Chapter 264
Chapter 264
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 264
Chapter Title: Dongting Lake
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There’s no such thing as an easy business in this world, but succeeding in the liquor industry in the martial world was a challenge of the highest order.
First and foremost, securing the raw material—grain—was a problem.
Liquor, when brewed, required an enormous amount of grains like wheat, rice, barley, and sorghum.
Naturally, the quality of the grain determined the taste of the alcohol, and in a world without fertilizers or pesticides, the difficulty of farming was incomparable to modern times.
That was why fertile, good land was traded at high prices.
Even if one somehow managed to secure the raw materials, the process of brewing unrefined liquor and then distilling it was another hurdle.
In the martial world, skills were practically a lifeline, so people would rather die than share their know-how.
To learn anything, one had to serve under a master, enduring all sorts of hardships and menial tasks, just to steal glimpses of the craft over their shoulder.
It was an environment that would make any labor activist weep.
Even if the liquor was brewed, transportation was no small feat.
Fundamentally, liquor is a liquid. It is inevitably heavy and takes up a lot of space. Furthermore, since it wasn't cheap, there was a high probability of encountering bandits during transport.
Naturally, one had to entrust the delivery to a security escort service, but since the liquor jars were heavy and large, the cost was substantial.
Even if all those problems were solved, the final boss known as marketing remained.
This was an era without the internet. No consumer would pay a high price for liquor without knowing where it came from, who made it, or what went into it.
The Red Dragon Hall had its established brand value, so when they released a new product, wholesalers would pay in advance to take it. But the brand value of Taemo Mountain Fortress in the liquor world was practically zero.
One misstep, and they might have to sell their painstakingly brewed liquor for a pittance. In that case, they wouldn't just fail to make a profit; they might not even recoup their initial investment.
However.
Who was I?
Was I not Jin Mujeon, the big shot of Nine Dragons Fortress, the unparalleled prodigy born from its halls?
As for farming, the five hundred strong men of Taemo Mountain Fortress could hire an expert and learn. As for brewing, they could learn from the Red Dragon Hall.
Once the production issues were resolved, all that remained was transportation and marketing.
If the Ardent Loyalty Faction handled transportation and the Western Heaven Merchant Guild handled marketing, wouldn't everything fall into place?
When I shared this plan, Myo Hyang assessed its chances of success.
“You’re going to farm sorghum to make baijiu? Hmm, isn’t that too common?”
“That’s why we’re making it purely with sorghum. To differentiate it from other distilleries.”
“It would be too strong, though. And it won’t be easy to make.”
“It has to be strong to make a mark on the market. If you’re paying the same amount of money, wouldn’t you prefer something strong over something bland? Imagine if one drink knocks you out for ten days. Wouldn’t that create all sorts of buzz?”
“Ten-Day Drunk…”
After a moment of thought, she nodded.
“If we promote it well, it could succeed.”
“Then let’s go with this.”
“Where will we get the capital?”
“What choice do we have? We’ll have to lend it to them.”
I knew it wasn’t a great idea, but what could I do?
The reality was that Taemo Mountain Fortress had nothing to its name.
“I don’t think that’s a very good idea. This happened because of Grandmaster Wu’s mistake. If you help them once, you might have to keep helping them in the future.”
Myo Hyang cut through my desire to help a friend who had failed in business.
“Come on, he learned his lesson this time. He won’t do it again.”
“How about we establish a joint merchant guild instead?”
“A partnership?”
The devil’s business model, guaranteed to ruin relationships?
“Yes.”
“Hmm…”
This was a matter that required deep thought.
If the partnership failed, it wouldn’t just end with making an enemy; it could potentially turn the five hundred masters of Taemo Mountain Fortress against us.
That was precisely why I had suggested just lending them the money, fearing such an outcome.
However, Myo Hyang was a far wiser woman than I had thought.
As if sensing my concerns, she immediately offered a solution.
“Let’s just include the Red Dragon Hall and the Ardent Loyalty Faction from the start. With more people involved, it’s less likely for relationships to sour, right? And since Taemo Mountain Fortress lacks capital, they can provide the land for sorghum cultivation and the labor instead of an investment.”
It was a clean solution that even considered the two factions of the Ardent Loyalty Faction, who might have grumbled about being left out.
Thinking about how she could be so beautiful and wise, I pulled Myo Hyang into a tight hug.
*Whoosh.*
“Oh my.”
“My wife is the best.”
*Squish.*
Truly the best.
* * *
Despite the suggestion that he would have to mobilize his own martial artists for farming, Wu Jung-cheon readily accepted.
“As long as I can feed the young disciples their fill, I don’t care what it takes.”
“The disciples of the fortress might complain. To be honest, isn’t farming a bit petty for a martial artist?”
“What is there to be ashamed of? Farming is the foundation of the world. Is it not?”
At Wu Jung-cheon’s question, his officers hastily chimed in.
“The Fortress Lord’s words are absolutely right.”
“Hehe, it has always been my dream to try farming.”
“What are you all doing? Go make some plows.”
“Hoo, I suppose I must take out the seeds I’ve hidden away?”
“…”
As expected of the descendants of beggars, their change in tune was as swift as a lightning strike.
In a way, I was relieved.
With this level of survival instinct, they were bound to succeed at something.
From then on, things proceeded smoothly.
I sent a Swift-Talk message to the Western Heaven Merchant Guild to hire a sorghum farming expert, while also requesting business cooperation from the Red Dragon Hall, the Hainan Sword Sect, and the Eun Family Manor.
Since we couldn't move to the next step until the sorghum was harvested anyway, there was plenty of time to prepare.
That night, after all the arrangements were made.
After confirming Myo Hyang was asleep, I sought out Wu Jung-cheon’s quarters.
“Please take this.”
*Clink.*
I untied my money pouch and handed over all the money I had.
Since I had packed heavily for our honeymoon, it amounted to a little over one hundred silver taels.
It would make planning the rest of our trip a bit tricky… but I was sure I’d figure something out.
If worse came to worst, I could just raid the unorthodox factions along the route to Dongting Lake.
In any case, Wu Jung-cheon’s eyes widened at the unexpectedly large sum.
“The kids are cute. I was going to give them a few silver coins each, but it was a hassle, so I’m giving it to you, Fortress Lord. Keep it and buy the children some meat dishes.”
I could never say I was giving it to him out of pity.
Pride was one of the main reasons martial artists lived and died.
It was only because Taemo Mountain Fortress was a descendant of a den of beggars that I could use the children as an excuse to give him money.
“…Thank you.”
As if understanding my hidden intention, Wu Jung-cheon accepted the money without hesitation.
“Anyway, when the kids grow up, they’ll become martial artists of the Ardent Loyalty Faction, won’t they? That makes us practically one big family.”
“That’s true. Hehehe.”
“Well, it’s getting late, so I’ll be on my way.”
“Since you’re here, why not have a drink? I still have plenty of unrefined liquor left.”
“Save that liquor and share it with your disciples. We have to leave early tomorrow, so I should get to bed soon.”
“What a shame.”
“I’ll visit again sometime. Ah! And don’t fire the current steward.”
“Why not? Just yesterday, you were telling me to fire him immediately.”
“I was, but upon closer inspection, he’s the only one who can properly read and write. You need to have your disciples study. How can they not even know the Thousand Character Classic?”
“…”
The next day.
*Clatter, clatter.*
We prepared early in the morning and set off as soon as the sun rose.
As I gazed out the window at Taemo Mountain Fortress perched on the rocky mountain, a sigh of relief escaped me.
“Phew. I’m glad everything worked out.”
“We don’t know yet. The sorghum farming might not go well, or the water and weather might not be right, and the liquor might not turn out properly.”
“Nah, that won’t happen.”
“How can you be so sure?”
Of course, I could be sure.
Maotai from Guizhou Province was one of the most recognized fine liquors in the modern era.
If the conditions hadn't been right, it would never have achieved such success.
“Don’t worry, I have my ways of knowing.”
I had confirmed it all with future knowledge from my reincarnation.
‘Although, regression seems better than reincarnation in some ways…’
There was a slight sense of regret.
As I nodded at that thought, Myo Hyang held out two gold taels.
“Here.”
“Suddenly?”
“You went to see Grandmaster Wu last night, didn’t you? Knowing your personality, you wouldn’t have come back empty-handed. You must have used the children as an excuse and given him every last coin you had, right?”
“Gasp! H-How did you…”
“I have my ways of knowing. Now take it. As the old saying goes, a man with a light pouch loses his strength.”
“M-My wife.”
*Whoosh.*
“Hehe, I can’t breathe.”
*Squish.*
My wife is truly the best.
* * *
After leaving the eventful Taemo Mountain Fortress, the journey to Dongting Lake was exceptionally smooth.
It was only natural.
No less than a hundred warriors were providing ironclad protection.
“Wow, it has a different kind of beauty than Sichuan!”
Myo Hyang, who was looking out the carriage window at the surroundings, exclaimed in admiration.
Well, it was just scenery, but after having stayed at the desolate Taemo Mountain Fortress until recently, it seemed all the more beautiful.
‘By the way, it looks like that fellow Dan Un is doing a good job.’
The peaceful scenery of Hunan reminded me of the Lord of the Cheong Clan.
If he hadn't risked his life, Hunan would have fallen into the hands of the Lion Alliance by now. If that had happened, crushing taxes would have suffocated the lives of the people, and such a peaceful sight would have been an impossible dream.
‘The land would be swarming with bandits, and human corpses would be strewn everywhere.’
A veritable hellscape would have unfolded.
How did I know?
Of course I knew.
I had lived in Anhui until I was nine and witnessed it clearly with my own two eyes.
‘Come to think of it, the Lord of the Cheong Clan is a truly remarkable man.’
Thinking of the Lord of the Cheong Clan, who had prevented such a catastrophe, a deep sense of respect welled up within me.
I hoped he would grab his daughter by the hair and drag her back to the Cheong Clan as soon as possible.
‘A great father can have a worthless daughter, it seems…’
And so, after a fortnight of wandering through the peaceful landscapes of Hunan.
“Wow!”
We finally arrived at Dongting Lake.
* * *
The view of Dongting Lake from atop Yueyang Tower was so magnificent that the word “masterpiece” came to mind effortlessly.
A lake as vast as the sea. Dozens of sailboats and fishing boats gliding across its surface. And Yueyang Tower, where we now stood.
It all felt like a single, breathtaking painting.
Most importantly.
“Oh my. How can it be so beautiful?”
Myo Hyang truly loved it.
It was worth spending a fortune, so to speak.
It seemed I had earned a new free pass for any future mistakes after the Mount Myo incident.
‘Wouldn’t it be nice if you came home early sometimes to play with the kids?’
‘Ahem! When a man is busy with outside work, he can have a drink or two. Why are you nagging about something like that?’
‘Do you know how frustrating it is to look after a child alone all day?’
‘Isn’t that why we came to Dongting Lake before having kids? Don’t you know Je-jun’s family couldn’t even go on a honeymoon?’
‘W-Well, that’s true, but…’
As I was painting this picture of the future, the voice of Myo Hyang, who had finished her sightseeing, reached me.
“Um… darling, the sun is starting to set. Shouldn’t we find an inn?”
“I’ve already sent the men to book one.”
This was why traveling with an entourage was so great.
You could delegate all the tedious tasks.
“They should be back soon, so let’s wait here.”
After a short wait.
“Hall Master.”
Wu Je-jun approached with a serious expression.
“What is it?”
“Two of our members who went to book the inn got into a fight. It seems I’ll have to go myself.”
“No.”
Why can’t there ever be a peaceful day in the martial world?