Chapter 51 :

Chapter 51. This Is How False Rumors Spread (1)

A certain village in Sacheon Province.

There, the Dan Merchant Group had taken root.

They mainly made decorative dolls for sale.

The dolls they crafted were quite beautiful, and their artistic value was also recognized.

Thus, high officials or the wealthy decorated their display shelves with dolls from the Dan Merchant Group.

But from some time ago, the Dan Merchant Group’s profits had drastically decreased.

The reason was the Self-Dancing Doll, released by the Eunhae Merchant Group, which was based in Hubei.

It was a limited edition of a thousand dolls, and, amazingly, it was said to dance on its own.

Furthermore, the clothing worn by the dolls was so beautiful that courtesans began to imitate the dresses, sparking a fashion trend.

Curious about what kind of doll it truly was, the Dan Merchant Group barely managed to obtain one of the Self-Dancing Dolls, specifically the Xi Shi Doll.

Even upon seeing it themselves, it was truly astonishing.

When they wound up the wheel at the back of the doll, it really danced.

Moreover, the colors of the clothing were splendid, yet not excessive, and harmoniously arranged.

It was craftsmanship so impressive, it stirred greed.

And that was not all.

The doll’s face was so exquisitely made, it almost seemed to be a real person.

So, out of desire, the Merchant Lord of the Dan Merchant Group ordered it replicated, but the answer that came back was “impossible.”

Thus, he personally summoned the artisan and asked.

“You’re saying it cannot be replicated?”

“Yes, that is correct. I don’t know who made this doll, but with such skill, it must be an extraordinary master artisan.”

The craftsman shook his head firmly.

“Honestly, everything else can be imitated. But these interconnected wheels, that move in sync, this is the core. No matter what material is used, it doesn’t work.”

“Is that so?”

He commissioned other artisans as well, but all of them shook their heads.

In the meantime, the doll broke down.

Of course, since it had been dismantled and reassembled countless times for study, this was inevitable.

‘Now that I think of it, didn’t they say if I bring the product certificate, they’ll repair it for free?’

Thinking there was nothing to lose, he took the product certificate and visited the shop where he had purchased the doll.

Exactly fifteen days later, he received back a perfectly repaired Self-Dancing Doll.

Seeing that, the Merchant Lord of the Dan Merchant Group felt fear.

A technique impossible to imitate.

A form aesthetically outstanding.

And flawless after-sales service as well.

At this rate, the doll business of the Dan Merchant Group would be devoured by the Eunhae Merchant Group.

It could not be left like this.

He had to find a way, no matter what.

***

These days, I was happy.

Especially yesterday, I was in a very good mood.

Because there had been a report on the profits of the Eight People Pharmacy.

The Eight People Pharmacy had decided to do accounting twice a month, once every fifteen days.

At this time, my share would also be calculated.

And the net profit I heard yesterday, along with the portion that would come to me, was beyond my expectations.

That was how well the Eight People Pharmacy was prospering.

Lately, physicians even posted advertisements inside the pharmacy to promote themselves.

So the Eight People Pharmacy created a board where physicians could post their notices, and customers would choose physicians by looking there.

In fact, that was my idea.

That way, it gave the appearance of mutual benefit, and the physicians wouldn’t be able to show territorial arrogance.

The rumor of the pharmacy spread, and people from other districts were coming as well.

The goal was to establish Eight People Pharmacies throughout all of Zhongyuan.

The number of those suffering from minor illnesses would decrease, while I would earn money.

What a beautiful and wonderful thing this was!

The money that steadily piled up would become a great strength in the future.

Come to think of it, another new Self-Dancing Doll would be released this time.

Following the Xi Shi Doll, this time it was the Diao Chan Doll.

Diao Chan, the one whose beauty swayed the hearts of both Lü Bu and Dong Zhuo, known as Shaming the Moon.

Even I found the Diao Chan Doll, imitating her beauty, to be truly stunning.

The Self-Dancing Doll, together with the Eight People Pharmacy, was a business that would bring permanent income.

So, I had to pay even more attention.

To rest on my laurels was forbidden. The moment one rested on the present, profit would turn into loss.

That was the truth I had learned and realized through my previous life.

By the way, I wondered if Father was on his way back now.

This time, Father had gone to Hubei to visit the Chief Inspector with the Diao Chan Doll.

The other day had been the scheduled day of his return, but he still hadn’t come back.

What was going on?

At that moment, I felt someone’s presence.

It was Adjutant Jo Youngyoung.

Soon, her voice was heard.

“This is Adjutant Jo Youngyoung.”

Chief Manager Yoo nodded, and I answered.

“Come in.”

She entered, slightly cupped her fist in salute, and spoke right to the point.

“The Merchant Lord has returned. He has called for an immediate meeting. You must go to the Eunwol Pavilion.”

“Understood.”

At Chief Manager Yoo’s words, she looked at me and said,

“You must also come, Young Lord Eun Seoho.”

“…Me as well?”

A short while later.

I arrived at the Eunwol Pavilion with Chief Manager Yoo.

Already there were the other Pavilion Masters, as well as Elder Brother Jeong-ho, who had just become Vice-Leader of the Merchant Group.

By becoming Vice-Leader, he now had the right to formally attend meetings of the Eunwol Pavilion.

“You’ve come. Sit down quickly. Seoho, you too.”

At Father’s words, we quickly sat down. Father’s expression looked grave.

“Everyone is gathered. The reason I convened this meeting is because troubling rumors are spreading.”

“Rumors, you say?”

At Elder Brother Jeong-ho’s question, Father continued.

“When I visited the Chief Inspector, the Chief Inspector gave me word about ‘rumors of the Self-Dancing Doll.’ So, I investigated those rumors, which delayed my return.”

“……”

Now I understood why I had been summoned here.

Because the employer of the doll’s creator was none other than me, and I was deeply involved in this matter.

“The rumor is none other than, that human souls are trapped inside the Self-Dancing Dolls.”

“…What?”

Unconsciously, I retorted.

Because this had not happened in my previous life, I was flustered.

No, more than that, human souls?

That was absurd.

“Human souls? There’s no such thing.”

“Yes, of course, there’s no such thing.”

Father nodded and continued.

“But such rumors are spreading, and this was confirmed through the Hao Sect.”

“Where exactly are these rumors spreading?”

At my question, Father unfolded a map, pointing to the regions with his finger as he explained.

This… it was spreading in far too many places.

No matter how I thought about it, it was strange.

Usually, rumors start in one place and spread outward. They do not spread simultaneously in many different places like this.

Which meant, it was the work of someone’s scheme.

As expected, Pavilion Master Yeon immediately grasped the meaning.

“Whoever it is, they must have been jealous that the Self-Dancing Doll was selling so well.”

“That is also my thought.”

“But Merchant Lord.”

Pavilion Master Yeon continued.

“We were already anticipating interference from other merchant groups and had them under surveillance, but there were no noticeable movements.”

At her words, Elder Brother Jeong-ho spoke.

“That means they moved with great secrecy.”

At that, Pavilion Master Jeok Byeongcheol of the Breeze Pavilion, who had been listening quietly, said,

“Rather than that, it means our surveillance net was breached.”

“I think the same.”

At their words, Chief Manager Yoo said,

“More urgent than that is to think of the expected consequences, and prepare countermeasures in advance.”

“That is precisely the reason I convened this meeting.”

We immediately began a countermeasure meeting.

This rumor was clearly spread deliberately by someone. In other words, we had to consider the worst-case scenario.

There could be a flood of refund requests for the Self-Dancing Dolls already sold, or the Imperial Court could order an investigation into the matter.

If that happened, this business would be ruined.

That could never be allowed.

I had suffered so much for this business!

A thought crossed my mind.

If only I had known this in advance, I could have responded more effectively.

Usually, merchant groups commissioned the Hao Sect or Beggar’s Sect when they needed information.

But such methods were only used after an incident had already occurred, for post-event handling.

One could not gather information in advance when nothing had happened yet.

To collect information across the land relating to the merchant group for the purpose of preventing incidents, one had to privately operate an information unit. And information gained in such a way led to greater profits.

But in reality, this was not easy. Enormous funds were required.

Only the Ten Great Merchant Groups of the world had the wealth to operate information units under their command.

In the future I had experienced, the Eunhae Merchant Group, once it gained financial surplus, also operated its own information unit. And that laid the foundation for it to become one of the Three Great Merchant Groups of the world.

That information unit operated back then, I sorely wished for it now.

But at present, we did not yet have surplus funds.

Would I be able to operate an information unit once my coffers accumulated more?

In any case, today’s meeting ended with the establishment of several countermeasures.

But since we still did not know the extent of damage caused by the false rumor, it could not be said the conclusion was satisfying.

Three days later.

I realized once more just how easily people were swayed by rumors.

Out of the thousand Diao Chan Dolls, only two hundred and thirty had been sold.

.

.

.

I was in the marketplace.

To be precise, I was sitting inside the old Ghost Mask officer’s general store, and seeing me there, the old man clicked his tongue.

“Why are you loitering here day after day?”

“Well…”

I grinned sheepishly.

“Because it’s comfortable here.”

“In all my years of living, you’re the first brat who’s ever said it’s comfortable sitting by my side.”

Though he scolded, the old man did not drive me away.

“So what is it?”

“Eh?”

“What trouble is weighing on you that makes you wear that expression?”

Truthfully, I usually didn’t let my feelings show on my face. That was due to the education I’d received, growing up in a merchant household, and the habits formed by it.

But the old Ghost Mask officer saw right through my expression.

As expected, the old man’s reputation was no falsehood.

“The truth is…”

I explained the whole story, and after hearing it, the old man chuckled.

“People are always easily swayed by rumors. Do you have a plan?”

“Well, no. This came so suddenly, it’s left me blank.”

“Tsk, tsk…”

At my words, the old man clicked his tongue.

“When I look at you, it’s strange. Sometimes you seem like a battle-hardened merchant who’s seen it all, and sometimes you seem like just an ordinary boy.”

“Hahaha.”

I had nothing to say to that.

It must be because I had lived thirty-nine years before dying, that such a duality showed.

“And yet, what I see before me now is nothing more than a fifteen-year-old kid.”

I turned my head, gazing at my reflection in the bronze mirror.

Though what showed was a fifteen-year-old, inside I was the thirty-nine-year-old who had once stood on the threshold of the greatest merchant group in the world.

In that instant, it felt as if something struck the back of my head.

That I had been dazed, wallowing in misery over such petty obstruction!

It was only more shocking because in the future I had lived through, nothing like this had happened.

The Jingyeon Merchant Group sold their Self-Dancing Dolls without any obstruction.

But in truth, no business existed that was not subject to checks by rival merchant groups.

Just as the Eight People Pharmacy had first faced various hindrances.

Surely, the Jingyeon Merchant Group Leader had also faced obstruction. And the one I knew would have delivered warnings through extreme means.

Assassination, or ambush, for instance…

In this life, since I had taken over the Self-Dancing Doll business, the forms of obstruction from other merchant groups would naturally be directed at me instead.

This was something I had to accept to some degree.

Still, wasn’t this a bit heavy-handed?

Was it proof of how highly they rated the strength of our merchant group?

If so, then I should be thankful.

At that moment, the old Ghost Mask officer looked at me and smirked.

“Now, once again, I see a battle-hardened merchant sitting before me.”

At his words, I cupped my fist in salute.

“Thanks to you, elder, I’ve realized something important. I am grateful.”

“What have I done? Then let me ask again. Do you have a countermeasure?”

“Yes, elder.”

I grinned broadly.

“Rumors must be fought with rumors.”

“Using barbarians to control barbarians, eh?”

“Something like that.”

I would ensure no one could ever again use the Self-Dancing Dolls as a weapon against us.

I rose from my seat and headed for the merchant group. I had to observe the situation closely and respond.

At that moment, a group of children caught my eye.

They passed by me boisterously chatting, and watching them, I halted in my steps.

“That’s it!”

“Huh? What is it all of a sudden?”

At Palgap’s question, I smirked.

“A very good idea just came to me.”

And the method I had just thought of, was one I had used in my previous life as well.

I didn’t yet know who had schemed this,

But you’re dead, bastard.