Martial arts mastery? But I'm just a spoiled brat!

"With so many people in your family, the pressure must be immense!"

"My wife does laundry for the martial arts students, my elderly mother takes care of the children and does some needlework on the side, and I drive this rickshaw. We're doing alright with food and lodging at home."

"That's not easy either. How's it going for your child to learn martial arts? Can your family afford it?"

Yan Qing was also free, and wanted to find out how the martial arts school was perceived by these people, so he asked a few more questions.

However, these words made Lao Huang look back at Yan Qing with some suspicion:

"Sir, you're new to Tianjin, aren't you? Just started working as a manager at the martial arts school?"

"Yes, I'm a distant relative of the owner; I just came from Shanxi Province to seek refuge with him!"

Yan Qing replied with a smile, not bothering to flaunt his status in front of these people, so he simply made up an excuse.

"No wonder!"

Hearing Yan Qing's reply, Old Huang continued to explain:

"Tiger Roar Martial Arts School has many branches, and these branches cooperate with various industries. Our rickshaw shop owner has a security cooperation with one of the branches."

My son, Huang Er, is hardworking and resilient. He was selected by Tiger Roar Martial Arts School. Our boss not only covers my son's expenses at the school, but also waives my rickshaw rental fees. He even plans to become a manager at our rickshaw company after he graduates from the school.

As he spoke of these things, Old Huang's lips curled into a smile, his face beaming with joy, as if even running had become much easier.

"I see, I understand now, that's good, that's good!"

Yan Qing nodded gently after listening.

He finally understood how the martial arts school operated.

It must be admitted that Zou Qisi knows how to run a martial arts school.

Other large martial arts schools either charge exorbitant fees directly or only admit children of government officials to earn high tuition fees.

Small martial arts schools, on the other hand, charge low tuition fees and recruit the children of businessmen or small business owners to practice martial arts.

Tiger Roar Martial Arts School, on the other hand, collaborates directly with various industries, providing security services while also helping to train martial artists.

In this way, many industries and businesses can have a certain amount of military support, earn considerable profits, and most importantly, discover promising talents from among many ordinary people to cultivate talent for Yan Qing.

With this cooperative model, all parties benefit, and it's no wonder that in a short period of time, Tiger Roar Martial Arts School, which was on the verge of closing down, became one of the three major martial arts schools in Tianjin.

However, this path was certainly not easy to walk; countless lives and fortunes were lost to get to where we are today.

Of course, Yan Qing wouldn't care about the process. After all, he had given Zou Qisi whatever she asked for—people and money. If Zou Qisi couldn't demonstrate her value, then her initial investment wouldn't have been worthwhile.

"Hahahaha~~ It's more than just good. When my other kids are old enough, I'll definitely send them all to any martial arts school that accepts them. If even one of them gets picked by a school, the boss said he'll give me a share of the profits, and I won't have to pull the cart anymore."

Old Huang burst into laughter as he spoke.

"Is there a lot of competition among car dealerships now?"

Yan Qing listened, but he sensed something unusual in the conversation. It was just an ordinary rickshaw company, and it already had a security agreement with the Tiger Roar Martial Arts School, yet it still needed martial artists so much. This indicated that there was a certain degree of crisis in this industry.

"These days are chaotic, and for some reason, there are more and more martial artists these days. No matter what you do, if you don't have a gun or a martial artist, you can't make money, let alone keep it."

Old Huang was quite knowledgeable, and having driven a rickshaw for many years, he had met people from all walks of life, so he was able to answer all of Yan Qing's questions.

Although he spoke vaguely, Yan Qing could understand what he meant. Clearly, it was not just about competition; it might also involve territorial disputes and armed conflicts.

This is completely different from Yan Qing's position in Shanxi Province, where the Yan family held absolute power and had no say, and all industries had to operate or produce under the rules set by the Yan family.

In Tianjin, warlords changed frequently, and there were various concessions and international settlements. So, beneath the surface of Tianjin's prosperity, countless bloodshed and killings were hidden.

"It seems that those martial arts schools have also seen this, which is why they are thinking of forming a martial arts school alliance. It seems that... we must take the position of the leader of this martial arts school alliance."

Yan Qing understood better than anyone else that for a place to develop, it needed a stable set of rules and environment.

Needless to say, Tianjin's environment is excellent. It is close to the imperial court and has been a port since ancient times, handling countless amounts of trade money every day.

Given the extent of its development under such somewhat chaotic rules, the assistance that Jinmen could provide to the Yan family would be unimaginable if a more stable set of rules were established.

Now, an opportunity has presented itself: the martial arts alliance. They can first seize control of the martial arts community in Tianjin, and then use the troops of General Yang Qing stationed here to suppress the unrest.

With both approaches combined, Yan Qing will be able to establish the rules, and only then will the Yan family truly have taken over Tianjin.

If he were to truly gain control of the army and all the martial artists, then even the foreign concessions would have to obey Yan Qing's orders.

Although the concessions were somewhat humiliating and detrimental to the nation, it must be acknowledged that in this era of warlordism, the fixed rules of the concessions actually ensured local development to a certain extent.

These foreigners brought not only opium but also advanced technology, which greatly accelerated domestic development.

"Sir, the foreign concession is just ahead! Once we're there, we can't resort to violence, or we'll be in trouble if the police come after us."

Although Lao Huang was using a rickshaw to travel on foot, he was not slow at all. As Yan Qing and Lao Huang talked, the surrounding environment changed.

The ground has been transformed into a cement road, and the buildings on both sides have changed from the original earthen and wooden structures to Western-style buildings. Even the originally dark roads on both sides have begun to become bright.

Seeing these obvious changes, Yan Qing felt even more moved and his desire to change Tianjin deepened.

"Beep beep!!! Stop!!"

Just as Yan Qing was thinking about finding time to talk to Yang Qing, he heard a whistle, accompanied by a stern reprimand.

Turning his head, he saw a man in uniform with a gun pointed at Lao Huang.

"Sir, please don't speak, I'll handle this!"

Old Huang slowed down the car and didn't forget to say something to Yan Qing.

"Which car dealership are you from?! Don't you have any cops? Why are you barging in like this? And who are you riding with? Make them get out for a check!!"

As soon as Lao Huang stopped, the policeman stepped forward, adjusting his hat. As he spoke, he tapped the rickshaw with his baton, seemingly about to stab Yan Qing with it.