“Tell me your thoughts.”
Du Ting Rong had assumed his eldest son returned to Hong Kong to complain.
Regarding the ambush on Yang Cheng Airport Road, according to Du Ting Rong’s guess, Liu Tian Quan was the most suspicious.
With such proximity to power, Liu Tian Quan had advantageous conditions for carrying out the attack.
If Liu Tian Quan had managed to kill Du Zhao Hui, Du Ting Rong would certainly have been furious. He wouldn’t care if an outsider was his brother-in-law – he would have Liu Tian Quan chopped into mincemeat and thrown into international waters to feed the fish!
He would also cold-shoulder Liu Ke Ying – without her indication, Liu Tian Quan wouldn’t have such courage.
But it was unlikely Du Ting Rong would do more to avenge Du Zhao Hui. Liu Ke Ying’s children were also Du’s family members. Du Ting Rong favored his eldest son because Du Zhao Hui resembled him… but getting killed by others wouldn’t show any resemblance – that would just prove Du Zhao Hui’s incompetence!
Since he hadn’t died, if Du Zhao Hui came to complain, Du Ting Rong wouldn’t intervene.
Unexpectedly, when Du Zhao Hui spoke, he didn’t criticize Liu Tian Quan but instead suggested that Liu Tian Quan wasn’t reaching his full potential, and proposed giving him control of all the group’s smuggling operations.
“I stayed in Peng Cheng for a while. Though it can’t compare to Hong Kong yet, the construction speed is incredibly fast. Mainland people are still very poor, earning only dozens of yuan monthly, but will they stay poor forever? Even if they’re poor, the large population base means the total consumption power is worth anticipating.”
Hong Kong was just a tiny territory, with its total area only able to accommodate a few million people.
Its economic prosperity came from being a free port!
On December 19, 1984, after 22 rounds of negotiations, the Sino-British Joint Declaration was signed in China’s capital, confirming Hong Kong’s return in 1997. From the start of negotiations to the official signing, some Hong Kong people were resistant to mainland control for 13 years, fearing ideological differences and mainland retribution.
Now, just half a month after the Joint Declaration’s signing, some people were already planning to leave Hong Kong.
Du Zhao Hui knew his father didn’t want to leave Hong Kong. Du Ting Rong had built his fortune here, with the group’s business rooted in this land. Spending over a decade relocating the group?
If they weren’t moving, they couldn’t continue being as reckless as before.
This time, the Ting Rong Group’s smuggling ship lost tens of millions in goods, serving as a warning to Du Zhao Hui.
Rather than waiting for retribution in over a decade, better to seek transformation early.
Du Ting Rong understood, “You want to make the smuggling operation appear unrelated to Ting Rong Group?”
What did letting Liu Tian Quan manage to mean? It was just finding a scapegoat.
Du Ting Rong thought his son was quite ruthless.
But this ruthlessness was exactly what Du Ting Rong admired.
Du Zhao Hui also suspected Liu Tian Quan’s scheming, but instead of retaliating with gunfire, he dug a pit for Liu Tian Quan. While it appeared to give Liu Tian Quan more power, it was actually grooming him as a scapegoat!
Currently, this sheep could earn money for the group – smuggling brought huge profits that the group couldn’t abandon.
Later, when mainland authorities sought retribution, the group would offer this sheep for slaughter.
The plan seemed good, but to make Liu Tian Quan a scapegoat, the smuggling business needed complete separation from the group. Du Ting Rong was confident he could control Liu Tian Quan, but what about Du Zhao Hui?
“Aren’t you afraid of nurturing a tiger that will turn on you? If Liu Tian Quan gains more power, you’ll be in the most danger.”
Du Zhao Hui thought, what was there to fear?
If Liu Tian Quan grew into a big tiger, naturally someone would step up to hunt him!
His father wasn’t concerned about him – such concern was too thin and cheap. Du Zhao Hui knew he was currently just the Du family’s established target. His apparent favor came only because other Du children hadn’t grown up yet.
Like ancient emperors establishing crown princes, others would attack Du Zhao Hui.
If they truly cared for him, they wouldn’t give him group positions that could be revoked anytime, but rather group shares!
“I’m not afraid. If Uncle Liu can expand and strengthen the smuggling operation, he’ll be earning money for the group. We’ll focus on different areas, and this will prevent Uncle Liu from feeling unbalanced and causing trouble unnecessarily.”
Du Zhao Hui spoke sincerely – everyone could act, and Du Ting Rong bought it.
A son’s value lay in his usefulness, while a brother-in-law could be sacrificed when needed. If Liu Tian Quan could manage the Du family’s smuggling business, Liu Ke Ying would naturally rise with the tide.
It was rare for Du Zhao Hui to show such confidence.
Legitimate business brought slower profits than smuggling – was Du Zhao Hui focusing on mainland development?
“I’ll consider your suggestion.”
Since Du Ting Rong hadn’t outright refused, Du Zhao Hui knew the matter had potential.
Liu Tian Quan and Liu Ke Ying should thank him – magnanimously forgetting past grievances, returning evil with good, and giving them both a grand gift.
For his useful and clever son, Du Ting Rong spared a few words of concern:
“About your ambush this time—”
“Just some highway robbers attempting theft. Several died, and the rest are still fleeing – mere clowns not worth worrying about! The key is that our group’s investment plans in Peng Cheng won’t be affected. I’ve reached an understanding with Mayor Tang of Peng Cheng, and brought back the letter of intent for your review.”
Liu Tian Quan couldn’t handle Tang Hong En, but Du Zhao Hui could.
This was Du Zhao Hui’s capability, and an advantage he deliberately showed his father – reaching an agreement with Tang Hong En naturally meant consensus that Ting Rong Group would no longer involve itself in illegal industries in Peng Cheng.
Du Zhao Hui didn’t need to emphasize this point – if legitimate business could make money, Du Ting Rong knew how to choose.
Anyway, it was now 1985, and Hong Kong was destined to return in 1997. If they didn’t want to abandon the group’s foundation in Hong Kong, Ting Rong Group needed to legitimize.
Du Ting Rong flipped through the letter of intent. He lacked an understanding of the mainland, and special zone policies came from subordinates’ reports. With the various preferential policies laid out in the investment intent letter, Du Ting Rong saw great profit potential in Peng Cheng’s business.
Even if profits were smaller, it didn’t matter – consider building goodwill with mainland authorities.
Contributing to mainland economic development meant avoiding retribution – the richest tycoon did it this way, and Ting Rong Group wouldn’t go wrong following smarter people.
Whatever private agreement the richest tycoon reached with mainland authorities, Ting Rong Group might not get the biggest piece of meat, but surely they could drink some soup?
Du Ting Rong tapped his desk:
“We’ll do as you say. I’ll recall Liu Tian Quan from Peng Cheng, leaving you in charge there. No one will hinder you anymore.”
Whoever had the ability would rise, and the capable one was his son – Du Ting Rong had no reason to block Du Zhao Hui’s advancement.
As for Liu Tian Quan, a dog raised for so many years should be used to its full potential.
“Thank you, Father! I won’t disappoint your trust!”
Du Zhao Hui’s joy showed on his face – at this moment, his smile wasn’t an act.
Would Young Master Du be so generous?
He wanted to quickly drive away the eyesores, achieve results, and then seize power. When that time came, whether Liu Tian Quan, Liu Ke Ying, or Du Ting Rong’s other two concubines – if Du Zhao Hui didn’t destroy them all, he wouldn’t deserve their years of “care”!