Chapter 1454
What is divided for a long time must unite
The next day, Zhang Yuan flew to Shanghai.
During last night's dinner, he and Boss Gu tacitly reached an understanding regarding the development of Youku's market share.
Youku is indeed very strong now, and is the largest internet video website in China.
none of them.
Even if you bundle all the rest together, their combined market capitalization wouldn't be as high as that of Youku alone.
The problem is that this conclusion is limited to the small category of video websites.
Imagine a fish growing to a meter long and weighing over a hundred kilograms in a reservoir that hasn't been opened for decades. You would indeed be the king of the reservoir, and countless anglers would treat you like a legendary Pokémon, flocking to you like moths to a flame.
But what if we change the frame of reference?
If you expand the scale to all the water systems in the world, this fish weighing over a hundred pounds will instantly appear tiny.
If we add a time scale, comparing hundreds of millions of years in advance and backward, then it becomes even smaller.
Therefore, Mr. Gu's concern is that there are people, and there will inevitably be people, who will influence the "frame of reference".
Because the three giants of BAT (Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent) have either already entered the fray, such as Baidu and iQiyi, or are poised to make their move, such as Tencent Video, or are eager to make their move, such as Alibaba, which is currently observing the situation.
The financial size of these three companies is unmatched by Youku, and each one is more ruthless than the last.
Baidu's style is like this: I dig a fishpond near you and put up big posters and small ads everywhere, saying that the fish in our fishpond are bigger than those in a reservoir.
The penguin is built exactly like your reservoir blueprints, and then the penguin uses its connections to open up restaurant channels.
Alibaba, on the other hand, is even more aggressive, neither digging fishponds nor building reservoirs.
He's holding a stun gun, explosives, and a wire trap, and he's squatting by your reservoir, waiting for the rented water pump truck to arrive.
You never know what methods he'll use, but you know none of them are safe for you.
Mr. Gu's idea was to unite all the fish in the reservoir, form a super combination, and I would form the head.
Maybe we can piece together a dragon, then we won't be afraid anymore.
Zhang Yuan's idea was that the big fish eat the small fish, and by swallowing the small fish, he could grow fatter and stronger, and then... sell more when he was weighed.
Therefore, they share the same idea, but have different goals.
Boss Gu thought the two were just like-minded.
Can they really compete head-on with BAT (Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent)?
Only Hunan TV's platform could compete with these three later on, but it could never surpass them.
Zhang Yuan knew that he could not possibly rule the world single-handedly.
It's better to maximize your own interests.
So he made another request to Boss Gu.
Not long after, at a steakhouse near the Bund.
A man with a hint of melancholy in his eyes stepped into the restaurant.
After entering, he first observed the store, then sighed softly before being led by the waiter to a table by the window.
"Excuse me, I'm a little hungry, so I'll eat first."
Zhang Yuan ordered a medium-rare steak, along with pasta, cheese-baked asparagus, garlic bread, and other food, piling it up on half the table.
"sit."
"Add some more dishes yourself."
Wang Wei grimaced, his face devoid of any smile. He sat down sullenly and ordered a small amount of food.
Zhang Yuan came here specifically to meet the head of Tudou Video.
He was just the head of the sect, and he didn't own many shares to begin with. In order to raise money for the compensation in the lawsuit, he sold off a lot of shares.
Even after the potato company went public, this person's total assets did not exceed one hundred million US dollars.
Zhang Yuan felt sorry for him.
You've worked hard and seized a life opportunity, but most of the time you're just doing the work for someone else.
"No appetite?" he asked with a smile, wiping his mouth with a napkin.
“I remember you really liked this store.”
"What, your tastes have changed after a few years?"
"Still think it's too expensive here?"
"Don't worry, it's on me today... Besides, you've been making a lot of money lately, it can't be that bad."
With just a few words from Zhang Yuan, the man's expression changed drastically, his face turning pale and then red.
Wang Wei paused when he entered the store because this was the place where he had arranged to meet Zhang Yuan with that ballet queen years ago.
The moment he stepped inside, hidden memories suddenly flooded into his mind.
He seemed to recall that the last time he met the other party here, it didn't end well.
I was a bit arrogant back then...
Yesterday, he suddenly received a call from Zhang Yuan's assistant, who wanted to meet him.
After hesitating for a while, he decided to meet with her anyway.
As the saying goes, "It's easier to change mountains and rivers than to change one's nature."
He is inherently arrogant and somewhat conceited, but after a series of setbacks in the past year, he has toned it down considerably.
Especially after being constantly berated by a group of shareholders, he almost became withdrawn.
They came today, and they were patient.
Seeing that Zhang Yuan was eating with his mouth full of oil before he even arrived, doing such an impolite thing, he felt a little resentful.
She even had a bit of a temper.
But when he heard Zhang Yuan talk about making money, his anger subsided.
Because he knew that, in terms of wealth alone, Zhang Yuan was now richer than him.
And it's precisely because of Youku!
Zhang Yuan held up his knife and fork and gave a cold laugh.
The offensive and defensive strategies have shifted!
I can eat and drink whatever I want now, without having to be polite to you at all.
Are you feeling unwell?
I'm holding it in.
What can you do to me?
However, he did not come to humiliate the other party, nor to "crash the party".
After all, I'm not the kind of person who holds grudges or is petty...
His request to Boss Gu was that he, as a former shareholder of the potato company, should conduct preliminary negotiations with the potato company's owner.
Gu Yongqiang thought for a long time.
Is this reasonable?
Zhang Yuan must be a very extreme person when it comes to Wang Wei.
He could be the least suitable candidate, or he could be the most suitable candidate.
After some calculation, they agreed.
"How's your relationship with that artist going lately?" Zhang Yuan asked casually.
"Just say what you have to say," the other person said cautiously.
"Look, you're in a hurry again." Zhang Yuan smiled and tapped him. "It's the same old problem."
"When you're chatting, take your time and be polite."
"I've already treated you to dinner, this isn't right of you."
"I just have one question," Wang Wei said, his brow furrowed. "Do you know anything about Yang Lei's lawsuit?"
“You shouldn’t ask me this question; you should ask yourself two things instead.” Zhang Yuan raised two fingers.
"First, who caused this situation?"
"Secondly, what right do you have to speak to me in an interrogative tone?"
Who are you talking to?
"I will only tell you one thing: the world, after a long period of unity, tends to divide; after a long period of division, tends to unite."
"Matters between men and women are the same as doing business."
Do you really understand the person you share your bed with?
Have you listened attentively to what the other person has to say, and have you expressed your gratitude for their efforts?
"Since you don't cherish it, the inevitable breakup is just around the corner."
"Although I haven't studied abroad like you, I still understand traditional culture."
"Also, you should admit your mistakes and stand up straight when you get punished. You're a grown man, don't blame others every time something happens."
Zhang Yuan shook the tablecloth and continued eating.
Wang Wei was stunned by what he said.
There's really nothing between us now, so I can't force anything. "Eat up, you'll have the energy to chat and work when you're full," Zhang Yuan said, showing no sign of anger.
After a while, the other person slowly spoke after taking a few bites of steak.
"What exactly did you want to see me about today?"
"Is he trying to make fun of me on purpose?"
"Oh my," Zhang Yuan chuckled, "You're the boss of a US-listed company, who has the right to ridicule you?"
"And do you think I'm such a boring person?"
"You underestimate yourself and you underestimate me."
"As I just told you, the world, after a long period of unity, tends to divide, and after a long period of division, tends to unite."
"Your relationship with women is bound to end eventually."
"What I want to talk to you about is the inevitable unity after a long period of division."
"What I'm about to say might be a little harsh, but please listen rationally and patiently."
Zhang Yuan: What I'm about to do is huge, just bear with it.
"To put it simply, I believe that the Chinese internet video website industry will undergo another round of reshuffling within the next three to five years."
"Although Tudou.com has now gone public, it will inevitably be a loser in the reshuffling."
"You and your company don't have much time left."
Wang Wei gritted his teeth as he listened, while Zhang Yuan gently gestured for him to stop.
I'm just asking you to bear with it.
It's okay, this is the first time you've heard something like this.
You get used to it after a while.
Whether you agree or not, this is the truth.
"The game has been upgraded."
"With the gradual entry of foreign capital into BAT (Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent), the market is about to transform from a landscape of numerous independent players into a three-way competition."
"This is what I meant by 'after a long period of division, there will be unity.'"
"Penguin's video website is about to launch."
"iQiyi has already shown some improvement."
"The first-mover advantage of potatoes is insignificant in the face of massive amounts of capital."
Both of them can drive a large number of customers to their video websites through their own platforms.
"Potato is only worth $7 million right now. Even if you raise funds like crazy, how much money can you get?"
"In the process of expansion, one is bound to fall behind and will be quickly left behind."
"UKK's current market value is less than 60 billion US dollars. With some effort, it may be able to catch up with the rest of the group."
"In conclusion, my conclusion is that the world is divided into three, and there may be a place for Youku to live in a corner, but there is definitely no place for Tudou."
"Therefore, based on this conclusion, I will make a proposal."
"That's why I'm here today."
"My suggestion is to merge Youku and Tudou."
"Only by combining Jingzhou and Yizhou can we have the strength to contend with Wei and Wu."
"Otherwise, we'll just have to wait to be picked off one by one."
"And you have to understand, both Mr. Gu and I at Youku are people who understand video websites."
"We believe in the importance of content, but other companies may not."
"Cooperating with Liu Bei is a viable way out, and it may even lead to being ennobled and appointed as a general."
"If you are annexed by Cao Wei, they may be afraid of your power and find an excuse to exterminate your entire family."
"If you've studied how Tencent, Baidu, and Alibaba handle their investments, you'll understand what I'm saying."
Wang Wei's lips twitched from the provocation.
It felt like I'd been electrocuted.
Zhang Yuan ignored his reaction and asked again.
"Since potatoes came to market recently, not only have we not attracted many new talents, but we've also lost quite a few, right?"
Some cashed out and left, while others were poached by others.
Wang Wei didn't want to admit it, but that was the truth.
"Please be careful, lest you lose both your money and your loved ones."
Zhang Yuan raised his arm and pointed out the window.
"I swear by the Huangpu River that even if the two families merge, you will still be a wealthy man."
Wang Wei remained silent for a moment, but still couldn't help but act impulsively.
"What if I disagree, or I'm not interested?"
Zhang Yuan crossed his arms and looked at him.
"You don't have absolute control over the shares and voting rights in Potato."
Wang Wei's mouth twitched even more violently.
Let me be clear: you don't have the final say in this company.
“You may disagree, but you must convey what I say today to the shareholders of Tudou.com.”
"Because if you don't speak up, you know what will happen when other shareholders find out about this later."
Wang Wei opened his mouth.
So, I was trapped the moment I walked in.
He can keep this a secret from others.
But Zhang Yuan's identity and his connection to Tudou are unique in that he says Wang Wei cannot be hidden.
This is a lesson learned from the past; they already suffered a great loss when they went public.
"Also, I don't need to come in person or tell you. I could have just had Youku talk to other shareholders first."
"I contacted you first because I respect you and acknowledge your abilities, since Tudou.com is your hard work."
"Give the potato a chance, and give yourself a chance too."
"I'll put this merger proposal on hold for a while and give you some time to think about it."
"At the same time, you also know that the leader gets the best terms."
If they don't offer amnesty soon, the major leaders will be drained dry by Liangshan Marsh.
With a single strike and a subsequent withdrawal, he was completely intimidated.
“I’ve never wronged you.” Zhang Yuan said, finishing the last bite of his steak before standing up.
"I've paid the bill, you can eat slowly."
"I have something to discuss with another video website."
"I'm leaving now, but we'll keep in touch."
Zhang Yuan patted his shoulder twice and then left gracefully.
After he left, Wang Wei's mind gradually cooled down and he calmed down.
"He said just before he left that he was going to talk to other video websites..."
"This is telling me that if I don't do it, plenty of others will!"
Wang Wei pondered it carefully.
"Is he bluffing me?"
The CEO had absolutely no idea what Zhang Yuan was thinking.
I felt that he was deliberately telling me this, that it was most likely a lie, and that he was putting pressure on me.
But when the real is taken for the fake, the fake becomes real; when the fake is taken for the real, the real becomes fake.
Zhang Yuan told him this on purpose, to put pressure on him.
But at the same time, this is also true!
He left the steakhouse, got into his car, and drove north from the Bund to the famous university district of Shanghai, home to three renowned institutions of higher learning: Fudan University, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, and Shanghai University of Science and Technology.
Because it connects three universities, the main road in front of the building is even called University Road.
This is the famous British and American concession during the Republic of China era, which is also one of the core areas of Shanghai's YP district.
In 1927, the same year that the bald man said, "In the suburbs of Xuzhou, he personally led 100,000 soldiers to conquer the Beiyang warlords Sun Chuanfang and Zhang Zongchang, and won a great victory," this place was designated as the "Magic City."
In this vibrant land, surrounded by universities, stands an unassuming little company, like a seedling amidst the turbulent battles of the Chinese internet.
That was the later, renowned Bilibili... (End of Chapter)