Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 97

Nine Dragons Chronicle (97)

“I heard they’re recruiting martial artists at the Nine Dragons Plaza. Did you hear about it?”

“I did. It seems they need martial artists to guard the Nine Dragons Pavilion since it’s opening soon.”

“Do you think they’ll hire people like us?”

“Forget it. They say you need to be at least a first-rate master to get hired.”

“A first-rate master? Those masters are just doing guard duty?”

“Who knows? If they pay well, what better job is there? I heard they’ve hired a lot of new recruits this time, and there are some stunning women too.”

“Who?”

“Down there. Miok, the former madam of Osong Pavilion, is training the courtesans who will work at the Nine Dragons Pavilion.”

“I heard about that too.”

“They say you can see them if you go to the courtesan houses that Nine Dragons Plaza acquired. Wang Ja-chun said they’re taking customers now.”

“Wang Ja-chun?”

“Yeah. Think of it as a trial run. He said the courtesans are a bit different from the ones in other houses.”

“Recently, the owners of the courtesan houses sold them all to Nine Dragons Plaza, right?”

“So, they’re doing a trial run at those few houses.”

“What about gambling?”

“They don’t do that openly. It’s illegal. But I heard they secretly offer it to high-ranking officials and influential people.”

“So, there will be a lot of jobs created in Sanyang County this time?”

“Probably. The merchants around Nine Dragons Pavilion seem to be expecting a lot.”

“Things have really gotten better here since Nine Dragons Plaza came to Sanyang County.”

“That’s right. They chased away the local thugs, the Red Fox Gate collapsed, and they actively step in to handle difficult situations in the county. There are rumors that the Nine Dragons Plaza Lord is ill-mannered, but if he works this hard for the county, a little rudeness is okay. Don’t you think?”

“Still, I heard he treats the manor’s people well.”

“Is it just the manor’s people? They take care of the courtesans working in the courtesan houses and even the innkeepers. Danri Soso and Danri Hyeokjin recently opened a fabric store and an inn in Hwaeum County, and I heard Nine Dragons Plaza helped them do it.”

“Really? Then what about the stores they used to run?”

“It seems the younger ones below them are managing them. The innkeeper Yo Sam became the owner of the inn. He’s very enthusiastic. He used to complain about dying when the Red Fox Gate was around, but now he’s living the good life.”

At that moment, someone was listening to their conversation from the side. He nodded with a thoughtful expression.

‘Nine Dragons Plaza… Maybe it’s not a bad idea.’

* * *

There was no deadline for recruiting martial artists to work at the Nine Dragons Pavilion until the quota was filled. So, one or two people came every day to show off their martial arts, hoping to work at the Nine Dragons Pavilion, but it wasn’t easy to catch Hwa-rin’s eye.

“If you can touch my sleeve within an hour using your most confident or strongest martial art, you pass.”

Hwa-rin’s test method was simple, but no one had passed for days.

If Hwa-rin was determined to avoid them, even a master from the Hundred Greats of the Martial World wouldn’t pass. But Hwa-rin was using the martial arts test as an excuse to see their potential.

If they had the potential to grow, even if they were third-rate or second-rate martial artists, she could accept them and teach them basic martial arts to nurture them. So, from the beginning, she planned to select those with potential to make them martial artists of Nine Dragons Plaza, not just guards of Nine Dragons Pavilion. But so far, no one had pleased Hwa-rin.

“Why is it that no one can touch the Plaza Lord’s sleeve?”

“That’s what I’m saying. Our Plaza Lord’s martial arts must be amazing. Or maybe they’re just not good enough.”

“They must not be good enough. People who have mastered martial arts can fly through the sky and run across the river.”

“Hey, how can people do that?”

“Haven’t you heard the rumors? They fought while running across the Yangtze River.”

The people of Nine Dragons Plaza looked at those who came to become martial artists of Nine Dragons Plaza with pity.

“Stop peeking and prepare dinner. That person won’t be able to touch the Plaza Lord’s sleeve.”

Seo Daeyeong quietly appeared and spoke to the people, and they bowed to Seo Daeyeong before leaving.

“He has such a nasty personality.”

Seo Daeyeong looked at Hwa-rin as if watching a cat playing with a mouse.

“Take it easy. I wonder if she won’t be able to find anyone at this rate.”

At that moment, someone crossed the gate of Nine Dragons Plaza. Seo Daeyeong’s gaze turned there.

“Maybe she’ll hire one person.”

Seo Daeyeong moved his feet and approached the man who had entered Nine Dragons Plaza.

“I am Seo Daeyeong, the General Manager of Nine Dragons Plaza. What brings you to our manor?”

“I heard you are recruiting martial artists to be in charge of guarding the Nine Dragons Pavilion, so I came.”

“You’ve come to the right place. There happens to be an applicant, and the Plaza Lord is giving a test.”

“Test?”

“They say if you touch her sleeve, you pass, but no one has succeeded so far.”

The man turned his gaze to the two people who were sparring.

“But may I ask you a question?”

“Please do.”

“Your martial arts are so strong that other sects and families would invite you. So why did you apply here?”

“Actually, I used to belong to an organization. But I lost many subordinates during an operation, and I realized that I was truly incompetent. I was so proud of achieving a little success that I drove dozens of subordinates to their deaths, and I couldn’t stay there any longer because of the guilt.”

“Ah, that happened. I’m sorry. I hope I didn’t touch a sore spot.”

“It’s okay.”

He said it was okay, but Seo Daeyeong knew well that it was a painful issue for him.

He was also a graduate of Dongchang [presumably a military academy or training facility] and had lost many colleagues during missions.

—General Manager, that man is Hyeok Jiseok, the leader of the Hyeonmu Unit of Jeongcheon Alliance.

Lee Domoon informed Seo Daeyeong about Hyeok Jiseok, who had come to Nine Dragons Plaza.

—Why would such a person?

—I don’t know, but according to rumors, the Hyeonmu Unit clashed with the armed forces of the Blood Evil Alliance in Chongqing, and they were annihilated at that time.

—Ah, I see. Our Plaza Lord has gained unexpected great strength.

—Hyeok Jiseok will be a great help to the Lord.

“It seems to be over. Let’s go together.”

Seo Daeyeong went to Hwa-rin with Hyeok Jiseok.

“This is someone who came to become a martial artist of the Nine Dragons Pavilion.”

Hwa-rin looked at him and smiled brightly.

“Pass!”

“No, Plaza Lord, why are you passing this person without even giving him a test?”

The failed martial artist asked, feeling wronged.

“Do I have to taste the soybean paste [Korean fermented soybean paste, similar to miso] to know it’s soybean paste?”

“But why did you make me taste it?”

“Because I was suspicious of you. I didn’t know if it was poop or soybean paste.”

The man’s face contorted at the word poop.

“Why, are you upset? I don’t know if you were paid to come here, but I knew you were hiding your martial arts and acting like a clumsy righteous person, right?”

The man flinched.

“Judging by your martial arts, it seems like you’ve mastered the martial arts of the Black Road. If you’re from the Hao Clan, go back. Several people like you came and just went back. But you’ll probably come again, right? Even if you come a hundred times, the results will be the same.”

“I am not a member of the Hao Clan.”

“Then never mind. Anyway, you fail, and this person passes. If you have any complaints, you can try again, but this time I’ll attack too, so be prepared to have something broken.”

He lowered his head at Hwa-rin’s words that she would attack.

He couldn’t even touch her sleeve even if he attacked for an hour, so it was clear that he would be helpless if she attacked.

“Do I really not have to take the test?”

“Of course, I think I can see people to that extent. So, you don’t have to.”

Hwa-rin had already seen him before, so there was no need for a test.

“There’s no need to waste time. General Manager Seo.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll… um, what’s your name?”

“I am Hyeok Jiseok.”

“Ah, I’ll go to the Nine Dragons Pavilion with Leader Hyeok, so keep that in mind.”

Hyeok Jiseok was a little dazed because Hwa-rin suddenly called him leader.

“You have to lead the safety and martial artists of our Nine Dragons Pavilion in the future, so you have to have that title.”

“Ah……”

“I’ll have a meal with Leader Hyeok at the inn, so keep that in mind.”

“I understand.”

“Let’s go see the new workplace.”

As Hwa-rin moved, Hyeok Jiseok had a puzzled expression, and Seo Daeyeong smiled and nodded.

“She has such eccentric sides sometimes. You’ll get used to it as you spend time with her.”

“Ah, I understand.”

“Hurry up and go. She hates waiting.”

Hyeok Jiseok said he would be back and followed Hwa-rin.

The Nine Dragons Pavilion, which he saw after entering, was quite different from what he had seen with his eyes from afar.

The Nine Dragons Pavilion had a five-story building in the center, and three-story buildings were located in a fan shape.

A bridge was placed between the three-story buildings located in a fan shape and the central five-story building, which served as a passage to go back and forth between the central building and the three-story buildings.

“This is the Nine Dragons Hall.”

The name of the five-story building in the center was the Nine Dragons Hall, and the names of the three-story buildings located in a fan shape were taken from the names of plum blossoms, orchids, chrysanthemums, and bamboos, which represent the four noble plants [symbols of scholarly virtue in East Asian art and culture].

“The first floor of the Nine Dragons Hall consists of a battlefield [gambling area], a lounge, and Dahyang, where you can lightly drink tea.”

Hwa-rin told Hyeok Jiseok in detail about the Nine Dragons Pavilion.

“Unlike general gambling houses, our gambling house will limit the amount of money you can gamble per day. And the money will be exchanged for gambling-only currency that can only be used in our gambling house, so you can only use that money.”

“Even if you have money, you can’t do more?”

“I’ll limit it to ten gold coins a day. Then the guy who lost money will act violently. It is the job of our people to quietly persuade those guys to come again the next day, and in the meantime, there may be disputes, so it is the job of the martial artists, including Leader Hyeok, to resolve them.”

“I understand.”

“Then let’s go up to the second floor.”

The second floor was a restaurant, which was prepared for customers who came not only to gamble but also to have a meal. From the third floor, there were inns and courtesan houses, all of which were decorated as rooms.

There were twenty rooms prepared on each floor, and bridges were connected to the third floor to go to plum, orchid, chrysanthemum, and bamboo.

“I made them all rooms to avoid outside attention. I arranged furniture so that you can eat and sleep inside.”

“It would be like a small house.”

“It would be easier to think of it that way. The guests who use this place will mainly be those who win or lose money at the gambling house.”

Hyeok Jiseok nodded.

Hwa-rin went to the Plum Blossom Hall through the bridge.

“Here is the gambling house. Gambling takes place on the first and second floors, and the third floor has a restaurant where you can eat simple meals and a kitchen where you can cook food.”

“Is the structure the same in other places?”

“Uh. But the purpose is different.”

“The purpose is different…?”

“The Plum Blossom Hall is a place where you can gamble with friends.”

“Friends?”

“There may be people who come with friends from afar. It would be awkward for those people to gamble with strangers from the beginning.”

Hwa-rin told about the characteristics of each building.

The Plum Blossom Hall was a place where friends could gamble for fun, and various types of gambling were prepared.

“Then one of the friends will win money. With that money, that friend can buy alcohol at the Nine Dragons Hall.”

“Ah, that could happen.”

“You earn a little bit here and there.”

The Orchid Hall was a place for those who visit the gambling house alone, where the gamblers could directly deal with them, and it was prepared so that they could mingle with various people, such as dice, matching cards, flower cards [Hwatu, a Korean card game], and mahjong.

The Chrysanthemum Hall was a place prepared for professional gamblers, that is, gamblers, to gamble with their pride at stake. Of course, it doesn’t matter if a non-professional gambler gambles here, but it was prepared to announce in advance that these people are gambling and to prepare to bet money on professional gamblers and match whether they win or lose.

“I expect a lot of tea and alcohol to be sold in the Chrysanthemum Hall. It would be quite fun to watch the masters of gambling gamble with their honor at stake. And I’m not going to limit the amount of money for the recognized gamblers.”

“Why is that?”

“They will gamble not to win money but to protect their honor. And the people watching will be excited to see a lot of money going back and forth.”

Hyeok Jiseok nodded.

“Finally, the Bamboo Hall is a place that is only open to customers who want to keep their identity a secret, and it is also the place where Leader Hyeok should pay the most attention.”

“Want to keep your identity a secret?”

“People who shouldn’t be rumored to be gambling, such as royalty, nobles, high-ranking officials, and leaders of martial arts sects. It’s unlikely, but it would be a bit strange if the leader of the Hwasan sect was rumored to be gambling.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Masks are provided here to hide their identity, and professional gamblers are designed to assist them so that they can enjoy themselves.”

“Then there may be transactions between gamblers and customers.”

“That’s right. If there are guys like that, cut off their wrists and ankles on the spot.”

“Even the ankles?”

“Rewards and punishments should always be excessive. That way, they can’t think of anything else.”