I am a Big Player
Chapter 596 - 590, A World of Wonders and Oddities (Part 1)

Chapter 596: 590, A World of Wonders and Oddities (Part 1)

Although both parties had already reached a consensus, following the normal procedures, it still took three months of persistent negotiations before Beidou Military Industry acquired 17% of Qinghe Group’s shares for a price of 31.2 billion RMB.

In fact, even with Sir Yang speaking out, it was not easy for a state-owned military industry to make such a significant move.

On top of that, Qinghe Group obtained a support policy: 50% of the internal personnel training expenses, once audited, could be subsidized by the government. This was a drop in the bucket for Qinghe, but it signified a commitment.

From then on, in the eyes of many, Qinghe Group was considered to have been appeased. Although the term "appeasement" might sound unpleasant, it was something many dreamed of—who would complain about having too many protectors?

The day after this news spread, Jiang Wensheng was on his way to attend a charity dinner when he received a phone call, "Hello? Director Zhang, it’s rare to get a call from you!"

"That matter we discussed before, I can’t take care of it. You’ll have to find someone else to solve it," said Director Zhang coldly before hanging up the phone. He sat in his office and let out a long, murky breath, grateful that he wasn’t someone without resources. Just last night at dinner, he had heard the old man of his family mention Qinghe Group’s affairs, and only then did he realize—what the hell? The big boss of Qinghe is the Yang Family’s new son-in-law?

He had just accepted a pair of bracelets from Jiang Wensheng with a promise to ban Qinghe Film and Television’s movies, and now there was such a mess.

He did have connections, otherwise how could he have climbed so high? But however influential his connections were, how many could compete with the Yang Family in the whole country? It was a good thing he found out in enough time, especially since Qinghe Film and Television’s movies hadn’t been submitted for review yet. Otherwise, how could he expect to avoid negative consequences if he offended the Yang Family?

Jiang Wensheng is really something, stirring up trouble without clarifying the situation first. Looks like I need to be more cautious in the future. But wait, could it be that Jiang Wensheng was acting under someone’s instigation against me? Director Zhang sank into deep thought...

The Yang Family’s new son-in-law? Who was getting married? Yang Xi?

The most famous granddaughter of the Yang Family should be Yang Xi, but the problem is that he was quite sure she was only in her early teens, and wasn’t her boyfriend that Knight guy? For Director Zhang to believe that he could enter the Yang Family at this point was impossible.

Then it must be one of Yang Xi’s sisters. He needed to be concerned; if their wedding date was set, he would have to give a gift.

It’s no wonder Director Zhang was confused; the Yang Family had not disclosed which granddaughter’s boyfriend it was, and if not for Director Zhang’s family background, he wouldn’t have known this information at all. This was a matter for the upper echelons, the real world of the elite.

Jiang Wensheng, sitting in the back of his luxury car, looked uncertain. He still didn’t know why Director Zhang had rejected him, but he felt that something was not quite right. Could it be that Qinghe Film and Television had offered Director Zhang a higher price?

The bastard may have rejected him, but he did not mention the bracelet issue at all. It seems he planned to pocket it, but even then, Jiang Wensheng could not afford to say anything.

For Jiang Wensheng, the entry of Beidou Military Industry into Qinghe’s shares was not publicly announced, only known within a small circle. Moreover, it was conducted under the guise of a wholly-owned subsidiary of Beidou Military Industry, so very few would be able to tell its connection to Beidou Military Industry even if Qinghe Group went public and had to disclose information about its shareholders.

Previously, even Ren He had thought about getting a free equity swap with a state-owned enterprise, not asking for money, but shares. However, as soon as Yang Xi’s second uncle said it was Beidou Military Industry, Ren He abandoned the idea—this was not something he could touch...

All these were known only to a select few, so Jiang Wensheng was completely unaware of what had actually happened, thinking that Qinghe Film and Television had simply offered a higher price in the review process.

Although Jiang Wensheng was a big shot in the entertainment circle, any major capital tycoon’s potential involvement in the entertainment industry was not something he could provoke. As far as Ren He was concerned, the industry could do without such a big shot.

It was after the funds from Beidou Military Industry were received that Qinghe Group’s M&A department became more active, receiving significant policy support as well. Meanwhile, the Vice President in charge of the M&A department led a team on a secret trip to the United States with the goal of acquiring shares in an American airline company.

The American airline was formed from a combination of about 82 small airlines through a series of integrations and reforms. Although it was said to be so, it was still controlled by a consortium. After receiving Ren He’s instructions to cooperate with the American financial consortium, the M&A department carefully selected this financially troubled American airline for their operation.

In fact, the market value of the American airline was only 28.9 billion US dollars, with a fleet of 627 planes.

For comparison, other domestic airlines like Delta Airlines had 743 planes with a market value of 32.76 billion US dollars, United Airlines was valued at 19.1 billion US dollars. FedEx, with 693 planes, had a market value of 46.8 billion US dollars. To be honest, the American airline was relatively cheap...

In principle, they could acquire the shares at a premium of 0.5%, not pursuing a controlling interest, and keeping the acquisition below 10%, aiming only for a stake. The American airline was eager to escape its financial crisis, and the M&A department was primarily attracted by the airline’s value preservation capability; however badly it might lose, it couldn’t go too far down. Moreover, as a close trusted associate of Ren He, he also bore the responsibility of helping the big boss to shake off the CIA’s pursuit, a fact known only to himself. During the acquisition process, he had to deal with the consortium behind the American airline.

Upon learning of this matter, what he found most unbelievable was that, for the Chinese public, entities like the CIA are encountered only in movies or novels, and it always seemed as if one might never have to deal with such existences in a lifetime.

After all, it is a formal intelligence agency, which seems too fantastical to fit into an ordinary life.

Now, what he faced was... What on Earth had the big boss done to end up being globally pursued by the CIA? It’s unbelievable! Could the big boss have another identity? It was very possible. In usual financing scenarios, either capital tycoons are approached, or investment and financing platforms, but who has ever seen anyone turn to a military state-owned enterprise?

When he was negotiating with Beidou Military Industry, he felt like he was living in a dream...

It’s as if that grand figure from the Capital Courtyard House had become even more mysterious...

But the task entrusted to him by the big boss had to be accomplished at all costs. He felt his life had taken a strange turn, starting to touch upon some incredible things. But as to whether this deviation was good or bad, no one could say; at least the him of the past didn’t have the qualifications to deal with American consortia.