Chapter 341: The Final Lure: Governor Lehaus!

Lu Qingshan hung up the phone, and the reception room remained dead silent.

That day's figure of 3.16 billion loomed like an invisible mountain, crushing every Chinese‑capital magnate present to the point of suffocation.

They stared at the calm silhouette by the floor‑to‑ceiling window, feeling that the figure, set against the dazzling city lights, grew ever more inscrutable, even acquiring a faint, unsettling allure.

"Brother Qing Shan…" Bao Chenggang finally reclaimed his voice; he ignored the shattered teacup and stared fixedly at Lu Qingshan, "In the call just now… was there any movement over in London?"

Everyone's ears instantly pricked up, and even their breathing seemed to halt.

Lu Qingshan turned, his face revealing no emotion, and simply slipped the phone back into his pocket.

"It's nothing major."

He sat down again, lifted the long‑cooled tea before him, and said deliberately, "It's just that Yihe's Crown Prince, Henry Kessler, just slipped fifty‑million pounds into our 'Victoria Opportunity Fund.'"

"Pfft—"

Li Zhaolong took a sip of Da Hong Pao, couldn't hold it back, and immediately spat it out, his composure shattered. He didn't bother wiping, coughing violently, his aged face flushing to a pork‑liver hue, and for the first time his ever‑calculating eyes showed a data‑crash bewilderment. Instinctively he jabbed his fingers on the smooth rosewood table, as if running an overloaded supercomputer, muttering, "Impossible… this defies logic… the returns and risks… what is he after…"

"He… he's gone mad?!" Bao Chenggang's eyes bulged like copper bells; he felt his worldview being repeatedly crushed tonight, "His uncle just got beaten back to London from Hong Kong Island by you, and he turns around and sends you money? What… what kind of move is that? I don't get it, but I'm deeply shocked!"

In the entire reception room, the assembly of billion‑dollar magnates now looked like a bunch of unsophisticated country folk, their facial expressions reaching a peak of drama.

Using the enemy's money to strike the enemy?

No, this is no longer attacking the enemy; it's making the enemy fund their own grave‑digging, and politely bring the iron spade along!

Exterminate the heart!

Those two words turned into cold steel needles, piercing each mind mercilessly!

Lu Qingshan set down his teacup, glanced at the crowd's stunned faces, and gave a faint smile.

"This shows that our Mr. Henry is clever. He saw that following us would be profitable, so he wants a share of the loot. Whether this ship sails toward gold and silver mountains or a bottomless abyss is beyond his decision."

"Alright, everyone." He rose, clapped his hands, drawing all attention, "We have the money. The informant in London has turned himself in. But to win this battle, we still lack the most crucial One‑Medicine Lure."

A chill ran through the crowd's hearts as they held their breath, eyes fixed on him.

"I'm going to see someone." Lu Qingshan's voice was calm.

"Who?"

"Governor, Lehaus."

……

The next morning, Imperial Governor's Office.

The white building perched on the mid‑level hill stood as the symbol of colonial rule over Hong Kong Island. Scottish guards posted at the gate wore scarlet uniforms and tall black bear‑skin hats, their expressions solemn, exuding an unassailable authority.

Lu Qingshan stepped down from the Rolls‑Royce bearing the plate "9," accompanied only by Lu Qingjun.

He glanced upward at the Union Jack fluttering on the building, his gaze as still as an ancient well.

Guided by the Governor's aide‑de‑camp, the two walked through a long corridor into a reception room lined with portraits of former Governors.

A British man in a crisp suit, hair meticulously combed, appearing around sixty, stood before a massive oil painting of Victoria Harbour.

He was the incumbent Governor, Lehaus—a veteran politician renowned in London's political circles for his hard‑handed and pragmatic tactics.

"Mr. Lu, welcome." Lehaus turned, his face bearing the standardized gentle smile of a politician, and extended his hand, "Congratulations on your bank's opening; yesterday Queen's Avenue was truly bustling, comparable to the Queen's birthday celebration."

His Mandarin was precise and articulate, yet the condescending scrutiny in his words was unmistakable.

"Governor (His Excellency), you flatter me." Lu Qingshan shook his hand with him, the grip neither too light nor too heavy, "It wasn't a celebration; it was Hong Kong Island's citizens expressing their hopes for the future in their own way."

The two sat on the sofa as a servant brought out premium Blue Mountain coffee.

An invisible tension hung in the air.

Lehaus lifted his coffee, took a delicate sip, his posture elegant as if attending an afternoon tea.

"Mr. Lu, I have always admired energetic youngsters. You've injected fresh blood into Hong Kong Island's business world, which is commendable. Yet, when vigor is excessive, it can stir the pond and disturb the fish that were once calm."

He set down his coffee cup, his blue eyes fixed on Lu Qingshan, the smile unchanged, but his gaze had turned cold.

"Yihe and Taigu are the Empire's brightest pearls in the Far East, the cornerstone of Hong Kong Island's prosperity and stability. Your recent actions have unsettled many friends in London."

Lu Qingshan seemed not to understand; he smiled, leaning forward slightly.

"Governor (His Excellency), I think you've misunderstood. I never intended to stir the pond; on the contrary, I'm here to cleanse it."

"Oh?" Lehaus raised an eyebrow, a hint of playful curl at the corner of his mouth.

"A healthy pond can't consist of only one or two plump fish that devour all nutrients, which would sap the pond's vitality. I founded the 'Victoria Opportunity Fund' precisely to introduce more fresh water, nurture more fry, and make Hong Kong Island's ecosystem healthier and more prosperous."

Lu Qingshan stared into his eyes, saying word for word, "This is an opportunity for everyone to profit, including you, Governor (His Excellency), and also Her Majesty the Queen, far away in London."

The moment his words ended, the air in the reception room seemed to solidify.

Lehaus's smile vanished completely; he felt neither anger nor surprise, but something in his deep blue eyes faded rapidly, revealing a cold, sharp, hawk‑like scrutiny. He stared at Lu Qingshan for a full three seconds, then suddenly let out a short, dry laugh.

"Heh… Mr. Lu, your appetite is larger than I imagined—so large it might even kill you." He reclined against the sofa, fingers crossed on his knees, regaining his unhurried demeanor, though his aura had wholly changed, "Do you know who you're speaking to? You're proposing that I, the British Empire's representative on Hong Kong Island, betray the Empire's interests and share its pearl with you?"

"No." Lu Qingshan shook his head, his face still composed, "I'm not proposing betrayal; I'm offering a choice—a choice that makes the pearl shine brighter, allowing everyone to share its light. The old order is collapsing; Governor (His Excellency), a wise person should, in the new order, find a more advantageous position for themselves. As for… choking oneself—"

Lu Qingshan lifted the barely touched coffee before him, gave it a gentle swirl, and, watching the dark brown liquid, let a subtly meaningful smile curl his lips.

"My appetite has always been great, and I never eat alone."