466 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

EP.466 Request - 10 Mankeum Jeonju's Residence. For some, this was a place to ponder life's journeys and issues of succession, but for others, it had become overwhelmingly hectic due to the pressing issues of succession. "Did you say the young master was kidnapped while attempting debt collection?" Chonggwan frowned at the sudden, pressing news. "The young master was conducting debt collection with a group of martial artists and ended up getting captured instead!" "What the... How on earth does something like that even happen...?" In the midst of Mankeum Jeonju's successor trials, his grandchildren were failing to meet expectations in other ways. "They're saying that if we don’t repay the debt, they'll kill him! Wh-what should we do? They claim they can't solve it amongst themselves." "Eun Yeop, you need to step in." With a deep sigh, Chonggwan turned to his son, who had been listening to the situation. "If negotiations seem impossible and using force doesn’t work, I’ll transfer the debt under the young master’s name." Jeon Eun Yeop quickly set an action plan with a few martial artists and headed to the kidnapping site. Chonggwan was profoundly grateful that his youngest son, whom he had raised with great care, did not resemble the miscreants in any way. Yet the incident was far from over. Creditors and debtors. Master and slave. With children who had become debt collectors and were already regarded as troublemakers, things could only escalate. "He threatened to sell his daughter and wife to the brothel if the debt wasn't repaid? What?! The wife is from an esteemed family?" "The esteemed family has formally filed a complaint." "Didn't I explicitly instruct you to prevent such occurrences?" "I informed them in advance, but fortunately, the wife's family paid off the debt, suggesting we let bygones be bygones." "Sigh..." "The young master disappeared? Why would you ask Mankeum Jeonju about that? Failing the second trial, perhaps he went to clear his head! Do they think we’re a lost and found service?" "What? Climbed over the wall at night? Was he planning to steal paintings instead of money? Are they insane?!" "They broke all the fixtures in the tavern because the debt wasn't paid?" "The young master asks if they can deduct the compensation from the debt." "Ugh..." Chonggwan nostalgically thought back to the early years he had quit smoking. —— "Jeonju-nim." Obstacles still lay ahead. Former Chief, realizing he'd inevitably have to report the troublemakers' deeds to their master, felt his stress manifest in new wrinkles. "You're here." Mankeum Jeonju didn't lift his eyes from the documents, greeting Chonggwan with a smile tugging at one corner of his mouth. "You seem to be in a good mood today." Chonggwan noted Mankeum Jeonju's rare demeanor with curiosity. "Kang Yun Ho. The boy sent a second repayment." Mankeum Jeonju set the documents aside, his smile unchanged as he responded. "What? Isn’t this about Sam An Geom’s Jo Cheol? Another person's money? It's only been days since the issue with Sam An Geom was resolved." Today, for the first time, Chonggwan second-guessed what he heard. The dubious ledger Kang Yun Ho took was developed under Chonggwan's lead with Mankeum Jeonju's approval. It wasn't that the debts listed were impossible to collect, but it wasn't a directory of easily recoverable funds either. "He recovered the money Jeong Moon Won borrowed." "Jeong Moon Won? You mean... the Inspection Officer?!" "I never expected to see that debt repaid. I thought we'd be lucky if we could use it for leverage later. It's been settled." "Inspection Officer? Didn't we assume he had no money to repay it? How did this...?" The situation grew increasingly fascinating. He wasn't just any minor official but an Inspection Officer. If Chonggwan hadn't seen the documents stamped with Jeong Moon Won's seal right in front of him, he wouldn't have believed it. Seeming amused by Chonggwan's astonishment, Mankeum Jeonju continued with a chuckle. "Haha, predicting this one is nearly impossible." "Sam An Geom's Jo Cheol and Inspection Officer Jeong Moon Won… Other candidates bully and threaten debtors for collection, but it was deemed impossible for this list. How did this happen?" Chonggwan reflected on the actions of the other heirs. Demanding money, threatening with martial artists, seizing expensive items—endless complaints and sighs filled Chonggwan's ears. If Mankeum Jeonju hadn’t been diligently observing the situation, it would be no wonder if someone ended up dead. Even those reckless young masters didn’t choose the challenging ledger. Seeing Kang Yun Ho’s selection, they thought he might be a new contender, yet only dismissed him as a simpleton — “Unaware of his circumstance, just like a clueless barbarian,” they sneered. Yet, two names returned money from a ledger even the reckless had forsaken. Mankeum Jeonju shared a bit of good news with Chonggwan, who was stunned into silence. "Apparently, the guards who recovered funds from the Inspection Officer's residence were present during the Sam An Geom's debt collection. Let’s hear more." —— "Did you trick Sam An Geom into paying up?" "Yes. He handed over the promissory note without much resistance." The guards stationed at Kang Yun Ho and Je Gal Hyang's residence stood bowing awkwardly in an impromptu questioning session. "But Sam An Geom wouldn’t have been easily deceived." "I too was curious, so I looked into it more closely. Even if I were Sam An Geom, I believe I would have fallen for it." The guards, having seen and heard much while guarding Kang Yun Ho, relayed their findings to Mankeum Jeonju. "Haha, how amusing." Mankeum Jeonju, aware of how difficult it was to reclaim money once a martial arts expert fled, was especially entertained. Ask with a smile and you're met with a menacing glare and a counter-threat. Raise your voice demanding repayment, and they vanish. Draw a sword in intimidation, and they just grin as a blade flies right back. A man of Mankeum Jeonju's standing would certainly have found ways, but the same couldn't be said for a young man just past his prime. And yet, remarkably... "Who would’ve thought he’d secure funds by pitching it as an investment in a promising venture." Mankeum Jeonju couldn't help but laugh at the thought of Sam An Geom, who would yield to no threats, willingly handing over the promissory note. "To deceive him using his position and Koreans... it makes my hair stand on end." Chonggwan was astounded by the unexpected method. "Indeed. But if Sam An Geom knew he'd been tricked, he wouldn't quietly let it go, would he?" Mankeum Jeonju agreed with the part about obtaining the note, but knowing the martial arts experts, it wouldn’t remain hidden forever. The moment Sam An Geom realized his money was used for debt repayment, he would act. With a hint of concern, Mankeum Jeonju asked the household guard. "Well... in the end, he revealed the truth and used his connections to eloquently sway Sam An Geom. It sounds unbelievable even as I say it. Honestly, even I would have felt compelled to return the money in that situation." The surprise revelation by Kang Yun Ho, the sudden appearance of the Koreans, and his compelling rhetoric left an indelible impression. The guard, despite being there, found it difficult to convey the extraordinary and almost indescribable situation to Mankeum Jeonju. "Haha, giving them a choice after revealing the truth, even when deception could have prevailed... Won't a person adept at schemes hesitate to walk the noble path? The more I learn, the more fascinating the boy becomes. Don't you think so, Chonggwan?" "When a merchant is skilled in deceit, it's hard to gain significant profit, and walking the noble path often means missing minor profits. It's hard to believe a youth just past his prime could achieve this." "He's like an orchid blooming from barren ground..." Many are nurtured but never blossom, not realizing their privileged upbringing and wasting their lives unaware of their precious situations. With closed eyes, Mankeum Jeonju imagined an orchid aloft amidst a drought-stricken land. Though barren and devoid of nutrients, its roots dig deep into the ground to survive. Amidst adversity, it dares to look at the sky, not merely to survive but to bloom. Discovering such a rare orchid late in life was indeed a fortune. "You remind me of the old days, Jeonju-nim. Like the time with the Baek family master when you bribed the ship owner to seize the cargo... No one could have imagined you’d go that far, even with a shipping company that wouldn't repay no matter what." "Haha, we'd be on the streets without that money, so we had to rack our brains. Fond memories indeed." If not money, then it was death, so it made no difference. If you want your ship back, pay; otherwise, we’ll sell all this cargo. It was only possible because of a glowing youth and a trustworthy friend. Mankeum Jeonju smiled, reminiscing about those days. "Kang Gongja bears quite a resemblance to you, Jeonju-nim." "Haha." Mankeum Jeonju didn't bother denying it. "Jeonju-nim, though Kang Gongja collected the debt, I'm concerned Sam An Geom might hold a grudge later." Mankeum Jeonju nodded in agreement with Chonggwan's worry. "Indeed. Do you think Kang Yun Ho might need additional protection?" "Well..." The house guard diverted his gaze from Mankeum Jeonju's question. "Could anything have happened?!" The nature of experts is unpredictable, and any day they might suddenly threaten to reclaim the money with a sword at Kang Yun Ho’s throat. Mankeum Jeonju, no stranger to such experiences himself, inquired anxiously. "Kang Gongja persuaded Sam An Geom's Jo Cheol, making him his ally." The unexpected news from the guard left Mankeum Jeonju awestruck. Following in the footsteps of the Baek family's will, akin to his youthful self, Kang Yun Ho's words resurfaced in Jang No Ya's mind. 'Business lies not in profit, but in the people you retain.' "...Chonggwan." "Yes?" "It seems he surpasses even me." A smile spread across Mankeum Jeonju's lips that he could not hide.