The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 410

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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 Eun Hae Trading Company Chapter 410

Chapter 410. The Harvest I Had Awaited (5)

Hao Men Hangzhou Branch.
Chaos had erupted there.
Qingpa, whom they had forcibly brought and imprisoned in the Prison, had vanished.
All that remained in her place were severed iron bars.
That meant someone of peak mastery had infiltrated and taken her away.
Crash!
“Who on earth intercepted Qingpa!”
Faced with the Branch Manager’s fury, everyone could only remain silent as stone.
That was when it happened.
“Branch Manager! Branch Manager!”
Someone rushed in, shouting urgently.
“The Cheongpa Pavilion Master has appeared at the Cheongpa-ru!”
“What? At the Cheongpa-ru?”
“Yes. According to our informants, the Cheongpa Pavilion Master was able to return thanks to the assistance of Eun Seo-ho, the Small Guild Master who recently acquired the Cheongpa-ru.”
“So they ignored our warning after all.”
Yeon Yeon, the Branch Manager of Hao Men Hangzhou Branch, spoke with a venomous expression.
“Then we must make them regret it as promised. Gather all information on Eun Seo-ho and those around him.”
“Yes, sir!”

* * *

I heard from Dong-a So-i about the Hao Men Hangzhou Branch.
The Branch Manager’s name was Yeon Yeon.
She was said to be a former Gisaeng who had become a Hao Men Branch Manager.
“I understand she won’t rest until she obtains whatever information she desires.”
“So she’s persistent. And greedy as well.”
“Precisely. She’s known to be extremely fond of money, and she selects profitable information with remarkable discernment.”
Yeon Yeon…
I inquired about her because she was someone I hadn’t encountered in my previous life.
Which meant the Hao Men Hangzhou Branch Manager I had known was the person before she became Branch Manager.
Well, that made sense.
By now, that Branch Manager I knew would be struggling hard somewhere.
According to what I heard from that fellow, the previous Branch Manager had been killed by a subordinate’s blade.
I thought this current Branch Manager named Yeon Yeon must have accumulated quite a bit of resentment.
“However, the opponent is not an individual, but the Hao Men Hangzhou Branch. The risks are substantial.”
“It doesn’t matter. Their methods of harming me are predictable. At most, they’ll gather information about me to shake my resolve.”
I chuckled softly.
“But I haven’t lived so carelessly.”
Information about me?
Let them gather it diligently.
It would cause me no harm regardless.
In the meantime, I intended to exact payment from those who had threatened me and laid hands on what was mine.
If they dared to lay hands on what was mine first, why shouldn’t I do the same to theirs?

That dawn.
I departed from Cheongpa-ru.
Since the Hao Men could target the Cheongpa Pavilion Master again, I asked Seo-woo Warrior to guard the Cheongpa Pavilion Master, and I took only Jin Yu Warrior with me.
I left with only Jin Yu Warrior.
Since the other Guard Warriors might feel disappointed, I sought their understanding by saying I had confidential matters to attend to.
Thanks to the considerable trust I had built up, they readily agreed with my decision.

“From our perspective, Jin Yu Warrior is ideal for confidential matters.”
“How could we ever hinder our lord’s steps?”
“Jin Yu Warrior, if our lord is injured, we will have your life.”
“I will do my utmost.”

I walked through the alley, recalling that conversation.
“It’s already the Tiger Hour, isn’t it? Three to five in the morning.”
“Indeed.”
A sigh escaped my lips without thinking.
So much for sleep tonight—I’d gotten none at all.
We had arrived at the Hao Men Hangzhou Branch.
Under their administration, there were five sub-branches: the First Sub-branch through the Fifth Sub-branch.
I surveyed the surroundings.
There were sentries posted, but with their level of skill, detecting our presence would be impossible.
We slipped inside undetected and retrieved Geum Ryung-i.
“Kuu… eep!”
I quickly covered Geum Ryung-i’s mouth and sent a telepathic message.
– Stay quiet!
– Kuui…
– Find this branch’s vault. The place with lots of money and expensive things.
– Kuui!
Geum Ryung-i wiggled her hindquarters and led us forward.
A vault fitted with mechanical locks came into view, and before it stood guard warriors maintaining strict vigilance.
But that didn’t matter.
– Geum Ryung-i, you can slip inside that, can’t you?
– Kuui!
Geum Ryung-i nodded her head.
– Then go inside and transfer everything in there to my Secret Vault. I’ll give you a gold coin for it.
At my words, Geum Ryung-i darted eagerly into the vault. But the guard warriors before it never saw her.
This was one of Geum Ryung-i’s special abilities.
No matter what stood in the way, she could simply pass through if she wished. That’s why, despite already being fast, she could move even faster.
Spirit creatures truly are something else.
A moment later.
Geum Ryung-i emerged from the vault and approached us.
– You transferred everything inside?
– Kuui!
Then shall we visit the other branches?

* * *

Day broke.
The Hao Men Hangzhou Branch was bustling with activity, gathering information about Eun Seo-ho.
“Hwang Jo has just brought information.”
“Let me see… You’ve investigated quite thoroughly. Make sure he’s compensated fairly for his work.”
“Understood.”
Obtaining information required paying an appropriate price in return.
After all, the Hao Organization was composed of people who gathered to exchange information for money.
And since they were mobilizing all their resources to gather information about Eun Seo-ho, the expenditure on intelligence was considerable.
“Ah, my purse is empty. Internal Chief Manager! Fill this purse with money for me.”
“Very well.”
The Internal Chief Manager of the Hao Men Hangzhou Branch headed toward the vault to fill the purse with funds.
He manipulated the mechanism and opened the vault door.
Creak.
In that instant, the Internal Chief Manager froze in place.
Thud.
The purse slipped from his hand, and his body trembled violently.
One of the Guard Warriors noticed his strange behavior and asked.
“What is the matter?”
“It’s gone….”
“What is gone?”
“The money is gone! There’s not a single coin left!”
“What?”
They tilted their heads in confusion and peered inside the vault.
“I must inform the Branch Manager at once!”
The Internal Chief Manager rushed urgently to the Branch Manager.
“Branch Manager! This is a disaster!”
“What happened?”
“The vault is empty of all funds!”
“What kind of nonsense is this? The vault has no money?”
Branch Manager Yeon Yeon furrowed her brow.
“Are you trying to make a fool of me?”
“How could I possibly dare to jest with you, Branch Manager?”
At the Internal Chief Manager’s earnest expression, she rose from her seat.
“Let’s go see for ourselves.”
She headed to the vault with the Internal Chief Manager and stepped inside.
“What is this? Isn’t this the vault?”
“We are already inside the vault.”
“What?”
“The place where we stand is inside the vault.”
….
At those words, Yeon Yeon glanced around in alarm. But all she could see was dust.
Not a single coin remained—everything had vanished without a trace.
“Who… who on earth would do such a thing!”
While she stood speechless from the shock, someone called out to the Branch Manager.
“Branch Manager! An urgent message has arrived from the First Sub-branch. You should go at once.”
“…Tell them to come back later.”
“That’s impossible, sir. Last night, all the money in the vault was stolen!”
“What? The vault was robbed?”
Yeon Yeon blinked repeatedly. First the branch, and now even the First Sub-branch’s vault had been emptied.
That was when it happened.
“Branch Manager! Disaster! The Second Sub-branch’s vault has been cleaned out!”
“Ha. Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha.”
She burst into mad, hysterical laughter.
The situation was simply beyond belief.
“Surely… surely the Fifth Sub-branch wasn’t hit too?”
There’s an old saying.
Surely is what kills a man.
Upon hearing that the Fifth Sub-branch had also been robbed, Yeon Yeon collapsed to the ground.
“Branch Manager!”
“Are you alright, Branch Manager?”
Barely regaining her composure, she nodded her head.
“I’m fine.”
She now understood exactly who was behind this situation.
‘Eun Seo-ho! It must be his doing!’
Though she couldn’t fathom what method he’d used, she couldn’t simply accept this defeat.
She issued orders to those in the branch.
“Bring me every scrap of information we’ve gathered on Eun Seo-ho!”
“Yes, ma’am!”
She began meticulously examining every detail of Eun Seo-ho’s background to mount a counterattack.
Though the investigation had only just begun, her considerable competence allowed her to gather substantial intelligence.
“He received the title of Hero from the Murim Alliance—Seon Hyeop Mi-rang, they call him. But even heroes have flaws when you dig deep enough!”
Yet she couldn’t hide her bewilderment.
“Wait, what’s this? Eun Seo-ho has connections with the Golden Robed Guard?”
“Yes. He maintains particularly close ties with Jin Young, a high-ranking official in the Golden Robed Guard.”
“…”
She bit her lip and turned the page.
As she picked up another document, her eyes widened in shock.
“What? When Eun Seo-ho was subjected to the Ministry of Treasury’s merchant discipline, the Golden Robed Guard and Dongchang pressured the Ministry?”
“Yes. The Minister of Treasury himself came forward to receive Eun Seo-ho.”
“…”
She bit her lip again and flipped through the information.
“He frequently visits the Northern Sea?”
“Yes. He established a branch of the Eun Hae Trading Company in the Northern Sea, and there are records of him traveling with the Lesser Palace Mistress of the Northern Sea Ice Palace.”
She bit her lip once more.
“What is this…. The Emperor favors him? He’s frequently summoned to the Imperial Palace?”
Perhaps from biting her lip so much—blood began to seep out.
Her clenched fist trembled violently.
There were countless things they shouldn’t touch, but this was beyond reason.
The Emperor himself—the very embodiment of the Empire.
The Dongchang and the Golden Robed Guard, his eyes, hands, and instruments of terror.
The Northern Sea Ice Palace, considered one of the strongest single forces in existence.
And the Murim Alliance.
Connected to formidable powers regardless of whether they belonged to the government or the martial world, it was enough to drive her mad with panic.
“Um… Branch Manager. I believe we may have touched someone we absolutely should not have.”
“I’m well aware without you telling me!”
At that moment, the Internal Chief Manager asked carefully.
“Um, but there’s money that needs to be paid out by today. What should we do about that?”
“Just pay it out. Why are you asking me that….”
Yeon Yeon, who had been shrieking, could only clamp her mouth shut.
She had just realized there wasn’t a single coin left in the Hangzhou branch’s coffers.
By its very nature, the Hao Organization couldn’t entrust money to pawn shops. Everything had to be conducted in cash, and entrusting money to a pawn shop meant paying fees—a net loss.
Moreover, information about each branch’s financial situation could leak out.
For the same reason, they couldn’t borrow money from pawn shops either. Besides, relations between the Hangzhou branch and the local pawn shops weren’t particularly good.
And she couldn’t reach out to other branches for help.
The Hao Organization operated with considerable independence between branches.
It wasn’t a small sum—she’d need to borrow a substantial amount, and they would certainly figure out what was going on.
Then they would withdraw their support.
They’d be too worried about what might happen if they helped unnecessarily.
She couldn’t even hope for the Sect Master’s assistance.
The Sect Master of the Hao Organization had repeatedly emphasized that he should exist as if present yet absent.
Only then would his life be long, he’d said.
But if he discovered that she had touched Eun Seo-ho, who was connected to forces that absolutely shouldn’t be touched in the Empire….
‘My head will roll!’
As that thought reached her, Yeon Yeon’s hands trembled uncontrollably. She had to resolve this situation quickly.
“Small Guild Master Eun Seo-ho… where are you right now?”

* * *

Cheongpa Pavilion.
I was listening to the Shop Attendants’ assessment of the damages incurred there.
“So, in total, we’re looking at roughly one hundred silver taels of damage.”
“That is correct.”
Since I’d instructed them to double the amount, the actual figure would be around fifty taels.
There were several reasons why I’d ordered them to double the compensation.
First, it was compensation for emotional distress. How much anxiety must the staff at Cheongpa Pavilion have endured while chaos erupted in their workplace?
Second, the broken furnishings carried within them the devotion and cherished memories of the Shop Attendants who had carefully maintained them all this time.
By destroying those items, I had rendered their dedication and memories meaningless.
“I must collect this in full.”
“But Small Guild Master.”
Cheongpa Pavilion Master called out to me from the side, his expression troubled.
“Are you truly certain about this? The power of the Hao Organization is….”
“Information is certainly frightening. But there exists something far more terrifying than information. Do you know what it is?”
“…?”
To her tilted head, I answered with a slight smile.
“Money.”
That is why I had stripped away every last coin from the Hao Men Hangzhou Branch.
It was then that Palgap approached me.
“Young Master, the Hao Organization says they wish to meet with you.”
I nodded and headed toward the entrance of Cheongpa Pavilion.
A man saw me and bowed respectfully as he spoke.
“I come from the Hao Men Hangzhou Branch. Our Branch Manager wishes to meet with you. Allow me to escort you to our branch.”
“Tell him to come here directly.”
“Pardon?”
“I have no business with your organization. Therefore, shouldn’t it be your Branch Manager—the one with business to conduct—who comes here in person?”
At my words, he broke into a cold sweat and lowered his head.
“I, I shall relay your message.”
He hurried away, and watching his retreating figure, I let out a hollow laugh.
The Hao Men Hangzhou Branch Manager still had a long way to go before regaining his senses.
Even in this situation, he was still trying to maintain his pride.
Did I appear so easy to handle?
“If the Hao Men Hangzhou Branch cannot provide the price for information, would there be anyone willing to bring information to them?”
“There would not be. But then, wouldn’t those who make their living selling information face hardship?”
“That is why I have devised a method. I intend to spread word throughout Hangzhou that I shall purchase those pieces of information instead.”
“Pardon?”
“And in exchange, I shall provide provisions.”
Food is something that cannot be obtained even with money in these times.
And as the saying goes, the one who feeds you is the one you favor.
Though I am hardly a good man, I thought I might play the part convincingly enough.

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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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