Yeolang (2)

156. Yeolang (2)

Yeongsan Sect had long since been tamed by Lee Eun-ha's skilled cooking, but they wolfed down even Geum-hyang's catastrophically bad food like they'd been starving for days. To anyone who had truly known hunger, picking and choosing food was simply unthinkable. Watching us, Geum-hyang brought out more dishes, a little embarrassed but pleased. Ji-gyu clicked his tongue as if dumbfounded and asked me.

"Brother Baek. Didn't Yeongsan Sect used to be in pretty dire straits? That must be why you all eat our Junior Sister Geum's cooking so happily. But here's the thing. Aren't you the eldest son of the Jilin Baek Clan Estate? How does a well-fed, well-raised man like you eat so well?"

He was the son of a wealthy merchant himself. Raised in comfort like me and possessing a refined palate, he seemed to find me a little curious. I answered his question while stuffing a giant dumpling into my mouth.

"I'm from Beyond the Wall, remember. All Central Plains cuisine is just... at odds with my palate."

Honestly, the Baek Clan Estate was wealthy even by Jilin standards, so we employed Central Plains chefs and ate Central Plains-style food. But having memories of a past life meant I also had the palate of my past life. To me, accustomed to clean chemical seasonings, the food of this life was genuine torture. If it were a cuisine completely different from Korean food, even if it were inferior in quality, it might actually be better. But Chinese food that was vaguely similar to Korean—and six centuries older, at that—was truly hard to adapt to.

But because proper nutrition was the only answer for building my body, I choked it down and endured. Before I knew it, my palate had become that of a complete fucking Chink. Through that adaptation process, I'd developed a sturdy palate that could happily eat both fine cuisine and awful grub. Geum-hyang's cooking was clumsy, but the ingredients were top-quality and it was packed with her sincerity, so while praise was a stretch, there was no cause for complaint.

"Master! Can I show Ryeong around Yeolang?"

Gang Ji-yeon, having finished her meal quickly, took Cho-ryeong's hand and asked Ji-gyu.

"Of course. Miss Cho is a guest, so you should guide her well."

"Okay!"

At Ji-gyu's permission, Gang Ji-yeon left the dining hall with Cho-ryeong, excited. It had only been a few months, but so much had changed. Cho-ryeong was now a second-rate expert and could even manifest Fist Qi. But even more than that, her Vajra Art had become terrifyingly powerful. Now, weak Sword Qi couldn't even scratch her Vajra-hardened body. She even had heavy-hitting attack methods that didn't seem to suit her at all: Mount Tai Strike, Arhat Fist, Cheomju Kick, One-Finger Zen. Yeolang wasn't a very large city, so outside of us, this little runt might be the strongest person in Yeolang right now.

A level of martial prowess that a whole truckload of Baek Eun-hyeoks who'd just joined Yeongsan Sect could never defeat, no matter how many attacked. I could literally feel Geo Am's confidence. Son Yeong was growing at a terrifying pace, but Cho-ryeong had time. How strong would she become when she reached Son Yeong's age?

"I'd like to look around the market. Hero Ji runs a merchant guild, so may I see that as well?"

Aside from martial arts, Son Yeong's favorite thing was touring markets. Having been a purchasing manager in the past, she'd discovered the small pleasure of traveling the vast world and browsing the markets of each region. But unlike his confident demeanor when they'd parted—when he'd said to visit his guild—Ji-gyu's face looked troubled, and Geum-hyang let out a sigh.

"The Seongwol Merchant Guild is on hiatus for the time being. Still, the Yeolang market has plenty worth seeing, so I'll have Ji-yeon guide you."

Geum-hyang stood up and spoke to Gang Ji-yeon, who had changed into a thick padded jacket to go out and play with Cho-ryeong. Then Master and Lee Eun-ha also set out for the market, following Son Yeong.

"Brother Baek. Now we should have a drink, don't you think? I've had a liquor table set up in the guest hall, so let's go. Yeolang's food is awful, but its liquor is quite drinkable."

Ji-gyu, who'd looked troubled for a moment, rose with a quiet smile as if he'd never been bothered at all. There seemed to be some circumstances, but fundamentally, Ji-gyu was a drinking buddy. If I had questions, I could just ask over drinks.

In the guest reception room, which was slightly smaller than the dining hall and warmly heated, a drinking spread truly worthy of Ji-gyu had been laid out. The snacks were only a few simple spring rolls, but in stark contrast, no fewer than seven kinds of liquor sat on the table. At the Wine Immortal Sect, I'd thought I wouldn't want to look at alcohol again for a while, yet my mouth ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠watered like Pavlov's dog. That must have been why alcoholics still couldn't resist temptation even after undergoing treatment.

I asked Ji-gyu, who was pouring liquor into my cup, about what we'd been discussing earlier.

"By the way, Brother Ji. Is something going on? Why is the merchant guild on hiatus?"

"It's nothing. Just had a few things happen with a big trading company. Well, I'm both a merchant and a martial ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠artist, so for now I'll rest the guild and practice the martial arts I've been putting off."

Ji-gyu downed his cup with a bitter smile. A merchant and a martial artist? This was the guy who'd confidently declared last time that he was a merchant, not a martial artist?

"Is there some kind of trouble?"

"No. And even if there were, Brother Baek, you're a martial artist. A merchant's affairs are for the merchant to resolve."

Ji-gyu politely refused the help. That, of course, only made me more curious. I might not be a merchant, but I had the ability to solve most of a friend's difficulties. Whether he knew that or not, I still couldn't tell.

"Sorry to say this, but honestly, Brother Ji, you seem like someone who'd achieve far greater success as a merchant than a martial artist. Your current internal energy isn't low, but you mostly raised it with elixirs, right? I've tried it myself, so I know: internal energy raised on elixirs is really hard to develop further."

It was a somewhat sensitive subject, but Ji-gyu merely smacked his lips and spoke lightly.

"Well, that's probably true. In that case, maybe I should just quit the martial path altogether. Just hold the wedding with Junior Sister, and register Ji-yeon as an adopted daughter? We're practically family in the sect as it is, so nothing would really change, right?"

"Let me congratulate you on the wedding and adoption. I'm a Daoist, after all, so I'll officiate the ceremony myself. I may not look it, but I even presided over the Murong Clan's expedition ceremony. But that has nothing whatsoever to do with closing the merchant guild, does it? Don't be so frustrating. Just tell me what happened. I'm not a merchant, but I may still be able to help."

Ji-gyu just drank his liquor in silence. Was this guy serious? So frustrating. Right at that moment, the door opened and Jeong-hyang and Geum-hyang came in. Jeong-hyang must have skipped the market tour to spend time with Geum-hyang, her first friend.

"That's exactly because of the help."

Geum-hyang said as she took a seat, looking frustrated.

"Help?"

"Hero Baek's help. Hero Baek, I hear you have become quite famous. When we first met Yeongsan Sect in Liaoxi, I could never have imagined it was such an extraordinary sect. Hero Baek's father heads a major trading company, so naturally many influential merchants surround him. As Hero Baek's fame in the martial world grew, even Hero Ji, who is his friend, received a proposal: they would provide the capital, and Hero Ji would manage a new trading company. Hero Ji refused immediately when he heard it. And now he's even closed the Seongwol Merchant Guild and is resting."

Geum-hyang poured tea for Jeong-hyang and untangled the story I'd been curious about, on Ji-gyu's behalf.

"I don't know the details, but isn't a major trading company head's offer a good thing? Why did he refuse?"

At my question directed at Geum-hyang, Ji-gyu finally sighed and began to speak.

"Of course, it's a good opportunity. Not just good—it's an unimaginable offer for a shoe-store greenhorn like me. But why would those people make such an offer to me? Brother Baek, you are now a renowned master in the martial world. They want me to borrow your prestige and run a trading company. I'm just Brother Baek's drinking buddy, not Reverend Yeongmok's comrade-in-arms. The offer is tempting, but I cannot trade on a friend's name for profit.

"Well, having refused the great merchants' offer, my business in this field is finished now."

Ji-gyu spoke as if grumbling and downed his drink. Honestly, I saw him in a new light. I'd only thought of him as a smart man, but he was a gentleman who valued honor and loyalty over profit.

"Brother Ji... are you out of your mind?"

My dumbfounded response just slipped out at his touching explanation that he'd chosen loyalty over money.

"Huh?"

He looked at me, flustered, as if ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he hadn't expected my reaction.

"No, are you really a merchant? Of course you should've accepted the offer. You're marrying Miss Geum and adopting Miss Gang? I know you have some money, but now you can't even do business—how do you plan to feed a family of three?"

"Even a merchant has principles. Monetary profit is precious, but a friend's friendship is far more precious than that."

No, I'd thought this guy was smart, but he was truly thick-headed.

"What are you talking about? A merchant should pursue maximum profit. Gobbling up both friendship and money—isn't that the basics of being a merchant? What's so precious about my name that you'd protect it and give up your trade? I wouldn't be the slightest bit grateful for that kind of thing. Just sell my name, become the owner of a trading company, make a ton of money, and if you're left with a lot of profit, give me the money instead."

At my answer, this time it was Ji-gyu who looked at me, dumbfounded.

"Is that truly all right? Your renown in the martial world, Brother Baek, is by no means cheap. You really don't mind it being bandied about in the mouths of merchants?"

"What does it matter? It's just a case of your trading company dealing with other trading companies and them thinking, 'We have Yeongmok behind us, so don't get cocky,' right?"

Ji-gyu, who'd been momentarily stirred up by my repeated explanations, soon smiled again lightly, the way he had at the start.

"Brother Baek. If you're saying this because my situation is difficult, please restrain yourself. Even if I shut down the guild, I still have enough money to feed a family of three."

"Brother Ji. You're misunderstanding something. A friend doesn't just help you out when times are hard. We've got enough for inn expenses too, you know. But we're staying here because our friend, Brother Ji, showed us hospitality. When an opportunity comes, you have to seize it. If you let this go, you're not a merchant, Brother Ji. You'd just be a sheltered young master who doesn't know hardship."

Ji-gyu, now fully aware that I was sincere, nodded silently.

"See, Senior Brother? I told you Hero Baek wasn't that kind of person. Look—he stepped forward first and offered to help you. Would just anyone be the sort of man who could hold a peerless beauty like Miss Jeong in his arms? Why would you not listen to me and stop being so stubborn?"

Geum-hyang, her face brightening instantly after watching our conversation, spoke to Ji-gyu.

"Actually, I was going to ask Miss Jeong for a separate favor. Miss Jeong, you're the Head Disciple of Yeongsan Sect and Hero Baek's lover, right? Since you're helping, please help me with one more thing."

Jeong-hyang, utterly clueless about this kind of topic, spoke confidently to Geum-hyang with baseless self-assurance at the words "Head Disciple."

"Of course. I have to help. Actually, this is a secret, but my junior brother has very few friends. Even when he was the young master of the Baek Clan Estate before joining Yeongsan Sect, I heard he had only four friends. And aside from Hero Ji, all those so-called friends are women. Miss Gyeong Su-yeon of Jilin, Miss Murong Rin of Liaoning, Madam Dohwa of Beijing. Honestly, it's been nagging at me that all of his friends are women, so I really must help you, since Hero Ji is the only man among them."

Jeong-hyang exposed my embarrassing social circle to Ji-gyu and Geum-hyang.

"No, Senior Sister, you only have Miss Geum as ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠your one and only friend. Who are you to say someone else has no friends?"

As we teasingly bickered back and forth, at the revelation that my only male friend was Ji-gyu and that Jeong-hyang's only friend was Geum-hyang, the two couples didn't mock us, but rather looked at us with something like moved eyes. Come to think of it, our little darling Cho-ryeong also only had Gang Ji-yeon as a friend, since Peng So was a little sister and Yu So-wol was an older sister.

"Thank you so much for saying that. Shameless as it is, I'll ask for your help. I'll also give Yeongsan Sect a generous commission. If we create a new trading company, Yeolang is no good now. There's already an owner here. I heard that Yeongsan Sect is opening a new trade route between Yeongsan and Seungdeok. Could we operate there? Our master is there too, and it's still unclaimed territory at the moment."

Contrary to what I'd thought, though theirs was a very small sect, they were merchants connected to major traders and had already learned much about Yeongsan Sect's movements. Jeong-hyang, who'd received her friend's request, looked at me quietly. Decisions like this were Master's to make, but there was no chance she'd object. It concerned our precious friends, who, like us, were both master and disciple and lovers.