Chapter 228: Half‑Mountain Villa Secret Meeting! A Business Tycoon

"We must become the drivers of history," Lu Qingshan's voice echoed in the conference room, each word striking the hearts of everyone present like a heavy hammer.

His gaze was as sharp as a blade, sweeping over each person's face, that authority from deep within his soul causing the air in the whole conference room to solidify.

He rose slowly, his posture upright as a pine, his voice resonating through the room like a great bell: "Now the Yingzi Group has taken us as a threat; rather than passively taking blows, we should strike proactively. Everyone, this is not commercial competition, this is a defensive battle for national dignity!"

The crystal chandelier in the conference room emitted a soft glow, yet at this moment it seemed unusually glaring.

The expensive rosewood conference table shone with a heavy luster under the light, like the weighty moods of these Chinese entrepreneurs.

Each face was filled with complex emotions: shock, Fear, and a long‑suppressed anger.

He Zhiqiang furrowed his brow, his fingers lightly tapping the tabletop, producing a crisp sound.

A hint of worry flashed in his eyes; as the head of the Trust Virtue Group, he understood the predicament of Chinese enterprises better than anyone.

His voice trembled slightly, yet he kept a merchant's rationality: "But Mr. Lu, after so many years of each acting independently, can we truly unite? The Trust Virtue Group's operations clash with other companies; how shall we divide profits? Moreover, do we really have the strength to confront the entire Yingzi Group?"

His words resonated with the others, and whispered murmurs rose in the conference room.

Everyone mentally weighed their own gains and losses; this habitual calculation caused a flash of disappointment in Lu Qingshan's eyes, quickly replaced by steadfast resolve.

"Profits? Conflicts?" Lu Qingshan shook his head slowly, his voice tinged with sarcasm, but more with anguish toward everyone present. "Gentlemen, you're still fretting over these petty profit disputes? The British have already raised their slaughter knives, and you're still arguing over a piece of bread?"

His voice rose suddenly, laced with anguished anger: "Look at our current situation! On our own land, we must still watch others' expressions! In our own homes, we must endure others' bullying! This is the tragedy of us Chinese entrepreneurs!"

"Because we each act independently, the Yingzi Group can pick us off one by one," Lu Qingshan shouted, rushing to the conference table, both hands braced on its surface, leaning forward, his gaze as sharp as a blade, his voice thunderous. "Look at this afternoon: a single call from HSBC could throw every company into panic. What does that show? It shows we are too fragmented, like a pile of loose sand!"

His voice rose again, trembling with anger, each word striking the hearts of everyone present like cannon shells: "One phone call! Just one phone call! The head of a respectable Chinese‑capital enterprise, terrified to death by a British clerk's secretary! This is our current state! This is the sorrow of Chinese on their own land!"

The sentence landed like a slap across everyone's face.

【7】 Li Zhaolong's complexion flushed red, his fists clenched tightly.

Li Zhaolong's face turned red, his fist clenched hard.

He was the most senior entrepreneur present, having lived through the toughest era for Hong Kong Island Chinese enterprises; now his inner sense of humiliation peaked.

Bao Cheng, even more enraged, pounded the table, producing a huge clang that made the teacups tremble and splashed tea across the surface.

His voice carried long‑suppressed anger: "Mr. Lu is right! We Chinese have lived on this land for centuries; why should we still heed the British?"

Guo Dongying also rose, a flame of anger flashing in his eyes: "Since its founding, every cent of Sun Hung Kai has been the blood and sweat of us Chinese; why should those colonizers trample it!"

The atmosphere in the conference room instantly grew heavy, each person feeling the humiliation rising from their very bloodlines.

They were all powerhouses of Hong Kong Island's business world, commanding storms in their fields, yet facing the Yingzi Group they were like lambs awaiting slaughter.

This contrast dealt a massive blow to their pride.

Lu Qingshan watched their reactions, a wave of boldness rising in his heart.

He knew the fire within these Chinese entrepreneurs was being ignited.

"Everyone, do you know what the British said when the 1842 Treaty of Nanking was signed?"

Lu Qingshan's voice grew heavier, each word bearing a bloody historical memory, the pain from deep history suffocating everyone. "They said it was civilization's triumph over barbarism! They said the Chinese were unworthy of such land!"

His eyes flashed with a cold glint, his voice like a judgment from hell, bearing apocalyptic authority: "A hundred years have passed, and they still think that way! In their eyes, we are forever second‑class citizens, forever their vassals!"

"Everyone, do you know the fate of Chinese merchants in 1967?" Lu Qingshan's voice turned even colder, each word as sharp as a sword. "Their assets were confiscated, people expelled, some even vanished mysteriously. History will repeat itself if we do not unite!"

He suddenly raised his voice, his tone booming like thunder: "They will deal with us one by one, as easy as crushing ants. Today we take you, tomorrow we take him, the day after we take another. In the end, we will all become dust of history! Then how will our descendants view us? They will call us cowards, servants, spineless waste!"

Wu Zhihua's complexion turned as pale as paper, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

His voice trembled slightly, his hand clenched a fist under the table: "Mr. Lu is right. This afternoon Standard Chartered also pressured us, demanding we withdraw the investment in your company's funds. Their tone was very forceful, even threatening to freeze our overseas accounts."

He trembled as he produced a document, placing it on the table; under the light it shone glaringly: "This is their ultimatum to me, giving me three days to respond. Otherwise, all overseas operations of Kowloon Warehouse will be affected. They also said that if we do not cooperate, they will make it impossible for us to survive in the entire financial circle."

Lu Qingshan took the document, skimmed it quickly, then sneered: "Look at these clauses—pure commands from colonizers to slaves! What do they think we are? Bugs they can trample at will!"

The atmosphere in the conference room instantly grew heavy.

Everyone could feel the massive pressure from the Yingzi Group, a oppression that left them breathless.

This is not simple commercial competition; it is naked threat and Fear.

Guo Dongying's complexion also turned sour; he clenched his teeth and said: "Sun Hung Kai also received similar threats. They said if we continue cooperating with Mr. Lu, they will cause trouble for us in land auctions. They also threatened to use government connections to make our projects difficult."

"HSBC is even worse," Chen Zhiqiang slammed the table in anger, the teacups jumping with it, "They directly threatened to raise our loan interest rates and demanded early repayment. This is basically forcing us to death! Moreover, they said that if we don't cooperate, they will blacklist us across the entire banking industry!"

"Wilson of the Taigu Group called me last night," He Zhiqiang's voice seethed with deep anger, "He said if the Trust Virtue Group continues to support Mr. Lu, they will cause trouble for us in shipping operations. They also threatened to unite other Yingzi enterprises to impose a full blockade on us!"

Lu Qingshan listened, the chill in his eyes deepening.

He knew the Yingzi Group's reaction was more intense than he had imagined, indicating they had already felt a genuine threat.

"Then withdraw," Lu Qingshan said lightly, but a cold glint flashed in his eyes, his voice as icy as ten‑thousand‑year‑old ice, each word as sharp as a sword. "Whoever wants to withdraw can leave now. The door is right there; I will not hold you back."

The words left everyone stunned.

They had assumed Lu Qingshan would plead desperately, even promise more benefits, but they did not expect him to be so resolute.

The atmosphere in the conference room instantly dropped to freezing point, even the sound of breathing became audible.

But no one rose to leave.

Though Fear lingered in their hearts, they were more shocked by Lu Qingshan's presence.

Such a man, such a leader, was unlike anything they had ever seen.

Lu Qingshan watched the crowd's reaction, a warm current rising in his heart.

He knew these Chinese entrepreneurs still had blood and backbone.

"However, I must remind everyone, if today you choose to retreat, to submit, then tomorrow the Yingzi Group will intensify its aggression," Lu Qingshan surveyed the room, his voice growing colder. "They will think Chinese enterprises are so easy to bully. By then, your losses will be even greater."

He paused, his voice like a judgment from the ninth abyss: "Moreover, I must tell you a reality: after 1997, who will own this land? If you now choose to stand with the British, do you think you will still have a foothold after 1997?"