Chapter 37 : Chapter 37

Chapter 37. I Didn't Expect to See That Man (2)

Jinju Tower was incredibly successful.

It practically raked in money, showing an overwhelming difference from other brothels in Yueyang.

Even if they raised the fee several times, customers lined up to board the ship created by Jinju Tower and enjoy the banquet.

Seeing that, other brothels also thought that they couldn't go on like this.

They followed Jinju Tower's precedent and bought ships themselves.

And to operate quickly, they remodeled those ships into luxurious brothels.

They vowed to decorate them more luxuriously and grandly than the ship operated by Jinju Tower and reclaim the stolen guests.

But Jinju Tower went one step ahead again.

[From now on, this Jinju Tower's banquets will only accept customers registered as members.]

They proclaimed.

At first, people thought, ‘Will this work?’

A brothel operating on a membership system?

Of course, high-class brothels are selective about guests, but isn't this too arrogant?

This cannot work.

That was what the majority thought.

However…….

Surprisingly, numerous upper-class people and celebrities of Yueyang lined up to buy memberships without hesitation.

The membership was expensive enough to make one gasp.

They even had to pay a membership fee every year to maintain that membership.

But it didn't matter.

For real rich people, money was not the problem.

What was important to them was the anxiety that they might not be able to possess the membership that others had.

Those who wanted the membership tried to buy it by raising the price themselves.

They even tried to buy the membership by giving precious gifts separately to the Tower Lord of Jinju Tower and soliciting.

[Hahaha. I ask for your favor. Tower Lord.]

[If I can't buy the membership, my family's face won't be saved. Please pay attention to it.]

[Khm, this is nothing much, but it is my small sincerity. Please do not refuse.]

Before anyone knew it, the relationship had reversed.

It couldn't be helped.

For the upper class in Yueyang who put some stiffness in their necks, this membership had become like a symbol of the upper class.

By the time they came to their senses, Jinju Tower was already holding the initiative.

Those who tried to build ships following the successful Jinju Tower realized.

“Oh my, it is already too late.”

“Mmm……. We were completely outwitted.”

“Tsk, this is really…….”

In any field, it is true that pioneers or those who preempt see greater benefits.

The latecomers were also considering that.

But Jinju Tower snatched away the best parts before they could even intervene.

No matter how much money circulates in Yueyang, the ones who spend real big money are the rich of the upper class.

Especially due to the nature of brothels, receiving a hundred ordinary commoners as guests cannot compare to the money one real tycoon spends in a single night.

So for brothels, how many upper-class customers they secure is important.

Jinju Tower had swept up those upper-class customers with the bait called membership.

This was something latecomers couldn't copy even if they tried.

Competitors who tried to build ships to stop Jinju Tower's monopoly and earn huge money suddenly became like a dog chasing a chicken.

“I don't know who the Tower Lord of Jinju Tower is, but his business skills have reached the realm of a god.”

“Indeed.”

“Ingenious. Truly ingenious.”

Some people watching the situation looked at Jinju Tower's growth with interest.

To them, it was an amusing fire to watch.

But for those in the same industry, it was a fire that fell on their own feet.

“Those arrogant bastards!”

“How dare they do such a dirty thing?”

“They want to make money all by themselves. Is that it?”

“Do you think I will just suffer? Just wait and see.”

Envy and jealousy.

It is like a tax that successful people inevitably have to pay.

Among them, some began to take full-scale action beyond mere envy.

* * *

“What? How dare you say this elder cannot board?”

“I am sorry. This multi-decked ship is operated entirely on a membership basis, so those who are not signed up as members are……. Ugh!”

Thud!

“A mere brothel has grown bold. How dare you go against this elder? Is your life not precious?”

A burly man wearing a big sword and looking menacing shouted at the reception desk for boarding.

He yelled loudly as if intentionally wanting everyone around to hear.

“Call the owner! Knowing who I am, how dare……?”

At that dignity, the surrounding people slowly shrank back, and other members who came to board frowned. But then…….

“Guest. Would you like to come this way for a moment to consult?”

“Huh? You are what……. Mmm…….”

The man who was causing a scene flinched and shrank back upon seeing the figure appearing in front of him.

A giant, a head taller than himself, came out with muscles on his log-like arms twitching all over his body.

“It seems you need consultation regarding the membership inquiry; I will deal with you.”

“No, I am…….”

“Come this way.”

“Khm, there is some misunderstanding…….”

“Come.”

The man who was making a fuss was quietly dragged away. And after that, he was never seen again.

Jinju Tower had naturally anticipated such a situation.

And they were prepared.

But even if they were prepared, the problem did not disappear.

People causing scenes appeared day after day, obstructing the purchase of food ingredients or spreading strange rumors, etc.

Persistent business obstruction continued in various ways.

This situation naturally reached the ears of the Tower Lord of Jinju Tower.

“Tower Lord, what shall we do?”

“The obstruction is getting worse.”

A middle-aged man wearing colorful silk clothes.

He is exactly the owner of the legend who created Jinju Tower in this Yueyang in a short time and built a golden tower.

And he was currently receiving his subordinate's report with a serious expression.

“Just today, more than five accidents were reported.”

“The response?”

“It is still manageable. There is no damage to the guests.”

“That is a relief.”

“But it is true that it is getting harder and harder.”

“Mmm…….”

He fell into thought.

He knew from the beginning that it wouldn't be easy.

Especially since Yueyang is the territory of the Unorthodox sects, such obstruction was naturally expected. The problem is…….

‘We need to find proper guards before the real big shots step in.’

This part is also prepared.

However, preparation is only preparation.

Before the contract is concluded, one cannot know what will happen. So, to solve the immediate problem, he had to take action somehow.

“Put out a notice. Say that we are convening sects to contract for guard duty with our Jinju Tower.”

“Will they do it? The existing sects settled in Yueyang must be in cahoots with other brothels already?”

“Do not worry about that point.”

The Tower Lord smiled brightly and said.

“Traditionally, with money, one can even order around ghosts.”

And the next day.

A rumor spread in Yueyang that Jinju Tower was looking for a sect that could take full charge of guarding.

This itself was expected.

But what they didn't expect was…….

“The down payment is one hundred, one thousand……. ten thousand taels of gold?”

“The monthly payment is one thousand taels of gold?”

It was a huge sum that made jaws drop.

Immediately, numerous sects flocked to contract with Jinju Tower.

Most of them were sects that had already signed guard contracts with existing brothels, but it didn't matter.

In the territory of the Unorthodox sects, eccentrics who chose loyalty over money were extremely rare.

And among them were those who came from far away.

At the reception desk, countless people whose roots were unknown came claiming to be Jianghu warriors and asked to be selected as guards.

For example…….

“Affiliation?”

“Sect Leader of the Ultimate Path Gate, Han Cheong-un?”

“Huh? Ultimate Path Gate?”

“You probably don't know it well. It's a sect that hasn't been established for long.”

“…….”

People like these.

* * *

Han Cheong-un arrived in Yueyang.

Once arrived, he looked for a manor to settle down in this land.

And he bought a manor quite spacious, almost excessive for four people to live in.

“Hahaha. You bought it at a good price. Lord.”

The real estate agent bowed and expressed gratitude to Han Cheong-un, who signed the contract in a lightning-fast manner.

Up to here, it was easy.

Since Han Cheong-un had the massive funds obtained from completely stripping the Shadowless Divine Thief's Secret Cave.

He bought a large manor giving a hefty sum without bargaining, but it didn't even put a dent in Han Cheong-un's financial power.

“Ah, having a lot of money is truly convenient.”

It was new, but touching.

“Is it that good?”

“Of course. Have you forgotten how we suffered because of the lack of budget during the days of the Evil-Annihilating Squad?”

“I don't remember it in the first place?”

“Ah……. Right.”

Dang Jin wouldn't remember, but the Evil-Annihilating Squad of the past life was allocated the least budget among the Ten Swords Squad despite being active on the front lines and performing actively in all directions.

So Han Cheong-un had to put his head together with Dang Jin and use the insufficient budget as usefully as possible.

“No then, you should have argued?”

“At the time, I thought it would cause discord in the Alliance…….”

“…….”

“I thought it would be fine if we endured a bit?”

“So what happened?”

“We were abandoned after being used.”

“…….”

“…….”

Thinking about it again, he was a pushover with no answer.

Han Cheong-un sighed and soon shook off the distracting thoughts.

That is the past, no, not even the future…….

It’s just something that never happened.

So let's think only about future matters now.

“Now, since we bought the manor, what shall we do next?”

“Well? Should we hire people first?”

“People? Ah, disciples?”

“No, not that.”

“What is needed other than that?”

At Han Cheong-un’s innocent remark, Dang Jin sighed and said.

“If you bought a manor of this size, there must be people to manage it.”

“Ah…….”

“Servants and maids to do trivial chores, a cook to take full charge of cooking. A butler to oversee all that will also be needed.”

“Hmm, indeed.”

Han Cheong-un, nodding his head, asked Dang Jin again.

“How do we hire them?”

“I don't know. Our house had them from the beginning.”

“…….”

He forgets occasionally, but Dang Jin is a young master born with a golden spoon in his mouth as the legitimate grandson of the Sichuan Tang Clan.

The Sichuan Tang Clan is a prestigious family that has already settled perfectly in Sichuan.

There was no reason for Dang Jin to think about how to create that from scratch.

“Tsk, incompetent young master.”

“…….”

Dang Jin felt wronged. And…….

“Wow, Master, there is a pond here. Can I raise fish?”

“Sect Leader, it would be good to plant plum trees around here? Please buy just about twenty trees.”

Dang Seoyeon and Baek Sua are also not talents who can help in this part.

Here, Han Cheong-un realized.

“We are more incompetent than I thought.”

Eating, clothing. House maintenance and cleaning, etc.

To maintain a sect in such a large manor, people to do various things were absolutely necessary.

But what the people here know how to do is…….

‘Spear work, sword work, hidden weapon work, poison work.’

There is not a single productive human being.

If left to these incompetent Jianghu warriors, this manor will become a haunted house in less than half a year.

“Can we just put out a notice?”

“Well? But hiring people is also an important job. If we hire just anyone, we’ll be in big trouble.”

“Mmm……. Then what do we do?”

“I said I don't know?”

“If the Vice Sect Leader doesn't know, who knows?”

“The Sect Leader should know!”

The two bickered.

At this time, Baek Sua intervened between the two.

“Wait a moment.”

Did she have a good idea?

Han Cheong-un and Dang Jin focused on her. And Baek Sua said…….

“I'm hungry.”

“…….”

“Let’s eat first.”

So you wanted to say that.

You wanted to say that.

* * *

People often say.

We do it all to eat and live.

Like that.

In that sense, what Baek Sua said was the only logical thing in that hopeless scene.

Although there was a kitchen in the manor, there were no food ingredients, and even if there were ingredients, there was even less likely to be someone to cook.

Eventually, the group came out to eat.

“Still, it is indeed a bustling city.”

“True.”

Just coming out to the street, one could understand how lively a city this Yueyang was.

Although the area with brothels around Dongting Lake is the most flashy and where money circulates the most, doesn't money circulate and go around?

Naturally, the money earned there flowed to the surrounding areas, and the money flowing actively like that breathed vitality into the entire region.

“Silk has arrived from Shu brocade.”

“These are flower shoes made by the best artisan.”

“Buy bowls. Bowls. Bowls baked with sincerity using good clay.”

The group walking the streets listening to the energetic voices of the market merchants.

Especially Dang Seoyeon and Baek Sua showed interest in small accessories sold by merchants and glanced at Han Cheong-un. But then…….

“Make way. Make way!”

“It is the procession of the top-class courtesan of Jinju Tower.”

Pushing aside the busy market merchants, a group of people pushed people away and opened a path.

It was the procession of Jinju Tower's top-class courtesan.

“Oh, it is Seolun.”

“Lucky, huh? It's hard to see her usually.”

“Usually or whatever, poor people like us have no business seeing her in the first place, right?”

“That is true.”

Just listening to what the surrounding people whispered, one could know how famous a brothel Jinju Tower was and how famous a courtesan Seolun was.

“Certainly, Yueyang is a city of pleasure.”

“Indeed. But Master, do you like things like that too? Shall I try wearing it?”

Despite Baek Sua and Dang Seoyeon's words, Han Cheong-un seemed to be thinking about something intently.

“Jinju Tower……. Jinju Tower…….”

It is a name familiar to the ears.

Why?

In his past life, the number of times Han Cheong-un went to a brothel was few enough to count on one hand.

Even that was for guarding or filling a seat, and he never went on his own.

But why does that name Jinju Tower remain in his memory?

Han Cheong-un groaned for a long time. And finally…….

“Right. That Jinju Tower?”

He remembered.

Why the name Jinju Tower remained in his memory.

“Stupid guy. How could I forget that?”

“What is it?”

“Golden Immortal Without Descendants.”

“What is that?”

“A figure who becomes the greatest tycoon in the Central Plains later with insane business talent.”

“……Yes?”

“The business entity that became the foundation of the Golden Immortal Merchant Group he created was the brothel business called Jinju Tower.”

Currently, the future World’s Best Tycoon was in Yueyang.

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