Chapter 817: Changying

Ye Chen did not harbor excessive wariness toward Tang Sihai.

This was because he could analyze that Tang Sihai held absolutely no malice toward him.

In fact, the reason he had been able to grow up safely in Jin Ling for so many years was largely thanks to Tang Sihai's secret protection.

Therefore, if Tang Sihai had harbored any evil intentions toward him, he would not have waited until now.

This was also one of the few people Ye Chen could trust absolutely, so he prepared to contact Tang Sihai to arrange a meeting and learn about some of the details from back then.

Tang Sihai was currently at the Ye Group.

In the Ye Group's high-level conference room, all of the Ye family's descendants were gathered to attend a family meeting.

Presiding over the meeting was the head of the Ye family, Ye Chen's grandfather, Ye Zhongquan.

Nearly twenty of the Ye family's descendants were also sitting upright in the conference room.

At this moment, the old master said with deep emotion, "The old physiognomist left in such a hurry yesterday, going straight to the airport from Mount Ye Ling. I didn't even get to see him one last time; it's truly a pity!"

Ye Chen's uncle, Ye Changkong, asked, "Dad, did you have us rush over for a meeting just for the sake of the old physiognomist returning to the United States?"

Ye Zhongquan waved his hand and said, "The old physiognomist told me long ago that the reason he stayed in Yan Jing and remained in the country after the construction of Mount Ye Ling was completed was to wait for an opportunity that belonged to him. Now that he has left, it must be that he has already obtained the opportunity he had been waiting for for many years."

Everyone nodded one after another. One of Ye Chen's cousins of the same generation asked, "Grandfather, then did you have us come over today for some important matter?"

The last time the old master had summoned all the direct descendants of the Ye family for a meeting was when they decided to relocate the ancestral graves. After all, the Ye family's business was too vast, and the descendants were in charge of various departments and scattered all over the country. If it weren't for an extremely urgent matter, there would be no need to go to the trouble of gathering everyone together.

Ye Zhongquan sighed and said, "Back then, the old physiognomist told me that after the Ye family's predicament of a 'dragon trapped in shallow water' was broken, there would be an opportunity to soar into the sky and climb to a higher level. However, I have never been able to figure out where exactly the Ye family's opportunity to soar into the sky lies."

For a moment, everyone looked at each other in dismay.

The Ye family's current strength ranked second among the country's major families, second only to the Su family. If they were to climb to a higher level, wouldn't that mean surpassing the Su family and becoming the number one family in the country?

Consequently, everyone became somewhat excited.

Ye Chen's third uncle, Ye Changyun, said, "Dad, did the old physiognomist reveal any general clues back then? For example, where exactly would this opportunity appear? On whom? Or through what event could we find relevant clues?"

Ye Zhongquan shook his head and said, "The old physiognomist only said that the Ye family would encounter a heaven-sent opportunity, but as for what this opportunity was or where to seek it, he didn't reveal a single word, only saying that heavenly secrets must not be leaked!"

Ye Changkong clicked his tongue and said, "Then this scope is too broad; even if we wanted to grasp a clue, we wouldn't be able to!"

Ye Zhongquan said, "If we can't grasp it, we must find a way to take the initiative and search comprehensively!"

As he spoke, Ye Zhongquan added, "I have been thinking about a question for the past two days, and that is how our Ye family can actually surpass the Su family."

"Surpass the Su family?"

The group of Ye family descendants looked at one another, all feeling that this matter was almost a fantasy.

Compared to the Su family, the Ye family was not far behind; the Su family's comprehensive strength was probably only about 20% higher than the Ye family's.

However, because the asset bases of the Su family and the Ye family are so massive, the 20% gap between them represents a staggering difference in monetary terms.

If the Ye family wanted to surpass the Su family, their assets would need to increase by at least several hundred billion to be possible.

The Su family's scale was already stronger than the Ye family's, and their development speed was naturally faster than the Ye family's, so the gap between the Ye family and the Su family was actually slowly widening.

Wanting to rise against the trend now and catch up with the Su family all the way was not only as difficult as ascending to heaven, but it was even more like a fantasy.

Seeing that everyone was silent, Ye Zhongquan couldn't help but sigh, "Twenty years ago, when Changying was still alive, the Ye family, under his leadership, had almost surpassed the Su family. At that time, Changying formulated a strategy for national dominance, and all the major families in Yan Jing believed that the Ye family would inevitably surpass the Su family and become the pinnacle of the country..."

Speaking of this, Ye Zhongquan was silent for a moment, his eyes full of pity as he said, "However, after Changying left, you people really are one worse than the other..."

The eldest son, Ye Changkong, heard this and said with great dissatisfaction, "Dad, it's meaningless for you to say it like that. You always say we aren't as good as Changying in this or that, but Changying's family was driven away by you back then. If you hadn't driven Changying away back then, perhaps the Ye family would have already achieved the goal of national dominance by now."

"You..." Ye Zhongquan was so angry that he pointed furiously at Ye Changkong, wanting to curse, but immediately held it back.

He let out a long sigh and said to everyone, "What happened back then is in the past; let's focus on the present."

Ye Changkong said, "What good way do you have to shorten our distance from the Su family at present?"

Ye Zhongquan hesitated for a moment and said, "The Su family has always been prosperous in male descendants; the old master of the Su family has five sons and thirteen grandsons, but it seems there are only two granddaughters. One of them is twenty-two years old this year and has reached the age of marriage, while the other is not yet an adult. These two granddaughters are like the apple of the eye in the Su family. If the Ye family's grandchildren could marry into the Su family, it would definitely be a huge help to the Ye family!"

Ye Chen's aunt, Ye Zhangmin, said, "Dad, the Su family's eldest granddaughter is extremely pampered in the Su family. If we want to marry her into our family, it would at least have to be our family's eldest grandson!"

The Ye family's eldest grandson was Ye Chen's uncle Ye Changkong's son, Ye Feng.

At this moment, Ye Changkong sighed and said, "Zhangmin, Xiao Feng already set an engagement with the princess of the Norwegian royal family last year, and the wedding will be held this summer. Almost everyone in Yan Jing knows about this; there is no room for maneuver!"

"That's right." Ye Chen's cousin, Ye Feng, said, "I have had contact with that Su Zhiyu of the Su family before. This woman has a cold personality and rarely participates in social events. Many socialite gatherings at home and abroad have invited her in various ways, but she has never accepted. Trying to pursue her is as difficult as ascending to heaven, not to mention that I already have an engagement. If I were to pursue her, the Su family would probably see through my motives at a glance..."

One of Ye Chen's cousins, the eldest son of the Ye family's third uncle Ye Changyun, Ye Hao, could not hide his excitement as he said, "Grandfather, why don't I try?"

Ye Changkong glanced at this nephew with an ordinary appearance and shook his head, saying, "Xiao Hao, the Su family's strength is already above ours. Even if it were your cousin Feng, the eldest son and grandson, he might not necessarily catch the Su family's eye, let alone you?"

Ye Changyun said with some displeasure, "Big brother, what you said is meaningless. Who stipulated that the Su family's eldest granddaughter must marry someone else's eldest son and grandson? Perhaps our Xiao Hao has that charm?"

Ye Changkong chuckled, "Third brother, if you are not convinced, you can let Xiao Hao try. I'm just afraid that Xiao Hao won't even have the chance to meet Su Zhiyu; in that case, it would be a laughingstock."

Old Master Ye couldn't help but sigh and pour cold water, "If we want to marry into the Su family, Xiao Hao is indeed lacking too much."

As he spoke, he suddenly remembered something, a flash of light in his eyes, and he looked at Tang Sihai, who had been silent, and said, "Sihai, do you think that if we let Changying's son marry into the Su family, he would agree?" ===== CHAPTER 818 =====