Chapter 31
Translator: penny
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: Debts and Desperation
After Mok Jimyeong left, a lengthy discussion unfolded among the relatives at the Eun Merchant Group.
And once all the talks had concluded...
'The Eun Merchant Group is in that much trouble...?'
Eun Garyeon clutched her head alone.
Apparently, the employees' salaries were three months overdue.
She couldn't wrap her head around it and asked, only for her uncle to respond with shameless bluntness.
-Didn't you take 20 gold taels with you?
20 gold taels.
Of course, it was a huge sum.
But that money had been taken to secure new trade routes, and thanks to it, they'd even sealed a deal with the Sichuan Tang Family.
Moreover, the Eun Merchant Group's finances shouldn't have been shaky over just that amount.
When she pointed that out, Eun Taehyeok flew into a rage instead.
-Then why didn't you keep in touch!
There was nothing Eun Garyeon could do about not receiving contact.
She'd been rushing around non-stop, without a single day of rest, to scout trade partners as quickly as possible—how was she supposed to get messages from the group?
Still, just in case, she'd sent letters every seven days without fail...
'All this happened in just the month I was away?'
According to Eun Taehyeok, a string of misfortunes had hit the group one after another.
They'd prepared goods only for clients to unilaterally cancel deals, merchants who'd supplied them suddenly turned their backs, and even when they found buyers for their stockpiled inventory, bandits struck and stole it all during transport.
'Does that even make sense?'
And on top of that, massive debts had piled up, leaving Eun Garyeon utterly baffled.
In truth, she was unaware, but this was all a scheme orchestrated by the Four Black Alliance.
'Im Jungdo,' who had joined as head clerk four years ago, was a disciple of Elder Chuwonnak from the Four Black Alliance.
After becoming head clerk, he'd opened several new trade routes—all of them factions or merchant groups under the Four Black Alliance.
Then Eun Taehyeok, who later became chief steward, sabotaged all other connections, isolating the Eun Merchant Group.
This had gone on for about two years.
A year ago, the group's finances had already become heavily reliant on the Four Black Alliance.
In this slowly deteriorating situation, Eun Garyeon had set out on a long journey to find a way out—but Eun Taehyeok and Im Jungdo weren't about to miss that opportunity.
Blissfully ignorant of these facts, Eun Garyeon kept racking her brain.
'If only the employees' salaries hadn't been delayed...'
They had already promised a deal with the Sichuan Tang Family.
In about two months.
The Sichuan Tang Family would deliver goods worth 200 gold taels.
Sichuan had always been rich in high plateaus, offering quality herbs and metals at low prices. Selling them in the north could yield up to tenfold profits.
And for this, Eun Garyeon had already paid them 20 gold taels upfront.
'The Tang Family will deliver on time, right...'
The Tang Family's word was as good as history itself—one promise from the Tangs built their legacy, never once broken.
No need to worry about them reneging.
But the problem was the Eun Merchant Group right now.
There was no way to prepare the remaining payment, nor to sell the incoming goods.
Even if they scraped together the balance somehow, with employees ready to quit en masse, what then?
In Eun Garyeon's view, if they could just weather this crisis, the group could revive within half a year.
No, she was confident she could grow it bigger than before.
But surviving that half-year? No path in sight.
"Haa..."
She let out a deep sigh.
Then, a forgotten detail suddenly resurfaced.
'What about the money I borrowed from Mok So-hyeop...?'
Of course, even in the group's dire straits, scraping together 20 silver taels was doable.
But with salaries unpaid for three months, was it right to prioritize repaying that debt first?
These were people who'd worked faithfully for three months without a single coin.
Putting them on the back burner to settle a loan first? Her heart was too soft for that.
-Hmm... In that case, little Eun can repay it with her body.
She suddenly recalled what Mok Jimyeong had said when lending the money.
It had sounded like a lighthearted joke...
'But... it wasn't a joke, was it...?'
Having spent a month with him, Eun Garyeon had come to understand the kind of man Mok Jimyeong was.
He was an unparalleled master who could toss Jang Yunho with one hand, had a rotten personality...
And especially, he was a total lech for women.
If she said she couldn't repay, he'd probably pounce on her gleefully.
"Haa..."
It was a night of deepening worries.
"Hmm... I see."
"Yes. Is there any other information you need?"
"Give me a moment to sort my thoughts."
At my words, the middle-aged woman fell silent.
I sat her down in front of me, drumming my index finger on the table as I pieced things together.
I grasped the situation.
I'd pinpointed the trap laid by the Four Black Alliance and Red Serpent Sect scum.
But...
'How the hell do I fix this?'
No solutions sprang to mind.
"How much debt does the Eun Merchant Group actually owe right now?"
The middle-aged woman answered promptly, as if she'd been waiting.
"Around 200 gold taels, by our estimates."
"And the back pay for the employees?"
"About 30 gold taels."
"So roughly 10 gold taels a month... and in two months, they need to pay the Tang Family another 180?"
"Yes."
Generously estimating, 500 gold taels total.
That would clean up the Eun Merchant Group nicely and bind Eun Garyeon to me with gratitude.
Rescuing her in this dramatic pinch? Perfect plan.
'But where am I supposed to get that kind of money...'
500 gold taels was no small change.
Still, quitting wasn't an option.
"That head clerk? He's a disciple of that bastard Chuwonnak?"
"Yes. Our investigations confirm Im Jungdo trained in martial arts under Chuwonnak in the Four Black Alliance until four years ago."
Chuwonnak, that filthy prick, was involved.
'And the beauty Eun Garyeon is tangled up in it too.'
In other words, I had to solve this.
No matter what.
But no ideas forthcoming.
Tok, tok, tok, tok.
My index finger tapped the table, making faint sounds.
'Alright, let's break it down piece by piece.'
First, the debts owed by the Eun Merchant Group.
In my view, we could stiff them.
What could they do if we claimed no money right now?
Drag Eun Garyeon off by force?
'As if I'd let that happen with Mok Jimyeong around.'
I'm a creditor too, after all.
If I decided to raise hell, I could stall them for months.
Of course, if Eun Garyeon paid me back first, it might complicate things—but we could align stories ahead of time.
Next issue: the 180-gold-tael balance due to the Tang Family.
'That seems workable somehow.'
From what I'd heard via Shadow Gate Sect, the deal wasn't one-off.
It was ongoing: herbs and iron ore from Sichuan, finished goods like silk clothes and ornaments shipped back north.
In the next trade, we could send goods to Sichuan instead of cash and sweet-talk them. Not impossible.
The Tang Family wouldn't crumble over 180 gold taels.
But the real urgent problem was elsewhere.
'The employees.'
What good were Tang Family goods without anyone to sell them?
And they had to hold out two more months until delivery.
Cost to survive that? Roughly 100 gold taels, give or take.
"Hmmm... No clue."
"What exactly is troubling you?"
The middle-aged woman asked my musing aloud.
'Right. No point agonizing solo when answers won't come.'
Might as well hear the Shadow Gate Sect's take.
I laid out everything swirling in my head.
She pondered briefly before speaking.
"So, if we can just sell the goods from the Tang Family, that's it?"
"Yeah."
"What about the Four Black Alliance debts...?"
"I'll handle those somehow."
Worst case, threaten Chuwonnak's disciple punk.
She looked skeptical at my cocky assurance.
"If we resolve the Four Black Alliance debts, selling the goods won't be hard."
"Huh? How?"
I shot up from my chair in surprise.
'I'd wracked my brain and got zilch.'
Word was, twenty caravans from the Tang Family's escort service were already en route.
Where to store them? How to sell?
Selling required manpower.
Not something a few people could handle.
'Forget buyers—porters and drivers are about to bail too.'
I couldn't threaten every employee to stay for two months.
The middle-aged woman across from me smiled faintly at my confusion.
"Have you forgotten who we are?"
One thing after another clicked.
"Brothel Hall, courtesans, Shadow Gate Sect... Ah, Shadow Gate Sect?!"
The Shadow Gate Sect, haven for society's dregs.
Composed of five trades: courtesans, boatmen, waiters...
'And porters and drivers!'
The 'manpower' a merchant group desperately needed.
"Of course, it's tough right now. The Carriage Filth Hall for drivers, Foot Filth Hall for porters, and our Brothel Hall aren't on great terms... But in two months, we can count on their help."
The final piece fell into place.
My mind cleared.
"Then, Young Master Mok, can you withstand the Four Black Alliance's pressure for two months?"
To her worried question, I replied with utter confidence.
"Piece of cake."
Causing chaos in the middle? Right up my alley.
'Red Serpent Sect, Four Black Alliance—you're all done for.'