Trading kafir lilies was the key for a group of Changchun people in realizing their dream of getting rich. They bought themselves cars and washing machines, and also equipped their homes with something even more rare – imported electrical appliances. There were even stories of a single potted kafir lily being exchanged for a luxury car.
The story of the "Crown being offered for a phoenix coronet" made Guo Fengyi famous. It made more people aware of the business opportunities offered by the kafir lily. No one could tell the true value of the small plant. But its price had increased several hundred times within just two years. The huge profits wee obvious to all. However, before long, Guo Fengyi found himself in trouble.
Guo Fengyi said, "There was a worker from the No. 55 factory, who said that as an engineer, he only earned a few dozen yuan a month, yet my most expensive plant seedling cost 25 yuan and a seed, 8 yuan. He didn't even earn enough in a year to afford a potted plant. I didn't know what he was thinking. But he wrote a letter to the central government indicting me by calling me a plant tycoon."
A prosecutor ruled that by selling his plants at such a high price, Guo Fengyi was guilty of manipulating the market. This counted as a crime of speculation.
Speculation covers hoarding and cornering a market, short selling and buying, price manipulation to disrupt a market, and profiteering. Since 1955, the word speculation had appeared frequently in economic activities. But following the 1997 amendment to the Criminal Law, it gradually became a part of history.
Guo Fengyi said, "Three people came to my house. They said someone had accused me of behaving like a tycoon, and they asked me how I responded. I didn't know why and how I was being indicted as a tycoon. I didn't even know what a tycoon was. The central authorities had issued an order for the Changchun department to conduct the investigation. They had to follow the order. But the investigation was inconclusive."
The prosecution, more than just having no negative effects for Guo Fengyi, in fact brought him some free advertising. Guo Fengyi's kafir lily became even more famous.
Deng Jiarong said, "The news spread very quickly. Practically every family in Changchun was encouraged to grow the plants. By growing the plants many people became rich."
