Chapter 253: Wu Shengxing and Rongye Xing

Suddenly, Xia Yu thought of a conflicting point and asked Wu Hongyi, "Hongyi, what is the relationship between Yihe Xing and its predecessor, Yihe Yanghang, with the current Yihe Group?"

After asking, Xia Yu stared directly at Wu Hongyi, waiting for an explanation.

This was something Xia Yu genuinely did not know.

Although he was familiar with Wu Bingjian and Yihe Xing from his past life, he hadn't delved deeply into Yihe Yanghang. Xia Yu only knew that the current Yihe Group in Hong Kong was originally named Yihe Yanghang. However, Yihe Yanghang was genuinely owned by the British, so what was the issue here?

When Xia Yu spoke, not only did Wu Hongyi's expression turn serious, but even the smiling Li Hongchang's expression became solemn.

Wu Hongyi's face grew complex, filled with a mix of anger, frustration, and helplessness—or perhaps all three.

Just as Xia Yu was about to suggest not discussing it if it was inconvenient, Wu Hongyi spoke up.

"They are shameless thieves!"

Hearing Wu Hongyi's sharp words, Xia Yu raised his eyebrows. He hadn't expected Wu Hongyi to react so strongly, indicating there was indeed a story behind it.

"The current Yihe Group was originally called Yihe Yanghang, but it started as Chadian-Mattison & Co., founded in 1832 by Scottish-Englishmen William Chadian and James Mattison, the same year our lineage came to Britain!"

"And in 1843, the year of Dun Yuan's death, our Wu family suffered a severe blow in the Qing Dynasty. Those shameless thieves stole our Yihe Xing's name and re-registered the original Chadian-Mattison & Co., renaming it Yihe Yanghang."

As Wu Hongyi spoke, his frustration intensified, and his fists clenched unconsciously. Li Hongchang beside him also shook his head and sighed, sharing the same sentiment of sorrow.

So it was!

After Wu Hongyi's explanation, Xia Yu understood. It turned out that these foreigners had "counterfeited" or "rebranded" the most prestigious "Yihe Xing" from the Guangdong Thirteen Hongs.

This explains why Wu Hongyi's mood had changed drastically!

No one could accept having their family's glory stolen by outsiders. "Yihe Xing" was the Wu family's pride and the result of their hard work. Yet, due to external pressure, it was seized by foreigners, merely adding a "foreign" prefix to become prominent abroad.

As victims, the Wu family's frustration and distress were understandable!

Yan Shining, who had been quietly listening, couldn't help but ask, "Is Yihe Xing still in existence?"

"Long gone. Under the Qing government's oppression, our foundation there has vanished. Now, we only have Wu Shengxing."

Wu Hongyi said bitterly, and when he mentioned Wu Shengxing, his fist clenched once more.

Xia Yu's gaze sharpened. Wu Shengxing?

The name is intriguing. From the literal meaning, it can be interpreted in various ways. Combined with Wu Hongyi's situation, the interpretation of "the Wu family's revived business" seems most appropriate.

"Have you ever thought about reinstating the Yihe Xing banner?" Hou Sheng couldn't help but ask.

After hearing so much, he was very curious. Seeing that Wu Hongyi did not resist discussing it, he wanted to probe further. After all, secrets involving powerful families were intriguing.

Hou Sheng's question made Wu Hongyi smile wryly, and even Xia Yu couldn't help but shake his head slightly. Hou Sheng's narrow perspective led him to ask an unnecessary question.

Xia Yu was well aware of the current size of the Yihe Group and the Yihe Consortium centered around it. It was Hong Kong's largest consortium and the foremost British consortium in the Far East. The disparity was enormous, and it was clear that the British Wu family could not compete with the Yihe Consortium.

What could be done with such disparity in power? No matter how much frustration there was, it had to be endured! Hadn't the Wu family endured for over a hundred years?

Wu Hongyi, having a laid-back personality, was not displeased by Hou Sheng's question. Instead, after a moment of silence, he shrugged and said, "The gap in strength is too great to even think about it. Moreover… I only have Phoenix Tower, so it's better to give up."

At these words, Li Hongchang, sitting beside him, showed a pained expression and patted Wu Hongyi's shoulder in consolation.

Xia Yu's gaze also sharpened. He had sensed the underlying meaning in Wu Hongyi's words.

The disparity in strength was too great, and thus not worth considering. Was it Wu Hongyi who didn't consider it, or the Wu family, or perhaps both?

The latter part of the statement carried deeper meaning. Wu Hongyi mentioned that he only had Phoenix Tower, suggesting that Phoenix Tower belonged to him personally, not to the Wu family. Or perhaps, among the Wu family's assets, Phoenix Tower was the only one under his name?

Further consideration would reveal more layers, such as Wu Hongyi's status within the Wu family and his relationship with them.

However, these matters were more private, and since Wu Hongyi seemed unwilling to discuss them, Xia Yu decided to refrain from probing further and would understand them gradually over time.

Yet, Xia Yu disagreed with Wu Hongyi's somewhat resigned attitude, feeling it detrimental to his future. He encouraged, "In the face of the vast ocean, one's true character is revealed; standing tall in the mountains, one's ambition is unyielding!"

"Hongyi, this is a great era. The world is undergoing rapid changes, and anything is possible. Throughout history, there have been many who started from scratch and reached the pinnacle. Besides, you have the capital to start anew. Think of your ancestor Dun Yuan!"

"Past glory is gone, but we still look to the present!"

"Let's strive together!"

Wu Hongyi stared at Xia Yu, his words resonating deeply within him. At this moment, he felt a tremendous impact. Young Xia Yu was full of vigor, and as a more mature young man in his twenties, Wu Hongyi had been resigned to reality, which made him feel a strong sense of shame.

Li Hongchang, who had watched Wu Hongyi grow up and knew him well, noticed the turbulence in Wu Hongyi's heart.

He was not angry with Xia Yu for speaking out; instead, he gave Xia Yu a grateful look.

He had long seen Wu Hongyi's mindset problems. To put it nicely, he was mature beyond his years; to put it bluntly, he lacked the vitality and ambition of youth. Family circumstances had made him hesitant to fight or unwilling to strive, and instead, he had subconsciously learned to endure. Endurance isn't inherently bad—it shows depth. However, enduring everything without resistance can lead to a bottomless pit, burying oneself.

Li Hongchang had been observing Wu Hongyi's state over the years, fearing he might fail to live up to the expectations of Wu Hongyi's father and his own father. He had tried to remind Wu Hongyi many times, but his advice had not been impactful.

He never expected that today, a new friend brought by Wu Hongyi would say something that achieved what he had struggled to accomplish.

Li Hongchang looked at Wu Hongyi with anticipation, hoping he would seize this opportunity to thoroughly reconsider. Time was running short, and the later one realized, the more detrimental it would be for Wu Hongyi!

Everyone sat quietly, watching Wu Hongyi, who was immersed in his own world, his expression changing with his mindset. Even the innocent Li Qian sensed the change in atmosphere and realized how important this opportunity was for Wu Hongyi.

"Ha..."

After a long while, Wu Hongyi's expression finally returned to calm. He took a deep breath and suddenly looked up at Xia Yu.

Seeing Xia Yu with a smile and encouraging eyes, Wu Hongyi showed a grateful smile, stood up, and bowed to Xia Yu, saying, "Thank you!"

Wu Hongyi's action was too quick. Xia Yu didn't have time to stop him from standing up. Xia Yu could only smile and wave his hand, saying, "I was just speaking casually. Whether you understand or not is up to you. It's not related to me, haha!"

"No, hearing what you said is better than reading ten years' worth of books. Your earnest teachings are enlightening!"

Wu Hongyi said earnestly to Xia Yu. He truly remembered Xia Yu's words and was grateful for the awakening.

Xia Yu's words had a significant impact on him, changing many of his previous ideas and attitudes. Looking back, he realized that many of his previous thoughts were laughable and detrimental to his development, although he had believed they were correct and had not changed.

Without Xia Yu's words to wake him up, he might have continued to drift, and if he had only realized it a few years later, it might have been too late.

So, Xia Yu's enlightening words were indeed very significant.

Friends are a matter of feeling; some people, despite knowing each other for years, hardly speak, while others become close friends upon first meeting.

At this moment, Xia Yu had already risen to the level of a confidant in Wu Hongyi's heart.

Over the past twenty years, Wu Hongyi had met many friends, but none had spoken to him like Xia Yu, who had just met him not long ago and said such words.

Wu Hongyi was a very intelligent person, and he could clearly feel who truly cared about him.

At this moment, an

 earnest smile appeared on Wu Hongyi's face. His expression became resolute. Even though he did not have a clear plan, he was determined to embrace the future with the positive attitude Xia Yu had encouraged.

Seeing this, Xia Yu was pleased. He believed that with Wu Hongyi's intelligence and determination, he would surely be able to achieve something significant.

"Alright, it's getting late. You should rest early. Tomorrow, we'll be going to the hospital to see how Mr. Wu is doing. I'll leave now." Xia Yu said as he got up.

Wu Hongyi had originally planned to entertain Xia Yu for dinner, but Xia Yu was considerate of their situation and suggested leaving.

Li Hongchang also stood up and said, "Since Mr. Xia is leaving, I won't keep you any longer. I also have something to deal with, so I won't accompany you."

"Be careful on your way back. See you tomorrow!" Li Hongchang added, expressing his concern.

"Thank you, Mr. Li!" Xia Yu said with a smile. He looked at Wu Hongyi and continued, "Don't think too much. The future still has many possibilities. I hope you have a good night."

"Thank you!" Wu Hongyi repeated sincerely. 

Everyone said their goodbyes, and Xia Yu left.

As soon as Xia Yu walked out of the door, he saw the dark sky and felt a cool breeze. The earlier atmosphere and discussions were still vivid in his mind. Wu Hongyi's attitude had obviously changed, and Xia Yu was pleased to see the positive shift.

As Xia Yu walked away, he couldn't help but think about his own future and the development of his various plans. The world was changing rapidly, and he needed to adapt and strive for success.

The road ahead was still long and full of challenges, but Xia Yu was confident. With perseverance and effort, he believed that he could achieve his goals and make his mark.