Heaven-Defying Hero - Chapter 26

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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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#026

Haejeonggol.

On the southern hill of Jiao-nan, there was a small stream flowing toward the sea.

It was barely more than a ditch, hardly worthy of being called a valley, but the tent village established there was called Haejeonggol.

About fifty people lived together within a log fence, and strangely, the guest quarters built in the front yard were constructed quite impressively.

In contrast, the rear yard was ten times larger than the front yard, where over fifty small tents were lined up.

These were the quarters where the children who came to Haejeonggol stayed.

Sleeping separately might seem like consideration at first glance, but in reality, it was intended to cut off bonds of affection.

Since nothing brings people closer than eating and sleeping together, sleeping quarters were separated here, and even meals were eaten in individual tents after receiving rations.

“Welcome.”

Walking along the ditch and passing through the wooden fence entrance, a small inn-shaped guest quarters appeared.

This peculiar structure perfectly represented the mindset of Gu Dong-gu, the boss of Haejeonggol.

He showed only the neat guest quarters and tidy front yard, while hiding the children living miserably in the rear garden.

“It’s an honor to have you visit.”

As he bowed deeply, his thick belly folded into three layers. His long eyebrows drooped like caterpillar fur, and his double chin resembled a toad’s.

Below his small, round eyes that didn’t match his bulk, there was a wart next to his blunt nose that swayed whenever he moved his thick lips, drawing attention.

“Quite a scenic view.”

The visitor was a man in his mid-forties wearing red clothes despite the hot summer.

“I’ve prepared good tea.”

Gu Dong-gu served tea like an experienced waitstaff and opened the first floor doors of the guest quarters wide so the sea view could be seen.

Gu Dong-gu liked this scenery. Not that he personally enjoyed it, but he liked showing it off.

“It’s an honor to have you visit Haejeonggol. It’s a modest gesture, but I hope you’ll accept it.”

A red lacquered box was placed on the table.

Inside the half-open box lay ginseng that was clearly of the highest quality at first glance.

“I prepared the finest one among the ginseng that comes across the sea.”

It was contraband that could only be obtained in Jiao-nan and nearby ports.

It was left over from royal court deliveries, but sometimes the finest pieces were deliberately set aside to sell on the black market.

“Ahem. There won’t be any problems with it, will there?”

“Even if there are problems, they’ll be mine to handle.”

He meant he would take responsibility.

At this point, it was worth the personal visit, so the other party’s expression brightened.

“What was it you particularly wanted to say?”

“For me, meeting Hwangbo-eun was the main purpose.”

“Haha. This fellow. Such smooth talk.”

Though they pretended not to know, they both understood the meaning of this meeting.

Otherwise, there would be no reason to prepare bribes in advance or come all the way to this valley outside the village.

Ultimately, this was part of a negotiation process.

And the one making the request is always the one in need.

“Sir. Hao-mun will operate Jiao-nan’s black market. Naturally, more ships will come and go, so the trade guild will have more work. If you entrust it to me, I’ll show results worthy of the Shandong Trade Guild’s name.”

“Dangerous talk! Our Shandong Trade Guild doesn’t transport illegal goods!”

Shandong Trade Guild.

A trade guild operated by the Hwangbo Clan, controlling 70% of the goods coming and going from Shandong Province.

It was run by the cousin of the current Hwangbo Clan head, and even bandits absolutely wouldn’t touch it within Shandong Province.

“How could there be any question? We absolutely won’t handle goods destined for the black market. Even without that, there are plenty of goods anyway. To manage the trade goods that the clan directly imports, shouldn’t there be someone responsible at the port?”

The man who had been shouting now stroked his chin and nodded. Not because he particularly agreed, but because he heard what he wanted to hear.

“I trust you, but trade guild business isn’t something I can decide alone, is it?”

“If the deputy guild master who’s the real power behind the Shandong Trade Guild can’t decide, then who on earth can?”

The trade guild owner was the guild master.

Below him, excluding the head master, it was true that the three deputy masters held the real power.

“We do need to add one more base at the port…”

As the deputy master trailed off, Gu Dong-gu recognized the opportunity and knelt down.

“If you give me just one chance, I’ll become your loyal dog!”

This was the attitude the deputy master had wanted.

***

“Hwangbo Seung? Who’s that?”

“He’s a deputy master of the Shandong Trade Guild. You can think of him as the person responsible for eastern Shandong Province.”

Ja-gang-cheon, who had bitten into a crispy apple, waited for Cheon-gu’s continued explanation.

“Gu Dong-gu from Haejeonggol has been meeting frequently with Hwangbo Seung recently. It seems like they’re going to establish a Shandong Trade Guild base in Jiao-nan.”

A base was one level below a branch, with reduced scale and authority. Even so, there were no restrictions on profits.

“There wasn’t a base like that before?”

“Until now, it was operated through consignment. There’s a place called Gyeonam Trading Bureau that operates centered around the port. They made contracts with them and entrusted transportation to nearby branches.”

“So they’re canceling the existing contract?”

“That’s right. Maritime trade is becoming increasingly active. Now it’s become too big a prize to just leave alone.”

“And this guy Gu Dong-gu is trying to take it.”

“He’s wanted to operate a Hwangbo Clan business for a long time. Since branch manager positions for trade guilds or merchant guilds are only available to Hwangbo Clan blood relatives, base manager is his highest goal.”

“His dream from exploiting children is just to become a base manager?”

“A Shandong Trade Guild base manager is by no means a low position. It’s a position where you make money and gain power.”

In Shandong Province anyway, no one would dare touch a trade guild operated by the Hwangbo Clan. Rather, people wanting to curry favor would come to pay their respects.

That all becomes wealth and power.

“It’s annoying, but we won’t clash with them, right?”

“For now, that’s right. We’re not going to operate a trade guild.”

“Then let’s watch for now.”

Having settled that matter and entered training, they met So Yeon-dok in the evening.

“I greet the Lord.”

So Yeon-dok who came to the manor was accompanied by a small man who appeared to be in his early fifties.

“I received word from the Merchant Guild Leader. You were looking for a pharmaceutical expert.”

“Ah! Please come in.”

When it was time for introductions, the man suddenly bowed.

“I finally get to greet you! Thank you so much for saving my daughter! I’ll dedicate the rest of my life to repaying the Lord’s kindness!”

“What are you suddenly talking about?”

Ja-gang-cheon was flustered as the man even shed tears.

Fortunately, So Yeon-dok immediately explained the reason.

“He was living alone with his daughter when they were dragged to the black market. They kept his fourteen-year-old daughter at the Blue Pavilion and made the father produce pharmaceuticals. They threatened the father using the daughter as hostage, and threatened the daughter using the father as hostage.”

Ja-gang-cheon’s expression naturally crumpled at that vicious treatment.

“We did well to eliminate them.”

“Yes, Lord. Thanks to you, this family was freed.”

Ja-gang-cheon let out a long sigh and relaxed his expression.

“You’ve been through a lot.”

“Thank you! Lord! This Yang Mosu will follow the Lord’s will until death!”

What began as business had returned as connection.

Ja-gang-cheon felt good from this unfamiliar but warm emotion.

“Consider the debt repaid with your greeting just now.”

“How could…”

“Instead, please help me.”

“Yes! Lord!”

Since So Yeon-dok had brought him, there was some trust, but meeting him directly made even small doubts disappear.

“Well then, both of you please follow me.”

The place they arrived at was the reception room.

Usually they would go to the rear garden to talk, but not today. It meant a secret conversation was needed.

“Hyung, come in too.”

“Yes, hyung-nim.”

Ja-gang-cheon didn’t discriminate against Pansuk for being slow-witted.

“How is uncle’s daughter doing now?”

“The Merchant Guild Leader has taken her in. She’s currently learning the merchant guild business.”

So Yeon-dok continued that statement.

“She’s quite capable with calculations. She’ll be a great help to the merchant guild.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Thinking he had sufficiently lightened the mood with various conversations, Ja-gang-cheon placed three sheets of paper on the table where the refreshments had been cleared.

“Please take a look at this.”

Yang Mosu quickly picked up the papers as if he had received an order.

Fortunately, the papers contained characters he could understand.

“This is a pill preparation method.”

The first page contained no less than seventeen types of medicinal ingredients with ratios and preparation methods.

“Hmm. This type of combination is new to me. Three ingredients are completely ground and dissolved in boiling water. Four mixtures made this way are aged and formed into pills.”

His expression had become serious before he knew it.

And when he saw the second page, he was surprised once again.

“This appears to be a topical medicine. It contains many precious medicinal ingredients, and there are several poisons too. Ah! There are also antidote ingredients. It’s composed of three pairs of poisons and three pairs of antidotes. The components remaining after neutralizing the poisons seem to become the main ingredients.”

As if taking a test, he also spoke about the third page.

“Hmm. This one is really unique. The main ingredients are astragalus, angelica, and cnidium, which are good for recovering vitality, but it includes auxiliary materials that maximize each of their components. The ratios are a bit unusual, but normally this would actually reduce the effectiveness.”

Having finished all his explanations, he put the papers down.

Ja-gang-cheon spoke about the preparation methods without delay.

“The first medicine is a painkiller. The second is a wound salve for injuries. The third is a health pill for recovering energy.”

Yang Mosu nodded as if he had expected this.

“I’m thinking of making and selling these from now on.”

The manor family already knew about this.

“Lord. But who created these preparation methods?”

He asked about the source because of concerns about the medicine’s reliability.

Selling the wrong medicine doesn’t just end with the merchant guild’s ruin. If someone gets seriously hurt, the government office gets involved.

“I won’t say for everyone’s sake. But one thing is certain. There won’t be any preparation methods in the world better than these.”

When Ja-gang-cheon showed strong confidence, So Yeon-dok decided to simply accept it. He had firm trust in Ja-gang-cheon.

“Uncle. Is there a way to make medicine while keeping these preparation methods secret?”

“I’ve done this many times when making aphrodisiacs. I can’t keep everything secret, but if I handle the key combinations myself, they won’t be able to copy it. The workers would only receive pre-mixed ingredients.”

“Good. Then have the key ingredients made at the manor. This will be the safest place.”

“Understood.”

“Then Manager uncle, look at me for a moment.”

Officially he was the Maritime Guild Leader, but the title of manager was still familiar. Since he was actually a labor manager, many people called him that.

When all the discussions were finished, Ja-gang-cheon called So Yeon-dok out to the rear garden.

And he showed him a book.

“I didn’t mention it because Uncle Mosu was there. The preparation methods for those medicines started from this book.”

“You don’t need to show me.”

“I’m asking you to share responsibility with me. I didn’t show it to Uncle Mosu not because I don’t trust him, but because that’s safer.”

So Yeon-dok was secretly pleased. It sounded like he was being recognized as a manor family member.

When he looked at the book,

He blinked his eyes.

Four characters written on the cover.

Chosaneuiseo.

It was a medical book created by Ok Cho-san, one of the ten great heroes of the martial arts world and called the supreme master of acupuncture, known as Sipjeolsu.

Originally a physician, he had dreamed of creating one complete medical book, and while many people had seen only the cover, no one had ever seen its contents.

“You’re probably thinking you shouldn’t have seen this, right?”

So Yeon-dok stood there dazed, only swallowing dry saliva.

“Welcome to the center of Hyeolpung.”

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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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