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Chapter 48: Low Profit and High Volume Sales
A warm smile appeared on Baek Miju's face.
"Who said we would send them to the Rising Star Division immediately? I plan to send them next spring, so don't worry too much."
"Mother, the disciples have... they have their own lives."
At this moment, Waryong Manor was being managed unusually. Even the members of the Yeon Family, who eagerly aspired to become a powerful family in Murim, murmured that "Waryong Manor is selling its disciples to commercial caravans." Every time he heard this, the main master, Yeon Mubaek, felt a pain in his chest.
"Yes, you are right. They have to live their lives. But it is not yet time. If they have learned a supreme technique at Waryong Manor, they must pay for it."
His mother's calculating words left Yeon Mubaek breathless.
The Waryong Manor his mother ran was completely different from what he had learned in the Namgung Family.
The Namgung Family treated their disciples as if they were direct family members. Although there were differences in the transmission of martial techniques, they did not see disciples as a source of income.
Because of this, the disciples of the Namgung Family had fierce loyalty towards them. In Hefei, the name of the Namgung Family was not only respected but almost revered.
In comparison, Waryong Manor felt like a ruthless business. They taught the disciples for only six months and then sent them to the commercial caravans under the pretense of practical training.
Although there were no complaints yet, eventually, the disciples would feel dissatisfied. When that happened, it would be questionable if anyone would offer to help Waryong Manor, much less respect them.
"If it is a matter of money, aren't we receiving monthly training fees?"
"Still, it's only fifty mon per person. The children only pay ten mon. With that, we don't even cover the cost of food. Do you know how much we spend on food, clothing, weapons, and medicine? If you did, you wouldn't think it's expensive."
"But..."
"You just focus on being a good teacher. I'll take care of the rest. Making Waryong Manor a powerful family in Murim is my task. When you are the head, you can do things your way."
"When will I become the head, mother?"
"The day Waryong Manor is on par with the Five Great Families."
"If we keep selling the disciples like this, that day will never come."
For a moment, Baek Miju's face hardened.
She was well aware of what the members of the Yeon Family murmured behind her back. She had decided to ignore it, thinking that someone would always be needed to take the criticism. But hearing those words from her own son left her breathless.
"Do you think I do this for my own benefit? Not at all. I do everything for you, Seungbaek, and Seolju. Waryong Manor belongs to you. When you grow up, you will understand why I do this."
Yeon Mubaek stood up from his seat.
He did not want to continue talking as his mother treated him like a child.
After taking a few steps, Yeon Mubaek spoke in a low voice.
"Mother, I'm no longer a child. Don't say everything is for us. You're doing this out of resentment towards father."
"Shut up! What do you know?"
"…"
Yeon Mubaek sighed and left the hall without looking back.
Still furious, Baek Miju opened an account book with a nervous gesture.
It was said that children were always a concern, and now that her son had grown up, he said everything that came to his mind.
As time passed, Baek Miju's emotions calmed down.
Thinking carefully, she realized that her son's criticism was not entirely incorrect.
Her son's words, saying that she was selling the disciples, stayed with her.
She could understand why someone might see it that way.
She had ignored the murmurs of the Yeon Family members, but hearing her son say it could not be overlooked.
Baek Miju immediately called the general manager, Yeon Mudok.
"Brother, how much are we paying the disciples of the Blue Dragon and White Tiger teams?"
"Fifty mon per month."
"Starting next month, raise it to one tael of silver."
Since the income from Baekse Chamber of Commerce was three taels of silver, she thought one would be reasonable.
Yeon Mudok looked at Baek Miju with a worried expression.
As the financial administrator, he did not like unexpected expenses.
"If we do that, we will have no reserve funds left... Why the sudden change?"
"Do we not have any reserve funds?"
"Didn't we just receive new disciples? Their costs are not low."
"Just hold on a little longer. Once we send the Rising Star Division to the caravans, things will ease up."
"Until when?"
"I plan to send them next summer when the caravans are busier."
"Understood. It will be done."
Yeon Mudok looked at Baek Miju with sad eyes.
However, Baek Miju no longer needed his help and did not pay attention to him.
Yeon Mudok, hesitating, slowly stood up and left.
When Yeon Mudok left, Baek Miju let out a sarcastic laugh.
Even in Kaifeng, there were young warriors who wanted to align with her. Why should she associate with the old Yeon Mudok when there were obedient young ones?
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Bobong County.
Haga Village.
Finally, the Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks arrived at the Five Peaks Mountain.
They had departed at the beginning of summer and returned after four long months.
In the cold weather, the Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks shrugged their shoulders and hurried towards a tavern. They wanted to fill their stomachs with rich food before climbing the mountain.
When the Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks entered Saehaeru, the owner greeted them enthusiastically.
"Ah, our precious heroes! How long has it been! Your faces look even better than before."
Pung Yeoncho smiled and waved his hand.
"Haha! Better? We were shivering in the cold for a month on the way. Bring your best dishes for everyone."
"Yes, yes, right away. I will serve you well."
The owner guided the Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks to their seats and ran to the kitchen.
Han Chaeyeon, stretching her arms, yawned.
"Ah! It's good to be back. It was hot when we left and now it's cold when we return."
"Yes. It feels like we have come home, doesn't it?"
Lee Cheolsan affectionately responded to Han Chaeyeon's words.
Observing the conversation, Ha Sobaek pouted.
"Aren't you two getting too close lately? You might end up forming a family anytime."
"Oh! What nonsense are you saying?"
Han Chaeyeon, surprised, lightly hit Ha Sobaek on the arm.
However, the smile on her lips showed that she did not entirely dislike it.
Pung Yeoncho watched Han Chaeyeon and Lee Cheolsan with a meaningful look.
Han Chaeyeon had been orbiting around Yeon Jeokha for quite some time. However, due to her past working in a courtesan house, it seemed she had finally directed her heart towards Lee Cheolsan.
'Should I prepare a room for them on the mountain?'
Since the cook and her family were also there, it would not be a problem to prepare another room.
While Pung Yeoncho was lost in his thoughts, several customers approached and greeted him.
"Boss Pung, it has been a long time since we saw you."
"How have you been? We heard you went far away. It's a pleasure to see you again."
"Hello, I am Baek Angi from the Baekhwa Chamber of Commerce. I passed by the mountain a while ago and plan to introduce myself formally soon."
The reputation of the Five Peaks had grown so much that people recognized and greeted them first.
While Pung Yeoncho exchanged greetings with them, the food began to arrive.
When the food began to fill two tables, people stopped approaching. They did not want to interrupt Pung Yeoncho's meal.
The Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks ate until they were full and began to get up from their seats. Although it was still the Hour of the Monkey (around 5 p.m.), the winter sun set early, and they had to hurry to return to the mountain.
--------------
The new year passed.
Since they returned from the Nokrim tournament, the Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks had not left the mountain much.
Even the proud Shim Yanggak avoided outings.
As a result, since their return, Hwang Yomyung led the bandits.
In their free time, the Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks trained in the backyard, wanting to keep their skills secret. There were hidden reasons for this.
After the Nokrim tournament, the relationship between the Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks and Yeon Jeokha slightly changed. They saw him not only as their sworn brother but also as their martial arts master. In this environment, a consensus was formed not to show their sect's secret techniques to others.
Showing their exclusive technique to outsiders was a considerable risk.
With the new year, a strange atmosphere settled in the camp.
There was a slight distance between the Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks and the other bandits. It was not surprising since the relationship between sworn brothers and the others could not be the same. Moreover, some bandits fled at moments of danger, contributing to the tension.
Despite this, the camp functioned better than ever.
The bandits avoided conflicts for fear of Yeon Jeokha, and although it was winter, the merchants' tolls were enough to live on.
During the Spring Festival (Lunar New Year), the bandits gathered in the Pavilion of Harmony and Peace to drink.
When they were already a bit drunk and started talking more freely, Hwang Yomyung spoke.
"Boss, lately the caravans are playing tricks on us."
"What do you mean?"
"They are reducing the number of reported merchants. It hurts them to pay one tael of silver per merchant. We should do the same as other camps and charge a flat fee."
"A flat fee?"
"Yes, it's hard to find out how many merchants there really are if they decide to deceive us."
The bandits nodded, showing their agreement.
However, Pung Yeoncho thought differently.
"Let it be. Don't worry about it."
"But they are deceiving us..."
"Let it be. If they are cheating, it is because it is a burden for them. What do you call that? Economies of scale? Selling cheap and in large quantities, right?"
"Yes, something like that..."
"Exactly, that's the logic. If the tolls are low, more merchants will come. And what do you think happens then? Total income increases. So don't worry."
"But if we don't let them deceive us, we would earn more..."
"Idiot! I tell you to let it be. If you are the type who opens the hen to take the egg, you will end up in ruin. Tell me, have our incomes decreased? Have they increased?"
"They have increased a bit."
"The merchants deceived us, but the income increased, right?"
"Yes."
"There you have it! That's what I want. Don't think about squeezing large sums from a few places; take a little from many places. Understood?"
"Yes..."
Although he answered affirmatively, Hwang Yomyung pouted, visibly unhappy.
He was frustrated because he felt he could handle more money.
Pung Yeoncho pointed at Hwang Yomyung with his finger.
"Look at that face! So greedy it seems your desire touches the sky. I know you have been working hard, but don't think about squeezing the merchants. We are living well, aren't we? Do you have a family to support? Do you need more money?"
Unlike other bosses, Pung Yeoncho shared the money received from the merchants equally. The bandits earned more than three taels a month.
"It's not that."
"Stop thinking about money and train more. You never know when a crazy person will come to attack us. Do you know how many are eager to make a name for themselves?"
The more famous Nokrim became, the more it attracted the attention of the righteous sects. For warriors of the righteous sects eager to gain renown, there was no better target than Nokrim.
Seeing that the bandits seemed to be half-listening, Pung Yeoncho started to lecture them.
"Listen well. If there is a sword fight at the base of the mountain, we won't know it from the camp. Unless we are on an outing with Jeokha, you will have to take care of yourselves. Don't relax when there are no outings. Idiots trying to play heroes could come at any moment."
Tak Gomyung added a comment.
"The boss is right. Do you know that our name is starting to be known in Henan Province? People seeking a fight could come at any time. If you want to live long, don't neglect your training."
Some nodded, but most considered the lecture as a boring talk. They couldn't imagine righteous warriors attacking them.