The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 372

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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 372

Chapter 372. Yongning Hall (4)

We watched the Physician with tense expressions.
“However, what is it?”
The Seo-woo Warrior asked, and the Physician answered carefully.
“It seems the child will be somewhat affected by the fruit that the Lady consumed.”
“Yes? A fruit… you say…?”
I thought I knew what fruit he meant. Geum-ryeong had said she picked fruit for Lady Hong Geum-so because she was worried she might be hungry.
Geum-ryeong, what kind of fruit did you pick exactly…?
The Seo-woo Warrior asked with a serious expression.
“What fruit did she eat? And what will be the effect?”
The Physician laughed at that expression.
What? He laughed?
A Physician laughs in front of a patient only when there is nothing bad for the patient.
Which means.
“It appears she consumed a fruit called the Talent-Bearing Fruit. For ordinary people, this fruit prevents hunger and thirst, but when a pregnant woman consumes it, the child born will possess exceptional talent in a particular field. That is why many people go to great lengths searching for it, but it is never easy to obtain. It is so rare that it is said to be a gift from heaven.”
She continued speaking.
“So it is a fortunate occurrence.”
Only then did the Seo-woo Warrior release a sigh of relief.
As did I.
Why are you doing this to us, Physician?
The Physician I brought along was also one well-versed in spiritual herbs.
In any case, it was worthwhile to bring a capable Physician.
.
.
.
I ordered the Seo-woo Warrior to remain at Lady Hong Geum-so’s side and returned to the Main Headquarters.
Of course, the Seo-woo Warrior said he could not leave me alone, but I commanded him forcefully.
What Lady Hong Geum-so needed most right now was the Seo-woo Warrior.
Upon returning to the Main Headquarters, I went to see Eun Jung-ho.
“Elder Brother!”
Eun Jung-ho rose from his seat upon seeing me and came to greet me.
“Welcome back. I heard you went straight to the Medical Hall and brought a Physician with you. What is the matter?”
“Ah…”
I sat before the desk in my brother’s office and spoke.
“Lady Hong was in great danger.”
“Lady Hong—could she be the one who makes clothes for the Jamu Doll Company?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“But how did you find that out?”
Eun Jung-ho’s question was reasonable.
Well, it’s still too dangerous to tell him the truth.
It’s not that I don’t trust Eun Jung-ho—I’m simply being cautious of the “ears in the walls” whose location I cannot determine.
“Lady Hong Geum-so is Seo-woo Warrior’s wife, after all. So when he suddenly mentioned feeling uneasy about something—well, it must be the intuition of a master-level warrior….”
“Even if it’s just good instinct….”
“Of course. But a master-level warrior’s intuition is something more than that. Thanks to Seo-woo Warrior’s instincts, I’ve narrowly escaped danger more than once.”
With my repeated assertions, Eun Jung-ho nodded in agreement.
“Well then, that settles it. So Lady Hong is safe?”
“She’s fine.”
“That’s a relief.”
“By the way, have you been well?”
At my question, my brother let out a soft laugh.
“Of course I have. And I’ve been busy because of you.”
“Me? Why?”
“Don’t you remember? When Cho Vice-Commander was injured before.”
“That rebel group?”
“Yes, you left me to manage them and went off.”
Now that I think about it, the aftermath must have been quite substantial. I’m feeling a bit guilty now.
I scratched my head with an awkward expression.
“I’m sorry….”
“There’s nothing to apologize for. My standing in the company has risen because of it. Wasn’t that why you handed the task to me in the first place?”
Eun Jung-ho was right.
“So I’m grateful for it. The work was hard, but….”
“Then should I apologize to you, or should I feel proud?”
“….”
At my question, my brother laughed, and I laughed as well.
“Anyway, thank you for coming all this way.”
“You’re welcome. How are Geon-hyuk and Bo-yeon?”
At my words, my brother sighed.
“They’re very healthy. These days they’re running around in all directions, keeping me on my toes.”

A short while later.
When I stopped by Jung-ho’s Separate Residence, I began to understand why my elder brother had spoken that way.
“Young Master! You’ll get hurt doing that.”
“Miss!”
The two siblings, now nearly three years old, were running about the courtyard in complete chaos.
Two nursemaids were breaking into a sweat trying to catch them.
“Oh? Uncle!”
“Youngest Uncle!”
The two children rushed toward me the moment they saw me and threw their arms around me.
“My goodness! You’ve grown so much!”
“Yes!”
“We’ve grown a lot!”
Seeing my elder brother’s wife, who had grown noticeably thinner than before, and the nursemaids, I found myself reluctant to leave.
Even a martial artist like my elder brother’s wife was exhausted!
“Today, I’ll play with Geon-hyuk and Bo-yeon.”
At my words, their faces brightened with relief.

That evening.
My parents and the rest of the group arrived at the Main Headquarters.
“Welcome. I arrived earlier as there were matters to attend to.”
At my words, Father nodded.
“I heard you left early due to urgent business. So, were the matters resolved well?”
“Yes. Fortunately, everything was resolved satisfactorily. I’ll explain the details later.”
“Very well.”
While my parents exchanged greetings with my other brothers, I turned my attention to my retinue.
“Young Master!”
Palgap rushed over first and asked in a low voice.
“How did the matter turn out?”
“There’s no need to worry.”
“Phew! That’s truly a relief.”
“Indeed, it truly is.”
“But why does your face look so gaunt?”
“Ah, this? I was playing with Geon-hyuk and Bo-yeon….”
I then exchanged greetings with my guards standing behind him, and turned toward Seo Hyang standing among them.
“How was your journey?”
“It was very comfortable.”
“Then, I’ll escort you to your quarters.”
I personally guided her to her quarters. After all, I needed to thank her.

* * *

In Chongyang County, where the main headquarters of the Eunhae Trading Company stood.
A large house on the marketplace street there was home to a family—a woman and four children.
The children were nine-year-old twin sons and seven-year-old twin daughters.
The woman’s name was Man-ok.
Man-ok sat in one corner of the courtyard, doing piecework sewing.
Of course, she could have lived comfortably without taking on such work, but idleness made her anxious.
Years of struggling to make ends meet had turned daily labor into habit.
She lifted her head and gazed outward, murmuring to herself.
“When will he return?”
The man she had met a decade ago had become a warrior of the Eunpung Corps for her sake.
The Eunhae Trading Company’s welfare was generous—if a warrior fell in battle serving the company, his family would be provided for.
A life lived by the sword was always precarious, so her husband had made the best choice for his family.
Yet even with his wages as a new recruit, supporting her and the twin sons had been tight.
As his seniority increased, so did his monthly pay, and it was around then that the twin daughters were born.
That must have been when it changed.

“This time, I’ve become the personal guard of Young Master Eun Seo-ho.”
“A personal guard?”
“Yes. So I won’t be able to come home often.”

From that moment onward.
Their circumstances had improved dramatically.
His monthly wages increased several times over, and the children could eat their fill.
Recently, his pay had risen further, allowing them to acquire this fine house.
But seeing her husband’s face had become more difficult.
This time, he had been away nearly ten months. Still, the letters he had sent suggested he was doing well.
Then it happened.
“Man-ok!”
A familiar voice called from the main gate.
She turned to see the face she hadn’t laid eyes on in ten months standing before the entrance.
“Oh! You’ve returned?”
“I’m home.”
“Father!”
The four children playing in the courtyard rushed toward him.
At the Eunhae Trading Company, he was the guard warrior of Eun Seo-ho, but in this house, he was the husband of a woman and the father of four children—the head of this household, Yeo Eung-am.

“Where have you been this time, Father?”
“This time I traveled through Beijing to the Northern Sea, then down to Guizhou Province, and I also visited Shandong.”
“Wow!”
The children marveled at Yeo Eung-am’s words.
Yeo Eung-am felt an inexplicable sense of pride at the bright, eager eyes fixed upon him.
It was while I was enjoying this intimate time with family after so long.
“Are you home?”
A familiar voice called from beyond the main gate, and Yeo Eung-am opened it.
“Who is… Wait, it’s you!”
The visitor was Palgap, Eun Seo-ho’s attendant.
“So this is Warrior Yeo’s residence.”
“Indeed. But what brings you here?”
“Ah, the Young Master sent me.”
Then, waving toward something, a cart began moving toward his house.
The cart was laden with grain, silk, and other goods.
“What… what is all this?”
“The Young Master personally prepared this, saying he was sorry for not taking care of you all this time.”
“Oh, you shouldn’t have gone to such trouble…”
“It would be best to simply accept it. The Young Master personally prepared this, and he would be hurt if you refused.”
Come to think of it, that was true.
Though my lord appeared strong on the surface, his heart was more tender than one might expect.
“What’s the matter?”
At that moment, his wife Man-ok approached and asked.
“Ah, my lord has sent a gift.”
“What? My goodness! All of this?”
As Man-ok asked in surprise, Palgap answered.
“Yes, indeed.”
“To think he would care for you this much—you must be a very important person to your lord.”
At those words, Yeo Eung-am felt his shoulders rise toward the heavens with an indescribable sense of worth.

* * *

I was handling work in my office.
Just because Hyun Pung Bureau was in Beijing didn’t mean I had no duties to attend to.
“Young Master, it’s Palgap.”
The door opened and Palgap entered.
“Did you deliver it well?”
“Yes, sir.”
As soon as I arrived at the main headquarters, I had granted Yeo Eung-am Warrior two days of leave.
He hadn’t seen his family in nearly ten months—I could only imagine how much he must have missed them.
And I had sent Palgap to deliver a gift.
It was a gift expressing my apologies for not having looked after Yeo Eung-am Warrior’s family during all this time.
In truth, I should have gone myself, but I feared it would burden him too much, so I sent Palgap instead.
“Did his family receive the gift well?”
“Yes. They were very pleased with it.”
“That’s a relief. Did it seem like they needed anything else?”
“No, sir.”
Palgap described Yeo Eung-am Warrior’s house to me.
“The courtyard was quite spacious, and the children were playing in it.”
“Is that so?”
Then something occurred to me.
“How old did he say the children were? Nine and seven, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Don’t they study their characters separately?”
Typically children began learning to read and write from age six, and given the time Palgap had visited, it would have been time for them to attend the academy.
“I’m not entirely certain about that, sir.”

Two days later,
I asked the Yeo Eung-am Warrior about this matter after he had rested and returned to his duties.
“Ah, well, you see…”
He scratched the back of his neck as he answered.
“My wife knows a bit of writing, so she’s been teaching him the basics… but truthfully, we’re currently waiting in line for admission to the academy.”
“Waiting in line?”
“Yes, waiting our turn for admission to the most prestigious academy in Chongyang County.”
“The academy has a capacity limit that requires a waiting list?”
“I heard the capacity is exactly fifty students.”
Now that I thought about it, there weren’t many academies in Chongyang County.
That made sense—those educated enough to establish an academy preferred to remain in Beijing rather than relocate to the provinces.
So when the Hyun Pung Bureau’s staff relocated to Beijing, everyone was delighted that the children’s education problem had been resolved.
But thinking about it more, childcare was just as much of an issue as education.
When a woman working for the Eunhae Trading Company had to leave her position due to childcare responsibilities, it was a loss for the company as well.
Accumulated experience meant that person was valuable talent to the company.
But if she had to quit because of childcare, the company would need to recruit and train someone new.
Finding trustworthy employees was genuinely difficult work.
Of course, it would be a loss for the individual too, but as the Small Guild Master, I couldn’t help but think from the company’s perspective.
Moreover, if Lady Hong Geum-so gave birth this time, she would inevitably have to leave her position due to childcare.
Otherwise, we’d need to hire a nursemaid, but that expense was considerable as well…
I stood up abruptly from my seat and spoke.
“We need to establish an academy within the Eunhae Trading Company to handle childcare and education.”
“Sir?”
“How did I not think of this sooner?”
I immediately went to my father.
After hearing my proposal, Father responded positively.
“That’s an excellent idea. However, we should also consider how to secure the necessary funds.”
“If the funds fall short, I will contribute the difference.”
“You will?”
“Yes. I’ve accumulated quite a bit of money.”
Father’s expression suggested he was thinking—how much could you possibly have saved?
But truthfully, Father, I’m likely wealthier than you are.
Father nodded readily.
“Then let us first gather opinions on this matter.”
This was a decision where the input of those who would benefit from it was paramount.
I immediately took out paper and began writing.

[I wish to establish a place that will handle childcare from infancy through education until adulthood. Please share your thoughts.]

And I posted it directly on the notice board.

The next day,
Palgap trudged into the separate pavilion, groaning under the weight of a massive basket.
“What? What is all of this?”
“What else? Suggestion letters, sir.”
“They’ve already gathered this many?”
“There’s more besides this, sir.”
Wait….
Now that I think about it, I’m the one who has to review all these suggestion letters.
Ah….
Without realizing it, I had created more work for myself.
Why do I feel like crying?

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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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