Chapter 336: Aiming at the Light (4)
Zhuge Wen-hu smiled and asked.
“Does the tea suit your taste?”
“Hmm, it’s very good.”
“Heoheo, since I heard the Bank Lord was coming, I specially procured the highest quality tea leaves.”
“You seem to have deep knowledge of tea. Those who know nothing simply think the most expensive one is the best. The Way of Tea is endless when you go into details like the weather, the degree to which the tea leaves are dried, the humidity, the brewing method, and matching the appropriate temperature.”
“You are indeed erudite. I heard that the Bank Lord’s profound knowledge looks down upon ordinary great scholars, and it seems that rumor is true.”
“I only dabbled in it as a hobby. Thanks to my subordinates working well, I have free time to poke around here and there.”
“How fiercely must you have lived to reach that position. This is all what the Bank Lord has achieved. You may feel proud.”
“Heoheoheo.”
Flattery and sincere praise are a hair’s breadth apart.
In that aspect, Zhuge Wen-hu truly knew how to treat people. He was not excessive in humbling himself, and while considering the other party, he did not say things he did not mean.
Song Guk-hyeon liked such a Zhuge Wen-hu. He had thought he would be a strict person since he was the Clan Head of the highly renowned Zhuge Clan and the Strategist of the Murim Alliance, but his impression was much more comfortable than he had thought.
Song Guk-hyeon looked around.
“By the way, even though it’s the greatest alliance in the Murim, for the residence of the Strategist, the highest-ranking figure of the Alliance, it is truly modest.”
Zhuge Wen-hu smiled gently.
“I do not like excessive decoration. Also because I am so busy, I have no choice but to prioritize practical aspects over what looks good.”
He naturally spat out the word’busy’. It was something that a twisted person might feel unpleasant hearing. Since it became a situation where he had asked to meet that busy person.
Song Guk-hyeon smiled and said.
“Since the busiest person in the Murim Alliance has spared time like this, I do not know what to do with myself.”
Zhuge Wen-hu waved his hand.
“Please do not say that. No matter how busy the Alliance’s work is, it is not to the extent of rejecting a private meeting with a noble person. Let alone you are someone who started empty-handed and grew into a giant tree of the Central Plains’ economy, it wouldn’t be enough even if I visited you first to request teachings.”
“Heoheoheo.”
He marveled at the effort and results the person had achieved, not his current position. Song Guk-hyeon liked Zhuge Wen-hu even more.
Zhuge Wen-hu asked.
“By the way, for what reason did the person leading the greatest bank in the Central Plains come to find this lacking person without notice?”
The greatest bank in the Central Plains.
Song Guk-hyeon, who had aimed to be the best in the Central Plains since he first established the bank, had named the bank itself the Central Plains Bank.
A name that could be common if seen as common, and ambitious if seen as ambitious.
That name had now become a legend. He came out to the world at the age of twelve, and in thirty years, it became counted as one of the Three Great Banks of the Central Plains. Now that Song Guk-hyeon was fifty-five, it had become the bank praised as the best among them.
A giant of an era who caused a tectonic shift in the continental economy. It was a rather ordinary impression to be called one of the wealthiest people in the Central Plains, but his wisdom and brilliance dwelling in his two eyes did not fall behind Zhuge Wen-hu.
Song Guk-hyeon spoke with a calm voice.
“In the world, there are bound to be things more precious than money. One of them is time. Since I came to a busy person without notice, I thought it would be better to speak directly.”
“Heoheo.”
“While doing bank work, this person has shared friendships with quite a few people. Mister Wu Gong, who is currently the Left Provincial Administration Commissioner of the Henan Provincial Administration Commission, is one of them.”
Provincial Administration Commission.
If the Guard Command was an institution controlling the military installed in key regions, and the Provincial Military Commission was a military administration institution overseeing an entire province, the Provincial Administration Commission was an administrative institution in charge of governing a province.
The Provincial Administration Commission had Left and Right Provincial Administration Commissioners as its heads. In other words, Song Guk-hyeon had formed a connection with the head of the highest-ranking administrative institution in Henan Province.
“However, a short while ago, Mister Wu Gong asked a favor of this person.”
“A favor?”
“I heard that the Zhuge Clan has invited officials and is investigating the situation and movements of the government’s side.”
Zhuge Wen-hu’s eyes shone.
Song Guk-hyeon continued speaking. Even though he was saying something quite dangerous, he was still calm and composed.
“Mister Wu Gong seemed very uncomfortable with it.”
“Is that so.”
Song Guk-hyeon’s eyes slightly changed.
“May I interpret that answer as saying that the Zhuge Clan is truly investigating the government’s movements?”
Zhuge Wen-hu gave a bitter smile.
“Since you are already certain, is there a need to specifically evade the moment with a lie?”
“…”
“Let alone the head of the Central Plains Bank came personally. I do not wish to tarnish the joy of conversation with useless lies.”
Song Guk-hyeon could not help but ask.
“Why on earth did you do that?”
Non-Interference Treaty between Government and Murim.
The Empire and the Murim do not interfere with each other. It sounds like nonsense at first thought, but such a thing is actually happening.
The Zhuge Clan had now arbitrarily broken that deeply historical treaty, and even obediently admitted it.
Song Guk-hyeon could not understand. Zhuge Wen-hu was the Clan Head of the Zhuge Clan, and also a scholar respected in Confucian circles for his profound knowledge and deep wisdom.
Why would such a person do something so dangerous?
“Before telling you the reason, may I also ask you one question?”
“Of course.”
“Bank Lord, are you perhaps making transactions with high-ranking officials?”
Song Guk-hyeon’s expression slightly changed.
Transactions with high-ranking officials? The expression sounded plausible, but ultimately, it was asking if he was giving them bribes and taking profits. Of course, the opposite case could also exist.
So to speak, it was a considerably rude remark.
Song Guk-hyeon was calm this time as well.
“It would be a lie if I said I haven’t. I have emptied my pockets and put money in the hands of officials.”
“Is that so.”
“However, not once have I made unfair transactions, such as taking great profits through that. I have also never embezzled the bank’s public funds.”
“Is that so?”
“That is so. Although I cannot say my past is clean, I believe I have lived keeping the minimum line.”
At least in terms of experience dealing with people, he was ahead of Zhuge Wen-hu. Even if Zhuge Wen-hu’s eyes were sharp, if Song Guk-hyeon deliberately managed his expression, it would not be easy to notice his true feelings.
“Bank Lord, you are a giant of the merchant world. I do not think such a person would put money in the hands of officials without any profit.”
“I know you are not interrogating me, but may I know the reason you are asking such a question?”
Zhuge Wen-hu’s face slowly changed.
An expressionless face. It was a change to the point of wondering if a person could change like this on the spot. Song Guk-hyeon became tense without realizing it.
“If the fact that I broke the Non-Interference Treaty surfaces, various problems will erupt. It is not something I, who broke the treaty, should say, but it is a self-evident fact that the government side also would not want to make this matter big.”
“…”
“If it were me, no, if it were someone with some experience who knows politics, they would have contacted me directly. No matter how much of a circumstance there is. However, out of nowhere, they ask a favor of the Bank Lord to deliver the words to me.”
“Strategist.”
“Did you ask why I am investigating the government’s movements? I will answer you.”
Uuung.
Cold killing intent gathered in Zhuge Wen-hu’s eyes.
In an instant, Song Guk-hyeon’s complexion turned pale. Although he was practicing life-nourishing arts for his health, Zhuge Wen-hu was a peak master acknowledged by the world. Facing the murderous eyes of such a master, his mind couldn’t help but be shaken momentarily.
“I received intelligence that there is a subversive group trying to seize control of the government. And also the fact that this subversive group is an unknown organization with tremendous martial power.”
“…!”
“Circumstances have already been caught where the masters of that organization have infiltrated the Guard Commands and Provincial Military Commissions as officials. It is hard to think that such bastards would have missed the Provincial Administration Commission, which is an administrative institution.”
The Guard Command, Provincial Military Commission, and Provincial Administration Commission each do different things.
The three institutions were surprisingly uninvolved with each other, and thanks to that, each institution itself was extremely independent.
That was why Zhuge Wen-hu couldn’t be certain either. If he were certain, he would have already set up a strategy on how to cook the entire government of Henan Province.
“I will ask directly. Bank Lord, did you know about the unknown organization trying to subvert the Imperial Family and the government?”
“I-I didn’t know.”
“Is that true? Perhaps, haven’t you already joined hands with them?”
“Strategist!”
“Or could it be that the officials who have formed a connection with the Bank Lord are maintaining the connection without even knowing that they have already been won over by them?”
Song Guk-hyeon couldn’t easily open his mouth. The atmosphere had suddenly turned fierce, but it was also because he intuited how carefully he had to answer this question.
Zhuge Wen-hu, who had been silently staring at Song Guk-hyeon, soon relaxed his expression and bowed his head.
“I am sorry. Because it is a sensitive issue, I committed a rude act to test the Bank Lord’s heart. I apologize like this.”
“…”
“However, it is true that I think the Left Provincial Administration Commissioner acted in a way that is hard to understand. That is why I asked, so please forgive this lacking person.”
Song Guk-hyeon, who was looking at Zhuge Wen-hu with a complicated face, sighed.
“This, I came with a feeling that it was no big deal, but it seems I’ll have to stay longer than I thought.”
Zhuge Wen-hu smiled.
“So you were already thinking up to there. Your wisdom is truly great.”
A subversive group is trying to overthrow the Imperial Family and the government.
This was information that would shock the world. Yet Zhuge Wen-hu unhesitatingly told such information to Song Guk-hyeon.
In other words, he had no intention of letting Song Guk-hyeon go just like this. Until he gained certainty that he was not connected to the Divine Fire Cult, he would absolutely not let him go.
Song Guk-hyeon asked.
“If such a force truly exists, wouldn’t it be better to personally meet the highest-ranking figures of the government side?”
“Fearing I might commit the error of beating the grass to scare the snake, I had no choice but to act radically.”
“Heo-eo.”
“When I have certainty about the Bank Lord, I will apologize for my current rudeness then. You came a long way, and I truly have nothing to say.”
Song Guk-hyeon smacked his lips.
“As I said, this person is not busy. Let’s settle down for a few days to also sightsee the Murim Alliance.”
He was definitely not an ordinary person.
In most cases, it was normal to get angry or suppress one’s anger, not to mention venting one’s unjust feelings. But Song Guk-hyeon was not like that. He knew that it would be meaningless even if he chattered wordily, and that the situation wouldn’t change even if he got angry.
Making what is known by the head also known by the heart. It was one of the reasons Song Guk-hyeon was able to become a giant of the merchant world.
“But the name of that organization is…”
It was then.
“Strategist. The Evil-Annihilating Army Commander requests an audience.”
Zhuge Wen-hu’s eyes suddenly changed once again.
“Tell him to come in.”
“Yes.”
A moment later.
Deureureuk.
The door opened, and Yeon Ho-jeong, holding a huge axe, revealed his appearance.