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He immediately dismissed the option of taking matters into his own hands. After all, he wasn't a professional in this field. Although he had traded stocks in his previous life, he lost more than he won. In particular, professional large-scale capital operations were completely different from the small-scale retail trading he had done in his previous life, which involved at most a few hundred thousand or a million. If he were to take matters into his own hands, he was afraid he would end up messing things up...
Zhang Jing has always believed that professional matters should be handled by professionals.
So, who should be hired to handle this? Zhang Jing first considered his own businesses; it seemed there was no such talent within the foundation. As for publicly known financial institutions, they should have the capability, but the information source for this matter was too sensitive, and he couldn't guarantee the professional ethics of these financial institutions.
Strictly speaking, at this point, he wasn't worried that such a leak would cause serious consequences he couldn't bear. Even if the authorities knew his "public" identity, as long as they were of sound mind, they wouldn't choose to risk offending the Xuanmen sect and break ties with him.
Zhang Jing had a certain assessment that the imperial government and the Xuanmen would have a long honeymoon period.
However, this does not mean that Zhang Jing is willing to turn from the shadows to the light at this point in time. If he can survive, he would rather stay hidden.
So... should we choose to use "terracotta warriors"?
Zhang Jing subconsciously felt it was a bit wasteful, after all, he didn't have many terracotta warriors, and each one was needed for its designated purpose...
He then glanced at the wishing book in his hand and decided to use it to solve the problem. After all, he wasn't short of wishing points at the moment, and besides, this wish, in his understanding, shouldn't take up too many wishing points.
"I wish that I would soon find a trustworthy financial expert who has extensive experience in global stock and futures investments and can keep clients' secrets."
After confirming that his wish had been granted, Zhang Jing took his phone and dialed the number of Jiang Shanlin, the president of the Historical Relics Protection and Research Foundation.
The call was quickly connected, and a respectful voice came from the other end: "Good morning, Chairman."
"Good morning, Zhixing."
Hearing a slight commotion on the other end of the phone, Zhang Jing casually asked a question.
"Here's the thing, Chairman, we're having a morning meeting right now, discussing the instruction you mentioned last time to acquire a cultural relics auction company with international business. We've already completed a preliminary investigation and have identified several suitable candidates. We'll send you some information later..." Jiang Shanlin assumed Zhang Jing was calling to inquire about the progress and quickly began his report over the phone.
Zhang Jing's heart stirred; this was indeed a task he had recently asked Jiang Shanlin to undertake. He had requested Jiang to conduct research on auction houses in various countries, hoping the foundation could acquire one or more auction houses with international operations. This was partly to enrich the foundation's channels for acquiring cultural relics and its information network; after all, being an auction house would allow for easier access to private collectors with substantial collections.
More importantly, with Zhang Jing's recent discovery of numerous grotto-heavens and ancient ruins, while his collection of extraordinary items and magical artifacts has greatly increased, he also possesses a vast number of ordinary antiques that, while seemingly exquisite, are actually of little value at the extraordinary level. Zhang Jing considers that if he owned an auction company and regularly handled the buying and selling of cultural relics, he could use the company's channels to monetize these antiques and thus generate substantial profits for himself.
According to data from the foundation, global art prices have been on a relatively moderate upward trend recently, with some religious artifacts experiencing significant price increases compared to previous periods. The foundation believes the global antiques and collectibles market is entering a long-term bull market cycle. In fact, many industry professionals share this view.
However, Zhang Jing is unsure whether it will be a long-term bull market, but he believes that the effect of his "little butterfly" flapping its wings is still somewhat to some extent involved.
After all, the supernatural has emerged in this world. Although the general public doesn't have much knowledge about it due to government control, the upper classes in various countries can obtain some information about it. Therefore, the value of some ancient artifacts with religious themes is not just the historical value of the artifacts themselves, but also carries an added layer of mysticism.
Fortunately, most of the cultural relics that have seen the most significant price increases are artifacts and religious objects that were worn by renowned Taoist priests, eminent monks, and saints of various religions throughout history, with verifiable provenance. They also include paintings or manuscripts drawn by the priests themselves, as well as some religious statues that were offered as offerings.
As for the ancient artifacts that Zhang Jingzhen has been secretly acquiring, they have attracted less attention, and their prices have remained relatively stable.
For Zhang Jing, this is undoubtedly a fortunate development; otherwise, it would have significantly increased the price the foundation would have paid for the cultural relics. From another perspective, the returns from selling the relics would also be much greater than before.
"Okay, I'll look at the information later, and we'll talk again then." Zhang Jing changed the subject: "I contacted you this time because I have something else to discuss. Find a quiet place."
"Yes, Chairman, please wait a moment." After a short while, Jiang Shanlin said, "Please go ahead."
"Here's the thing, Zhixing, don't tell anyone about what happens next."
"Don't worry, Chairman, you can tell me. I won't tell anyone," Jiang Shanlin said hurriedly.
"Here's the thing, I have some concrete investment information, um... very important, so I need an investor with global experience in stock and futures investing to manage my portfolio."
“Most importantly, this person must be trustworthy, reliable, and discreet. You should understand what I mean, right?” Zhang Jing described his requirements.
The reason he approached Jiang Shanlin first was because Jiang Shanlin was "certified" by the promise book and was reliable enough. In addition, Jiang Shanlin had previously worked in an investment company and had extensive investment experience. Although he was involved in venture capital rather than secondary market stock and futures trading, he would generally still have some connections in that field.
Chapter 603 An Huiling's Inspection
Jiang Shanlin paused briefly after hearing this, then carefully chose his words before speaking: "Chairman, although... well, I don't know what investment information you obtained, I still need to advise you that relying solely on insider information for trading in the secondary market carries enormous risks... for example, like before..."
Zhang Jing did not interrupt Jiang Shanlin. The fact that he was able to offer advice was enough to prove his good intentions. After listening to a few examples he gave, Zhang Jing said, "Zhixing, I understand what you mean. Don't worry, this opportunity is very special, and I can't say more... However, I have already made my decision."
Hearing Zhang Jing's words, Jiang Shanlin sighed inwardly. He knew that the chairman had already made a decision and that he had fulfilled his duty to persuade him. Although he really did not approve of the chairman's idea of entering the secondary market just because of a certain piece of news, if he continued to speak, he would become annoying.
So he put aside his idea of persuading people and, after thinking for a moment, said, "Well, Chairman, please wait a moment. I need time to understand the current situation of some people. I will call you in about half an hour."
Zhang Jing didn't say much, nodded in agreement, and then hung up the phone to wait.
About half an hour later, Jiang Shanlin called back quite punctually: "Chairman, I have someone I'd like to meet..."
***
承和三十七年西历2016年3月31日09:22临州城东郊
Three black luxury cars were driving on Linjiang Avenue. An Huiling was sitting in the back seat of the middle car, gazing thoughtfully at the river view outside the window.
"Miss, Mr. Fei from the Jiangdong headquarters has arrived at the Research Institute to greet us." Beside An Huiling, Mei'er sat up straight and reported to An Huiling. The vehicle was driving very smoothly, and there was not a sway to be felt inside.
"Hmm...Isn't he supposed to go to the Jiangdong headquarters tomorrow? Why did he come today?" An Huiling asked casually, brushing a strand of hair from her temple.
“President Fei said that this is the young lady’s first visit to the Research Institute, and he should accompany her,” Mei’er replied. After a slight hesitation, she added, “Perhaps… he wants to have more contact with the young lady.”
Mei'er naturally knew that since the young lady arrived in Linzhou, President Fei of the group's Jiangdong headquarters had made numerous overtures, including inviting her to provide guidance, requesting to report on work, and inviting her to banquets...
Of course, apart from the first courtesy visit to the Jiangdong headquarters, An Huiling instructed Mei'er to politely decline the visits on subsequent occasions. At the time, she was focused on her cultivation and did not want to bother with such welcoming and sending-off affairs.
As an observer, Mei'er saw things clearly. It was obvious that Mr. Fei wanted to hitch a ride on the young lady's coattails. Since the young lady recovered from her illness, it was said that Chairman An had, on several occasions, intentionally or unintentionally, praised his daughter for being "intelligent," "composed," and "persevering"...
Even the most slow-witted person could see that Chairman An was already paving the way for his daughter to take over the business. Qianluo was a business group founded by An Zhengquan. Although it absorbed some venture capital when it started, An Zhengquan, as the founder, undoubtedly held a very influential position, both in terms of equity and influence.
It's fair to say that there are countless people in the group who want to forge a good relationship with the young lady, or even try to curry favor with her. President Fei, being in a favorable position, is clearly also eager to make an effort.
After all, while President Fei is undoubtedly a high-ranking and powerful figure in the Jiangdong Province, he is not a true big boss within the entire group.
An Huiling simply smiled upon hearing this, without making any obvious comment. This visit was not something she had wanted herself; rather, it was arranged by her father so that she could not only recuperate but also learn about the family business and gain social experience.
Of course, as long as it didn't interfere with her cultivation, she didn't have much resistance to her father's arrangements. As for Mr. Fei's overtures, they were so obvious; she wasn't stupid, how could she not see through them? As for how to handle it, she didn't have any moral fastidiousness. Such favors and connections were unavoidable. As long as the other party was capable, she didn't think it would cause any damage to the family business. She decided to wait and see and not rush to express her opinion.
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承和三十七年西历2016年3月31日09:41千罗集团东南创研院丙字楼3楼宏图数据科技
"Everyone, please check your workstations one last time to make sure they are clean. If there is any trash around, please clean it up immediately." The HR person walked down the aisle, giving instructions to each workstation along the way.
Two major cleanings have been organized in the past few days, and each workstation has been cleaned quite thoroughly. At the same time, this large-scale cleanup has caused a lot of discussion among the employees, who are wondering which important person is coming to inspect the site.
However, when I left work yesterday, I received another notice requiring all employees not to take leave or be late the next day, to dress appropriately, and to clean their workstations again upon arrival.
When I arrived at work this morning, some well-informed employees were already saying that a really important person was coming this time...
Qian Ju sat in his seat, looking dejected and lost in thought. His colleagues around him were tidying up their workstations, chatting and laughing. However, his seat seemed to be isolated. Any colleague who made eye contact with him would unconsciously look away. He couldn't even make eye contact with anyone, let alone talk to anyone.
Everyone witnessed the scene of him being severely reprimanded by Director Wu Zhaoyu at the morning meeting. No one wanted to be caught in the crossfire, and he himself knew that many people were talking privately about when he would leave...
In fact, Qian Ju was already prepared to leave. However, his current concern was how to depart gracefully and avoid leaving a stain on his first job. Judging from Director Wu's current attitude, he would likely make things difficult for him in this regard.
Lost in thought, he didn't notice Jiang Ruotong gesturing to him from a distance, nor did he notice the avatar flashing in the lower corner of the screen in front of him.
Then, someone came to his seat and banged on it forcefully: "Your colleagues are all cleaning up, and you're just standing here daydreaming. Hurry up and clean your desk, what kind of mess is this..."
Looking up, Qian Ju saw his director, Wu Zhaoyu, standing impatiently beside him. Next to Wu Zhaoyu was a short, stout middle-aged man whom Qian Ju recognized. He had appeared at a department meeting before; Wu Zhaoyu was a vice president in charge of the department, surnamed Zhou.
Chapter 604 Welcome, Young Miss
I don't know when, but my colleagues around me had stopped talking. Some were actively tidying up the items on the table, some were wiping the tables and chairs, and some had already finished tidying up and were now putting on a hard-working posture.
Qian Ju glanced at his desk. He had just arrived at his post when he was called to the director's office to be reprimanded. His backpack was still on the desk, and his laptop was half-open, making it look a bit messy. Overall, it wasn't a big deal, but being reprimanded in public by Wu Zhaoyu made it seem like a terrible mistake.
His face immediately turned red, but Qian Ju knew he couldn't talk back to his boss at this time, or he would be the one to suffer. So he lowered his head and started tidying up the table.
Wu Zhaoyu glanced at him, then turned and accompanied Vice President Zhou to continue the inspection. Clearly, these two were also there to check on the preparations, indicating that the upcoming inspection was quite extraordinary.
Qian Ju mechanically tidied his desk with his head down, but he could hear Wu Zhaoyu and Vice President Zhou talking to each other:
"...this batch of interns..."
"...When problems arise...there's a lack of responsibility..."
"……………………"
"Yes... if you're not good at skills, you can learn... good character..."
"........."
"I can't stay...yes..."
"We need to communicate with the school administration... to emphasize... the importance of student development..."
These scattered conversations drifted over from afar... Qian Ju clenched his fists tightly, his face grim.
Soon, their conversation shifted to another topic. The vice president, Zhou, didn't offer any opinions from beginning to end. To him, an intern was just someone he didn't care about.
After circling the office area twice, the two left. Qian Ju felt angry, helpless, and even a little lost. He didn't want to work for a moment and leaned back in his seat. Only then did he notice the familiar flashing avatar at the bottom of the screen. He clicked on it and saw that his senior sister, Jiang Ruotong, was anxiously warning him to watch his back. Unfortunately, he hadn't seen it before.
He sighed and sent a "Don't worry" emoji.
His senior colleague immediately replied with a "pat on the head" emoji, which improved his mood somewhat. In fact, he and his senior colleague had already discussed resigning these past few days, and they had decided to leave together and find new jobs. So, strictly speaking, what had just happened was less of a blow and more of a frustrating experience for him. For a college student who hadn't even graduated yet, it had cruelly exposed the worst aspects of the workplace to him.
What worried him most was what kind of negative comments his supervisor, Wu Zhaoyu, would leave on his internship resume, which would affect his future job search.
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承和三十七年西历2016年3月31日10:13千罗集团东南创研院大门
In front of the gate of the Southeast Research Institute of Qianluo Group, more than a dozen middle-aged men in smart clothes stood, talking quietly to each other and glancing at their watches from time to time.
At this moment, the security guards who should have been sitting and drinking tea in the guardhouse were standing ramrod straight at their posts, looking as if facing a formidable enemy. After all, all the senior executives of the Research Institute were standing nearby; who would dare to sit in the guardhouse at this time?
“Old Zeng, Miss rarely goes out and it’s rare for her to come over. I know your mind is mainly on the Research Institute. But this time, don’t make any mistakes. Make sure to leave a good impression on Miss.”
"Putting everything else aside, when we're trying to get funding in the future, we should make sure to raise our voices a bit..." A middle-aged man with a high hairline and a dignified expression, standing outside the gate with his hands behind his back, was instructing another tall and thin middle-aged man beside him.
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