"What's wrong?" Huang He smiled at the sweating Bank President Wang. "Old Wang, you're already the provincial bank president, why are you still so flustered? What's the matter?"
"The leadership has changed, and they think there's an issue with last year's 1 billion US dollars. They want me to find a way to get the money back!" Bank President Wang said with a bitter smile.
"Get the money back? That's unreasonable!" Huang He frowned. "We signed a contract. This 1 billion US dollars is to be repaid over five years, with an annual repayment of 250 million US dollars. So, this October, we should repay 250 million US dollars to you. Why are you demanding the loan back early? Even if you're ICBC, this isn't how things are done!"
"But, didn't you use most of this 1 billion US dollars to invest in other companies?" Bank President Wang asked.
"..." Huang He remained silent, because Huang He knew very well that this 1 billion US dollar loan was a commercial loan, not a merger and acquisition loan.
Therefore, this 1 billion US dollar loan could not be used to acquire companies or invest in stocks.
However, Huang He had used this 1 billion US dollars to acquire Marvel, Netflix, Android, and other companies like Blizzard. Only a small portion was used to purchase equipment, so Huang He had technically breached the contract.
Then, according to the terms signed between Huang He and the bank, the bank did have the right to demand early repayment of the 1 billion US dollar loan. But the problem was that although domestic bank loans were strictly regulated, they were basically in a state of chaos. Money was used for all sorts of things, and banks generally didn't truly manage these activities.
Because if the loan usage were strictly limited, at least 80% of the loans wouldn't be approved. If that 80% of loans couldn't be disbursed, then the bank's annual targets would be impossible to meet, and it would be the bank itself that suffered.
So, banks had always turned a blind eye to such situations. As long as you repaid the loan on time each year, there would be no problems.
Some banks would even actively help borrowers cover up these issues. After all, if these problems were exposed, the bank itself would be held accountable first. Secondly, if you forced companies to repay loans early, the companies definitely wouldn't be able to, and would only be pushed to ruin.
Once the company went bankrupt, this money would naturally become a bad debt, and you would never be able to recover it.
Therefore, although banks had various clauses, they never truly cared about or managed them. Both Bank President Wang and Huang He knew this well, yet now this situation had arisen.
"Bank President Wang, when we were negotiating, I clearly told you that I would use this money to invest in some companies, and you implicitly agreed. Now you're asking me to come up with 1 billion US dollars, where am I supposed to get the money from?" Huang He said irritably.
"Yes, yes, yes, my Mr. Huang, but I didn't know things would turn out like this. They're pressuring me three times a day to come and find you, so I had no choice but to come!" Bank President Wang said helplessly. "Also, it's not important whether I ask you for the money or not. If I could really decide this matter, I'd resign as bank president rather than betray you."
"But the problem is, I'm only here to inform you about this matter. A investigation team has been sent from Beijing to thoroughly investigate the origin and flow of this fund. Once they find out that this fund was used to invest in other companies, the head office will immediately demand that you repay the 1 billion US dollar loan."
"Otherwise, they will sue you in court, and then they will auction off your company's assets to pay off the debt!"
"So urgent..." Huang He's expression changed slightly, and he asked, "Did I offend someone? Are they using this method to trouble me?"
"I don't know, but it's probably like that. I've been in this line of work for so long, and I've never seen anything like this. This is really pushing someone to their death! If they hadn't offended someone, who would do such a thing?" Bank President Wang said with a bitter smile.
"Then do you know who is troubling me?" Huang He asked back.
"I really don't know. I received the news this morning and came to notify you this afternoon. I'm also completely clueless," Bank President Wang sighed. "I won't benefit from this either. Whether the 1 billion US dollars can be recovered or not, I'm considered to have not managed things properly and made a major mistake. I'll probably be arranged for retirement in a few months."
"If it weren't for your Jiangnan Group being a prize that everyone across the country cherishes, I would suspect that the target this time is me, not you. This matter is too strange!"
"Then you'll have to help me figure out the situation. You must have connections up there. Even if you don't know who is behind this, you should at least help me find out who gave the order from the head office to thoroughly investigate this loan!" Huang He said.
"Alright, even if you didn't say it, I would ask. This is too damn frustrating!" Bank President Wang cursed, hesitated for a moment, and then repeated his initial question: "Old Huang, give me an accurate answer, can you get this 1 billion US dollars back?"
"Do you think I'm a money tree? This is 1 billion US dollars, and it's basically all spent. Why did I work my tail off selling servers in America a few months ago? Wasn't it to gather the 250 million US dollars for the first installment of the loan?"
"Originally, I had almost gathered it. By October, I would have transferred the entire 250 million US dollars to the account. Then we'd all be happy and celebrate the new year together."
"But now, you can happily celebrate the new year, and I might have to find a rope and hang myself!" Huang He said irritably.
"Forget it, I won't abandon a friend. If you're going to find a rope and hang yourself, I'll go with you. We'll be preserved meat together!" Bank President Wang sighed and left unsteadily, leaving behind a somber Huang He.
"Hu Jing, do we have any relevant intelligence?" A few minutes later, Hu Jing walked over silently, and Huang He asked.
"No, we haven't specifically collected intelligence on ICBC's senior management before, so this matter is indeed very sudden. We only just found out about it," Hu Jing said. "But this must have happened today, because if it had happened yesterday, we would have received the intelligence."
"It seems Old Wang didn't lie to me. He was indeed ambushed!" Huang He tapped the table, then looked at the calm Hu Jing and suddenly laughed, "Aren't you worried? What if our company can't repay the loan? Then perhaps half of Jiangnan Group will have to be forfeited!"
"Boss, your account at the Swiss Bank currently holds 8.762 billion US dollars. If you need it, I can transfer 1 billion US dollars to the company's account right now!" Hu Jing said calmly.
"Alright, I forgot. You are now my housekeeper, and all my private accounts are under your control. This is no fun!" Huang He stretched lazily and chuckled.
This 8.762 billion US dollars was earned from shorting Yahoo. Originally, according to Huang He's plan, this money was to be used to enter the market strongly when American oil stocks hit their lowest point, and make a fortune in oil. So, this money was quietly lying in the Swiss Bank account, waiting for the situation to develop.
He didn't expect this money would need to be used in advance.
"No need to transfer it, let the money stay there!" Huang He sighed. "This 8.7 billion US dollars is not the company's money, it's my personal wealth. Our company still only has a meager 250 million US dollars, do you understand?"
"Yes!" Hu Jing nodded. She didn't care whether the company had money or not, as long as her salary was guaranteed.
---
"Bank President Wang, do you think Jiangnan Group can repay this money?" The next day, in an Audi, a well-dressed, smiling胖子 (fatty) sat next to the somewhat thinner Bank President Wang and asked.
This person was the head of the investigation team sent by the head office, named He Chao, responsible for the 1 billion US dollar loan. They were now on their way to Jiangnan Group's headquarters.
"Probably not in the short term. Huang He explained it to me yesterday. They only managed to gather the first installment of 250 million US dollars. It's impossible for them to repay 1 billion US dollars now!" Bank President Wang said.
"Alas, this is truly the misfortune of our nation. I've always said that money shouldn't be lent to such greedy capitalists; it's bound to be lost forever!" He Chao said with an expression of pity and anger, "And if he had invested this money domestically, at least it would have been absorbed by our own people, contributing to the development of our country's economy."
"But he went ahead and invested all the money in foreign companies, helping foreign economies develop. Isn't that acting like a traitor?" Good heavens, before even meeting Huang He or investigating the situation, a traitor's hat was already placed on Huang He's head.
Bank President Wang said nothing. He didn't defend Huang He, because his own position was very awkward. Anything he said could be seen as being in cahoots with Huang He, so he could only keep quiet and faithfully carry out the tasks assigned by his superiors.
Soon, the vehicle arrived at Jiangnan Group's headquarters, but the main gate remained closed. Then, a slow-moving elderly security guard came out, holding paper and a pen for Bank President Wang to register.
"It's me, it's Bank President Wang. You let me in yesterday, have you forgotten!" Bank President Wang rolled his eyes.
"I don't know any bank president. I'm just a doorman. I've been instructed to register every vehicle without a company pass, so I have to do my job honestly. Even if the King of Heaven himself arrived in a car, he'd have to register here obediently!" The old man said imposingly. Bank President Wang had no choice but to register his name.
Then he prepared to leave, but the old man handed the registration book to He Chao in the car. "Please register."
"Haven't I already registered?" He Chao frowned. He was already quite unhappy.
"Everyone must register. The YQ epidemic has not completely ended, and everyone entering the premises must provide detailed information, as per government regulations. If you don't register, you can't come in."
"Oh, and the three cars behind you. Everyone in them also needs to register. Not a single person can be missed!"