Heaven-Defying Hero - Chapter 30

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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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#030

Gu Dong-gu was guided to the reception room.

While close friends would chat in the rear garden pavilion, there was no reason to do so for Gu Dong-gu.

“What brings you here?”

With a round table in the center, Ja-gang-cheon, Cheon-gu, and Gu Dong-gu took seats at regular intervals.

“I came to acquire Yeonok Guesthouse for you.”

Gu Dong-gu spoke as if doing them a favor.

“When I checked with the government office, Yeonok Guesthouse had many missing ledgers. The guest registry and tax records were sloppy, and they stored carriages without stable permits.”

Inns also required proper permits, and six different licenses were needed for normal operation.

Stable permits were included among these, though permits weren’t strictly necessary for temporarily keeping guests’ horses.

Despite being completely unaware of these facts, Ja-gang-cheon didn’t panic.

“So?”

“If I acquire it, I’ll take full responsibility for those issues.”

“How?”

“I’ll use my connections. It’s fortunate I was here, otherwise the people working at the inn would have faced serious trouble.”

When Ja-gang-cheon made a serious expression, Gu Dong-gu put on airs.

‘As expected, just a kid. He deliberately waited for those guys to come to the manor.’

When Ja-gang-cheon let out a long sigh, Gu Dong-gu thought his threat had worked and continued.

“Jiao-nan’s magistrate is famous for being a stickler for principles and harsh punishments. You could face serious hardship if you’re not careful. Buildings tend to bring bad luck with them. Since I’m experienced, I’ll take care of everything, so don’t worry.”

Ja-gang-cheon finally nodded.

“I really liked that inn. I guess I have no choice but to sell it.”

“You’ve made a wise decision.”

“Just give me two thousand taels of silver.”

Gu Dong-gu blinked.

“How much did you say?”

“Two thousand taels.”

“Didn’t you hear what I was saying?”

“I heard you, that’s why it’s two thousand taels. This is the first time in my life I’m selling at cost price without any markup.”

He had no experience selling anything, but didn’t bother mentioning that.

“You’re not asking me to sell at a loss, are you?”

“The price doesn’t make sense to begin with. An inn that could originally be bought for eight hundred taels…”

“Isn’t it up to me how much I buy it for?”

“Well, that’s true.”

Ja-gang-cheon spoke as if annoyed.

“Fine! I’ll be generous and take a five hundred tael loss! Fifteen hundred taels of silver!”

Five hundred taels of silver far exceeded ten years’ wages for a port worker. So it was indeed a generous concession.

‘The base price doesn’t make sense to begin with. Even two thousand taels is unbelievable.’

Unaware of his thoughts, Ja-gang-cheon wore a regretful expression.

What was more irritating was Cheon-gu’s reaction.

He was leisurely drinking tea throughout, with a subtle smile playing on his lips.

‘Is he mocking me?’

He seemed to be clearly enjoying himself, which made it even more unpleasant.

Unaware of his feelings, Ja-gang-cheon spoke as if the conversation was over.

“I’ll go get the sales contract.”

“Please wait a moment.”

“Why?”

“Fifteen hundred taels doesn’t make sense.”

“You want me to take an even bigger loss?”

“I’ll buy it for eight hundred taels.”

Originally, he had planned on seven hundred taels. Of course, he intended to start at five hundred, pretend to lose, and buy it for seven hundred. Since his original plan was five hundred taels, this was already a big concession.

But caught up in Ja-gang-cheon’s atmosphere, he had stated the highest price he could offer.

“You want me to sell something worth two thousand taels for eight hundred?”

Ja-gang-cheon kept mentioning that two thousand taels he didn’t even believe.

“That’s the fair price.”

“I won’t sell.”

“Then the government office will…”

“Tell them to come. I’ll head straight to the Hwangbo Clan then.”

“What did you just…”

Ja-gang-cheon chuckled.

“You know what?”

Ja-gang-cheon spoke with a cold expression, dropping his exaggerated behavior. The evil hidden behind his innocent face emerged.

Despite dropping the honorifics, his overwhelming presence made it sound perfectly natural.

“You could never dare visit the Hwangbo Clan, but what about me?”

Gu Dong-gu flinched.

‘He’s the one who dealt with Gwimyeon Ssangssal and Shandong Owak.’

If such a person visited the clan, they would at least listen to his reasons.

‘This guy is a martial artist.’

Moreover, he was quite a rising powerhouse, an interesting figure who could spark curiosity.

‘The principle of non-interference between government and martial arts.’

Though the situation was ambiguous, using the magistrate to pressure Deungmyeong Manor could violate martial arts taboos.

‘The Hwangbo Clan won’t cover for this.’

Gu Dong-gu, quickly envisioning the future, realized he needed to change his approach.

But Ja-gang-cheon had no intention of stopping.

“When do you think the magistrate will come?”

“Pardon?”

“You weren’t lying, were you?”

Ja-gang-cheon watched Gu Dong-gu with indifferent eyes.

The emotionless gaze sent chills down Gu Dong-gu’s spine.

‘What kind of look is that from a kid…’

The person facing him was no longer a young, naive manor lord who knew nothing of the world. He desperately realized this was a martial artist who could kill him at any moment.

“Answer me. When is the magistrate coming?”

“I’ll smooth things over properly…”

“Don’t smooth it over.”

“Pardon?”

“Let them come. I’m someone who always repays grudges. I don’t want your help.”

Ja-gang-cheon clearly drew the line and drank all his remaining tea.

“If you’re done talking, leave.”

Now it was Gu Dong-gu who was in trouble.

‘If no investigation comes from the government office, I’ll be caught lying, and if an investigation starts, he might really go to the Hwangbo Clan.’

Gu Dong-gu realized.

‘It’s a dead end.’

Moreover, he was running out of time.

“I’ll buy it at a high price!”

“Will you now?”

Ja-gang-cheon grinned wickedly.

One hour later.

“Take care. I’ll buy you a meal next time we meet.”

Ja-gang-cheon even waved at Gu Dong-gu, now speaking informally as if it were natural.

But what hurt even more than his words was what Ja-gang-cheon held in his hands.

‘One thousand three hundred nyang.’

He had practically begged to reduce it by two hundred nyang from fifteen hundred.

He had to pay a high price while groveling and flattering shamelessly.

What was even more humiliating was because of Cheon-gu.

‘That bastard…’

Cheon-gu had been watching his every move with a constant smile on his lips.

‘I’ll definitely repay this! I’ll never forget this grudge!’

His expression as he turned away was twisted like a demon’s.

After he left.

“Hehe. I made money.”

Ja-gang-cheon, who had earned five hundred silver nyang in just three days, handed the transaction documents to Cheon-gu.

“Well done. If you’re going to be corrupt anyway, that’s the right way to do it.”

“He should have just bought it for eight hundred nyang from the start, but his greed made him pay five hundred nyang more.”

Gu Dong-gu would probably lose sleep for a long time.

“But is there some scheme involved? Why is he giving the remaining money in two days?”

The documents they currently held stated that only eight hundred nyang was given as down payment, and they had received the corresponding receipt.

“He probably needed time to borrow money.”

“Huh?”

“Eight hundred nyang is probably all the money he has.”

Thinking of Gu Dong-gu bowing and scraping around to get money made him laugh once more.

***

After the Spring Festival passed and autumn was nearing its end,

Ja-gang-cheon came out to the port where cool winds were blowing, together with Cheon-gu.

But an unexpected commotion was happening at the East Sea Merchant Guild Office located in front of the port.

“How does it make sense that you have supplies to give away for free but no supplies to sell?”

“Don’t be like that, we’ll even do the promotion for you, so please sell us some!”

“I know many Western Region merchants! Please trust and leave it to me!”

When Cheon-gu approached, their expressions became even more desperate.

“Subordinate! Please release some supplies of Deungmyeong pills!”

“There are many people looking for them at the southern ports!”

They were sailors who boarded ships and had received three types of pills for free from the East Sea Merchant Guild a month ago.

Since ship work inevitably led to injuries here and there, the wound-healing Golden Wound Paste among the three pills was quite useful. Though they couldn’t use the medicine frequently due to difficult circumstances, they were the type who had no choice but to seek physicians when seriously injured. Moreover, ships on long journeys always had crew members skilled in medicine.

Eventually, the effects of the pills began to be known before long.

Especially Western Region merchants, who were very interested in Central Plains medicine, wanted to verify the effects.

The sailors who had already experienced the medicinal effects firsthand instinctively realized this could be profitable and flocked to the merchant guild.

“Instead of that, please talk with the Merchant Guild Leader. There should be something prepared for all of you.”

Regarding the promotion of the pills, the East Sea Merchant Guild had made many preparations, and utilizing the sailors was also one method.

This had two purposes.

First, create a situation where people who weren’t merchant guild members would voluntarily promote the pills.

Second, establish a foundation to make the merchant guild’s name known at the Southern Trade Port where they had no base.

Since sailors went not only to the Central Plains but also to foreign lands across the sea, there was no better promotional method if utilized well, and the place where they gathered most was precisely the Southern Trade Port.

-For sailors registered at the Labor Office, we’ll sell at prices slightly cheaper than the market.

This was the conclusion reached by the merchant guild’s brains, including Cheon-gu.

Though individuals could only purchase small amounts, it would be decent pocket money, so the number of sailors registering at the Labor Office would also increase.

This was a strategy not only for promotional effects but also to strengthen relationships with the sailors.

“Deungmyeong Manor and the East Sea Merchant Guild plan to continue working together with all you sailors. You are the roots of Jiao-nan.”

Many people already considered Deungmyeong Manor and the East Sea Merchant Guild as one. Since it wasn’t wrong, Cheon-gu now had no hesitation in treating the two groups as identical.

Just as Cheon-gu was saying things the sailors would like to hear,

“Hmm.”

Ja-gang-cheon was focusing on something else.

It was a middle-aged woman in her 50s who had gotten off a boat. With a plump build and gentle eyes, she wore luxurious black silk clothes embroidered with fully bloomed camellia flowers.

What made this warm-looking woman even more noticeable was that she was pushing a wheeled chair, in which sat a haggard-looking young man.

The woman who got off the boat took care of the man with disabled legs with a warm demeanor.

She put a pill in his mouth, brought him water, gently massaged his legs leisurely, and only then resumed pushing the wheelchair.

After asking questions to several passersby, she changed direction and came straight to the Labor Office.

Watching this, Ja-gang-cheon also approached the Labor Office.

‘She’s a master.’

Though the port floor had ropes and countless obstacles, the wheelchair didn’t shake at all.

She had lightly lifted and moved it using only her wrist strength. The movement was so smooth it felt as if the ground had been flat from the beginning.

“Excuse me.”

The woman who arrived in front of the warehouse spoke kindly, but her voice was drowned out by the rough speech of the men.

So she spoke once more.

“Excuse me.”

With those words, everyone’s attention was drawn to her.

Her soft voice rang loudly in the listeners’ ears.

‘Internal energy!’

The woman passed through the dazed sailors and stood before Cheon-gu.

“I’ve come looking for the person who made this medicine. Could I meet them?”

In her hand were the same Deungmyeong pills as the sailors had. But everyone’s gaze was fixed on her palm.

A palm stained purple.

Black silk clothes with camellia flower embroidery.

And decisively, the wheelchair carrying her son.

Only then did people recall a very dangerous epithet.

Poison Loving Mother Song Ja-in.

A loving mother stained with poison.

One of the most dangerous figures in the Martial Arts World was looking for Deungmyeong Manor.

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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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