“It’s Master Kang. The carriage is ready. Will it take some time?”
clop clop
“I’ll go out right away.”
whoosh
After returning with the runaway Miss Zhuge, I had my share of chaotic moments like when the hot coffee she brought spilled not into my mouth but onto my pants, causing an unexpected tap dance, and taking a stroll in the autumn ambiance with a teary Miss Zhuge, promising her a reunion. Three days of handling business.
Before I knew it, it was the last exam day.
“Are you ready? Didn’t Grandfather call you to prepare?”
knock knock
As I stepped out, Gil-san was waiting as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Eating well and sleeping well is preparation. And…”
grin
Was it to remind me to stay tense until the end, or was it the right time for Man Geum-jeon to slowly start preparing a successor?
But.
“Huh?”
pop
“I’ve been living ready every time!”
What sort of readiness was this again? Since I realized I was the Reverse Heaven’s Decree, since I promised to reunite with teary-eyed So-hee, I’ve always been living with a resolved heart.
I answered with a smile,
“Yeah. Yeah. You’re great. You’re awesome.”
wink wink
Jeon Gil-san shook his head disapprovingly.
“It’s Master Kang.”
snicker
Maybe he felt a small tension in my laughter because Miss Zhuge grabbed my sleeve with worry.
“You don’t need to worry too much. Just do what you always do.”
shrug
Whatever it takes, right? I patted Miss Zhuge while also comforting myself.
“I-I will too!”
gulp
With a hopeful face, Miss Zhuge looked up at me, as if she had something to say.
“What?”
tilt head
“I-I’ll keep helping!”
beaming
Oh no. I inadvertently covered my smile with my arm.
The contrast between Miss Zhuge’s pale face and her excited expression, along with her fluttering silver eyes, was too tempting. I just wanted to hug her and spin around.
sigh
“Haah. Lately, it feels like you guys are slowly disappearing from my sight. Have I visited too often?”
scratch scratch
As long as Gil-san wasn’t behind me, giving me goosebumps.
“Thanks to Miss Zhuge, I always feel secure. Let’s go!”
charge
“Hehe! Yes!”
giddy
Today was the final exam day.
With the energizing smile of Miss Zhuge, we headed to the exam site.
———
“You’ve arrived. I will guide you inside.”
whoosh
“Thank you.”
nod
When we reached the promised spot, Jeon Woon-yeop greeted us with a warm smile.
“You’re here! Finally!”
laugh
“Kang Yoon-ho…!”
cheer
I thought I’d arrived on time.
In the spacious room, five successor candidates and the daughters of Man Geum-jeon were already seated.
“I heard you solved the Yang Baek-yi incident this time.”
whisper
“Yeo Yeong, what were you thinking with that black hair…”
confused
As complaints about me rose from one corner, Miss Zhuge showed rare discomfort.
“Miss Zhuge, it’s okay. Let’s sit together.”
calm down
“It’s Master Kang.”
sniff
Miss Zhuge, you don’t need to apologize. It’s not your fault that the aunts dislike you.
“If you all have something to say, say it! What are you grumbling about over there?”
sass
Jeon Gil-san muttered grumpily but I didn’t mind much.
What once started with disdain and contempt had slowly shifted to rivalry and jealousy, and now had begun to carry hints of fear and reverence.
Then,
“Man Geum-jeon will speak.”
drum roll
Soon, the noise would fade.
“Are you all gathered?”
echo
As Man Geum-jeon took his seat, the room fell silent as if it had never been noisy.
Jang Noya looked around at her grandchildren and daughters with an indifferent expression. Envy, jealousy, greed, fear, dread—various emotions mingled in the gazes directed at the black-haired man beside her.
Jang Noya didn’t dislike the emotions filling the room. While integrity and temperance might be the virtues of the gentlemen, they certainly weren’t the virtues of a merchant.
One who lacks ambition cannot be called a merchant. If a merchant does not have envy, they become complacent.
Fear and dread cause merchants to tread carefully, while greed pushes them forward.
However, Man Geum-jeon also knew one important fact.
Even with all of that, without conviction and capability…
You are simply called a pig that ravenously seeks out feed, not a merchant.
“This third exam will be the final evaluation of your qualifications.”
heart thumping
This was the business he had cultivated over a lifetime. Man Geum-jeon made it clear that today’s exam would be the last one for someone to succeed him.
“Final exam?”
surprised gasps
“Father! Final exam?”
stunned
Having already completed two exams, Jang Noya’s grandchildren and daughters well understood who was leading the pack.
Jealous and envious gazes focused on one man, but the black-haired man shrugged it off as if it were nothing.
The daughters of Jang Noya couldn’t do anything more toward the man, so they grimaced as they turned back to their father.
“Just three tests? How can you decide on a successor? You should do five or even ten!”
up in arms
“Right! Father!”
screech
Jang Noya responded to his surprised daughters and grandchildren with a cold voice.
“Do you think repeating what you couldn’t prove three times will miraculously work?”
stern
“……”
silent
“If you feel lacking, then fight fervently until the end! Show me your resolve to prove yourselves.”
fire in the eyes
Jang Noya’s gaze shifted to the six candidates.
His grandchildren could not hide their confusion at Man Geum-jeon’s words. They were told to be ready, but only the black-haired youth, who always claimed to be prepared, threw a determined look back.
Man Geum-jeon let out a small scoff inwardly.
Does it mean he has confidence? Or does he believe it’s going to end soon? It didn’t matter. He wasn’t going to take it lightly just because it was the final exam.
As the room fell quiet again, Man Geum-jeon turned his gaze back to his grandchildren.
“What was the first test I gave you?”
thoughtful
“Business.”
nod nod
Jang Noya nodded, gazing at his grandchildren as if he were a grandfather dispensing life lessons.
“Money that isn’t used tends to rot. What use is hoarding money that cannot be consumed? Even farmers whose granaries are full must eventually sow their seeds into the ground to reap in autumn. What do you think you, who hold unspendable money, should do?”
inquisitive
“Do business.”
firm
None of the six candidates were oblivious to that fact after passing the first test.
“Indeed. A merchant must spread the money they have into the world and reap the harvest. I evaluated whether you are capable of harvesting by the first test.”
explanation
A pig that only craves stagnant money lacks the qualifications to be a successor.
While Jang Noya was not entirely satisfied with the first test, he had selected six from it.
“What was the second test I gave you?”
inquisitive
“Debt collection.”
knowledgeable
“Correct. I am a lord who operates in the marketplace. You must lend money to others and expect to be repaid when lending to someone else. Problems may arise then, of course.”
serious
Man Geum-jeon showcased the ledgers where problems had occurred during the second test to his grandchildren.
“……”
silent dread
“Will you watch as the efforts you spent on your businesses are scattered to the winds for sparrows to feast upon? Will you allow wolves and locusts to chew at your belongings just because you have great wealth?”
serious stare
“We cannot just let that happen.”
determined
“I evaluated whether you could bend down to harvest amidst muck and insects while considering the troubles of your hard-earned harvest.”
firmly said
Business is not a well-paved road. It’s not a neatly cultivated field either.
No matter how carefully you tread, there will come a time when you must step into the muck.
With one wrong judgment, you could lose everything. To compensate for mistakes require tremendous effort.
Those engaging in business must preserve their own ventures, even at the cost of suffering. So try, even if you fail the exam.
The trials Man Geum-jeon set forth were, at the same time, teachings for his grandchildren.
“Now I will give you your last exam. Head of Guards. Bring it forth.”
commanding tone
And now it was time for the final lesson.
“Yes. I will place it before the young masters.”
obedient
Six cylindrical containers were placed before the successor candidates.
“Come forward and take one each.”
step step
“Grandfather, do we have to choose again this time?”
hopeful
Jang Noya shook his head at this question from his observant grandson.
“There’s no need to deliberate since the contents are the same. Take it and open it.”
order
The candidates hurriedly came forward one by one to grab their tubes, only to discover unexpected contents inside.
“Invoice?”
confused
“Isn’t this an invoice?”
shocked
“This is way more than the money we received in the first exam!”
overwhelmed
Inside the container were invoices containing much more money than the funds given for the business in the first test.
“Your invoices are your final exam.”
statement
Man Geum-jeon calmly announced the last test.
“The invoice is the exam? What are we supposed to do with this?”
bewildered
“Multiply it.”
straightforward
The answer was succinct.
“What?”
confused
“Bring back double.”
demanding
“You mean we have to do business again?”
stunned
“I have already seen that you can harvest yields. I am not going to repeat the same exam.”
firm
“Then what should we do?”
bewildered
We need to double this money, but doing business is off-limits.
All candidates looked perplexed, awaiting Man Geum-jeon’s answer.
“Lend it.”
serious
“……!”
wide eyes
“You now know both what it takes to conduct business and how hard it is to get repaid when lending to others. So, if you are to lend money to someone, you must know how precautionary you need to be and how difficult it truly is.”
insightful
Business.
Debt collection.
Lending.
Three elements for a market to thrive. From a small pocket to becoming the largest market in Hubei Province. What Man Geum-jeon had continuously done and its secret.
The ambitious and skilled youth who once had nothing had now turned white-haired and asked,
“Now you try lending.”
challenging
Can you all do it like me? Can you carry on my will?
“Do you mean to lend it?”
shock
“Bring it back doubled. I will announce the results of this exam in fifteen days.”
decisive
With that naturally self-evident statement, the daughters and grandchildren stood up in shock.
“Grandfather!”
pleading
“Father!”
shouting
“How can you expect us to double this vast amount of money in just fifteen days?”
panicking
“Father! Even the notoriously high interest rates charge 50%!”
astounded
“Grandfather, even so, you should give us a few months!”
desperate
“This is too tight!”
begging
No matter how much they had to prove their abilities, doubling the amount in fifteen days was ridiculous.
They had to persuade Grandfather to adjust the exam. The grandchildren and daughters turned their gazes towards Man Geum-jeon.
“No.”
cold refusal
However, Man Geum-jeon’s answer was contrary to their expectations.
“What?”
confused gasp
“In fifteen days is when I will decide who among you will be the successor.”
final notice
“Huh? So you’re saying that’s when we have to bring it back?”
frantic
To decide the successor in fifteen days? What on earth does that mean?
As everyone looked at Man Geum-jeon with bewildered expressions, only one black-haired man realized the true meaning behind what Jang Noya said just now.
Identical contents. Identical difficulty. Which meant…
“It’s first come, first served.”
realization
This was yet another level of impossibility.
