Chapter 48. The First Pouch (2)
“Hah! W-what is this?”
My father exclaimed in shock.
“Distribution rights for An-gae Tie Guan Yin?”
I nodded at his words.
“Yes, just as Father sees.”
“Heavens……”
“That’s why I hesitated to accept it. But he insisted so strongly that I had no choice.”
“……”
Father let out a sigh before speaking.
“It says he’d be deeply offended if we refused. No helping it, then. We’ll take it.”
“Understood.”
“Anything else to discuss?”
“No, sir.”
“Then go rest. You must be exhausted.”
“Yes, sir.”
Leaving Father’s study, I headed straight for the Jae-gyeong Pavilion.
Chief Steward Yu was sure to be there.
Entering the pavilion, the clerks greeted me warmly.
“Welcome back, young master.”
“Thanks. Made it safely.”
“You’re back today?”
“Just arrived. Came straight here after seeing Father. Chief Steward Yu’s inside, right?”
“Yes.”
“He’s buried in work. Piles built up while he was away.”
Ah! Damn.
Forgot about that.
I started backing away hastily.
But then the door to Chief Steward Yu’s office flew open, and he rushed out to me.
He grabbed my wrist.
“Young master’s back!”
“H-ha… Chief Steward……”
“Come in. We’ve got work to do.”
“There’s only an hour left till quitting time?”
“An hour’s plenty to clear paperwork.”
“……”
In the end, I was dragged into his office by the wrist.
Should’ve come later.
.
.
.
An hour later.
I eyed the stack of documents beside me.
In that one hour, we’d processed a full handspan’s worth.
Feels kinda proud… Wait, no! Can’t get addicted to work already.
Just then, the quitting bell tolled.
I stood from my seat.
“Chief Steward, time to clock out.”
He replied in a voice thick with regret.
“Yes, go ahead.”
He set down his brush and asked me,
“Did your trip go well?”
“Yes.”
“Thanks to Chang-in Escort Bureau bringing me back safely too. But arriving this late… must’ve been bigger than expected.”
I nodded at his words.
“Yeah. Truth is……”
I told him the whole story.
He deserved to know. He’d been at the heart of it.
“Sigh… So that’s how it went. The Supreme Patriarch must be heartbroken.”
“At least the infiltrators in the clan are swept clean now. Mentally, it’ll be a heavier burden.”
As we chatted, I pulled a letter from my robe.
“Here, take this.”
“Pardon?”
“A letter from the Supreme Patriarch.”
Chief Steward Yu’s eyes trembled as he stared at the securely sealed envelope.
“For… me?”
“Yes.”
He took it, broke the seal, and read it right there.
I hadn’t peeked at the letter.
No matter how tightly sealed, there are ways to open it discreetly.
But this was between old friends. No desire to snoop.
As he read, Chief Steward Yu looked up at me.
“What’s wrong?”
“It says you asked the Supreme Patriarch to keep associating with me going forward……”
“Ah……”
Feeling awkward, I scratched my cheek.
“Yeah, I did.”
“Thank you.”
His plain gratitude drew a smirk from me.
“So take care of yourself. You’ve gotta outlive him, right?”
“I will.”
“Then I’m off.”
“Yes.”
I turned and left the office. Glancing back, I saw him still reading the letter.
He looked utterly content.
Now to report to Grandfather, Mother, and my brothers that I’m back safe—then crash in my quarters.
Ah……
Come to think of it, they should arrive in Sung-yang County tomorrow. Gotta prep to greet them.
So when do I rest?
A sigh escaped me.
I resolved then.
Once I avenge myself on Baekcheon Merchant Group—no, the Murim Alliance—and make Eunhae the top merchant group under heaven, then I’ll rest for real.
* * *
The Murim Alliance.
As the union of the righteous sects, its scale was immense.
And the Alliance Leader stood as its representative head.
In the Leader’s office.
Mirrors covered every wall—a peculiar touch.
Otherwise, a plain office.
The Leader received a report from his subordinate.
“Jegal Clan reports virtually no casualties.”
“Virtually none?”
“Yes.”
“Impossible! If that Blood Formation activates, at least half should die.”
Hon-a An-mak Formation.
Also called the Blood Formation.
Once triggered, it sparked endless slaughter, drowning the field in blood.
“Our guess is the Supreme Patriarch and Clan Lord broke it faster than expected.”
“Makes sense. They made the formation, after all. Those two……”
“Installing it there was a mistake. Should’ve found another way.”
“Jegal Kyung swore he’d trigger it only after killing the Supreme Patriarch and Clan Lord. That’s why I approved. So why activate it early?”
The subordinate answered the Leader’s question.
“Last report said they’d sniffed out the poisoning attempt. Probably panicked his cover was blown if he stayed.”
“Obvious. Feared missing his chance at merit if he fled.”
“That’s our read too. But did Jegal Kyung really not know triggering it would kill him?”
“Nah. He bought it as our formation, not Jegal-made. Never told him it’d turn him to mincemeat.”
That’s why they’d sent a disposable pawn to trigger it.
“Tsk tsk. Useless trash. Good he died quick—saved wasting more funds.”
“Indeed.”
“But even with those two intact, zero casualties? Doesn’t add up……”
“I agree, it’s odd. Texts say even profound inner energy users suffer from it.”
“Right. Only that clan’s inner arts neutralize it.”
“And we wiped that clan out.”
“Every last bastard and chick.”
Recalling the clan, the Leader sneered.
They’d boasted exceptionally pure, clear inner energy.
But they’d meddled.
So they’d framed it as demonic cult work and exterminated them.
“Jegal’s a famed house. Those two had some countermeasure.”
The subordinate asked cautiously.
“What about Jegal Clan?”
“Leave ’em be.”
“Pardon?”
“Blood Formation’s exposed now—we gotta lay low. That idiot botched it.”
His anger flared; the subordinate bowed deeper.
“No proof it’s us, though. This warning should keep the old man cautious. He values his clan—won’t swing wildly at us.”
The Leader continued.
“No spare attention for them anyway. Other ops in motion.”
“Understood.”
The Leader nodded and asked,
“Anything unusual on those?”
“Nothing special. Though the Supreme Patriarch had guests then.”
“Guests?”
“Yes. Checked them out. Yu So-ak, age forty-five, Eunhae Merchant Group’s chief steward. Eun Seo-ho, age fifteen, third son of the group’s head.”
“Eunhae? What’s that?”
“Hubei-based merchant group. Deals in grains, tea, herbs. Ranked ninety-eight in the year-end merchant list.”
“No concern.”
“Agreed.”
“Dismissed.”
“Yes, sir.”
The subordinate left. The Leader picked up desk papers.
Suddenly, Eunhae Merchant Group flickered in his mind.
‘Heard it before… Ah!’
He’d once schemed a secret branch south of Hubei.
But the brothel madam botched it, and it failed.
Reports said it ended up with Eunhae Merchant Group.
Both then and now, Eunhae’s name popped up.
He chuckled.
‘Funny coincidence.’
Then his eyes flashed red.
‘Whoa!’
Spotting it in the wall mirrors, he quickly covered them.
* * *
Hubei Province, Sung-yang County.
A group had just arrived.
Seven people, men and women mixed, mostly middle-aged.
Twelve uniformed warriors encircled them.
Escort bureau guards, hired to protect them here.
At the county office north of Sung-yang, the head escort spoke.
“As requested, we’ve reached Sung-yang County office.”
The group’s leader, a man, replied,
“Good work.”
“No trouble at all.”
“Here’s the rest of the escort fee.”
He pulled a money pouch from his robe.
Escort fees were usually half upfront, half on completion—unless special cases.
“Count it.”
“Will do.”
The head counted before him and nodded.
“Spot on, as expected.”
“A merchant’s virtue is precision. Not sure I still qualify as one.”
The head escort said,
“You led the Nok-ok Merchant Group—can start anywhere.”
“Scrape by, maybe. But…… the fire’s long gone.”
A year ago, disaster struck like thunder.
Their Nok-ok Merchant Group head—the one they’d loyally served—died.
Before passing, he’d called them, leaving a dying wish: help his son.
After, the son became new head.
“I’ll rely on you all, though I’m green……”
He pushed bold plans.
Fine, at first.
But they were harebrained.
Doomed to fail, obvious to all.
They’d tried following the new head, but the old man’s words held them back. They opposed.
“Big losses ahead.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“You sure?”
“I’m the head! Me! You bowed to Father’s every word—why always defy me?”
In the end, his way prevailed.
Result? Predictable catastrophe.
Massive losses.
Yet the new head refused blame.
“Your fault—slacking! You hustled for Father. Think I’m a kid and mock me?”
They were wronged.
Nok-ok was their life’s work.
Slacking? Never, they swore by heaven.
Nor disrespected him.
But he felt slighted constantly. Frustrating beyond words.
Conflicts dragged; rifts deepened.
A month ago.
He summoned them.
Announced dismissal.
“All of you, leave the group.”
“What?”
“Thought it over. To renew the group, need new blood. Can’t refresh tea by adding to dregs.”
They’d half-expected it.
Still stung.
‘Should’ve quit when the old head died?’
His dying wish had shackled them—to end up cast out like this.