National Tide 1980.

"If you're going to assume we'll be coerced based on wishful thinking alone, doesn't that seem a bit too arrogant?"

Kobayashi from Fuguo Life Insurance Company gave a cold laugh, hoping to shake Ning Weimin's obsession.

However, Ning Weimin was too lazy to argue with him and only spoke with facts.

"Am I being wishful? I'm not the one in a rush right now. If we don't reach an agreement today, you'll likely face even bigger trouble next week, won't you? Not to mention Morgan Stanley's involvement, another American investment bank is joining the short-selling. And considering the exposed financial problems, your reputation has already been tarnished by the market, and your market capitalization has long since fallen below net asset value. Judging from the current situation, unless a miracle occurs, the stock price will plummet at the opening. Let me remind you again, there are less than twenty hours until next week's opening; your time is running out. I, on the other hand, possess comprehensive advantages, so I will definitely be the winner in the end..."

Ning Weimin's counterattack was quite effective, and Xiaolin was immediately stumped.

So next, Nakamura Koichi of Yachiyo Trust Company became the one to persuade Ning Weimin.

"A short-selling report isn't a court ruling. Besides, high debt levels can also create hidden assets for a company. EIE's balance sheet is high, but the value of its hidden capital gains, or 'hidden assets,' is even higher, still significantly exceeding its book value. To be honest, EIE's financial problems aren't that serious; it's just a rumor spread by Americans. I admit that if you insist on shorting, EIE's stock price will continue to fall in the short term, but in the long run, the market will eventually return to rationality from its blind pursuit."

However, although his reasoning seemed to be well-founded, he did not seem to notice that his wording was no longer as absolute as before, and he no longer completely denied EIE's financial risks.

This can actually be seen as a show of bravado masking inner weakness, the beginning of psychological collapse.

Ning Weimin keenly perceived this, and of course, he was even less likely to back down.

"No, no, I don't think so. First, a good company must have a good controller, but someone as radical and arrogant as Harunori Takahashi is unlikely to follow the rules and must have done many outrageous things. I've always believed that EIE's financial problems are quite serious, and what's being revealed in the short-selling report is just the tip of the iceberg. Second, a liquidity premium is necessary for an asset premium; when liquidity tightens, asset prices will decline. In the past, because of the strong Japanese economy and soaring stock market, the economic problems Takahashi caused for EIE might have been easily concealed. But now the Japanese economy and market trends have begun to shift, and foreign capital is flowing out of Japan in large quantities, which increases the risk of further sharp declines in various Japanese assets. As for the assets you mentioned, they may look good now, but the long-term trend is not optimistic, and they may even begin to decline sharply soon. So even if I'm being arrogant, I'm not afraid of 'stock prices returning to rationality.' I'm even willing to bet everything on it. If I'm wrong, then I'll bear the corresponding consequences myself..."

Ning Weimin's unyielding attitude caused Nakamura Koichi to lose again.

Although he did not agree with Ning Weimin's pessimistic view of the market outlook and was annoyed that the Japanese economy had begun to decline, the fact remained that foreign capital was continuously flowing out of Japan.

This can be proven by data from the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Besides, only you know best about your own affairs.

Before meeting today, they had already roughly figured out EIE's current financial situation, which was quite dire.

Besides the current unrealized losses of over 230 billion yen from stock speculation, the key issue is the group's leverage ratio, which is the ratio of debt to shareholder funds, already exceeding 1200%.

It has to be said that Harunori Takahashi is a bastard who can make money and lose money at the same time.

The EIE Group is currently on the verge of insolvency due to his mismanagement.

So he was truly weak inside, how could he have the courage to stand up to Ning Weimin again?
At this point, he could only turn his pleading gaze to the other two members of his own camp who had not yet spoken.

As a result, Yoichi Tsuchiya coughed twice and then spoke again.

But perhaps because he had previously been rebuked by Ning Weimin for taking a tough stance, he had a deep understanding of Ning Weimin's temperament of being swayed by gentleness but not by force.

Perhaps because he was a securities professional himself, Yoichi Tsuchiya was even more afraid of the disastrous consequences of EIE's stock price collapse. This time, he didn't take a hard line, but instead adopted a completely different appeasement strategy.

"Mr. Ning, we understand your hatred for Takahashi Harunori, but... you are a businessman, and profit should be your priority. However, hatred cannot create any benefit; on the contrary, it will only cause further losses. Why don't you take it easy and let it go as soon as possible? Of course, we know that a simple verbal apology may not prove sincerity... so... so we can talk about other terms to make up for our differences. I believe that EIE may have some assets that you are interested in, and perhaps we can sell them to you at a better price..."

To be honest, his speech this time was much smarter and more in line with Ning Weimin's wishes.

This softened his aura, which was as sharp as a drawn blade, and he showed interest in his eyes. "Oh, can you talk about it in more detail?"

Yoichi Tsuchiya, having received encouragement and affirmation from the faces of his companions, perked up and continued with renewed vigor…

"Mr. Ning, besides running your trading company that distributes suitcases, your main business is running high-end restaurants, right? In recent years, our group has also acquired several restaurants and hot spring hotels in Japan, mostly in well-known tourist destinations, with excellent locations and ambiance. We also have some around Tokyo, and they almost all have a stable customer base. If you are interested, we can certainly discuss this further."

But that wasn't all. He paused, then quickly added a suggestion, "Furthermore, your wife is a rising star in the Japanese entertainment industry. In recent years, she has not only produced many excellent works but has also been continuously improving the industry chain. It seems she intends to expand her business empire from the film industry to the entire entertainment industry. Am I right?"

"As for Takahashi, although he is a bit arrogant and reckless, he recently invested heavily in an artist management company to oppose you, recruiting many artists. It seems that he wants to interfere with your career by getting involved in the entertainment industry. But I think it would be a good thing if you could buy this agency."

"If that's the case, you'll become the new owner of this entertainment company. Not only will it benefit your wife's career, but even if Takahashi Harunori finds out, he'll be furious. He might never be able to hold his head up in front of you again, wouldn't that be right?"

Indeed, Yoichi Tsuchiya offered Ning Weimin a very tempting deal this time, and it was quite persuasive.

Upon hearing this, Ning Weimin immediately thought of the secret restaurant where Takahashi had shown off.

There's also Haruki Kagawa, that scoundrel who secretly flatters Takahashi and is unkind to him.

If these two deals were to go through, it would be a truly gratifying and wonderful thing.

The problem is, it's common for people to be two-faced in business. Where are there so many easy ways to make a profit that are handed to you?
You have to think things through carefully; nobody is a free lunch.

As a result, he pondered for half a minute longer and then realized the other party's hidden thoughts.

So he gave a mocking smile, deliberately shook his head in refusal, and instead used the tactic of playing hard to get.

"No, no, no, I'm not interested in your suggestion. As I just said, I'm not optimistic about the future of the Japanese economy. I believe the market has turned around. If people can't easily make money through the stock market in the future, then neither restaurants nor the entertainment industry will be good businesses anymore. What we need to do now is shrink assets, recoup investments, and reduce labor costs. Your suggestion seems to have some ulterior motives. From your perspective, you're reducing your operating burden, recovering funds, and improving your asset structure, while making me, the sucker, feel cheated..."

The EIE board members were taken aback, completely unprepared for him to see through their thoughts so quickly.

Tsuchiya blushed slightly. "Don't say that. The price is negotiable. As long as the price is right, it will still be a good deal. Right? Besides, hasn't Madam been acquiring film and music copyrights from the past? Takahashi's talent agency seems to be following Madam's approach when recruiting artists, buying up some film and music copyrights. If this is negotiable, we can give you those copyrights as a bonus." Ning Weimin was overjoyed; it was another pleasant surprise.

However, adhering to the principle that "it's not a good deal if you're too eager," in order to maintain full control, he dared not show any sign of being tempted.

Instead, he feigned disgust and said something insincere, "Don't dwell on this, I have absolutely no interest in it."

He then adopted a greedy and covetous demeanor, proposing what he "truly wanted."

“I said, if you want to show sincerity, how about you offer something of real value? For example, Takahashi bought two office buildings in Ginza to drive my liquor store and club out, right? How about we discuss the price of those two buildings?”

As expected, almost all the members of the opposing camp exclaimed in surprise as soon as he said this.

For no other reason than the fact that the real estate market is even more insane than the Japanese stock market.

By 1990, even though the economic bubble had burst and the stock market was declining, the transmission effect on Japan's real estate market was a step slower.

Not only have prices remained strong, but some plots have even seen further price increases due to the spillover effect of funds flowing out of the stock market.

At this moment, the total value of Japan's real estate market has exceeded 2,000 trillion yen, equivalent to four times the total value of real estate in the United States, and the average price per unit is one hundred times that of the United States.

It is estimated that the total value of real estate near the Tokyo Imperial Palace has exceeded the total value of real estate in the entire state of California.

Low vacancy rates and demand for office space from foreign financial institutions have kept Tokyo's construction boom going.

Everyone was excitedly calculating the number of cranes towering over Tokyo Bay, what analysts called the "crane index."

When Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) completed its high-tech building in central Tokyo, its office space, with rents exceeding $3,000 per square meter, eagerly awaited the arrival of foreign banks.

Later, the building was affectionately known as the "Bubble Tower".

Therefore, even with the stock market crashing like this, the real estate assets on the balance sheets of major companies will still be considered as support for stock prices.

Whether they are stock investors or real estate investors, they remain firmly convinced that Japan's large population and limited land resources will only lead to a continued rise in land prices.

Even if Newton came to the Japanese stock market, he couldn't make real estate prices fall.

This can be seen as the last vestige of confidence the Japanese have in their economy.

Given that land prices in Tokyo's Ginza district have reached 5 million yen per square meter, some people are even planning to build an underground city 000 meters underground.

Even though Harunori Takahashi bought these two buildings in a fit of pique, they are still considered sound assets and a wise investment worth praising.

It not only symbolizes the solidity of the EIE Group and proves the rationality of its investment, as the market price has risen by 10% since Harunori Takahashi acquired the shares, but it can also bring EIE more financing.

Therefore, how could these EIE directors be willing to sell?

Their minds were still confined to a small circle, so they naturally assumed that Ning Weimin really wanted it, and were stunned.

"That's impossible!" Yoichi Tsuchiya even exclaimed in surprise to express his disbelief.

"How can this be! Can't we even talk?"

Ning Weimin suppressed his triumphant smile and used the opponent's own words against him, saying, "Didn't you just say that as long as the price is right, it will be a good business?"

Just as Yoichi Tsuchiya was speechless with embarrassment, Shigehiko Tanaka, the long-haired, half-white-haired representative, moved his thin shoulders and finally spoke.

Currently, only he, as the leader and the backbone, can determine the direction of the negotiations.

"Mr. Ning, I hope you can understand that the Ginza real estate is really not doing well. These two buildings are currently the most important part supporting the stock value. Although we need financial relief, we can only spin off and sell off non-core businesses to avoid too much outside scrutiny. Otherwise, what's the difference between this and hollowing out the company?"

“That has nothing to do with me.” Ning Weimin raised his head, pressing the issue with no sense of guilt whatsoever.

"Well then, considering your industry and actual needs, perhaps we can talk about the transfer of shares in Yamato Kanko. Haven't you been working with them before? This company has been of great help to your trading company's business, so you should be interested, right?"

Tanaka Shigehiko then put another asset on the shelf to show Ning Weimin.

Unfortunately, Ning Weimin was far too cunning; no matter how happy he was, he kept his thoughts completely hidden.

"Come on, sell me a travel agency? What were you thinking? The labor costs for such a company are astronomical. The operating costs are too high. Otherwise, I would have already taken a stake. Even without Yamato Kankan, I can still sell my goods through the postal channel. Only that idiot Takahashi would buy it. Do you think I'm as stupid as him?"

Tanaka Shigehiko's face was very unpleasant; given his status, he rarely encountered such ridicule.

However, given the current situation, he seemed to have run out of other bargaining chips and could only patiently continue explaining.

"I didn't mean that. I guarantee with my reputation that Yamato Kankan's assets are excellent and it's consistently profitable. Even though Takahashi hasn't interfered much with the company's management since taking over, its financial statements are still in good shape. The latest quarterly report shows a net profit of 1.5 billion yen, even during the off-season. If we weren't in dire need of funds, and if we weren't hoping for your understanding, I wouldn't have put this company up for sale. I can say with certainty that it's practically a golden goose. If you're interested, let's have a proper discussion. I'll try to offer you the best possible deal, for example, how about selling it to you at 10% of the price we originally bought it for?" (End of Chapter)