Man Geum-jeon, Jang Se-gwang had many businesses in Hubei Province in addition to the battlefield.
He was also a wholesale businessman owning numerous inns, taverns, and a large pharmacy, dealing in fabrics and silk on a massive scale.
However, after his only son died, he focused solely on the battlefield business, entrusting other enterprises to his daughter and son-in-law.
And today.
“I’m going to confiscate all the businesses operated by Man Geum-jeon!”
“Madam, confiscate? I’m just reclaiming the rights that were entrusted.”
All the businesses that went to his daughters and son-in-law were being recalled.
“Deputy Head, we secured the secret ledger and the safe key!”
“How did you…!”
“I’ll give you a month to repay the debts incurred while running the businesses.”
Jeon Woon-yeop, as the Deputy Head of Man Geum-jeon, handed over the organized debt documents to Man Geum-jeon’s daughter.
“You expect us to repay this massive debt with what we have?”
“If it’s too hard, the Man Geum-jeon will have to collect directly.”
Jeon Woon-yeop said with a cold face, as if negotiations were out of the question.
“How can you ask us to repay this debt after taking everything away!”
“You incurred these debts by running businesses without Man Geum-jeon’s permission. So, who do you think should bear the responsibility?”
He had instructed them to run the businesses, but he hadn’t told them to create secret ledgers and embezzle undisclosed profits.
“……”
Under the harsh questioning, she couldn’t find any words to argue back.
“I’ll give you a month.”
The hammer of justice fell upon those who treated what wasn’t theirs as if it was.
If they get hit by this hammer, they would be in critical condition, but it didn’t matter.
Their opponent was a family with only bones and pride if they lost the businesses given by Man Geum-jeon. They were only paying the price they deserved.
“What on earth, what on earth! Who commanded this? Did grandfather wake up or something?”
In an instant, she had been stripped of her businesses helplessly.
Who was taking what was hers? Who was taking the businesses that had been run for over a decade? Man Geum-jeon’s daughter and grandson asked, their boiling anger looking for someone to lash out at.
“Jang Nan-ok sent a message.”
Jeon Woon-yeop delivered his prepared statement in a businesslike tone.
“Is it my big sister? No way did she plan this!”
Why on earth would big sister do this? With what right? Man Geum-jeon’s daughter tried to press the issue with a perplexed expression but soon realized the reason.
“Man Geum-jeon is critically ill.”
“Father?!”
Man Geum-jeon’s daughter finally understood how dire the situation was.
“There will be a discussion about the next steps, so she says to gather the day after tomorrow.”
Her sister was in the middle of arranging the inheritance. She realized she could be in big trouble if she missed the meeting.
With the businesses completely taken away, the only thing Man Geum-jeon’s daughter could do was to ask them to relay her determination to attend.
——
“Is everyone gathered?”
“Everyone except big sister is here.”
Two days later. The promised location announced by Jang Nan-ok. The place where the heir exam was held, the annex of Man Geum-jeon, filled with the daughters, sons-in-law, and grandsons of Man Geum-jeon.
“When are you going to stop making us wait while you sip your tea?”
Over an hour had already passed since the promised time. Why wasn’t big sister showing up after calling them here? Grumbles started to surface.
“Right! Confiscating businesses? Who does big sister think she is, taking away what Father gave?!”
Several of Man Geum-jeon’s daughters nodded in agreement. Jang Noya had just been entrusted with the operation; the businesses had never been given to her, but in their minds, they were already theirs.
“Isn’t it a bit too much, no matter how big of a sister she is?”
“It’s always been like this. When we fought over toys, we would lose the toys themselves.”
“I remember that. It’s true.”
All of Man Geum-jeon’s daughters nodded with a bittersweet expression, reminiscing.
Normally, there would be no need to confiscate businesses immediately due to rearranging the inheritance shares.
Was there some scheme behind this? Sure, it was a situation to be suspicious about, but none of the Man Geum-jeon daughters doubted anyone.
Because she was the big sister.
The sister who raised them like a strict mother when they were young. If it were her, it was understandable. But still, this was a bit much. Jang Nan-ok’s younger sisters thought.
“I was going to buy a villa near Dongjeong Lake, but because of big sister, I couldn’t even pay the down payment! What the heck is this?”
“Be careful what you say. If big sister gets mad, you might have to give up your house, not just Dongjeong Lake.”
“Did I say anything wrong?! Father is the same. Trusting that barbarian brat led to this mess!”
As the younger sister shouted in frustration, the topic quickly shifted back to Kang Yoon-ho.
“Things were off the moment we brought that Joseon guy. The way his face shines, I bet he could deceive a bunch of girls just by keeping his mouth shut. Father fell for it, too.”
“That’s true. But really, if Father passes away, will big sister decide how the inheritance shares go?”
A small silence fell over the gathering.
With the absence of the eldest son in the family, it was obvious that Jang Nan-ok would be making the decisions for all family matters. Normally, they would just comply, but their stakes were too high this time.
Man Geum-jeon?! When they were kids, they’d just shed tears when their toys were taken, but now the stakes were different, weren’t they?
A subtle feeling of unease and greed began to rise in the hearts of everyone present.
“Are we just going to watch like this?”
A voice igniting the fire of unease and greed broke out from somewhere.
“Ji-myeong, are you saying we should just watch?”
Everyone turned their gaze towards Eun Ji-myeong, the firstborn of the Eun family who spoke up.
“Big Aunt can arrange the inheritance, but you all know, don’t you? With the family split, we won’t be able to live like we do now.”
“What are you trying to say?”
The businesses entrusted by Man Geum-jeon had thrived not because everyone did a good job but thanks to Man Geum-jeon’s support.
Eun Ji-myeong hit the nail on the head, and then nodded toward a corner of the room.
“Someone has to take that seat.”
His gaze rested on the most honored place in the room.
The upper seat.
The seat where Man Geum-jeon should be sitting.
“You…!”
“Though she is my big aunt, she’s ultimately an outsider. Rather than expecting her kindness, wouldn’t it be better to determine the rightful successor?”
“What are you implying?”
“I wouldn’t dream of having ulterior motives. I just think it’s right to follow grandfather’s intentions.”
“Father’s intentions?”
“The results of the third test haven’t been revealed yet, have they?”
“……!”
The black-haired barbarian was imprisoned. If so, who would be the one passing the heir determination test? At Eun Ji-myeong’s words, everyone suddenly recalled a topic they had forgotten.
“What do you mean! All of a sudden, you want to determine the heir? By whose authority?! Are you still clinging to the idea of the heir position?!”
Eun Ji-myeong, a candidate for the heir who had taken the third test, smirked as one of his cousins exploded in anger at his revealing words.
Eun Ji-myeong simply chuckled and shook his head.
“If that’s the decision, I will relinquish my rights to the heir.”
“What?!”
“Didn’t they say that united we stand, divided we fall? Fighting among family will only lead to self-destruction. Even if everyone manages to keep the businesses, will it compare to the time when we had Man Geum-jeon’s support? Thus, I propose we select an heir.”
“Are you really going to give up your rights?”
The Eun family, the eldest son of the Eun family allied with the Demonic Cult, gazed towards those who seemed unable to believe him and smiled, nodding.
“I’m sincere. I hope that all family would follow grandfather’s will. Of course, it’s essential that the candidate achieves the best result among the three tests. Who that candidate might be, I don’t know, but I sincerely hope they will be the focal point of the bloodline that inherits grandfather’s legacy.”
Eun Ji-myeong’s face looked genuinely sincere, as if he were a person entirely free of self-interest.
“Indeed…”
If he were to relinquish his rights as a candidate, then it could be believable. The collective gaze naturally shifted back to the honored seat.
The empty seat.
The seat no one could ever imagine anyone sitting in but Man Geum-jeon or their father.
With a single word, the honored seat had transformed into a place of vacancy. Someone had to fill that seat.
They could seat their own child there. If someone occupied that seat, they could protect their wealth.
“The heir seat of Man Geum-jeon…”
Greed glimmered in everyone’s eyes. And there were even those secretly satisfied with how this situation unfolded.
“Ahem! About the results of the third test… While it may not be right for us to determine the heir ourselves, wouldn’t it be good to at least take a look at the results?”
One of Man Geum-jeon’s sons-in-law cautiously spoke.
“Right. Ji-myeong is willing to give up his rights. Let’s at least check the results of the third test, at the very least.”
“If it doesn’t mean deciding the heir right now, then there’s nothing wrong with that.”
Naturally, opinions converged.
Now, who is stirring this situation? Who wishes for this outcome? Who is secretly chuckling inside?
The gathered individuals were unaware. The natural consensus emerged not by chance but following someone’s intention. They were simply acting upon their own greed.
Someone was guiding the flow of direction.
But.
“Your harmonious appearance is quite lovely.”
They faced one massive mountain they had to climb.
“Big sister!”
“How’s father? Is he alright?”
The eldest daughter of Man Geum-jeon. The eldest daughter among the daughters. With the arrival of Jang Nan-ok, everyone’s attention turned toward her.
“You never visit your father, yet today, everyone seems very concerned about his well-being.”
Jang Nan-ok slowly entered the room, shooting a criticizing look at her younger siblings.
“Uh, sister! What do you mean by that?”
“Your faces have wrinkles now, but your actions seem worse than when you were younger. Are you hoping for father to pass away?”
“Er, sister, that’s not it…”
Under the stern rebuke of their strict elder sister, Jang Nan-ok, none of the younger sisters could hold her gaze.
“Big aunt. We merely wanted to prepare for future matters…”
“Father is recovering.”
“Excuse me?”
At the unexpected words, the expressions of everyone in the room froze.
“All the poison in his body has been expelled. We are just waiting for him to come to his senses.”
Father is recovering? Grandfather is just waiting to regain consciousness? What does this even mean? Why did we gather then? Why did we have to forfeit the businesses?
They were oblivious.
“Sister! What do you mean by that? You said he was critically ill!”
“Was he ever in critical condition? Was that not the reason why the businesses were confiscated?”
“Big aunt! No matter who you are, you can’t let this tyranny go unanswered!”
“Sister! Please explain!”
“It’s not something I instructed them to do.”
They realized they had been played by someone else’s intent.
“What do you mean? Aunt Nan-ok summoned us!”
“I instructed them to do so.”
Now it was time for the shepherd to step in.
“Ga, Kang Yoon-ho?!”
“How did you get in here?!”
The black-haired shepherd entered the room leisurely, smiling as he looked at the panicking crowd.
The sheep would chatter on. How could they taste the grass better?
The wolf wearing a sheep’s clothing would ponder. How could he savor the sheep delightfully?
Greed and cunning schemes lurked in all of them. But neither the sheep nor the wolf realized it.
In the end, they were enmeshed in their own predicaments.
Where would they herd the sheep that had lost their pasture? Where would they drive the angry sheep to?
Where would the wolf chase after the sheep’s rear end? Where would the wolf disguised as a sheep be trapped?
“I simply wanted to see my family gathered in one place.”
They merely moved according to the will of the black-haired shepherd.
