Chapter 171: Making Waves Wherever He Goes
"500,000 tons of copper, 60 tons of gold, plus silver, lead, and zinc as by-products."
Although Niu Fu wasn't a technical expert, he had seen enough data over the years to grasp the significance. "That's a huge scale—it might just be the largest gold deposit in Tubo Province!"
"Director Chen called me earlier and mentioned that the data in this report is already outdated," Lang Hemin said with a smile. "The project is still progressing, and the real figures are likely much higher."
"Priceless," Niu Fu sighed. "Gold mines have always received special attention from top-level leadership."
"In fact, there's a great point of comparison: Zise Mining recently acquired the Jinyin Cave gold deposit in Qianzhou Province for over 100 million yuan."
"That's a big deal." Niu had been hearing the name of Zise Mining pop up more and more, even though it used to be a low-profile company.
"Jinyin Cave has reserves of 54 tons of gold," Lang said with a complicated expression. "Gongcun Copper-Gold Mine has already confirmed 60 tons. With continued exploration, it's bound to surpass 100 tons. Its value is certainly higher than Jinyin Cave's."
"Perhaps we should have placed more trust in Li Tang." Niu realized what the Gongcun project truly represented—they had missed the best chance to get involved, back when Li Tang first proposed the investment to them in person.
At that time, 50 million yuan might have been enough to secure a controlling stake.
Now, it wouldn't even get them in the door.
"Li Tang still shows gratitude—he came to us personally to discuss collaboration," Lang said, sipping tea and frowning slightly at the bitterness. "Unfortunately, we didn't know how to appreciate it."
"Gold reserves over 50 tons—that qualifies as a large-scale deposit," Niu said, catching another important detail. "Li Tang funded the exploration himself. As a private company, his application for a mining license wouldn't even make it past the first level of approval at the Mineral Resources Bureau. He can't get the mining rights unless he brings in a state-owned partner."
"He could apply for a copper mining license," Lang offered a potential workaround.
"With a project like this, though, the authorities will focus on the gold," Niu said knowingly. Some unwritten rules can only be understood through experience.
"When Director Chen called me, he had two main things to say: first, he asked why Li Tang resigned. Second, he shared the latest information on the Gongcun project," Lang explained. "Director Chen has always looked out for Wukuang Group."
That's one of the natural advantages of being a large state-owned enterprise—access to detailed, accurate, and early-stage information about key mineral deposits across the country.
A step ahead in intelligence means a step ahead in opportunity.
"The reason for the resignation…" Niu guessed it might have been related to last year's audit, which may have left Li Tang disheartened. There wasn't much they could explain to higher-ups now.
"We let a good comrade down," Lang said with a sigh. He had heard some rumors but hadn't looked into them closely.
Niu had once thought that after Li Tang hit some walls out in the real world, he could personally invite him back. With his reputation, surely he could persuade Li Tang to return.
But now? Li Tang was thriving—soaring in the skies outside the system.
There was pride in that… but also a touch of regret.
Trying to shake the feeling, Niu changed the subject. "Did Director Chen hint that the higher-ups want us to get involved in Gongcun?"
Lang shook his head. "No, he was just sharing information."
"If we were to consider acquiring Gongcun now, we'd need to carefully assess feasibility. A mine like this won't sell for just a few million anymore—it's going to cost in the hundreds of millions."
Niu knew such a deal would face enormous hurdles—especially when it came to capital and approval processes.
"Let's find a time to meet with Li Tang," Lang suggested. "He's someone who values relationships. There's still room to talk."
"I'll have someone reach out," Niu said, gathering up the documents. "I'll take this to the technical department and have them analyze the data. We need an internal evaluation."
"That kid really knows how to stir things up—wherever he goes, there's a buzz," Lang couldn't help but laugh. "The more I learn about him, the more I like him!"
…
Xiao Yongyue was the boss of Gaolu Potash Fertilizer Company, holding a controlling stake. His word was law.
But the empire wasn't his alone.
On the wealth rankings and in major public events, the name most often associated with his fortune was "Xiao Yongyue and Lin Jiefen"—husband and wife.
At sixteen, Xiao had moved to Gaolumu City to make his fortune. In a few short years, he built a foundation and carved out a kingdom.
He owed it to his boldness, his resourcefulness, and his ability to charm every kind of connection.
But behind his success stood a woman who managed logistics and supported him financially.
Behind every successful man is a capable woman.
To invest 20 million yuan into Gongcun, Xiao had the final say—but it was Lin Jiefen who controlled the purse strings.
"Gongcun is a large deposit. You can see it clearly in the documents—it has serious potential!" he said, laying a stack of reports on the table in front of her.
"Four to five billion yuan in economic value! The mining market is undervalued right now. In one or two years, copper and gold prices will soar. This license could go from a few million to billions! Just look at this year's iron ore negotiations. You'll see I'm right—let's talk again at the end of the year."
He repeated Li Tang's entire forecast about the market's direction for the next few years.
Lin Jiefen looked up at him and asked flatly, "How much do you want to invest?"
"Twenty million."
"The company can't just conjure up twenty million," she said, rolling her eyes. "Besides, are you sure this project is reliable?"
"Absolutely!" Xiao was eager to persuade her. "I've been there several times. I saw the copper and gold with my own eyes. And if anyone dares scam me, I'll twist their head off!"
"I heard several gold projects in our city have failed badly. The investors went home to raise sheep."
"You've heard of Li Tang, right? He's the guy who discovered Qulong and Qinglong. If we don't invest now, we'll regret it later!"
"You're serious about this?" Lin Jiefen had always supported his work. But she handled the finances, and this was a large sum—caution was warranted.
"Absolutely. If we miss this deal, we'll stay stuck in Gaolumu forever. We'll never break out."
"I still think potash has a huge market. Isn't that enough to keep us busy?"
"But we can't miss this chance! Twenty million is only a few months' profit if our potash business stays steady."
Then Xiao laid all his cards on the table: "Actually, I'm thinking about acquiring the entire Gongcun license. It would take about 150 million…"
"150 million?!"
That jolted Lin Jiefen upright. "Are you crazy?!"
"I'm not being reckless. I consulted several experts first. They all say it's promising."
"A 150-million investment could impact our entire potash business."
"I get it. Let's take it step by step—start with the 20 million. But we need to move quickly."
"We do have a payment coming in. You can use that," Lin agreed. "But since you're putting in this much money, don't just throw it in and walk away like last time. I suggest we place a few of our own people in the joint venture's finance department. We need oversight."
"Actually, that reminds me—" Xiao looked at her and said, "Remember your niece? The one we visited over the holiday? She just graduated, right? Studied accounting? Works at our company now?"
"Her name's Lin Xiaoshu. She works for me. Why?"
"Bring her here so I can meet her. She's pretty…"
Smack!
Lin Jiefen slapped Xiao across the shoulder. "You old pervert! What are you scheming?!"
He didn't get angry—just smiled and defended himself. "Hear me out! Li Tang is rich, capable, and has connections! You wouldn't believe the respect he gets in Yanjing. And he's still young—and unmarried!"
That made Lin Jiefen perk up. "He's a princeling from Yanjing?"
"Not sure, but he has serious backing."
Xiao saw this as the perfect setup. "I've spent a lot of time with him. He's cultured, smart, and going places. If Lin Xiaoshu ended up with him, she'd be set for life!"
Lin Jiefen looked intrigued but cautious. "Young people need to decide for themselves. It's all about free love now."
"Which is why we need to give them the opportunity," Xiao said. Despite his rough exterior, he clearly had a subtle side.
"Alright, I'll talk to Xiaoshu."
Xiao was delighted. If they became in-laws, the deal would be that much easier to secure.
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