As guests trickled in, I announced our special event: everyone who came to support us could pick a free stone from the kilogram material section as a souvenir of their participation, with no charge for cutting it open on the spot.
This crowd was here for the free raw stones, hoping to strike it rich.
A few days prior, I had asked Master Zhang and his team to work overtime, consolidating all the remaining raw stones from various mining sites into an empty lot next to the main venue. There were over ten thousand pieces, each weighing one to two kilograms, available for selection.
Truthfully, many of these raw stones were of decent quality; they just had minor cosmetic flaws or unappealing shapes. It was possible there were even imperial greens among them.
Everyone rushed forward, after all, it cost nothing and they could even get it cut for free. Why not?
I had a notice posted at the edge of the lot: if any high-quality stones were found, we would buy them all, offering prices significantly above market value.
This single measure attracted thousands of people, unlike the Crown Prince, who hoarded the kilogram material and sold it at exorbitant prices, ripping off many.
I watched as people rummaged through the stones, each marked with a unique number, easily distinguishing them from the raw stones in the exhibition hall.
Everyone conscientiously picked one stone and then stepped aside, allowing the next person to enter.
There were a hundred cutting machines on-site. Once the opening ceremony concluded, they could take their raw stones for cutting or windowing.
I checked the time; it seemed the VIPs had already arrived at the offices. I saw many official vehicles pulling in, including Bo Gang's car.
I spotted Da Kui standing at the entrance of the office building lobby. I signaled to him, and he returned the gesture. With him and Wen Siqiang overseeing the scene, I felt more at ease.
The raw stone base, prepared for months, was about to officially open.
I exchanged a look with Wen Siqiang, gesturing for him to follow me into the factory grounds. The weakest points were within the vast factory area, where several unused workshops stood. Although the doors and windows were sealed with iron bars, complacency was not an option. If someone managed to hide inside and strike at the opportune moment, it could be fatal.
I noticed security guards stationed along the roads, about fifteen meters apart, holding walkie-talkies and vigilantly scanning their surroundings.
Wen Siqiang and I checked all the empty workshops. We found no signs of forced entry.
I instructed the guards on duty to report any suspicious activity immediately before taking any action to stop it.
Although Qing Ge's men were positioned on the periphery, the winery's surroundings were complex. It wasn't impossible for them to approach through the water.
No matter how swift the current, planks could be laid or ropes could be used. There were too many ways to cross.
With those arrangements made, I heard the sound of the public address system. It was time.
I told Wen Siqiang, "Let's head to the venue."
This was the critical moment. Ensuring the smooth progress of the opening ceremony was paramount, especially with officials from Myanmar and important figures from the city in attendance. Any incident at this juncture was absolutely unacceptable.
I heard a leader speaking, giving a speech, followed by an address from the Myanmar officials and a congratulatory speech from guests from Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.
By the time we reached the venue, the ceremonial cannons fired. My heart finally settled. Once the officials departed and the base officially opened for business, let the Crown Prince Wu Guodong come cause trouble; we could deal with him then without holding back.
I stood on the fringes of the crowd, observing the proceedings. Brother Bao was escorting the officials as they left, with Bo Gang and the Myanmar officials also departing the stage.
Da Kui led the escort, with two rows of security guards and dozens of Qing Ge's men accompanying them to their vehicles. They left the base in procession.
The anxiety that had been building in my chest finally subsided. I quickly went to the front of the stage, shook hands with each of the guests from Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, and led them to the polished jade section.
They were the main stars of today's event. Yesterday, the Crown Prince had almost thwarted their plans. Today was their time to shine.
At this moment, Wen Siqiang whispered in my ear that there seemed to be suspicious individuals mixed in with these merchants. I cast a wary glance and indeed, a few people stood out. The guests from Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou were in their own groups, communicating in their dialects. Even if they weren't speaking, they were clustered together, clearly a cohesive unit. These individuals, however, kept their heads down, didn't interact with anyone, but stayed close. Their attire and demeanor also indicated they weren't stone enthusiasts; they looked more like trained fighters, enforcers.
My first thought was the Crown Prince, trying to mimic my earlier tactics and sending a group to cause trouble.
He hadn't brought people to smash up the place, but was instead following my lead, returning the favor from yesterday.
I counted them: there were about a dozen such individuals.
I quickened my pace, moving ahead of the guests, and politely greeted them, "Excuse me everyone for a moment. I have a few words to say, and then I'll escort you to the VIP lounge. Here's the situation: today, all the meticulously preserved treasures that the esteemed families of Ruicheng have kept for decades are on display. These raw stones are quite rare and precious. To demonstrate our sincerity and fairness, the VIP lounge is exclusively for our invited guests from Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. Those not invited cannot participate. Gentlemen, please organize yourselves into groups and proceed inside. Dedicated service staff will be available in the venue to assist you. We hope you enjoy yourselves."
After I finished speaking, they voluntarily organized their people, holding their invitation letters, and entered. The remaining dozen or so individuals were caught off guard by my strategy, standing awkwardly in place, unsure of what to do.
I walked over and said, "Friends, if you're interested in raw stones, you're welcome to visit other exhibition halls. This area contains pre-booked materials. I apologize, but you haven't made a prior reservation."
At this point, a man with a scarred face emerged from their group and menacingly asked, "What, you look down on us because we can't afford it?"
I maintained my polite tone, "Absolutely not. The materials in this hall are private collections, open only to those who have made reservations. There's no intention of looking down on anyone."
The man retorted, "What if we force our way in?"
I replied, "We conduct business with an emphasis on harmonious prosperity. We don't wish for any disharmonious incidents. However, if you refuse to abide by our rules, we have our own methods of handling such situations. Please reconsider."
He sneered, "Reconsider my foot! You're clearly targeting us. Whether you let us in or not, we're going in today."
I said, "Since you're so determined to get in, I'll tell you how you can. Pay a ten million yuan deposit at the main venue, and I can treat you equally and allow you entry. They also qualified by paying the deposit in advance. This deposit will be deducted from the transaction amount. If no transaction occurs, it will be returned in full."
He hadn't expected me to say that, and the current situation clearly didn't align with their rehearsed plan. He appeared flustered.
However, after a brief moment, his aggressive demeanor returned. "Ten million yuan? Forget it! Today, I'm going in without paying a dime. What can you do to me? Who ever heard of a business opening its doors and not letting people in?"
I responded, "You've come to the right place. This hall has a very high entry barrier. If you don't have the means, you can visit the halls without such requirements. Whether you have money or not, you can come and go freely."
He was so enraged his eyes seemed ready to pop out. He waved his hand at his subordinates and declared, "Brothers, let's charge in! I refuse to believe I can't get in. See if you can eat me!"
I stepped in front of him and said, "You can go in, but you'll have to get past me first."
Unsuspecting, he threw a punch. I slightly turned my head, reached out, and grabbed his wrist. With a pull, he stumbled to the ground. I followed up with a kick to his soft rib area. He doubled over in pain, and I delivered another kick, eliciting a cry of agony.
With my foot planted on him, I looked at the menacing group preparing to advance and said with a smile, "Take a look behind you. Are you going to charge forward, or get lost?"
They hesitated and turned to look behind them. Dozens of men in plain clothes stood there. These were Qing Ge's men. Just their imposing physiques were enough to instill fear, let alone the thought of a fight.
They retreated to the sides in panic. I lifted my foot and said to him, "Are you going to leave with your men, or shall we have another go?"
He painfully got to his feet and said weakly, "I admit defeat. We'll leave on our own."
With that, he gestured to his men, and they scurried away towards the main entrance like whipped dogs.
I then told Qing Ge's men, "Please keep a close watch for suspicious individuals. It seems they might try to blend in with the guests. If you spot any, deal with them promptly."