I changed the world.

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April 6, 2016, 12:33 PM, the 37th year of Chenghe (2016), Anjia Mansion, Jin'an City, Jian'an Province

"Hello? Who is this? Oh! It's Master Hui'an! I'm Mr. An's assistant, Xiao Su. Hello, hello. Oh? You're looking for Mr. An?"

"Master Hui'an... I'm sorry, it's like this, Mr. An hasn't been feeling well these past few days and has found a meditation master to recuperate with. He's currently in seclusion, so he's instructed that he won't see any visitors and won't answer any outside calls..."

"Oh, hahaha, right, right... I'm so sorry I didn't answer the calls from my old friends..."

"Oh...oh...is something important? Mr. An instructed that even the most important matters should wait until he comes out of seclusion before discussing them. I am deeply sorry, I am deeply sorry..."

"Haha, yes, yes... Oh? You mean the group needs to transfer deposits?"

"Oh... I'm not too clear about this either, haha. Actually, Mr. An doesn't get involved in the group's operations much these days. Haha... Yes... Regarding the deposits... I think it's best to have someone from the group's finance department handle it."

"Oh... okay, I'll ask Mr. An for you... okay... okay... goodbye."

After putting away his phone, An Zhengquan's assistant, Su Yunlai, bowed and approached An Zhengquan, who was sitting and sipping tea. She whispered in his ear, "Mr. An, it was Hui'an Gong who called. It should be about the group transferring its deposits in Haishang Bank."

An Zhengquan nodded upon hearing this, indicating that he understood. Seeing that he had no further instructions, Su Yunlai stepped aside.

"What do you think about this?" An Zhengquan picked up the teacup beside him, took a sip, and then asked his daughter sitting next to him. A gentle breeze was blowing, making it very pleasant. At this moment, the An father and daughter had just finished lunch and were enjoying this year's new tea from the mountain peak in the backyard.

"This time, the group withdrew all the deposits from Haishang Bank at once, which is tantamount to turning against the Wei family. Isn't that... a bit of an overreaction?" After thinking for a moment, An Huiling tentatively asked her father's question, "Don't you always say that we should blend in with the world and keep a low profile?"

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind History Books: Chapter 761 Refusing a Toast Gets You Forced to Drink a Forfeit

"To blunt its sharpness, untangle its knots, soften its light, and mingle with its dust... This is something only a sage can do, and I am ultimately not a sage..." An Zhengquan smiled and shook his head: "Outsiders see me standing alone on a dangerous peak, enjoying boundless scenery... but they do not know that on this dangerous peak, the higher one climbs, the colder it gets."

"We are not, after all, those noble families who share the fate of the nation, nor those aristocratic clans whose members have held high office for generations. Daughter, you need to understand that although the An family is extremely wealthy, in the eyes of some, they are a piece of meat to be coveted. Within this empire, is the Wei family the only one eyeing us?"

"When you are a lion, you can naturally laugh off the provocation of a wild dog. However, when you are a hedgehog, you must always show your quills so that people will keep their distance."

An Huiling nodded thoughtfully.

“If crossing the line goes unpunished, then more open and covert attacks will follow.” An Zhengquan patted the armrest of his chair. “So, it’s not that Dad insists on doing this, but that he has no choice but to…”

As he spoke, An Zhengquan took another sip of tea and continued, "Furthermore, since we know that Haishang Bank has problems, we must also pay attention to the risks in this regard from the perspective of fund security. We previously had too much money deposited in Haishang Bank."

"Previously, out of consideration for being fellow Jin'an natives, I intended to befriend the Wei family behind the Maritime Bank, but I never expected..." An Zhengquan shook his head, sighed, and a barely perceptible worry flashed in his eyes...

"So even if it will offend people, we have to do it."

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承和三十七年 2016年4月6日12:40 建安省晋安市金融街海商银行总部大厦

After putting down his phone, Wei Feng's face was grim, and he remained silent for a long time.

Now that things have come to this, he naturally understands that An Zhengquan must have learned about the problems with the jump experiment through some channels, and even guessed his involvement. Otherwise, he wouldn't have adopted such a stance, not even answering the phone.

Now it seems that the power behind An Zhengquan is not as shallow as previously thought. After all, the fact that they were able to obtain this information at this time speaks volumes.

Taking a deep breath, Wei Feng looked at Wang Zuoxi beside him: "Follow the procedures, pay out what is due. Since Qianluo Group wants to transfer, let them transfer. Be careful to appease other customers if they ask."

"Okay, I understand." Wang Zuoxi, standing to the side, naturally noticed Wei Feng's embarrassment and understood that this was the only way to handle the situation. As for withholding Qianluo's money, that was impossible. After all, they were a bank; doing so would truly ruin their reputation. No matter how powerful their connections, they would be driven to despair by a run on their depositors...

After all, if there's even the slightest possibility that depositors can't withdraw their hard-earned money, they'll go crazy.

He was considering finding other banks for short-term loans. However, the amount needed this time was enormous, far exceeding the normal amount, so the interest rate would definitely be higher, which would result in a considerable loss.

The Hai Shang Bank is a large and powerful company. The withdrawal of deposits by such a large client wouldn't cripple it, but it would certainly result in poor bank performance this year. Even the stock price might suffer a significant drop. Considering that professional managers' salaries are tied to performance, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

After Wang Zuoxi took his leave, Wei Feng finally lost his composure, grabbed a vase from the office, and smashed it hard on the ground!

With a sharp crack, the expensive celadon vase shattered into pieces...

I didn't get to eat any mutton, and I ended up with a lot of trouble...

Now that things have come to this, Wei Feng is unlikely to simply suffer a humiliation. Otherwise, not only will the Wei family lose face in the eyes of some discerning people, but he will also be subject to criticism within the Wei family itself.

Thus, the previously uninvolved Master Yu once again came into Wei Feng's sights. Although this would inevitably involve Prince An, it was better than nothing at all...

An Zhengquan, I was thinking that if you knew what was good for you, you'd end up as a wealthy man afterward...

Since you refuse a toast, then you're destined for a broken family and ruined lives...

He thought to himself, "I need to urge him..." He picked up his phone and dialed a number: "Hey, Wei Yuan, come over here for a second."

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承和三十七年 2016年4月6日15:40 建安省晋安市安家大宅

Yu Huai drove a black "Flying Saucer" brand sedan into the gate of Anjia Manor. The security guard at the gate recognized him and opened the iron gate of the manor for him with a smile.

After leaving Xu Hanzhang's place, he originally wanted to find a restaurant for a treat. After all, he had been staying at Anjia for the past few days, and to maintain his "high-minded" image, he had been eating only vegetarian food. Yu Huai was a cautious person and always understood the importance of playing the part perfectly. Therefore, in front of outsiders, he strived to ensure that no one could find fault with his demeanor, speech, or even his diet…

However, the saying "showing off in public, suffering in private" left him, who used to love meat, feeling utterly bored... He had originally thought that since he was out, he should have a good meal, but then, at noon, he received another invitation to a banquet, the kind he couldn't refuse...

The dinner was hosted by Chairman Wei.

This Mr. Wei Yuan is a director of Hai Shang Bank, but his real job is not working at Hai Shang Bank, but working for Mr. Wei Feng.

Aside from their initial meeting with Mr. Wei, the only person Yu Huai had truly maintained contact with was this Chairman Wei Yuan. Although no one explicitly stated it, Yu Huai, with his sharp mind, could naturally understand: this Chairman Wei, given his surname, was most likely a servant of the Wei family, probably a true confidant of Mr. Wei, the kind who handled his shady dealings…

In a large family, it's perfectly normal for someone to have this kind of status and role...

This Chairman Wei certainly wasn't just here for a casual meal. As the saying goes, no one visits a temple without a reason, and Chairman Wei was no exception this time. Although he didn't say anything explicitly during the meal, a gentle reminder is enough; the hints alone were enough for Yu Huai to understand that they hoped he could expedite things...

Yu Huai did not mention Xu Hanzhang's failed attempt to them, as it was quite embarrassing, but simply said that there would be a response soon.

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Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind History Books: Chapter 762 Farewell, Mage

The car drove along the roads inside the manor and soon arrived at the parking lot. After parking the car, Yu Huai walked towards Yanfu Palace.

Before long, Ling dreamt he arrived at the entrance of the Yanfu Palace, but unexpectedly, there were already people waiting outside the main gate of the Yanfu Palace…

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"What? Is this Madam's intention?"

"Yes, Madam felt that the numerous chores here were taking up too much of the monk's time for meditation... Now that everything is back on track, both Madam and Master feel that keeping the monk in charge of this small family temple any longer might hinder his cultivation. In the future, when he meets Abbot Chen of Qinghe Palace, he will likely be blamed..."

“This…” Yu Huai frowned. He recognized the steward in front of him. This old steward was the head steward in charge of the An family’s affairs. It was said that he was deeply trusted by An Zhengquan and his wife. Even when he saw him on weekdays, he was always very polite.

However, despite the old man's eloquent words, what he really meant was that he wanted him to leave and that Yanfu Palace no longer needed his management.

"Master, this was specially prepared for you by Madam. Please do not refuse." The old steward gestured to the side, where a servant presented a small red suitcase. When opened, the suitcase was overflowing with banknotes. Even Yu Huai was taken aback upon seeing it.

It must be said that a box full of money neatly stacked together is quite visually striking. Yu Huai wasn't a bank employee, so he couldn't tell exactly how much money was in it at a glance, but just looking at it, it must have been at least several hundred thousand...

This salary is quite high regardless of the market rate; you can't complain about being stingy when it comes to settling down anywhere...

But what Yu Huai really wanted wasn't just a few hundred thousand...

Feeling frustrated, under normal circumstances, he would have simply left. After all, Yu Huai truly possessed exceptional skills and wouldn't have trouble finding patrons wherever he went. Especially since the An family had clearly offered a generous reward, it could be considered an amicable parting.

However, what he couldn't say was that he actually had another mission, and if he left this place, then... there would inevitably be a lot more trouble.

However, there's no real reason to stay, especially since it contradicts his established image as a sage who's "indifferent to fame and fortune." After all, sages are always begged to stay, not the other way around...

"I am truly unworthy of Madam's generous gift... I originally intended to devote more effort to Yanfu Palace, reciting scriptures and incantations for forty-nine days to alter the feng shui of the manor. It would have taken some more time to complete this meritorious deed. Now that I am leaving, all my efforts will have been in vain, which is truly a pity..." Yu Huai pondered in his heart, casually making excuses as he thought he could delay for a few more days...

However, the old steward had clearly been instructed to get rid of the monk no matter what. Hearing this, he smiled and said, "It's alright. Madam means that too much is as bad as too little. All the An family asks for now is peace. We dare not ask for anything more."

"What the monk did before was already very good. The lady said that when she built this Yanfu Palace, it was out of gratitude for the Heavenly Venerable's compassion, to offer worship and reverence, with a sincere heart, and she had no other desires..."

Yu Huai sighed inwardly. Since the other party had already said so much, he really had no reason to insist on staying any longer; otherwise, he would truly lose face...

“Very well… In that case, I’ll take my leave now. I’ve troubled you these past few days…” Yu Huai cupped his hands in greeting, his expression calm and composed: “May I tidy up my personal belongings?”

"What are you saying, Master? Please make yourself at home. I will arrange a driver for you later. Just tell me where you plan to go next," the old steward said with a smile and a cupped hand.

Yu Huai nodded, cupped his hands in greeting again, and walked into Yanfu Palace. He understood that he would need to leave by evening at the latest. The fact that they had even left the driver behind clearly indicated that they did not want him to stay too long.

Of course, everything was done politely, the money was sufficient, and the arrangements were thorough, so he couldn't say a word of complaint...

But why would Madam An suddenly act this way… He hadn't even had a chance to meet her. Yu Huai was both puzzled and somewhat annoyed. He had clearly managed to fool this lady, making her almost completely obedient, but unexpectedly, before he could even begin his follow-up plans, everything was interrupted. Such a 180-degree turn in such a short time…

Where exactly did the problem lie?!

Could it be that the young lady of the An family who recently returned doesn't like me?

That's not impossible... As he walked toward his residence in Yanfu Palace, Yu Huai pondered various thoughts, recalling the less-than-successful meeting from before.

The eldest daughter of the An family was clearly a person with strong opinions, and she was not unfamiliar with some of the rituals of the Xuanmen sect. It seemed that she had some understanding of them.

Even now that he possesses "real skills," Yu Huai still can't shake off the mentality of a wandering fortune teller. There are many such fortune tellers throughout the Great Zhao, mostly operating under the guise of the Xuanmen or Futu sects, making a living from wealthy families through feng shui, fortune telling, and magic. What these people dislike most are those homeowners who know something, because such homeowners are not easily fooled, and sometimes even know more than the fortune tellers themselves, often leaving them embarrassed.

Yu Huai had originally planned to find another opportunity to "show off his skills" to solidify his position in the An family, but he never expected to receive such news directly...

Originally, Yu Huai had planned to make a double profit, not only getting a substantial reward from the Wei family but also extracting a large sum from the An family... However, this arrangement effectively severed his connection with the An family...

This made Yu Huai feel even more disgusted with Miss An, whom he had only met once...

However, it doesn't matter anymore. As long as Xu Hanzhang makes the preparations, everything will be settled...

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