Chapter 260: His Ambition! Raising the Chinese Banner in Central Within a Month!

In the living room, the air was still.

The hand‑cut crystal chandelier from Italy refracted dazzling light, illuminating Liang Zhiwei's pallid face and Li Fuying's stunned, wooden‑chicken expression. The sound of Liang Zhiwei's knees slamming heavily onto the hard marble floor just now was like a siege hammer, pounding Li Fuying's heart and making a buzzing in his ears.

And when Lu Qingshan helped him up, his breezy remark, "I trust those I employ; I do not employ those I distrust," made even this veteran who has been navigating the business seas for almost sixty years feel a prickling thrill.

What a display of boldness and magnanimity!

A core figure who has just defected from the enemy camp is, in the blink of an eye, being entrusted with the staggering responsibility of becoming the Bank President of an entirely new bank! Such a thing, even on Hong Kong Island, where pedigree and background are prized, let alone in the entire world's financial history, is unheard of!

Li Fuying looked at the composed young man before him and suddenly realized with crystal clarity that he had greatly underestimated Lu Qingshan. He had thought Lu Qingshan was a ferocious tiger charging into a flock of sheep, but now saw that he was in fact a Huaxia giant dragon lurking in the abyss, ready to swallow the heavens.

"Mr. Liang, quick, get up!" Li Fuying finally snapped out of his huge shock, stepped forward two steps at a time, grasped Liang Zhiwei's arm forcefully, and his smile became a hundred times more sincere, "It's all a misunderstanding! Brother Qing Shan values the person who is the most honored guest of our entire Chinese Chamber of Commerce! From now on, we'll be comrades fighting side by side!"

Liang Zhiwei was so moved his face flushed red, tears constantly swirling in his eyes, almost about to burst. In his ten‑plus years at HSBC, he had felt like a transparent person living in the shadows—clearly more capable than his peers, yet constantly sidelined because of his Chinese face, with achievements always credited to his superiors and the blame forever falling on him. He had thought his life would waste away in resentment and humiliation, but at this middle‑aged point, when his spirit was about to extinguish, he unexpectedly encountered a benefactor like Lu Qingshan!

The favor of being recognized weighs heavier than Mount Tai! Those four characters now carry a thousand‑pound weight in his heart!

Lu Qingshan gestured for the two to sit again, personally poured them a steaming cup of Wuyi Mountain Da Hong Pao, and amid the swirling tea aroma, all the lavish decorations of the castle's living room faded into the background at that moment.

"Mr. Liang, since you are willing to shoulder this heavy responsibility, let's discuss the real business." Lu Qingshan's voice remained calm, yet carried an invisible pressure that made Liang Zhiwei straighten his back instantly, his gaze sharp, immediately slipping into the mindset of a top‑tier financial elite.

"The registration and licensing of Xinghan Bank, I will entrust to Chairman Li, commissioning the most professional legal team on Hong Kong Island to handle it, regardless of cost." Lu Qingshan's fingers tapped lightly on the expensive rosewood coffee table, producing a steady, forceful rhythm, "Your task is to build the entire framework of the bank in the shortest possible time."

He stared at Liang Zhiwei, his gaze like a torch: "Personnel, risk‑control systems, branch site selection, business planning—these are all your specialties. I have only one demand: speed! Fast, at any cost! I want to see the first Xinghan Bank branch officially open in Central, the most expensive real‑estate, within a month!"

One month!

Liang Zhiwei and Li Fuying both involuntarily inhaled a gasp of cold air. Starting a bank from scratch on Hong Kong Island—from filing the application through the layers of approval by the financial regulatory authority, then to renovation, hiring, system testing, and opening—takes at least a year and a half even at the fastest pace. One month is not a fanciful tale; it is a myth!

"Mr. Lu," Liang Zhiwei steadied himself, his strong professional acumen compelling him to raise a question, he phrased cautiously, "One month is really too tight; everything else is negotiable, but the approval process at the financial regulatory authority, according to regulations, is …"

"You don't need to worry about the approvals." Lu Qingshan cut him off, lifted his tea cup and gently blew the steam, "I'll handle it. You just need to command it like a war, responsible for execution."

His tone was casual, yet carried an absolute confidence as if he could move mountains and fill seas. Liang Zhiwei looked into his bottomless, profound eyes, and all his doubts and anxieties vanished in an instant, replaced by an unprecedented surge of confidence.

Indeed, the man before us single‑handedly overturned the legend of the Yingzi giant Wilson! That was the Shason Family that has dominated Hong Kong Island for a hundred years! Are his miracles any fewer?

"Yes! Mr. Lu! I, Liang Zhiwei, guarantee to complete the mission!" Liang Zhiwei nodded heavily, a long‑suppressed fierce fighting spirit igniting in his eyes, "I'll immediately draft a detailed preparation plan, precise to every hour! After all these years at HSBC, the only thing I haven't learned is talent scouting, and I'm good at it! Those capable Chinese brothers who have been suppressed are all in my mind! As long as you give the nod, I'm confident I can pull half of HSBC's Chinese elite core over to serve our own bank!"

Li Fuying, listening nearby, felt his blood boil; he slapped his thigh excitedly and exclaimed, "Qing Shan, this move is just perfect! It's a stroke of divine brilliance! Establishing Xinghan Bank right now is the perfect convergence of timing, location, and people!"

He rose excitedly, pacing back and forth in the vast living room, arms waving, "What more hype do we need now? The three characters 'Lu Qingshan' are the most resonant, most valuable golden sign on Hong Kong Island! I dare say, once Xinghan Bank opens its doors, the deposits of Chinese on Hong Kong Island will surge like a tide, flowing in from HSBC, from Standard Chartered!"

He paused, his voice carrying a complex and sincere emotion, "We won this battle against Yingzi, but many ordinary citizens who trusted us and bought stocks with us still lost a lot of hard‑earned money. They hold grievances, yet they also have great expectations for our Chinese capital. Now that we're establishing our own bank and launching a stable investment fund, we can help everyone recoup the lost money. This is not just business; it's about winning hearts and consolidating our Chinese strength! It's a great merit!"

Lu Qingshan gave a slight nod; Li Fuying could see that layer, confirming he had not chosen the wrong ally.