Chapter 163: Unveiling Ambitions and Alliances

“Still got something to say?”

Jin Young-ki frowned as his daughter-in-law quietly opened the study door and entered. He assumed she was there to express her dissatisfaction with his decision, daring to challenge her father-in-law.

Hong So-young quickly spoke, seeing the look on her father-in-law’s face.

“It’s not that I’m unhappy with your decision, Father. I’ll follow it completely.”

“But?”

“There’s something I’d like to ask….”

“Have a seat.”

Hong So-young carefully sat on the chair opposite him.

“So, what is it you want to ask?”

“Please allow my family’s newspaper, Hanseong Ilbo, to continue their investigation into the relationship between your aunt’s slush funds and Miracle.”

“What?”

“I heard they’ve even tracked the funds going into shell companies. Just a little more, and Miracle will be dragged into it completely… It’s too good to drop it now, don’t you think?”

It was an absurd request, but in a way, it was also admirable. While the rest of the family seemed intent on causing trouble, she was the only one showing a willingness to keep fighting.

Hong So-young nervously endured her father-in-law’s gaze, his eyes fixed on her without a word.

Then, an unexpected question came from his lips.

“How many members of our family do you think have been investigated in such detail?”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m not scolding you, so don’t be surprised. Answer me. How many?”

“F-Father… I….”

“You don’t know?”

“…No.”

Jin Young-ki chuckled, seeing the tips of his daughter-in-law’s ears turn red.

She was aggressive for a girl who had been raised like a princess in a wealthy family. She didn’t seem like a naive fool acting out of mere greed.

He wondered how he would have reacted in this situation if she were his daughter, or if it had been one of his sons.

“Tomorrow, go to your family home and bring back all the information you’ve gathered. Everything related to the investigations into our family and Miracle.”

“Father, even my husband’s family… I don’t know much about them….”

“Alright. I believe you don’t know. Anyway, the information should be there. Bring it all. I won’t hold you responsible. We’ll review the information you bring and then discuss your proposal.”

Hong So-young’s face brightened.

Discuss it again….

Her father-in-law had clearly said it. Discuss.

He had made it clear that he would continue to listen to her thoughts.

“Yes, I’ll go tomorrow.”

“Alright, go and rest.”

Hong So-young, who had bowed and was about to leave, stopped and turned back.

“Excuse me, Father.”

“Yes? Is there something else?”

“About Young-joon… wouldn’t it be better to let him off the leash a little?”

“What? Let him off the leash?”

“Yes. Just tying up Young-joon’s wallet won’t solve anything. His face is his business card, and his name is his credit card. Taking away his money won’t fix his habits. He’ll just become more secretive. He’ll run up debts for a year, even ten years.”

“So, you’re saying it’s better to let what he’s doing come to light?”

“Yes.”

Jin Young-ki was dumbfounded and couldn’t bring himself to say more. Wasn’t she essentially condoning her husband meeting other women?

“Are you serious?”

“Yes. I know it’s impossible for Young-joon to live like an ordinary man. He’s the third-generation heir of Korea’s top conglomerate. The flies around him won’t leave him alone.”

His first thought was that she was remarkably open-minded for a woman. Why was he only seeing this side of her now?

“I’ll think about it. That’s enough for today, go on.”

Hong So-young bowed her head again.

“Oh, and when are you planning on giving me a grandchild?”

Hong So-young stood there silently, her head bowed, unsure how to answer. But her father-in-law’s next words shocked her into full attention.

“You become a true member of Soonyang’s family only when you bear children. Remember that. Children are the only way our bloodline continues. You’re smart, you understand what I mean, right?”

It was a shocking statement for Hong So-young. Right now, she was just a daughter-in-law. Not yet a true member of the Soonyang family. Families are permanent, but daughters-in-law can be dismissed at any time.

Understanding her father-in-law’s true feelings, the daughter-in-law bowed deeply.

“I will work hard to present you with a grandchild soon.”

* * *

“Really? The Chairman said that himself?”

“Yes. The succession process is underway.”

“Wow, so it’s finally happening. Congratulations.”

“It’s all thanks to you, Uncle. I could never have gotten this far without you.”

He offered praise while subtly observing Oh Se-hyun’s expression. His face was relaxed and full of smiles. Not the reaction he’d expected.

He’d hoped to see a burning desire to take on a new challenge. The look of a general facing a major battle.

But Oh Se-hyun’s face was that of someone who had achieved everything.

Hadn’t he once said he’d work for another five years and then retire?

Having a third of Soonyang, was that enough for him? What if he thought he had fulfilled his purpose?

“It’s good that you realize it. Haha. Usually, those who succeed think it’s all because of their own brilliance.”

As Oh Se-hyun laughed, Jin Young-gi was lost in thought. Oh Se-hyun then pulled out a piece of paper and started writing down company names.

“So, let’s see. Soonyang Life Insurance, Soonyang Fire & Marine Insurance, Soonyang Securities, Soonyang Card are the main ones, right? What are you going to do? Are you going to keep Chairman Jin’s people in management? Hey! What’s wrong? Why are you spacing out?”

“Ah, no. What did you say?”

His worries could wait. Oh Se-hyun wasn’t the type to suddenly retire.

“I’m talking about the management. How are you going to structure it? Shouldn’t you clear out all the existing managers?”

“Aren’t you being a bit hasty? It’s still a long way off.”

“You have to handle personnel changes all at once. Did you see how President Kim Young-sam dealt with Hana-hoe? He got rid of dozens of generals in a week. That’s the textbook method for replacing people. Prepare a list of those to be eliminated in advance and strike the moment you take over. You need to make the changes when things are chaotic so there’s less backlash.”

“But wouldn’t a sudden purge as soon as I take over the company… dampen morale too much?”

“Then what? Are you going to keep cutting people little by little? That’s even worse for company morale. It’s better to end it with one big sweep than to have it drag on.”

Again, the problem was people. It was easy to fire them, but difficult to replace them.

How would he fill those vacancies?

Sensing his concern, Oh Se-hyun offered a solution.

“Don’t worry about the people. There’s plenty of talent. Clear out the top brass and promote from below. Not parachutes. Promotions. Company morale will skyrocket.”

“Then I’ll have to ask Grandfather. To pick out the best people.”

Oh Se-hyun shook his head.

“Of course, Chairman Jin’s opinion is important, but you don’t necessarily have to follow it. Chairman Jin will likely favor those who have worked hard for a long time, regardless of their abilities.”

How many people had been promoted to executive positions simply because they had been around for a long time? If he pushed out the old guard and brought in new faces, they would undoubtedly be loyal to him.

This was another reminder that generational change was essential.

“By the way, Uncle, please keep a close eye on the credit card company.”

“The credit card company?”

“Yes. We need to start there.”

“Why the credit card company? The law changed this year, and their performance is breaking records. You should deal with the best-performing companies slowly. It only creates a sense of crisis.”

“No. We need to prepare like Noah’s Ark before the storm hits. The current situation is too precarious. They’re issuing credit cards indiscriminately to people without a stable income.”

Oh Se-hyun was silent for a moment, staring intently at Jin Young-gi.

Did he think it was just a worry? Or did he trust his gut feeling, even though it wasn’t just a feeling?

“That’s how financial accidents always happen. Bad loans. Credit cards are a type of loan, so what you’re saying makes sense.”

“Financial crises stemming from bad loans keep repeating, but people don’t seem to learn.”

They needed to boost consumption to stimulate the economy. But that consumption was being fueled by the nation’s credit card debt, so collapse was inevitable.

It wouldn’t be long before the rosy predictions of economic recovery touted by the media turned blood red.

If everything else collapsed and only Soonyang Card survived, he could seize the spoils. Becoming the top credit card company in the country would be a matter of time.

“Alright. I’ll investigate that separately. This isn’t something you can find in news articles; you need to dig deep in the field. A thorough analysis of credit card issuance will lead to a conclusion.”

“You’re the only one I can trust, Uncle.”

“Enough of that. The moment you become the owner of Soonyang’s financial affiliates, countless trustworthy and useful people will appear. Don’t be anxious. I told you, there’s plenty of talent in the world.”

He felt uneasy.

He’s starting to prepare too.

His physical age was still young. But from now on, those around him wouldn’t be people he could trust, follow, and rely on, but people who would trust, follow, and rely on him.

Could he really lead them?

When the real fight began, could he stand at the forefront and lead them to victory?

He forced a bright smile to shake off the unease.

“Uneasy? Groundless confidence, isn’t that my best trait? Haha.”

* * *

Chief of Staff Lee Hak-jae glared at the people who had crowded into his office.

“I told you, the situation is still ongoing, so I can’t give you details. Why are you acting like this when you should know better?”

“What’s there to know the details about? Just tell us if the rumors are true or not. Is that kid really inheriting our financial affiliates? He’s still a university student, isn’t he?”

“The succession structure for the main group is settled, and the only remaining part is the financial sector, which is hard to hide now. At first, I thought it would go to the youngest son, Yoon-ki. But then, out of nowhere, it’s the grandson? It’s absurd, really….”

Normally, it would be rare to see such opposition to Lee Hak-jae, a powerful figure in the group.

But despite Lee Hak-jae’s stern demeanor, no one showed any signs of backing down.

“This is the Chairman’s order. Are you saying we should go against it?”

“So it’s true. Hmm, I see.”

“Chief of Staff Lee, can you honestly accept this? That kid, barely out of diapers, will be holding the purse strings of the group, and who knows what he’ll do?”

The presidents of the financial subsidiaries and about half a dozen executives couldn’t hide their dismay.

Lee Hak-jae understood their feelings, which was why he couldn’t suppress their opposition with force. What was needed now was to soothe the company and prevent it from collapsing.

“Don’t you trust the Chairman? His judgments have always been wise and flawless. And Executive Director Jang, you shouldn’t be like this.”

Lee Hak-jae addressed a man in his late forties who seemed to be the youngest among the group.

“All your peers are department heads, aren’t they? Some are even team leaders. Yet, you’ve earned the title of executive director at the youngest age, skipping the position of managing director. That was the Chairman’s decision. Is anyone here questioning that decision now?”

Executive Director Jang Do-hyung avoided Chief of Staff Lee’s gaze. He was a symbol of Soonyang Group’s meteoric promotions.

He had never hidden his ambition to become the CEO of Soonyang Life Insurance and even seize the title of youngest president. It wasn’t appropriate to bring up age or seniority in this situation.

“Chief of Staff Lee, Executive Director Jang’s case is different. He’s someone who proved his abilities to get here, isn’t he? Don’t compare him to some kid who we don’t even know what he does, just because of his bloodline.”

“Since the Chairman is in seclusion, we’ve refrained from directly confronting him. But this is something we can’t just accept. We need to see the Chairman.”

Listening to the constant complaints, Lee Hak-jae’s expression slowly changed. He even showed a faint smile.