Chapter 155: Chapter 155

“Hoyeon Family’s liquor is being distributed?”

The Chu Gate Family, known not only in Hunan but also throughout the Central Plains for brewing famous fine liquor.

The head of the family, Chu Mun-won, frowned at the unbelievable news.

“There is no mistake.”

“Make sense. That place is already…”

Although he dismissed it as a mere rumor and waved his hand, the chief seneschal, Du Ak-chil, placed two liquor bottles he had brought onto the table.

On the seal covering the openings of those liquor bottles, the name of the Hoyeon Family was written in large letters.

Chu Mun-won’s frown deepened.

“The one on the left is the Hoyeon Family’s fine liquor currently trading for ten silver taels. The one on the right is trading for two silver taels.”

“The difference?”

Chu Mun-won asked, unable to ease his stiff expression.

Two liquors, both clearly belonging to the Hoyeon Family, yet one bottle fetched a high price, an enormous sum of ten silver taels, while the other was not even half that price?

Something was strange.

“The grades are different. In fact, the one on the left is in such short supply that it cannot be sold, and high-ranking officials are secretly trying to obtain it even by paying a premium.”

“Mmm… Is it the name of the Hoyeon Family?”

“It seems so.”

Chu Mun-won grabbed his head, feeling a headache coming on. Long ago, the Hoyeon Family was famous as a place that brewed fine liquor.

There were even rumors that the Emperor first drank the liquor and, unable to forget the taste, personally sought it out, so that alone showed how great the Hoyeon Family’s liquor was.

The Chu Gate Family also presented liquor to the Emperor, but the Emperor never personally sought it out.

That was one of the reasons why many still could not forget the name of the Hoyeon Family.

Such a Hoyeon Family was aiming for a comeback?

‘Damn it… It is that wench!’

He recalled the girl of the Hoyeon Family whom he had uniquely spared.

Because she was too young, and seeing her submissive gaze, he had thought she would never be able to rise again, so not taking action back then was the source of the trouble.

Until just a short while ago, they had been monitoring her, but because she showed no significant movement, they had stopped paying attention altogether.

Yet to be stabbed in the back like this.

Chu Mun-won let out a hollow laugh and opened a liquor bottle.

He poured a cup of each into small cups, drank them, and tightly closed his eyes.

“The one on the left is definitely the taste of the past Hoyeon Family. No, rather, it seems even better than back then. The one on the right is passable, but not as good as before…”

“…”

He muttered like that, feeling despondent.

The liquor on the right was not a problem at all, but the liquor on the left was definitely a problem.

Even if he pressed the artisans belonging to the Chu Gate Family, he felt that such a taste would never be produced even if they died trying.

“Who is it?”

“Pardon?”

Crash!

Chu Mun-won, who slammed the table roughly, stood up from his seat and glared at Du Ak-chil with a burning gaze.

“Who on earth made that wench brew liquor! And what kind of insect-like bastard is distributing this liquor!”

“It, it is the Golden Ring Merchant Group.”

“Golden Ring Merchant Group?”

It was a place he was hearing of for the first time.

No, he felt like he had vaguely heard of it.

Chu Mun-won recalled a memory and asked.

“Do you mean that small place in Changsha?”

“Yes.”

“Ha… Truly.”

He shook his head from side to side.

It was a place so small that he could not even remember its name properly. It could not even be compared to the Hunan Merchant Group that traded with the Chu Gate Family.

Such a place did this?

Even while knowing that the Chu Gate Family was watching with wide eyes?

Feeling dumbfounded, a hollow laugh leaked out.

“Investigate in detail.”

“Understood.”

* * *

“Why… Why can’t I do it…”

Hoyeon-ji sat down, unable to contain her frustration. She had brewed liquor several times, but it was still cruder than the liquor Dan So-mi produced.

Although the taste was improving little by little, that was it.

The fact that she had lost to a child who had never brewed liquor before came as a great shock to her. It was even more so because even when she quietly watched what the child did, there was no particular secret technique.

So-mi merely copied well what Hoyeon-ji did.

Yet, it was maddening that there was such a difference in taste.

“Why are you so frustrated?”

“…Please make some sound when you walk.”

Hoyeon-ji tried hard to hide her startled expression.

How could a person who was not a ghost have no presence like this? If she hadn’t experienced it a few times, she might have made a fuss and screamed again.

“It seems it is not being made properly.”

“Sigh… No matter how hard I try, I cannot do it like that child.”

At Dan Woo-hyun’s words, Hoyeon-ji sighed with a despondent expression. That expression, as if her soul had escaped, showed what her heart was currently like.

“So-mi is a somewhat special child.”

“Pardon?”

“She takes good care of people, and is likewise devoted to those who like her.”

“Well, that…”

What did that have to do with anything now?

She also knew what Dan Woo-hyun was saying. Everyone staying in this manor liked So-mi, and So-mi was also a lovely child who liked to repay that affection.

How her heart fluttered whenever she saw that bright smile.

It was as if the child was born with a charm that drew people in.

“Also, she is quite lucky.”

“Eh?”

“Ah, not just a little. She was born with heavenly luck. That is why she gets good results in whatever she does.”

Born with heavenly luck?

Could such a person exist in the world?

Of course, she could not say there wasn’t. Wasn’t the Emperor also born with heavenly luck, which was why he looked down from the highest position?

But Dan Woo-hyun did not mean it in that sense just now.

“To catch up to a child backed by heaven, you would also need to be backed by heaven.”

“That is obvious, but is that the issue now…”

“If you have not obtained such specialness, shouldn’t you rather create something of your own?”

“…!”

Hoyeon-ji opened her mouth with a shocked face.

Since childhood, she had only followed what her parents taught her. Therefore, she regarded it as the best recipe and taught So-mi accordingly.

But if she could not even catch up to her parents, let alone So-mi, with that method, wouldn’t she need something entirely her own?

Hoyeon-ji remained frozen on the spot without relaxing her expression. Because that appearance looked like a martial artist who had gained enlightenment, Dan Woo-hyun chuckled and turned his back.

As he stepped out of the place where Hoyeon-ji was and took a few steps, with a sharp wind-cleaving sound, a figure revealed himself.

“Tsk tsk, weren’t you just going to watch?”

“I did not know she would be a child who could not even realize a simple truth. I only gave advice.”

“Hahaha! That is true. One only needs to use their brain a little…”

Sado-hak burst into a loud laugh.

Hoyeon-ji seemed to be slower than expected. If something did not go well, she could have tried something else, but she was only looking at one place like a charging wild boar.

She could not grow that way.

That was why Dan Woo-hyun had pushed her back so she could redirect her gaze.

“That aside, as you said, there are indeed bastards digging into our backs.”

“It must be the Chu Gate Family.”

“Probably.”

Sado-hak grinned.

Such things were always welcome.

Since opportunity to cause a ruckus as a martial artist arose, his heart was bound to be excited. Moreover, this was taking the first step.

Thinking about what would happen in the future, his heart raced. Just like when he was young.

Recalling the time he swept through the Central Plains martial forest, his smile spread somewhat evilly.

“So-mi’s liquor must have had quite an effect. I did not expect them to move this quickly.”

“Those bastards must be in a hurry. As this rumor spreads further, the Chu Gate Family will be driven into a corner.”

“What about Geum Eun-hak?”

“He is doing well. Even though he keeps releasing So-mi’s liquor in small quantities and raising the price, it seems to be selling tremendously.”

“I see.”

“Although he still has shortcomings, he is impeccable as a merchant. To the point where I do not know why such a guy was leading a small-scale merchant group.”

Sado-hak’s gaze turned toward Dan Woo-hyun.

He must have chosen him from the very first moment he saw him. Thinking that if they were to create a merchant group, there would be no better fellow than Geum Eun-hak.

The ability to grasp and judge a person at a glance.

That was something even Namgung Cheon or Sado-hak, who had led a force, did not possess.

‘Who on earth raised a guy like this…?’

Even if he had obtained the miraculous chance of the Martial God, there was no way he could be this proficient in various fields.

A miraculous chance was just a miraculous chance. It made no sense that he realized all of that alone.

There were plenty of people who could not master it properly even after obtaining a miraculous chance.

But this guy was not one of them.

‘Natural talent, overwhelming martial arts, broad knowledge in various fields, experience, and the overwhelming pressure to suppress opponents… having just one of these would be enough to rule the Central Plains, but this guy has them all…’

That was the thought that occurred to him while observing Dan Woo-hyun.

This guy had everything.

It seemed believable even if he were the Martial God himself.

But Sado-hak shook his head.

There was no human who lived for a thousand years.

That was impossible even for the Martial God.

“So, what are you going to do now?”

“Let’s poke them one more time.”

“Poke them?”

“Yes.”

As Dan Woo-hyun replied and smiled, Sado-hak was convinced that it would surely turn out to be a bad thing for the Chu Gate Family.

Sado-hak swallowed hard.

“What are you planning?”

“Call Hong Won-chang.”

“That guy?”

“Yes, I will give him the liquor So-mi made.”

“…For free?”

Sado-hak’s eyes widened.

He had not even let Sado-hak touch it, saying it was a product for sale, but he was giving it to someone else for free? At that thought, anger flared up momentarily.

“Rather than giving it to a bastard like that, it would be better…”

“I intend to send that liquor to the Prince’s Mansion.”

“Ah…”

Only then did he read Dan Woo-hyun’s thoughts.

The liquor of the Chu Gate Family entering the palace of the Prince who ruled Hunan Province was of an enormous amount. Therefore, to open a larger trade and drive the Chu Gate Family into a dead end, turning the mind of the Prince’s Mansion was the best way.

Sado-hak nodded his head.

“Then I shall go.”

“Yes.”

At the naturally spoken reply, Sado-hak wore a puzzled expression.

In the morning, he went to Wuyang to gather information, and now he had to run an errand to the government office.

He knew that because Gwon Mu-jin was doing other work, there was no one else to run errands, but this was like…

“Hey.”

“What is it?”

“By any chance… you aren’t treating me on the same level as that Jang Sam-tae fellow, are you?”

“No, it is just because you are faster on your feet.”

“Right?”

“Yes.”

“Really?”

“Go quickly.”

“…”

Sado-hak flew off with a somewhat unsatisfied expression.

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