The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 442

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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 442

Chapter 442. Quite Painful (1)

We arrived safely at my maternal grandfather’s house.
My maternal grandparents and maternal uncle welcomed us warmly.
“I report to you. All twenty members of the Gwang Pung Unit have returned safely.”
I smiled brightly and continued speaking.
“We’ve returned without incident.”
“Yes, thank goodness you’re safe! What a relief!”
My maternal grandfather embraced me, his eyes glistening with tears.
My maternal grandfather certainly knew how to express his emotions well.
I never realized he was so worried about me.
Meanwhile, my maternal uncle, who had been commending the Gwang Pung Unit members for their efforts, patted my shoulder and spoke.
“You’ve worked hard.”
“Please don’t say that. The Yeong Seon Min Family here is my maternal grandfather’s house. I was simply doing what was naturally expected of me.”
“I’m even more grateful for you saying so.”
At that moment, my maternal grandmother patted my back and spoke.
“Come now, let’s go inside. I’ve prepared huiduuja for you.”
Just as we were about to head inside.
“Young Master Eun Seo-ho.”
“…?”
I turned around at the sound of my name being called, and the Gwang Pung Unit was addressing me.
What was this about?
As I was thinking this, they all simultaneously clasped their fists toward me and bowed their heads.
Thump!
Then the Gwang Pung Group Leader spoke on their behalf.
“We all returned safely thanks entirely to you, Young Master. We will never forget this kindness for the rest of our lives.”
This was rather embarrassing.
.
.
.
That evening.
I bathed in the medicinal solution that Lee Pil Warrior had prepared to remove the tracking scent.
“Mm, the tracking scent is completely gone now.”
At Lee Pil Warrior’s words, Palgap also nodded in agreement.
“Indeed, the scent has disappeared.”
At that moment, Lee Pil Warrior asked Palgap a question.
“But how on earth did Palgap manage to detect that tracking scent?”
“Pardon?”
Palgap tilted his head in confusion as he answered.
“I simply… smelled it.”
“As I mentioned before, detecting that tracking scent requires specialized training. Yet you were able to perceive it…”
It was Seo-woo Warrior who answered that question.
“I’ve heard that among those with exceptionally keen senses, there are cases where they can detect special scents without such training. Perhaps Palgap falls into that category.”
Now that I thought about it, Palgap truly despised fermented foods. After all, fermentation and decay were separated by only the finest of lines.
As I pondered this, I couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly.
I thought I understood why Palgap possessed such an ability.
It was simply because he was a bear.
One might say his wild instincts remained alive and thriving.
Truthfully, Sal Wang’s talent, while a flattering way to describe it, was Sal Wang’s talent—but in a broader sense, it too was nothing more than wild instinct.
The instinct of a hunter, one might say.
Palgap’s instincts had simply been redirected toward serving me.
“Well then, it’s about time we retired for the evening.”
At my words, everyone headed to their respective quarters.
After Palgap saw to my bedding, he made his way to the adjacent room.
As I lay down, I sensed the presence of Seo-woo Warrior and Myeong-jong Warrior standing at a distance beyond the door.
They would not enter unless I called for them.
Now then, the time had come.
I retrieved the items left behind by Hyeol Gon Seong Seung Master from the secret vault.
First, I needed to verify whether the cloth wrapper was a magical artifact or not.
The reason I was checking this secretly in my room was that I alone possessed knowledge of this matter.
Besides, it was too bothersome to explain.
I placed the books and letters in a box, then unfolded the cloth wrapper upon the table.
A vivid crimson hue… wait?
Only then did I notice something peculiar.
This cloth wrapper had been wrapping the books and letters for over five hundred years.
Yet while the books and letters had grown so aged, how could the wrapper remain so pristine and vibrant?
Since silk is one of our trading company’s primary goods, I knew it well—there was no silk that could remain this intact after five hundred years.
Then could this truly be a magical artifact?
Surely, it was said that if one wrote the destination on the wrapper, it would guide one safely there?
My desired destination?
To test this, I would need to write a place I knew well.
I picked up a brush and wrote “Eunhae Merchant Guild Beijing Branch” upon the wrapper.
“…!”
I could not help but start in astonishment.
The characters I had written with the brush vanished, and a black image began to materialize upon the wrapper.
A map.
It was a map of the entire empire.
And from my maternal grandfather’s house to the Beijing Branch of the Eunhae Trading Company, a golden line wound and stretched continuously.
Gasp!
I quickly covered my mouth with both hands.
If I didn’t, an exclamation would surely escape.
It’s real. This is a genuine magical artifact.
I carefully examined the route.
If I were to go to the Beijing Branch, the golden line was drawn along the river, as if suggesting I take a boat.
“Hmm, but I’d prefer to travel by land. I have Ju Gang Ma after all.”
As I murmured regretfully, the golden line immediately erased itself and began redrawing.
A path that went overland without taking a boat.
This is incredible.
To be honest, if this artifact had forced me to take a specific route to my destination, I would have been suspicious.
Some artifacts are said to brainwash their users or corrupt them with evil.
But seeing the path change according to my wishes suggested it wasn’t one of those.
I committed the route to memory and carefully rewrapped the cloth bundle.
Alright, should I test whether this route is truly safe?
What if this artifact really does show safe paths?
There’s nothing to deliberate about.
Of course I should consume it.
Nom nom.
.
.
.
Morning arrived.
And today was the day I would return to Beijing.
“Won’t you stay a bit longer?”
At my Maternal Grandmother’s words, I smiled and replied.
“Of course I’d like to stay longer. But I have much to attend to.”
I embraced my Maternal Grandmother as I spoke. She patted my back and said.
“It’s a shame, but it can’t be helped. Let’s see each other again next time.”
“Yes.”
“Take care of yourself.”
Following my Maternal Grandfather, my Maternal Uncle also spoke to me.
“We’ll meet again someday. Until then, stay healthy and well.”
“Yes.”
“And please look after Sun-i.”
In my Maternal Uncle’s words was deep affection for my mother.
I won’t be able to see my Second Maternal Uncle before leaving.
I should visit him again before he enters the realm of enlightenment in about five years.
If I can prevent the Second Maternal Uncle’s death, then I must.
We departed from the Yeong Seon Min Family Estate with everyone’s farewells.
“Which direction should we take?”
At Seo-woo Warrior’s question, I raised my hand and pointed the way.
“Let’s head this way.”
“Understood.”
And so we began galloping our horses toward Beijing.
The path I was riding now was the one the cloth-wrapped vessel had shown me.
The Ju Gang Ma horses galloped without hesitation.
“Right, turn left here.”
“Neigh!”
I directed the group’s path intermittently and pulled the reins to turn my horse’s direction.
To be honest, when we traveled from Beijing to Lanzhou, we had crossed over mountain ranges.
But on the path we were taking now, I saw only plains stretching before us, with no treacherous mountains in sight.
So while it appeared we were taking a detour, we were actually moving faster.
Galloping across open plains without obstacles was far swifter than weaving through the mountain range’s impediments.
Thanks to this, we arrived at the Beijing Outskirts a full day earlier than scheduled.
Darkness was already falling upon us.
“Let’s rest here for the night.”
At my words, Palgap tilted his head in confusion.
“What do you mean, sir? Beijing is just one or two hours’ ride ahead.”
“I know that.”
“Hmm, if the young master is willing to forgo sleeping comfortably in his chamber, it must be quite an important matter?”
“Exactly. So please prepare for camping.”
“Very well, sir.”
And so Palgap and the Guard Warriors prepared for the night’s encampment.
Soon we gathered around the campfire, ate our meal, and drank tea.
Now everyone was ready to listen.
“Before we departed, I mentioned it, didn’t I? What orders I received from the Emperor?”
Everyone nodded at my question.
“To put it bluntly, this mission was a test of me.”
“A test? What do you mean?”
At Seo-woo Warrior’s question, I sighed and continued.
“Exactly as I said. His Majesty issued this command to see whether he could entrust me with important responsibilities in the future.”
Only then did Lee Pil Warrior ask, as if he had grasped something.
“Could it be that the Chusong Faction is also included in this matter?”
“Perhaps.”
“Damn it! I should have told you sooner.”
“There’s no need to blame yourself. Just, next time if you have any suspicions, tell me anything.”
“Understood.”
At that moment, Palgap spoke up.
“But sir, if I’m to be used more heavily, that would mean becoming even busier than now… Is such a thing even possible?”
Palgap’s question was entirely reasonable.
I was already moving about as frantically as one could possibly manage.
It was only thanks to Seo Hyang’s assistance that everything wasn’t falling apart.
Everyone gazed at me as if in agreement with his words.
“Of course, becoming busier than this would be difficult.”
“Indeed. My lord is already suffering from sleep deprivation.”
“Moreover, insufficient sleep impedes growth and development.”
Who was that last one?
Ah, the Yeo Eung-am Warrior.
Though I suspect my growth and development concluded long ago?
I continued speaking.
“I share that sentiment. Which is why….”
I explained my plan to them step by step, and they nodded in agreement.
Truthfully, once I realized this trial was the Emperor’s scheme to employ me more heavily, my desire to strike back at him evaporated entirely.
But my nature cannot be deceived, it seems.
The fact that the urge to land a blow against the Emperor still lingered in my mind proved as much.

* * *

The Emperor was reading a letter.
It was a report from those he had commanded to test Eun Seo-ho.
Thanks to sending it by carrier pigeon, he received it far sooner than Eun Seo-ho’s arrival.
“Hmm… Truly, I chose well.”
The Emperor smiled with satisfaction as he read the report.
Not only had Eun Seo-ho handled the matter concerning the Hyeol Gon Seong Seung’s Sword Shrine cleanly, but he had also managed the tasks the Emperor himself had assigned quite competently.
“Then only the final stage of the trial remains?”
At that question, the Emperor turned his head to look beside him. The one seated at his side was the Emperor’s eldest son and the current Crown Prince.
Those who saw his eyes, which resembled his father’s so closely, felt as though they were witnessing the Emperor in his youth.
“Indeed. Should he clearly reveal the full scope of this matter before me, the trial is passed. Then I shall be able to assign you a trustworthy person.”
“How very promising.”
The Crown Prince harbored no displeasure at the mention of having a merchant assigned to him.
He understood well.
Just how rotten those who pretended to be noble and pure truly were.
“But a trustworthy person, you say… How very promising indeed.”
There was a hint of sarcasm in his words.
Just recently, the one who had handled his affairs had died. Already the fifth.
Moreover, since the culprit had been someone he considered an old friend, the shock was all the greater.
He had learned how fleeting a thing trust truly was.
Perhaps because of this, his gaze had grown even more profound. Yet, being still young, he unconsciously let a hint of sarcasm slip into his words.
“Tsk, tsk. I do not fail to understand your heart.”
“I beg your pardon, Father. Your son has shown himself to be undignified.”
“Be more careful next time.”
“Yes.”
“Well, I do not ask you to trust my sincerity. But if you cannot trust your father, then think of it as being for the sake of this Empire.”
“….”
The Crown Prince was somewhat taken aback by those words.
He had heard about Eun Seo-ho from the Emperor until his ears ached, and through personal investigation, he knew him to a certain degree.
The Small Guild Master of the Eunhae Trading Company, a man who continued to achieve remarkable feats.
But he could not understand why his father, the Emperor, trusted him so deeply.
Was he not the one who had come to realize that trust was far more fleeting than anything else?
‘What exactly has given Father such faith in him?’
As he harbored such doubts, the Emperor called to him.
“My son.”
“Yes, Father.”
“You cannot trust people, can you?”
“….”
“But without trusting people, you cannot govern this Empire. It is people who betray me, but it is also people who will protect me.”
“Yet I do not know who will betray me or who will protect me, so I can only feel fear. I lack such discernment.”
“Even I do not know the depths of a single person’s heart. How could I possibly know such things?”
“Your Majesty?”
Taken aback by this unexpected answer, the Crown Prince blinked.
“That is why I am assigning that fellow to you. As you spend time with him, you will come to understand the answer.”
It was then.
“Your Majesty the Emperor. Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster has arrived.”
At the Eunuch Official’s words, the Emperor spoke.
“Let him enter.”
Soon the doors opened, and Jin-yeong entered, prostrating himself before the Emperor with the utmost respect.
“But why are you alone? Did you not say that fellow arrived at the Beijing Branch today?”
“Yes, that is correct, Your Majesty. However, a problem has arisen….”
“What problem?”
At his question, Jin-yeong continued with a troubled expression.
“It appears that the trip to Lanzhou amid his busy schedule was too much of a strain. His vital energy has been greatly depleted, and he now lies ill. Despite this, he insisted on rising to follow me into the palace, but he lost consciousness in the attempt.”
“….”

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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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