Merchant

Instead of answering my question, Young Master Bok Yeong grabbed my hand and pulled me along. “Let’s talk about the details inside.” As I was being dragged in by Young Master Bok Yeong, one of the gate guards spoke to him with an uneasy look. “Young Master, I know he’s a welcome guest, but you…

The night before we left Hangzhou. Geumryeong came back. This time, it had visited three places in one go. First, it had gone to the North Sea Ice Palace and to Master to inform them about Yangyang Martial Hall’s relocation, and it had delivered a letter to Father saying we’d successfully taken over the businesses…

The next day. I headed to Yangyang Martial Hall. The hall’s students were busy with nothing but moving preparations. Maybe because they were moving to a much better place, their faces were full of excitement. “Have you arrived?” Just then, maybe because someone had run to tell him I was here, Hall Master Yeom came…

I was at Beautiful Lake Pavilion. As promised, Manor Lord Seong had cleared out Beautiful Lake Pavilion within three days. I came here to check on what we needed. While I was doing that, Hall Master Yeom arrived. “Have you arrived?” “Forgive me for being late. Manor Lord Seong came to see me, and I…

At my words, his face slowly turned red, then he suddenly shouted at me. “What kind of bullshit is that? And show me some proof that this contract is even real!” “Didn’t I just tell you? I had it notarized by the County Magistrate.” “How much did you bribe him to notarize such a ridiculous…

Lord Seong Jun had been in a foul mood lately. It was because the tavern business he’d launched with such ambition had completely gone bust. There were failures, and then there was this disaster. “Um, Lord.” “What is it?” His Internal Chief Administrator had come to see him and cautiously asked. “About this month’s wages…

Madam Hong Mae kept going with the introductions. “This is the artisan who makes our tea.” “My name is Yu Cheon.” “Nice to meet you.” At the words “tea artisan,” my eyes lit up. The talent I’d been coveting while drinking tea earlier was exactly this kind of tea artisan. He looked like an ordinary…

The next day. I left Clear Wave Pavilion as I watched the sun go down. “Where are we going today, Young Master?” At Palgap’s question, I pointed toward the tavern I had in mind and answered. “Moon Wine Pavilion.” It meant “moon wine” – on nights when the moon rose, if you tipped your cup…

Mae Chu and I went over the terms one by one and added them to the contract. Then we each signed and pressed our seals, and I paid the price on the spot with a draftnote. “But Madam Cheongpa won’t leave her place, and Madam Mae Chu won’t leave this one either. Honestly, with a…

The marketplace streets of Hangzhou. Because of the famine, an alcohol prohibition edict had been issued, and with the riots stirring up public unrest, customers stopped coming. The streets felt strangely empty. Inns, taverns, and pleasure houses that had survived off the money spent by travelers from outside were hit by the fallout head–on. In…