Chapter 281: The Strongest Open Plot in History: Lashing the Governor to a War Chariot!

Li Fuying looked at Lu Qingshan's overly calm young face and felt an indescribable awe. This young man always sees issues from a deeper, farther angle than us old guys. They see the face, the olive branch the Governor's Office extends; Lu Qingshan sees the inside, the deal and game behind that olive branch.

"Qing Shan, you mean…" Li Fuying lowered his voice, his expression fully regained calm and gravity.

"It's simple." Lu Qingshan withdrew his gaze from the window, surveyed everyone, "Those aristocratic lords in London now can barely keep their own houses afloat. Someone like Wilson is a dog they send around the world to scoop up money. Now the dog is beaten to death; they mourn not the dog but the bone it couldn't bring back."

He paused, his voice became clear and cold: "The Governor is the same. Sitting in that position, he wants Hong Kong Island's prosperity and stability, and a nice report card to take back to London. British capital is unreliable, even a drag; naturally he turns his gaze to us."

"He's not courting us; he's exploiting us. He needs us, the 'emerging forces', to fill the hole left by the decline of British capital, to be that new, more obedient dog that can lay golden eggs for him."

His words made everyone's backs shiver; the earlier official‑approved smugness vanished instantly, replaced by a clarity born of seeing the truth.

"Damn it!" Guo Dongying slammed a fist on the table, muttering, "In the end, they still don't treat us as their own!"

"So," Lu Qingshan smiled, a smile bearing a world‑worn sharpness beyond his years, "we'll turn their exploitation into our opportunity."

He looked at Li Fuying, his tone unquestionable: "Uncle Li, reply to the Governor's Office. Say the Chinese Chamber of Commerce is more than willing to contribute to Hong Kong Island's prosperity and stability. The 'Victoria Far‑East Opportunity Fund' we are establishing in London, the capital we raise will be prioritized for Hong Kong Island's infrastructure. We need him to give the fund an official endorsement."

Li Fuying's eyes lit up instantly.

This move is brilliant! They've tied the Governor to their war chariot! The Governor wants achievements, wants Chinese merchants to stabilize the situation, so he must produce something concrete. Endorsing the fund is the perfect token! With the Governor's official credibility, their London fundraising is like adding wings to a tiger!

"I understand what to do!" Li Fuying nodded heavily, his admiration for Lu Qingshan already at a bow‑down level.

"Ye Ning, Li Zhi'an." Lu Qingshan turned his head toward his two generals.

"Here!" the two answered in unison.

"Both of you, depart tomorrow, slip quietly to London." Lu Qingshan's voice was pressed low, carrying the looming chill of a mountain rain, "When you get there, do nothing at first; first get familiar with the environment, use the channels Uncle Li gave you, spread word of the soon‑to‑be‑established 'Victoria Far‑East Opportunity Fund' throughout Financial City. I want those hungry wolves to smell blood early."

"Yes!" Ye Ning's eyes beneath the short hair flashed with excitement.

Li Zhi'an grew even more excited, clenching his fist, ready to stir a storm in the heart of world finance! This is something he never dared dream of!

"Before you leave," Lu Qingshan looked at Ye Ning, "take inventory of the bullets we have; I need to know how deep our coffers really are."

The sentence made everyone's breath in the conference room pause.

Ye Ning opened the portable folder, her voice crisp and professional; each number sounded like a heavy bomb exploding beside everyone's ears.

"Boss, the two hundred million principal we invested on behalf of others, after this period's operation, has yielded three hundred million profit; the total account balance is now five hundred million Hong Kong dollars."

Guo Dongying and the others instinctively straightened their backs, faces breaking into satisfied smiles. This sum was their initial trust, now richly repaid.

"Gentlemen, regarding this money, I suggest we hold off on dividends for now." Lu Qingshan began, "The London battle requires us to concentrate all forces."

"No problem!" Guo Dongying waved his hand, "Whatever you say! Money with you earns more than in a bank!"

Everyone nodded, no one objected.

Ye Ning continued the report: "At last night's auction, after costs, net profit was 1.5 billion Hong Kong dollars. Adding the two items, the movable capital of our joint investment entity now stands at 2 billion Hong Kong dollars."

"My personal account," Ye Ning turned a page, her voice adding a hint of awe even she hadn't noticed, "original funds were 7.4 billion; acquisition of Wilson's industry cost 3.2 billion, leaving 4.2 billion. As per your order, allocate 200 million to Mr. Liang Zhiwei as seed money for Xinghan Bank. Currently, your personal movable capital is 4 billion Hong Kong dollars."

Four billion!

The figure made Guo Dongying forget the cigar in his hand; ash fell all over him.

Forty billion in cash! Across the whole Hong Kong Island, only a giant like HSBC could muster such terrifying cash flow; there is probably no second contender!

Ye Ning's voice kept going, as if adding the final weight to the upcoming war.

"Additionally, the fifty million Hong Kong dollars of foreign exchange from the mainland, principal and interest included, now totals 180 million Hong Kong dollars."

Ye Ning closed the folder, lifted her head, looked at Lu Qingshan, and gave the final summary; her voice was low but clearly echoed in each person's soul.

"Boss, subtracting all necessary expenses, the total capital we can mobilize this time exceeds 600 million Hong Kong dollars."

Six hundred million.

The number loomed like an invisible mountain, weighing heavily on every heart in the conference room, suffocating them.

The clamor that had just risen over the Governor's Office's olive branch now vanished without a trace, leaving only heavy breathing and the distant city soundscape outside the window.

Money, they have seen.

But they have never seen such terrifying cash, concentrated in one person's hands, about to become a financial weapon.

Lu Qingshan watched the shock, awe, and even a hint of fear on everyone's faces. He gave them little time to digest, because the opportunity was fleeting.

He spoke calmly, his voice low yet striking each nerve: "Six hundred million is our confidence, the capital that makes those hungry wolves in London think twice before acting rashly. But as I said, we don't need to fight with our own money."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over every core member of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce present.

"Establishing the fund in London and raising foreign money requires a threshold, a reputable endorsement. Besides the Governor's official platform, more important is showing them our Chinese Chamber of Commerce's resolve and strength."

"I intend, before the 'Victoria Far‑East Opportunity Fund' is set up, to create, in the names of all the uncles here, a limited‑scale 'Pioneer Fund' dedicated to this London operation."

He raised a finger, lightly tapping the table.

"This fund is private, open only to those present today. It has a single purpose—serving as the first spear we thrust into London's heart."