Hyeonjilmusin - Chapter 15



Only Krnovel

15. Light and Salt (1)

Two nyang of silver. In coins, it was two thousand nyang. Now, it was cute for Cheonghwa to threaten him with one hundred nyang of coins.

At that moment, Cheonghwa came over, coughing in vain.

“Big, Whiyoung.”

“yes.”

“I will take care of the two nyang of silver.”

I squinted my eyes. Cheonghwa also knew. She could no longer tie me up with the hundred nyang she had entrusted to her.

But things were different then and now. I had Cheonghwa’s help in converting the voucher into money, but this was money I had earned entirely on my own.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Great. There is nothing I cannot say to my teacher.”

“I know you’re not a master yet.”

Cheonghwa didn’t seem to have anything to say. Of course, she must be embarrassed too. Isn’t it too obvious?

Fortunately, however, Cheonghwa didn’t stick around any longer.

“By the way, your acting was really top-notch.”

“yes?”

“It was the first time in my life that I saw someone roll through the air and crash to the ground on their own.”

“greatness.”

This time, I coughed in vain.

“How long have you been watching?”

“I’ve been watching since Myeongseong fought Myeonghan.”

“You were watching from the beginning. Then why don’t you stop me?”

“That’s why you didn’t make a sound.”

To be exact, he must have been watching me avoid it and then made a noise.

“You can’t win by just avoiding the enemy. As you’ve probably felt this time.”

“I tried to attack, but it didn’t work.”

“You speak so confidently. That’s embarrassing. You couldn’t even land a single blow to a guy who’s much younger than you.”

“Aren’t you that embarrassed?”

It was natural since I hadn’t learned martial arts. That’s what I thought. Cheonghwa’s expression changed to one of displeasure. It seemed like he wanted to provoke some sense of victory in me by fighting Minghan. But that was the kind of thinking that only a warrior would have. In my opinion, it was natural that I wouldn’t be able to win if I hadn’t learned.

“Anyway, from today onwards, don’t think too much about it. You’ll have to train harder than anyone else.”

“What are you talking about? If people don’t sleep, their efficiency drops.”

“Your way of thinking still seems too un-Murim.”

“Where does the term ‘non-murim person’ come from? Murim people are non-ordinary people.”

Anyway, the drones think they are the center of the world. That’s the really annoying part.

“Even though I am not your teacher, I am a respected elder to you. I should teach you manners for him.”

“I am a very polite person.”

“There are manners that only the martial artists know that the non-martial artists don’t.”

“I see. There are manners that non-common people have that ordinary people don’t know about.”

“Okay. Relax your body. You’ll get hurt.”

“yes?”

At the same time, Cheonghwa’s fist loomed large before my eyes. It couldn’t be helped since it was right in front of me.

Suddenly, lightning flashed in my eyes. An excruciating pain made my nose tingle. At the same time, a beating so severe that I couldn’t even scream began.

It was a familiar feeling. Because the place where it hit was exactly the same as Cheongsu. Chugung and blood. Even though it hit like this, no blood flowed at all.

But the pain seemed twice as strong as Cheongsu’s. Only then did I realize that Cheongsu had controlled his strength when he hit me. It was only after the flowers fell that I realized it was spring.

‘You crazy bastard!’

I screamed inside. It hurt so much I couldn’t even make a sound. It was about 400 blows. It was nonstop for a whole day.

Thud. After the beating, I lay down in pain and twitched like a bug on the verge of death.

Cheonghwa’s education began from then.

***

I bought a strong body the first day I was questioned by Cheonghwa, but it didn’t really work.

-Huh? Why did it suddenly become so hard? I can do it harder.

Cheonghwa hit harder while saying such crazy things. Unlike Cheongsu, who hit while controlling his expression, Cheonghwa hit with a kind smile.

The aftereffects of Cheongsu’s Chugung and Hyoel disappeared after half an hour, but the aftereffects of Cheonghwa’s Chugung and Hyoel did not disappear even after half a day.

My workday was split into two: time spent learning martial arts while being beaten by Cheonghwa, and time spent running around Gokjeongak and working as a messenger.

As I learned martial arts together with the children of the famous distribution, I also realized for sure that my basic physical strength was significantly inferior to theirs.

Just as he felt the difference in external attack during the fight with Ming Han, this means that even though he could run around all day and climb up and down cliffs, he was still at the level of an ordinary person.

“Priest. Are you okay?”

The door opened and Myeong-gyeong’s head popped out.

Strictly speaking, I am not a priest yet because I am not a disciple of the main temple, but Myeonggyeong called me a priest. Or maybe she just needed a priest.

“Yes, that’s fine.”

“If it hurts too much, scream a little. Then sometimes you can do it softly.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“……okay?”

I groaned and sat up.

“Are you going to Gokjeongak again?”

“yes.”

I would have preferred to go to Gokjeongak instead. Spending time with Cheonghwa was hell.

“Have a nice trip.”

Myungkyung’s head suddenly disappeared. It seems like he has a direct disciple and is trying to take care of something, but it’s incredibly clumsy.

I dragged my still legs to Gokjeongak. Now, going in and out of Gungdogak and Gokjeongak was a comfortable path that I could walk with my eyes closed.

“You’re here. There’s no letter today.”

“yes?”

Cheongsu disappointed me as soon as I arrived. If there was nothing to do at Gokjeongak, I would have to go back to Gungdogak. I immediately grabbed Cheongsu’s trouser leg.

“My lord, please give me something to do.”

“Get out, you fucking bastard.”

“I can’t go on like this. Just kill me.”

Cheongsu tried to shake me off by shaking off my feet, but I was no pushover. He had recently acquired a strong body and was quite strong.

“This kid, why won’t he come off?”

“Please. I can do anything you tell me.”

“There is nothing for you to do.”

In the midst of the struggle, the door to the corner opened. The man in Gokjeongak was momentarily speechless as he watched me hanging from Cheongsu’s leg and dangling, but soon regained his composure.

“This time, a market is being held in Yichang, and the Shanxi Prefecture has requested that we send some guards.”

“Really? How big is it?”

“It is said that about 50 rows (industries) will be established.”

The Murim School was called upon in this way when military force was needed in various parts of the Central Plains. If there were 50 lines, it would be quite large. It was understandable that they would ask Wudangsan for help. And the Shanxi merchants in Shanxi Province were known to be wealthy, so they had no hesitation in using the Gupaeilbang.

“I think it would be enough to send about 10 people. How much money would it cost?”

“It costs ten nyang per person.”

“Oh my, those guys have a lot of money.”

I was thinking exactly the opposite of them.

‘It’s so dirty. How much do you have?’

In fact, even if the merchants of Shanxi have a lot of money, the people of Mujin would not know exactly how much they have. And even if they do know, it is likely that their wealth is reduced. They are hiding it all to avoid being subject to the Dual Taxation Act, which imposes taxes based on assets.

“I guess I can buy salt there this year.”

“Oh, yes. I understand.”

The Central Plains sects also need money, so they do business. It seems that the shamans also do business by buying salt and reselling it for profit. In fact, there is no product that is as profitable as salt.

“How much salt do you have these days?”

“The silver is worth about thirty seok for ten nyang. But this time, I heard they’ll give me a discount if I buy more than five hundred seok.”

“Oh. That’s really… … .”

“Bullshit!”

Before I knew it, I interrupted Cheongsu’s words and swore. Cheongsu and the people from Gokjeongak stared at me blankly. And their blank stares soon turned into anger.

“Why are you suddenly swearing?”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

But I’m sorry, I’m sorry, and I had every reason to be upset. It was the price of salt.

“Thirty seok for ten nyang of silver? It wasn’t even a few decades ago. Does that make sense? Then, when it goes to the common people, it doesn’t even get twenty seok for ten nyang of silver?”

“A few decades ago? That guy wasn’t even born back then.”

I blinked. My brain shut down for a moment.

Now that I think about it, I’ve regressed. So the current prices are not the prices I know with my body. I was confused for a moment about something so obvious.

“Thirty seok for ten nyang of silver?”

“okay.”

I did the math. The price of salt that I know is about 60 seok for ten nyang. That’s literally half the price.

What happened in the meantime? The laws governing salt management changed.

Originally, salt merchants who could sell salt could only be obtained from the northern frontier. Since it was difficult to procure military supplies to the frontier, special privileges were given to merchants who carried supplies to the north. This was the Gaejung Law.

However, the method of salt distribution was changed to the system of salt distribution in the middle. This was done so that merchants could exchange their military supplies for salt at the inland salt distribution office without having to exchange them for salt.

This change resulted in salt, which had originally been distributed cheaply only in the North China region, becoming available cheaply in areas south of North China as well.

Looking at the prices, it seems that the salt-cutting system has not been implemented yet. When was the salt-cutting system implemented? I don’t know, but it was around the time I was a young man. That meant that the salt price south of North China would soon plummet.

“Absolutely not.”

The calculations were done. I was absolutely against it. As a merchant, I could not overlook this. It was not the way of business to remain silent when the loss was obvious.

Right now, the non-partisan group is making a profit by buying salt and then reselling it. But when the price of salt plummets, the non-partisan group has to bear the full loss.

“What doesn’t work?”

“I’m talking about buying salt. It’s better to buy it later.”

“What do you know now that makes you say such things?”

Cheongsu said as if it was ridiculous.

“I have never heard of my Shanxi merchants lowering their prices. What an opportunity this is.”

I’ve never heard of that either. Oh, then maybe. My head is spinning again.

Among the Shanxi merchants, there must have been many powerful friends who provided financial support to scholars and officials. Since it was close to Beijing, it seemed that they had heard somewhere that the policy had changed.

“Don’t you think they’re cutting it because there’s a reason to do it?”

“That’s an exaggeration.”

“There is no merchant who is not cunning, and only profit is the way. There is no merchant who is not cunning, and they are a group that only pursues profit. When they say they will lower the price, there is always an inside story behind it.”

I hate to criticize my job, but that was the perception at the time. When I said that, Cheongsu’s expression wavered slightly. After all, it was the first time that merchants had lowered prices, so he seemed suspicious.

“Can you take responsibility for your words?”

“sure!”

I said confidently. After all, when the results came out, you would see me again. Maybe it was called Bitwhiyeong. Since Whiyeong means bright light, I guess I should call him Bitwhiyeong.

If I were to give grace to the shamans, it would be of great help when I ascended later. But to do that, I would first have to get rid of the main disciples…

“Then prove your words in front of the elders.”

“yes?”

“Didn’t you say you could take responsibility for your words? The salt business is a big deal even within the non-partisan faction. Changing that plan requires the approval of the leader.”

“……no.”

I didn’t know that. Whether it was true or not, Cheongsu had already decided that I would meet Jang Moon-in.

… … I’m screwed.