Chapter 52

Chapter 51>

"Brother Namgung, what about the movements of the Yegajang family?"

"There was no movement at all."

"Director Jang?"

"Of course, I had people placed as you instructed. However, none of the traitorous officials returned to the Yegajang family."

"Hmm..."

Johwi wanted to secure the import routes and manufacturing techniques for coffee and sugar from the Bi Gong lineage.

Especially coffee, a beverage with the power to revolutionize the tea culture of this Central Plains.

Its impact would certainly not be inferior to that of Heiqingshui and Hanbingzhu.

'Who could it be?'

Showing coffee and sugar to provoke Xiaojianxin might mean that the opponent knows he is from the modern era.

Or rather, it is certain.

Was the reason for showing new items simply to provoke him?

No.

There must be a reason for specifically showcasing modern items that the Zhaodaxianghui cannot obtain.

That was his intuition.

"I can't understand you, Brother. Why are you so troubled when you could just mobilize the Zhaotianwudai and eliminate them? In fact, if you just take the lead, you could eliminate those sinister fellows, right?"

As Zhang Yilong expressed his frustration, Namgung Zhanghu also nodded silently.

"I agree with that point. They have the tremendous ability to recruit all the key officials of the Zhaodaxianghui in one day. Why leave those who might do something again? If you claim to be the leader of the Jianghu, you shouldn't treat them so leniently."

Johwi looked at Namgung Zhanghu and Zhang Yilong with a disdainful expression.

"How much do you know about the Anshang (Dark Merchant)?"

Namgung Zhanghu's indifferent voice continued.

"I've heard they are extremely sinister. Aren't they the ones who control the Central Plains' business world in the shadows?"

"That's a very superficial understanding."

As Johwi's voice continued, Namgung Zhanghu and Zhang Yilong's faces became increasingly rigid.

"They are the kind of people who can even control the direction of the imperial power. They are the kind of people who can even replace the Son of Heaven."

"That's absurd!"

"Replace the Son of Heaven?"

How could mere merchants replace the Son of Heaven, the father of all the people of the Central Plains?

Johwi's transparent gaze returned to them.

"The great battles and the rise and fall of the Jianghu's history were all in their hands. No force has ever won without the support of the Anshang."

"That's absurd!"

Namgung Zhanghu stood up and glared at Johwi.

What kind of absurd talk is this!

The righteous spirit of countless martial artists who have died in the Jianghu still lives in their hearts. How can the victors and losers be determined by the support of mere merchants?

That would be a complete denigration of the great struggles and glorious victories of the righteous Jianghu.

"Is it not so?"

Johwi's eyes, clear like water, were fixed on Namgung Zhanghu.

"I wish wars were that romantic. But reality is nothing like that."

Johwi had already heard from the first Bi Gong, Zhaogang, about the power that the underground business world has exerted on the world.

The tremendous skills of such Anshang completely overturned the general common sense of the world.

"If you knew how much effort the great leaders of history have put into gaining the support of the underground business world, you wouldn't say such things. Whether it's the Wu Emperor of the Wu Lin Alliance or the Heavenly Demon of the Heavenly Demon Sect, it's the same."

Namgung Zhanghu looked at Johwi with a completely incomprehensible expression.

After all, the essence of the Anshang is merchants.

Did the absolute rulers of the Jianghu really go to such lengths to gain the support of mere merchants?

If things went wrong, couldn't they just suppress them with their powerful military force?

Johwi smiled wryly, as if reading Namgung Zhanghu's thoughts.

"How are you going to crush them? They are literally Anshang (Dark Merchant). They are entities without a physical form. They are forces without a base that should naturally exist."

"..."

"Think about it. If a full-scale war breaks out between the Wu Lin Alliance and the Anshang, they will secretly withdraw all the rice from Shanxi Province, the base of the Alliance. What do you think will happen afterward?"

"..."

Namgung Zhanghu finally began to realize the severity of the situation.

"That would only be a matter of rice. There are countless other items that people need to live, such as salt, alcohol, timber, and silk. Not to mention luxury items like silk and spices."

If all the items that Johwi mentioned were controlled by the Anshang, what would that mean?

Namgung Zhanghu certainly knew what it meant.

"Do not doubt. For them, paralyzing an entire province is nothing."

Namgung Zhanghu felt a creeping fear.

He finally realized the true power of the business world that could control people's lives.

"The Jianghu of martial artists may seem great at first glance, but it can never defeat the underground business world."

Johwi's declaration left Namgung Zhanghu speechless.

His consciousness, which had always belittled the business world, was completely overturned.

On the other hand, Zhang Yilong, being the genius he was, raised several questions.

"But, even if they are Anshang, how is it possible for them to have no outward appearance in the outside world? Wouldn't they need at least one visible business entity to make such things possible?"

Johwi smiled.

"That was the reason they wanted to recruit me."

"Huh?"

Johwi gazed out the window.

"Who knows? Perhaps the Tianhua Merchant Group or the Wanjin Merchant Group are their external business entities."

If the super-large merchant groups that dominate the business world of the Central Plains are just the external organizations of some Anshang?

"Is there any reason why they tried so hard to recruit us, who are just starting to expand our influence north of the Yangtze River? It's obvious. They want to use us as another outward appearance."

As Johwi and Zhang Yilong were having this conversation, Zhuge Yun entered Johwi's annex.

"President, a guest has come to see you."

Johwi immediately looked curious.

Since most guests were handled by Zhuge Yun, the fact that he reported separately meant that this was a significant figure.

"Who is it?"

Zhuge Yun, with a highly tense expression, replied.

"It's Gulyeontian."

"Gulyeontian (具蓮天)?"

It's a name he had heard many times.

Johwi's face gradually turned to one of shock as he abruptly stood up.

"Is it that Wanjin Merchant Group?"

In the vast Central Plains, there is only one person known as the Wanjin Merchant Group.

Gulyeuntian, the owner of the Wanjin Merchant Group, is a super-large merchant group that competes with the Tianhua Merchant Group for the title of the top merchant in the Central Plains.

He is a figure who can be compared to the three deities of the Jianghu in the business world.

Johwi, with a highly tense voice, said to Zhuge Yun.

"Please bring him in. No, I will go myself."

In the modern world, he would be the head of the Rothschild family.

It is impossible to treat the absolute ruler who controls the entire business world of the Central Plains lightly.

"There's no need for that."

Suddenly, an old, hoarse voice came from behind Zhuge Yun.

Johwi immediately recognized that it was Gulyeuntian of the Wanjin Merchant Group.

His sharp eyes.

His imposing presence.

The aura he exuded was that of a giant of the era.

His personal aura was even more formidable than that of the Wu Emperor, the absolute ruler of the Wu Lin Alliance.

It was truly a human aura.

In his terrifying hands, half of the business world of the Central Plains was held.

Johwi, with unprecedented courtesy, respectfully clasped his hands.

"It's my first time meeting you. I am Johwi of the Zhaodaxianghui."

"I'll get straight to the point."

Gulyeuntian, without returning Johwi's courtesy, only shone with his terrifying gaze.

"Please speak."

"What is your relationship with the first Bi Gong?"

"Huh?"

Johwi, who was greatly flustered, revealed his inner thoughts.

"Could it be...?"

Suddenly, Gulyeuntian's sharp eyes shone even more intensely.

"Yes. I am the current Bi Gong."

In fact, Johwi's statement that the Tianhua Merchant Group or the Wanjin Merchant Group could be the outward appearance of the Bi Gong lineage was just a casual remark.

But for it to become a reality!

Moreover, considering the secretive nature of the Anshang, it was truly astonishing that the famous Wanjin Merchant Group immediately revealed himself as the current Bi Gong.

The fact that he took such a self-destructive action without any hesitation clearly showed how urgent his situation was.

"I'll ask again. What is your relationship with the first Bi Gong?"

Johwi had no other way to answer that question.

"I am his descendant."

"…Descendant?"

Gulyeuntian, the Wanjin Merchant Group, revealed his complete bewilderment.

After all, the current president of the Zhaodaxianghui, Xiaojianxin, is a new star who has gained a high reputation in the Jianghu as the direct disciple of the Sword God.

Now, this person is also the descendant of the legendary first Bi Gong of the underground business world?

Is such a thing even possible?

"Surely you're not joking?"

Johwi, in response to Gulyeuntian's question filled with doubt, smiled bitterly.

"I do not have the audacity to make frivolous jokes in front of the Wanjin Merchant Group, who controls half of the business world of the Central Plains."

Johwi's sincere answer made Gulyeuntian ponder.

While it was incomprehensible in common sense, it was because he had received the secret language that only the first Bi Gong could have mentioned.

Due to the point-based nature of the underground business world, the secret language system is absolute and is transmitted through extremely secretive methods.

"Hmm... Then tell me. Is this really the message left by the first Bi Gong?"

"What do you mean?"

Gulyeuntian's eyes sank like a deep abyss.

"Is it not the message you conveyed, instructing the first Bi Gong lineage to abandon all their aspirations and cease all activities?"

"Ah, that's what you mean."

Miyi Anji Yuriluo (秘公暗計 餘日落).

Johwi had already heard all of Zhaogang's intentions.

However, whether the current Bi Gong would accept it was uncertain.

Johwi, with an extremely serious face, spoke.

"The initial purpose of the first Bi Gong and the seven elders, known as the Seven Secrets, in establishing the underground business world was to eliminate the Honglian lineage, which had seized the imperial palace and disrupted the world."

"Hmm..."

How could Gulyeuntian not know the origin of the Bi Gong lineage?

"Eliminating such a