I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 166

< Discovering the Imperial Mindset 1 >

“My lord, does this mean everything is truly over now?”

“Yes, it does. That’s why I’ve allowed you to speak.”

The man took a deep breath and cautiously observed Jo Gwang-yun.

“Then, what about the promise…?”

“You want the money?”

“Yes. I need that money to disappear. Hehe.”

Jo Gwang-yun subtly questioned the man, who wore a servile smile.

“By the way, where is your hometown?”

“Huh? My hometown?”

“Yes. Didn’t you say you have three children? Wouldn’t you consider returning to your hometown? Now that you’ve come into a large sum of money, why not send some home? You must have parents, a wife, and children.”

The man scratched his head.

“It’s hard enough for me to make a living. It’s been so long since I left my hometown. Now, out of the blue… They’re probably doing well, I guess.”

*How long would the money last, even if he got his hands on it? He would waste it all on alcohol, women, and gambling.*

“Well, it’s your money, so you should do as you please.”

Jo Gwang-yun tossed him a pouch full of silver coins.

“You’ve worked hard. Now, go.”

The man bowed deeply.

“If you ever need anything like this again, please call me, my lord. I’ll come running anytime.”

As the man left, a warrior entered.

“Lord, should we take care of him?”

“Yes. Before you do, check his hometown and send the money I gave him to his family. He has three children.”

“Ah, yes. I will do that. I’ll tell them it’s money he earned working hard in a foreign land.”

*He was doing one good deed before he died.*

*Perhaps it was the first time in his twenty-odd years that he was acting like a proper head of household.*

“And dispose of the body thoroughly. Not even a strand of his hair should be found.”

“Yes. I will make sure even wild animals can’t find it.”

As his subordinate retreated, Jo Gwang-yun climbed onto the bed and covered himself with the blanket.

He wanted to fall into a deep sleep, feeling relaxed in both body and mind for the first time in a long while.

After a good night’s sleep, he would have to transform into Geum Jo-jubu, who had traveled all the way to Fujian Province to check on the salt farms.

* * *

“Your Majesty, congratulations!”

Jo Gwang-yun, entering Uirip Hall, prostrated himself and shouted.

“Oh, Jo Jubu. Have you heard the news as well?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. A letter arrived at my business in Fujian Province.”

“If you heard the news, why didn’t you rush here sooner?”

“It is a joyous occasion for the Imperial Family, but matters of state take precedence for me… Forgive my presumption.”

“Isn’t it also because of your only sister’s pregnancy? You must have wanted to rush here immediately?”

*Unable to see the Emperor’s expression, it was difficult to grasp his intentions.*

“Your Majesty, forgive my presumption, but may I speak my foolish thoughts?”

“Speak.”

The Emperor’s voice changed slightly. *Even through his voice alone, he could feel the Emperor glaring at him.*

“Privately, she is my sister, but the moment she entered the palace and received Your Majesty’s favor, I forgot she was my sister. To me, she is only Noble Consort Yang.”

“You would sever personal ties?”

“Forgive my audacity, but Noble Consort Yang is a commoner. Now that she is pregnant with Your Majesty’s child, the court’s attention will naturally turn to me. They will always be wary of me, an in-law, deeply involved in state affairs, with a loyal heart. I am but a commoner, after all.”

“Isn’t it by my command that Jo Jubu is involved in state affairs?”

“Your Majesty’s grace is enough for once. I humbly request that my official position be revoked after this salt farm privatization is completed.”

“Revoked…? Does Jo Jubu know that he will never be able to enter the Imperial Palace again?”

“I believe that is the natural course.”

The Emperor was silent for a while.

Jo Gwang-yun also waited for the Emperor’s reaction, with his head bowed.

Finally, the Emperor spoke.

“Applications for salt farm development from all over the country are piled up in Geumjo. Review those applications and finalize this matter. As you requested, your official position will be revoked after this matter is concluded, so ensure it is perfectly resolved without any shortcomings!”

“Your benevolence is boundless, Your Majesty.”

Jo Gwang-yun carefully retreated from Uirip Hall.

The Emperor began to stare at the spot where Jo Gwang-yun had prostrated himself.

“Isn’t he a truly frightening man?”

The Chief Eunuch cautiously observed the Emperor. *It was hard to tell whether he was speaking to himself or seeking agreement.*

“Your Majesty, what do you mean…?”

“If he were an ordinary in-law, he would have rushed here as soon as he heard the news of the pregnancy. But he treated it like someone else’s business. Moreover, he says he won’t even meet his sister anymore? Don’t you know the reason yet?”

The Chief Eunuch only lowered his head further without answering.

“He is using the best way to protect his sister and nephew. If his nephew is a son, would Wi Chung-hyun and the Empress leave him alone? They would surely try to keep him in check… And if that check becomes excessive, both lives could be in danger.”

“Your… Your Majesty. How can you say such terrible things…?”

“Is there mercy in power? Jo Jubu knows that well, so he is stepping back. Who would be wary of a concubine with no power in the Imperial Family or the court? The officials will also know. A concubine from a common background with no power cannot become a reliable lifeline.”

“But Your Majesty, Jo Jubu is just a merchant. Even if he stays in the palace, he cannot become a force.”

The Chief Eunuch mustered his courage to speak, but the Emperor shook his head.

“Power only needs a focal point. It doesn’t matter much whether that point is a commoner or a merchant. It’s enough if they simply have the qualifications to play the role of a focal point. Jo Jubu is qualified enough. He saw through that and is trying to withdraw completely. Since there is no new focal point, the power of the Imperial Family will remain unchanged, and if there is no change, Noble Consort Yang will be safe.”

The Chief Eunuch lowered his head even further as he listened to the Emperor’s words.

*He was afraid that the Emperor would see a hint of pity in his expression.*

The Jo Gwang-yun he knew was not withdrawing to avoid becoming a focal point. He was simply being careful not to be caught trying to become one.

The Chief Eunuch began to wonder how many would gather at that focal point when Yang Ryeo-cheong gave birth to a son. Including himself.

* * *

Jo Gwang-yun rummaged through the documents piled up in the Geumjo office, picking out the applications from the puppets put forward by Daeryuk Jeonjang Gil Baek-mi.

He had selected seventy percent, so he had to select the remaining thirty percent, but he couldn’t select from these applications. The selection of the remaining thirty percent had to be entrusted to the court officials. That’s how bribes are made.

“The question is, who should I bribe…?”

Jo Gwang-yun packed up the documents and left the palace. He had to use the documents Gil Baek-mi had secretly sent and the remaining thirty percent of the salt farm development rights as bribes together.

The documents Gil Baek-mi sent concerned the ten percent of the existing salt monopoly that would be released. And he knew well that someone would have to shed blood because of these documents.

Because it was evidence of corruption that Jo Gwang-yun would present to the Emperor.

To maintain the monopoly, one would naturally need the backing of a powerful official. Isn’t it impossible for a monopoly to exist without the protection of power from the start?

Among the documents Gil Baek-mi sent was a detailed list of slush funds, recording when and how much money was delivered to whom.

Looking at this list, Jo Gwang-yun pondered over who he should sacrifice to please the Emperor.

The most troublesome opponent for the Emperor was naturally Wi Chung-hyun. But the one he should never touch was also Wi Chung-hyun.

If the Emperor attacked the highest official who controlled the court, the conflict between the Imperial Family and the court would begin from that moment. The Emperor did not want such a conflict that could shake the Imperial Family. However, he needed to set an example to show off his power, and that was to strike not at Wi Chung-hyun but at those around him.

Looking at the bribe list, Jo Gwang-yun began to choose a suitable ‘peripheral’ of Wi Chung-hyun.

He intended to provide the Emperor with an opportunity to show off his power and Wi Chung-hyun with thirty percent of the salt farm development rights.

Wasn’t that very fair?

Jo Gwang-yun headed to Wi Chung-hyun’s house with the salt farm development applications.

* * *

“Congratulations, Jo Jubu. You must have heard the news that Noble Consort Yang is pregnant?”

The words of congratulations were too cold. So was his expression.

“It’s not something I should be happy about. It’s just a blessing for the Imperial Family.”

“What are you talking about? If Noble Consort Yang gives birth to a son, your status will change.”

“That’s why I met with His Majesty today and told him that I would no longer enter the Imperial Palace after the salt farm development is completed.”

Wi Chung-hyun seemed surprised. *Not entering the Imperial Palace meant not meeting Yang Ryeo-cheong?*

“You are indeed clever. Are you protecting yourself?”

“That’s right. It means that no matter what happens, I will never oppose you, sir.”

As Jo Gwang-yun lowered himself, Wi Chung-hyun’s cold voice changed.

“Still, who knows? If Noble Consort Yang gives birth to a son and the Emperor appoints him as the Crown Prince, you will become the Emperor’s maternal uncle. Are you giving that up?”

“You said ‘if,’ didn’t you? ‘If’ is a word used when the possibility is low.”

“You said before? The possibility of Yang Ryeo-cheong becoming pregnant…?”

“I am not a fool who believes that near-miraculous events will continue to happen.”

“The possibility of a second miracle happening is fifty-fifty. A son or a daughter.”

“If you’re worried, kill him when he’s born.”

“What?!”

Wi Chung-hyun thought he had misheard. *Kill his nephew?*

“Haven’t I always said? I hate unstable factors that can ruin my business the most. That’s why I’ve always eliminated those unstable factors, and that’s how I’ve been able to prosper this much. If my nephew is an unstable factor, I have to eliminate him, but he’s His Majesty’s blood, so there’s no way. But you, sir, have a way, don’t you?”

Looking into Jo Gwang-yun’s unwavering eyes, Wi Chung-hyun was even frightened.

*That he could kill even his nephew if he was an obstacle to making money was a warning that Wi Chung-hyun himself was no exception.*

*Jo Gwang-yun had the backing of the Murim [martial arts world]. Murim people who could fly in the sky and shatter mountains with a single sword. They could never guarantee his safety.*

Wi Chung-hyun burst into laughter as if trying to hide his flustered appearance.

“This is it, they say you can’t be a true man if you’re not ruthless… You are truly a great man. Hehehe.”

Jo Gwang-yun nonchalantly slid the documents over, not caring about Wi Chung-hyun’s laughter.

“What is this?”

“It’s the salt farm privatization development application. It’s what’s left after I selected based on suitable criteria, thirty percent of the total.”

“Thirty percent? But why did you bring this?”

Wi Chung-hyun pretended not to know.

“I brought it for you to select, sir. If you don’t like these people, you can put forward new business operators.”

*It was normal to think that he had brought a whopping thirty percent, but Wi Chung-hyun was not the kind of person to be satisfied with that much.*

“So you’re selecting seventy percent?”

“That’s right. As I said before, I have no intention of making money from salt. So I will select the fairest way. Since I proposed the salt farm privatization, there should be no suspicion.”

“You mean you won’t leave any room for someone to file an impeachment petition?”

“Isn’t the most frightening thing in the world politics, more than a merchant? Even if I show a slight gap, they will chew me up and swallow me whole.”

“Then why didn’t you handle everything fairly and leave thirty percent?”

“Isn’t the most heartbreaking thing in the world cutting off someone’s livelihood? There must be quite a few officials who have had a good time with the salt monopoly, so I’m trying to avoid their resentment. Please distribute it appropriately, sir.”

Wi Chung-hyun smiled faintly.

< Discovering the Imperial Mindset 1 > End