I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 125

< The Might of the Nine Great Sects 3 >

Chwi-gae urgently sought out Mo Yong-hwi’s residence, holding a sealed letter.

“The Tang Clan sent a carrier pigeon. It’s a personal letter to the Alliance Leader.”

Mo Yong-hwi hastily unwrapped the small, tightly bound paper.

After carefully reading the densely written text, Mo Yong-hwi passed the letter to Chwi-gae.

Chwi-gae quickly scanned the letter and handed it back to Mo Yong-hwi.

“Three years… What do you think?”

“More importantly, what does the Sichuan Beggars’ Sect say? Any other news?”

“Aren’t beggars beings outside the walls [referring to their extensive intelligence network]? I couldn’t confirm the details, but I heard there was a small commotion after those friends visited the Tang Clan.”

“I told them to lock the gates, so a commotion is natural… Still, I find it hard to believe that old Tang Neung accepted it so readily.”

“He wouldn’t have sent such a letter just to get through this moment.”

“It’s not that bad. He promised, so he’ll keep his word. And that old man knows that the Sichuan Beggars’ Sect’s surveillance is no joke.”

Chwi-gae cautiously observed Mo Yong-hwi.

“You’re thinking of accepting the three years.”

“Didn’t I say it from the start? Three or four years. What can I do? I can’t completely abandon the Tang Clan, can I?”

“Yes. Everyone will think it’s reasonable. Then, as the Tang Clan’s letter suggests, I will inform all the sects of the closure.”

The Tang Clan found the most plausible excuse.

「We have decided to close our doors because we are ashamed of having forgotten the duty of a martial arts family and focusing too much on expanding our power. For the next three years, the family head and his sons will undergo secluded training.」

This was what Tang Neung earnestly requested of Mo Yong-hwi.

“Do as you see fit. We must save the Tang Clan’s face.”

Mo Yong-hwi rose from his seat.

“Now, only my work remains.”

The Alliance Leader must prevent the Silent Brotherhood from running rampant and expanding its power while the Tang Clan is closed.

“Where are you going?”

Chwi-gae asked, and Mo Yong-hwi replied with a smile.

“I’m going to a very good place… Want to come along? Ah, but you can’t. Beggars aren’t allowed there. Hehe.”

As Chwi-gae looked at him with questioning eyes, Mo Yong-hwi stopped smiling and said.

“Don’t even think about following me. I really don’t like the feeling of being watched by the Beggars’ Sect.”

* * *

“Is this old man getting a taste for it? At this rate, he might move the Martial Arts Alliance to the capital. Hehe.”

Jo Gwang-yun checked the carrier pigeon sent by the Alliance Leader and burst into a pleasant laugh.

“Three years, you say…”

It’s a short if short, and long if long time.

If you drift along, it will pass quickly, but if you push forward with meticulous planning and bold 추진력 [drive or momentum], you can see many results in three years.

The Tang Clan, which had a strong influence on the commercial districts throughout Sichuan, is 영업정지 [business suspension] for three years. We must not miss this golden opportunity.

Sichuan is a treasure trove of specialties and abundant resources. Although transportation is difficult due to the rugged terrain, there are few places with as good an economy as this.

Jo Gwang-yun was planning to invest generously in Sichuan for the next three years. Before that, he would have to do some work for Mo Yong-hwi, who had made this happen.

Jo Gwang-yun called Da-gyeom.

“I’ll write a letter, so send a carrier pigeon to the Silent Brotherhood. Make it a personal letter to Lee Hak-lin.”

“Understood.”

As Da-gyeom left, he called Gu-seung and hurried to prepare to go to the capital.

* * *

“You’ve worked hard to come such a long way. Alliance Leader.”

“Well, I’m just coming for an outing. I don’t know if you’ve made a pointless trip because of me?”

“No. There’s always work to be done here, so I came 겸사겸사 [while I’m at it/doing two things at once]. Don’t worry about it.”

“I’m grateful that you say so.”

“Let’s go in. The wind is cold.”

Mo Yong-hwi strolled leisurely through the clubhouse.

“This place is truly 도원경 [utopia/Shangri-La]. It’s different from last time.”

“Because we finished the landscaping. It’s quiet like this during the day, but it’s 불야성 [a city that never sleeps] at night. I’ll take you to a place that’s not too noisy.”

Mo Yong-hwi stopped walking as if surprised.

“Really? You’ve started a 술장사 [alcohol business/brothel].”

“Yes.”

“How’s business?”

“Doesn’t everything go well when I get involved?”

“Are there that many men who come to see women with their legs fully exposed?”

“Hey, let’s just say they’re men who enjoy 풍류 [romantic pursuits/refined pleasures]. Hehe.”

After exchanging 시시껄렁한 [silly/banal] jokes and arriving at the 숙소 [lodgings], Mo Yong-hwi said quietly.

“Just in case, be careful not to be seen by people. If rumors spread that 무림인 [martial artists] are coming and going, it could be a big problem for your 장사 [business]. Isn’t this the capital?”

“Thank you for your concern. Please rest comfortably. I’ll let you know as soon as Lee Dae-in arrives.”

As Jo Gwang-yun bowed and turned around, Mo Yong-hwi hurriedly grabbed him.

“Ah, right, that bitter 술 [alcohol] you had back then, wasn’t it?”

“Ah, do you mean wine?”

“Yeah, that. Can I taste it one more time? I keep thinking about it.”

“Of course. I’ll prepare it and bring it up.”

“And… that…”

“No.”

Jo Gwang-yun shook his hand firmly, and Mo Yong-hwi looked 황당한 [dumbfounded/flustered].

“Hey, I haven’t even said anything yet.”

“I know what you’re going to say, so I’m telling you. No.”

“Geez, what a heartless guy.”

Jo Gwang-yun turned away, ignoring the 아쉬워하는 [disappointed] Mo Yong-hwi.

Two days later, Lee Hak-lin arrived again in the middle of the night.

Lee Hak-lin, who jumped over the 담 [wall], couldn’t hide his 황당한 [bewildered] expression as he looked at the completely changed 구락부 [clubhouse].

“What is this? Did I come to the wrong place?”

Lamps lit up like daytime, the shouts of men and the 간드러진 [seductive/sweet] giggles of women, and the sounds of music spreading everywhere.

Only then did he remember. This place is a 기루 [brothel] called a clubhouse.

“This guy is making money easily.”

Even someone like Lee Hak-lin could 충분히 가늠 [easily guess] how much the 화려함 [splendor] of the clubhouse had attracted the rich people of the capital.

Lee Hak-lin looked at the people coming and going, found a man who showed traces of 무공 [martial arts], and ran like the wind.

“Hey.”

When he tapped him on the shoulder, the man was 소스라치게 놀랐다 [startled].

“I came to see Jo Jang-ju [Jo, the Head]. I made an 선약 [appointment], so don’t be afraid.”

The man bowed.

“Are you Lee Hak-lin Dae-in [Great Person]?”

When Lee Hak-lin nodded, the man quietly led the way.

When he arrived at a 별채 [separate building/annex] in a remote part of the clubhouse, the man said.

“The Alliance Leader is also here. Then.”

The man 물러가고 [stepped back], and Lee Hak-lin opened the door to the 별채 [separate building/annex].

“Junior Lee Hak-lin 인사 올립니다 [pays his respects] to Sword Saint.”

“Have you come?”

Mo Yong-hwi welcomed him with a smile.

“Where’s Jo Gwang-yun…?”

“Sit down first. He told me to finish our story first. Work first, 회포 [reminiscing/catching up] later.”

Lee Hak-lin sat facing Mo Yong-hwi.

“I heard that the work in Sichuan was 잘 마무리됐다고 [successfully completed].”

“Do you know even the 소상한 [minute/detailed] details?”

“No.”

Mo Yong-hwi 살폈다 [examined/assessed] Lee Hak-lin’s 눈치 [mood/intentions].

“You owe me quite a bit, don’t you?”

“I owe the Sword Saint, but I don’t owe the Alliance Leader.”

“Oh? Are we 분리하자 [separating] this?”

“Anyway, I’m leading the Silent Brotherhood.”

“Okay, then from now on, what I’m saying is not a 부탁 [favor], but a 경고 [warning]. Is that okay?”

“Shouldn’t 통보 [notification] and 경고 [warning] go back and forth between the Martial Arts Alliance and the Silent Brotherhood, not 부탁 [favors]?”

Looking at Lee Hak-lin, who was 싱긋 웃는 [smiling slyly], Mo Yong-hwi 피식 터졌다 [burst out laughing].

“You’ll soon find out, but the Tang Clan will be 봉문 [closing their doors] for the next three years due to internal problems.”

“So you came to that kind of 결론 [conclusion]. Even though the symbol of Sichuan’s 정파 무림 [orthodox martial arts world] committed such a thing.”

“Is it a problem of the 문파 [sect/clan]? It’s a problem of 사람 [people]. Anyway, I want to tell you not to have any 딴생각 [other thoughts/ulterior motives]. If you’re greedy, the 꺼진 불 [extinguished fire] will 활활 타오르게 [burn fiercely].”

“I’ve already 취할 [taken] what I need. I drew a line here, but if something 불미스러운 [unseemly/dishonorable] happens, that’s also a problem of 사람 [people]. It’s hard to give you a 확답 [definite answer] what will happen.”

He would 단단히 일러두겠지만 [firmly instruct] 적면귀 [Red Face Devil] Gu Ye, who 장악한 [controlled] Sichuan’s 흑도 [underworld], but Sichuan is far away. If that guy is greedy without telling the Silent Brotherhood, Lee Hak-lin can’t 손쓸 [interfere] either.

“That’s right. Even if he’s the 수장 [leader] of an organization, how can he 제어 [control] 사람’s 욕심 [people’s greed]? Even the 황제 [emperor] can’t 막지 못하는데 벼슬아치의 부패 [prevent the corruption of officials]…”

The 수장 [leader] of the Silent Brotherhood said he drew a line, so he got the 원하는 답 [desired answer].

“Then Sichuan has become 무주공산 [an unclaimed territory].”

“Really? The guy who 설계한 [designed/planned] all this is standing right here?”

The two looked at each other and 떠올렸고 한 놈 [recalled one guy], and that 놈 [guy] opened the door and 들어왔다 [came in].

“I greet Lee Dae-in [Great Person].”

When Jo Gwang-yun 굽혔을 허리를 [bowed], Lee Hak-lin’s 눈빛이 달라졌다 [eyes changed].

“You’re not 완쾌된 몸 [fully recovered], but you’ve 얻었구나 큰 복 [gained great fortune].”

“I received the 은혜 [grace/favor] of Hwasan [Mount Hua Sect].”

“Now, 건드리면 저놈 큰일 나 [if you touch that guy, you’re in big trouble]. 저놈 [that guy], 화산’s 제자가 됐어 [became a disciple of Hwasan]. 으허허 [evil laugh].”

Mo Yong-hwi 웃으며 끼어들었다 둘 사이에 [interjected between the two with a smile].

“화산 장문인이 내게 넣었다 기별 은밀히 [The Head of Hwasan secretly sent me a message]. He said, ‘He’ll be a 큰 복 [great fortune] of Hwasan, so please 잘 부탁한다고 [take good care of him].'”

Lee Hak-lin 어이가 없어 입을 떡 벌렸다 [was dumbfounded and opened his mouth wide].

“Then you 수련한 것이냐 매화검 [trained in the Plum Blossom Sword]?”

“그렇습니다 [That is correct]. 쾌검종사 사부님은 제게 전수하지 않으셨으니 한 자락 무공 제 무공은 화산’s 것이지요 [My master, the Quick Sword Master, did not pass on a single martial art to me, so my martial arts belong to Hwasan].”

Lee Hak-lin 내뱉으며 한숨 긴 말했다 [sighed and said].

“내가 신녕’s 집하장인지 표국인지에서 널 처음 봤을 때… 널 데리고 갔어야 산속으로 [When I first saw you at Shinnyeong’s collection point or courier company… I should have taken you to the mountains]. Then I’d be Lee Hak-lin’s 제자가 [disciple], not 화산’s 제자가 [disciple].”

Jo Gwang-yun 웃으며 따랐다 와인 한 잔 Mo Yong-hwi에게 [smiled and poured a glass of wine for Mo Yong-hwi].

“그랬다면 우리 맹주님은 맛보지 못했겠죠 이런 좋은 술과 음식을 [If that were the case, our Alliance Leader wouldn’t have tasted such good wine and food]. 하하 [Ha ha].”

“그럼 이 술은 우리 묵도회 회주님 때문에 맛보게 된 건가 [Then did I get to taste this wine because of our Head of the Silent Brotherhood]?”

두 사람이 농담에도 Lee Hak-lin 웃지 않았다 [Even with the two people’s jokes, Lee Hak-lin did not laugh]. 진심으로 후회하는 모습이었다 [He seemed to sincerely regret it].

Jo Gwang-yun 못 본 체하며 그런 Lee Hak-lin을 잔을 들었다 [Pretending not to see Lee Hak-lin, Jo Gwang-yun raised his glass].

“그럼 일단락됐으니 사천은 제가 시작해도 마음 놓고 장사를 되겠지요 [Then, now that it’s settled, I can start doing business in Sichuan without worry, right]? 아, 오해는 마십시오 [Ah, don’t misunderstand]. 창룡문이 진출하는 것이 아니라 사천으로 조 가장이 들러가는 겁니다 [It’s not that the Azure Dragon Gate is advancing, but that Jo, the head of the family, is stopping by Sichuan]. 장사 때문이니 제가 사천을 넘본다는 오해는 하지 않으시리라 믿습니다 [It’s because of business, so I trust you won’t misunderstand that I’m coveting Sichuan].”

Mo Yong-hwi 눈짓했다 Lee Hak-lin에게 [winked at Lee Hak-lin].

“어떤가 [What do you think]? 내 말이 맞지 [Am I right]? 설계한 놈이 들어간다고 무주공산으로 하지 않았나 [Didn’t I say that the guy who planned it would enter the unclaimed territory]?”

* * *

대접하고 거물을 두 이틀간 극진히 둘려 백도, 흑도의 보냈다 [After treating the two big shots with utmost care for two days, he sent off the white and black paths].

바꿔 갈 것이다 슬며시 현판을 군소방파들은 사천의 동안 두문불출하는 당문이 이제 [The minor factions in Sichuan will now subtly change their signboards while the Tang Clan remains secluded].

원하는 대로 굳어진다 조광윤이 구도는 세력 무림의 정파 올라가면 현판이 창룡문의 곳곳에서 중원 시작으로 그들을 [The structure of power that Jo Gwang-yun desires will solidify, and if the orthodox factions of the martial arts world rise, the signboards of the Azure Dragon Gate will begin to appear everywhere, starting with the Central Plains].

없을 것이다 걸림돌은 나가는데 키워 사업을 셈이니 확보한 절반을 무림맹의 [There will be no obstacles in expanding the business, and it is estimated that half of the Martial Arts Alliance has been secured].

때가 왔다 넘어갈 단계로 두 번째 준비했던 이제 [The time has come to move on to the second stage that was prepared].

불렀다 양려청을 조광윤은 [Jo Gwang-yun called Yang Ryeo-cheong].

십오 년 전 달빛 어린 꽃 아래서 (十五年前花月底) [Fifteen years ago, under the moonlit flowers]

서로 함께 그 꽃 보며 시를 지었도다 (相從曾賦賞花詩) [We composed poems together while looking at those flowers]

지금 보니 그 꽃 그 달 옛날 그대로이건만 (今看花月渾相似) [Now I see that the flowers and the moon are the same as before]

이내 마음 어찌 옛적과 같으리오 (安得情懷似往時) [How can my heart be the same as in the past]

읊었다 시를 운율에 실어 양려청은 [Yang Ryeo-cheong recited the poem with rhythm].

“시(詩)까지 [Even poetry]? 열심히 공부했구나 [You’ve studied hard].”

기뻐하는 보이지 기색이 들어도 칭찬을 [Even though he doesn’t show any signs of being happy, he still praises her].

정확히 안다 것을 알려주는 저 표정이 조광윤은 표정, 넋 조금은 [Jo Gwang-yun knows exactly what that expression is telling him, a bit of a daze].

표정이다 고등학생의 대한민국 된 노예가 수능의 [It’s the expression of a high school student in Korea who has become a slave to the college entrance exam]. 말해준다 것을 공부했다는 그만큼 열심히 양려청이 [It tells him that Yang Ryeo-cheong has studied that hard].

보인다 자신이 하지만 [But he sees himself].

수준이다 깨달은 이치를 겨우 이제 사용법은 머리의 사용법은 잘 알고 있으나 몸의 [She has only now realized the principles, she knows how to use her head well, but not her body].

“지금 넌 부족하다 자신감이 [Right now, you lack confidence]. 것이니 들어가는 세계로 전혀 불안하겠지만 [You’re entering a completely new world, so you’ll be anxious], 없어 별것 보면 막상 들어가 [There’s nothing to it once you actually go in]. 기억할 거야 몸이 자연스럽게 것은 익힌 네가 머리로 [Your body will naturally remember what you’ve learned with your head].”

“뜻인가요 끝났다는 이제 공부는 그럼 [Does that mean studying is over now]?”

“수도 자연스러울 더 그게 부족하지만, 조금 [You could study more to be more natural, but you’re a little lacking]. 없었겠지 기회가 예법을 완벽한 익힐 여식처럼 명문가의 거뒀으니 장사치가 인연 부모님과 여의고 부모를 어릴 때 [You wouldn’t have had the chance to perfectly learn etiquette like the daughters of noble families, since a merchant took you in after you lost your parents at a young age].”

“함은 장사치라 [So you’re saying a merchant]?”

미소를 환한 조광윤은 바라보자 뜨고 동그랗게 눈을 양려청이 [Yang Ryeo-cheong opened her eyes wide as she looked at Jo Gwang-yun’s bright smile].

불렀고 오라버니라 항상 넌 나를 그런 장사치다 거둔 여식을 은인의 바로 내가 그래 [You always called me older brother, yes, I am that merchant who took in the daughter of his benefactor]. 흐흐 [Hehe].”

< The Might of the Nine Great Sects 3 > End