Morning of the fifth day of the New Year. It was barely eight in the morning and the Wun Mansion’s training grounds were already filled with people. Now that they had celebrated the New Year, it was time to get back to the martial arts. The disciples were training with all they had, giving their all to improve by even just a little bit. As members of the Wun Clan, they were born with benefits and privileges that most families did not have access to. However, conversely, they also had to bear tremendous pressure and responsibilities that most other people did not have.
As the clan master, Wun Ching Yeung was incredibly busy with all sorts of tasks and duties. Naturally, that meant that he woke up very early and was now discussing matters in the meeting room with the three elders. However, the second elder had a dark expression on his face. He still felt fear in his heart every time he glanced at the great elder. He was avoiding eye contact.
In the past, the second elder always had something to say about the clan master or the great elder’s decisions. He always liked to go against what they were saying, but he was unexpectedly cooperative today. The four of them wrapped up their discussion without wasting too much time. A servant walked into the meeting room and respectfully conveyed a message, “Clan master, Young Master Wun Fan says that he wishes to see you.”
“Let him in,” Wun Ching Yeung looked relaxed and energetic. Even the dark circles under his eyes look smaller than usual. It seemed like he had a good rest last night. He suddenly thought of the Virgin Peacebringer Tea that the mayor brought with him yesterday. He couldn’t help but shiver and gag a little, but at the same time, he was genuinely impressed by the floral tea. It seemed like it was indeed very effective.
“Clan master, great elder, if business is concluded, I will be taking my leave now,” the second elder put one hand over his fist courteously to bid farewell. However, his face didn’t look too good. It was a little pale and he seemed a little anxious. This probably had something to do with the sword energy that the great elder planted in him.
The great elder knew what the second elder was thinking, but he didn’t say anything. He didn’t intend to just let things be either. It was good to keep the second elder in check, just to make sure he knew his place. A clan should have strict rules and enforce them properly. The punishment he gave him after that night was already going easy on him.
The second elder had indeed been stepping out of line in recent years. If it wasn’t for that…
The third elder also had something else to attend to and quickly left. Only the great elder and Wun Ching Yeung remained seated in the room. While the great elder was thinking about all these things, Wun Fan had already entered the meeting room. He bowed and did his greetings, “Father, gramps, Wun Fan greets you.”
“Fan, how are your injuries? Are they a little better?” Wun Ching Yeung was relieved to see that Wun Fan no longer needed bandages and that his wounds had naturally closed up. He was once again impressed by the mayor’s martial technique from yesterday. He didn’t think they could heal wounds so effectively.
“They are better. Much less painful than yesterday,” Wun Fan replied, only to be greeted by the great elder’s sarcastic comment, “Right, one-three hundred and sixty-fifth on the way to being fully healed.”
Wun Fan took a deep breath. Hold it in, Wun Fan, you can do it. Hold it in.
“Fan, I know you’ve gotten stronger, but could you simmer down a little?” Wun Ching Yeung asked with a caring expression, all while he thought to himself, “This brat. Always causing trouble, day in and day out. I need to find time to teach him a proper lesson.”
A misbehaving kid is a father’s responsibility. Wun Ching Yeung was always aware of his duty as a father.
“Father, I don’t want trouble either, but it just keeps finding me,” Wun Fan replied. He was telling the truth. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to stay away from trouble, but that trouble kept coming for him. How could he ‘simmer down’ if people keep trying to pick fights with him?
Moreover, training was like rowing against the currents. You always had to be making progress, or you would risk moving backward. Fighting some real people and getting some actual combat experience was the best way to improve.
“Hmph! Spare me the sophistry. You won’t die if you just stop getting in trouble for a moment,” Wun Ching Yeung spoke sternly to Wun Fan, using a forceful tone that Wun Fan had never heard him use in all his eleven years in this world.
“I can’t help it, I’m just too extraordinary, I guess,” Wun Fan shrugged out of habit. Wun Ching Yeung narrowed his eyes and stared at him, making Wun Fan a little uneasy. Wun Ching Yeung was just about to chase him out of the meeting room when Wun Fan finally rubbed his hands together and put on a compliant face.
At that moment, the great elder said, “You’re good at arguing, no doubt. If only you were as good at martial arts as you were at talking back to your elders.”
“Yikes, he’s even brought my martial arts into this. Seems like he’s really upset with me,” Wun Fan didn’t dare to stare directly into the great elder’s eyes. He simply continued smiling in his signature way, “Well, if father wants me to stay out of trouble, I have absolutely no problem with that!”
“Hmph! Save the flattery, I know you want something. Hurry up and spit it out. You’re an extraordinary person, I can’t be wasting your time,” Wun Ching Yeung glared at Wun Fan coldly. He was gonna steel his heart and reject any request that Wun Fan made of him.
“About that, I want to visit our clan’s market,” Wun Fan looked at Wun Ching Yeung excitedly.
Green Sea Town bordered Green Sea Forest. Many martial artists chose to train themselves in the woods, hunting magical beasts to hone their powers. Magical beasts of Martial Mortal level possessed inner cores which contained all of their powers and essence. If the martial artists’ power was compatible with the magical beasts’, they could absorb the inner core to boost their own strength. Conversely, the magical beasts could also grow stronger by devouring the martial artists they killed.
The skin, bones and inner cores of a magical beast were all valuable loot that were highly sought after by martial artists. Moreover, martial artists needed to prepare things such as pills and weapons, both before and after the hunt. As such, martial artists required a place where they could trade. The Wun Clan saw the opportunity and monopolized most of the pill and weapon business.
However, after Wun Ching Yeung became the clan master, he opened up the market completely, removing all restrictions required for setting up a business there. He also divided the market into two sections: the shop section and the stall section. Both sections permitted the merchants to trade and sell their goods while paying rent and management fees to the Wun Clan. A guild was set up for the market as well. The merchants would elect a vice-chairman to represent the merchants, while Wun Ching Yeung took on the role of the chairman to preside over all disagreements in the market.
Wun Ching Yeung’s honest and unbiased management earned the trust of all the merchants, giving the Wun Clan’s market its reputation and status today.
It was said that even the mayor was jealous of the market’s success. The only reason he didn’t intervene was out of respect for the Wun Clan. He had no choice but to watch on as an incredible amount of gold and silver flowed into the pockets of the Wun Clan. The Wun Clan made at least three hundred gold coins every day, just from the management fees alone. Moreover, Wun Ching Yeung had decreed that the management fees were to be collected daily. This meant that the Wun Clan had an enormous amount of cash flow. This meant that they had a lot of liquidity and could move the money around very freely, whether to use it as investment or to spend on the training of the Wun Clan’s disciples.
Wun Fan was impressed by his father’s management ability. After all, he had realized how conservative Heaven’s Martial World truly was from just skimming a few books in the Wun Clan. They often believed in monopolies and top-down management, whether it came to business or governance. No one would have Wun Ching Yeung’s nerve and vision for such laissez-faire management. Wun Fan couldn’t help but be impressed by this.
The Wun Clan’s market was the source of the clan’s wealth and was also a good place for martial artists looking for treasure. Wun Fan was planning to find all the herbs he needed at the Wun Clan’s market. That was why he had come looking for Wun Ching Yeung. He wanted the Gold Medallion!
He knew that the important members of the clan, such as the clan master, the great elder or disciples with great contributions would be provided with a Gold Medallion. The biggest use of the Gold Medallion was the discount it provided.
Indeed, having the Gold Medallion would make the shop owners provide you with a discount in the market. The Wun Clan was fair and honest in managing the market, but as the owners of the market, the merchants did not mind giving them a favor and providing a little discount. Who knows? The favor might come in handy in the future if anything bad happens.
At any rate, one was never lacking in money when doing business. Favors and connections were far more valuable.
The Gold Medallion was what Wun Fan was aiming for. He stared at Wun Ching Yeung with fiery eyes. He knew his father would know what he wanted.
Wun Ching Yeung did not disappoint him. He took out a small gold medallion with the words ‘Wun Clan’s Market’ etched on one side, and the character ‘Yeung’ etched on the other. It was obvious that this was Wun Ching Yeung’s personal medallion. Wun Ching Yeung blew on it and brushed some non-existent dust off of it. He then put it away again, to Wun Fan’s dumbfounded stare.
“Mm, very well. You may go,” Wun Ching Yeung picked up the teacup and took a small sip. He frowned and said, “Siu Ha, can you add some hot water for me, please? This tea is extraordinarily cold, I can’t drink it.”
“Haha!” The great elder slapped the tabletop and laughed. He loved what Wun Ching Yeung was doing. Every word he said was a provocation aimed at Wun Fan. Wun Fan felt his bottom line being poked and all he could do was tell himself that he would beat up this middle-aged old man no matter the cost.
How could he hold back, when his dignity was on the line?
How could he hold back, when his reputation was at stake?
Could he hold back, when all he wanted to do was vent his frustration?
Mm, best to hold back, just so he could save some money.530Please respect copyright.PENANADDPW7RMeUU