A party to praise Gongson Seung's hard work in neatly solving the Ongjin Ferry problem.

A rest order was given to the Tang Family's estate, and a separate place was prepared for the leaders in the backyard of the newly built Myriad Virtue Inn.

But.

"I stopped by on my way to Sicheon for some business."

"..."

"I am Baekta, the Dongting Lake North Branch Leader. I am a close friend of Family Head Tang. Please take good care of me, Gongson Family Head, and the leaders of the Tang Family's estate."

Baekta stands up with a wine cup and introduces himself, offering it to everyone.

He wasn't told to. He did it on his own.

He wasn't invited either. He also participated on his own.

At a party for Gongson Seung...

Damn beggars...

Although it is said that a person is born with his own fortune to eat, how is it that beggars are swarming every time a banquet is held at the Tang Family's estate?

"This person is the Heavenly Power Pestle, right?"

"Pardon? Ah, yes."

"Ha ha! I've heard a lot about you. By any chance, is that the famous iron pestle?"

Baekta asks as if surprised, pointing at the iron pestle that Yongcheon carries on his back.

"Yes."

"Oh! Indeed! To carry such a heavy thing and not be bothered at all, the Heavenly Power Pestle of the Tang Family's estate is rumored to be as strong as Xiang Yu all the way to Dongting Lake! It really seems so."

"Dongting Lake? A rumor?"

"Of course! That's right. By the way, they say that many women are lovesick, wanting to see the face of the Heavenly Power Pestle."

There's no way such a rumor would spread. How could a rumor that hasn't even spread in Sicheon yet reach Dongting Lake?

But it was different for Yongcheon, who was listening to the flattering praise.

Wasn't he eighteen, an age when he was very interested in women?

Of course.

"...Control your expression."

"Huh?"

"Are you going to grin like that after hearing a few words of praise, with the dignity of a Deputy Family Head?"

"Ah... ahem ahem."

Yongcheon coughed repeatedly at Sanghui's sharp criticism, which had turned as cold as frost.

"Oh! You must be the Inner Hall Master. I've also heard the rumor about the Twin Flash Asura..."

"Let's skip it."

"Pardon?"

"Because I don't really want to hear it."

Baekta wears an awkward expression at Sanghui's voice, which is dripping with coldness.

You should have spoken well.

It was your mistake to talk about women to Yongcheon when Sanghui was right next to him.

Look at that, she's holding her sword tightly.

Although he didn't seem to know the reason, Baekta, who had felt Sanghui's killing intent with his keen senses as a martial artist, quickly changes his prey.

"O-one Cup Child, right?"

"Yes! I am that One Cup Child. By any chance, in Dongting Lake..."

"Of course, of course! According to what I've heard, there are many people who want to have a one-cup martial arts contest with the One Cup Child."

"Oh! Really?"

"Yes! I heard it with my own two ears. Ha ha ha!"

"Let's have a drink!"

The atmosphere heats up again.

Hah, what a liar.

Well, thanks to that, it seems they are getting close quickly. Weren't the leaders of the Tang Family's estate thirsty for praise?

"No way? This person is the Hoyeon Brigade Master, Tang Baekgang?"

"You know me too? No way, a rumor?"

"Of course!"

Baekta's praise, trying to gain favor, continues.

"What about me? Is there no rumor about me?"

"...Ah, that... who was it?"

"..."

It was Hwangsama.

Hwangsama, who had been expecting something, pouted his lips at Baekta's bewildered face and said.

"I am Tang Hwangsama, the Tang family's martial arts instructor."

"The Tang family's martial arts... there was one? Ahahaha."

Anyone could see that he didn't know. The punk who had heard a lot, didn't he know that?

"My knowledge is short... now, let's have a drink!"

Although Baekta offered a drink, Hwangsama was already properly offended.

"I don't like alcohol."

"..."

"Tch!"

The sulking Hwangsama took his wine cup and went over to Sanghui's side.

"Please take good care of me. Branch Leader, please help our Outer Hall a lot in the future."

"Of course. Leave it to me."

What did he mean, leave it to him? Although the Outer Hall would maintain a cooperative system with the Beggars' Sect branch, how far was it from Dongting Lake?

But Yongcheon, Chunil, and Baekgang, who were already full of goodwill, just said it was good and shared wine cups with Baekta.

He didn't know if they would become sworn brothers at this rate.

However.

"I, I don't like him."

"...Shall I wring his neck?"

"I'll help you."

Before he knew it, a three-section staff, made to replace the whip, was in Hwangsama's hand.

The banquet to praise Gongson Seung's hard work had become a strange place where boisterousness and murderous intent coexisted.

"The ferry, you did a good job."

Cheonyeong, who had smirked at the sight of Baekta getting along with the Tang Family's estate, offers a cup to Gongson Seung.

"...You said I did a good job, but it's tea? Not alcohol?"

"You're thirteen, what's with the alcohol. I'll give you alcohol after your coming-of-age ceremony."

"You said I'm a family head of a collateral branch, right? Does age matter?"

"It's the law of the Tang family. I just made it."

"Tch..."

Gongson Seung takes the teacup with a playful smile at Cheonyeong's words.

"How are the finances?"

"Well, it's not bad."

"Really? That's strange. It was always lacking."

"Because it wasn't managed."

"That's true."

"Oh! While we're at it, I'd like to expand the warehouse."

"The warehouse?"

"Yes. We're selling the medicinal herbs and leather too indiscriminately."

"..."

"If we do that, the goods will become too common and the price will not be good. To control the market price, I think it would be good to store them."

"Hmm, to control the market price... well, discuss that with the Divine Work Pavilion Master and handle it."

"I'll do that. And, I'd like to have a separate medicine room."

"A medicine room?"

"Yes. The medicine hall can't handle all the incoming medicinal herbs."

"Hmm."

"Let's create a medicine room in the Tang family. It will be much more profitable to sell the leftover medicinal herbs by making them into pills."

Cheonyeong couldn't hide his satisfaction at Gongson Seung's words.

As expected, he was a punk who was a great help. Hadn't he turned the Tang Family's estate upside down as soon as he arrived?

In fact, he had been thinking about a medicine room for a long time.

A martial arts sect faces various dangers, and in the process, the injury and death of warriors are inevitable.

The existence of a physician is therefore very important.

Because it will preserve the family's military power.

"We'll have to recruit a physician."

"A run-of-the-mill physician won't do. We need someone with outstanding skills who will settle down in the Tang family and stay for a long time."

"That's not easy. Who would come to the Tang family, trusting what?"

"What about me?"

"Huh?"

"What about the Divine Work Pavilion Master? And the leaders of the Tang family?"

"..."

"The family head brought them all. They all became family of the Tang family."

"Well, that's true, but..."

"The family head's existence will be enough."

"Keuk, aren't you trusting me too much?"

"Because you're making me trust you."

"Didn't I tell you? I'm still eighteen."

"You were that young? I had no idea. The way you talk is like a seventy-year-old man."

"What?"

"Keuk keuk."

Cheonyeong also laughed at Gongson Seung's laughter.

"Ah, and this is just my thought... how about a security escort service while we're at it?"

"A security escort service?"

"Yes."

"I heard you got a security escort service in the fight with the Yin Hand Chamber."

"I got a security escort service? Me?"

Cheonyeong tilted his head, and Nosanggae, who was beside him, interrupted.

"Heh, this person. Have you already forgotten? I'm talking about the Cheolrip Security Escort Service. The Cheolrip Security Escort Service."

"Cheolrip... ah!"

Now he remembered.

One of the subordinate forces of the Yin Hand Chamber that he had destroyed on the pretext of Yongcheon's injury in the past.

"You've been neglecting it."

"I did. Because I didn't have the manpower."

"Let's fix it up and run it while we're at it."

"Hmm."

"Although the name of the Tang family is still small and the land route is difficult, since we have a ferry, the waterway is possible."

"..."

"It's a business that can make money, so there's no need to let it rot. I'll recruit the security escorts."

Cheonyeong clicked his tongue at the sight of Gongson Seung's eyes burning with enthusiasm.

"Seung. It's all good, but take it easy. You're already doing well enough."

"How can I be as good as you, Family Head?"

"Huh?"

"I heard from the Inner Hall Master. You barely sleep, right?"

"Well..."

"There are so many things I want to do. I feel a sense of accomplishment, as if I'm creating something with my own hands."

Gongson Seung scratched his head as if embarrassed.

"Hmm, the biggest problem is how to form a connection with the Yangtze River water bandits... it's a pity. If that problem is solved, we could grow into a waterway-specialized security escort service."

"Form a connection with the water bandits?"

"Of course. You said the Tang family is between Orthodox and Unorthodox, right? In fact, even if you hadn't declared it so, what's wrong with joining hands with the water bandits if it's profitable? If we can get away with just the toll, it's a very cheap deal."

Cheonyeong shook his head at Gongson Seung's words.

A martial artist would not think of such a thing. To think of joining hands with the water bandits, who are no different from criminals...

"What about the water bandits?"

"Huh?"

Baekta, who had been having a long conversation with Gongson Seung, approached with a wine cup.

Did you hear that already?

As expected of a Beggars' Sect beggar.

Baekta, who had taken a seat nearby, smirked at Gongson Seung.

"You look good dressed up like this. Your expression has also brightened up a lot."

"Pardon? Do you know me?"

"Huh?"

"I think this is the first time I've seen you..."

It was a mistake.

Unlike Cheonyeong, hadn't he been wearing a mask when he had saved Gongson Seung?

Because he didn't want to be caught having crossed someone else's wall as a branch leader of the Beggars' Sect, and having been involved in a killing, even if it was a disguise.

"Ah, that's... I've heard a lot about this friend! He praised you so much. Ha ha!"

"Ah, so that's what it was.

"Th-that's right. Haha. And since I'm friends with the Family Head, I'll speak comfortably. I'm also much older."

"Yes."

Baekta vaguely mumbled and hastily changed the subject.

"But did you just say something about water bandits?"

"Yes. Since the main family owns a ferry... I was wondering if it would be a good idea to do a security escort service business through the waterway."

"Then you should do it."

"But we're not strong enough to prepare for the water bandits' attacks."

"Huh? What are you talking about? Why prepare for an attack? It's the Tang Family's estate."

"Pardon?"

Baekta, who had glanced at Cheonyeong, said.

"Didn't the Family Head tell you?"

"What?"

"Do you know the Gunsan Stronghold of Dongting Lake?"

"The Gunsan Stronghold? Isn't that the place where the Lord of the Xiang River, Nam Gwangro, is the chief, and one of the Eighteen Strongholds of the Yangtze River?"

"You know well. Actually, the Family Head is very close to the chief there."

"Pardon?"

"Dammit, to think I lost that punk from my grasp because of the Family Head, I'm still furious. He was a punk I could have used for a long time."

Baekta glared at Cheonyeong, recalling the events of that time.

"W-wait a minute! What does that mean?"

"What?"

"Our family head is close to the Gunsan chief?"

"Yeah. Chief Nam owes a huge debt to the Family Head. Since he has a lot of influence on the western waterway of the Yangtze River, there will be no case where a boat with the mark of the Tang Family's estate is attacked by water bandits."

"Th-that's...?"

Gongson Seung's eyes widened at Baekta's words.

Calculation formulas quickly filled his small head, and his face soon brightened.

"Family Head!"

"Huh?"

"I'll be going now."

"Already? The banquet is still..."

"I have work to do. The security escort service! Please entrust it to me. Got it?"

"Huh?"

"Instead! Please write me one letter."

"Well, that's not difficult, but..."

"Then."

Gongson Seung, who had gotten up before Cheonyeong's words ended, rushes out of the banquet hall.

Cheonyeong, who was staring blankly at his back, wore a bewildered expression.

Is he that happy?

The Gongson family.

It was truly a pity. If his father hadn't died, if the old family head had lived, if at least a few of his uncles had been good punks.

The Gongson family might have become a family that made its name known throughout the world.

Because of that punk.

Of course, it's mine now.

A punk who will become a treasure of the Tang Family's estate.

I think I'll have to attach a reliable guard to him. So that no one can take him away.

(End of Chapter)