The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 354

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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 354

Chapter 354. What Will Come to Pass (5)

The Gyeong Family Patriarch nodded at my proposal.
“I understand. If I reject even this offer, it seems I won’t be able to leave this place today.”
I immediately drafted two investment contracts and handed one to him.
After concluding the matter so satisfactorily, I sipped my tea and asked him a question.
“Ah, but which company did you commission to construct that house?”
“Ogul Construction Company.”
That was precisely the culprit responsible for this disaster.
“May I inquire how much the construction cost?”
“I commissioned it for five hundred silver taels.”
Cough!
I nearly spat out my tea.
These shameless bandits!
Wait? The amount first presented to me was four hundred taels?
But when he urgently asked me to vacate, I gave him a thousand taels.
“Then why were you trying to sell it for four hundred taels?”
“It’s not a new house, is it? It’s been ten years since it was built. How could I ask for the price of a new house?”

A sigh escaped me.
I was moved for the second time.
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That night.
Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster visited me to instruct me in Imperial Palace martial arts.
After training concluded, Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster regarded me with a satisfied expression.
“Certainly, you possess genuine talent for martial arts. Has your Master never mentioned such a thing to you?”
“My Master has said such things before, but I assumed it was merely encouragement.”
“No. You truly have talent. You may not realize it, but most who learn Imperial Palace martial arts are already practitioners of other martial disciplines.”
Of course they are.
Imperial Palace martial arts were created precisely to unify those who had learned different martial techniques.
“And I have never encountered anyone whose progress in Imperial Palace martial arts advances so rapidly.”
“Haha.”
I laughed with embarrassment.
“In just a few more months, you won’t need to teach me anymore.”
“Then I suppose I should deliberately slow my learning pace.”
“Hmm?”
“Because I wish to continue meeting with the Great Swordmaster in the future.”
At my words, Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster smiled warmly.
“As an instructor, I should scold you for such words, but I confess my heart is pleased.”
That was precisely what I intended.
“This is why His Majesty holds you in such regard. Let us conclude today’s training here.”
“I am grateful for your instruction.”
I quickly clasped my fist and bowed respectfully.
“To explain the situation: the Merchant Guild Leader of Ogul Construction attempted to flee through the secret passage, precisely as you predicted.”
“As expected.”
“Indeed. Thanks to your warning, we were able to deploy tracking techniques in time to pursue him.”
“I am truly relieved. To be honest, if someone had committed such grave crimes and escaped to live freely elsewhere, it would have weighed heavily on my conscience.”
I asked him a question.
“So where is he now?”
“He is imprisoned in the Prison. And all those who conducted the completion inspections when those buildings were constructed ten years ago are being brought in.”
Normally, when an incident occurs, a summons is issued to allow the accused an opportunity to explain themselves.
However, when the guilt is deemed certain, the Imperial Guard dispatches officers to apprehend them by force.
That is why the Emperor used the word “being brought in.”
In my previous life, when the circumstances were uncovered late, those officials who had committed the corruption were dragged to the Imperial Palace and endured considerable hardship.
They walked in on their own two feet when brought to the Palace, but left on stretchers, or so I had heard.
Naturally, more than half their estates were confiscated.
Well, this time would likely be no different.
“The Censorate has been thoroughly investigating the Public Works Department, and it’s far more serious than expected.”
I suppressed a bitter smile.
Had those above truly been unaware of the Public Works Department’s corruption all this time?
Surely not.
They must have known.
They simply turned a blind eye in exchange for some benefit.
Corruption, after all, is always interconnected.
And in my assessment, the Emperor was certainly aware of the Public Works Department’s misdeeds.
He was merely waiting for the right moment to strike.
So the instant this affair erupted, he descended upon it like a storm, handling it with overwhelming force.
“In any case, all the officials of the Public Works Department are currently under investigation.”
I nodded and spoke.
“That must be quite troubling for Your Majesty.”
“Hmm?”
“Your Majesty would surely wish to execute all the Public Works Department officials or subject them to hard labor. Yet if you do so, the Department’s operations would be paralyzed, leaving you in an impossible position.”
That was precisely the gap between ideals and reality.
The Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster gazed at me with admiration.
“Remarkable indeed. You’ve identified exactly what concerns His Majesty. Your loyalty to the Emperor is truly profound.”
“I am honored.”
“Then, how would you handle this matter?”
I chuckled softly.
“Honestly, must hard labor necessarily mean toiling in mines and such places?”
“Hmm?”
“Keep them in their positions, but pay only one-fifth of their salaries. The remainder becomes a fine they must pay.”
“But wouldn’t the higher-ranking officials finish their sentences too quickly?”
I shook my head.
“The higher their rank, the greater and more numerous their crimes, so simply impose proportionally heavier fines.”
“What a clever scheme!”
“And if they neglect their duties, inform them that their families will be sent to mines for hard labor. Then they’ll all work themselves to the bone.”
At my words, the Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster tilted his head.
“The father committed the crime, yet his family must suffer? Isn’t that too cruel?”
“They lived well off that ill-gotten wealth, did they not?”
“Ah… I suppose that’s true.”
“And if someone was living in those collapsed buildings, widows and orphans were created by their corruption. If we call that unjust, those victims will curse such reasoning.”
“Indeed…”
“Moreover, if the guilty party works diligently, his family need never face hard labor.”
The Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster nodded at my words, and the light in his eyes as he regarded me was like that of one gazing upon gold.
Oh no!
I quickly lowered my head and spoke.
“These are merely the humble thoughts of a small merchant, so please do not take them too seriously.”
But Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster already wears the expression of someone who has absorbed every word I’ve said. Damn it.
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A month passed after that.
Before I knew it, we were in the middle of the tenth month.
The public had much to say about this affair, one way or another.
And among those who sold me their houses, only the Gyeong Family Patriarch came to find me and offered to return a portion of the sale price.
In truth, this is what ordinary people would do.
That’s why I was moved by his gesture.
Honestly, whether he knew or not, since he had sold a defective house, returning part of the money was a matter of principle.
But those who uphold principle before profit are far fewer than one might think.
That said, I’m not the sort to simply accept that money.
At the very least, if they saved their lives thanks to me, they should offer their gratitude—or so one would think.
“Young Master, shouldn’t we soon begin looking for a construction merchant to build the new structures?”
At Palgap’s words, I nodded.
“True. But I’ll place the order later. Winter is nearly upon us anyway, so we can’t start construction now.”
“That is so, sir.”
“And I have no intention of spending my own money to build. I plan to use the compensation to construct the buildings.”
“As expected of you, Young Master. By the way, when will the judgment be rendered?”
At Palgap’s question, I recalled what Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster had told me a few days prior.
“Perhaps within four or five days, the judgment will be handed down.”
That was because he said the Imperial Palace would summon me within four or five days to hear my account.
And then,
“Master. Someone has arrived from the Imperial Palace.”
The voice of the Chang-un Warrior standing guard reached my ears.
They’re calling faster than expected.
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.
The next day, I set out for the Imperial Palace.
After informing the guard official, someone came to escort me inside.
“Are you Eun Seo-ho, the Small Guild Master?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“I am Kang Eul-jin, attached to the Censorate. First, please accept my condolences.”
Seeing that he speaks to me with deference, he appears to be a lower-ranking official.
No matter how widely my reputation has spread, a higher-ranking official would not approach with such courtesy.
“Thank you.”
“Please follow me.”
“Yes.”
I followed him to the Censorate, and there I encountered a familiar face.
Scholar Hwang Bon-ji, now serving as Left Censorate.
A position roughly equivalent to third-in-command at the Censorate.
Rather than showing my delight, I merely offered a subtle nod of acknowledgment.
“Please wait here for a moment.”
Following his instructions, I waited briefly in the Guest Reception Room before he led me to a pavilion.
Inside, several figures dressed in the robes of high officials sat waiting.
I bowed respectfully.
“A humble merchant presents himself to the distinguished gentlemen.”
“Be seated.”
“Yes.”
I took my seat and studied the faces of those regarding me.
They appeared to be officials from the Censorate, the Geumui Guard, and other government departments.
These must be the ones tasked with rendering judgment on this matter.
For such significant affairs, roughly five individuals appointed by the Emperor would deliberate and issue their verdict.
“The reason we have summoned you is that we require your account regarding certain aspects of this incident.”
One of them, seated in the center, spoke first.
“First, did you purchase those buildings knowing they had defects?”
“Pardon? How could that be? Had I known of the defects, I would never have paid more than double the market price.”
Of course I had known, but I could hardly say so.
“I paid one thousand silver taels for each building.”
“Gasp!”
At my response, their jaws fell slack.
“Then… six thousand taels…?”
“In total, having purchased ten buildings, that comes to ten thousand silver taels.”
“…”
“I understand the remaining four buildings also had defects. This is no trivial loss.”
At my words, they nodded in agreement.
Then someone raised a question.
“But why did you purchase them at such an exorbitant price? As you mentioned, those buildings should have been worth only half that amount?”
“I urgently needed to vacate the buildings. I intended to begin renovation work before winter arrived.”
I continued my explanation.
“Therefore, the original owners also needed to secure new residences urgently, so I simply offered them a premium to expedite the transaction.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Fortunately, this prevented any loss of life. Is that not a blessing?”
“Well, that is… true enough.”
I posed a question to them.
“If I understand correctly, when one suffers financial damages due to defects in a constructed building, one may demand compensation from those responsible for such defects.”
I had consulted the legal codes beforehand.
Since understanding the law well prevents losses, our trading company always maintains a comprehensive legal library.
Of course, I was already aware of this much.
“That’s true enough.”
“Then may I request compensation for the damages I’ve suffered?”
At my words, they asked.
“How much compensation do you demand?”
“I’ve prepared a list here.”
I withdrew a scroll from my sleeve and submitted it to them.
It was a meticulously compiled list of compensation claims.
“….”
Those who read it fell silent, their voices catching.
But they wouldn’t be able to raise any counterarguments.
Every figure was calculated within reasonable bounds and within the lawful framework.
Compensation for the buildings, compensation for the costs of clearing the collapsed structures, compensation for rebuilding the buildings, and so forth….
Three thousand silver taels per building.
With six collapsed buildings, that totaled eighteen thousand taels.
Additionally, the buildings that hadn’t collapsed needed to be demolished and rebuilt, so I added compensation for those as well.
Thirty-five hundred silver taels per structure.
With four buildings that hadn’t collapsed, that came to fourteen thousand taels.
In total, thirty-two thousand taels.
“To be honest, rumors have spread among the people that they’ve been cursed or struck by divine retribution because of this incident. But that figure excludes the damages caused by such rumors. If we were to account for that as well, five thousand taels per house wouldn’t even be sufficient.”
I continued speaking.
“I hereby request compensation for the damages I have incurred.”
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Several days later.
The final verdict was handed down.
First, the Imperial Official officials who had engaged in corruption received labor sentences.
A newly established form of punishment by imperial decree, a type of penalty where one works diligently to repay fines.
It directly reflected the punishment I had proposed.
Thinking of how much the Emperor must have laughed, my stomach suddenly turned sour.
In my previous life, most of the Imperial Official officials, except those with particularly grave offenses, had received only light fines. That was due to the gap between ideals and reality.
But with labor sentences imposed, they would pay their debts in full.
To repay those fines, they’d likely have to work themselves to the bone for at least a decade.
And the Merchant Guild Leader of Ogul Construction and those involved in the corruption received sentences of hard labor.
In my previous life, they couldn’t escape execution, but this time, since no one had died, they received hard labor sentences instead.
Still, they’d likely rot away in the mines for the rest of their lives.
I felt no particular sympathy.
It was the result of their own making, a case of reaping what one sows.
Having enjoyed luxurious lives with wealth obtained through corruption, shouldn’t they pay the price for it?
Furthermore, all of the Merchant Guild’s assets were confiscated, and most of those assets were used to compensate me.
The remainder was distributed as compensation to those who had built the defective houses, but the amount was not particularly substantial.
This reflected the fact that they had already sold their houses and profited twofold in the process.
However, the Gyeong Family Patriarch received five hundred silver taels in compensation because I mentioned that he had returned the money to me.
In the midst of all this, the misconduct of other Construction Merchants was also exposed, and those Construction Merchants who had committed such misconduct collapsed after paying massive compensation.
In any case, through this affair, I invested ten thousand silver taels and earned an additional twenty-two thousand taels.
The fact that I received the full amount I demanded is honestly because the Emperor stands behind me.
Indeed, the Emperor is the greatest.
But… I must be cautious.
I never know when I might be dragged away as a work slave.

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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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