Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 294 Mr. He, are you sure you want to choose this place?

"Please take a look at the partners we can provide."

As he spoke, Director Zhang took out a few thin sheets of paper from his briefcase and pushed them toward He Yuzhu.

He Yuzhu glanced at the papers and then passed them to Xiaoman, who was sitting next to him. Xiaoman quickly read them and then passed them to the next person with a strange look on her face.

The inspection team used this time to continue reviewing the materials provided by the Yellow River.

The people from Huanghe all had strange expressions after reading the document, and they looked at He Yuzhu. This was hardly a collaboration.

He Yuzhu shook his head at them, signaling them to be patient, and then waited for the people on the other side. Director Zhang couldn't hear the sound of papers being turned over on the other side, so he looked up and saw that Huang He and his group were all waiting quietly.

Somewhat embarrassed, they said, "We were so engrossed in watching that you watched the whole thing?"

He Yuzhu nodded, then said, "Director Zhang, the information you provided is very simple."

"This is the current situation in China, and I hope you can understand."

"Given the cooperation directions you've provided, we're afraid it will be difficult to reach an agreement," He Yuzhu continued.

"I'd like to hear the details." Director Zhang wasn't surprised; they had all prepared themselves mentally before coming.

"Let's talk about the steel mill first. Guangzhou Steel probably won't allow us to invest, right? They just want the technology. The question is, what will we get in return?"

"Finished products at cost price," Director Zhang said.

"As far as I know, Guanggang's scale is not as large as ours, and the domestic demand is greater. Does that mean they sell all their products to us?"

"I'm afraid that won't work. Guangdong Province still needs it for its steel production."

"Understood." He Yuzhu nodded.

"And what about the others?" Director Zhang asked.

"Then let's continue talking about the automotive cooperation. I see in the materials that the intended partner you provided is a state-owned auto repair shop?" He Yuzhu asked.

"Yes, there are no car factories in Guangdong Province now," Director Zhang said, not denying it.

"Based on the information provided, this factory lacks the capability to manufacture complete vehicles, has no core production lines, and its technical expertise is limited to repair and maintenance. I would like to ask if it is possible to invest in this factory?"

"There are indeed policy obstacles to introducing foreign equity at present, and we need to go back and communicate to find out. However, we hope to improve the overall level of related domestic industries through technology introduction."

He Yuzhu didn't think much of what he was saying, but it sounded rather harsh to the others in Huanghe. In short, it was a case of "getting something for nothing!"

He Yuzhu shook his head and said, "This completely deviates from our original intention and cannot produce any synergistic effect, let alone a win-win situation."

Director Zhang and the other cadres exchanged glances, all noticing the awkwardness on each other's faces.

The weakness of China's domestic industry is now laid bare on the table by the other side, making it foreseeable that no agreement can be reached under such circumstances.

Silence fell over the meeting room.

The delegation arrived full of anticipation, but now they are filled with disappointment.

A few minutes later, Director Zhang spoke again: "Mr. He, since you agreed to talk to us and are aware of the situation in China, you must have your own thoughts. Could you tell us about them?"

"Of course, please wait a moment." With that, He Yuzhu stood up, went to the largest wall in the conference room, and pulled back the velvet curtain. There was a large map on it, but the names on the map left the inspection team puzzled.

Bao'an County!

The text also circles many places in red, some near the sea and some not.

Director Zhang spoke first: "Mr. He, we don't quite understand this map and the places you've circled. Bao'an County is just an agricultural county with no industrial base. Mr. He, what are its advantages in choosing it?"

Could He Yuzhu tell him that this place was a special economic zone? Of course not, there was still more than a year until the end of 1979.

"Director Zhang, I hope you won't mind if I speak frankly."

"You tell me, we're not that petty."

"For us, apart from Beijing and Shanghai, which have some good industrial bases, other places are pretty much the same."

The room fell silent again. There was nothing they could do; what they said was the truth. They had a deep understanding of the situation in Hong Kong these past few days, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that it was decades behind.

Of course, He Yuzhu also gave them face. In fact, at this stage, China can still keep up with the world in some aspects, but it's hard to say what will happen in a few years.

"Please continue!" Director Zhang took a deep breath and said with difficulty.

"I'm sorry, I'm a rather straightforward person, please don't take it to heart. We're talking about common development today, so I think it's better to lay it all out."

"It's alright, Mr. He, we understand." Director Zhang's expression was not very pleasant.

“Then let me talk about Bao’an. First, it’s the closest to Hong Kong, whether it’s the border or the waterway.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. That made sense; it was originally one piece of land, but it had been artificially divided up.

“Secondly, Bao’an has a good harbor.” He Yuzhu pointed to Yantian and Shekou with his pointer.

"As far as I know, China Merchants Group is currently inspecting Shekou Port." He Yuzhu paused his teaching pointer at the location of Shekou.

Director Zhang hesitated, but He Yuzhu understood what he meant and said with a smile, "Director Zhang, don't worry. My sources are legitimate. You know there are many shipping companies in Hong Kong, and I have access to many ports."

"I understand, I admire your business acumen."

“You can’t do business without being sensitive to these things, or you’ll lose money,” He Yuzhu said with a smile.

"Mr. He, please continue. Since someone in Shekou has taken a liking to it, then Mr. He must have his eye on the port of Yantian?"

"Yes, Director Zhang. The Yantian area is located near the bay, with good water depth conditions, possessing the natural advantages for building a deep-water port. Our Yellow River Group would like to jointly develop Yantian Port with you. We will provide funds, port construction technology, modern management experience, and some key equipment, while you will provide land and necessary policy support. This will greatly improve the maritime logistics channels in Guangdong Province and even the entire South China region."

"Jointly develop the port?" Director Zhang exchanged glances with the cadres next to him.

They have no say in this matter, and besides, the proposal is very bold, and the location they chose is also quite peculiar.

However, Director Zhang still spoke up: "Mr. He, port construction requires huge investments and has a long construction period. Bao'an is currently just a small border county mainly engaged in agriculture and fishing, with only one road. Its infrastructure is too weak, and its population is sparse. Will there be enough cargo throughput to handle in the future if we build a deep-water port there? We prefer to look for cooperation opportunities near existing transportation hubs or more mature industrial cities, such as the expansion of Huangpu Port..."

He Yuzhu smiled slightly, not directly refuting Director Zhang's concerns, but continued to present his plan: "The port is a long-term investment, focusing on its development potential over the next few decades. I believe Bao'an's geographical location will eventually make it an important gateway connecting the mainland with the world. Moreover, Shekou and Yantian are both within the same county, and I believe they are not mistaken."

Director Zhang and his colleagues couldn't refute this point, because it was a national project.

He Yuzhu then threw out a big one: "As for the lack of manpower, building a port requires a lot of people, and the port will also need workers after it is completed. I think there will be people willing to come. We, Huanghe, can also undertake the development of the surrounding land, so that the new workers will have a place to live."

"We can't make that decision," Director Zhang said.

"It's okay, I just wanted to talk about my investment ideas. Also, we can help Bao'an build a highway connecting to Huacheng, and Huanghe will cover the cost."

A hiss escaped the inspection team. This was a massive undertaking; building roads and bridges was no small project, and it came without any return. He Yuzhu paused here, giving the people on the other side time to process the information, as well as his own team, because there were some things he hadn't mentioned beforehand.

“We will report this, and I think it will help both of us reach a cooperation agreement. Mr. He, do you have any other ideas to share? I am looking forward to your other plans,” Director Zhang said. He was actually approaching this with a learning attitude. The fact that the group could grow to such a large size meant that it must have foresight. Even if the cooperation didn't work out, these ideas could serve as a direction for future domestic development.

He Yuzhu pulled a rope next to the map, and another map came down. He raised his pointer and pointed to another mark on the map: "Now I'll talk about the car project. I don't think the partner you recommended is suitable. I do know a factory that can meet our cooperation requirements."

"Guangxi Province? Liuzhou? It has a decent industrial base and its railway transportation is also quite good."

However, the members of the inspection team were a little unwilling. Most of them were from Guangdong Province, and they felt that the conversation had somehow drifted to other people.

He Yuzhu took in everyone's expressions, then flipped the switch again, and the map changed to a map of Guangdong Province. He pointed to a location on the map and said, "The factory can be built here, between Bao'an and Huacheng. Of course, if it's inconvenient to talk to the factory manager in Liuzhou, the Yellow River Group can also build a brand new modern automobile manufacturing plant on its own."

This clearly shows they don't want to cooperate with the bus repair shop. The inspection team members were a bit speechless. Why don't they like it? There's a tractor factory in Liuzhou, isn't there?

“Mr. He, your idea is very bold and visionary.” Director Zhang carefully chose his words. “However, this matter is of great importance, far exceeding the scope of our authorization for this trip, and also beyond the decision-making scope of Guangdong Province alone. Port construction, land development rights, and sole proprietorship factory construction all require in-depth research and careful decision-making at the national level. In addition, the current situation of Bao’an is a real difficulty that we must face.”

"I understand. I will provide you with a comprehensive plan after the meeting, which you can submit when you return. Now, I have one last thing to say."

"You said."

“I also want the land development rights for this place,” He Yuzhu said, flipping the map back to Bao’an and pointing back and forth at the Luohu Port.

"Mr. He's judgment is still very accurate!" Director Zhang said. He had just carefully considered He Yuzhu's plan and thought it was very impressive, especially now that there was a trend of attracting investment. Although it was just a tentative move, after visiting Hong Kong and seeing its development, he felt that it would definitely be done because the gap between the two sides was too big.

The border crossing is crucial for travel between the two sides, and that place is sure to become very prosperous in the future.

"Haha, thank you for the compliment. I just saw a trend," He Yuzhu said.

"We can't give you an answer to that either, so we can only apologize," Director Zhang said.

"It's alright, I'm just saying what I want to do. Whether it can be accomplished depends on your reports after you go back."

"Thank you for your understanding, Mr. He. Here's what we'll do: Mr. He, please give us your investment proposal, and we will report it to the relevant departments in detail, word for word. This includes your proposal to undertake the construction of the highway leading to the provincial capital." Director Zhang emphasized the highway issue.

He Yuzhu understood immediately, "No problem, I will definitely keep my promise."

"That's good. Let's stop here for today. Can we take these documents back with us?" Director Zhang asked, picking up the Yellow River Group documents he hadn't finished reading.

"Yes, these were originally prepared for you."

"Okay." Director Zhang stood up, walked to He Yuzhu, and extended his hand.

He Yuzhu shook hands with him and said, "Then our Yellow River Group will await good news."

The inspection team left the Yellow River headquarters with a thick stack of documents and an investment plan that overturned their preconceived notions; Xu Damao even saw them off.

In the conference room on the top floor of the Yellow River Building, only He Yuzhu and his core team remained.

“Boss, isn’t Bao’an too risky?” Ah Lang asked. Although he always trusted He Yuzhu’s judgment, this time his boss’s target was too “desolate”. Based on his experience in real estate development, he would guarantee compensation.

"Risk? Opportunity often lies where the greatest risk is. Bao'an is a blank slate right now, and it is precisely because it is a blank slate that we can draw the blueprint we want. Xiangjiang today was just a fishing village a few decades ago. Just wait, this place will amaze you in the future."

"So, boss, what's our next step?"

"Just wait, there's nothing we can do now, everyone disperse."

"Yes."

The inspection team left in a hurry, without even having time to say goodbye to the people on the other side of the Yellow River. They only asked President Liang of the Bank of China in Hong Kong to pass on a message to He Yuzhu, asking President Liang to convey their apologies.

He Yuzhu expressed his understanding.

He knew that the stone he had thrown out was too big; it was not something an inspection team could catch, and even Guangdong Province could not catch it.

By June, Li Ka-shing could no longer hold on.

His prime assets were precisely targeted and acquired by Huanghe at a low price; orders for his plastic flower factory plummeted, and his warehouses were overflowing with inventory; his retail business suffered a series of defeats under the strong pressure from Huanghe convenience stores; and most fatally, the cash flow he relied on for operations completely dried up.

HSBC shut its doors to him, and other banks, sensing the risk, tightened their lending policies.

He sold almost all of his assets that could be quickly liquidated, including several decent but small-scale real estate projects, but still couldn't fill the huge hole.

He tried to talk to He Yu through various channels, but no one was willing to help him. They had learned from past mistakes, and those who were on good terms with He Yu were more likely to kick him while he was down than help him.

When Bai Yifeng placed the letter of pleas for peace, which Li Ka-shing had somehow delivered to him, on He Yuzhu's desk, He Yuzhu merely glanced at it before casually tossing it into the wastebasket.

“Tell him that Hong Kong can’t contain his Yangtze River anymore, and tell him to take the rest of his money and get out of here.”

There was no negotiation, no compromise, only an ultimatum.

"Yes, I'll send someone right away."

After receiving He Yuzhu's ultimatum, Li Ka-shing sat in his office all night. His once thick hair had fallen out by more than half, making him look like a shaved winter melon.

The following day, Cheung Kong Holdings issued an announcement declaring a major asset restructuring, with its core business to be relocated overseas (the specific location was not specified).

By August, almost all of Cheung Kong's assets in Hong Kong, except for some scattered properties that could not be taken away and worthless shell companies, had been swallowed up by Yellow River.

Hong Kong's "business prodigy" has left the stage in disgrace, leaving with almost nothing.

His story has left a sigh in Hong Kong's business community, and even more so, a deep sense of dread regarding the Huanghe Group's formidable strength and He Yuzhu's ruthless methods.

Of course, Huang He's actions aroused some dissatisfaction from the Hong Kong government. You have to consider the owner before you beat a dog, right? However, Huang He's reputation has been so good over the years that there are several people in the Legislative Council who speak up for him.

The matter turned into a rebuke, with people saying that Hong Kong businessmen should help each other, to which He Yuzhu only replied with two words, "Bullshit!"

While taking stock of Li Ka-shing's assets, Ah Lang, carrying a thick stack of land deeds and planning maps, knocked on He Yuzhu's office door, his face beaming with the excitement of discovering a new continent.

"Boss, Li Ka-shing has no other skills to speak of, but his eye for talent is truly amazing!"

"How to say?"

Ah Lang spread the documents out on He Yuzhu's huge desk, pointing to several locations marked with subway lines on the map. "Look, he's secretly hoarded a lot of land over the years, especially along the first phase of the subway line. He has large plots of land near the exits of several key stations! The locations are excellent, but they're all vacant and untouched. I guess he's waiting for the subway to open so he can raise prices."

He Yuzhu's gaze swept over the locations of the plots of land, a knowing smile playing on his lips: "He certainly knows how to pick locations, and he's quite patient. Unfortunately, man proposes, God disposes; these lands now belong to the Yellow River."

"Yes, boss, this land will come in very handy! The housing estates and communities we developed before solved the housing problem, but the commercial facilities were still too scattered and too basic. When I was researching in North America, I saw a model called 'Central Business District,' which is a core business area that concentrates offices, shopping, and leisure. It's efficient and upscale. There are also those large shopping malls that have everything—department stores, supermarkets, restaurants, cinemas… a one-stop solution with huge foot traffic!"

He Yuzhu was taken aback when he heard A Lang's description, then suddenly realized that he hadn't noticed. "So CBDs already existed in this era!"

"A large shopping mall, Ah Lang, your taste has improved!"

"Hehe, after working for so long, I have to have something to show for myself, right? Boss, how about we do it?" Ah Lang rubbed his hands together.

(End of this chapter)