Kung Ling-chie

Kong Lingjie was the youngest son of Kong Xiangxi and Soong Ai-ling. Born in Shanghai in 1921, he had an introverted personality and studied at a military academy in Britain as well as the Chinese Army University. In 1949, when the Kuomintang retreated to Taiwan, Kong Lingjie was appointed as a diplomat stationed at the United Nations and in the United States. He lacked interest in politics, believing that being an entrepreneur offered greater freedom; after ten years in office, in 1960, he resigned and turned to the business world, focusing on the oil industry in Texas. With the support of his family and friends, he founded the Western Petroleum Development Company, acquiring land to develop oil, which allowed him to amass wealth rapidly and become a well-known oil magnate.

After marriage, Kong Lingjie had a son with Hollywood star Deborah Paget. He led a low-profile life, rarely participating in public activities. In 1998, it was revealed that he owned a luxury building worth $18 million, featuring an underground castle with full facilities and high secrecy. He was once friends with Tobson, an architect involved in the construction company, but they fell out over financial disputes, which was later disclosed in court. In his later years, Kong Lingjie interacted very little with the outside world; he maintained good health but refused to grant interviews, remaining a mysterious figure. The public's knowledge of him was limited to his business achievements and glamorous lifestyle, with very little detailed information available.