Yu Mingyuan

Biodata

Background / History

Yu Mingyuan is the eldest son of Yu Jinrong, a newly appointed member of the Management Council. His father seeks support from established families working in the sanitation departments under him, providing the political backdrop to Mingyuan’s recruitment of Su Tianyu 31.

Mingyuan establishes Mingyuan Trading Co., Ltd. on the thirteenth floor of the Rainbow Sky Building, on Lush Forest Avenue in Zhannan District. The company has been operating for less than three months when Su Tianyu joins 31.

Appearance

• Height and build: Slightly under 1.8 meters tall, with an average build 31.
• Facial features: Small eyes, a pointed chin, and fair skin; the narration compares him to Liang Tian from I Love My Family 31.
• Distinguishing accessory: Black-framed glasses that give him a scholarly appearance 31.
• Overall impression: Not particularly handsome, but distinguished-looking, with his wealth contributing to that impression 31.

Personality

Mingyuan is sociable, patient, and deliberate in cultivating business partners. His lavish treatment of Su Tianyu serves two purposes: demonstrating the reach of his connections and introducing Tianyu to people involved in the proposed supply operation. Tianyu comes to regard him as methodical rather than merely generous 31 33.

His generosity is commercially calculated. He initially hesitates to admit the Bai Family because its chamber-of-commerce background is complicated and another partner would dilute profits. Conversely, he offers the three sanitation families substantial shares because their local networks could eventually multiply sales 34 39.

Under pressure, Mingyuan generally restrains his emotions. He is irritated by Tang Baiqing’s involvement in a fatal incident but gives precise instructions instead of venting at his employees. During the hijacking crisis, he recognizes the coercion behind the Dock Gang’s demands, yet conceals some of his deliberations from Su Tianyu 41 47.

He is respectful toward his father while determined to manage his own problems. Despite the possibility that the hostage crisis could destroy his new business, he tells Yu Jinrong he can handle it and does not ask for intervention 48.

Abilities & Skills

Business Planning and Market Analysis

Mingyuan builds his supply venture around demand for familiar Chinese tobacco and alcohol, the price gap between Dragon City and the Chinese Region, and existing sanitation-company distribution networks 32 33.

• Uses Dajiu cigarettes as an example: a pack costs 3.50 in the Chinese Region but about 11 in Dragon City 32.
• Explains how taxes and successive transport, wholesale, and retail margins increase the final price 32.
• Treats regional family and chamber-of-commerce connections as assets for expanding sales, rather than valuing partners solely as delivery labor 33 39.

Networking and Partner Recruitment

His social circle includes contacts in customs, the Police Affairs Bureau, the Security Association, the military, and the trading sector 31.

• Uses dinners and parties to introduce Su Tianyu to relevant contacts without presenting them as formal business briefings 33.
• Sends his friend Li Tao to help keep the inquiry into Lu Feng under control 46.
• Uses his connections to arrange Tianyu’s visit to Big Bear before the latter’s transfer to Police Bureau custody 43.
• Limit: His connections do not prevent the Dock Gang from seizing leverage over his shipping business 47 50.

Operational Management

Mingyuan coordinates sourcing, equipment purchases, shipments, payments, and emergency responses 34 35 37 40.

• Delegates cargo movement to Su Tianyu and equipment procurement to Linda 34 35.
• Contacts the supplier once the team and preparations are ready 35.
• Pursues both the Dock Gang and Changqing Company as possible leads after the hijacking, rather than relying entirely on Tang Baiqing’s explanation 46.

Business Operation

Mingyuan describes the venture as special-supply trade, not smuggling. He produces written authorization from the trade department, but maintains that the operation must remain discreet because its favorable tax treatment threatens other interests 32 33 34.

Equipment / Assets

• Trade-department authorization: Written approval shown to Su Tianyu before trial shipments begin 34.
• Three rented speedboats and storage space: Arranged through Linda for the initial cargo operation 35.
• Ford SUV: A company vehicle received in settlement of a debt; Mingyuan assigns it to Tianyu for commuting 31.

Relationships

• Yu Jinrong — Father and political connection. Jinrong introduces Tianyu to Mingyuan and offers concern during the company crisis, but Mingyuan insists on handling it himself 30 31 48.
• Su Tianyu — General manager’s assistant and key liaison with the Su Family. Their initially uneasy employer–employee relationship becomes familiar enough for Tianyu to challenge Mingyuan directly about his intentions and obligations 31 32 45 47.
• Su Zhengcai — Su Family elder whose approval is needed for participation. His confidence in Mingyuan’s protection collapses after Zhang Hao’s severed finger is delivered to the family 33 50.
• Kong Zhenghui — Representative of the Kong Family, already involved when Mingyuan presents the venture to Tianyu 33.
• Bai Hongbo — Business partner admitted through Tianyu’s recommendation despite Mingyuan’s initial reservations 34.
• Tang Baiqing — Coast Guard contact and business partner; their fathers are friends. His push to replace the three sanitation families with the Dock Gang makes Mingyuan question whose interests he is serving 33 45 47.
• Linda — Secretary responsible for onboarding Tianyu, buying equipment, and arranging the boats and storage space 31 34 35.
• Xu Hu — Dock Gang negotiator who demands a business stake and uses violence against the detained crew to pressure Mingyuan 50.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Recruiting Su Tianyu

• Mingyuan hires Tianyu as assistant to the general manager, paying him 3,000 a month and promising help with civil-service connections after he passes the exam 31.
• Tianyu’s generous salary, private office, minimal workload, social invitations, and company car make him suspicious 31.
• After Tianyu deliberately skips work and threatens to resign, Mingyuan reveals that he wants the Su Family’s help distributing tobacco and alcohol 32.

Forming the Initial Team

• Mingyuan brings Tianyu together with Kong Zhenghui and Tang Baiqing, then asks him to obtain Su Zhengcai’s approval 33.
• He accepts Bai Hongbo after Tianyu argues for the Bai Family’s distribution value 34.
• Following the first shipment’s interception by Wei Xiangzuo’s men, Tang Baiqing settles the dispute. Mingyuan pays Tang and gives Tianyu 85,000 to divide among the three families, including a small extra payment 37.
• As shipments continue, the families begin developing additional sales channels; Mingyuan assures them the supplier can provide more goods if they can sell them quickly 39.

Tang Baiqing’s Homicide Case

• After Tang kills a woman at the warehouse, Mingyuan orders Tianyu to remove the boats and backyard equipment once police leave, without disturbing other evidence 40 41.
• He informs Tianyu that Big Bear is being made to take the blame and promptly agrees to arrange a visit 43.
• Once the case closes and Tang returns to work, Mingyuan announces that another shipment is ready 43.

Hijacking and Dock Gang Coercion

• After cargo and five workers are seized, Mingyuan refuses to discuss replacing his existing partners before locating the goods and captives 45.
• Tang argues that the Dock Gang offers better maritime protection and should replace the Su, Bai, and Kong families. Mingyuan suspects the hijacking itself is intended to force that restructuring 47.
• He agrees to negotiations but offers Xu Hu 300,000 to recover the workers and cargo first, postponing discussion of a stake 48 50.
• Xu Hu rejects the fee and orders Zhang Hao’s finger cut off. The violence pressures both the Su Family to surrender its shares and Mingyuan to accept Dock Gang control; no final agreement is shown 50.

Notable Quotes

“Rest assured, whether we have to spend money or call in favors, the company will get our people back.” 47

“When I started this company, my intention was also to bring the Dirty Gang brothers together.” 50