Chapter 56: The Sea of Clouds Chamber of Commerce

In the blink of an eye, seven days had passed.

During these seven days, Tianlan Group was ordered to halt all operations, and every single contract tied to Su Rulan was thoroughly annulled. The project funds had to be returned. Fortunately, the gap in the project funds was not insisted upon by the Matriarch, sparing Su Rulan’s family from utter embarrassment, but her attitude remained as overbearing as ever.

Not only was Tianlan Group shut down, but all assets under Ye Tianlin’s name, connected to the Ye Family, were forcibly frozen and made unusable.

It was clear the Matriarch intended to use these means to pressure Ye Tianlin into submission, forcing him to give up on Su Rulan and obediently return to the Ye Family.

But she had underestimated Ye Tianlin’s abilities.

No sooner had Tianlan Group halted than the Capital Consortium suddenly moved, mobilizing vast sums of capital into Jiangnan. Overnight, they acquired enormous assets and undertook large-scale mergers and reorganizations.

Soon after, the Capital Consortium publicly announced the formal establishment of Yunhai Chamber of Commerce.

The Yunhai Chamber of Commerce, with assets spanning every industry in Jiangnan, though newly founded, surpassed even the Tiandu Chamber of Commerce in influence, thanks to its staggering capital.

The Capital Consortium’s impact was even more astonishing. Within half an hour of Yunhai Chamber’s founding, it attracted the attention of numerous international financial titans.

The news sent shockwaves throughout Jiangnan!

Every elite magnate in Jiangnan was alarmed, including the Tiandu Chamber of Commerce, who were utterly caught off guard and thrown into panic.

The strength of the Capital Consortium was internationally acknowledged. Without any warning, it stepped into Jiangnan, instantly creating a formidable new competitor. How could Tiandu Chamber not panic?

Most shocked of all was certainly the Matriarch.

As a strategic partner of the Ye Family, the Capital Consortium was entangled in tremendous interests; such a situation should not have arisen. Yet, Yunhai Chamber of Commerce was founded without so much as a word of notice!

If there were changes in their partnership, it would be a catastrophic loss for the Ye Family.

No matter how the Matriarch contacted the Capital Consortium, she never received a clear answer—only that the order came from the very summit of the Consortium itself.

The highest figure in the Capital Consortium had remained an enigma for years; no matter how much the world speculated, this person never surfaced, and even the Ye Family had never met them.

Faced with this, the Matriarch was under immense pressure.

Yet, with the partnership right before her, she dared not intervene recklessly. She could only notify the Tiandu Chamber to grant Yunhai Chamber favorable terms.

Moreover, should Yunhai Chamber have any requests, Tiandu Chamber was to support them as much as possible, never worsening relations.

With the Matriarch’s directive, the Capital Consortium’s move became an even greater sensation. Not only were the elite businessmen of Jiangnan aware, but even mid-level and lower-tier companies had heard whispers of it.

On Su Rulan’s side, the situation was far less optimistic over the past seven days. She had spent much effort interviewing at countless companies, only to be rejected every time.

It was only through Zhao Qing that Su Rulan discovered the truth—the Matriarch had exerted pressure from above, and no one in Jiangnan dared risk offending her, hence their refusal to hire Su Rulan.

That day, after yet another failed interview, Su Rulan returned home exhausted.

Upon entering, she found that Old Master Su had come in person, along with Su Yixue and Su Yicai, who sat in the living room.

Su Weimin and Gao Yulan stood timidly to the side, hunched over, too scared to utter a word, meek as quails.

Ye Tianlin had left early that morning and had yet to return.

Upon seeing Su Rulan enter, Su Yixue was the first to speak, her voice dripping with mockery. “Well, if it isn’t Su Rulan! I heard all about Tianlan Group being shut down and your contracts cancelled!”

“Looks like I was right after all. Brother-in-law was just testing us!” Su Yicai laughed, convinced that his earlier rumors had led the Ye Family’s young master to sever ties with Su Rulan rather than risk his reputation.

Su Rulan, already frustrated, refused to endure such ridicule. She gritted her teeth and said, “I don’t know why you’ve come here, but let me tell you—I won’t go down so easily!”

Old Master Su sipped his tea, his tone icy. “Still so stubborn at a time like this, Su Rulan. You really think you’re tough now. But tell me, what options do you have left?”

“Exactly! Your whole family’s unemployed, and rumor has it the Ye Family’s young master has put pressure on every company—no one dares hire you!” Su Yixue sneered.

“Su Rulan, the benefits from my brother-in-law aren’t so easily won. You have to pay a price. But our Su family doesn’t want things to get ugly—lest the Ye Family be displeased. So this time, we’re willing to give you a chance!” Su Yicai said, his tone both smug and condescending.

“What kind of chance?” Su Rulan held her breath.

Old Master Su narrowed his eyes in disdain, his voice cold. “All you have to do is kneel down and admit your mistake, and I might let you return to work at the Su Company.”