Chapter 157 : Lee Seo-won (1)

Jin Seong-un subtly released his qi through the hand he held with Ha Ju-yeon.Not only did Seo Yu-gyeom and Seomun Ak, who stood right beside them, fail to notice, but even Ha Ju-yeon himself did not sense anything. It was a most secretive use of qi.

‘He hasn’t learned martial arts at all.’

His interest quickly faded.

After all, the Merchant King elder had once been a bladesman known as one of the Ten Great Masters of the Martial World, so Jin had expected that a direct descendant of the Myriad Gold Manor might have attained at least some level of progress.

Just as Jin withdrew his qi in disappointment, a white-haired Elderly Man suddenly appeared behind Ha Ju-yeon and grabbed Jin Seong-un’s wrist with a thick hand.

“A young brat dares to play tricks.”

A gleam flashed in Jin Seong-un’s eyes.

For the Elderly Man to notice the extremely subtle flow of his qi meant his sense of energy had reached a truly high level.

Jin’s gaze clashed directly with the Elderly Man’s.

The atmosphere inside the hall instantly turned taut.

At that moment, Ha Ju-yeon spoke with displeasure.

“Old man, it’s fine. Step aside.”

Jin also glanced at Seo Yu-gyeom beside him.

Seo Yu-gyeom had already drawn the Heaven-Slaying Dagger inside his sleeve. Lingbo Immortal Maiden and Seomun Ak were also circulating their energy, ready to react at any moment.

The Elderly Man looked at Jin, Seo Yu-gyeom, Seomun Ak, and Lingbo Immortal Maiden in turn before finally releasing Jin’s wrist.

At the same time, the taut tension dissolved in an instant. Amidst the strange atmosphere, Ha Ju-yeon spoke in a hearty tone.

“We’ll be seeing each other every day from now on, so let’s get along. Merchants in the same neighborhood are supposed to build camaraderie, aren’t they?”

“Doesn’t sound right, coming from someone who opened an inn right across the street.”

At that, Ha Ju-yeon widened his eyes.

“There was only Seong-un Inn in this area, wasn’t there? You’ve simply had good luck until now. The Guest Dragon Master seems far greedier than rumors suggest.”

Ha Ju-yeon then spoke of market logic.

It was only natural that when one shop thrived, others of the same kind would sprout up around it.

Of course, this situation was different.

If it had been an ordinary inn, Jin Seong-un would have only felt a bitter taste in his mouth but accepted it.

But the intent of the Myriad Gold Manor encroaching into this alley was far too blatant and obvious. They were not merchants here for fair competition.

Both Jin Seong-un and Ha Ju-yeon knew this fact. After exchanging glances for a moment, they turned away as if by agreement.

Back in his office, Ha Ju-yeon reflected on his first impression of Jin Seong-un and his companions, then suddenly asked the Elderly Man,

“Old man, just how high was the martial ability of the Guest Dragon? Among martial artists, surely one can sense something with just a glance, no?”

“He wasn’t someone to underestimate.”

“For you to say that, he must be quite the master. Life really isn’t fair. He was tall, good-looking, and handsome on top of that.”

“And this is coming from you, born into the Myriad Gold Manor?”

Ha Ju-yeon burst into loud laughter and said,

“Hahaha, even I have my share of troubles. Like now, for instance. To survive against my brothers in the succession struggle, I’ve crawled all the way into this rural backwater.”

That was why Ha Ju-yeon had deliberately set up an inn in Yichang. He had two elder brothers above him, but only one could eventually become the Master of the Myriad Gold Manor.

Many said the eldest son would inherit the position, and Ha Ju-yeon found that truly distasteful.

One day, he overheard his father and the Chief Steward discussing the Guest Dragon, who had recently displayed blatant hostility toward the Myriad Gold Manor.

“That was it. The founding Master of the Myriad Gold Manor, the Merchant King, had also started from a small inn before building the great Trading Company. Isn’t it a perfect picture?”

Thus, Ha Ju-yeon chose Jin Seong-un as the steppingstone to earn his father’s recognition.

If the inn he established could trample Jin’s inn—which had recently dared to bare its fangs against the Myriad Gold Manor—surely his father would acknowledge him to some extent.

Of course, the Guest Dragon had recently gained much fame and was not lacking in martial ability, but Ju-yeon was not particularly worried.

He turned to look at his strategist, who sat at a desk, dozing with hollow eyes.

The man was from a family that had served as secretaries in the Myriad Gold Manor for generations, and he was exceptionally clever. Ju-yeon had personally brought him along.

Ha Ju-yeon called out to him.

“Isn’t that right, Seo-won?”

At the sudden call, the strategist Lee Seo-won wiped the drool from his lips with the back of his hand.

His skin was so pale it seemed almost transparent, and deep shadows under his eyes gave him a frail appearance.

Seo-won gave a half-hearted nod and muttered,

“Yes, that should be the case.”

“Did you even hear me?”

“No. Please repeat it.”

Ha Ju-yeon’s insides churned with irritation. If not for Seo-won’s astonishing intellect, he would never have kept such a man.

“With the wealth and name of the Myriad Gold Manor, crushing a small inn would be nothing. Isn’t that so?”

“Though Seong-un Inn isn’t all that small, yes, that’s true.”

Ha Ju-yeon nodded in satisfaction.

“But if I can make the Guest Dragon my man, wouldn’t that be an even better plan?”

“That’s correct. The elders of the Myriad Gold Manor are also keeping their eyes on him. His martial ability is good, his connections strong, and he’s young. To keep him close and make use of him would be invaluable. But it won’t happen.”

Ha Ju-yeon’s brow twitched.

“Why not?”

“Because those documents say so.”

Seo-won glanced at the towering stacks of papers in the office with his hollow eyes.

Those documents contained everything about Seong-un Inn.

From what Seo-won had gathered, the Guest Dragon was not someone who would bow his head under another. Especially not if that person was his own master, Ha Ju-yeon.

“You are clever and meticulous, but the problem is your narrow vision and frail nature. Well, perhaps that’s why you became a scholar instead of a merchant.”

“Is that so.”

“Sometimes, matters are decided not by theory, but by momentum and the sense of the field.”

“That I cannot deny.”

Seo-won nodded obediently.

He knew his master’s nature better than anyone. No matter what he said, in the end, Ha Ju-yeon would always do as he pleased.

As expected, Ju-yeon continued,

“I was born a master over others. Owning and commanding people comes naturally to me.”

“…Is that so.”

“Look. Even a finicky man like you is under me and following my lead.”

“Yes, that is true.”

Ha Ju-yeon smirked.

That strategist objected to almost everything, basing it on all sorts of numbers and information.

But Ha Ju-yeon believed that human emotions could never be fully captured in writing or numbers. He was convinced that he could see what that clever man could not.

“Just like handling horses, if I present the right mix of carrot and stick, few will resist. And the carrot and stick I wield are of a completely different caliber.”

The wealth, power, and name of the Myriad Gold Manor made it possible.

With certainty, Ha Ju-yeon declared,

“You’ll see. Within half a month, I’ll have a positive answer from the Guest Dragon.”

“Yes, well…”

Seo-won still looked indifferent.

On the morning of the fifteenth day,

Ha Ju-yeon gazed at the completed inn with a deeply satisfied expression. In Yichang, it was an inn so grand and splendid that it felt entirely out of place.

He had hired three chefs from the Imperial Kitchen, as well as ten sharp-handed and presentable waiters.

Using the escort agencies under the Myriad Gold Manor, he had brought the freshest and finest ingredients from across the land, and prepared the finest wines from all over the empire under the Manor’s name.

“Young Master, what inscription should I carve?”

It was the craftsman carving the signboard.

Ha Ju-yeon turned his head toward Seong-un Inn for a moment, then said,

“Golden Cloud Inn would be fitting.”

The craftsman nodded and, with deft hands, carved the letters onto the signboard. As expected of an artisan hired directly by the Myriad Gold Manor, the letters he carved exuded dignity.

“Shall I hang it up immediately?”

“Not yet. Carve another signboard for me.”

“Yes, should I inscribe it the same, Golden Cloud Inn?”

Ha Ju-yeon shook his head, then lowered his voice to whisper something. Startled, the craftsman began carving according to Ju-yeon’s orders.

Time passed as the work continued.

Ha Ju-yeon carried the two completed signboards and headed straight to Seong-un Inn.

When he entered the inn, Seomun Ak looked at him with obvious displeasure.

Ha Ju-yeon laughed heartily and said,

“Don’t be like that. After all, the Seomun Clan isn’t exactly on bad terms with the Myriad Gold Manor, is it? Anyway, where is the innkeeper? I came here to discuss something important…”

At that moment, Jin Seong-un, who had gone upstairs to tidy up a guestroom, came down.

Jin spoke in an indifferent tone.

“A guest?”

“Hahaha, don’t joke. Surely you don’t think I came just to eat a meal. Let’s have a talk.”

Jin stared at Ha Ju-yeon for a moment before leading him upstairs to the reception room.

After all, he had received a request from the Merchant King elder regarding the Myriad Gold Manor. He intended to use this opportunity to see for himself what kind of place the current Manor was.

Reception room of Seong-un Inn.

Ha Ju-yeon sniffed the tea in his cup and said,

“I didn’t expect to find Dragon Well Tea in an inn like this.”

The words “an inn like this” slightly pricked Jin Seong-un’s temper.

Regardless, Ha Ju-yeon continued,

“I just finished preparing to open my inn.”

“Did you come for congratulations?”

“Haha, of course not. I came to make a proposal. One that could be very important to the life of Guest Dragon Master.”

He deliberately paused, then spoke in a serious tone.

“Would you consider working with me?”

“No.”

The answer was firmer than expected. Ha Ju-yeon was taken aback for a moment but quickly regained his composure—after all, he was still a direct descendant of the Myriad Gold Manor.

“I decided to name my inn Golden Cloud Inn. I’ve gathered the finest chefs, the best waiters, the best wines and dishes.”

Saying so, he placed two signboards side by side on the table.

One, of course, read Golden Cloud Inn. The other, shockingly, read ‘Seong-un Inn, Branch No. 2’.

“Which signboard goes up is for Guest Dragon Master to decide. If you accept my offer, you’ll gain immense wealth and stability.”

Ha Ju-yeon dangled the carrot.

He spoke of what it meant to join hands with the Myriad Gold Manor, of his chances of surpassing his brothers to become the future Manor Master.

As always, Jin’s expression hardly changed. Seeing this, Ha Ju-yeon began waving the stick.

“Of course, if you refuse, I can’t just leave it at that. I came all the way to this backwater to prove my ability—I can’t return empty-handed.”

If he set his mind to it, there were countless methods.

He could use the authorities to harass them, or cut off the flow of wine and food supplies to Seong-un Inn.

“In fact, it won’t even take that much. Merchant competition is basically a war of attrition. Each side keeps lowering prices. But the Myriad Gold Manor has overwhelmingly more blood to spill. Money always beats smaller money.”

Speaking confidently, Ha Ju-yeon slapped the two signboards with his palm.

It was a demand for a choice.

Would Jin obediently take his hand and enjoy a glorious future, or preserve his pride and make an enemy of the greatest wealth in the world?

In truth, Ha Ju-yeon was certain of Jin’s choice. Anyone with half a brain would know the Manor was unbeatable in the merchant world.

Soon Jin placed his hand on the signboard that read Seong-un Inn, Branch No. 2.

The moment Ha Ju-yeon smiled in triumph—

Ssshhhhhh—!

As Jin’s palm brushed lightly across it, the engraved letters melted away.

Ha Ju-yeon’s eyes twitched.

But Jin, as always, looked at him calmly and said,

“Seong-un Inn has no plans to open a second branch.”

“….”

Ha Ju-yeon’s gaze grew fierce.

Then he stood and said,

“You’ll regret this.”

“They all said that.”

And those who had said so were usually already in the underworld.

Ha Ju-yeon stormed out of Seong-un Inn. Returning straight to his office, he saw his strategist, Lee Seo-won, dozing among piles of documents.

“Do you do nothing but sleep all day?”

Seo-won wiped his lips with the back of his hand and opened his eyes.

Just looking at Ju-yeon’s flushed, angry face, he could guess the outcome.

“So, did Guest Dragon accept the offer?”

He asked again, despite already knowing.

“Shut up. My mistake was not realizing his vision was short and his standing low.”

“Yes, well…”

“From now on, provide free food and drink to everyone in Yichang for half a month—no, for a full month. Once his inn starts starving for customers, maybe he’ll come to his senses.”

He literally intended to starve Seong-un Inn out. Provide the finest dishes made by the best chefs and the best wine in the finest inn. And for free.

Golden Cloud Inn would, of course, suffer massive losses, but it didn’t matter. Against the immense wealth of the Myriad Gold Manor, it was nothing.

“That doesn’t sound like a good plan.”

As always, Lee Seo-won opposed his master’s idea. Ju-yeon glared at him and said,

“If you offer advice again before I even ask, I’ll sew that mouth shut.”

Seo-won pursed his lips, but his face remained dry and indifferent as ever.

Golden Cloud Inn began its business with quite a flourish. They even launched a huge campaign to announce free food and drink.

They expected a crowd so dense on the first day there’d be no room to step. But the reality was completely different.

Only two tables were filled.

One by the Elderly Man who had come as Ha Ju-yeon’s bodyguard. The other by the Seong-un Innkeeper and his chef.

Seo Yu-gyeom shamelessly waved at Ha Ju-yeon.

“I heard you brought in famous chefs, so I came to taste the food. Surely you wouldn’t poison me just because I’m from the rival inn.”

Ha Ju-yeon glared at him, then stormed upstairs to his office.

He roughly grabbed Seo-won’s shoulder, waking him from his doze among the piles of papers.

“I don’t understand it. Why? Everyone in Yichang must know we’re offering free food and drink.”

Looking out the window as he spoke, he saw Seong-un Inn bustling as usual.

He couldn’t comprehend why people would pay for meals there with free food and drink right across the street.

“Well, I told you… ah, wait.”

Seo-won began to speak, then covered his lips with his hand.

The gesture was infuriating. Ju-yeon glared fiercely and asked,

“You mean you know the reason?”

“Yes, of course. It was all in the reports I submitted. You didn’t read them, did you?”

He glanced at the towering stacks of documents in the office.

“…Speak.”

“There are two reasons. First, Seong-un Inn isn’t just an inn here in Yichang. They’re the saviors who rescued the local merchants from the vile Prosperity Association of the Black Path.”

“….”

“If anyone helped bring down Seong-un Inn for free food and drink, they’d be branded a traitor and couldn’t do business here again.”

Seo-won had a perfect understanding of Seong-un Inn and the Yichang trading district.

He continued calmly,

“The second reason is that someone is constantly reminding the merchants of this, stirring them to see the Myriad Gold Manor as a greedy tyrant to be overthrown.”

“And who the hell is that bastard…!”

“The owner of some cloth shop. He’s quite the natural rabble-rouser.”

Indeed, he had a perfect understanding of No Sang-won as well.

Ha Ju-yeon frowned, as if his head hurt.

“The solution?”

“Of course there is one. After all, they don’t have major merchants or strategists on their side. If we shake the entire board, those country bumpkins won’t be able to respond.”

But there was one thing.

Even Lee Seo-won, who perfectly understood everything about Seong-un Inn, could not possibly know one truth.

That within that inn was a merchant so seasoned—so great—that his name had been etched into history itself.