Pay‑to‑Win King of Martial Arts (Novel) - Chapter 59 - Bring the Fire (1)
Chapter 59 – Bring the Fire (1)
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Translated by Heavenly Cat
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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Cheon Yeong-in, Union Head of the Wuhan Merchant Union, tore up the ledger his foreman had handed him. Sales had dropped visibly compared to the same quarter last year.
“Can you all still swallow your meals while things are like this?”
At Cheon Yeong-in’s roar, the heads of the Wuhan Merchant Union’s people lowered. Every last one of them looked as though they’d like nothing better than to slip into a rat hole and run.
“But Company Lord, there’s nothing we can really do.”
One of the foremen spoke with a dissatisfied face. Everyone in the office looked at the speaking foreman as if cheering him on. But Cheon Yeong-in’s face only grew colder.
“Get out.”
“Pardon?”
“I said get out! I don’t need a bastard soaked through with a loser’s mentality, so pack your things and leave!”
“I’ve worked here as a foreman for over ten years. You haven’t even been Company Lord for six months…”
“Shut up and get out!”
Cheon Yeong-in flew into a rage and even made as if to draw the sword hanging on the wall. Only then did the foreman gather his things and leave.
Watching someone get fired on the spot only made everyone else shrink back more.
Cheon Yeong-in knew that this sort of atmosphere would only make the situation worse. He too was an experienced merchant. He had been chief foreman at another merchant union in Hunan Province before the Zhuge Clan recruited him with a large sum of money and installed him as Union Head.
Cheon Yeong-in had thought this was the opportunity of his life. It was a chance to be connected to the Zhuge Clan, one of the Five Great Families, and if he grew the merchant union well as Union Head, he might become a giant of the commercial world.
And yet, while he was thinking it was this sort of opportunity, the union’s sales were going to hell, so how could he not grow harsh?
“Damn scarecrows!”
Cheon Yeong-in stormed outside. In a crisis like this, one would think someone might stop the Association Master from leaving the association, but no one stepped forward. The people below the foremen had all worked long years in the Wuhan Merchant Association, while Cheon Yeong-in was simply an appointment dropped in from above, and that gap could not be ignored.
Of course, Cheon Yeong-in had stormed out in anger, but he had not done so thoughtlessly. The foreman he had just fired had not been wrong.
In truth, sales had fallen like this because commoners had suddenly started keeping one copy of the Green Forest Twelve Forms in their homes. Given the already high price of books and the current craze, it was only natural that the soaring price of the Green Forest Twelve Forms left people without room for other spending for the time being. And that was not the Wuhan Merchant Association’s fault.
In the end, Cheon Yeong-in chose to go directly to Radiant Crystal Merchant Company and settle the matter.
“Excuse me. Could you tell me where Radiant Crystal Merchant Company is?”
Cheon Yeong-in stopped the first person he saw and asked for the location of Radiant Crystal Merchant Company. It was because he had only been in Wuhan a short time and still did not know the geography.
“Heh heh. Don’t waste your trip. Even if you go to Radiant Crystal Merchant Company’s headquarters in person, they won’t sell you the Green Forest Twelve Forms. They say you can only buy it through peddlers.”
The man Cheon Yeong-in had stopped laughed loudly. Radiant Crystal Merchant Company was the hottest merchant company in Wuhan right now. Naturally so, since it held an exclusive on the Green Forest Twelve Forms.
So the man could only assume Cheon Yeong-in was asking because he wanted to buy the Green Forest Twelve Forms.
“That’s not why I’m going. Just tell me.”
At Cheon Yeong-in’s sharpened tone, the man clicked his tongue and told him the merchant company’s location. Without even a word of thanks, Cheon Yeong-in turned and headed off. He heard curses behind him, but this was no time to pick pointless fights with strangers.
“East Lake Merchant Association?”
Cheon Yeong-in arrived where the man had directed him, but for some reason the East Lake Merchant Association’s signboard was hanging there.
Even if he had only been in Wuhan for a few months, Cheon Yeong-in knew where the East Lake Merchant Association was. It was the place steadily eating away at the Wuhan Merchant Association’s market share, and that was one reason he had become Association Master in the first place. To Cheon Yeong-in, the East Lake Merchant Association was an enemy that had to be ripped apart.
“Ahem.”
Looking more closely, there was a small plaque beside the signboard with the words Radiant Crystal Merchant Company on it. Sometimes minor merchant companies rented spare space from a merchant association, so it was probably something like that.
‘To think I have to come personally to a merchant company like this!’
Cheon Yeong-in cursed inwardly. He was a man who had been chief foreman at a great merchant association in Hunan. To have to go in person to a merchant company that didn’t even have a proper compound made his steps difficult to move. But since he had already come out this far, he could not turn back.
“Who are you?”
As he loitered in front of the association’s main gate, someone came out and asked. Judging by the youthful face, he looked like no more than an errand boy.
“Take me to the Company Lord of Radiant Crystal Merchant Company.”
“Pardon? And who are you?”
“You wretch! I’m not someone you may address so lightly. Go and report that Cheon Yeong-in, Association Master of the Wuhan Merchant Association, has arrived.”
At the hostile tone, Cheon Yeong-in shouted. The errand boy turned pale, said he would ask him to wait a moment, and then ran inside.
Soon enough, a middle-aged man approached at an unhurried pace. Cheon Yeong-in frowned. He had heard Radiant Crystal Merchant Company’s Company Lord was young. No matter how he looked at the man, he did not seem to be Radiant Crystal Merchant Company’s Company Lord. Even so, because people in the commercial world often aged prematurely from mental strain, he asked just in case.
“Are you the Company Lord of Radiant Crystal Merchant Company?”
“No. I am Song Hwan-yeong, Association Master of the East Lake Merchant Association.”
“The one I came looking for is the Company Lord of Radiant Crystal Merchant Company.”
“Heh heh. I heard the Association Master of the Wuhan Merchant Association had changed, but I didn’t know you were this impatient.”
Song Hwan-yeong’s voice instantly turned chilly.
“To come to our association and ignore me while looking for Radiant Crystal Merchant Company’s Company Lord first. I didn’t know you could be so ill-mannered either.”
“It’s an urgent matter.”
“And what is so urgent? It’s obvious enough. You want him to sell you some Green Forest Twelve Forms, don’t you? And you were planning to do it half like a threat by waving around the title of Association Master. Because Radiant Crystal Merchant Company is a minor merchant company and its Company Lord is young.”
Song Hwan-yeong still had not forgotten the humiliation the Wuhan Merchant Association had dealt him. Of course, this man had nothing to do with that humiliation, but in any case, the Wuhan Merchant Association was now the East Lake Merchant Association’s chief enemy.
Cheon Yeong-in felt a pang at those words. Song Hwan-yeong’s guess was correct in every detail. It had described exactly what he intended to do without missing so much as a syllable. As expected of an Association Master, he was not someone to be underestimated. Cheon Yeong-in cleared his throat.
“Ahem. It seems I was in too much of a hurry. Please let go of your anger, Association Master of the East Lake Merchant Company. Since taking my seat as Union Head, I had intended to come visit you someday, but time didn’t allow it.”
“Hmph. At least say something believable. Aren’t you sitting there with our destruction as your highest objective anyway?”
Transparent spears drove straight into Cheon Yeong-in’s chest. But there was no way he could act proudly here. No matter what, he had to meet Radiant Crystal Merchant Company’s Company Lord and settle this.
“I do not regard the East Lake Merchant Company as an enemy. I heard roughly what happened before, but anything from before I became Union Head is unrelated to me. I swear on my own name here that I will not make the East Lake Merchant Company my enemy.”
“There is nothing lighter than a merchant’s name.”
Song Hwan-yeong was still prickly, but perhaps because Cheon Yeong-in had lowered himself all the way to the ground, his mood seemed to ease a little.
“Then someday buy me a drink somewhere nice. After I keep Radiant Crystal Merchant Company’s Company Lord in line a bit.”
“By all means. I would always welcome that.”
Cheon Yeong-in let out a sigh inwardly. Song Hwan-yeong, looking rather pleased with himself, had an errand boy take Cheon Yeong-in over to Radiant Crystal Merchant Company’s headquarters.
“Association Master.”
“What is it?”
Song Hwan-yeong looked at the foreman beside him. The foreman wore a worried expression. He too was one of the people Muk Hui-yeong had treated.
“Is it really all right to send the Wuhan Merchant Union’s Union Head straight to Radiant Crystal Merchant Company’s Company Lord? Won’t that be too much for him?”
“You don’t know Divine Physician of Hubei very well.”
Song Hwan-yeong laughed loudly.
“If I thought it would be too much for him, I’d have stopped it no matter what. But if that fellow couldn’t even get the better of me, how is he supposed to handle Radiant Crystal Merchant Company’s Company Lord?”
“Isn’t Divine Physician of Hubei still just a beginner in the commercial world?”
“That’s what people think. But from what I can see, Divine Physician of Hubei definitely has experience. He’s just hiding it. That’s not a matter of calling or talent. It’s an ability that can only be polished through experience, and Divine Physician of Hubei has it.”
“Is that so?”
“You haven’t talked much with him, so you wouldn’t know. That Union Head of the Wuhan Merchant Union is probably going to be torn to shreds by Divine Physician of Hubei.”
“But the Union Head of the Wuhan Merchant Union has over twenty years of experience in the commercial world too. Will it really turn out that way?”
“Just watch. You’ll see what happens.”
Song Hwan-yeong smiled with complete confidence. There were always incomprehensible geniuses in every field. The commercial world was the same. In Song Hwan-yeong’s view, twenty years of experience was nowhere near enough to face Muk Hui-yeong. It would take an old snake with at least a hundred years of age behind him.
The foreman still watched the back of the Wuhan Merchant Association’s Association Master with worry. The Association Master of the Wuhan Merchant Association went into Radiant Crystal Merchant Company’s building.
***
When I entered the merchant company, the Association Master of the Wuhan Merchant Association was sitting there in a posture painted with arrogance. Foreman Jo Chung-heon stood beside him, not knowing what to do.
Then again, there was an enormous gap between the foreman of a minor merchant company and the Association Master of a merchant association that dominated one region.
“Are you the Association Master of the Wuhan Merchant Association?”
“How rude.”
“Pardon?”
The man I took to be the Wuhan Merchant Association’s Association Master abruptly raised his voice.
“Then who else would be sitting here if not the Association Master of the Wuhan Merchant Association? Once you’ve roughly confirmed it, you should introduce yourself first. I heard you entered the commercial world not long ago, but it seems you’re still very ignorant of manners!”
I smiled bitterly inwardly. We had only exchanged a few words, yet I felt I understood very well what kind of man he was.
There were always people like this. People who tried to crush others with their status. I despised such people. That was because such people tried to prove themselves with their position rather than with their ability.
“I was foolish for a moment. I am Muk Hui-yeong, Company Lord of Radiant Crystal Merchant Company. What brings the Association Master of the Wuhan Merchant Association here?”
Even so, I observed proper manners. The Company Lord of Radiant Crystal Merchant Company did not represent Radiant Crystal Merchant Company alone. Since we were under the East Lake Merchant Association, I had to think of them as well.
“Hm. That’s how it should have been from the start. Then shall we go straight to the main point?”
It had seemed so natural that I hadn’t noticed at first, but Cheon Yeong-in was sitting in the seat of honor with complete ease.
Ordinarily, that was not exactly wrong. There was a difference in rank between the Company Lord of a minor merchant company and the Association Master of a merchant association. But this was still my merchant company. Usually, I would seat the Association Master out of courtesy. It was not a case of the Association Master seating himself.
I fixed a smile onto my face. At times like this, I could not afford to lose my smile.
“I am deeply honored by your permission.”
“Only as it should be. Then we may proceed straight to the main point?”
“Please do.”
“Sell me the Green Forest Twelve Forms you have in your warehouses. I’ll pay the current market price.”
How could it be this obvious? In truth, I had known from the start. There was only one reason the Union Head of the Wuhan Merchant Union would come looking for me.
“Radiant Crystal Merchant Company won’t lose anything anyway. I’m buying at the current market rate. Since I’m purchasing a large quantity all at once, though, I think some discount is needed.”
Cheon Yeong-in said that shamelessly. Looking at him, it seemed he had firmly decided to take me for a fool.
There was a reason one had to keep one’s smile fixed in place. Because there were times when one needed to remove it.
“Are you joking?”
“…What?”
“You want me to sell it at market price when the price is rising by the day? And with a discount on top of that? Are you out of your mind?”
“Wh-what, out of your mind?”
“You ought to know your limits. I was going to let it pass if possible, but do I look like some idiot who can’t even do arithmetic?”
As I came at him roughly, confusion spread over Cheon Yeong-in’s face.
“…Hmph. So you do understand how the market works at least.”
“If you’re done talking, then leave. Listening to this nonsense is making wax start coming out of my ears.”
“I’ll give you one last chance. I’ll pay thirty percent over market.”
“Why should I sell at all? No one knows how high it’ll go yet.”
“If you gorge yourself too much, it’ll make you sick. When luck drops a fortune on you, it’s customary to share with fellow merchants. As expected, you know nothing of the etiquette of the commercial world.”
I started laughing quietly. Cheon Yeong-in’s words were becoming funnier by the moment. Strictly speaking, they weren’t entirely wrong. In situations like this, merchants sometimes did share goods for the sake of coexistence among merchant unions. But that only applied when relations between merchant unions were exceptionally, exceptionally good. It did not apply in the slightest to the relationship between the East Lake Merchant Union and the Wuhan Merchant Union.
“Get out. Just get out.”
“Are you sure you won’t regret those words?”
Cheon Yeong-in’s face was already flushed red with humiliation. Being insulted by someone far below him in both age and rank seemed to be more than he could bear.
“You’re running peddlers, aren’t you? We could hire other black-path men and interfere with that peddling. That much would be easy.”
“Go ahead. Stop flapping your gums and do it.”
“So you really were nothing but a madman. Do you realize your choice could spread into fighting among the underworld of Wuhan? Are you truly trying to bring fire to Wuhan?”
“Wow. Sounds fun. Everyone enjoys watching a fight.”
“You’ll soon learn how far your guts have run out of your belly, for a mere merchant company to challenge a merchant union.”
“My guts ran so far out of my belly that I brought fire back barehanded.”
Unable to find any answer, Cheon Yeong-in stood up with a cold face.
The negotiations had broken down.
And just as Cheon Yeong-in had said, before long came word that black-path men had clashed in the streets of Wuhan.