Break out of the courtyard

After listening to Liu Yuan's explanation, Director Wang went to the Zhang family's house alone, just in time for their meal.

Director Wang Sumei didn't stand on ceremony. Tang Xin casually greeted her, and the old lady went to wash her hands and helped pick up the bowls and chopsticks.

Zhang Heping went downstairs to greet Director Wang, and then went to the basement to call his children for dinner.

After everyone sat down, Wang Sumei tentatively asked, "Heping, I heard that Umbrella Corporation is still recruiting bodyguards and security guards. Have you ever considered hiring veterans from China?"

“Those veterans can be put to work with a little training, not to mention you have brain-computer interfaces on Hong Kong Island that can train them!”

Zhang Heping didn't want to respond, because veterans weren't as easy to brainwash as young people. But Director Wang's next sentence made Zhang Heping pause for a moment, and he couldn't help but ponder the pros and cons while holding his soup bowl.

First, was Director Wang's statement made at Hua Lao's behest? Were they trying to test whether the brain-computer interface used to train bodyguards in Hong Kong could hypnotize trainees?

Secondly, Zhang Heping had just told Hua Lao that if gun licenses were not valid after Hong Kong's return to China, the Umbrella Corporation would establish branches in neighboring island nations.

What does it mean that Director Wang came to recommend veterans? Does he want those veterans to be distributed among the Umbrella Corporation's branches to monitor whether he will secretly influence those island nations?

Secondly, if a group of veterans were recruited into the Umbrella Corporation and then trained with brain-computer interfaces, even if they weren't guaranteed absolute loyalty, they could at least be subconsciously committed to protecting the Zhang family!

However, by recruiting veterans into the Umbrella Corporation, Zhang Heping's family will be under the surveillance of these people, and many things will be exposed, unless Zhang Heping further hypnotizes those people!

The virtual dream hypnosis mechanism used in the security training on the third basement floor of the Yan Wo Yee residential complex on Victoria Peak, Hong Kong Island, serves two purposes: first, to ensure all trainees remember the company's rules and regulations; and second, to allow bodyguards to continuously strengthen their awareness of protecting the Zhang family through practical experience.

Anyone working for the Umbrella Corporation has no reason to resist these two aspects of intensive training. Even if someone does resist, they will be quickly marginalized and then dismissed on some pretext.

If Zhang Heping wants to further hypnotize those people, the best and most direct way is to directly add rhetoric, slogans, and mottos that are loyal to Zhang Heping's family into the virtual dream world, just like the tactics used by Little W soldier back then.

However, once this thing is produced, anyone with eyes can see that it will brainwash and hypnotize people. Before those people can be successfully hypnotized, Elder Hua and his group will definitely come to stop them in advance.

Unless Zhang Heping really wanted to occupy and rule over neighboring island nations and hypnotize the people on those islands, there was no need for such obvious hypnosis.

In the short time it took to drink a sip of soup, Zhang Heping had a lot of calculations on his mind.

Seeing that Zhang Heping remained silent, Director Wang spoke again, "Old Hua just mentioned the issue of gun licenses for the Umbrella Corporation. Secretary Chen suggested incorporating the Umbrella Corporation into our system."

"If those bodyguards could also conduct some ideological education while they're doing virtual dream training on Hong Kong Island, this project would most likely succeed. What do you think?"

Ideological education will inevitably be followed by patriotic education, just like at Zhang Yi's Brain-Computer Research Institute, where several teachers from D School will be in charge.

Putting aside the factionalism of those teachers, incorporating ideological education into the Hong Kong Island security training dream can actually reduce the chances of trainees defecting.

Zhang Heping's previous method of preventing his subordinates from defecting was to punish them collectively.

Umbrella Corporation requires every bodyguard to have parents, and management to have wives and children. Once they betray the company, the traitor and his/her family will pay a heavy price!

Of course, there are risks involved. After ideological education, the trainees may be assimilated into comrades, which would mean that Zhang Heping would have to do his dirty work behind their backs to avoid it getting out in the capital.

If it really comes to that, those branches of the protective umbrella will no longer be bridgeheads used to deter external forces, and will have no reason to exist!

Seeing that Zhang Heping remained silent, his concubine Chen Shuting guessed that her husband was having some things he couldn't say, so she spoke up:
"Aunt Wang, the Peace Group has invested no less than 300 billion US dollars in Umbrella Security Company. It also has several wholly-owned and joint venture companies. The annual revenue is more than enough to support tens of thousands of bodyguards and security guards. How do you want Secretary Chen and his team to bring them in?"

Wang Sumei and Liu Yuanguang thought that virtual dreams could hypnotize people, and that Zhang Heping would now accept veterans from the mainland, but they overlooked the most important issue: the assets of the protective umbrella company.

Leaving aside the overseas branches that Umbrella Corporation has expanded over the past year, the influence accumulated by its joint ventures, Peace Shipbuilding and Shaanxi Aircraft Industry Group, in the past year alone is enough to make all parties focus on the potential value of Umbrella Security Company.

Moreover, there is a mysterious hardware processing plant located beneath it, from which all of Umbrella Corporation's weapons and equipment originate.

"Secretary Chen only mentioned it briefly, without saying anything further." Director Wang smiled awkwardly at Chen Shuting. "I was thinking of talking to Heping first to see if he had any thoughts on this."

"After joining, can I keep my weapons and equipment?" Zhang Heping asked casually while picking up some food. "I won't hand over the personnel appointments from Umbrella Corporation!"

Zhang Heping realized something: if teachers at School D could conduct ideological and patriotic education, then management personnel like Wei Chunqiao and Zhu Chengguang could too. Moreover, Zhang Heping could guide trainees through virtual dreams.

Aside from the risk of being monitored by the mainland, the factional conflict between new and old employees within the Umbrella Security Company also necessitates the intervention of mainland veterans to ease and divert internal tensions.

Hearing Zhang Heping's words, Wang Sumei secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but smiled and said, "Since you have this intention, I will report this to Elder Hua later. They don't know that I told you all this."

Zhang Heping nodded casually, "Never mind that now, let's eat!"

Chen Shuting, who was about to add a few more words, immediately looked at the dishes in front of her and put them down when she heard what her husband said.

"Brother, I'd like to transfer Xiao Yi to the Brain-Computer Therapy Research Center to take over my acting director position. What do you think?" Zhang Zhaodi, who was quietly eating nearby, interjected.

“Yuanzi is 4 years old this year, and it’s not good for Xiaoyi and his wife to keep running around outside.”

Zhang Heping glanced at his nephew's wife, Luo Yi, who was feeding Xiao Zhangbo, and smiled, "There's no need for a transfer. We can consider transferring the Brain-Computer Therapy Research Center to the Brain-Computer Research Institute, and then let Xiao Yi manage the Brain-Computer Therapy Research Center."

"Will this work?" Zhang Zhaodi's first thought was whether the Health Bureau would abandon this achievement project.

"It's just that the original tripartite management has become a four-party management, still led by the Health Bureau," Zhang Heping said casually. "Do you think they'd be happy to be recognized and incorporated by the institutes under the Chinese Academy of Sciences?"

Just then, Zhang Heping's second sister, Zhang Pandi, who was still working overtime in Hong Kong, called. After listening to a few words, Zhang Heping got up, grabbed two steamed buns, and walked out of the villa. Clearly, there were some things he didn't want others to hear.

After eating a few bites, Director Wang said goodbye to Ma Xiuzhen, Zhang Bing, Tang Xin, and others.

When she came out, Zhang Heping had already gone to the artificial lake to make a phone call.

Director Wang called Liu Yuan to Hua Lao's villa and told Hua Lao and Secretary Chen about Liu Yuan's thoughts, Zhang Heping's reply, and the asset issue mentioned by Chen Shuting. "Is Heping still at home?" Hua Lao asked casually, though he hadn't actually figured out how to reply to Zhang Heping yet, because this matter involved a wide range of aspects.

Director Wang said with a hint of doubt, "He's at the artificial lake right now, talking on the phone with his second sister. I wonder what happened."

……

"You've been researching law on Hong Kong Island for over three years. Why aren't you going to the Department of Justice? What are you thinking?" Zhang Heping asked, hands on his hips, looking at the shimmering lake ahead, his phone hovering near his left ear.

The voice of my second sister, Zhang Pandi, came through the phone: "Sister Yin said that the three directors have been basically decided, and they are all from Hong Kong Island; I can only become the head of the 13th Bureau if I go down there!"

“As long as the candidate is not announced, you should set your sights on the Secretary for Justice position!” Cheung Ho-ping said in a deep voice. “If you let a hawkish person from Hong Kong Island serve as the Secretary for Justice, you can forget about changing the hawkish judicial system in Hong Kong Island.”

Zhang Pandi hesitated on the other end of the phone and said, "Brother, if I can't get the position in the Department of Justice, should I go to the Food and Health Bureau?"

“No need!” Zhang Heping answered decisively. “If I can’t go to the Department of Justice, there’s the Chief Secretary and the Financial Secretary.”

"Go to the capital to report on your work first, and while you're at it, pay a visit to that person in central China I mentioned to you last time; I'll be returning to Hong Kong Island tomorrow morning and will have a meeting with some people from the Hong Kong government!"

Cheung Pan-tai arrived on Hong Kong Island in March 1992 and has been responsible for researching Hong Kong Island's laws in preparation for legislation following the handover.

During this time, she attended many court hearings with lawyers from the Peace Law Firm and also obtained her license to practice law from the British Bar Association.

Aside from not appearing in court as a lawyer to defend herself, she experienced virtually every aspect of the Hong Kong judicial system and recognized its flaws.

If it weren't for the efforts of his second sister, Zhang Pandi, Zhang Heping wouldn't have readily agreed to meet the person from the central region when his classmate Tang Weiguo mentioned the Hong Kong Island Personnel Preparatory Committee and brought a promise from the Secretary for Personnel.

After hanging up the phone, Zhang Heping walked around the artificial lake again, pondering what methods he could use to secure a position in the Third Division for his second sister.

A moment later, Zhang Heping took out his phone and called Shen Bi, whom he hadn't contacted in a long time.

"Old Shen, how have you been lately?" Zhang Heping greeted him with a smile.

"Not bad!" 68-year-old Shen Bi replied with a smile, "I just had a physical examination at your hospital the day before yesterday. Apart from having a slightly high body fat percentage, all other indicators were very good!"

"Then you'd better pay attention to exercising and not just sit around all the time!" Zhang Heping said casually.

Shen Bi replied on the other end of the phone, "I'm drinking your company's slimming tea. It won't be long before my body fat percentage reaches the target level."

After exchanging a few words with the other party, Zhang Heping steered the conversation to business, "I'm hosting a banquet tomorrow noon on the third floor of the Peace Hotel in Hong Kong Island. Could you help me invite a few people?"

After finishing his call with Shen Bi, Zhang Heping called Chairman He, Bao Chuanwang, and others to ask if they had time tomorrow at noon.

Invited by Zhang Heping, founder of the Nobel Peace Prize, president of the World Institute of Advanced Technology, advisor to the mainland, and the richest man in Hong Kong, and especially on Hong Kong Island, it's hard to imagine anyone there refusing his invitation!
Of course, the emphasis here is on Hong Kong Island, not certain provinces or cities in mainland China.

Zhang Heping's purpose in hosting this banquet for Hong Kong's elite was simple: to inquire about who might be in charge of the three departments after Hong Kong's return to China.

The next morning at 8 a.m., Zhang Heping, along with his concubine Chen Shuting, second daughter Zhang Nan, and third daughter Zhang Nian, arrived in Central, Hong Kong Island. They then went their separate ways to attend to their own business, and planned to meet again at noon on the third floor of the Peace Hotel.

Chen Shuting and Zhang Nan went to work on their company's affairs, while Zhang Nian was still working in the Economic Section of the Provincial Administration Commission, where she had become the Director of Economic Affairs, responsible for handling some commercial and trade matters.

Zhang Heping went directly to the Peace Hotel, where Wei Chunqiao, Tang Wei, and others were already waiting at the hotel entrance. Upon seeing Zhang Heping arrive, they all eagerly went to greet him.

"Master, we investigated overnight!" Tang Wei, who was in charge of Heping Smart Technology Company, followed half a step to Zhang Heping and reported in a low voice:
“After Hong Kong Island’s return to China, there are currently three people who are most likely to succeed the Secretary of Justice. Here is their information.”

"Also, there's a lot of information on all the members of the three companies. I only printed out the information of their leaders; I've sent the information of the other members to your email address!"

Zhang Heping took the documents and, while flipping through them, asked, "How's the security situation on Hong Kong Island lately?"

"There's no major chaos, but we've recently received quite a few intelligence agents from various countries, roughly 30,000!" Tang Wei replied as always. "If you include those Hong Kong residents who have been bribed, the number could be over 100,000!"

Zhang Heping's tone remained unchanged as he asked Wei Chunqiao, who was standing next to him, "Old Wei, is the security pressure high?"

"Pressure can also be a driving force, especially with Manager Tang's smart city management center assisting us," Wei Chunqiao replied with a smile.

“Old Wei’s speaking skills have improved a few days ago!” Zhang Heping said, handing a piece of paper to Tang Wei beside him. “Investigate this lawyer Liang thoroughly!”

The person Zhang Heping values ​​so highly must have an impressive resume!
Putting aside the diplomas and certificates she obtained in Hong Kong Island and the United Kingdom, just considering his honor of becoming a National People's Congress representative and Hong Kong affairs advisor in 93, Zhang Heping understood why his second sister, Zhang Pandi, lacked confidence in vying for the position of Secretary for Justice!

Ignoring the information on other people in the Department of Justice, Zhang Heping then looked at the information on the Chief Secretary and the Financial Secretary.

The Chief Secretary's power has not yet been weakened. Apart from the Governor, the Chief Secretary has the most power on Hong Kong Island, which is why Zhang Nian was willing to work in the Economic Section under the Chief Secretary.

However, the current Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr. Fong, has been trying to persuade the Zhang family to immigrate to Hong Kong Island. He would bring it up with the third daughter, Zhang Nian, from time to time. Fortunately, the girl was able to tolerate it and did not talk back.

Zhang Heping is least familiar with the Financial Secretary of Hong Kong Island, yet the Financial Secretary has the most dealings with the Heping Group, especially at the end of each year.

As Zhang Heping sat down on the third floor of the Peace Hotel, Chairman He and Chairman Guo, who were acquainted with him, were the first to come over.

Then Shen Bi and several bank directors came over and chatted with him.

Qu Zhouping, the head of Heping Media, came over specifically to ask if he could be interviewed. Actually, he hadn't seen Zhang Heping for a long time and wanted to come over to flatter him and get back to know him.

...(End of this chapter)