"It looks as though the Dongnam Development project that was scheduled last year will be able to break ground by the second quarter."

Sang-jong Lee spoke with a face that seemed pleased.

"All this while those Ministry of Land fellows kept throwing up strange objections and the start date kept getting pushed back, but at last the permit's come through saying we may begin. If we just carry this one through well, we can expect good results by the year after next."

Having finished speaking, Sang-jong Lee looked round with an easy manner at his brothers gathered there and spoke.

"The reason those fellows wouldn't grant the permit all this time was that they were reading the new government's face. Honestly. Why they'd read the political winds over a development project…"

"Because interests were tangled up in it, no doubt."

Mun-jong Lee lifted his cup, drank some water as though he understood, and spoke.

"From what I hear, isn't that Assemblyman Jang-gi Yun's constituency? I heard it was Assemblyman Jang-gi Yun who applied the pressure…"

"That's right. It was that Jang-gi Yun fellow pressuring the Ministry of Land who kept throwing up the objections."

"So? You've settled it and you're going ahead with the project? Or have you decided to ignore it and press on?"

"We ignore it, of course."

Sang-jong Lee spoke with a face that said it went without saying.

"Those Ministry of Land fellows had put a stop to it on the chance that the Shinpyeong Party might win the presidential election. Because if a Shinpyeong Party government came in, things would get awkward for them. But since the Mincheong Party won, there's nothing more to consider."

Having finished his explanation, Sang-jong Lee looked at Tak-hyeon Lee.

Because he thought Tak-hyeon Lee would be glad to hear it.

"The Dongnam Development project had been tied up for two years, hadn't it?"

Tak-hyeon Lee, who had been doing nothing but listening quietly, asked Sang-jong Lee in a low voice.

Sang-jong Lee nodded and answered.

"Yes. Because we were held by the ankle over it, we couldn't properly proceed…