The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 29

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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 29

Chapter 29. More Than Expected (6)

Eun Gil-sang bowed respectfully and spoke.
“In truth, what I sent through Song Merchant House before was hastily prepared due to urgent circumstances, so I could only deliver it in an incomplete state. I humbly beg your forgiveness for this shortcoming.”
“Not at all! Thanks to your efforts, I was able to maintain my dignity before my wife. How could I possibly fault you?”
“I am grateful for your understanding.”
Eun Gil-sang bowed deeply, then continued his words.
“This is a mechanical doll crafted to the highest standard. The operation method is the same as you already know.”
At those words, Pojeongsa immediately turned the handle and wound the wheel.
And as he released the wheel, the doll began to move.
“Oh! Marvelous!”
Due to the doll’s clothing, its sleeves fluttered gracefully, making it appear even more beautiful.
And after a moment, the doll ceased its movements.
Eun Gil-sang spoke again with proper courtesy.
“Additionally, I have prepared ten dolls of a slightly lower grade, though they appear no different from this one in appearance. I hope they prove useful to you.”
There was a reason for preparing one of the highest grade and ten others of a slightly lower grade that appeared identical in appearance.
Humans are creatures driven by desire, after all.
It was natural for people to wish for something better, so I gave Pojeongsa the finest one.
But surely this would be used as a gift to curry favor, and if it were discovered that I possessed something superior, it would become awkward.
Pojeongsa might then harbor resentment toward the Eunhae Trading Company.
So I prepared things this way to prevent that.
“You truly please me. Hahahaha!”
“I am unworthy of such praise.”
Eun Gil-sang bowed respectfully, then raised his head and spoke.
“I report with some embarrassment that our company has manufactured exactly one thousand of these mechanical dolls. To be precise, one thousand and eleven. And each doll bears a small number engraved on its back.”
“Truly only that many?”
“Yes. Since crafting these dolls is not easy, we decided to limit production to that number.”
“I see, that makes sense.”
“And the mechanical dolls we create are not limited to this one design. We will create mechanical dolls, each bearing different stories, and I shall visit you each time with a new one.”
At Eun Gil-sang’s words, Pojeongsa burst into delighted laughter.
“Then I shall be able to possess all the mechanical dolls, each bearing a different story.”
“Since you are pleased, I too am pleased.”
“But at what price do you intend to sell these?”
“Ten silver taels each.”
At those words, Pojeongsa nodded.
For a single doll, the price was steep, but for someone of his upper-class standing, it was not an exorbitant sum.
“A reasonable price indeed.”
Eun Gil-sang withdrew a single sheet of paper from the box. It was palm-sized, crafted from remarkably thick paper.
“What is that?”
“This is what we call a product certificate of authenticity. It signifies that this jade figurine was properly manufactured and legitimately sold by our Eunhae Trading Company.”
“So it proves the item is genuine, then.”
“Precisely. And should you visit our shop with this certificate, we offer free repairs at any time.”
“If it were to break through carelessness, the regret would be considerable. Fortunate indeed.”
A smile lingered at the corners of Pojeongsa’s mouth, and after exchanging further pleasantries, Eun Gil-sang and Yeon Da-mi withdrew from the room.

Inside the carriage bound for the Eunhae Trading Company Branch.
Yeon Da-mi let out a soft laugh.
“Did you see? The official’s expression was quite the sight.”
“Even I was taken aback initially—imagine his surprise.”
“Still, I’m relieved he was pleased. My instincts tell me this bodes very well.”
“Mine as well.”
In that moment, Eun Gil-sang’s gaze turned sharp and penetrating.
“What of surveillance on the other trading companies?”
“Ongoing.”
“Good.”
When a trading company launches a new product, the greatest obstacle is invariably the competition.
Should they orchestrate interference, nothing proves more troublesome.
“They appear to be observing for now.”
“As expected. They haven’t yet grasped the situation.”
“Still, thanks to establishing relations with Pojeongsa, we can ease our concerns about pressure from the authorities.”
“Remain vigilant nonetheless. Keep watch.”
“Of course.”
Eun Gil-sang gazed toward the district where rival trading companies operated, his eyes gleaming with calculated intensity.
Though known for his kindness and gentleness, he remained a merchant at heart.
Before that, he was a father.
This meant Eun Gil-sang was far from naive or easily manipulated.
‘Should anyone dare cast ashes upon the venture my youngest son has labored over, I shall not sit idle.’

* * *

It was morning.
I woke earlier than usual.
Last night, I had suffered through nightmares again.
They lingered far longer than I expected, yet I remained grateful for one thing.
My resolve to become the greatest merchant in The Realm had not faded.
Spring had crept upon us almost unnoticed.
More than a month and a half had slipped away since the Spring Festival passed.
Yesterday marked both the grand opening of our store in Hubei Provincial Capital and the debut of the automaton figurines.
According to Father, the upper classes had shown extraordinary enthusiasm for the automaton figurines.
Still, I had expected it would take roughly two weeks to sell through the entire stock.
After completing my training, I made my way to the Dining Hall for a meal.
My family’s expressions were bright today, and their warmth settled my restless heart.
.
.
.
After lunch, the afternoon arrived.
In Yu Chief Manager’s office, only the sound of turning pages and the scratch of brush on paper echoed.
By now, Yu Chief Manager had clearly mastered the art of keeping me occupied without rest until closing time.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
Suddenly, the sound of someone rushing toward us filled the air.
“Internal Chief Manager! The Merchant Guild Leader is calling for you.”
The door burst open, and Jo Young-young, my assistant, cried out with flushed excitement.
“The automaton figurines—all of them, every single one has sold out!”
“…!”
What?
We only started selling yesterday, and they’re already gone?
It seemed my success had far exceeded even my own expectations.

* * *

In the heart of Hubei Provincial Capital.
The crimson cloth that had been concealing the storefront slightly removed from the city center was drawn back.
The shop sign that emerged bore an elegant name inscribed in golden characters.

[Hongha Luxury Store]

Something about this shop felt distinctly different from an ordinary establishment.
For one, armed Warriors stood guard around the shop with solemn vigilance.
The storefront was adorned lavishly in crimson and gold throughout.
Yet there were no goods displayed on the shelves.
Only a sign reading [Automaton Figurine Sales Now Open] stood before the entrance.
Still, crowds of people lined up outside the shop, waiting for it to open.
“Where do you hail from, friend?”
“I’ve come from Zhejiang Province. And yourself?”
“I’ve come from Anhui Province.”
“It seems you’ve been sent here on someone’s orders.”
“Indeed. And you as well?”
“Yes.”
“Ah, so have I…”
At that moment, a man with a sword at his waist spoke up.
“Everyone lined up here has surely been ordered to purchase an automaton figurine.”
“True enough. Those who can readily spend ten silver taels wouldn’t deign to stand in line themselves for the sake of propriety.”
“But ten silver taels for a single figurine! Why is it so expensive?”
“Even if it dances at certain times, that seems…”
“If it weren’t worth that price, they wouldn’t have ordered you to obtain one, would they?”
For about a month now, a peculiar current had been forming, centered around Beijing and Kaifeng.
It was said that any true member of the upper echelons simply must possess an automaton figurine.
This was precisely why so many had lined up before the shop since morning, even though it hadn’t yet opened.
A Warrior glanced back over his shoulder, his expression startled.
“The line has grown tremendously long already.”
“Well, they’re limited to a thousand units, after all.”
“And with the restriction of one per household…”
He gestured toward the notice posted at the shop’s entrance.
So many had inquired that they’d simply posted the terms right out front.
Then, several men and women dressed in crimson robes emerged from within the shop.
A man wearing a robe embroidered with three silver wave patterns stepped forward and spoke.
“I apologize for the long wait. I am Seo Ji-pyeong, manager of Hongha Luxury Store—a new establishment from the Eunhae Trading Company, dealing exclusively in the finest premium goods!”
He finished his greeting with a bow, and those standing behind him followed suit.
“We shall now open for business. However, to ensure a pleasant shopping experience for our early patrons, we will admit five customers at a time.”
Thus began the sale of the automaton figurines, and within a single day, the entire stock was exhausted.
Even with the restriction of five customers per entry, it would have sold out within an hour had there been no such limit.
This news quickly reached the headquarters of the Eunhae Trading Company, and Eun Gil-sang convened a meeting.

* * *

I am now at the Eun-wol Pavilion.
Father summoned Yu Chief Manager and me after hearing through a messenger that all the figurines had sold out.
Everyone gathered at the Eun-wol Pavilion wore expressions of excitement.
Naturally, they would.
This was a venture I had only hoped would succeed, without any real certainty.
Yet everything sold out in just one day of opening.
“First, this success was only possible because of everyone’s efforts. I express my gratitude to all of you.”
At Father’s words, everyone bowed their heads lightly.
Yu So-ak spoke.
“The profit gained from selling the figurines this time amounts to seven thousand silver taels. This is after deducting the shop purchase cost, materials, wages, and other expenses.”
“That is considerable.”
“If we deduct the payment owed to the Master Craftsman’s employer according to the contract….”
“It comes to four thousand two hundred taels.”
“Hmm….”
At Yeon Gak-ju’s words, everyone blinked their eyes wide.
We had only sold a thousand figurines, yet the profit was greater than expected.
Yu Chief Manager looked at me in admiration.
“Young Master has earned two thousand eight hundred silver taels.”
“None of it is entirely mine.”
I said with a smile.
“Four-tenths of it belongs to the Master Craftsman.”
“Then the remainder is…?”
“That is a personal matter.”
At my words, Yu Chief Manager spoke carefully.
“Would you not consider investing in the Eunhae Trading Company?”
Hmm?
That is a good idea.
But right now, I must save diligently for something I need to do.
So I laughed it off appropriately.
Then Go External Chief Manager spoke.
“If we can earn this much, we should have made about ten thousand and sold them.”
“We could, but we are not planning to sell the figurines only this once, are we?”
“That is true.”
“Rushing would only cause fatigue.”
Father asked me.
“So, when do you plan to release the figurines with the stories you mentioned? You said you would have the wealthy collect them, but if interest wanes, it will be ineffective, will it not?”
At Father’s question, everyone looked at me with curiosity.
I smiled and answered.
“You are right, Father. So I plan to release them at the Dragon Boat Festival. By then, interest should not have faded.”
“Four months or so… that should work well.”
Father nodded his head.
“We’ll discuss the Automaton Puppets another time. As for West Lake….”
Father, who had been observing me for a moment, continued speaking.
“Well, it doesn’t matter much whether you’re here or not. Ahem, ahem, everyone knows this, but next month is my eldest son’s twentieth birthday.”
Now that I thought about it, next month was the day Jung-ho’s Elder Brother officially became a Minor Guild Leader!
Wait….
As a thought occurred to me, Father’s words continued.
“I’m thinking of officially granting Jung-ho the position of Minor Guild Leader. What do you think?”
Yeon Gak-ju spoke.
“Since Young Master Jung-ho has completed all practical training with excellent results, it is only natural that we do so.”
Go External Chief Manager chuckled and responded.
“Our Young Master Jung-ho becoming an official Minor Guild Leader! How reassuring. Haha.”
“Quite reassuring indeed.”
Since Yeon Gak-ju had declared the completion of Jung-ho’s Elder Brother’s practical training at the end of last year, my brother possessed the qualifications to become a Minor Guild Leader.
In other words, he would become an official Minor Guild Leader on this birthday.
Father and the Gak-jus were discussing the announcement ceremony for Jung-ho’s Elder Brother’s position as Minor Guild Leader, laughing warmly among themselves.
But I could not laugh.
Because I remembered that a major incident would occur at the Eunhae Trading Company that day, and simultaneously, the most regretted event in Jung-ho’s Elder Brother’s life would unfold.
He regretted it so deeply that whenever he drank, he would speak of “that matter.”
He could have envied and resented me upon witnessing my exceptional abilities, but my Elder Brother did not.
Rather, he was the one who wanted to yield the position of Merchant Guild Leader to me.
I did not wish to see my Elder Brother regret anything again.
I clenched my fists beneath the table and made a vow.
I would ensure that Jung-ho’s Elder Brother would never have reason to regret.

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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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