The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 434

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

The Youngest Son of the Eun Hae Trading Company Chapter 434

Chapter 434. My Maternal Grandfather’s Home (3)

Jeongmyeong Monk spoke.
“Without the patron’s wisdom, we would have failed to understand the intentions of the Hyeol Gon Seong Seung Master and faced true catastrophe.”
Likely, they would have entered the mechanism-sealed chamber alongside the Murim Alliance, and leading the charge as they did, they could not have escaped annihilation.
So it was right to express gratitude to me, but…
Still, if you bow so deeply, it burdens me greatly.
“Please, rise. I am not so remarkable as to deserve such gratitude.”
“That is not so.”
He shook his head.
“The Great Hero deserves such treatment.”
By then, the other disciples had also knelt.
Ah… at this rate, I’ll get indigestion from what I ate earlier.
I barely managed to calm them down, then discussed what lay ahead.
.
.
.
Before long, dawn broke, and they decided to return to Shaolin rather than proceed to Gansu Province.
They judged that reporting what I had told them took priority.
That was my wish as well.
No matter how well I explained or how thoroughly I warned them, once they arrived at Geom Chong, they could be swept up in the atmosphere.
They might also be persuaded by the Murim Alliance.
So reporting to their superiors and taking time to decide was not a bad course.
Moreover, that place was where the Black Path, evil sects, and followers of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect all gathered.
Whether they wished it or not, they would find themselves entangled in karmic debts.
After seeing off Jeongmyeong Monk and his party as they departed, we turned toward Gansu Province once more.
From here, we could travel by boat, but we had Ju Gang Ma, after all.
“Still, we’ll need to take a boat to cross the river.”
At my words, Ju Gang Ma, whose reins I held, showed a reaction of disbelief.
“Neigh? Snort!”
Geumryeong poked her head out from my sleeve and spoke to me.
“Chirp! Chirp!”
“Hmm?”
“Chirp chirp!”
“This river can be crossed at a gallop?”
Now that I thought about it, the name Ju Gang Ma literally meant running across the river.
I thought it meant Ju Gang Ma was simply that fast, but does it actually mean he can cross rivers? Is that why he’s called Ju Gang Ma?
“This section isn’t particularly deep, but it’s wide and the current is strong.”
“Whinny!”
“Neigh!”
“What do you take me for? Just trust me once?”
There’s nowhere he can’t run?
Fine. I’ll trust you then.
If it really doesn’t work, I can always swim.
With that, we headed toward the riverbank.
It was some distance from the ferry terminal, but I didn’t want anyone else to see us crossing the river on horseback.
“Hiii!”
A short neigh from Ju Gang Ma.
Even without Geumryeong’s translation, I could guess what he was saying.
Hold tight. If you fall in the river, it’s not my fault.
I gripped the reins firmly and warned the others as well.
“Hold the reins tightly! We’re crossing the river on horseback now.”
“N-now, on horseback?”
“Yes!”
The moment my words ended, Ju Gang Ma burst into a gallop.
It seemed faster than any run before.
Was this Ju Gang Ma’s true nature?
The landscape before my eyes vanished in the blink of an eye, and all I heard was the whooshing sound of wind in my ears.
A speed so dizzying that an ordinary person would lose their grip on the reins.
Soon, the muddy Yellow River came into view ahead of us.
What…?
I was momentarily speechless.
We were actually crossing the river.
Is this real? It has to be real, right? I’m not seeing things, am I? Unbelievable!
The name “running across rivers” was no mere exaggeration.
Looking at Ju Gang Ma’s hooves, I could see a faint inner energy clinging to them.
Ah!
I understood now why Ju Gang Ma could cross rivers. It was the same principle as lightness of foot technique.
Though the energy wasn’t particularly strong, combined with the speed, it allowed them to run across the river.
As we crossed the river, Ju Gang Ma’s pace gradually slowed.
Soon, he came to a stop and proudly held his head high.
As if to say, “Didn’t I tell you to trust me?”
I patted Ju Gang Ma’s neck and spoke.
“You’re truly amazing.”
Palgap and all my Guard Warriors wore expressions of disbelief at what had just happened.
“Incredible…”
“You’ve crossed the river just now… is that right?”
“How….”
Well, that’s understandable.
Honestly, I can hardly believe it myself.
I once again realized just how fortunate it was that these Ju Gang Ma had fallen into my hands and those of my companions.
“But at this rate, we could even cross the Yangtze River, couldn’t we?”
The Ju Gang Ma answered my question.
“Purring!”
Of course, it said.
Hoh, this is rather convenient.
.
.
.
Four days after crossing the river, we arrived in Lanzhou.
Lanzhou.
In ancient times, it was called the City of Gold because gold was said to be mined there.
It was also a crucial passage toward Xinjiang and Tibet through Qinghai, making it a place where commerce flourished greatly.
My maternal grandfather’s house, the Youngseon Min Family, was located in the southern part of Lanzhou.
Though a minor martial family, it was quite renowned in Lanzhou.
As we arrived at the Youngseon Min Family estate, the Gate Keeper approached and asked.
“What brings you here?”
I recognized his face.
He was the one guarding the main gate even when I visited my maternal grandfather’s house in my earliest childhood.
Though he appeared older now than back then.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve met.”
“Pardon? Who are you?”
“I am Eun Seo-ho of the Eun Hae Trading Company.”
“What?”
Even after I revealed my name, the Gate Keeper tilted his head in confusion.
A Gate Keeper typically possessed a keen ability to remember and distinguish faces.
So why didn’t he recognize me?
That’s when Palgap nodded and spoke.
“Well, naturally he wouldn’t recognize you. You’ve become remarkably handsome over these past few years.”
Ah….
Now that I think about it, it’s been nearly ten years since I last visited my maternal grandfather’s house.
I should reflect on myself.
“It seems I’ve been away far too long.”
Then I drew out my identification tablet from my sleeve and handed it to him.
Yet the Gate Keeper still wore a dubious expression.
“Please wait a moment.”
Then, following the Gate Keeper who had gone inside, a man emerged.
Upon seeing him, I quickly cupped my fists in salute.
“Your nephew Eun Seo-ho pays his respects to Uncle.”
“Hmm? Seo-ho, you say?”
“Yes.”
His name was Min Jung.
My mother’s elder brother, and my Maternal Uncle.
After scrutinizing my face from every angle for quite some time, he suddenly let out an exclamation.
“Ah! Yes! Now I see it! You look remarkably like Min Sun when she was young!”
Min Sun.
My mother’s name.
“In all of Lanzhou, there’s no beauty to match your mother. Come now, you must be exhausted from your journey. Do enter.”
“Yes, Uncle.”

My Maternal Grandfather’s House hadn’t changed much from what I remembered.
Always a place of tranquility.
Though Gansu Province was generally scarce in water, the estate was situated near a river, so there was no shortage of it.
Thanks to this, despite not being particularly large, the household was quite comfortable.
“Hah! Ha!”
“Yah!”
Hearing martial shouts, I turned my head to see a group of people wielding swords in the Training Ground.
“They are disciples of our family.”
“Their momentum is considerable.”
“Their skill is considerable as well.”
Pride was evident in my Maternal Uncle’s expression.
I followed my Maternal Uncle toward the Inner Quarters, where I was able to meet my Maternal Grandparents.
“My goodness! Who is this? Isn’t this Seo-ho?”
“Why have you come only now?”
Indeed, my Maternal Grandparents.
They recognized me at a glance.
Still as vigorous as ever. Thank goodness.
“Grandfather! Grandmother!”
For some reason, I found myself wanting to act spoiled before my Maternal Grandparents.
“I have missed you both greatly.”
“Yes, we have missed you dearly as well. But we did receive word of your coming, yet you arrived considerably faster than expected?”
Ah, so that’s why the Gate Keeper seemed puzzled as well.
Whether departing from Beijing or Hubei Province, the journey typically takes over two weeks.
But arriving so quickly, we hadn’t sent advance notice.
“Ah, the horses we rode were quite swift. So we arrived sooner than scheduled.”
“I see.”
He didn’t seem particularly convinced.
“You’ll understand once you see what we’ve brought. We were fortunate enough to obtain those items.”
“Well, you’ve come a long way. Let’s go inside and have some hueitouzi.”
“I was hoping for that too, which is why I hurried here.”
Hueitouzi is a sweet porridge-like dish made by simmering beans, jujubes, and sugar together—delicious and quite sugary.
It’s one of Lanzhou’s signature dishes, and eating it settles the stomach wonderfully.
While we sat in the Rear Garden Pavilion discussing recent events, a Maidservant arrived with the hueitouzi.
I invited the Guard Warriors to sit and eat, but they all politely declined.
Still, I was grateful they all enjoyed the hueitouzi.
“Eat plenty.”
“Yes, Grandmother.”
Whenever I eat hueitouzi like this, I find myself becoming sentimental without quite knowing why.
My Maternal Grandparents passed away a few years before my death.
Perhaps because they were both martial artists, they lived long lives, but it was still sorrowful and filled me with regret.
I wished I had visited them even once more.
Seeing how much they enjoyed this made me feel even more apologetic.
“But what brings you here so suddenly?”
At my Maternal Grandmother’s words, I smiled warmly and replied.
“I missed you both.”
“Sweet words, but I’m pleased nonetheless.”
“No, truly.”
I continued.
“I’ve wanted to visit Maternal Grandfather’s House for some time, but I’ve been too busy. However, I finally found some free time, so I came by.”
“Is that so?”
I nodded.
“Yes. And Father and Mother asked me to convey their regards to you both.”
Father also instructed me to stop by the Eun Hae Trading Company’s Gansu Province branch on my way.
My words delighted them both greatly.
“How long do you plan to stay?”
“A day or two.”
“Very well, make yourself comfortable during your stay.”
“By the way, looking at you now, you really do resemble our Sun-i!”
“Of course, I’m her son. Haha.”
.
.
.
After finishing our conversation, I was shown to my quarters.
“Phew.”
I was about to lie down on the bed,
when—crack!
Palgap stopped me and said.
“Young Master, why don’t you wash up first? Surely you don’t intend to lie in the chamber and soil the bedding your Maternal Grandparents provided?”
“….”
What Palgap pointed out was my conscience.
In the end, I had no choice but to go wash up.
“By the way, Young Master looked rather different today.”
“Hm? Different how?”
“Now you finally looked your age. Until now, you were an old soul like no other. I thought I was watching someone in their thirties or forties who had experienced everything under the sun.”
Ugh… this fellow.
He’s remarkably perceptive.
I quickly smiled and countered.
“Well, here people indulge my whims, but elsewhere they don’t. When I’m surrounded by those who want to devour me, I can’t afford to let my guard down or I’ll be consumed.”
“Yes, that’s true.”
“So enough of your idle chatter. Go fetch me some tea.”
“If you drink tea before sleep, you won’t be able to… well, you probably won’t have trouble sleeping.”
“Of course not! After how hard I’ve been riding, and how much I worked before coming here! A mere cup of tea won’t steal my sleep away.”
I was utterly exhausted right now.
Yet the reason I didn’t fall asleep immediately and wanted tea instead was because I needed time to organize my thoughts.
.
.
.
The next morning.
I finished my training at my quarters and stepped outside.
Late July.
The temperature here was pleasant for activity.
As I strolled here and there, I eventually reached the Outer Quarters and arrived at the Training Ground where the disciples were practicing.
“One!”
“Hah!”
“Two!”
“Hap!”
Dozens of people moved in perfect unison to the commands of what appeared to be an Instructor.
The Youngseon Min Family was a martial family that primarily used the Soft Sword.
The Soft Sword was regarded as an extremely difficult weapon to handle—in my assessment, even harder than a whip.
Because the Soft Sword’s blade was razor-sharp, even a graze could cause injury.
Yet because its trajectory was unpredictable, that very quality gave it tremendous advantage as a weapon.
Thanks to their mastery of such a weapon, they had been able to maintain their family for so long.
I smiled contentedly watching them.
Ah, it’s about time for breakfast.

I sat down at the dining table with my maternal grandfather’s family.
This morning’s breakfast was noodles.
The people of Gansu Province take their noodles seriously, and the varieties are incredibly diverse.
It’s because rice production in this region is extremely limited.
Due to the climate, they primarily cultivate wheat, beans, and corn instead.
As I was eating warm beef broth noodles, my Maternal Uncle’s Attendant spoke up.
“Father, a letter arrived just a moment ago.”
“A letter? At this early hour?”
“Yes. It’s from the Murim Alliance.”
The Murim Alliance?
At those words, my ears perked up involuntarily.
“They say they will visit our family this afternoon.”
What? Today?
As I was processing my surprise, my Maternal Uncle’s Attendant continued.
“It seems to be related to that Geom Chong incident at Yanzhi Mountain.”
Could it be…
Could it be for the reason I’m thinking of?

That afternoon.
The Murim Alliance arrived as scheduled.
I stayed back and observed the situation from a distance, but for some reason my Maternal Uncle’s expression didn’t look good.
“Tsk tsk.”
At that moment, someone behind me clicked their tongue.
“Why did it have to be someone from the Murim Alliance who turned out to be the Merchant?”
Was there some history between my Maternal Uncle and that Warrior?
The one who spoke was my Maternal Uncle’s Attendant.
Then he must know something about this.
I approached him and asked quietly.
“What do you mean by that?”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————