Chapter 94
"With food?"
Yuk Samcheon thought for a moment and then asked.
"If you receive the entire payment in food, won't it be difficult to store it?"
"I'm planning to build a new manor and make the warehouses a bit more spacious."
"Is that so? Well, it doesn't really matter to me..."
As expected of someone who deals with food in large quantities, he didn't say it would be difficult to fill the amount.
"But it will be difficult right now, and it will take some time."
"It will take me at least a few months to build the manor, so it's fine."
"Haha. Then I'm at a great advantage..."
He receives medicinal herbs and profits from them. And he's giving the payment later. If it were a small transaction, it could be overlooked, but this is a transaction with an enormous amount.
"Are you dissatisfied because it's an advantage?"
"Kuhaha. How could I be? I'm just being honest and want to give you something more."
Is it that the business of people is the most profitable business? Or is it the magnanimity of a great merchant? Mok Wigun looked at Yuk Samcheon, who was showing goodwill, and asked the question he had been thinking of.
"Do you also trade in luminous pearls?"
"Luminous pearls?"
Yuk Samcheon shook his head.
"Luminous pearls are a really rare and precious item. Trade? Do you think luminous pearls are an item that is traded in a store?"
He said he had never heard of a luminous pearl trade in his entire life.
"They say there are a few in the imperial court, and there are a few influential families that have them. But there's no detailed information."
Of course, no one has put them up for sale. No. No one has even officially said they have one. Because the moment that story spreads, they become the target of countless thieves and powerful people.
"Then how much is the price?"
"There is no price. How can you know the price when no one knows how much it was sold for?"
"But there must be a rough price range that can be estimated."
"Hmm..."
Yuk Samcheon took a deep breath and then stood up and paced around for a moment.
"It's possible to make a rough estimate. Although that 'rough' has a huge range."
"Then if I sell the merchant group, the medicinal herbs, and all the assets I have, can I buy it?"
Yuk Samcheon looked at Mok Wigun and sat down in the chair again.
"You're quite rich. You're one of the top in this vicinity. And there are cases where you have to dispose of things in a hurry."
"You mean it's not enough."
"Well. It's just my guess, but you might be able to buy it if you're lucky. But if it's a normal transaction, I wouldn't sell it. About twice the amount you offered?"
It's an enormous amount. Although Mok Wigun is a wealthy person who can be counted on one's fingers in the vicinity of Chang'an, to think that it's an item that can't be bought even if he sells all his assets.
"Yes, it has to be about twice that much to even be able to talk to someone who has a luminous pearl."
Yuk Samcheon said that of course, he wouldn't sell it even if he gave that money. Because a person of that level would be someone who is overflowing with money.
"It's more expensive than I thought."
"Isn't there a saying that you can buy a castle with just one luminous pearl?"
He had thought that if it was Yuk Samcheon, he would know a way to get it even if he didn't have it, but it seemed it would not be easy to get a luminous pearl.
"But why are you looking for a luminous pearl?"
"I heard about the luminous pearl yesterday. I was just asking if I could buy it."
"Well, since you suddenly got a lot of money, it's natural to be interested in treasures."
Yuk Samcheon seemed to think it was no big deal.
"Then let's do it by having you get me food instead of a payment. I'll contact you when the warehouse is complete."
"Do I just need to get as much as the payment?"
"It would be better if you could get as much as possible."
At that, a playful look appeared on Yuk Samcheon's face.
"As much as possible? Do you think you can pay that much?"
It was an enormous confidence. As expected of a statement from the greatest merchant in the world.
"I also have quite a bit of money, so don't worry and just gather it."
"Oh? Interesting. Then how about we do this?"
Yuk Samcheon looked Mok Wigun up and down once and then said.
"If I bring so much that you can't pay, meet my daughter once."
It's the daughter story again. When Mok Wigun showed a sign of refusing, Yuk Samcheon quickly added.
"I'm not telling you to get married. Just meet her. Isn't that a good condition?"
That's not a bad condition. No. It's a condition that is unilaterally good for Mok Wigun. Of course, there must be a scheme, but there's no reason to refuse such a good deal.
There will be a great drought for the next three years. So if you have a lot of food stored up, it will be useful in many ways. He's not going to take advantage of that and make a huge profit. Because he's already overflowing with money. Instead, he can use it usefully in other ways.
"Alright. Let's do that. But to do that, you'll have to gather an enormous amount."
"Haha. I'm Yuk Samcheon. Don't think of me so easily."
Mok Wigun made a promise with Yuk Samcheon like that and then parted.
* * *
"So you're saying that the human-faced spider and the single-horned great serpent didn't even get a scratch until the Huashan Sect came out?"
"That's right. I talked to a few of the people who came out of the gorge late that day. They all said similar things. Why? Are you going to make a bet with me?"
A person who was called Dogwang because he liked to bet among the Three Eccentrics said.
"Aigo, why would I bet on something like this?"
A person who was listening to the story from the side waved his hand.
In Chang'an, the Flame Pond incident, which had subsided for a while, was on people's lips again. The start was Manbakja, who was proficient in the Book of Changes and could read the heavens. As he investigated the incident and was on people's lips, famous people, including Dogwang, joined in.
They investigated the incident in their own ways and chattered about what had happened that day. Because of that, Chang'an was once again swept up in the Flame Pond incident craze.
And as the atmosphere was created, the Chang'an magistrate announced that he would investigate it himself. And then he quietly called Mok Wigun.
"I will proceed with the investigation as you requested. Instead, I will only confirm what exactly happened."
"That's enough."
Mok Wigun was looking forward to it. A few days ago, he had received a letter from the Huashan Sect. The content was something he already knew. 'We almost caught it, and you just finished it. So hand over the horn and skin.' It was a content that was written very formally.
"I wonder how the Huashan Sect will come out now. If it's properly revealed, the Huashan Sect will be completely disgraced."
"By the way. Is it true that you caught those monsters?"
"That's right. To be precise, I should say that Physician Pyon and I caught them together."
The magistrate had an expression of being completely unable to understand. A master like Taeseokgwan or Bang So-eung had gone with many colleagues and had run away, but to say that two physicians had caught them, how could he believe it?
"Should I say that Physician Pyon and I have a slightly special side? So it was possible."
"I know. You're some kind of Demon Dragon Body, so you can feel energy very well, right?"
It seemed everyone in the world knew now. That Mok Wigun is a Demon Dragon Body. So he gave up. It had reached a point where no excuse would work anymore. He had no choice but to live as a Demon Dragon Body.
"That's right. Physician Pyon also has something special."
"I see. But is it really okay with this? The inner core of the thousand-year-old fire carp is a very precious thing."
"I'm satisfied with this. Instead, you can just investigate in detail and announce the results."
"Haha. Of course, it will be an advantage to you if I do that, but I feel uncomfortable because it feels like I'm in your debt."
The fact that the magistrate had forgotten the fruit of the thousand-year-old flower spirit grass had rather turned a misfortune into a blessing. Because of the earnest request he had made at that time, his relationship with his mother had become much better than before.
Thanks to that, he was able to receive more support from the general's residence than he had thought. The conflict had also decreased because the Baek family and the Mok family had weakened. Besides, Mok Wigun and the Light Wind Unit, who had filled that place, did not cause problems with the merchants, so their reputation was good.
"They say the public security in Chang'an has improved recently thanks to you."
"What did I do? It's because you and the government troops managed it well, magistrate."
Both Mok Wigun and the magistrate know that's not the case. The horn of the single-horned great serpent was having a bigger effect than he thought. The single-horned great serpent and the human-faced spider were fearsome creatures that even the strong people of this region, including the Huashan Sect, had all been defeated by.
But they had subjugated such a monster and had brought back the spoils. And you could see it with your own eyes. In fact, if you just say you're a master in words, it doesn't feel real. But if you say you're a master who caught the monster with that horn, the feeling is completely different. Because you can see it with your own eyes.
The fact that there is such a powerful group has a considerable deterrent effect. Who would run wild when there are people who have caught the monster called the single-horned great serpent?
"Let's get along well in the future. If you have a favor to ask, come and find me. I'll always treat you to a cup of tea."
Isn't it a wonderful thing? He had brought the fruit of the thousand-year-old flower spirit grass and had put the Hwangbo family in his debt. And he had also gained the goodwill of the Chang'an magistrate. It was really hard for things to go better than this.
On the other hand, the Huashan Sect was in an uproar.
"No. Is the Chang'an magistrate's position a place where he has nothing to do?"
"That's what I'm saying. No, why is he investigating that?"
If Mok Wigun had resisted, he would have just pushed through. But the Chang'an magistrate is on a different level. No matter how much it's the Huashan Sect, he's not a person who can be easily touched.
"It's a big problem. The Chang'an magistrate has decided to join hands with the Demon Dragon Manor."
"Isn't he trying to keep us in check? Since Mok Wigun and the Light Wind Unit are still weak, the magistrate has concluded that it's advantageous to join hands with them."
The Huashan Sect had figured out the magistrate's scheme. Although there were other reasons, what was just said had definitely played a big part in the magistrate's decision.
"What should we do? If we press the Demon Dragon Manor like this, the magistrate will step in."
The leaders of the Huashan Sect discussed and then decided to find out the magistrate's intentions for sure.
"Let's ask. Even if we have to pay a certain price, if possible, join hands with the magistrate."
"What if not?"
"If not, we have to finish it at a suitable line."
The Huashan Sect leader said in an annoyed voice.
"It's not just the Chang'an magistrate, but it's also a headache if Shaolin chimes in. Recently, Shaolin has been keeping our Huashan in check in the Martial Alliance."
"So we have to handle it more carefully. Anyway, let's send people to the magistrate."
And so, Huashan contacted the Chang'an magistrate and clearly grasped his intentions. The magistrate had no intention of moving as Huashan thought.
There was no choice. Huashan did not withdraw its demand to the Demon Dragon Manor, but it also did not send people to ask for the horn and skin. But was Mok Wigun a person who would just let such a thing go?
"We have to make it clear and move on. When did they say they would give it?"
Mok Wigun sent an official letter to the Huashan Sect.
"Either apologize and withdraw, or let's have a fight. Tell them to make a decision."
(End of Chapter)