บท 363: Chapter 363: If You Want to Fight, Let’s Fight!
Xia Yu had many of his companies investigated, and now he was in the eye of the storm, drawing considerable attention.
Naturally, the scene of the investigation attracted many onlookers, including reporters who were on the scene.
At this critical juncture, the involvement of so many official departments in the investigation suggested a lot more than meets the eye, sparking speculation.
As a result, many newspapers the next day reported on these events, with increasingly exaggerated headlines, almost as if they wanted to create chaos.
Fortunately, none of the newspapers under Xia Yu's control covered these incidents. The big newspapers ignored it, and the smaller ones couldn't stir up much hype due to their limited reach. Despite their efforts, the news only generated localized discussions.
Although the discussions were limited, those who needed to know were aware, making the competition between the Ewo Machinery Group and the Jiuding Group suddenly seem uncertain and full of variables.
Hence, the stock price of the Ewo Machinery Group experienced a slowdown compared to the previous day.
A slow increase in stock price was unacceptable!
"Step up the effort, put all your might into raising the price and buying up shares, drive the stock price up!"
Inside the closed building of the Galaxy Fund, Xia Yu issued orders with a serious expression.
The Ewo Consortium was trying to trouble him, aiming to exhaust his energy and control the stock price to prevent it from skyrocketing, but he was determined to thwart their plans!
If the Ewo Consortium wanted the stock price to rise slowly, Xia Yu was resolute in raising it to the highest level, showing unwavering determination to strengthen other investors' confidence!
And for his own benefit, he had to use every means to push the stock price up as high as possible!
---
In a café, four people were sitting across from each other. The table was covered with four cups of coffee. Although it was a quiet private room in a high-end café, the atmosphere was heavy with tension.
If this meeting were captured by reporters, it would surely cause a huge stir in Hong Kong.
The main figures in this meeting were too notable!
On the left side were Xia Yu and Wang Qi, while on the right were John Keswick, the leader of the Ewo Consortium, and the Ewo Group's top executive, Niubijian.
Old John, with a blank expression, asked Xia Yu, staring directly at him.
"Mr. Xia , have you given any thought to our proposal?"
Xia Yu gave a playful smile, caressing his cup as if inspecting its surface.
This attitude made Niubijian, sitting beside Old John, frown slightly and prepare to speak against Xia Yu, but Old John subtly shook his head, signaling him to stay silent.
Old John wasn't in a hurry. He knew Xia Yu was playing psychological games or perhaps deliberately provoking him, but he wasn't worried at all. After decades of business, he had seen this kind of situation many times!
Old John's methods were already proving effective. Rationally speaking, despite Xia Yu being a newly risen Chinese tycoon, Old John recognized Xia Yu's financial acumen, though he did not believe that Xia Yu could quickly build a network and foundation comparable to the Ewo Consortium's century-long accumulation.
In Old John's view, Xia Yu would eventually be forced to bow under pressure. Since the outcome was already determined, there was no need to worry about the struggling grasshopper's final struggles.
Therefore, Old John remained calm, watching Xia Yu with a steady gaze and silent demeanor.
After a long silence, Xia Yu finally stopped his actions, slowly raising his head to look at Old John. Their eyes met for several seconds.
At this point, Xia Yu showed a cold smile and spoke slowly but firmly, "Impossible. The Ewo Machinery Group is mine for the taking. If Mr. John thinks some underhanded methods will make me bow down, it will only be laughable!"
Even a mud figure has its pride, let alone someone like Old John who had been in a high position for decades! Xia Yu's blunt response, which directly exposed and challenged Old John's tactics, stirred even the calmest of individuals.
Old John's murky eyes became as sharp as an eagle's, glaring at Xia Yu with a fierce expression. He said coldly, "Mr. Xia, you should understand the principle of knowing when to stop. Excessive actions are counterproductive. You should be aware!"
"50 HKD per share. Sell all your stocks to me and promise not to target my other companies!"
Old John's tone was firm, leaving no room for negotiation.
In his view, this offer was already quite generous to Xia Yu, even giving him another chance.
After all, Xia Yu had caused him to lose control of the Ewo Air Cargo Station and the Ewo Insurance Company, and had driven up the stock price of the Ewo Machinery Group from 27.5 HKD to the current level. Offering 50 HKD per share was already very accommodating!
However, while Old John saw this as leniency, Xia Yu perceived it as a coercive tactic.
Yesterday, the Ewo Machinery Group's closing price had reached over 50 HKD per share, and today it had surged to 60 HKD per share. Now, Old John not only refused to make a fair offer but also seemed to believe he had Xia Yu cornered, demanding that he sell his shares at a low price.
Not a chance!
"Impossible. If you want to fight, then let's fight. The Ewo Machinery Group is mine to claim!"
Xia Yu's attitude was resolute, showing no sign of weakness as he stared back at Old John with determined eyes.
Old John and Niubijian's faces changed dramatically. Old John, like a ferocious tiger, glared at Xia Yu with a hint of hostility in his voice, "Mr. Xia , do not miscalculate!"
"Hmph!"
Xia Yu sneered, countering, "Mr. John, I'm not afraid of you. In the business world, acquisitions and mergers are commonplace. Just because you want to acquire others' companies doesn't mean we can't retaliate!"
"If you have the ability, manage your own companies and don't give me opportunities. Don't sit here and try to intimidate me!"
"Use whatever methods you have. Let's see if I'm afraid!"
As Xia Yu spoke, his tone carried a hint of anger, but he felt a sense of relief afterward!
After a day full of troubles, though Xia Yu was not flustered, the accumulated frustration was significant, and he seized the opportunity to vent it!
After all, the Ewo Consortium was just a regional small consortium in the underdeveloped world, controlling capital of only about 20 billion HKD, equivalent to a few billion USD.
If the Ewo Consortium were like the Rockefeller or Morgan families, capable of causing bankruptcies or manipulating governments, he would definitely be cautious.
But since the Ewo Consortium was only that, Xia Yu saw no reason to be intimidated or fearful.
He was ready to fight back! Offending Old John was even better, as Xia Yu had already decided to challenge him. If Old John had been more conciliatory, Xia Yu might have hesitated to strike hard!
"Ha ha!"
"Alright, since Mr. Xia is so confident, let's see how things unfold!"
Old John stared at Xia Yu for a few seconds before withdrawing his gaze and said indifferently.
He then stood up, accompanied by the gloomy-faced Niubijian, and walked out.
"Wait and see!"
Xia Yu also spoke calmly, watching Old John and Niubijian leave.
"Boss, does John Keswick really think he has us cornered? Haha!"
Wang Qi chuckled.
"Haha!"
"The Ewo Consortium is indeed powerful, but our strengths are precisely their weaknesses. They cannot deal with us directly. If they had provoked manufacturers like Lin Baixin or real estate tycoons like Li Jiacheng, they would have many methods at their disposal."
"To deal with us, they can only resort to underhanded tactics. It's embarrassing!"
Xia Yu laughed and shook his head in mockery.
"Indeed. It's still thanks to your foresight, boss. Approaching from media and finance, both are industries with strong offense and defense capabilities, adaptable and effective!"
Wang Qi agreed, nodding with admiration.
"Ha ha!"
"Wang Qi, when did you become so good at flattery?"
Xia Yu looked at Wang Qi with surprise and laughed heartily.
"No, no, I genuinely mean it. No flattery intended!"
Wang Qi hurriedly explained, denying any intent to flatter.
"You, you, haha!"
Xia Yu pointed at Wang Qi playfully, shaking his head and smiling.
"Alright, it's getting late. Let's head back. Since Old John wants us to wait and see, we should act promptly to avoid disappointing him."
"Once we return, we need to intensify our actions. It should be within the next couple of days!"
Xia Yu finished his coffee in one gulp, elegantly dabbed his mouth with a napkin, and then stood up to leave.
After the unpleasant meeting with Old John, he immediately exerted more pressure and soon boarded a plane to Singapore. His clear objective was to acquire the 5.24% stake in the Ewo Machinery Group held by Temasek Investment.
Earlier, he had contacted Li Yao by phone. Though Li Yao was busy and hadn't paid much attention to the competition for the Ewo Machinery Group, he was sharp and realized something was off when Old John called personally.
Since he was unaware of the situation, he didn't promise anything easily. But with Old John seeking him out, Li Yao was inclined to transfer the stocks to him, but he also saw it as an opportunity. As a
politician, any leverage could be beneficial, so he intended to use it wisely.
Noticing Li Yao's subtle attitude, Old John sought to be cautious and arranged a face-to-face meeting in Singapore.
As Old John traveled to Singapore, Xia Yu's phone calls began to show their effect, revealing the networking power of Jiuding Securities Company.
The investors, aligned with Xia Yu's interests, stood to gain more if he succeeded and would suffer losses if he failed.
With shared interests, they were motivated to support Xia Yu. Their support mitigated the impact of the Ewo Consortium's underhanded tactics.
Moreover, Xia Yu's success was not only crucial for him but also for figures like Li Jiacheng and Zheng Yutong, making the situation a crucial battle.
The benefits of having many friends became evident. While Xia Yu alone might not rival the deeply rooted Ewo Consortium, the support from these influential Chinese tycoons created significant resistance against the Ewo Consortium's schemes. Departments couldn't unify their stance, let alone find time to trouble Xia Yu.
Meanwhile, Old John left Hong Kong, and his associates Henry and Charles, as well as Niubijian, found themselves less influential. They reported the situation to Old John, who, after some thought, decided to focus on acquiring the Temasek shares first.
Securing the 5.24% stake from Temasek, combined with Ewo Holdings' existing shares, would provide about 44% ownership, significantly enhancing security.
This would relieve some of the pressure on Old John or shift it to Xia Yu.
The political and business struggle's impact was profound, and with many Chinese tycoons initiating their actions, a sense of impending storm filled the skies of Hong Kong.
Many had to become alert, with financial investment firms naturally slowing down their plans, preparing to observe the situation.
The wind was picking up~
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