Chen Song's warning was dismissed by Song Jianhao, who believed that with the master gambler Old Wu, there was no need to worry about being discovered.
Chen Song continued, "To open this casino, you also need to prepare sufficient funds, because those bosses won't bring much cash to the casino."
"Do you mean we need to invite a junket operator to come in?"
"Yes, and it has to be a junket operator with substantial strength. You need to prepare at least two to five million in cash, otherwise, the turnover will be insufficient."
"So much cash?"
Song Jianhao's enthusiasm was instantly dampened. Among the people he knew, no one could produce so much cash at once. Even if they could, the risk was too great, and no one would dare to bring so much cash into a casino. Once caught, the losses would be immense. Furthermore, whether the money lent out could be recovered was also a very important factor.
Chen Song seemed to understand his concerns, "You don't need to worry about the money for lending. The bosses I've invited are all merchants under my jurisdiction. I can guarantee that the money lent out will be recovered, and it will be in place by the next day at the latest."
"Brother Song, let's eat first. I need to discuss this matter after I go back. Can I give you an answer within three days?"
Just as the dishes were served, Song Jianhao quickly found an excuse to defer. This matter was beyond his capabilities, and he dared not agree immediately.
Chen Song smiled, "Alright, I'll wait for you for three days. This matter is not only helping me, but it's also an opportunity for you. Whether you can seize it depends on yourself."
"Yes, yes, yes, thank you for your support, Brother Song. Try this fugu; I heard it's the signature dish of this hotel."
"Haha, you're out of your element here. For fugu, go to the Governor's Mansion in Jiangnan; that's where fugu is prepared the best."
Successfully changing the subject, the host and guest began to discuss delicacies and admire the scenery.
The next morning, Song Jianhao rushed back to Xinhe to visit Yang Jian at the People's Hospital.
After comprehensive consideration, Song Jianhao decided to trust Chen Song and seize this opportunity. Opening a casino would not only offset his losses at Fugui's but also allow him to make a substantial profit.
And this matter required bringing Yang Jian along. Among all their friends, he was the only one capable of organizing over two million yuan in funds to enter the casino.
"Brother Hao, you're back. Have Fugui and the others made any moves against you these past few days?"
Seeing Song Jianhao enter with a large pile of fruits and nutritional supplements, Yang Jian quickly greeted him.
Lu Yao took the gifts and moved a stool for Song Jianhao to sit by the bedside.
"No, I had an old recurring issue and have been in the hospital these past few days. Apart from not letting me leave, they haven't overly restricted my freedom. Thank you, Little Yang. Among so many friends and brothers, only you offered twenty thousand to save me."
Song Jianhao said this from the bottom of his heart. He had so many brothers, but not a single one reached out to help him at the critical moment.
"Brother Hao, you're being too formal. We are a team; we should help each other. Wasn't it you who took me in when I was in the most difficult situation? As long as you're alright, that's what matters."
"Yes, Little Yang, no wonder Biao Biao and the others are willing to defend you wholeheartedly. You're truly a remarkable person in how you conduct yourself. I need to learn from you in this regard."
"Brother Hao, you're too kind. Are you going to rest for a few days after returning this time? If you don't have a good venue, pause for a while. It's not worth the trouble dealing with scoundrels like Fugui."
Song Jianhao sighed, "I didn't understand before. It turns out Fugui has already scammed several Emperor companies. If you hadn't asked Yang Fan to intervene this time, I really don't know what the consequences would have been."
"There's no way around it. Fugui's influence is too great; we can't afford to offend him. In the future, we should investigate more before looking for venues and not rush in blindly."
"Yes, this is a profound lesson. However, as the saying goes, a blessing in disguise. It is precisely because of this incident that I got to know Chen Song, Hua Zi's cousin. He's willing to help us out by organizing a few internal games to make up for this loss. Little Yang, I mainly wanted to discuss this matter with you today."
"Chen Song? Internal games?"
"Yes, Chen Song is the person Hua Zi entrusted to negotiate with Fugui. He wants to partner with us to open a casino. Because the participants are a fixed group of familiar bosses, and no outsiders are involved, such gambling games are called opening internal games."
"How do we partner?"
Yang Jian was quite interested in opening a casino; it was much more stable than running Emperor companies, with only profits and no losses.
Song Jianhao did not hide anything and recounted Chen Song's situation and the requirements he proposed.
Yang Jian basically understood, "So, you mean he's responsible for the venue and the participants, and guarantees the safety of the funds, while we are responsible for the casino's operations, including being the banker and hiring a junket operator who can bring two million cash into the venue?"
"Yes, this is a rare opportunity. If it's operated well, we can all succeed."
Yang Jian shook his head, "The opportunity sounds good, but there are three issues. First, how does Chen Song guarantee the safety of the funds? Is he trustworthy? What if the money lent out can't be recovered? He's Hua Zi's man; if he really plays dirty, we can't do anything to him.
Second, the participants are all big bosses, and the stakes will definitely be high. If we are the bankers, we will also need to bring in large amounts of capital. Neither you nor I have money now, so how can we be bankers?
Third, where can we find a junket operator who can bring in two million cash?"
Song Jianhao chuckled, "I've considered these three issues as well. They are difficult for me, but you can solve them."
"Don't flatter me. How can I solve them?"
"First, regarding Chen Song's credibility, you can ask Yang Fan for information. As long as Chen Song can provide the information of those bosses, we won't be afraid of the money lent out not being recovered.
As for the second issue, you don't need to worry. Chen Song has explicitly told me that this casino operation can be like '彈棉花' (tan mian hua - a metaphor for a smooth, easy process, often implying minimal personal investment). We won't need much capital; we can just borrow from a junket operator. The most crucial part is finding a junket operator with strength.
So, the third issue is the most critical: finding a junket operator who can provide two million. I think you can try to find Yu Feng for help; among our social circle, only she has this capability."
Song Jianhao originally wanted to say, "You have the best relationship with Yu Feng; she will lend you the money," but seeing Lu Yao nearby, he realized it might cause a misunderstanding and immediately stopped himself.
As expected, when Lu Yao heard that Yu Feng was to be involved, her expression immediately turned unpleasant, and she glared at Yang Jian with wide eyes.
Yang Jian felt a bit awkward, "Brother Hao, this is a good thing, but we need to understand Chen Song first. I'll call to consult Yang Fan. If it can be done, getting his two million out should be fine. After all, we're pulling him in to make money, and with him arranging people to lend money, the funds will be safer, and we won't have to worry about that part."
"Yes, yes, yes, your idea is even better. Yang Fan is a local figure in Hancheng. Not only does he have the strength, but lending money will also be safer, reducing our troubles. Hurry up and call him, because Chen Song has given me limited time, and we need to finalize this quickly."
With their back-and-forth, Lu Yao finally resumed her innocent girl demeanor.