Chapter 69
Chapter 69
Translator: Penny
Chapter 69
When the First Snow Falls Again (1)
The next day, the people I had been waiting for arrived.
"Young Maaaaster!"
Gwangdu charged toward me like a wild bull, as if we hadn't seen each other in decades.
I sidestepped him and walked toward Gong Suchan, who was following behind.
"Thank you for coming all this way."
"Have you been well?"
Gwangdu wore an incredulous expression as I greeted Gong Suchan first.
"Wow. You're prioritizing money first, huh?"
"Oh ho, so you see our Steward Gong as mere money?"
"No, that's not what I meant!"
Gong Suchan smiled at the flustered Gwangdu.
"It's alright."
"No, I didn't mean it like that!"
"I'm the one who manages money. Since I interpret everything in terms of money, I don't find such remarks offensive at all."
"Why are you acting like this when I said no? We were having such a good time on the way here, weren't we?"
As expected, Gwangdu's arrival brightened the mood. He had a unique vitality that only he could bring.
Gwangdu sidled up to me and whispered, "I understand why you took care of Steward Gong first. You're the type who saves the best for last, right?"
"Sorry to disappoint you, but I believe in the philosophy that saving things just turns them into shit."
Ignoring Gwangdu's pout, I strode into the inn ahead of him.
"You've all traveled far. You must be hungry. Let's eat first."
Gwangdu's eyes widened at the feast I had ordered—a table laden with dishes unique to Hubei.
"Wow! This is amazing! Wuhan truly lives up to its reputation. It's nothing like that backwater Qufu!"
"Eat your fill! I'll order more if you need it."
"Just as I thought! There's no one like our Young Master!"
After filling their stomachs, they finally settled down to serious conversation.
"How are your parents doing?"
"They're doing well."
"Don't they miss me?"
"They haven't mentioned anything like that."
"Hmm. That can't be right."
"Perhaps Young Master doesn't realize it yet, but as parents age, they sometimes wish their children would move out. How long can children remain endlessly adorable? Young Master, you should peek into the mirror of Dongjing occasionally."
"Ha ha ha."
Having been attacked, it was time to retaliate. He still had one effective blow left.
"How's Do Sun doing?"
"Ah, you never fail to dig up old wounds just when I'm about to forget."
"How could anyone forget their first love?"
"How many times must I tell you she wasn't my first love?"
Gong Suchan, standing beside me, smiled faintly. He looked like he'd bet on her being my first love if there were a wager.
"By the way, Young Master, don't you miss Miss Song?"
"Is she doing well?"
"She's become even more beautiful."
"How do you know?"
"She visited the Great Madam again recently."
I felt a renewed sense of gratitude toward her, especially since I was away from home at the time.
I knew her actions weren't meant to impress me. She was undergoing her own changes in life, things she once took for granted now carrying new significance. Caring for my mother was likely one of them.
That's how change works.
If one thing changes properly, everything changes.
After hearing all the news from Shandong, I finally brought up the reason I had summoned them.
"Let's establish a Merchant Guild."
Gong Suchan nodded calmly, as if he had anticipated this.
"Since you called me all the way here, I had a feeling you would say something like that."
"What do you think?"
"As you know, establishing a Merchant Guild is no easy task. First and foremost, it requires a massive amount of capital."
"I'm aware. That's why we'll start with a small-scale guild rather than a large one from the outset. But we must keep future expansion firmly in mind."
"By 'expansion,' do you mean...?"
"This Merchant Guild will eventually expand throughout the Central Plains. Though we'll start small, I want this beginning to become the roots of a mighty tree. Don't create it haphazardly; build it with the expectation of future growth. That way, we can rapidly expand the organization whenever we need to."
The words were simple, but the task was far from easy. After a moment of contemplation, Gong Suchan nodded.
"I understand perfectly."
A gleam of anticipation shone in Gong Suchan's eyes. It seemed this might be the very thing he had long dreamed of.
"And establish a communication network connecting Wuhan and Shandong."
"Understood. Leave it to me."
"How much funding will you require?"
"Even a small-scale Merchant Guild would require at least Fifty Thousand Taels to start. I'll conserve the funds I'm currently managing..."
I handed him a banknote I had retrieved from the Financial House in advance.
"One Hundred Thousand Taels. Use this to make a proper start."
Gong Suchan was visibly shocked. Gwangdu, standing beside him, widened his eyes in surprise.
"Just let me touch it once," Gwangdu said, his hands trembling as he stroked the banknote.
Starting a business with money seized from villains—something my past self would never have considered. I would have deemed it a violation of my principles.
But now, none of that mattered. I wouldn't repeat my past life. I regretted living a life shackled by reputation and appearances.
It doesn't matter if I'm not called a hero. I'll focus on reality rather than reputation.
Though this money originated from evil, its true source must have been somewhere good. It's merely the product of exploitation.
I want this money to flow through my hands and back into good causes. If that happens, I don't care what they call me in the Martial Arts World.
"This money is enough. We can establish the Merchant Guild you mentioned."
"If you need more funds, just ask. If you need more people, recruit them yourself. I'm entrusting this entire operation to Steward Gong."
"Leave it to me."
I turned to Gwangdu.
"While this is underway, you'll be Steward Gong's bodyguard."
"Yes, I understand."
Gwangdu replied with a joyful expression, clearly pleased to be able to assist with such an important task.
Gong Suchan rose from his seat as if ready to begin immediately.
"Rest today and start tomorrow," he said.
"No, sir," Gwangdu replied. "I can't truly relax if I leave work undone."
Gong Suchan looked at Gwangdu. "Are you sure you're up for it?"
"Of course! We'll be back soon."
The two men left the inn.
Watching their energetic movements, I felt the fatigue that had accumulated in Wuhan begin to dissipate.
The next evening, I took Gwangdu to the Pung Tavern.
On the way, we spotted a group of people walking in the distance.
The man leading the group was none other than Ma Cheolgun.
I remembered seeing him back when Ma Bonggi was Alliance Leader, so I knew a little about him. I recalled thinking, "Ma Bonggi has a son like this?" After a brief conversation, he seemed intelligent and had a decent personality.
But that was just an impression. That was the first and last time I'd ever seen him. How many times in life had I been deceived by first impressions?
In any case, I knew he was currently serving as the Interim Sect Leader of the Heavenly Blade Gate, a position left vacant when Ma Bonggi became Alliance Leader. What business could he have here?
Beside him stood a calm-looking elderly man, followed by seven men. Even at a glance, they were clearly formidable martial arts masters, and I immediately recognized who they were.
The seven masters guarding the Heavenly Blade Gate Sect Leader were the Heavenly Dragon Seven Swords. Originally tasked with protecting Ma Bonggi, they now guarded the Interim Sect Leader, Ma Cheolgun.
What caught my attention was a man standing slightly apart from the group.
His emotionless, icy gaze immediately reminded me of Chilho.
They're here.
There was no doubt they had been trained by the same organization.
If they had assigned someone to Ma Jeongsu, they must have done the same for the other heirs. But seeing someone assigned to Ma Cheolgun was unexpected.
Something was definitely unfolding.
There was nothing I could do about it anyway. Let them stew and squabble to their hearts' content. I'll focus on becoming stronger myself.
"What's wrong?" Gwangdu asked cautiously. My expression must have looked serious for a moment.
"Nothing."
"Young Master, you should tell me first if anything's troubling you."
How could I not recognize his concern for me?
"Alright, if anything dangerous comes up, I'll think of you first."
I strode away, leaving a flustered Gwangdu behind.
"No, you don't have to go that far! There are plenty of moderately dangerous things too..."
I introduced Gwangdu to Baek Pyo like this:
"This is Gwangdu, my subordinate. He's the person I trust most."
It was a moment of introducing the person I trusted most in this life to the person I had trusted most in my previous life.
Though their personalities were completely different, they shared one thing in common:
An unexpectedly sentimental side.
Gwangdu, his spirits soaring at the words "the person I trust most," playfully said:
"Thank you for taking care of our 부족한 Young Master all this time."
I had only introduced Gwangdu as a new friend he'd made at the tavern. It was our first day, so I kept the introduction brief.
Unable to join in the banter, Baek Pyo waved his hand dismissively.
"부족하다? Young Master Byeok has made these past few days incredibly enjoyable. Thanks to him, my sales have skyrocketed too."
I led Gwangdu to our usual spot and ordered drinks and dishes.
"Wow! This wine tastes absolutely incredible!" Gwangdu exclaimed.
I chuckled at his enthusiasm. "Don't you taste the wind in it?"
Gwangdu's expression shifted to one of shock. "That's... a bit much. Did you borrow money from the Innkeeper?"
Baek Pyo, who had been listening, burst into hearty laughter.
During my time in Wuhan, I'd noticed how much Baek Pyo laughed. I couldn't recall ever seeing him smile when he was the Head of the Alliance Guard Corps.
That night, after returning to the inn, Gwangdu and I shared another drink. We brought wine and snacks up to my second-floor room and sat by the window, sipping our drinks.
For a long while, we gazed out at the night.
People hurrying home after work, the mournful singing of a staggering drunkard, martial artists with swords striding purposefully through the streets—each person moving with their own purpose. Just watching them filled me with a strange sense of contentment.
The atmosphere was strange.
Gwangdu broke the rather long silence.
"I think I understand why the Young Master likes the Pung Tavern's innkeeper."
"Does it look like I like him?"
I was inwardly startled. Today, I had merely introduced the two of them, shared a brief drink, and returned. I hadn't thought I had revealed my feelings so clearly.
"Am I wrong?"
"Why do you think that?"
"He didn't seem like an ordinary tavern owner. I can't quite put it into words, but just being around him felt comfortable. He's very different from the other tavern owners I've seen."
I had grown so accustomed to Baek Pyo that I hadn't noticed this myself. But Gwangdu, seeing him for the first time, had immediately sensed the stability and comfort Baek Pyo exuded.
I told Gwangdu about Baek Pyo.
He was the former Head of the Alliance Guard Corps of the Martial Arts Alliance, and he was in dire straits. I had secretly helped him.
I didn't want to deceive Gwangdu, and there was another reason why I hadn't made up my mind about Baek Pyo yet.
To be honest, I wanted to take Baek Pyo with me. I wanted to persuade him, impress him, and make him my subordinate by any means necessary.
But since I didn't know how treacherous my path ahead would be, I hesitated whether it was right to involve him.
Of course, regardless of my resolve, making him my man would be an almost impossible task. He wouldn't easily serve another.
The perceptive Gwangdu seemed to have already glimpsed my thoughts.
"We should tell him, Young Master. Tell him you helped him. Tell him you saved his family."
"Why?"
"Why? You deserve to be thanked."
"Am I a debtor? Do I have to accept everything offered?"
"If you don't say anything, they won't know. How can they know what they haven't seen? How can anyone read someone else's mind? I know you hate taking credit, Young Master, but that's not how the world works. If you don't speak up, they'll never know."
This must have been something he'd learned firsthand through life experience.
"It would be much cooler if you told them later, rather than me saying it myself."
"Of course. There was a reason you called me here."
"Ha ha ha."
I raised my glass, and Gwangdu clinked his against mine.
"Young Master."
"What is it?"
"Be honest with her. Tell her you want to be with her. I saw the way you looked at her earlier. I've never seen you look at anyone with such warmth before."
"Even more than when you look at me?"
"I wouldn't know. I can't judge that objectively."
These words were difficult for Gwangdu to say. He couldn't possibly be unaware that Baek Pyo's presence might diminish his own standing, that he would have to share the attention and affection he deserved.
Yet Gwangdu was telling me this, for my sake.
"Alright, I'll think about it."
Just as Gwangdu's heart had emptied of jealousy, his wine cup was now empty as well.
"Please do. You must."
The cold night wind seeping through the window signaled the arrival of winter.
After finishing our drinks, I lay down but couldn't fall asleep easily.
Across the room, Gwangdu tossed and turned on his bed, equally restless. He seemed to have a lot on his mind too.
Suddenly, I realized that making this decision felt far more difficult than fighting dozens of formidable enemies.
And so, the night passed, filled with heavy thoughts.