The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 396

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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 396

Chapter 396. There Was a Reason (3)

Ornaments, whether necklaces or otherwise, are fundamentally crafted by hand.
Moreover, since their materials come from nature—coral, bone, or raw gemstones—identical pieces are virtually impossible to produce.
This meant that the necklace worn by the foreign woman in exotic dress was almost certainly the same one that Seon-il Elder Brother had purchased.
I turned to the Eunuch Official who had been guiding me.
“Who was that person who just passed by?”
“Ah, that is the Princess of Marae Seo Kingdom.”
So she was the princess that Ji Seok-mun, the Small Guild Master of the Baekbuik Trading Company, had brought this time.
“A distinguished guest from afar, I see.”
“She will likely depart once the winds change soon. Though she is foreign, as a princess she cannot become a consort… and there is no Imperial Prince willing to marry her.”
“I understand there are currently two unmarried Imperial Princes.”
“That is true. However, both of them are refusing.”
I knew the reason for this.
She had been extraordinarily plain in appearance.
But I also knew what came after.
That her wisdom would become so renowned it would spread even to the Empire.
And that her beauty would grow increasingly radiant.
According to what I would later learn through the Eunhae Trading Company’s Information Bureau, her coming to the Empire had been her own choice.
She had declared she would personally choose the man she would marry.
The king who doted upon her granted her request.
Yet she never married, neither in the Empire nor after returning to her homeland.
In any case, this matter…
I needed to have a serious conversation with Seon-il Elder Brother.
“May I ask a favor of you?”
“What is it?”
“Could you perhaps deliver a letter to Hong Seon-il, the Attendant at Hanlin Academy?”
“Understood.”
“Thank you very much.”
.
.
.
That evening.
I made my way to the tavern I had reserved.
“Welcome.”
The Shop Attendant, upon seeing me, hurried over to greet me.
“I have a reservation. Eun Seo-ho from the Eun Hae Trading Company.”
“Ah! We’ve been expecting you. Please come this way.”
The Shop Attendant guided me inside.
The private room I had reserved featured a small artificial waterfall nearby, offering both scenic beauty and excellent soundproofing.
It was the finest choice for privacy, and the acoustics were unmatched.
Of course, blocking sound with my inner energy would have been effortless, but there was no need to resort to such measures.
As I sat in the private room admiring the waterfall, Seon-il Elder Brother arrived.
“Young Master Seon-il has arrived.”
I already knew—I had sensed his presence.
I quickly opened the door and went out to greet him.
“Welcome, Elder Brother.”
“What’s this about? Suddenly inviting me to dinner?”
The letter I had sent through the Eunuch Official earlier simply requested his presence this evening for a meal.
“It’s nothing special. I simply wanted to treat you to dinner after all this time.”
“You’re not asking for some favor, are you?”
“If you know a stake won’t go in, why would you swing a hammer at it? That would be foolish, wouldn’t it?”
“True enough. You’re no fool.”
“Please, have a seat.”
Seon-il Elder Brother sat down, and I took my place across from him.
In the meantime, Palgap must have arranged with the Shop Attendant, as dishes began arriving.
And at the center of the table sat guo bao rou—crispy fried pork.
This dish was one of the reasons I had chosen this tavern.
Thinly sliced meat coated in starch and fried, but what made this establishment’s version exceptional was their signature sauce.
“Please, enjoy your meal.”
“Thank you. It looks delicious.”
We savored the exquisite cuisine together.
Paired with a spicy, simmering broth, there was nothing better.
After the meal concluded, the Shop Attendant brought out fragrant tea.
“So, what did you want to discuss that warranted such an elaborate dinner?”
Seon-il Elder Brother pressed forward.
“And reserving a private room like this must have cost you considerably.”
Seon-il Elder Brother’s position in the government had sharpened his intuition.
In the past, he wouldn’t have noticed until I spoke.
I admitted it readily.
“Yes, Elder Brother. I arranged this meeting because I have something urgent to discuss with you.”
I spoke directly.
“Today was when the trading companies heading into foreign commerce visited the Imperial Palace, and I represented the Eun Hae Trading Company on that visit.”
“Yes, I heard about that.”
“And some time ago, when you were selecting a necklace as a gift for Aunt’s birthday, I saw which one you chose.”
“….”
“Today, I happened to encounter the Princess of Maraeseo Kingdom, and I noticed she was wearing the very necklace that Seon-il Elder Brother purchased back then.”
“Cough!”
At my words, Seon-il Elder Brother choked on his tea.
“Cough! Cough! Hack!”
“Oh my! Are you alright?”
“I’m, I’m fine.”
Seon-il Elder Brother pulled out a handkerchief and wiped up the spilled tea while gauging my reaction.
“Elder Brother.”
“Y, yes….”
“You, who normally regard women as coldly as stone, have given such an ornament to someone. This suggests you harbor some personal feelings toward her.”
I could see Seon-il Elder Brother’s eyes trembling—he was clearly tense.
“So I must ask, Elder Brother. What are your true feelings? Do you indeed harbor affection for her?”
At my question, Seon-il Elder Brother’s face flushed crimson in an instant. He hung his head low, scratching the back of his neck….
He glanced around nervously, then released a long sigh…
Ah, this is frustrating.
Without thinking, I released a wave of my aura toward Seon-il Elder Brother and pressed him. “So you do harbor affection for her, or you don’t?”
“…!”
Overwhelmed by my aura, Seon-il Elder Brother stiffened and reflexively answered.
“I do harbor affection for her.”
Hmm, I had released my aura without meaning to.
I naturally withdrew my aura and spoke to Seon-il Elder Brother.
“As I suspected.”
Perhaps because he had finally spoken the most difficult words, Seon-il Elder Brother exhaled deeply and began his confession.
“Yes, I know. I know I’m mad. She is destined to form a bond with one of the Imperial Princes of this realm, yet I have dared to harbor her in my heart.”
“….”
“But what can I do when this is beyond my control?”
Seon-il Elder Brother’s voice was filled with self-mockery.
I shook my head and spoke. “I do not condemn you, Elder Brother.”
“Hmm?”
“If affection were something one could control at will, would so many not have perished from lovesickness?”
I continued. “My concern is only for you, Elder Brother. This affection you harbor now may leave a wound upon your heart.”
“….”
“Therefore, you must make a decision.”
“Yes. Well… I suppose I must let her go.”
“That is not what I meant. Before that, Elder Brother—have you ever seen the Princess’s face?”
This was important.
It was possible that Seon-il Elder Brother had never seen the Princess of Maraeseo Kingdom’s face and was merely assuming she was beautiful based on conjecture.
“That’s not what I meant. Before that, have you ever seen the Princess’s face, Elder Brother?”
This was important.
Seon-il Elder Brother might be doing this based on assumptions, thinking she’s simply pretty, without having actually seen the Princess of Maraeseo Kingdom’s face.
At my question, Seon-il Elder Brother nodded.
What? He’s seen her before?
“When I first met her, she wasn’t wearing a veil. And it was the first time I’d encountered someone who possessed both such vast learning and wisdom. Perhaps because of that, I came to admire her that very day.”
To admire her not for her appearance, but for her scholarship and wisdom.
I thought to myself—this is truly Seon-il Elder Brother.
“I’m well aware of what the world says about her beauty. But when a person grows older, appearance becomes rather irrelevant, doesn’t it? And if you look at the old histories, how many examples are there of beautiful faces that brought nations to ruin?”
“That is certainly true.”
“In any case, by my standards, she is a beautiful woman.”
“Then I can set my mind at ease. I may proceed with my plans.”
“Proceed with your plans?”
“Do you have no intention of marrying her, Elder Brother?”
At my question, Seon-il Elder Brother spoke in alarm.
“Did I not just tell you? She is….”
“No. She will never marry any Imperial Prince of this empire.”
“How could you possibly know that?”
How do I know? Because I saw it all in my previous life.
The Emperor gave the Imperial Princes a choice.
If I know the Emperor as I do, he surely recognized the value of the Princess of Maraeseo.
He must be drooling over her right now.
But why did he give the Imperial Princes a choice? If I know the Emperor, he would have simply commanded one of them to marry her by force.
Then… this must be a test.
And in this test, all those Imperial Princes will fail.
In my previous life, those two Imperial Princes never became kings—they merely received some honorary positions.
Still, it seems the Emperor had considerable expectations for the Imperial Princes, and now that those expectations have been dashed, his heart must ache quite deeply.
In any case, I couldn’t tell Seon-il Elder Brother about my previous life, so I spoke evasively.
“It’s already been several days since the Princess arrived, hasn’t it? By now, marriage negotiations should have progressed quite far.”
“Well, that’s true.”
“And if matters were proceeding, would the Princess have accepted the necklace you gave her?”
“…You’re right.”
At my words, Seon-il Elder Brother nodded.
“And now the Princess must soon return to her home country. Will you truly let her go like this? Can you be certain you won’t regret it?”
“….”
I spoke earnestly to Seon-il Elder Brother.
“If you find that you cannot live with yourself sending the Princess of Maraeseo back to her homeland, and if you have the resolve to take the Princess of Maraeseo as your lady wife, then tell me.”
I continued, meeting Seon-il Elder Brother’s eyes.
“I will do everything in my power to help you.”

After our conversation, we parted ways.
As I returned to the Beijing Branch, I couldn’t help but chuckle. It felt surreal that Seon-il Elder Brother—that emotionless man—harbored feelings for someone.
In my previous life, had Elder Brother been connected to the Princess of Maraeseo Kingdom as well?
I couldn’t know for certain, but the possibility seemed high.
One reason I’m willing to act on Seon-il Elder Brother’s behalf is for the family’s peace of mind.
Since Elder Brother still hasn’t married and keeps returning every marriage proposal that arrives, Aunt and Uncle are deeply worried.
And if Seon-il Elder Brother loses the Princess this way, given his nature, he’ll likely never marry for the rest of his life.
Seon-il Elder Brother shares some similarities with Jin-ho Elder Brother in that regard.
Of course, my involvement isn’t solely for the family’s peace.
If we become the in-laws of the Princess of Maraeseo Kingdom, how much support would the King of Maraeseo provide us?
Since I’m already considering expanding our trade to Maraeseo Kingdom in the future, there’s no reason to pass up such an advantage.
Moreover, she’s renowned for her wisdom.
I could gain valuable counsel from her for future endeavors.
She might even prove helpful when I pursue my revenge against the Murim Alliance.
This is an opportunity I absolutely cannot afford to miss.
The greatest obstacle here is the Princess of Maraeseo Kingdom’s own intentions.
But I see it differently.
Would someone wear a necklace from someone they don’t care for while walking through the Imperial Palace?
Someone as wise as her?
So the greatest problem has already been resolved.

* * *

Hong Seon-il exhaled a long sigh on his way home.
‘I’ve been found out after all.’
He had intended to keep his feelings toward the Princess of Maraeseo Kingdom hidden.
Still, he was fortunate that it was Eun Seo-ho who discovered it.
‘He’s a perceptive fellow, so he won’t act recklessly.’
He walked slowly toward his home, recalling his first meeting with the Princess of Maraeseo Kingdom.
At that time, he had been troubled by a rather vexing problem.
The Emperor had ordered the Hanlin Academy to keep records of this famine.
The question was whether those records should emphasize the relief efforts of the Imperial Court and the Royal Court, or focus on the measures the common people had devised for themselves.
Those who advocated the former argued that the Emperor’s command was meant to publicize the Imperial Palace’s actions and elevate its prestige.
However, Hong Seon-il and those who supported the latter believed the Emperor’s true intention was different.
Moreover, the Emperor was someone who pursued perfection meticulously.
If it was not what he desired, the work would have to be redone from the beginning.
It would be like being trapped inside a water wheel, spinning endlessly.
That was why it was so troublesome—the direction had to be set correctly from the start.
While wrestling with this problem, he found himself walking through the garden in the Imperial Palace’s back garden.
It was already late at night, so Hong Seon-il was the only one strolling there.
Or so he thought.
But a woman was walking alone.
At first, he assumed she was a palace attendant.
The garden was open to palace attendants as well.
He quickly left the area to avoid any misunderstanding.

The next day, a palace attendant came looking for him.
She was a palace attendant serving at the Hwanhwagak, where foreign envoys stayed.
“My mistress found this in the back garden and asked me to deliver it to you.”
He tilted his head in confusion as he accepted it.
“…!”
He was startled.
It was a copy of the Emperor’s orders.
Had other officials discovered this, he would have faced considerable trouble for negligence in his duties.
“Thank you.”
It was certain that someone had seen what he dropped in the back garden yesterday and returned it to him.
Then a sudden question occurred to him.
‘My name isn’t written on this paper at all, nor my rank or affiliation—how could a foreigner have known this belonged to me?’

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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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