Episode 186

“What the hell happened?”

More than a hundred officials were escorting the criminals. The faces of those tied up with ropes were so miserable that they couldn’t even look up and some of them seemed so weak that they were unable to walk.

It wasn’t just one or two people.

There were dozens of people being dragged off which caught the attention of many people.

“Is… isn’t that person the Leader of the Hunan Merchant Union?”

“R-right! H-how is this…”

“What happened for them to be in this position?”

People started whispering here and there.

Since they didn’t understand what this all meant, they tilted their heads in confusion. The people being dragged were so well-known and reputable that everyone in Hunan knew them.

No matter how many times they saw these people being dragged along in ropes, it was an odd situation which they couldn’t comprehend.

At that time, someone came up and said.

“They said they attacked a Government’s Official Residence and killed their people!”

“Is that true?”

“This is something I heard from the mouth of an official himself, it is insane alright.”

“Huh, but weren’t they on good terms? Why did they have to do something like that?”

“I don’t know that, but… well, they say it was the Hunan Dan family which understood their move and stopped them.”

“The Hunan Dan family?”

People tilted their heads when they heard the term ‘Hunan Dan family’.

It was their first time hearing that name.

“It is a huge manor built near the Dongting Lake in Yueyang.”

“Ah! It is said that the saints have come down and built it…?”

And they remembered something.

Did they know that a manor was built overnight? And at some point it collapsed?

Moreover, even though it was newly built, it takes dozens of carpenters more than a year to build such a house, and this happened in one month alone.

Therefore many people said it was a house where saints lived.

Was that the Dan family?

“It turns out they are a Murim family?”

“Right! It is said that they arrived and prevented a disaster from getting worse.”

Many had died but not all had. Some escaped, and some were lucky enough to survive.

As people began to talk about the night before, it was literally an instant for the Hunan Dan family to be known.

Mak Chung-heon was covered in blood and was dragged as he couldn’t walk.

The brilliant life that he lived, that had fallen apart and he had nowhere else to go.

‘All… I’ve lost it all…’

Mak Chung-heon’s eyes were void.

A life lived as the best merchant in Hunan. A life where he had more than he needed.

He, who had the greatest wealth and strength in his hands, which made even the highest officials wary of Mak Chung-heon, had lost it all and was on the way to the Palace, bound and led in ropes.

It wasn’t a situation that he could get out of by paying money.

They attacked the residence of officials, and there were even witnesses who were alive during the entire assault.

Mak Chung-heon would be transported to Beijing and he might get sentenced to be beheaded, after being tortured.

The situation was so hopeless that he couldn’t even do anything other than sigh.

‘Those people…!’

Spat.

The more he thought about it, the harder he gritted his teeth. If it wasn’t for them, he wouldn’t have been in such a situation.

‘No, it was wrong right from the beginning.’

The target was the worst mistake.

It wasn’t right to focus on the Golden Ring Merchant Union from the start. They should have gone right for the Hunan Dan family.

And now his desperation increased because he thought if he had changed the order of things, this wouldn’t have happened.

‘No, no.’

It wasn’t a problem of the Hunan Dan family.

He shouldn’t have touched them in the first place.

‘A place we never should have come to.’

Although he was angry and didn’t like it, when he thought about it later, it felt like he should have never touched that place.

Two odd-looking men in masks.

Although he didn’t know the skills properly, they were undoubtedly stronger than the men he faced. Perhaps if they had come forward, they might have controlled the situation without interference.

Of course, it was just a guess, but he now realized that they were not people he could stop with determination alone.

Those people had Zhuge Yun.

The one who planned it all, and backed him into a corner. If it wasn’t for him, he could have guaranteed the fall of the Hunan Dan family.

But just one person.

If he had recognized their true colors from the start, he would have given up too.

Dan Woo-hyun, the head of the Hunan Dan family.

The one who pierced Go Chwi-san’s chest.

At best, he was the one who dispersed the internal qi of the subordinates and Mak Chung-heon, who was present, couldn’t move.

The more he thought about it, the more fear he felt.

‘If this happens… Jumun Won…’

Mak Chung-heon looked at the sky and thought of one person. He thought there was no one else who could save him out of this.

But he knew that person wouldn’t help now either.

In the first place, all of this was caused by the Jumun family.

This all felt unfair and enraging.

Mak Chung-heon, who was sighing like he lost it all, looked at one place.

He saw Jumun Won, the Jumun family head, and his right hand man, standing there, smiling.

He watched Mak Chung-heon getting dragged, as if he was getting what he deserved.

‘It isn’t as easy as one thinks. Maybe I’ll meet my end today.’

With that thought in mind, he looked at Jumun Won as if saying his goodbyes.

The next day, Mak Chung-heon committed suicide within the prison itself. Jumun Won went back to his family house and sat down with a frown. He recalled the face of Mak Chung-heon looking at him.

He didn’t like that and drank water.

“That bastard.”

Did he think about the suicide? If he had stayed there, he would have been tortured and in the end, executed too.

Just one head wasn’t enough.

Since the Government Residence wasn’t a place to attack, it wouldn’t be surprising if his entire family was killed.

Since he couldn’t handle seeing that happen, he committed suicide.

“Tsk…”

That gaze looking at him at the end.

“What happens to the Hunan Merchant Union?”

“Why don’t we all move to another place? From the looks of it, the Golden Ring Merchant Union will reap the most profits.”

Jumun Won nodded at Du Ack-chil’s words.

This was a problem solved by the Hunan Dan family, and not anyone else. On top of that, it was no exaggeration to say that Hong Won-chang was a member of the Dan family, so there was a high chance of guessing whose side he would take.

Since the owner of the Hunan Merchant Union had committed a crime and died, his property will be seized by officials.

From Hong Won-chang’s point of view, since the criminals were taken down, he will receive a large reward from the Imperial Family and the Emperor, and gain greater authority.

Wasn’t it like literally giving wings to a tiger?

‘Stupid bastard.’

Jumun Won thought of Mak Chung-heon.

“This is such a mess for me. I did not want such an ending….”

Jumun Won and Du Ack-chil groaned.

They never thought that the Hunan Merchant Union would completely collapse. He thought that at least one of them, Ga Jong-pyung or Mak Chung-heon, would survive but unexpectedly, both had died.

From Jumun Won’s perspective, who had been in business with the Hunan Merchant Union for so long, this was a situation which needed immediate contact with the Tons of Gold Merchant Union.

Of course, it wasn’t like they would collapse if the sale of alcohol stopped.

Their wealth was several times that of the Hunan Merchant Union.

“Well, I learned a few things from this.”

“The Hunan Dan family’s power is greater than expected.”

“Right.”

Of course, he didn’t know everything. Even if he tried to gather information, all access regarding this subject was blocked, so he couldn’t even find out who planned this or how it was carried out.

But one thing was for certain.

The Hunan Dan family was a place that no one should underestimate.

“But…”

It wasn’t a place to be ignored, right?

If the Hunan Dan family didn’t collapse, then the Jumun family would. The two cannot coexist.

“What should we do?”

Jumun Won was in deep thought, tapping his fingers on the table.

“Wonderful.”

“Isn’t this more than we thought?”

Hong Won-chang, Kwon Mujin, and Dan Woo-hyun looked around the Hunan Merchant Union and clicked their tongues.

Since most of the items in the warehouse were stolen, the only thing left was probably the secret money stash, but when they began to search, it looked like a prestigious family that hoarded money.

There were so many kinds of jewelry, decorative items and statues, and even spiritual pills.

If these were sold, they could make tons of money.

“I plan to sell most to the provincial head, but if you want anything, you can keep it.”

Dan Woo-hyun extended his hand as if he had been waiting for that. He put the pills aside and a couple of Buddha statues there, which were worth a lot.

Hong Won-chang broke into cold sweat at the swift movement.

“Dispose of the stolen goods. I don’t need the alcohol of the Jumun family, pour it into Dongting Lake.”

“Anything else?”

“Nothing. But as requested by Geum Eun-hak….”

“Yes. I will definitely inform the Provincial Lord.”

Hong Won-chang bowed his head.

This entire victory was because of Dan Woo-hyun and the Hunan Dan family. As a result of the change, the commercial rights for trading was transferred to Geum Eun-hak.

But there was still something odd about it.

“But will he be fine? Even though he seems to have a good nature, isn’t he a bit stupid to have gotten robbed?”

“As I’ve said before, I don’t kick people out because of one failure. It’s alright if he doesn’t let that happen twice.”

Hong Won-chang nodded at these words.

“With this, we have no choice but to clash with the Jumun family.”

Kwon Mujin spoke, concerned.

Now that the Hunan Merchant Union has collapsed, unless they struck a deal with the Golden Ring Merchant Union, they will have no choice but to be enemies.

Something which had to be pointed out.

But Dan Woo-hyun just had the calmest smile.

“I know that.”

How could he not know?

All this was in preparation to handle the Jumun family.

With that thought in mind, he left the Hunan Merchant Union.