Chapter 368 A Banquet of Betrayal, British Consortiums Join Forces to Force a Surrender!
At 6:30 PM, accompanied by his bodyguards, Lin Haoran left his home and, in just about ten minutes, arrived at the gates of Government House.
Guided by staff, Lin Haoran stepped into a carefully decorated courtyard inside the Government House.
It was evident that everyone at Government House was treating the upcoming visit of Prince Charles with utmost importance.
Lin Haoran had thought he would be the first to arrive, but to his surprise, Niu Bijian and Shen Bi were already there.
"Mr. Lin, long time no see!" Shen Bi greeted him warmly.
"Indeed, Mr. Shen, it's been a while," Lin Haoran replied with a polite smile.
On the surface, Shen Bi seemed as friendly as ever, but Lin Haoran knew well that for Shen Bi, relationships were fleeting.
If it benefited HSBC, Shen Bi would not hesitate to abandon any personal ties, even nurturing new allies if it suited the bank's interests.
Everything he did was for HSBC.
For example, he had supported Li Ka Shing, helping him obtain Hutchison Whampoa at a small cost, elevating him to Hong Kong's elite class. This was all to ensure that if Hong Kong's future became uncertain, HSBC would have influential allies.
The same applied to Bao Yugang, deeply bound to HSBC.
At one point, Shen Bi had even considered cultivating Lin Haoran, but Lin Haoran's rapid and uncontrollable rise had forced Shen Bi to abandon that idea.
As the clock neared 7:00 PM, more guests began arriving.
Finally, Lin Haoran saw Prince Charles himself.
In Lin Haoran's mind, Prince Charles was famous for having been Crown Prince for 64 years, finally ascending the British throne in 2022 at the age of 73.
Tonight's banquet was indeed small—fewer than twenty guests were invited.
Some of the faces were unfamiliar to Lin Haoran, but he guessed they were from the Rothschild family.
"Mr. Lin, in just a few months, your achievements in business have soared to new heights. Even in Britain, I often hear of your successes—truly admirable," Prince Charles said with a smile.
Back in August, Lin Haoran had the honor of being received by the Queen herself, with Prince Charles present at that meeting.
"Your Highness, it's an honor to meet you again," Lin Haoran responded respectfully.
"The Queen greatly admires your outstanding accomplishments, Mr. Lin. I have come on behalf of the royal family to personally award you the CBE medal after tonight's banquet. We hope you will continue contributing to the development between Hong Kong and Britain," Prince Charles continued.
After a few more polite exchanges, Prince Charles moved on to converse with others.
At that moment, a Western middle-aged man approached Lin Haoran.
"You must be Mr. Lin Haoran. I have heard much about you. Seeing you today, I find your reputation well deserved—young and promising. Allow me to introduce myself: I am Amos Rothschild of the Rothschild family. On behalf of our family, I hope to establish a friendship with you," he said warmly.
"Mr. Rothschild, the honor is mine," Lin Haoran replied courteously.
Everything seemed to proceed in a harmonious atmosphere.
One after another, Hong Kong's top tycoons came over to greet Lin Haoran.
Even if some had ulterior motives, Lin Haoran's undeniable strength had won their respect.
In any field, strength commands respect—the business world was no exception.
During dinner, many guests frequently toasted Lin Haoran, and he drank several glasses of red wine.
As was typical for British-style banquets, tonight's dinner was a buffet.
By 8:00 PM, Lin Haoran, having eaten just enough, saw the banquet drawing to a close.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Prince Charles said, gathering everyone's attention, "I am here to announce that tonight, I will, on behalf of the royal family, present the CBE medal to Mr. Lin Haoran. Let us offer him our warmest congratulations!"
At once, the nearly twenty guests gathered around and applauded enthusiastically.
Many congratulated Lin Haoran, some shaking hands, others embracing him, all expressing sincere admiration and good wishes.
Lin Haoran accepted their congratulations with a humble, graceful smile, though inwardly he remained cautious.
He knew perfectly well that there must be deeper motives behind the honor.
A small CBE medal alone could hardly justify a prince traveling thousands of miles to Hong Kong—or the presence of a Rothschild family member.
Despite his suspicions, Lin Haoran maintained his composure.
At the moment, all he could do was play along and observe.
"Thank you, Your Highness, and thank you, everyone," Lin Haoran said aloud. "This honor means a lot to me. It acknowledges my past efforts and inspires me to continue working hard for Hong Kong's future development."
With Prince Charles's signal, the award ceremony officially began.
A solemn and elegant piece of music played as a staff member approached, holding an exquisite medal box.
Prince Charles personally took out the CBE medal and pinned it to Lin Haoran's chest.
Afterward, they shook hands again, and Prince Charles patted Lin Haoran lightly on the shoulder in encouragement.
Professional photographers at Government House captured this precious moment.
In the photos, Lin Haoran, wearing the medal, shook hands with Prince Charles, both smiling brightly.
With the award ceremony concluded, the atmosphere in the banquet hall became even livelier.
Guests raised their glasses again and again, chatting and laughing merrily.
Tonight, Lin Haoran was undoubtedly the brightest star at Government House.
"Mr. Lin, please stay after the banquet. I would like to have a word with you," Prince Charles said once the ceremony ended.
"Of course, Your Highness," Lin Haoran replied, nodding slightly.
At this point, he had a good idea of what was coming.
Whether good or bad, it was unavoidable.
At 8:30 PM, Lin Haoran followed Prince Charles into a meeting room at Government House.
To his surprise, Governor MacLehose, Shen Bi, Niu Bijian, Amos Rothschild, and many others were already there.
More than a dozen prominent British figures—all foreigners, with Lin Haoran the only Chinese among them—made the scene strikingly awkward.
Clearly, everyone else knew what was about to happen. Only he was still being kept in the dark.
It felt like a banquet of betrayal, with something ominous about to unfold.
"Your Highness, could you please state your purpose directly?" Lin Haoran asked bluntly after sitting down.
"Mr. Lin, allow me to clarify: this matter has no direct connection to the royal family. I am merely acting as a mediator at their request.
We hope you will consider relinquishing control of Jardines Matheson and allowing it to return to the British consortiums.
Of course, the consortiums are prepared to offer reasonable compensation.
Jardines Matheson has been a symbol of British enterprise in Hong Kong since its founding, and we do not wish to see British interests lose their hold," Prince Charles finally revealed the true purpose of this gathering.
A company worth nearly eight billion Hong Kong dollars—its real value even higher—was naturally the focal point of their actions.
Moreover, Jardines Matheson was a matter of pride for the British business elite.
Lin Haoran's successive acquisitions of the Land Group and Jardines Matheson had delivered a stinging blow to the British consortiums' prestige.
"I represent HSBC, and I also hope Mr. Lin will return control of Jardines Matheson to the British consortiums," Shen Bi said.
"I represent Swire Pacific, and I echo the request for Jardines Matheson's return," the head of the Swire family added.
"I represent the Rothschild family, and I too hope Mr. Lin will relinquish control of Jardines Matheson," Amos Rothschild said.
One by one, several major figures of Hong Kong's British business world voiced the same demand.
It was not just persuasion—it was a direct attempt to force Lin Haoran's hand.
At that moment, Lin Haoran realized the full picture.
So many powerful interests gathered here tonight were clearly meant to pressure him.
If he refused, what would it mean?
It meant becoming an enemy of the entire British consortium in Hong Kong.
Even with his strength, Lin Haoran knew he had to carefully consider his next move.
He frowned, and unconsciously, his fingers began tapping lightly on the conference table.
In the silent room, only the sound of his tapping echoed, underscoring the immense pressure he now faced.
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