The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 350

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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 350

Chapter 350. What Will Unfold (1)

We arrived at the Eunhae Trading Company Beijing Branch.
“Welcome.”
“Yes. I trust you’ve been well?”
“Of course.”
I instructed Palgap to guide Lady Ja-ryeong and her maidservant to their temporary quarters, then made my way to my chambers.
There, I composed a letter to Father.
“Geumryeong.”
As I tapped my sleeve, Geumryeong emerged with a soft chirp.
“This is a letter for Father.”
At my words, Geumryeong’s tail swished contentedly. I secured the letter firmly to the tail.
“Then, off you go.”
“Chirp!”
Geumryeong darted away like an arrow loosed from a bow.
I tidied my appearance and made my way to my office in Hyunpung.
The moment I settled into the chair before my wooden desk, I heard Chang-un Warrior’s voice from outside.
“My Lord, Yeochang’s Vice-Lord has arrived.”
“Show him in.”
At my response, the door opened and Yeochang’s Vice-Lord entered. Now promoted to that position, he had been managing Hyunpung in my stead.
“At last you’ve returned!”
He exclaimed warmly, his face gaunt with exhaustion.
“Ah, yes. It took longer than anticipated. My apologies.”
“No matter. This is more pressing than that.”
Thud!
He dropped a thick stack of documents onto my desk.
Wait—what was that sound just now?
A thud? Could paper ever produce such a sound?
And Yeochang’s Vice-Lord declared solemnly:
“These are the documents that have accumulated during your absence. Your approval is requested.”
“….”
Ah… work awaits me immediately upon my return.
Then, I suddenly thought of Lady Ja-ryeong.
Yes, since things have come to this, testing her abilities wouldn’t be a bad idea.

A moment later.
Lady Zaling entered my office.
“Did you call for me?”
“Yes. Please, sit here first.”
I seated her at the wooden table prepared beside me.
“Now, if you look at these documents….”
I showed her the documents and explained how to process the work.
“This is how you do it. Do you think you can manage?”
“Yes. It’s easier than I expected.”
…What?
Most people find this quite difficult when they first encounter it, yet she found it easy….
Soon she began processing the work, and she handled the documents at a speed far faster than I anticipated.
Wow… what is this pace? And the accuracy too!
My eyes were practically dripping with honey as I watched her.
Thus I was able to complete all the documents in far less time than I had expected.
I coveted her speed at processing these documents far more than her ability to see the future.
There was no way I could let such talent slip away.
Suddenly I understood why Yu So-ak Internal Chief Manager had been so reluctant to let me go.
“Young Lady!”
“Yes?”
“Let us make this official. I will pay you seven silver taels per month.”
Seven silver taels was an amount that only those with both experience and rank in our Merchant Guild could receive.
Yet I was prepared to pay her even more if necessary to secure her employment.
The Provincial Governor might disapprove when he learned of this.
But I had sound reasons.
She would need to completely conceal her identity, and no one would ever suspect that the daughter of a high official would work as my deputy.
In other words, I was exploiting a blind spot.
At my proposal, she widened her eyes and spoke.
“What? I never intended to accept payment. My father provides for my living expenses.”
She continued.
“I only made this proposal because I wanted to repay your kindness.”
“That won’t do. I never have anyone work for me without proper compensation. It goes against my personal principles. Everyone deserves fair payment for their labor.”
At my words, the Young Lady nodded.
“If that suits you better, I’ll do it that way. So I’ll be earning my own money then.”
She smiled brightly.
“This is my first time earning money myself.”
Indeed, what daughter of a high official would take it upon herself to earn money directly?
Thus Lady Zaling and I entered into a formal employment contract.
“By the way, what name should I use?”
I could no longer use the name Dong Ja-ryeong. Of course, I could use that name as is to exploit the Murim Alliance’s blind spot.
But it was better to avoid suspicion altogether than to draw unnecessary attention.
“Then Seo-hyang it is.”
“I see there’s meaning behind your swift choice.”
She nodded with a smile.
“My father named me after seeing the flowers of the Seo-hyang tree, hoping I would become as fragrant as its purple bell-like blossoms.”
“I see.”
“That’s why I always wanted to take Seo-hyang as my courtesy name. And somehow, my wish came true unexpectedly.”
Thus her name became Gwak Seo-hyang.

The next day.
A letter arrived from Father.
He expressed relief that I had returned safely, and suggested that it would be better to establish Lady Gwak Seo-hyang’s residence in Hubei rather than Beijing.
Looking at it myself, that seemed right.
Hubei was a place where my influence and Master’s influence were stronger than in Beijing.
For now, I could use an empty room here as a temporary residence.
I burned the letter in the fire. If someone were to see this letter, it would be troublesome.
As I rose from my seat, Geumryeong on the wooden table protested by tapping it with his front paws.
“Kwee! Kwee!”
“Ah! I’m sorry.”
I had forgotten to give him silver coins.
I pulled silver coins from my pocket and offered them to Geumryeong, who swallowed them eagerly.
Despite consuming so many silver coins and gaining all manner of abilities, his size remained unchanged from when I first saw him.
Well, if he grew much larger, it would become difficult for him to live inside my sleeve. When that happens, he’ll surely want to perch on my shoulder instead….
Imagining that sight, I quickly shook my head.
“Ah! That’s right! I just arrived, but I need to ask you to deliver one more letter.”
“Kwee? Kweekwee!”
“Hmm? You’re fine as long as I pay? Well… alright.”
I wrote a letter and tied it to Geumryeong’s tail. It was a letter to send to Master.
It contained information that Lady Ja-ryeong’s alias would be Gwak Seo-hyang.
Master needed to know beforehand so our stories would align.
“I’m counting on you.”
After sending Geumryeong with the letter, I performed my breathing exercises.
After finishing my training, I ate breakfast.
Then I returned to my quarters and gave a letter to Lee Pil Warrior, asking him to deliver it to Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster.
The letter contained word of my return.
Previously, Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster had told me that “His Majesty the Emperor has something urgent to discuss,” so it would be improper to return without saying anything.
Of course, he would know of my return even without my letter.
But there is such a thing as courtesy.
“I shall obey your command.”
“And please rest a while after you return.”
“Yes.”
Lee Pil Warrior accepted the letter and left my room, and I spoke to Palgap.
“Then let’s prepare to go out.”
“Understood, sir.”
“Today… let’s dress a bit more elegantly.”
“Why do you wish to dress so finely? Where are we going?”
“Ah, I have some business acquiring buildings.”

* * *

At that very moment.
In Eun Seo-ho’s office, a vision flashed before Gwak Seo-hyang’s eyes.
It was…
A scene of several residences crumbling to ruin.
“No!”
She jolted to her feet in shock.
“What? This is…”
She tilted her head in confusion. She had definitely seen this scene before.
Her heart had ached witnessing the collapse of multiple residences, with countless people dying or injured in the devastation.
That was why she had made a request of her father.
When he visited the Beijing Public Works Department, she asked him to petition the department’s officials to inspect the buildings.
But seeing this same future unfold again meant that future had not changed.
‘Does what must happen simply happen?’
Yet…
This time, she saw something different from what she had witnessed before. It was the image of Eun Seo-ho clicking his tongue as he observed the collapsing buildings.
But that lasted only a moment—Eun Seo-ho smiled wickedly.
At that smile, Gwak Seo-hyang’s heart eased at once.

* * *

I stood before a rather large tile-roofed house in Beijing.
“Is anyone home?”
Someone emerged in response to my call.
“Who might you be?”
“I am Eun Seo-ho, Small Guild Master of the Eunhae Trading Company. Is the house owner present?”
“Please wait a moment.”
He disappeared inside, and after a brief interval, he returned and spoke to me.
“Please come in.”
I entered and was shown to the guest reception room. After being served tea and waiting briefly, the house owner entered the reception room.
“I hear you wished to see me?”
“Please speak more casually. I am still young.”
“Ahem, very well then. So, why did you wish to see me?”
I spoke directly to the point.
“I wish to purchase this house.”
“This house… you wish to buy it?”
“Yes.”
I nodded.
“I will pay whatever price you name.”
He regarded me with evident curiosity about my true intentions.
“What would you do with this house?”
“We recently established a branch office in Beijing. However, we do not yet have a residence, so we are currently using rooms at the branch. But if we are to have a branch in the Imperial Capital, should we not at least have a proper residence to make it seem legitimate?”
I continued.
“This house happens to be conveniently located near the branch and appears suitable, so I came to inquire. I will pay whatever price you desire.”
After a moment of consideration at my words, he spoke.
“One thousand silver taels! I cannot accept less than that.”
Roughly double the market price.
“Very well.”
“Eh?”
At my ready acceptance, he asked in surprise.
“Are you… truly serious?”
“Yes, I am serious. Would I, as the Small Guild Master of the Eunhae Trading Company, jest with you over such a matter?”
I produced a sales contract I had prepared in advance.
“I shall need to use brush and ink for a moment.”
Just as I was dipping the brush in ink to write the amount—
“A thousand taels seems excessive even to me… perhaps eight hundred taels would suffice…”
“No. I shall pay the thousand taels as you first stated. In exchange, please vacate the house within a fortnight. Will that be acceptable?”
“You seem to be in quite a hurry. Very well.”
“Shall I give you the payment as a note from the Geumsan Money Lender? Or would you prefer silver taels?”
“Use a note from the Geumsan Money Lender, and we shall exchange it within their establishment.”
We immediately drew up the contract on the spot and proceeded directly to the Geumsan Money Lender.
And as promised, I settled the payment of one thousand silver taels with Geumsan Money Lender as witness.
Thus, I had acquired another residence.
I immediately proceeded to the next property. Since I had spent far more time than anticipated in Guizhou, time was running short.
The reason I was purchasing these properties was simple—several buildings in Beijing were destined to collapse.
Of course, the designs were sound, but the contractors’ greed had created a man-made disaster.
Where ten pillars should have been installed, they placed only six.
Then they bribed the Imperial Officials who came for the completion inspection and received their certificates of approval.
Sigh.
Before scheming to make a fool of me, perhaps they should have given some thought to the safety of their buildings.
So I purchased a careful mixture of buildings that would collapse and those that would remain standing. It would seem suspicious if every structure I bought fell to ruin.
Of course, there would be those who asked why I would knowingly purchase doomed buildings and accept the loss.
A loss?
Would I engage in something that would cause me loss?
This would return to me as tremendous gain.
A great merchant must never be swayed by immediate profits or momentary emotions.
And….
The most important reason was that when the buildings collapsed, countless people would die or be injured.
Moreover, only the rather grand residences would collapse, and those who suffered damage were all persons of influence.
Naturally, chaos would ensue.
In any case, whether poor or rich, I could not simply stand by and watch innocent people die or suffer injury due to someone else’s corruption.
I suppose my heart is simply too soft.
Well, I have nothing to say even if I’m criticized for overstepping. After all, even if I do overstep, I can still extract maximum profit from it, can’t I?
And I have no desire to live as someone who has lost their humanity.
If one is able to save lives, shouldn’t one do so?
.
.
.
That evening.
As I had anticipated, Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster came to find me.
“His Imperial Majesty summons you.”
“Yes.”
I followed him toward the Imperial Palace.
“Your humble servant Eun Seo-ho pays respects to His Most Exalted Imperial Majesty. Long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor, long live him ten thousand years!”
I prostrated myself before the Emperor with the utmost courtesy.
“You may rise.”
“I am overwhelmed by Your Majesty’s benevolence.”
I lifted my head and gazed upon the Emperor.
“You have labored greatly in this matter as well. But how is it that wherever you go, trouble erupts? Do you summon the troubles, or do the troubles summon you?”
“I am uncertain myself, Your Majesty. However, is it not the case that Your Imperial Majesty’s grace reaches across all the Central Plains through me?”
“You speak well indeed.”
The Emperor let out a soft chuckle and continued.
“Still, the Murim Alliance keeps being a nuisance.”
“How did they respond?”
“A classic tail-cutting maneuver. They claim this was merely that man’s independent action, that they issued no such orders. They say they will accept whatever punishment befalls him.”
I had expected as much.
“By the way, the daughter of the Guizhou Provincial Governor whom we went to such lengths to save—she died in an accident, I hear? Tsk tsk, what a tragedy.”
“Indeed, Your Majesty.”
At that moment, the Emperor looked at me with an expression of utter exasperation.
“Look at this fellow, will you? Is that so?”
I felt a chill run through me.
“Pardon? I’m afraid I don’t understand what you mean, Your Majesty.”
“I should inquire after her well-being sometime.”
….
How in the world did he discover that I had secretly spirited Lady Zaling away?
In my previous life, one of my epithets was the Silver Serpent precisely because my expressions were so difficult to read.
Does he truly possess mind-reading abilities?

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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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