I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 128

< Preliminary Maneuvers 1 >

Yang Ryeo-cheong bowed respectfully at the Emperor’s praise.

“I am deeply grateful.”

“So, you live alone with your brother?”

“There are a few people who manage the household.”

“Hmm… Even though this is the Imperial Capital, a woman living alone might encounter dangerous situations. Guards!”

At the Emperor’s call, a military officer from the guard quickly rushed forward.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Select ten skilled soldiers to guard this place.”

“I shall obey your command.”

Yang Ryeo-cheong, flustered, quickly spoke up.

“Your, Your Majesty. You don’t need to trouble yourself so much. My brother, concerned for my safety, has already hired two martial artists to guard me day and night.”

“It’s alright. They are valiant men, incomparable to ordinary martial artists. And they will be guarding the outside, not inside the house, so there will be no inconvenience.”

The Emperor looked at Yang Ryeo-cheong with a satisfied expression.

It was the look of a man bestowing a favor upon a cherished woman.

Jo Gwang-yun, who was watching this scene from afar, was going crazy with frustration.

He had said he was going away on business, so he couldn’t suddenly appear, and with soldiers guarding the house, he couldn’t go in and out. Now, it would be difficult to meet Yang Ryeo-cheong for at least a month.

It was fortunate that he had sent Gu Seung quickly. Now, Gu Seung would have to go in and out to maintain contact.

Jo Gwang-yun turned away as if there was nothing more to see and instructed his subordinate.

“You stay here and watch. Let me know when the Emperor leaves. I will be at the club.”

“Yes, Master.”

Returning to the club, Jo Gwang-yun regained his composure. This was no time to be spacing out.

The Emperor had already laid claim to her. If he gave up on something that had already been claimed, he wouldn’t be the Emperor. The Emperor gets whatever he wants, no matter what. Isn’t that the pleasure of being the Emperor?

It was only a matter of time before Yang Ryeo-cheong would become the Emperor’s concubine and have her name listed in the Imperial Harem.

He thought about the women who enter the Emperor’s harem. First, he had to have the same kind of connections as those women.

Jo Gwang-yun called a martial artist from the Changryong Gate.

“How many female disciples are there in the Changryong Gate right now?”

The Changryong Gate martial artist couldn’t answer the sudden question. He had never paid attention to how many female disciples there were in each branch.

Seeing this, Jo Gwang-yun gave a direct order instead of a question.

“Send a messenger pigeon to Great Warrior Yeom Shin immediately. Tell him to pick the three smartest and most skilled women and send them here. It’s urgent. Move quickly.”

“Understood.”

Jo Gwang-yun also contacted the Eumyeong Gate right away.

“The Imperial Harem?”

“Yes. I want you to create a detailed family tree of the Emperor’s women, including which families they are from and which officials they are connected to. Not just a family tree that connects bloodlines, but also details of relationships with those who act as their patrons.”

“It’s not difficult, but why do you suddenly need this?”

“I’m trying to start something new, and I need to figure out which line to grab onto. Why? Do I have to explain the reason every time I make a request now?”

“Oh, no. It’s just that a request to investigate the Imperial Harem is rare… I’ll let you know soon.”

He didn’t expect the detailed records of the concubines to be particularly useful.

After all, the moment Yang Ryeo-cheong appears, everyone will be wary and jealous of her.

However, there are many women among the numerous concubines whom the Emperor does not seek out. If the Emperor doesn’t visit their residence for several months, their influence is considered over.

Such neglected women stand behind the more powerful concubines. Everyone needs an umbrella.

Jo Gwang-yun was planning to act as an umbrella for those women. In a crisis, even a single word thrown from someone on your side can be a great help.

A sigh escaped him.

No matter how much he prepared, his anxiety didn’t disappear.

He knew how to reach the top as a large corporation,

how to manipulate an empire with gold,

and how to handle martial artists with politics. He had been making a living doing those things from the start.

But he had no idea how to survive in the Imperial Palace.

* * *

It was well past dinner time when Gu Seung rushed in.

“What happened? Why are you so late? Don’t tell me the Emperor was still there?”

“I apologize. The Emperor left early, but it was because of the guard. Those guys wouldn’t let me leave the house at all. Even if I tried to climb over the wall, I couldn’t keep doing that, so I had to come out naturally… I fed them all dinner and built rapport, which is why I’m late.”

“Did they say anything when you left?”

“No. I said that since it was a newly moved-in house, there were many things needed. There will be no problem with future visits.”

“Phew- That’s a relief. Good job.”

“Master. How do you plan to resolve this?”

“The die is already cast. Yang Ryeo-cheong will inevitably become the Emperor’s woman. All we can do is prepare for that.”

Gu Seung nodded.

“The reason they left the guard behind was not to protect Yang Ryeo-cheong, but to confine her. Now, she can’t move an inch.”

“What about Yang Ryeo-cheong?”

“Isn’t she shrewd? She actually seemed to like it. Wouldn’t the Emperor’s side be more appealing than a powerless royal?”

“She doesn’t know the fear yet. Maybe it’s because she’s young.”

“What’s strange is that she definitely saw her young and handsome brother, but she didn’t seem to have any attachment to him.”

“She may be young, but the life she’s experienced is harsher than most women. She’s not attracted to a man’s looks or youth.”

Neither Jo Gwang-yun nor Gu Seung’s worries disappeared. In particular, Gu Seung had even seen her stab a etiquette teacher with a knife.

If that ruthless woman gains the Emperor’s favor, how much will she run wild…? She might even ignore Jo Gwang-yun’s words.

“Gu Seung.”

“Yes.”

“I will return in about a month. In the meantime, you must manage Yang Ryeo-cheong well. It would be a disaster if she got carried away and caused an accident. Do you understand what I mean?”

“Yes. But… where are you going…?”

“I’m thinking of going to Anhui Province. After all, I’m her brother who went far away on business.”

* * *

Arriving in Hefei, the capital of Anhui Province, Jo Gwang-yun took lodging in a quiet inn and said to his subordinate who had come with him.

“Find Jang Cheong-un under the command of the Regional Commander and tell him that I am waiting and that he should come here whenever he has time. I have something important to discuss.”

“Did you say Jang Cheong-un?”

“Yes. He was a military officer who once led the way in suppressing the Wokou pirates [Japanese pirates] in the South Sea. You should be able to find him easily.”

“Yes. I’ll be back.”

A full day passed after the subordinate left when Jang Cheong-un, with an excited expression, rushed in.

“Master Jo!”

“It’s been a while, Commandant Jang.”

As Jo Gwang-yun bowed deeply, Jang Cheong-un hurriedly straightened him up.

“Why are you doing this? I’m not such a rude person as to receive respect from my benefactor. Please, be comfortable.”

“How dare a mere merchant treat an official casually? Haha.”

The two exchanged greetings with a laugh.

“Master. Do you happen to know how my father is doing…?”

“I don’t know where Master is right now either, but don’t worry. Isn’t he someone who lives like a cloud? He wanders around the Jianghu [the martial arts world] for a while, then suddenly appears to scold me before disappearing again.”

He said it with a smile, but the shadow on Jang Cheong-un’s face didn’t disappear. Guilt for not fulfilling his duty as a son was revealed.

He was now in the position of a Commandant commanding two hundred soldiers, and the salary he received from the country was enough to support his parents.

Even though he had changed his lineage, wasn’t he still blood-related?

Reading his mind, Jo Gwang-yun comforted him.

“Commandant Jang.”

“Yes.”

“Master spends about half the year in Kaifeng. I recently prepared a fairly large manor, and Master lives comfortably there. And his wandering around the Jianghu is different from before.”

“Different how?”

“Before, he roamed the Jianghu with only a sword, but now he carries plenty of silver that I give him instead of a sword. He can’t rough it anymore. He’ll always be sleeping in luxurious inns.”

“Ah… !”

Jang Cheon-yang’s face brightened. This was not the image of his father that he remembered.

“I don’t know how much the Commandant’s annual salary is, but Master spends at least ten times that amount. Among the wandering hermits in the Jianghu, no one lives as richly as Master, so stop worrying.”

Jang Cheong-un jumped up and gave a deep bow.

“Master Jo is doing the filial piety [respect and care for one’s parents] that I, in my inadequacy, cannot, so he is no different from a benefactor and an older brother to me. How should I repay this grace…? Please tell this foolish younger brother.”

Seeing Jang Cheong-un calling himself a younger brother, it was clear that the blood of a Jianghu person was still there.

“We should have a big feast today. I came all the way to Anhui Province to ask a favor of a military officer, but suddenly I have a younger brother. Haha.”

As Jo Gwang-yun laughed loudly and subtly revealed the purpose of his visit to Anhui Province, Jang Cheong-un’s eyes sparkled.

“If Older Brother has a request for this younger brother, please don’t hesitate to tell me.”

“It’s not so much a request as wanting to ask for your opinion. Have you ever thought about a position transfer?”

“A position transfer?”

“For example, to the Imperial Guard.”

“The Imperial…?”

“That’s right. The Imperial Guard consists of a total of two thousand soldiers, with ten groups of two hundred and twenty men each. The head of each group is the Brigade Commander. I’m wondering if you would like to become a Brigade Commander in the Imperial Guard.”

The word “Imperial” ignited a fire in Jang Cheong-un’s heart.

Two hundred soldiers in a provincial city and two hundred Imperial Guards are the same in number but different in weight.

The soldiers in a provincial city are close to farmers, but the soldiers in the Imperial Guard are martial artists. The former protects the people, and the latter protects the Emperor.

A quick promotion is guaranteed, but more than a promotion is the pride of doing more important work.

Pride as an official, as a martial artist. Isn’t that the most important thing for a man?

“Brother. My heart is set on it, but how can I, with my humble origins, covet that position?”

“So, you mean you want it?”

“Of course. As a military officer, how can I not dream of the Imperial Guard?”

Jo Gwang-yun clapped his hands.

“That’s settled. I’ll take care of the rest, so just wait quietly.”

Jang Cheong-un wasn’t just happy. He reminded him once again that he had inherited the blood of the Quick Sword Sect.

“Brother. Can you tell me the reason why you are trying to bring this younger brother to the Imperial Palace?”

“Younger Brother.”

“Yes.”

“Can this older brother give you some advice?”

“I’m all ears.”

“Even the Buddha said it. When an arrow comes flying, first dodge it. Think about who shot the arrow and why after you’ve dodged it. If you want the Imperial Guard, the first thing to do is to take the position.”

But Jang Cheong-un wasn’t an easy younger brother.

“Surely, Brother, you think there will come a day when you need the Imperial Guard that I lead, and that’s why you’re doing this, isn’t it?”

“Maybe?”

As Jo Gwang-yun said nonchalantly, Jang Cheong-un took a deep breath.

“Whatever request you make, Brother, I will do it all. But… I cannot be disloyal to the Emperor.”

This was a bit different from his father. His father didn’t seem to have any loyalty.

“A merchant only thinks about business. If I were disloyal to the Emperor, my business would be blocked. Do you think I would do such a dangerous thing? I may not have loyalty, but I will never do anything to ruin my business. So, put aside your unnecessary worries.”

Jang Cheong-un’s dark face brightened.

“This younger brother will not hesitate to die for Brother’s request.”

“If I drive my younger brother to his death, I’ll be killed by Master. Don’t ever say such things. Haha.”

One knot was untied. Now, he had to untie the second knot.

The next day, Jo Gwang-yun had an audience with Ju Seon, the Regional Commander of Anhui Province.

< Preliminary Maneuvers 1 > End