Episode 1449. I can’t do it alone. (4)
“Then how much will you give me per month?”
“⋯⋯Please shut up.”
“Stop it you bastard!”
Ogum grabbed Cheongmyeong with an exhausted face. It was going to be more difficult to stop this guy than coming through the line of fire from Haenam.
“I’m sorry, matriarch…”
“No… “You have nothing to be sorry about.”
Tanggunak laughed bitterly at Baekcheon’s shameless apology. And he looked at Cheongmyeong and said.
“It is certainly true that the party has money. And it’s true that it’s a lot more than you think.”
“Wow. Look at the booty on your face. “The person looks different.”
⋯⋯Danggunak cleared his throat and opened his mouth again.
“But the Sichuan Party will never give that money to Hwasan.”
Cheongmyeong’s eyes rolled back.
“what? Come play with me now! town! “Eup!”
Finally, Baekcheon sighed as he saw Cheongmyeong being dragged away again and looked back at Tanggunak.
“Don’t worry about it. Hwasan is not a sect that is so corrupt that it demands money from the Sichuan Party when the situation is difficult. Rather, we…”
“That’s not what you’re saying.”
“yes?”
“Spending money is meaningful. “It’s just that… it’s not the way to do it.”
Tanggunak turned his head and looked for Hyeonjong with his eyes. As if there was something that needed to be said.
“It is time for us to break away from this arbitrary treatment.”
His eyes sank deeply.
Hyeonjong’s eyes widened at Tanggunak’s polite words.
“⋯⋯What did you say just now?”
“It’s just like I said.”
“No… But, matriarch. “That’s a little…”
“It has to be done, Lord.”
Tanggunak was resolute.
“Of course, I understand why the Lord is upset. The Cheonwoo League is simply an alliance created based on the friendship of each faction, and other things should not interfere. But the current situation is very different from when the Cheonwoo Alliance was first formed.”
“⋯⋯That’s true, but⋯⋯.”
“Now we need a clearer and more certain method. “The current loose system cannot cope with the coming upheaval.”
Hyeonjong’s face became serious. Of course, what Tanggunak said is not wrong. But that method…
At that time, just in case, Cheongmyeong suddenly poked his head out between the wall that Ogeum had built with his body.
“Oh, so…!”
“Go in!”
Baekcheon grabbed his face and tried to push it in again, but Cheongmyeong stubbornly resisted and opened his mouth.
“Now that the Tang family is moving to Shaanxi, are you saying we want to build Cheonwoomaeng’s main altar around Hwaeum?”
“I see.”
“And now let’s gather all the bandits who are spread out everywhere there?”
“That’s accurate.”
So far, it’s not a particularly appealing proposition. At least that was the case for Cheongmyeong.
In fact, if the headquarters of the Cheonwoo Alliance were located in Shaanxi, it might be reassuring for Hwasan… but, to put it conversely, this is the same as creating a situation where those targeting the Cheonwoo Alliance can only attack Shaanxi.
However, Cheongmyeong could not escape from this bait thrown by Tanggunak. The reason is…
“And let’s get a reward in return?”
“⋯⋯We should ask for membership fees. “It’s not a repayment.”
“Oh that’s right! Membership dues! lol. “I was speechless.”
Cheongmyeong smiled slyly as if he was embarrassed, but everyone who saw him contorted their faces as if they were disgusted.
‘That kid’s eyes are shaped like coins?’
‘I clearly knew that and said it.’
Cheongmyeong pushed away the five swords and approached in earnest, cleared his throat loudly, and continued speaking.
“Hmm… “Money isn’t really important, but…”
“It must be important.”
“Probably more important than everyone else in the world?”
“That bastard would sell a volcano for money.”
“Oh, shut up there.”
Cheongmyeong, who suddenly fed Ogeum a fist potato, opened his mouth again while looking at Tanggunak.
“Is it really necessary to go that far?”
Tanggunak burst out laughing at those words, which were spoken so bluntly and without any hesitation.
“There is.”
“That’s…”
“Through this incident, I felt it deeply. “Compared to the Sapaeryeon we have to deal with, the critical weakness of the Cheonwoomaeng is that there are too many places to protect.”
“⋯⋯Hmm.”
Cheongmyeong nodded as if it made sense.
“I also wouldn’t have thought of this if the party hadn’t been attacked. But after experiencing it, I understand.”
“Others shouldn’t end up like Tangga?”
“Think about it. What if the party didn’t get hit this time? What if we were lucky enough to arrive at Tang Street in time and push away the ten thousand people?”
“⋯⋯.”
“After that, when I move to support you, will I be able to bring the same number of elites as before?”
It would absolutely be impossible. Since I knew that my base could be attacked, I would naturally consider protecting it.
“No matter what attack the Sapae-ryeon makes, at least half of the troops will have to reside in the family to have enough troops to last a few days. Do you know what that means?”
“I know, I know.”
Tang Gunak nodded. There is no way Cheongmyeong does not know this fact.
“So what we must do first is to reduce the area to be guarded. “Before things really happen, we are gathering all the factions belonging to the Cheonwoo Meng that are scattered all over the world to Shaanxi.”
“⋯⋯Not just unmanned people?”
“I see.”
Tang Gunak nodded.
“If we leave them behind, Jang Il-so will naturally target that place. Then we will be swayed by Jang Il-so again. “Maybe… it will happen even if the parties involved vehemently try to stop it.”
That was not a comment about Tanggunak himself, but a comment about Cheongmyeong.
If Binggung is attacked and Binggungdo’s family dies at the hands of Jang Il-so, Cheongmyeong will definitely head there even if Binggung tries to dissuade him.
Cheongmyeong found it difficult to refute.
“But if the core of each sect is all gathered in Shaanxi centered on harmony, then we only have to protect Shaanxi. “The places that Jang Il-so can target will be drastically reduced, and the strategies he can use will also be limited.”
“Hmm.”
Cheongmyeong could not refute those words and nodded slightly.
Actually, that doesn’t mean he hasn’t thought about this. Jang Il-so holds numerous cards in his hands. Even Cheongmyeong would find it difficult to respond to them one by one.
Wouldn’t the fight between those who have nothing to lose and those who have to protect everything be tilted from the beginning? It is safe to say that the outcome is predetermined.
The important thing is to reduce the number of items in the hand that contain Jang Il-so. In that sense, this strategy is clearly meaningful.
However, there was only one reason why Cheongmyeong knew it but could not bring himself to say it out loud.
money.
When you bring people together, you have to take responsibility. However, if we proceed without measures in a situation where we do not know how long the war will last, the problem may become more serious due to supply.
Just providing shelter for so many people and providing adequate food for their mouths would require the mobilization of the entire galaxy. Putting all other things aside.
The volcano alone could never cover such enormous expenses.
“I know what you’re worried about. But that’s something you don’t have to worry about.”
“Ranting is good, but it’s not that easy. “You don’t know about the Tang family or the South Palace, but you know that the living conditions in the Hwasan Palace and the Ice Palace and the Beast Palace are not good.”
“A volcano?”
“⋯⋯.”
Cheongmyeong secretly averted his gaze at Tanggunak’s blatant look, asking why Hwasan, who was sweeping away all the golden sons of the entire central plain, was secretly interfering with the sects in that barren outskirt.
“What… uh. “I’m pouring water into a bottomless pot.”
“Let’s just say that.”
“Hmm. anyway!”
Tang Gunak nodded.
“There is no need to worry about that part. I also have to pay… No, I don’t think all of that can be solved with the membership fees paid by each sect. That would just be formality. “Dangga and Namgung will cover all the money it costs.”
“⋯⋯.”
“It’s not just about building the headquarters of Cheonwoomaeng and feeding those who will come there. “We will also have to bear the costs of the future war against the SPA.”
“Are you okay with it?”
War is like a money-eating ghost. Of course, an unmanned war costs less than a war with soldiers, but it is still a war.
But now, the Tang family, which has lost seven percent of the family’s wealth, is saying that it will give all of its remaining money to preparing for the war.
“Hasn’t it already been proven that accumulated money has no meaning?”
“⋯⋯Yes, but.”
There was a lot of money in Hwasan back in the day. That’s because it completely burned down. That’s it…
“If you don’t learn from this mistake, you’ll just repeat the same mistake. Now is not the time to clumsily protect what you have. Rather, it is time to actively create a place for myself.”
“⋯⋯.”
As Cheongmyeong looked at him with admiration, Tang Kunak smiled faintly. And then he shifted his gaze to Hyeonjong.
“You must do so, Lord.”
“But, matriarch. “What the matriarch said is right… but that persuasion is…”
Hyeonjong’s face became embarrassed.
Jo Geol, who was watching the situation at that time, secretly asked Yoon Jong.
“That death penalty.”
“huh?”
“⋯⋯That⋯⋯ sounds nice, but doesn’t that mean he’s going to threaten you?”
“Threat? “What do you mean?”
“No, that’s right. In fact, they say they are giving away 30% of their financial resources, but if you think about it… isn’t most of it going to have to be used to make a living for the party anyway?”
“⋯⋯huh?”
Yoonjong tilted his head for a moment. When I heard it, it was… Uh…
“But now, aren’t you going to handle it in the name of Cheon Woo-maeng and in return, take all the money from other clans? ‘In this situation, we also paid, but you didn’t pay?’ while doing?”
“⋯⋯No way⋯⋯.”
“No, think about it. “What kind of sect with money is in Cheonwoo-maeng now?”
“With Namgoong…”
Yunjong turned his head and looked at Tanggunak as if he realized something.
“Green… forest….”
“Right?”
Nokrim made a lot of money. Originally, they were not a wealthy clan, but they made a lot of money by handling Maehwado’s brokerage trade.
“They were not able to extort the money they earned because there was no justification, but isn’t the head of the family giving them that justification now?”
“No, but I think you’re overthinking it because you come from a merchant family…”
“really? “Do you still say that when you look at that?”
“⋯⋯Huh?”
Yoon Jong turned his gaze towards the place where Jo Geol was standing.
“Let’s do it, Taesang Jangmunin.”
“Yes?”
“When the Lord of the Tang Family makes such a firm offer, isn’t it polite to refuse it?”
“⋯⋯No, that’s⋯⋯.”
“Let’s do it.”
“That…”
“do.”
Cheongmyeong, who perfectly understood the unfolding situation, had the gentlest expression in the world.
“It’s for the midfield. yes? For the midfield. This is not to satisfy my greed, but to extort Namgung and Nokrim for the sake of the central government… No, we have to get cooperation. “Isn’t it all for the good of the people?”
“That is correct, Lord Maeng.”
“⋯⋯.”
“I can breathe a little easier now. Hehehe!”
Yoonjong, who had been watching quietly, looked back at Jogeol with helpless eyes.
“⋯⋯But just in case.”
“yes?”
“Do people naturally become strange once their house burns down?”
“⋯⋯I’m also good at that⋯⋯.”
Seeing Tanggunak and Cheongmyeong pressuring Hyeonjong from both sides, Yunjong finally shook his head.
