Hong Kong variety show: From being bitten by a cockroach to becoming a legend

Chapter 160 Scheming for Hengsheng Bank

Ye Yongchang was practically staggered as Tony "invited" him into the office, with Ye Rongtian standing by with a forced smile.

After a week apart, this second-generation rich kid from Hang Seng Bank looked like he had been drained of all his energy. His eyes were sunken, his suit was wrinkled beyond recognition, his tie was crooked, and his hair was greasy and stuck to his forehead. He had completely lost his former pretentious demeanor.

As soon as he entered, Zi Guang timidly avoided Song Zhaowen's ambiguous smile, forcing a fawning smile that was more like a grimace: "Mr. Song, it's been a long time. You look as radiant as ever."

Song Zhaowen didn't get up, nor did he offer him a seat. His fingers tapped listlessly on the smooth tabletop, producing a monotonous thud that felt like each tap was striking Ye Yongchang's heart: "What a load of rubbish! When am I going to be able to withdraw that 100 million?!"

As he spoke, he opened the drawer and threw the previous agreement with Hengsheng on the table.

As early as when Xiang Hengsheng deposited 100 million, Song Zhaowen had already set a condition.

Once the 100 million yuan is out of the Galaxy and onto Hengsheng's vehicle, the transaction is considered complete, and neither natural disaster nor man-made calamity will affect Song Zhaowen.

If it were Mr. Ye Sheng, the patriarch of Hengsheng Group, in charge, even if it were a billion, Hengsheng would not sign such a risky agreement.

After all, banks only engage in risk-free transactions.

But Ye Yongchang, this spoiled brat in charge, didn't think that much; he just wanted to prove himself and stabilize the current stock price.

And he also held onto a sliver of hope that he wouldn't be so unlucky as to run into robbers.

Song Zhaowen pointed to the clause marked in red on the agreement, his tone icy: "It's in black and white, signed with your name, Ye Yongchang, and stamped with the official seal of your Hengsheng Bank. One hundred million in cash—once it leaves the Xinghe and gets into your Hengsheng vehicle, it's considered deposited by me, Song Zhaowen, into your Hengsheng! What? Now the car's been robbed, the money's gone, and it has nothing to do with Hengsheng? So my one hundred million was just paper, blown away by the wind?"

Ye Yongchang broke out in a cold sweat and said urgently, "Mr. Song! Mr. Song, please calm down! Hengsheng absolutely has no intention of denying our debt! It's just—it's just that this case is too big. The police are still investigating, the robbers haven't been caught yet, and that money—that money—"

"How's the money?" Song Zhaowen interrupted him, leaning forward slightly, an invisible pressure emanating from him. "Does the fact that the money was stolen by robbers have anything to do with me? I went to your Hengsheng Bank! I handed the money over to your people, got into your car, and now the money's gone. If I don't go to Hengsheng, who am I supposed to go to? The robbers? Or those useless cops in West Kowloon?"

He slammed his hand on the table, startling Ye Yongchang. "Ye Yongchang! Let me tell you, don't try to stall me. It's been a week! I've waited a whole week, and Hengsheng hasn't uttered a single word. Do you think I, Song Zhaowen, am easy to talk to, that you'll just have to accept your bad luck for losing money? Or do you think your Ye family is so powerful that I can't touch you?!"

Ye Rongtian, who was listening from the side, was terrified. He wanted to say something to ease the tension, but Song Zhaowen glared at him and stopped him.

Ye Yongchang's legs went weak; he knew Song Zhaowen wasn't bluffing.

This week, thousands of henchmen from the Zhengxing Society took turns "visiting" more than 20 branches of Hengsheng Bank. They didn't make a fuss, but just lined up with one dollar to deposit money. Even when the police came, they couldn't do anything. This directly led to the near paralysis of Hengsheng Bank's normal business, a continuous plunge in its stock price, and a severe blow to depositors' confidence. If this continues, a bank run crisis is just around the corner!

"Mr. Song, we're really trying to find a way! The board of directors—the board of directors is already urgently raising funds! Please give us a little more time, we will definitely—"

"Time?" Song Zhaowen sneered, leaning back in his chair and picking up the cigar cutter on the table. He slowly and methodically trimmed the end of a cigar. "Ye Yongchang, do you think I, Song Zhaowen, a man of the underworld, don't understand your financial world's ways? Emergency fundraising? Do you think I don't know what state Hengsheng is in right now? The stock price has dropped by 30%, several major clients have already begun quietly transferring assets, and interbank lending rates are frighteningly high! Where can you raise 100 million yuan in cash right now? From the printing press?"

He lit a cigar, took a deep drag, and the smoke blurred the sharp light in his eyes: "Or are you planning to keep stalling until things calm down, until I, Song Zhaowen, have forgotten about it? Should I use some other method to remind you?"

Ye Yongchang's face was as white as paper; he knew what the "method" Song Zhaowen was referring to was.

Everyone knows that the Zhengxing Society is a triad, and the man in front of them is the big boss with thousands of thugs under his command.

Ye Yongchang had already started to fill in the blanks in his mind.

A "theft" from the vault, a "system malfunction," or an "accident" involving a senior executive—any one of these could be enough to bring Hengsheng to its knees.

"No—we wouldn't dare, Mr. Song, we absolutely wouldn't dare delay." Ye Yongchang was almost in tears. He was completely flustered. "Mr. Song, please—please show us a way out! We, Hengsheng—we, the Ye family, will definitely comply! We only beg you, Mr. Song, to have mercy and give us a way out."

This is exactly what Song Zhaowen was waiting for.

"I don't need the 100 million in cash."

Ye Yongchang suddenly looked up, staring at Song Zhaowen in disbelief. "You don't want it anymore? How is that possible? That's a hundred million!"

"Mr. Song, stop joking with me~"

One hundred million isn't a hundred dollars; how can you just say you don't want it?

If they really didn't want it, why would they have gone to such lengths to establish Hengsheng?

"Consider the 100 million as my investment. I want 20% of Hengsheng Bank's shares! Registered in my personal name, and I also want a seat on the board of directors. At the same time, Hengsheng must sign a long-term strategic cooperation agreement with me. For the next five years, Hengsheng will be given priority in handling all financial transactions and credit business of Zhengxing Society and all companies under my name, with the lowest possible interest rates."

20% stake! Board seat! Ultra-low interest rate loan!

Ye Yongchang gasped. A 20% stake, plus a seat on the board of directors, meant that Song Zhaowen would become a pivotal shareholder of Hengsheng Bank, even capable of influencing the bank's decisions! This was practically turning Hengsheng into Song Zhaowen's ATM and money laundering channel!

"Mr. Song, 20%—this—this is too much. The board of directors will never agree to it. It's like selling Hengsheng to you!" Ye Yongchang stammered in opposition.

Hengsheng is a listed bank, but only five percent of its shares are traded on the secondary stock market.

Unless the Ye family sells their shares, you can't buy more even if you have the money.

"Sell it to me?" Song Zhaowen sneered. "Ye Yongchang, get this straight, it's not me who's selling, it's Hengsheng that owes me! A debt of 100 million, and you're offering 20% ​​of the shares and some future cooperation benefits to pay it off? Do you think that's a bad deal? If you can come up with 100 million right now, then I'll pretend I didn't say anything."

After speaking, Song Zhaowen stood up, walked to Ye Yongchang, and looked down at him. His mere presence made Ye Yongchang retreat step by step: "I know you can't make decisions or take charge. You can go back and tell Old Master Ye, and those old fogies on your board of directors. If you agree to my conditions, Hengsheng may have lost a piece of its flesh, but at least it can survive. With me, Song Zhaowen, as a shareholder, those wolves eyeing it will have to think twice. If you don't agree—"

Song Zhaowen leaned down and whispered in Ye Yongchang's ear, his voice cold and discreet, "Then you'd better prepare to welcome the three thousand brothers of the Zhengxing Society. Starting tomorrow, bring one dollar each and continue depositing your money at your Hengsheng branch. We'll play along to the end! Wherever you and your shareholders go, my brothers will follow, 24/7. Tell me, who will dare deposit their money at your Hengsheng branch then? Will your Ye family still be able to maintain its foothold in Hong Kong?"

Ye Yongchang slumped into his chair, his face ashen, his last shred of courage to bargain completely shattered.

"I—I need to go back—to talk to Grandpa, to the board of directors—" Ye Yongchang's voice was as weak as a mosquito's buzz.

Song Zhaowen straightened up, patted his shoulder firmly, and said, "I'm only giving you twenty-four hours. If I don't have a definite answer by this time tomorrow, you know the consequences. Tony, see him out."

Ye Yongchang was dragged out by Tony, looking utterly dejected.

Ye Rongtian looked at his cousin's disheveled figure, then at Song Zhaowen, who had returned to his boss's chair with a composed expression, and felt a mix of emotions.

Firstly, the bigger the company grows, the more dividends Ye Rongtian receives; but Ye Sheng is, after all, his uncle, even though they're not close relatives.

"Ah Tian, ​​is there anything else?"

"No, then I'll head out first, Brother Wen."

Song Zhaowen was the only one left in the office. He stubbed out his cigar, a cold smile curving his lips.

"Hengsheng—that's just the first step. Richard, you're next. And—Azu, you bunch of arrogant young masters, you're playing with fire and messing with me—"

Song Zhaowen picked up the phone and dialed a number: "Ms. Huang? This is Song Zhaowen."

Huang Jieyi on the other end of the phone was clearly surprised: "Mr. Song? Hello. I didn't expect you to call me personally. What can I do for you?"

"A favor? You could say that." Song Zhaowen chuckled. "I'm going to give you a big gift, an exclusive scoop that will allow you to gain a foothold at Taiwan TV and even make a name for yourself in Hong Kong's media industry."

Huang Jieyi's heart skipped a beat. She had come to Hong Kong to expand her market, and what she needed most was a major news story. It seemed Song Zhaowen was never short of news; he was always the center of attention. "Mr. Song, please speak. Jieyi is all ears."

"I will hold a press conference at the Cheng Hing General Hall in Tsz Wan Shan at 3 pm tomorrow."

Huang Jieyi held her breath on the other end of the phone, sensing that Song Zhaowen's next words would be absolutely earth-shattering.

Song Zhaowen said, enunciating each word clearly: "At the press conference, I will announce that, in order to prove the strength of the Zhengxing Society and to thank those friends who took care of me on Maguire Road, I have decided to deposit HK$300 million in cash in the underground vault of the Zhengxing headquarters! The money is right there! I, Song Zhaowen, am making this clear: whoever you are—whether you're one of those smug thieves who stole HK$100 million and are now gloating, or some other self-important nobody—if you have the guts and the ability, come to my Zhengxing headquarters and take this HK$300 million!"

Even though Huang Jieyi was well-informed, she was stunned by the arrogance and provocation in his words.