Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: A Merchant's Vision
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Yuk Mu-hyeok mulled over his grandson's metaphor for a moment. It was quite to his liking. It revealed a discerning insight that grasped the situation precisely.
On the other hand, it puzzled him as well. How could a child raised in such a remote backwater gauge the temperament of Prince Yan, who was a thousand li away?
Yuk Mu-hyeok nodded first and chimed in approvingly.
"You're right. Zhu Di—that man—has fierce ambitions. Moreover, he possesses the ability to dare covet the throne itself. He's no coward to fear storms and strife."
Even Emperor Hongwu, the founding Taizu, had hesitated multiple times in choosing a successor out of regret at wasting such talent. He was far too grand a figure to end his days as a mere regional prince.
"But consider this."
The Yuk clan head broached the topic in a subtle tone.
"If a war erupts to contend for the realm, what could our clan possibly gain from it? I'm curious to hear your thoughts."
"Fame for aiding the founding of the nation and now protecting the emperor, I suppose."
Yuk Jin-yang offered the most ordinary response.
Just as disappointment threatened to cloud his grandfather's face, he added,
"And we could reap commercial profits as well, couldn't we?"
"Commercial profits? Go on, lay out your thinking."
"If Prince Yan emerges victorious, he'll surely push to relocate the capital."
Yuk Mu-hyeok's expression turned peculiar.
"True enough. His stronghold lies in the north."
"Yet Beiping, seat of the Prince of Yan's mansion, was once the Yuan capital. Most of its palaces survived unburned, didn't they? The prince lacked the means for major reconstruction, so they were simply left abandoned."
"For a single princely residence, the remnants sufficed. But to transform it into the new capital of Great Ming would demand colossal earthworks. Are you suggesting we lend a hand in the rebuilding?"
Yuk Jin-yang nodded.
"Transport timber from the southwest along the Yangtze."
Over the long years, the forests of the Central Plains and North China had been largely exhausted. It was so dire that people froze to death every winter for lack of firewood.
Especially the massive beams needed for construction hailed chiefly from Sichuan, Yunnan, and Huguang. Coincidentally, all lay south of the Yangtze.
The clan head slapped his knee.
"A born merchant, you are! Should you one day found your own house, your retainers and guests need never fear starvation."
"You flatter me."
"Timber from the southwest—especially southern Hunan—is fastest unloaded in Fujian and shipped via the Grand Canal. And coincidentally, the man overseeing our Fujian branch stands before me."
Yuk Jin-yang smiled awkwardly under the teasing gaze.
"Haha..."
"That said, your scheme has one glaring flaw."
"May I ask what it is?"
"Even a lowly merchant who amasses a million shi in grain draws all manner of envy. How much more for a powerful lineage like ours? The greater the gains, the more obstructions we must anticipate."
"Then we simply find servants to shoulder the dirty work—and cover our backs if things go awry."
The clan head nodded.
"Well said. To accomplish great deeds, one needs lackeys to bear the burdens in one's stead."
His eyes flashed. Like a predator spotting prey.
At the same time, the affection in his gaze toward his grandson deepened even further.
Returning to his private quarters, Yuk Mu-hyeok immediately summoned his direct cadre of vassals. Not blood kin, perhaps, but closest retainers who had long served him and proven their worth. In some respects, they surpassed even his sons.
Among them stood not only division leaders commanding armed forces, but merchant guild masters and escort bureau chiefs who enriched the Zhejiang Yuk Clan.
They had already been briefed on recent developments—even the decision to back Prince Yan over the current emperor. It amounted to treason in all but name, yet the clan head harbored no fears of betrayal.
Not out of trust in them. He simply knew the fear they harbored for him.
Once his inner circle assembled, Yuk Mu-hyeok announced bluntly,
"We need to stock up on construction materials."
The abrupt declaration prompted swift glances among those present. None betrayed confusion. To evade the clan head's thunderous wrath, one had to stand ready for any query at any time.
The Golden Banner Merchant Guild leader, who served as the Yuk clan's official contractor, spoke up first.
"Beiping is a natural nexus where all southern waterways converge, even before considering it as capital. War may leave it in ruins, but it must inevitably be rebuilt."
"Precisely. Beyond Beiping, upheavals will engulf the realm. Even against rival guilds and caravans, we can secure our share."
"Put your worries to rest. Advance preparations will leave us leagues ahead in any contest."
"However, you won't take the lead this time."
"Pardon?"
The Golden Banner leader ventured a bewildered query.
"I have no intention of handing the court needless fodder. We'll prop up others instead."
"Others, you say...?"
"No upstart clans ripe for pulling to our side?"
His youngest grandson had spoken of merchant logic, but Yuk Mu-hyeok discerned political maneuvering therein—a chance to sway certain emerging clans from the emperor's camp.
Jin Jo-won, leader of the Crimson Fox Scouts tasked with intelligence, offered a cautious suggestion.
"What of the Nangong Clan?"
"Nangong Clan?"
The Nangong Clan had originally been a preeminent upstart around Huzhou. Its founder had risen amid the late Yuan chaos, his talents unmatched.
Thus, they flourished daily in Huzhou, rivaling even ancient clans.
But the martial art bequeathed by the Nangong founder on his deathbed invited disaster.
Its name: Sovereign Sword Forms.
A mere warrior daring to invoke "emperor" and "king." Gross overreach.
Emperor Hongwu, unifier of the realm, took umbrage even at such terms in martial world nicknames. Ample cause for ire.
That pretext sufficed. The Nangong Clan lost all influence and plummeted. They barely clung to life. Their relocation to Xiangyang resembled exile.
"They decline by the day. Settling Xiangyang forced them to confront countless factions single-handedly, exhausting their direct lineage."
"They've subdued the rabble, yet underlings could revolt anytime—an unstable state?"
"Indeed."
"But will they accept? They tasted glory once. They won't bow easily."
"The elders, lost in past glories, perhaps not. But their clan head faces reality squarely. Hand him a suitable pretext, and refusal is unthinkable."
The Golden Banner leader slyly appended,
"Why not dangle restoration of their ancestor's slandered honor?"
"Now that you mention it. Yet that hinges on Zhu Di's whim. We can't guarantee it, can we?"
The Yuk clan head uttered Prince Yan's name without hesitation. No one batted an eye. He had once tutored imperial scions at Taizu's behest, after all.
"Why not cast a light lure? Should Prince Yan refuse, other concessions can sway them."
"Make contact. Secure their commitment before I return from Kaifeng."
Yuk Mu-hyeok's piercing gaze compelled assent.
An opportunity to extend influence from Zhejiang to Xiangyang.
Building a vast domain encompassing Huguang in one stroke.
Plus, crushing the resurgence of the once-vaunted Nangong upstarts. Done right, they'd never dream of revival, nestling eternally in the Yuk clan's bosom.
A scheme not to be bungled.
Strange portents stirred across the realm.
Carrier birds ferrying secret missives dotted the skies, while couriers on swift steeds raced along official roads.
The court alone faced no such unrest. Factions everywhere scrambled to gather intelligence and sift truth from lies.
Rumors go a thousand li on wings of wind.
As whispers spread, seditious moods clouded every corner like gathering storm fronts. The masses grew convinced upheaval loomed near.
Beneath the surface, sinister bands stirred.
The Great Ming's reign had seemed stable, yet rested on sand.
Subduing warlords and expelling the Northern Yuan had demanded rivers of blood. Remnants of those slain rebels and heretics endured.
Now, fissures cracked the empire's order. Those who had lurked in shadows eyed their chance to rise.
The court knew full well. Even scholars debated fiercely.
"We must curb private correspondence for now, lest baseless rumors spread."
"What folly is this? Censor whispers? You'd only pour oil on flames—the harder you suppress, the wilder they blaze."
"Local governance teeters on paralysis already. Surveillance of the princes, summoning garrisons, stockpiling provisions... And now control rumors too? No manpower left."
No firm resolution emerged. In the end, the court opted to watch and wait. Tackle the fires burning hottest first.
Amid this turmoil, urgent dispatches reached Flying Stream Pavilion as well.
Letters from Yi Pil-do, head of the Minyang Merchant Association, and the Fuzhou branch leader.