The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 351

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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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The Youngest Son of the Jin Family of Luoyang – Chapter 351

Clatter, clatter—
The banners of the Jin Family of Luoyang fluttered as a long procession stretched across the landscape.
As an endless stream of people poured into Jeongju, onlookers couldn’t help but widen their eyes in astonishment.
“Isn’t that the Jin Family of Luoyang?”
“Indeed… do they have business with the Martial Arts Alliance?”
The numbers were far too great to suggest mere business with the Alliance. A rough estimate would easily exceed several hundred people.
Most were Imperial Guards and laborers, yet the foremost ranks were occupied by merchants representing the Jin Family—an unusual arrangement.
It didn’t appear to be a trade expedition or commercial venture, and certainly not a challenge to the Martial Arts Alliance.
As people stood bewildered by this incomprehensible situation, the Jin Family’s procession suddenly changed direction, moving away from the Martial Arts Alliance.
The peculiarity of this was so striking that several onlookers followed in their wake.
The procession finally halted after venturing deep into Jeongju, far removed from the marketplace that served as the city’s heart.
All that surrounded the area were dilapidated buildings, overgrown weeds, and crumbling walls.
It was unmistakably an abandoned, desolate place where no one lived, though the vast expanse of land seemed too valuable to leave unused.
I turned my head as I came to a stop there.
The face of Yu Hyeon, the chief administrator, entered my view.
“Is this the place?”
“Yes, it’s quite old… I’m uncertain what might be salvageable, but…”
Numerous pavilions stood across the sprawling grounds.
Each bore unmistakable marks of age, and it would hardly be surprising if they crumbled. This was once the site of a royal residence, but had been abandoned when relocated elsewhere.
The land was vast, but with so many structures, demolition would require considerable time and expense. Moreover, its distance from the city center meant no one was interested in purchasing it.
We had acquired it at a bargain price.
“What did Master Wang say?”
“Ha, he said little… but his face was beaming. After all, we’ve solved his troublesome problem. However, even at such a low price, considerable funds were spent. If we cannot recoup this expense, Young Master So will surely face severe reproach.”
That would certainly be the case.
I nodded at Yu Hyeon’s words and laughed.
The sum spent acquiring this land was no small amount.
Even at less than half the original price, substantial gold had been expended, and if we couldn’t recoup it, Young Master So’s reputation would be in dire straits.
I glanced back casually.
“Well, what are you all doing? Let’s begin.”
“Eh? What… what do you mean?”
Chu Hyeongi tilted his head as if unable to comprehend.
His eyes were filled with confusion about what I was asking him to do—not just him, but the others as well.
I gazed at them and broke into a broad smile.
“Demolish it. I intend to clear everything away.”
“Y-you mean to demolish all these buildings?”
“Yes. You all demolish, while the Imperial Guards and laborers clear the debris.”
“…!”
The site where the Wang Estate once stood had quite a number of buildings.
No matter how old and dilapidated they were, demolishing them was labor, and clearing away the debris was labor too. Because of this, everyone’s faces had grown pale, but I paid it no mind and gestured to Chu Hyeongi with a tilt of my chin.
Go ahead, I signaled.
The vacant-minded fellow stared at me blankly for a moment, then nodded and hurled himself forward, beginning to swing his fists with crude brutality.
Crash, crash, crash—boom!
One building collapsed under Chu Hyeongi’s violent assault.
As the structure that had stood upright tumbled down with a deafening roar, the sight seemed to satisfy him greatly, for he thrust his fists toward everything visible once more.
At the thunderous sound echoing through the air, everyone rushed forward without exception.
Whether to release the frustrations that had accumulated over time, they began channeling their inner energy and demolishing everything in sight.
I listened to the cacophony while observing Yu Hyeon.
“It seems the demolition will be completed quickly, doesn’t it?”
“…Yes. Y-yes, that’s correct.”
“Then let’s organize the surroundings and discuss how we’ll use this land.”
Yu Hyeon, wiping cold sweat from his brow, nodded.
He moved hastily and began directing the workers.
Not merely demolishing, but completely clearing away the debris—only then could this vast expanse of land be utilized in any manner we desired.
Observing the bustling activity, I gazed upon the increasingly open and expansive land.
“We have three months.”
A considerably tight schedule.
Yet from Hye-myeong’s perspective, even this seemed like ample time, for the tournament would be held within the Martial Arts Alliance itself, requiring no additional preparations, and only requiring spectacular sights and entertainment within the festival grounds.
And it merely needed to be sufficient to elevate the Alliance’s prestige.
Most of the burdensome funds would be spent here.
Perhaps he had only wanted to maintain appearances.
But I had no intention of doing so.
“When one monopolizes the festival’s authority, money flows in of its own accord.”
A dark smile lingered at my lips.

* * *

The Martial Arts Alliance hosting a martial arts tournament.
The moment it was announced, Jeongzhou trembled with excitement.
Merchants bustled about in preparation, counting down the days until the approaching event, and soon everyone’s lips carried only talk of this one thing.
“Haha! I can’t remember the last time something like this happened. They say this one will be grand and spectacular.”
“I think it’s because the Jin Family of Luoyang got involved.”
“I heard that too. They say they’re making quite the preparations?”
Already, people’s eyes gleamed with anticipation.
When the Martial Arts Alliance held tournaments on their own, there was always plenty to see, but with the Jin Family of Luoyang joining in this time, it would be incomparable to any previous occasion.
Yet there were those who scoffed.
“But what does it matter? We won’t even be able to watch the matches ourselves.”
“Ha, that’s true. All we know is who won from the cheers we hear from inside, isn’t it?”
“Why are these people so twisted about it? We’re not even martial artists, and we’re just tagging along to their festival. We should be grateful if they just set off fireworks in the streets.”
Arguments broke out here and there, but perhaps due to the anticipation for the approaching festival, people let such disputes pass without serious conflict.
Meanwhile, the busiest entity at present was the Martial Arts Alliance itself.
They had to compile rosters of participants arriving from all corners of the Central Plains, clean to welcome guests, and inspect the martial arts equipment to be used in the tournament.
Thus, everyone moved without a moment’s rest.
On the other hand, Hye-myeong, the master of that place, wore a peculiar expression.
“What do you mean by that?”
“I mean… exactly as I said, Alliance Master. Jin Gongja’s movements are most unusual.”
At Gwak Il-cho’s words, spoken while beads of cold sweat formed on his brow, Hye-myeong’s confusion deepened.
“That child… didn’t he say he was preparing for the festival?”
“Yes, that’s correct. He is indeed preparing for the festival, but… something seems off. He purchased land from the Wang Estate at a pittance, demolished it, and is now employing a massive workforce to construct something.”
At Gwak Il-cho’s explanation, Hye-myeong found himself even more bewildered.
The Martial Arts Alliance was hosting the festival, so why would he purchase land from the Wang Estate and construct something there? And why would this be cause for Gwak Il-cho’s concern?
“Lead the way.”
In the end, Hye-myeong felt compelled to verify this with his own eyes. Rising from his seat, he left the Martial Arts Alliance with Gwak Il-cho leading the way.
The land that had originally belonged to the Wang Estate was a place forbidden to enter without permission.
Yet when Hye-myeong arrived at that location, he could not hide his astonishment.
“Amitabha Buddha—did the Jin Family’s young master truly purchase this land?”
“Yes, Alliance Master. Haven’t the guards who were stationed here disappeared?”
As Gwak Il-cho said, the Wang Estate’s soldiers had always stood guard at the entrance, but now they were nowhere to be seen.
Finding the situation so absurd that he could only laugh, Hye-myeong ventured deeper, only to widen his eyes in shock at the sight before him.
The Wang Estate’s buildings that should have been there were completely gone.
Countless laborers moved busily, hammering away, while figures who appeared to be from the Jin Family issued orders, gradually filling the street with new structures.
Moreover, a massive martial arts arena was being constructed on one side, and food stalls and buildings both large and small were being erected throughout the streets.
Barely a month and a half.
It was hard to believe that all this had transpired in such a short time.
“You’ve arrived?”
At that moment, Jin Cheon-u, having spotted Hye-myeong, approached and cupped his fist in salute.
“Amitabha Buddha—tell me, Young Master. What on earth… are you trying to do?”
“Didn’t you say we needed to hold the grandest and most spectacular festival?”
“Heh, but what does that have to do with… this?”
Hye-myeong posed the question, and I nodded with a smile. My eyes and expression showed no hesitation whatsoever—it was clear I had absolute conviction in what I was doing.
“The martial tournament will be held at that location over there. They’re building diligently, so we should be able to meet the deadline… and we can accommodate roughly a thousand or so spectators.”
“A… a thousand people?”
“When the Martial Arts Alliance holds a martial tournament internally, most people never get to see it, do they? But if it’s held there, everyone can enjoy it, so they’ll be pleased.”
Hye-myeong couldn’t hide his astonishment.
Since a martial arts tournament was meant for martial artists to enjoy, he had never given any thought to those who weren’t warriors.
But if people could watch as I suggested, the event would receive that much more attention, and the Martial Arts Alliance’s prestige could rise dramatically in an instant.
“On top of that, various vendor stalls and lodging facilities. I’m also planning to refine the appearance of the streets and widen the roads so people can move about more easily.”
With each word that flowed from my lips, Hye-myeong nodded repeatedly.
The bustling marketplace was always crowded, and during festivals there was barely room to set foot. So widening the roads and creating spaces for rest would be nothing short of perfect.
At that moment, Gwak Il-cho posed a question.
“But if guest houses and vendor stalls are set up… wouldn’t the marketplace descend into chaos?”
“It probably will. But what can we do about it? It’s only natural that people flock to places that are good to watch.”
“…”
“Then… wouldn’t the Jin Family’s guest house also be affected?”
If people flocked there, the Unryong Guest House would naturally be affected as well. Gwak Il-cho pointed this out and asked again, but I didn’t seem to mind at all.
“That place will do fine on its own. Thank you for your concern, Master Gwak.”
“Haha…”
Both Gwak Il-cho and Hye-myeong were left dumbfounded, but my explanation continued as if it had no end.
“I’ve brought in only those called the greatest in their fields for the performance troupes and fireworks displays. It will likely be… the most spectacular.”
“To… to that extent…”
“Festivals are always more splendid and grand the more money you pour into them.”
Master Wang’s land, the countless laborers visible before our eyes, and the fact that I’d brought in the finest individuals from each field—just hearing this made it clear that an astronomical sum of money had been spent.
Hye-myeong’s hands began to tremble slightly.
Gwak Il-cho’s pupils shook.
The question arose in their minds: could all that money ever be repaid?
As if reading their thoughts, I smiled.
“You needn’t worry about the money.”
“What do you mean…”
“I received full authority and acted on my own discretion. So the Martial Arts Alliance need only enjoy itself.”
“Amitabha Buddha—then isn’t your loss far too great?”
It was more than mere loss.
The amount spent was enough to bankrupt even a moderately sized sect or noble family.
No matter how wealthy the Jin Family was, spending such an excessive sum for the Jeongdo Martial Arts Alliance without any return was beyond reason.
But my expression remained unchanged, and instead my eyes shone with confidence.
“It’s fine. Investment is, after all, a means to earn even greater profits, isn’t it?”
With those words, Hye-myeong understood.
What stood before him now was not a martial artist named Jin Cheon-u.
I am Jin Cheon-u, a merchant.
His unfamiliar appearance piqued my interest.

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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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