The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 209

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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 209

Chapter 209. A Fateful Connection in Hangzhou (2)

At my words, Wi Shop Owner blinked and asked in return.
“What do you mean by that?”
“I mean that from what I can see, you have more than enough ability to operate on a grander scale. So it’s a sort of transaction, if you will.”
I continued.
“You get to operate on that grander scale, and I gain someone I can trust and rely upon for my work.”
“Trust and rely upon… Do you mean for me to work under the Small Guild Master?”
“Exactly.”
“….”
A brief silence fell between us.
Wi Shop Owner’s face bore the unmistakable expression of someone deep in contemplation.
“If it doesn’t suit you, you’re free to refuse.”
“I confess I don’t fully understand why the Small Guild Master would make such an offer to someone like me. I’m already at an age where twilight approaches, and I’m merely a shop owner running a fabric shop in this place. How could I possibly be of help?”
“That very experience and seasoning is more than sufficient.”
“In that case… could you give me some time to think it over?”
“Of course.”
There was no pressing urgency in recruiting him anyway.
So then, why not seek some advice on the more pressing matter at hand?
“Shop Owner, is there perhaps a building in this vicinity spacious enough to accommodate around two hundred people?”
I had left the Yangyang Martial School because I needed a temporary residence until a magnificent structure could be erected on that site.
For now, I needed to find shelter immediately, so it had to be an already-constructed building.
When I laid out the conditions I was seeking, Wi Shop Owner fell silent in thought before speaking.
“There are roughly three places that meet the criteria you’ve described.”
Three places, you say?
“If you have the time, would it be possible to ask for a tour?”
“Of course.”
We left the tea house and moved according to Wi Shop Owner’s guidance.
“First, this is the place.”
It was a nearby estate whose son had accumulated gambling debts, forcing the family to sell the estate building to raise quick funds.
“An estate would have considerable land attached to it, wouldn’t it?”
“According to what I’ve heard, they’ve sold off everything else, and all that remains is that estate building and its grounds.”
“…What on earth was the Manor Lord doing to let things reach such a state?”
“The Manor Lord has a soft heart, and his son is an only child. Whenever the boy makes mistakes and faces punishment, he weeps and swears he’ll never do it again… What can you do in such circumstances?”
“….”
Certainly, gambling is a vice one should never indulge in.
The second location I visited was a three-story tavern situated quite far from West Lake.
The moment I saw it, I understood why this tavern had been put up for sale.
“It’s truly odd—they opened a tavern in such a strange, awkward location.”
“Indeed. Not only is it far from the main district, but the elevation is too low, making it impossible to enjoy West Lake’s scenic beauty.”
“That’s why they’re selling it urgently, then.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
So there existed someone even more foolish than Sung Jang-ju.
To think they’d build a tavern even farther from West Lake than the Yangyang Martial School was.
If they were going to do that, they should have built the tallest tavern in the region, not some measly three-story structure.
“Then allow me to show you the third property.”
The final third option was a building with a spacious courtyard.
“This location is currently occupied by a small martial sect. Their numbers have declined sharply—now there’s only one sect leader and three disciples remaining.”
“And they’re selling despite that?”
“Yes, they’re selling to relocate elsewhere.”
“That won’t be easy…”
While merchant guilds struggle to establish new footholds, honestly, martial sects in the Martial Arts World face even greater difficulties.
They have their own territories, and they despise having their domains encroached upon.
Their territory is their pride, after all.
Even powerful factions find it difficult to relocate their headquarters, yet here are merely four people attempting to move theirs!
“I’m not entirely certain, but I’ve heard the Murim Alliance agreed to help them.”
“The Murim Alliance?”
“Yes. I’ve heard they’re helping by arranging a location within the Murim Alliance once this building is sold.”
Knowing what the Murim Alliance was, I could tell this “help” wouldn’t truly benefit this sect.
“Is the Murim Alliance’s assistance genuine? If so, wouldn’t they simply purchase this property themselves?”
“Now that you mention it, something does seem odd about this.”
If they sold this place and took the money to the Murim Alliance, the Alliance would undoubtedly pocket those funds.
That would mean my hard-earned money flowing into the Murim Alliance’s coffers.
That absolutely cannot happen.
Then I’d have to choose between the first and second properties I saw.
Even though I’d only be staying for about a year, I still needed to choose carefully. A year is hardly a short span of time, after all.
I’d need to discuss this with Yeom Chief Manager and Ha Pyo-doo as well.
“Thank you for showing me around today. If I decide to make a purchase, I’d appreciate your assistance then as well.”
“Of course.”
“And I look forward to positive news.”

I saw Wi Shop Owner off with a smile.
Truly, the ways of the world are beyond comprehension.
Who would have thought that someone I saved out of mere compassion would prove so invaluable?
The Dong Merchant Guild in Jiangsu Province was one of the larger merchant houses, and the fan-patterned silk they produced was popular throughout the Central Plains.
Though it collapsed due to the Merchant Guild Leader’s reckless decisions.
The workshop that currently produced the fan-patterned silk operated independently, just as it had in my previous life.
Of course, much of their ability to operate this way stemmed from the Eunhae Trading Company’s support.
As a result, we now maintained an intimate relationship with them, procuring their fan-patterned silk at favorable prices.
In any case, while he wasn’t technically a Chief Manager at that guild, he worked at that level.
Moreover, the fact that he’d established himself in this fiercely competitive Hangzhou in merely four years spoke volumes about his capabilities.
With his intimate knowledge of local affairs, he was precisely the person I needed to handle matters in my stead.
I hoped he would view my proposal favorably.

That evening, I met with Chun-il once more.
Again, he appeared in an entirely different guise.
It was truly remarkable how he managed to present himself differently each time we met.
“I’ve gathered the information you mentioned last time.”
Right, that’s correct. I’d asked him to find a suitable location for the Yangyang Martial School to relocate to.
He’d said he would inform me of his findings today, which is why we met.
“There are three locations that meet the conditions you specified, Small Guild Master. First….”
As I listened to him, I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.
The three locations Chun-il mentioned matched exactly with those Wi Shop Owner had shown me earlier.
“In truth, there are several other places, but they either have questionable backgrounds or something seems amiss about them.”
So Wi Shop Owner had filtered out those questionable or problematic locations and presented only these three to me.
Seeing how he’d selected only suitable options and introduced them to me in less than an hour after hearing my request proved he was truly talented.
I found myself increasingly drawn to Wi Shop Owner.
.
.
.
I informed Yeom Chief Manager and Ha Pyo-doo about the locations I’d been shown by Wi Shop Owner today.
“…Thus, I believe one of these two locations would be most suitable.”
“Have you already found a place for relocation?”
“Since the weather is growing colder rapidly, I thought the sooner we move, the better.”
“That’s sound reasoning. Your decisiveness is quite remarkable.”
At Ha Pyo-doo’s words, I smiled sheepishly.
That was indeed one of my strengths.
Once a decision was made, there was no point in hesitating. One must act immediately.
“I understand your concerns about relocating. However, even if we were to construct a new building here, we would need to vacate this space for some time regardless.”
“That’s true enough.”
“But purchasing a new building simply for this purpose seems wasteful, don’t you think?”
At those words, I shook my head firmly.
“It’s absolutely not wasteful. I’ll be able to recover far more than that amount later.”

The two men deferred to my judgment.
The Palace Master, my Master, had granted me full authority, and neither of them possessed greater insight into commerce than I did.
After our discussion, we decided to purchase the first estate we had been shown.
It had a spacious courtyard and, having been inhabited, was in the cleanest condition overall.
Of course, the third property we were shown had similar conditions to the first, but I excluded it without a moment’s hesitation.
The Murim Alliance was involved with it.

The next morning, a letter arrived for me.

[I hope we might meet at the tea house where we met before. If you tell me the time, I shall adjust my schedule accordingly.]

It was a letter from Wi Shop Owner.
I wrote a reply and sent it with the Shop Attendant who had brought the letter.

I headed to the tea house, having arranged to meet Wi Shop Owner at the hour of Shin—between three and five in the afternoon.
“Ah! You’ve arrived?”
Wi Shop Owner had already claimed a quiet corner table.
“You came early.”
“No, I only just arrived myself.”
We sat across from each other, sipping tea and admiring the scenery for a moment.
Wi Shop Owner spoke first.
“I… have given it considerable thought.”
“Yes.”
He meant he had considered my proposal.
“Truthfully, that I am alive at all is entirely due to the Small Guild Master’s kindness. Therefore, it is only right that I follow the Small Guild Master.”
Was he accepting?
“Thus, I, Wi Mo, shall work under the Small Guild Master.”
“Is that truly so? I am genuinely grateful.”
“In truth, the reason I asked for time to consider was to put my shop in order.”
I quickly waved my hand.
“There is no need for that.”
“Pardon?”
“What I ask of you is work you can accomplish while maintaining your current position. Of course, I shall provide you with a separate monthly stipend.”
I explained to Wi Shop Owner the tasks he would need to undertake, and he immediately nodded in understanding.
“I see. I understand.”
“First, there is something I need you to do immediately.”
“What might that be?”
“I’d like to purchase the land and building. Among the properties you showed me last time, the first one caught my interest.”
Wi Shop Owner paused thoughtfully before responding.
“The asking price for that property, including the land, is seven hundred silver taels. I’d prefer not to negotiate further. Since it’s being sold urgently, it’s already priced quite competitively. After paying off the gambling debts, they’ll likely be in tight financial straits.”
“I have no intention of haggling over the price. Just proceed at that amount.”
“Understood.”
“By the way, once they sell the estate, what will become of the household members?”
“I imagine they’ll use whatever remains after settling the debts to secure a modest home.”
“You mentioned they’d be in tight straits after paying the debts. Would they have around a hundred taels left?”
“Roughly that amount.”
With that sum, purchasing a house would leave them in genuinely difficult circumstances.
“In that case, please acquire another small house nearby. Have the former estate’s household members live there instead.”
“Pardon?”
“Honestly, they’re being evicted from their home, aren’t they? So providing them with a house at reasonable rent seems like a decent arrangement.”
“Indeed, Small Guild Master, you truly are a kind person.”
Am I, though?
Am I truly a good person?
The truth is, I’m doing this because I have ulterior motives.
What I’m after is my reputation.
While I purchased the property fairly with legitimate funds, rumors could spread in unfortunate ways.
I want to prevent any whispers that the Yangyang Martial School threw respectable people onto the streets.
After all, the former estate lord’s family were prominent figures in this region.
“I’m simply trying to ensure that neither the Martial School nor I become the subject of unfavorable gossip. I’m not a good person.”
“No, Small Guild Master. You truly are a good person.”

The process of purchasing the building proceeded at a breakneck pace.
When I bought the estate and offered to pay the funds immediately, the Manor Lord was deeply grateful.
And when I mentioned that I would provide them with a house to live in, tears even streamed down their faces.
Having squandered all their wealth and finally lost the house itself because of their son’s recklessness, both the Manor Lord and his Lady looked utterly haggard and drained.
Children truly are a curse upon their parents.
I sighed inwardly and asked the Manor Lord.
“How old is your son?”
“He’s twenty-four this year. And the second son is twenty.”
So the eldest, the one who gambles, must be twenty-four years old.
At that age, it’s not too late to enroll in the Rehabilitation Specialist Academy.
“Would you perhaps be interested in the Rehabilitation Specialist Academy?”
.
.
.
Five days later.
The move began.
Since they said they would hand over most of the original furniture, I paid an additional hundred silver taels to purchase it all.

“Huh? Are we living here now?”
“Yes.”
“Wow, the courtyard here is huge!”
“Whoa! The kitchen is enormous!”
Fortunately, the new place was nearby, so despite it being winter, the move wasn’t particularly difficult.
The children wandered through the new house, exploring every corner.
I spoke to Yeom Chief Manager.
“If you have any lingering attachment to the previous building, I could have it dismantled and moved to another location for you.”
At my words, he hastily shook his head.
He had clearly come to understand that when I say I’ll do something, I do it.
“Attachment? Not at all! For the children’s sake, a new building is far better than an old one.”
“That’s true.”
“I’m quite looking forward to the day the new building on that land is completed. Haha.”
I too was looking forward to it immensely.
That’s why I could gladly bear the demolition costs.
When the building was completed, Sung Jang-ju would lose outright the structure he had so ambitiously poured his wealth into.

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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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