I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 31

< Upright Sects of Kaifeng (1) >

“You know, I really thought I was going to die.”

“Yes.”

“Because of the word ‘dispose’?”

Goo Seung shook his head slightly.

“It’s just that you, sir, kept making us run errands… Telling us to know the market alleys like the back of our hands… I thought you were going to make us steal something?”

“Steal…?”

Jo Gwangyun suppressed a laugh, putting on a serious face.

“Yes. But I don’t know what happened, so there’s no need for that anymore…”

“So, dispose?”

“The Oryun Sect [Five Dragons Sect] people always said. Useless guys aren’t worth eating even a single bean…”

“Does that mean kill?”

“If you can’t eat anything, you die.”

* * *

He was completely wrong, but he was still a commendable kid. Especially the fact that he chose him as a means to escape from Ok Gang-il’s grasp was the most commendable.

“So, did I look like a pathetic human being who makes kids steal?”

“N, no, that’s not it… P, please forgive me.”

Goo Seung suddenly trembled like an aspen tree.

Jo Gwangyun could imagine how badly the Oryun Sect treated the children. To be so scared of making a single mistake.

“Goo Seung.”

“Yes, sir.”

“What I was going to make you and your friends do wasn’t stealing, but arson.”

“Yes?”

“You had to set fire to the silk shops in the market.”

“Ah…!”

Goo Seung knew why he had been running so hard. It was to run away without getting caught after setting the fire.

“Goo Seung. What if, just say, if there comes a situation where you have to set a fire again, can you set the fire and run away? Without getting caught?”

“I can set a fire without getting caught.”

“Are you saying you can do it, but the other kids can’t?”

“That time at the dumpling shop… I was the first to steal, so the owner left the shop to catch me. In that gap, the other kids…”

“I see.”

“Yes. If there’s a fire to set, I’ll do it alone. It’s safer that way.”

This kid is bold enough to make me want to make a long-term investment.

“Okay. If that happens, I’ll only make you do it. Go out. I’ll call you again.”

“Yes. Thank you, sir.”

Goo Seung bowed deeply once more.

* * *

“L, Lord. It’s really unfair. It’s not that…”

“It’s not a lie. Gyeong-an Escort Bureau [a security company specializing in transporting valuables] must have intentionally delayed the transport to prevent us from doing business.”

“No, it’s not even delayed. Our silk carts have already arrived in Henan, and Gyeong-an Escort Bureau has hidden the carts in a secret place.”

“That’s right. As soon as we sold the silk at a low price, they’re openly selling it.”

Magistrate Jin Woo-sang frowned deeply as he glared at the silk merchants who had rushed into the government office, complaining.

“Sold at a low price?”

“Th, that’s right.”

“I heard you guys sold it at the purchase price? Is that not so?”

As the magistrate questioned, one of the quick-witted men quickly replied.

“We didn’t take the profit from selling that silk. So, it’s as good as selling it cheaply.”

The magistrate’s expression turned even colder.

“And Magistrate. Isn’t hoarding rice and silk strictly prohibited by national law? Currently, the silk in Kaifeng is monopolized by that merchant who joined hands with Gyeong-an Escort Bureau. This is a serious crime that violates national law. Please punish them severely.”

“Violated national law…? Then tell me. What is the reason for prohibiting hoarding by national law?”

“If there’s no grain, people starve to death, and if there’s no silk, people freeze to death. Isn’t it to prevent price hikes because they are essential goods for the people?”

After hearing the answer, the magistrate unfolded his frowning face and even put on a kind smile.

“Yes. It’s to prevent price hikes and supply at reasonable prices. But, do you know how much the person who is monopolizing silk in the market is selling it for?”

“Yes?”

“He’s selling it a whole 10% cheaper than you guys. You said you sold it cheaply because you didn’t leave a profit? So, since he’s supplying silk cheaply now, it’s like you’re sharing the profits that you guys would have taken with all the people. Isn’t it something to be praised?”

“A whole 10% cheaper…?”

Some merchants’ eyes widened, and some people’s expressions distorted.

The ones with wide eyes couldn’t believe that he wasn’t leaving a profit, and the ones with distorted expressions were blaming themselves for their painful mistake of not even confirming this fact.

“With this incident, I’ve clearly realized how foolish and greedy you guys are. If you had endured a little longer, the silk of the person who is currently doing business would have run out… Then you guys would have had a chance.”

Jo Gwangyun, who had sold most of the silk, eliminated the difficulty of securing volume by buying the existing silk merchants’ silk.

Only then did the silk merchants realize that they had been completely outsmarted by the magistrate’s words.

“Everyone, stop and leave! I can’t stand to see your faces any longer, trying to take advantage of your greed by slandering a good merchant who sells cheaply even giving up profit.”

“Lord. It’s unfair. Rather, we were the ones who were deceived.”

“These guys! You need to taste the club to come to your senses!”

As the magistrate slammed the desk and shouted, the silk merchants fled the government office.

“That magistrate… He’s definitely turned his back on us.”

“Then what should we do? Should we give up this year’s business and prepare for next spring’s business?”

“Stupid talk!”

One smart merchant yelled.

“Didn’t you hear that he’s selling it 10% cheaper? He’s selling all the silk he secured and our silk cheaply. It’s obvious that he’s going to hoard all our customers at this opportunity, do you think there will be a chance next spring?”

Only then did the merchants understand the situation. That guy’s intention is to ruin all the silk merchants.

“Th, then are we just going to be defeated like this?”

“We can’t do that. First, we need to find out who he is. He must be related to Gyeong-an Escort Bureau.”

“But… Gyeong-an Escort Bureau’s backer is the Black Moon… If we move recklessly, we’ll be the ones in trouble…”

“Why should we step up? We made a backer for times like this. We have to use them.”

At that moment, they all thought of the same name in their heads.

* * *

“Sect Leader Im. Think about how we’ve helped you so far without being stingy.”

“We’re not asking for difficult requests, are we? We’re just asking you to find out who he is!”

Lim Bon-jae, the sect leader of Changryong Sect (蒼龍門) [Azure Dragon Sect], couldn’t hide his troubled expression in front of the gathered silk merchants.

“He’s already received permission from the magistrate, and you said the price is cheap, didn’t you? Your situation is unfortunate, but how can I oppress a legitimate merchant?”

“Geez, you only pick out frustrating things to say. Sect Leader Im. Didn’t we clearly say? That guy is the one who is interfering with our escort and ruining our business! How can you say this is legitimate?”

“Hey! We’re not asking you to find that guy and kill him, are we? We’re just asking you to reveal his identity. We wouldn’t even ask for this favor anywhere else. We’re asking because that guy is related to Gyeong-an Escort Bureau. You know that too, right? That Gyeong-an Escort Bureau’s backer is the Mukdo Society [Black Moon Society]?”

“Yes. That’s why I’m hesitating. If something goes wrong even a little bit, a big dispute that can’t be undone will arise.”

One of the merchants, who was frustrated with Lim Bon-jae, who kept repeating that he was in trouble, ended up scratching the pride of the martial artist.

“Why? Are you scared?”

Lim Bon-jae’s eyebrows twitched at the single word “scared.”

“I know your intention to provoke me, but I hope you don’t put words that cross the line in your mouth.”

Lim Bon-jae glared sharply, but the merchant’s mouth didn’t stop.

“Sect Leader Im. Why should we see your fierce eyes? We’ve gone as far as we can go. If we ruin next spring’s business, we’ll all have to close down. That’s why we’re desperately asking for one last favor, grasping at straws. Do you still not understand?”

Realizing that it wasn’t a provocation but desperation, Sect Leader Lim Bon-jae respectfully put his hands together and bowed.

“I understand your difficulties well. Okay. Our Changryong Sect will do our best, however weak it may be.”

< Upright Sects of Kaifeng (1) > End