Chapter 297

유라달 was on a mission to repay the debt of his daughter’s life by becoming a guest at the Zhangxing Company.

You see, 유라달 was a man who kept his calculations sharp, but when it came to the value of his daughter’s life, he had no idea how to price it.

Still, he thought that since it was his daughter’s life, the higher the price, the better, right?

He didn’t mind the hospitality of the Zhangxing Company.

However, he felt that it didn’t quite match the value of what it meant to have a master from the Realm of Transformation under his thumb.

So, he kept chipping away at that debt.

And now, he had already been hanging around for over five years.

He figured he should stick around until he felt it was enough, thinking maybe he should leave once the calculations felt complete.

And that moment was now upon him.

Hmm. Hadn’t he paid enough for his daughter’s life by now?

유라달 was an old man, and in the martial world, the memories of his glory days were long gone.

Back then, 서문수린 was still active, before turning hermit.

When he thought of 서문수린, he could sum her up in one line.

The narrowest-minded and most vengeful figure among the masters of the world.

But here he was, somehow catching the wrath of the most foul-tempered master in existence?

This didn’t add up.

Sure, he was grateful for saving his daughter, but he hadn’t really showered her with riches.

It had just been a regular fever, one any child could catch.

Of course, the fact that his daughter lived meant that the medical fees and the life pricing were separate things.

But five years seemed like plenty of time to repay that debt.

Staying as a guest for so long, one would naturally be seen as part of the establishment, right? With a master from the Realm of Transformation backing the Zhangxing Company, they must have benefited significantly.

He was pretty sure he had contributed enough to erect at least two columns at the company, so by now, his daughter’s life debt should be more than covered.

Still, the reason he lingered was precisely that the longer he stayed, the more his daughter’s value seemed to rise.

So, there was this ongoing debt he was wrestling with.

Not to mention that the old ronin was starting to feel the itch of wanderlust again.

Those who remain a ronin even in their old age usually have the sort of fate that doesn’t allow them to settle down.

However, while the old man could drift, his daughter couldn’t.

He needed to find a good husband for her.

A character like him wouldn’t do.

He wanted someone decent, competent, and utterly devoted to his wife, not some ignorant fool swinging a sword with no clue whether he even had family.

So, the longer 유라달 stayed at the Zhangxing Company repaying his daughter’s life debt, the higher her value would rise.

Quite a calculated approach for a ronin, indeed.

But, he decided to take it a step further.

There was something else he wanted to ask about the Divine Maiden Sect.

“Child, do you happen to take named disciples at the Divine Maiden Sect? I’ve been thinking of leaving my daughter there for about five years. Also, um, wouldn’t you teach her some martial arts?”

At this, 청 thought to himself.

Oh? Is he really inquiring about a membership out of the blue?

“Sir, our Divine Maiden Sect doesn’t turn away women who come to us. However, it operates through hard labor and shared meals, no matter one’s background, so it might be quite tough work.”

“I’m not asking you to treat her like a noble lady. It’s only natural that a person works for what they receive. I’ve just heard that your martial arts for women are exceptionally distinguished.”

He was referring to the Celestial Technique.

The martial arts of the Divine Maiden Sect ranged from Inner Strength Meditation Techniques to swordsmanship and magic, all possessing celestial properties, which is why their disciples tended to be exceptionally good-looking.

“Ah, yes. But isn’t your martial prowess already well-known across the world?”

“Don’t even get me started! A single word from you could weigh more than two kilograms, making a slice of my words amount to twenty kilograms. Is that something a woman can wield? If I had known, I would have just practiced some swordsmanship instead. Weaponry takes innate strength, and I don’t know if I’ll meet someone worthy to pass this on to.”

유라달 let out a long sigh.

“Even if someone with strength is around, who would even want to learn these Qi Gate Weapons? This is why Qi Gate Weapons are slowly disappearing from the martial world. I never had any intentions of founding a school, but it’s still a bit sad to see it vanish like this. It’s just a complicated feeling.”

“Ah, yes…”

“My daughter is slowly becoming of age, so I’m thinking of finding a proper husband for her. I can’t keep bringing her along everywhere. Hence, I was thinking of asking the Divine Maiden Sect, but I need a plan.”

He was thinking of dropping off his daughter and setting out to find a husband.

청 furrowed his brows in confusion.

Surely, finding a husband must include the daughter in the process? So, he asked.

“Um, wouldn’t it be better to search for a husband together with your daughter?”

“…What does blood mean? My daughter is just a miniature version of me. If I had long hair in my youth, it would look exactly like her. The moment I laid eyes on my daughter, it was obvious she was mine.”

청 imagined the long-haired 유라달.

Sure, the one in front of him was an old man, and he figured that the long-haired 유라달 looked a bit horrifying.

“Hmm.”

“So, taking my daughter around to look for a husband is only going to be a nuisance. If it turns out that the ugly features of the father passed down, the blame will fall on me, right? Hence, shouldn’t you teach her the Celestial Techniques or something at the very least?”

What was happening? Suddenly, the mood shifted to a counseling session.

Concern about the fate of children seemed to be a common theme, whether in 청’s hometown or the Central Plain. 유라달 had no small worry for his daughter.

“Oh dear. Where can I even find a decent man? That, um, 낭야차 역태강, right? They say he’s a decent guy for a ronin, but still, being a ronin makes it a bit of a questionable choice. Aren’t they the ones who wander around instead of settling down?”

“Oh?”

청 tilted his head.

낭야차? That name sounded familiar.

Well, with a cool nickname like that, he must have heard of it somewhere.

“So, do you know any decent men? Someone moderately wealthy and reasonably good-looking, though even if he’s a bit lacking in looks, he should be sincere and possess loyalty. That’s the real deal.”

This was actually turning into some serious counseling session.

“Excuse me, sir. I apologize for interrupting your thoughts, but…”

“Oh, yes. Ugh. I’ll be the talk of the town later, won’t I? Going to lose face at my old age. But at this point, who cares about saving face as a ronin…”

And thus, the muttering of the bleary old ronin, 유라달, continued as he shuffled off, lost in thought.

What was that? Had he just conquered a dilemma?

It seemed like they could let that slide for now.

“Chief! Big trouble! We’re in deep trouble! Right now those bandits are crowding at our doorstep!”

“What? How? Didn’t you say you would block them, sir?”

“Well, after helping for over five years, I felt I should have paid my debts off and was thinking of leaving…”

“But why now? Of all times!”

This is why the damn martial world folks!

Especially those wandering ronins!

The branch chief couldn’t let his frustration go and added, “You should finish what work you started before leaving!”

To just bail out after they’ve done enough was rather excessive— no, it was outrageous.

If he paid off his debts, couldn’t he at least ask for wages here and there before sneaking away in the midst of such chaos?

Indeed, this time around, it was just the branch chief’s fate hanging in the balance.

How much damage would it do for a massive establishment to lose just one branch?

Since it wasn’t even in the homeland of the Zhangxing Company, Shandong…

But for the branch chief, losing the branch meant curtains.

Does it even need explaining?

If one has a damaged wagon wheel, just swap it out; that’s the fate of a branch chief who can’t protect his own branch.

As the branch chief trembled in anxiety, outside his headquarters, a crowd was gathering.

-“Branch Chief? Hello? We know you’re in there! Won’t you come out?”

That voice was astonishingly sweet, but such a voice couldn’t possibly be so terrifying.

-“What’s this? No authority figure present?”

“Branch Chief?”

“Ahem. Let’s play it cool. If I pretend to ignore them, what can those little pests do about it?”

-“Wow. So, the person in charge isn’t even here? Then we can just help ourselves! Alright, everyone, let’s just take a little. Just what we can carry!”

It didn’t even wait for him to start stalling.

“Branch Chief?”

“Ugh. Let’s be clear. I did come from nothing, you see. If a merchant is to be true to his nature, there’s got to be some bartering going on.”

And so, the branch chief finally lifted his heavy behind.

He confidently opened the door of the central office, stepping out to face the crowd with a grand proclamation!

“Oh dear, my lords! This isn’t right. A guest should always request permission before entering, no matter how distinguished they are, whether your home is a grand tile-roof mansion or a humble thatched hut!”

청, witnessing the branch chief practically weeping in despair, felt utterly speechless.

After a moment, 청 managed to respond.

“Of course, I know it’s not a polite move, but considering the city’s floodwaters threatening to break down the gates, the damage is quite beyond mere words. Also, isn’t it appropriate for a little girl to offer comfort in these times of great sorrow?”

“Oh dear, my lord. While your intentions are noble, is there no prior appointment? Isn’t a merchant’s business to resolve matters through negotiation and conversation?”

“Branch Chief? I’ve heard whispers that the town is in distress, and right now, people are starving while some scoundrels are trying to profit off the chaos, charging prices thirty or forty times higher than usual for grains?”

“Oh, my lord! Please consider my pitiful situation! What rights does a mere branch chief have to negotiate the price of grain? I’m but a servant here, following orders!”

He claimed he had no power, the final refuge of a merchant.

I can’t make decisions. So go take this back to my higher-ups.

Of course, I have no idea how to reach them, so you’re free to figure it out yourself.

But this approach only works when facing a seemingly powerless guest.

청’s tongue was a silver blade sharper than the Grand Elder of the Tang Family themselves.

In fact, with the crowd backing him, 청’s words packed an even greater punch.

Moreover, the Zhangxing Company had a bit of culpability here.

They brought the high-ranking official, 현승, to enforce things; they gathered the best warriors from the area to protect it, yet still called forth the masters of the Realm of Transformation!

Honestly, if they had that much gold, wouldn’t they just release all of the grains?

Since they were stingy with their profits, you would bet they would abuse their power over the raising prices too, making matters worse. Hence, it was a hundred times more blameworthy!