The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 22

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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 22

Chapter 22. The Wooden Puppet (2)

Then why, in the life I had lived before, did the Jingyeon Trading Company Master kidnap Gong Doogong’s family?
If they had signed a contract as slaves, there would be no need to kidnap them….
Ah!
I thought I understood the reason.
The thief I caught was the cause.
If I hadn’t caught that thief yesterday, Gong Doogong would have lost his money entirely.
Still, he would have somehow scraped by and survived.
Given his character, those around him would have helped him.
The Jingyeon Trading Company Master wouldn’t have anticipated that.
And perhaps something else came up that prevented him from paying attention to the craftsman.
So Gong Doogong left the Jingyeon Trading Company.
Then he learned about the wooden puppet, and the Jingyeon Trading Company, which had been watching Gong Doogong’s surroundings, discovered Gong Mil’s talent, and the tragedy began.
I could only laugh inwardly.
A single trivial action of mine—catching a thief—had changed the situation so drastically.
And by saving the thief’s life, I could prevent this dirty scheme.
For now, rescuing Gong Doogong and his family was the priority.
“Our trading company is detaining something that belongs to the Eunhae Trading Company! That’s absurd.”
“It’s not absurd.”
I pulled a document from my sleeve.
It was a contract I had made with Gong Doogong and his family.
The seal was clearly stamped on it.
Of course, Gong Doogong had never actually sealed this contract. It was a forged document I had created.
“We signed the contract yesterday.”
And I nudged Gong Doogong’s leg with my foot. He was perceptive enough to immediately play along.
“That’s right. You visited yesterday and said you would provide good treatment, so I sealed the agreement.”
Since he himself had now admitted it, strictly speaking, it was no longer a forgery.
I spoke with confidence.
“Therefore, from yesterday evening, Gong Doogong and his family have belonged to our trading company.”
The contract I had prepared just in case after hearing the thief’s confession yesterday was now serving its purpose perfectly.
I was the one who elevated the Eunhae Trading Company to become one of the three greatest trading companies in the Realm.
Forging a contract like this was nothing to me.
Of course, the other party, being someone who worked for a trading company, could detect the forgery if they examined it closely, but I had no intention of giving them that opportunity.
At my words and Gong Doogong’s confirmation, Hwang Garyeong’s expression turned dismayed. In that moment, he laughed bitterly.
“Then….”
Hwang Garyeong laughed sharply and spoke.
“The Eunhae Trading Company must compensate for what this fellow stole.”
“Stole? What did he steal?”
“This gold certificate. I found it in his house.”
Hwang Garyeong held out the gold certificate.
“Let me see it for a moment.”
“Of course.”
I took the gold certificate and examined its weight as I asked.
“Is this really a genuine gold certificate?”
“Of course it is!”
“You’re lying through your teeth.”
At my words, his face flushed red.
“Th-that’s quite rude….”
I drew a dagger from my sleeve—a gift from my two elder brothers.
Seeing it, Hwang Garyeong flinched, and I infused the dagger with a touch of inner energy before scraping it across the gold certificate.
The gold leaf peeled away, revealing dark metal beneath.
“Isn’t counterfeiting currency a capital crime?”
“That is, well….”
Hwang Garyeong, flustered and at a loss, stared helplessly, and watching him, I grinned wickedly.
There were two reasons I knew the gold certificate he presented as evidence was counterfeit.
First was the weight.
The weight of the gold certificate in my hand differed from what I knew a genuine one should weigh.
In my previous life alone, I had handled countless genuine certificates.
So naturally, I could tell something was amiss.
The second reason was the character of the Jingyeon Trading Company Master.
The Jingyeon Trading Company was still not particularly large. They couldn’t afford to treat gold certificates so carelessly.
Yet a merchant master so greedy and suspicious would hand over a gold certificate for such a purpose? Impossible.
That comprehensive judgment led to this conclusion.
A lump of metal shaped like a gold certificate with a thin layer of gold leaf applied over it.
Even if this hadn’t been used in transactions, it still constituted currency counterfeiting.
From Hwang Garyeong’s reaction, he knew it too.
Just then, having apparently heard the news belatedly, the Jingyeon Trading Company Master arrived at my location.
“Tsk! What shameful conduct in another’s establishment….”
“Greetings, Master.”
It had been quite some time since I’d seen this face.
After I ruined his trading company, there had been no reason to see it again.
“This is hardly a greeting. What in the world is this?”
Beside me, Hwang Garyeong waved his hands frantically. Now was not the time for this.
“What exactly are you doing there….”
“Master, I’ve just discovered something quite fascinating.”
I pointed at the counterfeit gold voucher.
“You’ve been making fake gold vouchers.”
“…!”
“I intend to report this to Jihyeon.”
At my words, he immediately protested.
“W-what nonsense are you spouting? Fake gold vouchers!”
“There’s the Jingyeon Trading Company’s mark engraved on the bottom of this voucher.”
“Gasp!”
That mark was likely engraved to prevent it from being switched with a genuine gold voucher.
And that mark had tightened the noose around his neck.
“Then please step aside. I must go to Jihyeon now.”
At my words, he hastily grabbed my sleeve.
Smack—!
But his hand was coldly struck away by my Guard Warrior.
He fell to his knees desperately and cried out.
“P-please, just let this slide once! I’ll do whatever you ask!”
“Are you sincere?”
“Of course!”
Currency counterfeiting was a grave crime, and if he were dragged away like this, he would face considerable suffering.
However, I had no intention of dealing with him based solely on this.
Though it was a grave crime, it might not be enough to ensure his complete downfall.
This was bait.
Bait to ensure the complete downfall of the Jingyeon Trading Company Master.
“I understand. I’ll decide what to demand today. I’ll keep this in my possession.”
“Very well.”
“Then, let us depart.”
I helped Gong the Craftsman to his feet.
“And Gong the Craftsman’s family—I’ll take them with me.”
“Ah, understood.”
I spoke to the Guard Warrior beside me.
“Please inform Jeong Jo-jang that I’m staying at Gong the Craftsman’s house today.”
“Understood.”
Hearing that response, I glanced subtly at the Jingyeon Trading Company Master.
If I knew the Jingyeon Trading Company Master, he would never let go of the bait I’d dangled.

* * *

I returned to Gong the Craftsman’s house with him and his family.
Upon receiving my message, Palgap arrived at Gong the Craftsman’s house with Gong Rae.
“Father!”
“Rae!”
I watched their touching reunion with quiet satisfaction.
Shortly after, Gong the Craftsman approached me and bowed deeply.
“Thank you so much for saving our family.”
“I merely did what was necessary.”
“Even so, we are deeply grateful for your kindness.”
I chuckled softly.
“Then, will you enter into a contract with me now?”
“Of course.”
At those words, Gong Do-gong’s Wife asked a question.
“A contract?”
Gong the Craftsman explained everything from the beginning, and his wife nodded in understanding.
“I see.”
“You’ll need to start anew in a different place, but I assure you that you’ll be treated fairly.”
At my words, Gong the Craftsman waved his hand.
“Please don’t say such things. It’s infinitely better than becoming a slave. Ah, you must be hungry, Young Master.”
“Shall I slaughter a chicken?”
At Gong Do-gong’s Wife’s suggestion, I smiled and replied.
“Don’t worry about food. Palgap.”
“Yes! You called for me, Young Master?”
“Go and bring back some provisions for tonight’s meal.”
“Understood.”
I handed Palgap a money pouch, which he accepted before leaving through the private gate.
“So… you’re Gong Mil, correct?”
At my words, Gong Mil nodded.
“Yes.”
“Would you speak with me for a moment?”
“Yes. Please go ahead.”
“Actually, there’s something I need. Do you think you could make it?”
“What do you need?”
I drew a picture on the ground with my hand as I explained.
“Something like a doll that dances on its own at regular intervals.”
Gong Rae, who had been listening beside us, interjected.
“Wait? Isn’t that the one my older brother made for me before?”
“…What?”
At my question, Gong Mil scratched his head and spoke.
“As my sister says, it’s a doll I made before. It should be somewhere around here…”
Gong Mil asked me to wait a moment, then went into the barn beside his house and returned with something.
‘Could it be…?’
What he brought out was a wooden figurine.
Though it looked somewhat crude, it was unmistakably similar to a mechanical doll.
“Huh….”
He had already made this!
Just how much of a genius was this fellow?
“But what should we do? This one is broken….”
I asked him.
“Can you make this again?”
“Of course. I remember how I made it.”
“Good, then let’s make this together with me tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
“And there’s something I need your permission for.”
“My permission? What is it?”
“I intend to sell the things you make to people. I wanted to get your permission for this.”
“Hmm….”
Gong Mil scratched his head.
“Will it be alright? What I make isn’t all that impressive….”
“You don’t need to worry about that. What you make is impressive. And I will give you a portion of the profits. With that money, you can support your parents comfortably and buy nice things for your sister.”
I asked him.
“What do you think?”
Gong Mil, who had been thinking for a moment at my question, nodded.
“That sounds good.”
“No, wait.”
“Yes?”
I told Gong Mil.
“You shouldn’t just agree so readily after hearing only that. How could you give an immediate answer without knowing if someone might exploit you?”
“But you saved us, Young Master….”
To Gong Mil, who was scratching his head, I wagged my finger.
“No matter what, you shouldn’t trust so easily. Someone might propose such things precisely to exploit you on a larger scale.”
“Ah… I see.”
“When someone makes you such a proposal, you must carefully examine the profit distribution, working conditions, and all sorts of other terms.”
“Ah….”
And so I gave Gong Mil an accelerated lecture on contracts, while both Gong Mil and Gong Rae absorbed everything I taught them with sparkling eyes.
They were truly siblings worth instructing.

* * *

Geumson Village, where most residents slept, was shrouded in darkness unlike the bustling Geumson Market.
A group of men radiating sinister intent entered the village.
Among them was one man.
The Jingyeon Trading Company Master.
“Is everything prepared?”
“Yes, it is done.”
He laughed bitterly.
Today he had suffered an unthinkable humiliation.
The youngest whelp of the Eunhae Trading Company had blackmailed him with a counterfeit Golden Seal Certificate of his own making.
It was only natural that his pride had been shattered.
‘That rotten bastard…’
Moreover, since Eun Seo-ho had ruined his plan to acquire Gong Du-i the craftsman, his fury toward him burned white-hot.
But,
he was not one to simply endure such treatment.
The fact that Eun Seo-ho was staying at Gong Doogong’s House made this all the more convenient.
Today’s plan was simple.
Kidnap Gong Doogong and his family, and assassinate Eun Seo-ho.
At the same time, recover the counterfeit Golden Seal Certificate that Eun Seo-ho possessed.
The dead tell no tales.
And he would make it appear to be the work of water bandits.
Geumson Village was frequently attacked by water bandits who plundered the wealth of its residents.
That is why he had brought clothing made of fish leather along with water bandit spears and water bandit swords.
Items as symbolic as the water bandits themselves.
As long as they left no trace of themselves, it would be concluded to be the work of water bandits.
‘So why did that brat have to meddle?’
There was a Guard Warrior protecting Gong Doogong’s House, but he could easily handle that.
Numbers always win.
It did not matter that Eun Seo-ho was the young master of the Eunhae Trading Company.
After all, without evidence, they could do nothing to the Jingyeon Trading Company.
“But… is this truly necessary?”
At Hwang Young Ga-ryeong’s words, the Master spoke.
“What? Are you afraid?”
“It’s just that I don’t think we need to kill him. And if they discover it was us, the Eunhae Trading Company won’t let it slide. The Eunhae Trading Company is among the top ten in Hubei Province.”
“What if that bastard takes the Golden Seal Certificate to the Government Office? Then neither you nor I will come out of this unscathed, will we?”
“…Then why did you make it in the first place?”
“Then who should I have trusted with the real one? I had no choice.”
At those words, Hwang Young clicked his tongue inwardly.
Though he followed because the man was his master, the Master’s greed was something even he found tiresome.
Whether others died or wept tears of blood mattered little to him—what mattered was that he himself suffered no loss.

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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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