Chapter 145: Two Million, Count It

The Qijinyi-Yezhou Four-Shipping Alliance consists of members from four different regions.

Chen Weiqiang was somewhat surprised. Yuehua Shipping from Qilu, Changsong Shipping from Jinmen, and Kangming Shipping from Dongyi—these three enterprises each had a scale of around 500 million. They were leading enterprises in the Qijinyi region, and each was significantly stronger than Yamei Group.

He hadn't expected Hu Jingyi to have such significant influence, being able to form an alliance with these three companies.

Although these four united were not enough to shake the Five Shipping Alliance, they were enough to carve out a larger slice of the cake.

They could even bully those smaller, non-aligned shipping companies.

The bidders were mainly distributed across four regions: three in Jiangnan, two in Yezhou, four in the Northeast, and two in Qilu.

If they could contract all the orders from these 11 enterprises, they could profit at least ten billion.

But currently, there was no shipping company in Jiuzhou powerful enough to handle that, so they had to hold a public tender.

The most important condition for transportation was geographical location; choosing a nearby shipping company could save a massive amount of manpower and resources, and also improve transportation efficiency.

The grain exporters in the Jiangnan region would undoubtedly choose one of the companies from the Five Shipping Alliance; it was impossible for them to choose a shipping company from the Jinmen region, which was half a continent away.

"We have already analyzed the situation. We have the grain exports in the Jiangnan region firmly in our grasp. There is one in Qilu and two in the Northeast that are our long-term clients, and they will definitely choose us."

In business and political circles, it has always been easier to negotiate before or after a meeting, not during it.

Before the tender meeting, the Five Shipping Alliance, led by President Jiang, had basically already determined which companies would be their clients.

Three in Jiangnan, two in the Northeast—before the tender had even begun, President Jiang had already secured almost half of the grain exporters.

This was considered the most confidential information in the industry, yet President Jiang had told them without any hesitation.

"We also approached the two grain exporters in Qilu and Yezhou beforehand, but their attitudes were very ambiguous. I cannot be certain of their intentions."

There were two exporters each in Qilu and Yezhou; although there were only two, their geographical location was special, situated in the central region of Jiuzhou.

Qilu and Yezhou were adjacent, not far from Jiangnan, and also very close to Dongyi and Jinmen.

Whichever of these two regions one singled out, its export volume could match that of the four in the Northeast.

"Two in the Northeast have chosen to cooperate with them, and one in Qilu as well."

"I can tell you directly: the main competition in this tender meeting will be for Yezhou."

No matter how close Qijinyi was, it couldn't be closer than a local shipping company.

No matter how strong the Five Shipping Alliance was, they couldn't reach that far.

Zheng Qian had already checked the map beforehand; the two grain exporters in Yezhou were only 300 kilometers from Yenan Wharf and less than 200 kilometers from Yebei Pier.

It was only a two-hour drive.

"So what? What are you trying to say?" Zheng Qian asked directly.

"As a local shipping company in Yezhou, you have a unique advantage. We are willing to assist Zhengxin in securing the orders from the two Yezhou companies, but 90% of the orders must be transported by Asia Shipping."

"In exchange, I am willing to provide a three-year guarantee contract, ensuring that Zhengxin Shipyard's shipping schedule is full for three years. How about that?"

Zheng Qian gave a disdainful smile.

Was President Jiang joking?

Grain exports—such a huge cake, and she wanted to trade it for two lollipops?

Did she take him for a fool?

President Jiang meant that Zhengxin Shipyard couldn't handle the Yezhou orders, but she was willing to endorse Zhengxin Shipyard. With Asia Shipping as a background, they would certainly be able to secure them.

After securing them, Zhengxin Shipyard would only transport 10% of all orders, and the rest would be contracted by Asia Shipping.

"Why should we cooperate with you?" Zheng Qian raised an eyebrow, looking somewhat disdainful.

"Without the endorsement of Asia Shipping, I believe those two in Yezhou will not choose Zhengxin. Even if one of them chooses to cooperate with you, given your transportation capacity, it would be quite good if you could handle 20%."

President Jiang knew that Zheng Qian was still holding a grudge over some matters.

"President Zheng, I think I need to remind you: business is business, and emotions are emotions. You must not conduct business with emotions, affecting everyone's interests."

"I know you won the price war, but winning the price war shouldn't be the basis for you to make such decisions, right?"

20% of one Yezhou company could already bring Zhengxin tens of millions in profit. For a shipping company like Zhengxin, they had no reason to refuse.

"How do you know they won't choose us?" Zheng Qian continued to ask, his gaze toward President Jiang gradually sharpening.

"Heh, to transport the Yezhou orders, you need at least 35 ships, and each ship must be fully loaded."

"How many ships does Zhengxin have now? 10? 15?"

President Jiang couldn't be bothered to argue with Zheng Qian; it was meaningless. Speaking with data was the most reliable method.

Zhengxin Shipyard's transportation capacity clearly couldn't handle these two, and those two grain enterprises wouldn't choose a shipping company with only a dozen ships to transport their goods.

Shipping companies with deep foundations like Asia Shipping, Duster Shipping, and Tianxia Shipping were their first choices.

Kangming Shipping, Yuehua Shipping, and Changsong Shipping, although slightly weaker in strength and less competitive, still belonged to the second tier and were still within their range of choices.

Zhengxin Shipyard had only been established for half a year; its transportation capacity was not guaranteed, and its corporate strength was not recognized. President Jiang believed the two grain exporters in Yezhou wouldn't even consider it.

"If it weren't for the strategic cooperation agreement you signed a while ago, I wouldn't even have mentioned this matter, and you wouldn't even know about it, understand?"

President Jiang had never met such an unreasonable person. Previously, she had a pretty good impression of Zheng Qian; he was a person with business acumen.

Today, asking two retarded and brainless questions in a row caused her favorability toward Zheng Qian to drop to freezing point.

She certainly had teased Zheng Qian, but what did that have to do with this business deal?

Tens of millions in profit, placed right in front of you, and you don't want it?

"President Jiang, I can now formally notify you that the strategic cooperation agreement between our two companies is void."

Zheng Qian took the contract out of his pocket and tore it up right in front of President Jiang.

Chen Weiqiang: ???

What was Zheng Qian doing? Had he lost his mind?

Didn't he say he wasn't affected by President Jiang?

What was going on today? Why was he so abnormal?

Although they won the price war, this insurance contract was hard-won; he couldn't just tear it up like that! Keeping it was better than having nothing.

For this contract, Zheng Qian had apologized to President Jiang, run over in the middle of the night to deliver bags, and accepted her mockery.

Now he tore it up just like that; it was such a bad deal!

Chen Weiqiang hadn't known beforehand that Zheng Qian was going to do this.

If he had known, he definitely would have tried his best to dissuade him.

"What are you doing?" President Jiang was secretly shocked.

"President Chen, is this your intention? Can he represent Zhengxin Shipyard?"

President Jiang didn't yet know that Zheng Qian already held 90% of the shares of Zhengxin Shipyard; the current Zhengxin Shipyard was merely a subsidiary of Qianhe Group.

Chen Weiqiang was in a difficult position for a moment. Zheng Qian had already said it like that; how could he salvage it? He could only nod.

"Fine!" President Jiang was also a bit angry.

It was the first time she had been treated like this.

Tearing up a cooperation contract right in front of her, were they?

President Jiang didn't really care about the cooperation or not; it was mainly that it was too much of a slap in the face.

After seeing this expression on President Jiang, Secretary Du Bingbing subconsciously took two steps back.

She had been President Jiang's secretary for a long time and knew how terrifying this woman was when she got angry, and what extreme things she would do.

"Do you know what the outcome of doing this will be, and what the consequences will be?"

"Of course I do."

Bang.

Zheng Qian slammed a suitcase onto the table.

"This is two million in breach of contract damages. Count it."