The Genius Youngest Disciple of the Wudang Sect

Chapter 51

I sent Senior Brother Uncheol to the Yuyeop Hall first and then moved to a secluded place where there were no merchants or people.

If I had my way, I would have wanted to go somewhere and sit them down to talk, but I was afraid someone might overhear, so I decided to just stand and talk.

"So, you gave them this item, and the Martial Granduncle's face turned cold as he refused. Is that right?"

I asked, looking over the golden butterfly they had tried to secretly give to the Martial Granduncle.

Then, Jin Tae-jin answered as if he had been waiting.

"Yes. We didn't give it as a bribe to be looked upon favorably, but purely out of gratitude, so we were worried he might have misunderstood..."

He said with a face full of worldly injustice.

But I also know well.

That no merchant in the world, no, no person, would give such a valuable item simply as a token of gratitude.

"Actually, we came here after agreeing with Jin-ga here not to do such a thing from the beginning. Even if we try to solve things with money, we should do it while looking at the person. But before I could stop him, didn't he just take out that item?"

"Hey, you. What we promised was not to give a bribe, and I was just giving a gift from the heart."

"Don't be stubborn. Is it once or twice that you've handled things that way?"

"Yes, let's say I did. But when nothing happened until now, you were quiet, and now that you've been rejected once, you're saying that?"

"Until now, I didn't even bring it up because I thought you wouldn't listen to me."

The two of them, as if they had forgotten I was there, growled at each other as if they were about to fight at any moment.

"Stop, both of you, stop. You're not children, why are you fighting like that?"

"Ahem. We've shown an unsightly scene, Taoist master."

"Not at all. So, to conclude your words, you want me to find out what the Martial Granduncle's current state of mind is, and if he has any misunderstandings, you want me to clear them up, right?"

"That's right. That's exactly it."

"Then, before that, there's a story I want to hear, so would you tell me that first? Everything, without leaving anything out."

"What story do you want to hear?"

"What proposal you two made to the Martial Granduncle, and what his reaction was at that time."

At my request, they couldn't answer right away and looked at each other.

It seemed they were thinking about what their request had to do with my request.

"Well. If it's difficult to tell me, you don't have to. Then I have no choice but to go on my way."

"Wait, just a moment! I'll tell you. I'll tell you everything, Taoist master."

"A wise decision."

Unlike Wang Hyeon-seong, who had a reluctant expression, Jin Tae-jin quickly changed to a smiling expression and began to speak to me.

He told me in detail what had happened at the Yeongeun Palace.

He even told me what had happened a little while ago, imitating the tone of voice he had used at that time and the voice with which the Martial Granduncle had answered.

'Huh? This could work.'

But the story they were telling was much better than I had thought.

The amount was larger than I had expected, but what they were demanding was lighter than that.

It was a so-called reasonable proposal.

'It doesn't seem like Wudang has any reason to refuse this proposal.'

Still, I've lived in the Wudang Sect for a year, so I roughly know the situation of Wudang.

Currently, the Wudang Sect is not in a very well-off financial situation.

If there were many believers who visited like the Shaolin Temple, they could run the sect with just the donations they made, but the Wudang Sect is significantly lacking in that.

So, they have to form a sponsorship with somewhere.

"Okay. I'll try to speak well of it."

"Really! Thank you so much, Taoist master!"

Jin Tae-jin repeatedly bowed his head to me and expressed his gratitude.

But his friend, Wang Hyeon-seong.

He has been looking at me with suspicious eyes since a while ago.

Somehow, I feel like I can feel what that gaze is trying to say.

'He's probably doubting whether I'm really close to the Martial Granduncle, and whether his displeasure will be relieved just because I speak well of it.'

As I've been feeling since a while ago, that Wang Hyeon-seong is a very difficult and picky person.

He will probably be suspicious of everything and will be the type to cross a stone bridge after tapping it.

But, for a merchant, such a personality is...

'A personality more than suitable for success.'

Perhaps if the Eungnam Merchant Guild succeeds, the reason will likely be because of Wang Hyeon-seong rather than that Jin Tae-jin person.

"Then I'll be on my way. I have to speak to the Martial Granduncle as soon as possible."

"Are you going right now? Thank you so much, Taoist master."

"Not at all. Instead, if things go well, you can't forget me."

"Is there any doubt? If this matter goes well, what can't I do for you? Oh, right. And here."

Jin Tae-jin quickly took something out of his bosom and placed it in my hand.

The texture and weight I felt...

"Why the sudden silver?"

"It's a token of my gratitude. I thought the golden butterfly would be too much of a burden, so please accept this at least. Don't Taoist masters also need money to eat and wear? This is really a token of my gratitude."

"If possible, gold..."

"Pardon?"

"Ahem. No. I'll use this silver for something important. It would hurt your feelings if I just kept refusing."

"Hahaha! That's right. To think you'd accept it to make me feel at ease. Thank you for that too."

I bowed my head slightly to show a polite appearance and then left the place.

'What a windfall.'

I have a lot of things to spend money on in the future, so I have to make a slush fund like this.

I just had a conversation to leave them with a debt of gratitude without doing anything, but I got some unexpected silver.

'Eungnam Merchant Guild. It's a good place. I should continue to maintain a relationship with them in the future.'

I turned my steps, which were originally heading back to the Yuyeop Hall, and headed for my master's room.

Originally, I had no intention of telling them about them, but I should at least deliver the message to my real master.

***

Around the time Unhwi was excitedly running to Hyeon Yang.

Yeongeun Palace Head Okgyujin-in was having a conversation with the Sect Leader of the Wudang Sect, Okmujin-in.

"Sect Leader. The proposal from the Eungnam Merchant Guild is not bad at all. It's not too advantageous for us, nor is it too advantageous for them, and the amount they proposed is just what we need."

"It's a reasonable proposal, you mean."

"That's right."

Okmujin-in nodded his head.

His junior brother and the head of the Yeongeun Palace, Okgyujin-in, had been bright in calculations and skilled in practical matters since he was young.

For him to say it's okay himself means it's a really good proposal.

But there was just one thing that bothered him.

"But, why can't you strongly say that we should accept the proposal? The fact that you can't say that now means there's something fishy about it, doesn't it?"

"As expected, I can't fool the Sect Leader. That's right. There is one fishy part."

"What is it?"

"It's the people."

At his answer, Okmujin-in's eyes narrowed.

In the end, it is people who get things done.

No matter how reasonable a proposal is, if the person who proposed it has other intentions, that proposal can become a bad proposal at any time.

"Hahaha! The people are the problem. But, this time, you can't even say that we shouldn't accept the proposal. Is it that hard to judge? Do you need more time to think?"

"No. Actually, I finished thinking a long time ago. But, I'm not sure if that decision is the right decision..."

"What part is fishy? Didn't you arrange this meeting to discuss that part with me?"

"That's right."

Okmujin-in smiled brightly.

He could feel that Okgyujin-in was relying on him as a senior brother and as the Sect Leader.

"Then speak. I will also listen and tell you my thoughts."

"Yes, Sect Leader. As you know, the Eungnam Merchant Guild is run jointly by two people. But one person I like quite a lot, but the other person is a little suspicious."

"What about him made you suspicious?"

"It's hard to say that clearly. That's why it's hard to make a judgment. If I didn't like him, I could just refuse the sponsorship, but it's not that I dislike him enough to refuse this reasonable proposal."

After those words, a moment of silence flowed.

Okmujin-in was worried in his own way, and Okgyujin-in was worried in his own way.

"Let's do this."

It was Okmujin-in who broke the silence.

"Please speak, Sect Leader."

"It would be better to accept that proposal."

"As expected, right?"

"But, we have to add one condition."

Okmujin-in turned his head to the window and looked outside, then continued.

"Instead of a yearly regular sponsorship like we used to do, we will first receive a short-term sponsorship of three months. And at that time, we will send a reliable child from among our disciples to the merchant guild."

"As a monitor?"

"The exact pretext would be to add strength to protect them at all times, not as a monitor."

"Ah..."

"So, based on the evaluation that child makes after three months, we can decide whether to continue the sponsorship or not, can't we?"

Okgyujin-in raised his cupped hands towards Okmujin-in.

"As expected of the Sect Leader. Thanks to the Sect Leader's wisdom, this foolish junior brother has found a way."

"Don't blame yourself so much. I know well that Wudang has always existed thanks to your cautious nature."

"You praise me too much, Sect Leader. But, if it's a reliable disciple, do you have a disciple in mind? It seems too much to send a first-generation disciple for the job, and it seems appropriate to send a second-generation disciple."

"How about Hyeon Yang?"

"Hyeon Yang?"

Okmujin-in smiled brightly.

It was a bright smile that even Okgyujin-in had only seen a few times until now.

"It seems something good has happened."

"Hyeon Yang has finally decided to become a formal Sect Disciple."

"Huh, really?"

Okgyujin-in's eyes widened.

He, too, had been well aware of Hyeon Yang's character and talent for martial arts.

But, he had been feeling sorry because no matter how much he persuaded him, he didn't want to become a Sect Disciple.

"It's true. He came back from his trip to Shaolin and told me right away. And that child named Unhwi that he was always with?"

"Ah! I know Unhwi. Isn't he the child who was showing promise in the Yuyeop Hall? Hyeon Yang took him with him when he went to Shaolin this time."

"He took that child as his disciple, you know? My disciple refused to be a Sect Disciple and didn't even take a disciple, so I was having a headache, but those two worries were solved at once. Hahaha!"

"That's really great. Only Senior Brother Okheo is left to be disappointed."

"Why Okheo?"

"I heard it in passing the other day, but it seemed Senior Brother Okheo was interested in that child Unhwi. If Hyeon Yang didn't take him as his disciple, it seemed the senior brother was going to snatch him, but now he's like a dog chasing a chicken."

A very small worry arose in Okmujin-in's eyes.

"Hmm. Okheo is a greedy person, so I don't know if there will be a commotion because of this."

"No way. He has already decided to become Hyeon Yang's disciple, so no matter how much it's Senior Brother Okheo, he won't be able to pick a fight."

"You think so?"

"Of course."

The two looked at each other with expressions of 'no way', and then Okmujin-in spoke to Okgyu first.

"For now, you quickly convey the story we just had to the merchants of the Eungnam Merchant Guild. It would be a way to save precious time to tell them in advance before they leave Wudang."

"I understand, Sect Leader. With this, I can breathe a little. It was actually a little difficult to squeeze out of our non-existent household."

"Do you think I don't know that? That's why I said earlier that our Wudang exists thanks to you."

Okmujin-in looked at his junior brother with sincere eyes.

No matter how much of a Taoist one is, money is always needed.

Especially for a martial arts sect like Wudang.

And it was also true that finances had been very difficult recently. Because they had refused all the requests that came in and tried to be faithful only to their duties as a Taoist sect.

But now that this opportunity has come, he feels that he wants to give more support to the disciples who work hard rather than not being able to do well for the disciples because of lack of money.

"Has the time come for the Wudang that has been stopped to move again?"

He had no doubt that the sponsorship he would receive this time would contribute greatly to the redevelopment of Wudang.

(End of Chapter)