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 times like these, the only thing keeping them fed was the Hao Clan. As long as they brought information there, they got paid.
Of course, there were plenty of times they got turned away.
But then…
“What? The Hao Clan didn’t pay you for your information?”
At his coworker’s words, the serving boy nodded.
“Yeah. They said they’d put it on the tab.”
“Heh! In all my life, I’ve never heard of the Hao Clan running a tab.”
“That just shows how vicious this famine is.”
“Then what am I supposed to do? If I don’t get money today, my kids won’t eat.”
As the two of them sighed and traded complaints, another serving boy walked up to them.
He was humming to himself as he came.
“Did you find a coin lying in the road or something? Why’re you so happy?”
“Eheheh! Ta–da! Check this out!”
“Gasp! What’s that? That’s rice, isn’t it?”
“Where’d you get it?”
“Clear Wave Pavilion.”
“…?”
As they tilted their heads in confusion, the serving boy said,
“How can you be so out of the loop and still call yourselves serving boys in Hangzhou? You really haven’t heard? They say Handsome Young Hero is buying information over at Clear Wave Pavilion. When I heard the Hao Clan wasn’t paying for information, I went there just in case, and it was true.”
He went on.
“I gave them some information, and in return they gave me rice.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously, of course! Why would I lie about something like this?”
At those words, the serving boy who’d been worrying his kids might starve today bolted from his seat.
“I’m going to run over to Clear Wave Pavilion for a bit!”
By the time he arrived at Clear Wave Pavilion, there was already a line of about twenty people in front.
He quickly got in line, and before long, his turn came.
“Um, I heard you were buying information here, so I came…”
“That’s right. You came to the right place.”
“But do you really give out food if we provide information?”
“Of course. Just go over to that empty tent there and tell them what you know.”
He stepped into the empty tent and told them all the information he had.
“Very good. Here’s your payment.”
“Th–thank you!”
Bowing over and over, he came out holding a small sack with about a serving of rice inside.
With that much rice, if he mixed in a few other things and boiled it all together, his whole family could at least eat one full meal.
And right now, getting hold of rice was so difficult that this felt far more precious than receiving money.
Praise for Eun Seo-ho spilled from his lips all on its own.
“So that’s why they call him Handsome Young Hero! He really is a good man!”
Meanwhile, the Hangzhou branch of the Hao Clan was completely dead.
Because they couldn’t properly pay for information, no one was bringing any in.
Information was originally built up from small, seemingly useless scraps of low–grade information coming together to form high–grade intelligence.
But if those low–grade scraps didn’t come in, there was no way to create high–grade information.
And the people trying to buy information started complaining about just how much the quality had dropped.
The problem was what they were saying.
“Damn it! I might as well go to another branch instead.”
Each branch of the Hao Clan was independent, which also meant they were competitors with one another.
There was no rule saying a client who needed information had to use only one Hao Clan branch.
And if someone needed information about another region, they had to buy that region’s information from that branch.
But without funds, how were they supposed to buy information from other branches?
Before, this place had been one of the most bustling neighborhoods in the entire empire, so they’d been able to gather an enormous amount of information and sell it to other branches for a very tidy profit.
But after the alcohol prohibition came down, that kind of income was nothing but a dream.
Yeon-yeon let out a sigh.
“Branch Chief.”
“What is it. Again…”
The one who called her was one of the Hao Clan disciples, Hong Nam.
“They say Clear Wave Pavilion is buying information. And they give out one measure of rice for every single piece of information, no matter what it is.”
“What? Why? Why would Clear Wave Pavilion buy information?”
“That, I don’t know. The problem is that a good number of our disciples are going over to Clear Wave Pavilion and selling what they know.”
The Hao Clan was a very free organization.
So unless you were part of the upper leadership, you were free to sell information wherever you wanted.
“At this rate, it’s only a matter of time before our branch goes bankrupt.”
“…”
“Branch Chief, you should go and apologize.”
At Hong Nam’s words, she yelled right back.
“I’m the Branch Chief, the Hangzhou Branch Chief of the Hao Clan! And you want me to go personally apologize to some lowly merchant?”
“He’s not some lowly merchant. He has the emperor’s favor, and he’s on friendly terms with the Embroidered Guard and Eastern Depot, not to mention the Murim Alliance and the North Sea Ice Palace.”
At that, Yeon-yeon was struck speechless, and watching her, Hong Nam clicked his tongue inwardly.
‘It’s that useless pride of hers that’s the problem.’
Because of that pride, she was willing to apologize, but she was stubbornly insisting that he should be the one to come to her instead.
‘The act of apologizing itself already means throwing your pride away.’
He sighed.
“So what, are you planning to keep starving? As you know, we’re barely holding out by selling off the household assets.”
Somehow, every last hidden vault scattered throughout the branch had been completely cleaned out.
If anything, it was the kind of situation that made their information–gathering ability seem downright terrifying.
“At this rate, you’ll have to sell even those trinkets you treasure so much.”
“N–no! Not my trinkets! Do you know how hard I worked to get those…”
Gritting his teeth, Hong Nam spoke.
“So please, make a decision already. Branch. Chief.”
I stood on the third floor of Clear Wave Pavilion, looking down. A crowd of people was lined up to sell their information.
“But, Young Master.”
“What?”
“What are you going to do with all that information you’re buying? Are you planning to use it yourself, Young Master?”
“All that information? I’m not the one who’s going to use it.”
“Huh?”
“Handling information is a kind of specialized skill. I don’t have that skill.”
I continued.
“I’m going to pass some of it to the Eunhae Merchant Group’s information division, and some of it I’ll give away as gifts.”
Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am tilted his head and asked,
“Then is there a particular reason you’re insisting on paying in rice?”
“Yes.”
I nodded.
“If I give them money, someone else can take that money from them. And there’s a good chance that money will end up in another faction’s hands.”
“What do you mean by that, Young Master?”
“Think about who’s coming here to Clear Wave Pavilion to sell information right now.”
“Serving boys and courtesans.”
“Exactly. They’re all hired by someone or working under someone. If they have money, can you guarantee their employer won’t take it away?”
“Ah!”
“Even if they don’t outright take it, they can talk them into handing it over. Saying the business is struggling and they need to borrow a little. In times like these, do you really think people who are just grateful they aren’t being fired on the spot could refuse that kind of plea?”
“That’s certainly true.”
“And if those employers happen to be connected to the Hao Clan, that becomes a problem too.”
Everyone nodded at my words.
“But if what they receive isn’t money, but a single measure of rice, things change. From the employer’s point of view, it’s awkward to take or ‘borrow’ something like that.”
At that, Palgap nodded eagerly.
“As expected, Young Master’s insight is on a whole different level.”
But seriously… why are you the one looking so pleased?
Clear Wave Pavilion’s Madam, who had been listening to us talk, cautiously spoke to me.
“But… are you really all right with this?”
“With what?”
“The rice you’re giving them. The cost must be no joke.”
“Ah… that’s true.”
These days, the price of grain was whatever the seller wanted to call it, so the total outlay was quite substantial.
Because Madam Cheongpa personally ran the pavilion, she couldn’t help pointing that out and worrying.
“Even so, you don’t need to worry.”
“Pardon?”
I only smiled.
Because the money I used to buy this rice wasn’t mine.
It was money I siphoned out of the Hao Clan’s coffers.
So right now, I was doing good deeds with someone else’s money.
What kind of face would Branch Chief Yeon-yeon make if she found out?
Just imagining that expression was satisfying.
And it’s not like I’m that bad a person.
The information I’m buying right now will be useful to the Hao Clan.
Not the Hao Clan with Branch Chief Yeon-yeon, but the Hao Clan whose branch chief has ties to me.
What fault do the Hao Clan disciples have?
They only followed Branch Chief Yeon-yeon’s orders.
“Then I’ll step out for a bit.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
The place I headed to was one of the nearby pleasure houses.
[Drunken Moon Pavilion]
It was one of the top five pleasure houses around West Lake. And why had I come here today?
Obviously, I was here to buy the place.
Separate from the punishment for the Hao Clan, I still had business to take care of here in Hangzhou.
When I approached the main gate of the pleasure house, a burly man standing guard blocked my way.
“My apologies. We’re not ready to receive guests yet.”
Well, it was true the pleasure house wasn’t open for business yet.
Right now, the sun was still high overhead.
“It’s fine. I’m not here today as a guest. Is the Madam in?”
“Do you have an appointment, by any chance?”
“I don’t. But please go in and tell her this. Deputy Merchant Lord Eun Seo-ho from the Eunhae Merchant Group wishes to meet her.”
At that, the man’s eyes changed.
“Please wait just a moment.”
He hurried inside, and after a short while he came running back out.
“My apologies. Please, come in.”
I stepped into Drunken Moon Pavilion and followed a serving boy’s lead.
“Welcome. From here, I’ll be escorting you.”
I nodded.
“The Madam’s quarters are on the sixth floor.”
The sixth floor, huh…
So why did it suddenly occur to me that going up and down that every day had to be exhausting?
Thinking such things as I walked, I soon arrived at the Madam’s quarters.
“Please, go in.”
As I stepped inside, a beautifully dressed woman rose to greet me.
“Welcome. I am Mae Chu, Madam of Drunken Moon Pavilion.”
“I’m Deputy Merchant Lord Eun Seo-ho from the Eunhae Merchant Group.”
“I’ve heard much about your reputation. Please, have a seat.”
I took a seat.
Up close, her complexion didn’t look good, and her skin seemed rough and dry.
So even the Madam herself wasn’t eating properly.
While I was thinking that, Madam Mae Chu spoke.
“So, what brings you here today?”
“I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors that I recently acquired Clear Wave Pavilion… Can you guess why I’m here?”
“Are you saying you wish to acquire our Drunken Moon Pavilion as well?”
“That’s right.”
I nodded.
“I’d like to buy Drunken Moon Pavilion.”
“…”
A brief silence fell.
“How much are you thinking of paying for it?”
“One thousand silver taels.”
Regret filled her expression.
“Isn’t that a bit too low?”
“I think it’s more than generous. We don’t know when this famine will end, and considering the operating costs of this pleasure house, I’d say eight hundred taels would be plenty.”
“Then why do you want to buy this place? Just as you said, in a famine that could drag on who knows how long, you’d be accepting a huge loss.”
“Do you really think the famine will go on forever?”
“Then we’ll just hold out until it’s over.”
I let out a small laugh.
“I can afford to hold out, which is why I’m willing to buy this pleasure house. But can you afford to hold out, Madam?”
“…”
Her eyes wavered, and after struggling for a bit, she finally spoke.
“The truth is, the Hangzhou branch of the Hao Clan has already expressed their intention to buy this place for twelve hundred silver taels.”
“Is that so?”
I smiled.
“So can the Hangzhou branch of the Hao Clan actually pay that money?”
“…”
Madam Mae Chu’s eyes trembled even more.
There was no way she didn’t know the Hao Clan’s current situation.
So they’d reached their hand out here as well.
I had wondered, since this was one of the few places that had survived the famine.
“I’m sure the Hao Clan said they can’t pay you right now, but they’ll pay later… But aren’t you the one who needs money immediately?”
Recalling what I had seen after entering Drunken Moon Pavilion, I spoke.
“There are more than a few spots that look like they need urgent repairs. And from what I saw, you’ve already sold off just about everything that could be sold.”
“Then, Deputy Merchant Lord… are you saying you can pay me right now?”
“Of course.”
Robbing the Hao Clan’s vault hadn’t just been payback for threatening me and laying hands on what was mine. I’d also anticipated situations like this.
Side A was offering a high purchase price, but couldn’t pay right away.
Side B was offering a lower price, but had the money in hand.
And the Madam desperately needed money right now.
On top of that, the difference between the two prices wasn’t even twenty percent.
The outcome was obvious.
She spoke to me.
“May I… hear your conditions?”
–TL Notes–
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