Creative Economy (4)
The journey back was relaxed for everyone.
The negotiations with the bandits hadn't been easy, but the gains were substantial. The delay in the merchant caravan's schedule was an unavoidable loss, but not only had there been no casualties, the contract with Beksan Band would drastically reduce Cheongeumbang's future losses.
However, Jin Yeo-rip wasn't so at ease.
"It's a good thing it turned out well, but what possessed you to take such a dangerous risk?"
Nagging.
"Don't you know how precious your life is?"
More nagging.
"If the Beksan Band leader hadn't granted your request, you could've been in real trouble."
Even more!
Jin Yeo-rip had to endure the scolding the entire way back in the carriage. He was starting to get fed up.
The outcome had been great, and it'd been a huge help to Cheongeumbang, so being nagged like this soured his mood. He grumbled sullenly.
"No one cared about those people's lives, so I had to step in."
"You fool! You're saying you'd risk your own life to save theirs?"
"Then what should I have done? Let them die?"
Amid the worried nagging and scolding, Jin Yeo-rip puffed out his cheeks and muttered complaints.
His attitude was different from before. He wasn't raising his voice in open defiance or arguing back. His father's voice brimmed with concern, and he now understood every word was for his sake.
"Who said to let them die?"
"That's how the situation looked, didn't it?"
"Situation? What situation?"
"You were willing to ignore them over a mere fifty nyang. It felt like you'd even fight over it."
"Hah!"
As Jin Yeo-rip pouted, Jin Ha-seong sighed and shook his head.
"You fool, that's negotiation."
"Pardon?"
"Yes, it might've looked that way. Like we were gearing up for a fight."
"......"
"But they were an external caravan, a small one at that—still part of Cheongeumbang's household. How could I abandon them?"
"But."
"What you see isn't everything. Do you think the Beksan Band leader would fight us over a mere fifty nyang?"
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
"He's no fool. Making an enemy of Cheongeumbang means losing a massive revenue source for them. Why would he fight?"
"Is that how it was?"
"He and I were just tugging back and forth over those fifty nyang."
"Tug-of-war?"
"Exactly. I valued their lives in money to avoid giving him any pretext. Showing that ruthlessness keeps you from being manipulated."
"Then? Were you really going to fight?"
"When opinions clash and it's a stalemate, you have to break their momentum, don't you?"
"Ah......"
"I couldn't lose the battle of wills either, so I matched him. If the negotiations had ended there, it probably would've settled around seventy nyang."
Jin Yeo-rip nodded at his father's words.
I thought it was life-or-death since he drew his sword and all. How was I supposed to know the inner workings? I can only judge by what I see.
"But you did well."
"Pardon?"
Jin Ha-seong looked at him sternly and offered praise.
"Your actions were reckless, but in the end, you were right."
"......"
"Your eloquence was impressive."
"Ah, that was."
"Well done. Today, I see your business acumen matches mine."
"Haha......"
As the nagging turned to praise, Jin Yeo-rip laughed awkwardly.
But couldn't you have at least attempted to say that with a much softer and more approachable expression, as hearing such words delivered with that incredibly stern and frozen face completely kills more than half of the profound emotional impact and moving sentiment that the moment should have carried.
"By the way, the band leader said your martial arts were quite something."
"He said that too?"
"He mentioned you hadn't learned Shaolin techniques, but you'd mastered their heart method and had decent internal energy."
"Ah, that just happened."
"Come to think of it, I heard you've been training with Pilsaeng in Baji ever since you returned."
"......"
"I'm not blaming you. You did well."
"Pardon?"
"Your maternal family was a great house. One that could contend for supremacy over the world. I'm deeply moved that you've carried on their martial arts without forgetting them."
"Father."
"Heh, you were sulking just moments ago."
"You only scolded without praising me, so I felt aggrieved."
"I know. How could I not?"
Jin Ha-seong smiled warmly and stroked his son's head. Though he felt no sensation in his hair, the warmth seeped in, warming his heart. The depth of that paternal affection touched him deeply, making his nose tingle unexpectedly.
Fatherly love. An emotion he'd never felt in his past or present life. It wasn't even a particularly moving moment.
"By the way, how did you come up with that contract you proposed to the band leader?"
"Ah, that...... from a book......"
"A book?"
"I've read a lot."
"Haha, I see. That explains it. It was truly astonishing."
Jin Ha-seong nodded with a smile.
Yes, books. Can't say I learned it in my previous life.
"Father."
"Yes?"
"If it had really come to a fight back there, a lot of people would've died, right?"
"Probably. With Gwiyeong there, we wouldn't have lost, but there would've been heavy casualties. The Geumhyang caravan wouldn't have emerged unscathed either."
"I see...... Pardon?"
Jin Yeo-rip, who had been nodding, suddenly looked surprised.
"Hm? What's wrong?"
"You say we wouldn't lose because of Gwiyeong—no, Uncle Pilsaeng?"
"Of course...... Hm? Don't tell me you didn't know much about Gwiyeong?"
"I've heard bits, but not much."
"Haha, Pilsaeng must not have told you in detail. Makes sense—he's the shy type."
Not really. You just don't know, Father. He brags endlessly about how strong he is. The guy's pride is off the charts.
"He was called Shandong's Greatest Swordsman at age twenty."
"Greatest? You mean the absolute best swordsman in Shandong?"
"Why not? When the Ak family was at its peak, your maternal grandfather was the family head. Gwiyeong was always by his side."
"......"
"Some said he was the strongest in the Ak family. Unorthodox fighters would tremble and flee at the sight of his shadow."
"That strong?"
"Indeed. The Taishan Bloodbath is famous enough that everyone in Shandong knows it."
"Wh-what was that, that even Shandong folks all know?"
"Hm, there was an incident where unorthodox fighters kidnapped Seoyeonn."
Taishan towered at the heart of Shandong Province. And his mother had been kidnapped?
Im Pilsaeng had never mentioned that.
"That day, Pilsaeng went alone and rescued her."
"Fortunately, there weren't many opponents, right?"
"Not many? Haha, over three hundred unorthodox warriors died that day."
"Th-three hundred?"
"Yes. They were from Saha faction, the largest unorthodox group in Shandong."
"......"
"After that, people called him Gwiyeong. If he'd stayed as Seoyeonn's protector instead of with the family, your maternal house might not have fallen so easily."
"Whoa......"
He was genuinely shocked. Uncle Pilsaeng was that strong?
Jin Yeo-rip peeked out the window at Im Pilsaeng.
"Wangseok, let me ride that horse just once?"
"No."
"Aw, come on. Just once."
"No, really! Get away."
"Hey, man! You gonna be that stingy? Is lending me your horse for one ride such a big deal?"
"Yes."
"You little—!"
Im Pilsaeng, jealous of Wangseok's horse, bickered trying to grab the reins, only to end up sulking.
That pouter...... The guy who's Unjeong Pavilion's handyman, coachman, and cook is that powerful?
"Eh? Young master. What's up?"
Seeing him notice and scratch his head with a grin, Jin Yeo-rip laughed in disbelief.
A thought crossed his mind.
Whoa, then how strong have I gotten? I should test my skills against him for real sometime.
He pulled his head back in, sticking out his tongue.
"Uncle Pilsaeng is amazing."
"That's the man he is."
"Still, it's good no one died. There's no such thing as life insurance in this era."
"Hm?"
"Pardon?"
"What? Life insurance? That's a new one. From one of your books?"
"Ah, that......"
"Tell me. After the Beksan Band business, I'm curious about everything you say."
It was natural for Jin Ha-seong. The solution to Beksan Band had been so fresh. He wondered what books his son had read and what lessons they offered.
"Life insurance is, well......"
Sigh, how do I explain this?
Jin Yeo-rip frowned, choosing words to fit the current era.
"It's a contract. You collect a small amount monthly, and if their life is in danger or they die, you pay a fixed lump sum to their family. Like an inheritance."
"Ho? Quite novel. But how do you turn small monthly payments into a lump sum?"
"Ah, it's like a mutual aid society?"
"Mutual aid?"
"Yes, by massively increasing the number of customers."
"Ah! Like a gye? Pooling money from many to give to one."
"Yes, exactly! You could call it a kind of gye."
Jin Yeo-rip clapped and nodded at his father's analogy.
"Ho? That's good. People age, so customers will naturally accumulate."
"You get it."
"Impressive. What book taught you this?"
"Ah, the book's name was...... uh...... something Western?"
"Western? Hm, some foreign commerce book I've never heard of."
Not a book. An insurance company. Just making it up on the spot.
"Let's see. But pooling alone wouldn't suffice, so you'd invest the collected funds. That way, capital grows, and you can pay out comfortably."
"Whoa, you're amazing."
He was sincerely impressed again. He'd only given the concept and a simple explanation—how did his father instantly grasp the detailed business direction?
Jin Yeo-rip inwardly admired that his father wasn't Cheongeumbang's leader for nothing.
"This is brilliant. Could be a great business."
"Really?"
"Yes. Building trust so customers entrust their money would be hard, but done right, what better business is there?"
"......"
"In my view, it's perfect for murim folk. Could make a fortune."
"Murim folk?"
"Yes, that's their biggest worry."
"What?"
"Murim warriors value pride and honor above all. They treat their lives like weeds, relying on a single blade, never knowing when or where death comes."
"......"
"But what of their families? No wealth, only grief—life would be harsh. How wonderful if they could leave an inheritance?"
"You're right."
Jin Yeo-rip nodded. A ruthless world. Lives hanging by a sword's edge. For them, life insurance would be immense hope for their families.
"Oh ho, it's not just warriors. This contract prepares for risks, so it doesn't have to be limited to lives."
"......"
"Let's see. Fires, natural disasters, unforeseen accidents...... Hm. What a business. With Cheongeumbang's name, trust isn't a big issue. But to avoid losses, we'd need airtight fine print."
Hey, even fine print?
Watching Jin Ha-seong ponder deeply and outline plans, Jin Yeo-rip now felt a bit scared.
Whoa, how is there someone like this? Grasping it all from the core alone.
But suddenly, it felt like a waste. No insurance in this world. Whoever started it would secure countless customers. A gold mine!
And only he could think of it. True monopoly.
But if his father started it?
Jin Yeo-rip's eyes widened, and he spoke urgently.
"Father!"
"Yes?"
"That's my idea."
"Eh?"
"I've been planning to do it for a long time."
"......"
What are you looking at? If not for me, you never would've thought of it. It was mine originally. Don't even think of coveting it.