Chapter 264: Starlit Financial Empire! The Core Circle Officially Established!

This meal was eaten with hearty gusto.

Liang Zhiwei spoke little the whole time, but his heart was already roiling like stormy seas, more turbulent than the night sea outside the window.

Each dish seemed to wash away the grievances and suppression he had endured over the past decade within the Yingzi system when facing those arrogant superiors.

For Ye Ning, the molecular dish "Fragrant Mango Burst" revealed another form of finance—precise, elegant, wrapping a complex core in a simple exterior, a single strike to break it, just like the perfect deal she pursues.

As for Lu Qingjun and Li Zhi'an, the seemingly simple bowl of plain noodles gave them a long‑missed taste of home, a root they could never forget no matter how far they go or how high they fly.

It was not just a meal, but a uniquely strategic meeting, a subtle ceremony of refocusing, binding each of their hearts together with an invisible yet sturdy tie.

"Qing Shan, your manor paired with Chef Wang's divine cooking finally makes it truly complete! A perfect match!" Li Fuying set down his chopsticks, patted his belly with satisfaction, and exclaimed sincerely.

Lu Qingshan smiled, personally refilled Li Fuying's and Liang Zhiwei's cups, raised his glass and said: "Uncle Li, Mr. Liang, everyone. From now on this will be our base. I, Lu Qingshan, cannot promise anything else, but regarding food, I will see to it that it's abundant and well managed! Come, let us all, for the new era of us Chinese, have a toast!"

This meal, this tea, spoke louder than a thousand words, silently uniting everyone's hearts completely.

Full of drink and food, the rosy glow on Li Fuying's face grew brighter; he leaned forward slightly, lowered his voice, and with a hint of mysterious smile said to Lu Qingshan:

"By the way, Qing Shan, the guest list for tomorrow night is basically set. Besides our Business Association's old brothers, Character from New World, Wu Zhengnan of Kowloon Warehouse, and Cai Jianming of Sunrise International will also attend."

Lu Qingshan listened quietly, his fingertips lightly tapping the warm Yixing teacup, producing a crisp, rhythmic sound. These names were all within his expectations, the core strength of Hong Kong Island's Yingzi.

Li Fuying paused, his expression becoming a mix of playful and unprecedented solemnity, as if dropping a genuine heavyweight bomb.

"There's also one more person who has received an invitation, and his secretary personally replied that he will definitely arrive on time."

"Who?" Lu Qingshan asked, his tapping fingers halting.

The air in the restaurant froze instantly, everyone's movements stalled. Liang Zhiwei's fingers that had just lifted his teacup suddenly clenched, his knuckles whitening from the strain; Ye Ning's eyes, ever sensitive to numerical curves, instantly lost focus; Lu Qingjun's eyes widened with curiosity.

Li Fuying stared intently at Lu Qingshan, enunciating each word deliberately, spitting out a name from 1980s Hong Kong Island that weighed enough to tip any business scale.

"Faction, Li Jiasheng."

Boom!

As the words fell, the lively atmosphere in the restaurant, risen by fine food and passion, seemed instantly smothered by an invisible giant hand, the temperature dropping sharply!

Liang Zhiwei even subconsciously leaned his body back, a cold sweat breaking out on his back; his lips moved, his voice hoarse and strained as he said: "Boss, I… when I was at HSBC, I personally witnessed an incident involving him. There was a small developer called Chen Property that contested a piece of land in Kowloon with him. He invited Mr. Chen to a meal, the table filled with laughter, even taking the other as a sworn brother, pounding his chest and claiming fair competition. The next day, that 'sworn brother' had all loan channels from HSBC, Standard Chartered, and Hang Seng—every Yingzi bank—cut off overnight! Three days later, Chen Property's cash flow collapsed, it declared bankruptcy, and that land he snapped up at a bottom price… I still remember Mr. Chen kneeling at the bank entrance."

He said no more, but that chilling Fear already spread, even Lu Qingjun felt a cold draft at the back of his neck.

Li Fuying's gaze grew profoundly deep as he looked at Lu Qingshan's calm, unruffled face and took over: "Zhiwei is right. Qing Shan, you must keep a hundred extra eyes on this man. He's not a reckless fighter like Guo Dongying, nor am I a blunt old man like myself. He's a river‑crossing dragon that can thrive in both fresh and salty water, always smiling, yet no one knows when his teeth will bite. He previously approached me, wanting to get in touch with you; regarding the establishment of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, he was noncommittal. This time you toppled Wilson, slapped the faces of all Yingzi, yet he says nothing aloud—no one can guess his thoughts. His coming is definitely a weasel greeting a chicken, with no good intentions!"

Lu Qingshan lifted his teacup, his fingertips gently caressing the warm cup wall, while the corner of his mouth curled into a meaning‑laden curve.

Li Jiasheng?

He certainly knows this person. More than just knowing.

In a previous life, this business titan, hailed by Hong Kongers as a 'Superman', leveraged unparalleled commercial instinct and political acumen to build a global business empire over the ensuing decades. Even today on Hong Kong Island, his Li Family navigates effortlessly between British Hong Kong and China. His brilliance lies not merely in making money, but in always pinpointing his place amid the tides of the great era, playing both sides, and standing invincible.

How could such a figure miss this banquet that will reshape Hong Kong Island's landscape?

Lu Qingshan sneered inwardly; Li Fuying and Liang Zhiwei were right—Li Jiasheng is a smiling tiger. What others don't know is that this smiling tiger's appetite is larger than anyone imagines. His purpose this time is likely more than a test; it's to sniff out the scent of blood and seek a chance to devour the spoils!

"He will come, good."

Lu Qingshan set down his teacup, producing a crisp, light sound. Though small, it resembled a decisive drumbeat, instantly calming Li Fuying's and Liang Zhiwei's nervous hearts.

His gaze turned to the deep night sky beyond the window and the distant sea glittering with waves; his tone was calm, yet carried a hint of a chessmaster's absolute control.

"Tomorrow night's banquet looks like it will be even livelier than I imagined. The real sharks are starting to smell blood, which is good." He rose slowly, walked to the massive floor‑to‑ceiling window, stared at his composed reflection on the glass, his voice low yet clearly reaching every ear.

"I dug this pond without intending to raise only a few koi. If he wants to come, let him. That way, everyone on Hong Kong Island can see with their own eyes who truly becomes the dragon king setting the rules in this new sea!"