Chapter 298: Off Track (10)

"Branch Chief? So, you're saying that direct orders came from the main office of the Jangheung Sangbang, commanding you to raise food prices fifty times higher in the city hit hard by the flood, and take advantage of the disaster. Is that the clear instruction you received?"

Among the common ways to win an argument:

Exaggerate. Use your opponent’s claims.

Twist and solidify their claims by making them more specific, and then stick it to them.

And persuade the audience, not the opponent.

At Qing’s question, the crowd’s gaze turned fierce.

"No, that’s not it."

"Then what is it? Since Deputy Hyunseung personally came, according to tradition, does that mean the amount of silver he used was rather small to show his sincerity? To gain such a profit by spending silver so recklessly, wouldn’t you have to sell the daughter into prostitution and the son as a slave, exterminating the whole family line in such a vile business?"

The Branch Chief was left speechless.

Because, in fact, that was exactly what he had intended to do.

Qing’s argument, which was a gross exaggeration, was still grounded in the truth: this was exactly what merchants schemed to do in the face of such a disaster. Not only Jangheung Sangbang, but all the merchant factions had once dreamt of exploiting the situation like this. While Qing had poured cold water on their dirty plans, this was the kind of thing that happened when a cow accidentally stepped on a rat.

At this, the crowd’s eyes sharpened, becoming like daggers.

"The misunderstanding, the misunderstanding. Deputy Hyunseung was just, uh, passing by, you know, just passing by. How could a mere merchant dare to summon Deputy Hyunseung? That just doesn’t make sense..."

Qing didn’t raise his voice or press any further with accusations of lies.

The claim that Deputy Hyunseung had "just happened to pass by" was a lie no one would believe—even a three-year-old wouldn’t buy that one. There was no need to argue; the audience would find it more absurd than anyone else.

Of course, from an official standpoint, Deputy Hyunseung had tried to subdue the crowd just by noticing them. He hadn't personally received silver from the merchant faction and sent his soldiers to attack them. If Hyunseung himself had said that, perhaps people would have believed it. But a mere Branch Chief had no authority to force common folk to trust him.

"Still, Jangheung Sangbang ordered to raise the food prices fifty times higher for the flood-affected village, to make a profit from the disaster. So, you're saying this order really came down?"

"No, no, that's not it!"

"Then did you come to this conclusion yourself, Branch Chief?"

"Ah, how could a mere Branch Chief have such authority?"

"Oh my. Branch Chief, you’re laughing so smugly just because I’m speaking to you nicely, aren’t you? No orders came down from above, and you have no authority. Then, where exactly did the fifty-fold price hike come from?"

"That’s..."

The Branch Chief couldn't find words to say, faltering.

In reality, this was a merchant's trick.

"I have no authority, so go ask the main office."

"Want to ask the main office? But do you really think they know anything?"

"Then, who should we ask?"

"I don’t know. You figure it out, just work hard."

No one took responsibility, and there was no one to hold accountable. It was a world where only merchants could escape unscathed.

Even if the customers were outraged, there was nothing they could do as individuals to fight back against the Sangbang. They were forced to give up. And if they gathered a crowd, it would be considered a treasonous act and they’d be hanged.

However, if they ignored all that and pressed on, what could a mere Branch Chief do against it?

"Ah! This is a misunderstanding. I must have misunderstood something. I must have spoken as though Jangheung Sangbang had already decided to raise the grain prices to profit from this disaster. Surely, that’s not the case, is it?"

"Well, that’s... that’s..."

The Branch Chief was sweating profusely. If he admitted it, someone would have to take responsibility. If he denied it, he would have to sell the grain cheaply.

"I’ve come to buy the grain. All of it. How much are you asking for? No, how much are you selling it for?"

"Well, right now it’s not the time to sell grain. It’s not for sale, not for sale."

"Oh. So, in a time when the city is hit by a flood and many are starving, you're telling me you're just going to let the grain pile up and not sell it? Why is that?"

"That’s a matter for the Sangbang. I can’t speak on behalf of it..."

"‘I can’t speak on behalf of it’? What is that supposed to mean?"

Qing let out a snort.

"Ah, so Jangheung Sangbang is just going to hoard all the grain and watch people starve to death? Is that the decision from the main office? Just watching until everyone starves to death? Wow. Did you all hear that? They’re planning to just watch as we all starve to death."

At these words, the crowd’s expressions began to turn into something more sinister.

"No! That’s not it! That can’t be!"

"So, is this your decision, Branch Chief? While everyone starves, are you planning to enjoy a nice meal all by yourself while watching others starve?"

"I... I don’t have that kind of authority..."

Qing tilted his head, as if thinking deeply.

"Branch Chief? Then, what exactly is your authority? If you have no authority over the branch, then are you just sitting there collecting your monthly pay, living the dream job?"

"I can’t teach you about the Sangbang’s internal regulations..."

"And yet, are you telling me you have no authority to stop us from borrowing grain from the warehouse?"

"That, that’s the same as robbery!"

"Robbery? I said we’d borrow it. Didn’t you hear me? Of course, I can’t say when we’ll repay it, and I can’t give you a promissory note."

"And what makes that any different from robbery?!"

"Hmm, should I call it robbery then? So, what can you do, Branch Chief? Are you going to block me physically?"

"That’s a crime, an illegal act! There’s the national law!"

"I don’t care. Everyone! Here we are, where they won’t even sell the grain and plan to let it rot, but wouldn’t it be better if someone ate it? I, Seomun Cheong, will take full responsibility! Let’s go borrow the grain!"

Sometimes, you have to know when to take action.

Whether they like it or not, making excuses and trying to avoid any loss is just the way things work. Even though Jangheung Sangbang was in charge of flood control, whether it was the flawed design, poor construction, or mishandling of the floodgates that caused the flood, shouldn’t they at least take some responsibility for the mess?

If they were really going to exploit the disaster for profit, then it was time to bring down the wrath of justice.

"Wait! You can’t do this! Please, stop!"

The Branch Chief, barefoot, ran out and blocked Qing’s path.

Qing smiled brightly at him.

"Branch Chief? Shall we have a little chat?"

The Branch Chief had expected that Qing would want to talk privately, perhaps hoping for something in return. At this point, with the crowd already behind him and his desired outcome within reach, why ask to speak privately?

For instance, he might demand some silver in exchange for releasing the grain.

Or perhaps he could ask for some favor with Jangheung Sangbang’s connections.

The branch chief had ties with the top brass of the government, and if he wanted, he could easily get direct access to them, like with the head of the Bureau of Public Works in Shensi Province.

Of course, merchants, especially ones with a mind like his, only saw what they wanted to see.

But Qing shattered his expectations from the very first words.

"How do you plan to handle the grain? I could offer you up to double the market price, but that’s about it."

"Sir, please, consider my situation. At least leave ten times the original price, won’t you?"

"Are you seriously asking to take ten times the price from people who’ve become beggars because of the flood?"

"Ten times is still reasonable..."

Qing responded to this, muttering under his breath.

"Strange. That’s not something a human should say. Am I sitting in front of a demon or an evil spirit? Should I cut down this creature that’s disturbing the world as part of my sect?"

"Two times, I’ll give you two times the price..."

"Fine. Geol Taran, confirm the quantities and the contract. Hmm. I’m not too good at these things, so Geol Taran will handle it."

"Yes, miss. There will be no mistakes. I’ll ensure not a single grain is missed."

"Mm. Mm. See? It's much easier when you delegate to someone who knows what they’re doing."

"Ah, such honor! Such honor indeed! The honor of three lifetimes, no, ten thousand lifetimes! How can I possibly deserve such..."

Geol Taran, overwhelmed with emotion, immediately started to tear up and bow deeply.

To a loyal disciple of the Cheonma Divine Cult, receiving words of praise from the Celestial Demon’s reincarnation was akin to experiencing a miracle on a cosmic scale.

The Branch Chief, watching this, began to look uneasy.

Could she really be an extraordinarily noble woman?

Perhaps that’s why even Deputy Hyunseung had been swiftly dealt with. In times like these, if someone of incredible status or cultivation wasn’t involved, the government forces would never have stepped back.

"By the way, I heard that Jangheung Sangbang took charge of the flood control project. I’d like to meet the person in charge."

"Well, that is..."

"If you tell me you don’t know again, will I have to really get angry? Do you want to die? Do you want to watch my hungry Moonlight Sword quench its thirst with blood? Oh, but once your breath stops, I guess you won’t be able to watch it."

At this point, it was no longer a subtle threat.

But with only the Branch Chief, Qing, and a fanatic nearby in the office, where could the Branch Chief go to complain?

"It’s not that. There’s no one specifically responsible for the project."

"Wait, there’s no one responsible when a floodgate burst? Does that even make sense?"

"Normally, the flood control official would be in charge of supervision and accountability, but that person only exists in name and isn’t actually present."

Hmm. So this is how things work in the Central Plains, Qing thought, suddenly remembering how much of a mess things were in.

"Well then, who benefited the most from the flood control project? The ones who made a fortune from it? After all, someone must have made a huge profit from the project, right? Who’s that?"

"That’s..."

The Branch Chief hesitated again.

Instead of pushing him further, Qing gently placed the most beautiful hand in the world on the hilt of his sword.

"The person who secured and led the project is Miss Nam Munhae, the daughter of the branch head. She inherited the distribution network in Hanam thanks to her efforts..."

"Why didn’t you say that earlier? She secured and led the project? Then, she’s the one in charge, isn’t she?"

"Responsibility is another matter..."

The word "responsibility" was the one thing a merchant hated more than anything.

The concept of responsibility always included things like refunds and after-sales service, which merchants despised.

So, naturally, the Sangbang avoided assigning responsibility by being vague about the contract parties, appointing figurehead leaders, complicating departments, and creating a tangled web where no one was ever truly accountable.

"Hmph. Enough of that. If there’s anyone involved in the project, tell me. Was there a carpenter? Who was in charge of the main construction? Who supplied the materials?"

"Well, I don’t know. I’m not hiding anything; I honestly don’t know. After all, such a large project was handled by the main office. How would a mere Branch Chief like me know anything?"

"You don’t know? Did you hire workers from other places? Surely, you took a cut from their wages along the way?"

Having briefly worked as a construction laborer before becoming a merchant, Qing knew full well how these things worked, both in the Central Plains and in the modern world.

When they said "took a cut," it wasn’t much different from taking a finder's fee for helping someone get hired.

"Well, that’s true, but all the major decisions came from the main office. I was just the middleman, and I kept a little for myself. The worker list might be somewhere. If you want, I’ll go find it for you right now."

It seemed that he truly didn’t know much about the construction project.

In truth, the merchant’s offenses weren’t much worse than minor infractions. It was hard to imagine they were directly involved in such a huge disaster.

Looking at him, it was hard to say if he’d once been a good person but fell into sin, or if he’d always been like this.

If he’d scored three hundred points for evil, Qing would have just led the crowd to loot without hesitation.

With a sigh, Qing muttered.

"What are you doing? Go find it and bring it to me now."