Repaying a Debt from the Past (3)
Seok Ho-in’s shock was only natural.
He had been planning to argue that Seokga Manor should invest in horses as well.
H-How could that bastard have the same idea as me?
Startled to the core, Seok Ho-in even felt as though he had been possessed by a ghost.
For a moment he wondered whether his own opinions and strategy had somehow been exposed, but there was no way that could have happened.
If it was coincidence, then it was the sort of coincidence that left one speechless.
There was another man who was equally stunned.
“Don’t tell me... you mean we should enter the horse market?” Seok Ji-sung asked in surprise.
It made sense that he was taken aback. In Hebei, where Seokga Manor stood, there was a massive horse-trading organization called the Red Horse Gang that had a firm grip on the horse markets of the Central Plains, so this was an area where Seokga Manor was relatively vulnerable.
“That’s right. For example, once the second half of the year rolls around, Seokga Manor’s sales always drop sharply, while the Red Horse Gang’s revenue, which controls the horse market, is bound to surge.”
“...!!”
Seok Geum-ryong’s answer was so precise and sharp that even Seok Dong-seo and Seok Ju-woo furrowed their brows and listened with wary focus.
Of course, this was not really Seok Geum-ryong’s own insight, but simply a clever reconstruction of what he had vaguely remembered Seok Ho-in saying in the past.
“There’s certainly merit in that. Horses are an item that almost never loses value. On the contrary, because periods of frequent conflict and war are common, the imperial court and many officials are constantly buying horses to raise cavalry.”
Seok Ji-sung nodded again and again, clearly impressed.
As winter approached, barbarians and foreign invaders always grew hungry for fertile lands, and war would often break out accordingly.
War was a tragedy that should never happen to anyone, but for others it was an opportunity that could not be found twice.
A winter campaign, when horse prices soared, was nothing short of a festival for the Red Horse Gang.
“If I may speak frankly... I believe we should boldly enter the horse market and seize Red Horse Gang’s profits before they can do so.”
Uproar!
At Seok Geum-ryong’s proposal to charge into the horse market without hesitation, the family council erupted into chaos.
Everyone marveled at the brilliance of the twelve-year-old Seok Geum-ryong and could not help but admire how astute he was.
“Me too! I agree as well. I also...”
Sensing the strange mood, Seok Ho-in felt a surge of alarm and tried to belatedly voice his own opinion, but it was only for a moment.
“Keep quiet! I want to hear more from Geum-ryong!”
At Seok Ji-sung’s stern reprimand, Seok Ho-in shrank back with a wronged look and reluctantly fell silent.
Even so, the glare he kept sending Seok Geum-ryong was anything but ordinary.
“Geum-ryong. Speak comfortably. But if the Red Horse Gang controls the distribution, management, and purchase of most horses in the Central Plains, how do you plan to secure any horses at all?”
Seok Ji-sung’s question was sharp.
It was no exaggeration to say that the Red Horse Gang had a vice-like grip on the horse market of the entire Central Plains.
There were even rumors that every horse that set hoof in the Central Plains had the Red Horse Gang’s brand stamped onto it.
There was no way such a group would hand horses over to Seokga Manor, so the question was where he intended to obtain them.
“Yes, Manor Lord. We absolutely won’t be able to obtain horses through ordinary channels. And even with ordinary horses, or just a small number of them, it would be difficult to make a profit. Therefore, I...”
It was, without exaggeration, a truly bizarre experience.
The content of his first family council in his previous life was rising vividly in his memory, clear and fresh as if it had happened only yesterday.
“I intend to travel to the northern border, where it meets the barbarians, and bring back high-quality, superior wild horses after taming them.”
That was it.
In his previous life, Seok Ho-in had suddenly risen to prominence by securing a major achievement that made him a new rival to Seokga Manor.
That achievement was...
Seok Ho-in went to the northern border, tamed a number of outstanding wild horses, and even discovered a herd of the legendary sweat-blooded horses, thirty of them at that, each one worth a fortune.
Seok Ho-in had intended only to catch a few wild horses and make a show of it.
But then, by a stroke of astounding luck, he had ended up seizing a herd of sweat-blooded horses, each one worth hundreds of gold taels.
He had presented the horses to the imperial court and sold the rest at a high price to the governor of Hebei and other high officials, laying the groundwork for his power base. Thanks to that achievement, Mad Tiger Young Master Seok Ho-in had risen to become the third strongest faction after his first and second brothers.
“You! You...”
Seok Ho-in was shaking all over, his face pale with fright, unable to tell whether Seok Geum-ryong was reading straight through his thoughts by coincidence, by fate, or by some ghostly trick.
“Quiet down.”
When Seok Ji-sung barked again, he withdrew with a disgruntled expression.
“Wild horses? There won’t be many of those.”
After all, wild horses depended on luck, and there was no telling how many could actually be captured. It was a matter of probability.
Seeing Seok Ji-sung’s faintly disappointed reaction, Seok Geum-ryong declared with certainty, “I’ll at least take my people and go try once. Rather than going on at length here, I’ll show you the result.”
He spoke with confidence.
As he had lived through this second life, he had already realized that the major events from his previous life would repeat themselves exactly as before.
Then there was no doubt that the sweat-blooded horse windfall would also recur.
“Very well. Then I’ll give you time, so go and show me what you can do.”
Under the lukewarm gazes of Seok Dong-seo and Seok Ju-woo, Seok Ji-sung instructed Seok Geum-ryong.
He closed the family council wanting Seok Geum-ryong to accomplish a great feat, rather than the suspicious Seok Dong-seo and Seok Ju-woo, whose intentions were impossible to read.
As soon as Seok Geum-ryong returned to the manor after the council ended, he summoned nearly all the forces at his disposal.
Shin Dan-woo, the Shadowless One; Yeo Gwang-rae, the Golden Needle Venerable; and even Im So-gun, the youngest and most gifted of the Four Honored Guests who had recently arrived.
“I’ll need you to accompany me on a long journey.”
At Seok Geum-ryong’s request, they all readily agreed to travel with him.
Even Jang Sam, unexpectedly, had once worked under a horse handler in his childhood and was said to possess exceptional skill with horses, so he would be going as well.
“Young Master, do not worry about the manor. Lady Wol-papa has agreed to stay with us.”
There was nothing to worry about at Seok Geum-ryong’s empty manor. Along with the Scholar in Blue, Gong Sang-pil, and the servant Deung Chon, there were the remaining guards and martial artists, as well as Wol-papa, the formidable elder expert who had come with Im So-gun.
“I understand. The day I return will be the day I come home in glory, so wait for me.”
Seok Geum-ryong called out confidently to Gong Sang-pil.
Yet contrary to that declaration, he did not depart immediately. He simply stood by with his people and waited.
And there was one more reason.
Some might wonder how one could rely on fragmentary memories from the past to seek out wild horses all the way in the distant northern borderlands.
Seok Geum-ryong was not flustered.
“Do you have a map of the departure route?”
At Shin Dan-woo’s detailed question, Seok Geum-ryong answered with a small smile.
“Soon, a living map will begin to move.”
At that point, no one, including Shin Dan-woo, understood what he meant, but it did not take long for them to grasp the implication.
Exactly one shichen later.
Faaarrrt!
From a manor far away, the loud commotion of a group setting out could be heard.
Needless to say, it was Seok Ho-in and his subordinates.
“Now, now! Hurry and set out. We can’t let that treacherous Seok Geum-ryong steal the credit. You understand? We have to get there first, before Seok Geum-ryong even leaves. Move at full speed!”
Seok Ho-in had gone bloodshot-eyed, frantically urging his men onward like a madman.
Since Seok Geum-ryong and the others were all excellent experts, they had clearly seen the whole thing, and more than a few of them snorted with laughter.
“Pfft—”
“See that? We’ll just follow him.”
Seok Ho-in, in his panic, had left such obvious traces as he hurried along in a frenzy that he was practically a living map exactly as Seok Geum-ryong had described.
So Seok Ho-in’s group moved loudly and left a trail behind them, and since everyone except the servant Jang Sam was an expert at the level of first-class or above, tracking them was no trouble at all.
* * *
Liaoning Province in the Central Plains, close to the northern border.
After a long journey, Seok Ho-in’s group finally arrived in Liaoning, with Seok Geum-ryong’s party quietly following behind them.
From here on out, it was a truly crucial moment that demanded absolute concentration.
“All right, we’re heading to Jiangping in Liaoning!”
Since the original plan had been his own, Seok Ho-in headed for Jiangping with a look that said he had been waiting for this.
Smirk.
Watching the process from a distance, Seok Geum-ryong sent a signal for the others to stop with a meaningful smile.
When Seok Ho-in’s entire group finally moved out of sight, the anxious Yeo Gwang-rae asked, “Young Hero Seok. They’re practically out of sight now. Shouldn’t we hurry after them?”
Everyone, not just Yeo Gwang-rae, was growing uneasy, fearing they might lose the trail.
Unlike them, Seok Geum-ryong remained calm.
He had every reason for that composure.
The closer they drew to the northern border, the more vividly memories of his previous life began to surface.
Listen here, Gold-Selling Swordsman.
Want to hear how I made my fortune?
He could still remember it clearly: Seok Ho-in, puffed up with self-importance, boasting over and over about his success story.
A man who succeeds by luck alone usually turns his success into a nearly sacred legend.
Seok Ho-in was the very model of that type.
At first, I set up camp in Jiangping, Liaoning, to catch wild horses. But across from Jiangping, around the Guyuan area, there were these things moving like red-hot streaks, no, more like black-red streaks, and they were practically flying! In that moment, I knew it at once!
At the time, it had been enough to make him sick of hearing it. Now, though, it was priceless advice.
If he went to Jiangping like Seok Ho-in’s group, he would end up wasting time fighting over the few wild horses there.
But what if he went to Guyuan instead and secured the sweat-blooded horses first?
Then he would no longer need to follow Seok Ho-in’s path. He could completely steal the original feat for himself, and it would be a golden opportunity to achieve the enormous success he had spoken of at the family council.
“We’re not going to Jiangping. We’re going to Guyuan. From this moment on... be fully prepared.”
Seok Geum-ryong said it in a solemn voice.
His seriousness must have carried weight, because everyone in his party turned away from Jiangping and headed instead for Guyuan.
Though their meeting with Seok Geum-ryong had been short, there was one thing they all shared.
Young Master Seok Geum-ryong may be young, but he never speaks childishly or gives empty orders.
That meant there had to be a valid reason behind everything he said.
“Yes, sir!”
“Everyone, to Guyuan!”
No sooner had Seok Geum-ryong given the order than they all moved secretly toward Guyuan.
Guyuan was a slightly more distant place than Jiangping, but it was discreet, little known except to those in the know, and sparsely populated.
And there was one more stroke of fortune for Seok Geum-ryong.
“Huh? These tracks are definitely... the tracks of a superior steed!”
Among Seok Geum-ryong’s subordinates was Jang Sam, the all-purpose servant who had been poor in childhood and worked every kind of job from boatman to horse handler, and who knew horses inside and out.
The moment he heard that, Seok Geum-ryong was certain.
Here it is! If we set up camp here and wait, we’ll definitely obtain the legendary sweat-blooded horses.