The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 243

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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 243

Chapter 243. Beijing Branch (3)

“A problem?”
At my question, my Uncle elaborated.
“Yes, that land you’re interested in—it belongs to the Imperial Palace.”
The plot I desired was empty land situated some distance from the Imperial Palace.
To be precise, roughly a two-hour journey from the Imperial Palace.
It was at a reasonable distance from the Imperial Palace and not far from Beijing’s bustling districts, yet such expansive vacant land was exceedingly rare.
But that land belonged to the Imperial Palace?
“It’s a site the Imperial Court purchased for constructing a Secondary Palace. However, as you well know, His Majesty the Emperor is not one to squander funds on unnecessary ventures.”
Ah, I see.
Now I understood the situation.
The Previous Emperor had been a man who spent money as freely as water.
Because of this, the Imperial Treasury had been utterly depleted.
Among the Previous Emperor’s eccentricities was the construction of numerous Secondary Palaces.
He indulged in the extravagant hobby of spending roughly a month in each newly constructed Secondary Palace.
However, his dissolute lifestyle rapidly deteriorated his health, and he died young.
In essence, he was an incompetent Emperor.
Still, if there was one thing he did right, it was designating the Current Emperor as his successor before his passing.
In any case, there were lands prepared for Secondary Palace construction, and the plot I had requested appeared to be one of them.
And the newly ascended Emperor, being far removed from such extravagance, had naturally left that land vacant.
“As you know, it’s quite complicated for a private individual to purchase Imperial Palace land.”
“That’s certainly true.”
Then how had Baekcheon Trading Company obtained that land in my previous life?
Pondering this, a highly plausible method soon came to mind.
In my previous life, after the Empress was poisoned, the woman backed by the Murim Alliance became the new Empress.
If the Empress intervened, the Ministry of Household Affairs officials would have had no choice but to comply.
“Acquiring that land will be quite difficult. As you know, those Ministry of Household Affairs officials are such a… ahem, anyway, that’s how it is.”
“That’s certainly the case.”
But that was land Baekcheon Trading Company had possessed in my previous life. There’s no reason we couldn’t obtain it as well.
Moreover, though we couldn’t openly show it, there would be many others besides Baekcheon Trading Company eyeing that land.
It was such a prime piece of real estate.
We had to secure it before they made their move.
“Still, I don’t wish to give up on it.”
“Well, youth is a wonderful thing.”
In my Uncle’s eyes, my words appeared to be the boldness of a young man.
“However, even if you enjoy the Emperor’s favor, you cannot report such matters to him, can you?”
“That is correct.”
I understood what my Uncle was concerned about.
“Do not worry, sir. I shall resolve this matter through a merchant’s methods.”
“If you say so, then I am reassured.”
.
.
.
I returned to my Temporary Residence and fell into contemplation.
In truth, I had visited that plot of land before even considering the Beijing Branch this time.
So I knew.
There was nothing there.
Literally, a desolate Open Ground.
It was land the Imperial Palace had set aside to construct a Secondary Palace, but who would dare farm there or open a shop?
As a result, it had become a place where Beijing’s vagrants played away from prying eyes.
My Uncle mentioned the fastidiousness of the Ministry of Taxation officials and said acquiring that land would be difficult, but if I gave up, I would gain nothing.
Everything requires a direct attempt.
I rose from my seat and spoke to Palgap.
“Palgap, let us go.”
“Where are we going, sir?”
“The Imperial Palace.”
“Pardon?”
“I must meet with a Ministry of Taxation official.”
We arrived before the Imperial Palace, and as the Small Guild Master of the Eun Hae Trading Company, I requested an audience with the Ministry of Taxation.
I do not possess a permanent pass to enter the palace.
Only officials of that rank carry permanent passes to the Imperial Palace.
I could have asked Seon-il Elder Brother or other officials I knew to escort me inside, but I did not.
Bringing someone unrelated to their duties into the palace could give them grounds for criticism.
So I made this formal request for an audience with the Ministry of Taxation instead.
“Since you have requested an audience, shall we return to the Quarters now?”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“We must wait here.”
Seo-woo Warrior asked with a dubious expression.
“Surely… we must wait until the Ministry of Taxation official summons us?”
To that question, I answered with an awkward smile.
“Yes.”
“So that is why you normally ask me to handle such requests, but today you came personally.”
“Exactly.”
.
Normally, I would make a request and wait at my quarters until summoned to the Imperial Palace.
It was the same when meeting the Emperor.
However, some Imperial Officials would refuse meetings under the pretext of not being available to wait.
The Ministry of Household Affairs was particularly notorious for this.
But did they call people in early?
Hardly.
Typically, a wait of at least two hours was standard, and in severe cases, one might have to stay up all night.
It was a form of merchant conditioning.
While small merchants might escape this, Great Merchants had to meet with Ministry of Household Affairs officials frequently to negotiate.
These officials believed themselves superior and used such tactics to condition merchants, seizing the initiative before negotiations even began.
As a result, merchants found themselves at a disadvantage from the start, often forced into unfavorable contracts.
There was nowhere to lodge complaints against the Ministry of Household Affairs officials’ abuses, and since one couldn’t simply refuse to negotiate with them, merchants had no choice but to swallow their frustration and endure this conditioning.
Thinking about this brought back memories from my previous life.
When the Eun Hae Trading Company was nearly among the Ten Greatest Merchants of the Land, I had to meet with a Ministry of Household Affairs official regarding a silk cultivation project, one of the Imperial Palace’s ventures.
I had requested a meeting with the Ministry of Household Affairs, but I didn’t meet with him until three days later.
Of course, I had to wait in front of the Imperial Palace during that entire period.
Sigh.
Just thinking about it made my blood pressure rise.
This was the root of my Uncle’s disdain for the Ministry of Household Affairs officials.
“Pardon me, but aren’t you Young Master Eun Seo-ho?”
The newly assigned Gate Keeper seemed to recognize me and asked.
I set aside my thoughts and nodded.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Why aren’t you entering the Imperial Palace directly today?”
“Well… I’ve requested a meeting with the Ministry of Household Affairs.”
“Ah…”
The Gate Keeper’s expression turned sympathetic, as if he too was aware of the Ministry of Household Affairs’ notorious merchant conditioning practices.
“Indeed, what nerve they have. Even those meeting with the Emperor wait at their quarters.”
I offered a bitter smile and sighed.
I had to be careful not to show agreement, in case a Ministry of Household Affairs official was watching from somewhere.
About an hour passed, but there was no word.
Palgap and the Guard Warriors’ faces were gradually reddening, but I remained unmoved.
– This is truly excessive.
At Seo-woo Warrior’s mental transmission, I let out a hollow laugh and sent one back.
– Just accept it. The world has always been unreasonable anyway.
But do they know? That I hold grudges for quite a while?

* * *

At that very moment.
The Imperial Officials at the Ministry of Taxation were bustling about their duties.
Though not quite as frantically as Eun Seo-ho, who barely had time to breathe.
They could at least leave at the appointed hour.
Just then, a newly appointed Imperial Official at the Ministry asked a senior colleague.
“Excuse me, senior. How should I handle this?”
“Handle what?”
“It’s an audience request from someone named Eun Seo-ho, the Small Guild Master of the Eun Hae Trading Company.”
“The Eun Hae Trading Company? Ah, they’re the ones who just supplied silk to the Imperial Court.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“So what? Should we rush out barefoot to greet them?”
At his curt remark, another Imperial Official nearby came to the newcomer’s defense.
“He’s just a new recruit. He wouldn’t know.”
“Ah, I see.”
He then proceeded to educate the newcomer with a serious expression.
“Listen well. Our Ministry of Taxation has a very long-standing tradition. There’s something we must always observe when negotiating with merchants.”
“I’m listening.”
“When a request like this comes in, we always respond after two hours—but only if they’re obedient to our Ministry’s words. For arrogant places like this, we should wait a day or two before responding.”
“Is that really acceptable?”
The new Imperial Official looked worried, but his senior colleague appeared calm and accustomed to this practice.
“They’re the ones desperate, so what does it matter?”
“But…”
“These lowly merchants are getting too full of themselves. If we don’t break their spirits from the start, they’ll end up devouring us instead. So just leave it be and get back to work.”
“Yes, sir.”
The senior Imperial Official tilted his head.
“Eun Seo-ho… I feel like I’ve heard that name somewhere before.”
But as new documents were placed on the wooden table, the thought went no further.

* * *

The Imperial Palace.
One-third of those bustling about could reasonably be said to be Eunuch Officials.
Their numbers were vast, and the duties they carried were equally numerous.
Among them, the Chief Eunuch of Palace Cleaning, who oversaw the tidying of the Imperial Chamber and various corners of the palace, hurried toward some destination.
Soon enough, he arrived before a certain building.
“I have a report to deliver.”
“Come in.”
The place he entered was one of the quarters used by Eunuch Officials, but in truth, it was one of the gathering places where those belonging to the Dongchang convened.
“Well then, what is the matter?”
“It is that Eun Seo-ho has been waiting outside the Imperial Palace….”
He relayed the entire sequence of events.
“What? He has been waiting for two hours already?”
“Indeed, it is so.”
“Those brazen fools! They have overstepped themselves! One must consider one’s opponent when training merchants.”
“What shall we do?”
“Issue a summons. An opportunity has come to win the favor of Eun Seo-ho.”
.
.
.
The Geumui Guard Commander’s Office.
The Commander’s brow furrowed at the report that had just arrived.
“What? Eun Seo-ho is suffering hardship at the hands of the Ministry of Taxation officials?”
“Indeed, it is so.”
“What is your assessment of this?”
To that question, the men of the Geumui Guard beside him spoke as one.
“It is thanks to So Hyup that our Geumui Guard has once again received the Emperor’s grace and favor.”
“We cannot allow those presumptuous dogs to go unpunished.”
“I share that sentiment.”
The Commander spoke.
“Summon the men.”
“Yes, sir!”
.
.
.
Because the Geumui Guard and the Dongchang performed similar duties, their thoughts aligned as well.
They immediately began shaking down the Ministry of Taxation officials.
It is an eternal truth that no person exists without dust when thoroughly examined.
Moreover, the Ministry of Taxation dealt in money, so when shaken, the dust that flew was both copious and substantial.
In the process, they could not help but become aware of each other’s presence, and within an hour of turning over the Ministry of Taxation officials, their respective leaders met.
“Yield this matter to us, Dongchang. The Geumui Guard must repay the debt of gratitude we owe to So Hyup.”
“I understand. Don’t misunderstand. Ahem, we simply cannot stand idly by while those Imperial Officials of the Ministry of Household Affairs run amok.”
“Is that so?”
“Ahem… and we might also gain some favor from Eun Seo-ho, you see.”
“I knew it!”
“Ah! Let us also gain some favor from the Emperor!”
“Aren’t you already receiving all manner of imperial favor standing beside the Emperor?”
Jinying Warrior, who had been quietly observing the exchange, interjected.
“Eun Seo-ho has already been suffering for more than three hours. According to reports, he hasn’t even been allowed to sit—he continues standing and waiting.”
“What?”
“Oh my!”
They exchanged glances and cleared their throats awkwardly.
“It cannot be helped. Ahem.”
“We shall cooperate.”
“We as well shall cooperate.”
Thus, through Eun Seo-ho’s situation, the Dongchang and the Geumui Guard joined hands.
“Our Dongchang shall provide information on those officials.”
“Then our Geumui Guard shall handle the intimidation.”

That very night.
The Geumui Guard paid a visit to the newly appointed Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs and his two Vice Ministers.

* * *

I cursed the Ministry of Taxation officials as I watched the sun rise in the east.
In the end, I had pulled an all-nighter.
Honestly, I didn’t mind suffering alone, but it bothered me that Palgap and the four Guards had to suffer because of me.
“Young Master, shall I bring something for you to eat?”
I shook my head at Palgap’s question.
“I’m fine. We don’t know when the officials will arrive, and I’d rather not be caught eating like some uncouth fool.”
I continued.
“Go and take turns eating.”
“We are fine, sir.”
At Lee Pil Warrior’s words, Seo-woo Warrior paused to think, then nodded.
“It would be best to follow the Young Master’s instructions.”
After a brief discussion, Jin Yu Warrior and Lee Pil Warrior departed first to eat.
Seeing them go, my heart felt considerably lighter.
But when exactly are these Ministry of Taxation bastards going to summon me?
Soon enough, it was time for the officials to arrive at work, and when Seon-il Elder Brother saw me on his way in, his expression grew sorrowful.
As a member of a merchant family himself, Elder Brother would understand my predicament.
“Are you holding up?”
“Yes, I am fine. Please do not worry yourself.”
“Very well, if you say you’re fine, then you must be—but no, I cannot accept this. I shall go to the Ministry of Taxation and demand answers.”
“I truly am fine.”
It was while I was speaking with Seon-il Elder Brother.
“Huff! Huff! Is… is Young Master Eun Seo-ho here?”
I answered quickly at the sound of my name being called.
“Yes! I am here.”
The official was panting heavily, as though he had run all the way.
But… I thought I heard something strange just now?
It was just ‘Are you there?’ rather than ‘Are you there?’ Did you say that?
It seemed I hadn’t misheard, for he bowed with such profound respect that his head nearly touched the ground.
“I am Ja Shun of the Ministry of Taxation. Please follow me.”
Was this really the same stiff-backed Ministry of Taxation official?

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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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