dmims Page 245
Page 245
Soon, whether by accident or design, the news that the newly appointed Governor of Hong Kong, Peng Jiakang, had invited Li Jun to his inauguration dinner spread like wildfire, shocking all sectors of Hong Kong society within just one hour.
Everyone is speculating what kind of sparks will fly when the new Governor of Hong Kong meets Li Jun, who has been 'missing' for half a year, for the first time...
[152] Big figures gather in Hong Kong Island; Governor of Hong Kong yields to Li Jun.
Mengzhi Club is a 7-story building.
The design was undertaken by the renowned Chinese-American architect I.M. Tang, who was commissioned by Judy Tong at great expense.
As instructed by Li Jun, the entire building, both visible and invisible, was constructed using the most expensive materials.
The principle is that even 30 years from now, this should still be one of the best clubs in all of East Asia.
For this reason, the cost of this building, which is only 7 stories high, even exceeded that of the Shimao Group headquarters building, reaching an astonishing HK$23 billion.
When Judy traveled to Marbacher Island to collect sperm, she jokingly said that the entire Monde Club was made of gold.
‘Ring ring ring~’
Just as Mona was showing Li Jun the electric bathtub in the suite's bathroom and was about to demonstrate how to use it, a phone rang.
Li Jun took out his mobile phone from his suit pocket and pressed the answer button.
"Mr. Li Jun, I am Damon. Do you remember me?"
The voice of Damon, the former official in charge of the Governor's Residence, came through the receiver.
"Oh, it's Mr. Damon. What, you didn't go back to the United States with Eugene?"
Li Jun asked with a smile.
"The Chief Minister appreciated me and put me in charge of the Administrative Secretary's Office."
On the other end of the phone, Damon frowned slightly upon hearing Li Jun's words, his tone softening as he spoke slowly.
Then, before Li Jun could speak again, Damon continued, "Mr. Li Jun, the Chief Executive asked me to inform you that the Governor has invited you to a dinner tonight at the Governor's Residence. Please arrive before eight o'clock..."
"and many more."
Before Damon could finish speaking, Li Jun interrupted him, "Director Damon, if I heard correctly, you just said that the Governor of Hong Kong invited me to a dinner, right?"
“Yes, Mr. Li Jun…”
“Director Damon, I don’t know your Western customs, but in our Chinese culture, guests must be invited by the host in person. I’ve never heard of notifying someone to attend a banquet. It shows no sincerity at all. It’s better not to attend such a banquet.”
Damon had barely opened his mouth when Li Jun interrupted him once again.
"Mr. Li Jun, perhaps I misspoke just now, please forgive me."
Upon hearing Li Jun's words, a cold glint flashed in Damon's eyes, and his anger flared up instantly. However, he quickly suppressed his anger. He was no longer the former officer in charge of the Governor's Residence. Although he was in charge of the Administrative Secretary's Office, he was essentially a temporary worker and couldn't afford to mess up the task that Shi Kang had asked him to do.
“Director Damon, there is nothing wrong with your statement. It’s just that I don’t want to attend a banquet that lacks sincerity, lest I feel uncomfortable, and the host of the banquet also feel uncomfortable seeing me.”
After saying this with a smile, Li Jun hung up the phone.
Then, he looked at Mona and said with a smile, "Mona, how do you use this electric bathtub?"
Li Jun just made up an excuse to criticize Damon.
He knew very well that Peng Jiakang's invitation to the dinner party was bound to be a bad one. Since the new Governor of Hong Kong had delivered himself to his doorstep, Li Jun would have to give him a slap in the face and a show of force to justify his initiative.
'Beep beep beep~'
Hearing the busy tone from the other end of the phone, Damon's face instantly turned extremely ugly. He slammed the mobile phone he was holding onto his desk with a loud 'bang'.
After a few seconds of hesitation, Damon picked up the phone next to him and dialed a number.
“Provincial Governor, I just spoke with Li Jun on the phone, but that fellow Li Jun…”
Damon recounted his carefully revised dialogue to Shi Kangfu in detail.
In Damon's words, Li Jun was a capricious lunatic who would suddenly go crazy and refuse to attend the Governor's dinner, thus slapping the Governor in the face.
"Okay, Damon, I understand."
After listening to Damon's words, Shi Kang pondered for a moment before slowly speaking and then hanging up the phone.
Hearing Shi Kang's words, Damon finally breathed a sigh of relief.
In the United Kingdom, civil servants are divided into two types: political appointees and administrative appointees.
Political officials are elected by voters or directly recruited by high-ranking government officials. These civil servants are not on the official payroll. If they lose an election or if high-ranking government officials step down, they will be dismissed.
Civil servants, also known as public servants, are considered to have a secure job in the United States. They are responsible for implementing various government measures. For example, the vast majority of employees in the British Hong Kong government were civil servants.
Because of the special status of the Chief of Staff at the Governor's Residence, Damon was also a political officer. After Eugene, who had recruited him, stepped down, he was also "unemployed" and had to go back to the British Colonial Office to see if there were any other jobs.
However, he was soon recruited by Shi Kang, which meant he kept his job.
That's why Damon feels insecure about everything he does now.
However, Shi Kang had no time to care whether his office 'director' was feeling guilty. He went straight to Peng Jiakang's office and explained to Peng Jiakang in detail why Li Jun had refused the invitation.
"Mr. Governor, you seem to be in a bad mood?"
As before, Peng Jiakang finished his work first before looking up at Shi Kang and asking with a smile.
“Mr. Governor, the tradition of holding a banquet after the Governor takes office has been going on for almost 70 years, and no one has ever refused the Governor’s invitation. Li Jun’s actions are a public slap in the face to our British Hong Kong government.”
Shi Kang said coldly.
“Mr. Governor, fifteen years ago, I served as Jason Merri’s secretary in Scotland. You should know Mr. Merri, right?”
Peng Jiakang said with a smile.
"of course."
Shi Kang nodded in agreement.
Jason Merri is a prominent American politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom for two consecutive terms and is hailed as one of the most outstanding prime ministers in the United Kingdom since World War II.
It's worth mentioning that Jason Merry is Scottish. For a Scotsman to receive such praise in the United States speaks volumes about his excellence.
“Mr. Merri once told me that at all times, one must remain calm and keep oneself in an absolutely composed state. Politics is more brutal than war, and any action taken in a moment of passion could end a person’s political career.”
As Peng Jiakang inserted the pen into its cap, he looked at Shi Kang and said calmly.
“Governor, I understand what you mean.”
Shi Kang nodded slowly.
“Mr. Chief Executive, it is perfectly normal for Li Jun to refuse to attend my dinner. If he could be summoned and dismissed at will, he would not be worthy of being the biggest threat to the Hong Kong British government in Mr. Eugene’s words.”
Peng Jiakang smiled.
“Mr. Governor, what should we do now? Pretend nothing happened?”
Shi Kang looked at Peng Jiakang and spoke slowly.
After hearing Shi Kang's words, Peng Jiakang smiled and shook his head, saying calmly, "Provincial Governor, I know you may be a little reserved because you are in awe of my previous status in the Zu family. However, from now on we will be comrades-in-arms fighting side by side. You don't need to play any role in front of me. Just be yourself."
"Hehe, Governor, I'll remember your words."
Shi Kang gave an awkward smile.
Clearly, he knew he had overdone his act. How could a seasoned politician who had worked for the Hong Kong British government for nearly 40 years say something like "pretend nothing happened"? Shi Kang was actually deliberately setting a trap to boost Peng Jiakang's reputation.
"I'll call Li Jun myself later. He wants sincerity, right? I'll call him personally. That should be enough to show my sincerity."
Peng Jiakang said with a smile.
"Governor, you personally invited that kid Li Jun, isn't that...?"
Upon hearing Peng Jiakang's words, Shi Kang showed a hint of surprise.
In fact, even the managers of HSBC and Jardine Matheson were notified by the Governor's Office clerk.
In recent decades, the only people on Hong Kong Island who could receive a personal invitation from the Governor to attend a banquet were the former head of the Wo Shing Tong and the former commander-in-chief of the East River Guerrilla Force.
Both of them were armed, but Li Jun...
'Well, Li Jun has a gun too,' Shi Kang thought to himself.
“Mr. Governor, the Chinese believe in courtesy before force. I have given them enough courtesy. If Li Jun is ungrateful, then he cannot blame me for using force.”
Peng Jiakang smiled slightly and spoke slowly.
……
Mengzhi Club.
Li Jun is working with Meng Na to figure out how to use the new electric bathtub.
‘Ring ring ring~’
Just then, the mobile phone next to the bathtub rang.
"Which one?"
After Li Jun picked up the mobile phone, he paused its automatic mode, and Mengna turned on her fully automatic mode.
“Mr. Li Jun, I am the Governor of Hong Kong, Peng Jiakang.”
A foreigner's voice, neither fully fluent nor fully fluent, came through the receiver.
Clearly, the new Governor of Hong Kong did a lot of preparation before taking office, such as learning Chinese in advance.