Some rejoiced, others worried. While Zhang Tianxing's legendary online game from Tianxing Investment was a huge success, bringing joy to his friends and family, his rivals were far from happy.
In the main hall of the Chen family in Shengjing, Chen Zhilong smashed everything in sight after hearing the news.
Chen Zhilong gasped for air, his eyes bloodshot and his face flushed a feverish red, betraying an abnormal state.
Chen Sancang walked over. He had to. As Chen Zhilong's right-hand man, he bore the heavy responsibility of calming his boss's rage.
This matter was utterly bizarre. With the Chen family's influence, they had forced many unfair deals, but had never encountered anything like this. Yet, ever since he met Zhang Tianxing, Chen Zhilong found that nothing had gone his way.
Whether it was the passive shares in the factory or a series of targeted actions Chen Zhilong had conceived against Zhang Tianxing, all had ended in failure without exception.
"Brother Long, be careful, anger can harm your health. We're not just looking at the present. So what if Zhang Tianxing is in the spotlight now? The more money he makes, the happier we are. His earnings will be ours sooner or later," Chen Sancang advised. If he didn't intervene, he feared Chen Zhilong might go completely mad.
Smashing things was a minor issue. The Chen family had plenty of money; broken items could simply be replaced. But the critical point was if the person faltered, losing confidence. If Chen Zhilong continued like this, he would be removed from the list of potential successors for the Chen family.
If Chen Zhilong were abandoned by the Chen family, Chen Sancang would also cease to exist. A dog thrives on its master's power; a lackey only has value when their master is influential.
However, the current situation clearly pointed towards the worst-case scenario. If Chen Zhilong couldn't pull himself together, his outcome would undoubtedly be grim.
As Chen Zhilong's most trusted strategist, Chen Sancang absolutely would not allow this to happen.
Hearing Chen Sancang's words, Chen Zhilong's expression slowly returned to normal. "Sancang, what do you think I should do? This Zhang Tianxing is growing too fast. If this continues, when his wealth reaches a certain level, the entire situation will be beyond our control."
Chen Sancang chuckled. "Brother Long, you worry too much. Countless historical events have proven this. Today is merely a repetition of yesterday. Have you forgotten Heshen? No matter how wealthy he was, after Jiaqing ascended the throne, Heshen was dealt with, and the national treasury was replenished. Or Shen Wansan from the early Ming dynasty, the richest man in the country. What happened when the emperor wanted him dead? He couldn't resist. Even if Zhang Tianxing reaches the pinnacle of capital, if we can't get our hands on the money, we can find others to share it with. This is not a big problem."
Chen Zhilong chuckled. "Sancang, your words make me feel much better. Let Zhang Tianxing flourish for now. I won't compete with him for short-term gains. Let him be arrogant for a few days. As long as he makes a mistake, I'll let him know who's in charge in this world."
The two burst into laughter. However, Chen Zhilong's expression then soured. "Sancang, while that may be true, our recent actions have caused some damage to the Chen family's reputation. The elders at home will probably vent their anger on me. Do you have any suggestions?"
At this point, Chen Zhilong had to plan further. Regardless of what was said, the Chen family's recent losses were as obvious as a louse on a monk's head.
"Brother Long, I suggest we advance by retreating. Let's temporarily withdraw from the domestic market. You can directly apply to the elder and say you want to visit Hong Kong for a while. As long as we're not here, people won't think about these matters," Chen Sancang proposed. Among the thirty-six stratagems, strategic withdrawal was paramount. Once this storm passed, Chen Zhilong could make a comeback.
Chen Zhilong's eyes lit up. Hong Kong was a good place with many opportunities. Once there, he could learn from their advanced experiences and perhaps find some allies. A good man needs help; he also needed external support, as the Chen family couldn't possibly control everything.
Then, he could relax in Hong Kong, admire the beauty of Miss Hong Kong, and perhaps engage in exchanges with several prominent families there to recruit strong allies for the Chen family.
After all, Hong Kong's current status in China was extraordinary. It was one of the Four Asian Tigers and known as the Wall Street of the East in China. It was a trade paradise.
"Sancang, your suggestion is exactly what I wanted to hear. You are truly my lucky star!" Chen Zhilong's face lit up with joy. There was no time to delay. He would proactively approach the elders of the family to finalize this matter. Otherwise, if the elders made the decision, he would have no room to choose.
Chen Zhilong went directly to meet the head of the Chen family. "Father, your son is unfilial. I have caused the family heavy losses this time. Your son is willing to reside in a property in Hong Kong to develop new industries for our Chen family and find allies for us."
The head of the Chen family looked at Chen Zhilong, a hint of disappointment in his eyes. This Chen Zhilong pained him greatly. He had never imagined Chen Zhilong would fail, as Chen Zhilong had never caused him worry since childhood.
He had always been a model of excellence, the "child from another family" growing up. He had been pleased with Chen Zhilong's growth, but he had never expected Chen Zhilong to make consecutive mistakes recently, causing some damage to the Chen family's reputation.
The Chen family had already suffered considerable losses in the B-share market, and no one had expected the B-share market to suddenly boom. This had resulted in significant losses for the Chen family.
To appease the anger of the older generation of the Chen family, Chen Zhilong had to bear some responsibility. Conveniently, Chen Zhilong's proposal to go to Hong Kong was a good option.
"A'long, I am very pleased that you have taken the initiative to propose going to Hong Kong. It's not a big deal to fail once; we still have the chance to start anew. However, I hope you remember this: you have the opportunity to fail now because the Chen family is your backing. If one day you become the head of the Chen family, you will no longer have the chance to fail. Anyone can make mistakes, but the choices made by the family head cannot be wrong."
Hearing his father's words, Chen Zhilong's heart stirred. His father still supported him as always. He only regretted his bad luck, which allowed Zhang Tianxing to seize opportunities to turn the tables repeatedly.
"Don't give me another chance. Just give me one chance, and I will seize Zhang Tianxing's weakness, strike him down directly, and leave him no chance to fight back."
The head of the Chen family seemed to read Chen Zhilong's mind. He said coldly, "From now on, do not act against Zhang Tianxing without absolute certainty. Do not create more enemies for the family."