Why Are Your Eyes Bulging Like That? (1)
The commotion that had erupted at Cheongeumbang faded away quietly, as if it had never happened.
Slurp.
Jin Yeo-rip, out for his usual dawn training routine, sat eating noodles at Jang Il's noodle shop. The flavor was still as good as ever. The only difference from before was that Im Pilsaeng was stuck right by his side.
Ever since getting an earful from So Hye—what you might call a scolding, or maybe worse—he'd been clinging like a burr.
It made sense. It hadn't been a joke at all. The nagging, the nagging... Just listening to it made his head spin.
And changes had come to the streets as well.
"The street feels empty, huh."
"Can't be helped. After all that chaos..."
Jang Il, adding more broth, gave a faint smile.
Stores dotted along what had been jokingly dubbed Yeorip-ro had shuttered here and there. Cheongeumbang had compensated them for their losses, but some merchants who'd endured such hardship had packed up and left the Outer Market.
That's how it was with the people of the Outer Market. They were within Cheongeumbang's territory, but not truly part of it. They'd come of their own accord to set up shop, so no one stopped them from leaving. It was their freedom.
Unlike those with jobs in the Inner Market or Taewon, or their families, what attachment would merchants have? The injustice of false accusations, the brush with death—it had driven them away.
The place that always buzzed with energy at dawn now felt subdued, stirring an inexplicable melancholy in Jin Yeo-rip as he looked at Jang Il. It hadn't been long since the incident, and he noticed the bandage wrapped around the man's wound.
It weighed on him. After all, innocent people had suffered because of the clash between him and Yang Sojin.
"How's the wound...?"
"I'm fine. Don't worry about it at all, Young Master."
Jang Il laughed, flexing his arm to show off a solid bicep as if it were nothing.
Understanding his sentiment, Jin Yeo-rip gave a wry smile.
"Did you get a generous compensation?"
"Yes, more than enough. I could open a shop somewhere else with it."
"Then why not, like the others...?"
"Then I wouldn't get to see you, Young Master."
"Pardon?"
"Just kidding."
"Haha."
"Young Master."
"..."
"I like it here."
Jin Yeo-rip gazed steadily at Jang Il. The man had no family. He didn't know the full story, but Jang Il had once been attacked by bandits and wandered aimlessly before settling in the Outer Market.
"After going through all that, what's so good about it?"
"Haha! Good point."
As Jin Yeo-rip frowned, Jang Il scratched his head and let out a hearty laugh.
"I've been running this noodle shop here for ten years."
"..."
"At night, folks stopping by after a long day pour out their troubles to me. At dawn, those hungover from last night's drinks come for hangover soup and vent their woes."
Jin Yeo-rip listened quietly.
"Someone's gotta hear them out. Nod along, chime in with empathy. That's how they feel relieved. And I have to be here to catch sight of the Young Master jogging by every morning."
"..."
"Who knows? If you end up inheriting Cheongeumbang, maybe I'll get to brag, 'I used to make noodles for the Young Master back in the day.' I hope it turns out that way."
Jang Il spoke with a bright smile.
"And thank you again for saving my life."
"That was..."
His timing was impeccable. It was all because of him in the first place. But somehow, Jang Il's smile lifted his spirits too.
That must be why people came to Jang Il's noodle shop and opened up so freely. That was probably how he knew so much about Cheongeumbang's inner workings.
Slurp!
"Ahh! Boss! One more bowl!"
"..."
Im Pilsaeng held out his empty bowl. Already his second. It wasn't like he was some starving beggar.
And right in the middle of such touching words, stuffing his face with noodles!
What a blunt, numb killer.
"Haha, coming right up."
"Huh?"
"Extra-large."
"Ooh!"
Im Pilsaeng's eyes widened in delight at the heaping bowl Jang Il served.
Like a kid, honestly.
"By the way, what did Deputy Leader Bi-hwang say?"
"...About what?"
Im Pilsaeng looked up, mouth stuffed full of noodles.
"Eat first. Go on."
"Sure."
Glutton. All brawn... and a lecher too. No wonder So Hye chewed him out every time.
Jin Yeo-rip shook his head with a sigh.
After their simple(?) meal, on the way back to Unjeong Pavilion, Jin Yeo-rip asked again.
"You haven't heard anything from Deputy Leader Bi-hwang? Like how Father plans to handle things?"
Since that day, he'd been barred from attending vassal meetings. Jin Ha-seong had decided it wasn't wise to face the elders directly, and the restriction would hold until all judgments were final.
So he was curious. How was the situation unfolding now?
"Lady Yang Sojin is still under confinement."
"..."
"And the elders... Sigh, it won't be easy."
"Huh? Why not?"
"Because of Saihai Money House."
"Saihai Money House? You mean her family?"
"Yes."
Jin Yeo-rip knew a bit about Saihai Money House. It was one of the world's largest banks.
What did banks do? They attracted customers with interest rates, amassed funds, then lent them out at higher rates. Money games through lending.
And it wasn't limited to common folk. They loaned to merchant houses and martial clans too—what you'd call corporations.
Word was, they'd lent massive sums not just to Cheongeumbang, but across all of Shandong's merchant houses and clans.
No different from the modern world.
And that was it? They invested profits from interest, bought out struggling merchant houses and shops, and ran them directly.
Especially the current lord, Geuman Yang Taek, known as Golden Eyes for his uncanny knack at sniffing out money. He'd built Saihai Money House into Shandong's top powerhouse.
Yang Sojin was his daughter. She'd pushed for a political marriage to swallow up the shaken Cheongeumbang after the Ak family massacre.
"But what does that have to do with punishing the elders?"
"Of course it does. You think she acted alone? It was all orchestrated by Golden Eyes behind the scenes."
"The Saihai lord?"
"Yes. He just put her out front while pulling the strings. Most of the elders were his appointees too."
"Ah... Damn, he's deeper in than I thought."
"Exactly. That's why even the Clan Leader's hesitating on their punishments."
"..."
"Their 'crimes' amount to knowing her plan and buying time—hardly capital offenses. But if he boots them out, do you think Golden Eyes will sit still?"
"And if he doesn't?"
"He'll pull the investment funds."
"The investments?"
"Yes."
His father had said as much. Cheongeumbang's biggest problem was its heavy debt.
"I don't know the details, but So Hye said pulling those funds would collapse over half the outer merchant houses."
"Ah... Huh?"
Jin Yeo-rip, nodding along, suddenly tilted his head in confusion.
So Hye said?
"So Hye knows about that?"
"Huh? You didn't know?"
He didn't. Or rather, he didn't even know what he didn't know.
"Guess not. Makes sense if she didn't tell you directly."
"..."
Im Pilsaeng's vague words piqued his curiosity.
"Hey, Pilsaeng."
"Yes?"
"What do you mean, what didn't I know, and what didn't she say?"
"Oh, So Hye's always on top of information."
"Information?"
"Yeah."
"..."
"If you need something, go through her. She'll get it quick."
"So Hye has that kind of skill?"
"Yep."
"How?"
"No idea."
"..."
"Just like I don't know how Hwang the physician masters his arts, I don't know her methods for gathering intel. Never asked."
Jin Yeo-rip eyed the beaming Im Pilsaeng with half-lidded suspicion.
Then what do you know?
"Anyway, word is Golden Eyes from Saihai will visit soon."
"The Saihai lord?"
"Yeah. Officially to apologize for his daughter's mess... Who knows what's really in that black heart of his. Wang Seok says the Clan Leader's on edge these days—can't even speak freely around him."
"Hm."
It sounded about right. Who'd be happy with a creditor showing up?
Speaking of which, exchange houses... It overlapped with what he planned to do.
Inevitable. Insurance aimed to protect lives, but at its core, it was a money game. Just like in the old world. So-called secondary finance. They sold insurance and played banker to some extent. Hell, banks sold insurance too.
"So, he's a potential rival after all."
More enemy than the merchant houses, even.
Jin Yeo-rip grimaced bitterly and sighed.
Golden Eyes. The guy who sniffed out money like a ghost. He might meddle when Jin started his insurance business. It was a new concept here, but once introduced, it'd become as commonplace as any in this era.
"Anyway, So Hye's quick on info, right?"
"Yes. Ask her anything—she'll have it in a day or two."
"Damn, that's fast."
"It's So Hye."
There was total faith in his voice.
So Hye was that capable? Layers on layers, like an onion. What other talents did she have up her sleeve?
The more, the better. Their skills were as good as his anyway—might as well use them.
Why not?
He needed a serious talk with her. He was still lacking. Just a baby bird fed worms by its mother.
Cozy home, three square meals, ample funds. Devoted maid, personal physician for health... and so-called escorts.
He was a frog in a well. Living off support, mistaking the patch of sky above for the whole world.
But it was time to climb out. Face a world where the unknown dwarfed the known.
Endure countless hardships, rivals. Learn it all. Build strength against looming threats.
Business cycles, money flows, martial arts—none could be neglected.
Better to face the world prepared than caught off guard.
Lucky him. Blessed with a superior mind. Able to learn anything he set his sights on.
The merchant alliance wasn't far off. Until then...
Smack!
Jin Yeo-rip slapped his cheeks with both hands to steel himself, quickening his pace toward Unjeong Pavilion.