I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 46

I Will Start a Business in the Central Plains From Today On – Episode 46 (46/212)

The wealthy, unaware of Jo Gwang-yun’s plan, nodded, appearing relieved.

“I have one more thing to add,” Jo Gwang-yun said.

Jo Gwang-yun’s gaze shifted from Manager Pyo to the assembled group.

“The vouchers issued by Jo Family Exchange can now be used directly at Jo Family Department Store. You no longer need to convert vouchers into cash.”

Allowing vouchers to be used for purchases eliminated the need to carry cash. It was a clever tactic to encourage everyone to entrust all their funds, from petty cash to living expenses, to the exchange.

“Those of you here have large families and many mouths to feed. The amount you spend in a month is equivalent to an average household’s annual expenses…”

A conceited smile spread across their faces. The best way to flatter a rich man is to acknowledge his wealth.

“So, entrust it all to us. Even the silver you keep on hand, no matter how much, is still a large sum and can attract thieves. Vouchers are easy to store, like tucking them between the pages of a book, aren’t they? And since you can exchange them for silver anytime, it’s the same as keeping silver or vouchers.”

At this point, Manager Pyo interjected.

“Then, how about expanding the department store to include a wider range of goods?”

“Manager Pyo, I’m afraid I don’t follow your meaning. Could you elaborate?” Jo Gwang-yun asked, feigning ignorance.

“I mean, you should also handle everyday items like rice, wheat, meat, and vegetables. I feel uneasy every time I eat. When I eat a piece of meat, I can’t help but think that some lowly people I don’t even know have touched it.”

He was suggesting a large supermarket in addition to the department store.

Jo Gwang-yun wore a troubled expression.

“It’s not that I haven’t considered it, but there are significant obstacles.”

“Nonsense, what difficulties could a rich merchant like Head Jo possibly face?”

“To be honest, I’ve already petitioned the magistrate’s office, but they’ve forbidden the sale of grains. To provide the convenience you mentioned, we must have grains, but… it will be difficult.”

The ruling class prefers to maintain strict divisions between social classes. But no matter how high and thick the walls, the absence of essential goods like grains creates vulnerabilities.

“Who dares to dictate such terms? Does a mere official have the right to decide what is permissible and not permissible?” Manager Pyo exclaimed, ensuring everyone heard him.

It was a blatant display of his influence.

“Wait, Head Jo. I need to speak with the magistrate and challenge this decision.”

“We will support you, Manager Pyo,” others chimed in.

Everyone voiced their support, offering to lend their collective weight to Manager Pyo’s efforts.

Thanks to this, Jo Gwang-yun would be able to sell even daily necessities at inflated prices with minimal effort.

“I, Jo Gwang-yun, will not betray your expectations. I will create a more pleasant and cleaner place, inaccessible to the lower classes, and provide it exclusively for you.”

* * *

“H-Head. What do you mean? That there’s no need to store money?” Jang Cheon-yang stammered.

“Exactly as I said. Where is there money to store? There are so many places where money needs to be invested.”

“Are you really saying you’re going to use other people’s money?”

To spend the money entrusted by customers so freely? Wasn’t that kind of rumor the reason why the Hanam Exchange went bankrupt?

Jang Cheon-yang could hardly believe, and didn’t want to believe, that the person who spread the rumors was actually planning to do it himself.

“Master Jang, how much idle money do you think is sitting unused in the Central Plains?”

“Pardon?”

“The money, gold, and silver hidden away in the secret vaults of the rich. The rice rotting in the granaries. The silk being eaten by moths in chests. If these resources were put to use, the number of people starving and freezing to death would be reduced by half. Wouldn’t it?”

“Even so…”

“I’m not stealing other people’s money. I’m simply putting it to work.”

“Head Jo, that’s just sophistry.”

“Let me ask you. What is the most important function of an exchange?”

“Pardon?”

“Isn’t it to safeguard the money and return it when the depositors request it?”

“That’s right. But if you use it all up…”

“Whether I use it or not, the important thing is that there are no problems when they come to retrieve it, isn’t it?”

“That’s what I’m saying, it’s not possible.”

“There will be no problems, and it is possible. Jo Family Exchange will faithfully fulfill its primary function.”

Confidence radiated from Jo Gwang-yun’s face.

He was fully aware that his methods were unconventional and potentially risky, but he didn’t consider himself a thief.

Jo Gwang-yun held up three fingers to Jang Cheon-yang, who remained silent.

“Thirty percent.”

“Are you saying you’ll use thirty percent of the money entrusted by customers?”

“I’m saying I’ll only keep thirty percent in reserve.”

“What?”

“Don’t you understand that I only want to deal with the rich?”

Jang Cheon-yang answered weakly.

“I understand. You’re simply reallocating the idle money, gold, and silver of the wealthy, aren’t you? It’s money that will remain in Jo Family Exchange for an extended period, so it’s acceptable to use it as needed. The thirty percent is just a safety net.”

At this point, Jang Cheon-yang felt he could entrust the exchange to Jo Gwang-yun.

“Master Jang.”

“Yes, Head.”

“From now on, you need to reduce the thirty percent reserve to ten percent. You must accomplish that task. Keep that in mind.”

“Does that mean…?”

“It means I want you to take responsibility and manage the exchange… Why? Are you not confident?”

Jang Cheon-yang, who had been hesitant, bowed his head.

“I will do my utmost…”

“Don’t make empty promises, just perform well. You must achieve the goal. If, and I mean if, someone discovers that the exchange only has thirty percent of the money stored, I will claim that Master Jang stole all the missing funds.”

“What? You mean I’ll take the blame?”

Jang Cheon-yang was dumbfounded by the absurd statement.

“Of course. This is called cutting off the lizard’s tail [sacrificing a part to save the whole]. Remember that.”

Jo Gwang-yun remained impassive.

“People believe in me. A great merchant who earns a tremendous amount of money and generously reinvests it into the prosperity of the merchants. Yet, he lives in a simple room in the security agency without a proper manor.”

It wasn’t entirely untrue.

“On the other hand, a descendant of a fallen family who entered the merchant world to make some money, but whose judgment was clouded by the sight of a large sum of money and who embezzled customers’ funds. Doesn’t that sound plausible?”

“In the end, you summoned me here to exploit me?”

“Summoned you? Who came here of their own volition?”

Jang Cheon-yang couldn’t meet Jo Gwang-yun’s piercing gaze and lowered his head.

“Master Jang said it himself, didn’t he? The imperial family and the court are rife with vicious slanders and dirty schemes. It’s the same here. Use and discard, then join forces again. So, Master Jang, become someone valuable enough for me to use endlessly. Then, in the end, you will enjoy wealth and glory that even the emperor has never experienced.”

Jang Cheon-yang raised his head again. The word ‘endlessly’ resonated with him, carrying a new weight.

* * *

Vouchers come in two types: those with the amount left blank and those with the most frequently traded amount pre-printed.

These vouchers are produced as if printed by gathering scribes in a fixed location. Of course, they must undergo thorough inspection when entering and leaving to prevent them from stealing the vouchers.

This time, the scrutiny was particularly intense, but it was bearable. But as they were about to begin working, something unusual occurred.

Dozens of scribes exchanged glances, hoping someone would step forward and inquire. They had extensive experience creating vouchers for the exchange, but this was a first.

One scribe, unable to contain his curiosity, spoke up.

“Um… what exactly is this? It doesn’t resemble a letter or a picture…”

“It’s the Jo Family Exchange’s mark. Practice until you can replicate it perfectly.”

“Don’t you usually use a seal for the exchange’s mark?”

“Of course, we’ll also stamp a seal. Now, now… don’t ask any more questions and practice diligently.”

Jang Cheon-yang observed the scribes practicing for a while and then quietly slipped away.

In truth, he wasn’t yet familiar with the mark himself, so he needed to study it further.

“Jo Gwang-yun… this guy is a true genius. How can he create a writing system with over ten thousand possible combinations using only twenty-four symbols?”

Jang Cheon-yang studied the Korean alphabet [Hangul] that Jo Gwang-yun had taught him and recalled his words.

“We are the only ones who use these symbols. It will be a serial code that can identify the place where the voucher was issued and the range of the issued amount.”

The serial number at the bottom of the voucher incorporated Korean characters, the Latin alphabet, and Arabic numerals.

Jang Cheon-yang quickly grasped the principle of Arabic numerals, and after studying the principles of Korean for several days, he understood the basics.

But he couldn’t decipher the alphabet at all.

“Those symbols are not that important. Just memorize them, as they only confirm the issuer.”

Jang Cheon-yang had to memorize the twenty-six letters of the alphabet without knowing their pronunciation or meaning.

End