Chapter 411
The Youngest Son of the Silver Sea Trading Company Chapter 411
Chapter 411. The Long-Awaited Harvest (6)
The streets of Hangzhou.
Due to a famine, a prohibition on alcohol was imposed, and the people were in an uproar, so there were no customers, and the streets felt deserted.
The inns, taverns, and brothels, which had been making a living off the money spent by travelers from other regions, were hit hard by the aftermath.
In such a situation, the Hao Clan became their lifeline. They would pay money in exchange for information.
Of course, they were often rejected.
But...
“What? The Hao Clan didn't pay you for the information?”
The waiter nodded at his colleague's words.
“Yeah. They said they'd put it on credit.”
“Huh! In all my years, I've never heard of the Hao Clan putting something on credit.”
“That must mean this is a really bad year.”
“Then what am I supposed to do? If I don't get paid today, my kids will go hungry.”
As they exchanged words with sighs, a waiter approached them.
He walked over humming a tune.
“Did you find some coins on the street? Why are you so excited?”
“Uhu! Ta-da! Look at this!”
“Huh? What is that? Is that rice?”
“Where did you get it?”
“Cheongpa-ro.”
“...?”
The waiter said to them, who were tilting their heads in confusion.
“How can you be so ignorant and still work as a waiter in Hangzhou? Haven't you heard? The Cheongpa-ru is buying information. I heard that the Hao Clan wasn't paying for information, so I went to the Cheongpa-ru on a whim, and it was true.”
He continued.
“I gave them information, and they gave me rice in return.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really! Would I lie about that?”
Hearing this, the waiter, who had been worried that the children would go hungry today, hurriedly left.
“I'm going to Cheongpa-ru for a moment!”
When he arrived at Cheongpa-ru, there were already about 20 people lined up in front of it.
He hurriedly joined the line, and after a short wait, it was his turn.
“I came here because I heard you were buying information...”
“That's right. You've come to the right place.”
“But if I really give you the information, you'll give me food?”
“Of course. Go to the empty tent over there and tell them the information.”
He entered the empty tent and told them what he knew.
“All right. Here is your payment for the information.”
“Thank you!”
He bowed repeatedly as he left, carrying a small bag containing a handful of rice.
A handful of rice could feed his whole family for one meal if he mixed it with other ingredients.
Moreover, it was very difficult to get rice at that time, so he was much more grateful than receiving money.
Praise for Eun Seo-ho flowed from his mouth.
“He said you were a good person! You really are a good person!”
* * *
Meanwhile, the Hao Clan's Hangzhou branch was in chaos.
This was because they couldn't pay for the information properly, so no one was bringing them any.
Information is originally a collection of small pieces of seemingly useless information that come together to form higher-level information.
However, since they couldn't gather any low-level information, they couldn't create higher-level information.
And those who wanted to buy information complained about the low quality.
The problem was what they were saying.
“Damn it! We'd better go to another branch.”
The fact that each branch of the Hao Clan was independent meant that they were competitors with each other.
There was no law that customers who wanted information had to use only one Hao Clan branch.
Furthermore, if they needed information from another region, they had to buy it from the branch in that region.
But how could they buy information from other branches without funds?
Originally, it was one of the most prosperous areas in the empire, so they were able to gather a lot of information and sell it to other branches for a hefty profit.
However, since the prohibition was imposed, such income was no longer expected.
Yeon-yeon sighed.
“Branch manager.”
“What is it? Again...”
The one who called Yeon-yeon was Hong Nam, one of the disciples.
“They say that Cheongpa-ru is buying information. And they say they will give a cup of rice for each piece of information.”
“What? Why? Why is Cheongpa-ru buying information?”
“I don't know. The problem is that many of the disciples are going to Cheongpa-ru to pass on information.”
The Hao Clan was a sect with a high degree of freedom.
Therefore, unless they were part of the leadership, it was up to them where they passed on information.
“If this continues, it's only a matter of time before our branch goes bankrupt.”
“...
”Branch Chief, please go and apologize."
Hong Nam's words made her scream.
“I'm the branch director! The Hangzhou branch director of the Hao Clan! You want me, a mere merchant, to go apologize to him?”
“He's not a mere merchant. He is favored by the emperor and is not only a member of the Royal Guards, but also has connections with the Martial Alliance and the Northern Sea Ice Palace.”
Those words stopped Yeon-ui in her tracks, and Hong Nam clicked his tongue in satisfaction.
“It's her useless pride that's the problem.”
Because of her pride, she will apologize, but she is making the unreasonable demand that he come in person.
“Apologizing is an act of putting down your pride in the first place.”
He sighed.
“So you're going to continue starving yourself? As you know, we are barely surviving by selling our assets.”
He had no idea how they found out, but even the secret safe he had hidden in various places in the branch office had been ransacked.
In a way, he could only conclude that they had frighteningly good information sources.
“At this rate, you'll have to sell the heirlooms you cherish so much.”
“No! Not my heirlooms! I worked so hard to get them...”
Hong-nam gritted his teeth and opened his mouth.
“So make a decision now. Branch manager.”
* * *
I stood on the third floor of Cheongpa-ro and looked down. Countless people were lining up to sell information.
“But, sir.”
“Why?”
“What are you going to use the information you bought? Are you buying it for yourself?”
“That information? I'm not going to use it.”
“What?”
“Handling information is a kind of skill. I don't have that skill.”
I continued.
“I want to pass some of it on to our Trading Company and give some as gifts.”
Yoo-eung-am Mu-sa tilted his head and asked.
“But is there a reason why you are paying for the information with rice?”
“Yes.”
I nodded and said.
“If I give them money, someone else might take it, and there's a high possibility that the money will flow into the hands of another faction.”
“What do you mean?”
“Think about it. Who are the people who come to Cheongpa-ru to sell information?”
“Waiters and courtesans.”
“That's right. They are employed by someone or work under someone. If they have money, is there any guarantee that their employer won't take it away from them?”
“Ah!”
“Even if they don't take it away, they can persuade them with words. They can say that they are in a difficult situation and ask to borrow some money. In such a situation, would those who are grateful just for not being fired immediately refuse such a request?”
“That's true.”
“And if their employers are connected to the Hao Clan, that would be a problem.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
“But if they were given a sack of rice instead of money, it would be a different story. From the employer's perspective, it would be difficult to take it away or ask to borrow it.”
Pal-gap nodded in agreement.
“As always, your insight is unmatched.”
But... why do you look so pleased?
Cheongpa Lu, who had been listening to our conversation, asked me cautiously.
“But... are you sure it's okay?”
“What do you mean?”
“The rice you're giving them. It must be quite expensive.”
“Ah... you're right.”
These days, the price of grain is whatever the seller asks, so the expense is considerable.
As the person who runs Cheongpa Ru, he pointed this out and expressed his concern.
“But there's no need to worry.”
“What?”
I just smiled.
The money I used to buy the rice was not my own.
It was money I had taken from the Hao Clan through Jin-ryeong.
So, I was doing a good deed with someone else's money.
I wondered what Yeon-yeon's expression would be if he found out.
Just imagining it made me smile.
And I wasn't such a bad person.
The information I was buying would be useful to the Hao Clan.
It's not the Hao Clan with Branch Chief Yeon-yeon, but the Hao Clan with the branch chief who has a connection with me.
What did the Hao Clan do wrong?
They were just following Branch Chief Yeon-yeon's orders.
“Then I'll be leaving now.”
“Yes, please do.”
I headed to one of the nearby brothels.
[Chu-wol-ru]
This is one of the five best brothels in the West Lake area. Why did I come here today?
To take over this brothel, of course.
Regardless of my punishment for the Hao Clan, I must continue with my work here in Hangzhou.
As I approached the main entrance of the brothel, a young man standing in front of it blocked my way.
“I apologize. We are not yet ready to receive guests.”
Well, it's not really the right time for a brothel to be open.
The sun is high in the sky.
“It's fine. I'm not here as a guest. Is the lord of the brothel here?”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No, but please tell him that Eun Seo-ho, the captain of the Eunhae Trading Company, would like to see him.”
At that, the guard's expression changed.
“Please wait a moment.”
He hurried inside and came back a moment later.
“I apologize. Please come in.”
I entered Chugyeol and was guided by a waiter.
“Please come in. I will take care of you from here.”
I nodded.
“The head waiter's room is on the sixth floor.”
The sixth floor...
Why did I think it would be quite difficult to go up and down there every day?
As I walked with these thoughts in mind, I soon arrived at the place where the captain lived.
“Please come in.”
As I entered, a beautifully dressed woman stood up to greet me.
“Welcome. I am Mae-chui, the captain of Chuiwollu.”
“I am Eunseo-ho, the captain of the Eunhae Trading Company.”
“I have heard a lot about you. Please have a seat.”
I sat down.
Up close, she looked pale and her skin appeared dry.
It seemed that even the head of the brothel was not eating properly.
As I was thinking about this, Mae-chui asked me.
“So, what brings you here?”
“You must have heard the rumor that I recently acquired Cheongpa-ru... Do you have any idea why?”
“Do you mean you want to acquire our Chugaru?”
“Yes.”
I nodded.
“I want to acquire Chugaru.”
“...”
There was a moment of silence.
“How much are you willing to pay?”
“One thousand nyang.”
Her expression was full of disappointment.
“Isn't that too little?”
“I think I've offered enough. We don't know when the famine will end, but considering the operating costs of this brothel, I think 800 nyang should be enough.”
“Then why do you want to acquire this brothel? As you said, you're willing to suffer such a big loss during a famine that has no end in sight?”
“Will the famine continue forever?”
“Then we will hold out until then.”
I chuckled.
“I am taking over this brothel because I have the means to hold out, but do you have the means to hold out?”
“....”
Her eyes wavered, and after some deliberation, she spoke.
“Actually, the Hao Clan's Hangzhou branch has offered to buy it for 1,200 taels of silver.”
“Is that so?”
I smiled.
“And the Hao Clan's Hangzhou branch is able to pay that amount?”
“...”
Mei Chui Lu's eyes trembled even more.
She couldn't possibly be unaware of the Hao Clan's current situation.
So, the Hao Clan has extended its reach here as well.
I had hoped that this place, which had survived the famine, would be spared.
“I'm sure the Hao Clan will say that they can't pay you now, but that they will pay you later... But you need the money right now, don't you?”
I said, recalling what I had seen when I entered the Moon Pavilion.
“There are more than a few places that need immediate repairs. And looking around, it seems that you've sold most of what you can sell.”
“Then can you give me the money right now?”
“Of course.”
I robbed Hao Clan's treasury not only to punish them for threatening me and touching what belonged to me, but also because I had anticipated this situation.
Gap asked for a high purchase price, but he couldn't pay right away.
Eul asked for a lower purchase price, but he could pay right away.
The owner of Rooju needed money right away.
What if the difference in the purchase price wasn't that much?
The result was obvious.
She said to me.
“Can I hear your conditions?”