Heavenly Inquisition Sword Novel - Chapter 177
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C177. I’ll sell it for twelve thousand taels of silver.
Five Peaks Mountain.
Five Peaks Camp.
Early in the morning, four men gathered at the Pavilion of Harmony and Peace: Yeon Jeokha, Shim Tong of the Nokrim, Boss Ma Hyeongdo, and the sub-boss Heo Imdal.
Ma Hyeongdo looked at Yeon Jeokha with sadness.
“Are you really planning to leave today?”
“Yes. I’ll let you know as soon as I find a place. Come visit when you have time.”
“I will. And if you change your mind, you can return at any time.”
“I will.”
Yeon Jeokha nodded with a smile. With Pung Yeoncho and Tak Gomyung settled, Ma Hyeongdo and Heo Imdal naturally took over as Boss and sub-boss. Fortunately, they got along well, so the camp ran smoothly.
“I can’t believe you’re going to run an inn.”
Even if the business thrived and they could hire someone to manage it, Ma Hyeongdo still couldn’t believe that Yeon Jeokha, who avoided work, decided to run an inn.
“Haha. I’ll just be the owner and hire someone to manage it.”
Heo Imdal chimed in.
“Boss, Brother Yeon will do well in anything. He’s no ordinary person.”
“That’s true. Old Shim, take good care of our Brother Yeon.”
At Ma Hyeongdo’s request, Shim Tong nodded.
“Don’t worry. I won’t let our Young Master lift a finger.”
His confident words reassured Ma Hyeongdo and Heo Imdal.
Shim Tong, unlike Yeon Jeokha, who was unaware of many things in the world, was an experienced person.
Shortly after, Yeon Jeokha and Shim Tong left the pavilion.
As he watched them leave, Ma Hyeongdo murmured.
“If he just wants to live without worries, he could stay at the camp. I don’t understand why he’s complicating things.”
“He must have a deep reason. Buying an inn isn’t something done with little money.”
“I suppose so.”
Ma Hyeongdo thought there must be a special reason he didn’t know about. Yeon Jeokha’s decision to run an inn was difficult to understand.
—————
Early September.
Kaifeng (Gaebong).
Around noon, Yeon Jeokha and Shim Tong entered the city of Kaifeng with a group of merchants.
After a five-day journey, they might have felt tired, but their eyes shone with excitement.
They weren’t just passing through; they were looking for a place to settle down.
“Old Shim, what should we do now?”
“First, we need to find a broker to help us find properties.”
“A broker?”
“Yes, they’re people who help buy or rent properties for a small commission.”
“Oh, I see.”
“That tavern looks like a good place to start.”
Shim Tong pointed to a tavern by the canal, where boats were floating.
Yeon Jeokha, observing the area, nodded in satisfaction.
The scenery was charming, and it seemed like a perfect place to relax and enjoy.
Despite it being noon, the tavern was full of customers.
As soon as they sat at an empty table, a waiter approached them hastily.
“What would you like to drink?”
The waiter, noticing the swords of Yeon Jeokha and Shim Tong, seemed a bit tense.
Yeon Jeokha, anticipating the question, responded immediately.
“I want So Hong wine.”
Shim Tong, surprised, glanced at Yeon Jeokha.
He had spent a lot of time accompanying him to taverns, but Yeon Jeokha had never specified a drink before.
“Bring us So Hong wine and some of the best dishes of the house. Also, do you know any brokers?”
“Yes, some of our customers are brokers.”
“Bring one here, and I’ll give you a tip.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll bring the So Hong wine, lamb soup, roast chicken, and stir-fried pork. I also recommend fried rice if you want something more substantial.”
“Alright, bring all that. Don’t forget to bring the broker.”
Shim Tong emphasized the importance of bringing the broker.
Although the food was important, they wanted to buy the inn and tavern as soon as possible.
“Yes, sir.”
The waiter, with a bow, hurried off.
Perhaps motivated by the promise of a tip, the waiter returned with a broker before serving the food.
A man in his fifties, with a dignified appearance, bowed to Shim Tong.
“They told me you were looking for a broker. I’m at your service. I can find anything you need.”
Shim Tong kept his promise and gave the waiter a silver coin.
With a radiant smile, the waiter left, leaving the broker with them.
“We’re here to buy an inn and tavern in Kaifeng. Can you help us?”
“Yes, that’s precisely my specialty. If you had wanted something else, I would have taken you to the Chamber of Commerce, but this is perfect. Do you want to go see some properties now?”
“There’s no rush. We’ll eat what we ordered first. In the meantime, you can talk to the owners to make sure they’re still interested in selling.”
“Understood. I’ll be back shortly.”
The man bowed again and left.
“Wow, Old Shim, you really know how to handle things.”
“Haha, experience counts.”
While the two laughed and chatted, the food and wine arrived.
The broker returned before they finished the first bottle of wine.
Wasting no time, Yeon Jeokha and Shim Tong got up and followed the broker.
Walking along the canal, the broker showed them several buildings.
“From here to there is the best area. As you can see, even in broad daylight, it’s hard to find a free table in the taverns. Do you see that inn with the Hongun sign?”
“That inn is for sale?”
“Yes, the owner is from Zhengzhou and plans to move to the countryside.”
“Oh!”
Yeon Jeokha exclaimed when he saw the Hongun inn.
It was the largest and most luxurious building in the area. It looked more like a palace than an inn.
When they entered the inn, the owner greeted them with a beaming smile.
“Welcome. I was told you’re looking for an inn, correct?”
Shim Tong spoke up instead of Yeon Jeokha.
“That’s right.”
“You’ve come to the right place. I’m willing to adjust the price for you.”
“How much does this inn cost?”
“I’ll sell it cheaply. I’m only asking fifty thousand taels of silver. Originally, it should cost fifty-five thousand, but I’m in a hurry to sell.”
The price of fifty thousand taels of silver made Shim Tong’s face twitch slightly.
Yeon Jeokha only had around eight thousand. They thought it would be enough, but fifty thousand was an astonishing amount.
“I’ll think about it and come back.”
The price difference was so vast that Shim Tong didn’t even attempt to haggle.
“Of course. I’ll do my best to adjust the price for you.”
With a bow, the owner bid them farewell as they walked out into the street.
The broker, noticing the tension in the air, spoke cautiously.
“It seems you didn’t like it. I’ll show you other properties.”
“It’s not that we didn’t like it; it’s too big. A place that large would be too much work. Our master is looking for something quieter.”
“I understand. There’s a suitable place not far from here.”
The broker led them to another inn after a twenty-minute walk.
Although smaller than the Hongun inn, the price was still forty thousand taels of silver.
Shim Tong left the inn with a displeased expression.
The broker continued to show them inns and taverns in Kaifeng until dusk.
However, the prices were exorbitant, even for small places.
By the time the sun set, Shim Tong was still frowning.
Even the smallest inns cost at least twenty thousand.
Between Yeon Jeokha and him, they only had twelve thousand taels of silver.
After so much searching, they found nothing for less than twenty thousand taels.
“This is ridiculous. Why is everything so expensive?”
Shim Tong, who had made bold promises to Yeon Jeokha, was frustrated.
The broker, noticing the desperation, asked timidly.
“Pardon me, but it seems you didn’t like anything. What’s your budget?”
“Eight, no, twelve thousand taels of silver. Isn’t there anything in that range?”
The broker was speechless for a moment.
“If you had told me from the start that you only had twelve thousand, it wouldn’t have been so hard.”
Trying to buy an inn in Kaifeng with twelve thousand taels of silver was impossible.
Though he was annoyed, the broker held back.
“Sir, with twelve thousand, you can’t buy an inn in Kaifeng.”
When Shim Tong and Yeon Jeokha’s faces hardened, the broker quickly continued.
“However, in the suburbs, you might find something in that range.”
“What do you mean by the suburbs?”
“The area around the canal is very expensive, but if you go north, towards the banks of the Huang He, you can find something cheaper.”
“The banks of the Huang He?”
“Yes, there’s a village called Huashang, about thirty minutes north of here. There’s an inn for sale there.”
“Take us.”
“Right now?”
The broker, seeing the sun was setting, didn’t seem very willing.
“We’ll need to stay the night anyway, so let’s go now.”
“Very well…”
The broker couldn’t refuse the request and led them to the stable.
—————–
The cart arrived at Huashang village after nightfall.
The only light was the faint moonlight, but thanks to the broker, they found the inn without trouble.
The inn, which was for sale, was closed despite it being early evening.
While the broker knocked on the door, Yeon Jeokha and Shim Tong examined the place.
It looked like one of the modest inns they had stayed in during their travels.
The roar of the Huang He river was evident, confirming they were near the river.
After seeing the elegant inns by the canal, this place seemed rough and shabby.
Soon, the light came on in the inn.
“Who’s there?”
The innkeeper, initially gruff, softened after speaking with the broker.
“Welcome. You’ve come to see the inn, right? Come in.”
Inside, Yeon Jeokha sighed.
The inn was visibly deteriorated. The walls and furniture were covered in dirt, and it was hard to discern their original color.
On the second floor, the smell of mold was overwhelming, and the dining room was so stale that it almost made them nauseous.
After touring the inn, Yeon Jeokha and Shim Tong returned to the dining room.
The broker and the innkeeper seemed to have reached an agreement, as the innkeeper spoke directly.
“I’ll sell it for twelve thousand taels of silver.”
Yeon Jeokha looked defeated, while Shim Tong held his head in his hands.
Buying such a small, run-down inn for twelve thousand taels in the middle of nowhere seemed like a rip-off.
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