"The attitude of Standard Chartered Bank might depend on your attitude towards them."

Located at different positions, the perspectives on things will differ; Li Zhikai believed that the biggest challenge for Lu Liang assisting Hengtai in acquiring New World should be the floating equities in the market, rather than Standard Chartered.

"What do you mean?" Lu Liang frowned, carefully contemplating if there was something he had overlooked.

"Although HSBC and Standard Chartered are both British-funded, the two have been at odds from the colonial era until now."

Li Zhikai smiled, once again recounting that Feng Shui battle from years ago, where a typhoon caused HSBC’s cannon to turn towards Standard Chartered. It was an accident, yet also a probing test.

At that time, Bank of China represented the mainland entering the Xiangjiang market, and Xiangjiang had set a return date. HSBC didn’t dare to provoke bad luck and had to dodge the sharp edge.

But how could a super consortium, which has thrived for years, easily accept a change in market position?

Despite discontent, the situation is stronger than people, with no place to vent grievances, making Standard Chartered the best target for venting and infringing.

That typhoon caused HSBC’s rooftop cannon to shift, which was truly just an accident.

However, HSBC leveraged this incident, viewing it as a divine sign, prompting action against the fellow British consortium, Standard Chartered.

After all, listed companies have performance pressures, with yields needing to be better year after year, or the market will deem them as having lost investment value.

Standard Chartered, upon learning this, reacted promptly, filing a lawsuit against HSBC to indicate they weren’t easy to bully. Yet, it was rumored as continuing the Feng Shui battle.

Despite Standard Chartered’s counteractions, due to its identity, Bank of China couldn’t intervene; HSBC thus became invincible in the world.

These years, Standard Chartered has been greatly oppressed by HSBC, with profits gradually declining and market share decreasing year by year.

Though the blame can’t be entirely placed on HSBC, since the four major banks have successively entered Xiangjiang, they had no choice but to shift the blame onto HSBC, making consensus between the two impossible.

As long as Lu Liang showed a little goodwill to Standard Chartered and promised certain conditions, a betrayal by Standard Chartered could be anticipated.

"The water in Xiangjiang is indeed deep," Lu Liang couldn’t help but lament, realizing there were so many old stories.

"That’s precisely why the water is too muddy, so father was unwilling to delve too deeply."

Li Zhikai gradually understood why Old Li left Xiangjiang and why he sent him to develop in Singapore.

He suddenly looked at Lu Liang with meaning: "But now that you’ve come, this muddy water in Xiangjiang will only become clearer."

If the Li family didn’t diversify most of their assets, not putting all their eggs in one basket, the ones being liquidated wouldn’t be the Zheng family now.

Lu Liang jokingly laughed: "Second Brother, I don’t have such abilities. Wherever there’s money, I go there; wherever there’s good earnings, I stay there."

"We businessmen ought to be like that."

Li Zhikai laughed heartily, exchanged a few casual words, left the authorization documents, and then bid farewell.

Li Zhikai left, but Lu Liang remained. He looked again towards the city’s night view outside the window, his gaze gradually firm.

He came to make this water clearer.

If only a giant entity can exist inside, if only one voice can be heard, then it can only be their Tianxing.

"Mr. Lu? I didn’t expect to meet you here." A nearby, excited female voice suddenly rang out.

Lu Liang looked up to see a tall, graceful young woman in a black bodycon strap dress and Valentino speed shoes being stopped by Fang Shiyu in front of him.

"Hello." Lu Liang nodded slightly, indicating Xu Jiawei to collect the contract documents on the table.

He left his seat and came to the girl: "Miss, may I ask if there’s anything you need?"

The girl smiled and introduced herself: "Mr. Lu, my name is Lin Siyu, we met this afternoon."

Lu Liang frowned, really couldn’t recall: "Sorry, I don’t have much impression of you."

The girl smiled but wasn’t angry, hurriedly tidying her hair behind her head: "How about now?"

Lu Liang suddenly realized: "Are you the reporter from Phoenix Net?"

At the afternoon press conference at Huazhi Building, they indeed met.

He had a deep impression of Lin Siyu; several important questions were led by her, directly hitting Lu Liang’s heart.

It’s just that at that time, she was wearing a professional woman’s suit and had a high ponytail, unlike the current bodycon skirt and big waves—like two different people.

"Mr. Lu, is it convenient to have a drink?" Lin Siyu smiled sweetly, her eyes glistening like autumn water, blinking.

Opportunities are for the prepared. Since hearing Xu Jiayin was staying at the Four Seasons Hotel, Lu Liang was expected to come.

She immediately changed clothes and waited at the hotel, and sure enough, Lu Liang came, and Li Zhikai also came.

"Miss Lin, nice to meet you, but it’s not convenient now." Lu Liang smiled slightly, declined the invitation, and walked straight out of the restaurant.

"I really want to know what they’re discussing?"

Watching Lu Liang’s departing figure, Lin Siyu pouted, looking disappointed but not angry.

Had a slightly sexy dress been enough to win Lu Liang over, he wouldn’t have achieved the success he has today.

"But it’s not without gains."

Lin Siyu grinned slyly, like a cat that stole some fish; she browsed her phone, having successfully captured Lu Liang meeting with Xu Jiayin and Li Zhikai consecutively.

On hearing this news, there were also photos to prove it.

Tonight had already paid off her expenses; it was worth her gritting her teeth and spending over ten thousand Hong Kong Dollars to book a table at the hotel restaurant.

After settling the bill, Lin Siyu swung her bag and leisurely walked out of the hotel entrance.

She immediately called the newsroom, "Editor-in-chief, I have a piece of explosive news concerning Lu Liang and the New World board meeting tomorrow. Check if any boss is interested."

If it weren’t for money, if it weren’t for ulterior motives, why would there be so many insiders unwilling to reveal their names?

As a reporter, if one obtains firsthand news, they would first look for buyers through the newsroom, earn a fee for the information, and then choose to publish the report according to the buyer’s requirements.

During the night, the news that Lu Liang met both Xu Jiayin and Li Zhikai consecutively at the hotel spread swiftly among the Xiangjiang elite.

The Zheng Family, being a major interested party, also learned of the news promptly.

"The Li family definitely sold their New World shares; they’ve always supported Lu Liang." Zheng Qilong’s face was full of tension.

He saw his father talking on the phone all afternoon, claiming he was busy and would reply later, but no call-back had been made up to now.

Since the Li family reduced their investment in the Xiangjiang Market, the Zheng family became the leading family, and for over ten years, this was the first time such a situation occurred, as if the Zheng family was being excluded by the local elites.

It seemed as though no one other than HSBC was willing to risk offending Lu Liang and Xu Jiayin in providing financial or resource assistance for them.

"Don’t panic, how many times have I told you to remain calm when encountering problems."

Zheng Jiachun furrowed his brows, suddenly realizing that tomorrow’s board meeting might not be peaceful.

He received the news that Xu Jiayin had visited Liu Guolong, the chairman of Bank of China, and reportedly gained its support.

With 26+6.42, plus the Li family’s 3.14%, Hengtai holding New World equity would at least reach over 35.56%.

The Zheng family holds 49.12%; there is a difference of 13.56%, but it hasn’t reached the absolute control line, essentially making no difference.

Zheng Jiachun said in a deep voice, "Contact your elder brother, ask him to sell a portion of Gold held by Zhou Da Fu, at least reserving 50 billion Hong Kong Dollars, ready to support New World anytime."

It’s better to rely on oneself than to rely on others. HSBC can be trusted, but not fully. They must prepare enough funds for the second wave of buying battles that might occur.

He faintly sensed that both Hui Dafeng and Standard Chartered would side with Hengtai, and the seven-something percent equity floating in the secondary market might be the key to determine victory or defeat.

Just two days after the typhoon, the night was clear and bright, and even in the bustling Central, the stars in the sky were visible, yet it seemed as if an invisible cloud was looming over the entire Xiangjiang.

The unbearable night passed quietly.

Early the next morning,

Lu Liang and Xu Jiayin met as agreed in the hotel restaurant.

"Good news?"

Lu Liang arrived at the restaurant for a meal, glanced up and saw Old Xu with faint green shadows under his eyes but a jubilant expression, guessing that they had won another battle.

"He who understands me, Mr. Lu indeed."

Old Xu smiled murkily; last night he contacted Wu Gangzheng of Hui Dafeng, securing their support.

Including the Li family’s 3.14% from Victoria Harbour Investment, they now hold 40.21% of New World equity.

If they can also acquire Standard Chartered’s 4.23%, they can initiate the final battle.

All equities are held by both their sides; they will jointly strive for the seven-something percent equity lingering in the secondary market.

By then, it will be purely a contest of financial resources, and with the support of the Shanghai cash king, their chances of winning are very high.

"Don’t be too happy too early, it’s still necessary to contemplate how the Zheng family will strike and how we should respond."

Lu Liang was far less optimistic than Old Xu; Zheng Jiachun is the chairman of New World’s board, enjoying veto power.

They must consider if the poison pill policy cannot be prevented, how to guide Zheng Jiachun to exclude them from the strategy.

"Send a signal that if Hengtai can’t have it, then the Zheng family shouldn’t hope for any peace either." Xu Jiayin squinted, his eyes showing fierceness.

Hengtai invested 26.35 billion RMB, not only selling Huazhi’s shares but also pulling funds from Hengchi Automobile.

The current Hengtai is truly out of money, thus the acquisition of the New World project can only succeed.

Because only by successfully acquiring New World can Hengtai’s stock price soar and initiate new financing.

Once the acquisition project fails, although the equity remains, all funds will be locked, and the stock price will fall.

By then, fortune will not come twice, misfortune will not come singly.

The series of chain reactions generated afterward would be enough to blow him to smithereens.

They must hold onto the thought that if they can’t get it, destroy it, forcing the Zheng family into the second wave of grabbing battle.

"This indeed is a method, New World is the Zheng family’s ancestral enterprise; emotions will slightly affect their judgment."

Lu Liang nodded slightly, knowing from the name alone that the founder of Zhou Da Fu must be surnamed Zhou, not Zheng.

New World is the real ancestral industry of the Zheng family, while Zhou Da Fu was merely Uncle Tong inheriting the property of his father-in-law.