I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 51

Jang Cheon-yang saw Jo Gwang-yun’s tightly closed lips and raised eyes and hurriedly spoke.

“Lord Jo, you’re not thinking of doing something rash, are you?”

“Rash? What do you mean?”

“I’m talking about your other method… the sword.”

“The sword? Are you suggesting I kill the magistrate? Shouldn’t I? Our entire foundation is at risk.”

Suddenly, Jang Cheon-yang prostrated himself on the floor, pleading. His desperation was clear.

“Magistrate Yun is an exceptional man. Beyond his academic achievements, he possesses vast knowledge of medicine, various studies, astronomy, geography, construction, and more. He’s a great talent who could do great things for the country.”

Jang Cheon-yang, coming from the same scholarly background, saw things differently than Jo Gwang-yun.

“Listen carefully. We don’t need to protect anyone’s personality, scholarship, honor, or life. We must protect those who help us and eliminate those who hinder our work.”

“I’m saying this because he might be helpful to us.”

“How?”

“As I reported, the direct reason Magistrate Yun was appointed to Gaebong is a conflict with a eunuch [a castrated male servant in the imperial court].”

*If* he had a conflict with the eunuchs, he must have denounced the selling of official positions. Even if he couldn’t tolerate injustice, he should have avoided the eunuchs.

The only ones who maintain a human relationship with the emperor are the eunuchs. So, the eunuchs had immense power until the emperor died.

“If he’s out of favor with the eunuchs, Gaebong won’t be his final destination; he’ll be exiled to an even more remote village.”

“So, you’re saying we should cower until he’s exiled? Mr. Jang, we’ll be ruined long before the magistrate is exiled to some backwater.”

“That’s not what I mean. Magistrate Yun himself knows he’ll likely be exiled to a more remote place. I don’t know if he has already given up, but he is still young. He must be biding his time.”

Jo Gwang-yun understood Jang Cheon-yang’s intention.

“Are you suggesting we make a deal with him?”

“Yes. Wouldn’t the best outcome be for Magistrate Yun to return to central politics?”

Having a strong connection in the central government would be beneficial, as Jang Cheon-yang said.

“Lord Jo’s business is expanding throughout the Jungwon [Central Plains of China], so we need to start building ties with the court. Nurturing someone like Yun Ju-seong isn’t a bad idea.”

“It’s a good idea, but you’ve missed a few things.”

Jo Gwang-yun’s voice became calm again.

“What is it?”

“Yun Ju-seong must have desires and be realistic enough to accept methods and means that aren’t entirely just. But based on what we know so far, isn’t that unlikely?”

Silence. Jang Cheon-yang hadn’t considered that.

“And if Magistrate Yun becomes a proper politician for the people based on his excellent scholarship, as you said, will his political life last long? A politician who cares for the people cannot defeat those driven by greed.”

There was something Jo Gwang-yun couldn’t bring himself to say to Jang Cheon-yang.

The simple truth that merchants can only become wealthy if politicians are corrupt.

“Let’s observe him a little longer. Mr. Jang, investigate and examine Magistrate Yun more closely. But don’t judge him based on his character. You must judge only whether he will hinder or help our path forward.”

“I understand. But what about the magistrate’s order?”

“What do you mean? We have to ignore it and endure until we can make a judgment.”

“Is that possible?”

“The magistrate won’t check directly anyway. He’ll send an official to check… They’ll report what I want them to report. Just in case, we should close the doors today. Tell the magistrate that we’re reorganizing to avoid confusion, and tell the guests that we’re closed for internal repairs for a day.”

Jo Gwang-yun spoke to Jang Cheon-yang with emphasis.

“I don’t know how long we can last. So, Mr. Jang, you must finish the investigation of Magistrate Yun quickly. Do you understand how important this is?”

“Yes, I’ll hurry.”

* * *

A few days later, Jang Cheon-yang visited Jo Gwang-yun.

“The new magistrate is drinking alcohol every night.”

“Alcohol?”

“Yes. He can’t fall asleep unless he’s drunk.”

The great man who had scolded him so fiercely a few days ago was falling into a drunken stupor every night? Jo Gwang-yun let out a hollow laugh, dumbfounded.

“What a strange person. If he were such a man of great character as you said, there’s no way he would be like that. What else?”

“Yes?”

“I’m talking about gisaengs [female entertainers]. Does he seek out women?”

“Ah, yes. He doesn’t allow gisaengs to come near him.”

He drinks alone without women? He must be suppressing his resentment. As expected, the same words came out of Jang Cheon-yang’s mouth.

“The reason he drinks every night is because he’s lamenting his fate and filled with anger.”

“Is that your opinion? Or is it a fact?”

“It’s what the government slaves who take care of the magistrate’s residence are saying. When he’s drunk, he curses the rat-like eunuchs of the imperial family and mourns that he can’t fulfill his dreams and is withering away like this.”

A man who entered government service with the ambition of rising high, but fell into the abyss in an instant. There must be a fire burning in his heart.

Jo Gwang-yun paused for a moment and spoke.

“Mr. Jang, you need to dig into his family tree one more time.”

“Yes?”

Jang Cheon-yang blinked at Jo Gwang-yun’s unexpected words.

“Meet the magistrate as a descendant of a noble family, not a merchant, and simply tell him that I want to see him once. But secretly, without anyone knowing.”

“You’re not just telling him; you have to make the secret meeting happen, right?”

“Needless to say.”

Jang Cheon-yang still didn’t fully grasp what it meant to meet secretly without anyone knowing.

* * *

“The magistrate said he would come to Lord Jo’s residence tonight.”

Jang Cheon-yang’s face was full of pride at having accomplished a great task.

“To my residence? Not a brothel?”

“He said he doesn’t like going to such places.”

He’s applying double standards. He’s okay with a rich merchant, but not a brothel.

“What was he like?”

Jang Cheon-yang thought for a moment and replied briefly.

“I saw the desire that hasn’t disappeared from his eyes.”

“For success…?”

“I saw it as a desire to fulfill his ambitions rather than that. Success is just a means, not a goal.”

“Then I’ll gladly be the means. You did a really good job this time. Thank you for your hard work.”

As Jang Cheon-yang stepped back, Jo Gwang-yun moved busily.

He cleaned the residence thoroughly and prepared a neat table with drinks. But he didn’t prepare gold. Because the bribe he was going to give today wasn’t money, but a connection to power.

He also called Gu Seung at sunset.

“Go out to the main road and escort the magistrate when he arrives. Answer briefly if the magistrate asks anything.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You have to be careful if there are people watching around.”

“I understand.”

“And you have to escort the magistrate again when he returns. So, stand by.”

Gu Seung lowered his voice.

“When you say escort…?”

“Whether it’s the road back to the government office or the road to the afterlife will depend on his choice.”

“I understand. I’ll be back.”

Gu Seung took a lamp and went outside.

Magistrate Yun, walking slowly and relying on the moonlight and starlight, discovered a faint lamp and approached.

“Did Lord Jo send you?”

Gu Seung bowed his head and took the lead.

The magistrate, who had been walking silently for a while, spoke.

“Does Lord Jo reside within the Gyeong’an Security Bureau [likely a business establishment or compound]?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I heard he’s an incredibly wealthy man, but how is that?”

“I do not know.”

Realizing that he meant not to say anything, the magistrate said nothing until he arrived at Jo Gwang-yun’s residence.

When Gu Seung and the magistrate arrived at Gyeong’an Security Bureau, Jo Gwang-yun was standing outside the gate.

“I’m honored that you’ve taken such a difficult step to visit me.”

“The people asked the magistrate to come, so I had to come. Especially if it’s a request from a tycoon who controls the commercial power of Gaebong, I have to go even further.”

*I* still don’t know what the magistrate’s intentions are.

People and tycoon.

Jo Gwang-yun wondered which one the magistrate thought of him as.

“Please come inside. I’ve prepared a simple table with drinks.”

As they entered the security bureau, Jo Gwang-yun gestured to Gu Seung, and Gu Seung disappeared quietly.

In front of Jo Gwang-yun’s small residence, the magistrate said.

“They say merchants shouldn’t brag about making a lot of money, right?”

“There’s no one in Gaebong who doesn’t know that I make a lot of money.”

“Then, now that it’s known, why don’t you prepare a luxurious manor?”

“It’s just a matter of efficiency. I’m a guy who lives alone, so I only need a place to lie down, and I’m always out and about, so there’s no use in having a big house.”

“Efficiency…?”

“It’s one of the most important issues for merchants.”

As he entered the room, the magistrate looked around.

“I apologize for having you in such a shabby place. If you were uncomfortable with the public eye, I could have emptied a brothel so that people wouldn’t be seen coming here.”

“No. The place where people live tells you about the person. Seeing that there’s not a single book, I realize it’s a merchant’s residence.”

Magistrate Yun plopped down on the floor, picked up a bottle of alcohol, looked for a glass, and looked puzzled.

“Why is there only one glass?”

“How dare I share a table with you? I’ll pour you a drink.”

“There are only two of us here. Are you telling me to drink alone boringly?”

“I heard you drink alone.”

Jo Gwang-yun provoked him slightly, but the magistrate didn’t show any particular reaction.

“I don’t call gisaengs. It’s good to stay away from women. Can’t you bring another glass quickly?”

Jo Gwang-yun brought a teacup from the desk.

“Have a drink.”

“No. I’ll go first…”

“It’s okay.”

The magistrate brushed off Jo Gwang-yun’s hand and poured the alcohol himself.

The stern appearance from a few days ago was nowhere to be seen, and he was treating him like a close friend.

Jo Gwang-yun even wondered if he had already had a deep conversation with Jang Cheon-yang because of his very different appearance.

After drinking a couple of glasses in a row, the magistrate asked.

“Is it common for the descendants of noblemen to be under the control of merchants?”

He must be talking about Jang Cheon-yang.

“There are often young people who dream of becoming rich rather than becoming officials. In reality, it’s because getting a government post is so difficult.”

“If you’re buried in the countryside and no one recognizes you, that’s probably the case. By the way, Jang Cheon-yang said that if you had studied, you would have been one of the top talents in Jungwon.”

“That friend said unnecessary things. I’m just good at managing wealth and have some better business skills.”

“The officials at the government office were also saying that? They say you’re brilliant and the words that come out of your mouth are like those of a sage. The rumors of your brilliance are widespread.”

“Rumors tend to be exaggerated. Don’t you know that well?”

Jo Gwang-yun provoked the magistrate once again. He didn’t meet him to chat unnecessarily.

“That’s a meaningful statement. Why? Were the rumors about me exaggerated?”

“I don’t know because there’s no way to confirm the rumors. What do you think, sir? Do you think the reputation of you that has spread in the world is true?”

“I don’t care about the reputation about me, so I don’t know. I just act as I think is right.”

“You don’t think other people’s opinions are important.”

Jo Gwang-yun politely filled Magistrate Yun’s glass.

“If you are armed with knowledge and practice benevolence, righteousness, and etiquette, there is no reason to be conscious of other people’s opinions.”

“You are a nobleman, sir.”

Magistrate Yun Ju-seong fully felt that Jo Gwang-yun’s words of nobleman were not meant to be respectful.

“Do rich merchants think differently?”

“Merchants always have to be aware of the customer’s opinions and care about their reputation. If their reputation falls, they have to close their business.”

“And?”

“Yes? What do you mean by and?”

“You seem to have more to say.”

“Isn’t that why you requested a private meeting to talk to me?”

It’s finally time to talk about the main point.

End