"You may not know me, so let me introduce myself. My name is Wu Tong, just a small fry, but I also have a nickname called Nangong Changhe. Those familiar with me call me Master Nangong."

Ling Zhenfei felt a surge of anger rise in his heart upon hearing this person's words. He had forgotten the name Wu Tong, but the title Master Nangong left a deep impression on him. Initially, as Du Kongting's strategist, plan after plan was intricately linked, almost burying him alive and nearly allowing Du Kongting to take over Lin's Group. The influence those plans had on the produce from Xishan Manor was still present, which added fuel to his rage.

"So you are Master Nangong. I thought Master Nangong would definitely be an old man in his seventies or eighties. I didn't expect you weren't close to death yet."

As Ling Zhenfei was angry, his words naturally weren't pleasant. Had this encounter happened elsewhere, he might have resorted to violence immediately.

"To think that Mr. Ling has also heard of my name, I'm flattered. I've always wanted to meet you but just never found the time. Luckily, I had some time today and knew you would definitely come, so here I am."

"What do you want from me? Oh right, Du Kongting has been jailed, so how come you weren't captured too? You're not a fugitive now, are you?"

Based on Ling Zhenfei's analysis, this Master Nangong was the planner, and since Du Kongting had been sentenced, this Master Nangong must be guilty too.

"Mr. Ling, please don't misunderstand, I am just a small strategist, with many generations of strategists in my family. I have been devising strategies since I was sixteen, and for decades, I never failed until now in Binyang. This is why I wanted to meet you, to see the kind of person who could defeat me."

A strategist, Master Nangong called himself a strategist, and rightly so. Ling Zhenfei realized he shouldn't blame everything on Master Nangong. He had no intention of harming anyone; it was Du Kongting who wanted to harm him and hired him to strategize. It's just like a large company hiring strategists to grow stronger, the principle is the same.

Even though this profession has existed in China for thousands of years, nowadays it is considered a crime. However, someone like Master Nangong, when planning his strategies, must have made sure to clear himself from any blame completely, to the extent that even Du Kongting didn't know what Master Nangong looked like.

"Now you've seen me, so tell me, how did you lose to me?"

"I lost because I didn't investigate you thoroughly. You are no ordinary person. Though part of your win was luck, sometimes luck is also part of strength. You won, and that's that, I don't want to dwell on it."

"Master Nangong's plan was indeed meticulously terrifying. Even though you can clear your name in Du Kongting's case, you might not always be so lucky. So, I advise you to use your talents for good causes, not continue doing things that are morally wrong. As they say, 'You can't expect to hang around the river and not get your shoes wet.' Next time, you might not be so lucky."

"I've noted your words, Mr. Ling, but this is my job. As long as someone is willing to pay, I can offer strategies to anyone. Whether it's legal or not, that's the employer's concern, not mine."

"Oh, since you say you accept money for strategies, may I ask how much one costs?" Ling Zhenfei was suddenly interested in the concept of a strategist as he watched Master Nangong speak flawlessly.

"My strategies are priced per job or for entire projects, but of course, the cost is higher. I also adjust my fees based on the complexity of the task."

"If you were to devise a strategy for me, to mitigate the effect your plan had on our manor, how much would you charge?"

Now that the Du Kongting case had completely ended, those still affected were Xishan Manor, hence Ling Zhenfei's inquiry.

Master Nangong suddenly chuckled: "If you ask me that question, for you, I could do it for free, since I was the one who concocted it. It's a simple issue, actually, one that anyone could think of, but Mr. Ling, it's just like the saying, 'When you're trekking Mount Lu, you can't see its true face because you are within it.'"

"Oh, then let's hear your esteemed advice."

"It's simple. The issue with Xishan Manor was fabricated. What's fake can't become true. Since the test results are out, proving the innocence is easy. You are well acquainted with Mr. Qiu; just let him say a word, change the stance of the Binyang newspapers with an in-depth interview, and naturally, the negative impact on Xishan Manor will be mitigated."

Ling Zhenfei was struck by a thought, indeed it was so simple yet why hadn't he considered it? Mr. Qiu was essentially his friend, and he was currently treating Qiu Qing. Even with just that relationship, asking for his help seemed probable.

Master Nangong continued, "The reach of newspapers isn't extensive, but there should be no problem within Binyang City. If you want to enhance your brand outside of Binyang City and completely eliminate its negative impact on society, then hire a celebrity to endorse it and create a few sensational TV programs. This can naturally create a massive contrast in public opinion online, not only mitigating the impact of the incident concerning Xishan Manor but even serving as effective promotion. Such a simple issue, but since you couldn't think of it, doesn't it just prove the ancient poem right, 'When you're trekking Mount Lu, you can't see its true face because you are within it.'"

"Hmm!"

After listening, Ling Zhenfei suddenly felt an epiphany. Master Nangong's perspective on matters was indeed extraordinary; the problem that had troubled him for so long was so lightly explained, and yet the solution was indeed very simple. But why hadn't he thought of it himself?

Hiring a celebrity, how had he not thought of that? It seemed his mind was truly cluttered. Just a few words had resolved the issue that had troubled him for days. It seemed Master Nangong truly had some tricks up his sleeve.

As Ling Zhenfei was thinking of asking Master Nangong other questions, he suddenly heard a noisy discussion from among the crowd. It was the host of the banquet coming out, and out of curiosity about the organizer, everyone surrounded them eagerly.

"Mr. Ling, I'll leave first. This exchange with you has indeed poured some cold water on me, reminding me not to be blindly arrogant and to learn from my failures to avoid bigger mistakes in the future. However, I have a premonition that we will cross paths again. Goodbye."

After speaking, Master Nangong turned and left, departing with a casual and carefree attitude.

Ling Zhenfei watched Master Nangong's retreating figure with some emotion, knowing his mind was meticulous, and he could learn from his failures. If they were to encounter each other again, maybe he wouldn't be as lucky as this time. It looked like he would need to be well-guarded in the future.

"Boss, hurry over, it's about to start." Afterward, Zhou Jian also came up.

"Yes, alright."

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