Chapter 50
"Regular sponsorship... I appreciate the offer, but we have decided not to accept regular sponsorships anymore. You've come a long way, and I'm sorry to have to tell you this."
In the Yeongbin Palace, a place for receiving outside guests.
Okgyu, the head of the Yeongeun Palace who manages Wudang's finances and external funds, sat facing Wang Seong-hyeon and Jin Tae-jin of the Eungnam Merchant Guild and spoke.
"That... can't you at least hear our conditions before you refuse?"
"That's right. Even if you don't accept regular sponsorships, to refuse without even hearing us out..."
Wang Seong-hyeon and Jin Tae-jin said with sad faces at Okgyu's firm attitude.
"Ahem. I said that because I have a bad memory with a merchant guild that sponsored us before. I'm sorry."
"Ah, no. If you're talking about the Hyeongju Merchant Guild, we also know about it."
"Yes. As I heard, the head of the Hyeongju Merchant Guild made an unreasonable demand to the Sect Leader, but we will never do such a thing."
"That's right. We will never bother the Taoist masters of Wudang for personal reasons."
"And, we plan to sponsor this amount every month. Please take a look first."
Jin Tae-jin said with a sly expression and casually handed over a piece of paper.
It was a paper with the amount they would sponsor each month written on it.
"Oh-ho..."
The corners of Yeongeun Palace Head Okgyu's mouth moved very slightly.
The amount they proposed was much larger than he had thought.
A large amount that was hard to believe a newly established merchant guild could propose.
'If it's this amount, it would be a great help to our operations...'
Since they hadn't received sponsorship for quite a long time, the current Wudang Sect could not be said to be poor, but it could not be said to be well-off either.
In such a situation, the large sum they proposed was hard not to be tempted by.
However, he had lived in the Yeongeun Palace for a long time.
He knew better than anyone that a large sum of money naturally comes with a large price.
"To think that you would willingly offer such a large sum for our Wudang, I am grateful for that sentiment alone."
"Not at all. To be able to form a connection with the great Wudang Sect, this much is a matter of course."
"Heh heh... but, I don't know if we can fulfill a role worthy of this money."
"Just by being with us, you can be a great help to us."
"The fact that the Wudang Sect is with our merchant guild is enough of a help. Of course... we would be even more grateful if you could help us when we need strength."
"Hmm... I see. Let's hear your story. What is it that you want from us?"
Okgyujin-in didn't beat around the bush and asked for the main point right away.
Wang Hyeon-seong, perhaps pleased with Okgyu's attitude, smiled brightly and answered.
"The reason our merchant guild was able to grow rapidly despite its short history is because we sold unique items from Sichuan Province here in Hubei or Henan."
"Aha... I have heard recently that items from the Sichuan region are circulating more in the market than before."
As the head of the Yeongeun Palace, Okgyu was well-versed in the ways of the world and the flow of money.
"Fortunately, you know. It is the result of our hard work."
Wang Hyeon-seong said with a proud expression.
Sichuan Province is made up of a huge basin.
Sichuan Province, which was also called the Bashu region in the distant past, has the highest population density in the Central Plains and has developed various industries, but it is a place that is surrounded by huge and rugged mountains, so it is cut off from the outside and has its own unique culture.
Wang Hyeon-seong and Jin Tae-jin had entered into an agreement with a fairly well-known merchant guild even in that place, which was closed to outsiders, and had procured items that were hard to see outside the Sichuan region, so their sales were growing day by day.
"As I hear, the merchant guild seems to be growing day by day, and if you continue like this, you will prosper day by day, so what is the reason you came to Wudang?"
"Our merchant guild is located near Banghyeon in Hubei Province."
Banghyeon is a region located in the northwest of Hubei Province, and it was very close to the Wudang Sect.
"There are two ways to get to Sichuan Province from Hubei Province."
"The way through Shaanxi Province in the north and the way through Chongqing City in the south."
"That's right. But until now, we have mainly used the road that goes down to Sichuan Province again through Shaanxi Province in the north."
"Actually, the road to Shaanxi Province is really long and rough. In the first place, the road is twice as long as going through Chongqing City, and it's also a difficult road because there are so many mountain paths."
Okgyujin-in nodded his head.
Because he could roughly understand what they were trying to say.
"But, the road that goes over to Sichuan through Chongqing City is shorter and faster, I suppose."
"That's right. As a result of our calculations, if we transport the goods by that road, we will be able to cut the time in half."
"What do we need to do there?"
"When moving the goods of a merchant guild, there are bound to be those who are after those goods. Whether they are mountain bandits or thieves, or if not, a group of Unorthodox Factions that supplement their finances through plunder."
"Aha... you're saying you need a place to protect the goods of the merchant guild?"
"That's right. That's exactly what I mean."
Okgyujin-in realized why they had been beating around the bush until now to say this.
Because in the end, what they wanted to say, in short, was to ask them to do the work of escorts.
"When we entered Sichuan Province through the southern part of Shaanxi Province, we received the protection of the Zhongnan Sect. But, now that we are not passing through Shaanxi Province, it's difficult to ask the Zhongnan Sect."
"Why don't you request an escort agency, but a sect like ours?"
"If we request an escort agency, the cost will definitely be less than the regular monthly sponsorship to Wudang... but it's much safer to entrust the goods to a sect."
Wang Hyeon-seong said with a confident face.
Okgyujin-in thought that expression was quite good.
'If nothing major happens, this merchant guild will succeed.'
He, who had dealt with people for a long time and was confident that his eye for people was second to none.
In his eyes, Wang Hyeon-seong is a fairly decent merchant.
Seeing that he thought of selling the goods of Sichuan Province in the Central Plains, he has an eye for goods and is also bold.
And looking at his attitude now, it seems he has the foresight to grow in the long term, not just for immediate gains.
"I see. I will speak well of it to the Sect Leader."
"Ah! Will you do that?! Thank you! Thank you so much!"
"Haha... I heard it well, but I don't know what the Sect Leader will think. It's too early to be happy yet."
"Just the fact that you will speak of it makes me really happy. Actually, I was so worried that we might be turned away at the door..."
"Actually, this friend even said that we should just look for an escort agency and not waste our time."
Okgyujin-in smiled warmly inside as he saw the two men holding hands and rejoicing like children.
"When do I have to give you an answer? Since the matter is quite important to our Wudang, the discussion may be long."
"We will wait as long as it takes. Please discuss it slowly and let us know."
"Hmm... I see. I will have a disciple guide you to a place to stay for a while."
"Thank you so much for being so considerate. Head of the Yeongeun Palace. This is our small token of appreciation."
Jin Tae-jin took out a small wooden box from the satchel he had been carrying preciously on his back until now and handed it to Okgyu.
"What is this?"
"It's nothing much. It's one of the items we handle in Sichuan."
When Okgyu opened the wooden box, a golden butterfly the size of a palm was showing off its beauty inside, as if it were about to fly away at any moment.
A golden butterfly so exquisitely made that for a moment, he mistook it for a real butterfly.
It seemed to be an accessory made in the Sichuan region.
"It looks precious just by looking at it..."
"It's an item that you can't get in the market even if you want to. You will be able to get a good price for it no matter which merchant you sell it to."
Jin Tae-jin's voice was full of confidence.
Okgyujin-in closed the wooden box again and gently pushed it back to Jin Tae-jin.
"It's a very grateful gift, but I can't accept it yet."
"Ah, this isn't a bribe or anything..."
"If it's not, then there's even less reason to accept it. Give that gift to the Sect Leader if we decide to accept your proposal."
"Ah, I see."
Okgyujin-in's gentle smile from a moment ago was gone, and his face became cold, and he opened his mouth in a stiff tone.
"Please wait a moment. I will send a disciple."
He left only those words and went out.
***
Originally, after the make-believe group training in the Yuyeop Hall was over, it was free time.
Although we had decided not to train for three days, I was getting antsy just resting in the room, so I decided to take a walk with Senior Brother Uncheol and came out of the room.
But it's quiet. It's too quiet.
Actually, the Wudang Sect is originally a quiet place like this, but perhaps because it has been so noisy for the past few months? This silence is really awkward.
"No, Senior Brother. Are you that happy? Your mouth is reaching your ears."
"Ahem, happy? What is?"
"You don't have to pretend you're not happy. If you're not that happy, we shouldn't rest again..."
"No. This is happiness. Thanks to you, I have realized a new truth."
"What truth?"
"That an ordinary daily life is such a happy thing."
I let out a small laugh at Senior Brother Uncheol's words.
Although it's a silly thing to say, it's really true.
Because the biggest reason I train so hard and make my senior brothers suffer is also to protect an ordinary daily life.
"You're right. Ordinary is the best."
"Actually, it's already been five years since I started training in the Wudang Sect, and the time I've spent with you is not even a year, but the recent year feels longer."
"That means you've lived intensely for a year."
While I was chatting with my senior brother like that and enjoying the leisure that would not come again for a while, I heard the sound of two men talking at the end of the road.
"So, why did you take that out at the end? Did you see how bad his expression was?"
"Did I know he would react like that? Most people are happy and grinning when they see that butterfly."
"It's not just anywhere, this is Wudang, isn't it? Do you think it's okay to do such a thing when you know what kind of character the Taoist masters of Wudang have?"
"Are Taoist masters not human? I've never seen anyone who dislikes money until now."
"You saw one today, didn't you."
"So, I'm saying I saw one for the first time today."
It's a familiar voice.
It's definitely the merchants I met when I was climbing Mount Wudang.
But, hearing their conversation, I can roughly guess what's going on.
'It seems they tried to give a bribe and were rejected.'
The person who dealt with them was probably Martial Granduncle Okgyu, and he must be a person of integrity to be in charge of the Yeongeun Palace.
Seeing them trembling like that.
"Did you meet our Martial Granduncle well?"
I deliberately approached them and pretended to know them.
Then, the one among them who had said his name was Jin Tae-jin said with a happy face, "Taoist master! Thanks to you, we had a good meeting. If we had gotten lost, we would have become tiger food, so thank you so much."
"That's a relief. I was so worried that you might not be able to meet him, but I'm glad you did. I'm on good terms with my Martial Granduncle, and he's a very reasonable person, so if you made a good proposal, he will surely give a positive answer."
I said with a bright smile.
Senior Brother Uncheol looked at me with strange eyes, as if to ask since when I had been so close to Martial Granduncle Okgyu, but I lightly ignored him.
"I didn't mean to listen, but I heard you two talking worriedly. Is there something wrong?"
"What's wrong is what's wrong. Nothing's wrong..."
"There is. Actually, there is one thing that's bothering me."
As soon as Wang Hyeon-seong said there was nothing, Jin Tae-jin said there was.
Wang Hyeon-seong grabbed Jin Tae-jin's sleeve and pulled him as if to scold him, but Jin Tae-jin didn't care and said to me, "Didn't you say just now that you were on close terms with Okgyujin-in? It seems we made a small mistake, and we want to clear up that misunderstanding..."
"What's the story? Maybe I can be of help."
I smiled sincerely.
Because I had deliberately struck up a conversation to hear that story.
(End of Chapter)