Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 184

구룡전기 (184)

The morning sunlight streamed through the window, and Hwa-rin, looking refreshed from a good night’s sleep, rose from his bedding and sat down at a nearby table.

Tea utensils were laid out on the table, and he skillfully prepared the tea.

Using his internal energy to heat the water, he brewed a tea with a deep, rich aroma that filled the room.

“The flavor is definitely deeper when you heat it with internal energy.”

As Hwa-rin savored the tea, he suddenly thought of the trainees from the Assassin Clan undergoing training in the nameless cave of Mount Oh.

“I wonder how those guys are doing. I hope they’re not wandering around the Illusionary Formation, missing meals because they’re so clueless.”

As the one who set up the Illusionary Chaos Maze Formation [a complex magical trap], he knew its terrors better than anyone.

“I told Protector Lee to keep a close eye on them, so he’ll take good care of them.”

Hwa-rin had set up the Illusionary Chaos Maze Formation, but Lee Do-moon was responsible for overseeing the training.

Lee Do-moon’s task was to monitor the training according to Hwa-rin’s orders and to take care of any stragglers, ensuring that no one died within the Illusionary Chaos Maze Formation.

“I hope they don’t try to kill me when they come out of training, threatening me and all. Sa Do-joon might actually do it.”

Hwa-rin spent his time drinking tea alone, lost in thought.

“Well, if they’re strong enough to kill me, it means the golden age of assassins is dawning.”

Hwa-rin leisurely finished his tea and changed his clothes.

“Today, I should go and upset Hwa Jung-soo. Since they said they’ll attempt an assassination when I leave the Wang estate tomorrow, he’ll probably be sneering at me, seeing me so cheerful.”

Hwa-rin chuckled, imagining Hwa Jung-soo’s face twisting in frustration when the Sword Demon Baek Jung-in failed in his assassination attempt tomorrow.

“Well, shall I go have breakfast and get moving?”

* * *

“I’m currently supplying grains to the Eight Route Water Army. Supplying military supplies has turned out to be more lucrative than I thought. So, I became interested in the grain distribution business and started looking into it.”

“But isn’t Hwa-myung Merchant Group supposed to supply grains to the Eight Route Water Army?”

“Due to several grain theft incidents, they couldn’t deliver the grains on time, so they had no choice but to find another supplier, and I happened to step in.”

“Really?”

“You can easily find out if I’m lying with just one phone call. Why would I bother lying? Besides, I’m the head of the Nine Dragons Manor. I have a pretty good reputation in Shanxi Province for my integrity, honor, trustworthiness, and reasonable prices.”

“Ah!”

Although they lost the battle against the Blood Oath Alliance, the Nine Dragons Manor ultimately benefited from it.

The Nine Dragons Manor instantly became a top-tier manor, making its name known throughout the Central Plains. The name “Nine Dragons Manor” became widely known not only among martial artists but also among merchants and ordinary people.

Perhaps that’s why the Nine Dragons Pavilion, the flagship business of the Nine Dragons Manor, was packed with people, and nearby businesses were also thriving due to the increased foot traffic.

Shanxi Province, which had little to boast about, was seeing a gradual increase in visitors as the Nine Dragons Pavilion became known as a tourist attraction thanks to the fame of the Nine Dragons Manor.

Hwa-rin was actively using this fame to promote the Nine Dragons Manor and obtain what he needed, meeting with landowners and those who ran ironworks and lumberyards, engaging in broad exchanges.

There was someone who looked at Hwa-rin with displeasure: Hwa Jung-soo.

“I heard that other merchant groups also met with the landowners and told them the same story as you. Is that not true?”

Hwa-rin mentioned the Three Thousand Merchant Group and the Two Yang Merchant Group, asking the landowners if they, too, were showing interest in the failing Hwa-myung Merchant Group’s grain distribution.

“Wouldn’t we, who supply grains to the Eight Route Water Army, be able to continuously purchase grains from you, rather than the Sichuan Merchant Group or the Two Yang Merchant Group, which don’t even have secured clients yet?”

“Hmm.”

“If we supply good grains to the Eight Route Water Army, we’ll also have the opportunity to supply the Heungchin Royal Guard and the Yongchin Royal Guard. If the princes ask the Prince Youngchin’s estate about the quality of the grains I supply and give a good word, wouldn’t that put us in a much more advantageous position compared to other competing merchant groups?”

Hwa-rin was using his eloquent speech to persuade the landowners to buy the grains produced from their fields.

“Hmph, who’s saying our merchant group is failing!”

Hwa Jung-soo interrupted Hwa-rin and the landowners’ conversation.

“Then is it not true? Is the rumor that you mortgaged your fields to the Daeryuk Bank and borrowed money because you couldn’t repay the money you borrowed from the Daeryuk Battlefield false?”

“I borrowed money because I needed it. I’ve already paid back all the money I borrowed from the Daeryuk Battlefield.”

Hwa Jung-soo glared fiercely at Hwa-rin.

“Let’s say that’s true. Since the supply to the Eight Route Water Army has been canceled, and you’ve sold your stores and mortgaged your fields, do you still have any sources of income left?”

Hwa-rin smirked as he spoke.

“Ah, there was smuggling and human trafficking, wasn’t there? I heard that Hwa-myung Merchant Group initially made money through smuggling and human trafficking?”

“You!”

Hwa Jung-soo shouted, and Hwa-rin picked at his ear with his little finger.

“You’re still making enough to eat, judging by your shouting.”

“Do you think you’ll be safe after slandering me like this?”

Hwa-rin nodded as if it were obvious.

“I survived the battle against the Blood Oath Alliance. What’s a fight with you compared to that?”

Hwa Jung-soo’s face turned red. If there weren’t so many people watching, he would have slapped Hwa-rin across the face, but he had no choice but to restrain himself.

“Why? Do you want to say that’s not true either?”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

“Nonsense? The Hochun Gate, which was destroyed by the Hwama Blood Hand in Shanxi Province, once backed your Hwa-myung Merchant Group, didn’t they?”

Hwa Jung-soo flinched at Hwa-rin’s words.

“Back then, Park Ho-sang, the leader of the Hochun Gate, handed over the people he had kidnapped from Haedong [historical name for Korea], Japan, and Vietnam to Dong Chun-gun, the leader of the Paebyeol Gate in Gansu Province, didn’t he?”

“Don’t slander me. Where did you make up such a story and spread it?”

“Made up? Dong Chun-gun sold the people he received from you to Xinjiang and Tibet, and I heard he used that money to establish the Paebyeol Gate and settle in Gansu Province. Oh, now that I think about it, the Paebyeol Gate was also attacked by the Hwama Blood Hand.”

Hwa Jung-soo’s expression twisted.

“The one who mastered the Hwama Blood Hand might be related to the people you sold. You should be careful too. The ultimate goal of the one who mastered the Hwama Blood Hand might be you.”

The people around Hwa-rin exchanged glances with those beside them and murmured in low voices.

“Nonsense, do you think I’ll be manipulated by you just because you slander me in that way?”

“What’s my intention? How do you know my intention that I don’t even know?”

“What?”

“And speaking of which, am I even on your level?”

Hwa-rin became serious, and Hwa Jung-soo flinched.

“Just because I’m standing still doesn’t mean I’m just a scarecrow, does it?”

Internal energy was activated in Hwa-rin’s dantian [energy center], and the air between Hwa-rin and Hwa Jung-soo turned cold.

‘He’s trying to kill me.’

Feeling the cold air, Hwa Jung-soo thought that Hwa-rin was going to kill him.

“Don’t think I don’t know that you’ve been trying all sorts of evil deeds to take over my Nine Dragons Pavilion, and that you even commissioned the Seokchun Sect to kill me because that wasn’t enough?”

Cold sweat ran down Hwa Jung-soo’s spine.

“If your schemes had caused me even a little bit of damage, I would have agreed with you at least a little bit, but how can you, who haven’t caused me any damage, be my opponent?”

These rumors had spread to some extent among the merchants, so the people around them weren’t particularly surprised.

As the surrounding air grew colder, Hwa Jung-soo felt the fear and dread of death.

“I don’t have any physical evidence, so I’m just confronting you and talking to you like this. If I find any physical evidence, I won’t spare you or your family. So, if you don’t want to get caught by me, you’ll have to hide any evidence very carefully.”

Hwa Jung-soo couldn’t even answer properly to Hwa-rin’s intimidation.

‘Arrogant bastard. Fine, humiliate me as much as you want. Tomorrow will be the last day you breathe under the sky.’

“Don’t you even know the etiquette for elders? Vulgar fellow.”
Hwa Jung-soo was angry at Hwa-rin to hide his fear.

“Etiquette? You threw that into the trash can first, didn’t you?”

“I did?”

He retorted sharply, glaring fiercely at Hwa-rin’s words.

“Do you think it’s okay to speak carelessly to someone who is responsible for a family through economic activity just because they are old?”

Hwa Jung-soo couldn’t answer for a moment.

“Moreover, I’m the head of a manor with over five hundred family members and employees under me. Do you think it’s polite to say things like ‘Hey, kid, you’re still green’ to someone who looks young just because you’re old, like you do?”

The people around nodded, showing their agreement with Hwa-rin’s words, and Hwa-rin’s lips curled into a sneer as he watched their reaction.

“Why don’t you understand that you will naturally be respected when you respect others?”
Hwa-rin turned his body away, indicating that he didn’t want to talk anymore, and spoke to the landowners with an apologetic expression.

“I’m sorry if I made you feel bad by having a pointless argument with someone I didn’t even want to deal with. I ask for your understanding.”

“No, no. There’s nothing wrong with what Manor Lord Hwa-rin said.”

The people who watched the argument between Hwa-rin and Hwa Jung-soo could see that Hwa Jung-soo was no longer a match for Hwa-rin.

They knew that if the opponent was an ordinary merchant or commoner instead of the head of the Nine Dragons Manor, Hwa Jung-soo would not have been so easily defeated.

They thought that Hwa Jung-soo had succumbed because the opponent was the Nine Dragons Manor, which had risen to become a top-tier family, and the head of the Nine Dragons Manor, who possessed such strong martial power that he could simultaneously face two martial arts masters.

‘Even if the rumors are different from the truth, the Hwa-myung Merchant Group will have a hard time since Manor Lord Hwa-rin is interested in the grain distribution business.’

They were landowners who had met countless people and watched their rise and fall. Even in their eyes, it seemed impossible for the Hwa-myung Merchant Group to overcome this crisis.

‘It might not be a bad idea to switch trading partners to the Nine Dragons Manor this time. Because of the reputation of the Nine Dragons Manor and the martial arts of the Nine Dragons Manor Lord, there will be no flies buzzing around, so it will be a stable trading partner where we can sell our grains.’

Everyone thought similarly, and they thought it would be more profitable for them to switch to the rising Nine Dragons Manor than to hold on to the declining Hwa-myung Merchant Group.

“I’ve brought some good things from Haedong. Go over there and take whatever you like.”
Hwa-rin was about to move the landowners to another location. At Hwa-rin’s words, they asked back with delight.

“Are we really allowed to take them?”

“Of course. But you should know that it’s a bribe with a lot of ulterior motives. After you take it, you have to sell me even a tiny bit of grain.”

“Hahaha, is that all?”

Hwa Jung-soo’s fists clenched as he heard their laughter.

‘How dare you ignore me!’