The Dialogue of the Villains (8)
“You said earlier you can’t produce much—how much can you make in a month?”
“About thirty bottles of each.”
“That’s really not a lot. Who makes the liquor?”
If he said “masters,” it would raise suspicions. There was no need to draw unnecessary attention.
“One aunt and three uncles.”
“They must have extraordinary skills. Anyway, the amount you mentioned—I think our pleasure house can handle all of it.”
“You want an exclusive deal?”
“Why? Is that a problem?”
Geom Woo-bin scratched his head awkwardly.
“I already promised another place.”
“Oh? How much did you promise them?”
“The quantity isn’t set yet.”
“Then let’s decide the amount for our pleasure house. How much can you give us?”
Ha Seok-mun was growing impatient.
Hangzhou had many pleasure houses, and competition was fierce.
They spent tens of thousands of nyang expanding their establishments and recruiting beautiful, talented courtesans.
Standing out among so many competitors wasn’t easy—especially with liquor, since high-quality brews were limited in supply.
But the four liquors Geom Woo-bin brought today could become the most powerful weapon in all of Hangzhou’s pleasure houses.
“You said next year it’ll be fifteen nyang, right? I’ll pay fifteen nyang from the first month.”
Fifteen nyang of silver was equivalent to two years’ salary for a junior manager in a pleasure house.
Yet Ha Seok-mun was confident he could sell it.
Hangzhou was a city where people who loved liquor and had money to burn gathered.
“But you must deliver at least twenty-five bottles of each per month.”
Ha Seok-mun knew how to play his cards.
“Since you recognize the liquor’s value, I can’t refuse, Chief Steward. Understood. I’ll start deliveries tomorrow, every five days. As for payment…”
“I’ll pay on the spot when you bring the liquor.”
The Blood Wind Four’s Shock
“Huh? Fifteen nyang of silver?”
Even the Blood Wind Four, who had little sense of money, knew how significant fifteen nyang was.
They hadn’t even thought about profit.
Their only concern was ensuring Geom Woo-bin had enough to live comfortably.
But fifteen nyang per bottle? That wasn’t just comfort—they could become rich overnight.
“The liquor is just that good. Hehe!”
“It’s not just the liquor—I think our eldest brother is also a master negotiator.”
Yeon Geum-hong wasn’t wrong.
When Ha Seok-mun proposed exclusivity, Geom Woo-bin had subtly hesitated—a hidden tactic of push-and-pull.
If Ha Seok-mun had been dealing with an ordinary merchant, he wouldn’t have fallen for it so easily.
But he never expected an eight-year-old to be so shrewd.
Not that Ha Seok-mun was at a loss.
Buying high and selling higher was just business.
“Do Master, it’s study time.”
“Yes!”
For Do Pyeong-su, studying was no longer torture. Before, memorizing even a single character had been a struggle. Now, he had already mastered a third of the Thousand Character Classic.
Watching Geom Woo-bin and Do Pyeong-su leave the room, Seo Seok-san muttered,
“At this rate, Pyeong-su might actually learn to read. Our eldest brother is truly talented. Even our master couldn’t achieve this.”
Yeon Geum-hong sounded worried.
“He’s too outstanding—that’s what worries me. The nail that sticks out gets hammered down. His business skills, his martial arts progress… it’s all too fast.”
“Tsk tsk, why worry about good things? Isn’t it better if he excels at everything?”
“I’m worried because I care!”
“We can’t cling to him forever anyway.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“You’re afraid he’ll grow too fast and leave us behind, right?”
Yeon Geum-hong couldn’t argue with Seo Seok-san’s words.
“Our eldest brother is destined for greatness. At the very least, he’ll surpass our master.”
“You really think so?”
“Of course. He’s our eldest brother. All we need to do is protect him until he can soar on his own.”
“When will that be?”
“The sooner, the better. But even if it takes time, the longer we stay together, the better. That’s not bad either.”
“Couldn’t he soar with us?”
Seo Seok-san smiled bitterly at Yeon Geum-hong’s question.
“Master regretted leaving us with his karma. If we stay together, we’d burden him with our sins. We can’t do that, can we?”
Jang Man-dok, who had been listening quietly, nodded.
Yeon Geum-hong stood up abruptly.
“Ah, whatever! That’s a problem for the distant future. Let’s not worry about it now.”
Then they realized something surprising.
They had no complaints about their current life. Brewing liquor, deciding what to eat, thinking about what to teach Geom Woo-bin—this simple life felt like the most peaceful and meaningful time they’d ever had.
They had always considered themselves the most notorious killers in the martial world. Evil to the bone, doomed to never escape that fate.
But the time spent with Geom Woo-bin was slowly stripping away that identity, revealing something new.
A new self, discovered past the age of ninety.
That realization left the four of them deeply astonished.
The Fall of So-Hangju
“Chief Steward Ha, what do you mean? This month, you’re only taking fifty bottles of our So-Hangju?”
Wolha Gibang had always ordered at least a hundred and fifty bottles.
“We still have twenty bottles in stock. Honestly, I’m not even sure if we can sell those fifty.”
Kwak Dae-pal raised his voice.
“Our So-Hangju, the best liquor in Hangzhou—so good it sells out instantly—won’t sell? Are you out of your mind?”
“That was true until five days ago. We’d love to keep ordering the same amount out of loyalty, but we can’t keep stocking unsellable liquor…”
“Enough! There are plenty of places that’ll take our So-Hangju! Don’t bother coming back!”
It was common knowledge in Hangzhou that any pleasure house not selling So-Hangju wasn’t first-rate.
Kwak Dae-pal had expected Ha Seok-mun to beg him to stay. Instead, the man just watched him leave with an indifferent expression.
“Hmph! Daring to cut orders from our So-Hangju Brewery? You’ll regret this when your business collapses!”
As Kwak Dae-pal stormed out, he spotted a familiar face—Wang Jang-su, owner of Hangzhou’s largest fabric store.
He was about to greet him when he overheard Wang asking a junior manager:
“Is any of the Sagiju available today?”
“Sagiju? What kind of liquor is that?”
The junior manager looked apologetic.
“Sir, as you know, the supply is extremely limited. We ran out two days ago.”
“Tsk! A pleasure house without the liquor its guests want? How does that make sense?”
“My apologies. The quantities are just too small… But we still have premium So-Hangju. Would you like that instead?”
“So-Hangju… Yes, it’s a fine liquor. But once you’ve tasted Sagiju, So-Hangju just doesn’t go down the same! At that price, I’d rather drink cheap hwaju.”
Kwak Dae-pal was torn between fury and disbelief.
“Comparing our So-Hangju to cheap hwaju?” was the fury.
“Just how good is this Sagiju?” was the disbelief.
“Well, since I’m here, I might as well drink something and enjoy the courtesans. Tsk!”
As Wang Jang-su entered the pleasure house, Kwak Dae-pal called over the junior manager.
“Hey! Isn’t that Chief Steward Kwak?”
“Yes. I just want to know—how do I try this Sagiju?”
“Ah, so the rumors have reached your ears too! Well, it’s all the talk among Hangzhou’s drinkers these days.”
“Rumors?”
“Yes. Business has boomed because of Sagiju. It’s so expensive that only the wealthiest patrons can afford it… Hehe! You know how it is.”
The pleasure house was thriving because of it.
“So, can I get some or not?”
“Ah! Even Lady Ru can’t get her hands on it. If you want to try Sagiju, you’ll have to make a reservation and come as a guest…”
“Forget it!”
The Kwak Brothers’ Scheme
Kwak Dae-pal returned to the So-Hangju Brewery and sought out his eldest brother, Kwak In-cheol.
“Brother! Have you heard about this Sagiju Wolha Gibang is selling?”
“You’ve heard the rumors too?”
Kwak Dae-pal recounted what had happened.
“The chief steward of Anga Gibang also complained. Some of their regulars have switched to Wolha Gibang because of Sagiju. He demanded we make something similar—but how can we, without even tasting it?”
“Is Wolha Gibang the only place selling Sagiju?”
“That’s what they say. Which means we’d have to pay to try it…”
Fortunately, they didn’t have to suffer that humiliation. The next day, their youngest brother, Kwak Jeong-man, brought back Sagiju.
“I asked around—there’s a tavern on the outskirts called ‘The Best Under Heaven’ that sells it. I rushed over and barely managed to get some!”
He laid out four gourds on the table.
“Turns out, Sagiju isn’t just one liquor—it’s four different kinds.”
Each gourd was labeled with its name.
“Pungryuju? Should we try this rustic-sounding one first?”
As Kwak Dae-pal reached for the cork, Kwak Jeong-man spoke up.
“By the way, Second Brother… it’s quite expensive.”
“How expensive can liquor be…?”
“Twenty nyang of silver.”
“What?! Twenty nyang per bottle?!”
“No. Twenty nyang per bottle—eighty nyang total.”
“This is insane! That’s nearly ten times the price of our So-Hangju!”
“Wholesale prices might narrow the gap, but yes, it’s absurdly expensive.”
“And they’re selling out?”
Now that he knew the price, Kwak Dae-pal uncorked the bottle with trembling hands.
Pop!
The aroma that burst forth was unlike anything they’d ever experienced.
The three brothers took turns sipping.
For half a sizin, none of them spoke.
Not even when their grandparents and parents had passed away within ten days of each other had they been this silent.
“Eldest Brother… can we make liquor like this?”
Under his brothers’ gazes, Kwak In-cheol sighed deeply.
“How could I? I’ve brewed for thirty years, but I can’t even guess what ingredients they used. It’s like the gods themselves descended to make this. If I could, I’d kneel and beg to become their disciple.”
Kwak In-cheol was an artisan at heart.
But Kwak Dae-pal, the businessman, had a different idea.
“Do you think they’d teach us their secrets?”
“Would they?”
Kwak Dae-pal’s expression hardened.
“Then we’ll take it by force.”
“Take it?”
“We can’t let them steal our livelihood!”
The Black Society’s Move
“In my twenty years with the Black Society, this is the first time I’ve been hired to steal a liquor recipe.”
Jo Cheol-jung leisurely guided his horse while speaking to Kwak Jeong-man beside him.
“You’d better keep your promise—a hundred nyang of silver.”
“Of course. Would I lie to you?”
The two were childhood friends, both thirty-eight years old.
“Boys! Tonight, after this job, let’s go to Wolha Gibang and drink that famous Sagiju!”
Behind them, four thugs followed eagerly.
“Hey, boss. Aren’t we going to the brewery where they make Sagiju? Won’t there be plenty there?”
“Liquor tastes best with women, you idiot!”
“Hehe! Boss knows how to enjoy life.”
“Damn right. Speaking of which, let’s try that Pungryuju first.”
As they joked around, they arrived at the brewery by the river.
A central building stood surrounded by four others, giving the place a quaint charm.
As they rode through the gate, a balding middle-aged man sweeping the courtyard straightened his back.
“What brings you here?”
