The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 345

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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 345

Chapter 345. Things Gone Awry (8)

I received Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster.
“What brings you to this place, Great Swordmaster?”
Though Honam Province was reasonably important, it was far enough that I hadn’t expected someone of Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster’s stature to be dispatched here.
“His Majesty summoned me directly and issued his command. He seemed concerned when he heard you were here.”
“Ah….”
I couldn’t help but let out an involuntary groan at those words.

“You are in my grasp. So do not entertain thoughts of escape. Unless you wish to die within the Imperial Palace walls.”

The Emperor’s voice echoed in my mind as if he were standing before me.
Ugh… how unsettling.
The Honam Province Administrator standing beside me wore an expression of bewilderment at Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster’s words.
However, explaining the matter would be complicated, lengthy, and utterly embarrassing, so I left his confusion unresolved.
“You have traveled far, Great Swordmaster. Thank you for your efforts.”
Sensing my intention to move toward the main matter, Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster nodded and opened his mouth.
“Provincial Inspector. I have brought the Imperial Edict from His Majesty.”
At his words, the Provincial Inspector and I immediately knelt and paid our respects.
Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster carefully unrolled the crimson silk scroll he had kept in his bosom.
As he read the edict aloud, its contents expressed His Majesty’s pleasure at our diligent work, and instructed that since he had also sent edicts to the Military Commander and the Imperial Inspectorate, we should cooperate well with them to resolve this matter.
After reading through the entire edict, Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster rolled the scroll back up and handed it to the Provincial Inspector.
“I receive His Majesty’s edict with utmost sincerity.”
He accepted the edict with both hands as he spoke, then bowed again before rising.
We too rose from our positions.
I understood why Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster had come in person. He needed to coordinate between the Military Commander who oversaw military affairs and the Imperial Inspectorate who handled matters of law and order.
“The Military Commander has already dispatched troops, and they are standing by in the vicinity.”
The Provincial Inspector spoke at that.
“In truth, I know little of these details. The Eun Small Merchant Leader, who requested my assistance, has handled the matter. It would be better to consult with him rather than with me.”
“Is that so?”
Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster’s gaze turned toward me, his eyes brimming with satisfaction.
Ugh!
I must be careful. That look in his eyes is the look of someone thinking, “How can I recruit him into the Geumui Guard?”
.
.
.
Two hours later.
The Honam Province forces that had been waiting nearby launched their assault on the Seo-un Sect.
The one commanding them was the Hunan Military Deputy Commander.
Since this was a matter of great importance, the second-in-command of the Honam Province Military had taken the field personally.
Upon arriving at the Seo-un Sect, he bellowed loudly.
“Rebels, hear me! Surrender at once! If you do not, death awaits you all!”

* * *

At that very moment.
The displaced refugees sheltering at the Seo-un Sect grew suddenly anxious at the sounds coming from outside.
“What in the world is that noise?”
“I looked outside and soldiers are surrounding this place!”
“Why would they surround us?”
“What do they mean by rebels?”
Their confusion was entirely justified.
The Seo-un Sect had sheltered and fed them when famine left them with nowhere else to turn—they were people to be grateful for.
Yet now they were called rebels!
“Damn it all! Calling such good people rebels!”
“The nation must be utterly mad!”
“We can’t just sit here! We owe them a debt for all they’ve fed and sheltered us—we must clear up this misunderstanding!”
“Yes, that’s right!”
Thus, among the refugees, a resolve formed to block the soldiers, and the man who had just spoken of clearing up the misunderstanding wore a satisfied smile.
‘Fools.’
His words had been calculated—he intended to use the refugees he had fed and sheltered as human shields.
‘With hearts so full of gratitude, they exist only to be exploited by us. Heh heh.’
In truth, there had been a reason for gathering these refugees.
They had planned to incite a massive popular uprising through them, but somehow the Empire had moved first.
‘If only we’d had a few more months! Damn it!’
The refugees numbered roughly eight hundred, while the sect disciples numbered around two hundred.
But the forces surrounding this place numbered in the thousands.
To survive now, they would have to place the refugees at the front and use them as shields against arrows.
That would create an opening for escape.
“Let’s go!”
“Yes, let’s do this!”
“I’m coming too!”
As the refugees began to surge forward.
“But wait a moment. Something feels wrong here.”
At that, someone among the refugees spoke up.
It was the Bear-like Man, and his words somehow captured their attention.
Though their faces were unfamiliar, there was an inexplicable warmth to them—as if I had known them for years.
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve been troubled by this question for some time now. How many of us are there in total?”
“Between us and the Sect Master’s disciples, I’d say roughly a thousand or so?”
“Then how many sacks of rice do we consume in a single day? And how many months have we remained in this place?”
At those words, the refugees suddenly grasped the staggering quantity of provisions that had been supplied to them.
“Though I am but a simple farmer with little knowledge of scholarly matters, I know one truth: nothing in this world is free.”
Those who heard this nodded in agreement.
It was a truth people often forgot, yet it was simple and unmistakable.
“And where, pray tell, do all these provisions come from? In this time of famine, people are starving to death.”
Only then did they sense something amiss, and murmurs rippled through the crowd.
“That is why I have been uneasy. What do they expect of us in return for feeding and sheltering us? Now that soldiers surround this place, I believe I understand their purpose.”
He continued.
“They intended to use us as the vanguard for their rebellion. Now they mean to use us as shields against arrows.”
“What?”
“Rebellion?”
“We have no such intention….”
To their protests, he spoke with conviction.
“Intention or not, when one constantly hears grievances against the state, one eventually moves in that direction. Such is human nature.”
“….”
Then someone spoke up.
“But they’ve fed and sheltered us all this time—we owe them a debt of gratitude!”
“Y-yes, that’s right.”
“Will the famine last a hundred years? Soon it will end, and we’ll have better days ahead… Have you forgotten about the wives and children here with us?”
All eyes turned toward him.
“If you align with rebels, you become a rebel yourself. Do you think soldiers will spare the families of rebels?”
He continued, his voice trembling.
“Must we not save our families?”
At the mention of families, the refugees’ hearts swayed entirely toward the bear-like man’s words.
And the tide had already turned.
Panicked, the Seo-un Sect Warrior suddenly bellowed without thinking.
“Damn it all! We fed you bastards for what?! You can’t just—Ugh!”
“….”
He quickly covered his mouth, but it was too late. Everyone had heard his words.
“What? Just now?”
“So there really was a reason they brought us here and fed us?”
“The farmer was right?”
“Damn it!”
As the refugees’ sentiments turned hostile, he drew a hidden dagger and cried out.
“You useless wretches!”
And he quickly grabbed the child beside him, pressing a dagger to the child’s throat as he spoke.
“Get out of here now! Whether we plead our innocence or fight back, do as I say! Unless you want to watch this brat die!”
The sudden hostage situation left the child’s parents and those nearby in shock.
Kyaaaah—!
Thud!
At that moment, a hidden projectile flew through the air and struck his shoulder.
“Ugh!”
Unable to bear the pain, he dropped the dagger, and in that instant, someone flew in and subdued him.
“I’m grateful I learned how to throw hidden projectiles from Pil.”
“Well done, Warrior Yeo.”
Then someone who had been wearing tattered cloth threw off their disguise and revealed themselves.
A handsome young man striking enough to draw everyone’s gaze.
Eun Seo-ho.

* * *

The displaced people looked at me with astonished eyes.
I surveyed them and spoke.
“In truth, we are those sent by the Emperor. His Majesty knows of your suffering. As the father of all the Empire’s people, His Majesty wishes to grant you a chance at salvation.”
What troubled me most as I worked through this situation was the plight of these displaced people.
Honestly, what crime had they committed?
Last time they had incited a rebellion, so I made them pay the price, but this time they were merely used.
The Seo-un Sect should bear the punishment for exploiting them.
That was why I, Palgap, and the Guards infiltrated this place.
I continued speaking.
“Form a single line and follow my attendant. We must escape this place with haste.”
At my words, they moved in perfect unison behind Palgap.
But then,
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“You’re not leaving! Repay us everything you’ve taken from us with your very lives!”
Warriors of the Seo-un Sect appeared, weapons drawn, blocking the displaced people’s path.
As expected—these bastards wouldn’t let them go so easily.
Shing—
I drew my blade. Anticipating such a situation, I had brought all the Guard Warriors with me rather than sending only Palgap.
“Everyone, escape now!”
Clang—!
Clang! Clang!
While we held back their assault, the displaced people moved quickly to flee.
And then,
“There! How dare you attempt to slip away from here? You thought you could hide among the displaced people without being discovered?”
“Damn it!”
I also dealt with those pretending to be Yim’s men as they tried to escape.
While we bought time like that, all of Yim’s forces slipped away.
“All troops! Attack!”
“Raaaaaaah!”
Soon, with a tremendous roar, soldiers poured into the Seo-un Sect. Naturally, since we bore the proper friendly identification marks, we were safe.
They began capturing Seo-un Sect warriors indiscriminately.
“Leave this to them and let’s move.”
“Yes!”
We moved immediately.
To resolve this matter, we needed to capture the most crucial figure alive.
The Sect Master of the Seo-un Sect.
But I hesitated for a moment.
The realization struck me that I didn’t know the Sect Master’s identity.
Would finding the strongest martial artist suffice?
But the Sect Master isn’t necessarily the strongest in martial arts. Especially in a place like this, someone might have become Sect Master due to strong loyalty to the Murim Alliance.
That was when it happened.
“Chirp!”
Geumryeong chirped from my sleeve. At the same moment, I felt a familiar presence descending from the sky.
It was the presence of the bird that had carried letters before. And the one who had now become Geumryeong’s subordinate.
The bird came streaking down, circled twice above me, then headed off in a direction.
Was it telling me to follow?
I used my lightness technique to pursue the bird.
There I found….
“D-damn it! I have to escape! That’s why I said I didn’t want to do this in the first place!”
A man was frantically gathering money. The bird had just shown me where the Sect Master was.
I looked at Lee Pil Warrior, and he threw a hidden blade at the man.
Whoosh!
Thud!
“Ugh!”
He cried out and turned back to face us. His expression twisted with fear as he shouted.
“I-I don’t know anything! I just did what I was told!”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I want to know. Just tell us what you were ordered to do.”
.
.
.
Thus, the Seo-un Sect was dismantled.
The Sect Master of the Seo-un Sect and key figures were captured alive and imprisoned in the temporary prison established at the Guizhou Provincial Office.
And they had to endure a grueling interrogation.
“S-so… the one who ordered me to do that was someone named Ham Song.”
“Ham Song? Who in the world is he?”
“I’m not entirely certain either. I’ve only heard that he holds some position within the Murim Alliance.”
The mention of the Murim Alliance came from his lips.
But there was nothing I could do about the Murim Alliance with this information alone.
Whether they played ignorant or cut ties this time, I would handle it.
But I couldn’t let this continue indefinitely.
I was satisfied that the Murim Alliance had been mentioned before the Provincial Inspector. This would cause him to lose faith in them—a significant gain in itself.

* * *

That evening.
I made my way to the Fourth Young Master’s quarters. I had requested an audience with him.
“Welcome.”
“Thank you for accepting my sudden request for a meeting.”
“Not at all. But what brings you to see me?”
His expression was slightly dejected. It was understandable—his attendant had been a spy, after all.
But that wasn’t why I had come.
“Young Master.”
“Yes?”
“Do you harbor affection for Lady Zaling?”
“Hack! Cough! Cough!”
He spat out his tea. His face flushed crimson in an instant.
Now I was certain.
Though Lady Zaling was betrothed to Yeon Myeong-hyeon, the Third Son, Yeon Se-mun, the Fourth Young Master before me, had also harbored feelings for her.
When he learned that his elder brother was troubled over what gift to give Lady Zaling, Yeon Se-mun had his attendant procure tea for him.
Unaware that the tea contained poison.
It was a misguided affection.
I sipped my tea and swallowed the bitterness.
Thus, this matter was settled for now.
The real problem lay elsewhere.

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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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