“Repeat what you just said. We are the second choice?”
“What you don’t believe me? Then tell me a reason why Bing City’s Mayor is not involved such important talks? Why did Bing City send a deputy mayor to negotiate with you? And also, why did he leave in the midst of the negotiation?”
Ivanov was at a loss of words. If he could not clinch this deal, he would not have the credit and would even be punished! Oh, since Translator Xue was willing to tell him this, then that means he had a solution to solve this issue.
“Xue, do you have any way to let us win? You surely have a plan in mind, right? What did Australia offer to Bing City? Tell me. We can also match them.”
Translator Xue replied with an arrogant smirk: “Of course. If not, I would also not asked you for so much money. Now, do you think my information is worth 100,000
USD?”
“Yes! Tell us your plans.”
“The solution is that your side will lower your conditions and I shall ask my brother to mess up Australia and Bing City’s talks in Shenzhen.”
“Huh? Your brother can mess up the talks over there?”
“Of course. My elder brother is also a translator, and he is in charge of the translation team for the talks between Australia and Bing City! He needs to verify all the translated documents in that meeting. If he changed some data in the documents, then you will have a high chance of winning. But your side must still accept Bing City’s demands.”
Translator Xue had followed Feng Yu’s instructions. At first, he was afraid. Even his voice was trembling and was worried that Ivanov would find out. But Ivanov and his follower did not notice this. They thought that Translator Xue was too excited to see the money. They will also be excited if they see 100,000 USD in front of them.
“How should we lower our conditions?”
“Tomorrow you should look at me. We will follow our previous signals. If the conditions are those that Bing City would not give in, I will touch my cup with both hands. If the conditions are those that Bing City would give in, then I would hold the cup up to drink water. You will decide for yourself if you are willing to accept Bing City’s conditions!”
Translator Xue points to the money: “It is getting late. I should be leaving. If I stay here for too long, people will notice me.”
Ivanov held on to the bag of money and took out about half and pass it to Translator Xue.
“What is the meaning of this? You want to go back on your words? Without me, you will not know Bing City’s baseline!” Translator Xue roared.
“No, I am not going back on my words. But this matter is not over yet. You cannot take all the money. You will receive half first, and after everything the deal, you will receive the remaining!” Merely to say, if there were no deal, then Translator Xue will only receive 50,000 USD.
Translator Xue stared at Ivanov for a while and back down: “Fine. But I must receive the money before you sign the contract. If not, I will mess up the contract. Trust me, it is easy for me to mess up the contracts!”
Translator Xue left, and Ivanov called his deputies to his room for a discussion. The 3 of them will be sharing the credit and the bribes offered was also divided among them. But their demands would still have to be discussed. Russia’s expectation was simple. There must be people farming in the fields, and part of their harvest got to be handed over to them.
The 3 of them did not know what Bing City’s bottom line was and what conditions did Australia accepted. The 3 of them decided to look at Translator Xue’s signals and decide on the spot.
After leaving Ivanov’s room, Translator Xue did not return home. Instead, he went to the City Government.
He secretively carried a bag into Zhang Ruiqiang’s office. Only a few people who were still working saw him.
“Mayor Zhang, I had followed Mr. Feng’s instructions and told Ivanov everything. This 50,000 USD is from him. I had surrendered everything. After this talk is completed, he will give me another 50,000 USD. I swear I will not keep a single cent.”
Zhang Ruiqiang stared with opened eyes. 50,000 USD? What instruction did Feng Yu give to Translator Xue? How come the Russians were willing to give him 50,000 USD bribes?
Feng Yu nodded: “This is normal. No problem. Tomorrow when they ask you, you just tell them that Bing City Government decided to temporarily suspend the negotiations. You will bring those Russians to visit our Bing City’s attractions.”
Translator Xue was surprised: “We are not continuing with the talks tomorrow?”
“That was our previous plan. Now it had been changed. We are now talking to the Australians. This side can wait. What’s wrong with this?” Feng Yu laughed.
Zhang Ruiqiang also understood why Feng Yu made such a decision. This was to make the other party anxious. The more anxious the other party was, the probability of them making mistakes would be higher. This way, it would be easier for them to lower their demands!
“Just follow according to Feng Yu’s instructions. Go back first. Be natural tomorrow.”
Feng Yu turned to Zhang Ruiqiang: “Mayor Zhang, I thought you are going to the Provincial Government for some work? You should leave now.”
Zhang Ruiqiang nodded and patted Feng Yu on his shoulders: “Do not let our City be taken advantage of.”
……
“What? You saw with your own eyes that the Foreign Affairs’ secretary entered Zhang Ruiqiang’s office with a bag and he left empty-handed? Feng Yu was also inside the office? Good” Deputy Mayor Xu hang the phone and sneered.
Zhang Ruiqiang, I thought you are a righteous person. So, you are a person who accepts bribes! Hrmp! How can this type of person be promoted? He should not be the executive mayor! Maybe I can take over his position.
Maybe I can work for a couple of years before my retirement. If I go to the Provincial Government, he might even be demoted!
This was a piece of good news. If it were one or two months later, Deputy Mayor Xu would not have this opportunity.
……
Manager Yu of the International Hotel had received instructions from the City Government to give the best treatment to the Russian Officials. Those Russian Officials cannot be leaving the hotel by themselves. There must be someone from Bing City’s government accompanying them. This was to prevent any accidents from happening.
There was also another instruction. No strangers should be disturbing the Russian Officials. Hmmm… The phone lines in the Russian Officials’ room should be cut. This was to prevent them from receiving nuisance calls, which would disturb their rest.
Manager Yu was thinking in his heart that no one dares make nuisance calls to International Hotel’s rooms. But since he had received this instruction from the City Government, then he got to follow. He cut the rooms’ telephone lines and told the Russian Officials that they were doing inspections on the telephone lines in the area. It would take one or two days. If the Officials needs to make calls, they can use the phones in the lobby.
Feng Yu saw his plan was proceeding smoothly. Although there were many loopholes, and maybe something might not be going as planned, but he knew that Russia was more anxious than Bing City. There was no way his simple plan would fail!
