Chapter 71: The Counter-Siege

Taeseong’s second son, Cha Gi-jun, who was also the president of Taeseong Distribution, raised one eyebrow slightly.

“Why such a reaction? You were already expecting my proposal.”

“T-That’s…”

President Shim of Taeseong Chemical let out a brief laugh.

“To be honest, I was half in doubt… I didn’t truly believe you’d make such an offer.”

“Hmph, if your aim was to show your capability, you’ve succeeded.”

Cha Gi-jun smiled with narrowed eyes, looking thoroughly entertained.

“I admit it. With your talent, President Shim, being sent to an overseas branch of Taeseong Trading wouldn’t satisfy you. I’ll come up with better terms next time.”

Cha Gi-jun turned away.

Executives hurriedly followed after him.

Cha Gi-jun strode confidently into the mansion.

“Secretary Yang, start by figuring out who President Shim has met with recently.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Find out what kind of offers they made, and just how good they were that he could refuse a transfer to Taeseong Trading’s overseas branch. That’s our top priority right now.”

“Understood.”

Cha Gi-jun, who always seemed to wear a smile, lifted the corners of his mouth even higher.

“This is getting interesting.”

He truly looked delighted.

His steps were light.

---

Even when I saw the luxury sedans filling my grandfather’s house parking lot.

Even when I watched the subsidiary executives coming to greet my father.

I just thought they were making the rounds, giving generous New Year’s gifts to curry favor under the pretense of holiday greetings.

‘No way it’s just a casual family meal…’

That naïve thought got me.

“Thank you for the meal, Chairman!”

“Happy New Year!”

“We look forward to working with you this year, too!”

In Grandfather’s dining hall, about forty banquet tables for six had been lined up.

The presidents and executives of Taeseong Group’s thirty-eight subsidiaries were seated around, each receiving bowls of rice cake soup.

At the main marble table for sixteen, Grandfather sat at the head, with Grandmother and the direct family of Taeseong seated in order beside him.

‘How is this a simple New Year’s meal for the family?!’

Grandfather, chopsticks in hand, let out a booming laugh.

“It’s the first meal of the New Year shared with the Taeseong family. Eat plenty, everyone!”

So this was the scale of a chaebol family gathering!

“Our Jun-hyuk, eat plenty too. You need to have a bowl of rice cake soup to get one year older.”

Even as Grandfather nudged my bowl of soup, urging me to eat, I couldn’t bring myself to pick up my spoon.

“Grandfather.”

“Yes?”

“Could I just get down…?”

At the moment, I was sitting on Grandfather’s lap.

Seated at the head table where everyone could see me.

The reason was simple.

“Everyone got a good look at our Jun-hyuk’s face, right? Don’t forget it in the future! Hahaha!”

I hadn’t expected to be put on display like this.

Just then, the second daughter-in-law of Taeseong, who had been quietly drinking water, asked nonchalantly.

“Father, what about the executives of Taeseong Chemical?”

Grandfather’s smiling face stiffened.

The second daughter-in-law of Taeseong continued, feigning ignorance.

“I mean, you’re not planning to hand them over to U-gwang just like that, are you? Are you going to push them into another subsidiary instead?”

“Is it just the executives? Taeseong Chemical has two thousand employees. If you include their families… at least eight thousand people will face hardship from this restructuring.”

The first daughter-in-law nodded in agreement.

At this, the subsidiary executives who had been laughing and eating soup fell silent.

I let out a small sigh inwardly.

‘Of course they’d bring up Taeseong Chemical. It’s the stain on my parents’ record, and the perfect excuse to attack.’

I had only one goal.

-Before I could be branded with the Taeseong Chemical scandal, I needed to divert their attention elsewhere!

A few quick-witted executives chimed in carefully.

“They say if you buy a Taeseong car, you get fuel discounts at U-gwang gas stations, and if you use U-gwang stations, you get Taeseong auto service discounts. They want to stop selling those linked products now.”

“U-gwang says they can’t supply anymore. I got word on my way here that they’re changing distribution partners.”

“Even the wives from the U-gwang line who frequented our Taeseong Gallery have all stopped coming.”

“Taeseong Fashion was notified by U-gwang Department Store that their entry contract has been terminated.”

I took note of exactly who made which comments.

There was no way I could view favorably those who badmouthed my parents at our very first meeting.

The two daughter-in-laws of Taeseong flashed sweet smiles and looked at my mother.

“Truly an impressive person joined as our younger sister-in-law. Replaced a three billion marriage arrangement, after all.”

“She came in waving the Taeseong bloodline. If it were as a second wife, maybe I’d understand. But joining Taeseong empty-handed, without even a dowry—she’s a twentieth-century Cinderella.”

Bang!

My aunt glared, slamming down her water glass.

“Enough already! What are you saying in front of your nephew?”

The two daughters-in-law smiled brightly and spoke softly.

“Oh my, aren’t you the one who should be most upset, Auntie? I heard that, thanks to U-gwang’s retaliation, Taeseong Department Store sales have halved?”

“Isn’t it because of a certain someone that you had the worst year-end results, and even lost all your VIP clients? Don’t you resent the real culprit?”

Their gazes toward my mother were icy.

‘So the two daughter-in-laws really came out swinging. They’re trying to publicly shame her from the very start?’

How brazen!

Just as my father’s face hardened and he was about to speak, my aunt raised her hand to stop him.

“Is this Taeseong or U-gwang? Will we all go out of business without U-gwang?”

My aunt’s sharp, clear voice pierced the room.

“Department store sales halved? Let’s say that’s due to my lack of management skills.”

Her cold eyes fixed on the second daughter-in-law.

“Taeseong Gallery? Why blame the youngest sister-in-law just because the madams stopped coming? Didn’t you embarrass yourself selling a forgery as an original? Blame your lack of discernment for ruining the business, not others.”

Aunt’s gaze turned to the first daughter-in-law.

“Taeseong Fashion? Who’s going to buy so-called luxury fashion that looks like old Vietnamese skirts! Replace your designers first!”

Her barbs even found the eldest brother.

“Are U-gwang gas stations the only ones in the world? Or do you just want to do business with pushovers? The fuel discount is tiny, but the auto service discount is huge? Maybe we should be the ones cutting the fuel discounts and severing that package deal!”

And finally, she didn’t spare the second brother.

“When Taeseong Trading imports goods from overseas, didn’t U-gwang just tag along and take credit? Instead of pushing U-gwang’s poor-quality goods, how about selling our own Taeseong products properly?”

Grandfather set down his chopsticks with a sharp snap.

“That’s enough. What kind of disgrace is this on New Year’s morning!”

Grandfather swept his gaze not only over the two daughter-in-laws, but also the silent children and subsidiary executives.

“I was the one who decided to give up Taeseong Chemical. If you have complaints, speak to me directly. Don’t go blaming the wrong people in roundabout ways.”

He let out a strained cough.

“Don’t take your anger out on the youngest after getting slapped by U-gwang! If you’re so upset, go crash into U-gwang head-on or feed them a proper dose of their own medicine! Why start a petty family fight on the very first day of the year!”

The second daughter-in-law spoke gently.

“You must be feeling it the most, Father. Not only giving up Taeseong Chemical that you nurtured for seven years, but also losing your friendship with Chairman Kim of U-gwang.”

“Business is business, and friendship is friendship! I’ll take care of my affairs, so you worry about yours!”

Grandfather pulled out two invitations bearing the Blue House emblem from his pocket.

“Hunting is not done inside the house. Go out and find your food! Do you all know what these are?”

He held them up high for all the subsidiary executives to see.

“Taeseong received two invitations to the Blue House’s New Year’s luncheon.”

Everyone gasped in surprise.

“That’s the important event where the President calls in business leaders to discuss economic plans for the year, isn’t it?”

“Out of the thirty largest conglomerates, I hear only a few heads are invited. But Taeseong got two invitations?”

“One must be for the Chairman, so the other must be for Master Dae-jun, right?”

Grandfather shook his head.

“No. This was received directly by Sung-jun from the President.”

“D-Directly?”

“From the President?”

All around, people were drawing sharp breaths.

“The President himself singled out Sung-jun for a private drinking party. Not only did he share drinks with him, he even sent him an invitation like this.”

A silent shock rippled through the room.

“In that negotiation with the President, Sung-jun not only secured the Subway Line 2 project, but also clinched the Gangnam Express Bus Terminal and shopping mall expansions. That alone is worth at least 200 billion won!”

Grandfather scoffed.

“Three billion Taeseong Chemical? You think Taeseong collapses by handing it over to U-gwang? Sung-jun has already pulled in 18 billion in investment!”

Ever since that year-end party, there’s been no end to people wanting to invest in Taeseong Construction.

Some of the investors who signed commitment papers themselves at the event were gathered here today.

“Do you know how many major projects Sung-jun landed in the Middle East? Just the Jubail Industrial Port city project is worth ten million dollars!”

The eyes of the subsidiary executives turned hot as they looked at Father.

Glances were exchanged rapidly.

There were even quick, calculating looks at the direct family’s sixteen-seat table.

“I plan to attach a few more subsidiaries to support Sung-jun through Taeseong Construction, instead of Taeseong Chemical. Lumber, windows, cement—Sung-jun, take them!”

Everyone present was astonished.

I was shocked as well.

It seemed my father and the rest of the family were, too.

‘Even just cement and windows are huge!’

It was a tempting offer.

On the other hand, the daughter-in-laws pursed their lips.

“That’s too much. Isn’t it unfair that only Master Sung-jun is being favored?”

“What’s so unfair about it?”

Grandfather cut them off bluntly.

“The eldest already got Taeseong Motor and Taeseong Fashion, the second son got Distribution and Gallery. The third has nothing but Taeseong Construction. And that’s an empty shell company, saddled with debt and on the verge of bankruptcy, all thanks to Yoon-seong!”

Grandfather turned to President Shim of Taeseong Chemical.

“President Shim, help Sung-jun. You can take charge of the cement division, can’t you?”

At that, Uncle raised his hand.

“If President Shim is willing, I’d like to bring him into Taeseong Motor. I think we need to separate the heavy equipment division.”

It was an invitation to the presidency of Taeseong Heavy Industries.

The second uncle raised his hand as well.

“If you’re not interested in Taeseong Trading, how about Taeseong Foods?”

Taeseong Foods was the core subsidiary of Taeseong Distribution.

Aunt raised her hand, too.

“Taeseong Department Store desperately needs an expert’s help right now. Please help us!”

Father, unwilling to be outdone, raised his hand as well.

“I…”

“Yes, I’ll accept.”

“…What?”

Before Father could even get a word out, President Shim of Taeseong Chemical eagerly accepted his offer.

Everyone looked back and forth between Father and President Shim in astonishment.

“President Shim, the only position I can offer you right now…”

“I said it’s fine. I’ll do whatever you need me to.”

When Father tried to speak again, President Shim raised his hand to stop him.

“But not yet. I’d like to put the position you offered on hold for now.”

“On hold…?”

“Yes, I still have two unfinished duties.”

Everyone’s mind conjured up the same word.

‘Taeseong Chemical’ still hadn’t been formally transferred to U-gwang.

Grandfather asked,

“Of course. Even if we’re giving up Taeseong Chemical, we should minimize the losses. Stay and see it through to the very end.”

“I’m thinking of taking Taeseong Chemical back before we even complete the transfer to U-gwang.”

“What?”

“That is the first of the two reasons I must put Master Sung-jun’s offer on hold.”

President Shim’s next words dropped like a bomb in the middle of the New Year’s meal.

“If that’s the case, Master Sung-jun never lost Taeseong Chemical to begin with, so there’ll never be anything for anyone to hold over his head.”

The room erupted in noisy murmurs.

Here and there, I heard people whisper, “Is that possible?” or “That’s nonsense,” or “Is he out of his mind?”

President Shim didn’t seem to care.

He glanced at me and grinned.

It felt as if he’d made up his mind to go all-in.

‘He was skeptical when I suggested it, but it looks like he’s made up his mind now.’

Then someone asked,

“What’s the second duty that requires you to put the offer on hold?”