Chapter 193

Jang Pyeong, Deputy Merchant Master of the True Martial Merchant Company, greeted Jeok Wigang and the others with a smile when they returned.

“You’ve worked hard, Merchant Master.”

“Nothing happened while I was gone, right?”

“Ha ha ha. If anything, business has been going too well lately.”

“That’s good.”

Then Jang Pyeong noticed Baek Ryeongso.

He tilted his head, stared for a moment, and suddenly exclaimed in shock.

“W-wait! Aren’t you the owner of Jin Textile Shop?”

“You know him?”

“Of course I do. We went to see him several times hoping to do business with him. I was planning to make another visit with you, Merchant Master, but how did...?”

“Really?”

Jeok Wigang turned to Baek Ryeongso.

“You hear that? He was planning to bring me to see you. I guess we were destined to meet one way or another.”

Baek Ryeongso chuckled.

“Apparently so. It seems there’s no escaping you, Elder Brother.”

Jang Pyeong’s eyes widened at the words Elder Brother.

“E-Elder Brother?”

Baek Ryeongso answered,

“I’ve decided to follow him. I look forward to working with you.”

“What?”

Jang Pyeong could barely process what he was hearing.

Baek Ryeongso was a master craftsman coveted by every major merchant company in the Central Plains.

But his notoriously difficult personality had frustrated every attempt to recruit him.

Yet Jeok Wigang had not merely secured a contract with the man.

He had made Baek Ryeongso one of his own people.

Jeok Wigang had said he was delayed because he had business to take care of, only to return with a figure of this caliber.

And the people he had previously sent for Jang Pyeong to put to work were hardly ordinary either.

Every last one of them was a master craftsman or a genius.

Even now, the high-quality weapons coming out of the True Martial Forge sold faster than they could be made. Orders had piled up several months deep.

When Jang Pyeong praised the blacksmith responsible, the man merely scratched the back of his head.

Compared to the Merchant Master, he had said, his own skills were still a long way behind.

That was when Jang Pyeong had first learned that Jeok Wigang could forge weapons as well.

Scholarship, business acumen, negotiation—

he excelled at everything.

He was tremendously powerful, and there seemed to be nothing he could not make.

He was, quite simply, perfect.

Jeok Wigang smiled at the awestruck way Jang Pyeong was staring at him.

“Could you stop looking at me like that? It’s a little uncomfortable.”

“A-amazing! Becoming the greatest merchant company in the Central Plains is no longer some empty dream. With you leading us, Merchant Master, I truly believe we can do it!”

Jeok Wigang spoke to the excited Jang Pyeong.

“We’ll be the greatest merchant company in the Central Plains soon enough, so start preparing to expand on a large scale. Build more warehouses and hire people in advance.”

“Understood!”

“Oh, and I want to set up mobile shops. Prepare those too.”

“Mobile shops?”

“Yes. Wagons that can travel from city to city selling things like weapons and spirit pills. This guy is good at making that sort of thing, so discuss it with him.”

“I thought he only made clothing?”

Baek Ryeongso grinned at Jang Pyeong’s question.

“If a man has exceptional hands, why should they only be good for making clothes? Tell me whatever you need. I’ll make it for you.”

“Let’s head inside first. There’s plenty more we need to discuss.”

“Yes? Ah, yes! Of course.”

*****

The martial artists of the Escort Sect stood in neat ranks across the training ground, their expressions grim with determination.

“Starting today! Is everyone prepared?”

“Yes!”

“What is our goal?”

“Same-day delivery!”

“That’s right! No matter where the destination is, we deliver before the day is over! Can you do it?”

“Yes!”

“An enormous reward awaits the man with the best performance. You all know that, don’t you?”

“Yes!”

“I’ll tell you again anyway! Every month, the top performer receives two hundred silver taels and one Gold Ring Pill personally bestowed by our lord. You know what a Gold Ring Pill does, don’t you? One pill grants thirty years of inner qi!”

“Yes!”

“Second place receives a Silver Ring Pill and one hundred silver taels! Third place receives a Bronze Ring Pill and fifty silver taels!”

Their eyes blazed.

“And that’s not all! Whoever finishes the year with the best overall performance will personally receive a Bone-and-Body Rebirth from our lord!”

At the words Bone-and-Body Rebirth, the training ground erupted with excitement.

All they had to do was work hard, and they could obtain the legendary fortuitous encounter known as Bone-and-Body Rebirth.

“And on top of that, the winner will receive a supreme masterwork sword forged personally by our lord! Well? Doesn’t that make you want to work harder?”

“I want to start right now!”

“That’s the spirit! Heh heh heh. Work hard and seize that fortuitous encounter for yourselves!”

“Yes!”

*****

“What’s that supposed to be?”

People gathered around the enormous banners erected in the centers of cities throughout Hunan Province, murmuring as they read them.

“It says anything purchased from the True Martial Merchant Company can be delivered anywhere in Hunan Province on the same day.”

“How is that possible? Hunan is enormous. How could they deliver anywhere in the province in a single day?”

“Exactly.”

“Look here. It even says they offer same-day delivery of fresh fish.”

“Huh? You’re right. And not just any fish—sea fish.”

“I’ve only ever eaten sea fish dried or salted.”

“Does that mean we can actually eat it fresh? Is that even possible?”

“The sea is more than a thousand li from here. How could anyone make that trip in a day? It’s nonsense.”

“The price must be outrageous.”

“They do charge something called a delivery fee, but it doesn’t look particularly expensive to me.”

“Now I’m curious. Should we go take a look?”

Drawn by curiosity, people crowded around the True Martial Merchant Company representatives stationed beneath the banners.

“Is what’s written on that banner really true?”

“How can you possibly bring fish from more than a thousand li away and deliver it fresh on the very same day?”

“The fish is kept in storage.”

“Then it isn’t fresh! It must be salted or dried.”

“No. It really is fresh. We assumed you might not believe us, so we brought some to show you.”

The man answering their questions opened a box beside him.

Cold air spilled out.

Inside lay gleaming fish that looked as fresh as if they had just been caught.

“I-it really is fresh.”

“Is that actually sea fish?”

“I’ve only ever seen it salted or dried. I can’t even tell.”

“It isn’t the sort of fish you find in lakes or rivers. And I can smell the sea on it. I think it really is.”

“How can fish still be that fresh after traveling more than a thousand li?”

The crowd buzzed excitedly.

“All right, everyone! Allow me to explain. Look here.”

Every eye turned toward the box of fish.

“Do you see these markings?”

They nodded.

“This is something called Inscription Art. It works much like a formation.”

“You engraved a formation onto the box?”

“That’s right. This formation chills the air. You can feel the cold coming from it, can’t you?”

Those standing nearby nodded vigorously.

“There isn’t even any ice inside.”

And there truly wasn’t.

“Your purchases will be delivered to your homes inside boxes like this. And fish aren’t the only thing we offer. Fresh medicinal herbs, fruit, vegetables—whatever you order, we can deliver it the same day.”

The crowd cheered.

“And it isn’t limited to food. Whatever else you need, place an order and we’ll deliver it that very day.”

“Where can we see what you sell?”

“If you look over there, you’ll see a wagon displaying our merchandise. Choose what you want, pay half the price as a deposit, and we’ll deliver your order safely to your home. You pay the remaining balance only after delivery.”

The moment the explanation ended, people surged toward the wagon.

One of every kind of product had been placed on display.

“What is that fish called?”

“Sea bass.”

“W-what? That’s the famous sea bass? Give me ten!”

“I want some too!”

“Me too!”

Fresh sea bass normally required either an exorbitant amount of money or a journey all the way to the coast.

Yet the sea bass being sold here cost only a tenth of the usual price.

Naturally, people went wild for it.

And it wasn’t only the fish.

Fruit, medicinal herbs, and vegetables produced in distant regions became enormously popular as well.

*****

“Heh heh heh. Would you look at that.”

An old man licked his lips with a lecherous expression.

“So smooth and supple. And that beautiful color....”

His eyes were glazed with ecstasy.

And unmistakable lust.

“I can’t stand it any longer. Come here.”

Drooling, he stripped off his clothes and was just about to throw himself at the object of his desire when—

“My lord! It’s me, Chief Steward Yi!”

The loud voice from outside interrupted his private pleasure.

The old man scowled.

“What is it?! Did I not tell you that I refuse to hear any reports at this hour?”

“Our sales in Hunan Province have fallen by nearly ninety percent! I believe you need to look into this personally.”

“What?”

The old man shot to his feet and flung open the door.

Chief Steward Yi immediately lowered his head at the sight of his nearly naked master.

“My lord. P-please, put on some clothes first....”

Then he caught sight of the room beyond him.

Gold taels had been piled into the shape of a person.

He had clearly been about to roll around naked while embracing the gold again.

The first time Chief Steward Yi had heard suggestive noises coming from this room, he had assumed there was a woman inside.

What would people think if they learned that the Merchant Master of the Thousand-Gold Merchant Company—one of the three greatest merchant companies in the Central Plains—had a hobby like this?

The greed etched across the old man’s face was unmistakable.

He was Wang Cheongeum, owner of the Thousand-Gold Merchant Company.

“That isn’t important! Say it again. What did you just tell me?”

“Hunan Province was our highest-grossing market, but sales there have fallen by a full ninety percent.”

“Why?”

“Because of a company called the True Martial Merchant Company.”

“The True Martial Merchant Company? That little company run by the True Martial Sect?”

“Yes.”

“Are you playing games with me? You expect me to believe a tiny merchant company caused our sales in Hunan to collapse by ninety percent?”

“Their new method of selling goods has become enormously popular. Everyone has started placing orders with them, and....”

“A new method?”

As they spoke, maidservants approached and began dressing the old man.

“They deliver anything you order on the same day.”

“We can do that too.”

“The problem is... they claim they can deliver anywhere in Hunan Province within a single day.”

“What?”

“And since they can deliver things like sea fish and meat while they’re still fresh... everyone has started ordering from them.”

“Do you actually believe that nonsense? How could sea fish reach Hunan fresh? It would rot long before it arrived. And keeping it from spoiling would cost a fortune.”

“That’s just it.... People who ordered the fish say it wasn’t expensive, and that it arrived as fresh as if it had just been caught.”

“I don’t believe it. That’s impossible. Place an order with them immediately. I’ll inspect it myself, and then we’ll talk again.”

“Understood. Then I’ll place the order now....”

“Hmm? At this hour?”

“They charge an additional fee for special delivery, but apparently they still deliver even now.”

“They’re insane. How can their workers possibly endure that? People need time to rest. If they keep this up, their employees will exhaust themselves and collapse before long. It sounds like nothing more than a temporary craze.”

“I certainly hope so.”

“Enough. Just place the order. I’ll see for myself.”

“Yes!”