Chapter 115: Chapter 115: Your Arrogance, My Pride

Liang Haiqing’s influence in the jewelry industry was not as great as he had imagined.

To set an example, he had touched base with his friends in the capital and given up competing for the remaining jade stones.

But others were unappreciative. Those who could stand their ground in the jewelry industry were hardly the benevolent kind.

Henglong had shown ample confidence in Feng Jun, but the more confident they were, the more resolute others became in their actions: it was all scheming, as if nobody had ever seen such tricks before.

After the next two jade stone auctions had passed, Henglong realized that they had made a strategic mistake, as others simply didn’t believe that Feng Jun could still produce a large amount of jade.

For a moment, Liang Haiqing was both annoyed and amused, thinking to himself, I’m trying to save you money, and you people actually… actually respond like this…

His friend from the capital, a man in his thirties wearing glasses and looking refined, saw this and a faint smile appeared on his lips, “Boss Liang, it seems… people don’t really respect you.”

“You’re making fun of me, Ye Shao,” Liang Haiqing said with a helpless smile, “Us Funiu people are like that, short-sighted. Only tangible benefits in hand are considered real benefits. We might be a bit too utilitarian.”

Ye Shao gave him a look that was both mocking and not as he said, “Since everyone doesn’t seem to recognize your words, why don’t we just join the bidding as well?”

“That’s not a good idea,” Liang Haiqing exclaimed in alarm when he heard this, thinking to himself that even if people from the capital are strong, they can’t completely disregard the local forces. Even a mighty dragon can’t crush a snake in its own haunts.

He quickly spoke in a low voice, “If you make another move, I’ll really be in a difficult position. Don’t worry, later I’ll get a few pieces of jade from Xiao Feng.

I assure you that you won’t go back empty-handed.”

As it turned out, Ye Shao wasn’t just passing by casually. He had rushed over overnight after being notified by Henglong, intent on taking away a batch of fine jade stones.

It’s not that the capital lacked fine jade, but fine jade circulated very quickly there, and no one would complain about having too many fine things on hand.

The connection in the capital was made by Henglong’s big boss. The arriving Ye Shao was not the head of the household, but rather a high-ranking idler.

In fact, even as an idler, he was not someone just anyone could affront. Ye Shao’s father was a vice-provincial level official, currently semi-retired, and his brother was a deputy bureau chief wielding real power and progressing toward becoming a full bureau chief.

A father who was a deputy provincial governor and a brother who was a deputy mayor— who would dare to provoke such a person?

Liang Haiqing could only speak with utmost caution.

But Ye Shao was somewhat coarse. He spoke impatiently, “Does that kid really have any jade left?”

He was not inept at socializing. In the capital, he could be very discerning when dealing with his own boss. However, now, in the lower-tier cities, he felt an overwhelming sense of superiority and didn’t bother to consider others’ feelings.

“He definitely has,” Liang Haiqing affirmed with confidence, nodding his head firmly, “If he can’t produce any, I am willing to offer the two pieces of Mutton-Fat Jade from Henglong to Ye Shao.”

Upon hearing this, Ye Shao nodded slightly, but he still maintained his composure, saying, “You are friends of Young Master Dou, I wouldn’t want to take that from you. I still hope that kid can provide some surprises… why don’t you call him over and ask?”

Call Feng Jun over? Liang Haiqing felt it was a bit tricky, but at this point, he had no choice but to raise his hand and signal Feng Jun.

Feng Jun saw his gesture and became furious in his heart: Damn it, I haven’t even settled the score with you for exposing my secrets, and now you’re provoking me again?

Do you think I’m someone who comes and goes at your beck and call? Who do you think you are?

So he turned his head away, pretending not to see the gesture, and completely ignored Liang Haiqing.

Boss Liang was slightly taken aback at this reaction and only then did he realize: Oh no, my attitude has upset Xiao Feng.

Being an experienced player in the game for many years, he shouldn’t have made such a mistake, but his blunder today was not without reason.

Firstly, although he valued Feng Jun, deep down, he didn’t have much respect for the young man—so you have your own jade channel, that’s impressive, but compared to us legitimate businesspeople, you will always be skirting on the edge of what’s legal.

If you’re not skirting the edge, why can’t you even clarify where the jade comes from?

He even suspected that the one who controlled this jade channel might not be Xiao Feng himself—he could just be a high-level middleman.

Liang Haiqing’s disdain for Feng Jun had always been objectively present, only well concealed in the past. What everyone saw in his eyes and heard from his mouth was only appreciation for the young man.

However, if he truly regarded Feng Jun as an equal partner, where would this condescending appreciation come from?

Add to that the presence of Ye Shao from the capital, making him subconsciously think that Feng Jun should be astute enough to take the initiative to cozy up to them.

Now realizing he had overstepped, and knowing that Xiao Feng was genuinely somebody who scraped a living in the Jianghu, he stood up, smiled at Ye Shao, and said, “I’ll go talk to him.”

Liang Haiqing indeed was a flexible character, who had well adjusted his emotions by the time he approached Feng Jun, smiling as he spoke, “President Feng, my friend from the capital wants to sit down with you to discuss some matters.”

Regrettably, Feng Jun was already feeling displeased, so Liang Haiqing’s humility had no effect whatsoever.

Feng Jun merely glanced at him and said indifferently, “I’m not familiar with your friend… What does he want?”

“Such an arrogant little fellow,” Liang Haiqing cursed inwardly, yet his face continued to show a forced smile, “Nothing much, he just wants to ask how much top-quality jade you have left?”

“Hmm, top-quality jade,” Feng Jun nodded and then gave him a sidelong glance, “What does he want with that information?”

“Of course, he wants to buy a batch,” Liang Haiqing kept up his ingratiating smile, “Anyway, your jade is meant for sale outside the province, right? My friend has strong purchasing power.”

Feng Jun looked at him with a peculiar expression, “Since you know that I have plans to export my jade, do you remember what else I said?”

After a pause, he pointed at Ye Shao not far away, “I don’t care if he’s from the capital or the borderlands, whoever wants to buy my jade should come to me directly to discuss it. I’ve never liked to plead with anyone in doing business, and he doesn’t have the right to order me around!”

Liang Haiqing was stunned for a moment before remembering that Xiao Feng had indeed mentioned a few days ago that he would not proactively go door-to-door to sell jade, instead sitting in Zhengyang and waiting for people from other provinces and places to come forward to buy the jade.

To conduct business to that extent was truly impressive.

Only then did Boss Liang realize that due to his own arrogance, he had overlooked Xiao Feng’s proud nature—he had previously thought that Xiao Feng’s words had been somewhat exaggerated.

Now that Xiao Feng reiterated his stance, it was clear that he had no intention of giving face to the people from the capital.

Liang Haiqing didn’t dare to argue. In such a setting, if the two started quarreling, the news would leak out all too easily.

So, he could only return, dejected, and sit next to Ye Shao, whispering in an extremely low voice, “The guy is like a stubborn mule; he hopes you can take the initiative to talk to him.”

“You’re joking, right?” Ye Shao said with a laugh, angered, “He’s acting so high and mighty, does his mother know?”

He didn’t expect a response, so after a pause, he continued, “I’m just wondering, doesn’t he have aspirations to develop his business in the capital in the future?”

Boss Liang hesitated for a moment before finally biting the bullet and replying, “His ambition is to sit tight in Zhengyang, and have people from other provinces come to him eagerly seeking his jade… He has no plans to go out and sell door-to-door.”

“Wait for people to come to him?” Ye Shao opened his mouth slightly, showing extreme surprise, “Is this guy too lazy or what? Didn’t you tell him that door-to-door selling actually earns more?”

“How could I have not mentioned that?” Boss Liang was also visibly distressed, “But the guy isn’t short of money… Haven’t you noticed? The jade on display today has not a single impurity.”

Ye Shao nodded, “I noticed that a while ago. In your opinion, this guy really has an abundance of jade… Do you think we should create some kind of trouble to teach him a lesson?”

“Definitely not,” Boss Liang was almost sweating, “The guy is ruthless; the people from Jubaozhai tried to use force and ended up with three of their men crippled, while he was completely unscathed.”

“Ruthless, huh?” Ye Shao scoffed with disdain, “In front of the state machinery, he amounts to nothing.”

Only those coming from the capital could truly appreciate the terror of Huaxia country’s state machinery.

Compared to these violent institutions, things like gangs are utterly trivial; didn’t the drug lords in Myanmar still get captured and brought back across borders for their crimes?

Seeing his dismissive attitude, Liang Haiqing grew even more uneasy, and hurriedly advised in a low voice, “Ye Shao, why bother? ‘A child of a thousand gold does not sit in the hall.’

“Heh,” Ye Shao chuckled dryly, his words trailing off.

Around five in the afternoon, all seventeen pieces of jade had been auctioned off, acquired by nine jewelry stores, totaling over one hundred sixty million yuan, with the average price per piece of jade nearing ten million yuan.

Some jewelry companies couldn’t pay on the same day, but that wasn’t a problem, as Li Dafu and Henglong had collected service fees and commissions from Feng Jun, they would naturally handle these issues.

There were also companies that came with cash; Feng Jun collected thirty million in cash, took out five hundred thousand for today’s expenses, and announced that he had urgent matters to attend to. Entertaining the merchants that evening was left to Li Dafu and Henglong.

Li Yongrui was quite dissatisfied with this, “Are you treating us like your employees? This is your business, and without you showing up, how is that going to look?”

But Liang Haiqing gradually readjusted his attitude and spoke up to mediate, “Chairman Li, it is a seller’s market right now. If Xiao Feng stays, there are some words that really could get awkward. Anyway, as long as he has the goods, it’s not necessary to worry about these courtesies.”

Li Yongrui gave him a sidelong look, “Why do I feel like you don’t want Xiao Feng to take the proper path?”

Feng Jun couldn’t take it anymore, “Hey, Chairman Li, the way you put it, it’s like I’m doing something crooked..”