The Counterfeit Proposal
Ha Hu Cheon-gi shot to his feet, slamming the table. Thud!
"Pretend you never heard any of that. You and I should never cross paths again."
"If that's how you feel, so be it."
In any case, the man had come with good intentions, but Mu Yun had no reason to cling. He could adjust his plans, and Ha Hu had no urgent business anyway. In the end, the one who'd regret it more was Ha Hu Cheon-gi.
Just then, Ha Hu Mo-in poked his head in.
"Hoho! Young master, is the talk already over?"
"There's nothing left to discuss."
Ha Hu Mo-in let out a deep sigh from the depths of his heart.
How can he be so obtuse! He could've at least heard him out first. No wonder things have turned out like this!
Ha Hu Mo-in supported Young Master Ha Hu Cheon-gi, but not out of personal fondness. It was a reluctant choice born of concerns over Second Lady Seo Mun Chae-ryeong and the ambitions of the Seo Mun family. For him, smoothing over the conversation was essential. He could judge afterward.
Ha Hu Mo-in decided to ask directly himself.
"Bangju. What is your proposal?"
"It was meant for the young master."
"Tell it to me. I'll either heed it or forget it."
Young Master Ha Hu Cheon-gi turned to leave.
"I'll be going now."
Ha Hu Mo-in put force into his words, meeting his gaze with solemn gravity.
"Hear him out first. Nephew!"
It was not as young master, but as nephew.
Ha Hu Cheon-gi had no choice but to turn back.
"Bangju, speak now. And as I said, I'll hear it and forget. I swear it on our house."
Mu Yun already knew which side Ha Hu Mo-in was on. He spoke calmly.
"For now, let's join forces tomorrow. In the long term, I'm seeking a path to walk together."
"Let's hear the details first, in order."
"As you know, many are gunning for me these days."
"You've made quite a few enemies. If you keep pushing that business, it'll only get worse."
"I won't deny it. That's why I'm thinking of drawing lines here."
"Drawing lines? You think sides will split just because you say so? Your foes are far larger than you. Can you manage it with your current strength?"
"I'll show you tomorrow. You can judge then. If you have thoughts after, we can meet again."
"Show us what, exactly?"
"It's hard to explain now. You'll know when you see it tomorrow."
"Very well. Then what does 'joining tomorrow' entail?"
"I'd like you to forge promissory notes worth thirty thousand nyang."
Ha Hu Mo-in's eyes widened.
"What? Did you say forge promissory notes?"
"Yes."
Ha Hu Mo-in stared at Mu Yun without blinking for a long while.
What is he thinking?
To openly mention forging notes right here in the trading house. He wasn't someone who wouldn't grasp the implications. Yet his eyes and expression showed not a flicker of doubt.
Unable to hold back, Ha Hu Cheon-gi stepped forward.
"What kind of scheme is this? Spouting such nonsense in front of my uncle, the head of the trading house!"
"In exchange, I'll pledge genuine notes as collateral."
"Collateral?"
"The forgeries need only be used for one day tomorrow. Retrieve them after, and it's done. If retrieval fails and issues arise, you can dispose of the thirty thousand nyang collateral as you see fit, young master."
Ha Hu Mo-in hurriedly interjected. The words made no sense.
"Hah! I can't make heads or tails of it. Failure to retrieve carries risk, of course. But since they're deliberate forgeries, the odds are low. Yet you're handing us disposal rights? We could just hide the returned fakes and pocket the thirty thousand nyang. Easily. You know that—why propose this?"
"I'm entrusting it not to Ha Hu Sega, but to the young master. It's your call."
Ha Hu Cheon-gi's eyes bulged. He hadn't imagined such an absurd offer.
After a moment's thought, he spoke. No better question came to mind.
"What's your angle?"
"I told you, I'm here to draw lines. Confirm it tomorrow and judge."
"What exactly are you planning tomorrow?"
"I don't know how many times I have to say it. I can't tell you now. You'll know when you see."
Ha Hu Cheon-gi thought briefly, then shook his head firmly.
"Don't tell me, no deal."
He'd never imagined partnering with Mu Yun on anything. The sense of being led around, the unbelievable collateral disposal—it all felt off. There had to be some hidden motive. His survival as young master thus far stemmed from such meticulous caution; that belief guided his decision.
Mu Yun could endure no longer. He sprang up abruptly.
Thud!
"Fine. Pretend it never happened."
Rather than grasping the situation, he fretted over potential problems first. If it didn't sit right with him, suspicion came before reason. Especially when emotion overrode analysis, as here—it was a fatal flaw.
I expected it, but he's truly frustrating.
Such a narrow-minded, blockheaded man was no partner.
He hadn't liked him from the start, choosing him only as better than Ha Hu Tae. And one more reason layered on.
I have to think of So-ryeo too.
Yu-seon had revealed Ha Hu Cheon-gi as So-ryeo's birth father. Back then, amid his struggles, he'd confessed to Ha Hu Cheon-gi, sparking a fleeting affection. But afterward, he'd only brought betrayal—no lingering regrets or attachments, she'd said.
For such a man, even without issues, he'd make excuses to claim the thirty thousand nyang and call it quits on the debt of birthing So-ryeo. That was the scheme.
No point in consideration. Just a waste of silver.
Better never to see him again.
Mu Yun bowed politely to Ha Hu Mo-in.
"Sorry to trouble you over nothing. Until next time."
"……."
A short while later, Ha Hu Mo-in, left alone in the trading house, exhaled a deep, resonant breath.
This can't end like this.
A firm resolve suppressed the worries and anxieties filling his heart.
That night, in the Cheong-ho Bang leader's quarters.
Ha Hu Mo-in, who had come secretly, first offered a pledge document and the forged notes.
"Make the contract with me first. I'll take full responsibility. Here's the pledge. Just sign it."
"……And the young master?"
Ha Hu Mo-in hid nothing of his intentions.
"I came without telling him. The boy's still lacking in many ways. But for our house's best future, I believe it's him."
"……!"
Ha Hu Mo-in, head of the trading house, knew better than anyone the value and meaning of what Mu Yun had wrought at the market.
Handling money inevitably distanced one from pure ideals. Yet here was a man manifesting a solution to bridge that gap in reality.
A man like this, even from the unorthodox paths, deserves one gamble of trust.
It was a decision born of wanting to walk that road together.
Mu Yun conveyed his feelings in a single short phrase.
"You've made a difficult choice."
"You made me choose it."
In such moments, he met those eyes squarely, without pretense. To show there were no falsehoods.
"Shall we walk together, then?"
"Indeed."
Later, as their talk branched into endless tangents.
Mu Yun knew it was time to rise.
"Let's end here for tonight."
"Eh? Too late? I'm fine."
"No. It's time for the matter I mentioned."
"……The forged notes?"
"Yes."
"……!"
For Mu Yun, he'd found the most suitable partner. Not Ha Hu Cheon-gi, but Ha Hu Mo-in. Things could proceed as planned.
A short while later, at the Tae-won Guest Inn in central Chim-ju.
"What! Thirty thousand nyang? You sure?"
"I saw him leave the trading house carrying silver chests with my own eyes. But he came out empty-handed. Obvious, right?"
Hong Jae-yul, head of Ha-jo Escort Agency, swallowed hard.
Grab him now, and the thirty thousand nyang is mine too!
His gleaming eyes turned to the family's hidden ace, his three brothers.
"No need to drag it out. Handle it tonight."
"Damn right. Let's go."
Just then, Chief Escort Ak Ji-mun burst in hurriedly.
"Agency head! The bastard's moving north alone, stealthily."
"What? Where to, this early morning?"
"The others are tailing him. But there's a strange rumor……."
"Rumor?"
"Word is he's been secretly contacting Noe-do Mun in Hyeong-ju."
"……!"
Hong Jae-yul's hair stood on end.
So he swapped the notes there? Damn it all! Hesitate, and we'll end up like dogs chasing chickens!
Hyeong-ju was Hunan Province's second-largest city after Changsa to the north. Its top faction, Noe-do Mun, was the province's second-biggest unorthodox group. Not even comparable to his own. For them, three hundred li from Chim-ju was no issue.
"Chase him down, fast!"
The eldest brother, Hong Tae-hyeong of the three, rose leisurely.
"Don't worry too much, brother. Think we'd let him slip?"
Hong Jae-yul shook his head firmly.
"No! If we know, Jeok-un Mun might already be moving. Be cautious, but swift. Got it?"
"You got it."
"Go, now!"
Two hours later, at the northern outskirts of Mang-san near Chim-ju.
Mu Yun gasped raggedly, feigning shock.
"Hah... hah! Who the hell are you?"
"Ho! Finally giving up? Smart choice. Obey nicely, and not a hair harmed. Promise."
"Identify yourselves!"
The group's leader, Hong Tae-hyeong, pulled a paper from his bosom.
"What does it matter who we are? Your life's on the line first. Hand over what's in your bosom and stamp here. We'll take you nice and easy."
Mu Yun seemed to suppress furious rage, veins bulging low.
"……You Jeok-un Mun bastards?"
Hong Tae-hyeong had no time to waste. He didn't hide the killing intent bursting from his eyes.
"Not them, but shut your trap. Answer only what's asked from now on. Or we'll punch holes in you one by one."
Mu Yun's gaze slowly drifted downward.
"……."
A satisfied smile curled Hong Tae-hyeong's lips.
Got him.
A broken beast no longer roared. His clothes were torn to shreds, long soaked in dark crimson blood. Surrounded on three sides by a dozen men, cliff behind.
"That's better. Now, let's talk. Hand over the notes first."
Mu Yun hesitated, then tossed one from his bosom.
"……Ten thousand nyang."
"Two more left."
"How can I trust you? Better rip them up than die."
"Kekeke! Fool. Why kill you? To sway the others with shares, we have to keep you alive. Right?"
"……Tell me who you are. Then maybe."
The super peak-level Hong Tae-hyeong unleashed frost-like killing intent with full inner power.
Whoooong!
He wore his most chilling smile.
"Last chance at nice words. Your choice now. Walk on your own? Or we carry you?"
Mu Yun bowed his head, lifting the remaining two notes. Then, in a low murmur:
"These what you want?"
"Those first."
"Yeah? Then take them."
The instant he flung the notes into the air, Mu Yun's form shot toward the cliff.
Whoosh!Pa-pa!
"What?!"
With urgent alarm, Hong Tae-hyeong cleaved the space.
Pa-pa!
But his target had vanished from sight.
Scanning the cliff base frantically, his eyes bulged.
Vines.
Mu Yun swung through gaps between cliffs, filling his vision.
Hong Tae-hyeong's face twisted savagely. Through gritted teeth, boiling rage erupted.
"You bastard! Daring to mock me! I'll tear you limb from limb. Wait there!"
The hastily arrived second brother, Hong Mun-cheon, asked:
"Brother, what now?"
"Just in case, you take the notes to Agency Head brother first. The rest pursue."
"Yes!"
As Hong Tae-hyeong launched his form, a sinister smile played on his lips. No intention of sparing him now.
You chose this. Don't blame me.