The Appraisal and the Accidental Meeting
A hoarse voice, as if a piece of phlegm had lodged in his throat, rose from the worn old man who shuffled in with a few awkward coughs. “Excuse me for making you wait.”
Just by looking at him, the old man seemed sharp and calculating. His eyes, peeking out from the deep wrinkles, held a light that spoke of having lived through every storm this world could throw. Yoo Eunhyeon’s mind immediately recalled the words Gong Si-hak had once shared.
“Perhaps the shop will simply dismiss the old man as a pawn.”
“The old man?”
“Yes. He’s a man whose bones have been ground to dust on this very ground, a true merchant’s ghost. His eyes for appraising goods are monstrous, but his ability to strike a hard bargain is just as terrifying.”
“Will he really offer fair value?”
“Most beginners won’t be able to hold their own. But there’s a way. Follow what I tell you and you’ll be fine.”
Whether the old man had overheard or not, he offered a polite smile as he introduced himself.
“Jin Seung-hyeok. And you, young master?”
“For business transactions, names are unnecessary. You may simply call me Mr. Yoo.”
“Mr. Yoo…”
Yoo Eunhyeon followed Gong Si-hak’s advice and simply introduced himself as a man surnamed Yoo. Jin Seung-hyeok’s gaze sharpened for an instant before softening again.
“Young Master Yoo. Hmph… yes. I heard you wish to sell some jewels.”
“Yes. Here they are.”
Yoo Eunhyeon handed the pouch containing the horizon stone straight to the appraiser. Jin Seung-hyeok weighed it in his palm as though estimating its contents, then withdrew the stone itself.
“Hmm, horizon stone. The size and the flawless surface mark it as top-grade. May I ask the origin of these goods?”
“Received from my parents. They said to pass them on to my children after marriage.”
“Hmph… so. But it appears you are not yet married, young master?”
As if warning him not to lie, Jin Seung-hyeok’s eyes flashed before he gave a small, knowing chuckle. But Yoo Eunhyeon had already heard Gong Si-hak’s counsel on this very matter. He smiled brightly and replied.
“I plan to sell it for ready money instead of waiting for marriage. And when wandering the martial world, one needs a sturdy purse, does one not?”
“Krkrk. A very sensible man. A correct point. No muddled thinking, please. Very well… how much are you thinking of?”
“Twelve taels of gold should be sufficient.”
“Twelve taels?”
Jin Seung-hyeok’s gaze fixed upon Yoo Eunhyeon as though weighing every word. Yoo Eunhyeon swallowed hard and recalled Gong Si-hak’s earlier advice once more.
“I assessed the true value at around ten taels. But do not offer exactly that at once. Demand more.”
“More? That way the other party will cut the price down to ten?”
“Precisely. The old man will aim for an absurd starting figure and then bargain down. Begin with a high price and adjust from there.”
Jin Seung-hyeok’s reaction proved exactly as Gong Si-hak had predicted. While pretending to study the stone, he suddenly frowned, then set it down with a soft clack.
“It’s rather expensive. A fine piece, of course, but we must account for our own margin. There is no guarantee it will sell quickly, and if we submit it to a precious-metal auction for a fair price, fees will still be incurred… so even if we sell it well, perhaps seven or eight taels at most. After our margin and other costs… how about three?”
It was an absurdly low offer, and Yoo Eunhyeon frowned.
“Three taels seems far too little. I know such stones sell for around fifteen elsewhere. If the market price is that level, then after our margin as you mentioned, I would still be asking twelve.”
“Hmph… indeed. If one has gathered some information, one has no choice. Then, supposing we receive ten at auction, how about five?”
“Still too low. Treat fifteen as the fair price and offer ten as a third of that. Moreover, since the auction house runs its own operations, transaction fees are nearly nonexistent.”
Jin Seung-hyeok’s face twitched with irritation, but he quickly hid the reaction. He spoke with a feigned discontented tone.
“Hmph. You misunderstand, young master. I know not which shop you speak of, but market price is not simply fixed by the seller alone. A fair price between buyer and seller is what determines the market.”
With that, Jin Seung-hyeok rose abruptly and strode to the nearby shelves. After rummaging for a long moment, he pulled out a ledger and opened it before Yoo Eunhyeon.
“Look here. This is the purchase schedule we set for horizon stones. Given the weight… roughly twelve taels. After accounting for our margin, labor, and time costs, seven is the maximum we can offer. If it displeases you, simply go sell it at the shop charging fifteen.”
Jin Seung-hyeok now delivered his final ultimatum. Yoo Eunhyeon fell silent, lips pressed tight, lost in thought.
“Even if the other party speaks this way and rises to leave, they have no intention of abandoning the negotiation.”
Recalling Gong Si-hak’s final counsel, Yoo Eunhyeon narrowed his eyes.
“Such gems do not sell at a premium in these peaceful times. Yet if the martial world descends into chaos, supply chains will tighten and one may demand a much higher price from those who seek them.”
“Where in the martial world would anyone be desperate enough to seek something as worthless as this stone?”
A mocking smile spread across Jin Seung-hyeok’s face. Yoo Eunhyeon understood then that the remark was not a genuine question but simply a ploy to pressure him.
“There are places that have nothing to do with the martial world yet still seek such stones. For example… the imperial palace.”
“You do not know whether the martial world will fall into chaos, do you?”
“Actually, it is already halfway there, is it not?”
Though the words were cut short, they carried considerable weight.
Jin Seung-hyeok understood immediately and said no more. He simply stared at Yoo Eunhyeon with a sharp, assessing gaze, his earlier look toward the stone having been almost identical to this one.
“…Very well. I will offer ten taels. But I have one more request.”
Jin Seung-hyeok drew ten taels of gold from his pouch and placed them in Yoo Eunhyeon’s hand. Since the money had already been accepted, Yoo Eunhyeon nodded readily, indicating he was ready to hear the proposal.
“If you have no urgent business, would you not consider working at our shop? We would treat you generously.”
Those who knew Jin Seung-hyeok would surely have gaped. It was exceedingly rare for the notoriously difficult old man to extend such an offer first.
‘After arriving at Uiryungak, why would I now turn my gaze elsewhere?’
Yoo Eunhyeon knew nothing of this. He had not the slightest intention of accepting. In his mind, the only thought was to meet Su Hwa-seon as soon as possible.
Furthermore, had he given it further thought, the conversation he had just had with Jin Seung-hyeok was none of the appraiser’s affair. The invitation was actually meant for Gong Si-hak, so there was no reason to accept it on his behalf.
“I must decline. I have other matters to attend to at present…”
“Hmph. Very well. Should your business conclude and you find yourself with leisure, do come by. We shall treat you well without any grudge.”
Seeing that Yoo Eunhyeon had refused, Jin Seung-hyeok no longer pressed. He simply nodded and stepped aside.
“Yes. I will take my leave.”
Having secured the agreed sum, Yoo Eunhyeon walked with a light step, heading once more toward Uiryungak. Then he suddenly stopped in his tracks.
*This…*
A faint feeling of someone hurrying to follow him from inside the shop brushed against his senses. It was not a direct chase, but the suppressed footsteps of someone shadowing him. The scent of pursuit was unmistakable.
He did not need long to deduce who was behind it.
“Jin Seung-hyeok must have taken a liking to me.”
In truth, Yoo Eunhyeon had suspected as much. The old man had pretended to leave at once, yet his gaze had never left him until the very moment they parted.
Presumably, the man, who had revealed no name, had been deemed suspicious and dispatched to investigate Yoo Eunhyeon’s background.
“Yet for a mere follower, he was discovered far too easily. Does it not matter if I am caught?”
To outsiders, he appeared to be no more than a greenhorn who had yet to cultivate any martial skill. A low-level tracker would suffice, after all.
While still standing in place, Yoo Eunhyeon devised a plan.
“Even if they learn that I entered Uiryungak, it will entangle the Uiseon Suga family. I must distance myself at once.”
He could not allow Gong Si-hak’s efforts on his behalf to go to waste. Moreover, unlike before, he had now begun cultivating inner energy, so he should be able to outrun anyone who noticed.
Once his thoughts were settled, Yoo Eunhyeon reached for his inner energy—
“Hey! Hey!”
At first the voice was cautious.
When Yoo Eunhyeon, lost in thought, did not respond, the tone rose sharply, unable to contain its frustration.
Only then did he turn. He found a young woman glaring at him, brow furrowed.
“Now you’ve turned around. Hey! If you’re blocking the way, what are you doing? Step aside!”
Yoo Eunhyeon stared blankly at the woman for a moment. She looked more like a young girl than a woman, her delicate features hard to age precisely. Her clothes were splendid, yet even the most generous estimate placed her around his own age. She was undeniably beautiful. But the reason her gaze held him was something else entirely.
*Where have I seen her? There’s something familiar about her…*
From the woman standing before him, Yoo Eunhyeon felt a strange sense of déjà vu. Yet no matter how hard he tried, he could not recall why.
Since staring so intently would be impolite, he apologized at once.
“I’m sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment…”
“I don’t care. Just step aside quickly!”
As though his apology was unnecessary, the young woman spoke curtly. Yoo Eunhyeon, feeling a little embarrassed, tried to move aside while evading the tracker and drawing upon his inner energy.
Just as he prepared to leap—
“Wait.”
A hand like a hook stretched out and caught his arm.
“You look familiar. Have we met somewhere before?”