The precious daughter, who was so dear that her father felt he could put her in his eyes without it hurting, had collapsed during the year she turned ten.
Before then, she had been an ordinary child who might catch a cold and suffer for a few days, but she would always get back up and run around soon after. However, once she passed ten, her recovery from a cold became sluggish, and she began to frequently collapse and lose consciousness without any particular symptoms.
Gold King Hwang Jin-san, who had lost his wife early to an unknown disease, had no choice but to become uniquely obsessed with his daughter’s health. He collected spiritual medicines from all over the world. If a physician was renowned enough to be called a famous doctor, he did not hesitate to travel a thousand miles or spend a thousand gold coins to invite them to examine her pulse.
The conclusion they reached was the Nine Yin Severed Meridians.
The efforts he put into treating his daughter’s severed meridians over ten years were so desperate and cruel that they were beyond words. Yet, no method provided a solution.
The human body naturally absorbs the numerous energies existing in nature. It uses the necessary energy and expels the unnecessary energy from the body. However, there are occasionally constitutions that absorb specific energies more easily and in greater quantities. These are called “constitutions.”
The Nine Yin Severed Meridians is a constitution that absorbs yin energy particularly easily and excessively among all the energies we take in. The problem is that while a normal constitution uses the absorbed energy and naturally expels what remains, those with the Nine Yin Severed Meridians have an extremely weak ability to discharge it, even though they absorb far too much.
Eventually, as time passes, the yin energy gradually accumulates inside the body. Once it reaches a limit that a person can no longer endure, it leads to death. What is even more painful is that the yin energy accumulated in the body causes the patient constant suffering.
Once they pass the age of ten, the accumulated yin energy begins to block the major pressure points, and the true pain begins. Since most do not live past twenty, the period during which a patient suffers from the pain caused by yin energy usually lasts ten years. Before death, the entire body turns cold, and they feel a severe chill even in the middle of summer, which often causes them to lose consciousness.
It was commonly believed that spiritual medicines with abundant yang energy were effective for treatment, but this was far from the truth. While such medicines could provide temporary relief, they were not a fundamental solution. Even consuming refined versions of the highest-tier spiritual medicines, like the Ten-Thousand-Year Fire Spirit Fruit or the Fire Spirit Celestial Fruit, only eased the pain for one or two months at most.
The issue was that such spiritual medicines could not be obtained with money alone.
As he watched his daughter’s condition worsen and her beautiful face wither away, Hwang Jin-san began to think that she was receiving the punishment for all the evil deeds he had committed throughout his life. Consequently, he began to step forward personally in everything related to his daughter, and eventually, he even stopped listening to the words of those around him.
“I heard that Thousand-Year Fire Spirit Grass has appeared in Sichuan.”
“That is true, but since the Tang Clan has already secured it, it is impossible to purchase.”
Hwang Jin-san flared up in anger at the Chonggwan’s words.
“Never use the word ‘impossible’ when it comes to things related to Ha-rin.”
“But…”
Seeing the fury in the Gold King’s eyes, the Chonggwan quietly bowed his head.
“Send a Jeonseon to the Tang Clan right now. Tell them we will pay whatever they want, so please let us have the Thousand-Year Fire Spirit Grass.”
“Understood.”
“And why has it been so difficult to obtain spiritual medicines lately?”
“For some reason, it is as if the seeds of spiritual medicines have dried up.”
“Hmm… That is truly worrying. Press the medicinal herb merchants more.”
“I am already doing so.”
The Chonggwan opened the door to the Gold King’s office and stepped outside quietly. The warm sunlight settled on his slumped shoulders.
‘If I could put even a little of this warmth into Ha-rin’s body, I would gladly give my life…’
Yuk Yang-jin, the Chonggwan of the Golden Clan, had spent his entire life with the Gold King, Hwang Jin-san. It was thanks to his hard work and effort that the Golden Clan was established and grew to its current size. To him, Hwang Jin-san was a brother and a friend. Therefore, his heart ached just as much as the Gold King’s.
Hwang Jin-san’s daughter, Hwang Ha-rin, was like his own daughter as well. He had lived his life chasing money, even forgetting the passage of time. Though he never married, he was fine with it. In return, Hwang Ha-rin had been born.
The second-in-command of the Golden Clan, which was known to possess more than half the world’s wealth, had been living with his ears open only to news of spiritual medicines for some time now. In fact, Yuk Yang-jin was the first to hear about the Thousand-Year Fire Spirit Grass obtained by the Tang Clan. He had hurriedly sent a Jeonseon to the Tang Clan a week ago and had already received the answer “cannot yield” yesterday.
After receiving that reply, he had stayed up all night alone in his quarters, drinking and resenting the world.
‘Since my brother is like that, I must keep my wits about me.’
No matter how much he hurt, it could not be the same as the heart of her biological father, the Gold King. And as the Gold King became more obsessed with his daughter, Yuk Yang-jin’s responsibility became heavier. If a problem occurred in the Golden Clan’s business, the aftermath would immediately affect the Baekseong. So, he grit his teeth and pulled himself together again today.
After organizing his thoughts, Yuk Yang-jin headed to his own office. Today, there would surely be a mountain of documents to process and approve.
He was buried in paperwork until the sun went down and the room grew dark. Just as he was stretching his body, a thought suddenly occurred to him. A physician who was quite famous in Shandong Province was supposed to have checked Ha-rin’s pulse today. Though the result would likely be the same, Yuk Yang-jin left his office with a glimmer of hope and walked toward Ha-rin’s quarters.
As he neared the residence, her Siwi was just leading the physician outside.
“It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Yuk Yang-jin, the Chonggwan of the Golden Clan.”
He politely greeted the physician first. Normally, this would be unthinkable, but to him, physicians were always difficult figures.
“I am Myung Jin-seok.”
“I see. Is the pulse examination over?”
“Yes. Well… I have nothing I can say.”
With a face full of clear apology, the physician hurried away as if being chased. Yuk Yang-jin stared at the physician’s receding back for a long time.
What on earth had he expected?
He slowly entered her room. The room reeked of herbal medicine, and the temperature was incredibly high. When he saw Ha-rin looking at him with a pale face, tears instinctively welled up in his eyes.
‘I cannot show this side of myself to the child.’
Quickly composing his emotions, he approached her.
“You look a bit better today.”
“Uncle, your hands always move first whenever you lie.”
“Haha. Is that so? Well, I’ll be…”
Yuk Yang-jin gave an awkward smile.
“Do not be too sad, Uncle. It is less difficult than it was yesterday.”
“Stay strong just a little longer. This uncle will surely make sure you get better.”
“I believe you. Because you have never lied to me, Uncle.”
She had been an exceptionally bright and clever child since she was young. She was charming and kind, and there was no one in the Golden Clan who did not love her. Yuk Yang-jin’s emotions wavered wildly at her attempt to show strength as if nothing were wrong.
To hide his rapidly fluctuating heart, he turned away.
“Oh my, I left some work unfinished and was just sitting here. I shall come back soon.”
“Do not worry too much, Uncle. I am always brave. Hehe.”
She laughed, poking her tongue out slightly.
“This girl… You are still such a child. I do not know who will ever take you. Rest well.”
Outside, Yuk Yang-jin looked up at the sky out of habit. It was a habit he had developed unconsciously after Ha-rin started getting sick.
The Golden Clan, with its main house in Jeongju, Heubuk-seong, focused on the Golden Merchant Guild and the Hwanggeum Jeonjang as its primary businesses. The Golden Merchant Guild had five branches across the country, and the Hwanggeum Jeonjang operated dozens of branches.
When they first established the Golden Merchant Guild and grew its scale, Hwang Jin-san and Yuk Yang-jin could not help but lament after facing the hidden side of the world they had never known. The Heukdo demanded money openly, and the Jeongdo used backchannels to demand money almost every day.
As several refusals were followed by repeated retaliation, they eventually faced threats to their lives. Realizing painfully that financial power they could not protect became a risk factor instead, they used their wealth to gather Muso and Wulin to form their own military force.
As their martial power grew, the small fries naturally fell away. They thought the problem was solved, but unexpectedly, giant forces moved into the space vacated by the small fries. To deal with them, even greater martial power was needed. At this rate, it felt like they would never escape the shadow of martial force.
Ultimately, the conclusion reached by Hwang Jin-san and Yuk Yang-jin after long consideration was to borrow the power of the nation. No matter how strong a Wulin force was, they were reluctant and afraid to get involved with the Gwan. They decided to utilize the personal connections they had established with officials for their business. In short, they tucked their own safety into the bribes offered to high-ranking officials of the Imperial Palace.
For this reason, they established their main house in Jeongju, which was not far from the Imperial Palace. Of course, that did not mean there were no Wulin in the Golden Clan. Aside from being protected by officials, martial force was still necessary. Even now, over a thousand Wulin resided in the Golden Clan’s main house.
Among the branches of the Hwanggeum Jeonjang, the Hangju branch was the largest. It had not been that way from the start, but after Ha-rin fell ill, they sought out even slightly warmer places, leading Hwang Jin-san to spend more time there. Naturally, the scale of the Hangju branch grew larger. The place where the Master of the Golden Clan stayed the longest became the center of the Golden Clan.
Yuk Yang-jin left his office and headed to his favorite pub, Manyue Lou, for the first time in a while. Ha-rin’s pale face lingered in his mind, and it felt as though he would not be able to sleep tonight without getting drunk.
Since he had been drinking frequently lately, he felt somewhat sorry toward his Bodyguards. However, he could not exactly drink with them. It was natural to feel guilty, knowing that if he did not go out, they could rest comfortably in the Jangwon. Furthermore, on a day as exceptionally cold as today, and with the destination being so close, he felt that way even more.
“I will be going alone today, so you all should rest early.”
“No, sir. We shall escort you.”
“I wish to be alone today.”
At the Chonggwan’s firm words, the Bodyguards looked troubled.
“We cannot do that. If an accident were to happen…”
“I am only going to the Manyue Lou right in front of us. If a problem occurs, it will not be too late if you come then.”
The Chonggwan was unusually stubborn today. The Bodyguards bowed their heads as if they had no choice.
“Understood. Thank you, Elder.”
Seeing the Bodyguards head to their quarters, he felt it had been the right choice. How long had it been since he had walked the streets alone like this?
By the time he felt his mood lighten slightly, the Manyue Lou came into view. When he arrived at the Manyue Lou, the manager rushed out to guide him to his favorite room.
Turning away even the Courtesans, Chonggwan Yuk drank alone while lost in old memories. As he became tipsy, the room began to feel suffocating. Feeling frustrated, he stepped outside and strolled through the Manyue Lou’s garden. As the cold winter night wind brushed against his face, his intoxication seemed to fade slightly.
He felt good, having recalled old memories for the first time in a long while. He thought that if he drank more, it might ruin this good mood. Just then, the manager of the Manyue Lou approached and asked.
“Shall I prepare more alcohol?”
“No. This is just right.”
“The weather is cold. Shall I prepare a carriage, My Lord?”
“What carriage? I can just walk back slowly.”
“Will you be alright?”
“Of course! I am perfectly fine.”
Without even looking back, Chonggwan Yuk raised his hand in farewell and slowly started walking in the direction of the Hwanggeum Jeonjang.
As his mood improved, he hummed to himself while walking. However, the alcohol did not fade as easily as he had expected. Suddenly, his stomach churned, and he felt as if he were about to vomit.
Chonggwan Yuk looked around for a suitable spot. Fortunately, he saw a small trail by the roadside leading up a mountain. He did not want to show his drunken state to people, and he especially hated the thought of being seen vomiting.
After walking up the mountain path for about fifteen minutes, a small clearing appeared. Several rocks wide enough to sit on were placed there. Chonggwan Yuk sat on one of them.
The cold energy of the rock spread through his body, and his mind gradually cleared. His nauseous stomach also calmed down rapidly.
When he looked up at the sky, the moon was already at its zenith, and the stars were shining beautifully. As he stared at the sky, the beautiful scenery before him blurred, and sadness welled up once again.
‘What on earth have I been living for to gain this?’
The past years he had spent living so busily crumbled away in his heart like dry dust, as if they had lost their value in an instant.
Without realizing it, Chonggwan Yuk shouted toward the mountain peak.
“Hey! You damn heavens!”
His shout returned as an echo. It lingered in his ears as if mocking him.