Is the Little Taoist Really a Daoist? (4)
"Father."
Hwang Jong-ui came through the door, and Hwang Mun-yak gave a slight nod in greeting.
"How are you feeling?"
"Hm. Hard to believe, but I feel so light it’s as if I could fly. Like I’ve grown ten years younger."
"That is... strange indeed."
"Even the doctors don’t know what to make of it, but they say my pulse is vigorous now, and I’m as hale as a man in his prime."
Unease flickered in Hwang Jong-ui’s eyes.
It was a joyous, worthy thing that Hwang Mun-yak had shaken off the bed and risen again. But for a man who had been bedridden for so many years to recover so quickly was strange enough on its own, and the fact that he seemed healthier than before was even more uncanny.
"In any case, congratulations."
"Enough with the stiff nonsense."
Hwang Mun-yak waved a hand lightly.
"It’s only because the young sect leader is so capable. I merely received his grace."
He recalled the first words Chung Myung had ever said to him.
— A immortal?
’That’s not exactly wrong.’
If a “immortal” was someone who cultivated the Dao, rose above ordinary humanity, and accomplished things no man should be able to do, then there was no reason that title couldn’t be attached to that child from Mount Hua.
He himself was proof enough.
"So, what is it? Now that you’ve confirmed I’m fully recovered, you didn’t come merely to ask after my health, did you?"
"I can’t claim to be a particularly filial son, but I’m not an ungrateful one. Is it not natural for a child to be concerned about a parent’s well-being?"
"Stop wasting words and get to the point. Time isn’t given freely."
Hwang Jong-ui bowed his head slightly.
Though he had only recently gotten back on his feet and was still little more than a lean shadow of himself, Hwang Mun-yak had the unmistakable eyes of a merchant.
As expected of Father.
That made it easier to begin.
"Father. No, Guild Leader."
"Speak, Young Guild Leader."
Changing the way they addressed each other shifted the conversation from family to the merchant guild.
"I heard you ordered a reduction in our trade with Zhongnan."
"I did."
"And I assume you also promised substantial compensation to Mount Hua?"
"Indeed."
"Father. Zhongnan is the overlord of Xi'an and one of the most powerful sects in Shaanxi. Turning our backs on them and joining hands with a dying sect like Mount Hua is far too dangerous."
Hwang Mun-yak gave no immediate answer, only nodded slowly.
"It is only natural that Guild Leader should feel grateful to the young sect leader. But the compensation promised to him is excessive, and deepening our ties with Mount Hua is also risky. If you are determined to do this, then at least allow us to keep our trade with Zhongnan as it was before."
Hwang Mun-yak lifted the teacup before him, his gaze now sharper and deeper than before.
Unhurriedly, he savored the fragrance of the tea. He took a sip, then closed his eyes.
How much time passed?
At last, Hwang Mun-yak set the cup down quietly and spoke in a more measured voice.
"Young Guild Leader."
"Yes, Guild Leader."
"What is a merchant’s duty?"
"Well..."
After a moment’s thought, Hwang Jong-ui answered.
"A merchant’s duty is to pursue righteous business, strengthen the commercial world, and thereby contribute to the country and the world at large."
"Hahahahaha."
Hwang Mun-yak nodded with obvious satisfaction.
"Young Guild Leader."
"Yes!"
"You’ve got oil on your lips. That was very pretty indeed."
"...Guild Leader?"
Hwang Mun-yak said firmly,
"A merchant’s duty is to make money. So long as it does not violate law or principle—no, even if it means skirting the edge of those laws and principles now and then—a merchant chases profit. Isn’t that so?"
Hwang Jong-ui lowered his head deeply.
"...Yes, it is."
"If you want to practice righteousness, do it with the money you’ve earned. If you want to help others, help them with that money. In a merchant’s business, there is no righteousness or heresy. Only efficiency."
"Then why...?"
If that was true, then wasn’t his father’s current decision all the more strange? Reducing trade with the rapidly rising Zhongnan while increasing trade with Mount Hua—anyone could see how reckless that was.
If Zhongnan learned of this, it wouldn’t be strange for them to cut off all dealings with the Eunha Merchant Guild.
"Have you forgotten? Do you remember how I made my money?"
"Of course I do. But..."
Hwang Mun-yak’s way of making money was simple.
He recognized the value of things others overlooked, circulated them, or discovered things still undervalued and supported them.
Whether it was a sect, another merchant guild, or even roughnecks and thugs.
That was how he had grown the Eunha Merchant Guild, until it became the greatest in Shaanxi.
"You’re saying you want to invest in Mount Hua this time?"
"Yes."
"But Guild Leader, all your previous investments had clear grounds. I can’t see any reason to invest in Mount Hua."
"Didn’t you see it with your own eyes?"
"...You mean that child?"
"Yes."
"But..."
Hwang Jong-ui bit his lip slightly.
Chung Myung was extraordinary. There was no denying that. But that was Chung Myung’s extraordinariness alone. One man’s ability did not automatically become the greatness of an entire sect. And doubly not when that man was nothing more than a child.
"I can understand that Mount Hua will improve because of that child. I can even understand that it may become stronger than I expect. But Guild Leader, no matter how I think about it, I don’t see how one child can make Mount Hua stronger than Zhongnan. Then wouldn’t it all be meaningless?"
Hwang Mun-yak smiled faintly.
"You think so? I disagree."
"...Guild Leader."
"Young Guild Leader. A merchant must see not the surface, but what lies beneath. There may have been a time when the Eunha Merchant Guild mattered greatly to Zhongnan, but now we’re merely one more guild among many to them. How much longer do you think we can keep taking things from Zhongnan?"
Hwang Jong-ui stared at him, dumbfounded.
That far he had not considered. Come to think of it, Gi Mok-seung’s attitude had indeed been arrogant beyond measure.
No matter that Hwang Mun-yak had been laid up in bed—if Zhongnan had respected the Eunha Merchant Guild even a little, they would never have dared act with such outrageous insolence.
"Zhongnan has reached its limit. Of course it will continue to advance, but only slowly, painfully slowly. Mount Hua is different. If Mount Hua grows as I expect, and if we can maintain a good relationship with it, the profit that comes from that will be beyond imagination."
"But Guild Leader, no matter how I think about it, I don’t see any guarantee Mount Hua can become that great."
Hwang Mun-yak’s eyes narrowed.
"Jong-ui."
"Yes, Father."
The way they addressed each other changed once more.
"What foolish nonsense. A merchant is not someone who waits for proof. He creates it."
"..."
"We are not waiting for Mount Hua to grow. We must make Mount Hua grow. If we succeed in this, then we won’t merely become the greatest merchant guild in Shaanxi—we’ll leap into the ranks of the five greatest merchant guilds in the Central Plains."
"That’s a difficult thing to do. If we fail, there’ll be no turning back."
"Hahaha. Now that my body is healthy, my mind feels young again too. So what if we fail? We’ll just start over. Do you think I’m sorry to lose this fortune?"
"..."
"I am sorry. More than sorry, in fact. But what frightens me more is the possibility that we may never see money greater than this again."
Hwang Jong-ui nodded.
His father had already made up his mind. There was no point in continuing this discussion.
"I’m still not entirely convinced. But if that is how Father sees it, then I will believe and follow. And I’ll help Mount Hua grow with my own hands so I can sweep away this doubt in my heart."
"Good. It’s been a long time since I heard something so satisfying."
Hwang Mun-yak laughed heartily, clearly pleased. But Hwang Jong-ui wasn’t finished.
"However—"
"Hm?"
Hwang Jong-ui frowned, as if this was the one point he could not yield on.
"Even so, isn’t the wealth and reward you gave that young sect leader too much?"
"That is the key."
"Pardon?"
Hwang Jong-ui looked up at him with a puzzled expression.
As if answering that question, Hwang Mun-yak smiled.
"What do you think will become of that young sect leader?"
"You mean his growth?"
"Yes."
Hwang Jong-ui thought hard and then spoke.
"Given his cunning and decisiveness, he’ll naturally take a high post in Mount Hua one day. And if things go well, perhaps even become Mount Hua’s sect leader..."
He trailed off.
That was not something to speak of lightly.
"In any case, he’ll become someone important."
"No. He’s already someone important."
Hwang Mun-yak shook his head and continued.
"I’ve lived my whole life as a merchant. I’ve met countless great merchants and countless masters, but that child is the only one who ever left me this flustered and this amazed. I had been pouring money across the world trying to find a dragon among flooded waters, and instead one came straight to me—not a dragon yet, but one preparing to ascend. What reason would I have not to seize him?"
"It’s that much?"
"You’ll understand soon enough. Those called people of the world cannot be understood by the thinking of ordinary men. Don’t try to understand him—just watch. One day, naturally, you’ll come to accept it."
Hwang Jong-ui nodded.
He still couldn’t understand everything, but if his father said so, then so be it.
Still, one question remained.
"Then why give him such excessive wealth?"
"He is, at his core, a disciple of the Dao. And when he heard there was someone sick here, he ran all the way over without hesitation, so he does have a heart for righteousness in his own way. Of course, he didn’t come here driven solely by righteous spirit, but there’s no doubt his nature is good."
"Hmm."
Hwang Mun-yak wore a faint smile, subtly different from before.
"Then the wealth and gifts he received now will become a burden he can’t erase from his heart. That’s even more true because he’s so young. If that much wealth can place an inescapable shackle around him, then it was cheap at the price."
"Really cheap?"
"...In truth, it cost about five times more than I expected. The little bastard was a viper."
"..."
Irritation rose all at once on Hwang Mun-yak’s face.
"No, what does that brat want with so much? Damn it, if I’d known he was going to rip me off that badly, I would’ve just pretended to be sick and sent him away somehow! He’s no human being—how could he squeeze out that much? He’s young, so I thought if I tossed him a little something he’d be moved to tears and grateful and—"
"Please calm down, Father. Someone might hear you."
"Ahem. Ahem, ahem!"
Forcing down the truth that had slipped out, Hwang Mun-yak clicked his tongue several times and let out a sigh.
"In any case, if he comes to think of us kindly and accepts us as lifelong friends, then the guild loses nothing. In the long run, we’ll gain many times over."
"I understand. Then we must become good friends."
"Exactly. Good friends, yes."
Hwang Mun-yak and Hwang Jong-ui smiled at each other with loaded expressions.