"What did I hear? You look down on it? A mere 1 billion?"
As soon as Wang Yu spoke, before anyone else could react, Fang Zhongtian jumped up.
"You kid really have a big mouth. Do you know how much 1 billion is? Even with the largest denomination bills, it's enough to crush you eight times over! You're truly ignorant and fearless!"
Fang Zhongtian began to chatter incessantly, accompanying his words with gestures and movements, his spittle flying as he became increasingly agitated.
What can one say? The master had not yet made a move, but the dog he kept had started barking first.
Watching Fang Zhongtian's strenuous performance, Xu Guangping and Pu Shusheng on the side both showed satisfied expressions.
This kind of sycophantic subordinate was very necessary. Sometimes, many things didn't require them to act personally; these subordinates would proactively step forward to handle matters.
For instance, now, they were all people with a certain status. How could they behave like shrewish women cursing in the streets? Although they genuinely wished they could scold the ungrateful Wang Yu soundly.
"Do you know what you are doing right now? You are not only rejecting the friendship of the Sanjing chaebol, but you are also missing out on an excellent opportunity for your car factory's development!"
Fang Zhongtian's face wore an expression of pain and regret, but his shifty eyes did not make him look like someone who considered others' interests!
"Is that so? Is 1 billion a lot? To be honest, I really don't know."
Wang Yu chuckled. This was the truth.
His own factory was developing rapidly. With so many large orders recently, he had become somewhat vague about monetary figures; it was just a number.
"The ignorant are fearless, you..."
Fang Zhongtian was about to point fingers, but Wang Yu directly interrupted him.
"Alright, no more nonsense. I will not cooperate with your Sanjing chaebol."
Wang Yu waved his hand impatiently.
"I prefer domestic products!"
Upon hearing Wang Yu's words, a flicker of joy crossed Fang Zhongtian's face. He then forced himself to suppress his triumphant smile and said,
"Heh, you really are refusing a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. Are you prepared to oppose our Sanjing chaebol?"
Wang Yu shrugged indifferently at Fang Zhongtian's words.
"Can you represent the Sanjing chaebol? The Metallurgy General Factory is merely one of their dogs, and you are the dog of the Metallurgy General Factory. A dog's dog should not be disgracing itself here!"
"What? You!"
Fang Zhongtian became instantly furious.
"Alright, the clown's act is over!"
Pu Shusheng said in a deep voice, interrupting Fang Zhongtian.
Of course, he did not object; he tacitly agreed with Wang Yu's statement. What right did a dog's dog have to declare war on behalf of its master? Even if the opponent was just an insignificant figure like Wang Yu!
"Mr. Wang, you must believe in our sincerity for cooperation!"
Pu Shusheng adopted a gentle demeanor as he looked at Wang Yu, his tone very earnest.
"But if you insist on rejecting our goodwill, then we can only reluctantly become enemies. You must know that those who become enemies of our Sanjing chaebol usually don't end well!"
"It's not that I want to become your enemy, but the moment you extended your hand, we already became enemies!"
Wang Yu said without politeness.
"Those many laid-off workers in the county, you used the power of capital to act so recklessly. Do you know how many families you have harmed?"
At Wang Yu's words, Xu Guangping on the side couldn't help but sneer.
"What a joke! Wang Yu, you are at least the head of the car factory, a CEO, yet you speak such naive words. Market competition, survival of the fittest. If they themselves lack the ability and lose their jobs, who can they blame? We who run businesses and factories are not running charities. The old ways of the iron rice bowl are long gone!"
Xu Guangping's words were immediately met with cheers and support from the surrounding crowd. On one hand, what he said was indeed reasonable. On the other hand, he was their boss, so they had to show their support.
Regarding Xu Guangping's words, Secretary Yang and Lin Chunfeng exchanged glances, finding this the most frustrating part.
Although their actions were excessive, the logic they presented was indeed correct. They were not obligated to keep idle people, and implementing a last-place elimination for job positions was not wrong.
The only disgusting part was that after dismissing people from the same job positions, they would rehire the same people at less than one-third, or even less than one-fourth, of their original salary.
Of course, if one found the salary too low, they could choose to refuse.
But now, almost all manufacturing enterprises in Jiangyang County had been merged and monopolized by them. They had even expanded their reach to neighboring counties and cities. Any enterprise or factory that refused their acquisition was suppressed and driven to bankruptcy through various business tactics!
Now, ordinary people and workers had two choices: either endure it and accept meager, barely subsistence-level wages for strenuous labor, or find other places to seek employment.
One of two choices, no other option!
Either endure, or get out!
But in this era, with extremely difficult transportation, working elsewhere was simply a luxury.
Goods are precious far from home, and people are cheap far from home. Who would willingly leave their hometown?
Furthermore, even if they did leave, it would only be some young people without any attachments.
Those middle-aged people – no, young people, as people got married very early these days – who had elders to care for and children to raise.
Those young people who already had families simply could not choose to leave!
"Isn't your so-called market economy just the power of capital exploiting ordinary workers? You dare to present such a bone-sucking behavior so righteously?"
Wang Yu said coldly.
"It is entirely voluntary. We are all cooperating fairly; we are not forcing anyone!"
Pu Shusheng chuckled.
"We are not philanthropists. The job positions are there. If one is not satisfied with the salary and benefits, they can choose not to do it or to leave! Perhaps there will be better options?"
After all, we have basically monopolized your small county, and even the surrounding counties are mostly taken. Within a year, we can take over your entire province.
Better options? That would be to work for our Sanjing chaebol!
Of course, if your government departments want to interfere, we will simply slap the label of "disrupting investment promotion" on them, and then use a wave of fabricated rumors and online trolls to see which country's companies are willing to invest and build factories in your country!
Pu Shusheng smiled sinisterly.
"Not philanthropists? I think you are capitalists!"
Wang Yu snorted coldly. "As for you mentioning better options, yes, I am the better option!"
With that said, Wang Yu turned directly to Secretary Yang.
"Secretary Yang, do you remember what I told you before? I have decided to fulfill my promise now and provide 20,000 job positions for our county!"
As soon as Wang Yu finished speaking, he was met with bursts of laughter from everyone around.