The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 361

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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 361

Chapter 361. The Baek Yeom Merchant Guild (2)

“If it were me, I would sell the Liu Bao dark tea from Guangxi Province among the dark teas. Not only does it have a mild flavor with almost no astringency, but it’s also said to be effective for reducing fevers.”
“Indeed.”
“Since Dae-Wol Kingdom is a hot country, managing fevers is quite important. So I could sell it at a high price, and with that money, I plan to purchase grain.”
“Grain?”
“Yes.”
He nodded.
“When the Small Merchant Guild Leader mentioned trade with Dae-Wol Kingdom to me, I gave it considerable thought—what we truly wish to obtain through this trade.”
He continued.
“That is precisely grain. Currently, we face significant difficulties in grain supply due to widespread crop failures. And I believe this will ultimately become a matter of national importance.”
“What makes you think it’s a matter of national importance?”
“If the entire nation faces crop failures, how could a mere handful of ships resolve the problem? Moreover, even if Dae-Wol Kingdom has abundant grain, exporting such vast quantities would require negotiations between nations, would it not?”
“…That’s true.”
“However, from the perspective of the Empire as a great power, directly engaging in such trade would be a matter of pride. They will likely employ merchant guilds for indirect trade instead. And I suspect the Small Merchant Guild Leader has already foreseen this and is preparing accordingly.”
At that answer, Eun Gil-sang exclaimed without thinking.
“Passed!”

* * *

I delivered the letter to the Baek Yeom Merchant Guild, and on my way back, I stopped at an inn to escort Mother before returning to the Chungsan Inn.
“Welcome back.”
Yu Dae-ik greeted me as I arrived.
“Where is Father?”
“He’s still in his room.”
They’re still talking? That’s promising.
I briefly sensed the aura from above. I could feel the presence of both Father and Yong Eung-wan.
A prolonged conversation was good news.
Just then, I heard a door open, and the two of them descended the stairs.
I quickly bowed and reported.
“I’ve returned, Father.”
“Well done. You’ve worked hard.”
Father’s expression was bright. So?
“Seo-ho.”
“Yes?”
“You’ve chosen talent well.”
Ah! He’s been accepted!
“Thank you, Father.”
“No need to thank me. Rather, I should be grateful to you.”
Father broke into a hearty laugh and spoke to Yong Eung-wan.
“Once you’ve recruited the sailors and brought them here, that will be sufficient. And I’ll have a guest room prepared for you here.”
“Thank you.”
“No thanks necessary. You deserve such treatment. Captain Yong.”
Seeing him pat the shoulder of Yong Eung-wan—no, Captain Yong—I could tell Father was quite pleased.
Indeed, Captain Yong was one of the talented individuals I had noted down immediately upon my return.
There was no way he could fail to impress Father.
He approached me and bowed deeply.
“Thank you for giving me this opportunity.”
“I may have given you the opportunity, but it was you, Captain Yong, who seized it.”
“Captain… the title of captain still feels a bit embarrassing.”
.
.
.
Today was the day the Hundred Great Merchant Guilds of the World convened.
With Palgap’s assistance, I changed into elegant and refined clothing.
When I descended, Father was waiting for me.
“Forgive me for being late.”
“Not at all. Your mother hasn’t finished preparing yet either.”
“Ah, I see.”
It was natural that women took longer to dress.
There was no shortage of time either.
“I heard from Seo-woo Warrior that Lady Hong Geum-so has become pregnant.”
“Yes. I’ve already received a report on that.”
Ah, so you already knew.
Then why didn’t you tell me?
“Father, I feel hurt.”
“…I’m sorry. I simply didn’t think to mention it.”
“I’m truly disappointed.”
At my words, Father cleared his throat and turned his head away.
“Ahem, I understand. From now on, whenever such matters arise, I’ll be sure to tell you.”
“Yes. I trust you. And Father.”
“What? Again?”
“When you return to Hubei this time, I intend to return to Hubei as well.”
“To Hubei?”
“Yes. There’s nothing more for me to do in Beijing now. And there are matters I need to discuss with Gong Mil.”
Father nodded in acknowledgment.
“Very well. Do as you see fit.”
“And about Captain Yong yesterday—what aspect of him caught your eye?”
“Ah… that?”
Father chuckled softly.
“You’ll understand that when you become House Master.”
“But I have no intention of becoming House Master?”
“Then you’ll never know.”
As I conversed with Father, Mother descended from upstairs.
“Oh my! I apologize for being late.”
“Not at all. Hehe.”
Mother, having completed her preparations, was truly beautiful.
Now that I think about it, Mother was once called the First Beauty of Gansu in her youth.
I suddenly wondered what aspect of Father had moved her to accept his proposal.
With such thoughts, we made our way to Iwharu.
Upon arriving there, we were guided inside by the Shop Attendants.
“Please wear these on your clothing.”
I received the familiar silver badges once again.
Tools indispensable for the entertainment at the Top Hundred Merchant Guilds gathering.
After each of us fastened the silver badges at our waists and ascended to this floor, those who had arrived earlier welcomed us.
Since most were familiar faces, Father had few new people to introduce to me.
After exchanging greetings with the Merchant Guild Leaders from the newly ascended trading companies attending the gathering, the three of us parted ways.
Mother went to the third floor where the wives of the Merchant Guild Leaders were gathered, Father to where the Merchant Guild Leaders were.
And I went to where the sons and heirs of the Merchant Guild Leaders were.
As I approached them, they acknowledged my presence.
“Eun Seo-ho!”
“Welcome!”
“So the Eunhae Trading Company sent Eun Seo-ho again.”
“At this rate, it seems the successor has already been decided, doesn’t it?”
I waved my hand at those words.
What are they talking about? They’re saying something dangerous.
I decided to make this clear right here and now.
“The successor has been decided, but it is not me.”
“Then? Ah! Eun Jung-ho?”
Jin-ho wasn’t even in the running.
I smiled bitterly and nodded.
“Yes. My eldest brother will inherit the company.”
“Aren’t you disappointed? Your contributions to the Eunhae Trading Company’s growth have been quite significant.”
“Not at all. Not disappointed in the slightest.”
When I spoke firmly, they nodded and changed the subject.
“Speaking of which, the Songga Merchant Guild has fallen out of the Top Hundred.”
“Indeed.”
“No matter how difficult things get, smuggling alcohol? That’s reckless and dangerous!”
“Honestly, I never trusted that place.”
“That they were one of us in the Top Hundred Merchant Guilds! It was absurd.”
“Well, they reaped what they sowed.”
The subject now was the Songga Merchant Guild.
Originally located somewhere in the Seventy-Wei Vicinity, their main business was operating a Gisaeng House, which proved problematic.
When the alcohol prohibition began to shake their Gisaeng House operations, their solution was to smuggle alcohol.
Truth be told, I had never cared much for the Songga Merchant Guild either.
The guild master came from a loan-sharking background. He had handed over young women brought in as debt collateral to the Gisaeng House, and eventually opened one himself.
While that was part of why I disliked them, the main reason was how they grew their business through ruthless and corrupt methods.
To supply courtesans, they deliberately lent money to families with young girls, then prevented them from repaying it.
Those women were essentially forced into servitude.
In any case, when the alcohol prohibition caused fewer customers to visit the Gisaeng House, they secretly distributed smuggled alcohol to select regular patrons.
Eventually, they were exposed and all hell broke loose.
From what I heard, one of the courtesans working there reported them to the Imperial Inspector.
Since violating the alcohol prohibition was a capital crime, the guild master was executed.
And so the Songga Merchant Guild was completely destroyed.
The guilds below them moved up one rank, and naturally the one that had been ranked one hundredth became one of the Top Hundred Merchant Guilds.
I lifted my gaze and looked at the man standing before the pillar over there.
He was the Sub-Master of the Mudong Merchant Guild, which had just become one of the Top Hundred Trading Companies of the World.
They were famous for dealing in ceramics.
Just then, a group of young nobles passed by him, and I caught a fleeting smile crossing their faces.
And,
Splash!
One of them deliberately spilled the tea he was holding onto the man’s clothes.
“Oh my! I’m so sorry!”
“It’s fine, don’t worry about it.”
That was intentional. Absolutely intentional.
Among the young merchants gathered here, there existed a certain faction, and those who had just deliberately spilled tea on the Mudong Merchant Guild Sub-Master were of a particularly unsavory sort.
From what I recalled, they were the same people who had associated with the Songga Merchant Guild Sub-Master before his recent collapse.
Whether they despised him for rising to prominence in the Top Hundred Merchant Guilds after the Songga’s downfall, sought revenge, or simply found amusement in it—I couldn’t say for certain.
At the time, I had heard the details from Eun Jung-ho, who had tried to stop them several times, but to no avail.
They had tormented the Mudong Merchant Guild Sub-Master quite viciously, and he had been unable to lodge proper complaints.
But an opportunity would come his way.
When the Emperor began promoting trade with the Dae-Wol Kingdom, the Mudong Merchant Guild, which specialized in ceramics, experienced rapid growth.
And from that point forward, the Mudong Merchant Guild Sub-Master would not endure in silence.
Though I only learned this later, he had merely been biding his time.
His guild had been far too weak back then.
But once his guild experienced explosive growth, he methodically crushed those who had tormented him, as if he had been waiting for precisely this moment.
Of course, that was a future event yet to unfold.
For now, he had no choice but to endure the harassment from these contemptible individuals.
“The tea soaked through rather quickly, perhaps because the silk used for your garment is of inferior quality.”
“Had it been made from premium silk, it would have been fine. Hahahaha.”
At their words, the Mudong Merchant Guild Sub-Master’s face flushed crimson.
Tsk, how pathetic.
I furrowed my brow and approached them.
I felt the gazes of several people converge upon me.
Was I truly such a famous figure?
With that thought, I handed a handkerchief to the Mudong Merchant Guild Sub-Master.
“Are you alright?”
“Ah, yes… Thank you.”
I turned my head toward the group that had just spilled the tea.
“When drinking tea, one should sit down—isn’t that the proper courtesy toward tea? To walk about holding a teacup is rather frivolous, wouldn’t you say?”
At my words, they bit their lips.
I hadn’t said anything untrue.
“And just now, you claimed that the silk used for this gentleman’s garment from the Mudong Merchant Guild was inferior quality. But as someone who deals in silk, I must tell you—it is not inferior. Rather, the silk in your own garment is the inferior one.”
“What, what did you just say?”
“That silk costs four silver taels per bolt.”
Premium silk typically starts at around ten silver taels per bolt.
“That, that’s preposterous! The silk for this garment cost me twelve silver taels!”
“How unfortunate…”
I spoke with genuine sympathy.
“You’ve been swindled. A merchant deceived… I scarcely know what words of consolation to offer.”
At my words, those around me struggled to suppress their laughter.
“I, I….”
In the end, they pushed back their chairs and stormed out.
“Hahahaha!”
“As expected, the Eun Small Merchant Leader is unbeatable!”
Watching their departure, the others burst into laughter. After all, they had disliked those who just left as well.
Bok Yun Sub-leader, who had approached from behind me, spoke.
“Well done.”
Sakang Branch Master and Han Baek-geon Sub-Master also smiled at me.
I exchanged formal greetings with the Mudong Merchant Guild Sub-Master.
“I am Eun Seo-ho, Small Merchant Leader of the Eunhae Trading Company.”
“I am Dam Jin, Small Merchant Leader of the Mudong Merchant Guild.”
He clasped his fist in salute and spoke.
“I have heard much of your name, Small Merchant Leader Eun. Are you not the hero of the Yongbong Martial Arts Tournament, Seon Hyeop Mi-rang?”
“That is an embarrassing title—you need not remember it.”
Please, I beg you, forget it.
Unaware of my inner mortification, he bowed once more.
“And thank you for your assistance.”
“Think nothing of it. I was already displeased with them myself.”
My aid to Dam Jin Sub-leader was not solely to gain his favor through knowledge of the future.
It was simply unbearable to witness.
They were the typical petty sort—weak before the strong and strong before the weak.
“Come this way. If you continue standing, you’ll become a pillar.”
And beginning with Bok Yun Sub-leader, I introduced each of them to him.
At that moment, someone ascended the ceremonial platform.
An elderly man of imposing stature.
Ho Ju-shin, Merchant Guild Leader of the Baek Yeom Merchant Guild.
Being from Shandong, he was exceptionally tall.
There is an old saying: “Shandong Strong Men”—referring to the tall and powerfully built people of Shandong Province.
“I am grateful for so many of you to attend. Since we have gathered together, I hope this becomes an enjoyable occasion.”
He surveyed the surroundings.
“Then, let us now begin the assembly.”
He took the drumstick handed to him and struck the drum.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Thus, the assembly of the Hundred Great Merchant Guilds of the World formally commenced.
“As you know, alcohol is currently forbidden due to the imperial prohibition. Therefore, we have prepared many delicious dishes. Please, be seated.”
At his words, I took a seat before an appropriate dining table.
Scrape.
Then, as if they had been waiting, others seated themselves at the round table where I sat.
Bok Yun Sub-leader sat to my right, Sakang Branch Master to my left, and beside him sat Han Baek-geon Sub-Master and Dam Jin Sub-leader.
There were six chairs at the dining table, so now one seat remained empty.
At that moment, someone approached and asked us.
“May I sit here?”

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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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