The owner snorted and refused.

"A beggar-like guy is saying all sorts of beggar-like things. How much is a rabbit skin that you're giving it as a bonus?"

Then of course, he had no choice but to sell to someone else. He had no intention of begging someone who didn't want it.

And to change the owner's bewildered gaze to one of astonishment, a full smile and a small gesture were enough.

At Cheonyeong's gesture, Yongcheon, who had run over, untied the bundle on his back and opened it.

"Th, this is?"

The owner's eyes widened.

But it's too early to be surprised by just this.

Let's see, the guy who is also carrying an animal skin...

"Baekgang!"

"Yeah! Captain!"

"Come with Hwangsam."

As Cheonyeong called, Baekgang and Hwangsam ran over in a hurry.

Rip!

As the vine knot was untied, a large number of skins poured out onto the street.

"Oh!"

"Hup!"

"W, wolf skins? So many?"

It's natural to be surprised.

Is it just one or two?

He had even meticulously prepared them and dried them in the shade to sell later.

Of course, not all of them are top-grade.

Because he had left them for four years, some were old.

But aren't they flawless?

You can't get something like this even with money.

As the fur shop owner said, only someone like me can get something like this.

"M, move aside. Let me see too."

It wasn't just the owner of the fur shop.

At the sudden sight, even the owners of nearby shops gathered to watch.

Cheonyeong looked at the scene with a satisfied expression.

It's a boom.

Well, welcome. Customers.

We're selling wolf skins for five silver coins.

"Look at the rabbit skins, how can the fur be so soft?"

It wasn't just the shop owners.

Even the passersby who were passing by gathered and formed a circle.

"There's a badger too."

The taste is excellent.

"Is that a raccoon?"

Hmm, I did eat it, but it had a strong gamey smell.

"Oh! A, a squirrel?"

Ah, that's... that damn Yongcheon.

That cute squirrel...

"Th, this is..."

While the customers' surprise continued, the fur shop owner reached for a wolf skin.

"Hey!"

"..."

"Just look with your eyes, customer."

"Huh?"

"If it gets dirty... it's hard to sell, isn't it?"

"It... gets dirty?"

But it's already on the ground.

It's covered in dirt.

But Cheonyeong's gaze was so murderous that the shop owner apologized and withdrew his hand.

"Ah, s, sorry."

The situation was completely reversed.

"Well, is there anyone who needs a skin? Wolf skins are five silver coins, rabbit skins... one silver coin, badgers and raccoons are also one silver coin! Squirrels... are not for sale. We caught them ourselves in the mountains. Hurry up and choose. You can't get a top-grade product like this if not today."

At the solicitation of Cheonyeong, who had suddenly become a competent merchant, people raised their hands as if competing to show their intention to buy.

"Here, give me one wolf skin!"

"Me too!"

"I'll take a rabbit!"

As they shouted from all sides, the market quickly became noisy.

Since it was a commotion, it was natural for interest to grow and for more people to gather.

At this rate...

"Yongcheon."

"Yeah?"

"There are many customers. Let's divide."

"...?"

"You sell the wolf skins. Baekgang, the rabbits, and Hwangsam, the badgers and raccoons."

"Yeah!"

At Cheonyeong's words, Yongcheon and the children divided the skins, stood up, took a deep breath, and shouted in unison.

"Line up!"

The sound of the three shouting at once echoed through the market, and people began to line up all the way to the end of the street.

How long that line was...

The speed at which it grew was fierce.

But wait.

Since the number of skins is fixed, there's no need to make the customers come for nothing, right?

"There are a total of twenty wolf skins! One hundred rabbits, and twelve badgers and raccoons! I'll check the number of people for a moment. Number off from the back!"

At Cheonyeong's words, the bewildered people began to shout their order one by one.

"One!"

"Two!"

Soon, the number of skins Cheonyeong had mentioned was reached.

"Damn it!"

The sound of people who had missed out on the number of items sighing could be heard.

But what can you do?

The saying that you should line up well isn't there for no reason.

The long line gradually shortened, and silver coins began to pile up in front of the children.

"Hey, I'll bring it right away. Let me take the item first."

Yongcheon, who was at a loss at the begging customer's words, looked at Cheonyeong.

But credit is forbidden.

When did I ever see you...

Cheonyeong said coldly.

"One person in the wolf skin line says they don't have money. Those who want to buy, please hurry!"

"H, hey! Wait a minute, just listen to me!"

"Hey, move aside! You didn't even bring money!"

The customer without money was quickly pushed away.

"Ah, please have some mercy. I have an old mother at home."

"..."

"I have two daughters like rabbits and also..."

At the pushed-away customer's words, Cheonyeong let out a small laugh.

You should give a plausible reason.

Is this some kind of charity for the needy?

An offering?

As he turned his gaze away, a commotion arose from the rabbit side as well.

"Just give me a two-penny discount. I'm just two pennies short."

Of course, it's impossible.

Because it's a fixed price system.

"Next!"

Although there were small commotions, the skins were selling like hotcakes and quickly decreasing.

In that situation, the one whose insides were burning was the shop owner Cheonyeong had first visited.

If he sells them like this... what will happen to him?

And the wolf, rabbit, badger, and raccoon skins are all much better products than what's in his shop.

"H, hey. Hey!"

"Yes?"

"What the hell is this?"

"What do you mean, what is this?"

"No, how can you cause such a ruckus in front of someone else's shop?"

"Who? Me?"

"Of course! To open a stall selling skins in front of a fur shop! Does this make sense? This is an act that clearly destroys the alley's commercial district! I'll report your actions to the authorities right away and have you punished!"

What kind of nonsense is this...

"Excuse me, mister. That's why I clearly asked you."

"What?"

"If I could sell it."

"Th, that's..."

"I even gave you the priority, right? I said I'd throw in some rabbit skins if you bought them all."

"..."

"I think you were the one who refused."

At Cheonyeong's words, the fur merchant couldn't find a reply and shut his mouth.

That's right, you should have taken the opportunity when I gave it to you.

Isn't a merchant supposed to be quick in judgment?

He was prejudiced by the beggar-like appearance of the customer, and because of that, he missed the opportunity to buy high-quality skins.

In other words, this is all your responsibility for making the wrong choice.

But I still feel a little bad.

Because he sold the skins, the owner of the fur shop will have to suck his fingers for a while, won't he?

The quality of the items is different... would a skin that has been roughly sewn up even catch his eye?

Anyway, he still had skins to sell.

High-priced skins that could never be sold in the market.

So he needs an agent.

And an agent with a lot of experience in fur distribution, sufficient knowledge, and a customer base.

In that respect, the shop owner who had been running a fur shop for twenty years is a very suitable person.

"Excuse me. Mister."

"...What is it?"

At the friendly call, the shop owner pouted and looked at him.

"By any chance, do you need tiger skins too?"

"Huh? What? What skin?"

"Tiger skins."

"T, tiger?"

"Yes, I have two."

As Cheonyeong showed two fingers, the shop owner's slumped shoulders soared high as if they didn't know the sky.

"I, is that true?"

"..."

Is it a habit?

It's surprising enough, but why does he keep stuttering.

"Instead, just introduce me."

"What?"

"It would be good if it's a high-ranking official, a merchant, or a person from a martial family. I'll give you a generous commission."

"A commission?"

"Yes."

The owner's face became sullen again.

He must have been planning to buy it himself.

"I'll give you a lot."

"A lot? ...How much?"

"Hmm, forty percent?"

"F, forty percent!"

"How about it? Do you want to do it?"

At Cheonyeong's words, the owner's eyes widened and he nodded his head.

Tiger skins.

How precious an item is that?

If you can get it, you can get at least ten gold coins regardless of the quality.

If forty percent of that... since there are two, is it eight gold coins?

There is no business that makes more money than this.

"Why? Is it not good? Well, if you don't want to, I'll go find another place."

As Cheonyeong tilted his head and asked, the shop owner was startled and said.

"I'll do it, I'll do it!"

Although he had made a stupid mistake earlier, he wasn't a fool enough to miss the opportunity twice.

Now, in his eyes, Cheonyeong's appearance was not a beggar, but a nobleman who had appeared from the south.

"Instead, as I said earlier, it must be a high-ranking official or..."

"Don't worry about that. Even if you don't give me a hint, I know a person with the financial power to buy tiger skins. It will surely suit your taste."

"Then, that's settled. I'll leave it to you. Please contact me when a customer is decided. I'll get a room and let you know."

"Of course, you should. You should."

The shop owner answered, nodding his head repeatedly.

At that sight, Cheonyeong smiled brightly.

The reason he specified the customer was to get a name tag to prove his identity.

So that he could reclaim his house from the Beggars' Sect without any friction.

Also, it's not bad to get to know such people in advance for future work.

They say that connections are half of business or anything.

If he's going to live in Ganyang from now on, it would be good to be friendly with everyone.

"What's left is the medicinal herb village?"

Cheonyeong muttered as he looked at Yongcheon and the others who were smiling with the money from the sold-out skins.

Seeing the quite heavy bags they were holding... it seems he'll be able to sleep warmly tonight.

Buy some clothes, delicious food, alcohol, and a soft bed...

* * *

He was a fine young man.

Soaking his body in hot water, scrubbing off the dirt that had accumulated for a long time, and wearing newly bought black clothes with his hair tied up.

It was literally a complete transformation.

Did these guys... look like this?

And among the children who were awkward in their unfamiliar clothes, the one who had just changed and was coming down the stairs...

"Sanghui?"

"...Uh huh."

Sanghui, the only girl in the group, smiles with her cheeks flushed red.

Well, they say a woman is what you make of her...

Sanghui, who had just passed puberty and was on her way to adulthood, was a beautiful girl with a fresh and refreshing smile.

"Wow! You looked like that?"

"Whoosh!"

"You're really pretty."

The children exclaimed, each spouting a word.

Sanghui, whose face was filled with a red glow from her cheeks, bowed her head and ran to the table where the group was sitting.

She must have been quite embarrassed by the praise she had received for the first time in her life, since she was a girl.

But.

"How... do I look?"

Sanghui asks Yongcheon, who is sitting next to her, in a low voice.

Those guys again...

It's been about two or three years.

Since Sanghui started flirting with Yongcheon.

Well, since a teenage boy and girl lived in the mountains for four years, it would be strange if they didn't develop feelings for each other.

But why Yongcheon?

Moreover, that Yongcheon guy is...

"...Did you eat a rat? Why is your mouth so red?"

At Yongcheon's indifferent words, Sanghui's face flared up.

Not from embarrassment...

Thwack!

"Kugh!"

With anger.

Sanghui's hand, which had been staring blankly, slapped the back of Yongcheon's head.

"Why did you hit me!"

Yongcheon flared up and shouted, but everyone who knew, knew.

Yongcheon, you're in the wrong.

She must have put on lipstick with great care.

I don't know why Sanghui fell for an insensitive guy like Yongcheon.

(End of Chapter)