Great Power Reclamation

In the economic history section on the fourth floor of the London Library of Political Science and Economics, Ye Guigen is looking up information on British railway investment in the 19th century.

The paper is titled "Long-Term Returns and Social Benefits of Infrastructure Investment," and he chose the Victorian railway boom as a case study.

The phone vibrated in his pocket; it was an overseas call from Ye Yuze in Junken City. Ye Guigen got up and walked to the window to answer it.

"grandfather."

"Busy?" Ye Yuze's voice came through the radio waves, still full of energy.

"Research and write papers."

"Hmm." Ye Yuze paused. "I heard you started a fund in London? Nine hundred million US dollars?"

The news spread really fast. Ye Guigen smiled wryly: "It's 870 million. How did Grandpa know?"

“That old man Schmidt called me.”

Ye Yuze said, "He apologized to me about his grandson's matter. He said the child was just being immature and told me not to take it to heart."

Ye Guigen recalled Max's pale face: "It's all in the past now."

"But you must remember the lesson," Ye Yuze said. "Ultimately, remember this: when you're doing things on someone else's turf, the first thing isn't to prove how capable you are, but to figure out the rules of the game. Why did that kid dare to frame you? Because he knew the school's rules and how to use them."

"I understand."

"And another thing," Ye Yuze changed the subject, "how far have things progressed between you and that Cavendish girl?"

Ye Guigen was caught off guard by his grandfather's question and was momentarily speechless.

"If you don't want to talk about it, then don't." Ye Yuze smiled.

"But let me remind you, matters of the heart are more complicated than business. If you can't reach an agreement in business, you can break up, but if you hurt someone in a relationship, it will leave a scar."

"I know."

"Good to know," Ye Yuze said. "I plan to travel to Europe next month and visit some old friends. We'll have a meal together when I pass through London."

After hanging up the phone, Ye Guigen stood by the window, looking at the buildings of the City of London. His grandfather was right; he still had much to learn on someone else's turf.

When I returned to my seat, I found an acquaintance sitting across from me—Anderson, the American student who had complained about him.

Anderson had obviously seen him too, and looked embarrassed, pretending to read a book.

Ye Guigen walked over and sat down opposite him.

"Is something the matter?" Anderson asked warily.

"Let's talk," Ye Guigen said calmly. "Why did you file a complaint against me?"

Anderson's expression changed: "I didn't..."

“The IP address traced back to your dorm room,” Ye Guigen said. “But I don’t intend to pursue it. I just want to know why.”

Anderson remained silent for a long time before finally speaking:
“My father is a Wall Street fund manager, and last year he lost a lot of money for his clients. He keeps saying that he wish he could get access to the Cavendish family’s resources.”

"Then I saw you—a Chinese student who, upon arriving in London, became so close to Elizabeth Cavendish and even started your own foundation..."

He gave a wry smile: "Jealousy, that's probably it. It's like thinking, 'Why can you do it, but I can't?'"

"And now? Do you still think that way?"

Anderson shook his head: "After seeing your interview in the Financial Times, I suddenly understood. You didn't rely on connections; you genuinely wanted to do something different."

"As for me... I only wanted to follow in my father's footsteps, and I never thought about what I wanted to do."

"It's not too late to think about it now," Ye Guigen said.

Anderson looked at him: "You...don't hate me?"

“What’s the use of hating you?” Ye Guigen said. “Besides, you did me a favor.”

"What kind of help?"

"It made me realize how many eyes are watching this place."

Ye Guigen stood up. "If you really want to do something, my foundation is recruiting interns next week. You can give it a try."

He left his business card and departed the library. Anderson held the card, stunned for a long time.

In the following weeks, the "Cornerstone and Wings" fund gradually got on track.

Ye Guigen spends most of his time screening projects, reviewing dozens of business plans and holding video conferences with more than a dozen entrepreneurs every day.

He discovered a pattern: truly good projects are often not good at self-promotion. Those with exquisitely crafted PowerPoint presentations and eloquent speeches are often more show than substance.

Some truly visionary entrepreneurs may not even be able to write a proper business plan, but there's a light in their eyes—

The light that my great-grandfather spoke of, the light of "wanting to accomplish something."

In mid-April, Ye Guigen invested in his seventh project:
An artificial intelligence company founded by three Cambridge PhDs specializes in using AI to assist in the early diagnosis of cancer.

The technology is advanced, but the three founders are all from technical backgrounds and have no understanding of business operations.

“We need a CEO,” said Zhang Wei, one of the founders, a Chinese woman. “We only know how to do research.”

Ye Guigen thought for a moment and said, "I can help you find it. But before you find it, you need to learn basic business logic. Starting tomorrow, I will teach you through video conferences every afternoon at three o'clock."

Zhang Wei was stunned: "You... teach us?"

“I grew up in the Warrior Group, interned at the Brothers Group, and now I run my own fund.”

Ye Guigen said, "Although I am a few years younger than you, I know more about business than you do."

From that day on, Ye Guigen would go online promptly at 3 p.m. every day to give a “business introductory course” to the three PhD students.

From how to conduct market analysis to how to develop pricing strategies, from how to manage a team to how to communicate with investors, he spoke very practically, drawing entirely from real-world experience.

Elizabeth overheard a meeting and afterwards smiled and said, "You're like a teacher now."

“They need help,” Ye Guigen said. “Moreover, if this project succeeds, it can save many people.”

“I know.” Elizabeth leaned on his shoulder. “That’s what I like about you—not just talking about ideals, but actually doing them.”

That night, they talked about the future for the first time.

"Once the fund stabilizes, I'd like to return to China Asset Management for a while."

Ye Guigen said, "I'm not going back to the military settlement to retire, but to see if there are any worthwhile projects to invest in. There are many innovations in China now, but capital is too eager for quick success and instant benefits, and many good projects die because they can't wait for investment."

“I’ll go with you,” Elizabeth said. “Cavendish Bank has always wanted to enter the Chinese market, but hasn’t found a suitable entry point. Your fund might be a bridge.”

Will your father agree?

“He will agree,” Elizabeth said, “because it’s the right business decision.”

She paused for a moment: "But ultimately, if we really were together, we would face many problems. Cultural differences, family pressure, and... you are in China, I am in London, and we would be separated for a long time."

"So think it through carefully," Ye Guigen said. "No rush."

Yes, no rush. He's only eighteen; he has a long road ahead of him. The important thing is to take each step carefully.

On the last weekend of April, Ye Yuze arrived in London. He didn't stay in a hotel, but instead stayed in a quiet townhouse in Chelsea—a property that the Warrior Group had bought years ago and had been vacant ever since.

When Ye Guigen went to pick him up, Ye Yuze was pruning roses in the yard. The old man was wearing a simple shirt and work pants, his hands covered in mud. He smiled when he saw his grandson.

"You're here? Help me hold this branch."

The grandfather and grandson worked in the yard for half an hour, tidying up the entire rose garden. Ye Yuze washed his hands, brewed a pot of tea, and sat down in the living room.

“I bought this house twenty years ago.” Ye Yuze looked around. “Back then, I thought London was a good place and I should have a place to stay. But over the years, I’ve only lived here a few times.”

"Does Grandpa travel to Europe frequently?"

“I used to come here often when I was young,” Ye Yuze said. “In the 1980s I came to Germany to buy machine tools, in the 1990s I came to the UK to sell cars, and in the 2000s I came to acquire companies. Back then it wasn’t easy to go abroad. You had to transfer several times by plane, and it would take two or three days.”

He took a sip of tea: "But thinking about it now, all that hardship was nothing. The real difficulty is finding your place within other people's rules."

Ye Guigen listened attentively. "Do you know why the Warriors Group was able to rise to power?"

Ye Yuze asked, “It’s not because I’m so great, it’s because I seized the opportunities the times gave me. In the 1980s, with the reform and opening up, there was a need for industrial products, so I made industrial products. In the 1990s, there was a need to export, so I made exports. In the 2000s, there was a need for internationalization, so I went international.”

He looked at his grandson: "But the opportunities are different in every era. In my time, the opportunities were in manufacturing. In your father's time, the opportunities were in finance and technology. In your time... where are the opportunities?"

Ye Guigen thought for a moment: "In the connection."

"connect?"

"Connecting East and West, connecting tradition and innovation, connecting capital and goodwill."

Ye Guigen said, “Grandpa, during my months in London, I’ve seen a divided world—the West doesn’t understand the East, capital doesn’t understand innovation, and young people can’t find opportunities. But I’ve also seen people doing connecting work. I want to be one of them.”

Ye Yuze nodded: "The idea is right. But ultimately, you have to remember that connecting is not about pleasing both sides, but about having a firm foothold on both sides. Just like a tree, the roots must be deep for the branches and leaves to reach far."

He stood up and walked to the window: "Your fund is called 'Cornerstone and Wings,' a good name. But have you thought about what the cornerstone is? And what the wings are?"

Ye Guigen pondered.

"For you, the foundation is the accumulation of three generations of the Ye family, the spirit of the military reclamation city, and the education and experience you have received."

Ye Yuze said, "Wings are your own ideals, your vision, and your courage. Without a foundation, wings cannot take flight. Without wings, the foundation is just a rock."

He turned to look at his grandson: "So, don't rush to deny what you've inherited, and don't rush to prove you're different from us. Stand firm first, then take off."

That evening, Ye Yuze personally cooked a few simple Chinese dishes. The grandfather and grandson ate at the small table in the kitchen, just like any ordinary family.

“If your grandma knew I cooked, she’d definitely laugh at me,” Ye Yuze said. “But she’s not here, so I have to do it myself.”

How is Grandma's health?

“Great.” Ye Yuze smiled. “He’s busy organizing activities at the nursing home all day long, even busier than me. He called yesterday to say he was teaching the elderly how to use smartphones and that he wanted to create a WeChat group.”

Ye Guigen smiled too. He could imagine the scene—his great-grandmother, Meihua, over ninety years old, was still learning new things and connecting people.

After finishing his meal, Ye Yuze took out a photo album. The yellowed photos documented the development of the Warrior Group:
The earliest small workshops, the first batch of rebar, the first automobile exports, the first international acquisitions...

“This man,” Ye Yuze pointed to a photo, “is called Lao Wang, my first worker. He was eighteen years old then, came from the countryside, and knew nothing. I taught him how to operate a lathe by hand. Now his son is the vice president of Zhan Shi Steel Group, and his grandson is studying mechanical engineering in Germany.”

He flipped to another page: "This is old William, you've met him before. Back when I went to Germany to buy machine tools, he looked down on Chinese people and refused to sell them to me. I stood at the gate of his factory for three days, and he finally said that if I could operate that machine, he would sell it to me."

"And then Grandpa learned it?"

“He not only learned it, but also pointed out the design flaws.” Ye Yuze smiled. “From then on, he was convinced. Later, I became his partner.”

The album was flipped to the last page, which contained photos of Ye Guigen as a child—playing in the mud in the courtyard of the military reclamation city, curiously looking at the machines in the workshop of the Warrior Group, and fiddling with a globe in Ye Feng's office in New York.

"Time flies," Ye Yuze said softly. "In the blink of an eye, you've grown up so much."

He closed the photo album: "In the end, Grandpa doesn't expect you to become a great person. I just hope you remember two things: First, know where you came from. Second, know where you are going."

The next day, Ye Yuze asked Ye Guigen to take him to the office of the "Cornerstone and Wings" Foundation. The old man carefully looked at each workstation, had a brief conversation with the employees, and even flipped through the project documents.

"It's starting to look promising," Ye Yuze commented, "but it's still too young. Investing is an industry that requires experience; enthusiasm alone isn't enough."

“I know,” Ye Guigen said. “That’s why we’re building an advisory committee and inviting experienced people to join.”

Who are you planning to invite?

"We are in contact. There are several targets: a former Bank of England official, a serial entrepreneur in Silicon Valley, and... Mr. Schmidt."

Ye Yuze raised an eyebrow: "That old guy? Would he agree?"

“He said he would consider it,” Ye Guigen said, “but I think he will agree because he sees the value of this fund.”

Leaving the office, Ye Yuze said he wanted to take a walk along the Thames. In April in London, the spring breeze was gentle, and the cherry blossoms along the river bloomed and faded, their petals falling onto the water and drifting with the current.

“London is a good place,” Ye Yuze said, “but it’s not home.”

"Grandpa misses the military reclamation city?"

"Yes," Ye Yuze admitted. "As I get older, I want to go back to familiar places."

He stopped and looked at the London Eye in the distance: "Cities will change, people will change, but some things cannot change. What is the spirit of the Military Reclamation City? It is self-reliance, it is being down-to-earth, it is providing a way for everyone to survive. This spirit must be upheld no matter how the Military Reclamation City changes."

He turned to Ye Guigen: "Your foundation must also have its own spirit. No matter how big it becomes or how many projects it invests in, you cannot lose that spirit."

"I will remember that."

On the way back, Ye Yuze suddenly said, "Your father is coming to London next week. The European branch of Brothers Group is holding a board meeting. You two should have a good talk."

Ye Guigen's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't seen his father for several months.

“Your father…” Ye Yuze paused, “He took a different path from me. I’m in manufacturing, he’s in finance. But we have one thing in common: we know what we want to do. You need to find that ‘what you want to do’ now.”

He handed an envelope to Ye Guigen: "This is something I wrote about the lessons learned in the early development of the Warrior Group. It may not all be correct, but it may be useful to you."

The envelope was thick. Ye Guigen took it and felt its weight.

After seeing his grandfather back to his residence, Ye Guigen sat alone by the Thames for a long time. He opened the envelope; inside were handwritten notes, the handwriting strong and vigorous:

"In 1985, we imported machine tools from Germany. The workers didn't know how to operate them, so I personally learned and taught them..."

"In 1992, exports were blocked for the first time, mainly due to human factors. But I personally acted as a salesman, and together with Wang Lina, we opened up the European market and sold Warrior cars there."

"In 1998, during the Asian financial crisis, I insisted on not going public, and ultimately I wasn't affected..."

Each entry is followed by a brief summary: "You must master the technology yourself," "Quality is the lifeline," "There are opportunities in crises," etc.

The last few pages are a message to Ye Guigen:

"Ultimately, Grandpa is very pleased to see what you've done in London. You're not repeating our path, you're forging your own. That's good."

But there are a few things Grandpa wants to tell you:
First, investing is about investing in people. Technology may become outdated, and business models may be obsolete, but good people can succeed anywhere.

Second, money is important, but not the most important thing. The most important thing is reputation. Once reputation is lost, no amount of money can buy it back.

Third, no matter how far you go, never forget your roots. Your roots are in Junken City, in the Ye family, and in those who taught you how to be a person and how to do things.

You are still young, you have plenty of time to make mistakes, and plenty of opportunities to start over. But remember, some mistakes you can't make, and some paths you can't take.

Grandpa is getting old and there's not much he can do to help you anymore. But whenever you need him, Grandpa will always be here for you.

Come on.

Grandpa Ye Yuze

As night deepened, the lights of the cruise ships on the Thames came on, like flowing stars. Ye Guigen put away the letter, feeling a sense of peace in his heart.

He knew he was still figuring things out, that he would make mistakes, and that he would feel lost.

But he also knew that he was not alone.

With her grandfather's experience, her father's support, Elizabeth's companionship, and the encouragement of her peers Ye Xin and Ye Yini, she was able to achieve her goals.

More importantly, he has his own direction. It may not be clear, but it's firm. The road ahead is long. But this time, he's no longer afraid.

Because its roots are deep, it is not afraid of wind and rain. Because it knows the direction, it is not afraid of getting lost.

London nights are a dazzling display of starlight and city lights.

The boy sat by the river and for the first time truly understood the meaning of the name "Returning to One's Roots"—

It's not the sense of belonging that comes with returning to one's roots.

No matter where the branches and leaves extend, the roots are always deeply embedded in the soil.

It was this unwavering commitment to his roots that enabled him to spread his wings and soar.

In the distance, Big Ben struck ten.

A new day is about to begin.

But Ye's path back to his roots has only just truly begun. (End of Chapter)