I Am the Merchant Guild (1)
I immediately summoned Jo Chung-heon to Hobuk. For something like this, I needed to hear the report face-to-face.
The Wudang Sect's inner sanctum was buzzing with the Taiji Sword Master exams anyway, and as a Lay Disciple, I could leave the main grounds anytime with just Cheong-hwa's permission.
The moment I stepped outside the main grounds, I spotted Jo Chung-heon, his clothes caked in dust. He'd probably switched horses multiple times on the way and hadn't even had time to rest.
"You must have had a rough trip."
"Not at all. Let's get straight to it."
Jo Chung-heon dismounted and spoke up right away.
"People are refusing to meet with the Hwi-yeong Merchant Group right now."
"Refusing to meet?"
"Yes. Let me explain in more detail."
Jo Chung-heon continued. At first, he'd been steadily building distribution networks in Hangzhou and Suzhou without issue.
It was a path that couldn't help but go smoothly. He'd set the commissions for distributors at nearly the maximum rate. Sure, as a newcomer without ties to existing publishers, that played a part, but as long as the books sold, the profits would more than make up for it.
The problem had arisen out of nowhere, he said. Publishers who'd been cooperative suddenly started shutting down all communication at once.
Even those who'd already met face-to-face now refused to talk, so places he hadn't visited were a given. Deals on the verge of signing fell through, leaving him with nothing from the Suzhou and Hangzhou branches.
I cut in with a chuckle.
"Did it ever cross your mind that it might be the manager's fault?"
"I did consider that. But it wasn't a problem with my abilities."
It was a joke, but he took it seriously. Well, Jo Chung-heon had always been the earnest type, even in his previous life.
"I slipped a few coins to some beggars I knew in Suzhou and asked about rumors circulating in the merchant world. Sure enough, word was spreading not to deal with the Hwi-yeong Merchant Group. They said massive retaliation was coming."
"So there's a source behind the rumors. Did you hear where the retaliation was supposedly from?"
"I wasn't able to dig that far—my limits, I guess. The Beggars' Sect seemed to know, but they wouldn't spill."
"You did more than enough. You've handled everything there was to handle."
"Pardon?"
Jo Chung-heon tilted his head as if he'd misheard. I meant it, though. As manager, he'd done everything—hell, more than that.
How could an incompetent manager even know about the Beggars' Sect's Suzhou branch and negotiate with them? On top of that, he'd sniffed out that they knew something but weren't talking. At this point, it was like I'd spoon-fed him the answers.
Of course, even without his lead, I'd already guessed who was behind the interference.
"It's the Zhuge Clan."
"The Zhuge Clan? Why them all of a sudden?"
Jo Chung-heon looked baffled.
"They're backing the Wuxian Merchant Guild."
"...! Is that so?"
I'd heard it from the Prime Minister at the Pocheon Temple, but I hadn't spread it around. Probably only a handful in the world knew the Wuxian Merchant Guild had the Zhuge Clan behind it.
Even so, Jo Chung-heon proved his worth as manager, his mind already turning.
"If the Zhuge Clan is indeed behind Wuxian, then yeah—they're the only ones who'd bother pressuring the Hwi-yeong Merchant Group."
"Why do you say that?"
"You've got bad blood with them from reviving the Dongho Merchant Guild. They're a massive group with influence all the way to Suzhou, they've got the martial force for retaliation, and it fits why the Beggars' Sect knows but won't talk."
"Spot on, no fluff."
I clapped my hands. It matched my thinking perfectly.
I smiled, but worry clouded Jo Chung-heon's face.
"Should I head to the Zhuge Clan then?"
"And do what?"
"Kneel if I have to—what else?"
"Ha."
I let out a dry laugh. From his perspective, appeasing the Zhuge Clan's wrath was the obvious play. Weak bowing to the strong was just how it worked, for martial artists or merchants alike.
Beyond that, seeing him ready to kneel for a merchant group he'd barely joined reaffirmed his loyalty.
"No need. Even I might not get the door opened. A manager? They'd chase you off the premises."
"True. So we're out of options. Especially with printers and publishers—they can't ignore the Zhuge Clan."
I nodded. The Zhuge Clan was full of scholars. That made them heavyweights and patrons in the publishing world. No small-timer would risk crossing them.
"So what's the plan?"
"Hmm. What to do?"
I grinned. Jo Chung-heon furrowed his brow, unable to fathom why I'd smile in this mess.
He wouldn't get it. He didn't know I'd dealt with this kind of dirty trick a hundred times in my previous life.
I let Cheong-hwa know and slipped out of Geunhyeon. By now, I had free rein to come and go from the main grounds, even among the Lay Disciples.
The merchant group was about to grow in earnest, and I'd have plenty pulling my attention. I couldn't stay chained to the sect. My only assignment was mastering the Yuun Geombeop anyway—no need for extra guidance. What I needed was talent with the sword.
The moment I entered Wuxian, I headed to the Tianxia Merchant Guild's local branch and exchanged my draft for cash. A guy in shabby training robes flashing a thousand-nyang silver draft drew suspicious stares and a verification check for forgery.
Since it came from the Wudang Sect Leader, it was legit, of course. After the branch chief apologized, I pocketed the thousand nyang in silver and left.
I bought the low-grade Sword Talent first. Seven hundred out of a thousand was hefty, but it was essential for learning the Yuun Geombeop. I considered splurging on something higher, but mid-grade Sword Talent was Rank 5 at three thousand nyang—way out of reach.
Same-type talents cannot be equipped simultaneously. Proceed with purchase?
The moment I confirmed, my pouch lightened. Seven hundred nyang gone. Checking my money pouch, exactly three hundred nyang remained. Spot-on accounting.
My current equipped talents were:
Rank 8 Sturdy Body.
Rank 7 Swift Movement.
Rank 6 Sword Talent (Low-Grade).
Rank 5 Indomitable Will.
Testing showed I could equip up to five. One slot left open for now—save it for something truly essential later.
After buying the Sword Talent, I headed to the Dongho Merchant Guild. The outskirts warehouses were for storage, and they were using empty rooms in the Dongho building for offices. Free of charge, naturally.
"Oh, you're here."
Song Hwan-yeong, head of the Dongho Merchant Guild, greeted me the moment I arrived. His dark under-eye circles were still there, but he had a spark of life now.
Tired from work was worlds apart from despair over no work.
"Looks like the guild's expanding well."
"Not like the old days, but having work at all is something. I'm grateful to you every day for that."
"No big deal. You're even lending us rooms for free."
"Haha, that's only natural."
Song Hwan-yeong boomed with laughter, slapped my back heartily, then sobered up.
"Ah, but I heard. Some bastards are messing with the Hwi-yeong Merchant Group lately? You haven't even started real business yet. Who'd pull that?"
"The Zhuge Clan."
"Right, those chewable... Huh? The Zhuge Clan?"
Song Hwan-yeong startled and scurried after me as I headed toward where the Hwi-yeong crew was.
"Wait, is it because of that? Word is a Wudang Lay Disciple wrecked a Zhuge direct descendant. Was that you?"
"How'd you hear that? Yeah, it was."
"Overheard some martial world gossips at a brothel."
Rumors spread fast. My name hadn't leaked, but the key was a Wudang Lay Disciple beating a Zhuge elite—that alone was juicy enough.
"So they're getting revenge? Petty bunch."
To be precise, it stemmed from rejecting Zhuge Yeon's offer, but no need to mention that.
"Anyway, if you need help, just say. Don't hold back."
"Not kicking us out is help enough."
"How could I? A man's got to have honor."
Song Hwan-yeong laughed heartily again and returned to his desk. I opened the door to the Hwi-yeong crew's room.
No knock—caught them red-handed. Two errand boys playing Go, the clerk staring blankly at the ceiling with his mouth open. Only Jo Chung-heon, who'd arrived first, was working.
"M-Master!"
One errand boy spotted me, jumped up, and flipped the Go board. Stones clattered to the floor. Black ones rolled to my feet before stopping.
The slouched clerk shot straight upright.
"It's fine. Go back to what you were doing."
Not their fault. Errand boys and clerks did assigned tasks, unlike the manager. With the Hwi-yeong Merchant Group's path completely blocked, what work was there? They were zoning out from boredom. If anything, it was my fault for rejecting Zhuge Yeon—no point blaming them.
I ignored their embarrassment and approached Jo Chung-heon.
"How's the data sorting I asked for?"
"Just finished. Take a look."
He handed over the papers—info I'd requested on the way from Geunhyeon to Wuxian. I nodded as I scanned them. Neatly organized, crystal clear.
"But, Master."
"Yes."
"Why do you need this info?"
"To find a breakthrough."
"How does this help...?"
"I'll handle it. You stick to managing."
"Ah, yes."
No point explaining—he wouldn't get it. This was insider knowledge from those who'd rolled in the merchant gutters their whole lives.
We couldn't clash with the Zhuge Clan head-on yet. To take on that giant, you'd need one of two things:
Financial power overwhelming the Zhuge.
Martial force overwhelming the Zhuge.
If we had either, Hwi-yeong would already be a top-tier guild.
Only way was to slip through the cracks. And in my previous life, I'd mastered every trick for that. Hwi-yeong had grown too fast back then, drawing every kind of sabotage.
'This is child's play.'
Blocking distribution? Yawn-worthy classic. The Zhuge's net was laughably sloppy.
I unfolded Jo Chung-heon's paper again. It neatly listed the unorthodox sects in Hobuk and nearby.
Hobuk and Vicinity Unorthodox Sects