12dz Chapter 365: Fear and the Bond Selloff
Chapter 365: Fear and the Bond Selloff
"That's right! Great Britain is the world's hegemon. Is it so easy to deal with?"
"The Security Army has only just captured tens of thousands of prisoners," another portly businessman in a suit wiped the sweat from his forehead and echoed, "You've all heard, right? The Johns are about to assemble a million-strong army, with dozens of battleships, and they could enter the Bay of Bengal at any moment!"
"Once the battleship's heavy artillery opens fire, won't our factories and shops be reduced to scorched earth?"
"Alas—" someone sighed, eyes filled with regret. "Who could have imagined this? We thought Zhang Chi was a safe guy, but who knew he'd actually dare to confront John's people head-on?!"
"Oh, he's just a young man, he can mess with anyone. Our business and factory have just started. If John comes, it will definitely be razed to the ground. If he kicks his legs and is killed, what will happen to us honest businessmen?"
"What should we do now?"
"What else can we do? Sell the bonds quickly before the Anmin Army loses the battle!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the businessmen who had been complaining and worried suddenly exploded.
"Right, right, right! I heard some people have started selling off the People's Security Army bonds at a low price. The face value is $100, but now some people are willing to buy them for $80, or even lower!"
"80 dollars?" Someone said, looking excited. "It's better than not getting a penny back!"
"Yeah, yeah. If we don't run now, when Zhang Chi is really finished, these bonds in our hands will be worthless!"
When these businessmen saw that Zhang Chi was powerful, they thought of giving part of their shares and wealth to Zhang Chi to buy peace.
This has been an old tradition for hundreds of years. Zhang Chi is naturally not willing to take this money, otherwise if he accepts it, the three Vajras under him will follow suit and accept it.
With the upper level following the lower level, the entire Anmin Army will be corrupted, and then the entire Anmin Army will be quickly corrupted, its combat effectiveness will collapse, and it will head towards the White Party.
Seeing that Zhang Chi would not accept the money, these businessmen turned around and bought government-issued bonds as a token of their loyalty.
Now that they saw the Anmin Army facing off against the John people, these businessmen who were used to changing their attitudes according to the situation immediately changed their attitudes and wanted to sell off the bonds, not wanting to lose a penny.
Faced with everyone's anxiety and panic, Huan Borong frowned deeply.
He is an old hand who knows how to do business. What matters is judging the situation rather than going with the flow.
Is Zhang Chi really so vulnerable?
Reason told him no.
As an old fox who has been in the business world for many years, he firmly believes that his judgment of people is correct. Although Zhang Chi is young, he has a maturity that is not in line with his youth and a detachment that transcends this era.
From the moment he met Zhang Chi, he knew that this young man did not seem like the kind of impulsive, reckless, and ostentatious man.
Every step he took was extremely steady. Although he seemed bold, he never really lost control.
If he dares to break up with John, he must have enough confidence.
But the problem is that market confidence is often irrational.
What the bond market fears most is the spread of panic.
When everyone is selling bonds, the price of bonds will collapse quickly. Even if the Anmin Army wins in the end, this round of plunge will cause many businessmen to suffer heavy losses.
Not to mention, what if the Anmin Army really lost?
Huan Borong gripped the teacup tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white. His mind raced through all the possible outcomes:
If the Anmin Army can withstand the counterattack of John's people, then the three-year bond with a face value of $100 will have a redemption value of $117 after maturity. Under simple interest conditions, the annual interest rate is 5.67%.
And once the Anmin Army was defeated, or even worse, Zhang Chi himself was violently overthrown by John's people, then the Anmin Army would have no ability to repay, and this $100 bond might not be worth a penny.
If you sell it now at $90 or even $80, although you will lose more than $20 or $30 including interest, at least you can lock in the principal and avoid losing everything.
It's a tough choice.
Huan Borong, who was sitting at the top, looked calm on the surface, still holding the fine celadon teacup and drinking tea, but his slightly trembling little finger revealed that he was actually very anxious in his heart.
Do you trust Zhang Chi or the market?
"Boss Huan, what do you think?"
Finally, someone turned their attention to him. Hun Borong was one of the leaders of the Pegu business community. If even he couldn't see through the situation, then these businessmen were even more uncertain.
For a moment, the entire hall fell silent, and everyone was waiting for his decision.
It is easier said than done to cut off one's own arm.
Forget it, husband and wife are birds of the same forest, they fly away separately when disaster strikes.
If you want to blame someone, blame yourself, Zhang Chi, for overestimating your own capabilities and daring to provoke Western white people.
Huan Borong slowly put down the teacup and looked at his confidant.
He finally made his decision.
"Throw it quickly."
The confidant was startled for a moment, then nodded in acceptance and hurried away.
Seeing that he had made up his mind, other businessmen immediately breathed a sigh of relief and followed suit, ordering the sale of their bonds.
Suddenly, the hall was bustling with activity. Some were calculating their losses on paper, others were dispatching agents to contact buyers, and still others were anxiously staring out the door, fearing that if they were slow to act, the price would drop even further.
Huan Borong leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, as if trying to digest the heaviness brought about by this decision.
He is a businessman, not a gambler.
Even though he secretly felt that Zhang Chi might not lose, the market panic could no longer be contained. By the time the situation became clear, the bonds might have fallen to zero value.
only...
He felt vaguely uneasy.
What if Zhang Chi really wins?
-----
In the newly built Myitkyina office building, sunlight shines onto the desk through the large glass windows.
"Hello? Secretary Bai said there's something important to report? Okay, then let him in." Zhang Chi frowned and put down the ivory telephone receiver.
He finished speaking and bowed his head to sign several promotion orders. Several lieutenant colonels were about to be promoted to colonel. The military's promotion pace was as steady as ever. He didn't hesitate. He put pen to paper, stamped his seal, and placed the documents in a nearby file basket.
After a while, the new secretary Liu Shengnan gently pushed open the door, and the breeze lifted the corner of her clothes.
Bai Hongsheng held a folder in his hand, pushed his glasses, nodded to Secretary Liu, and walked in.
Zhang Chi looked up at Liu Shengnan.
Well, very pleasing to the eyes.
"Xiao Liu, make two cups of scented tea and bring them in later."
A large number of Cantonese immigrants brought unique eating habits to Nanyang, which naturally included the habit of drinking herbal tea to relieve heat and quench thirst.
However, these herbal teas were not modified drinks like Wang Xji and He Xzheng that Zhang Chi had drunk in later generations. Instead, they were pure medicinal types that were so bitter that it made people wonder if they had mistakenly drunk a herbal soup. Zhang Chi, a person from later generations, really couldn't get used to them.
He simply ordered Nanhua Beverage Company to improve the formula and prepare to produce canned herbal tea that was more palatable. As for now, he preferred to drink flower tea, soda, or coffee with milk and sugar.