Chapter 532

Chapter 532

Jin Ja-gang didn’t move for a while and only took care of Poison Heaven.

And Tang Ha-ran was able to focus on the Tang Family’s affairs just as much. Even Jin Ja-gang found it hard to see Tang Ha-ran twice a day.

Tang Ha-ran returned to the room late at night looking haggard. Jin Ja-gang brought out warm tea for Tang Ha-ran.

Tang Ha-ran collapsed into a chair and asked.

“Poison Heaven?”

“He’s sleeping.”

“Phew… I thought when I became family head, I’d just sit still and give orders.”

Exhaustion was clearly visible in Tang Ha-ran’s eyes. Jin Ja-gang went behind Tang Ha-ran sitting in the chair and massaged her shoulders.

“Watching grandfather buried in documents like that, I used to think, ‘Isn’t he being like that because he doesn’t trust his subordinates too much?'”

Tang Ha-ran laughed helplessly.

“But that’s not it. To make that one decision, I need to grasp jianghu’s situation in real time and know the family’s circumstances. Even examining people’s backgrounds and tendencies to use them in the right places is all work.”

“There’s no easy position in the world. You’re doing well even now.”

“The promissory note problem, it seems I’ll have to stake everything on it.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t say that. If you had given up, things would have gone the way the Hungry Ghost King wanted.”

Tang Ha-ran tilted her head back and looked at Jin Ja-gang’s face upside down.

“You do what you’ve been doing. I’ll handle the aftermath. Not just this time, but next time too, and always the same.”

Tang Ha-ran’s eyes shone despite her tired face.

“Great Master Mu-gak’s sword? I don’t care about that. And I won’t let that sword point at you either.”

Eyes of trust toward Jin Ja-gang…

Jin Ja-gang quietly kissed Tang Ha-ran’s forehead.

Tang Ha-ran also held Jin Ja-gang’s hand placed on her shoulder with a pleased expression, feeling Jin Ja-gang’s warmth.

“Shall we make a little brother or sister for Poison Heaven?”

Flinch!

* * *

Tang Ha-ran, as acting head of the Tang Family, sent an official letter to the merchant world.

Shaanxi Merchant House: 120,000 taels.

Huizhou Merchant House: 55,000 taels.

Min Merchant: 30,000 taels.

Shandong Merchant House: 100,000 taels.

Guangdong Merchant House and Jiangsu Merchant House: 45,000 taels each, and more…

Since the payment deadline for promissory notes to the above merchant houses is approaching, please come to our family with your matching promissory notes.

The merchant world was turned upside down.

No one expected the Tang Family to move first. It was an unexpected preemptive action, completely opposite to what Baek Li-jung had predicted.

The merchant world was anxious. Now that even Wang Yeon, who played the brain role, was dead by Jin Ja-gang’s hand, it became difficult to readily decide how to act. If they couldn’t receive the money owed and only had to give money later, they would suffer great losses, so they couldn’t not go.

However, the part they were reluctant to go to, even aside from just the money…

It was the anxiety that Wang Yeon might have revealed all the plans while dying.

Jin Ja-gang is ruthless. He’s a venomous snake who ultimately found and hunted down even Wang Yeon, who rarely revealed his identity.

It’s obvious he won’t leave alone those who joined hands with Wang Yeon and shook jianghu.

Moreover, the place was none other than the Tang Family Estate. Wasn’t that a place even Shaolin’s Stone Vajra couldn’t penetrate?

If they died inside, no one would know. They could disappear without a trace.

However, no matter how much they looked at the letter, they couldn’t know any other content.

The letter said the Tang Family possessed promissory notes, so bring the matching counterpart notes, but it didn’t clearly state whether they would settle and pay them.

As the merchant world found out on their own, just as Baek Li-jung said, the Tang Family didn’t have the capacity to pay hundreds of thousands of taels. They wondered if the plan was to bring the matching notes and then kill them inside the Tang Family Estate and recover even the matching promissory notes they held, or perhaps extend the deadline or make threats. Or if not that, whether they really intended to pay the promissory notes.

They couldn’t know anything from just the letter.

Risk their lives to go collect the money.

Or give up.

The great merchants gathered in secret and held a meeting.

The chief merchant of Shaanxi Merchant House stood up first, bowed, and spoke.

“I deeply thank the various merchants who have gathered here. The reason we’ve gathered is none other than the promissory notes whose payment deadline is approaching. The Tang Family is telling us to come collect them, so we want to gather everyone’s wisdom and deal with this wisely.”

The head of Longyou Merchant House said.

“First, we need to know the Tang Family’s intentions. What they plan to do by calling all of us.”

The chief merchant of Taihu Merchant House made an uncomfortable expression.

“But we don’t know what Lord Wang said. If the Poison Dragon knows everything, or rather, we should assume he knows. That’s why he called us, isn’t it? We might inadvertently be sticking our heads into a tiger’s mouth. Let’s ask them to come to a different place instead of the Tang Family Estate. We can bring the money, match the promissory notes with each other, and receive them, can’t we?”

Someone said casually.

“What if the Poison Dragon comes to that place?”

“…”

The meeting of great merchants was instantly engulfed in silence.

Going to the Tang Family Estate was unpleasant, but the Poison Dragon coming directly was more terrifying.

Moreover, it could become an excuse to bring the secluded Poison Dragon out into the Central Plains.

The great merchants focused on the Ningbo merchant.

“What does the chief merchant think?”

The Ningbo merchant was trading with the Tang Family. They had tried to join hands with Tang Qing and rise up but failed. They also knew the most about the Tang Family.

The Ningbo merchant’s chief pondered deeply and said.

“The first thing King of Hell did after rising from his seat after being defeated by the Poison Dragon was to capture and kill all of our merchant house’s associates in Sichuan. The Tang Family is still doing business through local merchant groups in Sichuan, but they only use our merchant house’s name in name only. Essentially, our trade with them is almost completely cut off.”

The great merchants all clicked their tongues and condemned Baek Li-jung.

They were deeply disappointed and annoyed that Baek Li-jung wasn’t moving and was biding his time.

“Is he saying the money we’re giving isn’t enough? Or does he plan to strike the Poison Dragon and swallow even our promissory notes?”

“He’s leaving us to be sacrificed to make the Poison Dragon into a greater demon and public enemy of the martial world. He knows that as time passes, we’ll have no choice but to cling to him with bags of money.”

“Either way, when he becomes Martial Alliance Leader, we’ll have to offer even more gold than now.”

Then someone offered an opinion.

“Come to think of it, the Unbreakable Heavenly Sword said it would be good to spread the story that the Poison Dragon killed an innocent merchant and robbed his property.”

At those words, the great merchants’ ears perked up.

“That means we can question how the Poison Dragon obtained the promissory notes?”

The head of Guandong Merchant House showed a negative attitude.

“Question? The Poison Dragon?”

The chief merchant of Taihu Merchant House said.

“Behind us are the Unbreakable Heavenly Sword and the Murim Alliance. And even if the Poison Dragon is a blood-crazed murderer, his wife isn’t. She’s the acting head of the Tang Family and is known to handle matters decisively. Unless the acting head is a fool, she won’t dare treat us carelessly.”

Only then did the great merchants realize the fact they had forgotten. The owner of the promissory notes isn’t Jin Ja-gang but the Tang Family. The letter was delivered under the name of the Tang Family’s acting head.

“Wait. Does this mean the Tang Family, not the Poison Dragon, is responsible for the promissory notes?”

“That’s right. If it’s under the Tang Family’s responsibility and not the Poison Dragon personally, it’ll be somewhat easier. We can carefully weigh the gains and losses according to merchant principles. After all, moving a family isn’t something that can be decided based on emotions.”

Dealing with the Tang Family was better than dealing with Jin Ja-gang personally.

It was even a contradictory statement, but in the current situation, there was no better option.

The elderly chief merchant of Huizhou Merchant House, who hadn’t said a word until then, suddenly requested paper, brush, and ink, then began writing characters.

When facing profit, think of righteousness.

“When facing profit, think of righteousness first before the profit in front of your eyes.”

The great merchants looked at the elderly chief merchant of Huizhou Merchant House.

The chief merchant said.

“This is the only thing we’ll demand. If the Tang Family tries to profit by playing tricks with the promissory notes, we’ll assert righteousness before profit and examine whether the Tang Family’s claim is reasonable.”

The great merchants looked at each other and nodded.

They couldn’t oppose with force. Then the only thing they could try was justification.

After all, even if they had been scheming for a long time to shake jianghu and profit, there was no particular evidence, was there!

Justification was on the merchant world’s side.

They would ask the Tang Family boldly.

Where and how did you obtain those promissory notes?

All the Tang Family could do about that was insist or make excuses.

Then they might be able to take control.

The elderly chief merchant of Huizhou Merchant House said with a serious expression.

“After Lord Wang’s death, we’ve been shrinking in many areas. If we don’t resolve this and move forward, regaining control will be an arduous task. We’ll have to be swayed by martial artists again and offer up our blood-like money.”

The Ningbo merchant’s chief agreed.

“Right. No matter how great the Tang Family is, they can’t survive in the Central Plains without our help. If they try to kill and subjugate all of us, they’ll face opposition from the entire merchant world and won’t be able to buy anything.”

The chief merchant of Min Merchant offered an optimistic opinion.

“Perhaps… the Tang Family isn’t trying to harm us but cooperate with us. Maybe we’re just scared for no reason?”

“Oh?”

Everyone thought that could be possible. Making the entire merchant world an enemy would be too much for anyone.

If they called them with the intention of strengthening their relationship, it would be a truly good opportunity for the merchant world.

They might be able to weigh between Baek Li-jung, who acts somewhat crazily, and the tyrant of Sichuan, Poison Dragon Jin Ja-gang, and take an advantageous position.

The great merchants exchanged glances.

This is worth trying!

* * *

A long procession of merchants stretched out.

A massive number of people came to the Tang Family Estate. Excluding escort warriors, most were ordinary people.

Accountants from shops, calculators, and servants attending them. Porters… cooks, maids… and even entertainers who performed plays or acrobatics and other civilians were included, numbering over a thousand.

The merchant world’s procession entering the Tang Family Estate made noisy sounds of drums and trumpets from the moment they entered Sichuan, making everyone turn to look at least once.

Trill trill trill.

Boom boom boom.

Some children excitedly followed the merchant world’s procession.

The procession was deliberately letting everyone in all directions know they were going to the Tang Family Estate.

In case of emergency, this could become their lifeline.

The merchants reached the Tang Family’s front with wagons loaded full of gifts. Entertainers blew trumpets, noisily announcing their arrival.

However, no one came out.

Trill trill.

Boom boom…

“…”

A guide from the procession went to the Tang Family Estate’s main gate and shouted.

“Is anyone there!”

“…”

“Is no one here!”

The merchants steeled themselves.

The Tang Family was initiating a battle of wills.

That was rather welcome news.

A battle of wills happens when there’s room for negotiation, not when calling someone to kill them.

After a long time in the heavy atmosphere, someone finally came out from the Tang Family Estate.

It was a young man with a clean face dressed neatly.

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Jin Ja-gang didn’t move for a while and only took care of Poison Heaven.

And Tang Ha-ran was able to focus on the Tang Family’s affairs just as much. Even Jin Ja-gang found it hard to see Tang Ha-ran twice a day.

Tang Ha-ran returned to the room late at night looking haggard. Jin Ja-gang brought out warm tea for Tang Ha-ran.

Tang Ha-ran collapsed into a chair and asked.

“Poison Heaven?”

“He’s sleeping.”

“Phew… I thought when I became family head, I’d just sit still and give orders.”

Exhaustion was clearly visible in Tang Ha-ran’s eyes. Jin Ja-gang went behind Tang Ha-ran sitting in the chair and massaged her shoulders.

“Watching grandfather buried in documents like that, I used to think, ‘Isn’t he being like that because he doesn’t trust his subordinates too much?'”

Tang Ha-ran laughed helplessly.

“But that’s not it. To make that one decision, I need to grasp jianghu’s situation in real time and know the family’s circumstances. Even examining people’s backgrounds and tendencies to use them in the right places is all work.”

“There’s no easy position in the world. You’re doing well even now.”

“The promissory note problem, it seems I’ll have to stake everything on it.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t say that. If you had given up, things would have gone the way the Hungry Ghost King wanted.”

Tang Ha-ran tilted her head back and looked at Jin Ja-gang’s face upside down.

“You do what you’ve been doing. I’ll handle the aftermath. Not just this time, but next time too, and always the same.”

Tang Ha-ran’s eyes shone despite her tired face.

“Great Master Mu-gak’s sword? I don’t care about that. And I won’t let that sword point at you either.”

Eyes of trust toward Jin Ja-gang…

Jin Ja-gang quietly kissed Tang Ha-ran’s forehead.

Tang Ha-ran also held Jin Ja-gang’s hand placed on her shoulder with a pleased expression, feeling Jin Ja-gang’s warmth.

“Shall we make a little brother or sister for Poison Heaven?”

Flinch!

* * *

Tang Ha-ran, as acting head of the Tang Family, sent an official letter to the merchant world.

Shaanxi Merchant House: 120,000 taels.

Huizhou Merchant House: 55,000 taels.

Min Merchant: 30,000 taels.

Shandong Merchant House: 100,000 taels.

Guangdong Merchant House and Jiangsu Merchant House: 45,000 taels each, and more…

Since the payment deadline for promissory notes to the above merchant houses is approaching, please come to our family with your matching promissory notes.

The merchant world was turned upside down.

No one expected the Tang Family to move first. It was an unexpected preemptive action, completely opposite to what Baek Li-jung had predicted.

The merchant world was anxious. Now that even Wang Yeon, who played the brain role, was dead by Jin Ja-gang’s hand, it became difficult to readily decide how to act. If they couldn’t receive the money owed and only had to give money later, they would suffer great losses, so they couldn’t not go.

However, the part they were reluctant to go to, even aside from just the money…

It was the anxiety that Wang Yeon might have revealed all the plans while dying.

Jin Ja-gang is ruthless. He’s a venomous snake who ultimately found and hunted down even Wang Yeon, who rarely revealed his identity.

It’s obvious he won’t leave alone those who joined hands with Wang Yeon and shook jianghu.

Moreover, the place was none other than the Tang Family Estate. Wasn’t that a place even Shaolin’s Stone Vajra couldn’t penetrate?

If they died inside, no one would know. They could disappear without a trace.

However, no matter how much they looked at the letter, they couldn’t know any other content.

The letter said the Tang Family possessed promissory notes, so bring the matching counterpart notes, but it didn’t clearly state whether they would settle and pay them.

As the merchant world found out on their own, just as Baek Li-jung said, the Tang Family didn’t have the capacity to pay hundreds of thousands of taels. They wondered if the plan was to bring the matching notes and then kill them inside the Tang Family Estate and recover even the matching promissory notes they held, or perhaps extend the deadline or make threats. Or if not that, whether they really intended to pay the promissory notes.

They couldn’t know anything from just the letter.

Risk their lives to go collect the money.

Or give up.

The great merchants gathered in secret and held a meeting.

The chief merchant of Shaanxi Merchant House stood up first, bowed, and spoke.

“I deeply thank the various merchants who have gathered here. The reason we’ve gathered is none other than the promissory notes whose payment deadline is approaching. The Tang Family is telling us to come collect them, so we want to gather everyone’s wisdom and deal with this wisely.”

The head of Longyou Merchant House said.

“First, we need to know the Tang Family’s intentions. What they plan to do by calling all of us.”

The chief merchant of Taihu Merchant House made an uncomfortable expression.

“But we don’t know what Lord Wang said. If the Poison Dragon knows everything, or rather, we should assume he knows. That’s why he called us, isn’t it? We might inadvertently be sticking our heads into a tiger’s mouth. Let’s ask them to come to a different place instead of the Tang Family Estate. We can bring the money, match the promissory notes with each other, and receive them, can’t we?”

Someone said casually.

“What if the Poison Dragon comes to that place?”

“…”

The meeting of great merchants was instantly engulfed in silence.

Going to the Tang Family Estate was unpleasant, but the Poison Dragon coming directly was more terrifying.

Moreover, it could become an excuse to bring the secluded Poison Dragon out into the Central Plains.

The great merchants focused on the Ningbo merchant.

“What does the chief merchant think?”

The Ningbo merchant was trading with the Tang Family. They had tried to join hands with Tang Qing and rise up but failed. They also knew the most about the Tang Family.

The Ningbo merchant’s chief pondered deeply and said.

“The first thing King of Hell did after rising from his seat after being defeated by the Poison Dragon was to capture and kill all of our merchant house’s associates in Sichuan. The Tang Family is still doing business through local merchant groups in Sichuan, but they only use our merchant house’s name in name only. Essentially, our trade with them is almost completely cut off.”

The great merchants all clicked their tongues and condemned Baek Li-jung.

They were deeply disappointed and annoyed that Baek Li-jung wasn’t moving and was biding his time.

“Is he saying the money we’re giving isn’t enough? Or does he plan to strike the Poison Dragon and swallow even our promissory notes?”

“He’s leaving us to be sacrificed to make the Poison Dragon into a greater demon and public enemy of the martial world. He knows that as time passes, we’ll have no choice but to cling to him with bags of money.”

“Either way, when he becomes Martial Alliance Leader, we’ll have to offer even more gold than now.”

Then someone offered an opinion.

“Come to think of it, the Unbreakable Heavenly Sword said it would be good to spread the story that the Poison Dragon killed an innocent merchant and robbed his property.”

At those words, the great merchants’ ears perked up.

“That means we can question how the Poison Dragon obtained the promissory notes?”

The head of Guandong Merchant House showed a negative attitude.

“Question? The Poison Dragon?”

The chief merchant of Taihu Merchant House said.

“Behind us are the Unbreakable Heavenly Sword and the Murim Alliance. And even if the Poison Dragon is a blood-crazed murderer, his wife isn’t. She’s the acting head of the Tang Family and is known to handle matters decisively. Unless the acting head is a fool, she won’t dare treat us carelessly.”

Only then did the great merchants realize the fact they had forgotten. The owner of the promissory notes isn’t Jin Ja-gang but the Tang Family. The letter was delivered under the name of the Tang Family’s acting head.

“Wait. Does this mean the Tang Family, not the Poison Dragon, is responsible for the promissory notes?”

“That’s right. If it’s under the Tang Family’s responsibility and not the Poison Dragon personally, it’ll be somewhat easier. We can carefully weigh the gains and losses according to merchant principles. After all, moving a family isn’t something that can be decided based on emotions.”

Dealing with the Tang Family was better than dealing with Jin Ja-gang personally.

It was even a contradictory statement, but in the current situation, there was no better option.

The elderly chief merchant of Huizhou Merchant House, who hadn’t said a word until then, suddenly requested paper, brush, and ink, then began writing characters.

When facing profit, think of righteousness.

“When facing profit, think of righteousness first before the profit in front of your eyes.”

The great merchants looked at the elderly chief merchant of Huizhou Merchant House.

The chief merchant said.

“This is the only thing we’ll demand. If the Tang Family tries to profit by playing tricks with the promissory notes, we’ll assert righteousness before profit and examine whether the Tang Family’s claim is reasonable.”

The great merchants looked at each other and nodded.

They couldn’t oppose with force. Then the only thing they could try was justification.

After all, even if they had been scheming for a long time to shake jianghu and profit, there was no particular evidence, was there!

Justification was on the merchant world’s side.

They would ask the Tang Family boldly.

Where and how did you obtain those promissory notes?

All the Tang Family could do about that was insist or make excuses.

Then they might be able to take control.

The elderly chief merchant of Huizhou Merchant House said with a serious expression.

“After Lord Wang’s death, we’ve been shrinking in many areas. If we don’t resolve this and move forward, regaining control will be an arduous task. We’ll have to be swayed by martial artists again and offer up our blood-like money.”

The Ningbo merchant’s chief agreed.

“Right. No matter how great the Tang Family is, they can’t survive in the Central Plains without our help. If they try to kill and subjugate all of us, they’ll face opposition from the entire merchant world and won’t be able to buy anything.”

The chief merchant of Min Merchant offered an optimistic opinion.

“Perhaps… the Tang Family isn’t trying to harm us but cooperate with us. Maybe we’re just scared for no reason?”

“Oh?”

Everyone thought that could be possible. Making the entire merchant world an enemy would be too much for anyone.

If they called them with the intention of strengthening their relationship, it would be a truly good opportunity for the merchant world.

They might be able to weigh between Baek Li-jung, who acts somewhat crazily, and the tyrant of Sichuan, Poison Dragon Jin Ja-gang, and take an advantageous position.

The great merchants exchanged glances.

This is worth trying!

* * *

A long procession of merchants stretched out.

A massive number of people came to the Tang Family Estate. Excluding escort warriors, most were ordinary people.

Accountants from shops, calculators, and servants attending them. Porters… cooks, maids… and even entertainers who performed plays or acrobatics and other civilians were included, numbering over a thousand.

The merchant world’s procession entering the Tang Family Estate made noisy sounds of drums and trumpets from the moment they entered Sichuan, making everyone turn to look at least once.

Trill trill trill.

Boom boom boom.

Some children excitedly followed the merchant world’s procession.

The procession was deliberately letting everyone in all directions know they were going to the Tang Family Estate.

In case of emergency, this could become their lifeline.

The merchants reached the Tang Family’s front with wagons loaded full of gifts. Entertainers blew trumpets, noisily announcing their arrival.

However, no one came out.

Trill trill.

Boom boom…

“…”

A guide from the procession went to the Tang Family Estate’s main gate and shouted.

“Is anyone there!”

“…”

“Is no one here!”

The merchants steeled themselves.

The Tang Family was initiating a battle of wills.

That was rather welcome news.

A battle of wills happens when there’s room for negotiation, not when calling someone to kill them.

After a long time in the heavy atmosphere, someone finally came out from the Tang Family Estate.

It was a young man with a clean face dressed neatly.

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