Chapter 134: You Will Regret This

Tangwan Town, Mayor’s Office.

Ji Heng, having just returned, was trembling with rage. After downing two gulps of tea, he slammed the cup down, shattering it. His wife, sensing the situation, quickly grabbed their grandchildren and hurried outside. Whenever the old man lost his temper, he was prone to taking it out on those around him, so they decided it was safer to stay away for a couple of days.

With the air conditioning turned to the lowest setting, his body felt cool, but his heart remained ablaze. Suddenly, he heard movement outside. Peering out, he saw a Toyota Crown parked at the entrance. "That kid named Zhang also drives a Crown. Could it be he’s here to apologize?"

Thinking of this, Ji Heng hurried out. Apologies didn't matter; the priority was securing that advertising contract. That was the main thing.

As he opened the door and saw Xu Kuangdao, his face fell instantly. "Oh, it’s you, Boss Xu. Come in and sit."

*What’s going on? Did his wife die? There’s no mourning bunting hanging up.* Xu Kuangdao was left bewildered by the reception, but keeping his upcoming agenda in mind, he swallowed his frustration.

He followed Ji Heng inside and, seeing the air conditioner set to 16 degrees, his eyelids twitched.

"Mayor Ji, you are truly vigorous for your age, possessing a temper that even young men lack."

"If that little bastard makes me angry a few more times, I’ll be dead and buried."

"What’s the situation? Tell me about it. Perhaps I can offer some advice."

"Fine, listen and see if what I’ve done makes sense."

Ji Heng’s goal, from start to finish, had always been to build Tangwan Town into a better place. To that end, he had dedicated his entire life to the town. He traveled everywhere, dined with businessmen, and held meetings, hoping to attract more factories, but the results were minimal. When he saw the advertisement Zhang Tianfeng had produced, he merely wanted him to put in a good word; he never intended to seize the filming rights. Of course, if Zhang Tianfeng had been kind enough to let the champion team film his ad, that would have been even better.

As he reached the end of his story, Ji Heng grew increasingly agitated. Xu Kuangdao, fearing the old man might drop dead on the spot, quickly signaled for him to stop.

"Mayor Ji, I understand the situation. Zhang Tianfeng is indeed in the wrong. The young man is too arrogant and lacks any respect for his elders."

"Who’s to say otherwise? It’s not like I wasn't going to pay him!"

*Pay him? How much could an old man like you possibly pay?* Do you even know the current endorsement fees for that champion team? It's one hundred million. It was originally tens of millions, but after the owners of health supplement companies saw the Lanfang Toy Factory ad, they discovered a new continent. They flooded the market with cash, driving the threshold up to one hundred million. According to inside sources, the owner of Sanzhu had already offered five hundred million. In a humble office like Tangwan Town's, even if you’ve been skimming off the top since you took office, you'd struggle to scrape together a million.

Though he felt disdain, Xu Kuangdao suppressed the urge to mock him for the sake of his plan. This was his last chance; he had to use Tangwan Town to stage a comeback.

"Mayor Ji, calm down. If it really doesn't work out, just forget about it."

"I can't forget it. I’ve been thinking—I need to talk to him again. Tangwan Town really needs that advertising contract."

Seeing Ji Heng rise to leave, Xu Kuangdao grabbed him. "Mayor Ji, your goal is the development of Tangwan Town, isn't it?"

"Yes. Do you have a way to make that brat bow down?"

"Why should we locals have to bow to an outsider?" Xu Kuangdao smiled. "Mayor Ji, don't rush. Let me do the math for you."

In this era, the cost to set up a factory was one million, with equipment taking up the lion's share. Equipment tied up a boss's working capital, making them desperate for quick returns. At that point, the place where they could make money became the key factor. Although the Lanfang Toy Factory ad was powerful, it also signaled to others that there was a formidable opponent in Tangwan Town.

Upon hearing this, Ji Heng felt as if the logic held up, and he immediately became flustered. "Then... what should I do now?"

"It’s simple. You just need to agree to one condition."

"What?"

"A quota for the Canton Fair!"

With the small workshops bankrupt and the plan to imitate Lanfang Toy Factory a failure, Xu Kuangdao had suffered heavy losses. Now, the Xu family had issued an ultimatum: if he didn't recover the capital, there would be no place for him in the family genealogy. To him, this was a bolt from the blue. He had to keep his spot in the genealogy, and he had to vent his spite.

This time, Xu Kuangdao didn't listen to others; he thought for himself. Having learned from his three previous failures and combining it with his current situation, he came up with a plan: build a new brand and sell the products to foreigners.

First, because the point of sale was abroad, even if there were quality issues, he wouldn't have to worry. They couldn't exactly chase him to China for a claim, could they? International lawsuits were the hardest to fight.

Second, if he could sell this batch of goods, he could earn foreign currency. While foreign currency wasn't as useful as it had been in the 70s and 80s, it was at least a demonstration of his capability. If possible, he could follow this business model and rake in money from foreigners. As for the reputation issues caused by quality problems later, that wasn't his concern. It was a shell company anyway; no one could trace it back to him.

Securing a spot at the Canton Fair was essential to executing this plan. Without it, everything was in vain. Thus, his primary goal was to hoodwink Ji Heng.

"That doesn't seem right. You don't even have a factory in Tangwan Town."

"With the Xu family's strength, I can open a factory whenever I want. As long as you give the word, Mayor Ji, you can have a factory of any size you like."

Ji Heng pondered for a moment but shook his head. "It’s not regulation. I can't do that."

"I will invest 60 million and build a factory for 300 people, with benefits and salary levels matching Lanfang Toy Factory."

"This..."

"I will generate an additional one billion in export volume for Tangwan Town every year, along with one hundred million in tax revenue."

"This..."

"I will bring in 30 other bosses, each with a net worth of at least 30 million."

"Deal!"

When Xu Kuangdao offered the first condition, Ji Heng began to waver. He had tried to test Xu Kuangdao’s limits and accidentally uncovered so much more. One billion in exports and one hundred million in taxes—if that really happened, it would be a brilliant stroke on his resume as mayor. Even if it didn't, with the Xu family's influence, it wouldn't be too shabby.

What truly changed Ji Heng's mind was what Xu Kuangdao said earlier: "You’re an outsider begging on my turf; why should I bow to you?" You got lucky with the champion team's ad, but that doesn't mean you'll stay popular forever. The Xu family, as a long-established clan in Shenzhen, had a foundation that couldn't be underestimated. Choosing them was a safe bet.

"Boss Xu, we need to be clear: you must set up the factory first, otherwise I can't help you."

"There's no time to build one; I'll just buy one. You just worry about how to get that quota for me."

"Don't worry, I've already thought it through."

This excuse was suggested by Xu Kuangdao, and Ji Heng had originally intended to use it to blackmail Zhang Tianfeng. Now, with Xu Kuangdao’s involvement, he didn't have to be subservient anymore.

...

In the evening, Zhang Tianfeng was checking the factory accounts when Zhong Xiaoyi rushed in. "Boss, the Mayor just called to inform me that our quota for the Canton Fair has been canceled."

"That old dog, he really knows how to stir up trouble!"

Half an hour later, Zhang Tianfeng arrived at Ji Heng’s house. Seeing the man lying comfortably under a lychee tree, he suppressed his anger and asked, "Mayor Ji, you were the one who explained the rules for the Canton Fair."

"That’s right, I did. I’m not wrong; the problem is with you."

"Just because I wouldn't give you the advertising contract?"

"Give it a rest. I'm an adult; would I hold a grudge over such a trivial matter?" Ji Heng glared at him. "I removed you from the candidate list because Lanfang Toy Factory is currently involved in a lawsuit."

"The Canton Fair is an international venue. Factories with 'flaws' cannot be on the candidate list. That is the rule from above."

Just this afternoon, Zhang Tianfeng had received multiple calls from small workshops claiming that Lanfang Toy Factory had plagiarized them. At the time, he thought it was a farce orchestrated by Xu Kuangdao to annoy him, but he hadn't expected this to be the follow-up strike.

"Fine, I’ll go back and handle it as quickly as possible."

"Don't bother. Enterprises with 'flaws' are already excluded from this year's eligibility. Try again next year." Ji Heng stood up. "Also, let me give you a piece of advice: don't be too arrogant. You need to learn that there is always someone better than you."

Hearing this, Zhang Tianfeng would have to be truly dense not to understand the scheme. He nodded and said calmly, "Fine, then let’s see. If you aren't gone within half a month, I’m moving my factory!"

Ji Heng’s composure only broke once Zhang Tianfeng disappeared from the courtyard. "Boss Xu, he’s going to move. What do we do?"

Lanfang Toy Factory was currently the talk of the country, and parents were breaking their necks to buy their toys. If they moved, the loss to Tangwan Town would be immense.

"If he wants to leave, let him. Can't the bosses I brought fill the void he leaves behind?" Xu Kuangdao replied. "The more you care, the more smug he becomes. He's just an outsider; why give him face?"

"Then don't stand me up. I'm counting on you this time," Ji Heng said, his tone bordering on obsequious.

Xu Kuangdao smiled and nodded. *Once you're on my pirate ship, there's no turning back.*