I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 22

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“Did you find out anything?”

“There was nothing to find out. It’s such a lucrative business that the magistrate is handling it directly.”

“Directly? Not entrusting it to a reliable official?”

“Yes, it’s certain. Do you not trust me? Before you came here, I was directly trading with the merchants of the Central Market. I took care of their transport requests.”

Woo-yang said confidently.

After Jo Gwang-yun took over the Gyeong-an Bureau, he was reduced to doing odd jobs and errands, but he seemed to welcome it.

Jo Gwang-yun took care of all the troublesome tasks, giving him plenty of free time, and he seemed to think he was living comfortably in his old age, especially with the generous amount of money he was given.

“But why are you looking into the market situation? They are our customers anyway. We’re the only ones they can trust to handle long-distance transport.”

“There’s no harm in knowing more about our customers’ circumstances. Anyway, thank you for your trouble.”

Jo Gwang-yun slipped him a silver coin.

“Buy some meat and have a meal with your family.”

“Oh, my. This again… Haha.”

Woo-yang took the silver coin with practiced ease and left.

As soon as Woo-yang disappeared, Jo Gwang-yun quickly opened the transport log.

*Records of transport for the silk merchants of Gaebong. Everything is in here.*

Those who do big business have a large volume of transport. Among them, those skilled in inventory management have frequent transport requests. Also, there were those who requested the most optimal transport, considering the transport costs and inventory management fees.

In other words, their current inventory status can be known just by looking at the transport records. Those who recently brought in silk will have a lot of stock, and those who are nearing three months will have dwindling stock.

The most famous place for silk is Sichuan [a province in southwestern China known for its silk production]. The silk from this region is called ‘Chokgeum’ [a high-quality Sichuan silk], known for its good quality and high price. The fact that most of the silk coming into Gaebong is from Sichuan shows that there are many wealthy people in Gaebong.

“When you think of China, you think of silk merchant Wang. Hehe.”

After finishing his calculations, Jo Gwang-yun went straight to see Yoo Chu-saeng.

* * *

“Yes, what brings you here?”

Yoo Chu-saeng greeted Jo Gwang-yun with a broad smile. Since giving him the gold, Yoo Chu-saeng treated Jo Gwang-yun more warmly than his own son… no, more like his own child. In fact, with that amount of gold, it wouldn’t be strange to treat him like a father.

It wasn’t enough gold to fill a cart, but it was enough to retire and live lavishly with a grand manor, a granary full of silk and grain, and a dozen beautiful concubines without worrying about money.

What’s even more interesting is that the gold was only 50% of what Yang-cheong had accumulated, not 80%.

Before converting the land deeds, house deeds, and bills from the battlefield into gold, Jo Gwang-yun intended to hand over all 80%, as Yoo Chu-saeng had said.

However, when he saw the gold piled up before him, he changed his mind. The specific number wasn’t important. Thinking only about the visual effect, he thought that even giving half of the piled-up gold would be enough to leave Yoo Chu-saeng, who had been satisfied with Yang-cheong’s handouts, speechless.

Jo Gwang-yun’s idea was correct, and Yoo Chu-saeng completely changed after that day.

Jo Gwang-yun greeted him politely and carefully brought up the matter.

“I think I need to go far away to develop a new route for the bureau.”

“Far away? Where to?”

Yoo Chu-saeng’s face immediately contorted.

“Sichuan.”

“All the way to Sichuan? Do you really need to go yourself to check the transport route? That dangerous road? You can send the escorts, can’t you?”

He knew very well that he wasn’t saying it out of concern for him. But Jo Gwang-yun bowed his head again.

“I am grateful that you are worried about me, sir. But the eyes of a regular escort are different from mine. I hope you understand this point.”

“Hmm…”

Yoo Chu-saeng carefully examined Jo Gwang-yun, who had his head bowed, and then opened his mouth as if he couldn’t help it.

“Alright. But you can’t go alone.”

“Yes?”

“I’m saying this because I’m worried about your safety. I’ll attach one of my best men to you, so take him with you.”

He knew very well that it meant he would be watched, not protected.

Jo Gwang-yun answered without hesitation.

“I am deeply grateful for your grace.”

“It’s nothing… Anyway, you must be careful, very careful.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

Yoo Chu-saeng’s eyes were full of worry that his money source might run away.

* * *

“It’s been a while, Manager Jo.”

“Welcome. Thank you for your hard work on the long journey.”

“What hard work? From Shinnyeong to Gaebong is nothing. Haha.”

Ma Ji-sang, who arrived in Gaebong with goods from the Shinnyeong collection point, was full of joy rather than fatigue.

“Everything you instructed last time has been taken care of. The amount you lost…”

“It’s alright. I had to expect that much if I disposed of it urgently.”

Jo Gwang-yun took the bill that Ma Ji-sang handed over.

It was Jo Gwang-yun’s entire fortune, which he had earned from the Shinnyeong collection point and disposed of all the land, houses, and inns he had prepared in Shinnyeong.

He did not doubt Ma Ji-sang, who said that he had sold it cheaper than the market price because he had to dispose of it urgently. He was the only person Jo Gwang-yun could trust in this Jungwon [Central Plains of China] land so far.

“And how is the transport preparation you mentioned? Is it going smoothly?”

“It’s not easy to gather only escorts and porters temporarily hired from our collection point, not from a specific bureau, as you ordered. Besides, isn’t it a huge transport?”

It was a complaint that it was difficult to prepare because he was trying to form a temporary transport team so that rumors would not spread that someone was hoarding high-quality silk from Sichuan.

“Then let’s do this. Depart when you have filled only 70% of the target number of people. Let’s use the Sichuan bureau for the remaining 30%.”

“I understand. I will finish the preparation as soon as possible.”

Jo Gwang-yun took out a few documents and handed them to Ma Ji-sang.

“This is the content of the silk transport coming to Gaebong via Shinnyeong. Tell them to execute it as is. Tell them it’s an order from the Gyeong-an Bureau.”

He had direct control over the transport directly between Sichuan and Gaebong, but he had to take action in advance for those passing through the Shinnyeong collection point, which had cheaper transport costs.

Ma Ji-sang looked at the documents and tilted his head.

“This seems to be a transport forecast?”

“Yes. I guessed it based on the past records of the Gaebong silk merchants. The silk from Sichuan will arrive on the dates written there, but keep it tied up as long as possible.”

“If the transport is delayed, the merchants will complain?”

When Ma Ji-sang made a worried expression, Jo Gwang-yun smiled and said.

“They won’t have time to complain. They’ll have to put out the fire that’s fallen on their feet first.”

It would probably be a fire that they couldn’t put out. If they put out the fire quickly, Jo Gwang-yun would suffer the loss.

* * *

“If this person is harmed in any way, you will pay with your life. Keep that in mind.”

“Don’t worry. I will always be by his side to assist him.”

Yoo Chu-saeng nodded at the man’s confident answer and said to Jo Gwang-yun.

“He is the most skilled in martial arts here. He is skilled enough to protect you even if you encounter a group of bandits.”

“Thank you, Sir Yoo.”

Jo Gwang-yun turned to the man.

“I am Jo Gwang-yun.”

“I know. I am Lee Geon.”

A man who looks to be in his early thirties. His face is so clean that it is hard to believe that he has lived a rough life.

“When do you depart?”

“I will depart at dawn in two days.”

“I understand. I will prepare.”

Lee Geon bowed politely. Jo Gwang-yun decided to slowly find out what kind of guy Lee Geon, the protector and supervisor, was. Anyway, wasn’t he a companion who had to go a long way together?

Before departing for Sichuan, Jo Gwang-yun entrusted the work of the bureau to Woo-yang.

“You must take special care of this transport.”

The transport that Jo Gwang-yun pointed out was none other than silk.

“But Gwang-yun. I don’t think this is right. The merchants asked to go directly without going through the collection point, didn’t they? That’s why they pay a lot of money.”

“So, if you go through the collection point, you will make a lot of profit. As far as I have investigated, there is no problem for them to do business even if it is delayed this much. I have reviewed and calculated it several times. Considering the inventory of the market merchants, they can hold out for more than ten days. It’s okay.”

Woo-yang couldn’t shake off his worries, but he nodded.

“Well, if you say so, it’ll be fine. You’ve never made a mistake.”

“Yes. You can do this until I come back. Please.”

“What ‘please,’ it’s my job to do.”

Jo Gwang-yun handed Woo-yang a silver coin again.

With this, the preparation is complete.

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