novelraw Chapter 148 : Chapter 148
Chapter 148 : Chapter 148
Chapter 148 - You've Really Grown Up
Upon returning to the Yi Family Manor, Sedong headed straight for the main building.
Reporting to the Family Head after a trip with the merchant guild was the most basic of basics.
Although, in a case like this, there was a slightly different reason as well.
The first thing Sedong delivered was Un Chun-bok’s personal letter.
“A personal letter from the Family Head of the Unmun Clan…”
A satisfied smile appeared on Yi Gwon-su’s lips.
“He wrote quite a long one.”
Indeed, it was filled with so much praise for Sedong’s character and intelligence that it was almost tiresome.
Just from the content, it seemed as if he had known and watched Sedong for years.
He thought it was strange, but there was no father who would be displeased with a letter praising his son.
Yi Gwon-su read the long letter without missing a single part.
While he was doing so, Yi Hae-dong and So Hyeon arrived, panting.
“Greetings to the Family Head.”
Yi Gwon-su set the letter aside and asked with narrowed eyes.
“Why are you two coming together?”
“…………!”
Yi Hae-dong and So Hyeon belatedly realized their mistake.
Publicly, the two of them had little contact in their daily lives.
After all, Steward So Hyeon was the one who exclusively handled Young Master Sedong’s affairs.
But for the two of them to arrive at the same time was strange for anyone to see.
“We… happened to meet on the way.”
Even though he knew it was a poor excuse, Yi Hae-dong had no choice but to answer that way.
After looking back and forth between the two for a moment, Yi Gwon-su snorted as if it didn’t matter.
Because there was something much more important right now.
Receiving the personal letter from Un Chun-bok of the Unmun Family Clan.
That meant Sedong’s merchant guild had finally crossed Elm Leaf Lake.
“Then let’s get to the main point. How did the merchant guild’s trade go this time?”
Without even looking at Yi Hae-dong and So Hyeon, Sedong answered in a clear voice.
“From Family Head Un, who sent the personal letter, we traded for Pu’er tea and pine mushrooms. We exchanged some of our goods and secured the maximum amount we could purchase with the promissory notes we had.”
After staring at Sedong for a moment, Yi Gwon-su soon opened his mouth.
“You did well.”
“!”
At those words, Yi Hae-dong’s face turned ashen.
Yi Gwon-su was not a man who would say good things, even as empty words.
Even if one returned after suffering hardships in a foreign land, if there was no profit, one would only receive a sharp interrogation.
But to say, ‘You did well,’ not ‘You worked hard’ or ‘You went through a lot.’
This was the highest praise Yi Gwon-su could give.
At the same time, it was also a word that Yi Hae-dong had never heard in his entire life.
But, Yi Sedong’s answer was also unexpected.
“I would like to be evaluated after I have explained the entire process in detail.”
“Hmm?”
The people looked at Sedong with surprised eyes.
It must have been a compliment Sedong had never heard in his life either.
Why would he push back his father’s words?
Not only Yi Gwon-su and Yi Hae-dong, but everyone gathered in the main building pricked up their ears and listened to Sedong’s words.
“While crossing Elm Leaf Lake, the merchant guild was attacked by the Hojubang.”
“The Hojubang!”
Even though the matter was over, Yi Gwon-su’s face stiffened.
That was how notorious the Hojubang was on Elm Leaf Lake.
“However, with the help of the Diancang Sect martial artists, we were able to cross the lake safely.”
“The Diancang Sect? Then…”
A soft arc formed on Sedong’s lips.
“Yes. Young Hero Biyoung stood at the forefront and blocked the Hojubang’s attack.”
“Heo…”
Yi Gwon-su let out a deflated exclamation, and at the same time, sparks flew from Yi Hae-dong’s eyes.
His gaze was, of course, directed at Steward So Hyeon.
‘Didn’t you say there was no particular movement from the Diancang Sect!’
Although he didn’t shout it out loud, Yi Hae-dong’s eyes were clearly saying so.
‘This is driving me crazy.’
But the situation was the same for So Hyeon.
He had clearly placed people on the route from Kongtong Mountain to Yiliang County and had received a report that there was no one wearing deep navy martial uniforms.
It was a path on the rugged Kongtong Mountain that was considered somewhat walkable.
If not that way, the only other way was to go down the cliff backward.
Unless they deliberately went around to avoid someone’s eyes, why would they go through such trouble?
‘Avoid… eyes?’
When his thoughts reached that point, So Hyeon’s heart sank.
What if.
That ‘someone’ was him?
What if it was because Sedong and Biyoung had joined forces to avoid the eyes of a suspicious person?
‘No. That’s too much of a leap.’
It was a pretty good hypothesis born from experience and seniority, but So Hyeon shook his head inwardly.
Sedong was the one who had brought the Three-Eyed Snake Soup in until the morning of the day the merchant guild left.
If he had been suspicious, he should have taken away the Three-Eyed Snake Soup first.
Even if he were to be a hundred times generous and suspect someone within the Yi Family Manor, he was confident that the target would not be him.
“Just like when he saved the merchant guild last time, it seems we are always indebted to Young Hero Biyoung.”
Yi Gwon-su’s expression turned complicated.
As he had said, he was grateful that he had saved the merchant guild, but he also seemed to be calculating on his abacus how he should repay him accordingly.
However, at Sedong’s next words, the abacus that Yi Gwon-su was rolling shattered into pieces.
“It wasn’t just about blocking the attack on Elm Leaf Lake. The martial artists of the Diancang Sect annihilated the entire Hojubang, including the Yewi Twin Tyrants.”
“!”
Yi Gwon-su almost jumped up from his seat.
If it weren’t for his dignity as the Family Head, he might have been jumping up and down on his desk, not his chair.
“Annihilated the Hojubang? Then…!”
At Sedong’s nod, the head baggage carrier handed him a rolled-up piece of paper.
It was a certificate stating that the specialty products produced in Yongsheng County of Lijiang City would be exclusively traded by the Yi Family Clan.
“H-How can this be…!”
The great Yi Gwon-su’s mouth dropped open so wide that his uvula was visible.
No wonder the Family Head of the Unmun Family Clan had praised his son so excessively.
Sedong had effortlessly accomplished what all the merchant guilds in Yunnan had failed to do.
‘What is it?’
‘What is it that’s making the Family Head so surprised?’
‘His jaw is going to hit the floor.’
The people craned their necks on their tiptoes with curious eyes.
Yi Gwon-su asked Sedong with a face that couldn’t believe it.
“Then, are you saying that from now on, we will have a monopoly on all the specialty products of Yongsheng County?”
“!”
A giant exclamation mark appeared above the heads of the people.
Indeed, there was a good reason why the Family Head was so surprised.
‘What kind of bullshit is this?’
If he could, Yi Hae-dong wanted to slap his own cheek on the spot.
Not only did he succeed in trading with Lijiang City, but he also cleaned up Elm Leaf Lake and secured an exclusive contract?
This was something that not even the Family Head, Yi Gwon-su, let alone Sedong, could have dreamed of.
In terms of achievement alone, it was such a tremendous accomplishment that one wouldn’t know who the Family Head was.
“Hahahahaha!”
Yi Gwon-su burst out laughing, greatly satisfied.
Loud laughter erupted from his small mouth, and he was so excited that he bounced his knees.
“You have done really well. The profit our Yi Family Clan has gained from this expedition to Lijiang City is truly immense.”
At Yi Gwon-su’s praise, the people each busily racked their brains.
Until just yesterday, they had thought that Yi Hae-dong would be the winner of the Awl Selection Period.
Although Sedong had fought a good fight, the conditions given from the start were too favorable for Yi Hae-dong.
However.
Now that he had secured an exclusive contract with Yongsheng County in Lijiang City?
‘It’s a close call. Maybe even more.’
It was a situation that even someone who was bad at math could easily guess.
The people looked at Sedong with pleased faces.
They had thought he was just a young and weak child, but he had grown up beyond recognition.
However, Sedong’s report was not over yet.
“Family Head. It may be presumptuous of me, but the exclusive contract I have delivered is still in an incomplete state.”
“Incomplete…?”
Yi Gwon-su, who had been grinning from ear to ear at the pumpkin that had rolled in with the vine, blinked his eyes a couple of times.
A story that made him doubt his ears flew and lodged in him.
“That exclusive contract comes with a special condition. If the condition is not met, that contract will be nothing more than a scrap of paper.”
“A condition? What on earth are you talking about?”
Sedong answered, emphasizing each word.
“That I ascend to the position of Young Family Head.”
“…What did you say?”
“The exclusive contract will take effect the moment I become the Young Family Head. In other words, if I lose the Awl Selection Period, the exclusive contract will also be nullified.”
“…………!”
If Biyoung had been on the scene, he would have whistled.
The wave of shock that Sedong had brought had frozen all the people.
Steward So Hyeon, Yi Hae-dong, and even the Family Head, Yi Gwon-su, had eyes that looked like they would pop out.
“S-So, you mean. This exclusive contract right belongs only to you, Sedong? Not to our Yi Family Clan?”
“In summary, yes.”
“…………”
Everyone held their breath and watched Yi Gwon-su’s expression.
Sedong’s words that he would be evaluated after hearing all the reports.
Indeed, it was not said in vain.
This was not like a normal report.
This was a threat.
A threat that if they didn’t make him the Young Family Head, he would kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.
‘That crazy bastard.’
And in this process, Yi Hae-dong discovered a glimmer of hope.
The achievement the boy had made was certainly great, but he shouldn’t have handled things this way.
With the achievements he had made so far, he could have competed in the Awl Selection Period.
To threaten his father, of all people?
A harsh reprimand would surely fly.
Yi Hae-dong’s expectant gaze turned to Yi Gwon-su.
Father…!!
Please punish that impudent second son quickly.
And take back all his achievements and make them null and void…
“Hehahahahahahahaha!”
However, Yi Hae-dong’s hope was shattered by Yi Gwon-su’s laughter.
“To think you’ve grown enough to negotiate with me, the Family Head of the Yi Family Manor. You’ve really grown up.”
Negotiate?
Not blackmail?
It was a statement that Yi Hae-dong could not comprehend.
But Yi Gwon-su was genuinely pleased with Sedong’s handling of the situation.
Sedong was a man who, if his brother was scheming behind his back, would just take it one-sidedly.
He had known for a long time that he was good at math, quick-witted, and intelligent.
But being smart alone was not enough to lead the Yi Family Clan.
The ambition to stop at nothing for one’s own profit.
Sedong had always lacked that ambition and venom.
But what about now.
Wasn’t he engaged in a negotiation close to blackmail against his family, and the Family Head at that?
That very point made Yi Gwon-su satisfied.
Just one thing.
The one regrettable, and fatal, weakness of ‘Family Head Yi Sedong’ had been filled.
“Then everything will be decided on the final day of the Awl Selection Period, the day after tomorrow.”
At Yi Gwon-su’s words, Sedong bowed his head.
He had laid out all the cards he had.
His life would be decided by the results announced the day after tomorrow.
Either gain everything as the Young Family Head of the Yi Family Clan.
Or be an outcast in the Yi Family Manor for the rest of his life as the failed son of a concubine.
‘I will definitely win.’
Only then would he be able to paint the ideal picture he dreamed of.
“Before the results are announced, I have one request.”
“Speak.”
“The contribution of the Diancang Sect was great in this Lijiang City trade. I would like to invite the Diancang Sect martial artists as guests of honor on the day of the results announcement.”
“Hehehe. You rascal. It seems you already think you’ve won in your heart? Seeing that you’re already thinking of raising a toast together.”
“That is not the case…”
“Even without your request, I was already planning to do so. Regardless of who wins the Awl Selection Period, it is a clear fact that the Diancang Sect protected our merchant guild.”
“Thank you.”
Sedong bowed his head and retreated from his seat.
With that, the merchant guild’s report on the Lijiang City trade was concluded.
It was a time that brought scorching emotion to some, and great anxiety to others.
The two days were absurdly short to calm those emotions.
And,
“We have arrived, Sect Leader.”
On the last day of the Awl Selection Period.
The figures of the Diancang Sect appeared before the main gate of the Yi Family Manor.