Man Geum-jeon. Jang Noya.
The founder of Man Geum Battlefield, which can be said to be the largest bank in Hubei Province. He is the father-in-law of the head of the Zhuge family and holds immense influence in Hubei Province.
Even high-ranking officials often keep an eye on Man Geum-jeon, and arrogant martial artists bow their heads in front of the wealth of Man Geum Battlefield.
And now, the successor of Man Geum-jeon?
“There will surely be resistance. The daughters who want to place their children in my successor position will definitely create a fuss. So, you should convince them. With your abilities, you could certainly make my grandchildren realize their place.”
“Man Geum-jeon, successor?”
I just came to write off my debts.
I came to the bank to repay my rent loan, and they congratulated me, saying I’ve been chosen as the successor of the bank’s chairman. What a crazy surprise!
“Did I attach my granddaughter to you for no reason?”
“I thought you simply held me in high regard.”
I thought Jang Noya was just trying to use me as a relative to run errands.
In Korea decades ago, it was common to introduce potential marriage partners if there was a man you wanted to nail down to a job.
“She’s not only beautiful but also capable in every regard. Plus, she comes from the renowned Zhuge family, which could be a strong backing for you, considering you have no parents. Do you think I would have attached my granddaughter for some simple reason?”
Lately, we’ve become comfortable enough that I sometimes forget, but Zhuge Hyang is the youngest daughter of the head of the Zhuge family.
Compared to Im Ha-yeon, her beauty is unmatched in Hubei Province. Moreover, she’s remarkably talented, even fulfilling Zhuge Liang’s role after he left.
Right, she’s not just someone I was supposed to be attached to simply because of my high regard. With all the chaos I’ve been solving over the past few months, I had forgotten about that.
“Elder, the successor of Man Geum Battlefield? I’m not that kind of talent.”
“Not that kind of talent? Where in this Wuhan land can you find someone as talented as you?”
Man Geum-jeon raised his voice, looking bewildered.
“Ah?”
“There’s no one to protect your money, making you a frequent target for robbers; there’s no one you can trust, making you an easy target for scams. Even if you barely get your business off the ground, it will likely fail, leaving you with meager profits far from success. Starting a business in an unconnected land is like that. Two or three out of ten? No, I wonder if you can even count two or three out of one hundred.”
“Two or three out of one hundred…?”
Thinking back, that’s true. When I first started my business in Yichang, without the connections of Huairin’s grandfather, the Tea Bookstore would have been finished in no time.
“Heh. You didn’t just lack connections and backing; you were also a Joseon person. I kept a keen eye on you but didn’t anticipate great success. But what was the outcome? You gathered those with the same hair color in a flash in an unconnected land and became their leader, launching a business no one expected and earning unexpected profits.”
“I just made the most of the opportunity given.”
“There are so many who don’t understand the value of opportunities given by their grandfathers.”
Man Geum-jeon’s frustration pent up into some form of anger towards something.
“…….”
“What happened afterward? Were you satisfied with one success? It’s a curious thing to have an order for food delivered to a place in Wuhan, yet you created tenant operators for your business. One of those was my grandson.”
“I’ve simply been providing services to ensure decent income; I haven’t exploited the franchise operators.”
Calling them tenants made me sound like a heartless landlord squeezing them dry.
I did squeeze them a bit, but I also left some breathing space. My elder’s grandson, Jeon Gil-san, says he wants to open a third store soon because he’s satisfied with his income.
I cautiously corrected my statement that doing business is about leaving people behind; I couldn’t let my concept shatter.
“It’s not like I’m criticizing you for turning your grandson into a tenant. I’m just stating the facts.”
“As long as there are no misunderstandings, I don’t mind.”
“Heh. When I allowed you to utilize your writing skills that I had forbidden out of interest, it was astonishing. Scholars who hadn’t regarded casual works as books were now clamoring for your new releases. In meetings of high officials, they just talked about your books. And as if that wasn’t enough, you’ve become a renowned problem-solver, earning the title of ‘Famous Problem Solver.’”
“Elder……”
“Kang Huizhu, the club leader of the franchise, Ho Pil, the famous problem solver; these are all things you achieved in just half a year in Wuhan. Has anyone achieved a more prominent name than you in this land over the past six months?”
Man Geum-jeon looked at me as if questioning whether he had misjudged people.
‘Wow, now that I think about it, someone hasn’t been slacking!’
Since I arrived in Wuhan, I’ve been living in a whirlwind trying to solve Man Geum-jeon’s tests and Im Ha-yeon’s issues.
It got so intense that when I witnessed Do-mun Hyang-joo die right in front of me, I thought, “Maybe I can take a break now.”
Of course, I fainted afterward, but when I woke up, I felt surprisingly refreshed, as if I had actually gotten some rest.
“Compared to the reputation you’ve built over a lifetime, I’ve just been struggling to live. Being called a successor is such an over-evaluation.”
“I’ve spent my life assessing whether or not to lend money while observing people. Right before my eyes is a gemstone beginning to shine very cheaply. I’m certain I won’t fail in this investment.”
Even if you praise me too much, I can’t fly up to the sky.
I couldn’t keep up with the ongoing hyperbole. This must be genuine belief.
‘In the situation where my only son has died, whether my grandson or son-in-law becomes the successor isn’t a huge deal.’
I understood why he was making such an offer. But it isn’t just a simple matter.
There’s a particular issue that I must bring up.
“Elder, I’m Huairin’s fiancé and the son-in-law of the late Baek Gajangju.”
If I were to explain everything that’s happened to Huairin, I would be overwhelmed. Marriage?
‘A person should have a conscience. How could you try to steal the granddaughter of my deceased friend?’
It’s an unbeatable argument that even the immense Man Geum-jeon would find hard to counter. How would he respond?
Man Geum-jeon raised one corner of his mouth, looking at me as he began to smile.
“Did the fiancé run around turning the land upside down for a mere courtesan？”
“How would I know?”
Man Geum-jeon knows about Ms. Im Ha-yeon and the issues with Hao Mun. I was momentarily taken aback and looked at him.
“Who do you think helped fix everything for the grand scene you made just to rescue one courtesan?”
“Man Geum-jeon helped with that?”
No wonder the other sects didn’t react much no matter how much chaos Hao Mun created in Wuhan.
What? Why did that happen? When I couldn’t hide my astonishment, Man Geum-jeon responded with satisfaction.
“Since you’d cause trouble for the mere sake of a courtesan, I thought I could do at least that much for my granddaughter.”
‘What? A man has a conscience. How could I have raised such a storm for another woman so soon after my engagement?’
‘Wow, that’s right. I have no rebuttal here.’
‘So you’ve been waiting for this moment to connect me with Zhuge So-jeo?’
When your argument is weak, find your logic in the other. The reason Man Geum-jeon is called a target isn’t unfounded.
“Elder, I promised Huairin I would wait for her.”
Although I got hit hard, let’s not mistake things. Picking apart flawed logic is not the right reasoning. The mistake I need to address is with Huairin, not with Man Geum-jeon.
“Who. Said for Huairin to betray you?”
Man Geum-jeon sneered as if he anticipated my answer.
“Eh?”
“After treating Huairin, bring her in as your wife. Love and cherish her for a lifetime, providing for her without shortage. But how can a man with grand dreams live for ten years without proper support? Marry my granddaughter first.”
“Elder……”
“Love my granddaughter for as long as you love Huairin. Later, when Huairin is in her competition, protect my granddaughter, and live happily ever after—isn’t that enough?”
“I’ve already made a marriage promise. It’s not such an easy issue.”
“No need to overthink it. Can a man with multiple wives be held accountable? As long as he holds the lead, it’s fine.”
“…….”
“Show your abilities in front of my daughters and grandsons. Then I’ll declare that my successor is Kang Yoon-ho. It’s you.”
Marry Zhuge So-jeo as a primary spouse, and I’ll give you the position of successor to Man Geum Battlefield.
It’s undoubtedly an alluring offer. If I became the successor of Man Geum Battlefield, I could turn the Tea Bookstore into a presence throughout the Central Plains. If Ho Pil’s book becomes famous, the issue of reputation would surely resolve itself.
But there’s one big problem.
‘I’m the second marriage, not the first!’
You want to take her as the main wife, right? If we’re not careful, our family tree could get messy.
Seeing my silence, Man Geum-jeon seemingly interpreted it as agreement and said something unexpected.
“However, if you become my successor, you should stop writing. To inherit Man Geum Battlefield, there’s much to learn and experience. From now on, focus diligently on your successor training.”
That’s something I absolutely couldn’t let slip by without a word.
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