The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 202

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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 202

Chapter 202. Yangyang Martial School (1)

My birthday celebration had come to an end.
Many guests had arrived to congratulate me on my birthday, and I had spent the evening offering my sincere gratitude to each of them.
This celebration was notably different from others—far more families had brought their daughters than their sons.
The reason was so transparent that I had to suppress bitter smiles throughout the entire event.
Unlike my elder brothers, I had no intention of marrying in the foreseeable future.
The path I walk is anything but ordinary.
A married couple is called a life companion—a partnership that means walking through life together as one.
Just as chopsticks must be paired to serve their purpose, and shoes must be matched to fulfill their role, a married couple cannot help but walk life’s journey together.
Whether that path is lined with flowers or thorns.
I could not impose such a shared journey upon someone unconnected to my destiny.

After concluding my birthday celebration and immersing myself in work, the biting winter wind began to sweep through with renewed ferocity.
December had already arrived, so perhaps it was inevitable, yet this year felt particularly harsh compared to the last.
If even Hubei Province—a region known for its relatively mild climate—was suffering such cold, the northern regions must have been unbearably frigid.
I found myself worrying whether the guests who had traveled from the north had made it home safely.
I had gifted fur pelts to all my birthday guests as tokens of appreciation.
They were rabbit furs, though they commanded a respectable price.
Some might say the gift was excessive, but there was sound reasoning behind it.
From this winter onward, for years to come, clothing and accessories made from fur would be essential for enduring the bitter cold.
I had given these gifts hoping that as my guests wore garments made from them, they would remember our trading company’s fine furs.
Indeed, the Northern Sea hunters possessed remarkable skill in working with pelts.
I could already hear the sound of silver accumulating in the Eunhae Trading Company’s coffers.
Ah…
Now that I think about it, in my previous life, this very cold had delayed my Small Guild Master inauguration ceremony until the following year.
Since my birthday fell in the eleventh month, the ceremony had been scheduled for the twelfth month.
However, an unexpected cold snap had forced us to postpone it to spring, and with continuous crises arising, it was pushed back until autumn.
Of course, the lack of a ceremony did not prevent me from assuming my duties as Small Guild Master, so I had begun that work in the twelfth month.
And when my inauguration ceremony finally took place after the new year, it was remarkably somber.
An unexpected famine had reduced the number of guests who could attend, and a liquor ban meant the celebration proceeded without wine.
Was it the following year? Eun Jung-ho’s wedding had also been conducted modestly at that time.
So Jin-ho’s wedding had to be hastily arranged before the liquor ban was imposed.
All things considered, this coming spring is perfectly timed.
To make that happen, I would need to prevent the crisis that would occur this spring.
As I walked through the trading company grounds contemplating my plans ahead, I heard the voices of Eunpung Corps warriors.
“Huh? Isn’t that Tiger-Slaying Spear Master over there?”
“Indeed! I always thought he was no ordinary man.”
“Did you see the Spirit Creature that our Second Guild Master caught?”
“I did! I’ve never seen a tiger that massive before!”
I grinned at their conversation and approached them.
I could see Jin-ho diligently training in the Training Ground.
Jin-ho had earned the title Tiger-Slaying Spear Master after capturing the Blood Tiger this time.
In my previous life, a Jo Jang from the Murim Alliance had obtained that title through cowardice, but in this life, Jin-ho had claimed it with honor.
Moreover, it seemed he had gained some enlightenment from this battle, as he was dedicating himself even more intensely to his training.
Of course, he hadn’t neglected his meetings with Ha Young Lady either.
Jin-ho had been absolutely beaming lately.
I had given him the Heavenly Fragrance Spirit Wine to treat Ha Young Lady’s Triple Yin Meridian, and they had formally established their betrothal.
Jin-ho had personally brought the Heavenly Fragrance Spirit Wine to the Black Flute Physician, and the elder was apparently quite startled by it.
I wished I could have seen the Black Flute Physician’s expression of surprise myself.
The elder’s astonishment was an exceedingly rare and precious sight to behold.
As for the Blood Tiger’s corpse that Jin-ho had captured, the Manjol Physician took it for research purposes.
Thanks to that, Jin-ho had earned a substantial side income.
I was curious about what he planned to do with that money.
He didn’t neglect the company’s work, carved out time to meet Ha Young Lady, and still devoted himself to training.
Watching Jin-ho wielding his spear with such fervor, I muttered to myself.
“When does Jin-ho even sleep?”
Palgap tilted his head, so I voiced my thoughts aloud.
But when Palgap heard my words, he gave me a peculiar look.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“That’s not a question you should be asking about Young Master Jin-ho, sir. It’s a question you should be asking yourself, with both hands on your chest.”
“….”
Now that I thought about it, he had a point.
Still, because it was winter, business had slowed down enough that I had time for walks like this.
With almost no sales of the Seolpung Devices during this season, there was far less work to do.
When I had leisure time like this, the place I usually visited was the warehouse I had secured on the Merchant Company Grounds.
My Great-grandfather had purchased a vast plot of land for warehouse storage when he was building up the company.
The land was so expansive compared to the company’s scale at the time that people couldn’t understand the decision, or so I’d heard.
After all, it would have been better to build more company structures instead, or invest the money in trading capital.
But my Great-grandfather had stubbornly pushed through with his vision, they say.
Thanks to that, I could build over thirty warehouses on the Merchant Company Grounds without it looking crowded.
Did my Great-grandfather possess some kind of foresight?
I was grateful for it.
The reason I had built over thirty warehouses was to store grain there.
If civil unrest broke out, it would be difficult to protect warehouses far from the company, especially ones filled with grain.
I had been receiving grain from the Min Estate Lord in exchange for Heavenly Fragrance Spirit Wine.
The grains I received that way, of course, were stacked alongside the additional grain I had purchased with my own profits.
It was clear that this year had been an exceptional harvest—far more grain had arrived than in previous years.
And it continued to arrive even now.
I wondered if I would need to construct several more warehouses.
In any case, seeing the imperial decree posted at the County Office stating that the nation would purchase grain, it appeared the Emperor had accepted my counsel, which he had received through Hwang Bon-ji Minister.
With this level of preparation, I was confident that the great chaos of my past life would not unfold again.
.
.
.
As usual, I rose before dawn to practice my breathing exercises, greeted my Master when he arrived on schedule, and began my training.
The Snowwind Soul Sword Technique that my Master was newly teaching me was rather peculiar.
First of all, it consisted of only a single form.
Thus, I executed the same form every single day.
Yet the reason I felt this Snowwind Soul Sword Technique was a higher-level sword method than the Jinseol Twelve-Form Sword Technique was because I could sense the subtle mysteries contained within each individual movement that composed the form.
Each movement was profound enough to be considered a form unto itself.
My calling the Snowwind Soul Sword Technique peculiar was not solely because it contained only one form.
First, the training method itself was unique.
This was because the circumstances under which I executed the form changed each time.
Sometimes I would execute the form atop a log so narrow that a person could barely climb it; other times, I would execute it upon a tightrope of the sort that wandering acrobats used for their performances.
When it rained, I executed the form in the downpour; sometimes I would enter a basin filled with a mixture of yellow earth and water, made to resemble a marsh, and execute the form within it.
Through such training, I came to perceive that the sensation felt in the form differed depending on the circumstances.
As though the form itself changed its character with each situation.
When I mentioned this to my Master, he was quite astonished.
“To grasp that already! Your aptitude is far superior to what I had anticipated.”
“Then my perception was correct?”
“Indeed. In truth, the Snowwind Soul Sword Technique is a sword method designed to be applied in diverse circumstances. The Snowwind Palace’s techniques were created in the Snow Plain Region, but here in the Central Plains, each place possesses its own character, and there are far more places without snow.”
“I see.”
“I myself was uncertain before, but upon witnessing the Ancestor’s profound understanding, I came to grasp it with certainty.”
So this unusual training method was something my Master had devised after witnessing the Ancestor’s profound understanding.
In other words, the purpose was to have me experience diverse environments so that I might awaken to the true essence of the technique.
Though it was peculiar, since my Master’s cultivation had advanced, I could trust and follow his guidance.
As I recalled that conversation and assumed the opening posture of the form—
Tap.
Hmm?
Something fell upon my shoulder.
Snow?
“The first snow is falling.”
“Indeed. The first snow came rather late this year.”
“Regardless, this is fortunate. Execute the form now. Once you unfold the Snowwind Soul Sword Technique amid falling snow, you will understand why this technique bears that name.”
At my Master’s words, I drew in a breath and leveled my sword toward the distance ahead.
And then I slowly began to unfold my sword form.
Ah—!
I could feel it.
The snowflakes drifting around me were lending strength to my sword form. All the snowflakes in every direction were empowering me as I unfolded the Snowwind Sword Technique.
Never allowing me to tire.
The snow was becoming me, and I was becoming the snow.
Though this martial art was designed for use in various situations, the Snowwind Sword Technique was ultimately a technique of the Snowwind Palace.
After finishing the sword form and sheathing my blade, I spoke to my Master.
“I believe I now understand why you said such things, Master.”
My Master nodded at my words.
But now, at last, the first snow had fallen….
This year, snow had fallen very sparingly.
From what I could recall, snow had been scarce for several years now, falling far less than usual. Could this be a sign of poor harvests?
.
.
.
Training had ended.
“You have worked hard. Let us conclude today’s training here.”
“Thank you for your instruction.”
But from a moment ago, I had noticed something troubling in my Master’s expression.
In truth, my Master’s expression rarely changed.
However, having lived through both my past and present life alongside him, I had learned to discern when something weighed upon his mind simply by observing his face.
I considered pretending not to notice, but if my Master was this serious, it could well be a matter concerning the Snowwind Palace itself.
As a disciple of the Snowwind Palace, I could not simply ignore it.
Sigh. This meddlesome nature of mine.
But I had my excuse—merchants by nature tend to be busybodies.
I was a merchant who dreamed of the greatest trading company under heaven.
“Master, if I may.”
“Yes?”
“It seems you have something troubling you.”
My Master flinched and touched his face.
“My, was it so obvious? My discipline is still lacking, it seems.”
“Not at all. I doubt anyone else would notice.”
I smiled warmly and continued.
“It is only because I am always observing your expression that I came to know of it.”
“You observe my expression?”
“Is it not natural for a disciple to observe their master’s countenance?”
….
My Master regarded me silently for a moment. Being stared at so intently made me feel suddenly bashful.
“In fact, I recently received word from the Yangyang Martial School.”
“Yangyang Martial Hall? Where is that located?”
“I thought you knew… You don’t? That fellow mentioned he met you when you went to the Northern Sea before.”
It was on the tip of my tongue, yet just out of reach….
“It’s a martial school in Zhejiang Province.”
The Northern Sea. Zhejiang Province.
Upon hearing that much, a name suddenly came to mind.
“Could it be related to Yeom Great Warrior…?”
“That’s correct. It’s the place where Yeom Jin-yeon serves as the school master.”
“Then is that Yangyang Martial Hall the place taking on the role of Snowwind Palace?”
At my question, Master nodded.
The role of Snowwind Palace.
That meant raising the children born to the women of the Northern Sea Ice Palace.
“The boys who grow up there and reach a certain age become escorts of the Pyoguk. And the girls are given a choice—whether to become escorts or to enter the Northern Sea Ice Palace.”
“So entering the Northern Sea Ice Palace wasn’t mandatory for the girls.”
“That’s right, of course they have the right to choose. But most choose to enter the Northern Sea Ice Palace. After all, the female warriors of the Northern Sea Ice Palace are objects of admiration for them.”
Indeed, the female warriors of the Northern Sea Ice Palace I had seen before were all brimming with spirit and confidence.
Their martial prowess was formidable as well.
“Then what about the children of the Pyoguk’s escorts?”
“There are no particular restrictions on them.”
“I see.”
“During my last escort run, I met that fellow, and he spoke of you. He said the support funds you provided were of great help.”
“I’m glad it was useful.”
“However… it seems he may have to leave that place.”
“What?”
Master explained the entire situation to me.
Apparently, the Yangyang Martial Hall didn’t own the land itself but was using land borrowed from a nearby estate.
Thanks to the money I had given, they had some surplus and went looking to purchase land, but suddenly the owner refused to sell.
Moreover, he even heard that a tavern was to be built there, and he was told to vacate the building by March of next year.
Faced with such an abrupt turn of events, Master had sent a letter to me.
The Yangyang Martial Hall belonged to Snowwind Palace, and since Master was the Palace Master of Snowwind Palace, he reported this matter.
Just like with the Hwari Ship Shop, it’s truly difficult not owning the land.
But a tavern, you say?
Next year there would be a poor harvest, and a drinking ban would be issued throughout the nation, wouldn’t there?

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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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