EDFF 10

Chapter 10

Business is All Momentum

Wasn’t the So Clan supposed to be a family of Yangban?
How could she raise her voice without the slightest shame on her first day of business?
Passersby crossing the street all turned their heads as if bewitched by So Yeon-hee’s skillful Customer Solicitation.
“My goodness. What on earth is this beautiful thing? Is it really food?”
“It’s a confection called Tang Hulu. It’s sweet and tangy, perfect for stimulating the appetite or cleansing the palate after a meal. Plus, it aids digestion wonderfully—there’s no better snack when your stomach feels heavy!”
As the individually glistening Tang Hulu caught the sunlight, the deep red hue of the hawthorn berries gleamed brilliantly beneath the transparent sugar coating.
A young woman carrying a basket full of eggs on her way home had no choice but to stop in her tracks.
“How much for one?”
“Two cash. For something made with costly sugar, it’s quite a reasonable price, wouldn’t you say?”
The woman nodded as if under a spell at So Yeon-hee’s words.
And with good reason—the Gyehwa Rice Cakes sold at Geumho-dang, the finest confectionery in Jin City, cost five cash per slice merely for containing a bit of honey.
Yet here was Tang Hulu, made with what looked like malt sugar poured in generously, priced at only two cash.
The woman’s face brightened slightly as she lifted the eggs from her basket to show.
“Could I trade with eggs instead? I sell them for one cash each.”
“Of course. How many skewers would you like?”
“Just one for now, please.”
At the woman’s words, So Yeon-hee handed over one of the Tang Hulu she was holding.
Then Shim, watching from the side,’s eyes lit up.
‘This Tang Hulu thing. Now that’s quite a product.’
And where on earth had So Yeon-hee acquired such polished sales acumen?
Shim found his mouth hanging open without realizing it.
‘The General seemed like someone who only understood military affairs, yet his daughter possesses such a brilliant talent for commerce. The ways of the world are truly mysterious.’
Shim shook his head in wonder at the unpredictability of life.
But regardless, So Yeon-hee simply smiled brightly and continued her efforts to draw customers.
“Get your Tang Hulu! Sweet and tangy Tang Hulu for just two cash! Aids digestion and beautifies the skin! Experience happiness for merely two cash!”
Her clear, silvery voice rang out melodiously through the street.
As a result, the morning market of Gangha Village, already bustling with foot traffic, grew even more crowded.
Even nearby merchants looked on in astonishment at So Yeon-hee.
‘Who is this girl? I’ve never seen her before, but her sales acumen is no trivial matter!’
Yet their gaze soon shifted to the plump fruit skewers gleaming with transparent coating.
“So, what exactly is this Tang Hulu?”
It was only natural that curiosity sent people reaching for their purses.
* * *
Two cash per skewer.
Having sold all fifty or so Tang Hulu she’d prepared over roughly an hour, her earnings came to exactly one hundred cash.
‘To earn one hundred cash in an hour!’
So Yeon-hee’s lips curved upward as if to touch the sky.
Of course, she’d taken payment in goods at several points, so her actual cash income was closer to eighty cash, but what did that matter?
“The Five-Day Market is wonderful. I’d love to come every day if I could.”
“It’s called the Five-Day Market because it opens every five days. If you want to sell daily, you’d have to go to Jin City.”
Trading in Jin City.
Even if the distance was considerable, why refuse if she could earn this much every day?
Just as her cheeks flushed with anticipation—
The butcher shop owner, tidying up her stall, spoke to So Yeon-hee first.
“That Tang Hulu really is something special. Customers were absolutely swarming on your first day!”
“I think people came in greater numbers simply because they’d never seen anything like it before. I do hope it sells this well next time.”
“Don’t worry. I tasted some earlier, and I’m certain it’ll be a huge success.”
“Thank you for the kind words. And please, speak more casually with me—I’m still quite young. Song, you too, please feel free to speak informally.”
“Oh my, then maybe we will?”
“If you say so, then I’m grateful.”
The women laughed softly, covering their mouths with their hands at So Yeon-hee’s words.
Both seemed in excellent spirits, their cheeks flushed with pleasure.
“The market seemed especially crowded today. Did everyone sell well?”
“What can I say? Your Tang Hulu drew such enormous crowds that we benefited from the overflow. This is my third time at the Five-Day Market, and I’ve never sold this much before.”
“Same here. Bamboo craftwork doesn’t sell well since there are so many vendors. If we could earn like this next time, I’d ask for nothing more.”
At those words, So Yeon-hee glanced briefly at the butcher shop and Shim Family stalls.
The great quantity of meat had vanished—save for some scraps and organ meat, the stands sat nearly empty.
The large baskets and ladles that Shim Family had brought were also considerably depleted.
‘Interesting. Neither of them showed a trace of resentment watching me.’
So Yeon-hee let out a soft chuckle and continued.
“Then let’s sit beside each other like this next time too. I’m still hesitant to come to the Five-Day Market alone.”
“We’d love nothing more! We’d even be happy to give you space in front of our Jin City shop!”
At Yang’s words, So Yeon-hee’s eyes brightened.
Haenghwa Market, though farther than Gangha Village, possessed a far superior location.
‘If I could only establish myself in Jin City, what’s a two-hour walk to me?’
So Yeon-hee answered with barely contained excitement.
“If you’d permit it, we’d be immensely grateful. Such fortune doesn’t come easily.”
“I’m all the happier for your saying so. But I’m afraid trading in Jin City won’t be easy these days.”
“Why is that?”
“Since early last year, Poongyun Sangbang from Gyeongseong has been opening new shops at Haenghwa Market. Everyone’s flocked there, and the marketplace condition has deteriorated terribly.”
At Yang’s words, So Yeon-hee’s face hardened in an instant.
Poongyun Sangbang was a large trading company with extensive connections to the powerful figures of the capital.
‘Why would Poongyun Sangbang, with Gyeongseong as their main stage, expand to such a remote region?’
A foreboding dread crept up her spine, and she felt a chill run through her bones.
But in such moments, one must gather one’s wits all the more carefully.
So Yeon-hee steadied herself and asked Yang cautiously.
“It seems Poongyun Sangbang’s commercial tactics must be quite formidable?”
“Their tactics are one thing, but they stock items that are hard to find here, so people flock to them all the more. As a result, only the local merchants suffer.”
Yang sighed deeply, clearly troubled by the thought.
It seemed unjust—their meat quality wasn’t inferior, nor their prices exorbitant.
So Yeon-hee pondered for a moment, then suddenly her eyes lit up with an idea.
“Then, what if you created a point of differentiation in your shop?”
“Differentiation?”
“Yes. Offering special items that other shops cannot.”
At this, Yang scratched the back of her head somewhat sheepishly.
“I’ve tried various things. I’ve made side dishes from leftover meat and sold organ meat braised in sauce.”
“That sounds like quite a good approach.”
“So what? The moment I start something, they copy it. And they use special seasonings and such that we can’t possibly match. A small shop like ours simply can’t compete.”
The woman sighed heavily as she spoke.
She seemed to regard them as an unbeatable opponent, but So Yeon-hee’s thoughts differed somewhat.
‘Selling side dishes alongside meat is certainly fine marketing. But side dishes are ultimately secondary. A butcher shop must compete on the meat itself, after all.’
Drawing customers with delicious side dishes or snacks might help in the short term.
But people go to a butcher shop to buy meat, not side dishes, do they not?
So what the butcher shop owners should do seemed perfectly clear to So Yeon-hee.
“Would it be alright if I bought some of the leftover meat from you?”
“Hmm? If you’re trying to boost our sales, don’t bother. Thanks to you, we sold far more meat than usual—I can’t let you repay us.”
“That’s not it. I’d like a pound and a half of Gopchang, about four and a half pounds of those scraps, and roughly a pound and a half of Lard, please.”
Startled by the sudden volume of orders, Song across the way widened her eyes in surprise.
“What on earth are you planning to use all that meat for?”
“Aren’t you taking on too much?”
“I have my reasons for buying it. But Auntie, if I were to bring you a new type of meat to sell, would you be interested in purchasing it at a good price?”
“A new type of meat, you say? Well, if it’s tasty, I wouldn’t hesitate…but…”
Yang trailed off, her gaze fixed on So Yeon-hee with suspicion.
But So Yeon-hee, unruffled, declared with even greater confidence.
“I’ll visit your shop soon and let you taste this new meat. I promise you, it will be delicious.”
Not a hint of doubt clouded her demeanor.
Such confidence seemed to inspire trust in the butcher shop owners, for Jang, who had been silent until now, laughed heartily and spoke to So Yeon-hee.
“Excellent! I’ll take everything for forty-one cash.”
“But that leaves Gopchang short. The scraps are worth twenty-seven cash, the Lard twelve cash, and the organ meat six cash—that makes forty-five cash.”
“We got two Tang Hulu from you for free earlier, didn’t we? Two cash each for Tang Hulu makes the accounts even. Since we’ll be doing business together for a long time, calculations should be clear. And here, these three bones we’re throwing in—we don’t sell them anyway, so don’t refuse.”
Jang insisted stubbornly, with no intention of compromise whatsoever.
The seller cutting the price rather than the buyer—was this the rural kindness she’d heard of?
So Yeon-hee could only smile and nod her agreement.
“All right then. But when I come back, you really must give me good prices.”
“Need you even say such a thing?”
Watching Jang’s bold declaration, So Yeon-hee grinned.
Could it be the protection of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva? Fortune seemed to follow her at every turn.