Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 151

When his daughter safely visited home, Phantom Archer became the happiest father in the world.

Seeing this, Zhuge Rin also gave Phantom Archer time off.

“Why has our daughter gotten so thin? Is it because you’ve been struggling? Let’s eat something first, Gak-yeon.”

Phantom Archer’s eyesight must have deteriorated.

If he had seen Wang Gak-yeon’s cheeks, he would never have said such a thing.

Although helping with the merchant group’s work and being a bodyguard for the Gongsun family wasn’t exactly safe, the young mistress Gongsun Hyeon liked having a boisterous and energetic girl around and feeding her.

Just as she fed her cousin sister Gongsun Yeong, she fed Wang Gak-yeon well too.

Being a martial artist with tremendous activity, there was no chance of getting fat, but there was also no chance of losing color.

Looking at the glossy cheeks, Phantom Archer started feeding her like crazy, saying why has our daughter become so weak like a sick chicken.

And Wang Gak-yeon also started eating without saying no even once, enjoying the taste of her hometown(?).

The father-daughter reunion started with food like that.

It was quite a typical reunion.

Separately from that, Jin Cheon-hee talked about business and caught up with Gongsun Hyeon and Gongsun Yeong.

The three sat in a warm tea room with ondol flooring, each holding a dried persimmon given by Yoo Ho.

“Wow, so the succession issue in the Gongsun family has been resolved?”

“Haah… for now, it seems so.”

Gongsun Hyeon said with burning regret.

She still thought that Gongsun Yeong, born with a martial artist’s physique, should be the head of the Gongsun family.

“It’s good if the family is at peace. From what I hear, Miss Gongsun Yeong…”

Gongsun Yeong quickly said.

“Big sister. We agreed to call me that.”

Gongsun Yeong wanted Jin Cheon-hee not to be formal with her.

“…Yes, Big Sister Gongsun Yeong has been telling everyone that she’s not interested in being the clan head anyway.”

If it reached the ears of a doctor far away, it means this story had already circulated several times in the martial world.

Jin Cheon-hee dusted off the old rumors like that.

The older sister Gongsun Hyeon frowned.

“Yes. That’s right. My foolish sister… has been telling everyone.”

“What’s wrong with that? Do you want me to say I’ll do it? Then you’ll try to make me the clan head.”

“Yeong-ah.”

“No way, I won’t do it. If you want to end the Gongsun family in my generation, go ahead and make me do it. And stop being so formal, sister. How long are you going to keep that up?”

“…”

Like that, Gongsun Hyeon started to let go of her stubbornness one by one due to Gongsun Yeong.

‘That’s life too.’

Jin Cheon-hee smiled slightly to himself.

And on one hand, he felt relieved.

From a third person’s perspective, Gongsun Yeong really didn’t have the qualities of a clan head.

“To continue what I was saying, Wang Gak-yeon, that child was truly amazing. It was like seeing our Yeong when she was young.”

“Sister.”

“Alright. I’ll speak comfortably from now on. Is that okay?”

Jin Cheon-hee replied.

“That’s what I’d prefer.”

Gongsun Hyeon started speaking informally to Jin Cheon-hee like that.

For Gongsun Hyeon, this was a rare experience, which also meant that Jin Cheon-hee was that special of a person.

Listening to Gongsun Hyeon’s story about the past, it went like this.

Wang Gak-yeon received a letter of recommendation from Jin Cheon-hee and headed to the Gongsun family.

The work at Cloud-Dragon Escort Agency wasn’t bad, but perhaps because she was conscious of her father Phantom Archer, they didn’t give her difficult tasks, and it seems she felt a sense of crisis that at this rate, she would just grow up pampered in her father’s arms.

At the age when blood boils.

This time, Wang Gak-yeon headed to the Gongsun family.

“I don’t know if she wanted to stand out from her first impression. She cut off the head of a bandit leader and brought it pickled in salt.”

“…”

Jin Cheon-hee was at a loss for words for 3 seconds.

Finally, barely regaining his senses, he said.

“That’s not the way things are done these days.”

“Older martial artists still do that, but they usually send such things to their enemies. Plus, it’s also the way of evil sects.”

What must the Gongsun family have thought seeing a teenage girl knocking on the door of an orthodox sect, saying she had cut off a bandit leader’s head and bringing it in a salt box?

‘…Our Gak-yeon really does take after Uncle Phantom Archer.’

Especially when doing something, they’re like two peas in a pod, not looking back once they start.

“Anyway, her skills were really good. Thanks to her, I don’t know how many times she saved the lives of people in the merchant group.”

“The nickname you use…”

“She reminds me of our Yeong when she was young, so I’m doting on her a lot.”

Did Gongsun Yeong also cut off enemy heads and bring them in salt boxes?

Jin Cheon-hee squeezed his eyes shut.

He didn’t expect to hear such stories again since reading Romance of the Three Kingdoms long ago.

The three drank tea noisily while sharing stories that had piled up. After time passed like that.

It was time to slowly move on to the main point.

“Come to think of it, why Cheongok instead of ondol?”

Ondol is construction, while Cheongok is just a board game at best.

The amount of money involved is different.

He naturally thought the Gongsun Merchant Group would bid for ondol too, but they only touched Cheongok.

Gongsun Hyeon said.

“Construction isn’t bad either. But when I thought about people living in that house for generations, thinking about repairs, extensions, and renovations gave me a headache. I judged that it’s time for our Gongsun Merchant Group to sell something stable on a small scale rather than expand.”

People of this era never build houses carelessly.

It was an era where once you built a house, it was natural to live in it until you died.

It seems Gongsun Hyeon had thought about that aspect too.

She said.

“Moreover, since our Gongsun Merchant Group isn’t connected to a courier service, it would cost a lot to move such heavy materials.”

It seems various calculations were involved.

Gongsun Hyeon said.

“In that sense, it can be said that it’s a good choice for Putuo Escort Agency and Putuo Merchant Group to be interested in ondol. I heard that someone named Gong Banha is the head of the merchant group, and she’s quite capable. She’ll be a good competitor.”

In Gongsun Hyeon’s language, ‘competitor’ translates to ‘watch your neck’.

Merchant group competition is a battlefield in all but name, without swords.

No, they do use swords. A lot.

Still, Putuo Merchant Group is just a newborn baby that came out of Putuo Escort Agency for now.

It’s not enough to fight head-on with Gongsun Merchant Group.

It probably just means they’ll keep it in mind.

“Compared to that, Cheongok is easy to hire artisans for, and as long as bamboo supply is smooth, we can keep making it, so it’s useful. Moreover, the leaders of large sects want ones made of jade or black stone instead of bamboo, so if we carve them to order, that will also bring profit. And…”

Gongsun Hyeon’s eyes shone.

“When I actually played it, it was quite fun.”

“Wow, you tried it?”

“I played a little when it came to a branch of White Dragon Medical Pavilion. I really lost track of time. Especially the part where no matter how much I use my head, it all gets flipped by one opportunity card.”

Gongsun Yeong grinned.

“I had better luck than sister.”

The smile of someone born with a martial artist’s physique was too bright.

Jin Cheon-hee said.

“The profit will be 30 percent.”

“Exclusive?”

“Yes. In exchange, we’ll publish in the medical gazette how to use the game pieces, and the medical pavilion branches will also continue to purchase.”

The artisans here are medical pavilion specialists, not game piece specialists.

They produced several Cheongok sets at Jin Cheon-hee’s request, but the expertise in this kind of work would be better with artisans belonging to the Gongsun Merchant Group.

“It will be a good deal.”

Saying that, she bit into a dried persimmon.

“It’s sweeter than I expected?”

“I made it to suit Master’s taste.”

After meeting Jin Cheon-hee, Zhuge Rin especially liked sweet things.

Naturally, only sweet things were served for snacks, and the sweetness of dried persimmons became important.

“…It’s delicious.”

I should grab a few more for him on the way back.

****

“Oh? So you made a deal like that?”

Master’s eyes sparkled.

Jin Cheon-hee informed his master in detail about the contents of the deal, what will be published in the medical gazette, and how work will proceed in regional branches.

Zhuge Rin said.

“Indeed, with such a deal, we have nothing to lose. As expected of our Hee. Not only is your medical skill the best in the world, but you even have business talent.”

At those words, Jin Cheon-hee’s face flushed. Sure enough, Zhuge Rin said.

“We must publish this in the medical gazette right away! Come to think of it, that’s right. There are as many people in the martial world who only know how to use swords as there are grains of sand, but there aren’t many talents who can manage and lead a sect!”

It seemed like Zhuge Rin’s doting was about to go on a rampage again.

Jin Cheon-hee hurriedly tried to dissuade his master.

“Everyone will know anyway once the merchant groups start moving. Plus, it’ll be fine since we’ll be publishing about what dangers can occur if fake ondol is used in the medical gazette.”

Will this work?

After thinking for a while, his master said.

“Sigh, it’s a pity. It was a great opportunity to boast about my disciple to other sect leaders.”

That’s right.

Jin Cheon-hee was still ‘master’s friend’s disciple’.

It could be said to be a similar position to ‘mom’s friend’s son’ in Korea.

‘I heard later that Namgoong Woon also got scolded a lot because of me.’

-Divine Doctor White Dragon’s disciple, Little White Dragon, has already formed a partnership at that age!

-I heard Little White Dragon sent a letter saying his inner energy has reached the first threshold at that age!

…Fortunately, his master didn’t go around blabbing about this second threshold thing elsewhere.

If the Namgoong Clan head found out, Namgoong Woon would hear nagging again.

Unintentionally, Jin Cheon-hee was giving a big burden to the young talents of the martial world.

Except for Tang-ah, that is.

-Yes. Our Tang-ah. Amazing… winning the Dragon Phoenix Gathering…!

-T-Tang-ah. Rather than that, how about breathing some fresh air?

-Tang-ah. Bloodthirst, sealing, what? We’re an orthodox sect, Tang-ah. You might feel that way now, but when you become an adult…

-Saying you’ll die before turning 20! Where did you hear such words! The Tang Clan doesn’t have such demonic techniques!

-The seal of the Black Flame Dragon is breaking? I’d like to stop you from shouting that in the middle of the Dragon Phoenix Gathering.

-If you really want to do it, how about saying it quietly like a move name…

-No, I’m definitely on Tang-ah’s side. But… Dad has… been through it.

-Tang-ah. Dad has been through it too. But it wasn’t very good. Tang-ah.

…If we reconstruct the rumors in a modern way, we hear stories like this.

The Tang Clan is famous for doting terribly on their descendants, and people are the same whether on Earth or in the martial arts world.

Blood Bat King Tang-ah was properly enjoying her storm and stress period.

That’s why the Tang Clan didn’t have the energy to bring in Jin Cheon-hee and compare him with Tang-ah.

They were overwhelmed just trying to control their daughter’s Black Flame Dragon conceived in puberty.

In any case, Jin Cheon-hee’s ondol and Cheongok started to spread throughout the martial world.

Whether Putuo Merchant Group and Gongsun Merchant Group will make a profit remains to be seen.

Jin Cheon-hee decided not to be too greedy.

‘Still, it should sell much more than soap.’

He just hoped it would be enough to cover the losses from the failed soap business.