Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 181

Ninth Dragon Chronicles (181)

Business

Seo Dae-young was speechless as he watched people who had eaten dog testicles, mistaking them for sea dog penises as Hwa-rin had predicted, come to Hwa-rin, unable to contain their excitement, and rave about the effects.

“I told you, those people can’t tell the difference between sea dog penises and dog testicles.”

“But are they really getting better?”

“The ingredients are similar, and the relationship between men and women is a mental issue, not a physical one.”

“What does that mean?”

“I have a book I got from Sonaeeumsa [a fictional temple], and it says so in that book. The harmony of yin and yang is not just about physical relations, but about mentally recognizing and sharing emotions first.”

“Where can I get that book?”

Hwa-rin pulled his hand from the air, and a book appeared in his hand from nowhere.

“Read it and return it. I’m going to meet an important guest, so don’t look for me during the day.”

Seo Dae-young took the book and answered absentmindedly. As Hwa-rin left, he looked at the cover of the book.

“Kama Sutra…”

Seo Dae-young turned the cover of the book.

“Hmm… He’s been reading this good book alone all this time.”

A mysterious smile appeared on his face.

Meanwhile, Hwa-rin, who went to meet the guest, met an unexpected person.

“It’s been a while, Myungwang [Underworld King, Hwa-rin’s war name].”

The person who met Hwa-rin called him by his war name, knowing who he was.

“Have you been well, Acting Head of the Daeri Family?”

“Thanks to Myungwang wiping out the Pacheon Blood Sect [a fictional martial arts sect] and several other sects five years ago, the main family was able to escape from the threat.”

Hwa-rin and the Daeri family’s relationship went back five years.

At that time, the Daeri family was accumulating enormous wealth by producing marble, and the Pacheon Blood Sect, which wielded great power in Yunnan Province, sought the Daeri family’s marble, causing a crisis. The Pacheon Blood Sect pressured the Daeri family to the point of annihilation.

Daeri Myeonghan, the head of the Daeri family, used his friendship with Prince Heungchin, Joo Young-ho, to ask for help. Joo Young-ho judged that if luxury goods such as marble fell into the hands of the Pacheon Blood Sect, they could gain enormous funds and threaten the Central Plains [historical region of China], so he sent the Mengho Sasahyeoljeondae [a fictional military unit] to wipe out the Pacheon Blood Sect.

At that time, the Mengho Sasahyeoljeondae turned over even the cornerstone of the Pacheon Blood Sect, wiping out their lineage, and also attacked and weakened sects in Yunnan Province that had stronger power than the Daeri family.

Since then, the Daeri family has been managing their power to prevent forces that could threaten them from appearing, at least in Yunnan Province.

“It is good to manage continuously. Cancerous beings grow from the shadows, so it is good to check them from time to time.”

“We are doing so.”

“But why did you ask to see me?”

In fact, Daeri Myeonghan asked Hwa-rin for a meeting, not Hwa-rin came to meet Daeri Myeonghan.

“I didn’t expect to meet you here, and I felt like I hadn’t properly expressed my gratitude for the past, so I asked for a meeting for both reasons.”

“Ah…”

“I have prepared a place, so let’s go.”

Daeri Myeonghan moved the place with Hwa-rin, leaving Prince Heungchin’s residence and going to Hwaryeonhwaru, a fairly famous courtesan house in Seongdo [present-day Chengdu, China].

When they went there, a table of drinks and courtesans were waiting.

“Dismiss the courtesans.”

“Why?”

“I came out of the military and am doing this kind of business. Maybe that’s why I’m a little reluctant to drink with courtesans.”

“Ah…”

Daeri Myeonghan listened to Hwa-rin’s words and dismissed the courtesans.

As the courtesans left, Hwa-rin used his internal energy to create a barrier so that the conversation between the two would not leak out.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know if I’ve ruined the head of the family’s mood because of me.”

“No, it’s not. Actually, I don’t like courtesans being present either. I’m just calling them because I don’t know their tastes when I meet people.”

Hwa-rin listened to Daeri Myeonghan’s words and thought that most people who do business would be like that.

“But I can’t believe that Myungwang is doing this kind of business.”

“It just happened that way.”

“Where are you doing it? If I have something to stop by, I’ll stop by.”

“I’m doing business in Shanxi Province. I’m running Guryongnu [Nine Dragons Building], as well as nearby brothels, red houses [another term for brothels], inns, fabric shops, courier companies, and pawnshops.”

Daeri Myeonghan opened his eyes wide and asked again.

“Guryongnu, you mean the one in Guryongjang [Nine Dragons Manor] in Shanxi…”

Hwa-rin nodded and replied.

“I am the head of Guryongjang.”

“Ah…”

Daeri Myeonghan finally understood something.

“I’ve heard rumors. That the head of a mere manor fought with a huge group called the Sahyeolmaeng [Four Blood Alliance] and caused enormous damage.”

“In the end, I lost. Thanks to that, I was sealed for five years, and I can’t get involved in the affairs of the martial arts world.”

“Although it was a defeat in the end, it’s like a win for Guryongjang, isn’t it? It gained continental fame in an instant and became known as a first-class manor beyond first-class, so when the seal is lifted, the influence afterwards will be beyond words.”

As Daeri Myeonghan said, Guryongjang was already in a state where its reputation was rising enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with Jongnam Sect [a fictional martial arts sect] and Hwasan Sect [a fictional martial arts sect].

“I heard that a daughter of the Namgung family was with you.”

“Yes. Namgung Suyeon is a junior in the military. She also has great martial arts skills, so I got a lot of help this time.”

“It’s a family where geniuses appear so much that the saying ‘the best family in the world’ is naturally accepted.”

Daeri Myeonghan spoke as if he envied the Namgung family.

Yunnan Province, Qinghai Province, and Liaoning Province are lands of the Central Plains, but they are treated as border areas.

Therefore, it was also true that the families and manors that settled in these places were treated as alienated compared to the families and manors that settled in other provinces, even if their families were strong.

In fact, among the ten great families in the Central Plains, there were many families that were so shabby that they could not be compared to the Daeri family.

“In my opinion, they are not geniuses, but hard workers. I don’t know about others, but Namgung Suyeon is really a result of her own efforts. Of course, she has some talent, but it’s more about effort than talent.”

“Ah, is that so?”

“I’ve been watching her from the side, so that’s my assessment of her.”

“Still, I’m envious. Here, have a drink.”

Daeri Myeonghan poured a drink for Hwa-rin, and Hwa-rin also filled Daeri Myeonghan’s empty glass. After taking a drink together and putting down the glass, Hwa-rin asked.

“I heard that the head of the family lent money to Hwamyeong Merchant Group with their fields as collateral.”

“That’s right. They said they were in a difficult situation, so I did so. But I couldn’t lend it without collateral, so I received the fields as collateral.”

“Do you know why their financial situation has deteriorated?”

“I don’t know the reason for that. But I know that they have experienced several bad things.”

“The fact that the Hwamyeong Merchant Group, which had been running well, suddenly experienced such a thing means that their relationship with someone is uncomfortable.”

Daeri Myeonghan looked at Hwa-rin.

“Could it be that you are involved with Myungwang?”

Hwa-rin nodded and filled his empty glass with alcohol.

“They targeted my Guryongnu first.”

Daeri Myeonghan nodded at the words that Hwamyeong Merchant Group targeted Guryongnu, having heard of the rumors about Guryongnu.

“And they were after my life.”

“Heot, they must be crazy.”

It was a natural reaction from Daeri Myeonghan’s point of view, who knew what kind of person Hwa-rin was.

“As you know, I’m not the type to just sit back and take it, so I took action against Hwamyeong Merchant Group, and as a result, Hwamyeong Merchant Group is now experiencing difficulties.”

Daeri Myeonghan thought that Hwa-rin was giving him a warning.

“I understand. I will withdraw from the Hwamyeong Merchant Group. I will no longer help the Hwamyeong Merchant Group.”

The Hwa-rin he knew was not the type to handle things so gently.

‘Is it because society is different from the military, so he has to be aware of the eyes watching and handle it over time like this?’

He was a person who had the ability to turn Hwamyeong Merchant Group into ashes in an instant if he set his mind to it. So, wasn’t that why he was able to fight against the huge force called Sahyeolmaeng and be safe?

“Pass the fields that Hwamyeong Merchant Group entrusted to the head of the family to me. I will pay you the right price.”

Daeri Myeonghan flinched.

“This is a matter of merchant’s credit.”

“Don’t worry. Hwa Jeong-soo will not be able to repay the money he borrowed from the head of the family.”

“What do you mean?”

“I have no intention of leaving Hwamyeong Merchant Group and Hwa Jeong-soo alone. They will ask you for a grace period for the money they borrowed and ask for more time, so sell me those fields.”

Daeri Myeonghan picked up the glass, drank it in one gulp, and answered Hwa-rin’s question.

“Still, it’s a matter of trust. It’s not that I don’t trust Myungwang, but my conscience as a merchant is pricked. If Hwa Jeong-soo comes out like Myungwang said, then I will sell the fields at a cheap price.”

“I understand.”

“Hwa Jeong-soo, that friend is becoming pitiful. How did he get involved with Myungwang…”

“There are not many people who know who I am. The head of the family knows better why, doesn’t he?”

Daeri Myeonghan recalled how Hwa-rin’s reputation was made.

It was known that no one who received his visit lived, so he was called the King of the Underworld, Myungwang. So it was natural that few people knew about him.

“If I may be so bold, if I mediate, can you forgive that friend Hwa Jeong-soo?”

“You’re saying something difficult. When you covet someone else’s things, you have to bet your own. The other party was after my life. In return, Seokcheonmun [Stone Sky Gate, a fictional sect], Eumsa Sect [Yin Serpent Sect, a fictional sect], Hyeolsapa [Blood Evil Faction, a fictional sect]…”

Hwa-rin listed the names of the sects that were destroyed in his hands and said.

“Many sect members were killed because of his greed. But if I accept it now because the head of the family is mediating, wouldn’t only those who died in my hands be wronged?”

It was natural from Hwa-rin’s point of view.

“I’m also a human being, and I’m full of the desire to live, so if someone stronger than me or a force comes forward and threatens to kill me and mediates, I might think about it, but otherwise, I won’t be able to change my mind.”

He had guessed, but after hearing Hwa-rin’s answer, it seemed that Hwa Jeong-soo had crossed the river that he could not return.

‘Well, who would have thought that Myungwang would do business? Should I tell him that other merchant groups are targeting Hwa Jeong-soo’s grain distribution?’

He briefly pondered whether to tell him about the fact that the owners of several merchant groups had approached him, targeting Hwa Jeong-soo’s fields.

‘They’ll take care of their own problems. More than that, I need to solve my own problems first.’

Daeri Myeonghan told the reason why he asked to meet Hwa-rin.

“Does Myungwang know that martial artists from the border and Saeoe [foreign lands] have entered the Central Plains?”

“Yes. I’ve met them by chance.”

“Ah, then please help me.”

“Help the head of the family?”

Daeri Myeonghan took out an object from his arms, which was a vajra [a ritual weapon] used in Buddhist exorcism rituals.

It looked like an old object, and Hwa-rin could feel a strange energy from the vajra. It was a completely different energy from the general power of breaking.

“It’s an object with a sealed eerie power.”

“You recognize it. It’s a vajra with the power of a demon sealed in it. It’s an object from Sonaeeumsa.”

Hwa-rin asked why the object from Sonaeeumsa was in the Daeri family.

“Why is that in the Daeri family?”

“It’s a long time ago. One of the ancestors of the main family was a secular disciple of Sonaeeumsa. So when the main family settled in Yunnan Province, there was a time when they borrowed the power of Sonaeeumsa.”

Daeri Myeonghan told how the Daeri family was able to settle in Yunnan Province.

“That happened.”

“I heard that there are seven treasures of Sonaeeumsa. Recently, monks from Sonaeeumsa seem to have entered the Central Plains to recover these treasures.”

“Are they strong enough to threaten the Daeri family?”

“All the martial artists of the main family were defeated.”

“That happened?”

“But the strange thing is that the wounds on the martial artists of the main family were general sword wounds. They were sword wounds suffered in a defenseless state, not wounds caused by martial arts.”

“Sword wounds suffered in a defenseless state?”

“So the main family is predicting that magic was used.”

Hwa-rin narrowed his eyes at the word magic.

“Are you talking about the magic of the Baegyo [White Lotus Sect, a religious sect]?”

“I don’t know. But since it’s not a scar caused by martial arts, I’m just guessing that they used the magic of the Baegyo or the Tantric sect.”