"What do you mean? A direct contract!"

"You heard me."

A few days later, the shippers, including Chusaeng, rushed to the branch office with their eyebrows flying at the new ferry operation plan announced by the Tang Family's estate.

A direct contract with the shippers.

It was a measure put forward by Gongson Seung, who had thoroughly investigated the ferry operation problem.

"Whose idea is this? Does the Tang Family Head even know about this decision?"

Chusaeng glared and questioned the Inner Hall Master, Tang Sanghui, who was sitting in the seat of honor.

"It doesn't matter whether he knows or not. Since he has entrusted all authority regarding the ferry operation."

"Nonsense! Even the Lee family didn't operate this way!"

Sanghui smirked at Chusaeng's words and said.

"We are not the Lee family."

"What?"

"From now on, all contracts will be made directly between the Tang Family's estate and the shippers. You can think of it that way."

"How can you do that! This is like telling us to sit on the street overnight! We can't accept it."

Although Chusaeng threatened without backing down, Sanghui's expression and tone were just cold.

"Why should the Tang Family's estate seek your acceptance?"

"What did you say?"

"Business partners can be changed at any time according to profit."

"Th... th..."

Chusaeng's face turns red, unable to say anything more at her common-sense answer.

The loading operators who had followed Chusaeng were the same.

"We will file a complaint with the authorities! This is the tyranny of a powerful martial faction!"

"Then do so."

"...Pardon?"

"It seems you don't know, but we have already confirmed that this decision has no legal problems."

"Legally...?"

"You can check it out separately if you want. Ah! For your reference, don't think of bribing the authorities to move them. I don't know if you know, but the magistrate is very close to our family head. If you use a bribe wrongly, you won't be able to avoid ruin."

There was nothing to say.

What more was there to say when it was legal?

And he was even close to the Ganyang magistrate...

"The merchants! What about the merchants of the merchant ships? They have been doing business with us until now. Their decision to... the Tang Family's estate..."

"That part has also been discussed."

"The discussion is over?"

"Yes. They welcomed the main family's decision with open arms."

"Th-that's...?"

Although he couldn't believe it, it was true.

The fee that the merchant ships paid was the same as before. But there was an additional content in that fee.

All merchant groups using the Ongjin Ferry were allowed to use the Myriad Virtue Inn and the Ganyang inns at a low cost.

The merchant ships were happy because they could save on accommodation and food costs, and the inns were happy because they could receive more customers.

Although it was possible because the Tang Family's estate was the head of the Ganyang merchant association, it was a measure that would not have been prepared if it weren't for Gongson Seung.

"Oh, and I'm telling you in advance, but it's useless to try to persuade the shippers."

"What do you mean?"

Sanghui looks at Gongson Seung as Chusaeng wears a puzzled expression.

"Gongson Family Head?"

"Yes."

At Sanghui's call, Gongson Seung, as if waiting, hands the prepared paper to Chusaeng and the loading operators.

"This is a summary of the fees that the Tang Family's estate paid to you and the wages that the shippers received."

"Th-this is?"

"There was a lot more money being skimmed off in the middle than I thought. I don't know if Lord Chu took a lot of money, or if the people under him did."

Chusaeng and the loading operators shut their mouths like dumb people who had eaten honey at Gongson Seung's smiling words.

"As you can see, if we make a direct contract, the shippers' income will increase quite a bit. It will be about double."

"..."

"Of course, from your point of view, it would be difficult to pay such an amount to the shippers, right?"

Only the sound of breathing is heard.

Chusaeng clenches his fist.

There was no alternative.

It was all because of that kid who was smiling next to Tang Sanghui. That punk had ruined everything.

"Inner Hall Master."

"What is it?"

"Don't you think you're only thinking about money right now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you think it's all about the cost? Do you think we took too much money in the middle?"

"Hmm, well?"

"This is a childish..."

"Lord Chu!"

Sanghui stops Chusaeng's words and glares at him with a venomous expression.

At the same time, a killing intent that burst out fills the space.

Chusaeng and the loading operators swallow their saliva at the suffocating feeling that seems to tighten their throats.

How could they handle the momentum of a martial artist?

"...Watch your words. He is the master of a collateral branch of the main family and has been entrusted with all authority regarding the operation of the ferry from the family head. If you do not show respect, I will consider it a disrespect to the main family."

"I-I'm sorry."

Only after Chusaeng's flinched apology did Sanghui withdraw her momentum.

"Inner Hall Master, this is a matter that only considers the cost. Isn't there anything about what we have done in the middle process?"

"Ah, that?"

Although it was said to Sanghui, Gongson Seung smiled and took out another paper and handed it to Chusaeng and the loading operators.

"This is a summary of what the Tang Family's estate will have to do to manage the ferry in the future..."

Many things were written on the paper.

From managing the goods to the know-how of loading.

Chusaeng's face began to turn pale as he read the contents, which were organized item by item.

Doesn't he know much more than him?

And it was written so clearly that even a beginner could do the job with just that paper.

Damn it, what kind of punk is this? Is he a punk who has lived twice?

How at that age...

"If you have your answer, would you please leave? As you can see, we're busy because a lot of work has piled up."

It was an order to leave. There was nothing more to say at the cold attitude, like a frost in the middle of winter.

Chusaeng and the loading operators, who had come to argue with the Tang Family's estate, returned with their shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Hoo, it's resolved well."

"Yes."

Gongson Seung smiled brightly at Sanghui's words.

"It's all thanks to you, Gongson Family Head. We didn't know anything and were just being swayed... I see why the Family Head went to Dongting Lake."

"You're overpraising me. The ferry work was possible because I've done it at Dongting Lake. I still have a lot to learn."

Sanghui shook her head at Gongson Seung's humble appearance.

Sanghui, who had been half-convinced after hearing his age, could not help but admire Gongson Seung's work.

Another genius besides the Family Head.

The two, with their different talents, met and exerted a tremendous power.

She had been complacent. She had thought that just working hard was everything...

Effort is a given, and you have to do it well.

Sanghui, looking at Gongson Seung, felt a strange sense of competition beyond admiration.

"Now, then, shall we leave this matter to the Outer Hall Master?"

"Yes, the work is finished, and Chunil is the branch leader."

"That's true, but we need the power of the Outer Hall. I don't think they'll just let it go."

"Pardon?"

"That person named Chusaeng, he seemed somewhat sinister. I felt he would be more than capable of harming either the shippers or the goods to be loaded."

"Hmm, I will pay close attention to that part and watch carefully."

"Yes. I would also like to increase the guards and patrols for a while."

"I understand. I will convey that. More than that, since you've just successfully finished your work, how about you take a short rest? You don't seem to have slept much since you came to the main family..."

"I'd like to, but I don't think I should."

"Pardon?"

"Although I haven't looked into it properly yet, there are too many problems that need to be solved in the Tang Family's estate." 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"Problems to solve?"

"Yes. The main family's financial management is a mess, and there's too much money leaking. There are many businesses that can be sufficiently grown..."

"I'm sorry. It's because my ability is lacking."

"Oh, I didn't mean to blame you, Inner Hall Master. I said something I shouldn't have..."

"No. Gongson Family Head, please give me more guidance in the future."

Gongson Seung, who was staring at Sanghui, who was holding her hands tightly and asking sincerely, wears a smile.

"The Family Head must be very happy."

"Pardon?"

"To have such family members who sincerely care for the family."

"Ah, that's..."

Sanghui scratched her head at Gongson Seung's words.

"Actually, the reason we are living this life is thanks to the grace that the Family Head has bestowed upon us."

"Grace?"

"Yes. If it weren't for the Family Head, we would probably still be living as vagrants. Perhaps some of us would have died."

"...Ah."

On the way back to the Tang Family's estate, Sanghui calmly told the story of her life.

The life of a vagrant.

And the story of learning about edible plants from Cheonyeong and learning martial arts.

"At that time, I thought martial arts was a way to hunt."

"Keuk keuk, the Family Head too. To tell such a lie."

"I know, right. Keuk keuk keuk."

Gongson Seung laughed happily for the first time in a while.

And he thought.

The Tang Family's estate. It was a truly good name.

The people who stayed there were all in the same situation as him.

A new starting point in life.

Those who had been vagrants were now living as the leaders of a family, and they were learning martial arts and academics.

Like him, who had died and come back to life, everyone had gotten a new life at the Tang Family's estate.

The Tang family members, the trainees of the Hoyeon Brigade...

From what he had heard, it seemed the Divine Work Pavilion Master, Ahn Chilgang, was the same.

Cheonyeong had embraced them like a huge hill.

"He's a really good person, our Family Head. At first, I thought he was a dogmatic and stubborn person who decided on a person's fate as he pleased."

"He is stubborn. And he is dogmatic."

"..."

"Ah, it's a secret from the Family Head. As you know, his personality is also bad."

"I'll do that."

"Keuk keuk."

"Keuk keuk keuk."

Originally, people become close by gossiping behind someone's back.

Sanghui and Gongson Seung were getting much closer while they were returning, badmouthing Cheonyeong.

* * *

"Hah, Family Head. It's too hard."

"What is?"

"...Gongson Family Head is too strict."

Cheonyeong wore a bewildered expression at Yongcheon's complaint.

"What do you mean, he's become strict?"

"Well, it wasn't like this when Sanghui was here, but since the Gongson Family Head came, he says we have to write this."

"Huh?"

The paper that Yongcheon held out had 'Expenditure Resolution' written on it.

"What is this?"

"Well, he says he won't give us money from now on if we don't write this."

"Hoh? What does Sanghui say?

"I don't know when they became so close, but she's completely on the Gongson Family Head's side... Please say something. It's not just me, the kids are having a hard time."

Cheonyeong smiled brightly at Yongcheon's complaint.

It meant he had come as a representative. Well, that was the role of the Deputy Family Head. To summarize the difficulties of the family members and give the family head a hint.

Anyway, it seemed there was a plan for the use of money.

It was a good thing.

He had already received a report that the matter of the ferry had been resolved smoothly.

Moreover, the satisfaction of the merchants who used the ferry was much better than before. Some said it was several times better than when the Lee family was there.

Not only that? The reaction of the inns was also good.

Since the friendly merchants had spread rumors about the Ongjin Ferry, the number of customers visiting the Ganyang inns seemed to have increased by at least double compared to before.

Of course, they had to discount the accommodation and food costs, but the saying 'small profits and quick returns' was not for nothing.

"Family Head, please..."

"Yongcheon."

"Yes!"

"Shut up."

"..."

"If you keep complaining, I'll tell them to cut the support fund in half, so you know. Just do as the Gongson Family Head says. Got it? Tell the kids that too."

"Dammit..."

Yongcheon, who felt like he had attached another lump after trying to remove one, pouted his lips.

Whether he did or not, Cheonyeong smiled.

Now he finally felt he could run the family with a peaceful mind.

Since Gongson Seung was doing his role and the Divine Work Pavilion Master was continuously expanding the buildings, he just had to worry about the family's military power.

By the way, what was the ranking of the Tang Family's estate? It seemed to be around one hundred and thirty-something until recently.

Had it gone up a little?

I guess I have to meet Nosanggae...

"Hey! Are you in there?"

Just then, a voice was heard from outside, and Cheonyeong burst out laughing.

A beggar, imitating a tiger that comes when you talk about it. Still, it was nice to hear that voice after a long time.

Cheonyeong, with a smile, opens the door of the Three Yang Hall and goes outside.

But.

"Huh? Why are you here?"

The one who had come with Nosanggae was the Dongting Lake North Branch Leader, Baekta.

(End of Chapter)