Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 21

Gu-Ryong Jeon-gi (21)

Gu-Ryong Manor’s Business Plan

“The Red Tiger Clan operates a total of seven businesses. Legally, they run two inns and two red-light districts. Illegally, they operate gambling dens, loan sharking, and smuggling.”

Seo Dae-young, the chief manager of Gu-Ryong Manor, was reporting to Hwa-rin after identifying the businesses operated by the Red Tiger Clan.

“What we need are the inns, red-light districts, and loan sharking.”

“What about the gambling dens and smuggling?”

“In the case of gambling dens, they overlap with the gambling den that the Manor Lord is newly building in Sanyang County, which could scatter the customers. And in the case of Sanyang County, it is a legal gambling den approved by the County Lord, so if there are no other gambling dens around, people from other counties and cities will come.”

“So you’re saying to get rid of the gambling dens?”

“Yes.”

Hwa-rin nodded, thinking that Seo Dae-young’s words made sense.

“And smuggling can make a lot of money, but the risk is too great. Therefore, it would be better to eliminate the smugglers as well.”

“Even the smugglers?”

“If we leave the smugglers alone, they may go to other sects, or they may continue smuggling.”

“Shouldn’t we let them make a living?”

“If you demonstrate to the County Lord that the Manor Lord can handle security to a certain extent, you will be able to maintain a friendly relationship continuously.”

“Handle a certain amount of security?”

“Yes. Administrative districts such as the capitals, cities, and counties of the Central Plains have observers, officials, and government offices, but villages that are not designated as administrative districts do not have officials or government offices.”

“Villages not designated as administrative districts?”

Hwa-rin asked back, unfamiliar with this concept.

“Think of them as villages created by wanderers who couldn’t settle down. Slash-and-burn villages, slums, and villages built at the entrance of mountains are like that.”

“That’s not the case in our county, is it?”

“That’s right. However, since the Sanyang County office manages Sangnam County and Sangju County as well, it’s difficult for the government soldiers working in the Sanyang County office to maintain security across all three.”

“So you’re saying that since they can’t handle all three counties, we need to show them that we’re sharing some of the security burden?”

“That way, you will be able to maintain a good relationship with the County Lord as well as the magistrate of the county.”

Hwa-rin thought that there was nothing wrong with maintaining a certain level of friendship.

“But aren’t the eastern regions of Shanxi Province under the influence of Mount Hua [a prominent martial arts sect] and Jongnam [another martial arts sect], so there are no large evil sects?”

“That’s right. Right now, cleaning up the street gangs will be more helpful to the manor than worrying about martial artists.”

“Do you think I can’t handle the martial artists?”

“To be honest, yes. More than anything, now is the time to build up our internal strength.”

“Internal strength…….”

Hwa-rin organized his thoughts for a moment, and during that time, the chief manager, Seo Dae-young, waited patiently for his next instructions.

“What does the manor need?”

Hwa-rin asked after a long pause.

“First of all, people. Not just workers, but martial artists who can protect the business and handle the security of the area to some extent.”

“That’s not something we can get right away, is it?”

“That’s right. You can buy vagrants from the vagrant market, or, though it will take longer, you can bring in children, teach them martial arts, and then have them manage the business.”

“The first requires money, and the second requires time. What do you think, Chief Manager?”

“It will take time, but the second option will allow you to make them the Manor Lord’s loyal subordinates, and you can trust them to take care of things.”

“Then where do we get the children?”

“There are many children wandering the streets, and I think buying children from orphanages or troupes is also a way.”

“Buy children and teach them martial arts. Hmm…….”

It didn’t seem like a bad idea.

“It will take at least five years to bring in children and teach them martial arts.”

“During that time, you can strengthen the finances by expanding or streamlining the business while building up the manor’s internal strength.”

“Are there children begging on the streets in Sanyang County, Sangnam County, and Sangju County?”

“Yes. There are also children managed by street gangs.”

“Then we can bring those children in.”

“It would be appropriate to clean up the street gangs and purify the streets, taking in about a hundred people.”

“A hundred people?”

“If they have talent in martial arts, teach them martial arts, and if they have talent in academics or other areas, gather them, find out their talents, and then educate and place them accordingly, which would be good for the manor.”

“I will do that.”

“And it would be good to leave the land and buildings of the Red Tiger Clan as they are.”

“Is there another plan?”

“If we raise thirty martial artists, wouldn’t it be good to run a security agency [private security force]? If the business grows, it will be cheaper to produce our own goods.”

Seo Dae-young thought for a moment and nodded.

“I will prepare accordingly.”

* * *

“So, Branch Leader, are you saying that you suspect Gu-Ryong Manor?”

“Yes, Branch Leader.”

Nam Seon-yeong, the branch leader of the Hao Clan’s Shanxi branch, was meeting with Mi-ok, the branch leader of the Hao Clan’s Sanyang County branch, and they were talking.

“Before the Red Tiger Clan was destroyed, the martial artists of the Red Tiger Clan harassed the businesses operated by Gu-Ryong Manor and interfered with their business.”

“Why did the Red Tiger Clan target Gu-Ryong Manor?”

“There was a street gang called the Daebang gang in Sangnam County. They were targeting the market and bazaar streets of Sanyang County…….”

Mi-ok told all the stories she knew.

“So the Red Tiger Clan picked a fight with Gu-Ryong Manor, and Gu-Ryong Manor retaliated against the Red Tiger Clan.”

“That’s what I think. And as I have already reported, Hwa-rin, the Manor Lord of Gu-Ryong Manor, is a dangerous person.”

“A dangerous person?”

“I can’t say for sure exactly why he is dangerous, but I felt it by seeing him directly.”

“Are you saying it’s a feeling?”

A feeling is sometimes very dangerous, but sometimes it is so accurate that it can be of great help.

Nam Seon-yeong knew Mi-ok well, so she did not dismiss her feeling.

“But he hasn’t shown any behavior towards the martial arts world yet, has he?”

“That’s right. He doesn’t have the power yet, but if time passes, he will have helpers, and then he will continue his actions towards the martial arts world.”

“How old did the Manor Lord look?”

“I can’t say for sure, but he looked young. About twenty years old at most.”

“Twenty years old……. To have enough wealth to build a manor at that age, there is a high possibility that someone is behind him.”

“Are you saying someone is backing him?”

“That’s what I think. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to buy the old site of the Danri family at the age of twenty. The buildings and land wouldn’t be cheap.”

“Is it a manor supported by the Martial Arts Alliance [a governing body for righteous martial arts sects]?”

“I don’t think so. Mount Hua and Jongnam are nearby.”

“Then is it an evil sect? If it’s an evil sect, there’s no reason to destroy the Black Snake Clan and the Red Tiger Clan, is there?”

When Mi-ok asked, Nam Seon-yeong shook her head.

“It’s not an evil sect either. Traces of both evil and orthodox martial arts were found in the bodies of the Red Tiger Clan’s disciples. I told the Beggars’ Union [an information-gathering organization] that it was the work of a rising star in the martial arts world, but as I came here, I thought about it, and there is only one place that is related to the Black Snake Clan and the Red Tiger Clan.”

“Yes? A place related to both of them?”

“Sangrim! [A powerful merchant alliance]”

Mi-ok was horrified to hear Nam Seon-yeong’s conclusion.

“If it’s Sangrim…….”

“Rather than the entire Sangrim, I think two or three merchant groups are united to support Gu-Ryong Manor. Or, like the name of Gu-Ryong Manor, nine merchant groups may be united.”

“Then, Branch Leader, are you saying that Sangrim is eyeing the martial arts world?”

“I don’t think so. No matter how much Sangrim pushes with money, it can’t surpass the power of the martial arts world.”

“Then?”

“Perhaps they are unhappy with their assets being plundered by the martial arts world and are trying to build up some strength. There have been many such attempts since ancient times.”

“Then we should investigate Sangrim as well. To find out who is behind Gu-Ryong Manor.”

“It’s never bad to be careful. The branch will take care of investigating Sangrim. Mi-ok Branch Leader, please record every move of Gu-Ryong Manor and report it every seven days.”

“I will do that.”

“And if Hwa-rin, the Manor Lord, finds out that we are collecting information about Gu-Ryong Manor, tell him that Gu-Ryong Manor was established, and the Black Snake Clan and the Red Tiger Clan were destroyed, so we are investigating to see if there is any connection and ask for forgiveness.”

Mi-ok flinched. Depending on how you hear it, it sounded like she was being told to die.

“It’ll be okay. But don’t say that you suspect it’s related to Sangrim.”

She reassured her as if she had read Mi-ok’s thoughts and then spoke.

“I understand.”

“The martial arts world has been too quiet since the martial arts world attacked the Baegyo [White Lotus Sect, often considered a heretical sect] thirty years ago.”

Nam Seon-yeong told Mi-ok about the current situation of the martial arts world.

“The Demonic Cult [a major antagonist force in martial arts stories] and the evil sects don’t seem to want this boring confrontation and are trying to move little by little. In particular, the Demonic Cult is subjugating the forces of the borderlands and the new world by force.”

“Is the Demonic Cult?”

“That’s right. The giant forces of the borderlands and the new world were annihilated overnight by mysterious forces, and when they lost their power, the Demonic Cult suppressed them by force and subjugated them as subordinate forces.”

“Then are you saying that the Demonic Cult may be aiming for the Central Plains?”

“Not right now, but if they get their hands on the forces of the borderlands and the new world, they will test the waters. In preparation for this, the orthodox and evil sects are also looking for ways, but the evil sects seem to have other ideas.”

It meant that the political situation of the martial arts world was proceeding in a complicated way.

“Nothing is certain yet. After five years, or even more, the Demonic Cult, the evil sects, or the orthodox sects will take action.”

“Then what about our Black Island?”

“We are also looking for ways. It’s not at the stage where I can tell you yet, but we are trying to ensure that we don’t suffer futile sacrifices in their fight.”

Mi-ok nodded.

“Right now, you have to listen carefully to even the smallest things that happen in the martial arts world, Sangrim, Seorim [another merchant alliance], and even Gwanrim [yet another merchant alliance]. Only then can we prepare when a war between the righteous and the evil, or the righteous and the demonic, breaks out in the future.”

“I will do that.”

“Then I will meet the former Sect Leader and start investigating Gu-Ryong Manor. Until the information we have investigated is delivered, please find out and report only the changes in Gu-Ryong Manor.”

* * *

The rumor that Gu-Ryong Manor was taking in children begging in the market and bazaar streets of Sanyang County spread, and people praised the Manor Lord of Gu-Ryong Manor.

Children abandoned by their parents, or children who ran away after their parents sold them to merchants, children who were orphaned, or siblings were all taken in by Gu-Ryong Manor. In the process, the gangs that made them beg were eliminated, and the streets became clean, so the merchants in the market and bazaar streets welcomed and liked the Manor Lord of Gu-Ryong Manor as if they were meeting a savior.

Due to the rumor that Gu-Ryong Manor was taking in children from Sanyang County, Sangnam County, and Sangju County, the Manor Lord of Gu-Ryong Manor was even praised as the reincarnation of Guanyin Bodhisattva [Bodhisattva of compassion] or the Primordial Lord of Heaven [a high-ranking Taoist deity].

But Hwa-rin was not just a good person as they thought.

Having seen, heard, and felt so much while doing a precarious tightrope walk on the border between life and death in the Menghosa Death Squad for five years, Hwa-rin had become an expert at packaging things so that even if he did things that were helpful to him, they would just look like good things in the eyes of others.