The Beginning of My Journey (4)
“This place is a bit too shabby for someone who’s supposed to handle our finances, don’t you think?”
Gwangdu whispered to me, lowering his voice.
Indeed, the house looked like it could collapse at any moment, so worn and decrepit it was. I wondered if we had come to the wrong place.
“As long as the person inside isn’t as shabby, it should be fine. Call out.”
“Yes, sir.”
Gwangdu raised his voice.
“Is anyone home?”
The door creaked open, revealing a man who appeared to be in his mid-thirties. He was tall and thin, with long, unkempt hair and a scruffy beard—an appearance that matched the dilapidated house perfectly.
Gwangdu quickly leaned in to whisper to me again.
“The person inside looks just as shabby.”
“As long as his mind isn’t as shabby, that’s what matters.”
I whispered back to Gwangdu before addressing the man politely.
“Are you Mr. Gong?”
“Just Gong, no need for formalities. What brings you here?”
“The head of the Byeok Clan recommended you to us.”
Gong Suchan flinched, clearly surprised. It seemed he hadn’t expected the head to refer him.
“Please, come in.”
We entered a small room, cluttered with books piled high on every side.
“If you don’t mind me asking, what is your relationship with the head?”
“He’s my mentor.”
Both Gwangdu and I were taken aback. We hadn’t imagined the eccentric head would have a disciple.
“Is he doing well?”
“He’s in good health.”
“That’s a relief. But what brings you to me?”
“I am Byeok Lidan, the successor of the Byeok Clan. I need a chief administrator, and I was told you were the one to see.”
He looked at me with a mix of surprise and curiosity.
“Are you saying you want me as your chief administrator?”
“Yes. My mentor recommended you.”
“Did he tell you why I’m living in seclusion?”
“No, he didn’t.”
“I figured as much.”
“Everyone has their reasons.”
Gong Suchan suddenly spoke, unprompted.
“I killed someone. I killed the master who hired me.”
He stood up, signaling that he had nothing more to say.
“Please, see yourself out. I won’t be escorting you.”
But I had no intention of leaving.
“That’s not something you need to worry about. I’m not someone who can be easily taken down.”
I looked him straight in the eye, unfazed.
“He must have deserved it.”
Otherwise, he wouldn’t be here. If he had killed an innocent, he would have faced the consequences. And he wouldn’t have confessed so openly.
“What kind of person was your master?”
Gong Suchan seemed caught off guard by my question.
“He deserved to die.”
“Then you did well.”
“Doesn’t that bother you at all?”
“Not in the slightest.”
“This is a first. People have said I did well, but no one has ever wanted to hire me. They found it unsettling.”
“It doesn’t bother me at all. What I want to know is this.”
“What is it?”
“Are you ready to start working?”
A moment of silence passed.
Finally, Gong Suchan asked, “Do you trust me?”
I shook my head.
“It would be a lie to say I do. I don’t know you yet.”
“Then why do you want to take me on?”
“Because I trust the person who recommended you.”
I also believed in the power of connections. If my mentor had introduced him into my life, there must be a reason.
“Will you join me?”
“I have one question.”
“Ask away.”
“What is your dream?”
“To make the Byeok Clan the greatest in the land.”
Silence fell again.
Then Gong Suchan spoke with determination in his eyes.
“I’ll pack my things and come by tomorrow.”
“Thank you.”
Once outside, Gwangdu finally spoke up.
“You seem to like him.”
“Isn’t he refreshing? A chief administrator with the scent of blood about him.”
“Well, as long as he does his job well.”
“Do you think he will?”
“What?”
“He’s an idealist. Instead of asking about my resources or his salary, he asked about my dream.”
“Then why did you choose him?”
“If our goal was to be the best in Shandong, we’d need a very practical administrator. But to be the best in the land, someone like him might be just right.”
Gwangdu looked puzzled.
“That’s a bit hard to grasp.”
“It’s simple. If he doesn’t perform, we can always replace him. We can find another administrator, can’t we?”
“That’s harsh!”
“It’s being pragmatic.”
In truth, I hadn’t even begun to be as cold as I needed to be.
I knew what it was like to deal with those obsessed with power. Dreamers can’t win against them. Kindness becomes a joke, and dreams are torn apart.
To defeat them, I had to be colder than they were.
The next day, Gong Suchan arrived at the Byeok Clan with his belongings.
He had cleaned up, wearing fresh clothes, and had trimmed his hair and beard, looking like a different person from the day before.
As he was settling in, the head of the clan came to see him.
“You’re here?”
Gong Suchan bowed deeply.
“It’s been a long time.”
Though it was just a simple exchange of greetings, I sensed there was an unspoken history between them.
Their interaction was awkward, but beneath the head’s gruff exterior, there was a hint of warmth at seeing his disciple again. It was the first time I saw such a tender look in his eyes.
The head turned to me.
“Buy some drinks.”
“Yes, of course.”
I understood that this was his way of saying thank you for taking in his disciple.
If this mentor-disciple relationship could bring about positive change, accepting Gong Suchan would be beneficial for the Byeok Clan.
Despite the long-awaited reunion, the head’s only words were:
“Your new master is lacking in many ways, so you’ll need to pay special attention.”
He said it loud enough for me to hear and then left.
What a cantankerous old man.
I chuckled and said to Gong Suchan, “As you heard, that’s the situation.”
Then I handed him three thousand nyang, minus five hundred.
“You’ll need to use this money to support twenty swordsmen, including your own salary.”
“Understood.”
He didn’t seem worried at all.
“Are you sure you’ll manage?”
“Isn’t that why you called me, because things are difficult?”
I liked his confident attitude more than if he had started with complaints.
“I’ll need a lot of money going forward.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Thank you. I’m counting on you.”
We had formed a team of swordsmen and now had someone to manage the finances.
Twenty swordsmen, one administrator.
Compared to the Martial Alliance, it was a laughably small scale.
But the important thing was that we had taken the first step.
News came that the Martial Alliance had held an inauguration ceremony for their new leader.
They had only sent invitations to the most important families in the land. While some clans like Yangso Bang and Songga received invitations, our family did not.
It was a stark reminder of our family’s current standing.
If I hadn’t met Galsaryang and Baekpyo recently, I might have tried to attend the ceremony by any means necessary.
But now, I had no interest.
Baekpyo was likely busy running his tavern, and Galsaryang would be managing on his own.
After dinner, I sought out my father. Though he didn’t show it, I wondered if he felt a bit bitter.
I understood the feelings of the clan leaders better than anyone. It must have stung not to receive an invitation from the Martial Alliance, especially for the leader’s inauguration.
“Father, how about a drink with your son for a change?”
I shook the bottle of liquor I had brought, and my father looked surprised. It wasn’t like Byeok Lidan to do such a thing.
“If we’re going to drink, let’s do it outside.”
“Sounds good.”
We sat in the garden pavilion, the spring air making it feel like a perfect choice.
I poured him a drink, and he returned the gesture.
“Let’s toast.”
We clinked our cups together with a hearty cheer.
It was my first time drinking with my father like this. It felt a bit strange.
“How’s the team of swordsmen coming along?”
“It’s off to a decent start.”
“Managing people isn’t easy. Don’t look down on those below you, and always try to see things from their perspective.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
My father emptied his cup, and I followed suit. Though I wasn’t fond of alcohol, it tasted surprisingly good today.
We talked about various things as we drank.
Throughout the evening, the topic of the invitation never came up. I felt that just being there with him was a better comfort.
A month later, Gong Suchan came to see me with something to discuss.
“What is it?”
“First, I’ve invested two thousand nyang in three different trading companies.”
He handed me a piece of paper detailing the investments.
There were two types of investments: long-term and short-term.
Typically, trading companies used their own funds for business, but they also attracted external investments. Profits were shared with investors, with high-risk ventures offering high returns.
All the current investments were short-term.
“The investment in Jonghwa Trading Company has yielded a profit.”
“How much did we make?”
“We invested four hundred nyang and earned a hundred and fifty nyang in profit, after recouping the principal.”
“Wow! That’s impressive.”
“The other two investments will yield results in two months. We’re expecting a profit of four hundred nyang.”
Earning five hundred and fifty nyang in three months from a two thousand nyang investment was remarkable.
He might be an idealist, but he had proven his competence as an administrator. His confident investments showed he had a solid understanding of the central trading world.
What I appreciated most was that he hadn’t made any risky investments. It must have been tempting to try and impress me.
“Although we’ve only invested in three places this time, I plan to gradually increase that.”
“Honestly, I’m not well-versed in financial matters. You handle it as you see fit, but make sure to keep me updated regularly.”
“Of course. And as you know, there are other ways to make money.”
“Like what?”
“Sometimes the trading companies need warriors. There are times when they don’t fully trust the security firms or require additional force.”
This was also a way for martial sects to earn money. Typically, local patrons would offer voluntary support. Naturally, the sects would step in to help if those patrons faced difficulties.
However, aside from a few famous sects, it’s hard to sustain a sect on sponsorships alone. That’s why they engage in their own businesses or form partnerships with other sects or trading companies to generate income.
I understand that the Byeok Clan is involved in various ventures as well.
“I understand. But our sword unit isn’t ready for that yet. When the time comes, I’ll bring it up.”
“Yes, understood.”
Training for the sword unit continued.
Gwan-hwi had completely taken charge of the atmosphere. He led by example and worked hard, so there were no complaints about having a young leader.
As our unit started to function properly, even the existing units began to feel our influence.
Word spread that our small unit was training diligently, and it was said that the existing units felt they needed to step up as well.
Yes, they should be on their toes.
Soon, our small unit will surpass them.
Two months had passed since the unit was formed.
I heard that there had been a reshuffle within the Martial Alliance.
Many positions had changed hands. Sima Tian was appointed as the new chief military officer. He had long-standing ties with the Cheondo Sect.
There was no news about what happened to Galsaryang. He was likely demoted or reassigned to a regular military position.
But I wasn’t worried. I trusted he would manage just fine.
I plan to bring Galsaryang and Baekpyo into my fold as soon as possible.
If they don’t want to join, I won’t force them. But if they appear as people who want to share the same dream, we can work together.
To achieve that, I need to become stronger. My unit needs to become stronger. Just as the first step is crucial in any endeavor, how this unit grows will significantly impact future units.
Fortunately, the past two months of training had transformed the unit’s agility.
Especially Gwan-hwi and a few others who had been training separately at dawn had noticeably improved. The atmosphere within the unit was positive.
I decided the time was right and called Gwan-hwi over.
“Squad Leader Gwan.”
“Yes, Commander.”
Seeing the determination in Gwan-hwi’s eyes, I spoke with conviction.
“The time has come.”
It was time for real combat training.
“Gather everyone.”