The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 441

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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 441

Chapter 441. The Unexpected (4)

Such thoughts crossed my mind, but I couldn’t reveal them before Kwon Jik Grand Hero.
“Indeed. It’s quite a remarkable treasure. Truly, it’s a treasure worthy of being bestowed by the Emperor himself.”
“That’s correct.”
As we continued our conversation, the rest period came to an end.
We returned to our respective positions and resumed the excavation work.
By the way, was that red cloth wrapping that had covered the books and letters inside the box I discovered truly the treasure in question?
Geum Ryung-i had reacted to something, but I couldn’t tell whether the reaction was to the gold ingots, the books, or the cloth treasure itself.
It was possible that she had reacted to all three.
I wanted to test whether that cloth was indeed the treasure, but if I used it here now, I might be discovered, so I had no choice but to postpone it.

Time passed, and finally the excavation work came to an end.
We had worked hard, but nothing was placed in anyone’s hands.
If anything, perhaps the true nature of Hyeol Gon Seong Seung’s Sword Shrine?
Or perhaps something to talk about over a drink once the alcohol prohibition was lifted in the future?
Yet there was no regret on anyone’s faces.
Through the excavation work, we had become thoroughly aware of what fate would have befallen us had we ventured inside.
We were simply relieved to be leaving this place safely.
The first to depart were the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect members.
They left without even saying goodbye, already gone by the time we woke up.
Once the Black Path members also departed, only the Murim Alliance and Orthodox Sect groups remained.

We had a simple lunch of dumplings before holding a meeting.
It was a meeting about what to do going forward.
“First, our camp plans to withdraw tomorrow.”
Gyeongsan Elder looked at everyone as he continued speaking.
“I will certainly inform the League Master of everyone’s generous support here.”
“What do you intend to do with the remains of the Hyeol Gon Seong Seung Master?”
“We plan to take them to the Murim Alliance first, and then hand them over to Shaolin Temple from there.”
In other words, they would carry the Hyeol Gon Seong Seung Master’s remains to the Murim Alliance, but would transfer everything after that to Shaolin Temple.
“Everyone has worked hard.”

The next morning.
Our Yeong Seon Min Family party said our farewells to Gyeongsan Elder and the others right after breakfast.
“I thought you’d be coming with us to the Murim Alliance, but that’s unfortunate.”
“I wish I could, but as the one leading the Yeong Seon Min Family, I hope you’ll understand.”
“There’s no helping it. Travel safely on your way back.”
After exchanging these words, we descended Yanzhi Mountain.
Thus, the matter concerning Hyeol Gon Seong Seung Master’s Sword Shrine came to an end.
Of course, my personal affairs were still ongoing.
As I descended, I fell into contemplation.
What to do about the two Geumui Guard Great Heroes.
If I reported it straightforwardly, their fate was obvious.
But if I didn’t inform the Emperor of this matter?
That was impossible.
The Emperor was perceptive enough to know that I had deliberately withheld information.
“You truly discovered nothing? But I know your capabilities. If you really knew nothing, that would mean I’ve overestimated your abilities. Then… should I revoke your rights to the Chakpung Engine first?” he would say.
Just thinking about it was terrifying.
“Ugh…”
As I trembled, Seo-woo Warrior asked.
“Are you feeling unwell?”
“I’m fine. It’s nothing like that, so please don’t worry.”
I said so and urged my horse forward.
Yes, the Emperor would certainly do that.
Sigh. There’s nothing to be done about it.
They too had acted knowing the risk of discovery and death, and they were aware that treason was punished by death.
So even if they died that way, they wouldn’t have grounds for complaint.
But reporting it straightforwardly left something weighing on my mind.
In my memories of my previous life, there had been no imperial rebellion around this time.
In the first place, with the Emperor keeping such a tight rein on the imperial family, a rebellion couldn’t occur.
If a rebellion were to occur in such circumstances, I could genuinely applaud them without reservation.
This time, with Geumryeong’s guidance, Jin Yu Warrior had discovered where the letter had been delivered, and reported it to me.
It was the residence of Chang-sung King in Zhongqing.
That too was strange.
Chang-sung King was the Emperor’s son and had remained loyal to his father and elder brother until the end.
Then… ah!
What a cunning old serpent!
I nearly cursed the Emperor without thinking.
Fortunately, I refrained from committing such disrespect aloud.
This was a test from the Emperor directed at me.
Regarding my abilities and whether I could be trusted.
And it seemed he was also curious about how I would handle this matter.
Wow….
If I hadn’t retained memories from my previous life, I would have fallen for it completely.
It’s truly terrifying. Absolutely terrifying.
How could he deceive me so flawlessly?
The Geumui Guard truly lives up to their reputation.
Now that I think about it, there were several inconsistencies.
The way Kwon Jik Grand Hero readily spoke about the artifact, and the absence of greed in his demeanor.
Those who risk their lives staging rebellion typically do so because they desire something.
Everyone claims to act for the greater cause, but most are driven by personal ambition.
Yet there was another peculiar detail.
A single muttered remark from Kwon Jik Grand Hero.

“Why does he search so desperately for that artifact… as if possessing it would grant him the Emperor’s Throne.”

If this was a test, then Kwon Jik Grand Hero knew I was there when he muttered those words.
But given my far superior cultivation level, he couldn’t have possibly detected my presence.
“Young Master.”
That’s when Palgap called out to me.
“What is it?”
“It’s somewhat embarrassing to ask now, but could it be that you’ve found a romantic interest?”
“A romantic interest? What are you talking about?”
“For several days now, a fragrant scent has been emanating from you, Young Master. This is clearly a fragrance that women favor. The fact that you carry such a scent means you received a sachet from the young lady you met at Yanzhi Mountain! So confess already!”
I responded with an expression of utter bewilderment.
“You’ve got it all wrong. Did I really have time for such intimate encounters during all this?”
Palgap soon turned his head away in embarrassment and replied.
“…That’s true, I suppose.”
Seo-woo Warrior tilted his head and asked from beside me.
“But what kind of baseless speculation led you to claim the Young Master carries such a fragrance?”
“It’s the same as always.”
The other warriors agreed.
What was this? Palgap detected a scent that neither I nor the other warriors could perceive?
“Now that you mention it, I did think it was a somewhat familiar scent….”
Lee Pil Warrior, the only guard who hadn’t agreed, finally spoke.
“Beginning a day or two after our arrival, that scent started emanating from the Young Master. It’s a fragrance that only those who have undergone specialized training can detect.”
“Could it be? A tracking scent?”
“Indeed. And among those present there, there was one other person who carried that scent. A man named Kwon Jik.”
….
“The question is how he obtained that tracking scent. Its export is strictly prohibited.”
If Lee Pil Warrior noticed it, then it must be the tracking scent of the Sichuan Tang Family.
Even if its export is prohibited, the other party is the Emperor. If the Emperor demands it, it must be surrendered.
“To be honest, I considered telling you, but I wasn’t certain, so I refrained. My apologies.”
“It’s fine.”
Ah, so he knew all along.
Kwon Jik Grand Hero had muttered those words after detecting my presence through that tracking scent.
No wonder he spoke so loudly….
“What exactly was his purpose in doing so?”
“It seems he simply took a liking to me. Regardless, how do we remove this scent?”
“It will fade naturally in about a month, but to remove it immediately, we’ll need several medicinal ingredients. They’re not particularly difficult to obtain, so you should be able to find them in Lanzhou.”
“I’d appreciate your help.”
“Understood.”
But this is a tracking scent from the Dang Clan?
Didn’t the Sichuan Tang Family also send support this time?
Would they have noticed the tracking scent on my body as well?
When I quietly asked Lee Pil Warrior about this, he shook his head.
“This tracking scent can only be detected by direct bloodline members. Since no direct lineage came from the Sichuan Tang Family this time, no one would have noticed it.”
Then that’s fortunate, but….
I exhaled in relief, then tilted my head in confusion.
Didn’t he just say that only direct bloodline members of the Sichuan Tang Family—and specifically those with special training—could detect this scent?
Then… how did Palgap manage to notice it?
I looked at Palgap with that question in mind.
“I, I simply made an incorrect guess, and I’m embarrassed that you’re looking at me like that.”
As expected, he wasn’t aware of his own ability.
Regardless….
Could he also know that I destroyed the Geom Chong?
I pondered briefly, but it seemed unlikely.
He would have been escorting those who went to draw water at that time.
But to test me in such a manner…
The Emperor wouldn’t have tested me so suddenly without reason.
I seemed to recall hearing that such tests were conducted before entrusting someone with an important task….
“…!”
Now the Emperor’s true intention became clear.
He intended to place greater trust in me as a result of this incident.
The moment that thought crossed my mind, any desire to strike back at the Emperor vanished into the distance.
A warning bell was ringing in my mind.
Should I flee?
Truly, desperately, with all my heart, genuinely, very much, extremely, earnestly—I want to flee.
But….
Why do I feel like I’ve forgotten something?

* * *

After Eun Seo-ho and the Yeong Seon Min Family entourage departed, the others began leaving one by one.
“We are ready to depart as well.”
Kwon Jik ordered the messenger to wait a moment.
“Wait a bit. Let us proceed at a leisurely pace.”
“Understood.”
The messenger went to join the others, and Kwon Eul approached Kwon Jik.
“What are you thinking about?”
At his question, Kwon Jik chuckled softly before responding.
“I was thinking about Eun Seo-ho, the Small Guild Master.”
“Ah… it seems he has impressed you.”
“What makes you say that?”
“You are smiling, are you not?”
At those words, Kwon Jik raised his hand to touch the corner of his mouth. Indeed, as Kwon Eul said, he was smiling.
“It has been a long time since I have seen you smile, brother.”
“He is an amusing fellow.”
Truthfully, I could not understand why the Emperor trusted Eun Seo-ho so deeply and kept him so close.
‘I am grateful that he saved the Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster and the Golden Robed Guards, but still.’
So when the Emperor told me to test Eun Seo-ho, I resolved inwardly.
I would test him thoroughly this time.
Eun Seo-ho should be prepared.
I would not let him pass easily.
But Eun Seo-ho, whom I observed from the sidelines, was a talent worthy of the Emperor’s trust.
When the foolish Young Master of the Seolyun Hae Family insulted Eun Seo-ho and his maternal family, I honestly thought he would beat him without mercy.
But Eun Seo-ho did not. Instead, he made him wear a fifty-pound training apparatus and practice with it.
Moreover, somehow he convinced Hae Jun’s Uncle to personally supervise that training.
A few blows would be better—that would be truly unbearable.
And when the meeting threatened to devolve into a wasteful conflict, he proposed dividing the territories equally into three sections, and he made it happen.
Was that all?
He appeared at precisely the right moments and places, ensuring that problems were resolved smoothly whenever they threatened to arise.
Without Eun Seo-ho, I would never have dreamed of being ready to depart like this.
In fact, a few days ago, when I went down Yanzhi Mountain under the pretext of escorting those drawing water, my heart sank.
The scent of the Follower’s Faction that the Emperor had bestowed upon me was clearly present, yet I could not sense Eun Seo-ho’s presence.
That meant he was a master superior to me.
There was a reason the Emperor had given me the Follower’s Faction.
‘If he now reports to the Emperor about the true mastermind behind this incident, I will likely encounter him frequently.’
As I was thinking this, a young boy passed by my side.
Hmm?
Turning my head, I saw it was Hae Jun, the Young Master of the Seolyun Hae Family.
He was panting heavily as he circled around the military camp, still wearing iron weights on both his arms and legs.
“Come on, three more laps!”
His uncle cheered from behind, while Hae Jun looked as though he might collapse at any moment.
‘He’s certainly putting in the effort.’
In any case, that artifact was not here after all.
What I had told Eun Seo-ho about the artifact wrapped in cloth was the truth.
That’s why I had judged there was a high probability the artifact remained in this place.
Looking at it now, it was actually fortunate that the Sword Shrine collapsed and prevented us from entering.
‘For the Sword Shrine to crumble so suddenly…’
Suddenly, it seemed as though Eun Seo-ho had anticipated the Sword Shrine’s collapse.
That would explain why he maintained such composure while everyone else was in panic.
‘Could it be that he caused it to collapse…?’
But soon after, Kwon Jik shook his head and dismissed the thought.
‘How on earth could he have brought down the Sword Shrine? What an absurd notion!’
Before long, Hae Jun completed another lap and ran past his side again.
At that moment, a thought suddenly occurred to me.
‘Come to think of it, Eun Seo-ho, the Small Guild Master, never told that young master to stop.’
Whether he had forgotten to say it or deliberately refrained from saying it.
Only Eun Seo-ho himself would know.
‘Well, that training is beneficial for him anyway, so it doesn’t matter.’

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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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