Chapter 95 Moving (2)

Chapter 95: Moving (2)

We decided to move based on Myohyang’s suggestion, but we couldn’t just leave immediately.

First, we had to evict the people currently living there, and we also needed to sell the house we were currently living in.

It would definitely take at least a month.

‘By then, the military family should be gone too.’

We’d received the money, so leaving it behind wouldn’t be a huge issue. But if something went wrong and someone died, the value of the house we’d bought for five taels of gold could plummet.

Houses where corpses were found never sold well, then or now.

Moreover.

‘Now that security in Heuksaro is stable, we could get half again, no, double the price.’

That was right. Thanks to ‘my desperate efforts,’ security in Heuksaro had become incredibly stable.

Naturally, nearby real estate prices skyrocketed rapidly, and thanks to that, I could expect quite a substantial profit.

‘If I get an excellent licensed broker involved, I should be able to sell it quickly.’

That’s why I intended to visit Mrs. Bok, the wife of Lee Jo-jang—the best licensed real estate agent I knew and the one who introduced me to the house in Heuksaro.

“Leave it to me. I’ll sell it for you at a higher price than anyone else.”

Wasn’t that a display of strong confidence?

“No, how could you possibly act as a broker…”

“Don’t worry. I know a great many wealthy people. If word gets out, a few will show interest.”

“You know such people? How?”

“Heh heh, have you forgotten what my former profession was?”

“Ah…”

That was right. Myohyang’s former profession was as a top-tier performer, playing the seven-string zither for the wealthy.

Rumor had it you had to book at least a month in advance to hear her play, such was her immense popularity.

Having lived that life for years, it was only natural she knew many wealthy people.

But.

“I’ll just leave it to Lady Bok.”

The idea of my sister, not the musician, going to find them now didn’t sit well with me.

As if sensing my thoughts, Myohyang smiled wryly and said.

” “Surely you don’t think I’d sell my laughter?”

“······.”

“Don’t worry. That will never happen. They’ll probably beg me to sell it to them.”

I couldn’t fathom where her confidence came from, but since my business partner wanted it so badly, I had to agree.

“……Alright. I’ll give you half the profit. Let your sister handle it this once. Don’t push yourself too hard; it doesn’t have to be much.”

“Hehe, thank you for entrusting it to me.”

Leaving Myohyang behind with that meaningful smile, I stepped out of the house.

‘I should visit Mrs. Bok in about a week.’

After all, the more places you list it, the faster it sells.

* * *

A short while later.

Before heading to work, Jo stopped by Sangbang.

Since the owner had changed, he needed to coordinate the moving schedule.

‘Hmm, how should I bring this up?’

Evicting tenants was never easy to begin with.

They might stubbornly refuse to leave without reason and demand compensation.

Sometimes people genuinely can’t move out due to circumstances.

Moreover, from the perspective of those currently living in Jo’s upper room, it had only been about three days since the head of the household passed away.

Asking them to vacate while the upper room was sold felt downright sociopathic.

‘You’d have to try it to know.’

What made it even more awkward was that in two lifetimes, he’d never once rented out property.

As he paced the doorway, scheming ways to evict the Jo family,

“Isn’t that Mujeon?”

Wee Jipung’s voice reached him.

Truthfully, it was only natural.

The Mungryong Military Academy was right across from the Jo Family Storehouse.

“Ah, Brother Wiji.”

“What are you doing here? Come in for a cup of tea.”

“I have business right now…”

“So you have business at the Jo Family Storehouse because of the late Master Ju? Then you should come in all the more. I have something to tell you.”

What is it? Did something happen to that family?

“Understood.”

I followed Weizifeng into the martial arts academy’s headmaster’s office.

Seeing him serve tea that was relatively expensive among cheap varieties, it seemed the Mukeong Martial Arts Academy was steadily developing after all.

“What is it you wish to discuss?”

“Ah, well…”

Wei Zhifeng began recounting the story of the Jo family.

“So, they’re fighting over who gets to keep the money from selling the shop?”

“You have no idea. How fiercely they fought. Yesterday, they even drew swords—it looked like a martial arts duel. If I hadn’t been watching, it could have ended in disaster.”

“Why on earth would they do that?”

Wiji Feng frowned at my question.

“I was curious too, so I looked into it. Apparently, the second son is claiming half as his share. Thanks to that, the entire Wangjin Trading House is in a bind.”

“Why? Why not just give it all to the eldest son?”

The concept of property in this era differs slightly from the modern one.

This is because the family’s property takes precedence over an individual’s.

Therefore, inheritance often went primarily to the eldest son.

The problem was.

‘Well, it is a fortune worth a hundred billion won by modern standards, so it’s tempting.’

An enormous sum of money had suddenly appeared before the second son, who had resigned himself to his elder brother inheriting the family business.

Even if split in half, it was far more than the value of the shop itself.

“Because the two brothers are causing a ruckus at the battlefield every single day, trying to prevent each other from taking the money.”

“······That must be quite a predicament.”

After all, even Geumryongdang couldn’t just casually turn away customers.

Wee Jipung smiled slyly and said.

“Since you’re here anyway, you handle it.”

“Huh?”

“If someone ends up getting killed over this, it’ll become your problem anyway. Might as well deal with it before that happens.”

He wasn’t wrong.

Moreover, resolving this quickly would mean the Jo family would leave the Sangbang, which somewhat aligned with my own objectives.

“As Brother Wei Ji said, I suppose I should step in.”

“Good thinking. But do you have a plan?”

“That’s why I’m here, isn’t it? Just wait a moment. I’ll be back before this tea gets cold.”

Because I had the absolute, invincible modern logic of splitting the bill.

Leaving a bewildered Weizifeng behind, I immediately entered the Jo Family Store.

The two brothers were glaring at each other as if ready to kill, locked in a heated argument.

“Father intended to pass the shop down to me while he was alive! What’s wrong with me taking the money from selling it?!”

“Brother! It’s ten thousand silver taels! Do you really think it’s right for you to take all that money?!”

I listened for a moment, but it was just as ridiculous as expected.

I stepped between them and spoke.

“I’m here because of a report.”

The second son replied as if he’d anticipated it.

“That man over there was brandishing a sword! Arrest him at once!”

“What? That man?! You’ve truly lost your mind!”

“Now, now, calm down, both of you…”

“How am I supposed to not be upset?!”

I quietly picked up a fist-sized pebble.

Crunch.

I applied just a little pressure, and the pebble instantly crumbled into sand and scattered.

The eldest son, who had been shouting with veins bulging in his neck just moments ago, fell silent.

The second son also stopped talking.

“From what I’ve gathered, it seems to be about your father’s inheritance. Is that correct?”

“……Yes, that’s right.”

“Correct.”

“Originally, the eldest son was to inherit the shop.”

“That’s right.”

“But now, a sum far greater than the shop’s value has appeared. That’s why your younger brother is claiming his rights.”

“That is correct.”

The eldest son opened his mouth, as if wanting to say something.

I picked up the stone again and sealed his lips.

“Then the conclusion is simple.”

The two men looked at me with questioning eyes.

I delivered my verdict to them.

“Why not just split it evenly and get along?”

“But!”

Crunch.

” Huh, these rocks these days have no bite. They crumble to dust at the slightest pressure. Ah, it seems you object to my ruling. Do you have anything to say?“

”······Ah, no.“

As expected, the eldest son was deeply impressed by my ruling, channeling Solomon.

”Then the younger brother······.”

“I fully agree with the team leader’s opinion.”

Solving not just criminal cases but civil ones too.

I guess I must have been a judge in a past life.

* * *

The Jo family decided to find a new house and move within three days.

One unexpected thing was.

“I’m sorry. Looking back now, I think I was too greedy.”

“No, Brother. I know you made that decision for the family.“

”Brother!“

”Brother!”

With a thud.

Once the money issue was resolved, it was as if nothing had happened moments before, and the two were back on good terms.

‘Was money possessed by a demon?’

Given that the source of the money was the Ten Demon Alliance, the largest demonic group of this era, it might just be possible.

Anyway, now only the matter of selling the house to the Black Plague remained.

‘Well, it doesn’t matter if we move out before it sells.’

Myohyang had said she’d try to sell it before moving day, but with ample funds available now, it wasn’t urgent.

The plan was to finish moving first and then wait patiently.

“Someone wants to buy it already?!”

Myohyang had succeeded in finding a buyer for the house in less than half a day.

“I told you to trust me, didn’t I? Hehe.”

Such an unbelievable result immediately made me suspicious.

Could it be… she haggled the price down?

If that were the case, it would explain why the deal closed so quickly.

But my worries were completely unfounded.

“Don’t worry. I got a thousand nyang for it.”

“What?!”

“There was someone willing to pay up to thirteen hundred nyang, but since it seemed like the timing would be delayed, I just went with the deal for a thousand nyang.”

“But, I could have waited as long as needed…”

Myohyang shook her head.

“When land prices are on the rise like now, it’s advantageous to sell quickly and reinvest.”

“Ah…”

Her expert-like aura made me nod in agreement without even realizing it.

Myohyang smiled brightly and continued.

“Above all, it’s someone you know, Team Leader.”

“What?”

“The person buying this house. You know them. Very well, in fact.”

“They’re buying it through Jikryongdang?”

Most of my acquaintances are commoners. The only people wealthy enough to put down a thousand nyang are Jik Il, Jik Hwa-ran, Jeon Muk, and Dan Un.

But Jeon Muk and Dan Un couldn’t care less about real estate investment, so that left only Jik Il and Jik Hwa-ran.

“Wrong. Hehe. Ah, look, here they come.”

Myohyang gave a peculiar smile and raised her hand, pointing toward the main gate.

Turning around, I couldn’t contain my shock.

“The, the Head of the House?”

Because the person wanting to buy the house was none other than North Palace Baek.

“No, how could the Head of the House have any money to…”

“Not long ago, the City Lord gave me money. He said it was a congratulatory gift for reaching the realm.”

“No, how much did you receive…?”

“Thirty thousand nyang.”

Thud.

The staggering sum left not only me but even Myohyang speechless.

“But he attached a condition.”

“Wh-what kind of condition?”

“If he leaves Guryongseong within ten years, he must repay double the amount.”

Only then did it click.

The city lord had secured Hwagyeong’s master for thirty thousand nyang.

Thinking of it that way, thirty thousand nyang suddenly seemed like a small sum.

In modern terms, it was like acquiring a top-tier S-class player from the big leagues for a mere three hundred billion won.

‘Lord Castle, what on earth…’

Nodding in admiration, I caught a small coin pouch flung at me by North Palace Baek.

Thud.

“Ten nyang in gold.”

True to his fiery nature, he paid the transaction price immediately.

“……Thank you.”

Just as I was expressing my gratitude for the swift payment.

“But who are those guys inside? I sense traces of magic.”

He had pinpointed the individuals enrolled in the witness protection program.