Furthermore, the investment in Facebook was an unexpected gain that Yi Anguo could only describe as a pleasant surprise. Although the investment required a hefty one billion US dollars for a mere 12.5 percent stake, it was all worth it when considering Facebook's future market value. The company's market value could peak at over 500 billion US dollars, easily yielding a return of several hundred times the initial investment.

Meanwhile, acquiring Yahoo's Taobao shares was a decision Yi Anguo had made on the fly, but he took it very seriously, as it could become Hualong Corporation's largest investment project to date. Despite the significance he placed on the purchase, Yi Anguo did not rush Bartz for a final answer, nor did he allow Chen Xuejiao to appear anxious. It was better to wait patiently for the outcome. Negotiations are often a test of patience. It's all about who blinks first. Whoever gets anxious first, loses. It wasn't that Yi Anguo was not in a hurry or that he didn't value the deal; rather, he knew that showing his hand was futile. Yahoo held all the cards, and the more anxious he seemed, the less likely the deal would succeed.

As the saying goes, haste makes waste. Fortunately, Bartz did not disappoint. After half a month and several rounds of talks, Yi Anguo remained firm on his offer of six billion US dollars—not a penny more. His timing was impeccable. Taobao's stock had fallen below 7 yuan and was still declining, trading at less than half of its IPO price of 13.5 yuan. At its launch, the company had raised 1.5 billion US dollars, which represented 25 percent of its 6-billion-dollar market value. The stock later peaked at over 41 yuan, more than tripling and pushing its total market capitalization to 20 billion US dollars, surpassing even Penguin Company to briefly become the country's most valuable internet firm. Now, however, Taobao's valuation had plummeted to just 3 billion US dollars.

An offer of six billion US dollars was equivalent to twice Taobao's current total market value. Considering Yahoo only owned a 40 percent stake—worth a mere 1.2 billion dollars—the offer represented a staggering 500 percent premium. If Yahoo still isn't satisfied with this, I'll slam the table, curse them out, and walk away, Yi Anguo had thought. Faced with his unwavering stance and his threat to terminate the talks, Yahoo finally signed the agreement to transfer its Taobao shares.

Only then did Yi Anguo breathe a sigh of relief. Although the price seemed steep, he knew he would be the ultimate winner in the long run. After the contract was signed, the two companies officially announced the acquisition.

In China, Jack Ma was completely unprepared. The news hit him like a physical blow, leaving him utterly stunned. He never would have imagined that after he had rejected Yi Anguo's investment, the man would go directly to Yahoo's US headquarters and forcefully acquire all of their Taobao shares from the new CEO, Bartz. The move had completely cut off his retreat.

Yi Anguo, the behind-the-scenes owner and absolute controlling shareholder of Anjing Online Supermarket, now also held a 40 percent stake in Taobao. Whether Taobao eventually absorbed Anjing Online Supermarket or vice versa, Yi Anguo was now in an invincible position. Realizing the precariousness of his situation, Jack Ma hurriedly flew to Japan. He had to forge a solid offensive and defensive alliance with Sun Zhengyi. Only then could he avoid being at a complete disadvantage. After all, the combined shares of his founding team and Sun Zhengyi were the only thing that could keep Yi Anguo in check.

When Yahoo withdrew its directors from Taobao's board, Yi Anguo didn't rush to appoint his own people. Instead, he proactively contacted Jack Ma, assuring him that he would not interfere with Taobao's management. He was purely an investor, he claimed, and he hoped Jack Ma would lead the company well, ensuring his six-billion-dollar investment wouldn't end up as a catastrophic loss.

Jack Ma was flabbergasted once again. I just can't fathom what this man is thinking!

Recently, he had dedicated himself to studying Yi Anguo, operating on the principle that to know your enemy is to be invincible. Yet, the more he researched, the more unfathomable the man seemed. Yi Anguo had risen from complete obscurity in just five or six years. Before that, his history was that of a total layman—an ordinary person in every sense of the word. Then, suddenly, he was rich, acquiring numerous properties to become a rent-collecting tycoon before founding a property management company.

In 2006, he invested in Anjing Online Supermarket, which grew so rapidly that within a few years, it had become Taobao's biggest rival. Furthermore, even though Anjing had never sought external financing and wasn't publicly listed, its assets were certainly no less valuable than Taobao's. It operated more like an industrial company, building its own logistics and warehousing centers from the ground up. Selling products through both its online platform and physical supermarkets, the company spent money like it was water.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.