The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 443

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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 443

Chapter 443. Quite Painful (2)

Upon hearing the report, the Emperor fell momentarily silent before letting out a soft chuckle.
“As expected, that brat has a disgustingly sharp sense of perception. This is precisely why I cannot help but employ him.”
“What do you mean by that, Your Majesty?”
“It seems that scoundrel has realized I was testing him.”
The Crown Prince tilted his head in confusion.
“Pardon? Are you saying his illness is not genuine but feigned?”
“That fellow is far too robust for such a thing. It cannot be.”
“Could it be that he failed to properly execute Your Majesty’s command?”
“That is one way to interpret it. However, that scoundrel is not the type to fail in executing my orders and then remain silent about it. Rather, he would come forth boldly and speak only of what he has discovered.”
The Emperor’s smile never faded from his lips.
“In other words, he is currently lodging a protest against me.”
“How audacious….”
“But outwardly, he will appear thoroughly afflicted, will he not?”
Jin Young responded to the Emperor’s gaze.
“Yes. His fever burns fiercely, and his complexion is as pale as can be—it appeared quite severe indeed.”
“If I were to forcibly summon such a person and interrogate him about his transgression, what would the other officials and common people think?”
Surely the Emperor would earn the reputation of being despicably petty and miserly.
That is to say, a loss of face.
Not a fatal blow, but one cannot escape the accusation of being small-minded.
Observing the Crown Prince’s changing expression, the Emperor let out another soft laugh.
“That damnable brat—his intellect is truly formidable.”
At this, the Eunuch quickly interjected.
“Please mind your words, Your Majesty.”
“There is no one watching.”
“The Crown Prince and Jin Young Great Swordmaster are present, sire.”
“Must I guard my tongue even before them?”
“That is true, but….”
The Emperor paused in thought before turning his head toward the Crown Prince.
“Go there yourself.”
“Your Majesty?”
“I tested him without warning, so the scoundrel has every right to be displeased. Thus, I must appease him somewhat.”
“You are the supreme ruler, Father. Yet why must I go and soothe his feelings?”
Observing the Crown Prince’s bewildered expression, the Emperor offered a faint smile.
“Do you truly believe that to be the case?”
“Yes.”
“Still insufficient. People tend to be swayed by emotion far more than one might think. No matter how superior my position, if I fail to soothe their feelings, it may return as a dagger in the back later.”
The Emperor continued.
“As the saying goes, two palms must meet to make a sound. If I wish to cultivate loyal subjects, I too must be faithful to them. Since ancient times, whether a ruler proves virtuous or corrupt determines whether his ministers become loyal servants or treacherous conspirators.”
“….”
“The reason I’m assigning Eun Seo-ho to you is precisely this. That fellow has a truly remarkable talent for handling people! Hahahaha! So much so that he even manages me.”
The Emperor laughed heartily and continued.
“But do you think I’ll simply accept it? That’s why I’m sending you, the Crown Prince. When you visit, he’ll surely be taken aback. Just imagining his flustered expression makes me laugh.”
“…Father seems to have a rather mischievous side as well.”
“Hehehehe. That’s precisely what makes him worth teasing.”
Then the Emperor’s expression turned serious.
“In any case, go visit him, hear his report, comfort him well, and return. Grant him whatever reasonable compensation he requests.”
“I shall do so.”

* * *

I lay upon my bed.
A cold, damp cloth rested upon my forehead.
There was no reason for me—one who had reached the pinnacle of martial mastery—to suffer internal injuries or lie bedridden like this.
That’s right.
I was currently feigning illness.
Before entering Beijing, I had explained my plan to my entourage.
That plan was precisely to feign sickness.
How does this strike a blow against the Emperor, you ask?
In truth, it’s a form of protest.
Normally, upon arriving in Beijing, I should proceed directly to the palace. Instead, I’ve used illness as an excuse to avoid it.
He must be curious whether I’ve properly fulfilled my orders and what the results have been.
Concern for my health?
He already knows my level of cultivation. How could he not realize this is feigned illness?
I had initially considered pretending to have been ambushed and gravely wounded.
But that plan was quickly rejected.
If I did that, my Guard Warriors could not escape responsibility, and the Emperor would surely hunt down and slaughter whoever had supposedly injured me.
I couldn’t let an innocent person be framed as the culprit.
Thus, my final decision was feigned illness.
When Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster came to fetch me today, he was astonished to see me collapse into unconsciousness just as I was about to agree to go to the Imperial Palace.
Rationally, he knows I couldn’t possibly collapse from mere overwork, but sometimes emotion numbs reason.
Honestly, since Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster had also participated in testing me, I wanted to tease him as well.

I lay in bed, and a smile crossed my face as I recalled the cloth-wrapped artifact I had obtained this time.
Strangely, the moment I arrived at my destination, the map drawn on the cloth vanished without a trace.
Moreover, considering that I hadn’t encountered a single difficult situation during the journey, it was a far more remarkable artifact than I had initially thought.
The fact that no troubles arose during the journey belonged to the realm of foresight.
So I absolutely had to make it mine.
Then I sighed as I looked at the documents in my hand.
Even while lying in bed, I wasn’t resting properly and was working diligently.
Documents were piled up beside me.
Malingering is one thing, work is another. Damn it.
Just then, I heard Seo Hyang’s voice from outside the door.
“It’s me, Seo Hyang. May I come in for a moment?”
“Please… come in.”
I deliberately answered in a voice that sounded barely alive, and soon the door opened and Seo Hyang entered.
“How are you feeling after your illness?”
At her question, I let out a quiet laugh.
“Here are the documents I’ve finished approving.”
But she didn’t immediately take the documents and leave.
What’s this? Does she have something to say?
She hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“Today, the Crown Prince will be visiting.”
“Cough!”
Caught off guard by her unexpected words, I choked and couldn’t stop coughing.
“Cough! Cough cough!”
“Oh my! Are you alright?”
“I’m, I’m fine. But rather, what do you mean by that? The Crown Prince is coming?”
“Exactly as I said. The Crown Prince is coming, and I noticed that the Small Guild Master didn’t seem prepared at all. So I came to give you advance notice.”
This was the real reason she had sought me out.
Wow…
I would have been truly shocked if I hadn’t known beforehand.
Thanks to Seo Hyang, I had time to prepare.
“Thank you so much for letting me know.”
Seo Hyang took the approved documents and left the room, and I took a moment to gather my thoughts.
The Crown Prince.
In my previous life, he remained the Crown Prince until the day I died.
I didn’t know the details, but according to what I heard from Jin Seung Wang, he was quite thorough and sharp.
He resembled the Emperor more than the Empress, which made him somewhat intimidating.
Especially those eyes were said to be similar?

“Elder Brother, or rather, the Crown Prince has been under constant threat of poisoning and assassination since childhood, so he can’t trust those around him. If only he could overcome that distrust of people, he would certainly become a benevolent ruler.”

Those terrifying eyes resembling the Emperor’s, and a distrust of humanity….
Suddenly, I felt a pang of sympathy.
If one faced threats of poisoning or assassination for decades, perhaps it was natural to develop such distrust.
Well, that aside, it’s obvious why the Crown Prince is coming.
He wouldn’t voluntarily pay a sick visit to see me, someone he’s meeting for the first time. The Emperor must have sent him.
The fact that the Emperor sent the Crown Prince to me means I’ve passed the Emperor’s test.
And the Emperor intends to introduce me to the Crown Prince.
It reminded me of those common scenes where fathers tell their children, “Get along well with him—he’s good company,” and arrange friendships for them.
Though the Crown Prince is hardly a child.
But the Imperial Palace is a place surrounded by wolves and pitfalls on all sides.
Normally, one would attach a young man from a supporting family clan to the Crown Prince.
Yet this ten-thousand-year-old serpent of an Emperor seems intent on attaching me to his son.
That’s why he tested me this time.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, he will sit upon the Emperor’s Throne in the future.
The Emperor rules the Empire well now, but there’s no guarantee the next generation will do the same.
Especially when all power in the current Empire is concentrated in the Emperor’s hands?
Should something happen to the Emperor, the era of peace built thus far would crumble in an instant.
And merchants would be the first to suffer.
In other words, the Crown Prince I’m about to meet is an extremely important person to me.
To make the Eunhae Trading Company the Greatest Under Heaven Trading Company, the Empire must remain at peace.
Still, there’s a bitter taste in my mouth.
Distrust of humanity….
The higher one’s position, the more inevitable such distrust becomes.
In my previous life, as the Eunhae Trading Company rose higher, my distrust of people only deepened.
Face constant attacks day after day.
It would be strange not to develop such distrust.
But I don’t have that now. Why?
There are many reasons, but the greatest one lies within myself.
I am strong.
The confidence that I won’t die no matter when I’m attacked.
Of course, the divine being who permitted the Ancestor’s arrangement allowing me to return from death will ensure I don’t die in vain.
.
.
.
That afternoon.
The Eunhae Merchant Guild Beijing Branch fell into chaos.
Due to the Crown Prince’s sudden visit.
Both Seo Hyang and I knew of this but didn’t inform those around us.
Since the other side hadn’t announced it, showing that we knew beforehand would raise suspicion.
So we simply watched as the Beijing Branch descended into commotion.
And I…
feigned the appearance of someone gravely ill.
It wasn’t difficult to craft a face that looked as though I might collapse at any moment if someone merely touched a few vital points.
As I emerged into my quarters’ courtyard with Palgap’s support, the Crown Prince was just entering through the gate.
“Small Merchant Eun Seo-ho pays respects to the Crown Prince. Long live the Crown Prince! Ten thousand years!”
I moved my body with visible effort to offer a proper bow.
“Are you Eun Seo-ho, the Small Guild Master?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I heard you were ill. Yet why are you out here?”
“How could I disrespectfully remain in bed when Your Highness has graced me with a personal visit?”
“Go and lie down at once.”
“I am well enough, *cough cough!* I am well enough, Your Highness.”
“You look anything but well. This is a command. Go lie down. We can converse just as easily while you rest.”
“I shall obey your command.”
With Palgap’s assistance, I made my way to my chamber and lay upon the bed.
The Crown Prince, following behind me, gazed at the documents piled around my bed and wore an expression of astonishment.
“What? What are all these documents?”
“They are matters I must attend to, Your Highness.”
“Are you not a sick man?”
The Crown Prince’s face was filled with confusion.
It couldn’t be otherwise.
The Emperor surely told him I was feigning illness, yet seeing me in person, I appeared as though I might collapse at any moment.
If I was going to feign illness, I might as well do it perfectly.
I suppressed the urge to laugh and continued speaking.
“If I neglect the Guild’s affairs simply because I am ill, what would become of the Guild?”
“But surely this will only make matters worse.”
“If I do not work, it is not only I who will suffer grave consequences. Therefore, I cannot afford to cease my duties—not for their sake.”
I continued.
“They are people who trust and follow only me. I cannot betray their faith.”
“…”
The Crown Prince fell silent for a moment, as if contemplating something, then nodded.
“I see…”
In the meantime, Palgap brought a chair, and the Crown Prince sat down.
“Since you could not visit the Imperial Palace due to your illness, Father sent me in his stead.”
“I am overwhelmed by such grace.”
“So then, what have you discovered?”
I had already anticipated that he would ask me about this matter.
That would be the primary purpose of his visit.
“Yes, Your Highness. What I have discovered is that the Emperor suspects me.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“Your Majesty fabricated a treason that never actually occurred and commanded me to confess to it. Is this not a test of your suspicion toward me?”
“Why did you come to that conclusion?”
I explained the flaws I had discovered.
For instance, the absence of greed in Kwon Jik Grand Hero’s gaze, or how his muttering was far too loud for someone speaking to himself….
Once I understood the Emperor’s intent, I noticed far more inconsistencies than I had initially perceived.
The Crown Prince refuted my words.
“You claim there was no greed in Kwon Jik’s eyes—but that is merely your intuition, is it not?”
“Of course, Your Highness, it is merely my intuition. However, any truly exceptional merchant must be capable of discerning their counterpart’s desires.”
“….”
“Upon realizing that Your Majesty had tested me out of suspicion, the shock…cough, cough. My already exhausted body could not withstand such a blow.”
At my words, the Crown Prince exhaled deeply.
“Your words ring true. Father did indeed test you. But not out of suspicion—rather, because he holds your abilities in the highest regard.”
He sighed and bowed his head slightly.
“I apologize.”
“…Pardon?”
I found myself repeating his words involuntarily.
No, this is not someone who would apologize so readily…
Why… why is he?

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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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