Murim Troubleshooter Chapter 15 : A Strange Visitor

Chapter 15: A Strange Visitor

Humans like luxury goods.

More precisely, they enjoyed the sensation of being a ‘superior self unlike others.’

And silk clothing was one of the most representative luxury goods in the Central Plains.

Just imagine wearing a dazzling silk robe in a street filled with rags and tatters.

One would receive stares filled with envy and jealousy. People's treatnt would be completely different. There's a reason the phrase "returning ho in brocade" exists.

Where I used to live, industrialization had made clothes cheap, but here, clothing was still a ans to flaunt one’s status and authority.

Thus, the wealthy spared no expense on this silk fabric, and sericulture naturally beca a business that generated trendous added value. Like the semiconductor industry of modern tis.

And just as semiconductor wafers begin from trivial grains of sand (silicon), this silk industry also revolved around a bug called the silkworm.

"Hey, uncles."

Hence, managing silkworms essentially determined the direction of the business.

In the silkworm chamber bathed in the morning sunlight, a little brat gathered the large adults.

That brat was .

"Let’s try keeping these cute little silkworms alive at a ninety percent survival rate."

A top-down command had been issued.

“Eeeeh?”

The workers let out deflating sounds from their lungs.

Apparently, the physiological reaction to an unreasonable demand was universal across worlds.

“And one silk robe to go along with it.”

To secure the montum, a knockout blow was necessary. If the number of cocoons could support it, it was worth attempting.

“Uuueeh?”

This ti it was the weavers of the workshop making noise. They had been apologetic about not having work, and now they were about to be buried in it.

“In exchange, the pay will be triple.”

“...Eek?”

The last gasp ca from Eun Hwaran.

Since this hadn’t been pre-arranged, she stared with eyes wide open.

You can’t just whip people without even a carrot. I couldn’t allow such stingy managent.

“...Fine. Let’s do it that way.”

They say forgiveness is easier than permission. Post-approval had been granted.

A sudden triple-salary event.

Failing ant their jobs would be gone, and now with guaranteed pay, motivation was at an all-ti high.

So much so that they worked day and night, pushing the silkworm survival rate past the originally promised seventy percent and even reaching eighty percent.

This all happened in less than a month.

As for the silk clothing, progress was swift thanks to the workshop employees who had conserved their strength.

“The deadline is close, everyone stay sharp!”

The weavers, now with dark shadows under their eyes like Eun Hwaran, moved with intensity.

Silk weaving could be largely divided into three processes.

First, drawing out threads from the cocoon using a spinning wheel, called ‘thread spinning,’ and then wrapping the raw silk around a spool and mounting it on a loom, called ‘warp threading.’

Lastly, by pushing and pulling the raw silk on the loom to create openings, we get the silk fabric we all know.

“What are you doing? If you've set the warp, get the loom moving already.”

“Hey, you’ve got to strike the weft tightly for the silk to be properly woven! Are you sure you’re even a weaver?”

The ‘drawn thread,’ turned white and smooth through lye water, spun busily as it passed through various tools.

The pure white, long thread gradually grew thicker. Each technician diligently fulfilled their roles in unison.

Whirrrr.

I imdiately took the thread I found in a cocoon, spun it on the wheel, and pulled it straight out.

The thread was so fine that most people would fumble for minutes, but now I felt like I could do it with my eyes closed.

“It's seriously endless.”

I murmured while watching the spinning wheel revolve.

It was said that around 1,300 ters of thread could be extracted from a single cocoon tightly wound by a silkworm.

A single silk robe required five bolts of silk, so making it by the deadline might actually be quite tight.

“I know you’re all tired, but please hang in there. Your jobs are on the line too.”

Manual labor, silkworm labor—people were being ground down. Our silkworm chamber had gone into crunch mode like a ga company a month before launch.

As ti passed again, the fruits of our labor finally started to take the shape of garnts.

The next core product of Eunseong was now complete: silk robes.

“Oooh.”

Sunlight streaming through the window. A luscious, soft sheen gliding across the surface of the silk.

People who saw its luxuriousness let out short exclamations.

“Noona, isn’t it a bit small though? Looks like sothing a kid would wear.”

The size of the clothing was indeed a bit small. Too tight for an adult, just right for a middle-schooler.

“Well, that’s because we didn’t have enough ti...”

Truthfully, we didn’t get enough silk to be completely satisfied. So turning it into a smaller garnt was inevitable.

“Why don’t you try it on, Mujin?”

Eun Hwaran handed

the silk robe, which held the efforts and ti of everyone involved.

As I slid my arm into the sleeve, it slipped in like a glide.

The texture was totally different from the coarse, stiff cotton clothes. It was as soft as a baby’s bottom. Ever since I opened my eyes in this world, I’d never felt such sensation from clothes.

“Wow.”

“The color looks alive.”

“It helps that the hanger is good too...”

As I struck poses like a children’s fashion model, admiration ca from all sides.

“You guys! The robe is well-made, so of course the hanger looks good too!”

The proud weavers, putting pride in their work, barked at them to look at the clothes, not the person.

Still, their gazes remained fixed on

as I kept striking poses.

“That kid really is good-looking.”

“Suddenly life feels unfair, huh?”

Unfair, they say. These old n didn’t know a thing about what I’d been through until now.

“You carry it off well. You look like a young noble.”

That was Eun Hwaran’s comnt as she gazed at

with a pleased face.

Murong Cheongjin had been a noble from a prestigious clan.

“Noona, how much do robes like this go for?”

I flapped the sleeve of the silk robe and asked. It swayed softly like a carp’s fin.

“Well, even if it’s a bit small, with three bolts of silk in it, I’d say at least this much gold.”

Eun Hwaran estimated the needed amount of gold with three fingers.

As expected, the production of ‘gold (錦)’ was indeed a business for raking in ‘gold (??).’

No wonder the imperial court managed qualifications so strictly.

“Anyway, I think everything is ready now. They won’t be able to nitpick us.”

It felt like I had achieved everything she had requested.

A near-ninety percent survival rate and even a silk robe spun by our own hands.

“...Yes, at this point, even the imperial household that granted the business rights would have to acknowledge it.”

Unless the inspectors sent by the court had issues with their eyes, they’d have no choice but to approve this.

That is, unless they harbored ill intent.

“Entrusting the silkworm chamber to you was the right choice.”

Her expression showed she had been able to lay down so of the burden on her shoulders, thanks to .

The gloomy shadow in her eyes had lifted, and a faint sense of hope began to appear.

“Don't ntion it.”

Still dressed in the silk robe, I gave a slight nod.

She was the first custor of the Dan Mujin Troubleshooter, after all.

For future client recruitnt, I needed to be thorough.

“Please continue to use us often.”

As long as the pay was solid, I’d resolve anything.

That was a principle I upheld even back on Earth.

A bird in a cage had left the nest.

It was only natural to worry whether it could fly.

“Princess, you must not leave my side even for a mont. And do nothing to attract attention.”

On the way to the Eunseong Trading Company.

As they entered the bustling marketplace, a man in a blue official robe repeatedly warned the veiled woman beside him.

In the imperial palace, there was no one more reliable than him.

But outside the palace, he instinctively began treating her like a child left by the water.

The veiled woman responded in a slightly grumbling tone.

“Of course, Cheonggong. You think

a fool. I shall not lose my dignity, even outside the palace.”

“...Indeed.”

He tried to believe her.

But that assertion didn’t last even a single mont.

“Cheonggong, look at that. A man is breathing fire!”

First outing in five years. Beijing on the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Her eyes were instantly captivated.

The surroundings were filled with colorful, dazzling sights that srized the eyes.

She even seed slightly excited at the fact she was mingling among commoners.

“Cheonggong, what is this sparkly, hard thing?”

The veiled woman lifted a skewer threaded with red fruits.

“That’s Tanghulu. A snack thinly coated with sugar.”

She bit into it and was a little surprised by the crisp texture.

“Cheonggong, look at this. How could one carve wood so finely? It’s adorable.”

Although there were jade crafts and glittering ornants at the stalls, she had seen enough of those in the palace and was not impressed.

She praised the craftsman's skill, saying the cute wooden shapes must be toys for children.

“That is... Golpae. It’s a gambling tool.”

“......”

The veiled woman quietly put it down.

And her whimsical behavior continued even after passing through the front gate of Eunseong Trading Company.

Pointing at the cargo, she asked curiously.

“Cheonggong, what are those jars loaded on the cart?”

“Judging by the scent, they seem to be liquor jars.”

“Then what about that holess-looking old man nearby?”

“A drunkard passed out from drinking, I suppose.”

She was about to touch the cargo, making him think: just how daring must a drunkard be to try that?

“Cheonggong, there are many curious trees here. Do you know what they are?”

“Mulberry trees. Given how large this grove is, the silkworm chamber we’re looking for must be nearby.”

Wandering around driven by curiosity, they discovered a mulberry field.

Though the silkworm officer was absent and the chamber’s condition must be dire, at least this place had been ticulously arranged by landscape artisans.

Tatata!

A boy was freely running through the dense trees in training.

“That child?”

“A boy who has learned martial arts.”

The man in official robes saw the gliding movent and Qi bursting from the boy’s feet and was convinced.

So he released his own presence, letting his Qi bloom to reveal himself.

Sensing that Qi, the clever-looking boy stopped in place.

“Hey kid, do you know where the silkworm chamber is?”

A child running around a restricted area like it was his own backyard. Perhaps he knew sothing.

“Yes, I do.”

The boy answered simply and ran past them.

“……”

The man was briefly stunned by the unexpected response, then snapped back to his senses.

He imdiately used footwork to chase after the boy. It was like a gust of wind.

“Holy crap, sheesh!”

The boy nearly had a heart attack when the man suddenly appeared in front of him.

“...I ant, lead the way.”

No need for long thoughts to recognize the overwhelming gap.

The boy quickly nodded, saying he’d guide them.

According to The Art of War, strategic retreat was not disgraceful.

The man in the blue official robe had exuded a terrifying aura the mont our eyes t.

I thought it best not to get involved and tried to bolt, but sadly, I got caught right away.

“So, what brings you to the silkworm chamber?”

I asked, and the man gave

a sidelong glance.

“Outsiders don’t need to know.”

Outsider, he says. I was more involved in sericulture than anyone.

Anyway, this snot-nosed appearance of mine was always the issue.

Glance.

Then I felt a peculiar gaze from behind.

A woman walked gracefully, with elegance in every step.

Through the veil, I could faintly sense her looking at

with curiosity.

“Look away.”

And every ti I turned back to glance, the man glared at

with intense eyes.

Who was that woman for him to guard her so fiercely?

“It’s right up ahead.”

As we turned the corner of a wall set up for security, the large silkworm chamber ca into view.

But as I approached the entrance, a familiar worker ca running frantically.

“Mujin! Mujin!”

He waved both arms, clearly in a rush.

“What is it, Uncle Jang?”

“Co quick! Sothing’s happened at the silkworm chamber!”

Sothing’s happened?

Surely not another epidemic, especially with inspection only a week away?

“Did the silkworms die?”

“No, it’s not that! Th-they... people from the court are here! They broke the door and barged in!”

There was still a little ti left before the deadline we had inford them of.

What on earth was going on?

I quickly followed the worker’s gestures and dashed to the silkworm chamber.

And I sensed the veiled woman and the man following close behind.

Bang! As I flung the door open, the inside of the silkworm chamber ca into view.

Crash!

“You scamd us, didn’t you! There’s no other explanation!”

“...Lord Wang Jinggong! You know our situation, how the silkworm officer never ca. How could you say that!”

“That’s precisely why this situation makes no sense!”

The silkworm chamber was in total chaos.

Once again.