Under one person: I, Zhang Zhiwei, the arrogant Zhang.

Chapter 896 Master-Disciple Conversation, Zhang Huaiyi's Question
Zhang Zhiwei explained to Zhang Jingqing his plans for dealing with the future situation—to use his power and influence to exert a comprehensive impact on the entire situation.

Unless the Japanese pirates send out a large number of extraordinary experts, or they commit a large-scale massacre of innocent people, it is unlikely that he will directly enter the market and disrupt the market.

It's better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish. Some things can't be handled by him alone. No matter how capable he is, if others don't step up, it's all for nothing.

The last time he destroyed the Combined Fleet was because the fleet attempted to fire on the slums, which is why he took direct action.

Zhang Jingqing listened to Zhang Zhiwei's arrangement and said with a look of satisfaction:

"You've done a great job to get this far. You've thought things through very well, and you've really improved a lot!"

Zhang Zhiwei waved his hand and laughed, "Great teachers produce great students, it's all thanks to my master's excellent teaching!"

Zhang Jingqing laughed loudly, "You shameless brat, but I still respect you as your teacher. By the way, what do you think about the negotiations in Shanghai?"

"Master, what do you think?" Zhang Zhiwei asked in return.

Zhang Jingqing pondered for a moment and said, "Although our army did not lose points on the battlefield, the higher-ups always think about relying on international mediation to resolve the issue. With this mentality, we are already at a disadvantage before we even sit down to negotiate. The negotiation arena is like a battlefield. Once the momentum is weak, no matter how eloquent you are, it will be useless. I think the outcome of this negotiation may not be very good."

Zhang Zhiwei nodded and said, "I think so too. A weak country has no diplomacy. Some things can't be obtained on the battlefield, let alone at the negotiating table."

"Your foundation is mostly in Shanghai. If the negotiations don't go well, do you have any contingency plans?" Zhang Jingqing asked.

Zhang Zhiwei said, "I started the relocation process several years ago. Some economically important industries have been moved overseas."

“I moved some important factories that are vital to people’s livelihoods to Chongqing. There, the Tang Clan members guard the premises for me. It’s as strict as the Hall of the Dead, and no one dares to cause trouble there.”

"Most of those who remain in Shanghai are light industries such as textile factories. If the situation becomes really critical, it's okay to give them up."

"But I have several church schools and welfare facilities such as orphanages there, which are really difficult to move."

"However, I've also prepared a backup plan. If anyone is truly ruthless enough to try and sabotage these facilities, I'll make them pay!"

Zhang Zhiwei grinned. The lightning incarnation he left in the cathedral statue was no easy opponent.

Zhang Jingqing nodded and said:
"You've thought things through very well. There shouldn't be any major problems in Shanghai. Even the most ruthless person wouldn't go so far as to harm a group of infants in swaddling clothes."

That's not necessarily true, Master. You're thinking too highly of people... Zhang Zhiwei thought to himself, but he didn't say it aloud.

Zhang Jingqing continued, "You're quite capable, kid. When I went to the Tang Clan, I rarely got a friendly reception, but you managed to persuade them to protect your territory. That's impressive!"

Zhang Zhiwei said, "Master, you think too highly of me. It wasn't me who persuaded them. It was the Tang Clan leader who saw how big this pie was and wanted a piece of it, which is why we cooperated!"

Zhang Jingqing nodded: "That's quite an achievement. In the martial world, when it comes to infiltration and assassination, the Tang Clan is second to none. With them guarding the area, unless a large army besieges them, no one can cross the line."

Zhang Zhiwei nodded: "That makes sense. Yucheng is built against the mountain, and the buildings inside are very complicated. The Tang Clan has cleverly set up traps, and they are good at infiltration and assassination. They are all experts in street fighting. Even if a large army attacks, they will not be able to break in for a while."

Zhang Jingqing said, "That makes sense. Back then, the Golden Family led the Mongol cavalry to sweep across the world, but they still suffered a crushing defeat in Chongqing. Even the Great Khan was killed."

"However, it's easy to dodge a spear in the open but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark. Now there's something called an airplane. Be careful that the Japanese invaders don't send planes to drop bombs from high altitude and destroy all the factories you've built."

"You should know that you have a high level of hatred from the Japanese pirates. They have every motive and reason to do so."

"Master, rest assured, I had already considered this when the factory was built. Chongqing is mountainous, and the entire city is built on the mountains. The factory is no exception. Some important machines are housed in caves."

At this point, Zhang Zhiwei suddenly paused, recalling the later bombing of Chongqing.

The Japanese pirates bombed Chongqing for nearly six years. He had actually considered this when building the factory, so the location of Tiantong Steel Plant was carefully chosen.

But now, he suddenly thought that perhaps he could do more. He could move the entire steel plant, and even the newly relocated chemical plants, to caves and underground, so that if something happened in the future, the losses could be minimized.

Most importantly, moving all the factories to caves and underground would create a huge space that could not only house factories but also serve as air-raid shelters to protect people in case of an emergency—a win-win situation.

Zhang Zhiwei mentioned this idea to his master.

Zhang Jingqing paused and said, "Your foresight is indeed commendable, but isn't it a bit... unwise to go to such lengths and waste so much money just for one possibility?"

Zhang Zhiwei said, "In the past, it was the emperor's corvée labor that was a waste of money and resources. I pay him enough wages, so how can it be a waste of money and resources? It should be promoting the economy."

According to Wang Ai's report, he has a lot of money now. He is not a capitalist who needs to constantly amass wealth. He only needs to keep some reserve funds and circulate the rest.

Moreover, it is indeed time to circulate it. The situation has been relatively stable in recent years. If we don't use it now, are we going to save it for when a world war breaks out and the currency depreciates wildly?
“You know more about these economic matters than I do. You can handle it yourself. If you need money, just tell me. Our Celestial Master’s Mansion has accumulated some wealth over the past two thousand years!” Zhang Jingqing said.

“If necessary, I certainly won’t stand on ceremony with my master!” Zhang Zhiwei said with a smile.

Zhang Jingqing stood up and patted Zhang Zhiwei on the shoulder: "By the way, Huaiyi is back. You should have met him already!"

Zhang Zhiwei nodded: "I've met him. He reported to me what he did in Northeast China, how many Japanese pirates he killed, and things like that!"

"Did he tell you about his contact with the leader of the Quanxing Sect?" Zhang Jingqing asked.

Zhang Zhiwei shook his head and said, "He didn't bring it up himself. I asked him about it, and he only said that it was a coincidence. Moreover, he didn't meet him alone. He was with Patriarch Gao, Daoist Guo from Tiesha Mountain, and others. Master, do you think there's a problem?"

Zhang Jingqing said, "That's what he told me too. However, I know Huaiyi well. When he reported, he mentioned all sorts of information, but he didn't talk much about the Quanxing Sect leader. I find that a bit strange."

"Of course, it's just a little strange, not even a doubt."

Zhang Jingqing continued, "He might just be trying to avoid suspicion, after all, there was that incident involving you before!"

Zhang Zhiwei didn't respond. He did want to say that these two guys might have something going on, but so far he had no evidence. If he spoke rashly, what difference would that be from spreading rumors?

Zhang Jingqing gave a few more instructions, threw down the newspaper, and left Tianmen Peak.

He moved nimbly and lightly, showing that he was in a good mood, not only because General Ma had turned against the Japanese pirates, but also because of Zhang Zhiwei.

This disciple, who used to be the one who worried me the most, has finally become a capable person, especially in terms of overall control. He is much better than his master in this regard, and I no longer need to worry about him.

The other disciples on the mountain all cultivated steadily and diligently. Even if they had some shortcomings in their conduct, they were mostly minor flaws that did not cause any harm.

Now, the only person who truly worries him is Zhang Huaiyi.

This young man has spent the last few years honing his skills in the martial arts world, upholding justice, experiencing the vicissitudes of life, and tempering his character.

This is a process that most Taoist priests at Longhu Mountain go through.

After all, one cannot cultivate the Tao solely by practicing asceticism in the mountains; the tempering of one's character requires travel and experience.

The more experiences one has, the stronger one's mind becomes, eventually allowing one's spirit to become rounded and one's sharpness to be tempered into a well-rounded state. In dealing with people and situations, in every action and posture, one achieves a state of being rounded, rounded, and at ease in all situations. Zhang Zhiwei now embodies this state of mind.

Of course, this doesn't mean that his edges have been smoothed out. On the contrary, he has become sharper and sharper, but this sharpness is not outwardly apparent. Unlike before, when he gave people a sense of being a towering figure and awe wherever he went.

He is like a peerless sword that has been sheathed; when still, it is as warm and smooth as jade, but once drawn, it will surely be earth-shattering.

At this thought, Zhang Jingqing suddenly recalled the young man who had been so sharp-tongued and arrogant when she went to the Lu family compound to celebrate the old master's birthday. He had clamored to kill anyone or anything in the world's filth.

At that time, he almost felt that his apprentice was going astray, so he hurriedly tried to help Zhang Huaiyi up and give him a warning.

Zhang Huaiyi did manage to help him get back on his feet, but his attempts to discipline him failed.

Fortunately, the outcome was good; even without being reprimanded, Zhang Zhiwei did not go astray.

However, Zhang Huaiyi, whom he helped up, had some problems.

In recent years, he has repeatedly pointed out Zhang Huaiyi's mental state issues.

This kid always agrees quickly, and even seems eager to change.

But Zhang Jingqing could tell he was faking it. This kid was determined to learn the art, extremely competitive, and single-mindedly focused on becoming stronger.

Wanting to become stronger is not a bad thing.

But it depends on what drives the process of becoming stronger. If it's internal, then there's no problem. Dig inward and find your true self; that's the way of seeking the Tao.

If it's an external factor, then there's a big problem. An external factor is a delusion. Chasing after a delusion, what's the difference between that and indulging in lust?
In this process, a slight misstep can lead to serious mistakes due to selfish desires.

Zhang Huaiyi wanted to take first place, or more accurately, surpass Zhang Zhiwei.

If an ordinary person sets such a goal, it can be said that they are ambitious, or that they are ignorant of their own limitations.

But when it came to Zhang Huaiyi, Zhang Zhiwei was undoubtedly like an invincible inner demon.

Zhang Zhiwei's "inner demon" doesn't directly invade like a typical inner demon.

But he just stood there, and even though everything was fine, it was a blow to Zhang Huaiyi.

Even the strongest wire will eventually break if it is repeatedly bent and folded.

Whether it will silently perish or erupt and make mistakes at that time, we don't know.

Thinking of this, Zhang Jingqing vaguely regretted her past actions of forcing Zhang Huaiyi to grow too quickly. Perhaps she shouldn't have taught Zhang Huaiyi the Thunder Technique so early and bestowed upon him the surname Zhang Huaiyi.

Because the test he set for Zhang Huaiyi was to let go of that extreme mindset and be honest with his sect.

Zhang Huaiyi failed this test.

Zhang Huaiyi was only able to be honest because Zhang Huaiyi was grabbed by the neck, pinned to the ground, and threatened with being crippled, which forced him to reveal his skills.

This is a far cry from the original requirements he set for passing the test.

Even if Zhang Huaiyi came to his door again a day later, he would frankly admit his mistake and be willing to accept punishment.

But a day has passed, and there are now many more calculations involved. It's no longer pure anymore. It's like taking an exam, snatching the test paper and running away, only to hand it in a day later. Do you think the proctor will let you pass?
Zhang Jingqing understood Zhang Huaiyi; he was a complex and perceptive young man, and it was impossible for him not to guess her intentions within a day.

Therefore, Zhang Huaiyi's admission of wrongdoing actually had a large element of betting involved.

He had always known this, and had even pointed it out, and Zhang Huaiyi had not denied it at the time.

Zhang Jingqing also knew that the outcome of such a bet was highly questionable.

A crisis reveals true nature. During the first test, the kid's actions of concealing, lying, resisting, and running away were his truest reactions.

This also shows that the boy didn't trust his master from the bottom of his heart, which is why he instinctively resisted and ran away.

Even if he returned later, it was only after Zhang Huaiyi considered his personality and weighed the pros and cons, making a risky gamble.

He knew all of these things, and if he followed the rules, he shouldn't have accepted him as a disciple with the false surname.

But perhaps it was the bond between master and disciple over so many years, or perhaps it was the strong desire to train a master to suppress Zhang Zhiwei.

In short, the moment Zhang Huaiyi stood in front of him, he felt compassion and made an exception, barely managing to get Zhang Huaiyi through.

At the same time, he firmly believed that as long as he treated him with sincerity, the kid would eventually reciprocate with sincerity and truly pass the test!

"So many years have passed, has Huaiyi, that little mouse, passed the test, or has he hidden himself even deeper?"

Zhang Jingqing muttered to himself. He used to be very certain about this, but after Zhang Huaiyi's experiences over the past few years, he suddenly became somewhat uncertain.

Because, even if he didn't ask, the other disciples would report their experiences to him, and Zhang Zhiwei would tell him in great detail.

He wasn't actually very interested in the training his apprentices received.

He has taught many apprentices and seen a great deal. He has probably heard about all the interesting things his apprentices have experienced during their training many times before.

But with Zhang Huaiyi, not only did he not speak up, but even if he asked, he couldn't get a clear answer.

The fact that you can't get a clear answer isn't a big problem, but you can sense that he's hiding something in his words.

It's like a meticulously crafted process, flawless and without any logical loopholes, but you still feel like he's hiding something from you in some way.

Everyone has secrets, which shouldn't be a big deal, but Zhang Huaiyi had Zhang Zhiwei as a comparison point. Compared to Zhang Zhiwei, he became somewhat glaring.

"I hope I made the right choice back then, and that this kid doesn't go astray!" Zhang Jingqing muttered to herself.

He sighed immediately; these were all his choices.

Even if one day Zhang Huaiyi really goes astray and makes a mistake, I, as his master, must protect him no matter what.

Of course, there is a prerequisite.

That is, Zhang Huaiyi trusts his master enough to be willing to come back to him like he did during the last test.

(End of this chapter)