Chapter 216
The Youngest Son of Eunhaesang Trading Company Chapter 216
Chapter 216. Karma (5)
The next morning.
As promised, I headed to the battlefield near Taegyeong-hyun.
[Geumsan Battlefield]
It was a reliable battlefield that had never been destroyed even during my previous life.
Actually, our Eunhae Trading Company also considered starting a money lending business, but we quickly decided it wasn't practical and gave up on the idea.
The biggest source of income in the money lending business is the interest on loans.
Compared to the usury rates charged by loan sharks, the interest rates we charged were reasonable, so quite a few people used our services.
We also issued promissory notes and paid or collected money on behalf of our clients.
Since it was a business related to money, it was inevitable that they would need physical strength.
This was because they had to chase down those who defaulted on their debts and catch those who ran away.
Therefore, the level of the warriors they had was as important as the escort agency itself in determining the creditworthiness of the battlefield.
It was thanks to this that the Geumsan Battlefield maintained its high creditworthiness for a long time.
Above all, the battlefield leader was a warrior of the highest caliber.
Usually, warriors of the highest caliber were at the level of sect leaders of major sects.
With someone like that running the battlefield, who would dare to default on their payments?
In addition, each branch had its own messengers, so important news could be conveyed very quickly.
“Oh, you're here?”
“Are you here? Chairman.”
As I approached Geumsanjeonjang, I saw Ma Jang-ju waiting in front of it.
He looked quite anxious, as if he was worried that I wouldn't come.
There was no way I wouldn't come.
Apart from completely taking advantage of Ma Jang-ju, credit is credit.
“I'm sorry I'm late.”
“No, it's fine. I just got here myself. But the battlefield isn't open yet.”
It was still early.
I had deliberately asked to meet at this time, but...
The Geumsan Battlefield was a place where even Ma Jang-ju's influence couldn't reach, so I couldn't rush them to open the gates, and I was forced to wait here.
I was quite nervous that you might cancel the deal.
“It's cold outside. How about we have some tea at the tea house over there? It should be opening soon.”
“Let's do that.”
“Today, it's my treat.”
“No, let me pay.”
“No, you don't. You've always treated me to good tea, so today it's my turn.”
We entered the tea house, enjoying our warm conversation.
It was still early, so we were the only customers.
Even if there were other customers, they wouldn't dare come near us because of the fierce bodyguards accompanying Ma Jang-ju.
No, even if there were other customers, they would recognize Ma Jang-ju and leave as soon as they entered the tea house.
That's how notorious he was.
We enjoyed our tea and snacks while chatting about this and that.
“By the way, did you hear?”
“What?”
“I heard that the Geumsan battlefield was almost raided the other day.”
“What?”
“I heard that a thief broke into the Geumsan Battlefield.”
“....”
What I said was not a lie.
A thief really did break into the Geumsan Battlefield and almost robbed it, but thanks to the battle field master, the crime was ultimately unsuccessful.
That was a year ago.
Since then, the Geumsan Battlefield has begun to manage security more thoroughly.
However, I deliberately did not tell him the rest of the story, leaving Chairman Ma with a slight sense of unease.
“So, I'm thinking of moving to another battlefield.”
At that moment, Pal-gap approached and said,
“Young master, the Geumsan Battlefield is open.”
“Oh, really?”
I said as I got up from my seat.
“Shall we go?”
“Let's go.”
We entered Geumsan Battlefield.
“Welcome. Geumsan Battlefield values your money.”
I handed the card issued by Geumsan Battlefield to the clerk and said,
“I'd like to withdraw some money.”
“How much would you like to withdraw?”
“Two thousand three hundred nyang.”
“....”
The clerk looked confused for a moment, but quickly regained his composure and said,
“I'm sorry, but we don't have that much cash on hand at this branch. I'll have to request it from a nearby branch.”
This afternoon, someone from the Martial Alliance was coming to sign an investment contract and collect the money, so Chairman Ma was not looking very happy.
Of course, a single branch would not have that kind of money.
That was why he hadn't requested it in advance.
“I was also trying to make a withdrawal...”
As expected, Chairman Ma also mainly used this Geumsan Money Exchange.
However, as there was no such amount of money in the cash register, it was impossible to issue a transfer slip.
This was because transfer slips could not be issued indiscriminately; when a transfer slip was issued, the branch had to have the corresponding amount of cash on hand.
“How much do you need?”
Ma Jang-ju told him the amount he wanted.
“Hmm, with that amount, it will probably be ready by tomorrow evening. Um... Do you want cash?”
Ma Jang-ju replied without hesitation.
“Of course!”
If he issued a promissory note, he wouldn't need cash right away, so he could issue a transfer slip.
In fact, that was safer.
If anything happened, he could request that payment be suspended.
But he was probably worried about what I had said earlier.
The small seed of anxiety I had planted was now consuming Ma Jang-ju.
“By the way, the Martial Alliance said they would come a little after lunch today...”
I said to Ma Jang-ju.
“First, why don't you explain the situation to the Martial Alliance, give them the promissory note for the full amount, and come back tomorrow to collect the money? They will understand under these circumstances.”
“Hmm... That's a good idea.”
“And if the Martial Alliance says they will issue a promissory note with this Geumsanjeon, they will let you go without any worries.”
“Then let's do that.”
At that moment, an employee asked cautiously.
“Then should we deliver the money to the place where you will receive the promissory note directly from our battlefield?”
In other words, he was asking if they should issue a consignment promissory note.
However, Ma Jang-chu, who had been sown with the seeds of anxiety I had planted, would never allow that.
“No. I will deliver it myself.”
In this case, Geumsan Battlefield would be responsible for collecting the debt.
In other words, if the debt was not paid, Geumsan Battlefield would collect it instead.
“Then I will see you tomorrow.”
“Yes, let's do that.”
I returned to the inn, had lunch, and got back to work.
Around 3:00 p.m., Jin-yu Musha came to report.
“The Martial Alliance has left.”
“Did you get the promissory note?”
“Yes. We drew up an investment agreement and received the promissory note before they left. At first, they were reluctant, but when we said we would issue the promissory note with Kim San-jang as guarantor, they agreed.”
“Did you happen to see how much it was?”
“Yes, it was 10,000 nyang.”
“....”
At those words, Pal-gap and the other bodyguards gasped.
It really was a huge sum.
That amount meant that Chairman Ma had emptied his entire fortune.
The next day, we arrived at the Geumsan battlefield again around evening.
Since we had come to the battlefield today, we decided to postpone meeting Master Han until tomorrow.
Chairman Ma brought even more bodyguards than yesterday.
After all, to transport such a large sum of money, he would need as many guards as possible.
We withdrew the money.
One million nyang is equivalent to 625 jin.
Considering that a large pig weighs about 160 jin, it is an enormous amount.
It's roughly the weight of four pigs, so they brought a large cart.
“Then I understand that you will go to Master Han's martial arts academy tomorrow morning.”
“Yes. Then we'll go to the martial arts academy and come right back?”
“I think I'll stay for about five days. My father ordered me to buy up the shops in this area, but we spent all the money we had at the gold market today, didn't we?”
“That's right.”
“So we have to wait to get more cash from the market.”
“How much do you need that you have to wait five days?”
“More than we have today.”
“...
He cleared his throat at my words.
He realized that the wealth of the Eunhae Trading Company was much greater than he had thought.
I realized once again that I was truly a frog in a well.
Even if they are the richest in the province, how can they compare to our trading company, which is in the middle of the world's best trading companies?
”Then I'll see you tomorrow."
Ma Jang-ju headed for Magajang with his bodyguards.
After confirming that they had left, I said to Seo Woo and Jin Yu.
“Please take care of them.”
“Don't worry.”
“It's no problem.”
* *
Ma Jang-ju and his bodyguards were heading for Magajang with Geumja.
“Hehehe...”
Sitting in a large carriage, Ma Jang-ju couldn't hide his smile as he looked at the boxes filled with gold coins in front of him.
It was almost all of his fortune.
And it was the seed of wealth that would surely bring him immense riches.
So preoccupied with the gold, Ma Jang-ju did not notice the change in the expressions of his bodyguards.
“Chairman, I think we should take a break there.”
“What? What have you done that you need a break?”
“Well... The road is frozen because of the cold... If we continue like this, the wheels of the carriage will break, and we will be in trouble.”
“Hmm... You're right.”
In the end, they decided to stay there until dawn.
They busily prepared to spend the night outdoors.
Meanwhile, Ma Jang-ju remained inside his carriage. He couldn't take his eyes off the gold.
He also didn't want to get his clothes dirty.
As the guards secretly talked outside, night deepened.
“Snore... Cool... Mmm...”
Perhaps because he had been tense all day, going here and there, or perhaps because of the tea he had drunk earlier, Ma Jang-ju was fast asleep.
That was why he didn't even notice when his bodyguards lifted him out of the carriage and laid him on the ground.
Then the bodyguards took the carriage and disappeared.
*
At that moment.
Seo Woo, Jin Yu, and I were hiding behind a tree, watching this series of events unfold.
Wow...
This is getting interesting.
What should we do?
I sent a telepathic message to Seo Woo in response to his telepathy.
Of course, we have to get him back.
I glanced at Chairman Ma, who was lying on the ground. To be honest, I had expected the bodyguards to betray us.
But I didn't think they would all betray us like this...
If we had a relationship of trust with the bodyguards, this would never have happened.
We followed the bodyguards and soon caught up with them.
“That's not right! Why is this all I get?”
“What? You bastard! Take your hands off me.”
“I was the one who slipped Chairman Ma sleeping pills.”
“Don't you remember me telling you to take a break?”
This was where the road split, and as I had expected, they were dividing the money here.
They were arguing over who deserved more, boasting about their achievements.
What a waste of time.
They won't get a single penny anyway.
They were so caught up in their fight that they weren't paying any attention to their surroundings.
I sent a telepathic message to the bodyguards.
Let's go.
We put on the masks we had divided among ourselves earlier and rushed toward them.
The masks had smiling faces painted on them.
“Who...?”
Tsk!
Someone with keen senses noticed us approaching, but it was too late.
Puk!
“Ugh!”
He was struck on the back of the neck with a sword and fainted.
Ma Jang-ju's guards hurriedly drew their swords, but it was a futile resistance.
Even though they outnumbered us, they were all only first-class warriors, so they were no match for three peak warriors.
We quickly subdued and knocked out everyone.
We didn't kill them, only knocked them unconscious, because they had committed a crime.
They had been bullying the residents, relying on the power of Ma Jang-ju.
That was why I decided to retrieve the gold on the way back with Ma Jang-ju and his party.
If we recover the gold when we return to Ma Jang, the innocent servants and maids of Ma Jang will suffer.
However, if we recover the gold on our way back, the suspects will be narrowed down to the bodyguards.
Ma Jang-ju's bodyguards not only robbed the residents of Taegyeong-hyun, ate without paying, and even injured them, but also abused the women.
If anyone deserves to suffer, it's these guys.
But I'm very grateful that you went to the trouble of creating the evidence yourself.
We created some more evidence and hid Geum-ja in my secret storage room.
I can't wait for tomorrow.
After finishing our work, we returned to Ma Jang-ju's house. When he woke up, he was shocked to see what had happened.
Realizing the situation, Ma Jang-ju immediately went to the county office and explained everything to Ji-hyun. With Ji-hyun's help, he returned to Ma Jang-ju's house.
It was fortunate for Ma Jang-ju that the county office was nearby.
.
.
.
The next morning
We headed to the village head's house because we had decided to go with Master Ma.
Ma was waiting for me anxiously.
As soon as he saw me, he grabbed my clothes and cried out desperately.
“Eun, Master, please save me!”