The Ruler of Darkness

Book 8: Chapter 17

The person guiding Mistress Hong-dok, who had been appointed as the chief responsible person for the administrative building, smiled contentedly and said,

“What do you think? Aren’t the facilities wonderfully excellent?”

He nodded repeatedly in admiration at the personal night duty room prepared for Mistress Hong-dok.

“Wow, it has everything! As expected of the Sword House, all the furniture is top-notch! At this rate, one could practically live here!”

“…Ah, yes.”

He had said this feeling envious of the treatment and reception Mistress Hong-dok was receiving, but somehow she heard those words as if they were a curse.

‘This luxurious night duty facility, surely…!’

She thought, hiding her expression of rising fear.

‘It couldn’t be the Eldest Young Master’s intention to never let me go home from the start, could it…?’

“Chief Administrator!”

Still not used to her new title, she belatedly came out of the night duty room and replied.

“I’m here. What’s the matter?”

A messenger, panting and out of breath, held out a note to her.

“An urgent message!”

***

‘He hasn’t even started yet?’

Gong Yeo let out a dry laugh, inwardly repeating Yeon So-hyeon’s words.

While understanding it as a mere expression of confidence, on the other hand, he found it hard to hide his expectation of what kind of move the boy before him would show next.

“The Eldest Young Master has also heard the report, but this morning, while going around the families in Luoyang, it wasn’t entirely without harvest.”

He was referring to the families who held grudges against the Second Young Master.

Families who were at odds with him.

And thus, families who wanted to cooperate with Yeon So-hyeon.

“Yes. Even now, there are those secretly making contact.”

“As the saying goes, ‘many drops make a shower.’ Wouldn’t it be helpful to meet with them as well?”

He said this because it was a moment when even a single ally was precious.

“Well… As Elder Gong has already predicted…”

Yeon So-hyeon shook his head.

“Even if we meet them now, they will cooperate in a way that doesn’t surface, that is, in a manner that isn’t openly visible. And they’ll do so while making sure to take all the credit.”

An influential family is being dismantled, with blood and flesh flying.

In such a situation, to openly and proudly offer full cooperation was, in fact, like saying one would join the army on the battlefield.

“…I suppose that would be the case.”

Gong Yeo had already predicted this much, just as Yeon So-hyeon said.

“After taking such a passive approach, if by chance the tide turns in our favor and their safety is guaranteed, it’s obvious that only then will they start to act up.”

“That’s right.”

Yeon So-hyeon moistened his mouth with a sip of tea before continuing.

“And then, when it comes time for rewards later, they’ll try to strip us down to the skin.”

Gong Yeo made a displeased expression, as if picturing those greedy figures in his mind.

“…But is there any other way?”

“There is.”

Yeon So-hyeon smiled over his teacup.

“We just need to gain the upper hand in this war without receiving any help from them.”

Watching Gong Yeo’s white eyebrows twitch, Yeon So-hyeon leaned back comfortably in his chair.

“If that happens, those who were originally at odds with the Second Young Master will prostrate themselves before us.”

They will be left with no choice but to ingratiate themselves to Yeon So-hyeon’s camp, which has gained the upper hand, even if belatedly, offering up everything including their liver and gall.

Yeon So-hyeon showed a wide smile, baring his teeth.

“They will only be able to set foot in our camp after paying a hefty ‘coward’s fine.'”

“Ho ho, just hearing the Eldest Young Master’s words makes me feel refreshed, but…”

At those words, Gong Yeo kept stroking his beard.

“Wasn’t this discussion originally meant to gather even small forces to increase our opposing troops?”

He swallowed dryly and asked Yeon So-hyeon.

“Surely, Young Master, you don’t think we have a chance of winning with just our current forces?”

“That’s…”

Just as Yeon So-hyeon was about to open his mouth, there was a polite knock on the office door.

“Young Master.”

It was Mistress Hong-dok.

“I apologize for interrupting your conversation, but an urgent message has arrived.”

Her complexion didn’t look good, suggesting the content was not trivial.

After asking Gong Yeo for understanding, Yeon So-hyeon gestured while remaining seated, and she approached to respectfully hand over the note.

“The support unit of the business support team has declared a halt to the funding for the Valley of Sin project.”

“Yes. And…”

As Yeon So-hyeon spoke without any particular intention to hide it, Mistress Hong-dok, who had been holding back her words due to Gong Yeo’s presence, opened her mouth.

“Following that, I’ve been informed that the business support team has requested a full recovery of the support funds they had invested in our side through the Sword House’s trading house.”

Request for recovery of support funds.

It meant they intended to make them spit out all the money invested so far.

“These bastards…”

Gong Yeo’s drooping eyelids trembled.

“After creating a gap in administrative power, now they’re going to apply financial pressure…?”

The Second Young Master’s side’s intention to completely dry up the business that would become the foundation of Yeon So-hyeon’s forces was becoming clearly evident.

“…Even if we somehow recover all the funds that were scheduled to be invested in Hodu Village, it won’t even amount to a quarter of a quarter of what the main family is likely to demand.”

Mistress Hong-dok opened her mouth with a calm expression, trying hard to hide her emotions.

“Moreover, thanks to the Eldest Young Master’s ingenuity in keeping the main family’s hands off Hodu Village’s business, that project will also come to a halt.”

Despite her calm expression, her underlying anger was clearly felt.

“…Our Gong family will try to exert some influence, but it will be difficult to have a significant impact on internal matters of the Sword House.”

Gong Yeo clicked his tongue.

“Moreover, it doesn’t seem like the Second Young Master’s side will only be aiming for that.”

Mistress Hong-dok nodded.

“If the Sword House’s trading house decides to recover the support funds as requested by the support unit, all trading houses inside and outside Luoyang will cut ties with us.”

The decision of the Sword House’s trading house was the decision of the Luoyang Sword House, and no trading house in this area would be found not following that decision.

“Hmm.”

“Hmm…”

Unlike the two people who had frozen in deep, worried thought, Yeon So-hyeon remained calm and composed.

“Il-ryeong.”

At his gesture, Il-ryeong, who had been standing by, brought a small metal box and handed it to Mistress Hong-dok.

The metal box was sturdy and had a heavy padlock on it.

“What is this…?”

Yeon So-hyeon smiled at her.

“It’s the amount from selling off the Lee family’s trading company.”

Mistress Hong-dok’s face showed shock as she opened the box with the key received from Yeon So-hyeon.

“This, this amount…?!”

She exclaimed to Yeon So-hyeon after confirming the promissory notes filling the metal box.

“Did you receive the full sale amount from them in a lump sum?!”

Originally, when such a huge amount changed hands, it was rare for promissory notes to be exchanged in a lump sum.

Even for families that kept ample cash on hand, there was a limit to the amount they could mobilize immediately.

“Thanks to that, I couldn’t get the full price, but I had a feeling something like this might happen.”

Yeon So-hyeon spoke in a relaxed tone, nodding in gratitude to Il-ryeong, who was pouring tea by tilting the teapot.

“Splitting and selling the Lee family’s trading company was partly to prevent Sa Pae-cheon from pressuring the buying families, but it was also to receive the full payment on the day of the transaction.”

‘I’m sure you all brought plenty of promissory notes?’

The words Yeon So-hyeon had first uttered at the transaction venue were not just a joke.

The families gathered there were not capable of swallowing the enormous Lee family trading company in one bite.

But because the trading company had been appropriately divided by Yeon So-hyeon, they were able to complete all procedures, including receiving the transaction amount in a lump sum.

“Such…?!”

Hearing Mistress Hong-dok’s exclamation that was close to a scream, Yeon So-hyeon continued speaking with a satisfied expression, showing appreciation for the tea’s aroma.

“Moreover, as the Lee family’s assets stored in their main house are also being disposed of, we should be able to receive that amount soon as well.”

The package received from Judge Cheong, the head of the Cheong family, would have gone to the headquarters of the Orphanage by now and would be in the process of being laundered through various means.

“All together, it should amount to about this much.”

Mistress Hong-dok’s expression froze white as she confirmed the amount Yeon So-hyeon had written on a note and passed to her.

“So even if we actually have to spit out all the investment funds, there’s no need to worry for the time being.”

“With this amount…!”

Mistress Hong-dok quickly nodded in agreement.

“Even if the business support team demands full repayment of all their investments at once, we can fully repay it!”

She exclaimed, unable to hide her excitement.

“This means we can completely separate the main house from the Valley of Sin project!”

This meant that, like Hodu Village, the Valley of Sin would also be completely free from the influence of the Luoyang Sword House.

“Hmm.”

Yeon So-hyeon muttered to himself, smacking his lips.

“If we could have sold the Lee family’s trading company as a whole, we could have secured a much larger amount…”

The total value of the divided Lee family trading company was much less than that of a single, intact Lee family trading company.

If that hadn’t been the case, the amount from selling the intact Lee family trading company alone would have been enough to cover all the long-term investment amounts needed for both the Valley of Sin and Hodu Village, with plenty left over.

“It’s a bit regrettable.”

But that regret didn’t resonate with Gong Yeo and Mistress Hong-dok.

They were too busy marveling at the series of actions Yeon So-hyeon was showing.

“Ho ho. Impressive, Young Master. After just hearing about it, now seeing such skillful maneuvering in person, I’m at a loss for words.”

“You’re too kind.”

Yeon So-hyeon humbly deflected, his expression unchanged, as Gong Yeo shook his head.

“Amazing…!”

Mistress Hong-dok exclaimed, having taken out an abacus and roughly calculated the amounts.

“The figures almost exactly match up!”

Yeon So-hyeon shrugged his shoulders.

“Of course they do, since I calculated and handed over the exact amount.”

“……!”

Even in this situation, Yeon So-hyeon had left some spare amount for any unforeseen circumstances.

“With this…!”

Mistress Hong-dok nodded with a flushed expression.

“We’ve practically already prevented the project from sinking at once due to the suspension and recovery of investment funds!”

The Second Young Master’s side’s move to manipulate part of the business support team and make the Sword House’s trading house act according to their intentions must have consumed considerable political resources, even by their standards.

But thanks to Yeon So-hyeon’s preparation, the possibility of the project being blown away by financial pressure had disappeared.

Those political resources had meaninglessly ‘evaporated into thin air’ about halfway already.

Mistress Hong-dok muttered while flicking the abacus beads.

“If there’s a regrettable point, it’s that with this amount, we can protect the project, but it’s impossible to continue progressing…”

The impossibility of project progress.

That was the other half.

“Ah, Young Master. I’m sorry!”

She, who had been unconsciously expressing regret, quickly bowed her head in apology and closed her mouth.

Even if it was half a victory, this was a victory purely achieved by Yeon So-hyeon’s strength.

It was absolutely not the place for her to express regret.

“You say it’s difficult to proceed with the project right away?”

Instead of blaming her, Yeon So-hyeon smiled meaningfully.

“Young Master…?”

***

The Valley of Sin.

The Eldest Young Master – Fourth Young Master’s joint project headquarters.

Fourth Young Master Yeon Bi’s office.

The leader of the investment group from Sichuan, who had arrived with Da-seon-rang.

Tang Gogyu stroked his chin.

“Ho ho, although I had already received word from the young master of our family…”

Last night. There had been a conversation between Tang Eun-rang, the young master of the Sichuan Tang family, and Young Master Yeon So-hyeon.

The investment group from Sichuan, disguised as they were, were in fact representatives of the Sichuan Tang family seeking to advance into Luoyang with the help of the Eldest Young Master.

“If you’ve received word and confirmed the token, our conversation should be quick.”

Fourth Young Master Yeon Bi said with a smile to Tang Gogyu, known as the wise man of the Tang family.

“Please immediately provide the funds promised by the Tang family to my eldest brother.”

Tang Gogyu nodded after confirming the small silver ornament – the token – that Tang Eun-rang had handed over to Yeon So-hyeon.

“Originally, this wasn’t funds to be handed over at this point, but… well, what does it matter? I’m just doing as I was ordered.”

As he raised his hand towards the back, someone waiting behind went outside.

As a security measure in case of any unforeseen events, the funds were dispersed and hidden in various places.

“Soon, gold coins and promissory notes will be secretly transported here.”

At those words, the Fourth Young Master smiled very contentedly.

Gwak, the old woman standing silently behind him, inwardly sighed in relief and transmitted a close-range sound transmission.

[My lord. With this, both projects in the Valley of Sin and Hodu Village can proceed without any financial problems.]

She had broken out in a cold sweat at the strong counterattack launched by the Second Young Master’s side using the business support team.

Even though she had heard Yeon So-hyeon’s plan in advance from the Fourth Young Master, when the counterattack actually came, anxiety had surged within her.

Fourth Young Master Yeon Bi turned towards her and smiled.

Without words, without sound transmission, Old Lady Gwak could fully understand its meaning.

[Yes, my lord. This old one now understands more than sufficiently.]

That the existence of Yeon So-hyeon alone was overcoming the extreme difference in power with the Second Young Master’s side.

He was essentially a one-man army.