Chapter 255 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

"The Head of the Gold Pavilion is waiting for you. Please follow me." Right after unpacking my luggage in Mu Han, I was summoned to the Gold Pavilion. I hadn't expected such an immediate call; it wasn't as though they had been eagerly waiting for my arrival. Perhaps the fact that I came from the Daseo Pavilion, once operated by a close friend of the Gold Pavilion's leader, had a significant influence. I followed the person who introduced themselves as the manager of the Gold Pavilion. "Aren't we heading to the Gold Pavilion?" The Gold Pavilion was located in the bustling part of town, but the direction we were going was quite the opposite. "We're heading to the mansion where the Head of the Pavilion resides. If you came from Daseo Pavilion, I expected a lady with the surname Tang, not a gentleman with the surname Kang..." "Hwarin is recuperating at the Tang House in Sichuan." Originally, this task should have fallen to Hwarin, not me. The manager’s suspicion was only natural. "I apologize. My memory sometimes fails me due to my age. Is it true that Ms. Tang has to stay at the Tang House for a long time due to her illness?" The manager asked, as if the thought had just occurred to him, gently bowing with an embarrassed tone. "Haha! I don't know where you heard that, but who can say for sure with these things?" Though it was said to last ten years, my renown and Hwarin's training could change that. I shrugged casually, as if talking about a severely ill patient who had a high chance of recovery. "Hmm. Indeed. As they say, you never know with such matters." The manager's voice carried an undertone of agreement. What was this? He seemed satisfied with my answer. Come to think of it, how did he know Hwarin was staying at the Tang House for a long time? With unresolved doubts, I continued following the manager. -------- "I'll inform the Head of the Pavilion of your arrival. Please wait here in the garden for a moment." While the manager went to notify the Head of my arrival, I quietly took in the surroundings of the garden. How much money did they spend on this garden? Creating a garden is often referred to as an 'austere luxury.' One can invest endlessly, but unless an expert notices, it just looks prettier than other gardens at best. The garden where the Head of the Gold Pavilion resided might appear luxurious to the average person, but to someone knowledgeable, it would be apparent that a fortune was spent. It was like a business card that might seem simple to the uninformed, but would shock an expert with its cost. Even the father of Kang Yun-ho, a notorious tycoon in Joseon, could have cultivated such a garden. I couldn’t fail to recognize it. "You may enter now; the Head of the Pavilion is inside." "Thank you." I cautiously walked through the door held open by the manager. As I grew distant from the manager, I took a small, inaudible deep breath. A single word can repay a thousand debts. Can I do it? If I fail, I'll lose Daseo Pavilion. I must not keep questioning myself. I have to do it. I must succeed. Resolving myself, I stepped into the room where the Head of the Pavilion awaited. "You've come." The sharp-featured old man reacted to my presence. Just like last year, the Head of the Gold Pavilion wasn't looking at me but rather tending to his bonsai. "It's been a while, Elder." I cautiously approached and greeted the Head of the Pavilion with respect. "It seems you've been up to some interesting antics involving my grandson." Straight to the point, then. The Head of the Pavilion still wasn’t looking at me as he spoke. What should I say? I've committed a grave sin. Please forgive me. Please cancel the debt. I can never repay that money. No, I won't take that approach. "When bitten by a mad dog, one can sit and cry or run away, but someone must be ready to grab a club and confront the beast." Pleading guilty wouldn't solve the problem. No. Admitting fault would only put me in a position to beg, leading to pressure to repay the entire debt anyway. I had no intention of conceding to repay a debt I shouldn't owe. ‘If he were truly furious about his grandson, he would have brought it up as soon as we met.’ If he had started ranting angrily, I had other strategies in mind. But beginning in a detached tone clearly aimed to intimidate me right from the start. I won’t fall for it. I must act confidently. Your grandson's behavior was inadequate. I disciplined the dog that bit me. I need to assert myself strongly. "A mad dog, you say. Sounds like you're implying something to me." A chuckle? Mockingly, the Head of the Pavilion smiled while tending to his orchid. Not a smile of anger, but one of mild amusement. If he hadn't reacted negatively to my provocation, it was a good sign. "When a parent’s love is excessive, they fail to recognize their child's flaws. Even the offspring of a tiger can act like a dog; hopefully, this served as a valuable lesson for the tiger." Discipline your children. Before they get beaten and see blood, they should learn. "Haha! True. I’ve heard about the incident. That boy deserved the punishment for his reckless behavior." The Head of the Pavilion, seemingly impressed with my words, laughed heartily and finally looked my way. "Is that so." I breathed a small sigh of relief internally. Thankfully, the first hurdle was cleared... "But that’s no reason to forgive your debt." The Head of the Pavilion dropped his smile and stared at me sharply. "......" So this wasn't about malice toward his grandson. It really was just about the money. "Explain why I should let you off, then." The Head of the Pavilion’s gaze said he knew exactly why I was here. I swallowed dryly, meeting his piercing stare. His eyes preemptively invalidated all my arguments: "It’s unfair to shoulder a debt I shouldn’t owe. How can I repay such an exorbitant amount?” ‘I must choose my words wisely here.’ Arguing the legitimacy of the debt would be futile. He was already aware and acting upon it. The Gold Pavilion held the power to legitimize any unreasonable debt. So, what should I do? Think quickly. Combine the information I have. The Head of the Gold Pavilion's information. The facts I know. Combine them. There's new information I just gathered: 'austere luxury,' conscious of others’ perceptions. What cards do I have to play? Lay out the cards I’ve prepared. Which is the best card? "It is because I uphold the spirit of Master Baek." I declared firmly to the Head of the Pavilion. "Are you saying you uphold the spirit of that Baek?" The Head's brow twitched momentarily. The Head of the Gold Pavilion — the common perception was someone like a stone-cold person, almost as if he wouldn't bleed if pricked. Should I give up then? No. I just need to prick the one spot that bleeds. And I must use the one card only I can play. "I believe you have heard about what I did upon returning to Yichang." "I heard you recruited destitute scholars as your staff." The Head nodded. Luckily, he knew. "After resolving the issue with the Tang family, the first thing I wondered was how I should live my life from then on." "You actually thought about how to live your life?" He seemed intrigued. A sign that the card I played was a good one. "If I only aimed to make myself happy, I wouldn't have given it much thought. But it wasn't just about that. I wanted to carry on Master Baek's will." Master Baek's good deeds up until his death — I had aimed to continue them. The truth was I simply needed employees to enhance my reputation. But presentation matters, doesn’t it? Ultimately, it’s important how others perceive me. "Isn't that something to consider after repaying your debt?" "How can a merchant who fears debts hesitate to embark on great endeavors? Money naturally follows a grand cause." The Gold Pavilion, in today's terms, was akin to being between a bank and a loan shark. A merchant viewed favorably by the Head of the Gold Pavilion would be someone who takes on debt, succeeds in major enterprises, and continually increases and repays that debt. So, I needed to become a merchant that would satisfy the Head. "And what is this grand cause?" "Business is not about making profit but about making people," I declared confidently, as if a pillar of conviction stood proudly within me. "That sounds quite like what that fellow Baek used to preach to me." "When I mentioned this to the head of the Yichang Literary Society, he was astonished and said the same thing." I added a line, emphasizing that, coincidentally, this was also a belief held by Master Baek. ‘I must become, in the eyes of the Head of the Pavilion, not a black-haired foreigner but the reincarnation of Master Baek’s will.’ I aimed at the most vulnerable part of the Head. Instead of robbing a black-haired foreigner's money, it would seem like he was trampling on the will of his dear friend. The Head slightly opened his mouth, then looked at me and smirked. Did it work? "Even so, it's a large sum of money. There is no reason for me to forgive such a debt." The Head stated firmly. He likes to keep people on edge. So even this didn’t work, huh? But there's still a way. "If you truly desire the repayment of the entire debt, I will abandon the Daseo Pavilion." Let’s set a decisive course. "Abandon the Daseo Pavilion?" The Head looked at me in surprise. "Yes. The Daseo Pavilion is my wings to achieve my ambitions. But if those wings become shackles instead, I’d rather start over with nothing. For I have the confidence to succeed again, even if I start from scratch, carrying on Master Baek's will." It’s ultimately a debt of Daseo Pavilion. If surrendering the Pavilion ends it, why not? Instead of repaying that enormous amount, I’d rather give up Daseo Pavilion. I am different from when I first ran Daseo Pavilion. Now, I have people, connections, and some money. And I also have the reputation of Ho Pil. It would be hard if I gave up Daseo Pavilion, but do you think I can’t rise again? I spoke confidently to the Head, as if suggesting that if I abandoned the debt, only the Gold Pavilion would be at a loss. "Haha. Ho Pil himself shows humility." “You knew…?" The head of the merchants' society, who knew my true identity, had revealed it to the Head of the Pavilion. "I heard about how you easily outmatched my grandson, wrote works that moved the world, managed trade that shook Yichang, and had the courage and wisdom to survive the Tang House. And now, you're claiming you'd abandon the Daseo Pavilion just to avoid a debt? Does that sound believable?" Apparently, the head of the merchants' society greatly embellished my character. "That is why I am standing here now." “And because you failed, you’re here now.” No wonder he's called the Head of the Pavilion. Elder Jang’s eyes glinted knowingly, as if seeing through my ploy, offering a smile of victory. He projected an expression soliciting my agreement and surrender. But, Elder Jang. I didn't come unprepared. "No. I came as the inheritor of Master Baek’s will to make a final appeal." "A final appeal?" “Yes. As the son-in-law of Master Baek's only granddaughter, I am here to exhaust all efforts and then give up if necessary.” I was here to convey that I did my best, but Elder Jang made me give up. To picture the completion of that process. What future did Elder Jang imagine? I would be one who carried Master Baek’s will but had no choice but to give up and start anew, whereas the Head would become the villain who took his friend’s assets. Did the Head understand this? Seemingly realizing the checkmate, the Head squinted at me, then burst into laughter. "Haha! If that damn Baek were here, he'd say his granddaughter had picked a good son-in-law. So. Are you confident of succeeding from scratch?" “It’s not a matter of confidence; it’s something I must do.” “Excellent. Take it." The Head, as if prepared in advance, handed me a bundle of papers from his breast pocket. "A promissory note?" The paper the Head handed over had an enormous amount written on it. “It’s not a promissory note, but a test.” A test? As I read through the note slowly, I spotted the name 'Kang Yun-ho' written on it. The provision stated that by using the note, if the debt repayment deadline passed, all of Daseo Pavilion's debt would be transferred to me. “What is this?” “It is to mortgage your life. Take that note and increase the money here in Mu Han, not Yichang.” The Head of the Pavilion spoke with a finality indicating there would be no further concessions. Now I understood. Was it a forced recruitment all along? The seizure of Daseo Pavilion was merely a strategy to bring me here. It aligned with the recruitment offer from Jeon Gil-san of the Mankeum Bookstore. The difference this time was that they were also recognizing my capabilities as a merchant, Kang Yun-ho. In essence, they intended to transfer the debt to me to entangle me further. “What reason do I have to go through such lengths?” I saw no reason to accept it. Starting anew with just a printing press seemed more promising to me. Perhaps the Head grasped my true intent. With a triumphant smile, he explained why he handed me the promissory note. “If you pass my test and satisfy me, I will absolve all of Daseo Pavilion’s debts.” An offer too enticing to decline.