The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 430

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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 430

Chapter 430. A Risk Factor (6)

I spoke to Moyong Tae-geol, the Small Patriarch.
“Then, please have me regain consciousness now.”
“Now, you say?”
“Yes. While unconscious, I cannot witness that entertaining spectacle, can I? And my testimony will be necessary to establish the crime conclusively.”
He nodded at my words.
“Indeed, you make a fair point. I shall summon the Physician.”

Shortly after, the Physician entered and took my pulse.
If my body were in good condition, the Physician would surely notice I was feigning illness.
So from earlier, I had deliberately constricted my own meridians, keeping my body in a weakened state.
“Hmm, you have certainly recovered compared to before. However, you still require rest, so do not exert yourself or move about recklessly.”
“Understood.”
The Physician departed, and Moyong Tae-geol’s Attendant rushed in with news.
“Small Patriarch, the public hearing will commence in one hour.”
“A public hearing? Is it at the Flame Hammer Arena?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
The Flame Hammer Arena? Where was that?
Moyong Tae-geol, sensing my curiosity, explained.
“When a grave incident occurs within the Main House, a public hearing is held, and that venue is the Flame Hammer Arena.”
Like the name suggested—a burning hammer scale—it conveyed the meaning of rendering judgment with absolute impartiality.
But what possessed that Warrior to commit such an outrageous act?
If he could escape unscathed, that would be fortunate, but one misstep and he would bear the full weight of everything.
There must surely be a reason.
“Palgap.”
“Yes, you called for me?”
“Investigate the Warrior who took me to Imil Garden. Since the public hearing begins in one hour, we must move quickly.”
“Understood.”
Palgap swiftly departed from my quarters.

* * *

Moyong Seong-geol couldn’t understand how the situation had spiraled into this.
He had simply wanted to make Eun Seo-ho, who had humiliated him, suffer some hardship.
It was something that could have been overlooked, and if handled well, he might have even pinned the blame on Moyong Tae-gyeol.
But now the matter had grown far beyond his ability to contain it.
‘A public interrogation at the Flame Hammer Arena!’
A public interrogation proceeded with all members of the Moyong Clan watching, just as the name suggested.
In other words, if one’s honor was tarnished there, one could no longer hold one’s head high in life.
“Young Master, do you think it will be alright?”
To his attendant’s worried question, Moyong Seong-geol replied.
“There’s nothing to fear! Didn’t I tell you? There’s no evidence! And that warrior can never speak the truth.”
“That may be true, but….”
Just then, the voice of the Moyong Clan’s martial forces commander came from outside.
“It is time to depart for the Flame Hammer Arena. Please come out.”
At those words, he opened the door and stepped out, proceeding to the Flame Hammer Arena under the commander’s escort and surveillance.
The Flame Hammer Arena blazed with fire on all sides, just as its name implied. Thus, despite the dark evening, it was as bright as midday.
Yet the arrangement was peculiar, creating a psychological pressure that weighed upon all who entered.
Upon arriving there, Moyong Seong-geol took his designated seat.
Soon the senior members of the Moyong Clan arrived in succession, and the House Master took his seat as well.
“It’s Seon Hyeop Mi-rang!”
“The Great Hero Seon Hyeop Mi-rang has arrived!”
At those words, I turned to see Eun Seo-ho entering the Flame Hammer Arena with his attendant’s support.
His face was gaunt from the ordeal, and with that sickly appearance of a young nobleman, the women present could not tear their eyes from him.
Moyong Seong-geol felt irritated and turned his head away sharply.
“Then we shall now begin the public interrogation.”
The interrogator who stepped forward was Mo Yong Muk, the deputy chief of the Law Enforcement Bureau, which executed punishments for the Moyong Clan.
And the Law Enforcement Bureau also managed the Flame Hammer Arena.
“This matter concerns the apprehension of the culprit responsible for the Great Hero Seon Hyeop Mi-rang, a hero of the Murim, losing consciousness and collapsing at Imil Garden.”
He continued.
“Though the Great Hero Seon Hyeop Mi-rang, who only just regained consciousness, wished for this matter to be buried, it is directly connected to the honor of the Moyong Clan and cannot be overlooked. Therefore, we have opened this public interrogation.”
At those words, the senior members nodded in agreement.
“Then I shall explain the circumstances of this matter.”
Mo Yong Muk explained while looking at the documents in his hand.
“Yesterday, Small Patriarch Moyong Tae-geol discovered the Great Hero Seon Hyeop Mi-rang Eun Seo-ho losing consciousness and collapsed at Imil Garden. Upon investigating the full circumstances, it was found that a warrior named Yeon Jung lured the Great Hero into a formation trap. The Great Hero barely escaped the formation, but ultimately lost consciousness and collapsed.”
After catching his breath, he continued.
“Therefore, I shall begin the interrogation of Yeon Jung, the warrior who is the most likely suspect.”
He commanded the Law Enforcement Bureau’s warriors.
“Bring Warrior Yeon Jung here.”
“Yes!”
Soon they brought a warrior and seated him in a prepared chair.
His hands, legs, and waist were then firmly secured to the chair.
“Your name is Yeon Jung, correct?”
“Yes.”
“And it was also you who took the Great Hero Eun Seo-ho to Imil Garden yesterday?”
“That’s correct.”
“Then you trapped the Great Hero Eun Seo-ho in a formation array, leaving him in a comatose state?”
At that question, Yeon Jung’s and Moyong Seong-geol’s eyes met for a moment.
Moyong Seong-geol nodded with a sharp expression, and Yeon Jung swallowed hard before answering.
“Yes, I… I did that.”
His confession stirred the crowd into noise. Moyong Seong-geol smirked.
‘There’s still something bigger to come.’
Mo Yong Muk continued.
“According to witness testimony, you conveyed a message that Small Patriarch Moyong Tae-geol was calling for the Great Hero Eun Seo-ho. Did you use Small Patriarch Moyong Tae-geol’s name without his knowledge to lure the Great Hero Eun Seo-ho?”
“No. The person who instructed me to do this was indeed Small Patriarch Moyong Tae-geol. That’s why I said it that way.”
At that testimony, the crowd gasped and turned their gaze toward Small Patriarch Moyong Tae-geol.
But he remained composed.
Moyong Seong-geol watched him with inner ridicule.
‘Why do you act so calm? You should be preparing to step down from that position now.’
Mo Yong Muk asked Small Patriarch Moyong Tae-geol.
“Is that testimony true?”
“It is not true. And I have evidence that proves his testimony is false.”
At this, Moyong Seong-geol flinched.
‘Evidence? He has evidence?’
Mo Yong Muk asked.
“What is this evidence?”
“In fact, the night before, my father instructed me to meet the Great Hero Eun Seo-ho and inquire about his intentions regarding a certain matter. So I went directly to the Great Hero Eun Seo-ho’s quarters myself, and that’s how I discovered that someone had used my name to take the Great Hero Eun Seo-ho to Imil Garden.”
He continued.
“Since I was planning to visit him anyway, why would I instruct this warrior to take the Great Hero Eun Seo-ho to Imil Garden?”
Then the House Master spoke.
“That’s right. I gave such an instruction.”
With those words, Yeon Jung’s testimony was effectively proven false.
Moyong Seong-geol bit his lip at the unexpected turn of events, and the crowd murmured.
Moyong Tae-geol continued.
“When I heard that the Great Hero Eun Seo-ho was heading to Imil Garden, I rushed there in haste and thus discovered the Great Hero Eun Seo-ho.”
Mo Yong Muk turned his head toward Yeon Jung and asked.
“The criminal’s testimony appears to be false—what is the meaning of this?”
“No, it is certainly what Small Patriarch instructed me to do. He gave me the instruction and then made himself appear as the discoverer.”
“If I gave such an instruction, where were we at that time?”
At Moyong Tae-geol’s question, Yeon Jung answered.
“Well, naturally in a secret place…”
“A secret place—which place are you referring to?”
“….”
“Let me be perfectly clear. This morning, when you claimed I received your orders, I was at Yeon Geol-i’s Residence. And that residence is a place where only men belonging to that household—aside from family—are permitted entry.”
With each statement Yeon Jung made, his falsehood became increasingly apparent.
As the situation grew more tangled, Moyong Seong-geol cursed him inwardly.
‘Idiot! If you lack the nerve to testify truthfully, at least have the decency to take your own life cleanly! Damn it!’
At that moment, Moyong Tae-geol rose from his seat.
“I found myself curious about something. What, precisely, does this warrior stand to gain by pinning the blame on me?”
He glanced briefly toward Eun Seo-ho behind him.
“Some time ago, the Great Hero Eun Seo-ho told me something. He said that when a person acts in ways that defy understanding, one should examine what benefit that person stands to gain.”
He continued.
“So I investigated this warrior, and I came to understand why he now finds himself compelled to testify with such lies.”
“And what is that?”
“Before we bring in the key witness, might you release the restraints on the Merchant? I shall take full responsibility.”
At his words, Mo Yong Muk nodded, and the warriors freed Yeon Jung from his bonds.
Yeon Jung bit his lip. He had a suspicion of who the key witness might be.
Moyong Tae-geol spoke to his guards.
“Bring her in.”
“Yes, sir.”
Soon the guards escorted a woman into the chamber.
But expectation and reality are two different things. At the sight of her, Yeon Jung cried out in shock.
“My lady!”
“What on earth is happening here! Oh my!”
He turned to Moyong Tae-geol in fury and shouted.
“How cowardly! To threaten by using family, and yet you call yourself the Small Patriarch of the Moyong Clan, a prestigious orthodox sect…!”
Crack!
“Ugh!”
His words ceased abruptly. His wife had struck his back with the palm of her hand.
“Who do you think you’re speaking to so harshly? He’s our son’s benefactor!”
“W-what? Benefactor?”
“He cured our son’s illness!”
Moyong Tae-geol, the Small Patriarch, nodded toward the bewildered Yeon Jung.
“Yes. That is correct. Your son is now in good health.”
“Ah…. Then….”
Understanding the situation at last, he dropped to his knees and pressed his forehead to the ground, crying out.
“I’m sorry! Truly, I am deeply sorry! How could I have done this to my son’s benefactor….”
“Then, will you tell us the truth now?”
At his gentle words, Yeon Jung opened his mouth.
“Yes. The truth is, all of this was done under the orders of Young Master Moyong Seong-geol.”

* * *

I forced down the corners of my mouth that threatened to rise and clenched my fist tightly within my sleeve.
Finally, I had succeeded in drawing out that confession.
Following my instructions, Palgap had swiftly gathered information about Yeon Jung’s situation.

“He has a son, sir. The boy ate something wrong in the mountains and is said to be on his deathbed. The medicine he needs is a precious elixir, and he’s been deeply troubled trying to raise the funds to purchase it.”
“So he was in urgent need of a large sum of money.”
“Yes, sir, that’s correct.”
“Then go with the Small Patriarch here and resolve the matter.”
“Understood.”
With those words, I handed Palgap a promissory note—one that could be exchanged for funds at the Money Exchange House.
And this was the result of that action.

Moyong Seong-geol shot to his feet with a shout.
“I, I know nothing of this! Where are you spreading such lies?”
Of course, Moyong Seong-geol flatly denied any involvement.
“Did you not instruct him to alter the path to Imil Garden and lure Eun Seo-ho the Great Hero into a formation trap?”
He continued.
“I have evidence of this!”
“Evidence? Show me then!”
He spoke to Mo Yong Muk, the Deputy Sect Leader.
“Among the items confiscated earlier, there should be a blue pouch. Please bring that pouch.”
At this, he instructed the warriors, and shortly they brought forth the blue pouch.
“Inside that pouch, there should be a single sheet of paper. It contains written instructions about which sections of the Imil Garden entrance routes needed to be altered.”
He continued.
“The handwriting left at that location—once you examine it, everything will become crystal clear.”
Mo Yong Muk, the Deputy Sect Leader, unfolded the paper with a grave expression.
As he read it, his eyes grew increasingly troubled.
“Hah….”
He released a heavy sigh, then passed it to the senior elders, who examined it and shook their heads in dismay.
And they looked toward Moyong Seong-geol.
Their eyes held profound disappointment.
I smiled coldly.
As expected.
I had anticipated that Yeon Jung would possess evidence of receiving instructions from Moyong Seong-geol.
He was caught precisely because his opponent was me; in luring me out, I had discerned his meticulous nature, and he had even donned the very uniforms worn by genuine Guard Warriors.
That level of attention to detail would naturally leave traces.
The House Master spoke.
“Seong-geol. Why did you commit such an act?”
As Moyong Seong-geol clamped his mouth shut, the House Master clicked his tongue and spoke.
“Are you nursing a grudge over what happened last night? That was entirely of your own making.”
“What do you mean I brought it upon myself?”
“Did you not encourage your elder brother Jun-gyeol-i?”
“…!”
“That if he fought and won, he could become a hero? But if that were all, the Great Hero would not have acted as he did.”
“….”
So the House Master knew all along.
When I had made Moyong Seong-geol lose control of himself that night, it was not merely to tarnish his honor, but also because he had mocked my old friend Bok Yun Sub-leader.
Sneering that like some lowborn merchant, he had come begging with his own wife in tow, like a beggar.
I had not voiced it, fearing it would wound Bok Yun Sub-leader’s feelings.
I could endure insults to myself, but never to my old friend.
Ah, but that was not quite right.
I could not endure insults to myself either.

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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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