The Penguin Company was not nearly as powerful as it would become. In 2008, its market value had just surpassed ten billion US dollars, or over eighty billion Hong Kong dollars, a drop of three to four billion US dollars from 2007.
If investors were willing to increase their capital at this time, it would be very effective in boosting the company's confidence, lifting its stock price, and bolstering investor morale—an offer the Penguin Company would be unlikely to refuse.
Besides increasing capital and expanding shares, one could also acquire shares directly from existing shareholders.
What Yi Anguo coveted most were the Penguin Company shares held by Naspers. Acquiring them would be best. If not, he would dilute them, plunging ten billion US dollars into the market to severely reduce Naspers's stake.
In fact, Yi Anguo had only sent Zhou Mengdie to scout the situation and didn't have high hopes. He didn't actually expect her to negotiate any results.
