I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 45

When Yoo Jang-ju realized what Jo Gwang-yun meant, he was overcome with uncontrollable anger. Did he think Yoo Jang-ju was already ruined?

“You… You scoundrel… Get out of here!”

Before the agitated Yoo Jang-ju, Jo Gwang-yun spoke even more calmly.

“Yoo Jang-ju, you know better than anyone that a money lender whose transactions have ceased is already finished. In that case, wouldn’t the ledgers you used to run the money lender be nothing more than kindling?”

“Who says I’m finished! Hanam Money Lender is still going strong!”

“If you think there’s still a chance because you’re drunk, I understand, but if you’re saying that in your right mind, then I’ve come too early.”

Jo Gwang-yun quietly stood up.

“If you ever feel like selling those ledgers for a high price, come find me. But the price will drop every day.”

As he calmly bowed and was about to leave the room, Yoo Jang-ju stopped Jo Gwang-yun. It seemed he wasn’t drunk after all.

“What are you going to do with the ledgers you buy?”

“Just because I’m offering a high price doesn’t mean I’ll tell you what I’m going to use them for. Yoo Jang-ju, just ask about the amount.”

“How much will you pay?”

Perhaps because he was a merchant who handled money, his judgment was quick. He quickly realized that it was better to get as much money as possible rather than dwell on regret.

“I’ll offer you an extra hundred silver taels [a unit of Chinese currency] on top of what Daeryuk Money Lender is offering.”

“What?”

“I’ll offer an extra hundred silver taels for the ledger in Gaebong, and an extra fifty silver taels for the ledgers in the other five locations.”

Daeryuk Money Lender isn’t interested in Hanam Money Lender’s ledgers. If Hanam Money Lender closes, customers will naturally flock to Daeryuk Money Lender.

In the end, the value of Hanam Money Lender’s ledgers is three hundred and fifty taels.

“However, tomorrow it will be ninety-five silver taels. The day after tomorrow, it will be ninety taels.”

If Yoo Jang-ju is quick-witted, he’ll know that there’s only one person in the Central Plains who wants the ledgers, and he should hand them over right now.

Isn’t losing five silver taels a day a huge loss?

“Are you perhaps thinking of taking over Hanam Money Lender?”

He would run a money lender, but he had no intention of taking over a failed one.

“Not at all. If I were thinking of taking over Yoo Jang-ju’s money lender, I would have approached it differently. I’d have to take over all the money lenders in Hanam… Just for three hundred and fifty silver taels? I’m not a robber.”

Yoo Jang-ju’s expression was full of regret. If he were to take over the money lender, he could demand a large sum of money.

Moreover, realistically, Jo Gwang-yun was the only person who would spend a large sum to take over his money lender. Since the only person had refused, the last chance to get a large sum of money had disappeared.

With a long sigh, Yoo Jang-ju said,

“Will you keep the secret?”

“Of course. Isn’t it an unspoken promise among us merchants to prevent customers from noticing that we share information about them?”

“Come to the money lender in three days. I’ll hand over the ledgers.”

“By three days, you mean you’re going to copy the records of customers who haven’t withdrawn their money yet, right?”

“Of course. I’ll hand over the originals, so don’t worry.”

Jo Gwang-yun smiled and left Yoo Jang-ju’s house.

Perhaps Hanam Money Lender might not completely fail. It could continue to operate, barely making ends meet by trading with low-grade people who can’t use the money lender run by Jo Gwang-yun.

* * *

Jo Gwang-yun unfolded the ledgers.

As a money lender that had prospered in Hanam for a long time, Yoo Jang-ju was a meticulous merchant. He recorded the money deposited and withdrawn by customers without fail.

Jang Cheon-yang, seeing Jo Gwang-yun dividing the people who used the money lender into two categories, asked,

“Is the classification based on the amount of money?”

“No. I’m dividing them into customers who frequently deposit and withdraw money and those who don’t.”

“May I ask why?”

“Frequent withdrawals from the money lender mean it’s not spare money. They’re not very wealthy. They’re likely merchants or escort agencies [private security firms]. Wealthy people deposit their spare money, so there are hardly any withdrawals.”

“I understand what you mean. Then I’ll do it.”

“No. Mister Jang has other things to do.”

“Yes. Please tell me.”

“Go and ask the people who frequently deposit and withdraw money about the character of the people working at Hanam Money Lender. They’ve seen them often, so they should be able to evaluate them.”

“Is confirming their character and personality to absorb the decent ones among them?”

“That’s right. It’s a job that involves handling money. Once we take them into our fold, it’s hard to let them go easily. They know the details of the customers’ assets.”

“You mean we have to be selective from the beginning. I understand. I’ll quietly investigate.”

As Jang Cheon-yang left, the corners of Jo Gwang-yun’s lips turned up.

“You have to learn by working hard in the field at first. It’s too early to sit at a desk and comfortably shuffle papers. Hehe.”

* * *

Jo Family Money Lender Gaebong Main Branch was built with only a wall separating it from Jo Family Department Store.

The opening ceremony was held on the fifth floor of Jo Family Department Store, and only specially invited people were allowed to enter.

These were the people who had amassed enormous wealth, listed in Hanam Money Lender’s ledgers, and the department store’s ultra-VIP customers. Of course, most of them overlapped.

Jo Gwang-yun went up to the small platform, bowed politely, and opened his mouth.

“I would like to express my infinite gratitude to the dignitaries who have taken the difficult step to be here today.”

After finishing the customary greetings, Jo Gwang-yun uttered words that would shock not only the attendees but also the money lender’s staff.

“…Our Jo Family Money Lender aims to provide completely different benefits compared to existing money lenders. That is, we will not charge any storage fees at all.”

As soon as the words fell, the venue buzzed with excitement.

“However, this benefit of waiving storage fees is only available for amounts of five thousand silver taels or more.”

It was too radical a proposal, and the word ‘free’ often implied a scam. People’s faces were filled with distrust, wondering if they would lose their money.

“Then what is the storage fee for amounts under five thousand taels?”

Someone began to question.

“First of all, it’s not five thousand taels at once. Storage fees are waived from the moment the total amount you deposit exceeds five thousand taels. For amounts below that, it’s no different from Daeryuk Money Lender. However, we do not deal with amounts below five hundred taels.”

Jo Gwang-yun emphasized the words ‘five hundred taels’ and examined people’s expressions. As expected, there was no change.

The people invited today had to deposit the money they had recovered from Hanam Money Lender. They weren’t interested in five hundred taels or so, and they were people who had hidden thousands of taels deep inside their homes. Their only concern was the benefit of free storage fees.

“Jo Jang-ju [title for a head merchant]. Free… Honestly, it’s hard to believe.”

Pyo Dae-in, said to be the wealthiest man in Gaebong, stepped forward.

Rumors circulated that most of Gaebong’s fields belonged to him, and unbelievable stories spread that he had buried gold all over his house and even had to make a map.

Jo Gwang-yun smiled brightly at him. If he could persuade him, the rest would follow naturally.

“You’re probably thinking, ‘What are these guys up to?’ Haha.”

“Isn’t it natural to think that? How can you afford the storage costs without money? Perhaps the storage is very poor.”

“Dae-in [given name]. I clearly said it was a benefit.”

“A benefit?”

“Yes. Everyone here is a loyal customer of our Jo Family Department Store. They are our best customers. The waiver of storage fees is a benefit offered exclusively to you in the hope that you will continue to patronize Jo Family Department Store.”

The fact that they were already special but were being treated even more specially pleased them.

“I sincerely appreciate Jo Jang-ju’s special consideration. But what I want to ask about is safety. Hanam Money Lender and Daeryuk Money Lender alone have more than ten martial artists guarding the money lender. Where on earth will you store the money, and how will you handle security?”

Pyo Dae-in asked persistently. As long as it was safe, he wouldn’t mind how expensive the storage fees were. He had entrusted thousands or tens of thousands of taels, and it was better to pay high fees than to have them stolen by bandits.

“I cannot tell Dae-in the location. No, I cannot tell anyone.”

“What? What nonsense!”

His bewilderment was evident. At least in Gaebong, Pyo Dae-in was a figure few dared to meet eye to eye. Although his family had never held a high official position, they had more than made up for it with wealth.

Having grown up in an environment where no one disobeyed him, it was unfamiliar for him to be rejected to his face without hesitation.

“I apologize.”

With a face that didn’t look apologetic at all, Jo Gwang-yun continued his explanation.

“However, in terms of safety, it couldn’t be better.”

“Safer, you say?”

“That’s right. It’s safe from the risk of theft or the looting of bandits. In Hanam and Daeryuk Money Lenders, the money lender itself is the storage place for gold and silver. Everyone knows that there’s money somewhere in that money lender. The fact that the target is exposed means that the risk is greater. But our target is hidden. Even the clerks working at the money lender don’t know.”

Jo Gwang-yun’s voice was full of confidence.

“Even if a thief oppresses a clerk, there’s nothing they can tell them. Our safe storage starts with ‘no one knows.’ So, I hope Dae-in will understand with his generous heart.”

The statement that it would never be stolen was true.

He planned to spend all the money that the rich people entrusted to him. How could he be robbed of money he didn’t have?

End