An Advertising Genius Falls into the Joseon Era Chapter 16

Chapter 16

 

At that very moment, Hayun had finished her business with Carpenter Hwang and was making her way down with light steps when…

“Huh?”

“What?”

As she turned a corner in the alley, Hayun happened to run into Song Do-hyeon, who was walking down the street.

Stop!

The two recognized each other, and both stopped in their tracks at the same time.

Song Do-hyeon was carrying a thick bundle of ledgers in his hands, while Hayun held a cloth-wrapped bundle containing gulbi.

Song Do-hyeon was the first to frown and ask,

“What are you doing here?”

“What are you doing here?”

“Huh?”

When Hayun refused to back down and retorted, the corner of Song Do-hyeon’s mouth twitched slightly.

“You’re a new haengsu, yet you have no manners toward your senior?”

“Who was the one who threw manners out the window first?”

“Perhaps it’s because you came here after working at a tavern, but you certainly have quite the foul mouth…”

“Maybe it’s because you’re the sort of person who goes around talking behind other people’s backs, but you’re really unpleasant.”

“You don’t yield an inch, do you?”

“Look who’s talking.”

A tense atmosphere developed between the two, with neither willing to give even an inch.

The tension was so palpable that even the passersby noticed the battle of wills between them and glanced nervously at the two as they walked past.

‘So he thinks he has something to rely on?’

Song Do-hyeon looked Hayun up and down.

She was far too brazen for a new haengsu. Even though she had entered on the Daebang’s recommendation, it was rare for a newcomer to display such confidence.

‘Hmph. What an irritating bastard.’

Hayun glared back at Song Do-hyeon.

She hadn’t liked him from the moment they first met, and now he had even openly badmouthed her.

Hayun was not someone who attacked others first, but if someone came at her, she would never simply endure it.

“Move. I’m busy.”

When Hayun tried to pass, Song Do-hyeon instead crossed his arms and blocked her path.

“Why should I?”

“You’re standing there blocking the road. What do you expect me to do?”

“If you’re the one in a hurry, then you can be the one to go around.”

The tense standoff continued for some time. Then Song Do-hyeon looked at the cloth-wrapped bundle in Hayun’s hand and asked,

“What is that?”

“Obviously, it’s a secret. Do you really think I’m going to tell you?”

Hayun hugged the bundle closer and urged herself onward.

“Honestly, what a sight.”

Whoosh!

Song Do-hyeon immediately followed after her and continued picking a fight.

“Judging by the looks of it, you haven’t managed to sell very many. How about giving up now and going back to selling gukbap instead?”

“How do you know how much gulbi I’ve sold?”

Hayun stopped and looked Song Do-hyeon straight in the eye.

Because of their difference in height, she had to look quite far upward, but she wasn’t intimidated in the slightest.

“Because it’s obvious.”

There was nothing but sarcasm in Song Do-hyeon’s voice.

“What skill could a newcomer who just arrived possibly have that would allow her to sell gulbi?”

As he spoke, Song Do-hyeon began picking apart Hayun’s weaknesses one by one.

“Do you even have any business contacts who know how to sell gulbi?”

‘Got her!’

Hayun, struck right at the heart of the matter, couldn’t come up with a rebuttal.

“Or do you at least know when and where the markets are held?”

“……”

Once again, Hayun firmly kept her mouth shut. 

Seeing that, the mockery in Song Do-hyeon’s expression deepened.

“Of course you don’t have any connections.”

Song Do-hyeon walked around behind Hayun, holding the ledger filled with a dense list of business contacts.

Tap, tap.

Then he lightly tapped Hayun’s shoulder with it.

“How about it? If you want, I could introduce you to a few places…”

Song Do-hyeon covered his mouth with the ledger and wore a smug expression.

There was no doubt in his mind that he had won this contest.

No matter how talented Hayun might be, there was no way she could compare to someone like him, who had grown up here and spent his entire life in this business.

Song Do-hyeon had that much confidence. In fact, the person with the best sales record in Man-sang had always been him.

He consistently sold twice as many goods as the other haengsu and brought in profits to match.

However, for whatever reason, Daebang Im Sang-ok kept his distance from him and never treated him significantly differently from the other haengsu.

Song Do-hyeon had always been dissatisfied with that.

He believed he wasn’t being treated according to his abilities. And with Im Sang-ok showing such high expectations for Hayun under those circumstances, there was no way he could like her. Her unusually pretty face for a man also irritated him. (TL Note: I am too lazy to edit the missgendering and the whole stuff, u guys still get it tho rite?)

After enduring the humiliation for a while, Hayun finally spoke.

“Introduce me to what?”

Hayun brushed off her shoulder as though something filthy had gotten on it.

“I’d rather bite my tongue and die than have you introduce me to anyone.”

Saying that, Hayun picked up her bundle.

“I’ll do things my own way, so mind your own business.”

Then, as she walked away, she muttered loudly enough for him to hear.

“What an unbelievably irritating bastard. He’s completely disgusting.”

Song Do-hyeon stared blankly at Hayun’s departing back.

“My own way, huh…… Heh-heh. This should be interesting.”

He opened the ledger in his hand and muttered,

“Very well. Go ahead and sell as much as you like, your way. The results will prove who is the more capable haengsu.”

With a satisfied expression, Song Do-hyeon closed the ledger and headed toward his next destination.

 

***

 

The closer Hayun got to Minister Min’s residence, the more naturally her steps began to slow.

“Hmm, it’s bigger than I thought.”

She had already been walking alongside the wall for several minutes.

It was far too large to be the wall of a single household. The grayish-white wall stretched endlessly, and above it, tiled roofs rose as though they would pierce the sky.

The finest yangban household in Uiju.

She could tell that the rumors were no exaggeration just from this single wall. Even the sight of an old pine tree visible beyond the wall conveyed the dignity of the household.

“Was the lady of the house supposed to be a Choi?”

Minister Min, being a high-ranking official at the royal court, was unlikely to be inside the residence.

If so, the person Hayun would have to deal with today was the lady of the house, Madam Choi.

Having gathered some brief information about Madam Choi, Hayun quickened her pace.

“This must be it…!”

At last, Hayun approached the main gate of Minister Min’s residence.

That was when…

“Stop.”

A sturdy gatekeeper blocked her path.

With his arms crossed, the gatekeeper asked intimidatingly,

“What business brings you here?”

Hayun answered truthfully.

“I came to meet the lady of the house.”

“The lady of the house? Why would you want to see her?”

“Because I have business with her.”

“Business?”

The gatekeeper slowly looked Hayun up and down.

His eyes landed on the object carefully wrapped in cloth in her hands.

“Hmm?”

Seeing it, the gatekeeper waved his hand dismissively and spoke gruffly.

“From the looks of you, you seem like some peddler who came to sell something. This isn’t the sort of place for that, so turn around and leave.”

Hayun boldly retorted,

“I’m not a peddler.”

“Then what are you?”

She absolutely was a peddler.

Though she had said otherwise, Hayun had no excuse if she were called a peddler at this point.

The only difference was that she worked for the largest merchant guild in Joseon.

Regardless, Hayun was a peddler who had to sell goods. And not just any goods, but gulbi that was ultimately nothing more than an ingredient.

‘If he finds out I came here to sell gulbi, I’ll be kicked out immediately.’

Gulbi, rather than silk or jade…

If she took out such an item in front of the finest yangban household in Uiju, she couldn’t complain even if she were given an earful of abuse.

But Hayun was confident in her product, so she spoke boldly.

“Please let me meet the lady of the house just once. I’m sure she’ll recognize the true value of this item.”

“Honestly, you really are a peddler.”

With her purpose now obvious, the gatekeeper became even rougher as he tried to drive Hayun away.

“I don’t know what you came to sell, but unless it’s something extraordinary, the madam won’t even bat an eye at it. So leave.”

“You never know. The madam might actually like what I brought.”

“Do you think you’re the only peddler who’s come here? Give it up and go back.”

Hayun knew. As long as she could somehow arrange a meeting with Madam Choi, she could persuade her with words.

A presentation that captivated an advertiser was one of Hayun’s strengths. Advertising always began with persuading the advertiser.

Despite the continued rejection, Hayun showed no intention of backing down.

“Please, just let me meet the madam once. I promise I won’t cause any trouble. Please?”

“Good grief, I already told you no.”

“Please! I’m begging you!”

Hayun pleaded desperately. She couldn’t back down now.

Especially after having her pride wounded by meeting Song Do-hyeon moments ago.

She had to close this deal somehow.

“If you don’t leave right now, you’ll regret it!”

“Ugh!”

After being rejected over and over, Hayun finally grabbed the gatekeeper by the hem of his trousers.

“Huh? What are you doing? Let go!”

“I can’t! I won’t let go even if I die!”

“You really are someone who won’t listen to words!”

By now, the gatekeeper’s trouser leg had been pulled down to his waist.

He grabbed a club. And just as he was about to bring it down on Hayun…

“What is all this commotion outside?”

A low, composed voice drifted out from inside.

The gatekeeper froze at the sound.

“Madam!”

A middle-aged woman with neatly combed-up hair and a properly arranged chima-jeogori.

She was the lady of Minister Min’s household, Madam Choi.

“What is the reason for making such a loud commotion?”

Madam Choi asked calmly. Her voice was gentle, but there was firmness beneath it.

“Well, th-that…”

The gatekeeper stammered at the sudden situation.

Hayun was still holding onto his trouser leg.

‘This is it!’

Without missing the opportunity, Hayun quickly stood up and cut in.

“Greetings!”

Hayun bowed respectfully.

“I pay my respects to the lady of Minister Min’s household.”

“Who are you?”

“I am Im Ha-seong of Man-sang.”

“Man-sang?”

Madam Choi’s eyebrows rose slightly.

There was no one in Uiju who didn’t know Man-sang. That was true even among the yangban.

Once Hayun’s status had been confirmed, Madam Choi spoke in a considerably gentler tone.

“Hmm. What sort of uncouth behavior is this for a merchant of Man-sang?”

There was a chill in her voice.

Hayun bowed her head once more.

“I apologize. There was something I desperately wanted to show the madam, so I had no choice but to commit this discourtesy.”

“Something you absolutely wanted to show me?”

The tone of Madam Choi’s voice changed slightly. There was a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

“What on earth could it be that you caused such a commotion over?”

Door-to-door sales were uncommon in this era.

Most people bought things at markets, or peddlers went around villages selling them. Especially in renowned yangban households, servants would purchase goods on their own, so a situation like this was particularly unusual.

“The thing is…”

Hayun carefully lowered her voice. As though they were conducting a secret transaction.

“I think it would be easier to understand if I said it was a new product from a newly launched brand.”

“A brand? Launched?”

Madam Choi furrowed her brow at the unfamiliar words.

Hayun quickly corrected herself.

“Ah, you can think of it as a rare new product that Man-sang is introducing.”

“A rare product?”

“It’s such a rare product that if you don’t obtain it now, you won’t be able to get it anywhere else.”

“Hmm.”

Madam Choi’s gaze shifted toward the cloth-wrapped bundle Hayun was holding.

Just what could possibly be inside that bundle for a haengsu of Man-sang to plead so desperately that she had even gone down on her knees?

And furthermore, an item that couldn’t be obtained anywhere else after this?

Her curiosity was piqued.

Hayun’s strategy had worked. Before long, Madam Choi gave her permission.

“Follow me this way.”

“Yes!”

Hayun hurriedly followed behind Madam Choi.