Chapter 1764 Negotiations (Part 2)

Zhao Fusheng remembered once discussing a question with someone.

Whether a change in fate truly resembles the butterfly effect, where an insignificant decision can affect the entire world.

Also, whether a person's fate could be stirred into towering waves by a certain person, an insignificant little figure in one's life.

They say history has inertia, but what about fate?

If the trajectory of a person's fate changes, will it one day return to the starting point?

Time and fate—even though Zhao Fusheng had been reborn, he still held them in great awe.

He knew very well that although he couldn't control these things, he wouldn't give up out of fear.

In Zhao Fusheng's previous life, Lee Jae-hyun and his father Lee Maeng-hee ended up with one dying in a foreign land and the other in prison.

And now, after Lee Jae-hyun made that crazy proposal, Zhao Fusheng admitted that he was tempted.

Since one is alive, one must seek fairness. It's fine to live by schemes, betrayal, calculation, and expediency, but one must never lose sight of one's position.

Simply put, whether you choose to be a good person or a bad person, you must at least know who you are and what you should do.

Zhao Fusheng naturally knew what he should do; he was just afraid that Lee Jae-hyun didn't.

Although he knew that Lee Jae-hyun's decision now was largely sincere, the problem was whether this guy could truly represent CJ Group.

Could he represent the shareholders behind him?

Or, after taking over Lee Jae-hyun's shares, would he face attacks from Lee Mi-kyung and others at CJ?

These were all issues that Zhao Fusheng and Zheng Yao needed to worry about.

So, after Dong Chenxi raised that doubt, Zhao Fusheng decisively chose to follow her advice.

Call Lee Jae-hyun's side.

Zhao Fusheng said to Zheng Yao, "I want to speak with Lee Jae-hyun."

Zheng Yao nodded and quickly went out to make the call. Moments later, she returned with the phone.

It's Lee Jae-hyun.

Zheng Yao covered the receiver and said to Zhao Fusheng.

Zhao Fusheng nodded and took the phone.

Chairman Zhao, is there something you need?" Lee Jae-hyun said politely to Zhao Fusheng.

After returning to his residence, he had been discussing this matter with his father, but their discussion differed from Zhao Fusheng's side. They were analyzing whether Zhao Fusheng would accept Lee Jae-hyun's proposal.

After all, the proposal sounded too crazy.

Not to mention Zhao Fusheng, even Lee Jae-hyun himself, before coming to China, had never imagined he would come up with such a crazy idea.

People are like that. Often, they dare not even think about or do certain things, but once the idea emerges and they act on it, they find it's not such a big deal.

This is not a joke; it's a fact.

Take Lee Jae-hyun now. If a week ago someone had suggested he exchange his CJ Group shares for Zhao Fusheng's support and Samsung shares, Lee Jae-hyun would have thought that person had a problem with their mind.

But after that moment of madness, he suddenly realized that perhaps this approach could indeed break the deadlock.

After all, no matter what, his father's health was declining day by day. Neither he, nor his sister Lee Mi-kyung, nor his younger brother Lee Jae-hwan, could possibly be a match for their uncle Lee Kun-hee.

To put it bluntly, they were of the grandson generation and had no qualification to compete with Lee Kun-hee for their grandfather Lee Byung-chul's legacy.

Only while their father was still alive could they quickly get themselves onto Samsung's board of directors, thus having the opportunity to become Lee Kun-hee's opponent.

Even if their father Lee Maeng-hee passed away, it wouldn't matter; it wouldn't stop the eldest branch's revenge against Lee Kun-hee.

As for Lee Maeng-hee, he was already old.

He knew very well that his son's goal, to put it bluntly, was to fight for the family property with his uncle. Even after his death, Lee Jae-hyun would not give up.

And Lee Maeng-hee himself was equally unwilling to accept it.

Back then, he had served as vice chairman of Samsung, and Samsung was almost his for the taking. His younger brother Lee Kun-hee could only exist under his shadow. But now, Lee Kun-hee had become the so-called emperor controlling the Korean economy.

This was something Lee Maeng-hee could not accept or let go of.

It is hard to go from luxury to frugality, but easy to go from frugality to luxury.

For most people, this is true.

The reason is simple: not everyone can calmly accept the difference between success and failure.

Not rejoicing over external gains, not grieving over personal losses; when in a high position, one worries about the people; when in a low position, one worries about the ruler; worrying before the world's worries, and enjoying after the world's enjoyment.

That is not a human; that is a sage.

Lee Maeng-hee was certainly not a sage; he was just an ordinary person.

Since he was an ordinary person, he naturally held grudges and sought revenge.

Although he couldn't repay Lee Kun-hee in kind for the pain inflicted on him, Lee Maeng-hee felt that if he could make his brother uncomfortable and unhappy, he could fully accept his son's suggestion.

As for CJ's shares, if his son didn't care, why should he?

Chairman Lee, I would like to ask you: was your previous proposal your own idea, or the idea of others at CJ Group?

Zhao Fusheng's voice rang out, interrupting the thoughts of Lee Maeng-hee and Lee Jae-hyun.

Since it was previously agreed that Zhao Fusheng would call, Lee Jae-hyun had simply put the call on speaker.

Hearing this question, Lee Jae-hyun was startled and exchanged a surprised glance with his father. Both saw a hint of joy in each other's eyes.

Clearly, Zhao Fusheng was tempted!

If he weren't interested in the proposal, he wouldn't have asked that question.

For now, it's my personal idea.

Lee Jae-hyun was honest and directly admitted, "I plan to sell only my own shares in CJ Group to you."

He wasn't crazy enough to think he had the right to decide anything for his sister and brother, so he only intended to exchange his own CJ Group shares for Zhao Fusheng's shares in Samsung Everland.

I see.

Zhao Fusheng thought for a moment and slowly said, "I think Chairman Lee should still discuss this with Ms. Lee Mi-kyung, Mr. Lee Jae-hwan, and even Mr. Son Kyung-sik. After all, they are also shareholders of CJ Group, aren't they?"

Lee Jae-hyun was the major shareholder of CJ Group, so he became the company's chairman.

But that didn't mean others had no power. It was just that CJ Group was originally obtained by Lee Maeng-hee's wife, Sohn Bok-nam, through an exchange with Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, so Lee Jae-hyun held the greatest power.

Under these circumstances, Zhao Fusheng's meaning was clear: if you, Lee Jae-hyun, want to play with me, that's fine, but you need to ensure that after you do this, there won't be any messy backlash within the company.

In other words, Zhao Fusheng meant: I can accept your proposal, but you must guarantee that after I enter CJ Group, I won't be screwed over by you.

He didn't know that after hearing his words, Lee Jae-hyun and his father's faces shone with different lights.

Chairman Zhao, rest assured, I will handle this matter properly!

In his eagerness, Lee Jae-hyun's address to Zhao Fusheng had already changed, but he didn't notice it himself.

He was really excited now!

Although a bit puzzled, Zhao Fusheng still nodded and then hung up the phone.

In cooperation, you tell the other party what you need. If they can meet it, then continue the talks; if not, there's no need to continue.

Putting down the phone, Lee Jae-hyun looked at his father, his face shining with a different light!

Father, I think you should call elder sister and uncle over.

Lee Jae-hyun said to Lee Maeng-hee word by word.

At that moment, Lee Maeng-hee also sat up straight, his face ruddy, as if he had returned to the era when he dominated the scene.

Hearing his son's words, he nodded heavily: "Make the calls. Notify Mi-kyung, Jae-hwan, and Kyung-sik. Tell them to come to the capital immediately. We need to discuss this face to face."

Lee Jae-hyun quickly nodded and went out to start calling.

But Lee Maeng-hee, sitting in the room, could hardly contain his excitement, even tears welling up.

Bok-nam, you see, what he took from us back then, I will surely take back!" Lee Maeng-hee looked up at a photo hanging on the wall and said through gritted teeth.

Samsung Group founder Lee Byung-chul was born into a wealthy farming family, received a good education from childhood, and studied at Japan's prestigious Waseda University. Starting with a grain processing plant, he initially exported fruits and vegetables to Northeast China. After earning his first pot of gold, he established Samsung Corporation, then opened a sugar factory, textile mill, fertilizer plant, etc., gradually growing into a global conglomerate.

It can be said that the development of Samsung is a microcosm of South Korea's economic takeoff.

Lee Byung-chul had three sons and five daughters. Like traditional Korean companies, Lee Byung-chul sought successors among his male heirs, initially designating his eldest son, Lee Maeng-hee, as his successor.

But Lee Maeng-hee lacked management skills and messed up the company's management within six months. Meanwhile, the second son, Lee Chang-hee, dissatisfied with his father, reported his father's illegal activities—smuggling saccharin, tax evasion, and illegal foreign exchange transfers—to President Park Chung-hee, who had come to power through a military coup.

Lee Byung-chul mistakenly believed that Lee Maeng-hee was the one who reported him, leading to Lee Maeng-hee being expelled from the family and losing his qualification as successor, ultimately inheriting nothing. The second son, Lee Chang-hee, later also lost his qualification as successor after offending his father, receiving only an insignificant small company.

The third son, Lee Kun-hee, was sent to study in Japan at an early age, majoring in economics at Waseda University, and later earned an MBA from George Washington University in the United States. He was clever from childhood and deeply loved by Lee Byung-chul.

Lee Byung-chul ultimately handed over the management of Samsung Group entirely to his third son, Lee Kun-hee, who inherited the vast majority of the family wealth. It is reported that from the 1970s until his death over a decade later, Lee Byung-chul spent years conceiving and handling the inheritance structure. Ultimately, the core properties were mostly left to his youngest son, Lee Kun-hee, including Samsung Electronics, Samsung C&T, and Cheil Industries. Other children received only non-core assets.

Although Lee Byung-chul's eldest son, Lee Maeng-hee, inherited no property, his wife, Lee Byung-chul's eldest daughter-in-law, Sohn Bok-nam, received shares in Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance and Cheil Jedang (later renamed CJ Group). Later, during an internal restructuring of Samsung Group, Sohn Bok-nam exchanged these shares with Samsung, allowing Lee Maeng-hee's son, Lee Jae-hyun, to smoothly become the president of CJ Group.

But according to legend, during CJ Group's acquisition of Korea Express, Samsung interfered, causing CJ Group to ultimately acquire it at a high price of 2 trillion won.

Lee Maeng-hee had an excellent relationship with his wife. Although disappointed with his eldest son, Lee Byung-chul was very satisfied with this sensible and well-educated eldest daughter-in-law.

Had Sohn Bok-nam not knelt before her father-in-law and pleaded, Lee Maeng-hee knew that even CJ Group would not have been obtained.

And now, Lee Maeng-hee knew.

His chance for revenge had finally arrived!

What Lee Kun-hee had taken from him back then, even if he couldn't take it back, he would stand before him with dignity and tell him: I am back!