Chapter 11: The Next Step

Su Pingnan deeply understood how important it was to have timely information now. So he subscribed to a large number of national and regional newspapers.

He pointed at an auction notice in the Wucheng Daily with a trace of excitement in his voice: “Sister Zhang, this place is one we must take down next.”

Zhang Lihua immediately read carefully through the points Su Pingnan had mentioned. The newspaper’s notice was simple: because Tianpeng Company was insolvent, the Agricultural Bank and the Economic Committee would auction off all its assets on the 26th on the second floor of the Wucheng Hotel. Below was a detailed list of assets to be auctioned.

“Mr. Su?” Zhang Lihua looked up questioningly. With Jinxiu’s current strength, they wouldn’t be able to afford this many assets.

“It’s this one.” Su Pingnan pointed to the last item on the asset list.

A five-story unfinished building with only its frame completed, located on South Road of Wucheng Square.

“This one?” Several people were puzzled, not understanding why Su Pingnan would be interested in a building that wasn’t even finished.

The reason Su Pingnan was so confident was that he knew this building would be bought by a southern merchant in two years, who would then turn it into a distinctive high-end restaurant that would bring in great profits for decades.

“Who knows the background of Tianpeng Company?”

“I do.” Guo Guangyao, a local of Wucheng, spoke up. His connections had grown rapidly these past months.

“Tianpeng Company belongs to Wucheng’s Li Ruming. Last year he even claimed to be Wucheng’s richest man. It’s said that in August this year he was trading stocks in Shencheng, then the market crashed, and he lost tens of millions, nearly a hundred million of capital. I guess he’s really desperate this time, so he’s selling off these assets,” Guo Guangyao said with some sighs. Li Ruming’s glory last year was immense — the first Audi 100 and Mercedes-Benz W140 in Wucheng were both his. Back then, Guo Guangyao didn’t even have the standing to speak to him. Yet in just over a year things turned out like this.

“Li Ruming? The big shot who made his fortune in Shencheng?” Su Wenwen and Zhang Tong exclaimed in surprise.

Su Pingnan also knew who he was — a remarkable man who, after many struggles, managed to become a real estate tycoon and even married a very famous film star. He was a stereotypical life winner.

Nodding to show he understood the background of this company, Su Pingnan continued: “Next, we must make our move on both Wucheng and Fengcheng simultaneously.”

Su Pingnan walked to the pristine white wall where a detailed map of Xia Country hung, staring sharply at Wucheng and Ertai Town in Fengcheng and the surrounding hundreds of kilometers. Calmly he said: “For Wucheng, Zhang Lihua, you shall immediately set up a Jinxiu Catering Company. With the relationships we established when forming the company, we must get the industrial and commercial and tax departments to approve everything as quickly as possible. Then participate in the auction under the catering company’s name. If we win it, I’m confident we can make it the benchmark of Wucheng’s catering industry.”

Su Pingnan was indeed very confident. In catering, he would use top-tier service and lavish, luxurious interiors that people had never seen before to seize the leading position in Wucheng’s restaurant scene. Besides those two points, the boundless mountains near Ertai Town could supply him with inexhaustible, excellent ingredients. These were the reasons why he was so confident that this plan would work.

Zhang Lihua was somewhat worried. “Mr. Su, it’s very difficult to get all this done in such a short time.”

Su Pingnan replied with domineering confidence. “There’s no cat that won’t sneak a bite. I’m not doing anything illegal anyway — I won’t question any money you use, so go ahead boldly.”

Zhang Lihua thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.

Su Pingnan looked at Su Wenwen and said, “Wenwen, you’ve done very well in Ertai Town of Fengcheng — those 56 five-year exclusive contracts surprised me. Now that the company is established, use the company’s name to formalize and supplement those contracts.”

“Okay.” Su Wenwen nodded.

“According to our investigation, along these more than 800 kilometers there are as many as 340 suppliers that mine and process supplies from the nearby mountains. Your task from now on is to have them tied to our company’s trucks every day.”

“Understood.”

“What is constraining our earning speed now is the railway’s freight capacity. Roads aren’t usable, trains are few. Once Fengcheng’s local produce company realizes what we’re doing and clamps down on everything, we may not have the glory we’re enjoying now,” Su Pingnan said, cooling the enthusiasm of the eager group.

“Therefore!” Su Pingnan emphasized, “we must build the largest pine-nut storage center in Tiannan Province in Ertai Town before they catch on.” He paused to let his subordinates digest the idea.

“The largest?” Guo Guangyao’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

“The largest! We can’t ship pine nuts out of Fengcheng, but we can ship them to Ertai Town! I want over 90% of Fengcheng’s pine-nut output to be stored at our facility! Since we’re stepping into this business and fate has handed us the chance, why not monopolize it?” Su Pingnan said with a domineering look.

“Good idea!” The group, stirred with fervor, couldn’t help shouting.

Su Pingnan waved to Guo Guangyao. “Guangyao, take a few guys with you to help. Negotiate with the Ertai Town government in the company’s name. 200 mu is the minimum. If they agree to more, we can promise to invest and build a plant there. Guarantee annual tax revenue of five million.”

When strength is lacking, one has to bluff with bravado. Su Pingnan planned to first cajole the government into approving the land. One step at a time, one bite at a time. Walnut yields near Ertai Town were also sizable, and the beverage company Six Walnuts would later become a huge business. He had the idea to get in early and take a stake, so…not a total bluff.

After assigning the next tasks, Su Pingnan took a thick file folder from the safe and tossed it toward Su Wenwen.

Su Wenwen caught it with a puzzled look and opened the bag. Inside were five thick property certificates and keys, plainly visible.

Seeing the bewildered faces around him, Su Pingnan’s mouth curled into a small smile as he said leisurely, “Here’s to more success, and an everlasting brotherhood between us — there’s a new residential development in southern Wucheng. I’m going to give everyone a place to call home.”