In the luxurious circular banquet hall, people had already started chatting in groups of twos and threes with wine glasses in their hands. The Paris Symphony Orchestra, which had been playing hard for nearly two hours, also paused for a short break.
This luxurious and grand "celebration banquet" is going through the opening, prelude, peak, and now the tired period.
Some older business tycoons and senior professional managers have been led by the Pino family's butler to sit down and rest in a quiet room.
Arthur Lagardère is nearly fifty years old, with a round face, fair skin, and slightly small facial features. He was in a room on the east side of the luxurious villa of the Pino family, pacing back and forth slightly uneasily.
Arnold Lagardère's confidant Carol Banks looked at her young master and hesitated to speak. He did not agree with this plan at all.
From his observation, Mr. Jing is a very pragmatic person!
First, given Mr. Jing’s strong financial resources and capital, if he were not pragmatic, he would not have been so low-key since coming to Paris on May 20. He could actually announce his arrival in Paris in a more high-profile manner!
Second, Mr. Wells accepted Bernard-Arnault's surrender.
You know, during the "negotiation" on the second floor of Publicis Groupe CEO Denton Glaser's villa on June 3, he made three clear demands and demanded an apology in public. But did Arnault do it?
Therefore, Mr. Jing will never care whether he apologizes in public or makes a statement on the official website like Arnault? What Mr. Jing cares more about is the benefits he gets.
But Arthur Lagardère didn't listen to him at all.
Dong Dong, there is a knock on the door.
"Please come in." Arthur Lagardère turned around and said.
Little Pino walked in with his entourage. There was no sign on his face that he had sold Arthur Lagardère. He smiled and said: "Arthur, I have already mentioned your matter to Mr. Jing. He said I want to see you. Let’s go!”
"Okay. Thank you!" Arthur Lagardère brought Carol Banks and four or five other entourages. Follow little Pino outside.
...
...
After Igao and Pino came in, they separated. Pino went to invite the guests to come over as witnesses and to invite Arthur Lagardère.
Jing Gao did not wait where he was, but took Ouyang Wan to join Dong Lingxi, Chen Qingshuang, and Dong Youwei. Several of them were communicating with the guests on the spot. Several Chinese businessmen were talking at this time.
As soon as he came over with Ouyang Wan on his arm, everyone stopped talking, and several people looked over with smiles.
Jing Gao was now familiar with this kind of social situation and said with a smile: "Lingxi, would you like to introduce these friends to me?"
Dong Lingxi introduced with a smile: "Mr. Jing, this is Mr. Chen Hanqing, a Chinese business leader from the UK. The Chen Group is mainly engaged in the sales of spirits, wine and other alcoholic beverages, investment, real estate, ocean trading and other businesses."
Chen Hanqing is in his fifties, of medium build, with black hair, full of energy, calm demeanor, and a mature charm that has been accumulated over time in the business world. He has a handsome appearance and looks like a middle-aged handsome guy. He Jianzhi has an extraordinary bearing and extraordinary style. At first glance, he looks like a leader.
Chen Hanqing said with a decent smile: "I am ashamed to be called the leader of British Chinese businessmen. We overseas wanderers must ultimately rely on our strong motherland!"
As he spoke, he took the initiative to extend his hand and said: "Mr. Jing, you severely defeated Bernard Arnault, the richest man in Europe, in France. You greatly increased the prestige of us Chinese and boosted the status of our Chinese businessmen in Europe. We Chinese have long admired the famous name, and today we met , full of comfort for life!"
Jing Gao had a very good impression of Chen Hanqing. Unlike some people, whether it is Ma Yun's era or Ma Yun's era, they are already drifting. Sooner or later something will happen. He smiled and said: "Mr. Chen, you are too polite. I was forced to fight back in self-defense! I will not attack others unless they attack me, but I will attack them if they attack me."
Everyone around him laughed in a dignified way.
Chen Hanqing nodded gently. When they met for the first time, this young Mr. Jing left a very deep impression on him. If you are not familiar with Chinese history, you will never understand what "self-defense counterattack" means. This is the essence of Chinese culture. For five thousand years, once the Central Plains dynasty started to fight back, the surrounding countries and tribes would be wiped out.
Two "counterattacks" since the founding of the People's Republic of China. For the first time, Ah San’s dream of becoming a world power and a leader of the Third World was shattered. Nehru died in depression the following year. The second time, all the industrial base in Monkey North was cut off.
There is also Mr. Jing quoting quotes casually. Anyone who can read all five volumes of "Selected Works of Mao Zedong" by heart will definitely be a top figure in terms of thinking logic, materialist dialectics, and fighting skills!
Dong Lingxi also introduced Chen Hanqing's brother-in-law, a German in his fifties named Alfonso Gilbert, who also had a baronetcy passed down from his ancestors.
He tries hard to remain calm, but with his high vision, experience, and emotional intelligence, one can feel that his character is slightly frivolous.
Dong Lingxi introduced Chen Hanqing's two partners in China: Xing Shijie and Qi Wenhan. Xing Shijie is also an in-law in Chen Hanqing's family. Obviously, this is a very good business closed loop.
There is also a Chinese businessman in France named Chu Yunfei.
This name is great.
Jing Gao socialized one by one and asked with a smile: "Do Mr. Chu and Mr. Tang know each other?"
Chu Yunfei was in his forties, with thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a high nose. He was wearing a crisp suit. He quickly said: "I know you. Mr. Jing. Basically, all Chinese businessmen who do business in Europe know Tang Jinxue."
After saying this, he said no more. He also didn’t help Tang Jinxue explain why, as a leader of Chinese businessmen in France, he didn’t come to the Pinault family’s “celebration banquet”?
Even if the Pinault family and Mr. Jing did not send an invitation, if you want to come, there is still a way. This kind of party and banquet is very grand, and the control is not strict. Guests can definitely come as long as the portions are enough.
Who is Jing Gao? Smiling and nodding, he signaled Dong Lingxi to entertain them, "Everyone, I'll excuse you. Lingxi, entertain the guests for me."
"Okay, Mr. Jing!" Dong Lingxi agreed with a chuckle. It's just that there was a coquettishness and sweetness in the tone of "Mr. Jing" that she didn't even notice.
Jing Gao took two steps to the side, met up with his subordinates, asked Dong Youwei, and whispered: "Youwei, how are the arrangements over there at Xixi?"
Dong Youwei reported: "Assistant Gu and her mother have already got in the car and returned to the () hotel in downtown Paris. Security has been arranged by President Qi."
Jing Gao said "hmm", looked around and asked curiously: "Isn't Teacher Zheng here?"
Chen Qingshuang, who was wearing a green suit and had a hot figure, smiled and replied: "Brother Jing, Teacher Zheng is very popular and has been invited to communicate."
Teacher Zheng has an elegant temperament and is very fluent in French. He has lived in France for nearly 20 years and has extensive knowledge. He has also published books in France. He is a typical and beautiful resume of a senior French intellectual!
Journalist, author, regular TV guest.
Moreover, Teacher Zheng came in with Brother Jing. Many people want to know their information, and Teacher Zheng is a good window and channel. Of course, Brother Jing’s spokesperson in France must be President Dong Lingxi.
"Haha! I think so." Jing Gao took a glass of champagne from the waiter and said with a smile: "Qingshuang, are you all a little bored? We'll go back later! There's one more thing to do."
Chen Qingshuang smiled, the bright and beautiful beauty, and nodded slightly: "Yeah." She didn't understand French, so she felt a little uncomfortable in the banquet.
While they were talking, the supermodels, movie stars, directors, professional managers, and designers who were still in the circular banquet hall noticed that the big bosses who had just disappeared returned to the hall one after another. Everyone had a premonition that something was about to happen.
When Arthur Lagardère walked into the banquet hall accompanied by Pinault, many people took a breath.
In the French fashion industry, many people know that LVMH Group and Kering Group are at odds. Known as: People from the Pinault family and the Arnault family never appear in public.
Anyone who is well-informed knows that the Lagardère Group and the Arnault family are family friends. Bernard Arnault and Arnold Lagardère had a close personal relationship.
Little Pino, dressed in a suit, smiled and invited Jing Gao over. At this time, the music stopped and everyone's eyes turned to this place, which became the center again.
Little Pino smiled slightly and calmly said to Axel Dumas of Hermès, Alain Wertheimer of Chanel, Jean-Paul Agon, CEO of L'Oreal, and others: "
The Lagardère family participated in the siege of the Zhaoshi Group. But in the current situation where Arnaud has surrendered to Mr. Jing, Arthur Lagardère decided to reconcile with Mr. Jing and apologize to him. Please join me as a witness. "
"Whoa whoa..."
There was a low uproar all around.
Axel Dumai, Alain Weitmaier, Jean-Paul Argonne and others all nodded slightly and looked at Arthur Lagardère.
Arthur Lagardère's face turned a little blue. He made up his mind to publicly apologize to Jing Gao, but he didn't expect that at this moment, he realized that it was really, really embarrassing! All kinds of shame welled up in his heart.
But thinking about the current situation, Igao has now freed up his hands - he has reached an agreement with Bernard Arnault and will definitely deal with him. He must give Jing Gao an explanation first.
There is also the vague calculation in his heart. I heard that Chinese people are very face-conscious, so he gave Ashui a high-profile face, so he hoped to pay less in terms of benefits.
If he really wants to spend billions of euros like Bernard Arnault, he really can't stand it.
Carol kept urging him. However, he is not a monarch like Bernard Arnault. His father is already lying on the hospital bed. No matter how generous he is in compensation, will he still have any prestige in the Lagardère Consortium in the future?
The Japanese bow at ninety degrees, and the Koreans kneel directly. What does his current situation mean? Fight.
"Mr. Jing, congratulations on your victory. I apologize to you on behalf of the Lagardère family!" Arthur Lagardère bowed slightly and greeted Jing Gao.
Listening to the translator next to Arthur Lagardère, Jing Gao smiled.
Dong Lingxi almost couldn't help but want to pull up Jing Gao's sleeves: Mr. Jing, you must not forgive him so easily! The various difficulties and difficulties faced by the Zhaoshi Group, regardless of the fact that the big boss behind the scenes is Arnault, are all executed by the Lagardère Consortium.
Mr. Thomas, the man who makes trouble and connects people everywhere, is an employee of the Lagardère Consortium.
Jing Gao said sarcastically: "We have a saying in China that money is hard to make and shit is hard to eat. Mr. Arthur Lagardère, you are quite generous. What's the matter? If you do something bad, just apologize. Can you get away with it?"
The assistant beside Jing Gao, Dong Lingxi, and his subordinates all chuckled.
It's hard to say what Jing Gao said, but compared with what happened to Zhaoshi Group: betrayal by management, attacks by public opinion, loan withdrawals from banks, rebellions and lawsuits by subordinate brands, and how hard they have been working in Paris these days, I can only say a few words about you. What?
As Ouyang Wan translated each sentence, many guests laughed out loud.
Arthur Lagardère was a little dumbfounded immediately, why the hell didn't you follow the routine? The expression on his face became stunned and gloomy. He turned to look at little Pino. Didn’t we have an agreement before?
Little Pino smiled and drank, as if it had nothing to do with him.
How did Arthur Lagardère not know that he was deceived by the "middleman"?
At this time, Jing Gao and other Ouyang Wan finished translating, and then said: "Arthur Lagardère, if I didn't question you, would you not even come up with the 60 million euros that you originally planned to compensate me?
Let me tell you clearly, I already hold 10% of the shares of the French Integrated Media Group, and you can decide what to do next. "
The power of the Lagardère consortium comes from the news media, and their French General News Group is also a listed company, and the Lagardère family's shareholding ratio is far from the safety line of 30%. Not to mention Bernard Arnaud, who owns more than 50% of the LVMH Group.
They own less than 10% of the shares and rely on years of operation and management to maintain control of the entire group.
The business tycoons and senior professional managers present all knew that it was impossible for Igao to take over the French News Group. If it came to that, the French government would interfere. But everyone's eyes gleamed. It’s like seeing a bloody storm about to happen in the capital market!
They are all weighing whether there is any possibility of profiting from this.
You must know that Bernard Arnault, the most natural ally of the Lagardère Consortium, has just escaped from the quagmire. He cannot protect himself in front of Mr. Jing, and his relationship with Arthur Lagardère has broken down. He will never wade into this muddy water.
so...
Before the anger in Arthur Lagardère's heart could rise, a basin of ice water was poured down on him by Jing Gao's words, making him feel chilly from head to toe and all over his body. He was almost frozen to the point of being unable to speak. .
"Mr. Jing... I'm sorry! I sincerely apologize to you. I hope you can give me some time! I'm sorry!"
Arthur Lagardère no longer bothered about the issue of face or bowing angle, he simply bowed at 90 degrees, then turned around and left the banquet. He now understands that apologizing to Jing Gao in public will not succeed, let alone negotiating terms in public! It was only right for him to leave now.
Therefore, he is like a clown today!
…
…
As Arthur Lagardal left with his entourage, the atmosphere in the banquet hall became cheerful!
I just enjoyed a good show.
Dong Lingxi, Ouyang Wan, Dong Youwei and others were in a happy mood. The main reason is that Mr. Jing is good at mocking, scolding and threatening!
Igao pressed Arthur Lagardère's face to the ground and rubbed it again and again, in public. Naturally, he was full of energy, chatting with the business tycoons around him, and receiving their explicit or implicit compliments.
Arthur Lagardère is a stickler. For such a big thing, he only wants to apologize in public and pay 60 million yuan in compensation. Among the tycoons and senior professional managers here, who doesn’t think he is a joke?
Connie Cruz, who was the most stunning model in the red dress, looked at the Chinese man chatting and laughing in the crowd. She couldn't help but moved quietly, preparing to go over and say hello to him. Be sure to leave your contact information this time.
At this time, Dong Youwei received a call and hurried out. Later, he came back and whispered in Jing Gao's ear: "Mr. Jing, someone from the embassy is here to see you."
