Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 17

Nine Dragons Manor

After the Black Serpent Clan, which had established itself in Sanyang County, was mysteriously annihilated, many people visited Sanyang County to investigate, but they couldn’t determine who was responsible.

However, shortly after the Black Serpent Clan’s demise, a manor called Nine Dragons Manor was newly established in Sanyang County. Just as the Black Serpent Clan had once exerted influence, Nine Dragons Manor was also subtly making its presence felt.

“So, you’re saying Nine Dragons Manor is the most likely suspect?”

“Yes, but…”

“But?”

“None of them seem to have any martial arts prowess.”

A branch of the Hao Moon Clan was located in Sanyang County. Because of the county’s central location between Mount Hua and Mount Jongnam, it saw a lot of traffic, making it a good place for a branch. Their responsibility was to gather information and deliver it to the Hao Moon Clan’s headquarters.

“No one who has mastered martial arts?” Miok, the branch leader of the Hao Moon Clan’s Sanyang County branch, asked, puzzled.

“That’s right. None of the family members, including the manor lord, seem to have any martial arts skills. I heard the lord of Nine Dragons Manor protects merchants in the market from thugs, but he doesn’t seem to possess any internal energy [qi or vital force].”

“No internal energy? Could he be a master who has reached the state of Returning to Simplicity [a state where a martial artist’s skill is so refined it appears ordinary]?”

“I’m not sure. No one in our branch can recognize a master of that level.”

Branch leader Miok agreed. Her subordinates couldn’t possibly recognize someone with abilities she herself couldn’t perceive.

“Then, assuming they’re involved, who owns the land, residence, and businesses of the Black Serpent Clan?”

“I heard the lord of Nine Dragons Manor recently bought them from someone.”

“The lord of Nine Dragons Manor?”

“Yes. Songdeok, who manages the gambling den, told me so.”

The manager of the illegal gambling den run by the Black Serpent Clan was a member of the Hao Moon Clan.

The Hao Moon Clan is the sect with the most members in the Central Plains [the central region of China]. However, their limitation was that few of those members could be considered true martial arts masters.

Nevertheless, few sects in the Central Plains would openly ignore the Hao Moon Clan.

The reason was their unparalleled information-gathering ability.

“Are you sure about that? That Nine Dragons Manor annihilated the Black Serpent Clan and *took* it over, not bought it?”

“Songdeok said the lord of Nine Dragons Manor took over the business.”

“Okay. You may leave now.”

As the subordinate bowed and left, Miok was left alone in thought.

“The gambling den is illegal, so why take the risk and take it over? To make a lot of money?”

Illegal gambling dens make money, but operating them in a manor has more disadvantages than advantages because of periodic crackdowns, fines, and potential jail time.

“Among the Black Serpent Clan’s businesses, the legal ones are the inn and the brothel, and the illegal ones are loan sharking and the gambling den. If he took over the gambling den, he probably took over the inn, the brothel, and the loan sharking business as well.”

Since she was the madam of Osong House, a brothel, she could easily find out who had taken over the brothel.

“I can investigate the brothel myself. Since the Black Serpent Clan was annihilated, the Red Fox Clan in Sangnam County might be aiming for Sanyang County and plotting something.”

Miok thought that if the Red Fox Clan entered Sanyang County, she might be able to find out the truth about Nine Dragons Manor to some extent.

“I need to plant someone in Nine Dragons Manor.”

* * *

Hwarin met with Lee Do-baek, the lord of Seoan, the capital of Seoseo Province.

At first, Lord Lee Do-baek thought he might have been mistaken, but the nameplate Hwarin showed him clearly indicated the identity of the Ninth Prince, the ninth son of the Emperor.

The man called the Shadow Lord of the Imperial Palace came without any warning, which was surprising. On the other hand, he was taken aback by Hwarin’s appearance, which was completely different from what he had imagined.

“I am a little surprised that you are such a capable person, unlike what I have heard.”

“Until a few years ago, I lived up to those rumors. It took a long time to be able to see the light, hear the sound, and speak freely.”

“Hmm…”

“The reason I came to see you, Lord, is to ask for a favor.”

“Your Highness is asking me for help?”

“Actually, I am the ninth prince, but I have no intention of living as a prince.”

“Pardon?”

“My father, not wanting any disputes in the Imperial Palace because of me, allowed me to live as I choose. The nameplate is merely proof of my lineage.”

Lee Do-baek listened to Hwarin’s words and considered the current situation in the Imperial Palace. The Emperor was still healthy, and the first son, the Crown Prince, was competently handling political affairs. It was clear that the Crown Prince, Joo Mun-hyeon, would ascend to the throne as the next Emperor unless something unforeseen happened.

“I left the Imperial Palace and established Nine Dragons Manor in Sanyang County. My father gave me a house and land in Honam Province, but I sold them all and came to Seoseo Province to build a manor.”

“Are there any individuals causing you trouble in Sanyang County?”

“No, no. I can handle that myself. I’m just asking for your help with something I can’t resolve on my own.”

“What is it?”

“I had a conflict with a sect called the Black Serpent Clan in Sanyang County, and I ended up eliminating them.”

“The people of the Black Serpent Clan?”

“That’s right. Please consider it a matter of the martial world [江湖; jianghu]. They belonged to the evil faction, and I had no choice but to act because they were involved with the younger brother of someone who works at my store.”

Hwarin told the lord everything about himself and the Black Serpent Clan.

“So I took over their houses, land, and businesses.”

It was called a takeover, but it was simply annihilating the Black Serpent Clan and taking what they possessed.

Hwarin was once a soldier in the Fierce Tiger Death Squad. He had served there for five years, fighting in numerous wars and battles, and he believed it was natural to take spoils of war if he won. Therefore, he felt no guilt about taking everything the Black Serpent Clan had.

“But they were illegally running loan sharking and gambling dens.”

“They were running loan sharking and gambling dens?”

“Wasn’t it reported?”

“I have never received a report. It seems the magistrate of Sanyang County omitted it.”

Hwarin thought that while the lord called it an omission, the magistrate probably didn’t report it to protect his own interests.

“So what I would like to ask you, Lord, is to allow the legalization of loan sharking and gambling dens.”

“Loan sharking and gambling dens?”

“That’s right.”

Lord Lee Do-baek couldn’t readily agree to Hwarin’s request.

The further loan sharking and gambling dens are from the people, the better. It’s never good for the people to have these businesses nearby.

“I know what you’re worried about. But I can promise you that I will try to prevent the people from suffering as you fear. Look at this.”

Hwarin presented a kind of business plan to the lord.

“I will limit the amount of money that can be gambled per day to 100 nyang [a unit of currency]. And I plan to exchange the equivalent of 100 nyang for fake money that can be used only in the gambling den to enforce that limit.”

“Hmm…”

“As I wrote there, I plan to limit the money that can be won by gambling to 1,000 nyang.”

Lee Do-baek listened to Hwarin’s words and slowly read the business plan he had submitted.

“And I will use half of the net profit from the gambling den for the development of Seoseo Province.”

“For the development of Sanyang County? If you invest half of it, you won’t be making much money, will you, Prince?”

“I run several businesses, so I can use the money from there for various purposes.”

Lee Do-baek nodded.

“I plan to charge a maximum annual interest rate of 36%.”

“A maximum annual interest rate of 36%?”

“If you divide 36% by month, it becomes 3% per month. If you borrow 100 nyang, you will pay 3 nyang per month and 36 nyang per year as interest.”

Lee Do-baek looked at Hwarin.

He knew that private lenders charged more interest than this.

“Will there be anything left like this?”

“If you lend money to one person, there won’t be much left, but if you lend it to ten or a hundred people, won’t there be something left?”

In simple terms, he was saying he would do a high volume of business with a small profit margin.

“It’s a good idea, but it’s not easy. Even with your assurances, Prince, people can’t help but be greedy when money is involved.”

“That’s right. But if I don’t keep my promise, you can cancel the permission at any time, and I won’t object.”

“Hmm…”

“I’m sorry for coming suddenly and asking you for this favor. I will try not to be a burden to His Majesty the Emperor and you, Lord, while living in Sanyang County. So please trust me and grant me permission.”

It was a difficult request, but considering the Emperor and the Prince, he couldn’t refuse.

After much deliberation, Lee Do-baek finally decided to grant Hwarin’s request.

“Okay. But let’s write a contract, Prince.”

“Okay.”

The two men drew up a contract regarding loan sharking and gambling dens.

“Don’t misunderstand. Gambling dens are prohibited in the country, so even if I grant permission, I have to report it to the Imperial Palace.”

“I know.”

“And please be sure to follow the contract.”

“I won’t forget your grace, Lord, even if I forget everything else.”

Hwarin received permission for loan sharking and gambling dens and returned to Sanyang County. After that, Hwarin bought the land and buildings around the brothel run by the Black Serpent Clan.

After securing a sizable piece of land, Hwarin demolished the existing buildings and began constructing a new type of building on the large plot.

The people of Sanyang County were curious about what Nine Dragons Manor was doing, and they were interested in the building under construction, but the building wasn’t going to be completed quickly, so their interest soon waned.

“Currently, the businesses operated by this manor are inns, fabric shops, loan sharking, and gambling dens.”

The brothel wasn’t operating for the time being because the building was being demolished and rebuilt.

“What about the profits?”

“They’re coming in to some extent. The profits from loan sharking and gambling dens are steady, and the inn is slightly down. The sales of the fabric shop are increasing gradually, and if this continues, we will need to expand the fabric shop.”

“It seems Lady Danri Soso has considerable talent.”

“It seems Lady Danri Soso’s reputation is well-known in Sanyang County, not just her skills.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Her younger brother, Danri Hyeokjin, was holding Lady Danri Soso back, but now he is working diligently at the inn, so Lady Danri Soso’s true value is gradually being revealed.”

“That’s good. How is Ha No doing?”

“His chronic illness has worsened significantly, so I don’t think he will live much longer. The aftereffects of being beaten by the Black Serpent Clan’s bastards are severe.”

“Hmm, then there’s nothing we can do. Still, do your best to treat him. Don’t worry about the money.”

“But Lord, is it worth demolishing the brothel and building a new one?”

The chief manager asked.

“Of course. I lived in the military for five years and traveled to many places, including the border, overseas, and Saekmok countries [fictional country], and there is only one thing I saw, felt, and learned.”

The chief manager looked at Hwarin, his eyes questioning what that was.

“Seoseo Province has the Hwangha River [Yellow River], which starts in Shandong and flows through Honam, Shanxi, and Seoseo. Cities have developed along the river, and there are many temples such as Hwacheongji, Jongnu and Goru, Birim and Daeantap, Sireung and Geonneung [likely fictional temples or landmarks], and many people visit them every year.”

“That’s right.”

“But people just go to the places they want to go and then go back. What if we could bring them to Sanyang County where we are?”

“Hmm…”

“I went to a city in Saekmok country, and it was a really shabby city, but I saw a lot of people coming and going because of just one building that was built crookedly.”

“So, are you saying that you are going to build the new building like that, Lord?”

“I’m not going to build it crookedly, but I’m going to build a building that can represent our Sanyang County. Something amazing that people wouldn’t expect.”

“It’s not just about building a building, is it? If there was a river or lake here, we could do some other business with it as a draw, but…”

“Gambling den!”

“Pardon?”

The chief manager, looking at Hwarin with wide eyes, had an expression that asked for a proper explanation.

“I’m going to put the inn, the brothel, and the gambling den in one building and build it.”

“Hmm…”

“There are many gambling dens of that type overseas.”

“… !”

“If friends come and gamble, someone will win that money.”

“That’s right.”

“Then they go upstairs and drink with the courtesans with that money.”

The chief manager was surprised by Hwarin’s business plan.

“If we make it so that money can be spent inside the inn when it comes in, then even if someone wins money at the gambling den, they will spend it and leave, so we won’t have any losses.”

“That’s true.”

“It’s not ‘That’s true,’ it’s *going* to be like that.”