Reborn as a Noble’s Son
Chapter 1079 - Chapter 1079 Chapter 1035 Clash in the Invisible

Chapter 1079: Chapter 1035: Clash in the Invisible Chapter 1079: Chapter 1035: Clash in the Invisible “`

Was Fang Yuanshan about to take action? With Hong Feng’s words in mind, Nie Zhenbang suddenly harbored such a thought.

Fang Yuanshan moved swiftly, and in less than a quarter of an hour, he entered Nie Zhenbang’s office. This was the first time since his appointment in Hongjiang that Fang Yuanshan had stepped into Nie Zhenbang’s office.

At that moment, Fang Yuanshan’s face bore a confident smile which was understandable. With the backing of the Ou Ke Group’s shareholder wind, he was, by now, making great waves within Hongjiang Province. You could say he was in his prime.

Hong Feng ushered Fang Yuanshan into Nie Zhenbang’s office, where they sat down in the reception area. After Hong Feng poured a cup of green tea for Fang Yuanshan, Nie Zhenbang also sat down, “Governor Fang, this is a rare visit. If I’m not mistaken, this should be Governor Fang’s first visit, it truly honors my humble office.”

Nie Zhenbang’s directness caused an uncomfortable expression to flash across Fang Yuanshan’s face–an encounter Fang Yuanshan hadn’t expected.

With an embarrassing laugh to cover up his awkwardness, Fang Yuanshan began, “Secretary Nie, my visit this time is mainly to report to you about the matter concerning Ou Ke Group.”

“Oh? The Ou Ke Group, I have heard about it, an investment of one hundred and fifty billion, quite generous indeed. That’s very good. Hongjiang Province needs such investment. But, we should still pay attention to environmental protection. Economic development should not come at the cost of damaging the environment, which is aligned with the central government’s expectations. I trust that Governor Fang will still be able to handle this aspect properly,” Nie Zhenbang said without much discussion with Fang Yuanshan about these matters.

Fang Yuanshan’s expression turned ugly. Nie Zhenbang’s words were diplomatic, but the implication of refusal was clear; this was your responsibility as the Governor, and it had nothing to do with him. At this moment, Fang Yuanshan felt very stifled and uncomfortable; it was an unpleasant sensation. After building up his energy and throwing a punch, Fang Yuanshan had thought he would knock Nie Zhenbang off his feet. However, contrary to his wishes, the punch felt like it had landed on cotton. The feeling was extremely frustrating.

After sitting for a while, Fang Yuanshan stood up. Having seen Fang Yuanshan out, Nie Zhenbang stood by the window. Soon after, Fang Yuanshan left the provincial committee compound and his special vehicle slowly exited the compound.

Outside the door, Xu Hongzhuan entered, smiling and said, “Secretary, I heard that Governor Fang came by.”

Nie Zhenbang nodded and smiled back, “Comrade Hongzhuan has arrived, please have a seat.”

After seating Xu Hongzhuan, Nie Zhenbang pondered for a moment before speaking, “Hongzhuan, this time, I’m afraid the matter with the Ou Ke Group isn’t so simple. Hehe, one hundred and fifty billion is just to deceive the common people after all. In my view, what Hong Yaozu is playing at is nothing more than trying to trap others.”

With a stern look on his face, Nie Zhenbang continued, “Contact the major banks in the province, and be mindful about the loan applications from Ou Ke Group.”

…

Back in his own office, He Yusheng walked in from the outside as Fang Yuanshan returned. He Yusheng was very much looking forward to what had transpired during Fang Yuanshan’s visit.

Upon entering, He Yusheng sat down on the sofa comfortably, looking at Fang Yuanshan with anticipation, “Governor, what did Secretary Nie say?”

At this moment, Fang Yuanshan’s face appeared somewhat gloomy. Looking at He Yusheng, he spoke in a heavy tone, “Nie Zhenbang is quite clever. He deliberately avoided the issue.”

Although in the current party and government cadre system, there was no clear boundary between the committee and the government, with almost every cadre prioritizing economic development, the rules had not changed: the party committee manages personnel, the government manages affairs. These are the rules, and now Nie Zhenbang was holding them. This left Fang Yuanshan with no recourse.

It was just like what had happened moments ago when Fang Yuanshan went to report to Nie Zhenbang, and Nie Zhenbang simply told him to manage the situation himself. That single remark had completely deflated Fang Yuanshan.

Fang Yuanshan was seething with frustration, but he was powerless to do anything about it. Not only did he see the situation clearly, but so did Nie Zhenbang. Now, riding the momentum of the investment hype within Hongjiang Province, this matter became a hot topic. If Nie Zhenbang did not give approval, Fang Yuanshan was ready to propose a discussion at the standing committee, where he would definitely encounter Nie Zhenbang’s credibility. This was a planned blow. Yet, now Nie Zhenbang neither agreed nor disagreed, casually saying,’manage it yourself,’ this left Fang Yuanshan’s plans thwarted.

With a sigh, Fang Yuanshan said gravely, “Nie Zhenbang, I really underestimated you.”

Looking over at He Yusheng, Fang Yuanshan added, “Old He, now that Nie Zhenbang won’t engage in this topic, what matters most is our investment in Ou Ke Group. Excelling in this area will be a heavy blow to Nie Zhenbang.”

“`

Speaking of which, Fang Yuanshan turned to He Yusheng and said, “Old He, this time, the Ou Ke Group is preparing to invest in the development of rare earth minerals in Songzhou, and this is the largest investment of this session, involving an amount of more than forty-three billion yuan. Your side needs to do a good coordinating job. Only by defeating the enemy on their strongest front can Nie Zhenbang’s prestige in Hongjiang be shaken.”

Fang Yuanshan spoke bluntly; by now, He Yusheng was already tied to his chariot. He was not worried about He Yusheng having any second thoughts.

…

Red River Hotel, 8th floor, Room 8011.

This was the temporary office for the Ou Ke Group.

At this moment, Hong Yaozu sat on the sofa, his face very grim as he looked at his secretary and the staff beside him and said in a deep voice, “What’s going on? How could this happen?”

As the boss of the Ou Ke Group, Hong Yaozu held unparallel prestige and authority within the group. Right now, his anger seemed to silence everyone; even the sound of breathing could be heard clearly in the room.

The finance director glanced at Hong Yaozu and mustered up the courage to say, “President Hong, we’ve contacted all the major banks in Hongjiang Province before, and they are all very cautious about our loan financing requests. According to what I’ve heard, there have been leaders in the province who have tipped off these banks not to grant us loans.”

Upon hearing this, Hong Yaozu shot up from his seat. Ou Ke Group had started out relying on its own capabilities and the relationship with Fang Yuanshan. This was how they had grown in Jinmei Province. However, now, if the banks refused to provide loans, the figure of one hundred and fifty billion yuan would be nothing but a joke. Sure, the Ou Ke Group had some assets, but it was impossible to come up with one hundred and fifty billion yuan. Being able to produce ten billion yuan would be quite impressive already.

After a moment of contemplation, Hong Yaozu stood up and said firmly, “Prepare the car; I’m going to the Hongjiang Provincial Government.”

Fang Yuanshan was extremely welcoming of Hong Yaozu’s arrival. After all, he had supported and nurtured the enterprise himself. After personally seating Hong Yaozu, he smiled and said, “Yaozu, you seem distressed. What’s wrong? Are you facing any difficulties?”

Hong Yaozu looked at Fang Yuanshan and nodded, “Governor Fang, these days, I have approached the leaders of various major banks within Hongjiang Province, and without exception, every bank has refused to provide us with a loan. With such a large investment, I simply cannot get started without a loan.”

Upon hearing this news, Fang Yuanshan’s brows furrowed instantly. If that were indeed the case, it would be serious. The main reason he had regained the upper hand was the attraction of the huge financial opportunity before him. If this bubble burst, not only would previous efforts have been in vain, but his own prestige within the province, Fang Yuanshan’s, would also be diminished. This was something he would not allow to happen.

After pondering for a moment, Fang Yuanshan said, “Yaozu, don’t panic yet. Regarding the banks, I’ll find a way to get in touch and communicate with them for you.”

Hong Yaozu nodded. At this very moment, he had already begun to consider withdrawing. Relying on Fang Yuanshan to get this far had already proved that Hong Yaozu was no simple man. Even though he was not within the system, he was very clear about its inner workings. Obviously, it was a case of two mighty beings clashing, with Ou Ke Group naturally at the center of the storm.

Even vaguely, Hong Yaozu had a hunch that he might become the sacrificial pawn in this battle of wills. Thinking this, he said, “Governor Fang, I’ve heard that the reason the major banks in the province are acting this way is that they’ve been tipped off by leaders of the provincial committee.”

Upon hearing this, Fang Yuanshan, who had been rather impulsive, suddenly cooled down. Clearly, Nie Zhenbang was the one causing trouble. The tactics were obvious and didn’t require explanation; Nie Zhenbang had identified this point, and there was no use in talking further with the banks–it would just be a joke.

With that in mind, Fang Yuanshan asked Hong Yaozu, “Yaozu, how much capital can Ou Ke Group mobilize to the greatest extent right now?”

After a moment of thought, Hong Yaozu extended five fingers and said, “At most, five billion yuan.”

Hearing this, Fang Yuanshan nodded and said, “Good, five billion yuan. We will act on that scale. I remember Meiping City had been inviting you over previously, right? Put everything else aside for now, and go all out to work on the investment project in Meiping City. Publicly, just claim we are trying it out for the time being.”

Fang Yuanshan proved himself a shrewd operator; faced with a complete blockade by Nie Zhenbang, he quickly concocted this countermeasure. Undoubtedly, this preserved Fang Yuanshan’s dignity.

Fang Yuanshan moved swiftly, and with his personal intervention, it didn’t take long for the Meiping City Government to sign an investment agreement with Ou Ke Group, resulting in an injection of five billion yuan into Meiping City’s coal mines. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it by casting your recommendation tickets and monthly tickets on Qidian. Your support is my greatest motivation.)