Chapter 372: The Silver Tongue
Mark flew directly from Canada to Yanjing.
"You've repeatedly assured me you wouldn't sell your stake in Tropicana Gold Mine. You personally told me that you'd definitely invest and develop a high-quality asset like this," he said, entering Li Tang's office and immediately pointing a finger accusingly at him.
The two men had met numerous times and had collaborated previously on the Shapuoro gold exploration project, becoming quite familiar in the process. In fact, they were already practically friends, which explained Mark's agitated demeanor and direct confrontation.
Mark had always considered Li Tang a sincere business partner and personal friend. If their relationship had been merely business-oriented, he certainly wouldn't have expressed himself so emotionally.
"Mr. Mark, please calm down." Li Tang waved his hand gently. Seeing Gao Jingjing busy preparing tea in the reception area, he intervened: "Jingjing, let me handle it."
Li Tang took over, carefully rinsing the tea leaves with boiling water while inviting Mark and his companions to sit.
Mark dropped onto the sofa and crossed his legs impatiently. "I read in the news that you've reached an agreement with a Chinese state-owned enterprise to transfer your Tropicana Gold Mine shares?"
"The preliminary agreement is almost finalized; we just need to sign," Li Tang confirmed.
"No one is more capable or more efficient than our Barrick Gold at developing such a high-grade deposit like Tropicana!" Mark was visibly distressed. Facing the teacup Li Tang offered, he clearly wasn't in the mood to drink tea.
"The success or profitability of the gold mine's development doesn't concern me at all," Li Tang replied leisurely, picking up his own cup, blowing on it slowly, taking a small sip, and exhaling with satisfaction. His relaxed demeanor sharply contrasted Mark's evident anxiety. It was a subtle psychological confrontation, and Li Tang clearly held the upper hand. After all, the mineral rights were in his possession. Apart from needing consent from Langbul Resources' founders and the Australian investment authorities, Li Tang essentially held the final decision.
"I checked carefully," Mark countered. "You haven't initiated formal transaction procedures yet. The Australian Foreign Investment Review Board hasn't received your investment application either. As a shareholder of Langbul Resources, such a significant transaction affecting the company requires my consultation and consent beforehand."
"I've already discussed this with Carroll. He agreed to my transaction request. Besides, there's no reason he'd refuse collaboration with a company experienced in gold development."
"Sell your shares to Barrick. Whatever they offered, I'll match!" Mark bluntly stated his intention.
"Carroll won't agree to such a transaction. If your holdings reach 51%, Carroll's position in the company would face a serious threat. To put it bluntly, he'd fear being kicked out by you."
"You don't need to worry about Carroll. I'm confident I can persuade him."
"But I've been negotiating very pleasantly with Chinese gold companies for a long time now. We're practically at the signing stage," Li Tang calmly replied.
Li Tang finished his tea and noticed Mark's cup remained untouched. He gestured casually, "Mr. Mark, you've talked so much; surely you're thirsty. Have some tea, and let's chat slowly."
Mark finally picked up his teacup, quickly downing the tea without savoring its taste.
Li Tang slowly poured more tea, continuing in an unhurried tone, "A gold deposit exceeding two hundred tons is indeed rare internationally. They're mostly controlled by major gold companies. It's understandable why you're anxious, Mr. Mark. But there's an old Chinese saying: A melon twisted by force isn't sweet. You really shouldn't be so persistent."
"You don't know how rare it is to find a gold deposit exceeding a hundred tons. Canada hasn't discovered a major gold deposit in years," Mark replied bitterly.
"I understand completely. Mineral exploration rarely yields significant discoveries, making existing mineral rights even more valuable. If major gold deposits appeared frequently, gold wouldn't have maintained its universal value throughout history."
"I'll offer you a higher price than they will!" Mark insisted, seeing no other viable option. Emotionally, he knew he couldn't compete against Chinese state-owned enterprises in terms of Li Tang's loyalty and personal history. After all, he understood Li Tang had deep roots in Chinese state-owned enterprises. Thus, the most effective tactic he had left was wielding financial power to win Li Tang over—a tactic proven effective time and again in the business world.
"I know you're currently raising substantial funds. Although I don't know your exact goal, I can directly help you achieve it!" Mark gazed seriously at Li Tang. "As soon as you nod and sign the agreement, you'll receive the money in full within one week!"
"Our friendship shouldn't be overly mixed with financial interests," Li Tang responded nonchalantly.
Mark grew visibly irritated. Every time money came up, Li Tang shifted the conversation to their friendship. Clearly, he was deliberately opposing him, his intentions to stall extremely transparent.
"What price did they offer you for the 36% stake?" Mark persisted.
Li Tang remained calm, deliberately taking his time, gently blowing on his tea and ignoring Mark's anxiety entirely.
"Two hundred million Australian dollars?" Mark guessed.
This figure was his previous firm offer made to Alice over the phone. At that time, this price had been quite generous. Valuing the entire two-hundred-ton deposit at around six hundred million AUD already represented a premium above market rates at that time.
"That was before. With the recent surge in international gold prices, even Chinese gold prices aren't cheap anymore," Li Tang gently reminded him.
"Three hundred million AUD?" Mark pressed again.
Li Tang audibly sipped his tea, continuing his relaxed posture.
"I understand the Chinese gold companies very well. Three hundred million Australian dollars is the absolute maximum they'd offer. They couldn't possibly go higher!" Mark said confidently.
"That's a commercial secret, Mr. Mark," Li Tang responded calmly. In reality, he hadn't finalized any specific price with Zise Mining or Huajin Group, so maintaining ambiguity was safer.
"I'll give you three hundred twenty million Australian dollars!" Mark immediately raised his offer, attempting to sway Li Tang's decision. "You urgently need funds, and Barrick Gold can meet your needs immediately!"
"That's not appropriate," Li Tang shook his head. "I've already verbally committed to another company. Breaking my word isn't my style."
"Three hundred fifty million AUD!" Mark boldly increased his offer again. "Think it over carefully!"
Li Tang's heart surged with excitement seeing Mark voluntarily increase the price. His hand trembled slightly with excitement, struggling to hold the teacup steady. Realizing this, he quickly set down his cup, crossed his legs, and smiled slightly at Mark, "Mr. Mark, you're testing my professional integrity with money."
"Three hundred sixty million AUD!" Mark cautiously raised again, not daring to push it too aggressively this time. No matter how high-grade or how ideal the mining conditions, he had to carefully consider future profitability. A purchase price that was too high would create immense pressure later. At three hundred sixty million AUD, the mine's total valuation reached a stunning one billion Australian dollars—a significantly inflated figure. Realistically, though, obtaining Li Tang's shares would give them control of Tropicana Gold Mine.
Li Tang quickly calculated that Mark's latest offer greatly exceeded his original expectation. Had he previously finalized a deal with Zise Mining or Huajin Group, the price definitely would've been far below three hundred sixty million AUD.
"You're forcing me to breach an agreement, sacrificing my dignity and the respect many have for me, to make this money," Li Tang remarked coolly.
"This offer is significantly above market value—isn't it?" Mark sensed Li Tang wavering. Given Li Tang's urgent financial situation and Barrick's immediate payment capabilities, Mark saw a clear advantage.
"My dignity comes at a very high price," Li Tang chuckled softly.
"How much can dignity truly be worth?" Mark laughed dismissively. "If you threw a hundred thousand dollars from a tall building, countless people would scramble on their knees to collect the money, praising you as their savior!"
"Don't impose Western ideas onto Eastern values. Allow me to share another ancient Chinese saying: 'I will not bow my waist for five bushels of rice.'"
"Three hundred eighty million Australian dollars!" Mark elevated the offer once more. "This significantly exceeds our original budget. If you don't accept this, I have no further options."
Li Tang smiled subtly, replying softly, "You truly put me in a difficult position. But since you've spoken so earnestly, I'll clarify my own conditions—I need U.S. dollars."
"We can convert the payment into U.S. dollars. That's no issue," Mark smiled confidently, believing he'd finally softened Li Tang's resolve.
"Three hundred million U.S. dollars," Li Tang calmly stated. After making his demand, he deliberately avoided looking at Mark's expression, casually sipping his tea to mask the nervousness in his eyes.
"That's equivalent to adding another 100 million Australian dollars on top of the 380 million Australian dollars!" Mark exclaimed loudly. "Impossible! This price is too high. Our board and shareholders would never approve such a deal!"
"Take your time and think it over. There's no rush to make a decision." Li Tang's eyes regained their calm as he placed his teacup down. "This extra 100 million Australian dollars represents my dignity and professional integrity."
"No company would pay such a high price for just mineral rights, unless the mine is already fully developed!" Mark retorted in disbelief.
"Precisely why I'm advising you to think carefully and not make a rushed decision," Li Tang replied with deceptive calmness. Yet internally, he was nervous enough to break into a slight sweat. If Mark stormed out angrily, he might not find another suitable buyer, leaving him stuck with Tropicana Gold Mine's shares.
Mark left Cloud Peak Tower with an unsettled heart.
Two days later, he finally delivered a clear answer to Li Tang. The final offer was 400 million Australian dollars—roughly equivalent to 250 million USD.
Li Tang accepted this offer.
Alice returned from Australia to personally oversee the transaction's financial operations.
"36% of Tropicana Gold Mine's shares sold for 250 million dollars. This price certainly makes up for all our hard work on this project, doesn't it?" Li Tang said proudly, facing Alice with a smug expression.
Previously, the largest profit they'd made from exploration projects and mineral rights sales was the Pebble Project, totaling 330 million USD. Yet internationally, and even within Li Tang's own Prosperity Holdings, many believed that deal was a massive loss.
After all, the Pebble Project later proved to be the largest copper-gold deposit globally, with over 30 million tons of copper and over 3,000 tons of gold reserves. Selling such mineral rights for 3 billion dollars would have been justified. Yet Li Tang had sold his sizable share for a mere 330 million USD.
Many economists laughed openly about this transaction, saying it was Li Tang's worst business decision.
Over the years, numerous American analysts repeatedly claimed Li Tang had severely underestimated the true value of the Pebble Project, having sold his shares far too early. Had he held onto his shares two more years, he might have earned around a billion USD. Many still mockingly claimed Li Tang's decision was shortsighted, costing him hundreds of millions.
But who could truly understand Li Tang's mindset?
Not chasing after every last cent was actually quite a commendable practice.
Li Tang didn't care much about external criticism regarding the Pebble Project, but he deeply valued the opinions of people close to him like Alice. Whenever Alice returned from the U.S. and encountered ridicule or sarcastic comments about the Pebble deal, her mood inevitably soured. Even though Alice never openly expressed it, Li Tang knew deep down she too believed he'd lost out on that deal.
Now, selling Tropicana Gold Mine's shares for 250 million USD—far above market expectations—Li Tang naturally felt redeemed.
"Very impressive!" Alice's face broke into a joyful smile. "I almost feel like rewarding you with a passionate kiss."
"You're getting naughtier by the day!" Li Tang immediately suppressed his smile, fearing Alice might act impulsively in his office. Recently, this woman had become increasingly bold and uncontrollable in front of him.
"You really are incredible," Alice continued, feigning innocence and even adopting a deliberately pitiful expression, evidently borrowing some mannerisms from female employees in the company to imitate Eastern feminine charm. Yet such a pretense didn't suit her straightforward personality, making her appear somewhat awkward.
"I fully support your decision to sell our shares in Tropicana Gold Mine," Alice hastily clarified upon noticing Li Tang's furrowed brows. She quickly reverted to her natural, straightforward demeanor. "Gold mining and refining differ completely from iron ore production—we have neither the technology nor experience for it. Initially, I expected we'd get somewhere between two to three hundred million AUD. I didn't expect you to negotiate up to 400 million AUD. This far exceeds market predictions!"
"All thanks to my silver tongue..."
"I'd love to test that silver tongue myself—"
"Stop!" Li Tang hurriedly interrupted when he saw Alice playfully licking her crimson lips. Unable to bear the provocative image, he quickly shifted the conversation: "Right now, our most pressing task is consolidating this money."
Li Tang tossed a proposal document onto the table in front of Alice. "I recently visited Toronto and met Richard from Galuminium Group."
"Weren't you partnering with Barrick Gold on a gold exploration project?" Alice picked up the proposal, looking at Li Tang with confusion.
"Both things happened simultaneously. I didn't directly oversee the exploration project," Li Tang avoided elaborating further. "Just read the document; you'll understand everything."
Alice sat down and carefully flipped through the proposal. Shortly after, she raised her head, astonishment clearly etched on her face.
"You want to acquire Galuminium Group?" she finally understood why Li Tang had suddenly begun liquidating key assets such as Gongcun Copper-Gold Mine and Tropicana Gold Mine—he was raising capital for a major venture.
As the company's CFO, Alice knew the current financial capabilities of Prosperity Holdings better than anyone. A full acquisition of Galuminium Group was entirely impossible. If Galuminium Group represented a vast lake, Prosperity Holdings was just a small pebble thrown into it—not nearly enough to fill the lake, only creating minor ripples at most. An attempt at acquiring Galuminium Group would be purely delusional.
"No, we're just buying shares," Li Tang explained, smiling. "Galuminium Group has a market capitalization exceeding 20 billion USD. We're not capable of a complete buyout yet."
"Why Galuminium?" Alice hadn't investigated thoroughly yet but recalled recent market rumors. "Not long ago, Alcoa attempted to acquire Galuminium but got rejected."
"They rejected Alcoa because their offer was too low, even below Galuminium's market price," Li Tang responded calmly.
"But why sell two valuable mineral rights to invest in a large company that isn't performing very well?" Alice genuinely couldn't understand. "Given Galuminium's current financial state, its share price is likely to continue declining. There's only one scenario where our investment could become profitable..."
"What scenario?" Li Tang asked.
"A takeover—and specifically, a premium takeover," Alice replied straightforwardly.
"Exactly. We're betting someone will acquire Galuminium at a premium!" Li Tang affirmed.
"For a merger involving over 20 billion USD, the number of international corporations capable of pulling off such a deal can be counted on two hands!" Alice expressed skepticism, knowing how complex and challenging large-scale mergers could be. Any minor hiccup could derail the entire deal.
"You think Alcoa might still pursue the acquisition?" she asked again.
"Perhaps," Li Tang nodded lightly.
"Even if Galuminium's board and shareholders accepted Alcoa's offer, there's a high chance U.S. antitrust regulators would block it," Alice reasoned carefully. "If Alcoa and Galuminium merge, they'd monopolize North America's entire aluminum supply chain—bauxite, alumina, primary aluminum, and aluminum products. This would create an absolute monopoly."
"But what if regulatory approval succeeds?" Li Tang shrugged carelessly, grinning.
"'What if' indeed..." Alice finally understood. Her boss was gambling on a slim, nearly impossible chance!
"Just proceed with the arrangements. Have any projects I've chosen ever failed?" Li Tang rubbed his eyes, seemingly glinting with determination. "Believe in me, and you'll be rewarded."
Alice snorted, evidently not buying into Li Tang's exaggerated confidence entirely. But after a moment of brief doubt, her absolute admiration and trust in him quickly drowned out her skepticism.
"Jingjing!" Li Tang picked up his desk phone and dialed his assistant's office.
A moment later, Gao Jingjing, dressed elegantly in high heels and a tight professional skirt accentuating her curves, hurried into the office. "Mr. Li, how may I assist?"
"Who is this?" Alice, previously immersed in financial strategy, suddenly felt an inexplicable threat at Jingjing's presence. "Where did this little girl come from?"
"Hello, Director Alice. I'm Gao Jingjing, Mr. Li's personal assistant and secretary, hired earlier this year," Jingjing respectfully bowed.
"HR thought I was too busy and neglecting my health, so they arranged an assistant," Li Tang nonchalantly explained, disregarding Alice's fiery glare. He instructed Jingjing calmly: "Notify Legal and the Translation Department. In two days, we'll head to Toronto for an important meeting with representatives of Sanjing Group. This meeting is critical for our successful investment in Galuminium."
"Understood, I'll arrange it immediately!" Jingjing confidently replied, clearly proficient in her tasks. She turned and left decisively.
Watching Jingjing's graceful exit, Alice's eyes lingered briefly before turning sharply back to glare at Li Tang, "Don't you already have a girlfriend?"
"What?" Li Tang was stunned, his mind fully occupied by business: "We'll collaborate with Hualue Group, possibly involving other investors, to jointly acquire part of Galuminium's shares. As stated in the proposal, we'll establish a new company in Hong Kong as our investment base. Besides shares, investigate immediately if Galuminium's convertible bonds are available for purchase."
"Alright," Alice quickly agreed. "I'll accompany you to Toronto this time to research Galuminium's market shares and convertible bonds. Coincidentally, Barrick Gold is also based in Toronto, making it convenient to expedite the 250-million-dollar payment from the Tropicana deal."
Li Tang nodded approvingly, finding her reasoning quite practical. "Good idea."
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