Chapter 05
The demonstration was a huge success.
Tang Wunsang was overjoyed and established the Ointment Bureau, placing Hwiyeom in charge of it.
From that day on, Hwiyeom’s name spread throughout the Tang Family as a child prodigy.
That evening, after returning to his room, Hwiyeom covered his face and sighed.
“Ha… That old man pissed me off, so I snapped at him. Did I go too far? Damn…”
He couldn’t stop thinking about how he had publicly humiliated Elder Hong.
“I really need to live kindly in this life… Ugh, this terrible temper…”
After smacking his own head several times in regret, Hwiyeom began justifying himself.
“No, I had to put him in his place if I want things to go the way I intend. Looking at how this family is run, the Elders’ Council needs to be dealt with eventually… The problem is we don’t have the justification or the strength yet…”
Rolling around on his bed, Hwiyeom suddenly sat upright.
He pulled out the document buried at the bottom of a stack of papers on his desk.
It was an organizational chart he had obtained shortly after learning to read, under the pretense of wanting to understand the family’s structure. He had added notes beside each person’s name using information he had gathered from the servants.
“Let’s see… Elders’ Council… Hong Ilgon… Here he is… Hmm?”
After reading through the information on several elders, Hwiyeom grinned.
“So the Elders’ Council isn’t united after all. Makes sense. They’re just a pack of wolves gathered around the same piece of meat. If I’m lucky, I can drive a wedge between them.”
After thinking for a while, he began writing something down.
About an hour later, Hwiyeom looked over the finished paper, smiled darkly in satisfaction, then tossed it into the brazier and burned it.
“Good. That should be enough for the overall plan… For now, I need to focus on producing results. Tang Wunhwa and Elder Hong won’t just sit still.”
He stood up and headed toward the Family Head’s residence with a grin.
“I should plant a thorn for them first.”
“What? You want to use Elder Park Changeon to distribute the finished products?”
At around 7 to 9 p.m., not quite late enough to be considered midnight but still an improper hour for a visit, Tang Wunsang frowned as he listened to his son.
So he noticed the conflict between the Family Head’s residence and the Elders’ Council after seeing what happened with Elder Hong this morning… But I suppose he’s still just a child.
Tang Wunsang had decided to use this opportunity to explain the political balance within the family that every Family Head and Young Family Head needed to understand.
After thinking for a moment about how to explain such a complicated subject to a child, he finally spoke.
“What made you think of that?”
“To stick a small thorn in the Elders’ Council’s throat.”
The answer was far from ordinary.
“What?”
“Father, have you ever heard of the ‘Gathering of the Nine Wolves’?”
“The Gathering of the Nine Wolves? No, I haven’t.”
Naturally, Tang Wunsang had never heard of it because Hwiyeom had just made it up.
But he didn’t question it.
He simply assumed it was some old tale.
Without even blinking, Hwiyeom continued his fabricated story.
“Long ago, a tiger ruled the mountains. Since managing such a vast territory alone was troublesome, he appointed nine wolves as his trusted followers. However…”
The story went like this.
As the tiger grew old, lost his teeth, and weakened, the wolves began plotting to kill him and divide his territory among themselves.
When the tiger learned of this, he fell into despair.
At that moment, a wise crane approached him and offered advice.
“Divide your territory among the nine wolves, but promise that they shall receive it only after your death.
Give the strongest and most cunning wolf the smallest territory with the least prey.
As for the others, divide the land unequally so that each receives a different amount.
If you do that…”
The tiger followed the crane’s advice.
He gathered the wolves and said,
“We have ruled these mountains together for many years.
Now I am old and my time is short.
To reward your service, I shall divide my territory among you after I die.”
Then he assigned the territories exactly as the crane had instructed.
Afterward, the tiger shut himself inside his den, claiming his illness had worsened.
Once that happened, the wolves completely ignored the tiger and began fighting among themselves.
The strongest wolf became enraged after receiving the smallest territory and attacked another wolf.
The remaining wolves feared he would eventually take their lands as well, so they joined forces and killed him.
But after two wolves died, another problem arose.
How should the territories of the dead wolves be divided?
The wolves fought one another again.
Their resentment deepened, and they bared their fangs at each other.
By the time they realized their mistake, more than half of them were dead, and the survivors were badly wounded.
“We can’t keep fighting like this.”
The surviving wolves finally stopped fighting and divided the remaining territory among themselves.
Each settled into their own large piece of land.
Feeling proud, they believed they had become kings of the mountains.
Then the tiger visited each territory one by one, pretending he was merely inspecting them.
Because the wounded wolves had scattered across separate territories, even the old tiger could defeat them individually.
“…That is the story.”
After listening quietly, Tang Wunsang nodded with a serious expression.
“A meaningful story. There is much to learn from it. So… you intend to make the Elders’ Council turn against itself?”
“Didn’t Sun Tzu say that the greatest victory is one achieved without fighting?
If Father openly struggles against the Elders’ Council, it only diminishes the Family Head’s authority.
A Family Head should rule simply by existing.
No one should even think of opposing him.
To accomplish that, Father should remain above it all while using others to keep the Elders’ Council in check.”
“When did you even read The Art of War?”
“I’ve been reading it recently to pass the time.”
“Honestly…”
Tang Wunsang looked at his son in disbelief before smiling and patting his head.
“Are my genes really this good? How did I end up with such a genius?”
“With good seed planted in good soil, isn’t it only natural to produce a good harvest?”
“Hahaha!”
Amused by his son’s flattery, Tang Wunsang laughed heartily.
Then his smile faded as he spoke with the dignity of a Family Head.
“Tell me honestly.
You’re not becoming overconfident because you embarrassed Elder Hong, are you?
The elders are old monsters who have survived countless hardships.
Hong only lost because he never expected a child to corner him with his own words.
If you think the other elders will be just as easy, you’ll suffer greatly.”
“I’ll remember that.”
“Good.
Then answer me.
Why Elder Park?
And how exactly do you plan to use him to divide the Elders’ Council?”
“I’m not using him.
I’m giving him benefits.
Just as the tiger gave the largest territory to the weakest wolf.”
“Explain.”
“Elder Park belongs to the Elders’ Council, but his faction is weak.”
“That’s true.
He used to serve as the Chief Steward.
Normally, that’s a position with tremendous influence because it manages nearly every aspect of the family’s affairs.
But precisely because of that, the other elders constantly restrained him until most of his authority disappeared.
Ah… so that’s why you chose him?”
“Yes.
He’s like a starving wolf.”
“And since he used to be the Chief Steward, he’s naturally closer to the Family Head’s residence than the other elders.
If we extend our hand to someone like him…”
Tang Wunsang smiled.
“Let me ask you one thing.
Did you truly come up with all of this yourself?”
“I’m simply lacking the wisdom to think of a better plan.”
“You little rascal!”
Beaming with pride, Tang Wunsang picked Hwiyeom up into the air.
“Listening to you, you’d think you were an elder who has spent decades navigating politics.
Tell me… you’re not actually a reincarnated monk from the Western Regions, are you?”
“F-Father, what a ridiculous joke. Hahaha… That’s absurd… Really absurd…”
Hwiyeom froze like a wooden doll, completely startled.
Tang Wunsang chuckled at the reaction before setting him back down.
“Very well.
How would you have me help?”
“Tomorrow, summon Elder Park to the Chunshim Pavilion.
Tell him that because I lack experience, you’ll entrust him with all matters regarding the sales and distribution of the ointments.
In return, offer him thirty percent of the profits.”
“Thirty percent?
Wouldn’t that leave us with far too little?
He’s still a retainer of the family.
He already receives a salary.
Is there really any need to give him that much?”
Tang Wunsang asked with a probing look.
Hwiyeom smiled.
The ointments were only one of countless products he planned to create.
His ambitions extended far beyond the Tang Family.
Eventually, he intended to do business throughout Sichuan and across the entire Central Plains.
Giving away thirty percent of the ointment profits meant nothing.
Of course, he couldn’t tell his father that yet.
“So little reward, and who would willingly take on such troublesome work?
Especially considering the relationship between the Family Head’s residence and the Elders’ Council.”
“Heh. True enough. Go on.”
“Yes. Once that happens…”
The conspiracy between father and son quietly deepened into the night.
The next afternoon.
Shortly after lunch, when it was time for tea, Elder Park Changeon of the Elders’ Council arrived at the Ointment Bureau.
Park Changeon was a thin, stooped old man with no martial arts ability.
Yet the dignity of the man who had once served as Chief Steward of the strongest family in Sichuan remained.
A sharp light gleamed from his narrow eyes.
“Young Family Head, are you here?”
“Ah! Elder Park, you’ve come. Please, come inside.”
Unlike how he had boldly lectured Elder Hong, Hwiyeom greeted Park Changeon warmly with a bright smile.
He personally brewed tea and asked,
“Did Father explain the situation?”
“…Yes.
To be honest, I still don’t understand what’s happening.
I heard this was your idea?”
Hwiyeom nodded.
“There’s no need to overthink it, Elder Park.
Politics has neither eternal enemies nor eternal allies.
Besides, we’re family.
Is it really so strange for us to reach out?”
“The important question is why you’ve decided to extend your hand to this old man now.”
“I’ll be honest.
We’re going to split the Elders’ Council.”
“…”
“Just look at the state of the family.
It’s as though the snake’s tail is trying to become the head.
When everyone should be uniting to strengthen the family, the Family Head’s residence and the Elders’ Council are busy competing against each other.
How can that possibly end well?”
“The elders simply wish to guide the family toward a better future.”
“Let’s be honest.
Most of them only want a future that’s better for themselves and the branch families.”
“Young Family Head.
Those are serious accusations.”
“Elder Park, you’ve already had your private discussion with Father.
There’s no need to test me anymore.
Didn’t Elder Gong Duchan push to replace the family’s long-standing suppliers of medicinal herbs and poisons?
Wasn’t it really for the benefit of his in-laws?
And why did Elder Hong Ilgon insist on cutting the budget of the Hall of Ten Thousand Poisons and transferring it to the Hall of Iron Rain?
Officially, it was to restore the family’s lost hidden weapon techniques.
In reality, wasn’t it simply to weaken the Hall of Ten Thousand Poisons, where most of the main family members serve?”
“…”
Park Changeon remained silent, studying Hwiyeom’s eyes as though trying to see through him.
Hwiyeom continued.
“I’m offering you money and real authority.
The other elders will call you a traitor.
But does that really matter?
They’ve already treated you like a spy for the Family Head’s residence all this time…
Simply because you once served the previous Family Head as Chief Steward.”
“That is true…”
Hwiyeom’s eyes gleamed.
“At first, they’ll only feel jealousy.
But what happens when we begin sharing benefits with the other neglected elders?
The entire council will split apart.
Those dissatisfied with the current power structure will cooperate with us to gain influence.
Some will insist they must never fall for the Family Head’s tricks.
Others will pretend to cooperate while secretly acting as double agents.
Still others will simply sit back and watch.
When that happens…”
Hwiyeom delivered the final blow.
“We’ll cut away the cancer within the Elders’ Council and replace those positions with elders willing to cooperate with the Family Head.
Only then can the Tang Family make the great leap needed to restore its former glory.”
“…Its former glory…”
“Elder Park.
I’ve heard that when my great-grandfather was alive, the Tang Family’s name shook not only Sichuan but the entire Central Plains.
But look at us now.
People mock us by calling us ‘Tang Gata.’
Why has it come to this?
The loss of hidden weapon techniques and martial arts is certainly one reason.
But the greater reason is that the family’s strength has been divided.
While the elders wrestle for power with the Family Head’s residence, the family’s reputation continues to rust away.
If the Tang Family collapses until not even its foundations remain, the world will laugh and say the Elders’ Council destroyed it through greed.
You served both my great-grandfather and my grandfather.
The Tang Family is the family you’ve devoted your entire life to.
Will you help watch it fade into ruin?
Or will you stand with the Family Head once more and help make the Tang Family great again?
The choice is yours.”
“…”
Park Changeon closed his eyes tightly for a moment.
Then he opened them with determination.
“What should this old man do first?”
