After finishing work with Hano, I headed straight up to Cheonghoe Tower.
Chaejin, who had already been here once, seemed unfazed, but Hongryeon looked at me with a sense of wonder as I climbed.
“Are you okay?”
“Of course.”
I arrived at the 5th floor.
Due to the barriers, the hallway was eerily quiet, and at the end, as always, stood two men.
“Hahaha! Yu Seonsaeng has come again!”
“Nice to see you.”
Gi Noya greeted me with a cheerful smile while Wiyeol maintained a stoic demeanor. Hongryeon, who was tilting her head at their greetings, pulled me aside.
“Those two…”
“They were part of the martial world in the past but are actually experts from the military. Gi Noya, Wiyeol, allow me to introduce Hongryeon, the grand disciple of Hongseong.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Hongryeon, a person with a ‘deep friendship’ with Yu Innkeeper.”
Gi Noya laughed heartily at her introduction, his eyes sparkling.
“Oh, you’re close with Yu Seonsaeng. I, too, am…”
“The general is waiting.”
“Hey! I haven’t finished my story yet!”
“Do it later.”
“What the heck?!”
Seeing their usual bickering brought a smile to my face as I knocked on the door. A moment later, a voice called me in, and I entered with the two. A middle-aged man buried under a pile of paperwork, General Cheonilhwa from the Empire’s Conscription Department, stood up with a weary expression to greet me.
“Welcome, Yu Seonsaeng.”
“It’s been a while.”
“Haha, indeed. Now, please sit… Hmm? We have one more person. The grand disciple of Hongseong, Hongryeon.”
“I’ve been dealing with Hongseong. I brought the grand disciple to show you the medicinal herbs we’re providing, which were grown by them.”
“Huh. Since it’s what Yu Seonsaeng mentioned, there’s no reason not to trust it.”
“Still, if it puts the general’s mind at ease, wouldn’t that be a good thing?”
“Haha, that’s true. Nice to meet you. I’m Cheonilhwa, head of the Cheonghoe Merchant Guild and General of the Empire’s Conscription Department.”
Since I had already greeted Chaejin last time, we merely exchanged glances, but Hongryeon was different. In response to his polite greeting, she replied equally respectfully.
The atmosphere was pleasant and cheerful.
“Now, let’s get to the main point. Firstly, about the sale of that incense pouch. Surprisingly, many people want it.”
Joy lit up Hongryeon’s face.
“We’ve entrusted the sales to Kaebong. Are you aware? Though the Cheonghoe Merchant Guild seems to operate independently, there are actually guilds in every region, and the central hub connects to the Cheonwang Store in Kaebong.”
I was aware of that.
It would later be revealed that since it was a directly operated guild by the government, it could be seen in various places.
“I’ll be able to see it here.”
“The evaluation team from Cheonwang Sanghoe decided to treat the incense pouch made by Hongseong as a high-end product. It’s a limited edition, a specialty item, and it has its own story behind it.”
“That’s right. I was eyeing that too, and Cheonilhwa also seemed to focus on that aspect, and it looks like Cheonwang Sanghoe reflected it as well.”
“If it’s that kind of stuff, it can certainly be sold as a high-end product. The quality of the actual item isn’t bad at all. The fragrance of the Cheonil Plum Blossom is rich, and everyone knows the work Hongseong has put in so far. They say noble ladies who think having it will elevate their virtue or daughters who are nearing marriage often seek it out.”
“So… how much did it sell for?”
“Take a look for yourself.”
Cheonilhwa handed over the papers, and me, Hongryeon, and Chaejin looked at them.
“Wow… that’s expensive?”
“It came out a bit higher than expected.”
While I was shocked, Chaejin also seemed surprised, but Hongryeon was staring blankly at the documents.
“Hongryeon?”
No response.
Hongryeon had short-circuited.
I shook her, and when she snapped back to reality, she was trembling.
“…This much…”
“In the end, how you sell the item is what’s important. Plus, if demand is high but supply is low, the price will naturally rise. The current price already includes the value of being a limited item. So, it shouldn’t be that surprising. Furthermore, if we consider that this is income we can earn quarterly or semi-annually, it may not actually be a huge profit…”
“Even if it’s just for one year, it’s amazing?!”
Is that so?
I nodded as I saw Hongryeon hurriedly responding to my words.
“So, how much will we receive?”
“There will be a small commission, but… it’s between us and Yu Seonsaeng. As a gesture to ask for your continued help, I will waive the commission.”
In other words, that means we’re getting the entire amount.
What a delightful story.
“I really don’t know how to thank you.”
“Haha. That’s what I wanted to say. And… regarding the medicinal materials, they also seem like they’ll be treated as a high-end product. However, the price will probably be about two nyang of gold per geun.”
“That should be enough.”
Since I have no intention of treating the medicinal materials as limited edition like the incense pouches.
Under the table, Hongryeon’s hand was trembling. Adding the price of the incense pouch onto that with the medicinal materials.
I guess she didn’t expect it to sell like this.
“I told you. It would sell for a high price.”
“You did say that, but… um, we did put a lot of effort into cultivating it… but is it actually worth that much?”
Cheonilhwa smiled brightly at Hongryeon’s hesitant voice, and I explained on her behalf.
At the sound, Cheonilhwa smiled brightly, and I explained on their behalf.
“The value of medicinal herbs rises depending on where and who produces them. If the Hongseong sect, which has accumulated virtue through years of good deeds, cultivates herbs enriched with the spiritual energy of Hongseong Mountain, there will be plenty of people willing to pay a high price. It’s already a known fact that medicine works better depending on the mindset of the person taking it.”
In other words, those who have money and care about their health will scramble to buy them.
Cheonilhwa, agreeing with my statement, added one more thing.
“And one point to be cautious about is that the products should only be sold through the Cheonwang Store. We can’t rule out the possibility of those who might want to take advantage of the Hongseong name.”
They were warning to watch out for fakes.
If they only trade through the Cheonwang Store, then if it’s sold elsewhere, they could smash that place down while using the name of the Cheonwang Store.
I figured those working there would probably end up conscripted into the army.
“Uh… yes. We decided to supply only to Yu Seonsaeng,” I said.
“I plan to deal only with Cheonghoe Merchant Guild and General Cheon,” they added.
“Hehe. That sounds reliable,” Cheonilhwa chuckled.
There was no problem at all.
Though it was unlikely, we wrote a contract stating that the Cheonwang Store would help prevent price gouging and resale by middlemen, making us feel more at ease as we sipped our tea.
“Oh, right. Chaejin and Hongryeon, why don’t you go have a drink for a bit? I have some personal matters to discuss with Yu Seonsaeng.”
Chaejin and Hongryeon looked at me worriedly, but I shook my head. I could guess why Cheonilhwa wanted to speak to me alone.
Once they left, Cheonilhwa got to the point.
“I recently got acquainted with Hano from Hao-mun. They mentioned coming up with a strategy while talking to Yu Seonsaeng, balancing the factions.”
“Haha. That’s a good thing,” I replied.
“Thanks to that, I’ve managed to acquire quite a number of human resources. Of course, I made sure Yu Seonsaeng’s name didn’t come up in the process…”
“Thank you.”
“The issue is that I don’t believe they’ll stop their movements. Also… it seems like someone is behind the new Black Lotus faction.”
Just as I thought.
The new Black Lotus faction is supported by the Iron Blood Clan.
Perhaps… it’s Cheolhyeol Master, right?
“Honestly, I want to throw those threatening the peace of the Empire and the Royal Family into confinement and investigate everything, but… without any evidence, doing so would greatly shake the current stability of the Empire. Plus, the demonic cult might take advantage of this to attack loyalists. And they might even escalate things in the military.”
“I understand.”
I genuinely understood. It was similar in Heavenly Bright Moon.
The only silver lining is that around the third act, the Empire starts feeling the crisis and takes action, so until then, let’s just maintain a good relationship with Cheonilhwa.
“Let’s just maintain a good relationship with Cheonilhwa until then, now that things are actually starting to move.”
“Our scenario is based on receiving cooperation from the government and military around that time, so there shouldn’t be any problems.”
“Thank you. I apologize for not being able to step in directly. That said, with the current situation and the unusual movements of the New Black Association, I’d like to temporarily entrust a few of my subordinates to Yu Seonsaeng.”
“Subordinates, you say…?”
“Gi Noya and Wiyeol. I also intend to provide some troops. Of course, if managing the troops is too much, you can leave it to the Hyeonryeong. I’ve seen their results, and they’ve done quite well.”
“Yes, they really do a good job.”
“If Seomhwa Village is affected, Yangwi Seong nearby will be unsettled too. And… I heard that Hongseong dealt with a strange force called the Iron Blood Clan, right?”
“That’s correct.”
“Recently, a place where several spirits gathered was attacked, and there too, the name Iron Blood Clan came up. So it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious. Hongseong Mountain is also known for being rich in spirits, isn’t it?”
“Hmm…”
“So, Yu Seonsaeng. If the New Black Association or those Iron Blood Clan guys attack Seomhwa Village, can we join forces with Hongseong to take them down? It feels a bit like I’m offloading my responsibilities to you, and I apologize for that. But I do hope you help. I won’t forget this favor.”
Cheonilhwa made the offer sincerely, and I took it seriously too.
“I’ll give my best for the Empire.”
“Haha… I appreciate that.”
What are you talking about? I’m the one who’s grateful. I originally just wanted to send either Gi Noya or Wiyeol, but now I’m getting troops too.
After wrapping up the main topic, we talked about matters related to the mining industry. Cheonilhwa seemed interested while sharing an anecdote about how there was a good opportunity to secure funds related to the gold mine near Yangwi Seong, mentioning that he heard about some gold nuggets found in a river nearby.
After that short but pleasant conversation, I went downstairs and discovered two people sitting on the fourth floor of Cheonghwa Building, sipping drinks while facing each other.
“Ah? Are you done with your discussion?”
“Yes.”
“What were you discussing that required a separate call?”
“Haha. I’ll tell you when we return. More importantly…”
I looked at the two and slowly spoke.
“I need to go meet Hano for a bit. If you two are going to drink here, I’ll take Gi Noya or Wiyeol with me.”
“Can we join you?”
“It doesn’t matter, but it might be boring? There’s really nothing interesting to see. It’s not a dangerous place.”
But the two stood up immediately without any complaints.
I hope they won’t be surprised at Hao-mun.
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