1977: The beginning of the blind date with the daughter of the king

Chapter 772 I need you to come back to China!

When Li Changhe asked about his funding, Scarface didn't hide anything, after all, Li Changhe had given him his initial capital.

"Currently, I personally only have six million Canadian dollars, while the entire organization has about fifty-eight million Canadian dollars and another five million US dollars."

Scarface thought for a moment and then quoted a price.

Li Changhe nodded, then continued, "What's the main source of income for your business right now?"

"Collecting sanitation fees, plus robbery! Actually, in Europe and America, the most profitable business is still drugs, but we don't touch that. And then there's the gambling hall you arranged."

Scarface said in a deep voice.

Scarface and his gang don't actually have much income right now. The sanitation fee in Chinatown is basically just protection money, which isn't much at all.

Their real source of income is actually robbery—robbing Vietnamese and South Koreans.

"I've come here to prepare a path to wealth for you."

Li Changhe took out a piece of paper on which a simple plan was written in English.

"I think you should have suitable business partners in your hands by now, right?"

Scarface nodded: "In the past two years, we've trained a few people who should be fine. Their families' lives are in our hands. But simply letting them run the company isn't enough; their skills are just average, and some are even losing money."

"First, register a company in a place like the Virgin Islands, then transfer the funds to Tokyo, buy real estate there, and then invest in the Japanese stock market after 1987."

"This is the order in which funds are handled, but remember, this is not the core."

"Next comes the most important part. You'll be here to connect with people from Taiwan. I'm sure there are a lot of people from Taiwan communities here in Vancouver, right?"

“I’ve had more contact with the Four Seas Gang. They’re not as unscrupulous as the Bamboo Union. They prefer doing business and we’ve had a few transactions with them.”

Scarface said in a deep voice.

Li Changhe nodded: "In short, you use their identities to transfer funds to Taiwan, and then the next step is to make acquisitions in Japan."

"Later, I will give you a list. You can then arrange for people to go to Japan to acquire these companies. After the acquisition is completed, bring the companies to Taiwan and develop them there."

"This"

Scarface hesitated. He didn't understand. Shouldn't the acquisition be taken to the mainland? Why take it to Taiwan?
Li Changhe didn't keep him in suspense and quickly answered his question.

"The United States is currently preparing to target Japan and dismantle its economy. As a result, many Japanese companies will go bankrupt due to the overheated economy. However, some of these companies are quite sensitive and cannot directly invest and build factories in mainland China. Therefore, the best way is to use Taiwan as a springboard."

"There are calls from the mainland for trade with Taiwan, and both sides will gradually lift restrictions. At that time, you can transfer your company's technology to the mainland through Taiwan. After that, I will arrange for people to acquire or invest in these companies and help them grow. Do you understand?"

Li Changhe spoke earnestly to Scarface.

Scarface was still somewhat hesitant.

"Do we have to go to Taiwan?"

In Scar's mind, they were the enemy.

Li Changhe sighed, then said softly, "At present, the only Chinese territory that the US and Japan can trust is Taiwan. Hong Kong and Singapore are not suitable."

"Many of the companies I'm asking you to buy will be technology companies for industrial development. They may not seem large, but they are indispensable. Therefore, these companies are the kind that are somewhat sensitive but not so sensitive, and they need to be reviewed by Japan."

"At this point, the buyer becomes very important. It's a completely different concept for a Canadian buyer to be located in Taiwan versus mainland China."

"Besides that, I can tell you something else. Have you heard about the murder that happened in San Francisco a couple of days ago?"

"You mean the writer who was killed by the leader of the Bamboo Union gang?"

Scarface asked hesitantly at this moment.

Li Changhe nodded: "Yes!"

Li Changhe was actually referring to the Jiangnan Case. On October 15, 1984, Wu Dun and Chen Qili of the Bamboo Union gang went to San Francisco and killed a writer named Liu Yiliang. Because the writer's pen name was Jiangnan, it was also known as the Jiangnan Case.

"What's wrong with this? It's just the death of a writer, is it that big of a deal?"

Scarface was somewhat puzzled.

Li Changhe smiled and said, "It seems you don't know much about this matter. Liu Yiliang was an agent trained by Chiang Kai-shek. But the reason he became a writer is because he published a book that exposed a lot of inside stories and misdeeds of Chiang Kai-shek and Chiang Ching-kuo over the past few decades. Most importantly, he was actually an FBI informant."

"So he's important?"

Scarface still doesn't quite understand.

Li Changhe nodded: "He himself is not very important, but his case is very important. He will become a sharp blade that tears apart the political ecology of the island of America."

"Let me put it this way, I reckon that because of this, the US is going to change its support targets there. In short, partisan strife is about to begin on the island, and the chain reaction that will occur is that the relationship between party members and gangs will become closer, and the black money model will become the mainstream there."

"But once black money politics emerges, we have a lot more options to exploit."

Li Changhe then clearly explained some procedures that would be known to later generations to Scarface, leaving Scarface in awe.

“I understand. In this respect, it is indeed more appropriate for me to sit here.”

For some companies, Li Changhe's identity is really not suitable for buying them, but it doesn't matter if it's a gang fund like Scarface's. Anyway, he can buy a lot of companies for investment and transformation, and since it's located on the island, I believe the US and Japan won't scrutinize it too much.

Most importantly, once the United States dismembers Japan, there are actually only two areas that are truly suitable for industrial development: the first is South Korea, and the second is Taiwan.

Industrial zones require a variety of factors, such as topography and climate; they cannot be built in just any place.

The world's top industrial zones are actually concentrated in temperate regions, which is due to the advantages of their topography and climate.

In Asia, the most suitable place would naturally be China, but currently, China does not have the trust of the United States.

Japan's industrial scale is too large to be absorbed by South Korea alone, so the most suitable place left is Taiwan, which has enough area, plains, population and industrial base.

In fact, the economic boom of South Korea and Taiwan in the 1990s was due to the collapse of Japan. The United States transferred some of the industrial capacity that belonged to Japan to these two regions and opened up part of the US market, which enabled the two regions to develop rapidly and enter the ranks of developed countries.

Li Changhe had originally planned to move some of his businesses to Southeast Asian countries, such as Thailand or Singapore, but Thailand was too far away and Singapore was too small. After much consideration, he decided that it would be more cost-effective to place them in Taiwan.

However, this makes his identity clearly inappropriate, since his status is too high and his actions are easily misinterpreted.

On the contrary, Scarface became a very suitable candidate. After all, the gangs on Taiwan were far more chaotic than those on Hong Kong Island. It's perfectly normal for a member of the Big Circle Gang to cooperate with gangs on the island and make money through physical businesses.

After all, with the Hongmen's outstanding achievements as a precedent, the other party has now become a rather influential Chinese conglomerate in California.

“I understand. I’ll go back and find someone to arrange it. But I’m worried about these companies. I can’t handle them. I’m good at fighting, but I’m completely clueless about managing a company.”

"It's simple. Just recruit normally and strictly control the quality of the products. The domestic market is huge. It's an era where as long as you have a product, it will sell well. During this period, you can recruit Chinese elites from the United States, or even recruit from Hong Kong."

"With these businesses, you won't have to worry about funding in the future. With money comes people. When wealth gathers, people scatter; when wealth is distributed, people gather. However, I suggest that you only control the Chinatown area on the west coast of the United States and Canada. Don't expand to other places. And in the Chinatown of California, you only need to have a branch."

"The situation over there is complicated, with many forces at play. You don't need to get involved in the fighting. Just maintain a certain level of mobile forces and manpower here in Canada."

Li Changhe's decision to have Scarface focus on developing Vancouver was also for security reasons. Canada is known for its vast land area and sparse population, resulting in weak national defense capabilities. To put it bluntly, without military deterrence, politicians will maximize their abilities and then get involved with capital.

The pattern here is actually very similar to that of the late Ming Dynasty. Military power is suppressed, civil officials hold power and collude with each other, which naturally gives people like Scarface a great deal of safe living space.

Scarface didn't discuss or refute anything. In fact, he had a very superficial and shallow understanding of many things, but that didn't stop him from being obedient.

He knew that as long as he kept Li Changhe's words in mind and proceeded step by step, he was guaranteed to make the right choice.

After all, his achievements have already proven these things.

After spending about two hours in Li Changhe's room, Scarface recorded the concise report written by Li Changhe using his own code, and then burned the paper in front of Li Changhe.

Then, under the cover of night, Scarface left quietly.

The next day, Li Changhe took a helicopter to the Okanagan Valley.

After resting for a few days in the Okanagan Valley and tasting the local renowned fruits, Li Changhe then arranged for some of his own fruit to be airlifted to Hong Kong Island.

Subsequently, Li Changhe received several important guests in Canada.

In Kelowna, Chen Aiguo, carrying his daughter in one arm and leading Li Xiaojun, slowly walked out of the airport.

The family of three rented a car and drove to a manor in the suburbs.

Soon, the family of three arrived outside the manor, their "reserved" accommodation.

At the manor, Li Xiaojun saw her younger brother, whom she hadn't seen for nearly two years.

"uncle!"

The little girl is nine years old this year. She has grown from a little boy to a tomboy, but she still remembers Li Changhe very well.

Li Changhe picked her up in one go, then looked at Chen Aiguo and Li Xiaojun.

After two years of experience abroad, Chen Aiguo has become more resolute and less naive than before, while Li Xiaojun also seems to have developed the air of a social elite.

Changhe, you've lost weight!

Looking at her younger brother, whom she hadn't seen for nearly two years, Li Xiaojun felt a pang of heartache.

Li Changhe smiled slightly and said, "Sister, I'm not fat at all."

"But sis, speaking of which, your studies are almost over, right?"

Li Xiaojun has been in California for two years. She is pursuing a master's degree, not an undergraduate one, so it usually takes two to three years.

Hearing Li Changhe's words, Li Xiaojun nodded: "Yes, there are about six months left. My supervisor, Mr. Corenas, suggested that I continue to pursue a doctorate. What's your opinion?"

After listening, Li Changhe shook his head.

"Sister, from your personal perspective, I would definitely support you in pursuing a PhD. However, considering our current needs, you don't need to continue. I hope you return to China!"

"The technological gap between us and the United States is too big. To put it bluntly, if you really study the most advanced subjects, you will only face one situation."

"That means joining the United States, because their most advanced technology is only open to their own people. If you are Chinese, or even Chinese from mainland China, they will naturally distrust you. So if you want to get in touch, you have to join them."

Looking back at the 1980s and 90s, many people went abroad to study and, after obtaining their doctorates, rarely returned. This was partly due to the generous treatment offered in the United States, and partly due to our own objective limitations, such as the inability to provide a sufficient research environment.

Some people are more influenced by subjective factors, while others are influenced by objective factors. Li Changhe does not judge this, but he does need Li Xiaojun to come back right now.

"Also, I'm about to start a collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Sciences on computers, and I want you to go back so I can take on technical work in telecommunications. I need you to help me quickly build a core team of telecommunications technicians."

"While Dad and Uncle are still in technical positions, I want to establish a telecommunications R&D center to integrate the faculty resources of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and major universities in Beijing. I need you to go back and help me oversee this."

"There can be many technical people pursuing doctorates, but so far, you are the only one I can trust who also understands technology!"

Li Changhe said earnestly to Li Xiaojun.

It's already the end of 1984, next year will be 1985, and then 1986. The market for private enterprises will grow bigger and bigger, and the development of telecommunications technology will also be changing rapidly. What Li Changhe is planning to do is to create a giant in the future telecommunications market.

Upon hearing Li Changhe's words, Li Xiaojun nodded solemnly: "In that case, I'll go back in the first half of next year. This Spring Festival, I'll go back with Aiguo and Nannan. After the New Year, I'll come to the United States to finish my studies and then go back."

“Changhe, I think you’re right. What our country needs now isn’t the most cutting-edge scientific and technological innovations, but rather basic scientific and technological innovations that benefit the national economy and people’s livelihoods. Building a technology company might be a better way for me to realize my value.”

After hearing Li Xiaojun's words, Li Changhe was somewhat surprised: "I didn't realize you were so enlightened, sis."

“Your sister also studied business in college. She said from the beginning that your business in China might need her. Now it seems that you two siblings are really on the same wavelength.”

Chen Aiguo then said with a smile.

After listening, Li Changhe looked at Chen Aiguo and smiled slightly.

“Brother-in-law, when you get back, you can also go back to the Northeast for a visit. It’s been several years since you’ve been back, it’s time to go back. I’ll give you a gift when you do.”

Considering Chen Aiguo's diligent care for Li Xiaojun over the past two years, Li Changhe planned to give Chen Aiguo some reward.

Upon hearing this, Chen Aiguo quickly waved his hand and said, "I'll talk about it when I go back next year."

"Oh, right, while you two are in the US, you might consider having a second child, otherwise it might be harder to conceive once you return to China."

Li Changhe thought for a moment, then reminded the two of something, making Chen Aiguo and Li Xiaojun blush.

(End of this chapter)