Break out of the courtyard

Chapter 883: The Battle for the Main Table at the Annual Meeting
Chen Shuting's identity is somewhat special. At the main table, a special seat where only one family can send a representative to sit, she and Zhang Heping occupy two seats on the left of the main seat, President He!

Just because she is the chairman of the Heping Group, whether in name or in the handling of group affairs, she is the true leader of the Heping Group, not a vase pushed to the front by Zhang Heping.

So, she sat at the main table and no one dared to raise any objections.

As for the special existence of Zhang Heping, although he is the real helmsman of Heping Group, he rarely manages the company.

But those who are interested know that the success of Heping Group today is not only due to the relevant technologies provided by Zhang Heping, but also because of his reputation in leading Heping Group, Heping Investment, and Stepmother Investment to plunder hundreds of billions of gold in the Japanese real estate and stock markets!

In addition, the longevity potion that Zhang Heping is currently developing is exactly the longevity medicine that these old guys urgently need. Who would be so blind as to say that Zhang Heping is not qualified to be at the table?

Besides, Zhang Heping didn’t even take President He’s seat, which was already a great respect for the Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

You should know that there are many Chinese business organizations called Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Chinese Chamber of Commerce, and Chinese Chamber of Commerce Federation in various countries around the world, and no one can convince others that they are orthodox.

However, this year's annual meeting of the Chinese Business Association is different from previous years. Chinese business organizations in other countries have sent representatives, as well as leading Chinese businessmen to attend the meeting. This is one of the reasons why Zhang Heping insisted on attending the meeting today!

There are so many people coming today, and they are of all kinds. It is inevitable that they will scramble for seats based on seniority.

However, compared with Zhang Heping and Chen Shuting, two rising stars, no one can compare with them in terms of financial strength, and no one can match them in terms of international influence.

Zhang Heping watched those people recommending their acquaintances to each other for seats, and thought to himself why not just make it a buffet.

But today's seating arrangement is not as simple as it seems.

To ordinary people, this is just a ranking.

But the psychological game and commercial status involved have far-reaching impact.

Let me ask you, for the same product and the same price, do consumers buy more leading products or unknown brand products?

Furthermore, if today's annual meeting, which brings together many Chinese business organizations from around the world, goes well, it may be possible to elect a Chinese Business Association, thereby uniting Chinese businessmen from all over the world and opening up a new business landscape in international trade.

Therefore, when father-in-law Tang Ming was elected to the main table on behalf of the Tang family, Zhang Heping and Chen Shuting tactfully made room on the left and placed Tang Ming in the upper left seat of the main table.

Since being released to fend for itself, China Resources has not yet developed and will not be able to sit at the main table this time.

Just when everyone was about to stop arguing about the main seat at the main table and started discussing who should sit in the upper right seat next to the main seat, Zhang Heping made a suggestion: Mr. Rong from CITIC!
At this time, CITIC Group was not ranked well among all Chinese businessmen, and it could even be said that it had many internal problems.

But Zhang Heping's reason was simple: "If you want to invest in the mainland like I did, or want to obtain mainland capital investment, Mr. Rong may be able to help you a lot."

When Mr. Rong from CITIC heard this, he was actually a little confused. When did the mainland have plans to invest overseas?

However, Zhang Heping's explanation soon rang out, "Most of the recent news is about the terrorist attack on me by Japanese and Magnesium spies."

"So many people may have overlooked the change in wind direction over the mainland."

"If you have a smartphone, you might want to check out Xinhua News Agency's recent report on the inspection team's journey south."

"In the past, many people asked me whether investments like those in Japan's real estate and stock markets could be replicated in other countries?"

"Now the opportunity has come, it depends on your judgment!"

Some Chinese businessmen with simple minds immediately took out their mobile phones to search.

But most of the Chinese businessmen present were cunning and sly foxes. Not to mention how the wind direction in the mainland would change, the longevity potion that Zhang Heping possessed alone was enough to make everyone agree with his recommendation.

The key point is that Zhang Heping is now selling a 120-year lifespan potion for 120 billion RMB, which in itself is a very special signal!
Therefore, before others could check the news reports from the mainland, people began to speak out in agreement with Zhang Heping's proposal.

What's more, some people even ran to support Mr. Rong, who was already 76 years old.

After the upper seats on the left and right of the main seat were taken, others set their sights on other positions.

Fortunately, this main table is big enough, with a diameter of 7 meters, which can usually seat 8 people. If you use plastic stools instead, more than 38 people can squeeze in.

If this table did not exist, Zhang Heping would not have allowed the Chinese Chamber of Commerce to change the venue of its annual meeting to the Peace Hotel.

As the number of seats at the main table dwindled, and only the main and last seats were left, everyone else tactfully left, leaving only President Ho of the Hong Kong Chinese Business Association and President Liu of the Magnesium Chinese Business Association who had not yet taken their seats.

"This guy from Mexico is nuts!" someone at another table whispered. "He knows Mr. Zhang dislikes Mexicans, but he still dreams of taking the main seat!"

"If he had chosen the second or third seat from the right, Mr. Zhang, out of respect for his fellow Chinese businessmen, probably wouldn't have said much."

"He's not stupid! The Peace Group has blacklisted Japan and Magnesium, prohibiting their products from entering the Japanese and Magnesium markets. If Chinese businessmen in Magnesium want to obtain the longevity potion, besides changing their nationality, this position is their only chance!"

"Hey! He's not stupid. He can show off in front of Mr. Zhang that the total market value of the assets of the Chinese businessmen in Magnesium has reached 350 billion magnesium yuan?"

"How foolish indeed! This guy from Magnesium wants to usurp the throne, but he doesn't even bother asking around! As early as 1985, the Heping Group's market capitalization exceeded 400 billion Magnesium dollars. The combined market capitalization of those Magnesium-based Chinese businessmen is only 350 billion now. What's there to brag about?"

"That's not right! I remember that year's Forbes list, the richest Chinese were the Wang family from Magnesium, with a net worth of 20 billion magnesium yuan!"

"What the hell is richest man?! Have you ever seen the names of Rothschild, Rockefeller, or other wealthy tycoons appear on the Forbes list?"

"Oh, yeah! Now that you mention it, it seems Mr. Zhang's family has never appeared on the Forbes list!"

"You just said that the market capitalization of the Peace Group in 1985 exceeded 400 billion magnesium yuan. Where is the basis for this?"

"That year, the Peace Group used the shares of Hua Yingxiong Company as collateral to borrow 40 billion US dollars from major banks to invest in the Japanese stock market. However, the five major US banks defaulted on the loan of 12 billion US dollars. This has been a long-standing issue. Haven't you heard about it?"

"I know this. The five largest banks in the country ultimately paid Heping Group 5 million magnesium yuan in liquidated damages!"

"A 5 million magnesium penalty is nothing! Do you know how much money Stepmother Investment Company made from the 280 billion magnesium it borrowed from Japan? Over 1 billion! And magnesium!"

Chairman Liu of the Magnesium Chinese Business Association stood behind the main seat at the main table, chattering incessantly with a microphone. The Chinese businessmen at other tables were either whispering to each other, or crossing their arms in front of their chests waiting to see the joke, or negotiating with others to change seats so that they could communicate with their friends nearby.

On the other hand, Chairman Ho of the Hong Kong Chinese Business Association ran to the entrance of the Peace Hotel to pick up people.

The Hong Kong Chinese Business Association’s annual meeting never sent out invitations in previous years, so everyone came early to build relationships.

This year was the same. President He did not send out invitations, but arranged for his eldest son to greet guests at the door to prevent anyone from being stopped outside by Zhang Heping's bodyguards.

However, there were quite a lot of Chinese businessmen coming from overseas this time, and some of them arrived late. In addition, the eldest son of the He family did not know some of them, so he had to call Old He over to take a look.

After all, Zhang Heping had just experienced a bomb attack, and the He family didn't want to let a few dangerous people in just because they didn't know them.

But for the position of president of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Lao He was unwilling to offend other Chinese businessmen over such a trivial matter, so he had to make the difficult trip.

President He was not in the banquet hall, and everyone looked at Zhang Heping from time to time, wanting to see what the richest man Zhang's attitude was towards President Liu of the Magnesium Chinese Business Association.

Although many Chinese businessmen and companies in China have appeared on the Forbes list in recent years, the names of Zhang Heping, Chen Shuting and Heping Group have never appeared on that list.

Some speculated that the magnesium government was interfering in this, hoping to reduce the influence of the Peace Group.

But in fact, it was Zhang Heping who sent someone over to say hello. Under the dual threat of money and force, the Zhang family, like those big conglomerates of Ou Mei, rarely appeared in the public eye.

If Japan and the US hadn't used a truck bomb against Zhang Heping, Zhang wouldn't have allowed the Hong Kong and Macau media to create public opinion around him and position him as a victim. Therefore, any future retaliation by Zhang Heping against Japan and the US would be entirely justifiable.

However, Zhang Heping had no intention of retaliating openly.

He just wanted outsiders to know that this was my revenge, but you couldn't provide evidence to prove that it was me who did it.

Only in this way can outsiders be feared and attacks on his family be reduced!

For example, the death of the head of the Magnesium Special Intelligence Agency!

Everyone was speculating that it was Zhang Heping's revenge, but they didn't expect that a former North Soviet intelligence officer would jump out and claim to be responsible for the incident.

But the problem arises again. The Peace Group has recently recruited a lot of immigrants from the former North Sudan.

After President Liu of the Magnesium Chinese Business Association finished speaking, he pulled out the main seat chair on his own amid sparse applause.

Just as President Liu stood in front of the main chair, bowed to the Chinese businessmen around him, and then sat down, a man at the middle table suddenly stood up and loudly questioned:
"That's President He's seat. Who told you to sit there?"

Zhang Heping looked at the man and recognized that his surname was Ye. He was a cement and river sand supplier in Hong Kong Island and had some unclear connections with the mainland.

I don’t know if it was because that person attracted Zhang Heping’s attention, but another Hong Kong businessman stood up and started to accuse him in a pedantic manner.

"You can't even distinguish between host and guest. Go back to where you came from, you wicked guest!"

"You came uninvited and you want to sit in the main seat? Dream on! Get out of here!"

"Tariffs in Magnesium are getting higher and higher, and he still has the nerve to bring up trade with us!"

"Chinese people in Magnesium are only considered third-class citizens. Chinese businesspeople there have no influence on Magnesium's policies at all."

……

"Everyone!" Chairman Liu of the Magnesium Chinese Business Association could no longer sit still. He stood up again and bowed, saying, "I want to take this seat. None of the wealthy merchants here object!"

Chairman Guo, who was sitting at the same table, said with a smile, "Chairman He hasn't even returned yet, so why should we object to you?"

"I came here this time with a contract worth hundreds of billions of magnesium yuan!" Chairman Liu saw that he could not convince the businessmen in Hong Kong Island, so he hurriedly offered a huge profit.

This trick really worked, and the noise in the banquet hall soon disappeared.

Just because 1000 billion magnesium dollars can be exchanged for 7700 billion Hong Kong dollars, as long as the Hong Kong businessmen can get a share of the profits, it will be enough for them to make a fortune, so there is no harm in letting the other party take the main seat.

"What 100 billion magnesium dollar contract?" President He brought a few late-arriving Chinese businessmen into the banquet hall and took one of the young men to the last seat at the main table.

"Chairman He, this Mr. Liu from Magnesium said he brought a contract worth hundreds of billions of magnesium dollars!" Chairman Guo said with a smile, "So, he wants to sit in your main seat."

"For the sake of so much money, why don't you come and squeeze in with us?"

If you are not familiar with him, you might think that Lao Guo is trying to sow discord.

But most of the people here are acquaintances, and they all know that this is a joke.

President He glanced at Zhang Heping, who was smiling faintly and saying nothing. He didn't care about the behavior of the Magnesian guy who took the host's place. With this host around, it was not the turn of the Magnesian guy to sit in the host's seat.

Then, President He introduced to everyone: "Mr. Tan from the Middle East, who once worked at a seawater desalination plant under the Peace Group. Later, with funding from the Peace Group, he chose to start his own business in Saudi Arabia."

Chairman He suddenly turned to look at the people at the other tables and said loudly, "Mr. Tan has increased the market value of his Middle East Water Plant Company to 10 billion magnesium yuan in just one year. He is truly a young and promising man! Welcome everyone!"

Following the applause of President He and the crowd, the newly arrived Mr. Tan first bowed slightly in the direction of Zhang Heping and Chen Shuting, and then bowed to the others to express his gratitude.

After the applause died down, Mr. Tan said in a clear voice: "My achievements today are inseparable from the guidance and encouragement of Teacher Zhang, and the financial support of Mr. Chen for our company."

"We came back today and originally wanted to go to Shenzhen to visit Teacher Zhang."

"Only when I arrived in Hong Kong did I learn that Mr. Zhang, Mr. Chen, and other seniors were holding an annual meeting of Chinese businessmen there, so I came here with such audacity. Please forgive me!"

"Mr. Tan, you're welcome!" Someone at another table stood up and said, "Chinese businessmen all over the world are one family. Your presence at our annual meeting makes it even more meaningful!"

Just as others were exchanging pleasantries and President He wanted to arrange the young Mr. Tan from the Middle East to sit at the end of the main table, Chen Shuting briefly told Zhang Heping about Mr. Tan's entrepreneurial experience.

Although Zhang Heping has a good memory, he only remembers meeting this person a few times at the seawater desalination plant in Hong Kong Island and answering his technical questions a few times.

As for this former employee's subsequent self-employment, he was the first group of people to go out and start his own business after Zhang Heping asked Chen Shuting to encourage internal employees to start their own businesses at the Heping Group's annual meeting two years ago.

Thinking of this, Zhang Heping remembered one thing.

When he responded to an employee's email two years ago, he seemed to have given the employee some advice, which may have been taken as encouragement by the other party.

"Chairman He, please stop praising me. How can I be qualified to sit at the same table with you!" The young boss Tan insisted on not sitting at the last seat at the main table.

After a stalemate, President He turned his gaze to Zhang Heping, wanting him to help persuade them.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Heping did what the other party wanted. "Mr. Tan's business has just started. He should get to know more owners of machinery factories and raw material factories to prepare for future factory expansion."

"Teacher Zhang and Mr. Chen, just call me Little Tan. Calling me Mr. Tan makes me look like an outsider!" Young Boss Tan hastily corrected the address, hoping to maintain the close relationship between Zhang Heping and Chen Shuting. "Besides, you two are the major shareholders of our company!"

Since Zhang Heping had spoken, President He stopped trying to persuade him and personally introduced Boss Tan to a table full of machinery factory owners.

After President He returned to the main table, the banquet hall suddenly became quiet. Everyone wanted to see how he would deal with President Liu of the Magnesium Chinese Business Association.

Chairman He came up behind Zhang Heping, holding the back of his chair, and looking at the man from Magnesium who was still standing in front of the main seat without making any concessions, he shook his head and smiled:
"The main reason I was able to hold that position, besides the support of the Chinese businessmen, was that my friends, including Mr. Zhang, Mr. Bao, and Mr. Guo, were unwilling to compete with me, which allowed me to occupy that position for many years."

"If Chairman Liu can really bring us a group of Chinese businessmen a project worth hundreds of billions of magnesium yuan, it wouldn't be a problem for you to take that position."

Chairman He's words were full of sarcasm, which indirectly indicated that besides him, Zhang Heping, Bao Chuanwang, Chairman Guo and others could sit in that position, and it would not be Chairman Liu's turn.

He also took a retreat as a means of advance, forcing the other party to first reveal the 100 billion magnesium project, so that other Chinese businessmen would not think that the top Chinese businessmen at the main table wanted to join forces to seize the project, thereby ruining the atmosphere of this annual meeting.

Chairman Liu of the Magnesium Chinese Business Association had no choice but to steal a few glances at Zhang Heping before finally revealing the purpose of his trip to Hong Kong Island.

"I heard that Peace Group's 28-nanometer chips have entered mass production. I'm representing the Magnesium Computer Association, the Electrical Appliances Association, and the Toy Association..."

Before the man could finish his words, the banquet hall became noisy again.

When everyone present heard that it was a high-tech product like the 28-nanometer chip, they naturally understood that the so-called billion magnesium project had nothing to do with them, so they gave up the idea of ​​getting a piece of the pie, but at the same time they had a bad taste in watching the show.

Because the Peace Group has blacklisted the country of Magnesium and issued a special announcement that it will not trade with the country of Magnesium.

"Sit over there!" President He walked over, patted President Liu on the shoulder, and said calmly:

"Don't make Mr. Zhang and Mr. Chen angry here!"

(End of this chapter)