In the spacious second-floor conference hall, there was no long table, only a few sofas casually placed, with tea tables in front of them. After inviting the group of Chinese tycoons to take their seats, Xu Pingsheng was the last to sit down, smiling as he looked at everyone.
"It's rare that you all have the time and the honor of coming to my home today." Xu Pingsheng smiled kindly, turned to look at Chu Yaozong was smiling silently to the side, and pointed to the tea set on the tea table in front of him. "Yaozong, this is Pu'er tea cake from the Daoguang period. I specially obtained it from Xiyu. You must try it today."
When Zhou Xiyu heard him mention him, he chuckled and said, "I was wondering why you, who can't even appreciate the flavors of Biluochun and Tieguanyin, would set your sights on this tea cake of mine. Turns out you're using it to do someone a favor."
Chu Yaozong laughed along, "You, Zhou Xiyu, you lied to me last time and said you'd finished this tea cake. Turns out you were trying to hide it away and enjoy it slowly. Is our decades-long friendship worth less than this tea cake?"
"Friendship is friendship, and tea cakes are tea cakes." Zhou Xiyu said with a smile in his eyes, "If you old fellow really cared about friendship, why didn't you bring out those few Da Hong Pao you had hidden at home to entertain me?"
Everyone in the hall knew that Chu Yaozong and Zhou Xiyu were both connoisseurs of tea, so they couldn't help but smile when they heard the two of them bickering.
"Boss Yu, I'm not planning to run the Hong Kong to South Africa route next year." Xu Pingsheng turned to look at Yu Shiting, his tone sincere. "I heard Zhenzhong's birthday is coming up soon, so consider this my early birthday present to him, what do you think?"
The room fell silent as everyone discreetly observed Yu Shiting's expression. Xu Pingsheng and Yu Shiting, these two shipping magnates, had been locked in a fierce rivalry for years. Now that one of them was making concessions, even a fool could sense something unusual, let alone these seasoned veterans.
Yu Shiting stroked the jade thumb ring on his thumb, smiling as he looked back at Xu Pingsheng: "Boss Xu, didn't we agree that today was a family dinner, not business? You've given me such a generous gift out of the blue, I'm afraid I won't be able to repay you later!"
"Go to hell!" Xu Pingsheng Yu Shiting in his heart, but the smile on his face didn't fade in the slightest. "What business is this? I just think we're all China person, and we should help each other out. I've dominated this shipping route for so many years, and now the Britain can't wait to get a piece of the pie. Having Zhenzhong handle it will shut them up. Do you really want the Britain to cut flesh off us China person?"
This statement was rather blatant. Xu Pingsheng kept referring to himself as a China person, and anyone could tell that he was speaking up for Song Tianyao. Although he claimed that the South Africa route was a birthday gift for Yu Shiting's eldest son, Yu Zhenzhong, everyone present could tell that this gift was more like a congratulatory gift for Yu Shiting's adopted daughter and Song Tianyao.
Gu Quan, the Big Brother of Wing On Group, coughed lightly and smiled as he addressed the crowd, "Speaking of gifts, my daughter Linshan is getting married soon. Boss Xu, we've known each other for so many years, you can't show favoritism!"
Upon hearing Gu Quan speak, Yu Shiting gave a soft hum and turned his head away.
Gu Quan's daughter, Gu Linshan, has recently joined forces with Tan Jingwei to suppress stocks held by Shanghai people. However, because it is a struggle between younger generations, tycoons like Yu Shiting cannot intervene. Otherwise, if the Hong Kong are still openly fighting with the Shanghai people, it will eventually turn into a major power struggle between the two sides, which will not benefit anyone.
However, Gu Linshan and Tan Jingwei, one backed by Wing On Bank and the other by Taiwan, have a combined force that should not be underestimated. At least from the current situation, Song Tianyao has been in retreat, clearly at the end of his rope and struggling to move forward.
Now that Gu Quan has brought up Gu Linshan's marriage, he is clearly telling everyone present that if Yu Shiting can promote Song Tianyao, Wing On can also promote Tan Jingwei.
"Brother Quan..." Xu Pingsheng glanced at Yu Shiting's expression and was about to speak up to smooth things over, but Gu Quan didn't give him the chance.
Gu Quan interrupted Xu Pingsheng: "Boss Xu, I guess you also know that my son-in-law is China person. Surely none of you here would disagree with that?"
Upon hearing this, the people in the hall had different expressions, but no one jumped out to refute Gu Quan.
Song Tianyao is China person, Tan Jingwei is also China person, but one represents the mainland and the other represents Taiwan. To lump them together would be a huge difference.
However, Gu Quan's words were reasonable and logical. Xu Pingsheng used the name of the China person to support Song Tianyao, but who dares to say that Tan Jingwei is not China person? You can't just stand on any side. No matter how much capital you have, once it rises to the political level, you are no different from a harmless fat sheep.
The atmosphere in the hall became somewhat tense. Several Chinese tycoons, some holding teacups and others smoking cigars, all appeared indifferent.
Lu Wenhui is a member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council, and his backer is the Britain. Even if he has a clear stance, he would not stand up and say a word for Song Tianyao or Tan Jingwei.
The situation of Chu Yaozong, president of the Chiu Chow Chamber of Commerce, Zhou Xiyu, president of the Dongguan Chamber of Commerce, and Cai Wenbai, Sze Yap Chamber of Commerce Chairman, is actually no different from that of Lu Wenhui. Moreover, the three of them have discussed this matter privately more than once, and have all concluded that they should absolutely not get involved in this mess if they can avoid it. Their positions represent not only themselves, but also the tens of thousands of fellow townsmen who depend on them for their livelihood. One wrong step could have unimaginable consequences.
However, Chu Yaozong, the president of the Chiu Chow Chamber of Commerce, was unwilling to speak, but Xu Pingsheng was not prepared to let him off the hook.
"Yaozong, you're the one who trained him. Aren't you going to say something now?" Xu Pingsheng glanced at Chu Yaozong, who seemed to be in deep meditation, and asked with a smile.
Chu Yaozong seemed to be lost in thought, only snapping back to reality when Xu Pingsheng spoke. However, he had no intention of taking on this hot potato offered by Xu Pingsheng. Instead, he smiled, picked up his teacup, and gestured to everyone in the hall, "Come, have some tea."
Chapter 550 Arriving in a Frenzy