Became a God-Level M Chapter 247 : Newly, Like a Child

Chapter 247: Newly, Like a Child

Thanks to the delivery by Jang Gwang, the hall fell into great commotion.

It was a gathering of the wealthiest people in the Central Plains, yet even for them, the sight of carts loaded full of gold chests was sothing rather unfamiliar.

*KUNG-!*

Jang Gwang began carrying the chests without paying the slightest heed to the gazes of imperial figures or wealthy magnates.

Behind Jin Seong-un and Lee Seowon, the heavy chests gradually piled up.

As Jin Seong-un watched this, he lightly waved his hand through the air, and the massive chests flew through the void one by one before stacking neatly.

The subtle marvel of psychokinesis.

Jin Seong-un had rely intended to help Jang Gwang, but the sight made onlookers’ eyes widen.

Even fairly accomplished experts would be greatly shocked upon witnessing psychokinesis at this level, let alone those who were not martial artists.

“Th-that is……!”

The spectacle of the chests floating through the air like clouds was utterly unreal.

Unbothered, Jin Seong-un and Jang Gwang calmly finished carrying all the chests, then looked at each other and nodded.

What need was there for words between n?

Jang Gwang raised his thumb toward Jin Seong-un, signaling him to wrap things up well, and Jin Seong-un returned the gesture, aning that Jang Gwang should also put effort into the remaining deliveries.

As Jang Gwang exited, it was once again Lee Seowon’s turn.

Lee Seowon strained as he heaved a chest onto the table.

*KOO-UNG-!*

Because Lee Seowon lacked strength, the sound of the chest landing rang out even louder.

When Lee Seowon opened the chest, gold as dazzling as a sunset revealed itself.

“Fifty thousand nyang in gold.”

Jin Seong-un and Lee Seowon placed five chests atop the table, making a total of two hundred fifty thousand nyang.

Then the two of them rummaged through their clothes.

*CLINK—!*

Bundles tied with one hundred nyang in gold were placed onto the table one by one. The clinking sound needlessly grated on Ha Joo-myeong’s nerves.

Having thus made up two hundred fifty thousand and five hundred nyang, Lee Seowon looked around at the surrounding rchants and spoke.

“Does the Master of Daepyeong Trading Company have any intention?”

“…….”

The Master of Daepyeong Trading Company, Jang Tae-hak, shook his head vigorously. He neither had the ability nor the intention to handle such an amount of money at present.

“Then what about the Chairperson of the Jiangnan Comrce Association?”

The expression on Lee Pyo-seong’s face as he looked at Lee Seowon seed extrely satisfied.

Although he had not secured the developnt rights to the hot spring district himself, the fact that the Myriad Gold Manor had been thoroughly humiliated before everyone’s eyes pleased him greatly.

As the dominant power of Anhui Province—considered one of the wealthiest regions alongside Jiangsu Province—he could manage around two hundred fifty thousand nyang, but today, he intended to be satisfied simply by witnessing the Myriad Gold Manor’s disgrace.

Lee Pyo-seong spoke to Lee Seowon in a gentle tone.

“You have the right to take it. Our Jiangnan Comrce Association will also withdraw from this auction. The others will likely do the sa.”

Having said that, Lee Pyo-seong sought the consent of the other rchants. When the chairperson of the Jiangnan Comrce Association, one of the two great pillars of the comrcial world alongside the Myriad Gold Manor, spoke thus, everyone nodded and indicated their withdrawal from the auction.

Just as the situation was nearing its conclusion.

Ha Joo-myeong looked toward Chief Steward Yoo Won-ho. After a brief hesitation, Yoo Won-ho headed toward the head seat where the Crown Prince and the Princess were seated.

Yoo Won-ho felt that his dignity was sowhat diminished in front of the other rchants, but as he was a notable figure of Suzhou, he could not refuse.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, Your Highness the Princess. May this ignorant chief steward offer a word?”

The Crown Prince, who had been watching the auction with shining eyes, looked at Yoo Won-ho with curiosity.

“Very well. Speak.”

“Ahem. The hot springs of Eonsa Prefecture will surely prosper greatly in the future. The Imperial Household will bestow its grace and watch over it, and both the comrcial world and the martial world will devote their utmost loyalty.”

“Indeed. I, my sister, and Father all enjoy hot springs, so this is a good thing.”

“And so, I humbly submit this. Entrusting developnt of such a precious location to a re inn is, in my view, illogical. If the auction were to be conducted once more, the Myriad Gold Manor would demonstrate its loyalty to the Imperial Household in full.”

Though his words were long-winded, in the end he was simply proposing that the auction be restarted from the beginning.

The rchants clicked their tongues inwardly as they looked at Ha Joo-myeong and Yoo Won-ho.

Even Lee Pyo-seong, the Chairperson of the Jiangnan Comrce Association, clicked his tongue internally.

‘Unlike the previous manor master, that young fellow seems to lack both dignity and sha.’

Even the young Crown Prince understood that this situation was not a normal one.

The Crown Prince looked at Yoo Won-ho and said,

“Did not the Myriad Gold Manor already say it would withdraw from the auction?”

“Hehe, that is true, however. In the end, is this not a matter between people? If the Myriad Gold Manor were to invest a sum far exceeding two hundred fifty thousand nyang as developnt costs, I believe the Imperial Household would welco it.”

At that, Princess Yeongan, seated beside him, casually added,

“Crown Prince, please do so.”

Though her tone was gentle, the Crown Prince flinched at her words. He clearly feared the Princess—his elder sister.

Even though he knew the present situation went against principle, he hesitated out of fear of his sister.

As the Crown Prince’s deliberation dragged on, the rchants began to show discomfort, while the Princess and Yoo Won-ho continued pressing him.

Amid all this, what weighed most heavily upon him was the sight of the innkeeper and chief steward of Seong-un Inn, who neither objected nor protested, but rely looked at him in silence.

The Crown Prince could not shake the feeling that he himself was stepping forward to push aside a small rchant and side with a powerful one.

It was completely contrary to what he had learned from his father the Emperor and from his teacher, the Grand Scholar.

The atmosphere grew ever heavier, and regrettably, the Crown Prince was far too young to firmly carry his own will through to the end.

When the Crown Prince was just about to open his mouth to finally accept Yoo Won-ho’s request—

“Then…….”

“That will not do.”

An old man’s voice cut off the Crown Prince’s words.

Yoo Won-ho, the external chief steward of the Myriad Gold Manor, turned his head with an expression that seed to ask who would dare interrupt the Crown Prince, then flinched in shock.

An old man stood at the entrance of the manor, glaring at Yoo Won-ho with an impression even harder and sharper than his firm voice.

Yoo Won-ho recognized that face as well.

Jang Gyeong, the Commander of the Royal Guards.

The fact that he had co all the way here to refute the Princess’s opinion made its aning perfectly clear.

The Emperor wanted this.

The Royal Guards were nothing less than the Emperor’s sword.

Astute rchants clearly perceived that the balance of power within the Imperial Palace was tilting away from the Princess and toward the Crown Prince.

Everyone except Yoo Won-ho, the Crown Prince, and the Princess bowed their heads deeply toward Jang Gyeong.

Amid this, Lee Seowon poked Jin Seong-un’s side with his elbow as Jin Seong-un stood there blankly.

Even so, Jin Seong-un’s reaction was sowhat slow.

It was not because Jin Seong-un lacked manners.

‘A completely different person from the Eastern Depot Admiral.’

Jin Seong-un found Jang Gyeong’s first impression extrely striking. There were many old masters in the martial world, yet he had never seen anyone who carried such a powerful and steadfast aura.

Jang Gyeong, too, recognized Jin Seong-un at a glance.

‘Ho… so the rumors about the Guest Dragon were actually understated.’

Even Jang Gyeong, who had served in the Royal Guards for decades and encountered countless masters from both officialdom and the martial world, had never seen soone like Jin Seong-un.

Such martial prowess at barely coming of age?

He was truly an existence beyond common sense, like the legendary masters spoken of only in history.

Strong curiosity toward Jin Seong-un stirred within Jang Gyeong, but dealing with the matter at hand took priority.

Jang Gyeong spoke as he fixed the Princess and the Crown Prince with eyes as sharp as a bird of prey.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, principles must be applied equally to all. It is not sothing that can be bent to cover up a mistake born of the Myriad Gold Manor’s arrogance.”

It was the Princess who stepped forward.

“Is there such a thing as principle above the heavens?”

By ‘heavens,’ she ant the Imperial Household.

She was saying that whatever the Imperial Household decided beca the principle, no matter what.

It was plainly a way of crushing the other party through power alone, but Jang Gyeong was a man who had rolled around the Imperial Palace for decades.

Moreover, for the last twenty years, he had served at the side of the Emperor, the pinnacle of power itself.

There was no way he would shrink back over a re word from the Princess.

Instead, his eyes shone fiercely as he replied.

“Yes, principles do exist above the heavens. At the very least, the heavens ruled by His Majesty of this era are so. Your Highness the Crown Prince should know this as well.”

Jang Gyeong knew what kind of person the Crown Prince was.

There was good reason the Emperor cherished him so dearly. He was the man who had inherited the Emperor’s blood most strongly.

As the Crown Prince hesitated, his lips moving slightly—

“May I also add a word?”

All eyes turned to Ha Joo-myeong.

Ha Joo-myeong, wearing a calm smile, looked at Jang Gyeong and continued.

“I understand well what the Commander is saying. However—”

“Shut your mouth!”

Jang Gyeong’s thunderous roar resounded.

Because the voice was imbued with imnse inner energy, the entire manor shook violently.

Yet not a single person seated there suffered any harm from the lion’s roar, revealing just how ticulous Jang Gyeong’s control of his inner energy was.

Jang Gyeong glared at Ha Joo-myeong as he spoke.

“This is a mont for His Highness the Crown Prince to reflect upon His Majesty’s teachings. Who would dare insert themselves into a matter between His Majesty and the Crown Prince!”

This was a warning directed at Ha Joo-myeong, and at the sa ti, a warning to the Princess as well.

The Emperor had taught the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince must choose for himself based on that teaching. It was a clear warning that neither the Princess nor the Myriad Gold Manor was permitted to interfere in that process.

The Princess closed her mouth. The reason Jang Gyeong could speak so forcefully was obvious. The Emperor had granted him enormous authority—enough that he could roar like this even before a mber of the Imperial family.

Soon after, Jang Gyeong looked straight at the Crown Prince and said,

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, many are waiting. Please decide according to your own conviction and render your judgnt.”

His manner was incomparably more respectful than when addressing the Princess. Jang Gyeong was loyal only to the Emperor, and that Emperor wished to protect the Crown Prince.

After so ti had passed.

Following the long silence that persisted under Jang Gyeong’s stern presence, the Crown Prince exhaled as if he had made up his mind.

To yield to the Princess watching beside him, or to stand by his own convictions and uphold principle.

Everyone tensed for the answer that would follow, and then the Crown Prince spoke.

“Myriad Gold Manor, listen well.”

“……Yes, Your Highness.”

“You previously stated that you would withdraw from the bidding. That was a choice made by none other than you, Ha Joo-myeong, without any coercion. As the young master of the Myriad Gold Manor, do not make light of the weight of words you yourself have spoken.”

It was a rebuke telling him that, at such a level, he should not speak twice with one mouth and should preserve at least so dignity.

Ha Joo-myeong stared blankly at the Crown Prince for a mont, then lowered his head.

“I am deeply apologetic. It seems my chief steward has grown old and senile. Unable to restrain his excessive loyalty, he disturbed Your Highness’s peace of mind. Once we return to the Myriad Gold Manor, I will discipline him strictly and ensure he never opens his mouth again.”

External Chief Steward Yoo Won-ho cursed inwardly. Of course, no one believed Ha Joo-myeong’s words. Ha Joo-myeong himself did not expect them to be believed. It was simply his habit to always leave behind justification and loopholes in preparation for any unforeseen situation.

Regardless, the Crown Prince continued speaking.

This ti, he looked at Jin Seong-un and Ha Joo-myeong as he said,

“You two shall feel responsibility and do your utmost in developing the comrcial district of Eonsa Prefecture. You must also achieve harmony with figures from both officialdom and the martial world.”

“How could we refuse.”

“Yes.”

Lee Seowon and Jin Seong-un answered at the sa ti.

Lee Seowon poked Jin Seong-un’s side again at his blunt reply.

However, Jin Seong-un had neither seen nor learned how one ought to speak when dealing with mbers of the Imperial Household.

Fortunately, the Crown Prince did not seem displeased by Jin Seong-un’s attitude.

Rather, his eyes sparkled as though he were a child looking at sothing curious.

For the Crown Prince, who had been born and raised as a noble existence his entire life, a man as nonchalant as Jin Seong-un was truly a first.

Thus, having set matters right with Jang Gyeong’s help and concluded the situation according to principle, the Crown Prince continued speaking with a sowhat lighter heart.

“By the way.”

Jin Seong-un raised his head and t the Crown Prince’s eyes. He had seen those eyes before.

‘They’re similar to Jeongmyeong’s.’

Choe Jeong-myeong, whom Jang Gwang had brought and who had beco a disciple of the Wudang Sect.

When that young and pure child discovered sothing truly fascinating, his eyes would open in just that way.

The Crown Prince continued.

“I saw earlier that you made the gold chests fly around. Could you teach

that thod too? Hmm?”

After all, the Crown Prince was still a child.