The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 181

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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 181

Chapter 181. The Road Back (4)

Recognizing me, the procession came to a halt.
The fluttering banner of the Eunhae Trading Company was a most welcome sight.
Two men descended from the carriage and approached.
“Aren’t you the Small Merchant Guild Leader?”
“I’m all the more delighted to meet you both on the road like this.”
Those who emerged from the carriage were Soo Deputy Manager and Im Chief Manager of the Eunhae Trading Company.
Soo Deputy Manager held a position of sufficient authority to be delegated certain powers when concluding new transactions or contracts, while Im Chief Manager was a specialist in leather goods.
From the pairing of these two, one could discern the nature of their mission.
“Are you heading toward the Northern Sea now?”
“That’s correct. We heard this is an accomplishment achieved by you, Small Merchant Guild Leader.”
At Soo Deputy Manager’s words, I scratched behind my ear.
“It’s less an accomplishment than simply a fortunate happenstance.”
“If success could be achieved through mere happenstance, there would be no failures in this world. So please, don’t speak so humbly—it saddens me.”
His words were playful, yet carried a subtle edge.
“Heaven’s favor played some role, certainly. In any case, I entrust this to you. It will yield immediate profit, but more importantly, it holds the potential for substantial long-term gains.”
“Understood. Rest assured.”
I withdrew a small pouch containing several gold coins and handed it to Soo Deputy Manager.
“Please accept this, just in case.”
“No, there’s no need to give us such things.”
“It’s my gesture. The journey ahead will be long and arduous. You may need emergency funds along the way, and it would be awkward to draw from the company’s coffers for such purposes.”
“Hmm, that’s true enough.”
“Besides, isn’t the road to that place rather treacherous? So please, boost the morale of our company’s staff along the way.”
“Then, I’ll gratefully accept.”
Soo Deputy Manager placed the pouch I’d given him into his robes and expressed his thanks.
“Though you’ve become a Branch Manager in a remote region, that place will become quite important to our Eunhae Trading Company. So I ask for your diligent service.”
“How could there be any doubt? But did I mention becoming a Branch Manager?”
“No. I simply inferred it from seeing your party assembled like this.”
“You truly are remarkable, Small Merchant Guild Leader.”
Then Im Chief Manager spoke.
“By the way, Small Merchant Guild Leader, the Gwangjun Trading Company sent quite a substantial gift.”
Ah, that’s right. Bok Yun Sub-leader’s father had sent a gift, as I recall.
“Do you happen to know what that gift is?”
“Haha, you’ll see when you arrive.”
What on earth could this gift be?
They simply smiled and offered no response.
And so we parted ways.
Now that I had barely escaped Beijing… it would take considerably longer to reach Hubei Province.
.
.
.
After riding for several days, we finally crossed into Hubei Province.
“Huff! Ha! Huff! Ha!”
“What are you doing?”
Palgap answered my question.
“After so long away, I’ve returned home and the scent of it fills me with joy.”
Scent? What scent could there possibly be?
Though I suppose, being a bear, Palgap’s sense of smell would be quite keen.
I myself had been away for nearly four months, and now that I’d returned, I felt a certain warmth in my chest.
Like sinking into a soft, quilted embrace.
Soon we arrived at the Eunhae Trading Company.
“Welcome home.”
“You must be exhausted.”
Father and Mother greeted me.
“I have returned safely, Father.”
“And Jin Yu Warrior remained there as planned?”
“Yes, Father.”
“We’ve already established a branch there, and the men to transport the furs have already departed.”
“Indeed, I encountered them near Beijing on the way. You sent Soo Deputy Manager and Im Chief Manager, I see.”
“Yes, I appointed Soo Deputy Manager as the Branch Manager. But then again….”
Father trailed off with an enigmatic expression.
“What is the matter, Father?”
“Nothing troubling, but what exactly transpired with the Gwangjun Trading Company?”
“I offered some assistance and formed a favorable connection. Speaking of which, you mentioned they sent a gift—what was it?”
Father paused before answering.
“Fine horses.”
“Pardon?”
“One hundred fine horses.”
….
I found myself at a loss for words.
In this region, horses of that caliber possessed immeasurable value.

I headed to Jung-ho’s Separate Residence to wash up.
Though I’d been away for some time, it was spotlessly clean—the servants had maintained it well.
After a quick wash, I paid my respects to my Grandfather first, then made my way to Jung-ho’s Separate Residence.
“Surely Geon-hyuk and Bo-yeon haven’t forgotten me?”
At my question, Palgap let out a sigh.
His expression suggested he had much to say but chose to remain silent.
“What is it?”
“Nothing, sir.”
We arrived at Jung-ho’s Separate Residence.
Jung-ho was away, currently occupied with guild matters.
The selection of the merchant guild to supply silk to the Imperial Palace was drawing near.
“Elder Brother’s Wife, I’ve returned.”
“Oh my! Young Master, welcome home. Did you have a safe journey?”
“Yes, thanks to your prayers. Has all been well here?”
“Of course.”
Elder Brother’s Wife clapped her hands together and spoke.
“Oh! You must greet Geon-hyuk and Bo-yeon.”
Soon the Nursemaid brought the two children.
“Hello there.”
At my greeting, Geon-hyuk and Bo-yeon stared at me intently before bursting into laughter.
“Giggle!”
“Tee-hee!”
I broke into a bright smile, and the two children beamed back at me, their laughter infectious.
I heard Palgap muttering beside me.
“As expected, this filthy world remembers only the handsome.”
“What did you say?”
“Nothing at all, sir.”
After greeting the family, I headed to Father’s office.
“Now we can finally speak freely.”
“Yes, indeed.”
“First, I’m relieved you returned safely.”
“It’s thanks to Mother’s daily prayers to the heavens.”
“Ha ha ha.”
Father nodded and looked at me with amusement.
“You’re quite remarkable. Every time you leave and return, you bring back something extraordinary.”
“I suppose I do have that tendency.”
“What service could you possibly have rendered to receive a hundred thoroughbreds?”
I explained to Father the matter involving Bok Yun Sub-leader.
“You saved Bok Yun Sub-leader? Ah, so that’s what happened.”
“Yes. But Father, what exactly makes these thoroughbreds so exceptional that you were so astonished?”
Father’s peculiar excitement suggested that these weren’t ordinary horses—they were something far more exceptional.
“Heh, you truly know nothing, do you? Come, let’s see them for yourself. Once you do, you’ll have the same reaction I did.”
Father rose from his seat and led me toward the stables.
And moments later,
“….”
Just as Father had said, I found myself speechless.
These were among the finest specimens of their kind—surely the Gwangjun Trading Company had selected only the very best.
The extravagance of the gift weighed on me somewhat.
“Was there perhaps a letter accompanying them?”
At my question, Father produced a letter from his sleeve as though he’d been waiting for me to ask, and handed it to me.
“You haven’t opened it yet?”
“That one was sent specifically for you.”
I read the letter.

[Eun Small Merchant Leader, you may not have realized it, but Yun-i is the hope of our Trading Company. Young-i lacks any particular talent, after all. Don’t burden yourself with the gift I’ve sent. How could a hundred fine horses compare to the future of our Trading Company? So don’t think of returning them—use them well.]

I couldn’t help but smile.
Having witnessed what became of the Gwangjun Trading Company in my previous life, I accepted the gift with gratitude.
“Then let’s go have dinner now.”
“Yes.”
.
.
.
The next morning.
The moment I finished my morning cultivation, Master entered my separate residence.
“Master, I have returned after completing your request.”
At my greeting, Master cupped his fist and bowed deeply.
“Thank you for honoring my request.”
“You’re too kind. It was only my duty as your disciple. But your wounds—are they healing well?”
“Yes, they’re nearly fully recovered now.”
Master straightened himself and spoke.
“Then we shall begin your training.”
“….”
He must be curious about the details of the request he’d given me, yet he chooses to begin training first—truly, Master is a remarkable person.
“Before we depart, I learned up to the tenth form, Snowfall Descent. Now I shall learn the eleventh form, White Night. But first,”
Master looked at me and spoke.
“As a matter of review, begin with the first form, Harsh Snow Blade, and proceed through each form in order.”
“Understood.”
I drew my sword.
Then I recalled the memory of being imprisoned and forced into closed-door cultivation by the Ancestor after our encounter in the remnants of Snowwind Palace.
My Master’s eyes grew wider and wider as he watched my sword movements.
From the moment I began the first form, Jinseol, through to the tenth form, Snowfall Collapse, my Master could not close his mouth the entire time.
“This… how is this possible? The Jinseol Twelve-Form Sword Technique you just demonstrated matches exactly what was painted on the murals of Snowwind Palace in my memory!”
“In truth, while searching for the remaining traces of Snowwind Palace at your request, I encountered the Ancestor of Snowwind Palace.”
“….”
“And for a very long time, trapped within a cavern, I studied the Jinseol Twelve-Form Sword Technique from the Ancestor.”
“A very long time, you say?”
“By my perception, several years must have passed… but the moment I perfected the Jinseol Twelve-Form, I returned to reality, and in truth, only a single day had elapsed.”
At my words, my Master nodded.
“Now that you mention it, I recall something I heard from my Grandfather when I was very young. He said the Ancestor had an Old Friend who was well-versed in mystical formations. It seems he received aid from that Old Friend.”
“Indeed.”
I scratched my cheek.
“However, the Ancestor mentioned there are several other such places…”
“…?”
“He said the great formations activate only when I visit them.”
“Could it be due to your constitution?”
“It appears to be so.”
In truth, it was because I was the one who received a second life through the Ancestor’s arrangement, but there was no need to reveal that much.
“Then the Ancestor must have already known that I would take you as my disciple.”
“Yes, I believe that is likely. It even seems he foresaw the destruction of Snowwind Palace. Perhaps that is why he prepared such great formations to ensure the martial arts would not be lost to history.”
“That must be it.”
“One last thing…”
I whispered softly to my Master.
“Do you perhaps have a secret vault of some kind?”
“…?”
“The Ancestor left me a considerable amount of wealth, and I believe it should be delivered to you.”
At my words, my Master, half-believing and half-doubting, led me somewhere.
It was a secluded forest estate.
“This is the secret sanctuary of our Snowwind Palace.”
“It has quite a substantial scale. Where should I place the wealth?”
At my words, my Master pointed to a certain room.
“You can place it inside there.”
I took out the wealth the Ancestor had left at Snowwind Palace and laid it there.
Rumble, rumble, rumble—
I had wondered whether showing my secret vault to my Master was appropriate, but I could not keep it hidden forever.
I intended to tell Palgap as well.
After all, I had a plausible excuse.
“…!”
Upon seeing the wealth, my Master was startled and rubbed his eyes.
Only then, as if he finally believed this was reality, did he shake his head in disbelief.
“Ah, no, but how did you manage to bring all of these?”
“It’s thanks to the vessel the Emperor gifted me. It functions as a storage space, like a warehouse.”
“I see.”
In that moment, tears streamed down Master’s face.
“W-wait, Master!”
I couldn’t help but be taken aback.
It was the first time I’d ever seen Master cry, across both this life and my previous one.
“Why, why are you…?”
“Such an enormous fortune! *chokes* All this time, struggling to gather operational funds…”
“…”
Only then did I understand why Master worked at the Pyoguk.
It was to accumulate operational funds.
Of course, reconstructing a sect didn’t come cheap.
After a moment, Master, having finally composed himself, asked me a question.
“Did the Ancestor perhaps leave any other instructions?”
“He asked me to rebuild the Snowwind Palace.”
“I see. As a successor of the Snowwind Palace, that is naturally your duty.”
“So then, would it be acceptable to refine the Jinseol Twelve-Form Sword Technique?”
“What? But that is a family…”
“No. It seems there was a problem in the transmission process. The Ancestor said the Jinseol Twelve-Form Sword Technique should be learnable by all disciples.”
“…I see.”

After hearing the full account from me, Master agreed to refine the Jinseol Twelve-Form Sword Technique.
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.
.
Autumn leaves were falling steadily now.
During my journey to the Northern Sea, summer had passed, and full autumn had arrived.
As usual, I ate breakfast and headed toward the Eun Wol Pavilion.
There was a meeting at the Eun Wol Pavilion today.

“…Well, let’s set that aside. What’s the next matter?”
At Father’s words, Sangyugak’s Yeon Officer stepped forward.
“It appears a problem has arisen in Hunan Province.”
“In Hunan Province?”
“Yes, sir. Our trading company’s shop near Dongjeong Lake operates on a rental basis. However, the owner has demanded that we vacate the premises by next month.”
“What? He’s suddenly demanding we empty the shop?”
At those words, Go Chief Manager of the Eunpung Corps spoke up.
“Then why not simply purchase the shop? It’s not as though we lack the funds?”
“I attempted precisely that, but….”
Yeon Officer continued with a weary sigh.
“He refuses to sell under any circumstances. He claims he might consider it only if we offered ten times the market value….”
“….”
Only then did we grasp the situation fully.
That notorious scheme—extortion through a lucrative property.

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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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