The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 279

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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 279

Chapter 279. An Unexpected Guest (3)

Peng Kang-un So-hyup continued speaking.
“The truth is, I have an uncle who disappeared long ago.”
A missing uncle?
I briefly recalled the family tree of the Hebei Peng Clan.
I knew that the second son of the current House Master had left home many years ago.
And from my previous life, I remembered that he never returned until after the House Master—Peng So-hyup’s grandfather—died and another uncle, the eldest son, inherited the position of House Master.
“Since reaching adulthood, I have traveled throughout the entire Empire searching for him, but my skills proved insufficient, and I was unable to find him.”
He bowed deeply to me.
“Please, I beg you to find my uncle.”
I felt somewhat puzzled.
Of course, it wasn’t unusual to commission a merchant guild to find people or items.
Song Jang-ju had once asked our Eunhae Trading Company to locate the Jamu Dolls.
No one traversed the Empire as actively as a merchant guild.
The Pyo Bureau was similar, but since their primary role was escort and protection, they faced more constraints than a merchant guild.
However, my visitor was among the most distinguished heirs, and he had said he’d wandered the Empire for years.
If someone like him couldn’t find his uncle, how could I?
And there were other questions.
Why would he go through such hardship searching for his uncle?
And among countless merchant guilds, why did he seek me out specifically?
I decided to unravel these doubts.
“Have you made this request to anyone else before?”
“No. This is the first time I’ve asked anyone for help.”
I tilted my head in confusion.
If he hadn’t asked anyone else until now, why was he suddenly making this request of me?
I felt I needed to get answers right here and now.
“Before I accept So-hyup’s request, there are several things I must ask.”
“Please, speak freely.”
First, I asked the most important question.
“Why me?”
“What do you mean?”
“While the Eunhae Trading Company is indeed large, there are many larger merchant guilds. So why did you choose our guild specifically—and why approach me instead of my father, the Merchant Guild Leader?”
If he had made this request to my father, my father would certainly have mentioned it to me.
“Unless you give me a satisfactory answer, I have no choice but to refuse So-hyup’s request.”
At my response, Peng So-hyup hesitated for a moment before finally opening his mouth.
“Of course, I understand why you would raise such a question, Small Guild Master. The primary reason I’m entrusting this matter to you is that you are someone I can trust.”
He continued.
“During the Yongbong Martial Arts Tournament, you threw yourself into danger to save people, did you not?”
“That was because my parents were there.”
“Moreover, I heard that even after the two martial artists who caused the incident were excommunicated, you knelt before the senior members of the Murim Alliance and pleaded for their lives, saving them.”
“That was….”
“And I had the opportunity to speak with Jegal Yu-ah. She told me that you, Small Guild Master Eun Seo-ho, possess not only skill but also profound integrity.”
Peng So-hyup looked at me with steady eyes.
“That is why. For me, integrity matters above all else.”
“By integrity, you mean….”
I met his gaze directly.
“Do you mean that I should keep it secret that So-hyup asked me to find your uncle?”
He nodded at my question.
“That’s correct. In fact, the Peng Family must not know that I am searching for my uncle.”
I exhaled quietly to myself.
“So that’s why you deliberately came to visit me on my birthday. You needed a pretext for coming to see me.”
“Exactly.”
He nodded.
“And if the Merchant Guild Leader or someone from the Eunhae Trading Company were to visit our family, there’s a high likelihood that discussions about support would proceed according to the family’s preferences rather than my own.”
So by coming to celebrate my birthday like this, he had made the first move.
Wait—did that mean he hadn’t returned to the family residence from Luoyang?
“But how did you know when my birthday was….”
“Jegal Yu-ah told me.”
“….”
I let out a small sigh.
“Setting that aside, why are you going to such lengths to find your uncle? The fact that you must keep it secret from the family suggests they don’t approve of this.”
“That’s….”
Peng So-hyup smiled as he spoke.
“I intend to become the House Master of the Hebei Peng Family in the future. Shouldn’t I demonstrate that I care for all members of the household?”
No, that’s a lie.
There’s definitely another reason.
If it were simply for that reason, he wouldn’t have wandered across the entire Empire for so long by himself.
Peng So-hyup is currently twenty-six years old.
While the law recognizes fifteen as adulthood, most families of considerable standing recognize twenty as the age of majority.
The Eunhae Trading Company also recognizes twenty as adulthood.
So if he’s been wandering for six years….
Honestly, it doesn’t make sense to wander across the Empire for six years for such a reason.
Moreover, when he gave me that answer, he averted his gaze slightly. That wasn’t the real reason for finding his uncle.
But when he said he intended to become the House Master, his eyes flickered with intensity, so that part seemed to be true.
Though I’ve become skilled at concealing my true thoughts after experiencing countless situations over six years, I cannot hide them before you.
Should I dig deeper into this?
I entertained the thought for a moment, but Peng So-hyup didn’t seem like he would open up easily.
He might even avoid me instead.
Perhaps he would be disappointed, thinking he had misjudged my character, and leave.
If that happened, it would trouble Jegal Yu-ah, who had spoken well of me….
Well, I could figure that out as time went on.
“You certainly care deeply about your family. However, even after searching for so long, you haven’t found this person. I’m not sure if I can succeed where you’ve failed.”
“I’m not asking you to find him necessarily.”
He continued with a smile.
“I’m simply asking that if you happen to see my uncle while traveling around, you let me know.”
“That much shouldn’t be difficult. I’ll do as you ask.”
“The truth is, I’d like to continue searching myself, but after winning the Yongbong Martial Arts Tournament this time… many people have been looking for me. So I’ll be quite busy for a while.”
In other words, since attention would inevitably focus on him, he was entrusting this task to me.
I too had received heroic treatment this time and drawn attention, but it was less than what Peng So-hyup was experiencing.
“And there are also matters I need to attend to back at my family residence.”
“Then you’re returning to Hebei now?”
“That’s my intention.”
After thinking for a moment, I spoke to him.
“As it happens, I also have business in Beijing this time. Let’s travel together on the way.”
I continued.
“If I were to send Peng So-hyup alone while I go to Beijing, what would the Peng Family think?”
At my words, Peng So-hyup nodded.
“I understand. I cannot let a good person who has accepted my request be spoken ill of.”
“And please tell me your uncle’s appearance and distinguishing features.”
“Oh! I forgot to mention the most important thing.”
He withdrew a piece of white silk from his garment and unfolded it.
Inside were his uncle’s appearance and detailed physical characteristics written out.
The moment I saw it, I realized that this uncle was quite an important figure to Peng So-hyup.
Usually, appearance descriptions are drawn on paper, but Peng So-hyup carried his on silk.
While silk is expensive, it is durable and sturdy, so important records are often written on it.
Moreover, this silk was of quite fine quality.
No wonder he had been searching for six years.
However, I said nothing and simply looked at the face drawn on the silk.
A quite handsome face.
Height approximately seven chi.
It was quite tall, but considering the characteristic robust build of the Hebei Peng Family across generations, seven chi wasn’t exceptionally tall.
Peng So-hyup before me was about six and a half chi, but from what I remembered, when fully grown he would reach about seven chi.
That meant he was still growing even now.
Growing until thirty years old was one of the characteristics of the Hebei Peng Family. At an age when one should have finished growing completely, yet still growing!
I wasn’t sure if they were consuming some special elixir or if it was due to their family’s martial arts.
He added an explanation.
“While he was skilled in martial techniques, I’ve heard that Uncle’s Heavenly Lightning Palm technique was exceptional.”
…Heard? What did he mean by that?
“You’ve never actually seen him in person?”
“That’s correct. He left home before I turned three years old.”
“Then how did you get this portrait?”
“An attendant who has served our family for many years drew it for us.”
“When was it drawn?”
“Around when I was sixteen, I pestered him until he drew it for me.”
In other words, there could be errors in this portrait.
I listened to various other details beyond that.
“I understand. So what fee did you have in mind for this commission?”
At my question, he scratched behind his ear.
“Isn’t that something the one accepting the commission should propose first?”
“How am I supposed to judge the value of this commission?”
“As expected… you truly are a merchant.”
I didn’t deny my identity.
“Yes. Before I’m a hero, I’m a merchant.”
…
A brief silence fell, and it was Peng So-hyup who spoke first.
“If I become the House Master of my family in the future, I will grant you one favor, provided it doesn’t threaten the family’s survival.”
He’s bidding quite high.
This uncle must be truly important to him.
“But how can you be certain you’ll become House Master?”
“I intend to become House Master, but if I fail to do so… then I will give you the most valuable thing I possess.”
The most valuable thing?
“The Jade Lightning Pill. I’ll give you that.”
The Jade Lightning Pill was a precious elixir even by the Hebei Peng Clan’s standards, a pill passed down through generations to the most exceptional heir.
But I shook my head.
“I must decline that.”
“Pardon?”
“You said you’d give me the most valuable thing you possess. While you may believe that’s the most valuable to you, it isn’t to me. And I might find your uncle before you become House Master anyway.”
“Then what would….”
“Peng So-hyup.”
“Yes?”
“Isn’t Peng So-hyup the most valuable thing to Peng So-hyup? So if I find your uncle before you become House Master, serve as my person for three years.”
My proposal left him slightly flustered.
And for good reason.
I had asked him to become my person for three years.
“I’m quite taken aback. To be honest, this is the first time I’ve heard anyone say that they themselves are the most valuable thing they possess….”
He scratched the back of his neck and nodded.
“Very well. I shall do as you suggest.”
“Then, shall we draw up a contract?”
Thus, Peng So-hyup and I drafted the contract.
After completing the contract, Peng So-hyup clasped his fist to me.
“It has been a profitable arrangement. Then I shall take my leave….”
“Where are you going?”
“Pardon?”
“Until now, we have addressed your personal commission. Now is it not time we discuss support for you yourself?”
.
.
.
After concluding my conversation with Peng So-hyup, I went directly to Father.
I needed to report to him regarding support for Peng So-hyup and our arrangement to return together.
“So you’ve agreed to provide Peng So-hyup with twenty taels of gold annually?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“That is not unreasonable. But why did he insist on coming directly?”
“He said he disliked receiving support tailored to the family’s preferences.”
I silently begged Father’s forgiveness.
My apologies, Father. I have sworn to keep the true reason confidential.
Fortunately, Father accepted this explanation.
“He is more enterprising and capable than expected. I never knew the Hebei Peng Clan possessed such talent.”
In truth, there is a saying about the Hebei Peng Clan.
Brutes with nothing but brawn.
This was because descendants with keen intellect were rare. Yet observing Peng So-hyup, it seemed the reason was that they had no need to exercise their minds.
Protected by their clan and blessed with innate martial prowess, they could resolve most matters through strength alone.
“And I have arranged for him to return to Hebei with us.”
“Well done. Sending him alone would invite ridicule.”
Father smiled with satisfaction.
“That means we shall soon depart for Beijing.”
“Yes, that is so.”
“Then what of the Two Warriors currently training at the Eunpung Corps…?”
“I shall retrieve them on my next visit. In the meantime, I shall ask the External Chief Manager to look after them.”

After finishing my report to Father, I returned to my separate pavilion.
Construction was underway beside the pavilion—they were building quarters for my guard unit.
Since it seemed the guards would continue to increase in number, we were building generously from the start.
In my previous life, the guard unit kept expanding, so we had to keep adding extensions.
In any case, the building where the guards would stay could be constructed with the Merchant Guild’s funds.
But my personal living expenses had to come from my own pocket.
“Welcome back, Young Master.”
Palgap was beaming.
I had raised his monthly wages today. And in the end, I also gave Geumryeong a silver coin.
Geumryeong had been slightly upset with me.
Sigh. I really am too softhearted.

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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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