Chapter 83: Why Should I Invest in You?

While the director hesitated, the ever-efficient Madad had already brought over the Saudi delegation. Saudis are wealthy, naturally hospitable and prideful. Pakistan may be poor, but its fighting prowess is well known, so Saudi Arabia has always held its formidable brother in high regard. The initial purpose of attending the exhibition was to purchase dozens of passenger planes, and the contract was nearly finalized. However, when the Pakistani brothers arrived with urgent matters, business could wait. The contract would be set aside, postponed; even Boeing dared not protest, for it is no longer the only aircraft manufacturer.

Prince Sultan, wrapped in a white headscarf, walked over with Madad. Normally, Prince Sultan would not attend the country’s air show, but recent domestic issues had troubled him, and he thought a short trip for the exhibition might be a welcome respite.

“They’re coming, the director and his group are here—look at these wealthy men, true tycoons. Just for an air show, they brought so many people, surrounded by attendants. Remarkable.”

Even without Yang Hui’s commentary, everyone noticed these magnates. The leader himself was fairly understated, but those following behind were like walking mountains of gold, glittering from head to toe, dazzling the eye. Yang Hui was right: Saudis are real tycoons, and the word fits perfectly.

Following Madad’s younger brother, they arrived to meet someone from the Eastern Republic. Prince Sultan knew the two countries had not established diplomatic relations. Why was Madad bringing him here? He could guess—it was likely a request for financial support.

They walked over and finally saw the representatives from the Eastern Republic seated there. Prince Sultan frowned slightly; how could business be discussed here? There was no air conditioning, no drinks, no comfortable sofa—this would not do.

“Hello, friends from the East. Let’s talk inside the conference room; it’s not suitable out here.”

Without stopping, he strode directly toward the high-level conference room with effortless grace.

Yang Hui and the other five were left exchanging glances. The tycoon’s nature was revealed unconsciously; as the saying goes, the true magnate is one who appears wealthy without even trying. That was Saudi Arabia in essence.

Upon reflection, discussing the deal outside wasn’t ideal. It was better to go inside; the setting would be far superior.

“Let’s head in. The Saudis want to talk inside, so we should follow.”

Without further thought, the director stood up and joined the main group heading inside.

“Very well, let’s go in and talk!”

A wave of tycoons descended, quickly occupying several available conference rooms. When Yang Hui’s group arrived, Madad was waiting outside one, ready to lead them in.

As the door opened, cool air washed over them, instantly refreshing. They straightened up and walked in. The conference room was spacious, divided into small compartments and a large central meeting area.

Considering the importance of the deal and the risks of negotiating with Saudi Arabia, the director decided it would be best for himself and Yang Hui to talk first.

“All right, Elder Wu, this deal is risky. Yang Hui and I will go in first; you stay here with Yang Yue and the others.”

Upon reflection, there was no need for so many people; too many voices could complicate matters. The director and Yang Hui would probe the tone, and whatever followed would be out of their hands.

“Yes, the director and I will gauge the situation. Everyone else can wait here; the air conditioning is quite pleasant.”

Elder Wu, cautious by nature, analyzed the political risks and agreed to let Yang Hui and the director explore the conversation.

“Fine, you two go ahead, we’ll wait here.”

The younger members were eager to observe, especially Xie Lianfa, whose impatient expression betrayed his inner longing. Yang Yue was worried about Yang Hui, but he remained calm and reassured her with a confident look: “Trust me; I’ll handle it.”

With four pairs of eyes following them, Yang Hui and the director walked toward the small compartment where the magnate Prince Sultan awaited.

Accompanied by Madad, they entered the small compartment to find only Prince Sultan inside—a good sign. For confidential matters, fewer people was better.

Prince Sultan, as the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, naturally possessed considerable ability. Don’t assume that all Saudi tycoons are foolish and rich. The royal family’s endurance through decades was due to the presence of capable people.

Now, Prince Sultan sat waiting for Yang Hui and the director, as well as Madad’s introduction.

Madad began with Prince Sultan’s credentials: by domestic standards, he was a high official akin to a deputy prime minister.

“This is the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, currently the Second Prime Minister, Sultan bin Abdulaziz. He once served as Minister of Aviation, so our conversation will be in capable hands.”

Madad then introduced Yang Hui and Director Bai. “These two are in charge of a secret military base in the Eastern Republic. Director Bai leads the base, and Yang Hui is a key research expert.”

Hearing Madad’s introduction, Yang Hui and Director Bai were taken aback—they had apparently been elevated to the status of a secret military base. It was a delightful misunderstanding, but it added a layer of mystery to their side.

“Greetings, esteemed Prince Sultan. We come from the Eastern Republic, and thanks to Mr. Madad’s mediation, we hope for a pleasant discussion with you.”

Prince Sultan, intrigued by the mysterious Eastern Republic, knew that Madad bringing both sides together meant there was something substantial to discuss. He was willing to listen; after all, the Eastern Republic was a major power, one of the UN’s five permanent members—not a trivial status.

“Oh, greetings, friends from the East. You are Pakistan’s good brothers, so naturally you are good friends of Saudi Arabia. Is there something you wish to discuss?”

With the topic broached directly, Yang Hui spoke his mind.

“Prince, it is like this: we intend to jointly develop a trainer aircraft with Pakistan, but funding is insufficient. If Saudi Arabia could invest, it would be ideal.”

Seeking Saudi investment had not been mentioned before; previously, it was only stated that a trainer suited to Pakistan’s needs was in development. As for Saudi involvement… on reflection, it seemed feasible. Madad was excited—Saudi investment would be excellent.

“Yes, respected Prince, we do plan to develop this trainer, as Mr. Yang said. Our funding is insufficient, so Saudi investment would be greatly appreciated.”

Hearing these representatives from Pakistan and the East promoting their trainer, Prince Sultan admired his own foresight. He had guessed correctly: these penniless fellows were eyeing his wealth. But did they think he was so easily deceived? Saudi money isn’t conjured out of thin air; even extracting oil from the ground requires effort.

“I see. As Saudi Minister of Air Force, I know our air force well. Our equipment is Western, so your jointly developed trainer wouldn’t be useful to us. Though we would like to help our friends, our money isn’t limitless.”

Madad now became a competent salesman, introducing the unique features of the trainer.

“Prince, allow me to explain the differences. This trainer will be designed from the outset with our special needs in mind, optimized for hot, arid desert conditions. Most importantly, it will train pilots for Western fighter jets. For instance, Pakistan’s F-16 pilots will complete half their training on this aircraft.”

Prince Sultan was somewhat interested, but still unconvinced.

“What you say is interesting, but we could commission Western manufacturers to make targeted improvements as well. This advantage alone isn’t enough for us to invest.”

Hearing Prince Sultan mention Western military manufacturers, Yang Hui recognized his opportunity. He quickly adjusted his words, speaking with persuasive allure.

“No, Prince, Western arms companies are unreliable. At critical moments, they often fail to deliver. They will not provide Saudi Arabia with truly independent weapons. Without such arms, the Arab world can never speak for itself under Jewish threats, let alone defend its interests.”

Weapons capable of fully protecting Saudi Arabia and the Arab world from Jewish oppression—this thought reminded Prince Sultan of every Middle Eastern war, where Jews could easily obtain advanced Western arms, while Arab nations could only endure passively.

He recalled recent years’ attempts to purchase heavyweight weapons from major Western powers, and the discrimination from Western arms dealers and governments. Upon reflection, perhaps Saudi Arabia did need to open a new channel for weapons procurement.