The world of film and television begins in the ideal city

The following morning, before the morning mist had dissipated in Shanghai, the Yinghai Group headquarters building stood majestically, its glass curtain wall reflecting the hazy sky, and the entire building exuded a suffocating and oppressive atmosphere from top to bottom.

Inside the top-level board meeting room of Yinghai Group, some time before the meeting officially began, the directors and senior executives had already begun to arrive.

As soon as Huang Lilin entered, he greeted the shareholders who had arrived earlier. Although he was not a member of the board of directors, the main topic of the meeting was the joint letter from the four subsidiaries of Tianke. As the general manager of Tianke and a shareholder of the company, he was qualified to attend the meeting.

He walked to a seat on the outer edge, his expression revealing a hint of undisguised joy. Xia Ming followed him in slowly and quietly sat down next to Huang Lilin.

Following closely behind the two, Hu Changhai, the group's chief engineer, pushed open the door and entered. Over sixty years old, he stood ramrod straight, his face serious and unsmiling. After a few perfunctory greetings, he sat down on the left side of the conference table. He closed his eyes to rest, clearly in a bad mood.

Four top executives from subsidiary companies, including Wang Yang and Qi Lu, entered the room. They walked side by side, with Wang Yang looking solemn, his brows conveying a sense of forbearance, stubbornness, and a resolute determination to go all in.

Everyone knew that being summoned to the board meeting at the last minute meant that a power struggle was inevitable.

The others also sat on the outer side. When Wang Yang sat down, his face was tense, he didn't say a word, and his aura was oppressive; Qi Lu sat to the side, his fists slightly clenched, his eyes filled with long-suppressed resentment. The four of them exchanged glances, knowing in unison that they were already prepared to confront Zhao Xiankun in court and argue their case.

Xu Zhiping, the group's chief economist, walked steadily into the conference room. He was always cautious and low-key, with a gentle and polite smile on his face. He greeted everyone with clasped hands and sat on the right side of the conference table, quietly waiting with a water glass in his hand.

A moment later, footsteps sounded at the conference room door, and Wang Mingyu walked in slowly.

Having not appeared at the company for a long time, he was dressed in a composed dark suit today, exuding a calm and collected demeanor, his aura restrained yet undiminished. Upon seeing him enter, the people who had been chatting quietly stopped talking and stood up to greet him.

"President Wang is here!"

"Mr. Wang, it's been a long time."

"How have you been lately?"

With a faint smile, Wang Mingyu raised his hand in response to each person, speaking with humility and composure: "It's been a long time, everyone. I hope you've all been well."

Although he has stepped down from day-to-day management, he remains an executive director of the Yinghai Group's board of directors, with extensive experience and prestige.

Amidst the greetings, Lin Chen entered the conference room, representing the board of directors of Jingshi Capital. In contrast to the adoration shown to Wang Mingyu, the others merely offered polite greetings to Lin Chen and the others. He didn't seem to mind, and sat down on the left side of the conference table, next to Gao Jin and Hu Changhai in that order.

Wang Mingyu sat at the head of the table on the right. All the company directors and staff were present. The large conference room gradually quieted down, and everyone sat up straight with serious expressions, waiting for Zhao Xiankun to enter.

A moment later, the side door of the conference room was pushed open, and Zhao Xiankun walked in front with a solemn expression and steady steps, followed by Xu Feng, who looked uneasy and a little reserved.

Zhao Xiankun surveyed the entire room, his gaze sweeping over everyone indifferently, and the oppressive aura of a superior instantly enveloped the whole room.

He walked straight to the head seat and sat down. Xu Feng sat awkwardly to the side and behind the head seat, clearly feeling the gazes of everyone present, feeling nervous and uneasy.

Zhao Xiankun sat upright and calmly, getting straight to the point with a steady and powerful voice: "Let's begin."

Xu Zhiping began, "We've convened this board meeting today on short notice. The first matter is the recent joint letter submitted by the four top-tier subsidiaries. Mr. Qi, please speak first."

The entire room fell silent, and all eyes were on Qi Lu.

Qi Lu, his expression calm and fearless, looked directly at Zhao Xiankun: "Chairman, fellow directors. Now that we are facing each other in court, let's lay our hearts bare. Since the audit team arrived, Xu Feng has been extremely strict, never considering the actual difficulties we face on the front lines, only rigidly adhering to rules and regulations. We have been working on the front lines of engineering projects for many years, dealing with complex projects, difficulties in collecting payments, and high operating costs. Many of our flexible and adaptable operating methods are survival strategies we have developed through years of experience on the front lines."

"Xu Feng denied everything, launching a massive investigation and relentless pursuit of accountability, using the opportunity to solicit bribes. This left everyone in the four subsidiaries feeling insecure and hesitant, making normal operations impossible!"

Qi Lu spoke with conviction, "We have repeatedly reported our difficulties and submitted our requests to higher authorities, but each time they have been ignored and left without a trace. In desperation, we have no choice but to submit a joint petition, hoping that headquarters can see the real difficulties on the front lines, adjust the audit standards, and severely punish Xu Feng!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Feng wanted to stand up and refute him, but Zhao Xiankun, having anticipated this, waved his hand to stop him.

The group's chief accountant, Gao Jin, straightened his posture and spoke up in rebuttal, his tone extremely firm:

"Qi Lu, you say Xu Feng solicited bribes, do you have any evidence? You're just spouting nonsense! You say he's extremely harsh in his actions, that's even more absurd! The rules are right there in front of us, Xu Feng was conducting audits according to regulations, what wrong has he done?"

"Following the rules is correct, but it can't be done without considering the actual situation!" Qi Lu immediately retorted. "Rules are rigid, but people are flexible, and frontline operations are even more dynamic! Xu Feng only understands the rules on paper, not the practicalities of frontline work. His relentless, harsh audits are constantly squeezing our survival space. If this continues, our four subsidiaries will only struggle to survive! We're not going against the group; we're just fighting for ourselves and for the survival of our hundreds or thousands of employees!"

Gao Jin snorted coldly and said, "Chairman, fellow directors, Qi Lu is openly challenging the group's authority. He's forcing his way in from below and blatantly undermining the management system! This kind of unhealthy trend must be strongly resisted and cannot be tolerated in the slightest!"

Gao Jin continued, "Subsidiaries have the right to report their demands and communicate through the proper channels, which is a right granted by the system. However, forming cliques in private, jointly pressuring headquarters, ignoring the group's hierarchical management, and even falsely accusing auditors sent by the group have a very negative impact and must be severely punished."

Gao Jin looked around, his tone becoming increasingly firm:

"My suggestion is to thoroughly investigate those who spearheaded this joint petition, hold them accountable, and deal with them seriously! Rules are rules, and the authority of headquarters cannot be challenged. If we compromise once today, there will be a second and a third tomorrow, and the group will be unable to manage its subsidiaries in the future!"

Gao Jin's attitude was clear and his stance was firm, and several directors who were loyal to Zhao Xiankun immediately echoed his sentiments.

"Mr. Gao is right, we really can't let this go unchecked."

"The top-tier team has been too lax lately; it's time for a thorough overhaul."

"The joint petition to force a resignation has had a very negative impact and must be dealt with seriously."

Seeing this, Huang Lilin quickly stood up to smooth things over: "President Wang, President Qi, let's all take a step back and discuss this properly. Why make things so tense..."

"Mr. Huang, it's not that we want to argue, it's that we have nowhere else to retreat," Wang Yang said firmly. "If we keep backing down, we'll only be pressured step by step, and eventually we'll have nowhere to go."

Gao Jin frowned deeply and retorted sharply, "That's just an excuse! No difficulty can justify breaking company rules and ganging up to force a resignation! If everyone did what you did, where would the company's order be? Where would the headquarters' authority be? If you do something wrong, you must accept the punishment!"

I disagree.

Everyone turned to look, and saw Hu Changhai with a furrowed brow and a cold expression, slowly sitting up straight and staring directly at Zhao Xiankun in the main seat.

"Chairman, General Manager Gao, you only see the subsidiaries breaking the rules, and you only think about cracking down hard and holding them strictly accountable. But have you ever seriously considered why four subsidiaries that have been operating for many years would rather risk heavy penalties than jointly submit a petition?" Hu Changhai's tone was serious, neither humble nor arrogant. "There's no smoke without fire. If they hadn't had no other way to voice their grievances and hadn't accumulated deep resentment, who would be willing to provoke a confrontation with headquarters?"

Gao Jin's face darkened, and he immediately replied:

"Chief Engineer Hu, that's not how things work! Reason and emotion are separate from rules and regulations. No matter how wronged you feel, you can't break the group's rules and gang up to force someone out! If you loosen the reins today, the group's rules will become meaningless, and the entire system will fall into chaos!"

"I never meant to condone their overstepping of boundaries. I just said that we can't just use high pressure and force when doing things." Hu Changhai stood his ground and turned to look directly at Gao Jin. "Xu Feng did the audit according to regulations, but he was too one-size-fits-all. He only looked at the rules and regulations and ignored the actual difficulties of front-line operations. He was too strict and left no room for compromise. That was the fuse that ignited the conflict."

Zhao Xiankun looked calmly at Hu Changhai:

"So, according to Chief Engineer Hu, Xu Feng should be severely punished?"

Hu Changhai shook his head and said in a strong tone:

"My stance is one of compromise and easing tensions, not adding fuel to the fire. With public sentiment unsettled and the situation still turbulent, the most important thing is to appease people and give those on the front lines room to survive. We need to gradually reconcile and ensure a smooth transition, rather than resorting to harsh punishments that push everyone to the opposite side."

Gao Jin was about to object, but Zhao Xiankun waved his hand to signal him to stop.

"It's good that everyone has different opinions; debate is what allows for progress! Let me share my thoughts!"

"Qi Lu, and all of you subsidiary managers! We've been brothers for decades, and I don't want to be too harsh! Over the years, you've disregarded the interests of the group company and only cared about your own little corner of the business."

Zhao Xiankun said sternly, "Since Xu Feng joined the audit team, he has adhered to his job responsibilities, strictly followed the group's rules and regulations in carrying out audit work, investigated old accounts, identified potential problems in the accounts, and plugged management loopholes. He has handled matters impartially and without bias. Your dissatisfaction stems from the fact that your interests have been affected. In my opinion, Xu Feng has done more than he has done wrong."

Zhao Xiankun glared at Qi Lu and the others, angrily saying, "Even today, at the board meeting, you still dare to spout nonsense and frame Xu Feng. I will severely punish such behavior and show no leniency!"

Qi Lu, Wang Yang, and others remained silent.

"I propose merging our five top-tier subsidiaries into a unified management entity. What do you all think?"

The crowd was in an uproar; Zhao Xiankun's stern attitude was somewhat unexpected.

"Chairman!" Hu Changhai said.

"Having managed the Yinghai Project my entire life, I know that stability is fundamental!"

"Forced mergers and acquisitions in an attempt to force a listing may look neat and orderly, but they will inevitably lead to subsequent problems such as engineering defects, internal management chaos, and personnel turmoil. Delaying the listing is a minor issue compared to undermining Yinghai's foundation! I strongly oppose the hasty merger of these five top-tier companies!"

The entire room fell silent instantly; no one dared to interrupt. Hu Changhai's attitude was frank and unreserved.

Xu Zhiping quickly tried to smooth things over:

"Chief Engineer Hu, we understand the risks you are concerned about, but the listing is imminent. If the internal chaos is not rectified as soon as possible, the listing will only be delayed again and again. The merger is also for long-term regulation, and it is a last resort."

He then said to Zhao Xiankun, "Chairman, I understand your determination to restore order, but... the five top-tier companies have a long-standing grudge, and their emotions are already intense. On the one hand, you want to forcefully suppress and hold people accountable, and on the other hand, you are hastily pushing for a merger. I'm afraid this will completely escalate the conflict, and it will be even more difficult to resolve the situation then."

"Difficulties can be resolved through mediation, but order cannot be compromised." Gao Jin immediately retorted to Xu Zhiping, "The more people object, the more it shows that rectification is imperative."

Zhao Xiankun didn't reply, but turned his head to look at Lin Chen, who was sitting upright to the side:

"Mr. Lin, you are in charge of the group's listing compliance. What are your thoughts?"

"From the perspective of financial accounting, auditing standards, and listing filing, the four top-tier companies have long operated independently and separately, with complex accounts, excessive related-party transactions, and chaotic cost accounting, posing significant financial compliance risks. After the merger, unified accounting, unified management, and unified risk control will indeed be more beneficial than harmful to the group in cleaning up its books and preparing for listing audits."

He glanced politely at Hu Changhai and added:

"The issues of engineering safety and operational integration that Chief Engineer Hu is concerned about are objectively real. A special risk control team can be established to resolve and address them one by one. However, in general, I support a serious rectification of the joint signature controversy and agree to promote the merger of the four top-tier companies."

Upon hearing this, Hu Changhai's expression grew even more solemn, and a hint of disappointment flashed across his eyes.

Immediately afterwards, Wang Mingyu, who had been quietly observing, slowly spoke:

"Everyone is thinking about the group's development and the good of Yinghai. We're focusing on the issue, not the person."

"Chief Engineer Hu is considering the immediate practical risks, while the Chairman is planning for the long-term future of the group. Both have their merits."

"Old Hu, I have always respected you. But things are different now. Lin Xiaomin got into trouble first, and the morale within the group was already low. Now that the four companies have openly joined forces to oppose us, if we keep backing down and compromising, others will only think that the group is weak and easy to bully, and they will only become more and more unscrupulous in the future."

"The chairman's actions today are not only to rectify the atmosphere and stabilize the order, but also to take this opportunity to clean up long-standing problems and remove obstacles on the road to listing. Short-term conflicts are inevitable, but in the long run, it is a necessary step."

"I believe that the merger of the five subsidiaries is imperative! The five subsidiaries have long operated independently, resulting in serious internal friction, scattered resources, chaotic management, and constant conflicts of interest, which have become the biggest stumbling block on the group's path to listing. Only through unified integration and centralized management can assets be revitalized, chaos be eliminated, and the group be successfully listed. I agree with the chairman's proposal."

Wang Mingyu's decisive blow made the situation on the field completely clear.

Hu Changhai took a breath and said dejectedly:

"Since everyone agrees, I have nothing more to say."

Zhao Xiankun remained calm and said in a deep voice:

"I understand Chief Engineer Hu's intentions. You will be in full charge of overseeing the subsequent project risk control and do your best to avoid potential problems. Now, let's vote by raising hands. Those who agree to the merger and reorganization of the four top-tier companies, please raise your hands."

One hand after another was raised, arranged in a staggered pattern, the overwhelming majority immediately apparent.

Hu Changhai remained seated, his hands flat on the table, his face ashen, his head bowed in silent protest.

Zhao Xiankun surveyed the entire room and made a deep, resonant statement:

"The vote has passed and will be implemented immediately. A special working group for the merger has been established, with me personally in charge and General Manager Wang as the deputy head."

"You five top-tier subsidiaries must fully cooperate in implementing the group's resolution. I won't delve into your individual responsibilities this time; I hope you'll behave yourselves!"

Qi Lu, Wang Yang, and the others were filled with indignation, but ultimately dared not say anything more. The board of directors had already made a resolution, and they could no longer openly oppose it.

As the meeting concluded, everyone gradually stood up.