Chapter 246: There Had Never Been a Delivery Like This
When Jin Seong-un and Lee Seowon sat down, a brief silence followed.
As rchants whose nas were known throughout the land, they were already able to roughly infer the value of the gold Jin Seong-un had presented.
‘Did the Hwa-un Trading Company step in from behind?’
The master of the Daepyeong Trading Company thought so.
No matter how much he racked his brain, it was impossible to believe that a re inn had brought in that much gold.
More than anything, there was no guarantee that what they saw was everything.
anwhile, Ha Joo-myeong calmly tilted his teacup and twisted the corner of his lips.
‘Putting on a show of bravado.’
In his eyes, that chest was nothing more than Jin Seong-un’s desperate struggle. The Hwa-un Trading Company, the Red Cliff Escort Agency, even the Jingzhou rchants’ Association. He had already finished grasping every possible financial lifeline the Seong-un Inn could pull in.
At best, it was a shallow trick ant to display every coin they had scraped together to seize the initiative.
Feeling a faint sense of disappointnt, Ha Joo-myeong withdrew his gaze from Jin Seong-un and leaned comfortably against the backrest.
Regardless, Jin Seong-un calmly accepted the rchants’ pouring gazes and then spoke.
“Is there anyone else coming?”
It was another way of saying that everyone should get a grip and focus on what needed to be done.
Only then did the Imperial Palace official, who had been standing there absentmindedly, snap back to his senses. After gauging the Crown Prince’s and the Princess’s expressions, he cleared his throat and stepped onto the platform.
“Then we shall begin. Before the auction, we comnd all of you for gathering here in service of the Empire’s developnt……”
A tedious ceremonial address followed.
For the most part, it was filled with formal pleasantries, loyalty toward the Imperial Household, and talk of the decorum and duties trading companies were expected to uphold.
Jin Seong-un listened to the official with one ear while observing the other rchants.
Not a single person was truly paying attention. The air was taut and sharp, like a bowstring pulled to its limit. Pretending to listen, the rchants continuously probed one another’s placards and expressions out of the corners of their eyes.
The calm before the storm.
That was how Jin Seong-un felt about the situation. With the war of money about to begin, everyone seed to be holding their breath.
When the official’s long-winded speech finally ended, entertainers suddenly ca out to perform, followed by the serving of food.
“……”
Jin Seong-un decided that once this was over, he should never attend another Imperial Palace event again.
Only after the sun that had risen in the east climbed directly overhead did the real auction finally begin.
After once more emphasizing the importance of the Eonsa Prefecture hot spring comrcial rights, which the Crown Prince himself was involved in, the official spoke in a grave voice.
“We shall begin the auction. Present your prices, and each trading company master may participate freely. The opening bid is fifty thousand nyang in gold.”
As soon as his words ended, everyone began cautiously reading one another’s faces. With figures from the Imperial Household and the greatest rchants of the era gathered together, even the smallest word or gesture required care.
The first to raise his hand was Jang Tae-hak, the master of the Daepyeong Trading Company.
Seeing this, the official nodded and announced,
“Daepyeong Trading Company, fifty thousand nyang in gold.”
Jang Tae-hak wore an expression devoid of great expectations.
He already knew who would beco the protagonist of this auction. With a probability exceeding seventy percent, Myriad Gold Manor would take it, and if an exception occurred, the Jiangnan rchants’ Association would snatch it up.
Then what was the purpose of coming to this auction?
‘To show loyalty to His Highness the Crown Prince.’
To actively express one’s intent to invest a massive sum into a comrcial developnt directly overseen by the Crown Prince. In other words, to show sincerity.
Trading company masters who thought similarly to Jang Tae-hak raised their hands in succession, steadily raising the price.
“Sixty thousand…… seventy-five thousand…… eighty thousand.”
Each ti a hand went up, the official called out a higher figure.
The official’s expression was rather pleased. If everyone had acted too cautiously, it would have been dull in the eyes of His Highness the Crown Prince and Her Highness the Princess, but seeing such fervent displays of loyalty, both of them looked satisfied.
anwhile, Ha Joo-myeong and Lee Pyo-sung, the master of the Jiangnan rchants’ Association—both expected to be the main contenders—had not raised their hands even once.
Their expressions were similar.
They intended to withhold interest until the ‘true price’ was reached. Stirring up the excitent was the underlings’ job; they only needed to engage in the real fight at the end.
Before long, the price soared to one hundred thousand nyang.
At this point, everyone beca hesitant about raising their hands. One hundred thousand nyang was a sum that even those gathered here would have to stake their lives on.
Jang Tae-hak, the master of the Daepyeong Trading Company, wore a refreshed expression as he withdrew from the auction and enjoyed his food and drink.
‘Ninety thousand nyang was more than enough.’
If Imperial Household–related matters arose later, he could simply say, ‘I was prepared to throw in a full ninety thousand nyang in gold out of loyalty to His Highness the Crown Prince!’
“One hundred twenty thousand nyang. One hundred twenty thousand nyang. Is there anyone else?”
The pace of raised hands noticeably slowed.
Those who shared Jang Tae-hak’s mindset had already surpassed half of the attendees.
Now, everyone began looking toward Ha Joo-myeong and Lee Pyo-sung.
That was when it happened.
“One hundred twenty thousand nyang. We will take it.”
All gazes snapped sharply in one direction.
A pale, slender young man was looking at everyone with the keenest eyes in the room.
It was Lee Seowon, the chief steward of the Seong-un Inn.
“Hm, hm.”
People let out awkward coughs.
They were astonished that a re inn could put forth such a vast sum, and at the sa ti, they felt their own dignity being inexplicably cheapened.
Unable to hold back, Jang Tae-hak raised his hand.
“One hundred thirty thousand!”
At the very least, should he not show more sincerity than an inn? Everyone stared at him in surprise. There was no one who did not know the scale of the Daepyeong Trading Company.
‘There he goes again, getting carried away.’
‘What if Myriad Gold Manor and the Jiangnan rchants’ Association both drop out?’
Jang Tae-hak was usually known for his montum.
He had succeeded in many ventures on the strength of that montum, but from ti to ti, he would be devoured by it himself and make mistakes.
Everyone inwardly clicked their tongues at his recklessness, and only then did Jang Tae-hak himself realize his error.
With desperate eyes, he looked toward Ha Joo-myeong and the master of the Jiangnan rchants’ Association.
His earnest wish was soon granted—though not from either of them.
“One hundred forty thousand nyang.”
Once again, it was Lee Seowon.
Jang Tae-hak looked as though he had been saved, while the other trading company masters stared in disbelief.
Even if the Hwa-un Trading Company helped, this was a difficult sum. In the first place, though the Hwa-un Trading Company was counted among the Ten Great Trading Companies of the Central Plains, it was smaller than Jang Tae-hak’s Daepyeong Trading Company.
Even the Princess’s and the Crown Prince’s eyes flickered with intrigue.
In particular, the Crown Prince rembered Jin Seong-un’s face. When his sister had personally hosted a banquet and invited Ha Joo-myeong and figures from the Orthodox Murim, the sight of a young man sitting alone yet commanding the atmosphere of the banquet had left a deep impression on him as well.
The Imperial Palace official spoke.
“Are you serious?”
He bore the responsibility of seeing this auction through safely. If that inn was playing gas without the money to back it up, part of that responsibility would fall on him.
At the official’s worry-filled question, Lee Seowon replied in an unruffled tone.
“In what setting would we dare to joke around?”
“Ahem, it must be so.”
After issuing an unnecessary warning, the official looked around and said,
“One hundred fifty thousand nyang. Is there no one?”
At this point, no one raised a hand, instead waiting for Ha Joo-myeong’s and the Jiangnan rchants’ Association master’s reactions.
Yet the direction of the two n’s gazes was truly peculiar.
Lee Pyo-sung, the master of the Jiangnan rchants’ Association, was glaring at Myriad Gold Manor, his lifelong rival, while the heir of Myriad Gold Manor, wearing a composed expression, was looking elsewhere.
Straight at Jin Seong-un of the Seong-un Inn.
As Ha Joo-myeong and Jin Seong-un engaged in a brief staring contest, the master of the Jiangnan rchants’ Association raised his hand.
“One hundred fifty thousand.”
At last, it felt as though the real auction had begun. As soon as Lee Pyo-sung finished speaking, Ha Joo-myeong said casually,
“One hundred sixty thousand.”
“One hundred seventy thousand.”
“One hundred eighty thousand.”
Lee Pyo-sung fell silent and glared at Ha Joo-myeong. Unbothered, Ha Joo-myeong looked at the Imperial Palace official and said,
“Continue.”
It was a rather arrogant remark for a rchant to direct at an Imperial official. Even so, no one present took issue with it.
Because he was now a man no different from the master of Myriad Gold Manor.
“Ahem. One hundred ninety thousand nyang. One hundred ninety thousand nyang. Is there no one?”
As he spoke, the official looked toward Lee Pyo-sung. This was now a realm that no one but Myriad Gold Manor or the Jiangnan rchants’ Association could possibly bear.
Lee Pyo-sung appeared to sink into deep contemplation.
The battle of pride with Myriad Gold Manor was important, but he valued money even more than pride.
The distance between the Jiangnan region and Eonsa Prefecture was considerable. There would be various constraints in the process of participating in developnt.
Moreover, it differed slightly from the types of businesses they usually pursued.
It was when Lee Pyo-sung’s deliberation was dragging on.
“One hundred ninety thousand.”
Everyone flinched and turned toward the source of the voice. As expected, it was Lee Seowon. Even while naming a sum that would make even major trading companies tremble, he wore an astonishingly calm expression.
“Two hundred thousand nyang.”
Ha Joo-myeong imdiately raised the amount.
The master of the Jiangnan rchants’ Association looked as though he had no intention of participating any further. At that mont, the strangest possible scene began to unfold in this auction hall.
The greatest trading company of the era, Myriad Gold Manor, and a re inn, the Seong-un Inn, were locked in a bidding war.
“Two hundred thousand and one thousand nyang.”
Everyone wore dumbfounded expressions.
Not two hundred ten thousand, but one thousand nyang?
Did that fellow have no sense of dignity?
They shot reproachful looks at him with such thoughts, but unexpectedly, their assumptions were correct.
Lee Seowon had no sense of dignity. To be precise, he placed little value on things like dignity, pride, or pretense.
Ha Joo-myeong continued the bidding.
“Two hundred twenty thousand nyang.”
“And one thousand more.”
“……Two hundred thirty thousand.”
“One thousand added.”
“…….”
Ha Joo-myeong shut his mouth and glared at Lee Seowon and Jin Seong-un.
‘Not knowing his place…….’
Ha Joo-myeong felt more anger toward Lee Seowon than toward Jin Seong-un. Jin Seong-un was a man who could stand shoulder to shoulder with him.
However, Lee Seowon—rely a chief steward, from the Lee family that had served for generations as scribes of Myriad Gold Manor—acting like this toward him felt like brazen rebellion.
With eyes turned cold, Ha Joo-myeong said,
“Two hundred fifty thousand.”
A heavy silence followed.
Even here, where the greatest rchants under heaven had gathered, there were hardly any who could imdiately mobilize two hundred fifty thousand nyang.
Everyone naturally looked toward Lee Seowon and Jin Seong-un. As expected, Lee Seowon raised his hand once more.
“Two hundred fifty thousand.”
“…….”
“……and five hundred.”
Ha Joo-myeong let out a sigh.
This was no longer about the hot spring comrcial rights.
Their attitude made it seem as though they were openly mocking him. Princess Yeongan also failed to hide her displeasure.
The entire auction amount had to be invested into developnt costs. Therefore, a higher figure ant higher expected tax revenue from the comrcial district.
It was good news for the Imperial Household, including the Princess, but the problem lay in Lee Seowon’s attitude. Everyone found Lee Seowon irritating, and doubts about whether he even possessed the money were spreading.
As the atmosphere grew sowhat bleak, Lee Seowon asked the official,
“Is bidding in units of five hundred nyang a problem?”
“It’s not sothing I can outright call a problem, but……”
“Then that settles it. Let’s continue.”
At that mont, Ha Joo-myeong, who had been lost in thought, spoke to Jin Seong-un and Lee Seowon—or rather, so that everyone could hear.
“Tell , Seong-un. Do you truly have that money?”
“Would I dare make a false bid in front of this many people?”
Jin Seong-un replied plainly.
A deep furrow ford between Ha Joo-myeong’s brows.
“You should know that in this developnt, the comrcial world and Murim have been strictly separated. If you received money from Murim forces, there would be serious grounds for trouble.”
The Hwa-un Trading Company, the Red Cliff Escort Agency, the Jingzhou rchants’ Association.
Having already grasped every financial lifeline connected to the Seong-un Inn, Ha Joo-myeong concluded that if this was not a false bid, then they must have received help from the Tang Clan or the Wudang Sect.
Yet Jin Seong-un rely shrugged.
As Ha Joo-myeong’s unease deepened at that ambiguous response, a man hurriedly entered the auction hall. Everyone recognized his face, so no one tried to stop him.
It was Yu Won-ho, the outer chief steward of Myriad Gold Manor.
By the rules of this auction, the simultaneous attendance of a trading company master and a chief steward was perfectly permissible. Yu Won-ho went straight to Ha Joo-myeong’s seat and quietly passed on information.
Because there were martial artists present, including Jin Seong-un, he wrote sothing down on paper instead of whispering.
Ha Joo-myeong’s eyebrow twitched when he saw it.
It was news that the Seong-un Inn had very quietly purchased an inn building located on pri land in Eonsa Prefecture.
In an instant, Ha Joo-myeong’s eyes narrowed.
He read their sche at once.
‘Inflate the price to drain Myriad Gold Manor’s coffers, then reap the benefits themselves?’
The auction cost was the developnt cost itself.
They intended to let Myriad Gold Manor sweat blood and toil to build up the comrcial district, then simply swoop in and profit.
Ha Joo-myeong let out a scoff.
‘You used your head.’
Indeed, Lee Seowon was not lacking in talent as a chief steward.
But they had underestimated Myriad Gold Manor’s intelligence network.
Now that he had seen through their intentions, he had no desire to play along.
Letting out a short laugh, Ha Joo-myeong looked around and said,
“Myriad Gold Manor concedes.”
Everyone was startled.
Ha Joo-myeong openly acknowledged defeat and declared his withdrawal from the auction.
In other words, with the world’s most formidable rchants gathered here, the final victor would be the master of a re inn.
As the hall erupted into murmurs, Ha Joo-myeong continued,
“Two hundred fifty thousand nyang…….”
“It is two hundred fifty thousand and five hundred nyang.”
“……Fine, two hundred fifty thousand and five hundred nyang. If you do not have that money, then you will have gravely insulted the Imperial Household and every rchant gathered here. You understand what that ans.”
There was certainty in Ha Joo-myeong’s voice.
Quietly acquiring a building at the very heart of Eonsa Prefecture—there was no clearer evidence than that.
If they had truly intended to win the auction, there would have been no reason to do such a thing in advance.
At Ha Joo-myeong’s words, everyone looked at Lee Seowon and Jin Seong-un with suspicious expressions.
The two remained silent for a mont, and Ha Joo-myeong, confident in his victory, spoke again.
“If there was a miscalculation, now would be the ti to say so. Seong-un, I hold a favorable impression of you. I am willing to take you in as my man. If you honestly admit your mistake, I will add ten thousand nyang to the price you called and bring this to a close.”
He had seen through their hollow sche entirely, yet was offering leniency. In return, they rely had to take the hand Myriad Gold Manor extended.
If they took it, all mistakes would be erased. If they did not, they would pay an unbearable price for daring to insult the Imperial Household.
The correct choice was obvious.
Ha Joo-myeong believed Jin Seong-un and Lee Seowon were not foolish enough to choose such an obvious wrong answer.
Then Lee Seowon spoke.
“We are grateful for Myriad Gold Manor’s concession. Two hundred fifty thousand and five hundred nyang. Is that the final bid? Myriad Gold Manor has already withdrawn…… what about the rest of you?”
As he spoke, Lee Seowon looked at the other rchants.
Naturally, there was no one who could pay more than two hundred fifty thousand nyang.
As silence continued……
“It should be ti for the delivery to arrive.”
Lee Seowon muttered to himself.
Right on cue, from the entrance of the auction hall ca the voice of Jang Gwang, now even equipped with a signature greeting.
“There has never been a delivery like this before. I am Jang Gwang, deliveryman of the Seong-un Inn. I have brought three hundred thousand nyang in gold as the auction paynt, so please open the doors.”
Soon, the massive doors of the auction hall swung open, revealing Jang Gwang’s confident figure. Behind him, enormous chests were piled atop carts like a mountain.
“……!”
Ha Joo-myeong’s eyes went wide as he stared at Jin Seong-un.
Jin Seong-un rely shrugged.
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