Chapter 101 Successor to the Head of the Family

On their first wedding anniversary, early in the morning, Madam Guan invited Granny Tong to conduct a simple ceremony.

The ceremony required no cooperation from the couple, so they did not participate.

Ye Baoling finished washing up and got ready to go to the company. She was going to come back in the afternoon to attend a family meeting.

She turned to Ye Huaizhang and said, "Shall we talk tonight?"

What should we talk about?

Let's talk about where their marriage is headed.

Ye Huaizhang was tying his tie. He paused slightly, his expression and voice calm: "Okay."

This day was bound to come sooner or later; he was mentally prepared.

He believed that she couldn't just break up with him like that.

They share too many secrets, making it difficult to completely sever ties.

Ye Baoling went downstairs for breakfast and then went to the company for an important finance meeting in the morning.

After the bonds purchased by Suman Jewelry matured, the funds have returned to their account. The next step is to decide whether to repay the previous bank loan or use the funds for financial investment.

The company's conservatives believe there are no good financial products available right now, and with bank interest rates high, it's best to pay off the bank debt first.

A slightly more aggressive approach would be to use this money to buy index funds in the US stock market.

Many securities analysts believe that the US stock market will experience a significant rebound and recovery in the two years following the stock market crash. Now is the best time to enter the market.

Some people believe that they can follow in Ye Qingtang's footsteps and expand into the consumer market for jewelry in Southeast Asia and developed regions.

Ye Baoling is not a conservative. In this era with the best development opportunities, if you have money, there is no need to rush to repay bank loans. Buying index funds is a good option.

As for expanding into Southeast Asia and Europe and America, that is indeed an opportunity.

The best timing strategy is to expand into overseas markets now and then establish a presence in the domestic market in the late 1990s.

Ye Baoling said, "We first bought index funds and then explored overseas markets. However, the overseas jewelry market is already a very mature and competitive market, and it is very difficult for us, as an unfamiliar brand, to squeeze in."

This is completely different from fast-moving consumer goods like Ye Qingtang, which can rely on local distributors.

They need to open their own shops, which requires a significant initial investment before they can see any results.

Ye Baoling: "Although we have this idea, we can't act rashly. We can first investigate where is suitable as our first stop to explore overseas markets. After conducting thorough market research, we will then take action."

Someone suggested, "We should choose a place with a large Chinese or Hong Kong population to open our first store. That would be easier."

That makes some sense.

Finally, Lin Meijuan said she would arrange and coordinate the issues related to the preliminary market research.

After the meeting, Ye Baoling attended a business event hosted by a competitor, and didn't return to her mansion at No. 1 Qingtang Street until 2 p.m. sharp.

The Ye family members had gradually arrived in the living room on the third floor of Xihetang.

The eldest son's side consists of Ye Qizu, Ye Baoling, Ye Kaisi, and Ye Qizong and his son.

The second branch of the family consisted of five cousins.

The third branch of the family consisted of Old Madam Guan, Ye Huaizhang, Ye Jinbai, and Ye Jinfeng.

Of all these people, only two were women: Old Madam Guan and Ye Baoling.

Uncle Xing said to Ye Qizu, "Everyone's here. Attorney Yang is waiting downstairs."

Ye Qizu put down his cup, cleared his throat, and said, "My health is deteriorating day by day. I transferred Ye Qingtang and Su Man's shares to Bao Ling earlier, and under my guidance, the company is now operating very well, so I can let go with peace of mind."

Even at this point, the old man still couldn't resist trying to pat himself on the back.

Ye Qizong flattered his brother: "Second brother, you still need to keep a close eye on things. With you here, everyone feels more at ease."

Although Ye Qizong no longer owns any shares in Ye Qingtang, the Ye family foundation holds a fixed share of equity in both Ye Qingtang and Suman Jewelry, and all beneficiaries still have a say in the matter.

Whether this statement will have any effect, and whether Ye Baoling will listen to it, is another matter entirely.

Most likely, Ye Baoling won't take them seriously.

"Baoling will report to me regularly, so you don't need to worry about that." Ye Qizu was perfectly clear-headed, managing to both deflect Ye Qizong's remarks and maintain his own dignity.

Ye Baoling smiled but didn't speak. Today she was going to take the lead, and she was willing to leave her grandfather a fig leaf.

At this point, Ye Qizu needs to have authority so that she can successfully manage the household.

Ye Jinbo, having been entrusted by Ye Huaizhang, came to speak up today: "Yes. Ye Qingtang and Su Man have been extremely successful this year, and their achievements are evident to all. This is all thanks to Bao Ling. Yesterday, I saw in the newspaper's economic section that Bao Ling is expected to become the most influential female entrepreneur in Hong Kong."

Those in the second branch of the family who had received favors from Ye Baoling also echoed her praise.

Ye Qizu continued, "I called everyone here today to tell you that my health is deteriorating and it's time for me to retire. I will hand over all the business matters to Bao Ling from now on. I will also choose a successor for our family's internal affairs."

Everyone listened intently.

With Ye Qizu's retirement, the next generation should be chosen from the brothers Ye Kaimin and Ye Kaisi. However, Ye Kaimin is still in the hospital, and given his health condition, he is definitely not the heir. That leaves only Ye Kaisi.

Ye Kaisi was somewhat hopeful but dared not have too many expectations. If the old man really chose him, there was no reason not to communicate with him in advance.

"The most important thing for a family heir is to have both virtue and talent. If you can't control the company and the family fund, then the position of heir is just a formality. So my idea has always been that whoever manages the family business should inherit the position of head of the eldest branch and the Ye family." As he spoke, Ye Qizu looked at Ye Baoling, "I choose Ye Baoling, the eldest granddaughter of our eldest branch, to be my heir."

Some applauded in celebration, some looked at each other in bewilderment, and some immediately objected.

The first to object was Ye Qizong: "Second brother, a woman can be the head of a company, and whoever is capable can take the position; I have no objection. But how can a woman be the head of a family? It's not like our Ye family doesn't have male descendants. There are so many men in the eldest branch; can't we choose one? Moreover, it should be passed down from generation to generation. Second brother, you should pass it on to Kaisi's generation, not to Baoling. That's inappropriate. Zhu Yuanzhang skipped his sons and chose his grandson; what happened then? How many people died in the Jingnan Campaign?"

Ye Qizu was displeased: "If you can't speak properly, then don't speak nonsense. What kind of examples are you giving? Are they the same? Does Ye Kaisi have the ability of Zhu Di? If he had that ability, he would have already taken over Ye Qingtang. He doesn't have that ability, so how can he manage our large family?"

Only Ye Qizong in the room dared to contradict Ye Qizu. He insisted, "Being the head of a family is just about managing the ancestral hall, compiling the family genealogy, and overseeing the family fund. How difficult is that?"

There's also the blue brick tunnel, the tomb of the Ugly King, and the future development of the Ye family.

He knew none of these things.

Ye Qizu: "As I just said, the head of a company and the head of a family cannot be completely separated. If they are completely separated, our Ye family will only be superficially united and slowly decline. Although Bao Ling is a woman, her children also have the surname Ye, and her children can also be heirs in the future."

Ye Qizong smiled awkwardly: "According to the rules of our Ye family, only the descendants of the eldest son can become the head of the family. The children that Ye Baoling has in the future will be the Ye of the third son, not the Ye of our eldest son."

Ye Baoling immediately retorted, "If I have a child, it will bear my surname, Ye."

Ye Qizong pointed at Old Madam Guan and Ye Huaizhang: "You make the decisions all by yourself? Does the third branch of the family agree?"

Grandma Guan quickly smiled and said, "What's there to disagree with? There have been times when women took each other's surnames."

"That's marrying into the family. Was Huaizhang married into the family?" Ye Qizong continued to stir up trouble.

The pressure fell on Ye Huaizhang, who smiled and asked in return, "If Bao Ling hadn't married me, would she have been able to become the head of the family?"

Ye Qizong was stumped by the question.

Ye Huaizhang: "Baoling has already said that the child will take her surname Ye. I don't understand why Third Uncle is still questioning this."

Ye Qizong: "You agree that the child should take the surname Ye, the eldest son's surname?"

"It's not up to me to agree or disagree; Bao Ling has the final say." Ye Huaizhang thought to himself that he was about to lose his own position, so what right did he have to ask for anything else? If Ye Bao Ling wanted, she could simply divorce him and have a child with her surname.

Their marriage was the best choice for the Ye family, and their children could be inherited by both families.

Ye Qizong couldn't understand what charm Ye Baoling possessed that made someone as difficult as Ye Huaizhang so obedient to her.

Left with no other option, Ye Qizong turned to Ye Kaisi.

There are no clear benefits to being the family head, and Ye Kaisi is not particularly interested in this position. It would be good if he were given the position, but we will not force him to take it.

Mainly, he didn't want to offend his father and Ye Baoling, so he just smiled and didn't say anything.

Ye Qizong's sons went to pull their father away, telling him to stop talking.

Ye Qizu concluded, "I'll make the decision on this matter, so please don't offer any more opinions."

Unable to speak out on his own, Ye Qizong had no choice but to shut up.

Others are even less likely to object.

Anyway, this position wouldn't fall to the second or third son's family, so everyone was happy to give Ye Qizu and Ye Baoling some face.

Ye Qizu announced: "Today is July 2, 1988. I, Ye Qizu, have officially selected Ye Baoling as the next head of the Ye family. We will choose an auspicious day to offer incense at the ancestral hall. From now on, if any branch of the Ye family has any issues, they can just tell Baoling directly. The deeds and land deeds for the three houses of the old eldest branch, the ancestral hall, and the entire back garden will all be transferred to Baoling's name."

This meeting wasn't for discussion; it was essentially a notification.

All assets could be transferred with just Ye Qizu's signature, so Ye Qizu was determined that no one's objection would matter.

After the meeting, everyone came up to congratulate Ye Baoling.

They agreed to have a meal together after offering incense on an auspicious day.

After everyone left, Ye Baoling went to the study with Ye Qizu, where the old man handed over important documents and items to her one by one.

The most important of these is the list of artifacts from the tomb of the Ugly King.

The list written on kraft paper was hidden inside the lining of a wooden box, and Ye Qizu gave her a brass key.

"There are two ways to open the large bronze door. The first is to open it by using three Ugly King Jue (a type of jade pendant); the second is that there is a hidden latch above the keyhole where the Ugly King Jue is inserted. Opening the hidden latch allows you to use this key to open the door."

I see.

Ye Baoling had always felt that something didn't make sense.

Since the three ugly king jade pendants are so important as to be the keys to the large bronze gate, why did Emperor Gaozu Ye Qingtang divide them among the three families?

Given that the second and third sons were unaware of the Ugly King's tomb, they certainly wouldn't have kept the Ugly King's jade pendant as their most prized possession.

It turns out there was another hidden lock in the hands of the family head.

"The Ugly King's Jade is a family heirloom, but this key is more important than the Ugly King's Jade. It's very difficult to collect all the Ugly King's Jade pieces, so this key is the key to opening the Great Bronze Gate. I'm working hard to improve now. When I'm feeling better and can go down the stairs, I'll accompany you through the blue brick tunnel."

If she really can't leave, that's okay. Ye Baoling can use a video camera to film the situation below, and he will tell her how to unlock the door and how to open the Ugly King's Tomb.

"I'll explain things to your second uncle later. The study on the second floor will be yours to use from now on. There's a safe and a secret passage in that study. Your second uncle and aunt will move to Shengyue Tower. As for your third uncle and the others, let them move out gradually. At least some of them need to leave so that there aren't so many people crammed in here."

Ye Baoling had no objections to any of these.

After Attorney Yang arrived, a bunch of transfer agreements were signed, and it is expected that all the transfer procedures will be completed within a month.

Once the papers are signed, it's basically settled, and there's no way to change it.

It's rare for the whole family to sit down for dinner together in the evening.

Ye Qizu thought of Ye Baoshun and couldn't help but ask, "Have you heard anything about Baoshun lately?"

Ye Kais replied, "Someone saw him in Bangkok..."

Yeh Chi-tsu: "What is he doing?"

"She said she was having dinner with friends."

Ye Kaisi dared not tell the truth because the people who saw Ye Baoshun said he was wearing women's clothes and drinking at the bar.

Ye Baoshun carried a bank card with him, and his family fund deposited living expenses into his account every month, so he certainly didn't have to worry about food and clothing.

Ye Qizu didn't want to get involved, but he still had to give the order: "Find someone else and make him settle down in Australia. Don't let him cause trouble outside."

Ye Kais sighed, "He doesn't listen to us at all."

Liang Meiyun didn't dare to interrupt this topic, and simply changed the subject with Ye Baoling: "The eel was delicious today."

"It's not bad," Ye Baoling said with a smile, offering a perfunctory reply.

*

Ye Huaizhang didn't finish his work until almost nine o'clock. The couple sat at the bar in the seating area, chatting and drinking.

There were no conflicts or disagreements between them. They shared so many secrets that it wouldn't be right for either of them to find someone else after they separated.

But Ye Baoling found the annual renewal plan proposed by Ye Huaizhang very interesting.

Many people, after marriage, treat their spouse as so-called family and no longer care about their partner's thoughts and needs. This is especially true for men, who often neglect their wives' feelings, becoming completely different before and after marriage. This is the crux of the problem for many marriages.

Renewing the contract every year means that neither party dares to neglect the other, and both need to put more thought and respect into each other to keep the marriage fresh.

She agreed to extend it for another year.

He was initially happy to hear her agree, but then regretted suggesting a yearly renewal. "A yearly renewal is too much trouble. How about we renew every three years?"

Ye Baoling rolled her eyes at him: "You're going back on your word."

Or, to put it another way, they're pushing their luck.

He laughed and retorted, "This is tailor-made."

"Cut off your head my foot."

"It'll be renewed every three years. After that, the ugly jade pendants from the second and third sons' wives will all be yours. Unconditionally." He seduced her.

Ye Baoling smiled.

He was unaware that the ugly Wang Jue from the second and third wives' wives had lost his appeal to her.

She teased him, "When we got married last year, I told you that what I cared about was never the ugly Wang Jue."

He was very perceptive: "Did your grandfather tell you some secret?"

"Are your family's secrets something you should also know?"

Ye Huaizhang was speechless. Then he waved his hands, trying to scare her: "I surrender. If I take a fancy to another woman next year, I won't renew my contract with you and I'll divorce you. Don't cry."

Ye Baoling pinched him: "I'll chop up your little brother and feed him to the birds."

It really hurts when she pinches someone.

But he was actually happy when she pinched him.

He was afraid that she didn't care about him at all.

The couple ultimately decided to extend their marriage for another year, and then decide whether to renew it next year.

"Cheers. May our love last forever." He raised his glass and clinked it against hers.

Ye Baoling smiled and took a sip. She was on her period today and didn't dare to drink too much. She was also exhausted after a busy day.

At night, as she slept, his warm, large hands would gently warm her slightly cool belly.

The two leaned on each other, feeling safe and secure.

*

The third branch of the family hasn't had a meal together as a whole for a long time.

That Saturday, Ye Yongqi returned from the United States for summer vacation, and her aunt Ye Jinliu organized a dinner party.

She also brought her boyfriend, a handsome young Chinese American.

Ye Huaizhang secretly told his wife, "Good news, Auntie has finally broken up with Gong Jinghui."

Ye Baoling had a clear understanding of relationships: "They were just having an affair anyway."

After dinner, Ye Jinliu announced that she and her boyfriend were going to settle in the United States.

She had discussed it with Old Madam Guan beforehand, so the old lady did not object.

No one else had any objections.

Both of them are wealthy, they just live together as a couple, they don't get married, which is fine.

If you get tired of one, you can break up and find another.

Ye Baoling asked her, "Auntie, when do you plan to go to America?"

Ye Jinliu: "After the summer vacation. Go live there for a few years. Now that flights are convenient, you can come back anytime you want."

As they were talking, Gong Jinghui arrived.

He came mainly to discuss matters concerning Silver Serpent Mountain.

Currently, four households on Qingtang Street are working together to get relevant departments to thoroughly disinfect the medical base that the Japanese army dug in Yinshe Mountain and then backfill it with soil.

The Gong family has no interests in Silver Snake Mountain, but they also do not want Silver Snake Mountain to be developed, because that would inevitably affect the living environment of Qingtang Street.

Most importantly, years ago, the Ye family hired a feng shui master to promote the idea that the undeveloped and quiet Silver Snake Mountain was the most beneficial place for everyone.

After Gong Jinghui came in, Ye Jinliu introduced her boyfriend to him very openly, as if he were just her childhood friend.

Gong Jinghui was still somewhat uncomfortable, while Ye Jinliu was completely at ease and showed no signs of it.

Ye Baoling couldn't help but whisper to Ye Huaizhang, "Auntie's acting is really good. She could win an award for Best Actress."

In Ye Huaizhang's eyes, Gong Jinghui was even more annoying than his aunt.

Gong Jinghui betrayed his marriage and family, and was a hypocrite.

But this has nothing to do with Ye Huaizhang and Ye Baoling, and they wouldn't meddle in other people's business and make moral judgments about them.

It doesn't even affect their normal business cooperation with the Gong family.

A month later, with the joint efforts of the four families on Qingtang Street, the medical base was filled in.

Because so many people have died on the mountain, citizens are even more afraid to approach it.

Silver Snake Mountain and Qingtang Street have lost their former tranquility.

The mansion at No. 1 Qingtang Street was in an uproar again in mid-August when Ye Baoshun sent back a letter.

In his letter, Ye Baoshun said that he had given himself a new name, Ye Baoqing.

Not only was the name changed, but the gender was also changed.

He underwent surgery and became her.

The letter included two recent photos of her; she had bright red lips and long, black hair. She wasn't particularly beautiful, but she looked healthy and full of energy.

Yeh Chi-tsu was so angry he almost tore up the photo.

Ye Kaisi and Liang Meiyun were heartbroken and speechless. What could they do now that things had come to this?

It's good enough that we're alive.

Ye Qizu immediately hired a lawyer to amend his will. He left two properties and HK$50 million in cash to his brothers Ye Kaimin and Ye Kaisi, and HK$10 million to each of them.

All other real estate, stocks, antiques, jewelry, and over a billion yuan in savings were inherited by Ye Baoling.

Ye Kais was extremely upset about this. The shares had already been given to Ye Baoling, so how could all the savings be returned to her? It was too biased! He argued with the old man for almost half a month, but in the end, he could only accept reality.

Ye Qizu had only one requirement for Ye Baoling.

Hopefully, she can give birth to the next generation of the Ye family heir soon.

Ye Baoling stated that she would not accept the arrangement.

-----------------------

Author's note: Tomorrow is the last chapter of the main story.

There will be two or three more bonus chapters to come.

I'll be posting my new novel, which will be released in a couple of days. The exact date is uncertain, and I might post several chapters at once. The novel will be 200,000 words long and will be a lighthearted, suspenseful story. My next historical novel should be released after the Lunar New Year.