The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 112

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Trading Company – Chapter 112

Chapter 112. The Benefactor of the Sichuan Tang Family (2)

My words left Heuk-du-gyeom visibly flustered.
Understandably so.
After all, he had no connection whatsoever to the Nanhwa Sect.
“Why do you ask such a thing?”
“Ahem, well, you see… our Stronghold Master is currently away on business.”
“Then we shall simply wait for him at the mountain stronghold.”
“I’m afraid our mountain stronghold lacks sufficient space to accommodate such a large group.”
The Nok-a Mountain Estate lacking space?
That made no sense whatsoever.
I knew better, having visited the place myself.
Double our current numbers could easily fit there without crowding. And if my understanding was correct, Hong-im Pyo-du was equally aware of this fact.
Sensing that something was amiss, just as I suspected, he took a step backward.
I addressed Heuk-du-gyeom directly.
“I have visited the Nok-a Mountain Estate before and know well that it sits upon a rather spacious open ground. So when you claim the place is cramped and attempt to bar our entry… I must confess, I find it peculiar.”
I continued.
“How should I interpret such conduct?”
“That is…”
“This hardly seems like proper hospitality, does it?”
He stammered, his face flushed with embarrassment.
“W-well, the truth is, our mountain stronghold has been facing some difficulties lately.”
“What sort of difficulties?”
“I cannot speak of such matters.”
“Come now, how many years have we and the Nanhwa Sect’s Stronghold Master known each other? This feels rather cold. Surely you understand that we cannot devise countermeasures without knowing what troubles you?”
At that moment, Hong-im Pyo-du interjected.
“As the Lord says, the Changin Escort Agency has cultivated goodwill with the Nanhwa Sect’s Stronghold Master all these years. Yet you would cast aside such bonds so callously? That is most disappointing.”
And Hong-im Pyo-du glanced subtly past my shoulder.
He had noticed that two of the warriors who usually stood beside me were nowhere to be seen.
He immediately grasped my intent and was deliberately stalling for time.
“Come now, let us not be hasty. Please, sit here and wet your whistle. I realize I should have offered you a drink upon our first meeting.”
Wine and appetizers were brought forth, and Heuk-du-gyeom and his companions naturally took their seats before them.
In truth, abstaining from alcohol during travel is one of the cardinal rules.
Enemies are keenly aware of how to exploit the moment when one’s guard drops from drink.
Yet there are times when alcohol becomes necessary.
Its greatest utility lies in alleviating the suffering of the wounded.
That’s why I always kept alcohol on hand, and the bottle I just retrieved was precisely that.
Naturally, given its purpose, it was an extremely potent fire liquor.
Hong-im Pyo-du uncorked the bottle.
Pop!
As the aroma wafted forth, Heuk-du-gyeom’s Adam’s apple bobbed noticeably.
Bandits have a hard time resisting alcohol.
“Please, have some.”
“Then I’ll accept a cup. Haha.”
He fell for it after all.
I smirked watching Hong-im Pyo-du, and he nodded in acknowledgment.
About half a shichen had passed.
I sensed Seo Woo and Jin Yu approaching through my perception.
And I felt the presence of those following behind them as well.
They’ve finally arrived.
The moment I recognized the man who introduced himself as Heuk-du-gyeom, I had immediately sent them to Nok-a Mountain Estate.
Soon, a man with unkempt, disheveled hair appeared leading a group.
“So, where is this impostor claiming to be one of our mountain stronghold’s men?”
It was Nan Bal Gwang Geom Chae Ju.
His eyes gleamed with madness.
I pointed at Heuk-du-gyeom with my hand, and upon seeing Nan Bal Gwang Geom Chae Ju, Hong-im Pyo-du rose from his seat and cupped his fists in salute.
Then he spoke.
“It was troublesome keeping them detained.”
Heuk-du-gyeom and his companions, who had been drinking, were utterly bewildered by the sudden turn of events.
“Are these the ones who’ve been using my name to extort tolls all this time?”
I shrugged.
“I’m not entirely certain about that. I merely sent people to verify whether these men were truly sent by the Stronghold Master.”
I deferred the matter to him.
“The judgment is yours to make, Stronghold Master.”
But wait, did he just say that?
‘Using my name all this time,’ he said.
That meant the Stronghold Master had already become aware of Heuk-du-gyeom’s fraudulent scheme.
As Nan Bal Gwang Geom Chae Ju, he must have been quite infuriated.
That’s why he came rushing here in less than half a shichen.
At my words, Nan Bal Gwang Geom Chae Ju smiled wickedly.
“I wasn’t asking you. I was merely muttering to myself in exasperation.”
Then he spoke to his subordinates behind him.
“Men, take them away.”
“Yes, sir!”
The situation concluded in an instant.
After all, they were in a daze from drinking the potent liquor and couldn’t possibly mount a proper resistance.
They were beaten to a pulp by Nan Bal Gwang Geom’s subordinates and bound tightly.
They were wrapped so thoroughly that they resembled silkworm cocoons.
Nan Bal Gwang Geom, who had been observing them with cold eyes, turned his head to look at us.
“I recognize Hong-im Pyo-du here, but who is this person?”
In response to his question, I cupped my fist and spoke.
“I am Eun Seo-ho, a Small Merchant Guild Leader of the Eunhae Trading Company and Lord of the Hyun Pung Bureau.”
“So you are Nan Bal Gwang Geom, Stronghold Master of Nok-a Mountain.”
“I have heard of your illustrious reputation.”
“The mad one with wild hair, they call me?”
I chuckled and replied.
“You are well-informed about yourself.”
The others wore bewildered expressions at my response. But I understood something they did not.
Nan Bal Gwang Geom was mad precisely because he took immense pride in the epithet “Nan Bal Gwang Geom.”
He burst into hearty laughter at my words, delighted exactly as I had anticipated.
“This one is no ordinary fellow.”
“Not nearly as extraordinary as you, Stronghold Master.”
At that moment, Hong-im Pyo-du extended a pouch.
“Here is the toll.”
Nan Bal Gwang Geom accepted the pouch, then withdrew half of its contents and handed it to a subordinate beside him.
He then tossed the remaining pouch, still containing half the money, back to Hong-im Pyo-du.
Thwack!
As Hong-im Pyo-du caught the pouch, Nan Bal Gwang Geom spoke.
“That is a reward.”
“Pardon?”
“Thanks to you, I was able to capture those bastards. It felt wrong to simply let that kindness pass without acknowledgment.”
“I am grateful for your generosity.”
“Then let us meet again next time.”
With that, Nan Bal Gwang Geom and his subordinates departed with Heuk-du-gyeom and his group from where we were staying.
Watching them leave, Palgap spoke.
“He is a good Stronghold Master indeed. He even returned half as a reward.”
Just as I was about to respond, someone answered before me.
It was Seo-woo Warrior.
“That is quite normal.”
“What? Are all Stronghold Masters like that?”
“Not all. But if you value your life….”
Seo-woo Warrior continued his explanation.
“In truth, the relationship between mountain strongholds and escort agencies is a transaction where mutual exchange must be certain.”
The mountain strongholds “regulate” and “eliminate” troublemakers, thereby providing convenience to those passing through.
In return, those passing through pay a “toll.”
But since we informed them of those they needed to “regulate” and “eliminate,” sparing them the effort of capture, they are providing “compensation” in return.
If the calculations aren’t clear, resentment builds up, and eventually fights break out—which hurts both sides.
The Green Forest Bandits suffer greater losses, but the Pyoguk doesn’t escape unscathed either.
When escort operations are delayed, we must compensate those who commissioned us.
Palgap nodded in agreement.
“I see.”
As expected of a former Pyo Du, Seo-woo Warrior understood such relationships well.
“But what will become of that Heuk-du-gyeom and his subordinates?”
I answered his question.
“They won’t see a pleasant fate.”
It was their own doing, so there was no need to pity them.
Though I was curious about it.
Would they sever his limbs and sell him into slavery at the mines, as in my previous life?
Or would they simply kill him?
In this life, Heuk-du-gyeom was captured several months earlier than in my previous one.
This would certainly influence what lay ahead.
But still, I couldn’t overlook Heuk-du-gyeom.
He was clearly a man who disrupted the merchant world.
.
.
.
The next morning.
We set out on the road again, and soon we entered the territory of the Wudang Sect.
Hong-im Pyo-du announced to everyone.
“From here on, we enter the Sword-Disarming Zone. Everyone must place your weapons in your luggage!”
“Yes!”
When passing through the Wudang Sect’s mountain gate, anyone not belonging to the Wudang Sect had to unsheathe their swords and place them in their luggage.
This was said to honor Zhang Sanfeng, who founded the Wudang Sect, and those who refused to unsheathe their weapons were severely beaten by the sect’s masters and banned from entry.
The requirement to disarm in this place meant, in other words, that one could feel safe here even without weapons.
Watching everyone busily unsheathe their weapons and load them onto horses, Palgap asked.
“But what if someone has neither luggage nor a horse? How do they disarm?”
Seo-woo Warrior answered.
“In that case, you wear your weapon upside down. That counts as having disarmed.”
“I see!”
We passed through the Sword-Disarming Zone.
The lands of Sichuan were drawing ever closer.

* * *

Dang Gyu-jeong, the House Master of the Sichuan Tang Family, received unexpected news from his subordinate.
“What? Eun Seo-ho, the Small Merchant Guild Leader of the Eunhae Trading Company, is in Sichuan right now?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
About two years prior, Dang Jo-ung, Dang Gyu-jeong’s youngest son, had nearly been kidnapped.
The Nursemaid, coerced by threats, had taken Dang Jo-ung outside, and his guards lost track of them due to a trap deliberately set by the kidnappers.
Because a scent tracker had been embedded, he believed they could be found regardless of where they went.
But when Eun Seo-ho brought Dang Jo-ung to the Sichuan Tang Family Estate, he realized how naive that assumption had been.
The scent trackers on the Nursemaid and Dang Jo-ung had vanished without a trace.
In other words, had Eun Seo-ho not rescued Dang Jo-ung, Dang Gyu-jeong would have lost his youngest son forever.
Even now, thinking back on it made him dizzy.
Dang Gyu-jeong had interrogated the Hyung In-mun-do members that Eun Seo-ho had personally captured, and learned they intended to hold Dang Jo-ung hostage to demand something.
But no matter what methods were employed, they never revealed how the scent tracker had been erased.
That was a grave problem.
It meant information about the scent tracker had leaked from somewhere.
Through this incident, Eun Seo-ho had become a benefactor not only to Dang Gyu-jeong himself but to the entire Sichuan Tang Family.
And it was a tremendous debt of gratitude.
The Sichuan Tang Family, who primarily relied on poison and hidden weapons and were often called cowardly for it.
The reason they could become a renowned clan of the martial arts world was because of their principle: kindness must always be repaid twofold.
Of course, they also repaid enmity in equal measure.
Thus, repaying a benefactor’s kindness was a matter of the Sichuan Tang Family’s honor and pride.
For this reason, he had sent people several times to bring Eun Seo-ho to the Sichuan Tang Family Estate.
But while repeatedly failing to achieve his goal and growing impatient, Eun Seo-ho had sent a letter.
Written in the most courteous language, its meaning was that when the time came, he would visit in consideration of the Sichuan Tang Family’s sincerity, so they should not trouble themselves further.
So he waited, and waited.
And finally, that time had come.
Dang Gyu-jeong rose from his seat.
“Now that he has come to Sichuan, I cannot let him leave like this. I shall go meet him myself.”
“Understood.”
“What is Jo-ung doing at the moment?”
“Young Master is currently training in martial arts.”
“I see. That boy will be delighted to hear this news.”

* * *

Upon arriving in Sichuan, I made my way directly to the Sichuan Branch where my Uncle resided.
“It’s been quite some time!”
“I hope you’ve been well, Uncle.”
“I’ve been doing splendidly. In the time we’ve been apart, you’ve grown even more striking—your features have truly matured. The women of Sichuan will be lining up at your door.”
“Ha ha ha. You’re far too kind, Uncle.”
I exchanged greetings with my Aunt, my two elder cousins, and my younger cousin Ryeo-ok.
“It seems Sister Hyang-ok has gone to the Ami Sect.”
“Yes, she’s been devoting herself entirely to her training, preparing for a new breakthrough in her cultivation, or so I hear.”
“I see.”
It appeared that the incident involving Young-po Chief of the Sichuan Branch being bought off by the Dan Clan Merchant Guild Master had served as the catalyst for this.
The people of the Sichuan Branch seemed somehow more resolute than before.
“I believe I must visit the Eul Jin Trading Company starting tomorrow.”
“Because of the Jak Pung incident.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“But here’s the thing.”
“…?”
My Uncle’s expression became cryptic and knowing.
“Do you truly think you’ll be able to visit the Eul Jin Trading Company tomorrow?”
“Pardon?”
“The Sichuan Tang Family is far more persistent and thorough than you imagine.”
Just then, the Gate Keeper who stood watch at the entrance of the Sichuan Branch came rushing in urgently.
He prostrated himself and cried out.
“Branch Manager! The House Master of the Sichuan Tang Family has arrived!”
What? The House Master came in person?
As I looked toward my Uncle, he chuckled and spoke.
“Wasn’t I right?”
I had nothing to say.
I had expected at most to send someone to invite him again, but I never imagined the House Master would come directly like this.
I had no choice but to head toward the Guest Reception Room.
There sat a middle-aged man sipping tea. The aura emanating from him was utterly overwhelming.
Given the caliber of our visitor, my Uncle and I offered him a respectful martial salute.
“It is an honor to meet you for the first time. I am Eun Myung-sang, Branch Manager of the Eunhae Merchant Guild Sichuan Branch. We are grateful for your visit to our humble branch.”
“It is an honor to meet you for the first time. I am Eun Seo-ho, Minor Merchant Guild Leader of the Eunhae Trading Company and Lord of Hyun Pung.”
The middle-aged man rose to his feet and spoke.
“I am Dang Gyu-jeong, House Master of the Sichuan Tang Family.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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