The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 230

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Trading Company Chapter 230

Chapter 230. Jin-ho’s Wedding Banquet (5)

Eun Seo-ho spoke with a gentle smile.
“I heard raised voices and wondered if something was amiss, so I came to check.”
Bang Woo exhaled a breath of relief inwardly.
Fortunately, it seemed he hadn’t noticed the connection between himself and the warriors.
So he responded casually.
“I was merely disciplining these warriors for a moment.”
“I see. Did our warriors make some mistake?”
“Ahem, it was nothing serious.”
“Still, shouldn’t you tell me what happened so we can prevent such mistakes in the future?”
Bang Woo pondered briefly, then spoke with a slight smile.
“These fellows were speaking ill of me.”
“Is that so? I sincerely apologize.”
“I’ve already admonished them sufficiently, so it’s settled.”
“I’m truly sorry for the trouble.”
“Then I’ll take my leave. Do manage your warriors properly. Ahem.”
Bang Woo left with a false cough.
Still, after venting his anger, it seemed to have subsided somewhat.
‘Seeing that fellow bow his head to me feels rather pleasant. Hehehehe.’
And because of that claim about ‘speaking ill of him,’ those two warriors would face considerable scolding.
He had heard that Eun Seo-ho’s nature was gentle in ordinary matters, but extremely sharp and strict about what was wrong.
And if they made clumsy excuses, they would be scolded even more harshly.
The two warriors would stumble over their words as they faced Eun Seo-ho’s rebuke.
‘It’s convenient that Eun Small Merchant Leader will punish those two bastards in my stead, so I don’t have to spoil my mood unnecessarily. Hehehehe.’
But soon a heavy sigh escaped him.
He had just realized again that this plan had completely failed and he had lost considerable money.
‘Black Frog! That damned bastard! I should never have trusted such a lowborn wretch whose origins were unknown from the start.’
He was uncertain how to handle this situation, but first there was something that needed to be done.
“Go and kill that bastard Black Frog.”
“Understood.”

* * *

Watching Bang-u Sub-leader’s retreating figure, I had to suppress the laughter threatening to burst from my chest.
These two warriors spoke ill of him? At least make up a lie that sounds plausible.
It seemed he’d fabricated that story hoping I would punish them in his stead….
Did I really look that foolish to him?
After waiting until he was out of sight, I turned to Bae Cheol Warrior and Go Ju-sang Warrior with a question.
“Why did the Pharmacy Owner call you two?”
“Well… he was interrogating us about why people weren’t experiencing stomach troubles.”
“I see.”
Stomach troubles? Of course there wouldn’t be any.
How could there be stomach troubles from fake medicine?
At that moment, Go Ju-sang Warrior asked hesitantly.
“Um, but why did you bow your head for us earlier?”
“Since warriors belonging to the Eunhae Trading Company made a mistake, isn’t it natural for me, as the Small Merchant Guild Leader of the Eunhae Trading Company, to bow my head?”
“….”
At my matter-of-fact words, their expressions hardened.
“Not just me, but Father and my Elder Brothers would have acted the same way.”
“But we….”
“Still, on the surface, you are warriors belonging to the Eunpung Corps of the Eunhae Trading Company, are you not?”
At my words, their faces showed deep emotion.
Was this really something to be so moved by?
“Anyway, you’ve done well. If you continue to cooperate like this going forward, I’ll ensure you can remain in the Eunpung Corps as you wish.”
“We will devote ourselves to loyalty.”
“Trust me.”
I nodded and left my seat.
By the way, earlier Bang-u Sub-leader seemed to tell his subordinate, “Go kill that bastard Black Frog….”?
The hearing of a Peak Realm warrior far surpasses that of ordinary people.
He must have thought he was far enough away from me when he spoke, but I heard every word.
– Seo-woo Warrior, you heard what Bang-u Sub-leader said, right?
– Yes. I heard it very clearly.
– Subdue them together with Jin Yu Warrior.
– Understood.
– And Yeo Eung-am Warrior, please relay my words to Bang Jin Prince.

* * *

Bang Woo hurried toward the Jinse Pharmacy.
He needed to assess the situation and devise a countermeasure.
His mind was already calculating how much money had been squandered on this debacle.
As he tallied the figures, his face grew increasingly pale.
Soon he arrived at the Jinse Pharmacy.
Despite the late hour, the lights burned brightly, yet scarcely a customer was to be seen.
“Ah! You’ve arrived?”
The Jinse Pharmacy Owner bowed respectfully to him.
“However… those medicinal compounds you ordered in bulk must be discarded if they’re not used by today. When will we be able to use them?”
“Those medicines… we won’t be needing them after all.”
“Pardon?”
He spoke through gritted teeth.
“Dispose of them.”
“I understand, but if that’s the case, we currently have no means to pay for the medicinal ingredients.”
“…”
“And… as you surely know, tomorrow is when the monthly wages are due.”
“…”
“Furthermore, the Main Headquarters has ordered us to submit the pharmacy’s profit and loss report the day after tomorrow…”
Bang Woo felt an overwhelming urge to silence the Pharmacy Owner with his fist.
Of course, he could explain the circumstances to the Main Headquarters and request additional funding.
But this pharmacy venture was his pride.
It was the cornerstone that would solidify his still-precarious position as Small Merchant Guild Leader.
Yet if the Main Headquarters deemed this cornerstone faulty, they would remove it.
And naturally, the pillar standing upon that cornerstone—himself—would…
‘That cannot happen.’
In the end, his only option was clear: he would have to drain his personal coffers entirely.
Tears of blood welled in his eyes.

Soon, a bonfire was lit in the courtyard of Jinse Pharmacy.
Crackle, crackle, crackle.
Watching those medicinal herbs burn, my heart ached as if I were watching money go up in flames.
‘Still, why haven’t those bastards arrived yet? Just dealing with that Black Frog alone….’
At that moment, a group of warriors burst into Jinse Pharmacy.
They were the guards escorting the Jinse Company Master, and their expressions were grimly set.
Just from that alone, I could tell something had gone wrong.
“Bang-u Sub-leader. You must come with us for a moment.”
“What is this about?”
“The Company Master has summoned you.”
.
.
.
Bang-u arrived at the main headquarters of Jinse Trading Company with a tense expression.
The place where he was summoned was the Sesejeon Hall, where the Company Master conducted public business.
Upon entering, the senior managers of Jinse Trading Company stood arrayed on both sides.
And his adult half-brothers were also present.
However, his greatest rival, his eldest brother, was nowhere to be seen.
Then it happened.
Footstep, footstep, footstep.
With the sound of footsteps, his father—who should have been bedridden—appeared.
And behind him, his eldest brother, who had been absent, followed.
As the Company Master took his seat, everyone bowed their heads toward him.
“We greet the Company Master.”
“Yes, I apologize for summoning you all so suddenly.”
“Not at all.”
Despite his illness, the Company Master’s presence remained formidable.
“I have arranged this gathering today to discuss whether Bang-u should continue to hold his position as Sub-leader.”
“…!”
Bang-u bit his lip.
His lips, which he had bitten throughout the entire day, were already torn and ached.
“Father. You speak of discussing my Sub-leader position? I was elected Sub-leader by the vote of the senior managers.”
“Your words are correct. But if there are problems with that Sub-leader, we can certainly change it.”
“Problems? What problems could I possibly have?”
The Company Master, clicking his tongue at his feigned ignorance, spoke.
“Bring in the witnesses.”
“Yes!”
Soon, warriors belonging to the Company Master’s Guard Unit brought three people forward.
‘Why are those bastards…!’
Black Frog and his guards.
The Guard Warriors, in particular, looked far from presentable.
Their faces were covered in bruises, their clothes caked with dirt and torn in multiple places.
Only then did Bang-u realize that matters had gone terribly wrong.
The Merchant Guild Leader questioned Black Frog.
“What did that wretch demand of you?”
“Well, you see….”
From his lips poured forth the confession that Bang-u had asked him to create a poison that would cause stomach ailments.
And the purpose behind it as well.
‘Damn it! I’m finished.’
Yet he refused to surrender, his mind racing to find a way out.
“These two warriors here—I understand they are Bang-u’s personal guards. And you confessed that he ordered you to silence the Marketplace Owner by taking his life.”
“Father, I am innocent! This is a false accusation! I don’t even know this Black Frog character, and I have never issued such orders to my guards. In fact, their conduct has been poor, so I only dismissed them today. It seems they harbored resentment and committed this act in revenge.”
At those words, the Guard Warriors’ eyes filled with betrayal.
During all the time they had served Bang-u, they were not ignorant of his true nature.
Yet despite their unwavering loyalty, he discarded them like worn-out rags!
“Bang-u.”
“Yes, Father.”
“You said you don’t know the one who made this poison at all?”
“Ah! Yes! I’ve never even seen him.”
“Then how did you come to know the Marketplace Owner’s name is Black Frog?”
“…!”
“And furthermore, I’ve heard that you instructed the Jinse Pharmacy to produce a large quantity of medicine for stomach ailments. Using your own personal funds, no less.”
“….”
“There is only one reason you would do such a thing. Because you knew it would not be a loss.”
“….”
He found himself at a loss for words.
He could see the expressions of the attendants around him.
Expressions of mockery and contempt.
And the face of his Elder Son standing before him.
That face which had remained composed when the voting results came in moments ago now wore a smile.
A smile of victory.
“As the Merchant Guild Leader of the Jinse Trading Company, I hereby declare. From this moment forward, Bang-u is stripped of his position as Small Merchant Guild Leader.”
At that declaration, he squeezed his eyes shut.
He was finished.

* * *

The day after Jin-ho’s wedding.
I began my training with vigor as I did every morning.
“You have worked hard. We shall conclude today’s training here.”
“I am grateful for your teachings, Master.”
I cupped my fist respectfully and bowed my head.
“It seems you attended the banquet late into the night yesterday… are you not fatigued?”
My Master shook his head slowly with a serene expression.
“Not fatigued in the slightest.”
That would explain why he pushed me so relentlessly today as well.
“In truth, I wished to retire early yesterday, but I had no choice but to stay late conversing with Ha Pyo-doo. There was simply no one else capable of being his conversational partner.”
That made sense. There were few Escort Masters with experience comparable to my Master’s.
Rather, most Escort Masters had received instruction from him.
Thus, others would find Ha Pyo-doo burdensome to engage with.
But my Master before me was the Palace Master of Seolpung Palace.
“I am grateful once more. Had it not been for you, Ha Escort Master would have died long ago, and Ha Pyo-doo would have suffered greatly from sorrow.”
“Please do not speak such words. All of this came about because heaven was moved by Jin-ho’s affection for his wife. I merely acted as heaven’s instrument.”
“…I understand. I shall think of it that way.”
I smiled faintly and asked carefully.
“By the way, is the mother of my Second Sister-in-law, by any chance, a disciple of the Northern Sea Ice Palace?”
“….”
After a moment’s hesitation, my Master nodded.
So the woman I saw yesterday was indeed Jin-ho’s mother-in-law.
“It appears you noticed yesterday.”
“Yes. How did you know?”
“When one masters the inner cultivation method of Seolpung Palace and reaches the pinnacle of achievement, one becomes acutely sensitive to the aura of the Northern Sea Ice Palace.”
Ah….
So that is why I could sense the aura of the Northern Sea Ice Palace disciples so distinctly.
.
.
.
From that day onward, one more person joined our family’s morning meals.
None other than Jin-ho’s bride.
Mealtimes were filled with warmth and laughter.
Seeing the happiness of Jin-ho and my Second Sister-in-law brought joy to my heart.

After finishing breakfast, I returned to my separate pavilion, Mun Gok Hall.
“My lord.”
Seo-woo Warrior approached me the moment I arrived.
“I have something to report.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“Yesterday, a meeting was held at Jinse Trading Company, and Bang-u Sub-leader has been stripped of his position.”
As expected.
Yesterday, I had sent a letter to Bang Jin Prince.
The letter contained an offer to send him Black Frog and the Guard Warriors that Bang-u Sub-leader—or rather, the prince now—had sent as gifts.
And Bang Jin Prince had skillfully combined my gift into a delicious dish.
Quite impressive.
“It seems they will soon hold a revote to elect a new Sub-leader.”
“Of course. They cannot leave that position vacant for long.”
Bang Jin Prince would naturally claim that seat.
After all, it was the position he had risen to in my previous life as well.
Bang-u Prince had spent considerable personal funds this time, and with the medicine not selling, he had exhausted his remaining reserves to cover the losses.
Ah, what a predicament.
His heart must be aching terribly.
Having heard such refreshing news this morning, I thought my mood would remain excellent throughout the day.
Or so I believed.

But that evening, Jin-ho came to find me and said something unexpected.
I wondered if I had misheard him, so I asked again.
“What? What did you just say?”
“I want to go to the Northern Sea Ice Palace.”
“Why suddenly the Northern Sea Ice Palace?”
“I need to pay my respects to my mother-in-law.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————