Hyeonjilmusin - Chapter 101



Only Krnovel

101. The nobles of Huizhou (6)

“This time, you go. Haven’t your uncles been the only ones to go all the time?”

“… … I don’t understand.”

Namgung Hui’s lips were protruding.

“Why should the Daenam Palace family have to take care of merchants?”

“What do you mean, a piece of shit? We live by helping each other. If it weren’t for the merchant Hwiju, you wouldn’t have been able to take half of the elixirs you took as a child.”

The head of the Namgung family, Namgung Jinhyeon, spoke sternly.

“The head of the household is not a person who represents the household. How many times have I told you that you should also pay attention to people who are not heads of households?”

“Then give the house to Yul-ah.”

“Yul-ah is now seven years old.”

“What does it matter? It’s not like my father will die suddenly.”

“This guy is to his father!”

The inkstone containing the inkstone flew quickly towards Namgung Hwi. Namgung Hwi easily avoided it by turning his head to the side.

Namgung Jinhyeon trembled. It wasn’t just a good thing that his son had the talent of a lifetime.

“It’s a request from my father. Please come just once. Your name also has the word ‘Hwi’ in it. I can’t say that you have no connection with Hwisang.”

“What does that matter? Huiju’s Hui (徽) means beautiful, and I’m Hui (輝) meaning shining.”

“Isn’t it similar because it’s beautiful and shiny?”

Namgung Hwi pressed his temples. As a son, he felt sorry for his father who was trying to send him away while talking nonsense like this.

Namgung Hwi eventually nodded after much thought.

“Just this once.”

“Thank you, Hwi-ah.”

“I’m not a child.”

“No matter how big you are, you are still a child in my eyes. You will understand when you become a father.”

“I’ll never know. I like knives more than women.”

Namgung Hwi grumbled and came out. Of all people, he had to do this kind of chore when he was blocked by a wall like this. There was a limit to how annoying it was.

I don’t know what it was, but I just wanted to finish it as quickly as possible and get back to Sega to break the wall.

***

In fact, there is no race that is as territorial as the merchants. Among them, the salt merchants are even more so. This is because the merchants who can receive salt are limited.

In that sense, it would be no exaggeration to say that Yeomjang was the most segregated place in the Central Plains.

“Haha. You’re a really good friend. Let’s have a drink next time we meet in the city.”

“great.”

“Oh, a bottle of soju. Should I drink it first?”

“I’ll go first. Everyone is so picky.”

I knew some of them. It was refreshing to see these people, who had left a first impression colder than the cold snow of the north wind in their previous lives, approach me as warm as the spring breeze.

“You had a clash with the Chief of the Yeommu Commandery, right? Don’t worry. If the shaman faction is behind you, then the Chief of the Yeommu Commandery won’t be able to do anything.”

“Wow, that’s amazing. How did you bring the shamans into the upper world? Even the king couldn’t do it.”

The reason they changed their attitude like turning over their hands was, of course, because the shamans were behind them. In my previous life, I had been running around constantly trying to win their hearts, and pouring drinks in places they weren’t invited to. Since that process was omitted, I felt good.

“I was just lucky. The long-term caregiver took good care of me.”

“Huh. You’re a disciple of the common people, and you’ve even met Jang Moon-in? He’s a bigger shot than I thought.”

“Oh, it’s a secret that I’m close to Jang Moon-in.”

“Haha, this guy. How ridiculous!”

Some merchants even gave me a sneaky arm around the shoulder. I didn’t shake it off.

Although they were all members of the salt merchants’ association, of which Son Yeong-ui was the chief salt merchant, they did not show any hostility toward me. This was the way merchants behaved.

“But how did the salt man get it?”

“Are you a salt person?”

One of the merchants asked sarcastically. I saw everyone’s eyes turn as sly as a lynx.

I was trying to figure out who I was connected to. If this were infinite, I would have proudly revealed that I was the Ubudo Eosa of the Dochalwon.

But the people here are merchants. There must be someone with connections that are good enough to be a third-rank official.

Fear originally comes from the unknown. I had no intention of relieving their fear.

“I just found it on the street and picked it up.”

“Hahaha. This is no joke.”

The merchants all laughed, but a hint of regret flashed through their eyes. It seemed like they thought I was a new merchant and would be easy to get rid of.

Perhaps, if I had been a novice trader, I might have mistakenly thought that I could relate to them. But now I know that they are real traders who can change their attitudes depending on the practicality. It would be foolish to give up my cards in such a relationship.

“When are you going back to Hubei?”

Someone asked. It seemed like they were changing the subject to lighten the slightly tense atmosphere. I answered with a smile.

“Now that I have the salt, I should go.”

“Hey. Don’t you know? Originally, salt merchants who traded salt at a salt farm would get together and have a drink. Salt merchants should have a bit of a close bond.”

“Oh. Is that so?”

“That’s right. It’s a wrap-up. A wrap-up.”

Their smiles deepened. I know very well what happens in the aftermath.

‘It’s hard to pretend not to know something even though you know it.’

While we were talking, I felt someone staring at me from afar. It was none other than Son Yeong-ui, the salt merchant. Son Yeong-ui was also one of the salt merchants, so it was natural that he would be in this salt merchant’s shop.

I looked into the people’s faces carefully. The information that Yeo Hongyang gave me was of great help here.

They are laughing and giggling in front of each other now, but their relationship is not as smooth as it seems. This is something I didn’t know about in my past life, so it was quite significant.

“So when is the after party?”

“I received the salt today, so everyone should go to the top and organize it. A letter will arrive in the evening. Are you still at the guesthouse?”

“Yes. But isn’t that kind of after-party presided over by the Chief of the Yeommu?”

“Even if the Chief of the Salt Mine seems picky, he is a man who sticks to what he has to keep. Even if he had a conflict with you once, he wouldn’t do something childish like leaving you out.”

I laughed. At that moment, Son Yeong-ui, who had been watching me from afar, approached me. The merchants noticed right away and took a step back.

“Did you exchange the salt properly?”

“Yes. Thanks to you. I received your greetings well.”

Son Yeong-ui’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

“You have a cunning side, too. How dare you hide the fact that you’re with the shamans.”

“Because there is no reason to reveal it publicly.”

“That’s true. Anyway, I’m sorry that Baek Oh-moon came looking for me.”

Son Yeong-ui was shameless. He came to pickle me, but he just said sorry and brushed it off. But shamelessness was one of the main virtues of a merchant.

“So?”

“The uneducated ones risk their lives by fighting with their swords when conflicts arise, but we merchants who have learned the art of writing don’t need to do that. All problems can be solved with a drink.”

“That’s right. There’s no need to take out a knife.”

I smiled faintly. There was no need to scratch it, thinking that the Baek-o-mun was intended to be solved with a knife.

Son Yeong-ui took a letter out of her bosom and gave it to me. It was a luxurious letter with a gold border.

“It’s an invitation with the time and place for the after-party between the salt merchants. Normally, I would send someone, but I wanted to give it to you in person.”

“Is this a mandatory event?”

“That’s not true. It’s just that the relationship with the salt merchants is being neglected.”

“I will definitely attend.”

“good.”

Son Yeong-ui smiled brightly, turned around, and left. The merchants who had taken a step back approached me again.

“Didn’t I tell you? Chief Yeom Mu isn’t that kind of person who is so closed-minded.”

“Yes. Is there anything I should bring with me?”

“Ah. Yes, yes, yes.”

A deep smile spread across the merchants’ faces like an infection.

“One escort and confidant. Nothing else is allowed.”

“I noticed.”

“Are you going to bring a non-partisan Taoist priest?”

“I guess so.”

“Haha. I’m looking forward to it.”

The merchants patted me on the shoulder. After that, everyone dispersed. I also loaded all the salt onto the cart waiting outside and stored it separately in a warehouse that I had arranged in advance. Since there was a lot of salt, I had to go back and forth quite a bit.

When I returned to the inn, the death sentences were still training. The inn, the salt farm, and the warehouse were almost connected, so there was no need for guards, and so the death sentences were not brought along.

“You’re here.”

Before I could open my mouth, they noticed my arrival. Everyone’s swords stopped.

“Did you have a good salt exchange?”

“yes.”

“So, are you going back to Hubei right now?”

“No. I have something to do in the evening.”

I explained to them the aftermath of the salt spill. Their expressions instantly crumpled. It seemed like they wanted to go back to Hubei right away.

But how would they know? The real joy of salt trading lies not in the salt trade itself, but in the aftermath.

“Can’t you just take that out?”

“Yes. No.”

“why?”

“That’s where the fun happens.”

“What’s so funny?”

“I’ll gamble with my salt.”

Everyone’s eyes widened. The salt merchants probably didn’t know that I knew this fact.

Originally, not telling people that there was gambling was a concept of initiation. But I already knew this. Playing with salt during a salt-salting ritual is common in the Central Plains.

“How do you gamble?”

“It’s a proxy war.”

“Ah. Proxy war.”

It seemed that Myeongyeop knew the concept of proxy war. It was what Seungroemun and I had discussed at the last Yi Chang. It was intended to resolve disputes between merchants.

In the aftermath, it was used as a playful concept.

“That’s a bit humiliating.”

“Yes.”

This is nothing but a game for the merchants. It is not an underground arena, and the shamans’ executioners cannot be used like that. Perhaps Son Yeong-ui was aiming for this.

If the shamans found out about this on the spot, they would think they would never come to the proxy battle. Of course, as they thought, the relationship between the shamans and me was not a simple escort.

“Well, if you really need me, I can let you go. You can just beat them all up.”

“No. You don’t have to do that. I don’t want to use the death penalty like that. Just come and take a look.”

“caliber?”

“Yes. Gambling doesn’t have to be on our side. You can also bet on the other side fighting. That’s why it’s fun.”

If the structure was such that winning was simply due to the strength of the escort, gambling would not be possible. However, the proxy war of the aftermath was not like that.

Even if my escort doesn’t go out, and other escorts fight each other, I can still get salt. That’s the real fun of the after-party. So even if my escort is the weakest, I can still get salt.

“Then should I go?”

Myungyeop asked. I shook my head.

“Let’s decide by playing rock-paper-scissors.”

“Is that okay?”

“sure.”

Myungyeop, Myeongseong, Myeonggyeong, Myeongjin. Four people. The four of them started the Chungkwon. Because there were four of them, there were many cases of draws, but soon a winner was decided.

“Wow, I won!”

The winner who jumped up and down was Myeong-gyeong.

So it was decided that Myeonggyeong would be my escort for the after-dinner party.