The Merchant’s Way
Merchant ethics dictate keeping mutual respect and building trust among merchants. It is an implicit law and morality shared among merchants to prevent suspicion and facilitate smooth commercial activities.
What might be the reason to break this ethics?
“Ultimately, it’s all about money.”
When the profit from breaking the ethics exceeds that from adhering to it, people’s hearts naturally lean towards the former.
“Is there anything for us to do even if we go to that bookstore?”
Hwarin looked at me with a puzzled gaze.
Convincing someone who broke the ethics for money to adhere to them again is surprisingly simple. Just show them what being ruined while trying to make a profit looks like.
In fact, other bookstores suffered greatly for breaking the ethics. I had used Ho Pil’s letters to incite an attack on those bookstores that violated the ethics.
Now, there is only one bookstore left holding out.
“They need to be made to follow the ethics.”
“How?”
“Just follow me, and you’ll find out.”
The last bookstore can be handled differently.
—————
Upon arriving at the bookstore, I could see a stack of The Rise of the Tang Family right at the entrance.
[Going for 20% less than Daseogak.]
[The hot-selling The Rise of the Tang Family. Sold out daily.]
[New type. Colored Heroic Stories. Get lost in their charm.]
What a disappointingly plain promotional message. It should say something like, “A colored heroic story published by a Joseon person. The Central Plains are on high alert, with scholars trembling and students shedding tears.”
“Are you looking for The Rise of the Tang Family? Come inside… you black-haired barbarian!”
The bookstore owner, spotting me perusing the entrance, switched from a sales smile to revealing his true colors immediately.
“Haha. How’s business going?”
Out of courtesy, I smiled and greeted him.
“Thanks to you, it’s going quite well. The Rise of the Tang Family is selling incredibly well.”
The bookstore owner pointed proudly to the The Rise of the Tang Family behind him. Even during our brief conversation, customers were heading to the counter with copies.
How much is all of this?
“It’s good to see that our The Rise of the Tang Family is still selling well here.”
I said to the bookstore owner in a deliberately snarky tone.
“Are you here for some nonsense again? I’ve hired guards, and I’m not someone who’ll fall for your tricks, so scram, you barbarian!”
“Haha. You’re being quite harsh. Only certain people would do something unthinkable, so how could I discuss trickery?”
“Did you come here to pick a fight from morning? Hey! Bring me salt!”
The bookstore owner yelled, calling for a clerk inside.
This bookstore is a problem.
Excluding Daseogak, it’s the largest bookstore in Yichang. With sufficient funds, it shrugged off any moderate damages and was proactive in this matter as the bookstore representative.
Who would hire bodyguards with a lot of money? They’ve become immune to all sorts of business disruptions and have many regular customers besides the scholars, so the boycott didn’t inflict significant damage.
While other bookstores were made to consider bankruptcy for breaking the ethics, this one is persistently selling The Rise of the Tang Family.
“Get lost before I throw salt!”
The bookstore owner appeared before us, clutching a handful of salt.
A rude bookstore owner with a large-scale operation. Such places can’t be made to follow ethics through normal means.
“What are you doing!?”
At least, not through normal means.
A carriage, at the center of a recent controversy in Yichang, came to a stop in front of the bookstore.
The carriage was made of luxurious materials and adorned with antique decorations. The horses pulling it shone with luster from their manes.
Even a fool could tell at a glance that it was a carriage used by someone of high status.
“What are you doing!?”
An old man with silver hair stepped out of the carriage and scolded the bookstore owner, who held the salt.
“Aren’t you the distinguished Huizhu elder? W-what brings you here?”
The bookstore owner was taken aback, hurriedly bowing to the old man called Huizhu.
“You’re the Huizhu of the Yichang Merchant Association?”
“It’s been a while; you look good.”
“A rare sight to see! What brings you to this place?”
The old man was the head of the Yichang Merchant Association, which was a union of the shops and merchants in Yichang.
If a guild is a corporation, an association is a federation. The Huizhu is the representative of the association. In some associations, the Huizhu holds managerial power, but not in the Yichang Merchant Association.
However, that doesn’t change the fact that he is one of the most influential figures among all those engaged in commerce in Yichang.
The old man stood before the bookstore owner, hearing the whispers about him from those nearby, accompanied by subordinates.
“Why would the busy Huizhu come to a bookstore?”
The bookstore owner asked, bowing deeply, filled with rage. Why on earth would this heavyset Huizhu show up here?
“I heard you are doing something interesting around here. It sounds just as amusing as they say.”
The Huizhu stared at the bookstore owner’s hand clutching the salt, as if reproaching him.
“Haha, elder! I’ve been living quite interestingly lately.”
The bookstore owner hurriedly sprinkled the salt on the ground, smiling awkwardly.
“Do you think I came here just to joke around?”
Oh no. The bookstore owner sensed the situation had turned serious when he saw the Huizhu’s face darken.
“Elder Huizhu, if you came because of The Rise of the Tang Family, this is just a fair competition among bookstores.”
“I haven’t seen everything in my long life. Is breaking the ethics and doing filthy tricks now considered fair competition?”
“Haha. Elder Huizhu, I think there might be some misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding? Then are you saying this is fair competition? Nowadays, don’t you have to hire an assassin just to be accused of breaking the ethics?”
“Elder, you are being too harsh.”
“Hahaha. The harsh one isn’t the one to repay kindness with harm, is it?”
The bookstore owner felt cold sweat trickling down his back as the Huizhu laughed in disbelief.
“Elder Huizhu…”
“Decades ago, when you were too young to even suckle, Baekga Bookstore was a pillar in Yichang. Despite difficulties, it supported talented and passionate people. When you said you were starting your own bookstore, who helped you? Wasn’t it Baekga?”
“That was thirty years ago.”
“Does a kindness disappear after thirty years? The longer a favor remains, the bigger it grows! Who was it that helped you when you were struggling in management and had nowhere to turn? Who was it that allowed you to print books that only Baekga could publish? It was Baekga, wasn’t it?”
“Now, it’s not Baekga Bookstore; it’s Daseogak. The black-haired barbarian runs it now, elder.”
“Why act like you don’t know the owner of Daseogak is Baekga’s granddaughter? She entrusted the management to a friend because she can’t face others.”
“I know, elder. But that barbarian’s Daseogak has caused considerable losses to our bookstores.”
“Did that young man cause those losses while violating the ethics?”
“…No.”
“And still, you repay a decades-long kindness with enmity and further disrupt the Yichang Merchant Association’s reputation by breaking the ethics?”
“Elder, but…”
“Someone who doesn’t adhere to the ethics has no right to be part of the Yichang Merchant Association.”
Expulsion from the Yichang Merchant Association.
The bookstore owner couldn’t hide his shock at the horrific announcement of his expulsion from the Yichang Merchant Association.
Being expelled from an association where merchants engaging in commerce in Yichang were affiliated was a serious matter.
Once expelled from the association’s protection, not only would they not receive the benefits they were accustomed to, but they would also suffer disadvantages in various business activities and, if harmed by someone, would receive no aid.
It would serve as an official declaration that the bookstore need not follow the ethics anymore.
“Elder! I, I got blinded by greed and forgot the ethics. I’m truly sorry. I sincerely apologize.”
The bookstore owner trembled in fear and knelt before the Huizhu.
“The one who should apologize isn’t me.”
The Huizhu turned his gaze to the black-haired youth and the woman in a face cover who were watching the situation. The bookstore owner, still kneeling, bowed his head towards the people from Daseogak.
“I’m sorry. Truly sorry. I’ve committed a grave sin. I won’t let this happen again. I will make up for the losses. I will repay double or triple. So, please, please forgive me.”
A declaration of defeat.
The bookstore owner, who had made a force of Daseogak to attack, immediately tucked his tail between his legs at a single sentence from a greater force.
With that apology, the Rise of the Tang Family reproduction incident came to an end.
*
‘It went just as I thought.’
How should I deal with someone who continues to break the ethics till the end?
Ultimately, it’s all about strength.
Without copyright laws, one must employ force to ensure the ethics are upheld. The problem is whose strength to borrow.
I could use Hwarin’s strength, but that would only create a grudge. It is better to borrow a third party’s strength—a person of authority in Yichang who could rectify corrupt practices.
The power that comes from authority can’t be borrowed carelessly, especially for an outsider and a barbarian like me.
So what should I do?
‘Use Hwarin’s lineage and Ho Pil’s connections.’
I will have a meal with Ho Pil, the Huizhu’s only granddaughter, Tang Hwarin.
I’ll express my difficulties and ask for connections to other prominent figures using Hwarin’s lineage, Ho Pil’s connections, and the justification of ethics. It isn’t hard to reach the merchant association with those connections.
“Did you mean that you drank with Ho Pil and Elder Huizhu?”
Hwarin seemed to have sensed the situation and asked me.
“Yeah. I thought a higher-up from the merchant association would show up, so I was surprised when Elder Huizhu appeared.”
Instead of worrying too much about leveraging Baekga’s solid network to find a solution, I didn’t expect the influence Baekga had built to come into play so powerfully. Huizhu showing up directly was beyond my imagination.
Although the position of Huizhu of the Yichang Merchant Association isn’t quite like a chaebol chairman, it’s definitely not the same as an apartment resident chairman.
By explaining the lineage, connections, and the circumstances, I could secure a commitment for help, but I couldn’t afford to relax throughout the drinking session.
“You’ve gone through a lot so far.”
Huizhu approached us with a satisfied expression after finishing his remarks.
“I expected someone to be sent instead. I’m sorry to have put you in such a position, Huizhu.”
“Haha. You are the one setting this up, and you talk insincerely!”
Huizhu said with a hearty laugh, showing no intent to receive flattery.
“Thank you very much.”
“You’re a fun young man. Did you say you are 21 this year? Using your influence to shake the commercial world and leveraging others’ connections to exert influence? By my age, I only knew how to clash directly or perhaps handle a few tricks. You are indeed a young man the Man Geum Battlefield’s elder has his eyes on.”
Huizhu looked at me with prideful eyes.
“You flatter me excessively.”
“Do I look like someone who flatters others? Both Daseogak and writing books—I must say you’re quite a lustrous young man. What do you say? How about giving up writing and learning commerce under me? I could provide you with a position.”
“Wow… Yoonho…”
Hwarin grabbed my sleeve as if shocked by the sudden proposal. I have no intention of going. I want to become famous by writing.
“Haha. I’m overwhelmed by your kind words. But I’m merely someone who enjoys writing at the bookstore.”
“Indeed, you rejected the elder of Man Geum Battlefield’s invitation, so my proposal likely wouldn’t suit you either. Well then, Ho Pil, I’ll look forward to your next work.”
Huizhu said while swinging a copy of The Rise of the Tang Family that he seemed to have conjured from somewhere.
“I’ll send you the second volume as soon as it comes out.”
“Yoonho. You really…”
After Huizhu left, Hwarin looked at me as if about to say something but got stuck in admiration.
“Why do I keep reappearing to you?”
Now, it’s time for compliments. I placed my hands on my hips, puffing my chest out, ready to be showered with praises from Hwarin.
“No need to meet again. You are… as I always see you, amazing.”
Hwarin said with a warm gaze.
“Not that amazing.”
Such high praise feels burdensome; I averted my eyes from Hwarin’s gaze.
“Oh! Ho Pil!”
Huizhu stopped just before getting into the carriage and approached me again. What could it be?
“Yes, Elder.”
“About that courtesan who sat next to you last night…”
“What?”
“She said she would treat you with utmost care if you include her name in The Rise of the Tang Family as Hu Book’s premiere courtesan, without charging a penny. Think it over.”
“Haha. I already have a name chosen.”
“That courtesan is among the finest in Yichang… Ah! I got too ahead of myself. I must be off now.”
Why would he leave abruptly after starting to talk? Huizhu looked back suddenly, his expression turning startled, and left.
“Hey, Kang Yoon-ho.”
Ah, a chilling voice came from behind.
“Uh? Huh?”
“You said you’re NOT meeting girls.”
“I’m not seeking girls; sometimes you can’t help it in work… Ow! Hwarin, why did you kick me?!”
“You! Spit out the honey water I gave you earlier!”
“Ack! Stop hitting me! Hwarin, I’ll take you along next time!”
“You’re really crazy, aren’t you? Where would you take me?!”
“Ugh!”
—————
The illegally duplicated The Rise of the Tang Family was fully recalled.
The profits made by the bookstores from violating the ethics were returned in full with receipts. Moreover, we received introductions to suppliers that provide quality typefaces.
“Is this really the end?”
Hwarin neatly arranged the recalled first volume of The Rise of the Tang Family and asked me.
“What end? This is just the beginning. Look at this.”
I pulled out a thick draft paper from my pocket and showed it to Hwarin.
“What is this?”
“This is the rough draft for The Rise of the Tang Family volume two. Hwarin, once we finish the edits, we can publish it right away.”
The war has ended in victory.
Now it’s time to publish volume two of The Rise of the Tang Family.
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