Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 249 Taking the Initiative
He Yuzhu walked to the open space in the center of the yard, slowly took off his home coat, and was only wearing a close-fitting black short jacket.

He didn't have a starting stance or any extra movements; he just stood there casually.

In an instant, the atmosphere in the entire backyard seemed to freeze.

In He Yaozu's eyes, the gentle father from just now had disappeared.

Standing there, He Yuzhu's figure remained upright, yet he resembled a fully drawn bow or a ferocious beast that had locked onto its prey in the jungle.

An invisible, blood-smelling chill quietly spread out from him.

This wasn't a deliberately emitted murderous aura, but rather the icy indifference to life that had settled deep within the bones of someone who had crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood countless times.

Chen Jikai's cloudy old eyes narrowed sharply, and the relaxed and carefree look on his face vanished instantly, replaced by extreme solemnity and a hint of barely perceptible horror!

He had practiced martial arts his whole life and seen many masters, but the aura emanating from his grandson at this moment... it wasn't the restraint of a martial arts master at all, but pure, naked battlefield killing intent! It was a murderous aura truly forged in the blood of his enemies!
Then He Yuzhu moved.

The movements were not fancy at all, and were even simpler and more direct than the routine Yaozu had just performed!
He ducked low, like a cheetah pouncing on its prey, and unleashed a powerful "Advancing Crushing Fist"! The fist tore through the air, producing a muffled "whoosh," its target pointing straight at the void ahead, as if it would shatter all invisible obstacles!
Immediately following, a fierce side kick swept across like a steel whip, carrying a ruthless force capable of breaking rocks! Then, twisting the waist and hips, an elbow strike came out like a venomous dragon emerging from its cave, fast as lightning, cunning and ruthless, aimed straight for vital points!
Finally, there's the "reverse groin strike," a seemingly small movement that exudes a sinister and vicious aura, targeting the most vital spot in the lower body!

Every move abandons the so-called beauty and harmony, pursuing the greatest destructive power at the shortest distance and fastest speed!
Every exertion of force is accompanied by a resounding boom, with muscles bulging and veins bulging, exuding a primal and violent sense of power!
Their footwork was unpredictable and swift, sometimes slithering along the ground like a snake, sometimes leaping across a ravine like a tiger, entirely dedicated to attack and evasion, with no set pattern whatsoever.

This was no drill; it was more like a silent, life-or-death battle! Fists, feet, elbows, knees, palms… every part of the body became a deadly weapon. The movements were fluid and swift, full of wild explosive power, each move deadly and each strike a deadly attack!
The air seemed to be filled with the smell of gunpowder and blood.

Chen Jikai's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he subconsciously held his breath!

He wasn't watching the boxing techniques; he was watching a battlefield reenacted, a condensation of countless life-and-death struggles!
The ruthlessness, speed, sharpness, and precise grasp of the human body's weaknesses contained in this style of boxing far surpass any martial arts routine he had ever learned or seen in his life.

This is a skill that exists solely for killing enemies!
No fancy moves, no unnecessary actions, every strike is aimed straight at the heart of the matter, concise, efficient, and lethal!
He could even imagine how terrifying this fighting style, combined with He Yuzhu's terrifying speed and strength, would be on a real battlefield!

He Yuzhu's final move, the "reverse joint lock," was a feint, and the fierce and incomparable killing aura suddenly receded like a tide.

He slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, his breathing instantly returning to normal, as if the thrilling battle had never happened.

He looked at his dumbfounded son, his voice returning to its usual gentle tone: "Yaozu, did you see that? A punch can be thrown like this. It's not for show, but to make those who want to hurt you and your family completely lose their threat in the shortest amount of time."

He Yaozu was still immersed in his father's ferocious aura, which was like that of a beast. His mouth was slightly open and his eyes were wide open.

He was too young to fully comprehend the cruelty and bloodshed involved, but the overwhelming sense of power and the ferocity that seemed to want to destroy everything deeply shocked his young mind. He nodded subconsciously, then looked at his great-grandfather with some confusion.

Chen Jikai took a long, silent breath to suppress the shock in his heart.

He walked over to He Yuzhu, patted his grandson's shoulder hard, his eyes filled with complex emotions—amazement, relief, lingering fear, and an indescribable heaviness: "Good! Good! Good!"

He said "good" three times, but in the end it just turned into a sigh. "Zhu Zi... your skills were honed in a real battlefield. Yao Zu... is still young, his foundation is important. What you're teaching is too fierce and intense. Wait until he's older and stronger before you teach him slowly. Yu Xin and Yu Yao can learn from him."

He Yuzhu understood his grandfather's meaning and nodded: "Grandpa, don't worry, I know what I'm doing. The foundation you laid is naturally the best. I just want him to know that there are some things in this world that are more important than rules and routines." He looked at his son, "Remember, strength is for protection, not for violence and ruthlessness."

He Yaozu seemed to understand but not quite. He looked at his father, then at his great-grandfather, and finally nodded vigorously. His childish voice carried a hint of determination: "Yes! Dad, I remember! I will hone my skills to protect Mom, my younger siblings, my great-grandmother, my grandparents, my aunts and uncles!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Jikai finally showed a relieved and gratified smile, patting Yaozu's head: "Good boy, you have ambition!"

He Yuzhu smiled, bent down and picked up his son, letting him ride on his shoulders: "Come on, Yaozu, let's go have breakfast with Dad."

Sitting on his father's broad shoulders, He Yaozu's vision suddenly opened up. The shock and confusion he had felt earlier were replaced by excitement. He hugged He Yuzhu's head, giggled, and asked curiously, "Dad, you looked so fierce when you were boxing! Like...like a big tiger! Have you really fought bad guys?"

He Yuzhu paused almost imperceptibly, then steadily carried his son forward, his voice calm and even: "Yes. Because if we don't fight some bad people, they'll hurt even more good people. It's like Sun Wukong fighting monsters." He gave this heavy question a vague and slightly fairytale-like answer in a way his son could understand.

In the morning light, the father and son walked towards the dining room, with Chen Jikai behind them, watching their backs with deep eyes.

He understands his grandson less and less, but the house only feels more like home when his grandson comes back.

Because this grandson is the family's greatest support, their sharpest spear and their strongest shield.

The father and son walked to the entrance of the villa. He Yuzhu put He Yaozu down and led his little hand into the hall.

The aroma of steamed buns and fried dough sticks wafted from the kitchen, and He Yuzhu knew that his father, He Daqing, had made them.

I took my son upstairs to wash up, then woke up the other two little ones. When I got back to my room, I found that Xiaoman was also awake, so I asked, "Why didn't you sleep a little longer?"

"I've gotten used to waking up at this time, and now I can't fall back asleep. What about the little ones?"

"I had Yaozu bring them downstairs to see you."

"You can go down too. I'll go down once I'm done packing."

"it is good."

When they arrived at the restaurant, He Daqing was wearing an apron and serving the last dish of stir-fried vegetables.

Grandma Chen Lanxiang and He Yushui were busy setting out the bowls and chopsticks. The old lady kept telling the children to sit down properly. Grandpa Chen also sat down at the table, while He Yuyan helped pour the soy milk into the children's cups.

He Yuzhu smiled.

"What about the third and fourth brothers?"

“Those two boys often stay up late, so it will take them a while to get up,” He Yushui replied.

"I'll take the kids to school later," He Yuzhu said.

"Brother, did you get confused when you went out? It's the weekend, otherwise why is everyone at home here?" He Yushui rolled her eyes at him.

"Ah, hahaha." He Yuzhu used laughter to cover up his embarrassment.

"Brother, does the reward you promised yesterday still count?" He Yushui pressed. Yesterday, her sister-in-law acted like she was in a daze when she saw her brother and didn't say a word in her defense. She wasn't going to let her brother off the hook.

"what do you want?"

"I want a car, a good-looking one. None of the ones in your factory are suitable for me."

"What, you want to customize one?" He Yuzhu glanced at her.

"Hehe, let's eat, let's eat. I'll tell you after we finish eating," He Yushui said mysteriously.

"You're always full of tricks. By the way, when are you going to find a partner?"

"Brother, why do you have to bring up things that don't go well? Can't we just have a normal conversation?" He Yushui glared at him.

“Zhu Zi is right, Yu Shui, when are you bringing your partner home?” the old lady chimed in.

"You brat, back in Beijing you said you weren't in a hurry because you were young, but you're 27 this year, and you still say you're young?" Chen Lanxiang slammed the bowl down in her hand.

He Yushui looked at He Yuzhu with a hint of resentment, as if to say, "Look, it's all your fault, I've become the target of everyone's criticism!"
He Yuzhu pretended not to see it; he was using chopsticks to serve his son and daughter steamed buns and fried dough sticks.

Seeing He Yuzhu like this, He Yushui vented her anger on the steamed buns.

"You brat, who are you trying to impress with that look on your face, all gritted teeth?" Chen Lanxiang still didn't let He Yushui off the hook.

"Mom, find it as soon as possible, find it as soon as possible, okay?" He Yushui's tone was full of perfunctory attitude.

"Humph."

"Alright, let's eat! This girl knows what she's doing!" the old lady said again.

Everyone else was busy cooking, as if they were used to this scene.

Breakfast ended with a lighthearted interlude of He Yushui being pressured to get married and He Yaozu, full of food, vividly describing his father's boxing as "like Sun Wukong fighting monsters."

He Yushui ran away after finishing her meal, saying she was going shopping with her best friend. He Yuzhu saw that there were security guards following her, so he didn't pay any attention to her.

After dinner, He Yuzhu played with He Yuyan, Yaozu, Yaozong, and Ningxue in the garden, patiently helping them build sandcastles, play tag, hide-and-seek, and telling stories, making up for the lack of companionship he had.

The children's silvery laughter echoed in the morning sunlight, dispelling the last trace of chill He Yuzhu had brought back from the peninsula.

Xiaoman sat on a rattan chair under the eaves, watching this scene with a smile. Her knitting slowed down, and her eyes were gentle as water.

The old lady and Mr. Chen watched from the side, their faces full of kindness.

Chen Lanxiang watched for a while and then smiled and went to do other things. She couldn't stay idle. He Daqing, on the other hand, went to the restaurant after breakfast. In his own words, he felt uncomfortable if he didn't keep an eye on things for a day.

After getting up, He Yuxin and He Yuyao were nagged by Chen Lanxiang. The two brothers hurriedly ate breakfast and fled the villa to find He Yuzhu.

"Big brother!" the two brothers said in unison.

"Fifth brother, take good care of your nephews and nieces."

"Got it, big brother."

"Let's go," he said in the study.

"it is good."

"You've worked hard." He Yuzhu gestured for them to sit down after they entered the study.

"It's been quite tough!" the two brothers said without mincing words.

"Tell me, how has it been since you became 'Boss He' these past few months?"

He Yuxin said, "Brother, everything else is fine, but those old foxes are too cunning! Bao Yugang speaks with impeccable tact, Li Ka-shing is even more slippery, and Cheng Yu-tung seems generous but is actually shrewd. When dealing with them, you have to think through nine and a half sentences three times in your mind before speaking, for fear of being tricked or exposed. Jardine Matheson is getting more and more ruthless, driving the price war at the docks below cost line. They're clearly trying to crush us with money and force us to withdraw from Kwai Chung. Brother Lang and the others are under a lot of pressure right now, and their cash flow is indeed tight. The atmosphere is always very tense at every group meeting."

He Yuyao added, "And those Chinese businessmen, they're such opportunists. Seeing that Jardine Matheson is so powerful and we haven't made any moves, many of them who used to have good relations with us have started to distance themselves, and orders have been transferred to them. Mr. He from Macau is quite sentimental, and Mr. Huo is also very loyal; he's really offering help in our time of need. But, brother, now that you're back, everyone feels more at ease!"

He Yuzhu nodded, his expression calm and revealing no emotion: "I understand. You've done a good job. Now go back to your studies."

"Could you arrange something else for us? We're not that busy with our studies!" He Yuyao said.

“Yes, brother, after all this time we’ve realized there’s so much more to learn outside,” He Yuxin chimed in.

"It's not impossible. You can go back to school first, and I'll let you know when I need your help."

"Big brother, don't forget, your younger brother is very capable," He Yuyao said.

"We are not afraid of hardship or fatigue," He Yuxin said.

"Alright, you haven't learned anything else, but your verbal skills have certainly improved," He Yuzhu said irritably.

"hey-hey!"

"Stop joking around. I know you all have your own ideals. How can you realize your ideals if you don't finish your studies?"

"yes, Sir!"

Have you decided what kind of reward you want?

"Brother, could you give us each a handgun?"

"A pistol? What do you need that for?"

“We want to collect them. Shi Bin, Lao Bai, and Lang Ge all have them, and we want them too.”

"We can have guns, but we can't have bullets," He Yuzhu said after a moment's thought.

"Huh? Then it's not just for looking."

"You all said you wanted to collect it, so what do you need bullets for?"

"Oh!" Both of them were deflated.

"Alright, if you want to practice shooting, go to the shooting range. There are only guns at home, no bullets."

"Got it!" the two replied, their eyes darting around.

"Don't even think about getting guns and bullets behind my back. Do you think they'll listen to you or me?"

"No, no! They won't give it to us!" He Yuyao hurriedly said.

"It'd better not, otherwise if I break your legs, do you think our parents will stop me?"

"Brother, let's go." He Yuxin grabbed He Yuyao and ran.

"Two rascals," He Yuzhu said with a laugh.

It's not that they can't be equipped, it's just that none of them have gun licenses, so we'll talk about it later. In the afternoon, He Yuzhu didn't go to the company headquarters immediately. Instead, he took Xiaoman and the child, and accompanied his mother and grandmother to Wong Tai Sin Temple to fulfill a vow.

Only then did he realize that the old lady and his mother had become believers in Wong Tai Sin.

It was Chen Lanxiang who insisted on taking him there; her son had returned safely, and they had to go to thank the gods for their grace.

Although He Yuzhu didn't believe in these things, he went along with his mother's wishes, treating it as taking the family out for a relaxing trip.

Watching his family members devoutly praying amidst the swirling smoke of incense, he felt a sense of peace.

In the late afternoon, He Yuzhu drove alone to the Yellow River Industrial Headquarters Building in Kowloon Tong.

When his iconic black Mercedes came to a smooth stop in front of the building, the security guards at the entrance rushed out to greet him.

"Hi boss!"

When He Yuzhu appeared in the corridor where the top-floor president's office was located, A Lang, Gu Yuanheng, Chen Sheng, Xian Xingyao, Xu Damao, and Bai Yifeng, who had already been notified, came out to greet him.

"boss!"

"Boss, you're back!"

"Brother Zhu!"

Everyone greeted him in unison, their voices filled with excitement.

The return of the company's key leader was like a shot in the arm for the company, which had been shrouded in gloom for days.

He Yuzhu nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over everyone, lingering a moment longer on A Lang and Chen Sheng's faces, noticing the weariness and relief in their eyes: "Thank you all for your hard work."

"It's not hard work," everyone said in unison.

"You guys really don't even bother to think before you lie."

"It's not hard work, we're all putting in our best effort and ready to work hard," Ah Lang said.

"Oh, you have so much faith in me, huh? Come on in and let's talk."

"Boss, please!" Ah Lang said respectfully.

Upon entering the conference room, He Yuzhu gestured for him to sit down.

After everyone was seated, He Yuzhu said, "Whoever wants to tell me the details again, especially the movements of the Bao, Li, and Zheng families, as well as Jardine Matheson's specific methods, from beginning to end."

Chen Sheng stood up and said, "Boss, let me do it. I'm the one who's compiling all this information."

"Okay, is there anything I need to prepare?"

"Please wait a moment, boss, I'm getting ready to project."

"Sure, no rush."

Five minutes later, the projector was ready, and Chen Sheng began his presentation.

“Bao Yugang’s Worldwide Shipping has almost completely cut off its cooperation with our port and switched to Wharf Holdings. We tried to contact them a few times, but their attitude was very perfunctory. Li Ka-shing’s Cheung Kong Group factories stopped shipping very suddenly, without even giving a buffer period. The people below only said it was due to ‘cost reasons’, but we have investigated and found that the fees they paid to switch to Wharf Holdings in the short term were not lower than ours, and may even be slightly higher. This is obviously a political statement.”

"Cheng Yu-tung's New World Development project in Sha Tin requires a huge amount of building materials, and they used to be one of our major clients. Now they've switched to Wharf Holdings. The Cheng family's statements suggest that our 'strength is unstable,' which is affecting their project's progress and reputation."

"Jardine Matheson is the real driving force. They've implemented unprecedentedly low rates at Wharf, even below cost! At the same time, leveraging their vast network in shipping, trade, and finance, they're putting pressure on our shipowners and cargo owners, using both threats and inducements to undermine our resources. They're sparing no expense to squeeze us out of Kwai Chung and monopolize this lucrative market!" "Our cash flow is under immense pressure, boss. The port business itself has had its profits squeezed to the limit, even operating at a loss at times. Profits from other business segments are supporting us, but they're also starting to tighten. Ah Lang has been holding on, not using the strategic reserves you set aside. If this continues for more than three months, our cash flow will be in grave danger."

A brief silence fell over the office.

"How is the construction of the Jardine Matheson Group's pier in Kwai Chung progressing? And what about the progress of our Tseung Kwan O pier?" Ho Yu-chu directly pointed out the core of the current power struggle—the pier itself.

Chen Sheng immediately switched the projection screen, displaying two comparison photos and some project progress charts.

"Boss, the project that Jardine Matheson, together with British companies such as Swire and Wheelock, is working on at Lot 3 in Kwai Chung (Note: Historically, Kwai Chung Pier was actually developed in phases and sections; this location is for the plot setting) is progressing very quickly."

Pointing to a slightly blurry but massive construction site photo on the left, Chen Sheng said, “They are working in shifts almost 24 hours a day. The land reclamation and foundation piling are mostly completed, and the foundation treatment for some berths is nearing completion. Judging from this, they have invested far more money and manpower than budgeted, with the goal of achieving initial operational capability within a year and a half.”

"A year and a half?" He Yuzhu's lips curled into a cold smile. "Speed ​​achieved by spending money, the potential quality issues are probably quite significant, aren't they?"

"Our people reported that in order to speed up the process, the curing period for some concrete was shortened, and the specifications of the steel bars in some non-core areas were suspected of being lowered. But... Jardine Matheson is financially powerful and has a strong ability to make amends later," Chen Sheng reported truthfully.

He Yuzhu nodded, then turned his gaze to the photo on the right, which showed a construction site in Tseung Kwan O: "What about us?"

Chen Sheng switched the camera to a clearer photo of the Tseung Kwan O construction site, showing a well-organized yet equally massive construction scene: "The first phase of the Tseung Kwan O pier project is being designed and constructed strictly according to our high standards. Thanks to your foresight in the early planning and our own project management capabilities, it is progressing smoothly. The reclamation work has been completed, and the foundations of the main berths and part of the superstructure are under construction simultaneously. It is expected to be operational within a year."

"Is it really that much more difficult to make Tseung Kwan O than Kwai Chung in a year?"

Upon hearing He Yuzhu's question, Chen Sheng immediately realized that his boss had grasped the key point and quickly explained, "Boss, the geological conditions in Tseung Kwan O are much more complex than those in Kwai Chung. The preliminary surveys and blasting to clear the seabed rocks took much longer. Moreover, our design standards are higher. The berth depth, load-bearing capacity, and seismic resistance level far exceed those of Jardine Matheson's project in Kwai Chung, so the construction is naturally more meticulous and time-consuming."

"Old Gu, how are our cars selling outside of Hong Kong?"

“We can’t get into North America and Europe because of their strong local protectionism. We’ve paved the way for them.”

"What about Southeast Asia, Arab countries, and Africa?"

"Boss, they don't have any money," Gu Yuanheng said.

He Yuzhu's gaze lingered on Gu Yuanheng's face for a moment, and a smile curled up at the corner of his mouth: "No money? Old Gu, your vision is too narrow."

"Just because they don't have money now doesn't mean they won't have money in the future. What we should look at is not how many US dollars or pounds they have in their pockets right now, but what they have in their homes that we will need in the future, things we'll fight tooth and nail for: oil!"

"Oil?" A Lang, Gu Yuanheng and the others exclaimed at the same time, their faces filled with disbelief.

In 1972, before the oil crisis broke out, Middle Eastern oil prices were low and supplies were plentiful, making it a typical buyer's market.

Hong Kong's energy supply mainly relies on giants such as British Shell, and local companies have an extremely weak awareness of strategic oil reserves.

"Brother Zhu, nobody wants oil right now, the price is so low, why hoard it?" Xu Damao couldn't help but ask. The beverage factory he was in charge of didn't consume much energy and was even less sensitive to oil prices.

He Yuzhu's eyes gleamed with a sharp, insightful light as he slowly said:

"Nobody wants you? Hmph, you'll find out soon enough!"

He said with absolute certainty, “Listen, at most a year, maybe even sooner! A global oil storm is bound to break out! Oil prices will skyrocket, multiplying several times, even ten times! At that time, whoever has oil will be the boss! Not just Hong Kong, but the whole of East Asia, and even the whole world, will fight tooth and nail for a barrel of oil!”

This prediction is too astonishing and too far ahead of its time.

The conference room was silent, with only the sound of heavy breathing.

Looking at He Yuzhu's unwavering expression, everyone was shocked and had a hint of instinctive doubt, but their long-standing, almost blind trust in He Yuzhu led them to choose to believe their boss's judgment.

After all, the boss has never made a mistake on the big picture.

"So," He Yuzhu's voice suddenly rose, carrying an unquestionable commanding tone, "Old Gu, immediately adjust the strategy: Southeast Asia, Africa, the Middle East; especially those oil-producing countries, or those countries that can obtain oil quotas, our cars are not for sale, but for exchange; use our Yellow River brand cars to exchange for their crude oil and refined oil. Exchange as much as you have!"

"Boss, our production has been very low lately. Should we speed up production?" Gu Yuanheng asked.

"Is the ship heading to the Huo family?" Ah Lang asked.

"What about Kui Yong? Are we just going to leave it like this?" Chen Sheng asked, voicing everyone's thoughts, having clearly gone off-topic earlier.

He Yuzhu's gaze swept across everyone's faces as he spoke calmly.

"Kwai Chung, of course we can't just hold out like this. Jardine Matheson wants to crush us with money? Then I'll play an even bigger game with them!"

"Chen Sheng, immediately begin analyzing the financial and market aspects of companies such as Jardine Matheson, Swire Group, Wheelock and Company, and Wharf Holdings. I need to know their debt structure, cash flow situation, core asset valuation, as well as their stock market performance and shareholder composition. Especially Jardine Matheson and Wharf Holdings!"

"The boss is getting serious!"

A thought flashed through Chen Sheng's mind, and he nodded quickly, his eyes shining with excitement.

"Boss, do you mean to make a move on the stock market?" He immediately knew what He Yuzhu was up to. As the core person in charge of daily operations and intelligence integration, he had an extremely keen sense of the market.

"That's right, Jardine Matheson has a lot of money, doesn't it? They want to crush us with money, right? Then I'll show them that money can sometimes become a noose that strangles you!"

"But where is the opportunity?"

“I will have Lingyi and her people closely monitor the Hong Kong stock market, especially stocks related to British trading companies. I have a feeling a storm is coming.”

He Yuzhu said with certainty, “The Hong Kong stock market has been overheated for too long and is full of bubbles; greed and fear are the eternal themes of the market; when the tide goes out, you will find out who is swimming naked.”

"Boss, do you think there will be a stock market crash?" Chen Sheng was startled.

He knew all too well that in 1971-1972, the Hong Kong stock market did indeed experience an unprecedented and crazy bull market, with the Hang Seng Index soaring from less than 300 points to nearly 1800 points (Note: the historical high was 1774.96 points in March 1973). All kinds of concept stocks skyrocketed, and the speculative atmosphere was extremely strong.

"It's not just a belief, it's an inevitability," He Yuzhu said firmly. "And it will happen in the very near future. What we need to do is push Yihe and the others to the edge of the cliff before this wave collapses, and then give them a gentle push!"

"Yes, I'll keep an eye on the stock market too."

"Well, I don't object if you have the energy."

He Yuzhu said, then looked at Gu Yuanheng: "Old Gu, you just asked about production? Go all out! Our vehicles can be for civilian or military use, in short, meet all the needs of oil tycoons. I'll give you an address later, you can take some people to pick up the prototype and modify it accordingly."

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines. Was there going to be a war in the Middle East? Otherwise, why would they mention military vehicles? Luckily, the boss didn't mention making guns or cannons.

Gu Yuanheng hurriedly replied, "Understood, boss. I'll go and take care of it right away."

“Very good, you can make contact first. Be quick. If all else fails, we can buy it. US dollars, gold, food, anything they need.”

“Okay!” Gu Yuanheng said.

Seeing the hesitant expressions on everyone's faces, He Yuzhu continued, "As for the money, I'll keep you in suspense for now, but I guarantee you'll have plenty of ammunition when the battle starts."

"We trust you, boss (Brother Zhu)!"

"Xingyao, you also have a task."

"Boss, what are your orders?"

"Oil tanks, the oil needs to be stored somewhere after it's been exchanged. Your steel plant should take a look at this."

"Yes, boss, we do have some experience."

"be quick."

"understand!"

"Boss, what about Kwai Chung and Tseung Kwan O?"

“Kwai Chung can be maintained as long as it holds up. Losing some money is no big deal. We can afford it. Construction in Tseung Kwan O cannot be stopped. It must continue. You and Hing Yiu go down and discuss whether it is possible to build a large oil depot in Tseung Kwan O. Shi Bin should go with you too. Safety must be guaranteed.”

"Yes."

"Alright, let's call it a day for now. Keep the contents of the meeting confidential, especially the information on oil and the stock market," He Yuzhu said seriously.

"Understood!" Everyone immediately sat up straight.

"Old Bai, come to my office later. Everyone else can go about their business. If you need anything, you can talk to me privately. Don't take up other people's time."

"Yes."

After everyone else had left, Xu Damao remained seated, wanting to help as well. He asked, "Brother Zhu, what about me?"

"Go find Lao Gu. The Middle East is also short of water. Try to get your business in there. You'll need oil in the early stages too."

"Yes." Xu Damao immediately perked up.

"Also, the machines in your factory can be used as trade goods."

"clear."

"Okay, let's go."

"Okay, I'll go find Old Gu."

　The last chapter is a mess, ugh, I don't even know how to write it anymore!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)