National Tide 1980.

From a business acumen perspective, Harunori Takahashi might be considered a genius.

He is bold and decisive, good at seizing opportunities, and has unconventional plans for his business, with many amazing ideas and plans.

As early as the beginning of Japan's economic bubble period, he began to invest heavily in various companies, multiplying his wealth and perfectly reaping the benefits of the era.

So during his smooth-sailing days, Harunori Takahashi was just like the male protagonist in a wish-fulfillment novel, radiating brilliance and blessed with good fortune.

He succeeded in almost everything he did, and as his wealth increased, he easily obtained everything he wanted.

However, his biggest mistake was mistaking the benefits of the times for his own abilities.

One should not become arrogant and selfish, disregard all social rules, or trample on the dignity of others.

They should not lose their conscience and lower their moral standards again and again to satisfy their insatiable desires, resorting to all sorts of cunning methods to swindle money.

Harunori Takahashi never understood one principle: the world is cyclical and the laws of nature are in order.

He doesn't understand that real society isn't like an online novel, where the higher you jump, the faster you die.

The ability to be patient and patient is the true skill of those in positions of power.

Humility and harmony with others are the key guarantees for a person's success.

Only by assessing the situation and making appropriate compromises can a company navigate economic cycles and grow stronger.

That is why, when an era comes to an end, Harunori Takahashi is like a naked swimmer surfacing, unable to even escape unscathed.

As the saying goes, when fortune smiles, heaven and earth lend their strength; when luck turns, even heroes are powerless.

Now, he has lost the favor of the times and is beginning to suffer the consequences of his past misdeeds, paying the price for his shortsightedness and petty success.

He no longer has credibility as a foundation.

So no matter how eloquently he spoke, how cunning and treacherous he used, or how much effort he put in, it was all in vain; no one was willing to lend him another copper coin.

He lost his status and power.

Those who had been harmed, hurt, or bullied by him in the past now wished they could devour his flesh and blood, and swarm him to tear him apart alive.

His heinous crimes will naturally be exposed to the world and he will be condemned by all.
That's not all. The most tragic thing about Harunori Takahashi's life is that he simply blindly believed in power and wealth, yet he didn't even have a single person who could be considered a friend.

As a result, countless people around him hated and feared him, while not a single person remembered his good points; he was truly an enemy of the world.

Since he is such a failure as a person, he has no reason to blame himself for being down on his luck and having no one to help him, and for others to kick him when he's down and stab him in the back.

As the saying goes, "You reap what you sow," and his fate was already sealed. He brought it upon himself and had no one else to blame.

Ning Weimin, on the other hand, was different.

When it comes to principles of conduct and work, Ning Weimin's views are almost entirely the opposite of those of Takahashi Harunori.

If Takahashi Harunori is a negative example of "losing the support of the people," then Ning Weimin can be seen as a positive example of "gaining the support of the people."

Although Ning Weimin appears somewhat cowardly and weak compared to the domineering CEO-like persona of Harunori Takahashi, he is much more so.

He always had a smile on his face, as if anything could be discussed.

Even when faced with intense pressure, he rarely confronts it head-on, always seeking a way to reconcile and take care of the needs of more people.

He never uses his power to intimidate others, doesn't like to flaunt his wealth, and doesn't even like to stand out. He also loves to do good deeds that cost him nothing and do foolish things that are thankless and difficult.

But it was precisely these qualities that gave him the advantage of popular support, made him needed by more and more people, and ultimately allowed him to win this seemingly evenly matched war in a risk-free manner.

The battle over EIE's stock price was the watershed moment between the two of them.

Although their circumstances and achievements were once very similar, they became worlds apart from then on.

…………

On February 26, 1990, because the EIE board of directors followed Ning Weimin's advice and took the initiative to expose the mess left by Takahashi Harunori, EIE's stock plummeted on the first trading day.

Throughout the day, the EIE stock chart showed a one-sided downward trend, once again contradicting the rebounding market trend.

By the close of trading that afternoon, the stock's market value had evaporated by more than 100 billion yen, and the share price had fallen below 14,000 yen.

The nearly 20% drop caused extremely heavy losses for those who held the stock.

Not only did many retail investors consider Harunori Takahashi the culprit, but they also severely criticized him.

Even some of the companies and major shareholders holding these stocks panicked and lost confidence in holding them.

As these people reduced their positions, they were all annoyed that they shouldn't have believed Takahashi Harunori's boasts in the media a few days earlier, rashly trying to buy at the bottom, and even using leverage to go long.

But to be honest, this doesn't mean the stock is finished or completely beyond saving.

Because the rise and fall of this stock is no longer related to its fundamentals.

In reality, the board of directors of EIE Group, the mastermind behind the market crash and the hidden speculator, is still making a huge gamble.

They used this self-destructive method to scare away Morgan Stanley, who wanted to take advantage of the situation, and incidentally bought up a wave of blood-stained shares at low prices, using the blood and sweat of minority shareholders to fill their own losses.

Surprisingly, this strategy worked quite well.

The closing data for that day clearly shows that EIE's traders dominated the trading throughout the day, and Morgan Stanley seemed to have been genuinely intimidated.

In addition, EIE's account also profited 3.3 billion yen through arbitrage. While this amount may not seem like a huge sum, its significance is extraordinary.

Ning Weimin's strategy gave them a real glimmer of hope for self-salvation.

After all, this is EIE Group's most brilliant achievement in the financial market in the past three months.

This is equivalent to the end of a downturn and a reversal of a trend.

So that very day, they couldn't wait to contact Ning Weimin, hoping to meet him again.

Now that initial trust has been established and Ning Weimin has proven to be a reliable partner, they both hope to finalize matters concerning further cooperation as soon as possible.

Ning Weimin didn't stand on ceremony and simply asked them to meet at the Chixia Club at nine o'clock that evening.

Maria, who had just received Ning Weimin's message, was already tired of staying in France and was currently in Hong Kong. It would probably take some time before she could return.

However, Chixia Club is, after all, Ning Weimin's territory, and the property here belongs to the EIE Group, so it is certainly safer for them to discuss business here than in other places.

…………

"No wonder Mr. Ning wanted to kill Takahashi. If I were him, I would have done the same."

"That's right, business here is so good, and the madam is beautiful, who would be willing to give it up to that bastard Takahashi for free?"

"Wait a minute, isn't that a bit off? As far as I know, the madam that Takahashi has his eye on is a legend in Ginza, a mixed-race woman named Maria. But this madam just called herself Chiemi, and she's not mixed-race either. It doesn't seem quite right."

"That only shows that Mr. Ning has even more reason to kill Takahashi. Even the replacement is so outstanding. You can imagine what kind of beauty Maria was back then. I really want to see her in person."

"Yeah yeah……"

It was just past 8:30 p.m. when four EIE board representatives, led by Changyin Managing Director Shigehiko Tanaka, arrived at the Chixia Club for the appointment.

They were allowed entry after giving Ning Weimin's name, and were treated as VIPs, seated in a sofa with a good view in the lobby.

However, Ning Weimin might need to arrive a little later, and there was the precedent of Takahashi Harunori angering him.

Although these men were all of noble status, regulars at Ginza, and seasoned veterans of the entertainment industry, they dared not act recklessly.

To avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings, they didn't invite any PR girls to accompany them, and they didn't order any spirits or champagne either. Everyone just ordered a regular beer to quench their thirst.

To pass the time, besides watching the busy comings and goings of people in the shop, they would chat casually with each other.

But you know what? Even though it's been deliberately made difficult by Harunori Takahashi, with the rent for the Akakaza Club being raised repeatedly, business here is actually pretty good.

When they first entered, they felt that the temperature was just right, the service was very attentive, and the store was filled with a comfortable and pleasant atmosphere.

Especially at 8:30, the store wasn't crowded, but as time went on, more and more customers came. By 9:00, just ten minutes before the end of the day, the store was bustling with activity.

The previously empty seats gradually filled up, and even the small table in the corner that could only seat four or five people was occupied by the new guests. The waiters and waitresses were extremely busy.

Fine spirits from England and France, and champagne frosted in silver ice buckets, were served one by one.

That's why several board representatives made those remarks.

These people could all estimate the approximate profits here, so they not only found Ning Weimin's revenge increasingly understandable, but also felt quite envious.

Who wouldn't treasure such a club and be willing to let it go?

What they didn't know was that Ning Weimin could make a profit by importing the high-end liquor here to Japan.

Otherwise, they would understand even more the value of the Crimson Cloud Club to Ning Weimin and elevate its reputation.

Even so, it didn't stop them from secretly mocking and gloating over Takahashi Harunori.

To be honest, even they had many things they disapproved of regarding Takahashi Harunori's past autocratic and dictatorial behavior.

There had been long-standing grievances and resentment against them, and the accumulated conflicts were difficult to resolve.

At this moment, because it's the right time, people inevitably take the opportunity to vent their frustrations.

"That guy Takahashi probably still doesn't realize what kind of killer he's brought upon himself, does he? He truly deserves the title of the most foolish bubble gentleman in all of Japan."

"That's right. Although I also feel sorry for that guy, just thinking about that arrogant and disgusting face makes me furious. Now that I think about it, there was absolutely no reason to protect him. People like that should get their comeuppance."

"Yes, yes, Takahashi is arrogant and conceited. He's just a junior, but he looks down on everyone and thinks he's the best! He even lacks respect for us. Although he has made great contributions to the company's development, can't he be a little more humble? Fortunately, we brought him down early, otherwise, if he were to make a comeback in the future, would we even have a say in it?"

"To be honest, I hate that guy's arrogant behavior the most. As you all know, in the past, EIE Group's securities business was all handled by Sanyang Securities. I had a lot in common with Takahashi regarding stocks and overseas investments. I originally considered him a confidant, but who knew that just because of a board vote, I voiced my opposition, and he held a grudge and ultimately took the relevant business from me and gave it to an outsider."

Yoichi Tsuchiya of Sanyo Securities was the last to chime in. Besides his indignant complaints, he also took the opportunity to praise Ning Weimin.

"But Mr. Ning is different. Don't let my initial disagreement with him fool you; he's a really good person. He's polite, approachable, and doesn't hold a grudge against me. Not only did he give us such effective advice, but he also kept his word. The 20 billion yuan really came through. Thanks to him, our company's proprietary trading desk also made 500 million yuan today. I'm really grateful that we've met such a reasonable and trustworthy person to cooperate with."

“Yes, yes,” Tanaka Shigehiko immediately echoed. “I’ve already inquired further about his character through a friend at Sumitomo Bank. I heard that this Mr. Ning is very trustworthy and a true friend. Sumitomo has already lent him nearly 400 billion yen in emergency funds. Now it seems that he is a more reliable person than Takahashi Harunori in every respect, and we financial institutions have already personally sent Takahashi to prison, which will create a vacuum in our business dealings. So if there are more possibilities for cooperation, I mean, we might as well give him some more benefits. What do you think?”

Kobayashi from Fuguo Life Insurance nodded first, "I have no objection. The insurance industry values ​​the reputation of its partners the most. The better the reputation, the lower the risk. Moreover, EIE is indeed short of funds right now, and the current stock market situation has led to everyone being short of money. It is our good fortune that we have someone like Mr. Ning with sufficient funds to take over from us. If we can sign the contract as soon as possible and offer appropriate discounts, no one will be able to find fault with it."

As for Nakamura, the last person to agree on this matter, his reasons were even more pragmatic.

"This afternoon, I heard that a fund manager jumped off the Toranomon building because of our stock. Do you know how I feel about this? I can't help but think that if anything in this world is truly terrifying, I think besides assassination, nothing is more terrifying than insurmountable debt. I don't want to end up like that unlucky guy, or follow in Takahashi's footsteps. So, no matter what, I hope to reach a cooperation agreement as soon as possible and resolve EIE's high debt problem quickly. Debt restructuring is the top priority; we can't afford to take any more risks. Otherwise, if something really goes wrong, we might be next..."

His words sent chills down the spines of his companions present. Just as they shared the same sentiment, reached a consensus, and decided to offer Ning Weimin more favorable terms, the belated Ning Weimin finally appeared. (End of Chapter)