Chapter 229: The Chinese Chamber of Commerce Soars into Existence!

The sentence struck like a bolt of thunder, piercing everyone's heart.

In 1997, this was a topic that every Hong Kong Island resident could not avoid, like a Damocles sword hanging over their heads.

Guo Dongying's expression grew complex; he is the head of New Hongji, accustomed to flattery and appeasement, and had never been treated this way before.

His fingers tapped lightly on the tabletop, producing a crisp sound; it was his habitual gesture when nervous.

But at this moment, a never‑before‑felt emotion surged within him—fear and resentment at having his inner thoughts laid bare.

His voice was somewhat displeased, but mostly resentful: "Mr. Lu, what do you mean? We are here to discuss cooperation, not to be taken advantage of."

"Taken advantage of?" Lu Qingshan sneered, his voice laced with obvious sarcasm, the contemptuous aura making the conference room feel several degrees colder. "Mr. Guo, do you know what being taken advantage of means? It means being bossed around by foreigners on your own land! It means having strength yet having to act according to others' moods! It means being bullied yet forced to wear a smile!"

His voice rose suddenly, filled with anguished fury: "Being taken advantage of is a respectable Chinese entrepreneur on his ancestral land having to bow and bend before a gang of blond‑haired, blue‑eyed thieves! It is our wealth being shipped to London, our dignity trampled underfoot, and yet we are expected to thank them for their gifts!"

"My point is simple." Lu Qingshan sat back down, leaning forward, his gaze sweeping each person like a sharp sword, bearing undeniable authority. His voice grew colder, like a judgment from the deepest abyss: "I do not need half‑hearted partners. Either we go all‑in, life and death together, or we part ways, strangers forever."

His voice rose again, bearing undeniable authority, each word hammering everyone's heart: "Gentlemen, the United Kingdom has treated us like dogs for over a hundred years! They wield power on our land, ship our wealth to London, trample our dignity! They regard us as second‑class citizens, as targets for arbitrary bullying!"

He sprang to his feet, walked to the massive floor‑to‑ceiling window, and pointed at the glittering Hong Kong Island nightscape: "Look at this land, this is the homeland of our Chinese! Our ancestors lived here for millennia, creating a brilliant civilization. Yet over a hundred years ago, the United Kingdom blasted open our gates with cannons, poisoned our compatriots with opium, and seized our land with unequal treaties!"

His voice thundered, each word laden with bloody historical memory: "From that moment, we became an inferior race in their eyes, a target they could trample at will! For over a hundred years we swallowed our anger, compromised, merely to survive on our own land!"

"The times must change; shall we continue to be dogs?" Lu Qingshan suddenly turned, his gaze as sharp as a blade, his voice trembling with anger: "Should we keep kneeling in supplication? Should we keep letting them ride atop us, wielding power?"

The words struck like a bolt of thunder, piercing everyone's heart. The conference room fell into dead silence, everyone feeling the humiliation and fury deep in their bloodlines. That sense of disgrace left each person suffocating; they were flesh‑and‑blood Chinese, each with their own backbone and dignity.

Li Zhaolong's eyes flashed with complexity as he recalled his father's dying words: "We Chinese on our own land lack even the courage to lift our heads; that is the greatest sorrow." He had been young then, not grasping the depth. Now he understood that this sorrow epitomized their generation.

His hand clenched into a fist beneath the table, knuckles whitening. As the head of Hengji Enterprise, he had seen countless Chinese entrepreneurs bow before the Yingzi Group, a humiliation that tore his heart like a knife.

He fell silent for a moment, his mind raging with inner conflict. As the head of Hengji Enterprise, he bore immense pressure, yet now a never‑before‑felt courage rose within him. Finally, he sprang to his feet, voice trembling yet firm: "Mr. Lu, what do you propose? Hengji Enterprise is ready to give its all. Even if we die, we will die with dignity!"

The words spread like a wildfire, igniting everyone's fury. Bao Chenggang also rose, his face flushed: "Chinese Capital Group is willing to work with Mr. Lu! Our Chinese backbone cannot be lost! Better to die standing than live kneeling!"

"Trust Virtue Group counts too!" He Zhiqiang gritted his teeth, his voice resolute: "Instead of being taken down one by one, let's unite and fight! Since death is inevitable either way, let's die spectacularly!"

Zheng Zhigang also stood, his eyes flashing with resolve: "New World Development joins as well! We Chinese cannot forever be trampled!"

Li Zhaolong suddenly rose, his eyes shining with determination: "Mr. Lu is right! We Chinese have lived on this land for centuries; why should we heed the United Kingdom's mood? Hengji Enterprise is ready to stand with you."

His words ignited a powder keg, and others likewise sprang to their feet.

Chen Zhiqiang pounded the table: "Henglong Group will never retreat!"

"Faction also is willing to stand with Mr. Lu!" Li Jiasheng's voice rang powerfully.

"Chinese Capital Group will never bow to colonizers!" Bao Chenggang pledged, pounding his chest.

"Trust Virtue Group swears to defend Chinese dignity to the death!" He Zhiqiang's voice was resolute.

For a moment, the conference room rang with overlapping declarations.

Every face bore steadfastness; that blood‑born unity shocked the entire room.

Lu Qingshan watched the scene, feeling a surge of heroic spirit.

He knew the era of Chinese Capital enterprises uniting was finally arriving.

"Establish the Chinese Chamber of Commerce." Lu Qingshan voiced the startling proposal, his voice thunderous, each word carrying the force to alter history, a soul‑deep authority shaking the room. "All family enterprises present shall form a joint offensive‑defensive alliance. Advance to attack, retreat to defend!"

"Chinese Chamber of Commerce?" Bao Chenggang's eyes lit up, he rose excitedly, his face brimming with enthusiasm, his voice trembling slightly: "You mean we should create an organization like the Yingzi Group? Fantastic! This idea is brilliant! Why can't we have our own organization? Why must we be kept down by the United Kingdom?"

"Exactly." Lu Qingshan nodded, ambition flashing in his eyes, his voice swelling: "Why is the Yingzi Group so powerful? Because they band together, ready to attack or defend. They share common interests, goals, and enemies. Our Chinese enterprises have been fragmented for over a century; now is the time to unite."

He moved to the conference table, hands braced on the surface, leaning forward, his gaze as sharp as a blade: "Consider this— the Yingzi Group controls Hong Kong Island's financial lifeline; a single phone call can jeopardize our companies. Why? Because they are united, because they share common interests!"

His voice grew more fervent: "And us? Each acting alone, mistrusting one another, even colluding against each other. They exploit our fragmentation, picking us off one by one. Today they crush this firm, tomorrow they ruin that one, and eventually we all become their vassals!"

He paused, his gaze deepening, his voice prophetic: "Imagine if twelve enterprises united, with total assets exceeding HK$200 billion, becoming an undeniable force across Place. Would the Yingzi Group still look down on us? Then we would no longer be bullied, but stand as equals."

Zheng Zhigang sounded uneasy, lowering his voice, yet his eyes gleamed with hope: "But would the Imperial Governor's Office permit such an organization? They will surely devise ways to block us—perhaps legal or political measures. After all, a united Chinese Chamber of Commerce is a huge threat to them."

"Just a chamber of commerce—what's forbidden?" Lu Qingshan sneered, sarcasm evident, his contempt for authority shocking everyone: "The United Kingdom can have chambers, the United States can have chambers, Japan can have chambers; why can't we Chinese? The law treats everyone equally; that's the rule they themselves set."

His voice sharpened further, bearing undeniable authority: "If they dare to block us, it's racial discrimination, a human‑rights violation. We can take them to the United Nations and expose the United Kingdom's true face. They claim to be civilized, to protect human rights—let the world see how they treat Chinese!"

Wu Zhihua couldn't help asking: "What if they retaliate economically—say, banks cutting credit, government harassment, or other Yingzi firms blockading us?"

"Retaliation?" Lu Qingshan's mouth curled into a cold smile. "Brother Zhihua, don't you think they're already retaliating? HSBC's threats, Taigu Group's pressure, Standard Chartered's credit cuts—aren't those all retaliation?"

Since death is inevitable either way, why not go out with a bang? Rather than being picked off one by one, let's unite and fight to the death!

Gong Zhiqiang asked eagerly, excitement flashing in his eyes, his voice trembling: "What will be the concrete operation of this chamber? How will funds be allocated? How will decision‑making power be divided? We can't keep running things separately as before, can we?"

Lu Qingshan's mouth curled into a hint of a mysterious smile, his confidence shaking everyone: "We'll discuss those details gradually. One thing is certain: once the Chinese Chamber of Commerce is founded, it will become a major force in Hong Kong Island's finance. We'll make the Yingzi Group know Chinese are not easy to bully!"

His voice grew even more majestic, carrying a historic force: "We will build our own banks, our own investment funds, our own trade networks. We will let the world see that Chinese can not only create wealth but also control it!"