Chapter 258: The Strongest First, Rules Second

Jiang Yaowen had planned to relax and take advantage of the recent opportunities, especially with the proactive female retail investors. However, after leaving the department store, he remained in a daze.

Although he was unsure of what exactly "Teacher Xiao Li" had concealed, he had a nagging feeling that something was amiss.

"Teacher Jiang, what's wrong? What exactly did Teacher Xiao Li say to you that day? You should tell everyone!"

Jiang Yaowen's silence made the retail investors, who had poured almost everything into Yanzhong stock, feel deeply uneasy.

They sensed that they might have fallen into some sort of trap, but upon closer examination, they couldn't find anything particularly wrong with Yanzhong stock up to that point.

After all, Yanzhong was currently one of the top star stocks in the Shanghai market. It seemed that the battle for equity between Yanzhong and Bao'an would continue for a long time, and as long as this premise existed, the stock price would only rise, not fall.

Jiang Yaowen also began to think he might have overreacted. Recalling his encounters with Teacher Xiao Li and his youth, he finally came to his senses.

"Don't worry about it! He might just be boasting. Over 300,000 shares… It's laughable. Even if he bought at an average price of 20 yuan, that would still be six or seven million. Do you think he looks like someone who could handle that?"

Everyone agreed, reassured by Jiang Yaowen's words.

As the small circle of the Little Garden Forum celebrated Yanzhong's big surge in a restaurant, Yanzhong Industrial's General Manager Qin Guoliang had already delivered a notice of the press conference to several newspapers in the Shanghai market.

...

The next day, October 8.

Qin Guoliang appeared in the conference room of Yanzhong Industrial, facing dozens of journalists from Shanghai and Shenzhen markets. He officially announced Bao'an's "crimes" and Yanzhong Industrial's decision to use legal weapons to protect its interests.

"After several days of investigation, we have gathered key evidence. Besides Bao'an's previous use of misleading statements and the opaque data of its three subsidiaries' holdings, yesterday we discovered new, strong evidence proving Bao'an's illegal activities—since September 17, the Shanghai Bao'an branch that started acquiring Yanzhong stock had a registered capital of only 10 million yuan, yet the funds used for acquisitions amounted to over 80 million!

According to the 'Temporary Measures for Securities Trading,' it is clearly prohibited to use credit funds and illegal loans for stock trading. With this clear and strong evidence, we fully believe that Bao'an's operations in the past few days constitute a malicious acquisition of Yanzhong Industrial, market concealment, and legal fraud!

In response, we will use legal means to file a lawsuit against the Securities Regulatory Commission and the Shanghai court!"

Bang!

The cameras of the journalists captured the moment Qin Guoliang slammed the table and announced the lawsuit. The news spread quickly through special editions, broadcasts, and news outlets.

The news of Bao'an's massive violations in acquiring Yanzhong exploded like a bomb in the Shanghai stock market.

From this point on, the stock, which had been soaring for several days, began to collapse!

The Yanzhong Industrial press conference ended at 10:30 AM. By the afternoon, Yanzhong stock, which had reached a high of 45 yuan, couldn't hold on; Bao'an's violations caused Yanzhong stock to plummet! Although some retail investors still hoped to make a quick profit and bought in, slightly stabilizing the downward trend, it was to no avail.

By 4:30 PM, before the market closed, Yanzhong stock had fallen an astonishing 30%, returning to the 35 yuan level from three days ago!

Numerous investors who had bought at high prices were trapped, and the stock exchange was in despair.

But this was only the beginning.

As all retail investors debated whether to cut their losses or wait for more news, other old eight stocks such as Rongyuan and Huadian issued statements expressing sympathy for Yanzhong's malicious acquisition and strong indignation at Bao'an Group's brutal and unreasonable acquisition methods, demanding fair judgment from the Securities Regulatory Commission.

Yanzhong's stock price continued to drop.

The stock that had been soaring just a few days ago suddenly turned into a distant green hill—on the 9th, Yanzhong's stock price fell another 17%, closing at 29.5 yuan.

Under such enormous pressure, the Securities Regulatory Commission quickly made a decision, announcing that Bao'an's acquisition behavior did indeed involve violations and fined Bao'an Group 1 million yuan.

On the 10th, Yanzhong stock continued to drop, closing at a dismal 22 yuan per share.

After three consecutive days of plummeting, most retail investors finally broke down. On the 11th, the Shanghai Stock Exchange opened with a flood of sell orders for Yanzhong stock, crashing the trading board!

At the Haiyun Securities office.

"It's because I listened to your advice that I sold my Rongyuan stock at a loss! You bastard, look at how you messed things up now! I can't even sell for 20 yuan now! You… you… damn!"

Slap!

With a loud slap, Liu Jie, who had previously shown great respect to Jiang Yaowen and even considered offering herself, spat on the ground and angrily left.

On the damp floor of the VIP client room, Jiang Yaowen's eyes were hollow, his face marked with scratches and bruises, and his shirt buttons completely torn open—caused by clients who had previously revered him.

But the pain no longer bothered him.

The debts borrowed from relatives and high-interest loans from shady channels were like a sword continually piercing his heart!

"Teacher Jiang… that last order we placed at 17 yuan was filled. Now the account… still has over 60,000. Please… don't…"

Seeing the empty VIP room, a trader patted Jiang Yaowen's shoulder and sighed.

Feeling the slight tremor on his shoulder, Jiang Yaowen scrambled up from the floor.

To the trader's surprise, he grabbed a handful of scattered trading slips, tore them to shreds, and threw them into the air.

"Why is this happening! Damn it!"

At that moment, the broadcast in the large client room suddenly announced with an enthusiastic tone;

"Breaking news! Our station has just received significant news! The Securities Regulatory Commission has made a new ruling on Bao'an's acquisition of Yanzhong. In addition to the 1 million yuan fine for Bao'an Group's illegal actions announced this morning, they have also declared Bao'an Group's acquisition of Yanzhong Industrial valid!"

"Damn it! What kind of reasoning is this, what reasoning!"

"Damn it! What's going on! I've sold everything!"

"Ah!! Luckily, I didn't sell out! Luckily, I didn't cut my losses! I've made a profit, I've made a profit!"

Hearing this news, which seemed like a joke, and then the cheers, curses, and mixed reactions in the Haiyun Securities office lobby, Jiang Yaowen finally couldn't hold on.

With a thud, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted on the ground.

Just one more day, just one more day…

When several traders rushed over and lifted him from the ground, they heard Jiang Yaowen mumbling over and over.

...

From the moment the Securities Regulatory Commission announced the acquisition was valid, China's first major acquisition battle came to a close!

At this moment, some people were crying out in pain, some were filled with regret, and some were overjoyed. Naturally, there were also those who, after making a fortune, left calmly.

On the third floor of the Minfa Department Store.

Li Xian and Xu Maohua, holding cigarettes, watched the people below who seemed as if they had been frostbitten, cursing and walking by.

With over 300,000 shares sold three days ago, their initial 5 million had turned into 12 million, quietly resting in Xu Maohua's account.

"Xianzi, looking at these people, I suddenly remember myself a month ago. If it hadn't been for greed, I wouldn't have fallen for Wang Hongcheng's trick. Now these people, if they hadn't chased the highs and participated, they wouldn't have been played so badly. In the end, it's all about greed."

Li Xian looked at the dejected retail investors below, stubbed out his cigarette, and shook his head.

"You're wrong. People always seek wealth, and when they come to the stock market, they naturally hope to make money. When a stock is particularly active and its price rises sharply, it means there's a chance to make money, so people are naturally interested in buying in."

"But fear is also an inescapable part of human nature. At the beginning of a sudden stock price increase, unless there's insider information, people are afraid to buy because they don't know the details, leading to fear.

When the stock price rises significantly and the reasons for the increase become clear, even though the stock price has often risen substantially, retail investors who didn't know the reason for the rise beforehand face a dilemma: either continue not buying and watch it soar, or endure the high price and buy in, potentially making a profit at a higher price or suffering losses. So their mistake wasn't in greed."

"So what is it?" Xu Maohua scratched his head.

Li Xian smiled slightly and didn't answer directly. Instead, he patted Xu Maohua on the shoulder, "Forget about them. We've made our money. Time is

 running out. Let's say goodbye to Mei Jie and leave."

"Okay," Xu Maohua tilted his head, thought for a moment without understanding, and followed Li Xian into the Minfa Securities office.

Yanzhong Industrial.

Upon learning that Bao'an Group's acquisition of Yanzhong remained valid despite the Securities Regulatory Commission's penalty for violations, the Securities Department Director, Ai Jinsheng, was furious.

"This is unfair! This is unfair!"

Beside him, General Manager Qin Guoliang extinguished his cigarette in the ashtray.

"Jinsheng, accept it. Don't you see? The stock market is inherently unfair. It's a… arena where the strongest come first and rules second!"

Blowing out a long stream of smoke, Qin Guoliang leaned back on the sofa, as if this battle had drained all his energy.

Hongqiao Airport.

Xin Rumei, who had seen Li Xian off for eighteen miles, held his hand, unsure of what to say.

"Brother, I misjudged people before. Now I understand that there are no clear-headed people in this stock market. From start to finish, you're the only one who's pretending to be confused while actually understanding everything!"

Li Xian chuckled, "Mei Jie, I just got lucky. Good luck, good luck."

Xin Rumei gave him a look, "Still pretending at this point! You're not being straightforward! You're not a real Northeastern man!"

Xu Maohua, seeing Li Xian being scolded, patted his hand, "Hey! Big sister, the real Northeastern man is right here!"

"You?" Xin Rumei glanced at Xu Maohua, who looked pleased with himself, and then glanced at his trousers, "Haha…"

Her laughter irritated Xu Maohua.

"What are you laughing at? Did the market freeze you up in the bathroom that day!"

Xin Rumei ignored him, patted Li Xian's hand again, "Brother Li, I've decided. The stock market is too deep; I'm not suited for this job. I've decided to go back home. If you come to the Shanghai market again, I might not be able to entertain you."

"This will be the last time," Li Xian shook his head.

Thinking about the battle between Bao'an and Yanzhong over the past few days and the ambiguous ending, he still felt cold. If he hadn't happened to know the whole process of this struggle and had been careful not to invest too much money to change history, he might have ended up losing as well.

Without a background like Bao'an's, struggling in the stock market of the 90s…

What family background?

Does the family have a mountain or a mine?

He'd had enough of this experience—better to go back home and farm. It's safer!