93: Chapter 94 Rebuilding the Economic Order

As this bottomless, money-burning subsidy war entered its most stalemated finale, time had quietly slipped toward the end of 2011.

Shanghai, the Shen Family ancestral home.

In the quiet backyard, the Shen Family Elder sat alone in a mahogany Taishi chair, draped in a heavy wool coat.

Quietly observing the battle report that had just been delivered to his hands.

The figures of capital consumption on the battle report were shocking.

Yet, in the Elder's deep and weathered eyes, there was not even a ripple of emotion.

As the true ballast behind this earth-shattering game of chess.

He knew better than anyone that this life-and-death struggle between Northern Capital and Southern capital had reached its most critical tipping point.

"The timing is finally right…"

The Elder slowly closed the battle report, letting out a long, meaningful sigh.

He had keenly grasped the truth behind the state of the battle.

In these months of bloody, frantic escalation, the Shanghai Merchants camp, led by Shen Du.

Had completely shattered the mettle of the South and their determination to burn their bridges.

And looking at the opposite side, although the Beijing Circle was still gritting their teeth and holding on.

The panic and dilemma permeating the upper echelons of Northern Capital could no longer be concealed.

Both sides had reached the end of their rope.

If they were allowed to continue burning through money at this point, the entire country's commercial vitality would be destroyed.

What they lacked now was simply a way out that would convince everyone.

Or rather… a supreme will capable of directly flipping the entire table!

The Elder did not hesitate in the slightest and stood up abruptly.

In that instant, the iron-fisted resolve that had once dominated the scene erupted from this septuagenarian.

"Prepare the car, go to the airport."

The Elder called for his guard, his tone revealing an unquestionable decisiveness: "Arrange a private jet, fly directly to Beijing today."

In the following days.

This Elder, who possessed immense prestige in both the political and business circles of China.

What kind of political maneuvering took place in the deep mansions of Beijing was unknown to the outside world.

People only knew.

That meeting, which had originally been in the high-level plans long ago.

But had been forcibly delayed by various factions due to this unprecedented North-South commercial war.

A major economic conference that had long been unable to be scheduled.

On the third day after the Elder arrived in Beijing, it was suddenly pushed into action with thunderous force!

A top-tier conference concerning the next decade of China and the national economic lifeline.

Like the Sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of all capital, it finally fell heavily, settling the matter with one blow.

The date was officially set for: December 28, 2011!

Just as the Beijing and Shanghai sides were fighting until they were battered and bruised in the Yangtze River Delta capital slaughterhouse, both falling into a state of extreme weakness and deadlock.

The situation in the entire Chinese business world was actually at a point of extreme danger.

Other regional financial tycoons who had been lurking in the shadows, long salivating over the fat piece of meat that was Shanghai.

And those international hot money speculators who feared nothing but peace, could finally no longer hold back.

They were like a flock of vultures circling above carrion.

Ready at any moment to take advantage of the weakness and intervene in the Yangtze River Delta conflict.

Attempting to get a slice of the pie in this century-defining struggle, or even wanting to swallow the remains left by both Beijing and Shanghai in one fell swoop.

However, before this group of bloodthirsty warlords could truly cross the natural barrier of the Yangtze River and bare their fangs.

A chilling rumor was uncharacteristically released in advance through the highest official channels!

There were no lengthy documents, nor any ambiguous bureaucratic jargon.

The authorities simply released a brief, understated sentence to the outside world through a few core mouthpiece media outlets:

"The domestic economy will undergo a thorough transformation after this conference!"

The four words "thorough transformation" were like a thunderclap on a flat plain.

Striking hard upon the heads of all the capital giants who were preparing to fish in troubled waters!

In China, the core iron law of doing business is "listening for the sound and identifying the position".

Those financial tycoons who had spent half their lives struggling in the sea of commerce knew better than anyone.

The authorities were always precise in their wording; once they used a term as subversive as "thorough transformation".

It meant that the state machinery had reached its limit of tolerance for the current disorderly and barbaric expansion of capital.

And was preparing to step in personally to reshape the rules!

Based solely on the absolute deterrent power of this one sentence, a miraculous scene occurred.

Those that had originally completed their assembly through various secret channels.

And even third-party international hot money and local speculative capital that had already completed their cross-border bridging procedures.

Seemed to have instantly crashed into an invisible wall of sighs.

Over three billion dollars in massive capital, prepared to flood into the Yangtze River Delta to make a fortune from the war.

Slammed on the emergency brakes overnight!

All the traders issued retreat orders in fear.

These three billion dollars were forcibly and firmly pressed into Hong Kong's offshore accounts and various capital pools.

Not daring to inject even a dime into the Shanghai battlefield.

This was a physical barrier imposed by the supreme will!

It used the most overbearing, unquestionable method to completely cut off all channels for external forces to intervene in the Shanghai battlefield.

And released a very clear signal to the whole world:

The table has been taken over by the authorities.

No one is allowed to act rashly again!

December 28, on this ordinary winter day that should have been for the Chinese business world to prepare for year-end reviews and networking.

The entire domestic business circle fell into a strange silence.

Whether it was the Beijing Circle giants living in the deep mansions of Beijing, or the Shanghai Merchants masters sitting in top-tier office buildings along the Huangpu River.

Or even those local financial tycoons far away in the Pearl River Delta and other provinces of the Yangtze River Delta.

At noon on this day, everyone seemed to have lost their appetite for socializing.

They ate lunch early and canceled all meetings and itineraries.

Locking themselves in their most private offices or studies, staring fixedly at the television screen in front of them.

Exactly 2:00 PM.

As a few figures representing the state's supreme will slowly stood firm at the main seats in the official press conference hall.

This major conference, destined to be recorded in the annals of Chinese business history and lasting a full three hours, officially began.

"With the advent of the new era, China has completely integrated with the international community.

The rapidly changing industries that follow are constantly emerging from the market…"

The voice from the television was steady and deep, yet carried an irresistible, immense force.

This was not some seminar for discussion or exploration.

But the issuance of a top-level government decree that was straightforward, even bordering on "explicit"!

Each subsequent new regulation was like a heavy hammer, striking hard at the hearts of all the giants who attempted to use capital to monopolize everything.

"Next, in all first-tier cities across the country, the government will take the lead to fully enter into and support the development of the technology industry."

The spokesperson's voice traveled through the screen to the ears of every business mogul:

"At the same time, all existing traditional industries in the country.

Any enterprise involved in core livelihood and stable employment, and which has reached a certain scale.

Will all establish a new labor protection red line.

Once the standard is reached, 30% of state-owned capital will be forcibly invested to conduct joint management!"

Once these words were spoken, the entire national business world was shocked!

This meant.

Capital would no longer be able to do whatever it wanted in those industries that concerned the livelihood and survival of the ordinary people.

The national team officially entered the game.

Using a 30% equity bottom line to forcibly put an inescapable shackle on the furiously advancing capital.

But this was only the prelude.

What truly made all the grassroots workers boil with excitement, and made all the unscrupulous, black-hearted capitalists tremble.

Was the new era labor iron law that was to be issued next!

"Effective immediately, the country will implement a unified labor red line…

Strongly implementing strict measures that force 'five social insurances and one housing fund' to be linked to salary and benefits.

The coverage will be unprecedentedly broad, and no enterprise may deduct or evade it for any reason!"

"To ensure the absolute enforcement of this bill, labor bureaus across the country will be completely independent of the local administrative system and under the direct control of the highest level!

To eliminate all local protectionism, corruption, and malicious exploitation of labor protection by capital!"