The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 21

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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 21

Chapter 21. The Wooden Puppet (1)

The carriages and carts bore ornate flags emblazoned with “Juha Trading Company” and the seal of the Pyoguk.
Juha Trading Company was a merchant guild of comparable scale to Eunhae Trading Company.
Soon, the members of Eunhae Trading Company and those of Juha Trading Company met, exchanged names, and offered their greetings.
Then they verified the terms of the transaction.
“As agreed upon initially, five hundred bolts of premium silk from Sichuan Province.”
“Five hundred catties of white tiger silver needles from Fujian Province. And eight hundred catties of Guangxi sugar, as contracted.”
A member of Sang-yu Hall inquired.
“May we examine the condition of the white tiger silver needles?”
“Of course you should.”
“Then we shall inspect the silk.”
“Please do.”
We examined the goods brought by the other party. This was to verify whether the merchandise bore any defects.
To assess the quality of tea, one must brew and taste it directly.
The member of Sang-yu Hall who brewed and sampled the tea smiled faintly and nodded.
“Excellent.”
I too could sense the superior quality of the tea upon tasting it.
Juha Trading Company also examined our silk meticulously and nodded in approval.
Thus the transaction proceeded smoothly and without incident.
It was then.
Someone came rushing toward the open ground where the transaction was taking place.
He was one of my Guard Warriors.
He had been carrying out a task I had assigned, and his rushing here like this meant something had happened as I had anticipated.
But.
Clinging to the Guard Warrior’s chest was a small, familiar girl.
Her name was Gong Rae.
The younger sister of the boy who had crafted the wooden puppet.
At this sudden turn of events, the onlookers wore expressions of bewilderment.
I hurried toward him and asked.
“What has happened?”
It was Gong Rae who answered my question.
“Young Master! Please help! My family has been taken!”
“What?”
“People came and said Father had stolen something, and they took Mother and my elder brother away.”
The Guard Warrior continued.
“The child speaks the truth. Men from Jingyeon Trading Company forcibly took away Gong Doogong’s wife and son.”
Jingyeon Trading Company.
Hearing that name, my anger surged anew.

In truth, when I caught the thief who had picked Gong Doogong’s pocket yesterday, I sensed something amiss.
Through our conversation, I perceived it—he possessed a cautious nature.
So I examined him more closely, and as I suspected, the purse bore a cord. He must have secured it to his body with that very cord.
Yet despite this, the thief had targeted Gong Doogong’s purse by severing that cord.
All while ignoring other victims nearby from whom he could have stolen far more easily.
Moreover, the thief’s expression had been one of regret.
It was strange—he should have feared what lay ahead, yet instead he seemed disappointed.
Gripped by an unsettling premonition, I made my way to the Government Office and offered a small gift to one of the Patrol Officers, requesting he keep watch over the thief.
And that very night, an incident erupted.
One Patrol Officer had attempted to kill the thief, but the officer I had asked to watch noticed it.
As the situation escalated and others gathered, that Patrol Officer allegedly slit his own throat with a dagger in self-termination.
And the thief confessed everything.

“I… I only did as I was ordered. They told me to steal whenever Gong Du-i received his monthly wages…”
“Then, who gave you the order?”
“It was… Hwang Garyeong of Jingyeon Trading Company.”

Jingyeon Trading Company.
The moment I heard that name, fury ignited within me.

“But why did that Patrol Officer try to kill you?”
“That Patrol Officer had been receiving substantial bribes from Jingyeon Trading Company. We had an arrangement for him to release me, but… this damned fool!”

So the Patrol Officer who had taken his own life had done so out of fear of the punishment he would face if his bribery were exposed.

“By the way, I heard that Jingyeon Trading Company has been taking quite an intense interest in that craftsman. Hehe.”
“…?”
“I overheard them saying that even if I failed, they had other methods.”

On the off chance that something might happen, I sent one of the Guard Warriors to Gong Doogong’s House to keep watch in secret.
As expected, it was the Jingyeon Trading Company that had caused the trouble.
I spoke respectfully to Jung Chung.
“I apologize, but it seems I must step away for a moment.”
“What is the matter?”
I explained the situation in detail to Jung Chung.
After listening to my explanation, Jung Chung consulted with my Master about something.
Then he summoned the vice-commander of Eunpung Guard Unit Three and ordered half of them to accompany me.
“It seems a show of force will be necessary. Please go with the vice-commander.”
I bowed deeply at this unexpected and generous assistance.
“Thank you.”
“It is only natural that we should help. Think nothing of it.”
“Then I shall return shortly.”
.
.
.
I immediately sent warriors to investigate the situation.
In the meantime, I questioned Gong Rae about what had happened.
“But how did you avoid being taken away?”
“I hid.”
“You hid?”
“Yes. When those people suddenly grabbed Mother and my older brother, I quickly climbed up onto the roof and hid there.”
“On the roof? Why?”
“People usually don’t look above their heads very well. It’s hard to see up there, and…”
“That’s true.”
“Those people searched through pots and jars and things, but they couldn’t find me.”
“You even thought to hide—that’s impressive!”
“If I had been captured too, there would be no one to help me. Our family is only Father, Mother, my older brother, and me.”
At those words, I gently stroked Gong Rae’s head and spoke.
“You did well. Thanks to you, I was able to learn what happened.”
“After those people left and I came down from the roof, I met a kind warrior.”
“I see.”
I had been so focused on Gong Mil that I hadn’t noticed—Gong Rae, the younger sibling, was also quite a clever child.
In that brief moment, she had grasped the situation, found a safe place, and hidden herself.
‘So it was because of that bastard, the Jingyeon Trading Master, that these tender shoots capable of blooming brilliantly in the future were trampled to death.’
Anger surged within me once more.
Just then, the warriors I had sent to investigate returned.
“Young Master. We have learned the situation.”
“Yes, what is the state of affairs?”
“Gong Du-i the Potter is being held on the charge of stealing money from the trading company. They took his family away, saying they would sell them if he does not repay the stolen money.”
At those words, Gong Rae cried out.
“Absolutely not! Father would never do such a thing! He’s always told us to live with integrity!”
I placed my hand on Gong Rae’s head and spoke.
“That’s right. Your father isn’t that kind of man. So don’t worry and play here with Palgap.”
I turned to Palgap.
“Palgap, I’m counting on you to look after this child.”
“Understood, Young Master.”
I addressed the Warrior.
“So, where are Gong Doogong and his family right now?”
“They’re at the Jingyeon Trading Company. It’s a fairly well-known establishment in Geumson Market for pottery dealings.”
“Though compared to our Eunhae Trading Company, it’s merely a small operation.”
There was no way I could let Gong Mil be taken from us again by the Jingyeon Trading Master.
I took the lead and spoke.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes.”

* * *

Gong Du-i couldn’t fathom what was happening.
Coming to work at the Jingyeon Trading Company that morning had been no different from any other day.
But then, out of nowhere, a high-ranking official from the company appeared with warriors and arrested him.
The charge: theft of company property.
He protested his innocence, insisted it was impossible.
But when they produced a gold ingot, claiming it had been found at his home, he understood instantly.
He had fallen into a trap.

“So, you still deny your crime?”
“How many times must I say I’m innocent?”
“Your innocence means nothing when the evidence speaks for itself!”
“I know nothing of this!”
Gong Du-i protested vehemently, but Hwang Garyeong seemed unwilling to listen.
“Enough. According to our guild’s laws, theft requires compensation of five times the stolen goods’ value. But since you clearly possess no such wealth, we have no choice but to sell your family members to raise the funds.”
“What? No, that cannot be!”
Gong Du-i cried out in shock.
The Man then thrust a sheet of paper toward him.
“What is… this?”
“Sign it, and you can settle the compensation instead.”
“So what exactly is this? Tell me plainly!”
“A servitude contract. Once you affix your seal here, the matter ends.”
Gong Du-i was utterly flabbergasted.
He could not possibly misunderstand the meaning of a servitude contract.
Hwang Garyeong whispered to him with cunning malice.
“Why hesitate? Surely working somewhere you know is better than being sold to some unknown, harsh establishment?”
Grrr!
Gong Du-i ground his teeth.
“Did you orchestrate this because I intend to leave at the end of this month and join another trading company?”
“What nonsense are you speaking? Hahaha. Why would we go to such trouble? Hahahaha.”
“…”
It was clear now.
My contract term had ended last month, and now that I sought to move elsewhere, they had fabricated this crime to keep me bound to the guild.
“So? Will you not sign?”
“…”
The situation was utterly despicable.
With no one to prove my innocence, my guilt as a thief was already established fact.
Tears blurred my vision as I confronted the helplessness of being merely a humble potter.
Why did the words of that young master from the Eunhae Trading Company, whom I met yesterday, suddenly return to my mind?

“Though it is strange for someone of the guild to say this, there are quite a few who will do anything for money.”

How true those words were.
Though it shamed me to admit it, I was a rather skilled potter.
In other words, a potter worth money.
And that is precisely why they do this.

“However, the Eunhae Trading Company prides itself on maintaining conscience. We hold the principle that people must be valued—a legacy passed down through generations, and one I share. Thus, I proposed the condition of forty percent of your earnings. Such compensation should prevent you from bearing the stigma of thievery.”

The young master of the Eunhae Trading Company’s eyes sparkled as he spoke those words, brimming with confidence in himself.
Gong Doogong thought that perhaps he could entrust his son to such a person without worry.
At least then he wouldn’t have to witness such degradation.
‘But if I become a slave, the children will also….’
Tap, tap!
Hwang Garyeong drummed his fingers on the table, urging him forward.
“Why are you still deliberating? Sign it now!”
“….”
“Now!”
But it was already too late.
His trembling hand moved toward the ink.
Boom—!
That was when it happened.
The door burst open and someone entered.
“I’ve come to find Gong Doogong!”
Gong Doogong’s eyes were blinded by the sudden flood of light. The face visible through it was the Beautiful Youth he had seen yesterday.
“Eh? Young… young master?”

* * *

Upon learning that Gong Doogong and his family were being detained at the Jingyeon Trading Company, I immediately headed there.
“W-who are you?”
“I’ve come from the Eunhae Trading Company.”
“Yes?”
“I hear you’re unlawfully detaining what belongs to me.”
“Yes? What do you mean….”
“Step aside.”
At my words, the warriors immediately shoved the gatekeeper aside and opened the way. I stepped into the trading company.
The Jingyeon Trading Company had made great fortunes from wooden puppets and relocated its headquarters to Kaifeng.
Before that, they were said to be a small trading company….
So this trading company had grown by exploiting Gong Mil and that child.
Then shouldn’t they at least treat him with corresponding respect as a matter of human decency?
At that moment, a warrior shouted.
“He’s over there!”
I immediately headed in that direction, subdued the warriors guarding it, and entered.
Boom!
As I threw the door open forcefully, two figures came into view.
One was Gong Doogong.
The other was someone I recognized.
A man who had followed the Jingyeon Trading Master around, handling various tasks.
What was his name again?
Ah, I remember now.
“A pleasure to meet you. I am Hwang Young Ga-ryeong, Steward of this household.”
“W-who are you?”
“Speaking so casually to someone you’ve just met? That’s quite bold. Hahaha.”
I continued with a smile.
“I’ve come on behalf of the Eunhae Trading Company.”
“…!”
At the mention of the Eunhae Trading Company, his face went rigid. Then, suddenly, he became deferential.
“W-what brings you here?”
“I understand you’re detaining one of my people. I’ve come personally to address this matter.”
I picked up the document lying before Gong Doogong and read it.
“….”
It was a servitude contract.
In other words, a document binding someone to slavery—a lifetime agreement.
Moreover, the contract stipulated that his entire family would become slaves of the Jingyeon Trading Company, and my teeth clenched at the sight of it.
The false accusation of theft from the trading company served as the pretext for all of this.
But why go to such lengths?
Because Gong Doogong is worth money, that’s why. And the fact that they’d resort to this means the contract period must have expired.
I’d sensed it before, but this is truly contemptible.

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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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