In early September, Zhang Heng went to Xiangjiang Chinese University to register for admission.

Starting from this academic year, all department managers and above of Daheng Group are required to participate in the business management training course specially organized by Heung Kong Chinese University for Daheng Group, which is a semester of one year, three times a week, and the time is arranged in the evening.

This is a major event that Zhang Heng discussed with Jian Yueqiang, chairman of the school council, and Li Zhuomin, the principal of the school, in July.

Of course, Zhang Heng not only has to take this course, but also applies for the audit qualification of the Department of Electronics for himself and an engineer of Daheng Technology, as long as they are interested in any course of the department, they can go over to audit at any time after obtaining the consent of the supervisor, as long as it does not affect the project they are responsible for.

In order to encourage supervisors and engineers to continue to recharge, the Administration Department has formulated a strict and meticulous reward and punishment system, and those who study hard and study well are rewarded, including salary increases and promotions.

Before he could take the first course, a phone call came from Walter in France, and Zhang Heng immediately led a large team and hurriedly stepped on a flight to France.

Twenty hours after the flight, at Charles de Gaulle Airport, Zhang Heng met Walter and his local partner, Jules, senior vice president of Crédit Lyonnais, and after a brief greeting, the group took several Renault wagons prepared by the other party and quickly left the airport.

Located on the left bank of the Seine, the hotel booked for Zhang Heng and his entourage is a five-star hotel called Maurice, which is said to have a history of 140 years, and has stayed with celebrities such as Kaiser Wilhelm II and the last Tsar, as well as cultural celebrities such as Monet and Dalí.

Zhang Heng's luxury suite is said to have also lived in many celebrities, he didn't ask carefully, and he didn't have time to appreciate the complicated and gorgeous European decoration in the suite, as soon as he entered the living room, he quickly set up a formation and entered the theme with the other party.

Walter has been in France for ten days, he was previously commissioned by Zhang Heng to conduct research on Lacaste, explore the possibility of mergers and acquisitions, at the end of August, he got an important news, Lacaste's founder Rene Lacoste is seriously ill, so he flew directly to France with a team, and stayed in the hotel to pay attention to the latest developments of the situation.

Just three days ago, Rene Lacoste died, and a fierce conflict broke out within the Lacaste family over the inheritance, and Walter immediately notified Zhang Heng to come over.

Mr. Zhang, Rene formed a family trust two years ago and holds 74.3% of Lacoste SA's shares through this trust, which is legally owned by four people, Rene's wife, son, and two daughters. ”

"According to the preconditions set by Rene, the four holders of the family fund make a unanimous decision, then the custodian of the fund must act in accordance with this decision, and half of the people make a motion, then the custodian can make the most financially interested choice, accept or reject. ”

The next person to give Zhang Heng a detailed account of the family unrest was Jules, who worked at Crédit Lyonnais, which was also the direct custodian of the Lacoste family trust.

On the night of Rene's death, his two daughters offered to sell their family fund's stake in Lacaste, divide the proceeds equally, and each develop their own businesses, a proposal that their mother and brother flatly refused.

On the one hand, the son and the mother strongly opposed the proposal of the two daughters, naturally because according to the fund setting, they share the proportion of the proceeds higher than the other party, and if the shares are sold, then the money can only be divided equally, and the motion of the two daughters is also because of this careful consideration.

Originally, this family strife had nothing to do with them as neutrals, but the war of the Lacoste family was irretrievably burned on them, and because of the terms of the half-number motion in the terms of the fund, the Lyon Trust Bank was put on fire.

How to choose?

Since last year, the European economy has been in a downturn, and Lacaste's share price has been on the downside.

If it is sold at this time, it may still be able to sell at a high point, and in accordance with the principle of professional neutrality, Crédit Lyon should support this motion.

But once the motion is supported, Rene's son and wife, who are extremely dissatisfied, will definitely launch countless overt or covert counterattacks against the bank through the family's reasonable network of contacts.

Although Crédit Lyon has a clear conscience, it will still be troublesome to deal with some counterattacks, let alone some counterattacks.

At this juncture, when the partner Goldman Sachs revealed that a target customer was interested in Lacoste SA (the acronym of French AG), CLSA immediately responded positively.

The cost of accommodation for this trip to France was borne by them on their own initiative.

"Jules, after listening to your introduction, I think the key issue is not whether the shares held by the fund can be sold, but the different attitudes of the family towards the income distribution mechanism. ”

But as a professional fund custodian, we believe that if we can find a buyer who is willing to pay a reasonable price for these shares in the short term, we can be worthy of Rene's entrustment and have a clear conscience in the face of any doubts. ”

"In other words, do you want to sell at a better price than the market price?" Zhang Heng keenly heard his words.

Jules nodded: "Yes, this is the best return that Crédit Lyon has made for its customers." ”

"Mr. Jules, you go to the rest meeting next door first, and I will have a good talk with Mr. Zhang. ”

After sending him away, White gave off his tie and grinned, "Their reserve price is 10 points above the market price." ”

"74.3% of the shares, what is the current market value?"

"200 million francs. ”

"That is, I have to pay an extra $5 million, so I don't deserve to be the wrongdoer. The exchange rate of the French franc with the US dollar at this time was 4 to 1, Zhang Heng shook his head again and again, "Anyway, it is the Crédit Lyon bank that is on fire, let's wait and see, please go to Germany for me first." ”

"It's an honor to serve you, my Billionaire Sir. Walter bowed and made a European aristocratic salute.

Lin Liang, who had been listening, suddenly said: "Can you communicate privately with these four people and urge them to reach an agreement internally?"

Walter shook his head solemnly: "It's impossible, the sisters really want to sell their shares immediately, even if it's a few points lower than the current price, and the mother and son won't agree to this plan unless they're crazy." ”

Zhang Heng said puzzledly: "After listening to Jule's introduction, there is a question that I have always been unable to figure out, as the founder and patriarch of the family, why did Rene set up a half-number clause, isn't this causing trouble to the heir?"

Walter smiled: "My friend, maybe I can explain to you, Rene should not have set this clause for his first generation, but for the next two or three generations, if half of the descendants of the family with a large number of branches and leaves at that time do not want to run the property left by their ancestors, Rene thinks it is time for the custodian bank to make the most favorable decision." ”

Lin Liang was puzzled: "Then why didn't he take into account that there was a problem in the first generation?"

Walter sneered: "His two daughters have been acting for decades, and no one would have guessed that they would have the idea of turning their faces immediately after their father's death." ”

"Family, inheritance, civil strife, escrow funds, it's really troublesome. Zhang Heng put his hands in his mind, frowned and thought wildly.

"Hey, my friend, you're thinking about it too early!" Walter leaned over and looked at him ambiguously, "but I heard that you have another little lady in Xiangjiang, and you will be in no less trouble than Rene in a few decades." ”

Zhang Heng said angrily: "Your news is very distorted, I have never acted actually." ”

"It's not a matter of time!" Walter got up and triumphantly took a bottle of red wine from the wine cabinet, "the red wine of Château Lafite, the delicacy that the Rothschilds have gifted to the world, try it?"

"82 years?" Zhang Heng blurted out.

"My friend, it is true that the great Monsieur Verne was once inhabited in this room, and have you received the inspiration he left behind?" said Walter, laughing playfully.

Zhang Heng smiled: "Just kidding, let's have a drink." ”