The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 129

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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 129

Chapter 129. Apricot Flower Academy (5)

I called for Yeochang’s Deputy.
“Deputy, as I mentioned yesterday, please teach Bo Uk some of the work.”
“Understood.”
Yeochang’s Deputy showed Bo Uk to his workspace and began instructing him on the tasks.
It wasn’t long before Bo Uk’s exceptional talent began to reveal itself.
“So I just need to organize this and copy it out?”
“Yes.”
“Understood.”
Bo Uk sat before the wooden table and began working according to Yeochang’s Deputy’s instructions.
Scratch, scratch, scratch, scratch.
With neat, precise handwriting, he wrote character after character in a blur of motion, and everyone’s eyes widened in amazement.
Once Bo Uk finished the work, he spoke to Yeochang’s Deputy.
“I’ve finished.”
“Then move on to the next task.”
“Where is the next task?”
“Everything on the bookshelf in the back—that’s all work to be done.”
“….”
Bo Uk turned to look behind him, and his eyes wavered. He turned his head to look at me.
I avoided his gaze.
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The meetings continued for several days.
This academy we’re building won’t be filled only with poor students.
Of course, the primary goal is to discover talented individuals among the poor, but there are also many talented people among the wealthy.
What I want is to bring them into the Imperial Palace and maintain connections with them.
We’ll collect tuition from students, but I plan to provide financial support to encourage poor students to pursue their education.
Yeon Gak-ju asked about my plan.
“Wouldn’t poor students risk being hurt by those who discriminate based on poverty?”
She spoke with an awkward smile.
“I experienced that myself. That’s why I quit school and threw myself into the Merchant Guild.”
I had already given this matter considerable thought.
“That’s why all students will live in the dormitory, and the academy will provide all necessary supplies.”
“But even so, differences will inevitably show….”
“I believe it’s a matter of education.”
No one should be discriminated against for being poor, nor should they suffer such discrimination.
Poverty is merely a circumstance of one’s environment.
Children naturally lack awareness of such distinctions. They simply enjoy being together and find pleasure in playing as one.
The discrimination based on poverty falls entirely on the shoulders of adults.
In other words, it’s an educational problem.
We cannot know what lies ahead for any person.
One who was once scorned for poverty might become a Great Merchant and command the Merchant Guild, or rise to a high-ranking official position and earn the Emperor’s trust.
Conversely, one who boasted of wealth might crumble overnight.
“I never would have imagined Yeon Gak-ju had such circumstances.”
At Father’s words, Yeon Gak-ju let out a soft laugh.
“That’s why I’m grateful to them. Because of them, I clawed my way up like a desperate beast.”
She continued.
“After I became the Chief Manager of Sang-yu Hall, I took my revenge on them.”
“Revenge?”
“I merely touched them lightly, and both their marital families and their birth families crumbled to dust. Watching them cling to my skirts begging for mercy—it was utterly satisfying. Hehehehe!”
“….”
“So I saved them again. I didn’t want to become the same kind of person they were. Now they tread carefully around me, watching my every mood.”
One must truly live with virtue.

Days later, I set out for Beijing.
I secured land for the academy and began construction.
Though traveling back and forth to Beijing several times proved exhausting, it was all an investment in the future.
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What is the most important thing in establishing an academy?
Money.
Without it, we cannot even secure the land for the academy.
But establishing an academy is not the end. Proper management is essential for its longevity.
This requires a capable Chief Manager and wise instructors.
The academy’s Chief Manager can be selected from our Eunhae Trading Company. Since we are a merchant guild, we have no shortage of talented individuals for such a position.
The real problem, however, is finding wise instructors.
Without good instructors, the academy will lack appeal to both the guardians who would send their children and the children themselves.
As I’ve said before, an academy is a legitimate enterprise.
So I extended invitations to capable scholars, but a problem arose.

“What? They refused?”
“Indeed, they did.”
I had sent letters and messengers to five scholars, asking them to become teachers at the academy.
“All but one rejected the offer.”
“Why on earth? Is this some kind of power struggle?”
“To put it plainly, it’s a matter of scholarly pride.”
Since I wanted to recruit excellent teachers, I had approached scholars with good reputations—not Grand Scholars, but respectable ones—and asked them to become instructors at the academy.
Because I had my own purposes for the academy, I wanted to avoid drawing too much attention.
Yet they rejected me by invoking their pride as scholars?
My gaze fell upon the documents resting on Father’s wooden table. It seemed Father had tried to hide the letter, but it had somehow slipped out slightly to the side.

[… A merchant who knows only money ….]

Upon reading that sentence, I felt a sudden chill.
Could Father have deliberately hidden this from me?
I pointed to the letter and spoke to Father.
“Is that letter from the scholars?”
“Ahem, ahem.”
Seeing Father clear his throat, my suspicion seemed confirmed.
“In truth, some of them expressed disdain for an academy established by a merchant.”
“I would like to read them myself.”
“….”
In the end, Father could not withstand my gaze and handed over the letters.
I read through each of the letters one by one.
They had written such nonsense—that it was beneath their station to teach at an academy founded by a lowly merchant, not even a fellow scholar.
Ah, it’s been a while since I felt this irritated.
I had wanted to keep a low profile, but I changed my mind.
“Father, is it right that establishing an academy as a merchant should be treated with such contempt?”
“No, it is not.”
“Even Seon-il Elder Brother supported this vision of mine.”
“However, such is the perception of society….”
It’s absurd.
They cannot live without money, yet they curse merchants for valuing it.
Is there anyone in this world who dislikes money?
“Father.”
“Why do you call me so sternly?”
“Let us expand the Apricot Flower Academy.”
“What do you mean by that, all of a sudden?”
“Let us fill the Apricot Flower Academy with Grand Scholars as teachers.”
“If ordinary scholars react this way, would not Grand Scholars do even worse?”
My father expressed his concern.
“If the Emperor himself, who supports such an academy, were to hear them say such crude remarks about it being beneath their station, he would surely take offense.”
“Surely not?”
“I will obtain the Emperor’s personal approval.”
“But investigating merchants who sell writing brushes is hardly grounds for an audience with the Emperor—it’s simply impossible.”
“It is possible. I have someone who can help.”
“Even if you manage an audience with the Emperor through that person’s assistance, if he learns our true intentions, he may well take displeasure.”
“Do not worry. The moral authority lies with us.”
Just now, those scholars had handed me the perfect justification.
I intended to use this to draw the great scholars to our Apricot Flower Academy.
“Ah, there is also a scholar who has already accepted. He expressed gratitude for being called to educate the nation’s talent.”
“We must treat him with the highest honors.”
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That afternoon.
I set out toward the marketplace street, accompanied by Palgap, the Yeo Eung-am Warrior, and Seo-woo Warrior.
Our destination was the miscellaneous goods shop on West Street.
The Ghost-Face Pao Elder of the shop sat before the door sipping tea despite the bitter cold.
“Aren’t you cold?”
The old man laughed at my question.
“If you befriend the cold itself, it ceases to bite.”
“A worthy answer to a profound question.”
“Isn’t it usually the opposite?”
“Cold is cold, regardless.”
The old man chuckled softly at my words.
“A man who doesn’t feel the cold complaining about it…”
He knows. He knows that the martial art I have cultivated is the Ice Technique.
“So why have you come?”
I sat before the old man and spoke.
“What do you think of merchants establishing academies?”
“An academy?”
“If someone asked you to teach children at an academy founded by a merchant, would you refuse, saying it doesn’t match your station?”
The Ghost-Face Pao Elder chuckled at my question.
“Who is this fool spouting such nonsense?”
I did not answer.
If he wished to know, he could easily discover it himself without my words.
“I was rather angered by it. So I thought—why not demonstrate that an academy founded by a merchant can become just as renowned as any prestigious institution? That’s why I wondered if we might invite the great scholars to serve as masters of the academy.”
The old man clicked his tongue at my words.
“Those fools who spouted such drivel are to be pitied. They’ve touched someone they should never have touched.”
“Pardon?”
“Never mind that. But an academy… what’s your purpose?”
“Why, to properly nurture the seedlings who will become the pillars of this nation, of course.”
The Old Man chuckled at my words.
“The fellow I know would never engage in a losing venture. Even if it appears to be a loss, it ultimately isn’t.”
Ah, he knows me far too well.
“So if you’ve sought me out in such circumstances, you must be here asking me to put in a good word with His Majesty the Emperor. Am I wrong?”
“Wouldn’t you call that being a mind reader, sir?”
“Bah! You impudent brat. Such insolence.”
“Haha.”
Soon the Old Man’s tone grew serious.
“These seedlings are nurtured with the Eunhae Trading Company’s funds. No matter how properly they’re raised, His Majesty cannot be unaware that they will lean toward the Eunhae Trading Company’s interests.”
“But if His Majesty the Emperor extends his grace, the seedlings will grow straight and true.”
“Remarkable. Your words flow like a clear stream.”
“And if our Eunhae Trading Company were to falter due to the baseless accusations of such scholars, would other merchant houses then strive to support the education of the common people?”
The Old Man, who had been studying me for a moment, clicked his tongue.
“Foolish fellows, why do they hand over such justification…”
I couldn’t help but smile inwardly.
“So I humbly ask for your assistance, sir.”

Several days later,
I set out for Beijing.
Since I was already expanding the game, I intended to enlarge the academy’s scale as well.
After arriving in Beijing and moving about busily, I returned to the Yeonjun Trading Company, where my Aunt delivered some news.
“Seo-ho, someone came from the Imperial Palace today.”
“From the Imperial Palace?”
“They said you’re to enter the palace tomorrow morning.”
The old gentleman moved faster than I expected.
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The next morning.
I headed to the Imperial Palace together with my Elder Brother Seon-il.
Since Seon-il Elder Brother also had to go to the Imperial Palace, we traveled together.
“Is the academy establishment proceeding well?”
“Yes, Elder Brother.”
“No difficulties?”
To that question, I answered with a bright smile.
“How could there not be difficulties? But since I find joy in resolving these problems, it’s manageable.”
“You’re quite peculiar yourself.”
Soon we arrived at the Imperial Palace, and Seon-il Elder Brother headed toward the Hanlin Academy.
I presented my credentials, and shortly an Eunuch Official emerged to greet me.
“Please follow me.”
“Yes.”

When the salt distribution law was first implemented, the Emperor and his officials had clashed bitterly over its merits.
But that clash ended in the Emperor’s victory.
It couldn’t have gone any other way—the justification was sound, controlling the price of salt as an essential commodity, and it had resulted in a tangible increase in tax revenue.
That revenue flowed directly into the Emperor’s coffers.
Moreover, he used the pretext of not granting exemptions to salt retailers to purge several greedy Eunuch Officials.
Thus, the Emperor now wielded tremendous power.
That’s precisely why I sought his imperial endorsement.
The place I was led to was a garden, though not the one I had visited before with Seon-il Elder Brother.
This was somewhere I had never been.
It was an extraordinarily beautiful garden, suffused with the serene essence of winter.
Yet despite its beauty, I sensed concealed presences throughout.
Their martial prowess seemed considerable as well.
I began to understand where I was.
A garden reserved solely for the Emperor.
The moment that realization struck me, I felt an overwhelming presence behind me—something beyond mortal reach.
“Do you find this garden pleasing?”
“Ah!”
I immediately prostrated myself on the snow-covered ground.
“This humble merchant humbly greets Your Imperial Majesty, the master of this realm. Ten thousand blessings, ten thousand blessings, ten thousand times ten thousand blessings!”
The Emperor spoke in response to my salutation.
“You may rise.”
“I am overwhelmed by Your Majesty’s grace.”
I stood, and the Emperor addressed an Eunuch Official.
“Brush the snow from the young master’s clothes.”
The Eunuch Official brushed the snow from my garments. How humbling this was.
“Yes, I heard through my old friend that there are some foolish wretches who gave you cause for complaint?”
“This merchant was careless enough to hear such talk.”
“Spare me such hollow words.”
“I beg your pardon.”
“The Eunhae Trading Company’s intention to establish an academy is truly admirable. However, the purpose behind it is problematic. And I suspect you are not the sort of person who would undertake such an endeavor merely to place four of your people within the Imperial Palace.”
The Emperor regarded me and asked.
“Is it because of the Murim Alliance?”

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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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