“If you can’t pay three thousand and six hundred silver taels, please return the liquor.”
“What do you mean three thousand and six hundred silver taels, even if it’s too much, that’s quite….”
“It’s not at all too much.”
“Three thousand and six hundred silver taels?”
“I couldn’t deliver the liquor that I was supposed to deliver today. I couldn’t keep my promise as a man. If a man fails to keep his promise, of course, he has to pay the price. One could risk their life and one could even give up an arm. On the contrary, you should consider yourself to be lucky as you can pay the price with money.”
It occurred to the man that he was not an ordinary child since the time he came looking for the liquor, but he didn’t expect to hear an eight-year-old believe in a man’s promise.
“But, that promise has something to do with you. Whether to give up a life, give up an arm, or to pay the money.”
“That’s right. And, Dongssi-doga has to take responsibility for not allowing me to keep my promise. So, I’m allowing you to take responsibility. Either return the liquor or pay the money.”
Dong Seong-bang asked as he stared blankly at Geom Woo-bin.
“Do you know that the words you said now sound like a threat?”
“I told the truth, so, it doesn’t matter to me about how it sounds like.”
He wasn’t even angry.
Gosh! An eight-year-old kid came to Dongssi-doga and is threatening!
“I could even just kick you out, or even bury you silently.”
Though his son Dong Chang-min was overhearing, Dong Seong-bang casually prattled on the words about killing.
“It’s another way you can make a choice. So, now there are four choices. Which one would you select, master?”
“Aha! This is quite…!”
It wouldn’t be this awkward even if there was a Moorim person in front of him.
“Father.”
“Yes?”
“I have an idea. Can I tell you?”
“Tell me.”
“First of all, give the liquor back to that child.”
“But the guests who are coming for the celebration today will be disappointed a lot, wouldn’t they?”
Disappointing the guests of the Moorimmaeng (Moorim League) is not a choice to make.
“That child will take the liquor to the place called Wolha brothel.”
“I guess so.”
“Then we’ll buy that liquor again. If we say we’re giving twofold of the selling price they wouldn’t refuse, as we’re well-known as a clan.”
Dong Seong-bang slapped his knee.
“Oh! That’s a good idea!”
That was enough to put an end to this fuss without causing a major loss to anyone.
“What do you think?”
Geom Woo-bin who was questioned still answered casually.
“Once I deliver the liquor to the Wolha brothel, I’ll be done with it. It doesn’t matter to me about who Wolha brothel sells the liquor to.”
“Then, let’s do that.”
“It’s something I brought up, so let me be the one to go to the Wolha brothel.”
“Alright. There is a piece of baggage as well, so a horse carriage would be convenient, right?”
As the decision was made, the horse carriage was prepared and the process of loading the liquor took place faster.
Not long after, Geom Woo-bin and Dong Chang-min sat down in the carriage facing each other.
“There was determination, I see.”
At Do Chang-min’s words, Geom Woo-bin only looked at the scenery outside the window without replying.
“Don’t you think I saved you?”
“Dongssi-doga is probably the one you saved.”
“What did you say?”
“There are cases where everything you see is not as it seems.”
Dong Chang-min nodded.
“Okay. That’s right. So that’s why I’m saying, you should at least have a little respect.”
Dong Chang-min wore a fishy smile on his face while speaking, which was not to be seen in the Dongssi-doga.
“I’m not a very kind person as you think.”
“But, I’ve never seen a kind person before.”
Dong Chang-min’s eyebrows bristled.
He was known as a prodigy who was born in the best family, and he satisfied everyone with his actions that were not out of line.
Though he was young, he knew exactly how to behave in front of the people who he wanted to look good for.
It was thanks to those efforts that he was able to occupy the position of deputy head of the household at an early age.
However, Geom Woo-bin did not make any efforts to make him look better in front of the head of the Dongssi-doga clan. All the people of Hangzhou, and even Zhejiang, were proud of Dong Seong-bang who keeps a low profile.
Dong Chang-min who is putting on a mask with much effort did not like it.
“Do you want me to truly tell you what being unkind is?”
Dong Chang-min placed his hand on Geom Woo-bin’s knees, who was seated opposite to him.
If he puts strength like this, he could break the guy’s knees like sorghum.
“How are you going to handle the aftermath? The mask you’ve been wearing all this time might come off.”
Geom Woo-bin no longer had a mind of an eight-year-old after reading ‘Moorim’s Art of War’. Though he could not understand all the inner mysteries contained in that book, he was able to clearly see through the heart of the fifteen-year-old Dong Chang-min.
“I don’t think breaking my knee would be enough to keep my mouth shut.”
“A dead person cannot talk.”
He didn’t have anything as such as a guilty conscience of killing Geom Woo-bin.
“If you kill me, you would be the prime suspect. You do have that much of a brain, right?”
Dong Chang-min had the confidence to kill and Geom Woo-bin had the confidence not to die.
It was not even a matter of breaking Dong Chang-min’s wrist if he wanted to.
Fortunately, that kind of a thing didn’t happen.
Dong Chang-min who was gently staring at Geom Woo-bin took his hands off him.
“You are a guy who’s cleverer than I was at that age, I see.”
“It’s the difference between a person who learns the world from a book and a person who encounters it in practice.”
Geom Woo-bin even grinned at him.
“You punk! I don’t like you at all!”
The horse carriage arrived at the Wolha brothel in complete silence.
Ha Seok-mun rushed out upon the news that the deputy head of the Dongssi-doga clan has come. At the name Dongssi-doga, everyone was reacting the same as Ha Seok-mun.
“Except for that punk.”
Dong Chang-min saw Geom Woo-bin getting down with the liquor, and soon he showed a pretentious smile at Ha Seok-mun.
“It’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard of Wolha brothel’s popularity, but I’m coming here for the first time. I’m Dong Chang-min, deputy head of Dongssi-doga.”
“Darn! An important guest has arrived! Of course, you cannot come. You’re not old enough. Hahaha!”
“Then, we will see each other often after two years.”
Dong Chang-min who exchanged jokes brought up business talks.
When he said he will pay double the price of the selling price, Ha Seok-mun bowed down saying, “If so, we’re the ones who are thankful.”
However, he cannot be thankful.
Half of the customers who go up to the top floor of the Wolha brothel are those who come because of the Sagi wine.
The money that they spend exceeds not just double the price of the Sagi wine, but fivefold of it. If there is no Sagi wine there, they would even stop coming. So, even if they say they’d pay double the price, it is not a small loss.
Nevertheless, Ha Seok-mun had no choice but to give.
The only person in Hangzhou who can reject the request of Dongssi-doga is a child who cannot understand the meaning of what someone says.
“But Woo-bin, how did you manage to retrieve the liquor?”
He could tell about it only after Dong Chang-min makes the payment and leave.
“Head of Dongssi-doga is a person who I could talk to.”
“Since you asked to return it, he just returned it?”
“Yes.”
After a long silence, Ha Seok-mun nodded.
“That’s how it’s been, I see. Anyways, thanks to you that I was able to at least get the money. Thanks.”
“Are you upset?”
“Can’t you tell?”
“Fortunately, I still have a little liquor left, I’ll try to bring at least that.”
An immediate smile appeared on Ha Seok-mun’s face.
“Will you be able to do that?”
“I’ll have to do so. As I’m also responsible for what happened.”
“I’m seriously grateful. I’ve met many dealers, but among many of them, an eight-year-old kid is the most faithful one? The world is quite fun, I see.”
“Sir, which place in Hangzhou makes the best silk clothes?”
“It’s the Danseom Draper’s. Looks like you’re going to spend some money now. I was curious about where you’re going to spend it by earning that much.”
“Yes. I will buy the most expensive clothes. I hope my uncles and aunt would like it.”
“I’m only thankful to you master, for warmly welcoming the worthless people like this. Hahaha!”
“Why would you say such a thing! If you, Baek Ho-dang of Moorim are worthless, then I won’t even be able to hold my head up! Hahaha!”
Yang Sang-rak, master of the Baek Ho-dang clan is one among the ten parties of the Moorim League, in the second-generation disciple of Hwa San-pa who was one of the Gudaemunpa vying for the first place, so, even the head of Dongssi-doga family had to please them.
“As I entered Zhejiang, Dongssi-doga’s reputation was widely spread. I was surprised.”
The middle-aged guy who spoke was Jung Man-joong, in charge of the Moorim League celebration.
“Compared to master Jung Man-joong’s Diancang sect, it’s just a small name like a firefly under the moonlight.”
“If we become an official family of the Moorim League, the fame of Dongssi-doga would spread beyond Zhejiang Province and throughout the entire Moorim.”
That is why Dong Seong-bang is entertaining them by having his liver and gallbladder removed. The Moorim League is an organization unified by the factions of Moorim, but it was not a place where everyone could enter though it was classified as factions.
Apart from the Gudaemunpa and the five noble families, only three Munpas including Seonyeon-mun were registered as a blood alliance.
The other factions joined, but they couldn’t form a blood alliance.
The difference between joining and forming a blood alliance was as great as the sea and river.
When one becomes an official blood alliance in the Moorim League, if one place gets attacked, the entire Moorim League was supposed to help that Munpa with all their might.
However, when one has only become a member, they cannot expect help entirely, and depending on times, they may not even be able to receive the attention of the Moorim League.
In other words, the sign of the official blood alliance of the Moorim League was no different from a certificate of a noble family faction. With this alone, it will be possible to stand at the same level as the five noble families, which Dong Seong-bang longs for.
So, Dong Seong-bang was putting up with the humiliation of bowing his head even to one of the guards of the Moorim League. It is because their reports will be able to determine whether they’ll become blood alliances or just remain as the members.
“Is the nonsense all over?”
The person who broke the silence he’s been keeping until now was seated at the far end of the long table.
Anyone would tell that the old man wearing worn-out clothes that were sewn here and there with shaggy hair looked like a beggar. The reason the old beggar’s words weighed so much that it made everyone shut up is because, he is No Dae-sul, the chieftain of the Beggar’s sect.
Dong Seong-bang asked cautiously.
“Chieftain, are you upset about something?”
Anyone would say he had a face full of annoyance.
“Why am I here?”
Dong Seong-bang was curious about that too.
The Beggar’s Sect disregarded the desperate courtship of the Moorim League and did not participate in the Moorim League.
‘Beggars should be free.’ Was the ostensible reason, and in fact, the actual reason was that he didn’t like what the factions are doing these days.
However, they couldn’t dare to neglect the Chieftain of the Beggar’s sect.
This is because the Moorim League is still eagerly wishing for the Beggar’s sect to be a blood alliance.
Anyways, no one knew the reason No Dae-sul came except for himself, so everyone was just staring at him blankly.
“I heard that the Sagi wine that’s rumored to be popular in Hangzhou has been prepared tod-….”
No Dae-sul continued talking while shaking the liquor bottle that was placed in front of him.
“This liquor that’s like horse pee can’t be Sagi wine, right?”
He swigged straight from the bottle saying it looks like horse pee.
“Wow! This is not like horse pee but a pretty good Maotai wine, but if the expectations are high the disappointment tends to be greater. A person’s taste is always tricky. Hehehehe! So, where’s the Sagi wine?”
“It-…. it will arrive soon.”
Fortunately, nothing happened such as backing Dong Seong-bang into the corner.
As the door opened Dong Chang-min came carrying a tray. There were eight calabashes placed on the tray.
“I’m sorry. I’m a little late.”
“Alright. Come in and greet the uncles of the Moorim League.”
Dong Chang-min placed the tray on the table and bowed to the eight guests of the Moorim League.
“Dong Chang-min, the deputy head of Dongssi-doga, greets the uncles of the Moorim League.”
Yang Sang-rak said smiling.
“The deputy head of Dongssi-doga is said to be not only smart but also a prodigy of martial arts, and just looking at him exudes a great energy.”
Everyone praised Dong Chang-min one by one, but No Dae-sul did not even glance at Dong Chang-min.
His fiery gaze was fixed on the calabash as if it was going to melt.
“That’s what’s called the famous Sagi wine, right?”
Dong Chang-min immediately picked up a bottle and approached No Dae-sul.
“Grandfather, can I pour you a glass?”
“I’ve never had a grandson like you. And, liquor is best when it’s drunk with a friend, and if one doesn’t have a friend the next best is one’s self.”
No Dae-sul grabbed the liquor bottle from Dong Chang-min’s hands and pulled out the cork.
The mellow aroma gave him a sense that it’s an already famous liquor before he drank it. But, the aroma that tickled the tip of his nose was somewhat familiar.
At the same time, a name flashed across him.
“No way….”
No Dae-sul poured the liquor onto the glass and brought it towards his mouth.
The taste that was fully spread inside his mouth was one that he could never forget even though he has tried a thousand kinds of liquor.
“Pungryu wine! If that’s the case!”