America: My Time

Chapter 1339 Emergency treatment
Chapter 1329 Desperate Measures
A silent storm is brewing in the United States. Morgan has his own ideas, and Rockefeller and his ilk have theirs, but their ideas differ, and the current situation is somewhat abnormal. Although these are just tabloids, many of the things they mention touch upon John's core interests—something tabloids couldn't accomplish on their own. It's impossible to say there's no one behind this; after all, it all happened so suddenly, and at such a crucial time.

John is indeed not in the United States, but his family and others are there, especially the 'students' John sent. No one would believe there wasn't a conspiracy behind their targeting of John at this time.

"Sister, it seems things are not simple in the United States. Moreover, it seems that your partner is being targeted by a lot of people. Isn't he a media and entertainment tycoon? Why hasn't he fought back and is letting these guys make such arrogant accusations?"

Zeng Li shook her head and sighed, "You think things are that simple? You think this is just a media feud? I don't know the situation in the US, but as far as I know about the entertainment industry, things aren't that simple. And do you think those tabloids are worth him paying such a high price to target? Don't oversimplify things. Everything is far more dangerous than you imagine. Don't casually mention his identity to others; that won't be good for you!"

"I understand, I won't do that. I'll be careful and cautious. We can also ask other international students for advice, since they have experience and we can avoid a lot of detours!"

"You've forgotten Fei Hong's warning. Things here aren't simple. There are good and bad among the international students. Don't make contact with them casually, lest you go down the wrong path. This is the United States, not China. Even if he has given you some instructions, there will still be some trouble. After all, wherever there are people, there is a world of intrigue."

Yes, wherever there are people, there are conflicts, especially among international students. At this time, Zeng Li and her friends were unaware of the East West Bank incident. If they had known, they wouldn't have thought this way. The forces targeting John were far stronger than they imagined, and in such a short time, they were also shocked by John's influence in the United States.

Zeng Li had only learned about John through some channels before, but she only realized how influential and powerful John was after she actually went to the United States. The situation in Oregon has reached a critical moment. Although no one has accused John of his methods yet, some people have already started to use it as a basis for their arguments.

"Alright, we're meeting Jennifer Connelly tomorrow. If you have any problems here, you can contact her directly. This is all arranged by him!" Zeng Li said with a soft sigh. Everything had been arranged perfectly, showing how much John valued this matter. Even accommodations were taken care of. It was safe to say that everything was perfectly arranged for Zeng Li and her group!
"It seems there are other people who came with you. Shouldn't we talk to them?"

"No need. They'll go see Jennifer Connelly themselves. We'll find out everything when we get there. Besides, do you think it's appropriate for us to go see them now? Don't use your brain. Focus on your studies. Don't worry about other things, and it's not your place to worry about them. I know what I'm doing!"

The storm is brewing in the US, and the same is true in Hong Kong. With Standard Chartered Bank launching a full-scale attack on HSBC, Hong Kong's bigwigs have witnessed firsthand the overwhelming force of this attack. HSBC, which they are familiar with in Southeast Asia, is at a significant disadvantage and can no longer withstand such pressure. Moreover, their worst fears have come true: international speculative capital has also intervened, targeting HSBC. They seem to have more faith in Standard Chartered, whose influence far surpasses that of HSBC, given Standard Chartered's significantly stronger capital base.

"Gentlemen, as you all know, there's a fierce battle between Standard Chartered and HSBC. We can't just do nothing or turn a blind eye to everything. If things go this way, HSBC will be severely weakened. We need to discuss and reach a conclusion about whether they can fulfill their promises to us!"

"It's difficult. Given HSBC's current situation, they don't have much capital to mobilize. If they had enough funds, they wouldn't be in such a predicament, being suppressed by Standard Chartered Bank. In comparison, we all underestimated Standard Chartered Bank's strength. In Hong Kong, Standard Chartered Bank is not as strong as HSBC, but globally, Standard Chartered Bank is stronger. Standard Chartered Bank doesn't pay too much attention to the Hong Kong market; they are more concerned with their global layout!"

"Yes, I don't think HSBC has any chance either. They'll probably just abandon their promise to us. These guys aren't going to give us more for what they promised. They don't have that kind of kindness; all they care about is profit! Actually, I think we can contact Standard Chartered Bank. Maybe we can get some good results!"

"Stop daydreaming, it's impossible. Standard Chartered Bank won't give us any benefits. You think they'd offer us something just to win us over? That's out of the question. Don't even think about it. Over the years, we haven't had much business dealings with Standard Chartered Bank, and they don't need clients like us!"

"It's a pity. If we could connect with Standard Chartered Bank and become one of their investment clients, we could have made a lot of money. Everyone knows how sudden the Asian financial crisis came and how devastating the turmoil it caused was!"

"So what if you know? Standard Chartered Bank doesn't seem to have any plans to open up wealth management. No matter how many ideas you have, it's useless. You won't have any opportunities at all, and they won't target clients like us. I've heard that 'Hurricane Investment' has some clients, but they're all very secretive, and you and I can't even get on their list!"

Upon hearing this, everyone present sighed. In fact, it is quite common for investment companies to encounter such situations. However, what made them uneasy was why they did not have such a good opportunity, and why such an opportunity fell to others instead of them.

"Gentlemen, has HSBC not surrendered this time? Hasn't it bowed its head and admitted its mistakes? They've made quite a few investments before, so bowing down now wouldn't be difficult for them. After all, they've already lost face, so there's no need for them to persist any longer!"

"You make it sound so easy. You think they don't want to admit their mistakes, but they just aren't getting a response. They went too far, so they've attracted retaliation. Now it's not like they can get forgiveness just by admitting their mistakes. John won't let them off the hook again. This time, Standard Chartered Bank is deliberately trying to cripple HSBC's presence in Southeast Asia, and they're doing it at any cost. That's what I learned from my friends in the Southeast Asian financial circle."

"Is it necessary to go this far? Even if HSBC is at fault, there's no need to push things to such an extreme. After all, we all run into each other all the time, and we're all in Hong Kong. We could easily sit down and talk!" "Talk? How? Who will preside? Do you think anyone here can manage this? Do you think any of us can do it? Or do you think the authorities will intervene? This is a confrontation between the British and the Americans, and both Standard Chartered and HSBC are British banks. What reason do you think the authorities have to get involved?"

"Yes, it's difficult for anyone to step forward at this time. This involves a conflict of interest between them. When HSBC was targeting Standard Chartered, no one stepped forward to mediate. Now that HSBC has suffered a huge loss, they step in to mediate. What do you expect Standard Chartered to think? What do you expect John to think? This is not how things are done."

"That's true. I was overthinking it. I forgot that HSBC started the big battle between Standard Chartered and HSBC. They were in the wrong first. But if they keep making trouble like this, our interests will also be affected. Mr. Li, don't you think so?"

"What can I say? Things have come to this point, and there's no use saying anything. Everything depends on their own strength and abilities. If we don't have enough power, we shouldn't get involved in their fight. Otherwise, our weak arms and legs can't bear the serious consequences."

"That's right, that's exactly how it is. There's nothing we can do right now. We can only watch when their battle ends, or when Standard Chartered Bank gets what it wants and stops. Otherwise, we can only be bystanders and can't do anything!"

"We really have no way to get involved in their big battle. Instead of wasting time and energy on this, we should prepare properly. I always feel that this Asian financial crisis will also have a full impact on Hong Kong. At that time, we will all face challenges. Without sufficient preparation, we will inevitably pay a heavy price!"

"That's true, but there's nothing we can do right now. Even if we wanted to cause harm, how much funding do you think we need? I don't know your situation, and I don't have that much financial reserves!"

At this point, some people began to complain. Facing such a situation, it had a significant impact on them as well. Moreover, without sufficient credit, it was difficult to obtain loans. Standard Chartered Bank had been tightening its lending policy. Although HSBC was open to them, HSBC itself was under attack and naturally had to take care of itself first, so it was unable to take care of them.

"You have the nerve to complain? My situation is much worse than yours. Since John took over Standard Chartered, there has been very little credit available. I'm the one who's suffering the most. I listened to HSBC's advice and switched from Standard Chartered to HSBC. Now I'm caught in the middle, not only have I not gained any benefits, but I've also lost my partnership with Standard Chartered!"

"Alright, everyone, please be mindful of the impact. We don't have a complaining session. If there are any problems, you have to find your own solutions. Everyone is facing difficulties; very few are not. It's our own choice that we didn't choose Standard Chartered Bank. No matter how tough or difficult it gets, we must persevere."

In Hong Kong, the bigwigs are more inclined to trust HSBC than Standard Chartered, even with John's impressive track record. Almost 70% of them are on HSBC's side, with only a few on Standard Chartered's side and some neutrals. Naturally, they are not pleased by either side, so the current situation has made the Hong Kong tycoons' position very dangerous.

"Why don't we host a cocktail party and invite John? Maybe we can find a solution!"

"You're daydreaming. You think John will attend a party you host? That's a huge joke. Do you think we have that kind of face? Unless you can persuade the Governor of Hong Kong, it's hopeless. He won't give you face. He'll have plenty of excuses to refuse."

"A cocktail party is not advisable. The other party's status is different now, and it's related to such a major battle. We can't afford to be careless at all. This is wasting our own connections. If we succeed, it's fine, but if we fail, the impact will be significant. Have you thought about the consequences of doing this?"

"The current situation is that it's better to stay still than to act. We shouldn't be careless in any way. Just do our own thing. If there's no need, we shouldn't get involved in the battle between Standard Chartered and HSBC. We don't have a huge amount of funds that we can mobilize to profit from it."

Given the opportunities presented by the Asian financial crisis, who wouldn't be tempted to act rashly? But even if you're tempted, it's useless; not everyone can do it, not to mention the numerous struggles behind it. If things really escalate, it won't be good for anyone; everyone will pay a heavy price. The business war between the bigwigs is something they can't participate in.

"However, we can talk to Yuan Tianfan. After all, he knows some things and can give us some guidance. At this time, finding more ways out means more chances of survival. I believe everyone has seen the situation in Southeast Asia, so we need to be cautious. If something happens to Hong Kong, I think we will all pay a heavy price."

"I'm afraid things won't be up to us. Yuan Tianfan is a cunning fellow, and it's impossible to get any useful information from him. Since he took over Standard Chartered Bank, he hasn't given us much benefit. How could we possibly get any help from him? Let's just give up."

"Giving up is our only chance. You know what will happen to us if we're dragged into this war without knowing anything. I think doing something is better than not being a strong person at all. Even if we don't gain anything, it's good to become a familiar face. Maybe he'll come to our rescue at a crucial moment." This is a classic case of grasping at straws in desperation. In this situation, placing your hopes on someone else is just wishful thinking!
(End of this chapter)