Heaven-Defying Hero - Chapter 69

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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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#069

“There won’t be any funding issues.”

“I’ve heard the rumors too. It’s truly remarkable.”

Ja-gang-cheon was looking at the coastal area south of Hwangdo.

When he first saw it, it was completely undeveloped natural land, but now the foundation work was complete and it looked well-organized. There was even a simple dock built where goods could be transported by ship.

Even just that appeared as a tremendous change in Ja-gang-cheon’s eyes.

“With so many workers here, it would be a big problem if construction stopped.”

“We need to erect the pillars before winter comes and the ground freezes, but we need building permits for that.”

“What’s the reason they approved the foundation work but won’t permit the construction?”

“They’re taking issue with the scale. Honestly, facilities of this size could be used to build warships, so they’re being particularly strict about it.”

“Didn’t you know that from the beginning?”

“Actually, I was getting permits quickly through personal connections. But they didn’t think the entire large site would be for shipbuilding facilities.”

“They thought it would be shops or inns, right?”

“Exactly. They found out the real scale too late and are now reluctant to give permits.”

There was one reason why all these problems occurred.

“No individual has ever built facilities of this scale before. I should have considered this aspect – I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. We have to deal with it anyway. I’ll solve this problem, so please focus on the construction.”

Ja-gang-cheon looked at the construction site where work was still proceeding energetically.

Due to the large scale, many workers were mobilized – their number reached three hundred. Among them, over fifty specialists like carpenters and shipbuilding technicians were mixed in.

“Construction won’t stop.”

Manpilwoong had already experienced how much boldness the Lord in his late teens possessed.

Despite the considerable scale, funding always arrived earlier than scheduled, and they accommodated all additional requests.

But it wasn’t just about blindly sending money. When delivering funds, executives from the East Sea Merchant Guild always came to thoroughly examine the progress.

“Doesn’t the East Sea Merchant Guild bother you too much?”

“Not to the extent that it interferes with work. Honestly, considering the funds I’m managing, I think that level of oversight is necessary.”

Not only the construction costs, but Manpilwoong’s personal compensation was also considerable. If this project succeeded, he would receive not only honor but also more compensation than he had earned in his entire lifetime as a shipbuilding technician.

“But Lord, may I ask what your reason is for wanting to go to Gwigok Island?”

Manpilwoong asked with a cautious tone, voicing the curiosity he had been holding back.

“There’s the most precious treasure in the world there.”

“Treasure, you say?”

“Yes.”

Manpilwoong wanted to ask more but couldn’t. Ja-gang-cheon had enough standing that when he drew a line, one had to step back.

“You received word that I’m preparing dinner for the workers today, right?”

“The workers were just marveling about it. With over three hundred workers, they didn’t expect you to provide meals.”

“There they come.”

Ja-gang-cheon saw ten carts in his view.

Ten pigs and two cattle were loaded on them, and two wagons were filled with wine jars.

While they had hoped for meat since the financier was preparing the meal, no one expected such a lavish feast.

“I won’t give a separate speech, so please proceed as you see fit. I’ll be at Haegaeon, so contact me if anything comes up.”

Haegaeon was the name of an inn in Hwangdo.

“Yes, Lord. Please go and rest comfortably.”

Ja-gang-cheon took one last look around the coastal construction site.

Though only the foundation work was finished, seeing the well-organized appearance, he could tell how meticulously Manpilwoong worked.

‘Please wait just a little longer.’

Ja-gang-cheon left his regards to his parents across the sea and moved to nearby Hwangdo.

Haegaeon in Hwangdo was located a bit away from the market.

It was about an hour’s walk from the port, but it was named Haegaeon because you could see the sea where the sun rises.

Haegaeon .

It meant a hill where the song of the sea echoes, and it was a high-class inn renowned not only in Hwangdo but also in nearby ports.

Since it was a place for trading goods entering the Imperial Palace, high officials frequently visited, and large merchant guild leaders and wealthy people often used it.

“Wow. Two bowls of dumpling soup for one tael of silver?”

Anyone visiting for the first time was surprised by the prices like Ja-gang-cheon. Nevertheless, customers kept coming because it was worth that much.

“This isn’t just ordinary dumpling soup.”

The dumplings made with a proper mix of seafood and meat, and the deep broth, were different from any food Ja-gang-cheon had eaten before.

“Now you could stay at inns like this for life.”

“We really did make a lot of money.”

“Right. Since we’re talking about it, let me tell you. You should know too.”

“Hmm. Cheon-gu, can you tell me as briefly as possible? It’s not that I don’t want to hear it, but the dumpling soup is getting cold. It’s expensive.”

“Compared to the money you have, dumpling soup isn’t expensive anymore. You’re probably the most frugal among wealthy people of similar status.”

“Still…”

He wasn’t really worried about the dumpling soup getting cold.

“Alright. Then I’ll just tell you the results. We’re earning five times our initial goal.”

Their first goal was to earn three thousand taels per month. This was the minimum condition for building ships.

“So we’re making fifteen thousand taels a month now?”

“Right. But the overseas trade accounts haven’t been properly settled yet. When that’s added, it’ll be more than double what we have now.”

“Thirty thousand taels?”

“That’s the minimum estimate.”

“I can’t even grasp how much that is.”

“We could buy three of our manors every month.”

Only then could Ja-gang-cheon understand how much money he was making.

“From now on, you need to experience things like this too. You’ll need this kind of high-class culture sometimes. Tomorrow alone, we’re meeting people from the Government Office here.”

That was why they specifically came to Haegaeon.

“For something like that, isn’t dumpling soup too modest? Other people are eating expensive dishes.”

Cheon-gu explained the reason for Ja-gang-cheon’s point.

“Honestly, the prices are not easy for me to order directly.”

“What? The subordinate of a manor that earns thirty thousand taels a month is scared of one dish?”

“I’m just not used to it.”

Ja-gang-cheon pointed out a fact he had been deliberately ignoring.

“You’re too frugal.”

“Our manor got this far because I was frugal.”

“That’s true, but you’ve never bought food for yourself. You always ate what I said I wanted to eat.”

“That was enough for me. It was a bit uncomfortable when you pretended to want to eat something because of me when you were already full.”

“You knew?”

Cheon-gu nodded.

“Honestly, I think I’m already living luxuriously enough. No one else indulges as much as I do when it comes to martial arts training.”

Ja-gang-cheon acknowledged that point too.

“I satisfy my desires with that. So today, you should order what you want to eat and enjoy it. Preferably some high-class cuisine you haven’t tried. It’ll be good experience too.”

“Good! Let’s not think too complicated.”

“Right. Leave the complicated stuff to me.”

“Hehe. Thanks.”

Ja-gang-cheon smiled brightly and raised his hand, calling out.

“Waitstaff!”

Being a high-class inn, there were five waitstaff just on the first floor, and a man in his mid-twenties who didn’t have assigned customers quickly ran over.

“Is there anything you need?”

“Do you have any meat dishes you’d recommend here?”

“For pork, Gyeongjang-yuksa is famous, and for duck, we recommend Goapja. Both are Beijing-style dishes, and our cook was one of the top skilled chefs there.”

“Then we’ll have those.”

“Longjing tea goes well with those two dishes. Shall I change your tea?”

“Yes. Please do that.”

As the waitstaff bowed and withdrew, Ja-gang-cheon straightened his shoulders.

“I’m getting good at this now, aren’t I?”

“Yes. You seemed like a lord who’s good at making money.”

“Hehe. Thanks.”

Since it had been a long time since they dined out alone together, time passed quickly even with casual conversation.

“Here are the dishes you ordered.”

The food they shared together was also perfect.

***

The next day at the same location, Ja-gang-cheon met someone with a completely different atmosphere than before.

The man he met at Haegaeon Annex first exchanged greetings with Manpilwoong.

Next, Manpilwoong introduced Ja-gang-cheon to them.

“This is the Lord of Deungmyeong Manor. He is providing all the funding for this construction project.”

This time, the other side introduced the person they had brought.

“This is Lord Song Dae-won of Shandong Suunsa.”

The man in his late fifties with thin eyebrows and sharp eyes was Song Dae-won, the general manager of coastal logistics.

After being introduced, he added a word instead of greeting.

“This meeting has been approved by the Naval Admiral himself.”

Though he didn’t come directly, it meant even the Naval Admiral was interested. That’s why Suunsa, which oversees East Sea trade, had come out.

The position of Suunsa, being in charge of logistics, could provide numerous privileges and was a position that received just as many bribes.

He was definitely not an easy opponent to negotiate with. However, Cheon-gu, who was responsible for today’s negotiations, wasn’t nervous at all.

Ja-gang-cheon was the same – he had left it to Cheon-gu and had no worries whatsoever.

Instead, he offered a polite greeting as Cheon-gu had told him to.

“I am Ja-gang-cheon from Jiao-nan. It’s an honor to meet you.”

It was the first time Ja-gang-cheon had used such formal speech. At least he had practiced last night, so it wasn’t awkward.

“You’re younger than I expected.”

“Is that so?”

He had quickly reverted to his usual way of speaking.

When Cheon-gu smiled beside him as if giving up, Ja-gang-cheon also relaxed.

“Alright. I lead Deungmyeong Manor in Jiao-nan. I’m not good at making requests. I’ve never given bribes either. So I prepared something big from the start – please listen carefully to what our manor’s subordinate has to say.”

“You’re the first person to speak so directly in front of me. Let’s hear what you have to say.”

He was someone full of arrogance. Seeing that Ja-gang-cheon and Cheon-gu were young, he became even more high-handed.

“I am Cheon-gu, subordinate of Deungmyeong Manor. What we propose is simple. We want just one completed boat. And after making that boat, we will return all facilities.”

“By return, do you mean transfer it to the Imperial Palace?”

“No.”

“No?”

Cheon-gu stated the real negotiation terms.

“Not to the Imperial Palace, but we’ll give it to you, Lord of Suunsa.”

Silence fell over the annex for a moment. After a long pause, Song Dae-won asked again.

“You’re giving that to me?”

“Yes.”

He asked again, doubting his ears, but received a firm answer. Song Dae-won looked at Ja-gang-cheon beside him, but the reaction was the same.

“Just as my subordinate said.”

Song Dae-won was both dumbfounded and confused, so he asked for the reason.

“Do you think I could accept that?”

No matter how much he took bribes, receiving an entire massive shipyard was a different story.

“Are you trying to dump a facility that’s problematic because of its large scale on me?”

“If it’s difficult for you to keep alone, transferring it to the Imperial Palace would also be an option.”

“Then wouldn’t it end up going to the Imperial Palace anyway?”

“Isn’t it different whose name it goes under?”

At those words, Song Dae-won laughed.

Instead of Deungmyeong Manor’s name, it could be transferred to the Imperial Palace under his own name.

The result would be the same, but what happened afterward would certainly be different.

‘With this scale, His Majesty wouldn’t just overlook it either.’

It was a construction project worth at least 200,000 taels of silver. Transferring such facilities to the Imperial Palace was no small matter.

If he could do it under his own name, not only would there be honor, but the Imperial Palace would bestow sufficient rewards.

Song Dae-won said with a smile.

“It seems I’ve met precious people today.”

This single statement was like a declaration that there would be no problems with the shipyard construction going forward.

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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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