Return of Mount Hua Sect - Chapter 601
”Hmm.”
As he read the letter, a new, heavy voice flowed from Tang Gun-ak’s lips.
As he read the not-so-long text repeatedly, he smiled and nodded his head…
“In the end, it happened.”
Tang Pae, who was quietly guarding the front, looked at the expression and uttered a complaint.
It was Tang Gun-ak who didn’t show his smile no matter what. It was especially so within the Tang Family.
Of course, the weight of being the Gaju may suppress his emotions, but every time he hears news from Mount Hua, Tang Gun-ak’s reaction is definitely different.
“I knew that Mount Hua was stronger than the world knew, but I didn’t know that they would subdue that Daebyeolchae without damage.”
Tang Pae is one of those who knows Mount Hua Divine Dragon’s and Mount Hua Sect’s skills better than anyone else. However, the performance that Mount Hua showed this time surprised even him.
Then how big would the shock be for those who don’t know Mount Hua?
“They should do that much. That way, wouldn’t others know that the world changed and that the Ten Great Sect guys who were still leisurely guarding their own barn had fallen on their feet?”
Tang Gun-ak couldn’t hold back his laughter when he thought about what kind of face the people in the Ten Great Sect would have been when they heard the news.
‘Anyway, he surely has a ghostly side.’
Righteousness is not as great as one might think or as helpful as one might think. Usually, it is rather annoying and takes a lot of work, though nothing comes back.
But that Righteousness is the basis of the self-proclaimed Righteous Sect. Just as the skills soon deteriorate if someone neglects the basics because blinded by the splendid rise of martial arts, if one is blinded by profit and wealth, they will forget what they must protect.
There’s a strange side to public sentiment; in the end, it was never missed.
“The Ten Great Sect must have a lot to say.”
“Yes, I think so. In fact, the subjugation of the Daebyeolchae is a difficult task for anyone other than Mount Hua in the current Kangho.”
“But that’s just an excuse.”
Tang Gun-ak shook his head still.
“There’s no way people’s minds can change over just one incident. The fact that this incident is a problem only proves that the Ten Great Sect has neglected the work they need to do.”
“Yes, Gaju-nim.”
“Then you should always keep that in mind.”
Tang Gun-ak’s eyes darkened slightly.
“As soon as you take for granted what you are enjoying now in the name of the ruler of Sichuan, the collapse of our family will begin. You have to constantly think about what’s holding all these things together.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Looking at Tang Pae nodding with a serious face, Tang Gun-ak smiled a little bitterly.
‘In that sense, Mount Hua Divine Dragon is a very troublesome existence.’
Whether it’s calculation or sense, that bastard recognizes something that the other person might not like. And he changes his plans casually and does things that the other person can’t expect.
It is a pleasant sight because he is a friend, but if he were an enemy, Tang Gun-ak would feel like he had a hot stone in his stomach.
“Anyway, it became a hot topic sooner than I thought.”
Tang Gun-ak gently pressed around the eyes.
He seemed to already know what Chung Myung would say next.
“I need to hurry up a bit.”
“What kind of work are you talking about?” “Before the name of Mount Hua fades from the minds of the world again, we must officially establish Heavenly Comrade Alliance.”
It was a light and serene voice.
But the weight of the word was never light.
“At least we have to finish our preparations until Mount Hua Sect returns to Mount Hua.”
“… Wouldn’t that be too tight of a schedule?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Yes? No matter how far it is from Hubei to Shaanxi, they are martial art. It won’t take a few days…..”
Tang Gun-ak sighed lightly and said.
“There is no way that Mount Hua Divine Dragon would simply go back to Mount Hua from Daebyeol Mountain.”
“…Ah.”
“I’m sure he’ll commit something again. Because he is that kind of person.”
“… Understood.”
“As soon as he gets back to Mount Hua, if he asks me why we’re not ready yet. Keueuh.”
Tang Pae had no idea whether his father liked Mount Hua Divine Dragon or not.
Tang Gun-ak spoke with the same face as usual.
“I don’t want to hear anything unpleasant, so hurry up. How are the preparations going?”
“Most of the other preparations are complete. However, when I asked the influential small and medium-sized sects around us if they were willing to join Heavenly Comrade Alliance, no answer has been returned.”
“Hurry up.”
“….”
Tang Pae was about to say something when Tang Gun-ak raised his hand and cut his word.
“I’m not asking you to persuade them. I’m asking you to hurry. It doesn’t matter what the answer is.”
“Ah….”
“A good answer won’t come anyway. Even though they are people who cannot help but be influenced by Sichuan, they cannot ignore the order of the Ten Great Sect and the Five Great Family.”
“It certainly felt like a stir.”
“So it’s enough if we just listen whether they want to participate or not. There is no need for them to join us from the opening. Just ask them to participate in the opening ceremony and brighten up the place.”
“That would be possible.”
“You’d better hurry.”
“Yes, or we’ll have to listen to Mount Hua Divine Dragon’s nagging.”
“Yes, move!”
“Yes!”
Tang Gun-ak laughed as he saw Tang Pae running outside.
‘Nagging.’
The Tang Family of Sichuan Chengdu of the world is in a position where they have to run because they are afraid of the young Taoist’s nagging.
It’s ridiculous the more he thinks about it, but the bigger problem is that he didn’t really hate the situation.
‘However.’
Thanks to the presence of Mount Hua Divine Dragon, they’re in a better position than the Ten Great Sect, where they should now tremble as if swallowing a needle.
Looking eastward, Tang Gun-ak grabbed his brush again with a smiley face.
* * *
The Golden Ship Merchant Group (금선상단(金船商團)), is the largest merchant guild in Wuhan.
Song Tae-ak, the merchant guild’s leader, looked at the letters with a face of discontent.
“… Why is this happening?”
“Yes?”
“Why is it like this?”
Then Mo Wan (모완(毛完)), the General Officer, replied with an awkward face.
“That… In fact, the main focus of our lines is tea.”
“That’s right.”
“In recent years, our tea has sold well and made money.”
“That’s right.”
“Hehe. Among them, expensive tea sold to high-ranking people became money.”
“But then?”
Mo Wan made a slight frown and spoke bitterly.
“But when Yunnan’s tea trade resumed, the expensive tea market was robbed.”
“….”
Song Tae-ak crept an eyebrow.
“Yunnan’s tea wasn’t there before, and it just didn’t work out but then it started to work out again.”
“That’s right.”
“But why are they all being robbed? It’s not like it just fell from the sky.”
“This is … there is a mysterious side to a product, right? As you know, since ancient times tea from Yunnan has been consumed by high-ranking people, right?”
“That’s right.”
“However, the trade of said tea was blocked and a shortage occurred, causing the price to skyrocket. The high-class tea that only high-ranking people drank became even higher-class! It literally became the tea of the filthy rich human.”
“….”
“At that point, it’s not just a tea, it’s a symbol of power and wealth.”
“Yes, of course, it is. But that’s not what I’m asking! I asked why our sales have plummeted.”
“So, Yunnan’s tea, which has become a luxury item for high-ranking people, has suddenly been released in bulk at a lower price than before.”
“….” “These guys even sell the tea by grade, so expensive teas are more expensive, and cheap teas are priced to the point where someone can buy them if they want to. Thanks to this, people who are usually interested in tea can afford to try a higher grade tea, and even those who are not interested in tea can buy a suitable grade tea.”
“….”
“That’s why the tea market is bound to be crushed. The tea we used to sell is no longer sold because of Yunnan tea. It is now piled up in the warehouse and growing mold.”
“Keueuh.”
Song Tae-ak scratched his head with both hands.
“Since luxury goods have become affordable, this person and that person are rushing to try it. That’s what you’re saying.”
“Exactly.”
“Then what’s the plan?”
Mo Wan grinned.
“When a typhoon passes, the only thing left to do is hold on to the pillar and pray for a safe survival. The preference for Yunnan tea will subside in a few years.”
“…The best goal is not to go perish in those years.”
Song Tae-ak sighed deeply with a heavy heart.
Of course, the Golden Ship Merchant Guild is not small enough to be ruined just because it didn’t make a big profit on teas for those years. They can make a living for another hundred years with just the profits they have accumulated.
Even if they look at it like this, they’re still a merchant guild that is in the top 10 in Jungwon.
“It will be resolved in a few years. It’s a short time.”
“That’s not the problem, isn’t it?”
“Yes?”
However, Song Tae-ak clicked his tongue as he saw such Mo Wan.
“Looking at the way things are going, those guys are definitely people who know how to make money. Rather than making a lot of money right away by recklessly releasing it at a high price, they lowered the price moderately to increase profits. It’s a strategy of selling 20 pieces of one nyang product rather than one product of ten nyang prices.” “That’s right.”
“Don’t they know that the price of Yunnan tea will eventually drop?”
“….”
“The problem is that we don’t know what else they’re going to make with the huge amount of money they’ve earned from that tea! Keueuh, I’d rather line it up…..”
“Ei, don’t you have the pride of being the top ten merchant guild in Jungwon?”
“The most useless thing for a merchant is that pride! All you have to do is make money, what does pride matter!”
“Even so, that’s too much. It’s none other than Mount Hua who resells Yunnan teas.”
“….”
“It is almost impossible for us in Hubei to do business with them.”
“Who doesn’t know that? I’m just frustrated!”
Song Tae-ak screamed for no reason.
This was the hardest time for him as a merchant. When there is no way to approach the money vein, even though he is clearly aware that the vein through which money flows has begun to change.
‘But I can’t break the relationship with Wudang Sect.’
There was no justification and no reason for Mount Hua Sect to accept those trading with Wudang Sect. Why would people who are already doing well consider them?
“Keueu, I don’t know if Kangho people know this situation.”
After all, it’s money.
Growing sects always grab money. It’s not about making money by growing up, it’s about growing up to make money. Shaolin became the first sect in the world because they are the richest sect in the world.
A money-making sect doesn’t have to worry about one thing or another. They can focus on training without having to send their disciples outside, or they can buy expensive elixir.
Who will be stronger; those who devote their lives to training without worry, or those who have to worry about what to eat tomorrow?
‘But now there’s a vein of gold flowing through that Mount Hua.’ In just a decade the money will begin to work.
“Ugh, it’s a rice cake in a picture. A rice cake in a picture.”
It was just when Song Tae-ak sighed and reached out to the ledger.
“Ge- General-nim!”
“Hm?”
An urgent voice was heard. Mo Wan asked towards the door where the voice came from.
“What’s going on?”
“I, I think you should come out. There are people who are trying to make a deal, but this, the amount is extraordinary.”
“… What do you mean the amount is extraordinary? They brought some grain or something?”
“This… N- No, it’s hard to explain in words. You must see for yourself.”
Mo Wan tilted his head.
“Tsk. Let’s go out.”
Song Tae-ak stood up lightly. He was already frustrated, but it was best to see things that would make money with his own eyes and calm his heart.
“What a great thing to come.”
He smirked and walked out with light steps.
“….”
It’s coming in.
“….”
Something keeps coming in.
Carts entered one after another through the large gate at the Golden Ship Merchant Guild. Each cart was stacked with white sacks higher than a man’s height.
“Wha- What the hell is this?”
It doesn’t look like grain.
Even if these were all grains, the amount would be staggering.
“That….”
Thump.
At that time, one of the cart’s sacks fell to the ground and its objects poured out.
“J- Jewelry?”
All were jewels and trinkets.
At first glance, expensive jewellery was randomly placed in a dirty sack…
“Thi- This… No, it’s crazy if this all are jewels….. Right, I don’t think so. No, but this…….”
Even if it’s not jewelry, it must be something expensive. Or else it would have been stored separately.
Then, how much are all the things coming here now?
Suddenly, he started to have hiccups. Whether this was a blessing or a misfortune, Song Tae-ak could not tell the difference.
At that time, a young man trudged inside and smiled at Song Tae-ak.
“Is old man the merchant guild master?”
“Huh?”
“I heard that there is a lot of money here. Please check how much it will be if we sell all of this.”
“….”
Song Tae-ak’s forehead began to break out of cold sweat.
‘Here comes the God of Wealth (재신(財神)!’
Of course.
It remains to be seen whether it was a God of Wealth or a God of Calamity.