awarded the First Class Merit.

Sergeant Yan not only received one First-Class Merit Award but also two Second-Class Merit Awards, which shows just how many times he’s had a brush with death—he’s definitely someone so resilient that even the King of Hell would be at a loss.

“Comrade Li… Li Yi, hello. I’m Yan Guangming!”

Then my brother-in-law pointed to a middle-aged man standing nearby and said, “This is Jin Junze, a member of the Korean ethnic group. Before enlisting, he was a renowned hunter in the Yanbian region of Northeast China; after joining the military, he became the unit’s sharpshooter!”

“Huang Zhan, a master of close-quarters combat. He won first place in the Army-wide martial arts competition and was discharged just two days ago!”

“Liang Cang, from eastern Shandong, a machine gunner. He once held off an entire enemy platoon with a single machine gun, killing 19 enemies single-handedly and earning a Second-Class Merit Award!”

“Cui Jianying, from Cangzhou in North Ji Province, comes from a family of martial artists. He excels in both close combat and firearms and was renowned in the unit as a master at capturing enemy prisoners!”

“Zhang Hanjing, from Guizhou Province, of Miao ethnicity…”

As his sister’s husband introduced each of the men before him one by one, Li Yi was stunned once again. He had originally thought that Squad Leader Yan was already a top-tier soldier, but he never expected that every single one of these 26 men was a master in their own right. This was clearly a squad composed entirely of elite soldiers.

At the same time, Li Yi couldn’t help but look at his brother-in-law with newfound respect. After all, anyone who could keep up with a lion had to be at least a cheetah.

However, he didn’t say much. There would be plenty of time to ask about such matters in private later.

He cleared his throat and said, “Thank you all so much for your trust in leaving your families and livelihoods behind to follow my brother-in-law to Hong Kong. For that alone, you’re all my brothers from now on!”

“As a token of my gratitude, and as an employee benefit, everyone here will receive a settlement allowance of 10,000 dollars each!”

“Whoa!”

The announcement left everyone present speechless.

They’d heard from Yang Wenguang before coming that his brother-in-law was wealthy, but they never imagined he’d be this generous—handing out a 10,000-dollar settlement allowance right off the bat.

Wow, that’s ten thousand dollars!

By domestic standards—where 36 yuan a day is considered a fortune—that was an astronomical sum. Many people might not earn that much in a lifetime!

Amidst the shock, Squad Leader Yan immediately asked, “Comrade Li Yi, before we came, Wenguang only told us to come here to work for you, but he didn’t specify what exactly we’d be doing. Surely you can tell us now why you’ve hired us!”

Li Yi understood what Squad Leader Yan meant and replied immediately, “Everyone, please rest assured. I’m in a legitimate business, and bringing you all here is a standard employment arrangement. I absolutely won’t have any of you involved in any criminal activities!”

“Then what exactly will our job entail?”

“Have any of you heard of a security company?” Li Yi asked.

“We have a rough idea. It’s probably similar to security guards or airport security, right?” Huang Zhan said.

Li Yi shook his head and said, “Not entirely. A security company is a firm that specializes in providing security services to clients. Our services include security protection, guard services, patrols, armed escorts, personal security, security technology consulting, and more. What you mentioned—security guards or airport security checks—is just one aspect of our services!”

“Also, I specifically invited you all here from the mainland mainly to serve as instructors!”

“Instructors?”

“That’s right. I’ve set up a security company here—we’ve got the staff and the facilities—but those guys are too unskilled. Plus, they used to be gang members, so they’re undisciplined. Your main task is to train them into qualified security personnel first!”

Hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

If that was all the job entailed, it would be a piece of cake. After all, they were all veterans who had trained countless rookies over the years and had plenty of experience.

However, what Li Yi said next threw them off balance.

“Of course, while security work is your main job, you may have been contacted by higher-ups before coming here. They’ll occasionally assign you other tasks as well!”

Li Yi continued, “So now you’re not just my employees—you’re also unofficial members of the State Security Bureau. You need to be mentally prepared for that!”

The moment those words were spoken, everyone in the room instantly felt a weight settle on their shoulders, as if they’d been saddled with a thousand-pound burden…

……..

After seeing Li Fuzhao and his son off, Li Yi immediately summoned Zhang Ziqiang.

Just moments ago, Zhang Ziqiang had received a telegram from the mainland stating that his older sister’s husband and his men had all assembled and were now heading south from Beijing to Guangzhou, preparing to enter Hong Kong from there.

Upon receiving this news, Li Yi was overjoyed.

To be honest, Hong Kong was in complete chaos right now. And after Old Huang’s men had been crushed by that bastard Ma Biao, they felt as if they’d lost a leg in Hong Kong.

So much so that Li Yi didn’t even dare to go out now!

Don’t think he’s a coward; it’s just that most people don’t understand what Hong Kong is like right now.

Whether you’re a billionaire or a superstar, in the eyes of certain people, you’re nothing more than a walking checkbook or a walking hostage. Countless billionaires have been kidnapped, and some have even been killed.

Without absolute security, the more money and fame you have, the more dangerous you are.

It’s safe to say Li Yi had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of his brother-in-law and the others for quite some time.

“When are they arriving?”

“No specific time was given, but I’m guessing they’ll board a ferry from Lotus Pier this afternoon. There’s a ferry every two to four hours from there. As long as we wait at the pier, we’ll definitely be able to meet them!”

“Hmm, but it doesn’t matter. My brother-in-law knows the address of Starry Sky Company. If all else fails, he’ll find his way there!”

Then Li Yi asked again, “By the way, did the person who messaged you say how many people there are?”

“Twenty-seven people—all veterans who’ve already been discharged or are about to be discharged. I hear they’re incredibly tough!”

Hearing this, Li Yi’s eyes lit up even more.

“Strong combat skills are great. Security guards may not be on the same level as mercenaries, but they still face danger all the time.”

Especially over the next decade, Hong Kong Island was rife with violent criminals and notorious gangsters.

Take, for example, Ji Bingxiong, who was once wanted by the police with a HK$1 million bounty; or Ye Jihuan, the first person in Hong Kong’s history to commit a robbery wielding an AK-47; and Zhang Ziqiang, who kidnapped the eldest son of the city’s wealthiest man, Li Ka-shing, and extorted HK$1.038 billion from him…

Without a highly capable security force at his disposal, his businesses would be nothing more than juicy prey in the eyes of these ruthless criminals—who knows when they might strike.

“Alright, then you personally lead a team to the docks this afternoon to pick them up!” Li Yi said.

“Pick them up where?”

“Just bring them here. I’ll take them to the security company myself later!”

“Yes!”

After Zhang Ziqiang left, Li Yi immediately began thinking about his next move.

Originally, he had come down to Hong Kong to seek justice for Old Huang, and it seemed that goal had essentially been achieved.

Although they had spared Lai Jiuying’s life, the Lai family had been nearly wiped out—a result Old Huang would likely find acceptable.

So what to do next? That was something he needed to think through carefully.

The first step was undoubtedly to take over the Lai family’s real estate projects. Seven projects—not an overwhelming number, but certainly no small feat. Since they were taking over someone else’s projects, management would be a major challenge.

Second, Old Huang needs to rebuild the Qinglong Society and establish a security firm. Without these safeguards, it will be difficult to thrive in this region over the next decade or so.

Finally, he must identify the mastermind behind this incident and strike back.

Of course, the main reason Li Yi was thinking about all this was because he was preoccupied with the TV factory.

He had made a bet with the workers at the Yanjing TV Factory to resolve the crisis at the plant within a month, but twenty days had already passed, and he didn’t have much time left.

Therefore, Li Yi had to resolve the situation here as quickly as possible and then return.

With that in mind, Li Yi immediately picked up the phone on his desk and dialed…

………

Yangcheng Train Station!

“Woo-woo-woo…”

Accompanied by a deep, drawn-out whistle, a long green-painted train slowly pulled into the station and came to a steady stop alongside the platform.

Inside the sleeper car, dozens of veterans dressed in worn military uniforms had all packed their belongings and were lined up at the car door, ready to disembark.

As soon as the train came to a stop, they quickly disembarked!

After disembarking, a middle-aged man at the front immediately took roll call to ensure everyone was present.

The man in charge turned to Yang Wenguang and asked, “Wenguang, where are we going now?”

“Let’s eat first. After we finish, we’ll take a boat to the other side!” Yang Wenguang replied.

“Alright…”

Just as they were speaking, a middle-aged man dressed in a cadre’s uniform walked toward them.

Upon reaching the group, he asked, “Excuse me, is that Comrade Yang Wenguang over there?”

“That’s me. And you are?”

The middle-aged man replied immediately, “I am Yue Xinhua, Director of the Office of the Guangdong Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection. Secretary Jiang asked me to wait here for you. Please follow me!”

Yang Wenguang realized that the “Secretary Jiang” this man was referring to must be his brother-in-law’s father-in-law. He had previously heard from Li Yi that his father-in-law was the head of the Guangdong Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Moreover, before heading south on this trip, he had sent his wife and son to Beijing. His brother-in-law’s wife, Jiang Xue, also knew they were coming to Guangzhou. Could it be that she had asked her father to receive them?

With that thought in mind, Yang Wenguang said nothing further.

He then led the other 26 comrades out of the train station, following Director Yue.

Outside the station, a row of six or seven jeeps was parked at the exit.

After Yang Wenguang and the others exited the station, they were ushered into the vehicles and driven toward the city center.

Before long, the vehicles pulled up in front of a restaurant.

The group was then led into a large private dining room inside the restaurant!

Inside the private room were two large round tables. As soon as they entered, Director Yue smiled and said, “Comrades, please take a seat. Secretary Jiang is already on his way and will be here shortly…”

No sooner had he finished speaking than the door to the private room swung open, and everyone saw a middle-aged man with graying hair stride in.

Director Yue immediately stood up and said, “Comrades, Secretary Jiang has arrived. Let’s give him a warm round of applause!”

Although everyone was completely baffled, they immediately stood up and began clapping.

For a moment, the private room was filled with thunderous applause!

Jiang Shiying walked to the head of the table and motioned for everyone to quiet down.

As the applause died down, he began, “Comrades, I am Jiang Shiying from the Guangdong Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, and I am also the father-in-law of Li Yi, the big boss who invited you all to develop Hong Kong Island!”

Hearing this, everyone present was secretly stunned.

When they arrived, Yang Wenguang had mentioned that his brother-in-law had a powerful background, but they hadn’t expected him to be this influential—after all, the head of a disciplinary commission is often a member of the Standing Committee.

However, what Jiang Shiying said next shocked everyone even more. Changing the subject, he continued, “But I haven’t invited you all here because I’m Li Yi’s father-in-law. I’m here on behalf of someone else. The person who asked me to do this is a comrade from State Security. He asked me to prepare something for you all!”

At this point, Jiang Shiying paused, then clapped his hands toward the door.

Immediately, the door swung open again, and a dozen or so hotel staff members walked in, each carrying two leather suitcases.

After placing the suitcases against the wall, the staff members withdrew.

Once the door was closed, Jiang Shiying continued, “Although you’ve retired and this trip is merely to take up a position in Hong Kong, your journey there holds great significance. The authorities back home will be monitoring your situation at all times, and they may even assign you special tasks. You must be mentally prepared for that!”

“The ferry to Hong Kong Island departs from Lotus Pier at 2:00 p.m. A car will pick you up here at 1:30 p.m. I’ve booked rooms for you at this guesthouse; you have four hours to rest.”

“Also, these suitcases were prepared for you by our National Security colleagues. They contain some clothes and other essentials. Before you leave, be sure to change out of your military uniforms—wearing them there could easily cause unnecessary misunderstandings!”

“Yes…”

……….

Everyone in the study was taken aback by Li Yi’s shocking proposal!

Wow, you really have some nerve!

“As far as I know, the Li family controls 42% of Longheng Bank’s shares, and those shares alone are worth 1 billion!”

Zhou Xinghua continued, “On top of that, they have seven real estate projects on Hong Kong Island with a total investment exceeding 2 billion Hong Kong dollars. That adds up to a full 3 billion in assets—how could he possibly sell them off for just 1 billion Hong Kong dollars?”

Li Yunbao chimed in from the side, “I don’t think it’s possible either. The Li family is just short on cash right now—they aren’t insolvent. Even if they were using assets to settle debts, they wouldn’t sell them off at such a bargain price!”

“Besides, the Lai family owes Longheng Bank 1 billion Hong Kong dollars alone, and they’ve borrowed another 300 million from other companies. That 1 billion wouldn’t even cover their debts—he definitely wouldn’t buy it!”

However, before Li Yi could speak, Li Futao said in a deep voice, “He’ll agree!”

“Why?” Li Yunbao and Zhou Xinghua asked in unison.

“Hope!”

Li Yunbao and Zhou Xinghua were both completely baffled. What kind of hope could be so valuable that it would make the Li family willing to sell their own assets at a fraction of their value?

Li Futao nodded and explained, “The assets Li Yi mentioned earlier don’t include the Li family’s gold shop. That’s the business that built the Li family’s fortune. As long as they hold onto that gold shop, Li Jiuying has a chance to make a comeback. He certainly understands that!”

“Secondly, there are their shares in the bank and those real estate projects. Thirty billion is merely the book value, but right now the bank is facing a run on deposits, and the real estate sector is in the midst of a systemic crisis—prices have plummeted by half, and the overall asset value has shrunk drastically.”

“If estimated at market value, those 3 billion in assets wouldn’t even add up to 1.8 billion. Giving him 1 billion is already quite fair—after all, one must pay the price for one’s mistakes!”

Hearing this, Li Yunbao and Zhou Xinghua both fell into deep thought.

Although they agreed with Li Futiao’s words, they were also secretly shocked. The business world truly is like a battlefield—once you fail, you become the fish on the chopping block, at the mercy of others!

Although the Li family’s assets amounted to only a little over 2 billion, they still held considerable clout on Hong Kong Island. Yet to see them completely crushed in less than 20 days was simply hard to believe.

Just then, Li Yi added, “It’s not just that. More importantly, Li Jiuying wants revenge. And to seek revenge, one must first bow one’s head—not let it roll!”

“Revenge? Are you talking about the British-owned conglomerates?” Li Futao asked.

“Right. It might include us, of course, but no matter what, the first ones Lai Jiuying will target are definitely those at the British-owned Group who kicked him while he was down!”

Li Yi had been analyzing Li Jiuying these past few days and could tell that he was quite a shrewd operator.

Now that he’d been played like this, he certainly wouldn’t let it go.

By now, he likely hated those people from the British-funded group to the very core of his being.

A man like that wouldn’t let even the slightest opportunity slip by!

“But… aren’t you worried that once he’s built up his power, he might pose a threat to us…”

“Haha, a lion doesn’t care about the barking of stray dogs, and besides, I’ll be keeping a close eye on him!” Li Yi said calmly.

Although Li Jiuying was a man of some skill and boldness, Li Yi truly didn’t take him seriously.

Although they had used 1 billion yuan to snap up the vast majority of the Li family’s assets at rock-bottom prices, Li Jiuying wouldn’t see a single penny of it. The moment the 1 billion yuan was in hand, it would be transferred to Longheng Bank to repay the Li family’s debts.

Although Li Jiuying owned 36 gold shops worth hundreds of millions, he still faced debt collectors from other parties. It would take the Li family at least three to five years to recover.

However, three to five years from now, whether it’s him, Li Yi, or Old Huang, they’ll have long since left everyone in the dust—they’ll be forces Li Jiuying won’t be able to challenge.

And that is precisely why Li Yi is content to simply seize the Li family’s assets this time—he has no intention of taking their lives!

“Agreed!”

Li Futiao then asked again, “Brother Li Yi, how do you plan to handle the Li family’s assets?”

“Longheng Bank goes to your Li family—you put up 400 million in capital. The Li family’s real estate goes to me and Old Huang. What do you think?” Li Yi said.

“I have no objections, but this way, you and Old Huang are getting the short end of the stick!”

After all, Li Futiao was a business tycoon; he was well aware of Longheng Bank’s value.

It’s important to note that while Longheng Bank currently appears to be on the verge of collapse, it isn’t actually insolvent—it’s simply burdened by that bad debt from the Li family.

As long as the Li family repays the debt, Longheng Bank could be revived without any capital injection from the Li family.

On the other hand, although Li Yi and Old Huang had secured a real estate project worth 2 billion with just 600 million in capital, the problem was that the real estate market was currently in the midst of a severe bubble, and prices had already nearly halved.

Who knows—those assets might crash again at any moment. By then, forget about making a profit; they might even end up in the red.

“Haha, no loss. Old Huang and I didn’t acquire these properties to wait for them to appreciate and sell them. If we hold them long-term, we won’t lose money!”

Li Yi was well aware of how promising Hong Kong Island’s future was. Properties currently valued at tens of millions or even hundreds of millions would easily be worth tens or even hundreds of billions in two or three decades.

Moreover, ground rents on Hong Kong Island are extremely high. Most of the Lai family’s projects are commercial CBD developments, so holding onto these properties to collect rent is a solid strategy.

More importantly, Starry Sky Corporation currently lacked a proper headquarters!

But Li Futao cut Li Yi off, his mind suddenly stirred.

Li Yi had mentioned long-term holding—clearly, he had great confidence in Hong Kong Island’s future. This was a very clear signal.

“Brother Li Yi, you seem to have high hopes for Hong Kong Island’s future, don’t you?”

Li Yi smiled and said, “Heh, if I didn’t have high hopes for this place, I would’ve pulled out after making my first profit—why would I still be here?”

Li Futiao nodded thoughtfully, but inwardly he was pondering: it seemed the Li family’s business portfolio needed a major realignment.

After all, half of the Li family’s assets had already been transferred overseas. In recent years, they had made massive investments in the United States, Europe, and Japan, all with the aim of mitigating potential risks.

In fact, it wasn’t just the Li family; the vast majority of families on Hong Kong Island were doing the same, including British-owned conglomerates.

Take, for example, Jardine Matheson, the flagship of the British-owned conglomerates. As early as the 1950s, while withdrawing from the mainland and retreating to Hong Kong, Jardine Matheson began ramping up overseas investments, including in the UK, the US, Australia, and Southeast Asia.

By 1977, Jardine Matheson’s overseas assets accounted for over 60% of its total holdings.

Although Jardine Matheson’s explanation for this was: “I’ve already made so much money on Hong Kong Island, and I’m everywhere now. If I expand further here, everything will end up in my hands. I can’t bear the accusation of monopolizing the entire industry, so I’d better go overseas and try something new.”

However, the real reason was that Jardine Matheson and other British-owned financial groups remained wary of Hong Kong Island, fearing that the mainland would eventually invade.

At this point, Li Yi reminded him again: “Old Li, if you’re going to take over Longheng Bank, I suggest that while you’re acquiring the shares held by Lai Jiuying, you also buy a portion of the shares from other shareholders.”

“By the way, Longheng Bank is also a publicly listed company. Given the current situation, their stock is likely to plummet—you might as well buy at the bottom!”

Li Futiao knew that Li Yi was reminding them to secure a controlling stake in Longheng Bank.

“Alright, I understand. We absolutely won’t let what happened with the Li family happen again. This time, the British Capital Group must hand over control of Longheng!” Li Futiao said.

Li Yi nodded and added, “We need to resolve the matter with Li Jiuying as soon as possible. Once the contract is signed, have him come see me!”

“You want to see him?”

“Yes. Whether it’s Ma Biao or Li Jiuying, they’re nothing more than lackeys kept on a leash by the British Capital Group. I need to see who’s really pulling the strings behind the scenes.”

He immediately added, “Only by identifying our target will we know how to strike back!”

Hearing this, everyone present knew that someone else was about to be in trouble!

Just then, Zhang Ziqiang walked in from outside and whispered a few words into Li Yi’s ear.

Upon hearing Zhang Ziqiang’s report, Li Yi’s eyes lit up…

……..

September 18th—the run on Longheng Bank had been going on for three days!

Over those three days, the business world of Hong Kong Island had been in a state of constant upheaval, with undercurrents of turmoil.

As newspapers and magazines continued to publish negative reports about Longheng Bank, the bank found itself thrust into the eye of the storm, with large numbers of depositors flooding into the bank to demand their deposits.

For the first couple of days, the bank’s response was relatively calm: on one hand, it used available funds to honor customer withdrawals, while on the other, it actively sought to raise capital.

At the same time, Charles, the bank’s chairman, personally stepped forward to assure customers that the bank was fully capable of honoring all their deposits.

But his words were spoken too soon, and reality quickly set in!

By the third day as the situation escalated, the bank’s own reserves plus the 420 million Hong Kong dollars it had raised were completely drained by frantic customers.

Seeing this, other banks immediately tightened their cash controls and stopped lending to Longheng Bank to keep it afloat.

Before long, the once-mighty Longheng Bank found itself unable to pay out a single penny and was forced to announce a suspension of customer withdrawals.

The news that Longheng Bank had run out of money hit like a depth charge, leaving everyone on Hong Kong Island in a state of shock.

In an instant, ordinary citizens with deposits at Longheng Bank flocked to the bank’s headquarters to protest and cause a commotion; at its peak, the crowd swelled to over 20,000 people.

As a result, several streets near the bank’s headquarters were completely gridlocked.

Even when the British Hong Kong government deployed large numbers of military and police to maintain order, it was to no avail.

What was even more unexpected was that this was only the beginning!

After the news broke that Longheng Bank was facing a run on its deposits and was unable to pay out customer funds, it wasn’t just Longheng Bank that suffered.

A host of small and medium-sized banks, including Sun Hung Kai Bank, K Wah Bank, Wing On Bank, Union Bank, and Kang Nian Bank, were also caught up in the turmoil, experiencing capital flight and even bank runs.

The Longheng Bank incident seemed to be merely a signal, opening a Pandora’s box!

It was inevitable: Longheng Bank’s suspension of payments to depositors severely shook the confidence of the public and investors in the local banking sector.

It’s important to note that Longheng Bank is not some small, weak institution. As the sixth-largest bank on Hong Kong Island, it has long enjoyed the trust of the general public.

Who would have thought that such a major bank, with dozens of branches and thousands of employees, could suddenly run out of money?

This inevitably reminded the people of Hong Kong Island of the banking crisis from over a decade ago. At that time, the crisis primarily targeted Chinese-owned banks; within a very short period, nearly all of them faced a run on their deposits.

Soon, these banks—whether due to insolvency or other reasons—either went bankrupt or were absorbed by major banks controlled by British-owned conglomerates.

Who would have thought that, just over a decade later, the same scenario would play out again!

Faced with this sudden turmoil, the British Hong Kong government was taken aback.

They had assumed this was merely an internal financial dispute between the Lai family and Longheng Bank. Although Longheng Bank had a deficit of over a billion dollars to cover, with the Lai family—a cash cow worth tens of billions—on their side, they had nothing to fear.

Consequently, both the British Hong Kong government and the Governor’s Office believed everything was under their control.

In fact, several major powers—including Jardine Matheson—were already sharpening their knives. They intended to use this crisis to acquire all of Longheng Bank’s shares, turning the bank into a sharp scythe for British-owned conglomerates to harvest Hong Kong’s economy.

But what they never could have imagined was that the people of Hong Kong Island, like startled birds, panicked and rushed to withdraw their life savings from small banks.

Such a massive wave of withdrawals plunged more than a dozen small and medium-sized banks into financial crisis, with some—already struggling—now teetering on the brink of collapse.

If a single bank goes bankrupt, that is a normal business occurrence—nothing to fear—and the impact is limited.

But if five, ten, or even more banks were to go bankrupt, that would no longer be a minor matter—it would be a financial crisis!

The impact on the regional financial sector would be nothing short of catastrophic.

One misstep could result in massive losses for all parties involved!

Left with no other choice, the British Hong Kong government had to step in personally to reassure the public.

At the same time, it mobilized massive amounts of foreign exchange to take over the severely troubled banks.

This left the Governor’s Office and the entire British-owned financial group with a strong sense of having shot themselves in the foot—a deeply unsettling feeling!

……….

Genting No. 1!

The chaos outside didn’t affect Li Yi. While the British Hong Kong government was too busy dealing with its own problems, he stayed put in his luxurious villa, never setting foot outside.

It wasn’t that Li Yi had nothing better to do; it was simply that things were too chaotic outside right now, and he didn’t dare to go out!

That’s right—he simply didn’t dare!

After all, this was Hong Kong Island, and many members of the city’s elite families knew full well that the chaos unfolding outside was directly linked to him, Li Yi.

Moreover, this chaos had not only affected British-owned conglomerates but also involved numerous triad organizations.

Under such circumstances, it was inevitable that some desperate individuals would take a desperate gamble and try to take him out.

So, until the situation was resolved, Li Yi planned to hole up in the Cloud Peak Villa District and not go out.

After all, the security at the Cloudtop Villa District was formidable, and with the formidable strength of Zhang Ziqiang and his men, even if someone really wanted to take him out, they wouldn’t be able to break in here—unless they mobilized an army.

In his study, Li Yi was analyzing the situation when suddenly a series of sharp knocks sounded at the door.

“Come in!”

As the door swung open, Li Yi saw Zhang Ziqiang stride in and say, “Chairman Li is here. He says he has urgent business with you!”

“Show him in!”

“Yes, sir!”

Soon, Li Futiao walked in from outside, accompanied by his son Li Yunbao and his assistant Zhou Xinghua.

Seeing this, Li Yi immediately stood up and said, “Old Li, what brings you here?”

Li Fuzhao skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the point: “Li Jiuying has backed down and is seeking reconciliation!”

“Oh, is that reliable?”

“He called me personally. He’s already taken Ma Biao and several of his key lieutenants into custody, and he said he’s ready to hand them over to us at any time!” Li Futiao said.

“Looks like this guy really has been backed into a corner!” Li Yi said indifferently.

“It seems so. My people also discovered that Li Jiuying sent his wife, children, and the rest of his family away yesterday. Now, he’s the only one left on Hong Kong Island!” Li Futiao said.

“He’s certainly decisive, though his judgment leaves something to be desired!”

“Brother Li Yi, what should we do now? Should we accept his offer of surrender?” Li Futiao asked immediately.

“Accept it. Why wouldn’t we?”

Li Jiuying is currently isolated and surrounded on all sides. Accepting his plea for peace at this moment would not only prevent him from going down in a desperate last stand against them, but also allow them to use him as a pawn to eliminate their enemies and divert the trouble elsewhere—it’s a win-win situation!

“Then shall I have him send the men over to us?”

“Ma Biao?”

“Right!”

“No need. Just let Li handle it himself. He should know what to do!” Li Yi said.

In Li Yi’s eyes, Ma Biao was nothing more than a lowly lackey unworthy of mention. He had never taken him seriously from the start and certainly wouldn’t dirty his own hands over him.

Besides, with Li Jiuying already serving as a ready-made pawn, why would he want to get entangled in this mess?

“Alright, I’ll contact him right away!”

“Wait!”

Li Yi continued, “Old Li, tell that Li fellow that if he wants us to let the past go, besides dealing with Ma Biao, he needs to hand over his shares in Longheng Bank and sell off all his real estate projects at a discount!”

“Brother Li Yi, what exactly do you mean by ‘at a low price’?”

“The Longheng Bank shares plus all the real estate projects—a total of 1 billion Hong Kong dollars!”

As soon as he said this, the study fell deathly silent; everyone was stunned by Li Yi’s words.

“Crack!”

With a loud crash, Li Jiuying violently smashed an exquisite teacup onto the floor, shattering it into a thousand pieces!

Yet, after his outburst of rage, he slumped dejectedly into his chair.

He knew the Li family was finished—and so was he!

Just moments ago, when he had called his contacts at the British Capital Group for help, the lines were either dead or met with excuses and claims of helplessness.

With no other choice, he had to call the head of the Yingzi Group, the Duke, hoping that the Duke would help the Li family out, considering all the years they had served him faithfully—even if they hadn’t achieved great feats, they had at least put in the hard work!

But to his dismay, the Sir didn’t even pick up the phone. Instead, his assistant answered and coldly said, “Clean up the mess you’ve made yourself!”

Li Jiuying was no fool; he immediately realized that the Li family had been sold out by those British bastards at the British-owned conglomerate!

What “mess you’ve created”? If it weren’t for their instructions, why would he have stuck his neck out in the first place?

Now that trouble had erupted, it had become his own mess to clean up. Those bastards really knew how to burn their bridges.

Li Jiuying was now filled with bitter regret. How could he have been so stupid? Of all the people he could have provoked, he had to go and provoke that big shot.

But it was too late now. Since those foreigners had already discarded him as a pawn, they wouldn’t care about Longheng Bank’s fate anymore.

As expected, it wouldn’t be long before Longheng Bank was taken over by the British Hong Kong government for failing to pay depositors, and then forced into auction!

As for the Lai family, their plight would be even worse. Unable to repay the bank’s loans, not only would their shares in Longheng Bank be confiscated, but their 36 jewelry stores and all other investment projects would also be sold off at rock-bottom prices.

By then, the Lai family would be bankrupt!

But that isn’t the worst of it. Money lost can be earned back, but not everyone has the chance to make a comeback.

Over the years, as the Lai family rose to power, they resorted to all manner of underhanded tactics, alienating many people in the process—including triad bosses like Huang Lixing.

When the Li family was at the height of its power, naturally no one dared to touch them. But now that the Li family is in trouble, there are plenty of people waiting to kick them while they’re down—or even to wipe them out completely.

Thinking of his elderly parents, his devoted wife, and his children who had just come of age, Li Jiuying couldn’t help but shudder…

Just then, a series of urgent knocks suddenly rang out from outside the door!

“Come in!”

When Liao Yong entered the office and saw the mess strewn across the floor, his heart sank.

Li Jiuying could tell from Liao Yong’s expression that there was certainly no good news, but he still asked, “Go ahead, what’s the bad news this time?”

“Boss, the company just called to say that HSBC has frozen our account. We can’t access any of the funds we have there!”

Li Jiuying shot upright in his chair. HSBC had always been the primary bank for their company’s business settlements, and it was where their only 20 million yuan in reserve funds were held.

Once frozen, the Li family would be unable to conduct any business operations.

Although he had already anticipated that the bastards at the British-owned conglomerate might kick him while he was down when he finished his call a moment ago, he believed that even if those foreigners wanted to make a move, they would wait until the Li family was truly on the brink of collapse.

Yet he never imagined these foreigners would be so ruthless—striking this early.

Although those foreigners were also afraid of losing their investment in the Li family, this approach was still unacceptable to Li Jiuying; it was essentially driving the Li family to its death.

Still, Li Jiuying didn’t fly into a rage like he had before. He braced himself against the desk with both hands, his fists clenched tight.

But inside, he was forcing himself to stay calm!

He knew full well that anger was useless at this moment; he had to come up with a solution as soon as possible, or the Li family’s doom would truly be upon them.

Just then, Liao Yong, standing nearby, spoke up again: “Boss, the project manager at Happy Valley just called. He said people from Jardine Matheson have arrived at the project office, claiming we owe them 30 million Hong Kong dollars, and that they’ve taken over the Happy Valley project!”

“Bastards!”

Li Jiuying said through gritted teeth, his face contorted with fury.

The Happy Valley project was the Li family’s most successful venture in the real estate industry. They had invested a full 400 million yuan, and with completion just around the corner, what right did these people from Jardine Matheson have to take it over?

Liao Yong looked at the furious Lai Jiuying and swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue. He was genuinely afraid that if he delivered the next piece of news, his boss might not be able to handle it…

But how could his expression possibly escape Li Jiuying’s notice? Fixing his gaze on Liao Yong, Li Jiuying said in a deep voice, “If there’s any other bad news, just spit it out!”

“Boss…”

“Speak!” Li Jiuying said firmly.

“The Governor’s Office has gotten involved as well. They’ve ordered the Economic Investigation Division to station personnel at our company, claiming they’re going to investigate our accounts…”

Before he could finish, Li Jiuying could no longer contain his anger; he swept all the documents and files off the desk onto the floor.

In an instant, the office—already in disarray—became even more chaotic, looking as if it had been ransacked!

The company’s accounts had been frozen, its assets seized, and now it was facing an investigation!

They were trying to drive the Li family into the ground!

What was even more significant was that these tactics weren’t being employed by their enemies—they were all being carried out by the Li family’s former allies, stabbing them in the back.

When Li Jiuying thought about how the Li family had fallen to this state, he found it incredibly ironic!

Li Jiuying knew the company was beyond saving. Now, the most important thing wasn’t just reviving the company, but protecting her family.

“Where’s my wife? Have her come back immediately. Also, book me a few plane tickets to Zaiying!”

The only option now was to get his wife, children, and the rest of the family out of the country to hide; staying on Hong Kong Island was simply too dangerous.

Fortunately, he was the type to always keep a backup plan. Long ago, he had acquired some properties in San Francisco, and he also had a secret stash of funds stored there.

Though not a large sum, it was enough to support his wife and children there.

As for himself, Li Jiuying had no intention of fleeing with them.

He had devoted half his life to this place. Even though he knew he had no chance of winning, he was determined to make one last stand!

“Boss, maybe we still have a chance!”

Li Jiuying had nothing to hide from this right-hand man who had been by his side for over twenty years. He immediately gave a bitter laugh and said, “There’s no chance left. Those foreigners have already abandoned us. We’re like a piece of meat on a chopping block now—we’re at their mercy!”

“Boss, the opportunity I’m talking about isn’t the Duke or the British-owned conglomerate…”

“Then what is it?”

“Stellar Corporation. Li Yi!”

“That big circle?”

“Right. I just got word that if we agree to make peace, they’re willing to let bygones be bygones. But…”

“But what?”

“But we’ll have to take care of that troublemaker, Ma Biao!”

Upon hearing this, Li Jiuying’s eyes narrowed instantly, and his mind began racing.

First, he had to consider whether the information was genuine and whether the other side truly intended to make peace with him, or if they were merely trying to use him as a pawn to eliminate someone else.

Second, he had to consider his chances of success if he were to actually take action against Ma Biao.

But after much deliberation, Li Jiuying realized he seemed to have no other choice. With the British-funded Group eyeing the Li family like a predator ready to devour it, his only path to survival was to align himself with the Chinese-funded Group.

Regardless of whether the other party was sincere or not, he had no choice but to take a gamble.

As for that vicious dog Ma Biao, ever since he swallowed up Huang Lixing’s business, he’d become unbearably arrogant and no longer treated Li Jiuying with the respect he once did.

In that case, he would use Ma Biao’s head as a token of loyalty to Mr. Li!

With that thought, Li Jiuying made up his mind…

…….