Great Power Reclamation

Before the shadow of St. Paul's Cathedral had completely dissipated under the skies of the City of London, Ye Guigen received an encrypted email on his phone.

The sender's address was unfamiliar, but the password was a secret code he and his grandfather, Ye Yuze, had agreed upon many years ago.

The email was brief: "It's like seeing you in person. I'm returning to China next week to the headquarters of Huaxia Brothers Company. A guest is coming from afar, so please prepare a small feast. Yuze."

Ye Guigen stared at the words on the screen and read them three times.

Grandpa Ye Yuze rarely contacted him in such a formal tone, and even less often did he directly ask him to return to China for a meeting. The phrase "a guest has come from afar" probably refers to this matter concerning Chen Wei.

He immediately had his secretary book the next available flight to China and also called Ye Feng.

"Dad, Grandpa wants me to go back to China."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone: "I haven't told the old man about Chen Wei yet. But he has his own sources of information, so he probably already knows."

"How should I deal with this?"

"To be honest," Ye Feng's voice came through the transoceanic line, carrying an unusual seriousness:
“Your grandfather hates two things the most: betrayal and deception. Chen Wei broke the first rule; you mustn’t break the second.”

"Is Chen Wei really my grandfather's old subordinate?"

"He did work at Huaxia Brothers Company, but he wasn't a key figure."

Ye Feng seemed to be flipping through some documents. "From 1998 to 2003, he was in charge of property management at the Guangzhou branch. Later, he was transferred to the administration department at headquarters and left in 2007. By the time he left, your grandfather had basically stopped managing the company's daily affairs."

Ye Guigen frowned: "Then he said he held me when I was little..."

“It’s possible,” Ye Feng said. “Your grandfather’s office used to be frequented by all sorts of people. It wouldn’t be surprising if Chen Wei saw you during that time. But his claim of having a 30-year friendship with your grandfather is an exaggeration.”

After hanging up the phone, Ye Guigen stood by the office window, looking at the London night view. The cruise ships on the Thames were brightly lit, but at that moment, those lights seemed very distant to him.

Elizabeth pushed open the door and came in, carrying two documents:

"The regulator's final approval has come through. The fine has been reduced from 500,000 to 300,000, and the suspension period has been shortened from one month to three weeks. We've won this round."

“It’s only temporary.” Ye Guigen took the documents. “I need to go back to China to see my grandfather.”

Elizabeth looked at him sharply: "Because of Chen Wei?"

"Yes. Grandpa understands."

Do you need me to go with you?

Ye Guigen thought for a moment and shook his head: "This is a family matter. Besides, I want to face it alone."

Three days later, in Beijing, China.

The headquarters building of Huaxia Brothers Company, a 38-story glass curtain wall building, shines brightly under the subtropical sun.

When Ye Guigen entered the lobby, the receptionist had already been notified and led him directly to the chairman's office on the top floor.

The elevator doors opened, and Ye Guigen immediately saw that familiar figure. Ye Xin's mother, Lili, stood beside her.

Ye Yuze stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, his back to the door, looking at the scenery outside. He was wearing a simple dark jacket, his hair was completely white, but his back was straight and his figure was still strong.

"Grandpa," Ye Guigen called softly.

Ye Yuze turned around. The seventy-year-old man's face was not wrinkled, but his eyes were still as sharp as an eagle's.

He looked at his grandson, but didn't speak immediately. Instead, he looked him up and down, as if assessing something.

"You've lost weight," Ye Yuze finally spoke. "Didn't you like the food in London?"

"It's alright. I've just been busy lately."

"Sit down." Ye Yuze walked to the mahogany sofa in the reception area. "Have some tea. This is Lao Ban Zhang from Yunnan, prepared by your Aunt Lili."

Ye Guigen sat down, watching Lili skillfully brew tea. Amidst the rising steam, her movements were slow and precise, each step meticulously executed.

The tea was ready, and Ye Yuze handed over a cup: "Drink the tea first. Let's talk about things one by one."

Ye Guigen took a sip of tea, the rich flavor melting on his tongue. He put down his teacup and began to recount everything that had happened in London—

From the establishment of the "Cornerstone and Wings" fund to the investment in North Africa projects, to Chen Wei's whistleblowing and threats, and finally to the restructuring plan and the regulatory authorities' handling of the matter.

He spoke for a full forty minutes. Ye Yuze listened quietly, without interrupting, only occasionally picking up his teacup to take a sip.

When Ye Guigen finished speaking, the office fell into a brief silence. Only the soft hum of the air conditioner and the distant murmur of boats on the Pearl River could be heard.

"Are you done talking?" Ye Yuze asked.

"That's all."

"Then I'll say a few words." Ye Yuze put down his teacup.

"First, it's good that you're driven. But if that drive goes too far, it becomes recklessness. You can't even do basic work like choosing a consulting firm properly, so you should be punished."

Ye Guigen lowered his head: "Yes."

"Secondly, you know how to ask for help when you encounter problems and how to redesign solutions, which is an improvement. I've seen Elizabeth's picture; she's intelligent. The consulting team your father found for you is professional. Using the right people is the foundation for doing great things."

“Third,” Ye Yuze’s voice suddenly turned cold, “you didn’t handle Chen Wei’s matter thoroughly enough.”

Ye Guigen looked up: "What does Grandpa mean?"

"He dared to threaten my grandson; he should bear the consequences." Ye Yuze stood up, walked to his desk, and pressed the intercom button.
"Let Mr. Chen in."

A few minutes later, the office door was pushed open. Chen Wei walked in, dressed in a suit and tie, but his face was somewhat pale. When he saw Ye Guigen, his eyes flickered for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure.

"Chairman Ye, it's been a long time." Chen Wei greeted him with a forced smile.

Ye Yuze didn't offer him a seat, but simply pointed to the chair opposite him: "Chen Wei, I heard you've been quite active lately."

"Mr. Ye, you're joking. I am just..."

“I heard,” Ye Yuze interrupted him:
"You told my grandson that you and I have been friends for thirty years? That you held him when he was a child? And that you were my old subordinate and brother?"

Chen Wei's forehead began to sweat: "Chairman Ye, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but I have always held the Ye family in high esteem..."

"With respect?" Ye Yuze's voice wasn't loud, but each word seemed to hammer into the air like a nail:

"Would someone with respect report my grandson's foundation? Would they use the Ye family's reputation to threaten a young man? Chen Wei, do you think I'm old and senile, and that you can just let me use my name to swindle and deceive people?"

"Chairman Ye, you've misunderstood. I really mean well for Ye Guigen; I'm afraid he's young and naive and might go astray..."

"It's none of the business for outsiders to dictate the Ye family's path."

Ye Yuze walked up to Chen Wei and looked down at him:
"In 1999, you were the property manager at the Guangzhou branch. You embezzled 320,000 yuan from the maintenance fund. I was the one who found out, but because your mother was seriously ill, I didn't send you to jail; I just let you leave the company. Do you remember this?"

Chen Wei's face turned deathly pale instantly.

“In 2005, you used the name ‘Ye Yuze’s former subordinate’ to acquire a piece of land in Shenzhen, then resold it to a Hong Kong developer, making 20 million yuan. Someone told me about it at the time, and I said, ‘Forget it, just consider it giving him a job.’ Do you remember this?”

"Chairman Ye, I..."

"In 2018, you founded 'Great Wall Capital' and went around telling people that you had the background and resources of the Ye family. How much investment did you raise? How many people did you deceive?"

Ye Yuze's voice grew colder and colder, "I can overlook all of these things. But you shouldn't have touched my grandson."

Chen Wei panicked completely: "Chairman Ye, I really meant well! Ye Guigen is causing big trouble by mixing up the Ye family's resources! American capital, Chinese enterprises, and East African influence—putting these three things together is too politically sensitive!"

"Do you need to teach me about politics?" Ye Yuze sneered. "I, Ye Yuze, have been doing business in China for fifty years, from military reclamation farms to sister companies. What storms haven't I weathered? I know better than you what's sensitive, what should be done, and what shouldn't be done." He walked back to his desk and picked up a document:
"This is your 'Great Wall Capital' financial report and investment project list for the past three years. Of the seventeen companies you invested in, nine are suspected of illegal fundraising, five have serious tax problems, and three are controlled by economic criminals who are already wanted. I have had these materials compiled and sent to the appropriate places."

Chen Wei's legs went weak, and he almost knelt down: "Chairman Ye! Please have mercy! I was wrong! I was really wrong!"

"Now you know you were wrong?" Ye Yuze threw the documents on the table.
"It's too late. I'll give you two choices: First, voluntarily liquidate 'Great Wall Capital,' return all illegal gains, and confess to the relevant authorities yourself. That way, you might save a few years in prison."

"And the second one?" Chen Wei asked, trembling.

"Secondly, I'll have these materials published tomorrow, and simultaneously sent to all investors and regulatory agencies. Guess what, you might end up spending the rest of your life in prison?"

Chen Wei slumped in his chair, his face ashen.

Ye Yuze stopped looking at him and turned to Ye Guigen:
"In the end, as you've seen, in this world, some people are reasonable, while others only recognize strength. It's useless to reason with someone like Chen Wei; he won't understand. He only knows that whoever has the strongest fist calls the shots."

Ye Guigen looked at his grandfather and suddenly felt that this familiar old man was somewhat unfamiliar.

In his memory, his grandfather was always gentle and smiling. He would tell him stories about the military reclamation farm and teach him to write.

But the Ye Yuze before me is an industrialist who has navigated the business world for fifty years and single-handedly built Brothers Company and Warrior Group.

"Grandpa, I..."

"Don't speak yet." Ye Yuze waved his hand, then looked at Chen Wei:
"You have three days. If Great Wall Capital hasn't started liquidation proceedings by then, these materials will appear where they're supposed to be. Now, you can leave."

Chen Wei stood up dejectedly and staggered out of the office.

The moment the door closed, the atmosphere in the office suddenly relaxed.

Ye Yuze let out a long sigh, sat back down on the sofa, and poured himself another cup of tea.

"This kind of person won't shed a tear until they see the coffin."

"Grandpa, do you really have so much dirt on him?" Ye Guigen couldn't help but ask.

"We've got some information, we'll just use the rest to scare him."

Ye Yuze took a sip of tea and suddenly laughed, “After so many years in business, who doesn’t have some dirt on them? The important thing is to make others believe that you have dirt on them.”

Ye Guigen was stunned.

“Chen Wei is the kind of person who has a guilty conscience. I only need to point out a few true things, and he will fill in the rest of the loopholes himself.”

Ye Yuze looked at his grandson and said, "Ultimately, you must remember this: in the business world, truth and falsehood are intertwined, and sometimes, momentum is more important than evidence."

"But if he really turns himself in, what about those materials..."

“I will give him some real but non-lethal material and let him confess.”

Ye Yuze said, "One should be lenient when possible, but the premise is that he cannot cause harm again. After this incident, Chen Wei will not dare to touch finance for at least ten years. That's enough."

Ye Guigen was silent for a moment: "Grandpa, what Chen Wei said about the Ye family's resources not being shared..."

"He's right, and he's wrong." Ye Yuze put down his teacup.

"That's right. American capital, Chinese enterprises, and East African forces do have different attributes and rules. Using them together requires a high level of skill and a sense of proportion."

"What's wrong with that?"

"What's wrong is that he believes these three things must be completely separated, like water from a well, each keeping to itself."

Ye Yuze looked out the window and said, "This world has long been one. To artificially divide it will only limit us. True skill lies in finding balance in complexity and finding opportunities in risk."

He turned to his grandson: "Your father runs Brothers Group in the United States. It's a purely American company, and you have to play by American rules."

“Your aunt established a country in East Africa, which is a sovereign state and must operate according to international law and local rules. My sister company and Warrior Group in China must comply with Chinese laws and policies. Neither of these is wrong.”

“However,” he emphasized, “this does not mean that we Ye family members should split up. We are one family, connected by blood, we can share resources and exchange wisdom, but the form must be legal and compliant, and the degree of restraint must be properly grasped.”

Ye Guigen pondered, "Like the architecture Elizabeth designed?"

"That girl is smart," Ye Yuze rarely praised.
"Layered shareholding structure, legal separation, but strategic synergy. This is how modern enterprises should operate. Your father should also agree with this plan, right?"

"Yes, he said it's feasible."

"Then let's do it." Ye Yuze stood up, walked to the bookshelf, and pulled out an old photo album. "Guigen, come here."

Ye Guigen walked over. Ye Yuze opened the photo album, which contained yellowed old photos—a group photo of young Ye Yuze and Yang Geyong at the military reclamation farm;
The ribbon-cutting ceremony when the sister company was established; the scene of the first factory of the Warrior Group going into production.

“Look, this is a photo of me and your Grandpa Yang in Russia in 1978.” Ye Yuze pointed to a photograph:
"Back then, we had nothing but an indomitable spirit. But it was with that spirit that we started from a small workshop and have grown to where we are today."

He turned a few more pages: "This is from 1992, when Huaxia Brothers Company was founded. At that time, many people said that private enterprises couldn't grow big, but we did. Why? Because we knew how to adapt to the environment and how to find space within the rules."

Turning to the last page of the album, there was a family photo—three generations of Ye Yuze, Ye Feng, and Ye Guigen standing together, with the Warrior Group headquarters building in the background.

"This was taken on your eighteenth birthday," Ye Yuze said softly.
“I told you that day: the future of the Ye family is in your generation’s hands. I still say the same thing now. But I’d like to add one more thing: the future of the Ye family is not about you maintaining the status quo, but about you expanding it.”

He closed the photo album and solemnly handed it to Ye Guigen:

“Take this photo album back with you. See how your predecessors got here, and think about how you should move forward. People like Chen Wei are just pebbles on the road; just kick them aside. The real challenges are yet to come.”

Ye Guigen took the photo album, feeling its weight.

"Grandpa, aren't you angry with me? I've caused so much trouble..."

"What kind of young person doesn't cause trouble?"

Ye Yuze laughed, "I caused far more trouble than you did back then. The key is to know how to resolve trouble and learn from your mistakes. You didn't handle this matter perfectly, but you passed the test."

He patted his grandson on the shoulder: "Go, go back to London. Reorganize the fund and do a good job on the North Africa project. Remember: do practical things, do good things, but also protect yourself. These two things are not contradictory."

Ye Guigen nodded, then suddenly remembered something: "Grandpa, Chen Wei said you're getting old..."

"I am getting old," Ye Yuze admitted frankly, "but there are advantages to being old. Older people have sharper eyes and see things more clearly. Chen Wei thought I was easy to bully because I'm old, but what happened?"

The grandfather and grandson looked at each other and smiled.

It was already evening when I left the Huaxia Brothers Company building. The streetlights on Chang'an Road were just coming on, and the night was both gentle and bustling.

Ye Guigen stood by the roadside and sent a message to Elizabeth:
"The matter is resolved. Grandpa supports us. We'll return to London next week to begin the restructuring."

Soon, the reply came: "Waiting for you to come back. The road ahead is long, let's walk it together."

He put away his phone and looked at the cruise ships on the river. The lights on the ships were reflected in the water, broken and then gathered again by the waves, just like everything in this era—fragmented yet connected, complex yet simple.

What he needs to do is find his own direction amidst this brokenness and connection.

Carrying his grandfather's photo album, Ye Guigen headed to the airport.

As the plane took off, he watched the city lights outside the window gradually shrink, and suddenly remembered his grandfather's last words:

"Men of the Ye family are not afraid to walk in the dark. Because if there is light in their hearts, there will be a path under their feet."

Yes, he has light in his heart.

The light came from the campfire on the military reclamation farm, from the original aspiration of Huaxia Brothers Company, from the hard work of the Warrior Group, from my father's pioneering work in the United States, and from my aunt's perseverance in East Africa.

Now, that light is also in his heart.

Light the way forward, however long. (End of Chapter)