The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 338

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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 338

Chapter 338. Things Gone Awry (1)

I returned to my quarters and collapsed face-first onto my bed.
Palgap, observing my state, asked me a question.
“Young Master, you went to meet the Provincial Inspector, but why are you like this?”
“Ah, I’m utterly exhausted.”
Knowing that the Provincial Inspector was eavesdropping on our conversation from the adjacent room, I couldn’t speak freely.
Thus, all my energy had been drained by deliberating over every question and answer.
“What on earth has exhausted you so?”
But I couldn’t tell Palgap this.
It wasn’t that I distrusted him, but the fewer people who knew a secret, the safer it remained.
So I simply gave him a vague brush-off.
“It’s just… you know. That sort of thing.”
The situation I had endured was like a young man and woman conversing before their betrothal, with the woman’s father standing guard and watching.
Hmm, that analogy sounds rather strange when I say it aloud.
In any case, it was something like that.
As I reflected on the Provincial Inspector’s demeanor with an inward chuckle, I found myself able to empathize with that hypothetical young man’s plight—even though I was not actually in the position of being monitored by a prospective father-in-law.
Sigh.

Two days passed in this manner.
Fortunately, I was not summoned again after that, and I was able to enjoy some rare leisure time.
And Palgap, who had been bustling about gathering information, shared what he had learned with me.
The Provincial Inspector had five sons and one daughter, he said.
He had fathered five sons in succession before finally having a daughter, and that daughter was Lady Zaling.
So how beautiful must she be?
“Then what of Lady Zaling’s elder brothers?”
“They have all already married and are living at the main house here in Guizhou, it is said.”
“I see.”
I wished Baek Bal Hwa-ui would arrive soon.
The thought of the mental effort required to dispel any misunderstanding that might arise from five elder brothers made me feel somewhat dizzy.
After being cooped up in my quarters for two days reading nothing but books, my neck had grown stiff.
As I rotated my neck and rubbed the back of it, Palgap, who had been watching, spoke.
“Young Master, would a stroll not be beneficial? If you continue without movement and only read books, your posture will suffer.”
“Hmm… you make a fair point.”
I nodded and rose from my seat.
“I should step out for a bit.”
“Yes, I shall accompany you.”
I left my quarters and strolled through the back garden of the outer residence with two Guard Warriors.
Though not as impressive as the inner quarters’ garden I had seen recently, this back garden was still well-appointed.
Since it was a place visible to outsiders, they had taken considerable care with it.
As I admired the scenery and breathed in the fresh air, I found myself wandering farther than I had intended.
“We’ve come quite far. Let us return now.”
“Understood.”
Then a voice called to me from behind.
“Eun Seo-ho, Small Guild Master.”
It was the Provincial Inspector. I immediately turned and bowed to him.
“I greet you, Provincial Inspector.”
“You were taking a stroll, it seems.”
“Yes. After reading books, I felt somewhat sluggish, so I was taking a brief walk.”
“I know that feeling well.”
The Provincial Inspector was also on a stroll. But his expression did not appear particularly pleasant.
Noticing the shadow of worry that hung over his face, I spoke carefully.
“You seem to have much on your mind.”
“Ah… is it that apparent?”
He touched his face and released a sigh.
“Hmm… would you perhaps be willing to walk with me for a time?”
“…?”

I followed the Provincial Inspector to his office.
When he asked me to keep him company for a moment, it turned out he meant for me to listen to his grievances over tea.
But was this appropriate?
Could an outsider like me be privy to such matters?
“In fact, I conducted a personal investigation into the origins of those poisons you mentioned.”
Of course he would have. Poisoning meant there was a culprit behind it.
I tensed, wondering what he was about to reveal, but if it was this sort of matter, it made sense for him to discuss it with me.
Yet the fact that he was telling me this meant….
He released a heavy sigh.
“The problem is, the house that sent the tea as a gift is betrothed to Lady Zaling.”
“…I beg your pardon?”
At his unexpected words, I blinked in surprise.
Now that I thought about it, everyone had been delighted when Lady Zaling’s engagement to a respectable family was settled.
But poisoned tea was sent as a gift from the house she was betrothed to?
“That house is… the family of the Honam Governor.”
“….”
I already knew this from the information Palgap had brought. She was betrothed to the Third Son of the Honam Governor.
He continued with a complicated expression.
“Ever since Lady Zaling fell ill, he has been consistently inquiring after her health and sending her these teas as gifts.”
This was indeed a troublesome matter.
Like Guizhou, Honam was also located far from the Capital City, which meant the provincial governors wielded considerable authority and maintained substantial military forces.
If handled carelessly, it could spark unforeseen chaos.
“The situation is delicate in many respects.”
Indeed it was.
In my previous life, Lady Zaling had died suddenly from the Oseong Trading Company’s scheming, so there had been no collision between the two provinces.
Could this be the Murim Alliance’s true intention?
But something felt off.
If the Murim Alliance wanted chaos to erupt, they would not have used such an expensive, difficult-to-administer poison whose lethal nature was ambiguous.
They would have used a poison whose toxicity was unmistakably apparent.
Ah, I truly cannot fathom this.
The Murim Alliance is truly inscrutable.
But I know their depths are pitch black.
And they will stop at nothing to achieve their objectives.
I listened quietly to the Provincial Inspector’s lament.
“…In any case, I suspect the Honam Governor’s family is behind this, but I cannot determine how to prove their guilt.”
Then a thought suddenly occurred to me.
“Forgive me, but… when you say the Honam Governor’s family is the culprit, whom specifically do you mean?”
“Hmm?”
“Do you mean the young master betrothed to your daughter? Or his father? Or his mother? Or perhaps a third party?”
At my question, the Provincial Inspector blinked his eyes.
Had you not considered that?
“Ah… now that you mention it, that does seem to be the case.”
“And at present, it would be better to focus on treating your daughter rather than pursuing the culprit. First and foremost, we must save her life, must we not?”
“Of course. But I grow anxious that they might destroy evidence in the meantime.”
“There is no need to worry about that. The likelihood is quite slim.”
“How can you be so certain of that?”
“Because you have not interrogated them, Provincial Inspector. And as you know, this poison leaves almost no trace of poisoning. Therefore, the culprit will likely feel at ease.”
“Hmm, there is merit in that reasoning.”
At that moment, the Deputy Officer announced that a visitor had arrived.
It was time for me to take my leave.
The Provincial Inspector smiled and bade me farewell.
“Thank you for indulging my whims today.”
“You are too kind. Thanks to your consideration, I am able to live comfortably. Please do not hesitate to call upon me at any time.”
I withdrew from the Provincial Inspector’s office and made my way back to my quarters.
Yet it seemed the Provincial Inspector was not entirely composed. The way he hastily assumed the culprit was from the Hunan Governor’s household spoke volumes.
What father would remain in his right mind upon learning his daughter had been poisoned?
However, as I recalled the Provincial Inspector’s demeanor during our time together, there was something that troubled me.
Though he possessed exceptional learning—having passed the provincial examination—he did not appear particularly skilled in practical administration.
Yet in my memories of my previous life, Guizhou had been remarkably peaceful.
Did he have an exceptionally capable subordinate managing affairs?
But Guizhou is a vast territory.
When overseeing administration of such a large region, unforeseen troubles inevitably arise.
No matter how well one resolves them, chaos cannot be entirely avoided.
Yet matters seemed to resolve themselves immediately, as if he had anticipated such problems beforehand.
Of course, this was not true for all matters. The monopoly crisis involving medicinal herbs at the Namho Trading Company in my previous life proved otherwise.
It was truly strange.
Considering the time it took to become involved in that affair, it did not seem as though there was an administrator so exceptional that I would marvel at him.
Sigh, my head aches.
“Is something the matter, sir?”
“No, it is just that thinking about various things has given me a headache. At times like this, I should eat something sweet.”
Guizhou, being located inland and lacking rock salt, had rather bland cuisine.
Many dishes were flavored with sourness and spice.
Of course, as this is the Provincial Inspector’s residence, salt is not in short supply.
But due to the region’s characteristics, the food tends to be rather bland.
Moreover, the elevation is high, making it unsuitable for farming, and forests dominate the landscape.
This is why it is renowned as a production area for medicinal herbs.
“Hehehehe.”
At my words, Palgap’s eyes gleamed.
“Young Master, who am I?”
“Hmm?”
“That’s Palgap. I had a feeling this might happen, so I asked him beforehand.”
“…?”
A moment later.
I returned to my quarters, and Palgap, who had stepped out briefly, soon entered and placed a dish on the table.
“Huh? What is this….”
It was a confection made by pouring melted sugar and letting it harden.
“How did you manage to get this?”
Candy’s primary production area is Guangdong Province, which isn’t terribly far from Guizhou here.
So it’s relatively easy to obtain, but the humid climate in this region makes storage difficult.
That’s why there are many sour-tasting foods here.
“I’ve become somewhat acquainted with Chan Mo.”
“How?”
“I happen to be quite popular with women. Winning a woman’s heart isn’t solely about one’s appearance, is it?”
“That’s true enough.”
“I deployed a bit of charm for your sake, young master.”
I let out a quiet laugh.
Yes, Palgap does have some talent for such things.
It was then.
The voice of Lee Pil Warrior came from outside, where he stood guard at the door.
“Master, the Provincial Inspector has sent an attendant.”
Since it was an attendant sent by the Provincial Inspector himself, I went out personally.
“This is food sent by the Provincial Inspector.”
The attendant spoke as he extended what he was holding.
I accepted it and opened it to find a confection glazed with honey syrup.
“The Provincial Inspector heard that the Small Guild Master wished to eat something sweet, so he specially ordered this prepared.”
“Thank you. Please convey my gratitude to the Provincial Inspector and tell him I shall enjoy it.”
The Provincial Inspector’s attendant departed, and I turned to Palgap and spoke.
“News really does travel fast.”
“I-indeed it does, sir.”
I took it inside. I should share this with the Guard Warriors later.
But Palgap tilted his head in confusion.
“That’s strange. I clearly said I was obtaining that confection because I wanted to eat something sweet myself.”
“Is that so?”
Now that I thought about it, when I mentioned wanting to eat something sweet, there were a few people passing by that spot….
Could it be that they spread the word?
I really need to be more careful about what I say.

The next morning.
Upon waking, I asked Palgap to stand guard, then performed my breathing exercises on the bed.
I had no desire to let others witness my martial training.
After completing my cultivation, I opened the door and stepped out to find Seo-woo Warrior and Myeong-jong Warrior greeting me.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Yes. Good morning. Thank you both for your diligent watch through the night.”
“We were merely fulfilling our duties.”
“Um, but…”
Myeong-jong Warrior continued with an awkward expression.
“Last night, people left these items in front of your quarters.”
He brought forward a basket that had been beside him.
The basket was filled with honey jars, candies, and similar delicacies.
And letters were tied to them.
I untied one of them and unfolded it.

[Upon seeing your face, sir, I could not help but feel my heart flutter…]

The contents of the other letters were much the same.
I turned my head slightly to look at Palgap.
He was watching me with an expression as though he had suffered some internal injury.
“Are you alright?”
“Indeed, this world is a filthy place that remembers only the beautiful.”
He was sulking. Definitely sulking.

That day, I had to go to considerable lengths to lift Palgap’s spirits.
“Chirp!”
But Geum-ryeong, why are you so excited?
.
.
.
That afternoon.
At last, the long-awaited guest arrived at Po Jeong-sa’s Residence in Guizhou.
“Welcome. It has been quite some time.”
“My! Young Master Eun Seo-ho!”
Baek Bal Hwa-ui’s expression was one of surprise upon seeing me.
He had not expected to encounter me in this place.
“I find myself here temporarily due to certain circumstances.”
“I see.”
“And to be frank, it was my request that brought you here.”
I spoke with a grave expression.
“Because I encountered the same poison here that I faced at the Jegal Family Estate.”

Baek Bal Hwa-ui proceeded directly to Lady Zaling’s quarters and examined her pulse with a stern countenance.
Afterward, he requested a quiet place and was guided to the Guest Reception Room.
As though parched, he drank down several cups of cooled tea in succession.
“Well? Is my daughter’s condition truly poisoning?”
At the Provincial Inspector’s question, he nodded gravely.
“Yes. It is.”
“Heavens!”
“And the poison itself is indeed Mujaksu, a quadruple-layered toxin, just as Young Master Eun Seo-ho stated.”
He continued.
“I understand the ailment began when she was sixteen years old.”
“That is correct.”
“And I also hear she has lost consciousness recently.”
“That too is accurate.”
Baek Bal Hwa-ui furrowed his brow for a moment, then tilted his head and asked.
“But how on earth did you manage to halt the poison’s progression?”

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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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