Great Power Reclamation

Reyizha rode the chestnut horse for two laps, then got tired and slid off the horse. Her little face was flushed and beads of sweat were on her forehead.

Zhao Ling'er handed her a bowl of milk tea, which she took and gulped down more than half of it. Then she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and grinned.

"Grandpa, can I come here often in the future?" She looked up at Yang Geyong.

Yang Geyong squatted down to look her in the eye. "Yes, you can. You can come whenever you want. This horse farm welcomes you anytime."

"Can I ride that white horse?"

Yang Geyong glanced at Ye Yuze. Ye Yuze smiled.

"Yes. The white horse has a good temper and won't throw you off."

Reyizha jumped up with joy, ran to the white horse, and reached out to touch its neck.

The white horse snorted, lowered its head, and nudged her palm with its nose. She giggled, her laughter as clear and crisp as a mountain stream.

Ye Yuze stood to the side, looking at the Kazakh girl, and a thought suddenly flashed through his mind—many years ago, Yinhua smiled just like that.

He had just arrived at the infrastructure construction company when she was wearing a floral cotton-padded jacket with two braids. She stood on the Gobi Desert, the wind making it hard for her to open her eyes, but she laughed loudly.

time flies.

Yang Geyong stood up and walked to Ye Yuze's side. "What are you thinking about?"

"I miss Yinhua."

"Ah."

Yang Geyong paused for a moment. "We all have things we can't forget in our lives, but what can we do if we can't forget them?"

Ye Yuze didn't speak. He looked at the distant Tianshan Mountains, their snow-capped peaks gleaming white in the sunlight.

Reyizha rode the white horse around once, ran back, and jumped off the horse.

"Grandpa, I should go back now. Dad said he'd take me to town to buy things at noon."

"Okay. Go back." Yang Geyong took a piece of chocolate out of his pocket and handed it to her. "Eat it on the way."

Reyizha took the chocolate, stuffed it into her pocket, and got into her chestnut horse.

She rode her horse slowly out of the stables, out of the yard, and onto the path leading to the southern pasture.

The sunlight shone on her, casting a very long shadow.

Ye Yuze and Yang Geyong stood by the horse farm, watching her figure grow smaller and smaller until it disappeared into the grassland at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains.

“Old Yang,” Ye Yuze said, “Do you think Reyizha will still remember today when she grows up?”

Yang Geyong thought for a moment. "Yes. She doesn't remember us. She remembers this horse, this piece of chocolate, and this grassland. These things will stay with her for the rest of her life."

Ye Yuze nodded.

The two turned and walked back. Yu'e and Zhao Ling'er were sitting on a bench in the courtyard, basking in the sun. Seeing them approaching, Yu'e stood up and brushed the dust off her skirt.

"Are you hungry? Let's go back and eat."

"What do you want to eat?" Yang Geyong asked.

"Pilaf with hands. Made by Zhao Ling'er."

Yang Geyong glanced at Zhao Ling'er. Zhao Ling'er stood up and patted him on the shoulder.

"Your favorite. It has raisins and almonds in it."

Yang Geyong laughed, his eyes narrowing into slits.

The four people got into the car and drove towards the military reclamation city. The car drove across the Gobi Desert, with endless wilderness outside the window and the snow-capped peaks of the Tianshan Mountains in the distance.

Ye Yuze sat in the front row with his eyes closed. Yu'e sat next to him, holding his hand.

"Old Ye," Yang Geyong suddenly spoke up, "how long has it been since you last visited Han Xiaojing?"

Ye Yuze opened her eyes and glanced at him. "Why did you suddenly bring her up?"

"It wasn't sudden. I've been wanting to ask this for a while."

Yang Geyong took out his pipe from his pocket, thought for a moment, and then put it back in:
"Han Xiaojing is someone who won't come to see you if you don't go to see her."

Ye Yuze paused for a moment. "She knows I'm busy."

"Busy? What are you busy with, you retired old man?"

Ye Yuze didn't answer. He looked out the window; the wind on the Gobi Desert blew sand and gravel up, making a soft, rustling sound as it hit the car window.

Han Xiaojing. He hadn't mentioned this name to anyone for a long time.

But that name has always been in his heart. Not the kind of heart that stirs up a storm, but the kind that's buried deep inside, and occasionally aches.

Their story is a long, complicated one, so complicated that even he himself sometimes couldn't make sense of it.

Han Xiaojing is the daughter of the Han family and a retired high-ranking official in the military intelligence department. She knows more secrets than most people.

No one dared to underestimate her, not because she had power—her rank was actually not high—

It's because she knows too much. So much that some people can't sleep at night.

She was also Ye Yuze's lover. Not many people knew this. Yang Geyong was one, and Yu'e was another—

Yu'e knew, but she never said anything. It wasn't that she didn't mind, but that she didn't want to dwell on it. Because she knew that Ye Yuze had someone in his heart—himself—and that was enough.

Han Xiaojing gave birth to a son for Ye Yuze, named Han Ye. Han Ye did not take Ye Yuze's surname, nor did he take Han Xiaojing's surname "Ye" or "Han," but instead took the surname "Han."

Because Han Xiaojing entrusted Han Ye to her infertile younger brother and sister-in-law, Ye Yuji.

Ye Yuji is the daughter of the Ye family and Ye Yuze's younger sister. Therefore, she is both Han Ye's aunt and his adoptive mother.

Han Ye grew up in the Han family and took the surname Han, but the blood of the Ye family flowed in her veins.

Even fewer people know about this now. Ye Yuji doesn't talk about it, Han Xiaojing doesn't talk about it, and Ye Yuze certainly doesn't talk about it.

Han Ye himself didn't know. He thought he was the son of the Han family and that Ye Yuji was his biological mother.

Ye Yuze visits Han Ye several times a year, not as a father, but as an uncle.

He sat opposite Han Ye, looking at the young man, his heart churning with unspoken words. But he never uttered them. Some words, once spoken, would be a disaster.

"Old Yang," Ye Yuze finally spoke, "Han Xiaojing has been investigating something recently."

"what's up?"

"Someone is investigating the Ye family's background."

Yang Geyong frowned. "Who?"

"I don't know. But she said it wasn't one person, it was a system. Someone is using the power of the entire system to investigate the Ye family."

A few seconds of silence filled the car. Yu'e tightened her grip on Ye Yuze's hand. Zhao Ling'er looked out the window, pretending not to hear.

"System?" Yang Geyong's voice was very low, almost as if he were talking to himself. "What system?"

"I don't know. She said she's still investigating."

Yang Geyong remained silent for a long time. Then he took out the pipe from his pocket, and this time he didn't hesitate, lit it, and took a deep drag.

The smoke filled the car, making Yu'e cough twice, but he didn't put it out.

"Old Ye," he said, "aren't you afraid?"

Ye Yuze looked at him and smiled.

"Don't worry. Because the Ye family's background is clean. Even if you investigate it a thousand times, it will still be clean."

Yang Geyong took the pipe out of his mouth and tapped the ash through the gap in the car window.

"It's clean, but some people aren't looking for dirt on you; they're looking to portray your cleanliness as dirt. You can't prevent that."

Ye Yuze remained silent. He knew Yang Geyong was right. Some things aren't a matter of whether you did them or not, but whether others want to talk about them.

Those who want to do something can always find a reason. Those who don't want to do something won't do it no matter what reasons you give them.

The car drove into the military reclamation town. The poplar trees on both sides of the street were bare, their branches stretching towards the sky like the withered fingers of an old man.

But Ye Yuze knew that in a few months, they would sprout and grow new leaves.

In the courtyard of the Ye family villa, the apricot tree still stands. Its branches are bare, but its bark is smooth and gleams with a dark brown sheen.

Ye Yuze got out of the car, walked to the apricot tree, reached out and touched the trunk.

Rough and cold, yet it possesses an indescribable warmth.

This tree was planted by his father. A single apricot pit, buried in the soil, grew to the thickness of a bowl over decades. The tree is still there, but the person who planted it is now in a sanatorium.

But the person who planted the trees said something that Ye Yuze remembered for the rest of his life—

"People live not for themselves, but so that those who come after them can find shade under the trees."

He remembered those words for his entire life, and he lived by them for his entire life.

The phone rang. It was Ye Feng.

"Dad. Han Xiaojing called. She said she found out who the Ye family is."

Ye Yuze's hand tightened. "Who?"

"A person you don't know. But you know who's behind him."

"Who?" Ye Feng said a name. Ye Yuze remained silent for a long time after hearing it.

“Dad,” Ye Feng’s voice lowered, “you can’t touch this person.”

"I know."

"What should I do?"

Ye Yuze looked at the apricot tree, at its bare branches.

"Don't move. Wait."

"Wait for what?"

"Wait for him to make a move. Once he makes a move, there will be a flaw. Once there is a flaw, we can break through."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone. "Okay. Wait."

After hanging up the phone, Ye Yuze stood under the apricot tree for a long time.

The sunlight shone on him, warm and comforting, but he felt cold. Not physically, but emotionally.

Yu'e walked over and stood beside him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing much."

"You're lying to me."

Ye Yuze turned his head and looked at her. Yu'e's face appeared somewhat pale in the sunlight, with deep wrinkles, but her eyes were still bright.

“Yu’e,” he said, “you have suffered a lifetime of hardship following me.”

Yu'e took his hand. "It's not hard. With you, I'm not suffering."

Ye Yuze's eyes reddened.

“Let’s go,” Yu’e said, taking his hand. “Let’s go inside and eat. Hand-grabbed rice won’t taste good if it gets cold.”

The two slowly walked into the house. Behind them, the apricot tree swayed gently in the wind, as if nodding.

London, East End docks, the same afternoon.

Yang Chenglong has returned from Hangzhou. He spent five days there, running around dealing with all the business and tax matters.

My legs got thin from running around, and my mouth got sore from talking, but the paperwork was finally done.

Tianma's quality inspection report, tax registration, and trademark registration are all complete and compliant.

When Lin Wanwan saw him off at the airport, she cried. Not a loud sob, but the kind of cry where tears welled up in her eyes for a long time before finally falling.

"Yang Chenglong, when are you coming back next time?"

"soon."

"How long is 'soon'?"

"One month."

“You also said a month last time.”

Yang Chenglong scratched his head. "This time it's for real."

Lin Wanwan wiped away her tears and looked at him. "Do you know why I'm crying?"

"why?"

“It’s not because you left. It’s because you came and then left. When you came, I felt like someone was there to support me. Now that you’re gone, I have to carry the burden all by myself again.”

Yang Chenglong felt a pang in his heart.

"Wanwan, I'll come back after I graduate. I won't leave again."

Lin Wanwan stared at him for a long time.

"Okay. I'll wait for you."

Yang Chenglong sat in the "Foundation and Wings" office and recounted the events in Hangzhou to Ye Guigen. Ye Guigen listened and nodded.

"The business and tax issues are resolved, that's good. But things aren't over with Wang Jianguo yet."

Yang Chenglong looked at him. "What did you find out?"

"Wang Jianguo is in Hong Kong, and he hasn't been idle. He's having dinner with a few people. You know all of them."

"Who?"

Ye Guigen took a photo out of the drawer and placed it on the table.

The photo shows three people sitting around a round table, holding wine glasses.

Yang Chenglong knew one of them—Wang Jianguo. He also knew two others—Liu Zixuan's father, Boss Liu. There was one more person Yang Chenglong hadn't met, but Ye Guigen knew him.

"Who is this person?" Yang Chenglong pointed to the unfamiliar face in the photo.

"The eldest son of the Wang Group. Wang Jianguo's nephew. Guess what his name is?"

"what is it call?"

"Wang Jiaming".

Yang Chenglong was taken aback. "Wang Jiaming? Wasn't he recuperating in London? How come he's in Hong Kong?"

Ye Guigen put the photos away. "His illness is cured. Or rather, his illness isn't cured, but his ambition is."

Yang Chenglong clenched his fists. "So, Wang Jianguo, Boss Liu, and Wang Jiaming—these three people are involved again?"

"Yes. But not for 'Pegasus'. It's for your grandfather's oil field."

Yang Chenglong stood up and paced around the office. "Didn't Boss Liu already back down? Why is he here again?"

"Admitting defeat is temporary. Profits are forever. The oil field is there, producing millions of tons of crude oil every year. Billions of dollars in profits."

"Admitting defeat once will result in a loss of ten million. Not admitting defeat will result in a loss of billions. Boss Liu isn't stupid."

Yang Chenglong stopped and looked at Ye Guigen. "Then what should we do?"

Ye Guigen leaned back in his chair, his hands crossed in front of his chest.

"No rush. They're in Hong Kong, we're in London. Ten thousand kilometers apart. They can't touch your grandfather's oil fields."

"Because they can't touch your grandfather. Behind your grandfather are your father, your second uncle, your third uncle, your fourth grandfather, Han Xiaojing, and Wang Honghua. The entire military reclamation city is your grandfather's backer."

Yang Chenglong looked at him. "And what about you? Who do you rely on?"

Ye Guigen smiled. "I'll rely on myself."

Yang Chenglong laughed too. "You can't rely on anything except yourself."

"of course."

The two men sat in the office, looking out at the Thames River. The water was grey and the current was slow. Sunlight filtered through the clouds, scattering across the river's surface like golden fragments.

“Going back to the point,” Yang Chenglong suddenly said, “tell me, why did Wang Jiaming target your Ye family?”

Ye Guigen thought for a moment. "It's not about targeting the Ye family. It's about targeting my third grandfather."

"why?"

"Because my third grandfather's engine cut off his source of income."

Yang Chenglong was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

Ye Guigen stood up and walked to the window. "The Wang Group's largest business in Europe is not trade, nor finance. It's aircraft parts."

"They supply Airbus, Boeing, and Rolls-Royce. They have orders worth billions of euros every year."

He turned around and looked at Yang Chenglong, “Once the ‘Tianshan’ engine goes into mass production, China’s aircraft will no longer need to buy Western engines.”

"If Western engines don't sell, orders for aerospace parts will decrease. As a result, the Wang Group's business will shrink."

Yang Chenglong's mind raced for a moment. "So, Wang Jianguo's 'Tianma' project wasn't really about 'Tianma' itself. It was about targeting your grandfather. And targeting your grandfather was to prevent the mass production of the 'Tianshan' engine?"

Ye Guigen nodded. "You've finally figured it out."

Yang Chenglong remained silent for a long time.

"Does your grandfather know about this?"

"know."

"How did he say?"

Ye Guigen walked to the table, picked up the now-cold coffee, and took a sip. "He said, let him handle it."

"Let him handle it?"

"Yes. Let him do it. In the end, he'll collapse on his own."

Yang Chenglong looked at him, and suddenly felt a strange, indescribable feeling. It wasn't admiration, nor was it worry; it was a sense of security.

Standing beside Ye Guigen, he felt he could not be defeated by anyone. Not because Ye Guigen was particularly strong, but because Ye Guigen had an invincible family behind him.

That family is called the Ye family.

(To be continued) (End of this chapter)