Chapter 283 — A Turn of Events at the Board Meeting: Gu Pengzhan Proposes That Xie Guangbo, the Group's Third-Largest Shareholder and the Most Powerful After Himself and Jin Maosheng, Take Over the Company's Entertainment Business—No Other Shareholder Would Object

To raise a hand against Gu Pengzhan's proposal might well win favor with Jin Gubang, but it would offend both Gu Pengzhan and Xie Guangbo at once—two major shareholders in one stroke. In a bargain like that, every one of those shareholders would know perfectly well how to choose.

This too was a clever move on Gu Pengzhan's part: to transfer the power to another major shareholder, leaving Jin Gubang and the rest with nothing to say, nothing to find fault with.

Yet clever as the move was, Gu Pengzhan had still miscalculated.

When Jin Gubang heard Gu Pengzhan's proposal, he was stunned for a moment—and then his heart bloomed with joy. Gu Pengzhan, oh Gu Pengzhan, you old fox, you schemed so painstakingly to whittle down the power in my hands—but what now?

If you had simply forced the power back into your own grasp, the board would have approved it readily enough; after all, you are the chairman, and no other shareholder would care to embarrass you. At worst it would have left the impression that you were heavy-handed. But now—you have actually handed the entertainment business to Xie Guangbo?

Ha, ha! Jin Gubang nearly laughed aloud. This Xie Guangbo was his ultimate weapon, his last card.

In truth, obtaining that last card had been pure luck, an accident. Had Gu Pengzhan made his move a few days earlier, Jin Gubang would truly have had no countermeasure at all—back then he and Xie Guangbo had no ties whatsoever.

But now, Xie Guangbo needed him. Without his help, Xie Guangbo could forget about ever getting his son back.

Xie Guangbo had a son abroad who indulged in every vice—wine, women, gambling, drugs. Besides running up enormous gambling debts, he had taken to narcotics, and in the end owed more than a hundred million in loan-shark money.

Though Xie Guangbo was the company's third-largest shareholder, he did not have much cash on hand; most of his assets were blue-chip stocks and real estate. So for him to produce a hundred million at once to settle his son's debts was all but impossible.

Yet the money had to be paid. His son was abroad, held in the grip of the local underworld. If the debt was not raised and settled within a month, they would cut off his son's hands and feet.

With no way out, Xie Guangbo could only exploit his position overseeing the company's finance department and try to misappropriate a sum of public funds, intending to pay it back once he was more flush.

But though he managed the finance department, moving a sum that large required the signature of the chairman or the vice chairman. He dared not speak to Gu Pengzhan, so he could pin his hopes only on the vice chairman, Jin Gubang.

Naturally, he did not dare raise it outright either; he only hinted at the matter obliquely to Jin Gubang. To his surprise, the two hit it off at once. Jin Gubang had no other demand—he asked only that Xie Guangbo give him his full support whenever he should need it.

Xie Guangbo knew what that meant: taking sides. In most companies the three major shareholders were relatively independent; if any two of them grew too close, it was a threat to the third.

But Xie Guangbo had no choice. Compared with everything else, his son's life mattered most. If his son died, everything was over—what use was making more money then? He had already lived more than half his life; how much could he spend in the years remaining? Would it not all go to his children and grandchildren anyway? If his son was gone, grandchildren were out of the question.

So Xie Guangbo made a hard decision: to throw in his lot completely with Jin Gubang. He knew very well what that meant. Since Jin Gubang had made this demand for allegiance, he was telling Xie Guangbo plainly that he meant to contend with Gu Pengzhan for power.

At today's board meeting, Xie Guangbo had not expected Gu Pengzhan to move against Jin Gubang so soon—and that the beneficiary would turn out to be himself. In the past, he would never have declined such a windfall. But now, he did not dare take it.

He had already formed a strategic alliance with Jin Gubang, and so he must at every moment consider Jin Gubang's interests. He looked up and glanced at Jin Gubang, saw that Jin Gubang was looking at him too, and gave an almost imperceptible nod to show that he understood.

Only then did Jin Gubang, his smile at its fullest, take up Gu Pengzhan's words: "Heh heh, Chairman Gu's words do make sense. But since the matter concerns me, I will refrain from offering any opinion."

At Jin Gubang's words, Gu Pengzhan was slightly taken aback. He had expected Jin Gubang to be the first to leap up in opposition; instead he had kept silent and chosen to abstain. That attitude was rather ambiguous.

Could it be that Jin Gubang had left no incriminating evidence in the entertainment business, and had no fear of Gu Pengzhan seizing on some hold over him? Gu Pengzhan frowned, sensing that something had certainly gone wrong at today's board meeting. But just what, he could not figure out.

Since Jin Gubang himself raised no objection, naturally no other director opposed Gu Pengzhan's proposal either. If you yourself do not object, no one else is going to offend Gu Pengzhan on your account.

And so, without question, the board approved Gu Pengzhan's proposal to "lighten Jin Gubang's load."

"Heh heh, since no one objects, then the company's entertainment business will henceforth be handed over to Director Xie." Gu Pengzhan had not expected today's board meeting to go so smoothly either. Though he felt something strange about it, weakening Jin Gubang's power was a good thing in any case.

"Chairman Gu, on this matter, perhaps I, as the party concerned, might offer a word?" Xie Guangbo spoke up, his tone mild.

"Oh?" Gu Pengzhan was slightly startled, his heart skipping. "Whatever Director Xie has to say, please say it freely."

"Heh heh, I think the entertainment business has been managed perfectly well by Vice Chairman Jin; there is no need to transfer it to me." Xie Guangbo spoke with perfect composure. "We cannot, on account of one small accident, wholly deny Vice Chairman Jin's achievements and abilities. Under Vice Chairman Jin's management, the company's entertainment business still turns a profit of nearly ten million a year. And I would not dare claim to have Vice Chairman Jin's formidable managerial skill, so I do not recommend transferring the entertainment business he now manages to me. My apologies, Chairman—my own abilities are limited. I decline."

Gu Pengzhan's pupils contracted sharply. He stared hard at Xie Guangbo. When had this fellow thrown in with Jin Gubang? How had they come to stand on the same side? Xie Guangbo actually speaking up for Jin Gubang?

And this was no ordinary favor—to push away the entertainment business that was already within his grasp. If the two of them had not privately reached some agreement, who would turn down the great cake set before his eyes and shove it at someone else?

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