An Advertising Genius Falls into the Joseon Era - Chapter 51

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 51
“Master Ha-yun. You have a visitor.”
“A visitor?”
Ha-yun hurriedly dressed herself at the arrival of an early-morning caller.
When she entered the reception room, she found Song Do-hyeon and Yun Jeop-jang already greeting the guest.
“How did they find this place?”
The visitor who had come looking for Ha-yun was one of the Qing merchants she had seen at the Huksabang the day before.
Song Do-hyeon stood beside her, providing real-time translation.
“We thought you’d left for Arasa, so we’ve been scrambling around since dawn. Finally managed to track you down here.”
The Qing merchant paused to catch his breath before continuing.
“As you’ve seen these past days, we had no real authority in this matter. Wi So-gang orchestrated everything himself.”
The merchant quietly shifted all blame onto Wi So-gang.
‘A lie. You’re just as culpable as he is.’
Ha-yun didn’t believe him.
They were all equally complicit or at least compliant.
Yet even knowing this, she nodded as if she genuinely sympathized.
“I had no idea such circumstances existed.”
It was common wisdom that the first general to betray must be treated generously if you wanted the rest to follow suit.
“So here’s what I’m thinking……”
He leaned in, speaking in hushed tones.
“Would you be willing to do business with our company now? I’ll adjust the price however you see fit.”
“Hmm……”
Ha-yun glanced sidelong at Song Do-hyeon and Yun Jeop-jang. Both nodded quietly.
It meant they were granting her complete authority over the decision.
After a brief moment of thought, Ha-yun spoke.
“Agreed.”
“Ah……!”
The merchant couldn’t hide his delight at her acceptance.
But this only meant she would sell ginseng—the price itself was still to be determined.
“Then what about the price……?”
Days earlier, Ha-yun had quoted sixty taels.
An outrageous figure.
But she’d made clear there was room for negotiation.
That’s why the merchant had sought her out today.
Shortly after, Ha-yun proposed a price.
“In consideration of you coming to us first, I’ll offer the ginseng at forty taels.”
“Forty taels……!”
Though ten taels higher than the previous trading rate, the merchant showed no sign of displeasure.
If anything, his expression brightened.
This was because the unprecedented Ginseng Craze had driven prices to double their normal value.
Yet merchants still clamored desperately to obtain any supply they could find.
Whoever managed to secure ginseng stood to profit handsomely, no matter the purchase price.
The merchant nodded, satisfied.
“Fine. Let’s proceed with that price.”
“Then please sign here.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, the merchant drafted and executed the contract on the spot.
He understood well that when a ship is sinking, the only way to survive is to jump off quickly.
“I’ll bring the payment tomorrow. Until then, stay put here and don’t go anywhere. I’ll find a way to secure the funds no matter what.”
“Understood.”
“And absolutely do not sell ginseng to Arasa or any other merchant in the meantime.”
“Don’t worry. There will be plenty left for other patrons of importance.”
“Very good.”
Only after checking once, twice, three times did the merchant finally depart.
The moment he disappeared, a belated cheer erupted from within.
“We did it!”
“Ha-yun! Congratulations!”
One month.
That was how long it had taken to land the first contract.
There had been countless obstacles along the way.
Wi So-gang’s relentless obstruction and the cold indifference of the Qing merchants.
The difficulty of promoting ginseng in a distant foreign land under such circumstances.
The language wouldn’t cooperate, and the geography remained a mystery.
It was like trying to accomplish something impossible with bare hands.
That made the achievement all the more meaningful—wrested from every hardship they’d faced.
Without Song Do-hyeon’s translation and assistance, without Yun Jeop-jang’s quiet support, this deal would never have happened.
It was only possible because three people became one.
Song Do-hyeon gazed at Im Ha-yun, his expression tinged with emotion.
“Closing a deal at forty taels—that’s remarkable. I’ll admit it, at least this once.”
Im Ha-yun turned to Song Do-hyeon with gratitude in her eyes.
“You’ve endured so much yourself. Translating everything, day after day—it can’t have been easy.”
It was far more than just translation.
He’d shouldered every chore and errand on her behalf, since her stamina wasn’t what it needed to be, and whenever the moment demanded it, he’d stepped forward without hesitation.
He’d faced the blade in her stead, even drunk poison.
Every moment they’d shared together flickered through her mind.
After more than a month of being together every day, somewhere along the way she’d begun to feel empty the moment he wasn’t at her side.
……
Im Ha-yun and Song Do-hyeon looked at each other, their expressions complex and uncertain.
Now that the deal was done, once they returned to the Yangsanghoe, they would each walk their separate paths again.
It wasn’t a complete separation, but they wouldn’t share moments like these—bound together through hardship and joy—ever again.
Perhaps that’s why.
Even as they rejoiced in the deal’s success, there was an unmistakable bitterness beneath their joy.
Ahem, hem, hem.
Yun Jeop-jang hurried to fill the awkward silence.
“Why don’t we set that aside and have a drink to celebrate? A day this auspicious calls for a toast, doesn’t it?”
“That sounds good.”
“Of course! Today’s on me!”
Sadly, their hopes were never to be realized.
Just as Yun Jeop-jang spoke those eager words, a visitor arrived.
Knock, knock, knock.
The porter who’d come looking for Im Ha-yun earlier poked his head through the doorway.
“Miss Im. Another guest has come to see you.”
“Another one?”
“Yes. This time, they say they’re from the Yang Sanghoe.”
Yang Sanghoe was the name of a Qing merchant house.
At the sight of yet another visitor, Im Ha-yun shrugged with a rueful smile.
“I’m afraid we’ll have to postpone that toast. It seems someone else has come to buy our ginseng.”
“Well, well. Business always comes first.”
The three of them quickly tidied the room and welcomed their new guest.
“We’ve come to propose a ginseng transaction…”
But this was only the beginning.
Word spread that Im Ha-yun was staying at the Cheongpung Guesthouse, and visitors from various Qing merchant houses—Yang Sanghoe, Hwanggeum-jang, Yu Yeongbang, and others—came in an endless stream.
“We opposed this from the start. Shouldn’t one purchase ginseng at the agreed price?”
“I’ve long admired the great merchant Im Sang-ok. When I heard she wouldn’t be coming, my disappointment knew no bounds…”
With Wi So-gang’s scheme in ruins, there was only one way forward: swallow their pride.
They all now understood a simple truth—each of them had to find their own way to survive.
They came to Im Ha-yun again and again, as though enchanted.
“Given our past dealings, surely you could sell us some ginseng?”
“We’ll match whatever price you ask…”
“Just a little—please, sell us even a small amount!”
“If you sell to our house, I’ll add three extra taels to whatever the other merchants offer!”
And then word spread that Im Ha-yun would be leaving Bonghwang Fortress soon.
This sent them into a frenzy, each racing to bid higher than the last.
Before long, they were locked in open competition, driving prices so high that there was hardly any margin left.
Sigh.
There was no time to rest.
The hours slipped away as she dealt with one Qing merchant after another.
Though negotiations had begun early in the morning.
Outside, the sun was already sinking low on the horizon, painting the sky in gold and crimson.
“Oh, my back.”
Yun Jeop-jang slumped heavily against the table.
The vibrancy of morning had long since faded.
He hadn’t eaten properly all day, and shadows had settled beneath his eyes like bruises.
“How on earth have you been conducting negotiations like this all this time?”
Yun Jeop-jang shook his head with an expression of exhaustion.
Ha-yun smiled faintly and spoke.
“We’re only just beginning. We’ve settled the price of ginseng, but we haven’t decided how much to supply to each merchant house yet.”
“What are you saying?”
Yun Jeop-jang pressed his forehead with his hand as if his head were pounding.
“This won’t do. You two sort out the rest among yourselves. I need to rest now.”
“Of course. We’ll discuss the remainder and inform you. Please go rest first.”
“Thank you. Do your best while I’m gone.”
Worn down by nearly ten hours of continuous negotiation, Yun Jeop-jang returned to his quarters first.
Ha-yun and Song Do-hyeon sat across from each other once more to determine the remaining quantities and trading partners.
“How should we divide the quantities?”
“It seems fairest to allocate by order of arrival, doesn’t it? Give the largest share to Geum Gajang, since they found us first.”
“I agree.”
Because the merchant houses had arrived at different times, their conditions varied wildly.
Some proposed purchasing ginseng at forty taels, while others had offered fifty taels first.
If these were people one would never see again, it might be different.
But if they intended to maintain trade year after year, prices could not be allowed to vary.
Ha-yun realized this and proposed standardizing the price.
“About the price question—what if we sold to all the merchant houses who came today at forty taels?”
“Why?”
“Because we’re not just trading this year. Who knows how they’ll behave next year if we sell them at an inflated price?”
“Hmm, you have a point.”
Song Do-hyeon nodded in agreement.
This year, with the Ginseng Craze in full effect, they would gladly accept that price—but if next year brought a ginseng boycott, no amount offered would persuade them to buy.
In the end, maintaining long-term, stable trade required letting go of greed.
“Then let’s give the largest share to Geum Gajang…”
That was when the two of them were deep in their discussion.
Knock, knock, knock.
Someone rapped suddenly at the door.
It was the porter who had handled all the visitors today.
“Im Ha-yun. Another guest has arrived.”
“Another?”
Ha-yun turned to Song Do-hyeon with a hollow stare.
“Are there still more merchant houses coming?”
“I wouldn’t think so. There can’t be that many Qing merchant houses.”
Ha-yun let out a deep sigh.
Just when she thought the work was nearly finished.
Another visitor, and Ha-yun asked curtly.
“So which one is it this time?”
“Well, that’s the thing…”
The porter’s manner was different from usual.
He hesitated, looking troubled, before finally opening his mouth.
“It’s… it’s Huksabang, they say.”
“Huksabang?”
At the unexpected name, Ha-yun looked over in surprise. Song Do-hyeon’s eyes widened as well.
The two of them cried out in unison.
“Wi So-gang is here?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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