I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 173

For a while, Jo Gwang-yun focused solely on tying up loose ends.

He notified the new business owners who had acquired salt farm development rights, as well as the officials of the Jin Dynasty and the administrators under the local military commands and the Shipping and Weaving Bureau.

Soon, Gil Baek-mi’s people would arrive on the coast to build salt farms.

The continental exchange, which Gil Baek-mi offered in exchange for seizing the nation’s salt, was renamed the Jo Ga Exchange.

Unlike the Jo Ga Exchange, the Continental Exchange didn’t use stored money. It only circulated merchants’ short-term funds, as it always had.

The acquisition of the Continental Exchange wasn’t for raising funds but to unify the bills circulating throughout the Central Plains under the Jo Ga Exchange name, and it only needed to be faithful to that purpose.

Along with the complete acquisition and merger of the Continental Exchange, the expansion of department stores and supermarkets continued.

The magistrates, who managed the markets in each county and held the licensing rights, no longer used their power to assert their dominance or make unreasonable demands.

Even in the most remote countryside, they were officials with eyes to see and ears to hear.

They couldn’t possibly be unaware that the owner of Jo Ga Department Store and Jo Ga Supermarket was the brother of the imperial concubine who was receiving the emperor’s undivided favor.

The magistrates unconditionally granted permits regardless of location or size and replaced the labor needed for construction with corvée labor [unpaid labor owed to the state]. If even the slightest inconvenience or complaint arose, the magistrate would be the first to step in and resolve it.

Because they had the power of the imperial family behind them—or rather, because everyone *thought* they did—a power that didn’t even exist was created.

Thanks to this, Jo Gwang-yun’s businesses were spreading to every corner of the Central Plains, laying a solid foundation.

As the power of the Jo Ga family grew day by day, Yang Ryeo-cheong’s belly also grew bigger. Her young age was her advantage and weapon. The young mother didn’t have severe morning sickness, ate well, and the fetus, which absorbed all the nutrients, grew healthily.

Like Yang Ryeo-cheong, the bellies of about twenty other women who were expecting also grew.

The five doctors who cared for them examined the mothers every day, estimating their delivery dates.

“Everyone must give birth to healthy children. If it’s good for the mother’s body, don’t spare any medicinal ingredients and use them generously.”

Gu Seung constantly urged the doctors in a place teeming with expectant mothers.

“There won’t be any mothers in the world who are more pampered than these. We are taking good care of them, so stop nagging and go away. You’re just getting in the way.”

The doctors were initially blinded by the large sum of money Gu Seung offered. They readily took the money, thinking they only had to take care of the mothers, but they were speechless when they saw the twenty or so mothers.

It was a rule not to ask the reason, so they kept their mouths shut, but their curiosity grew day by day because the mothers were all so beautiful.

In the end, they concluded that these women were giving birth to babies who would be raised and sold to wealthy people for a large sum of money. There were plenty of rich people who liked young children.

They were frustrated because they couldn’t take a single step outside the house, but they received so much money that they could endure it, and the mothers waited for the day when they would give birth and this would all be over.

The mothers were no different.

They were women from desperately poor families where skipping meals was a daily occurrence. Yet, the men knew this and still planted seeds in their bellies, adding another mouth to feed.

They couldn’t even afford to raise the children they already had, so the women’s worries only deepened. At this time, a mysterious person appeared before them.

They offered a large sum of money to buy the child to be born, and the fathers’ eyes lit up more than the mothers’.

At first, they were terrified of being dragged somewhere, but they ate, slept, and rested like noble ladies, so the initial fear disappeared as if washed away, and they even entertained the vain hope that the pregnancy would last forever.

This strange situation would eventually end when the babies were born.

* * *

Every month, a cart entered the Empress Dowager’s private residence.

It was a cart filled with daily necessities sent by Jo Gwang-yun. But this time, there was something more than just daily necessities.

It was Gu Seung conveying Jo Gwang-yun’s proposal.

“He said that it would be good for the Empress Dowager to visit a hot spring.”

“A hot spring?”

“Yes. Didn’t Lady Yang visit a hot spring? He says there’s no better place to spend the cold winter. If the Empress Dowager were to catch a cold, His Majesty would probably allow it.”

Whether the Empress Dowager had a cold or not was not important. The hot spring trip was what mattered. The Empress Dowager’s younger brother understood what he meant.

“I understand. I will subtly inform the Empress Dowager upon entering the palace.”

Gu Seung bowed respectfully and left.

The next day, the Empress Dowager’s younger brother rushed to the imperial palace and requested an audience with the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager, who had not moved from her residence, was secretly excited by her brother’s visit.

Her family rarely entered the palace because they were wary of the emperor’s gaze. She guessed that they must have another purpose.

The siblings exchanged pleasantries for a while, then dismissed those around them, and when there were no listening ears, the younger brother spoke quietly.

“This is a message from Jo Gwang-yun, the Chief.”

“Jo Chief?”

“Yes. He said that it would be good for Your Majesty to visit a hot spring. He said that the bitter winter makes it difficult to recover from a cold, so His Majesty would allow it, wouldn’t he?”

“He must be trying to meet me, right?”

“That’s for sure. He must have something important to tell you.”

“I understand. I will tell His Majesty and make sure it happens.”

The Empress Dowager nodded.

The timing was right. The emperor had allowed the imperial concubine to go to the hot springs even for a spring cold. Even if he disliked the Empress Dowager, she was still his mother in terms of lineage.

There was no reason not to allow his mother to go to the hot springs for a winter cold. Besides, wasn’t the Empress Dowager the one who had never left the palace since her husband, the late emperor, had died?

From that day on, the Empress Dowager wrapped her head and lay down.

The royal physician finished his examination and tilted his head. She said she had a fever and chills, but her temperature and pulse were normal.

If he said the wrong thing at this time, disaster would strike. Even though she was no better than an old woman in the back room, the Empress Dowager was the highest elder of the imperial family. How could he tell such an elder to her face that she was faking it when she said she was sick?

“Your Majesty. I will prepare a decoction [a medicinal preparation made by boiling herbs]. Please do not skip the decoction and keep your body warm.”

The Empress Dowager pulled on the band around her head and jumped up.

“What? A decoction?!”

The royal physician cowered before the shouting Empress Dowager.

“You want me to drink that disgusting decoction again? The weather is cold and the chill won’t go away, but will drinking a decoction make the cold go away! It would be much better to soak in hot spring water.”

The quick-witted royal physician immediately understood the Empress Dowager’s intention.

Hot springs.

“Of course. There’s nothing better than hot springs for a cold.”

“Then tell His Majesty right now. I’m going to the hot springs for treatment.”

“I will obey your command.”

The royal physician left the Empress Dowager’s residence and went straight to the head eunuch.

The head eunuch was just as troubled by the royal physician’s complaint.

Why did the Empress Dowager have to lie down at this time?

Normally, he would have casually mentioned it to the emperor, and the emperor would have ended it with a short “No.”

But now there were too many things to ignore.

It was not a good look for the Empress Dowager not to be able to go to the hot springs that even the imperial concubine had gone to. And Lady Yang’s delivery was approaching.

Everyone was being careful, even lowering their voices, but it was also not a good look for the Empress Dowager to be groaning and lying down.

He thought it would be better for the Empress Dowager to be out of sight until Lady Yang gave birth.

The head eunuch carefully informed the emperor.

As expected, the emperor frowned.

“A cold?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“The weather is getting colder, so she wants to go to the hot springs because she caught a cold. She’s probably not really sick.”

“What should we do?”

The emperor thought for a moment and said to Yun Ju-seong, who was quietly standing by without saying a word.

“Chief Secretary. What should we do?”

Yun Ju-seong replied respectfully.

“When parents are sick, children also suffer. As a child, one should heal one’s parents’ illness as soon as possible. If the way to do that is through hot springs, there is no need to hesitate.”

“Are there parents who are younger than their children?”

The emperor glared fiercely, but Yun Ju-seong did not hesitate.

“There will soon be a celebration in the imperial family. If the highest elder of the imperial family makes groaning noises at this time, where will the harm go? If Your Majesty is merciful, it will be a blessing for both the parents and the child to be born.”

Only then did the emperor remember that Yang Ryeo-cheong’s delivery was not far off.

“That’s true. Sending the Empress Dowager far away so that she doesn’t make any complaints… no, so that she is not seen is also a good idea. Head Eunuch.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Prepare for the Empress Dowager to go to the hot springs. However, no additional personnel or supplies will be allowed. There will be no escort from the guards. Just provide a palanquin [a covered litter carried on poles].”

“I will obey your command.”

* * *

Life began to return to the Empress Dowager’s residence after a long time. The court ladies and eunuchs, who had been confined to the residence all year round, began to pack their bags as if they were going on an outing.

Although no one paid attention to the Empress Dowager’s procession, the Empress Dowager was not at all upset or angry.

It was a joy just to get out of the palace and achieve her goal.

If it were a hot spring trip for leisure, she would have moved leisurely as if she were going on a tour, but the Empress Dowager urged the palanquin bearers to run as fast as a messenger.

When she arrived at the hot springs, the Empress Dowager didn’t even think about soaking in the hot spring water that was said to be good for the skin.

She paced around the room, waiting for Jo Gwang-yun, who she didn’t know when he would come, and the people who were assisting her began to feel uneasy.

As the sun began to set in the west, the person the Empress Dowager had been waiting for arrived. In an unusual way.

“Your Majesty. A scholar from a nearby village has brought tribute to Your Majesty.”

“Tribute?”

“Yes, that’s right. He seems to be bringing tea leaves, saying that you can enjoy warm tea.”

Since she had not gone outside, she had no way of knowing whether this was a rare occurrence or not. But the fact that someone had come at just the right time meant that it was not a scholar from a nearby village but the person she had been waiting for. The Empress Dowager’s voice rose slightly.

“Receive him with respect.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

After a while, a man and two young men who seemed to be his subordinates appeared.

Since they could not face each other in the same room as the Empress Dowager, the men bowed deeply with a thick screen between them.

“May the Empress Dowager enjoy great fortune.”

“Yes. I will gratefully drink the tea.”

The Empress Dowager was frustrated because she couldn’t ask proper questions because of the eyes around her.

“If I may, how about brewing the tea now and tasting it? If it doesn’t suit your taste, I will bring other tea.”

The face of the eunuch standing next to her hardened.

“Hey! How dare you in front of…”

“That’s enough. He’s saying that for me, so the heart comes before etiquette. Bring the tea. I have to taste it.”

The Empress Dowager was sure. This was the person.

“I will follow your command.”

At the eunuch’s signal, the court ladies went out to prepare the tea. After a brief awkward silence, the court lady brought the tea.

No sooner had the Empress Dowager taken a sip and put down the teacup than a strange sound rang in her head.

– Your Majesty. Even if strange things happen in the future, please do not be surprised.

It was already strange that the words were not heard by the ears but rang in her head. The Empress Dowager’s eyes widened in surprise, and her expression changed, but the eunuch and court lady who were with her could not see it because of the thick screen.

End