Yangyang Martial Hall's New Beginning (2)
His face gradually flushed red at my words, and then he exploded.
"What nonsense is that? And show me proof that this contract is genuine!"
"I just told you, didn't I? It was notarized by Magistrate Ji-hyeon."
"How much did you pay him to notarize this absurd contract?!"
Now he's showing his true colors.
The courteous demeanor he'd shown me moments ago had vanished completely.
"And just what is your connection to Yangyang Martial Hall that you're sticking your nose into this?"
"We're on very close terms. Surely you didn't think I wouldn't notice? You already sent someone to spy on me back when I was here before."
"……."
"Are you calling Magistrate Ji-hyeon a corrupt official who takes bribes now?"
"Well, that guy's been gobbling up every bribe I've given him…."
"Ah, so you did give him bribes?"
"……!"
He faltered for a moment, then turned the tables shamelessly.
"What's the big deal? Everyone who matters already knows."
"So you're refusing to return the land?"
"Hmph! As if I'd trust some notarization from Ji-hyeon!"
"Then whose notarization would you trust?"
"Well, if it came from the imperial palace, maybe I'd believe it."
At that, I grinned and pulled something from my bosom.
"I figured you'd say that, so I brought this."
I unfolded it grandly and placed it on the table.
"It's notarized by Vice Minister Ho-bu Sirang."
"……!"
A hush fell over the reception room of Yangyang Martial Hall at my words.
The first to react was Hall Master Yeom.
"I-is that really from Vice Minister…."
"Yes."
Seong Jangju's jaw dropped.
Heh heh heh.
Pretty shocked, huh?
When I'd gotten the notarization from Ji-hyeon, he'd cautiously voiced his concerns.
"Truth be told, the clans of the magistrates here in Hangzhou are quite powerful. Even I often have no choice but to heed their words. Seong Jangju is no different. So to prepare for that, it might be best to get a notarization from someone even higher up."
So I'd gotten the contract notarized by Vice Minister Ho-bu Sirang ahead of time.
Good thing I'd listened to Ji-hyeon's advice.
The vice minister was second-in-command of the Ministry of the Treasury.
For notarization credibility, it was top-tier.
Not even Seong Jangju could strong-arm his way out of this.
Honestly, I'd wanted the Minister of the Treasury's notarization, but he's such a busy man.
"Please settle everything and return it within five days."
"Th-then what about that tavern building? I built it with my own money!"
"Of course it has to be demolished."
"What?"
"The previous Yangyang Martial Hall building was built with Yangyang Martial Hall's funds too. You demolished that without hesitation—does that mean you can't touch your tavern because it's yours?"
I slapped my knee as I spoke.
"Oh, right—didn't you get thirty nyang of silver as demolition fees when you tore down Yangyang Martial Hall? So either pay the demolition fees or clean it up yourself, Seong Jangju."
When they'd demolished Yangyang Martial Hall, they'd pocketed thirty nyang in fees.
A single-story martial hall had cost that much, so tearing down an eight-story tavern would cost several times more.
And being a high-rise, it'd cost even more.
Seong Jangju was no fool—he knew the math, which was why his face had drained of color.
"H-ha, but where am I supposed to get that kind of money…."
"Why not? Saying Seong Jangju has no money? Even the ants passing by would laugh."
Ah, he might actually be broke.
That's why he'd rushed over to sell me the Gaho Pavilion.
He probably had plenty of land, but what he needed right now was cash.
Cash flow keeps a rich man healthy, and Seong Jangju clearly wasn't.
"Decide quickly. We're busy."
"Pl-please, consider my situation…."
"Did you consider Yangyang Martial Hall's situation? Didn't you kick them out into that freezing winter?"
Seong Jangju's lips clamped shut, his head slowly drooping.
I sipped my tea leisurely as I watched.
Now was the time to get to the real point.
"How about this?"
"……?"
"Just hand over the tavern building to us as well. It's only been a couple of years—it's practically new. Shame to demolish it, right?"
"True enough."
"So we'll just keep using it."
"Doesn't that mean you're swallowing my tavern whole?"
"Then pay the demolition fees or tear it down yourself."
Seong Jangju pondered briefly, then sighed.
"Fine. We'll do it that way."
"Wise choice."
With that, Seong Jangju slunk out of Yangyang Martial Hall like a man who'd lost everything.
"So, is it all over now?"
I nodded at Hall Master Yeom's question.
"Yes."
He might squirm to keep his tavern, but the contingencies I'd prepared would block him.
"By the way, Young Branch Leader, why didn't you give him that?"
Hall Master Yeom pointed to a few sheets of paper.
It was a letter left by the previous clan lord, Seong Ji-myeong, for his son—found with the real contract.
I gave a wry smile and shook my head.
"Even if I gave it to him now, his ears wouldn't hear the previous clan lord's words."
"Then when?"
"The time will come soon enough."
Seong Jangju returned home.
"How did it go?"
The one who'd been waiting most eagerly was my chief steward.
But he didn't get the answer he wanted.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Why did Father leave behind that stupid contract?! Damn it!"
"Pardon?"
"The land and building with Gaho Pavilion—they're no longer ours."
"So Eun Seo-ho, the young branch leader, is taking them over?"
"Ha! Do you think I'd look like this if that were the case?"
The steward flinched at his words.
Seong Jangju's face was the picture of total defeat.
"Father left a contract for that Yangyang Martial Hall land. Ha ha ha."
Seong Jangju laughed in disbelief as he explained everything.
The steward needed to know too.
"That's how it happened? Sigh…."
After a moment's lament, the steward spoke up thoughtfully.
"You said Vice Minister Ho-bu Sirang notarized that contract?"
"Yes."
"Then file a petition."
"A petition?"
"Yes. From what I know, if there's any injustice, petitioning through the magistrate leads to a review, and you might get relief."
"Oh! Great idea! Let's go to Ji-hyeon right away."
Brightening, Seong Jangju hurried to the county office to meet Ji-hyeon.
"I know about that matter. I notarized the contract as genuine, after all."
"Was it really genuine?"
"Yes."
"How much did that bastard pay you?!"
"H-hey! Watch your mouth. How dare you speak of him like that!"
"Him?"
Ji-hyeon awkwardly changed the subject.
"Ahem, anyway, I can't understand why you're making such a fuss, Clan Lord. The contract is right there—why strong-arm it?"
"Keep stonewalling me, and you'll have to cough up everything I've given you so far."
"Ugh!"
Ji-hyeon looked troubled. And rightly so—he'd taken plenty over the years.
Though not a bite since getting caught by Eun Seo-ho.
But suddenly, his gut boiled.
The other man was just a clan lord, while he was an imperial appointee.
"Are you threatening me right now?"
"Threat? …Yeah."
"Hmph. Sure, I've taken some bribes. But you think I'll go down alone?"
"……."
Seong Jangju was speechless.
Bribery punished both giver and taker.
"No business here. Please leave."
With that dismissal, Seong Jangju had no choice but to leave the office.
"Damn it!"
Grinding his teeth, he glanced back at the office, thinking.
'I'll need the other clan lords' help. Even if he struts like that, with all the lords united, he can't ignore a joint petition.'
"To Ma Jangju," Seong Jangju told his attendant.
"Yes."
On the way to the Ma Clan manor, a sudden thought stopped Seong Jangju in his tracks.
"They agreed to hand over ten percent of their business profits to us for ten years. The sole condition: protect Yangyang Martial Hall!"
Given Eun Seo-ho's close ties to Yangyang Martial Hall, it made sense.
But somehow, it felt like Eun Seo-ho had foreseen more and set those terms accordingly.
'Did he predict this and win over the clan lords that way?'
Cold sweat trickled down Seong Jangju's back.
And with it came his father's final words.
"Jun-ah, if you want our Seong Clan to endure long-term, stay away from taverns or any pleasure businesses, no matter what. Our family doesn't have the caliber to handle them."
Now he understood.
Why his father had left those words.
He'd foreseen long ago that the Seo-ho clan's lords wouldn't sustain their businesses and would hand them over.
He'd wanted the Seong Clan to avoid such peril.
So it wasn't "you lack the caliber," but "our family lacks the caliber."
'Father….'
Seong Jangju finally felt regret.
But there was nothing he could do now.
The next day.
I headed to Yangyang Martial Hall in the morning to discuss the relocation with Hall Master Yeom.
Mid-discussion, a disciple arrived to announce a visitor.
"A guest?"
"Yes. Seong Jangju is here."
What now?
I tilted my head and had him shown to the reception room.
Our relations weren't exactly warm, so I skipped the pleasantries.
"We meet again so soon. To what do I owe this?"
Seong Jangju rose and bowed deeply to Hall Master Yeom.
"I've been sorry all this time."
"Pardon?"
His unexpected behavior caught us off guard.
"Blinded by my own stubbornness, I let greed get the better of me and did wrong by Yangyang Martial Hall. Father said it was our family's benefactor—treat it well. Yet here I was."
"……."
I composed myself and met Seong Jangju's eyes.
They seemed clearer somehow.
"I have no claim to that land. I lost it through my own fault—who's to blame?"
There was even a touch of pathos in his voice.
"So, I formally acknowledge it as Yangyang Martial Hall's land. I also relinquish all rights to the building. It may be shameless, but please see it as atonement for my wrongs."
I tested him lightly.
"That's a big decision. Honestly, it'll cost you dearly— are you sure?"
"No, it hurts like hell. But what's done is done—spilled water."
Ah, he's genuinely repenting.
"Father warned me against pleasure businesses, but I dove in anyway. I'll take this as punishment for defying his will—my filial impiety."
He continued.
"Anyway, I'll clear out the tavern within three days. But may I sell the furnishings inside? It's the only way to give the staff something."
"Of course."
The building mattered, not the furnishings.
Honestly, Gaho Pavilion's fixtures were gaudy for tavern work—useless for martial artists.
"Thank you."
With that, Seong Jangju stood.
I knew this was the moment to give him his father's letter.
"Clan Lord."
"More to say?"
"Actually, we found something else where the real contract from the previous clan lord was."
I held out the envelope.
"There was no envelope originally—I put it in for safekeeping."
"Why now?"
"Because now, you won't tear it up. It's your late father's precious final words. Treasure them."
Seong Jangju smiled bitterly.
He knew I was right.
"Thank you."
He bowed to me and left Yangyang Martial Hall.
Back home, Seong Jangju let out a deep sigh.
With his thoughts sorted, a weight lifted.
He drew the letter from Eun Seo-ho from his bosom.
Its first line shamed him already.
"My son Jun-ah. By the time you read this, you've likely ignored my words, acted on your own whim, and landed in deep trouble."
The lengthy admonitions pierced his heart one by one.
'As Eun Seo-ho said, my old self would've torn this up.'
"Finally, if you've resolved not to take my words lightly, I'll give you a chance to live right again. Check the turtle stone statue in the center of the rear garden pond."
Tilting his head, he rose and headed to the rear garden.
The pond was waist-deep—no issue for him alone.
He could've sent a servant, but it was his father's bequest, so he waded in himself.
He found the turtle statue in the center and lifted it easily.
"Gasp!"
The sight beneath it stole his breath in shock.