He Became the Genius Blacksmith of the Namgung Family - Chapter 115
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 115
Episode 115
On the way to Cheonggung Jugeom Gak.
The three people who happened to meet because they had business with each other immediately moved to a tea house.
They secured a quiet room.
When the tea they ordered arrived, they each took a sip.
Namgung Cheon-gang was impressed by their posture, which clearly showed traces of having learned the tea ceremony.
‘Cheong-a Noonim is naturally like that. But that person is…’
He was tall and thin.
However, his appearance exuded dignity.
This is probably what an upright and honest person sitting in a government position would look like.
Therefore, the feeling he gave off was even more refined than Namgung Cheonggi.
Well.
The man sitting before him was no ordinary person.
The eldest son of the Namgung Family.
The firstborn of the Sword King, Namgung Cheon.
This alone made his status completely different from others.
‘However, it’s not just his status that makes him remarkable.’
A man who early on realized that his martial arts talent was not particularly good compared to his two younger siblings.
So he immediately went to find a place where his talents could shine and entered there himself…
That place was none other than Namgung Jaejeonggak.
What does the Finance Department do?
Broadly speaking, it’s a place that handles all the finances of martial families and sects.
Looking at it in detail, it’s a place that takes responsibility for the economy of martial families and sects, and comprehensively manages business enterprises.
Aside from places that preserve the history of martial families, it was more important than anywhere else.
Do warriors live by digging up the ground and eating it?
Eating, sleeping, wearing clothes, buying weapons, buying medicine, obtaining elixirs, and so on.
The money spent is more than double that of ordinary people.
Since it’s the place that oversees the economy to provide salaries to such people, how could it not be the most important place?
He entered such a place at age 10 and was immediately recognized for his abilities by the Finance Department Head.
After receiving education, he rose to Vice Finance Minister at the age of 15.
Afterwards, every business he touched succeeded, doubling the Namgung Family’s finances…
His talent was extraordinary, and rumors of this financial genius spread throughout not only Namgung but the entire Martial Arts World.
The nickname given to him was Cheongang Manjeon (Heaven-Sent Ten Thousand Coins).
That person is.
‘The one sitting before me right now.’
So how could I say he’s remarkable just because of his status?
‘Even without his status, he’s an extraordinary person. If this were my previous life, he probably would have already become a young chairman who built up a major corporation.’
However, the work of finance must have been arduous.
Within his refinement, the traces of time were deeply embedded.
‘I heard he’s almost forty this year…’
How does he look like he’s almost fifty?
‘Even in different eras, the military and places responsible for a group’s economy are indeed places that steal away youth…’
I absolutely shouldn’t do that.
Namgung Cheon-gang strengthened his dream of becoming a blacksmith even more.
Thud.
A teacup quietly set down.
Dark eyes filled with the years that had taken away youth but given depth and wisdom turned toward Namgung Cheon-gang.
The corners of his mouth gently rose.
That too was elegant.
“Just from the brief conversation we had when we met earlier, I can understand why Cheong-a Noonim praised you so highly. Not only that, but I’ve also heard rumors.”
About the incident in Dongryang County.
About the incident in Namman.
About the Blood Cult-related matters within those incidents.
Of course, he doesn’t know that the Blood Soil of Namman was purified.
Since it’s not something that needs to be revealed and Namman keeps silent about it, it’s natural that he doesn’t know.
However, just knowing about the Dongryang County incident is enough to be considered remarkable.
Well, he’s the eldest son of Namgung, so how could he not know?
“You are truly remarkable. How do you possess such ability and insight at that age? I truly think it’s Namgung’s blessing.”
Perhaps what’s visible isn’t everything.
His manner of speaking also overflows with refinement.
His courtesy toward others is sincere.
Namgung Cheon-gang’s eyes sparkled.
‘Though his martial arts may be low, there’s a good reason why he still holds the title of eldest son and receives respect.’
Since there would be no opportunity to interact with the eldest son, he had only heard rumors about what kind of person he was.
However, just from facing him and having this brief conversation, he felt he could fully understand what kind of person he was.
He wasn’t just someone with outstanding abilities, but someone whose character was also outstanding.
‘But if the eldest son calls her noonim, then…’
Our Cheong-a Noonim’s age is…
‘…’
Let’s stop thinking about it and stop trying to figure it out.
Namgung Cheon-gang wanted to live a long life.
“If you already know, then the conversation will be easier. Well then, let me speak directly to the point. Precisely, I thought it would be good to split the Ungongwha business with Cheonggung Jugeom Gak, so I wanted to meet with you.”
The story that followed was the same as the method Namgung Cheon-gang had thought of.
To subdivide the Ungongwha sold to ordinary people and warriors.
Moreover, it wasn’t limited to just individual ‘warriors.’
“Groups. The places where warriors are most concentrated are sects and martial families. Displaying one’s capabilities as an individual requires exceptional talent. However, martial families and sects wouldn’t just ignore such talent, would they?”
That’s right.
Warriors with outstanding talent show different potential from a young age, so martial families and sects keep an eye on them.
Of course, since this Martial Arts World is vast and wide, there are many cases where dragons emerge from places beyond their sight.
But ultimately, the destination of those outstanding warriors becomes martial families, sects, or building their own forces.
There are places like Cheongeumjeong that take single disciples, but in the context of the Martial Arts World, those are very few.
It’s like finding a needle in a haystack.
“What does it mean that warriors are concentrated in martial families and sects? It means they train daily in preparation for wars and attacks between sects that could break out at any time.”
“I can’t deny that. Even looking at just our Namgung, each martial training unit constantly trains as part of daily life. Of course, places with the Five Great Families like Namgung or major sects equivalent to them are peaceful, but places beyond our sight are like powder kegs that could explode at any time. The wounds from 30 years ago still remain.”
“Therefore, those belonging to martial families and sects always maintain combat readiness in preparation for battle. Can such people consistently wear ordinary Ungongwha? Though they might wear Ungongwha made by Young Master Namgung Cheon-gang since it’s completely different footwear from what existed before.”
“However, what if we made this for combat use? If Ungongwha in the form of martial boots like those traditionally worn by warriors were created, warriors would prefer Ungongwha reborn as martial boots even more. Furthermore, we could also establish overall supply contracts with each sect and martial family, making monopolization possible.”
“Therefore, I wanted to discuss what you think of this opinion, and also, if it seems good, whether Cheonggung Jugeom Gak could split and handle the Ungongwha for warriors, which is why I sought to meet with you.”
The reason for wanting to meet Namgung Cheon-gang.
When Namgung Mo’s magnificent explanation ended, Namgung Cheon-gang was amazed.
‘Not just division, but he even considered group supply contracts?’
What was Namgung Cheon-gang’s division plan?
It was precisely ‘product lineup segmentation,’ a method widely used in modern times.
Since he was a modern person, he could think of such things, but…
‘To think a Martial Arts World person had such thoughts… Ah, no. Come to think of it, only the terminology is different – segmentation is already happening. But what the eldest son thought of goes beyond segmentation, doesn’t it?’
Precisely, it’s a B2B (business-to-business) supply chain control method.
‘In other words, what the eldest son is saying is to create and supply new Ungongwha products for the equipment of warriors belonging to sects to control them.’
Even though transactions between sects and martial families do occur, transactions conducted in this manner are almost nonexistent.
Moreover, this even considers the future.
Individual sales can be shaken when competitors appear, but if you control the supply chain at the sect level, whether war comes or peace arrives, they must wear Namgung’s shoes unconditionally.
Monopoly is such a terrifying thing.
‘The fact that he thought of a business strategy to put the market flow itself in Namgung’s palm is truly unbelievable.’
This was even more than the rumors.
He wasn’t just an extraordinary person, but simply a business genius, a prodigy.
‘Could it be that Bill G*tes or Steve J*bs was reincarnated as Young Master Namgung Mo?’
I’m deeply suspicious.
While Namgung Cheon-gang was admiring Namgung Mo’s extraordinary abilities like this.
Namgung Mo was likewise admiring Namgung Cheon-gang.
‘Huh. Looking at his expression, it seems he immediately understood what kind of method I was thinking of.’
Even though I explained my thoughts in simple terms, it would be difficult to understand immediately without a head for business.
Of course, since Young Master Namgung Cheon-gang is a blacksmith, he wouldn’t be unrelated to business.
However, isn’t it quite different from the work of the Finance Department that professionally handles economics?
Yet the fact that he understood means his mind is exceptional.
Or perhaps it was something he was already thinking about.
‘…No, if he had already thought of it, that would be even more impressive. It would mean he had this in mind when creating the artifact called Ungongwha.’
Come to think of it, didn’t he guess the reason I came before we even had a conversation?
That it was because of Ungongwha.
Moreover, he said he had related matters to discuss.
‘Thinking about it, he truly had a plan.’
Of course, it was a misunderstanding.
Though he had thought about division, he hadn’t considered B2B, that is, monopoly trading strategies between companies.
While Namgung Cheon-gang aimed to be the world’s best as a blacksmith, he wasn’t particularly outstanding in business aspects.
Because he was a reincarnator, he realized what kind of method it was after hearing Namgung Mo’s words, which showed in his expression.
Of course, from Namgung Mo’s perspective who didn’t know this, he couldn’t help but misunderstand.
‘Amazing!’
‘How impressive!’
Thus, Namgung Cheon-gang, who faced a true genius, was amazed in his heart.
Namgung Mo, who mistook Namgung Cheon-gang for a business genius like himself due to his past life experience, was equally amazed.
The way they looked at each other changed.
Infinite fondness.
‘If such a person is with us, Namgung can develop even further. From what I heard from Sister Namgung Cheong-a and the rumors so far, he won’t leave Namgung.’
His family was already part of Namgung.
Moreover, since he’s direct lineage, there would rarely be any transfer to other martial families.
However, Namgung Mo wanted to go one step further from now and definitely make him a person of Namgung.
‘Looking at it, it seems Nanman Beast Palace was also targeting him.’
Didn’t he see it at the wedding ceremony of Namgung Yeong and Suwang of Nanman Beast Palace?
That Suwang’s younger sister, the palace lord’s daughter, was targeting Namgung Cheon-gang.
Of course, if they were blood relatives like Namgung Yeong, marriage would be impossible.
‘It’s different. Since they’re not close relatives but relatives who don’t share blood, it’s entirely possible. Come to think of it, the position in Namman was also obtained through Young Master Namgung Cheon-gang’s merit.’
Whether the wedding ceremony or the monopoly trade with Namman.
‘Thinking like this, his business methods are even more excellent.’
Once fallen into misunderstanding, it deepened further.
As Namgung Mo’s fondness for Namgung Cheon-gang increased like this, Namgung Cheon-gang felt the same way.
‘If I have a brother with such an exceptional mind, I might be able to solve all the headache-inducing things I’ll have to think about in the future.’
For instance, things like having to divide responsibilities like today’s matter.
Speaking of which, today’s matter would be quite troublesome if I hadn’t kept it in mind just in case.
I could manage it.
Since I have experience from my past life.
But I can’t just keep doing everything myself, right?
‘I’m a blacksmith, not an economics-related office worker.’
I don’t even know how the martial world’s economy works!
As the saying goes, medicine to the pharmacist.
Economics should be left to economic experts.
In my past life too, I didn’t have a tax office and economics-related general affairs for nothing.
‘Moreover, since he’s the eldest young master of the Namgung Family, in a way, he’s my big brother!’
That’s right.
Come to think of it, that’s right.
He’s my big brother!
‘Furthermore, according to rumors, Big Brother Namgung Mo has a good personality and treats his subordinates very well.’
Indeed, didn’t he understand and let it pass when I was late with greetings when we first met?
Would the eldest young masters or senior disciples of other martial families or sects really let it pass?
‘That wouldn’t happen. In the martial world where hierarchy is very important, if you’re late with greetings, they’d obviously scold you saying “You rascal!”‘
Even now.
The eldest young master is speaking politely to me, his subordinate, and treating me kindly!
Just looking at this, our eldest young master brother is an extraordinary person in character too.
Then, what is there to hesitate about?
“Big Brother!”
“Hmm?”
“I have thought of Big Brother Namgung Mo as my big brother for a long time. Meeting and conversing with you like this, I truly feel you are Namgung’s big brother, the light that will further brighten Namgung’s finances in the future! Though we don’t share the same blood, as a younger brother within the fence called Namgung, I want to welcome Big Brother as my big brother! Please allow me and receive my deep bow!”
Thud.
Namgung Cheon-gang suddenly stood up, shouted like that, and bowed.
˶(⌣⌣)˵: Beep.
Baekseol bowing together.
“…Uh…”
He was already fond of Namgung Cheon-gang at this moment.
But with him bowing like this, he couldn’t grasp what to do at all.
Well, he would have had to experience such a thing before.
Who would bow down to the eldest young master of the Namgung Family saying “Let’s be big brother and little brother”?
The North Sea Albatross too!
The bowing North Sea Albatross is quite cute though.
In any case, it’s something that wouldn’t happen in a lifetime.
He’s flustered about what to do.
So, without realizing it, he looked at Namgung Cheong-a.
‘Just go with it.’
Namgung Cheong-a smiled gently and nodded.
As always said.
Experience seems to be a very important thing.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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