Chapter 93
“I sincerely thank the great men who have trusted our family and me.”
“We are the ones who are grateful.”
“From now on, Young Master Jin will command the martial world, so I will ask for your kind consideration in advance, haha.”
“I will try to build a building that is no less than the imperial palace. I will do my best!”
At the persuasion of So-ah and Yuk Jeong-ran, who had shown their resourcefulness, the hearts of the landowner and the construction contractor finally turned.
Instead of being buried in the immediate profit, they chose to trust So-ah’s name and look one step ahead.
‘With this, I can start.’
Not a bad first step.
Isn’t there a saying that a good start is half the battle?
So-ah’s mood also became much lighter.
“Now! Everyone, please eat.”
In that way, the people had refreshments and tea for a while, and shared various small matters about the future schedule and Liaoning.
***
As soon as the basic requirements were met, the plan proceeded smoothly.
The purchase of all the buildings and land near the Moyong family’s residence was completed, and the civil engineer, Great Man Jang, also gathered the workers and began the detailed survey and selection of buildings to be demolished.
In order to reduce the construction cost as much as possible, they decided to save the buildings that could be saved, which were planned to be used as residences when they accepted external disciples in the future.
Also.
“Chief Jang!”
“Young Master Jin! Welcome!!”
So-ah, accompanied by the gangchangsa that Yuk Jeong-ran had hired, visited the Liaoning Escort Agency.
The chief of the Liaoning Escort Agency, Jang, who had received great help from So-ah in the matter of the North Sea Ice Palace’s goods before, greeted So-ah with a pleased look.
“Have you been well?”
“Of course. It’s all thanks to Young Master Jin. By the way, who is this person?”
“Ah! Please introduce yourselves. This is Chief Jang of the Liaoning Escort Agency. And this is the gangchangsa teacher who will be helping our Moyong family. You two will be together for a while, so let’s start with introductions. Haha.”
As soon as his words ended, the gangchangsa opened his mouth and introduced himself.
“Hahat. It is a pleasure to meet the great man Jang who runs the largest escort agency in Liaoning. I am a gangchangsa, and my name is Gil-yeong.”
“Nice to meet you. I am Chief Jang.”
Although he had exchanged greetings in a daze, Chief Jang could not readily understand.
For what reason would he and the gangchangsa in front of him be together?
Just then, So-ah said.
“Chief Jang.”
“Yes, Young Master Jin.”
“We’re in a mutually beneficial relationship, right?”
“Hoho. Of course.”
“Then would you help me once?”
“If it’s Young Master Jin’s word, I would carry firewood and even enter a fire pit. Keke!”
“Hey. Don’t say such scary things. Keke.”
“Please speak your mind freely.”
“I hear you’re taking on a big job soon?”
“Have you also reinforced your intelligence network?”
“I heard from Young Lady Yuk. Haha.”
“Hohohot. That’s right. I received a request from the great man Son Il-su, who is called the richest man in Liaoning. In a fortnight, we will set out on a long journey from Liaoning to Qinghai. Since the scale is so large, the best talents of the escort agency will be directly involved, and the transportation period alone is estimated to be a year for a round trip.”
“That’s truly a long journey.”
“That’s right.”
“You’ll have to add a few people to that long journey.”
“…What kind?”
“This gangchangsa, Teacher Gil-yeong, and his colleagues.”
***
So-ah’s plan was this.
First, he would have the gangchangsa Gil-yeong and his colleagues accompany the Liaoning Escort Agency on their long journey of a year.
Second, through them, he would spread the news of gathering the relatives with the Moyong surname throughout the Central Plains.
Of course, he also planned to take alternative measures such as putting up notices, but in terms of efficiency, there would be no better way than this.
And.
<Moyong Family External Disciple Recruitment Notice>
—The Moyong Family is opening its doors and inviting talented individuals to expand the family’s influence on a small scale, and to promote the prosperity of the Orthodox Martial Path on a large scale.
Therefore, we are officially announcing the recruitment of external disciples on a regular basis from now on.
In the past, external disciples were often neglected in martial families centered on blood relatives.
But since the current great disciple of the Moyong Family is also an external disciple, we promise that there will be no discrimination against external disciples in our family.
Of course, not just anyone can become a disciple.
Applicants must pass the screening of the family head, the chief steward, and the elder council, and the screening criteria are not the superiority or inferiority of martial arts, but character, ability to fit into the organization, and unity.
In addition, there is no age limit, so we await the interest and support of many comrades of the Jianghu.
Seal of the Head of the Great Moyong Family, Moyong Baek—
Moyong Baek, the chief steward, and the elders, after a sharp consultation, prepared the grounds and standards for accepting external disciples, and began to put up notices in every nook and cranny.
“Family Head. With this, will we be able to be reborn as a great martial family worthy of the Five Great Families?”
The chief steward, unable to control his pounding heart, opened his mouth with a trembling voice.
How long had he wished for this?
For him, who had dedicated his life to the rise and fall of the Moyong family, he could not help but be excited at this moment.
“I don’t know yet. What’s certain is that So-ah is a priceless benefactor. On the one hand, I also feel sorry. Seeing So-ah struggling for the prosperity of the family, should I say it’s pitiful…”
“Family Head…”
“Think about it. Isn’t So-ah still at a vigorous age? It’s a time to sometimes play with friends, and sometimes show off as a martial artist. Of course, and also to have a love affair.”
“Hoho. I don’t know about the others, but I don’t think you need to worry about the love affair part.”
“What do you mean?”
“Is there only one or two female martial artists of the same generation who cherish Young Master Jin? Hohohot.”
Hearing the chief steward’s words, Moyong Baek also, as if he had remembered something, stroked his beard and smiled faintly.
“Well. The only daughter of the Tang family, his childhood friend Young Lady Myo-seon, and even the young lady of the North Sea Ice Palace. That brat… kekeke! He’s just like me in my youth.”
“…Yes?”
“I also had a time in my youth when I was tired of the affectionate advances of many women. Hoho!”
The chief steward was dumbfounded.
‘Was the Family Head always like this?’
Although he was an unconventional and unpretentious family head who could not be compared to ordinary family heads, he had never thought that his words and actions were frivolous until now…
“Hoho. Why the expression? Don’t you believe me? Don’t you remember? How popular I was. Huh?”
People don’t usually change.
But it seemed that wasn’t the case either.
After So-ah grew up, the conduct and character of the Moyong family members were gradually changing in a strange way.
In that moment.
Moyong Baek’s smiling face suddenly contorted.
It was because a menacing demon had suddenly entered the family head’s office.
“Oh, so that’s it? The great family head received a lot of love from many women in his youth? What should I do? That popular man met a woman like me? Go find those women now! Hurry!”
“H-Honey!”
“Aren’t you going quickly? Huh? Do I have to splash some cold water on you to get you off your butt?”
“H-Honey~ In front of the chief steward… restrain yourself…”
“I’m fine! Don’t mind me, Madam.”
The chief steward mercilessly cut off Moyong Baek’s words.
‘That… that man!’
Moyong Baek was dumbfounded, but he soon had to worry.
Because from now on, for at least a shichen, he would have to receive Yeon So-so’s nagging divine art.
***
“Hmm… so you’re asking me to lend you an amount equivalent to 1.5 million silver taels without interest? Did I hear that correctly?”
Daewon Money House.
A well-known money house in Liaoning, with a scale that was different from others.
In particular, it was a money house with a solid financial status because the workers in the center of the Liaoning entertainment district, that is, those who earned a considerable level of income, had entrusted their assets to it.
A great disaster befell that Daewon Money House.
That disaster was none other than So-ah and Yuk Jeong-ran.
“Hoho. Head of the money house. Why? Are you surprised?”
“Hahahat! Head of the money house! As a person who is responsible for the economy of Liaoning, what will you do if you are surprised by a mere 1.5 million taels?”
The head of the Daewon Money House, Jo In-hwa, was so dumbfounded that he almost snorted.
But who was the opponent?
It was So-ah, who was shaking the entire Jianghu, and Yuk Jeong-ran, who had become a fixture in Liaoning, having been there for so long.
Since he could not ignore them, Jo In-hwa frowned and cursed inwardly.
‘I’m not surprised by the 1.5 million taels, but by your gangster-like demand to lend that money without interest, you human!’
But with a kind voice completely different from his thoughts, Jo In-hwa tried to persuade the two.
“Ha… haha… Young Master Jin. And Young Lady Yuk. 1.5 million taels is by no means a small amount of money. With that much money, you could build a palace in Beijing and still have some left over. But how can you ask for such money…”
At that, So-ah’s expression changed and he spoke seriously.
“That’s why! That’s why you have to lend it to us, Head of the money house!”
“…What’s that.”
“Such a palace will be built right here in Liaoning. With the sign of the Moyong Family! Isn’t that wonderful? Liaoning has been treated too much like a remote area. Now, we also have to develop wonderfully like the center of the Central Plains. The development of the Moyong Family is the development of the people of Liaoning, and as the quality of life of the people of Liaoning improves, won’t the Daewon Money House also prosper?”
At the invincible logic, Jo In-hwa wanted to cry.
“Um… Young Master Jin. How about this? On the condition of taking collateral, we’ll set a minimum interest rate. Thanks to Young Master Jin wiping out the gangster group that was rampant in Liaoning, we have also been able to operate smoothly, so we will compromise that much…”
“Absolutely not!”
“Absolutely no interest!”
So-ah and Yuk Jeong-ran simultaneously, without anyone having to say anything first, cut off Jo In-hwa’s words.
‘This…!’
Is there any case in the world where people who come to a money house to borrow money are so arrogant?
Jo In-hwa had been running the money house for over 20 years, but he had never seen or heard of such people.
But.
“Head of the money house. You know how many business partners I have, right? Also, the friends who learned from me for a while and are now respectable brothel owners, and the employees who are currently working in the Liaoning commercial district. Most of those friends are doing business with the Daewon Money House.”
Gulp.
At Yuk Jeong-ran’s blatant pressure, Jo In-hwa swallowed with a nervous expression.
‘This woman is being so blatant!’
Unfortunately, Yuk Jeong-ran’s threat continued.
“Of course, I’m not trying to corner you, Head of the money house. But if the Daewon Money House doesn’t lend us the money, we’ll have no choice but to find another money house that will cooperate.”
“An-another money house! Young Lady Yuk. That’s the only thing you can’t do!”
“So I’m asking you to help me once.”
So-ah also opened his mouth and added.
“Head of the money house. Let’s look at the big picture, the big picture. You have to see the forest, not the trees, right? I know it’s an unreasonable request, but if the Moyong family prospers, in the end, the entire Liaoning will prosper. I’m asking you.”
‘If it’s an unreasonable request, you shouldn’t make it. Ugh… I’m really in a bind!’
For Jo In-hwa, there was no way to not accept this crazy proposal anymore.
“Phew… 1.5 million taels. I’ll give it to you. Without interest!”
***
So-ah repeatedly expressed his gratitude to Yuk Jeong-ran.
At the small restaurant in front of the port where he had first met Yuk Jeong-ran and exchanged conversations and drinks.
‘This matter was almost all accomplished by Young Lady Yuk. I have to repay her for a long time.’
Since So-ah was the most certain person in the world when it came to favors and grudges, it was the moment he decided to give Yuk Jeong-ran a big gift as soon as the matter was settled.
And.
“Uncle. Disciple, I will be going to the North Sea Ice Palace. I will definitely succeed in the matter, so don’t worry. In particular, please pay attention to the recruitment of external disciples. Because the future of our family depends on it.”
“Keke! You brat. Anyone would think you’re the family head.”
“Hot! I’m sorry. Hahaha.”
“Sorry for what. It has to be that way someday.”
“Yes?!”
“Ah… no. Anyway, have a safe trip.”
“Yes, yes!”
“And So-ah.”
“Yes.”
“Think carefully about what I said.”
“What is it?”
“About becoming the son-in-law of the North Sea.”
“Unclllle!”
“Ah, ah. I’m sorry. Hohoho.”
“Kikikik!”
After a round of loud laughter and a short farewell, So-ah packed a simple luggage and set out on his journey to the North Sea.
Papapang—
For the first time in a while, the Swift Whale Step soared majestically like a whale cutting through the great ocean.
(End of Chapter)