The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 245

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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 245

Chapter 245. Beijing Branch (5)

At my words, Yeo Eung-am Warrior chuckled.
“As they say, a stick is the best medicine for those who won’t listen to reason.”
Lee Pil Warrior nodded in agreement.
“I concur.”
“Then, would it be acceptable for a senior in life to go impart some lessons?”
“Let’s do that.”
In that moment, a brilliant idea struck me.
“Teaching them is fine, but teaching them repeatedly is a waste of time. So, since we’re going to teach them anyway, let’s finish it all at once.”
“…?”
Instead of answering their confusion, I spoke to Palgap.
“Can you get me a ghost mask? Preferably one that’s absolutely terrifying.”

* * *

A bonfire crackled, and chunks of meat roasted over its flames.
Those watching drank directly from bottles of liquor.
They were the notorious Playboy Gang of Beijing.
Among them were sons of fallen corrupt official families from the new Emperor’s reign, wastrels from great merchant houses squandering their fortunes, and those who had drifted in and fit right in with the group.
Their common trait was that they were all complete degenerates—harassing pedestrians while drunk was routine, and they frequently caused trouble at small shops and inns, targeting the defenseless.
When they spotted attractive women, they would drag them away and commit unspeakable acts.
Why?
Because it was fun.
Those who couldn’t bear their outrages occasionally reported them to the authorities, but nothing changed.
Their families used money and influence to silence complaints. Particularly, one of their parents held a fairly high official position, leaving lower-ranking officials powerless to act.
They had found their perfect playground: the Planned Palace Construction Site, long neglected and unmaintained.
Others avoided the place entirely, fearing they might be dragged to the Imperial Palace for trespassing.
For them, it was an ideal location.
At first, they too were cautious, but soon realized the place wasn’t properly managed and made it their den.
“Ugh, why isn’t the meat cooking? Drinking without food tastes awful.”
“Just wait. Don’t be so impatient.”
“Hey, did you see that girl at the new pottery shop?”
“Hehehehe, I did.”
“She was pretty.”
“Should we drag her here today?”
“Is that so? The meat still needs more time to cook… Ugh!”
One of the Playboy Gang members tumbled backward.
“W-what is that?”
“What’s wrong?”
“A g-ghost….”
“What? A ghost? Where is the ghost… Argh!”
Those who turned to look at the speaker’s words also shrieked in terror and fell backward.
“Engaging in such filthy deeds on the Lord’s Territory! This is divine punishment!”
And clubs swung toward the Playboy Gang members.
Crack—!
Thud—!
“Ahhh!”
As the campfire extinguished, pitch-black darkness engulfed the surroundings in an instant.
The movements of those wearing ghost masks were remarkably fluid and precise.
No matter how far they fled, these figures clung to them relentlessly.
“Please spare us! We won’t do it again!”
“We’ll never come to this place again!”
They pleaded desperately with the ghosts wielding clubs against them.
Crack—!
“Gasp!”
But the beating was merciless and methodical. They targeted only the painful spots with precision, and I thought they might actually die from this.
Eventually, they lost consciousness from the relentless assault.

The next day, they regained consciousness one by one.
“Ugh!”
Their entire bodies throbbed with pain, and only then did they recall what had transpired the previous night.
“Last night… those spirits… was it a dream?”
“It wasn’t a dream. I remember it too.”
“We got beaten so badly. But why are we fine?”
“…What?”
Indeed.
They had been struck so violently they’d lost consciousness, yet their bodies bore not a single mark of injury.
“Ahhhhh!”
They leaped to their feet in panic.
“They really were ghosts!”
The Playboy Gang members fled in terror. Yet the reactions of those watching them were decidedly peculiar.
“Good heavens!”
“Tsk, tsk. They’ve finally lost their minds. Completely mad.”
“Father, why are those people naked? Did they not have money to buy clothes?”
“Hush! Don’t make eye contact with them.”
Only then, witnessing the crowd’s reactions, did they realize they were completely naked.
“…”

* * *

I struggled to suppress my laughter.
“Pfft! Puhehe.”
“Still, stripping them completely bare was rather excessive, wasn’t it?”
At Palgap’s words, I shook my head.
“You weren’t there, so you don’t understand. Listening to those bastards’ excuses made my blood boil.”
At my words, the Guard Warriors nodded in agreement.
“They seem quite ashamed of themselves.”
At Lee Pil Warrior’s remark, Yeo Eung-am Warrior spoke as if still displeased.
“Ashamed? If those bastards knew what shame was, they wouldn’t have done such things in the first place.”
“I share that sentiment.”
“But do you think those ruffians have learned their lesson?”
“No.”
At Lee Pil Warrior’s question, I shook my head.
“They may not act now, but they’ll do it again someday. That’s why the saying goes—old habits die hard.”
As I investigated the Playboy Gang, I discovered that one of their members’ father was using money and influence to silence witnesses.
But that won’t silence me.
I should make use of the Imperial Inspector position the Emperor granted me this time as well.
“Palgap, send a letter to Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster.”
“Understood.”
For a moment, I wondered if the Dongchang and Geumui Guard were unaware of such matters, but I quickly dismissed the thought.
Their purpose is to serve as the Emperor’s eyes, ears, hands, and feet—to prevent treason.
For them, such affairs fall outside their jurisdiction.
That’s precisely why the Imperial Inspector position exists.
.
.
.
Several days passed in this manner.
At last, construction on the Eunhae Trading Company Beijing Branch began.
First, I hired a large number of workers to clear the weeds from the site. However, I decided to leave the trees as they were.
They served as landscaping in themselves.
“Young Master, have you heard the news?”
Palgap approached me as I examined the blueprints for the Beijing Branch building.
“News? What news?”
“The Left Censor of the Censorate has apparently fallen from grace.”
The Left Censor of the Censorate was the father of one of the Playboy Gang members I had dealt with.
“Fallen? What do you mean?”
“He’s become a provincial official of the Bureau of Memorials, they say.”
“What? Is that even possible?”
The Left Censor of the Censorate is a high-ranking position of the first rank. The Bureau of Memorials’ provincial official is a lowly position of the eighth rank.
In other words, he had plummeted from first rank to eighth rank.
“I hear that His Majesty the Emperor rebuked the Left Censor of the Censorate—a high official responsible for evaluating the performance of inspectors and administrators—saying how could such a man hold that position if he cannot even properly manage his own son?”
“Is that so?”
Wow, our Emperor certainly has a sharp tongue.
To be honest, for someone who once rose to the rank of third-grade official to descend to such a lowly position would be difficult to bear for one’s pride.
And in most places, even if demoted to the lowest eighth-grade rank, people would treat him with deference. But the position he was assigned to happened to be the Bureau of Memorials.
The Bureau of Memorials is where memorials addressed to the Emperor and imperial edicts are managed.
In other words, it is a place close to the Emperor.
It means the Emperor will continue to watch him—he must be suffering terribly.
He should have either educated his son properly or given him a stern punishment when he first committed such acts.
“Then what about that son and the Playboy Gang members?”
“They are currently in prison. They have quite a number of charges. First, there is the unauthorized trespassing on Imperial Palace grounds, and then the assault on a woman…”
“We will file a complaint as well. For trespassing on private property.”
“Understood.”
Then suddenly, I felt impressed by how Palgap had gathered all this information.
“But Palgap, where did you hear all of this?”
“I became friendly with the servants of the merchant guilds that trade with the Imperial Palace, and they shared stories with me.”
“…”
Truly, Palgap’s ability to connect with people is remarkable.
“By the way, sir. Have you heard the strange rumors circulating in Beijing these days?”
“Strange rumors?”
“Rumors about you, sir.”
“Me?”
Rumors about me out of nowhere? What could it be?
I tilted my head in confusion, and Palgap continued with a chuckle.
“It’s the rumor that Seon Hyeop Mi-rang summons ghosts.”
“Huh? What are you talking about? That I summon ghosts…… Ah…”
I thought I understood where that rumor had come from.
Surely, the Yeo Eung-am Warrior had disguised his voice and said, “How dare you commit such shameful acts on my lord’s territory! This is divine punishment!” at that time.
Based on the testimony of someone who heard those words, such a rumor must have spread.
I never knew the Yeo Eung-am Warrior possessed such a skill.
In any case, the Playboy Gang members cannot escape severe punishment. And the officials who turned a blind eye and deaf ear despite victims of the Playboy Gang’s crimes filing reports will also face punishment.
Still, the officials will not be punished too severely.
For them, the man responsible for their performance evaluations was glaring at them, so they could not have punished his son.
His Majesty the Emperor has at least that much understanding.

The establishment of the Beijing Branch proceeded steadily, and my work also proceeded steadily…
Ah…… there is no end in sight.
I clenched my fists and steeled my resolve.
The harder I work, the fewer sacrifices others must make, so I cannot afford to be lazy.

It was during those days of diligent, unceasing labor that Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster came to find me.
I’ve been seeing him quite frequently lately.
At this rate, I’ll grow attached to him.
“What brings you to this humble place?”
At my greeting, Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster smiled and spoke.
“Humble, you say? You certainly know how to flatter with false modesty.”
“Haha.”
I laughed with a touch of embarrassment.
“Please, have some tea.”
“I’ll gladly accept.”
And so we shared tea and conversation.
“The Emperor is quite satisfied. He says you’re doing better work than expected.”
“It’s only because I lack fear.”
“Hmm? Didn’t you say before that you were timid…?”
“Yes, I am timid.”
“But lacking fear and being timid seem rather contradictory….”
I quickly changed the subject.
“So, have you come to relay the Emperor’s words?”
“Ah, that too… but I wondered if perhaps you might have a solution to a certain problem.”
“Is there some difficulty?”
At my question, Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster nodded.
“A man who served as Left Censor has been demoted vertically.”
“Is that so?”
I feigned ignorance in my response.
It could prove troublesome if I revealed that I already knew of such matters.
No matter how favorably Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster regards me, I must exercise caution with Imperial Palace affairs.
“Indeed.”
Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster explained the details, which differed little from what Palgap had told me.
There were merely a few additional points.
Well, how could Palgap have known everything anyway.
According to Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster, the Emperor has also issued warnings to other ministers to discipline their children properly.
He has sentenced the Playboy Gang members imprisoned in the Prison to labor in the mines.
Mining labor is said to be the harshest form of punishment… they’ll suffer greatly for all their years of idle indulgence.
And those who suffered harm from the Playboy Gang received compensation from their families, who had to liquidate their assets to raise the funds.
“So now the other ministers are disciplining their children to avoid becoming like the Former Left Censor, but who knows how long such efforts will last?”
“Indeed, that’s true.”
“My superior faces the same issue.”
“….”
I realized that child-rearing is a problem for everyone.
“To be honest, that fellow’s corruption stems from complicated circumstances. He lost his mother in childhood, and his father was too busy with work, so he simply gave him money and indulged his every whim….”
I paused for a moment before speaking to Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster.
“Well, to be honest….”
He nodded at my words.
“I apologize. You must have no other options either. I’ve asked too much of someone who hasn’t even married yet.”
“No, sir. There is a way.”
“What? There is?”
“Yes, the method is somewhat rough and demanding, but the results are certain.”
At my explanation, Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster’s eyes gleamed with interest.
“Is that truly so?”
“Yes. I personally support an academy.”
“If it’s a place you support, that makes it all the more trustworthy. So where is this academy?”
“It’s located in Shanxi. It’s called the Rehabilitation Specialist Academy.”
There had been one hopeless case in Hubei as well.
Wi Military Commander’s son, Wi Seung-jeo.
Following my suggestion, the School Master sent his son to the Rehabilitation Specialist Academy I had recommended.
That was already three or four years ago.
After that, the School Master’s health improved rapidly, and now he’s completely recovered, moving about with vigor.
And Wi Seung-jeo (Small Cooperator) has become a completely upright man, working as an instructor at that academy, or so I’ve heard.
It turned out quite well.
And hearing that the academy’s finances were insufficient, I’ve been providing personal support.
Since Wi Seung-jeo (Small Cooperator) became a new man, it should be effective for others as well.
Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster asked.
“How does one gain admission to that place?”

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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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