I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 141

< Prostrated People 2 >

“If you don’t tell the truth, tonight will be your last. Do you understand?”

“Please, spare us, Empress Dowager.”

Everyone kept their heads down, intimidated by the Empress Dowager’s fierce reprimand.

“Tell me why these women came to greet me today, and why all those precious jewels they flaunted are the same.”

“Your Majesty, please have mercy.”

“I’ll spare your lives, so tell me the truth!”

“Actually, His Majesty the Emperor has taken a new concubine.”

“What? A concubine?”

She was so taken aback that she couldn’t speak.

A mother not knowing about her son’s marriage? Even if her son, the Emperor, was like that, the new concubine hadn’t even come to greet her, the mother-in-law.

The Empress Dowager thought this was also because the Empress had blocked it.

“The new concubine is of commoner status, but her brother is a successful merchant. The precious jewels the concubines wore today were probably gifts from that merchant, hoping they would look favorably upon his sister.”

A newly entered concubine giving gifts to everyone but her mother-in-law?

No, a concubine from a commoner background wouldn’t be able to grasp the power dynamics of the imperial court and steal the Empress Dowager’s gifts.

She immediately thought this was also the Empress’s doing.

The Empress Dowager couldn’t suppress her anger at the thought that the Empress had even stolen the gifts meant for her.

The Empress Dowager threw the remaining teacup again.

Blood flowed from her lips, which she bit in anger.

* * *

That afternoon, the Empress Dowager’s younger brother visited the palace to inquire about her well-being.

“Your Majesty, may you have great fortune.”

“Has something unfortunate happened at home?”

She was worried because someone from her family, who rarely visited, had come. The Empress Dowager’s brother looked up and said quietly.

“Please dismiss everyone around us.”

The Empress Dowager’s eyes sparkled.

“Everyone, leave.”

When everyone had left, her brother came closer and lowered his voice even more.

“Late last night, someone from Consort Yang’s residence sent a message.”

“Consort Yang?”

“Yes.”

What business could the family of a daughter-in-law she hadn’t even met have? A glimmer of expectation arose in a corner of the Empress Dowager’s heart.

“Why did they send someone? Perhaps…?”

“They sent precious food, including rice, wheat, and meat, as well as several carts of firewood to help us get through the winter.”

“What?”

“And they also said this: They were sorry that they couldn’t send all their sincerity because there were too many eyes watching. They said that when the time comes, they would take good care of us so that we could live with the dignity and elegance befitting the Empress Dowager’s family.”

Watching eyes. It must be the Empress’s residence.

She had long known that they were watching her with burning eyes, lest the Empress Dowager should claim to be the mistress of the imperial palace.

“So, did they send enough?”

“Yes. Enough to get through this winter, and even several winters to come.”

Tears welled up. She realized that tears came even when relief washed over her.

Her family had no high position or wealth. After the late Emperor, who had taken care of them, passed away, her family, despite being the Empress Dowager’s, couldn’t enjoy luxury.

Whenever she ate in the imperial palace or wore silk clothes every morning, she always felt a pang in her heart, thinking of her parents and siblings at home.

“Now I can rest easy.”

“Your Majesty.”

Her brother also lowered his head and wiped away tears.

“Please, stop worrying about the family. Consort Yang’s brother has promised to continue taking care of us.”

“Yes. It is truly a grateful and thankful thing.”

The Empress Dowager took up her brush and wrote down her grateful feelings.

“Keep this letter with you and deliver it when the opportunity arises.”

The Empress Dowager’s brother put the letter in his bosom and quietly left the imperial palace.

If she only thought about the bleak life of a widow who could only breathe until she died, she would want to hang herself and go to the late Emperor’s side right now.

But now, instead of just breathing, there was something to wait for.

Waiting was a merciless thing that might never come, but the hope that it would come someday became a ray of light in the Empress Dowager’s bleak reality.

* * *

Jo Gwang-yun began to carefully review the list given by Yoon Ju-seong, the Vice Minister of Yunju, and the relationship chart of the court officials written by Eum Yeong-mun.

Yoon Ju-seong is clearly a politician. The list he gave contained only his and the young scholars’ thoughts, rather than the people Jo Gwang-yun needed or should avoid.

Jo Gwang-yun only referred to the opinions of Yoon Ju-seong and Eum Yeong-mun.

What he considered important was not the political structure, but who could help him.

Paradoxically, the person Jo Gwang-yun needed most and who could help him immediately was naturally not the future power, but the current power holder. And who that person was, was clear.

Wi Chung-hyeon, the Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs.

“I have to choose whether to bring him down or join hands with him.”

Jo Gwang-yun didn’t think long.

Joining hands with the current power holder was the obvious choice.

And he could bring him down at the right time for the sake of the future power holder. Perhaps he wouldn’t even need to bring him down directly.

There were plenty of people in the court who would bite like piranhas if they caught even one mistake.

“Should I meet him once?”

Jo Gwang-yun took a simple gift and headed to Wi Chung-hyeon’s house.

Because it was a house of high power, the gatekeeper’s prestige was imposing, but he couldn’t treat Jo Gwang-yun, who was getting out of a fancy carriage, carelessly.

“Who should I say is here?”

“Tell him it’s Consort Yang’s brother from the Inner Court.”

At the words “the concubine’s brother,” the gatekeeper bowed his head.

“Please wait a moment. I’ll go and inform him right away.”

After a while, the gatekeeper came out again and led Jo Gwang-yun inside.

When he arrived at Wi Chung-hyeon’s residence, Wi Chung-hyeon unexpectedly came down from the porch to greet Jo Gwang-yun.

“Welcome, Jo Jubu.”

Jo Gwang-yun bowed.

“Please forgive my rudeness in visiting so late at night, Great Master.”

“No. It’s natural for people to visit where people live. Besides, we’re not complete strangers. Haha.”

He didn’t know if it was because they were in-laws with the Emperor in the middle, or because they were officials in the same court, but the words “not strangers” sounded like he wanted to be friendly.

Wi Chung-hyeon took Jo Gwang-yun inside and prepared a table of drinks.

Jo Gwang-yun, who had placed the table of drinks in front of him, took out the wine he had brought.

“It’s too meager to give to you, Great Master, but I brought it because it’s still rare to taste in this land. It’s wine made from grapes. We call it wine.”

“Grapes?”

“Yes.”

At Wi Chung-hyeon’s level, he could eat precious grapes anytime. To him, wine was just fruit wine.

“It’s a drink that the Saekmok people enjoy, but the way it’s made is a little different. I brought it so you could taste a different kind of drink.”

“Thank you for being so thoughtful.”

Jo Gwang-yun filled the glass that Wi Chung-hyeon held out, and Wi Chung-hyeon drank it in one gulp.

“The bitter taste is quite something. Haha.”

He didn’t properly savor the taste because he drank the wine in one gulp, but he didn’t forget to make polite remarks.

The two drank for a while, and when the bottle was empty, Wi Chung-hyeon smiled and said.

“How is it? How does it feel to be in the imperial family?”

“I’m just afraid.”

The smile disappeared from Wi Chung-hyeon’s face.

“Afraid?”

“My sister is still young, and she’s a commoner’s daughter who hasn’t learned anything. When I was wandering around Jungwon [Central Plains of China] doing business, she was only at home without any interaction with others. She’s just innocent and naive… I’m always worried and afraid that she might make a mistake in the imperial palace.”

“Isn’t it because she’s an innocent beauty that the Emperor favors her?”

“Favor is momentary, but mistakes are irreversible.”

Wi Chung-hyeon began to examine Jo Gwang-yun again.

He knew the common truth that a man’s affection is a momentary breeze. If he was worried about what would happen after the Emperor’s affection disappeared, he was qualified enough to put his head together and talk about the future.

“What is there to be afraid of? A bureaucrat like me suffers from political attacks that take issue with the affairs of the Inner Court, but isn’t Jo Jubu’s [a minor official title] main job a merchant? There’s no reason for you to suffer from political attacks, is there?”

“Isn’t it always the case that people with something to lose have to be careful?”

Wi Chung-hyeon clapped his knee.

“That’s right. People with nothing to lose have nothing to fear, but a wealthy merchant like you loses too much if you collapse.”

“As expected, you know my situation well because you have a lot to lose.”

Wi Chung-hyeon realized that the words had bones, but the inner meaning was different.

“Well, the reason you came here late at night with a precious drink isn’t to lament Jo Jubu’s situation, is it? At this point, how about you speak your mind frankly?”

Jo Gwang-yun got up from his chair and knelt on the floor.

Wi Chung-hyeon, who was startled by his sudden action, also got up from his chair.

“No, why are you doing this?”

“Great Master, please take care of me and my sister.”

Wi Chung-hyeon tried to lift him up, but he was unyielding.

“No, what qualifications do I have…?”

“I don’t expect anything from the imperial family. It is an honor for my family that my sister has received His Majesty’s grace, but what I want more than that is my sister’s safety and that my business will continue as it is now.”

Wi Chung-hyeon’s eyes changed.

“Is that all?”

When Jo Gwang-yun raised his head, he saw Wi Chung-hyeon’s glittering eyes.

“What if your sister, Consort Yang, harbors ambitions? At that time, you’ll have bigger desires than safety and danger.”

“What do you mean…?”

“The desire to put your nephew on the throne. The Crown Prince’s investiture!”

With a stiff face, Jo Gwang-yun slowly raised his knees.

“I am a merchant. Merchants are quick at calculations.”

“Is that so? I’ll listen to what a merchant’s calculations are like.”

“His Majesty has two Empresses, three Consorts, and five Noble Consorts. But the only child is the Prince born to the Empress.”

“You’re a quick-witted merchant, so you know well. If he gives birth to a son, there’s only one competitor.”

“That’s a politician’s calculation. Merchants look at something else first.”

Jo Gwang-yun counted his fingers.

“Isn’t His Majesty someone who has as many as eight wives and spends more nights with them than sleeping alone? Even choosing those who are good at conceiving through the detailed examination of the royal physicians.”

Wi Chung-hyeon’s expression hardened.

“Even so, there is only one prince? It’s a blasphemous thing to say, but His Majesty the Emperor is short on grandsons.”

Wi Chung-hyeon’s hardened expression softened a little. Jo Gwang-yun did not miss the change in Wi Chung-hyeon’s expression.

“Merchants always think about possibilities and start new businesses. In the current imperial family, the possibility that my sister, Consort Yang, will have ambitions and conceive is extremely low. Furthermore, giving birth to a son is only half of that low possibility.”

Jo Gwang-yun spread out his hands.

“The possibility of losing everything in one mistake is very high…”

He raised one hand slightly.

“The possibility that my sister will conceive, give birth to a child, that the child will be a son, and that the son will inherit the imperial family…”

He clenched the remaining hand tightly.

“Is close to zero.”

Jo Gwang-yun put his hands together in front of him and bowed his head slightly.

“This is a merchant’s calculation.”

Wi Chung-hyeon blinked his eyes and laughed loudly.

“Ehehehe. You make this old man, who has despised all the merchants in the world, ashamed. It’s a truly wise thought and an extremely correct statement.”

“I am more pleased that you have recognized my sincerity than that you have highly evaluated my humble self.”

Jo Gwang-yun bowed his head even further.

< Prostrated People 2 > End