The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 460

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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 460

Chapter 460. So This Was the Real Reason (4)

We arrived at the Eulrim Inn.
Normally, this was an inn where one would stay on the second or third stop after disembarking from a boat.
But for us, this was our first inn.
Which meant we had traveled at an extraordinarily rapid pace to reach this place.
We were staying at as few inns as possible, minimizing information about ourselves.
And this Eulrim Inn was my recommendation.
“Welcome! Oh! Small Guild Master Eun Seo-ho?”
“It’s been a while.”
The Inn Owner of Eulrim Inn recognized my face.
Though I had visited five years ago, it was when I came searching for my missing Elder Brother Jin-ho.
The incident from back then must have left quite an impression on him.
“What brings you to such a distant place?”
He then glanced over my companions and tilted his head.
“It doesn’t seem like you’ve come for merchant business….”
“Ah, I came because I had some business at the branch office here.”
“I see.”
“I’m afraid I cannot discuss the details due to the guild’s circumstances. My apologies.”
“Not at all! My curiosity got the better of me.”
“Then, could I trouble you for some duck porridge?”
“My goodness, you must be famished! Of course. I’ll prepare it right away. Will you be staying just one night?”
“Yes. We plan to depart tomorrow morning.”
We left our attendants with the Shop Attendants and entered the inn.
The inn was quite spacious.
Perhaps the largest in this nearby region?
And the specialty here was duck porridge.
As we sat at the dining table, Han Seok asked in a low voice.
“Is this place trustworthy?”
He was concerned because the Inn Owner seemed to have a loose tongue earlier.
I smiled gently and replied.
“You need not worry.”
There was truly no need to worry. Though the Inn Owner appeared loose-tongued, he was absolutely not that sort of person.
He simply seemed curious because I, as a person, didn’t appear to have come for merchant business—he asked out of curiosity, not from any desire to spread rumors.
How do I know this?
Because the Inn Owner himself, having grown weary of rumors, opened this inn.
Soon, duck porridge arrived, and we began eating it with relish.
“Oh! This is delicious!”
“Mmm!”
The Gold-Clad Guard Masters quickly became absorbed in the taste of the duck porridge, devouring it eagerly.
After all, all we’d eaten during our journey were dried rations.

The next day.
We departed from the Eulrim Inn early in the morning.
As we traveled, I spotted the forest where Jin-ho had gone missing.
The place where Muchul Musan had formed due to Eun Moo-geom’s rejection reaction back then.
Passing through this place again stirred unexpected emotions within me.
But there was no time to indulge in sentiment.
We pressed our horses forward diligently and soon arrived at the provincial capital.
The weather in Yunnan Province is famous for being unpredictable.
Still, Kunming, the provincial capital, maintains warm spring weather year-round.
That’s likely why so many people gathered here to live, making it the provincial capital.
The only drawback is its high elevation.
“By the way, young master.”
“What is it?”
“Do you actually know where the branch is located and are finding your way there?”
“Of course.”
“As far as I know, you’ve never been here before. How do you know the way?”
Ah… now that I think about it, in this life I’ve never visited the Yunnan Branch.
So it’s natural I wouldn’t know, but…
“I received detailed directions from Haeng-su earlier. He explained it very thoroughly.”
“Isn’t it difficult to find the way based on explanations alone?”
“I’m quite intelligent, you know?”
“…”
Palgap said nothing and simply stared at me.
What was that look?
I’m embarrassed too right now.

In any case, we arrived at the Eun Hae Trading Company’s Yunnan Branch.
“Oh? Aren’t you the Small Guild Master?”
The Gate Keeper of the Yunnan Branch cried out in surprise. He too belonged to the Eun Pung-dae.
And the Eun Pung-dae operated on a rotational duty system in principle.
That’s why he recognized me.
In truth, the Yunnan Branch wasn’t a particularly large establishment.
Haeng-su and a few staff members stayed there, operating it as little more than a small shop that delivered tea.
But as our Eun Hae Trading Company experienced rapid growth, the volume of pu-erh tea deliveries increased accordingly, and we formally established a branch here a few years ago.
It was far faster than in my previous life.
Of course, it was only about half the size of the Sichuan Branch, but a branch was still a branch.
The Gate Keeper quickly rang the bell to announce my arrival inside, then approached me and clasped his fist in salute.
“Ki Suk of the Eun Pung-dae pays his respects to the Small Guild Master.”
“Thank you for the warm welcome, Warrior Ki.”
He lifted his gaze to observe the Guard Warriors behind me. Seeing him smile broadly, it appeared he had connections with the Guard Warriors who belonged to the Eun Pung-dae.
Just then, a familiar man came rushing out from inside.
“What brings you to this place so suddenly?”
“I apologize for the abrupt visit.”
Sung Jun-baek, the Haeng-su—no, the Branch Manager.
When Elder Brother Jin-ho went missing before, he held the position of Haeng-su, but when this location was elevated to a branch, he became the Branch Manager.
“Not at all. Please, come in.”
Thus we were welcomed and entered the Eun Hae Trading Company’s Yunnan Branch.
“I’m afraid accommodations haven’t been prepared yet, so it may take some time to arrange them. My apologies.”
At his words, I waved my hand.
“Please don’t say such things—it makes me feel worse. It’s my fault for arriving without any prior notice.”
I continued speaking.
“If you’re not too busy, would it be possible to speak for a moment?”
“Of course.”
We proceeded to the Guest Reception Room and were served tea.
Yunnan Province is a production area that yields high-quality pu-erh tea.
Pu-erh tea is a fermented tea, and this region can ferment it properly because it experiences neither harsh heat nor bitter cold year-round and maintains high humidity.
Mmm, delicious.
“Is the Merchant Guild Leader in good health?”
At that question, I set down my teacup and answered.
“Yes, Father is in excellent health. And the Main Headquarters remains peaceful as well.”
“That’s a relief.”
“And I’m always grateful for your efforts, Branch Manager Sung.”
I continued.
“I haven’t forgotten the hardship you endure, remaining in this remote region and supplying quality tea for our company.”
“Hearing you say such things leaves me at a loss for words.”
Now then, it was time to get to the main point.
“I came here so suddenly because there’s an urgent matter I must attend to in Chungyeongseong.”
At my words, Sung Jun-baek’s expression grew troubled.
“I see… it won’t be easy. These days, Chungyeongseong is strictly controlling outsiders.”
“Suddenly, you say?”
“Yes. About a month ago, the atmosphere in Chungyeongseong suddenly shifted, and these measures were implemented. When I inquired about the reason, I learned that assassins had attempted to murder imperial envoys. So these restrictions were supposedly put in place to protect the envoys in Chungyeongseong.”
What?
What nonsense is this?
Glancing at the Gold-Clad Guard Masters, they too wore bewildered expressions.
There was no reason for the Yunnan Branch’s Branch Manager to lie, so there could be only one answer.
They had publicly announced it that way themselves.
Naturally, even considering my previous life, it was an outright fabrication.
But Sung Jun-baek’s explanation wasn’t finished.
“However, I harbor doubts about that claim. From what I’ve observed, it doesn’t seem to be about protecting the envoys.”
“Why do you think so?”
“The Chungyeong City Lord would hire assassins to kill imperial envoys, not protect them from assassins.”
He continued.
“Every envoy who comes here commits atrocities and extorts enormous wealth under the guise of gifts.”
“What?”
An unexpected reason.
“The envoys commit atrocities? And extort gifts?”
“Their behavior was so egregious that even I questioned whether it should be tolerated.”
At Sung Jun-baek’s explanation, I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly.
Apparently, whenever imperial envoys arrived, Chungyeongseong made heartbreaking efforts to appease them.
Not only did they prepare elaborate feasts at every meal, but they also turned a blind eye when the envoys assaulted women of their choosing.
They even severed the hands of commoners for the crime of blocking the road.
Truly… these were beasts wearing human skin.
“And recently, an envoy even forcibly assaulted the Chungyeong City Lord’s Daughter.”
“What?”
“The City Lord requested that she be taken as his wife, but the envoy refused. Eventually, she took her own life, yet they didn’t offer a single word of apology for it.”
“My goodness…”
“Infuriating, isn’t it?”
“Yes. It’s infuriating. Deeply so.”
“That’s not all. Every time they visit, they leave with carts full of wealth, so imagine the suffering caused by such plunder.”
“…”
I paused to think, then asked.
“Why didn’t they lodge a complaint with the Imperial Court? Had they protested this, His Majesty would never have tolerated it.”
“Perhaps they were threatened. ‘If you protest this matter, I’ll brand you all as traitors. Then Chungyeongseong’s destruction would be trivial.’ Something along those lines.”
It was certainly possible.
But for that to work, there was one prerequisite.
I turned to Kwon Jik and asked.
“By any chance, does the same envoy continue to go to Chungyeongseong?”
At my question, he nodded.
“Since it’s such a remote location, I understand they requested that the same person continue because sending someone else would result in them not recognizing faces and failing to handle matters properly. Small Guild Master.”
Since Kwon Jik Grand Hero had agreed to serve as my guard unit, he used formal speech with me.
Then Sung Jun-baek Branch Manager asked quietly.
“Um, but who are those people?”
“They belong to my guard unit.”
“Pardon?”
“You may understand it that way.”
At my words, Sung Jun-baek Branch Manager immediately nodded.
He too was perceptive, as befitted someone I could acknowledge.
“I shall understand it so.”
“Then is Chungyeongseong the only place where such atrocities occur?”
“No. Other tribal settlements are the same. However, since this place, Kunming, has many people and many outsiders, it seems somewhat less prevalent here.”
Certainly… in such a closed-off region with little exchange with other areas, such schemes would naturally take hold.
But still, the Imperial Palace’s envoys were oppressing those whom the Emperor himself had appointed to office!
Sung Jun-baek Branch Manager continued.
“In any case, the claim that they took measures to exclude outsiders in Chungyeongseong to protect the envoys because of such incidents lacks credibility.”
.
.
.
While we conversed, my quarters were prepared.
I was shown to my quarters, unpacked my belongings, and then returned to the garden.
Since this place enjoyed perpetual spring, the garden was in full bloom with flowers.
Then Kwon Jik Grand Hero walked toward that place.
His face bore the weight of many thoughts.
It couldn’t be helped. What I had just heard from Sung Jun-baek Branch Manager was shocking to me as well.
“You appear to have much on your mind.”
“Ah. So you were here too.”
“Yes. I wanted to get some fresh air.”
“I feel the same way.”
He continued speaking.
“Honestly, what I heard from Branch Manager Sung just now is difficult to believe. But… he wouldn’t speak lies that would be revealed as false with even a little investigation.”
“Branch Manager Sung is a trustworthy person.”
“Yes, and precisely because he seems so, it troubles me all the more.”
He continued.
“It has been nearly fifty years since we last dispatched a Provincial Governor to this place.”
“That is quite a long time.”
“Yes. But that does not mean the Empire has abandoned Yunnan. We still dispatch personnel from the Geumui Guard and the Dongchang to monitor this place.”
He continued speaking.
“However, no such report has reached the Emperor. If they had been properly monitoring, the Emperor’s own messenger would have reached us first about this matter, not a messenger from Chungyeongseong.”
“Are they also compromised?”
“Indeed. That’s the only way they can avoid suspicion.”
“….”
“Now everything makes sense.”
I too finally understood why the Emperor had sent me here.
The Emperor had realized it.
That his eyes and ears—those who should monitor Yunnan Province—served a master other than himself.
And that his own son had become entangled in this web.
So he sent me along, providing a perfect means to deceive them about our identities.
But why hadn’t the Emperor told me and the others about this beforehand?
Because he trusted me, I suppose.
He may have sent the Geumui Guard in utmost secrecy to prevent information leaks, and perhaps lacked the opportunity to give us even a hint.
In any case, now I could no longer trust the Geumui Guard and Dongchang dispatched to this place.
The Gold-Clad Guard Masters who accompanied me seemed to have genuinely trusted those stationed here in Yunnan Province…
Regardless, the situation in Chungyeongseong was unfortunate, but we had to rescue the Imperial Prince.
“By the way, was this the Imperial Prince’s first visit to Yunnan?”
“Yes. He went under the Emperor’s orders.”
So they saw this as an opportunity and detained the envoys.
From the perspective of the Chungyeongseong City Lord, perhaps he thought it made no difference whether he died this way or that.
But what still troubled me was the death of the Gold-Clad Guard Masters dispatched here about a month ago.
Based on the wounds remaining on the bodies of the deceased, whom the Moshan Sect Taoist had examined, the culprit was someone they had trusted.
Thus the list of suspects had narrowed considerably.
Either the Dongchang or Geumui Guard stationed here, or the detained envoys.
Perhaps they had even conspired together.
They likely acted to prevent their misconduct from being exposed.
In any case, I had received orders from the Emperor, and I had to rescue the Imperial Prince according to those orders.
The Imperial Prince, who had gone unknowingly under the Emperor’s command, bore no fault—wait.
An Imperial Prince is someone who can legitimately inherit the throne.
This isn’t something to view so simply, is it?

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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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