NOVPUB
Chapter 897: Chapter 782: In Place (Please subscribe!)
During Bo Man’s meeting.
Kinshasa.
Noon.
City center.
Inside a hotel run by Chinese, located in a bustling district.
Chai Ren was also holding a meeting with the heads of his subsidiary companies and Qu Shan, the president of Wan Qing Mining.
Although the system in Congo Gold was not perfect, the processes were ample. To secure a mining field, one had to deal with many departments, many of which directly copied from Western countries.
Especially from France, as the entire Congo Gold area still belongs to the French-speaking region until today.
The official language is French. 𝓷ℴ𝓋𝓅𝓊𝒷.𝒸𝓸𝓶
Fortunately, all these departments were giving the green light.
Everyone hoped for a smooth transition during this election period, not wanting to stir up trouble.
If there were troubles to be caused, they would occur after the fact. As for targeting who to settle scores with afterward, it depended on whether some people would be cooperative and whether their initial actions were unsightly, among other background factors.
The reasons were complex and varied.
And no one would initially consider themselves ’the example’.
"Chairman Chai, as of this morning, our company’s funds have been fully transferred, and we will proceed to pay the preliminary deposit this afternoon," Qu Shan reported to Chai Ren, acting as the intermediary and also as an investor.
Chai Ren unhesitatingly took on the role of project leader.
Tang Qing was only responsible for the financing.
All other matters were handed over to him.
Chai Ren was happy with this arrangement, as the most dreadful thing in partnership is differences in opinion.
Especially at crucial moments, even if an agreement is reached with partners, massive conflicts might arise later. Hence, one of Chai Ren’s principles is never to do business with indecisive people as partners.
Tang Qing clearly met this criterion.
Not merely met, but completely outclassed.
Like his friend, he favored efficiency and didn’t sweat the small stuff, sometimes making Chai Ren feel sluggish in action within the African Union Mining Group, which troubled him deeply.
This acquisition.
The operation that Chai Ren facilitated wasn’t just for him and Tang Qing; the African Union Mining Group was also brought in, though the three companies did not form a joint venture company but operated independently.
However, there were slight differences in the distribution of stocks.
Basically, all the minerals were co-held by the three parties, but there were distinctions in holdings; for example, for a mining field that Chai Ren favored, he would provide 80% of the funding, and the remaining 20% would be split between the African Union Mining Group and Tang Qing, each contributing 10%.
All mining fields were operated according to this model.
Some mines were dominated by Tang Qing with 80%, and some by the African Union Mining Group with 80%, with other shares split evenly. This innovative stock holding pattern was conceived by Chai Ren with a clear purpose.
To share benefits.
To share risks.
To tightly link their three companies together.
To advance or retreat as one.
To this, Tang Qing didn’t object, and even supported it, because compared to forming a joint venture company, this ensured the maximum protection of interests for all parties, with each having absolute control over their enterprises and the capability to invest heavily in mining.
To earn more or less.
It all depended on individual efforts.
Not on sharing pots in a joint venture.
"That’s good." Upon hearing Tang Qing’s funds were in place, Chai Ren finally breathed a sigh of relief. Tang Qing had promised to contribute up to one billion US dollars at most, which was a tremendous amount, more than twice his funding.
But the funds had not been transferred yet.
He made a phone call to inquire.
Tang Qing’s explanation was that it would be transferred all at once when the time came, so there was no need to rush.
But how could Chai Ren not be anxious?
He had been raising funds bit by bit, interbank borrowing here, exchanging there, needing collaterals, and even using Tongtian’s money laundering channels to amass such a significant amount.
Yet it seemed Tang Qing intended to directly pull it out from somewhere in one go, it would be strange if Chai Ren weren’t anxious.
One billion US dollars.
Aren’t you going to raise it?
And Tang Qing’s answer was: the money has been prepared long ago, it will be there when needed. Chai Ren had worried for many days because if Tang Qing’s funds were not in place, there could be a chain reaction of troubles.
Now that it had arrived.
Chai Ren could finally breathe easy.
He gained a new understanding of Tang Qing’s financial power and boldness.
At that moment.
"Chairman Chai, Mr. Fuloz has arrived," knocked Chai Ren’s bodyguard.
Chai Ren immediately got up.
"Hi, how are preparations going?" Fuloz entered following the bodyguard, greeted Chai Ren with a warm hug, and cheerfully inquired about the funds.
"All set, we’ll pay the deposit this afternoon, then it’s up to you," Chai Ren smiled, explaining that once the deposit was paid, all proposals would be submitted to the Congress of Congo Gold for approval, and upon passing, the contract could be officially signed.
Fuloz was overjoyed to hear this.
Because it meant that nothing else could go wrong.
"Haha, perfect, that’s excellent. We’ve already cleared everything with the congress, guaranteeing there’s no problem," Fuloz beamed, knowing that once Chai Ren and his partners secured the mining fields, he would obtain company stocks.
This portion of stocks was provided by the party controlling eighty percent, who distributed ten percent to all other participating parties "based on their contribution", and until they secured the mineral deposits, their names would not appear on the list.
Though Fuloz owned no less than three percent of the shares in these companies, which might seem small, the overall size had to be considered, and he had only contributed manpower.
Without investing a single penny, he would obtain shares that would not be diluted for ten years.
This cooperation.
The total value of mining rights secured by Chai Ren and his two partners exceeded three billion US dollars.
His family would own nearly one hundred million US dollars in shares.
That was enough.
Any more was impossible, because that was the market price. Once the next President came into office, their rights would virtually vanish, and their influence would not be as substantial as before, even though they had many followers and old classmates; this "advantage" was not stable.
"Come on, I’ll treat you to a meal, a French feast."
An elated Fuloz took Chai Ren and left.
Qu Shan and his group followed behind.
Chai Ren and Fuloz walked ahead, talking and laughing. Fuloz, brimming with enthusiasm, was planning where to go in a few days when suddenly Chai Ren asked, "Fuloz, is there something you haven’t told me?"
Fuloz’s smiling face stiffened.
But it immediately returned to normal.
"Old classmate, did you hear some strange rumor?" Fuloz feigned calmness, as if everything was under control, while trying to indirectly find out what exactly Chai Ren knew and how much.
Chai Ren was also an old hand in Jianghu.
He noticed the unusualness in Fuloz.
His expression became serious.
He had been here for almost three days now.
Initially, he was full of hope, but last night, while having dinner with a Chinese businessman who had been doing business here for decades, he learned that Fuloz’s family was selling off some of their assets in their home country.
This alerted Chai Ren.
He then spent money to let "Tongtian" investigate and discovered that Fuloz’s family was indeed selling off assets, but discreetly, as many people were unaware that some of the assets belonged to Fuloz’s family.
But there are always exceptions.
That Chinese businessman happened to know a bit.
If it weren’t for "Tongtian’s" risk assessment which was rated low, he would have called Fuloz last night; as for the details of the risk assessment, "Tongtian" priced it at five million US dollars, and Chai Ren, feeling the pinch, did not purchase it.
He just bought the result.
Which cost him five hundred thousand US dollars.
Also, because all his bodyguards were provided by "Tongtian", Chai Ren trusted this result, though curious about what the information worth five million dollars entailed; after all, that was forty million RMB, the thought alone pained Chai Ren.
"It’s nothing, just heard that your family is selling off some assets, but I trust you wouldn’t harm me. I will proceed with the investment as agreed, so you need not worry." Chai Ren reassured, his trust rooted in "Tongtian’s" conclusion.
Fuloz was deeply moved in an instant.
This classmate.
He truly made no mistake in befriending him.
"Thank you for your trust. I won’t ask about your sources, but I can tell you it’s true, yet there’s no issue, it’s merely a precaution. Our family comprises not only my father and me but also collateral members.
Some of them fear that once my father steps down, the new President will hold them accountable. You know, your and my business is very clean, without any legal issues, but their dealings over the years have crossed lines, thus leading to divisions within our family," Fuloz explained.
Chai Ren nodded.
Of course, he didn’t fully believe it.
Regarding this old classmate, he remained skeptical, but what the heck, even if Fuloz was hiding something else, he didn’t want to inquire further, as "Tongtian" had already drawn a conclusion.
Clearly, "Tongtian" knew more details, and under such circumstances, Tang Qing and his friend still dared to get involved, which meant everything was under control. Even if something happened, they had ways to handle it.
...
That evening.
Fuloz returned home.
When Moi came back, Fuloz quickly approached him and said seriously, "Father, Chai Ren knows we are selling off some of the family assets, but I don’t know where he got that information."
Moi also frowned.
"What did he say?"
Fuloz was puzzled, "He said he believes I wouldn’t harm him and didn’t say anything else. This is what I don’t understand; normally, people would inquire more under such circumstances, but he didn’t even ask a single question during lunch."
Upon hearing this.
Moi suddenly smiled.
"Is Chai Ren a normal person?"
"No." Fuloz shook his head. How could a normal person be his friend? And the Chai family wouldn’t entrust such a huge business to Chai Ren to manage nor deal with the troubles of the mining fields.
"That settles it then. Chai Ren isn’t a regular person; although he didn’t ask, he surely knows something else. He concluded that he wouldn’t be affected, so he mentioned it as a caution to you, not to take him for a fool," Moi analyzed.
"That’s true, but what does he know exactly?" Fuloz wondered.
Moi shook his head, his face becoming serious again, "I don’t know either. The situation is complicated now; there’s a major division within the family, not only do others wish to see me fail, but it seems something else is about to happen. I have a bad feeling."
"What is it?" Fuloz asked anxiously.
Moi shook his head.
"I don’t know, just a feeling. This is also why I haven’t adamantly stopped some family members from selling assets. I can only observe and see; there are still four months until the election, and anything could happen during this period. Once the transfer of shares is complete, you should go abroad."
"Is it that serious?" Fuloz was shocked.
"Not necessarily, but there are risks, just follow my instructions," Moi said.
"Yes, Father."
