Military pay

Zhang Xiande took a deep breath, his gaze darkened, and he waved to signal the person to be led to the side hall.

A short while later, two officers in crisp military uniforms walked in. The sound of their boots hitting the floor sent a chill down one's spine.

You Jiale quickly moved to stand behind Zhang Xiande, but her eyes couldn't help but dart to the two officers.

“Boss Zhang,” one of the officers said, his eyes sweeping over the group, his tone firm and unyielding. “Knowing it’s your mother’s birthday today, we won’t waste time with pleasantries. Things are tight at the front, and the higher-ups want us to raise funds for the army as soon as possible. They specifically requested your Zhang family to contribute. We’ll send you a list of the amounts later, and you must have them ready within three days!” His words were utterly devoid of politeness; he was practically demanding the money.

Zhang Xiande showed no anger on his face. He slowly picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and said calmly, "The Zhang family has always served the country without shirking responsibility. However, three days is indeed a tight deadline. I wonder if the higher-ups have issued the corresponding military orders?"

The officer raised an eyebrow, seemingly displeased with Zhang Xiande's "bargaining," but due to his position, he didn't dare to make a scene on the spot. He simply said coldly, "We don't care about the specific details. You just need to be responsible for implementation. If there are any problems, the higher-ups will hold you accountable."

Zhang Xiande listened, smiled slightly, and nodded, "I understand." He didn't say anything more, stood up to see the guest off, his posture still steady and composed.

But the two officers kept their faces stern, flicked their sleeves and left without even saying goodbye.

As soon as the door closed, the tense atmosphere seemed to linger in the air.

You Jiale glanced cautiously at Zhang Xiande and said in a low voice, "These people are too arrogant, aren't they?" Her tone carried a hint of indignation.

Zhang Xiande slowly spoke, "Let's go back to the main hall first."

In the original book, Zhang Xiande was practically a character with superhuman abilities, dominating the business world, securing railway projects with remarkable skill, and creating the "City That Never Sleeps" was simply breathtaking. Those glamorous tales on paper made You Jiale think the plot was incredibly exciting. But now, he saw a side never before revealed behind the words—a side that was real, and also heavy.

"This part wasn't written in the novel," he couldn't help but mutter to himself.

Zhang Xiande seemed to sense something, looked up at him, and asked, "What?"

You Jiale paused for a moment, then smiled and vaguely replied, "It's nothing. I just didn't expect that someone as calm and collected as you would have something to worry about."

"So what do we do now?" You Jiale couldn't joke anymore, her brows furrowing tightly. "Do we really have to do as they say and prepare all the supplies within three days? Can we handle that?"

Zhang Xiande didn't answer immediately, but instead raised his hand to rub his slightly swollen temples, then stood up and said, "After you finish eating, come out with me."

If when You Jiale first transmigrated to this Republican era, he still had a somewhat detached, spectator-like attitude, believing that with the plot's "cheat code," he could handle everything, now he was genuinely starting to panic. He feared the war would escalate, that even Zhang Xiande, this powerful figure, wouldn't be able to withstand the pressure, and even more so, that he, a small fry, would be dragged down and shattered to pieces.