The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 469

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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 469

Chapter 469. Why Has It Come to This? (5)

The Emperor pressed me for an answer.
“Speak then, without further delay.”
Your Majesty…
Didn’t you say that everything I wished to propose was impossible?
Yet an opportunity like this may never come again, and I cannot simply let it slip away.
So I must present an alternative I’ve prepared, however inadequate it may be.
“Your Majesty, what I desire is simply that you trust me once, at some point in the future.”
“You wish me to trust your words?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Whenever that time comes, should I remind you of today’s promise, I ask only that you believe in what I say. That is my sole wish.”
This wish is for my future’s sake.
By succeeding in this matter, I have become a retainer who truly enjoys the Emperor’s favor.
Not that I desired it.
But because of this, someone may seek to undermine me.
When that happens, what I need most is time.
If the Emperor grants me time, I can surely escape any snare laid for me.
Or if the Murim Alliance were to poison the Imperial Palace, time granted by the Emperor would allow me to neutralize that poison.
In every way, this is my own arrangement for the future.
The Emperor fell silent for a moment at my words, then nodded.
“A request both simple and impossibly difficult at once.”
Truly, he is the Emperor.
He perceived the true intent hidden within my plea.
“However, I have promised to grant your request, and an Emperor cannot speak with a forked tongue. Very well. I shall honor your plea. And as an additional reward, I shall bestow upon you ten bolts of silk.”
“Your benevolence is boundless, Your Majesty.”
Thus my final reward was granted.
The Emperor rose from his seat and approached the Gold-Clad Guard Masters, personally patting their shoulders.
Yet toward one of them in particular, he wore an expression of unmistakable pride and satisfaction.
That expression…
It was the same look my father wore when he gazed upon me and my elder brothers.
Could it be?
In that instant, everything that had remained unclear suddenly became comprehensible.
And cold sweat began to pour down my back.
I had pinned So-un Dae-hyup with my sword and forced him to prostrate himself before me, hadn’t I?
And though it was merely an act… I made him bark like a dog before me… and even struck his face?
Surely… that will be fine?
Still, I managed to soothe things over later.
But what if something goes wrong after all?
From my previous life, I heard from Jin Seung Wang that his elder brother, Seongbo Wang, becomes so obsessed with something once he fixates on it that he sees nothing else….
I made my decision.
This is not my concern.
At that moment, the Emperor tapped my shoulder and spoke.
“Prince Ju-hyun wishes to see you.”

A short while later.
I was guided by an Eunuch Official to meet Prince Ju-hyun.
Rather than going directly to the Crown Prince’s Quarters, I was shown to a room in a pavilion.
“Please wait here. I shall bring the Crown Prince.”
“Very well.”
As I waited, observing my surroundings, a familiar young man entered.
Prince Ju-hyun.
I quickly rose from my seat and offered a proper bow.
“Please, be seated.”
“Yes.”
As I sat, a Palace Maid entered and poured tea.
“How is your health, Your Highness?”
The Crown Prince answered my inquiry.
“The physicians were astonished. They said that given my condition, a full recovery would be difficult, yet I’ve already recovered this much.”
The Crown Prince continued, looking at me.
“It must be thanks to the miraculous elixir you gave me to consume and used in my treatment.”
Ah… that was actually Geumryeong’s saliva.
But since ignorance is bliss, I simply smiled gently and bowed my head.
Then Prince Ju-hyun began to misunderstand on his own.
“Could it be that was a precious elixir you possessed?”
“….”
“My goodness! To use something so precious for me….”
“No matter how precious an elixir may be, it is not more precious than a human life.”
At my words, the Crown Prince gazed at me with moved eyes.
Hmm, this is rather burdensome.
“To clear Chungyeongseong’s grievances and save me as well… how can I ever repay such kindness….”
“I merely acted upon the Emperor’s command. And as for rewards, His Majesty has already bestowed them.”
I continued.
“So please focus on your recovery. Given the effort it took to save Your Highness, your good health would be the greatest reward for me.”
At my words, he nodded solemnly.
“I understand. I shall certainly strive to recover. By the way, I think I now understand why people call you Seon Hyeop Mi-rang.”
“Cough!”
I never expected to hear that name spoken from the lips of imperial royalty.
Just then, a voice called out from beyond the door.
“Consort Hwaryun has arrived.”
I sensed multiple presences approaching outside, and it was indeed Consort Hwaryun.
Consort Hwaryun was Prince Ju-hyun’s mother.
It seemed she had come all this way because of her son.
We rose quickly from our seats, and soon the door opened to reveal a woman adorned with exquisite beauty.
I had seen her before during the imperial silk procurement competition.
“Eun Seo-ho, Small Guild Master of the Eun Hae Trading Company, pays respects to Consort Hwaryun.”
“Raise your head.”
At her command, I slowly lifted my gaze.
“I heard you were meeting with the Crown Prince, so I made the journey myself. I wanted to thank you directly for saving my son.”
She spoke to me in a gentle voice.
“Thank you for saving my son’s life.”
“I am humbled, Consort Hwaryun. This matter was accomplished through the efforts of the Gold-Clad Guard Masters. My contribution was minimal.”
“Do you take me for a blind fool? I am well aware of your significant role in this affair. Without you, I might have lost two precious sons.”
Two? What did she mean?
Besides Prince Ju-hyun, who else…?
Ah, she must be referring to So-un Dae-hyup.
Consort Hwaryun had three sons.
Seongbo Wang, whom I had never encountered in my previous life, was the eldest; Prince Ju-hyun, whom I had rescued this time, was the second; and Jin Seung Wang, with whom I had been acquainted in my previous life, was the third.
So So-un Dae-hyup was Seongbo Wang.
Ah… In my previous life, Seongbo Wang might have witnessed Prince Ju-hyun’s corpse.
That would explain why he had devastated Chungyeongseong so thoroughly.
The So-un Dae-hyup I had known possessed emotional depth, and if he had seen his younger brother’s body in such circumstances…
But wait, why was the Crown Prince serving in the Gold-Clad Guard? And while concealing his identity, no less?
Still, I would set aside such questions for now and focus on the present moment.
In any case, if So-un Dae-hyup was Consort Hwaryun’s son, there was a high likelihood he had spoken of my accomplishments.
I expressed my humility.
“All credit belongs to the Emperor’s benevolence.”
“I knew you would say such a thing. And I shall never forget this debt of gratitude.”
“That you would remember a humble merchant is a kindness as vast as the ocean itself.”
“Forgive me for interrupting your time together. I shall take my leave now.”
With those words, Consort Hwaryun departed.
I exchanged a few more words with Prince Ju-hyun before urging him to rest.
“Please retire now and recover. Though you have awakened quickly, you still require further recuperation.”
In truth, I was eager to escape this awkward situation and return to the Beijing Branch.
The efficacy of Geumryeong’s needle was truly remarkable.
.
.
.
I left the Imperial Palace and headed straight for the Beijing Branch.
They say hardship awaits once you leave home, yet here I was returning after merely three months.
“Small Guild Master, you’ve arrived?”
“You’re here? Small Guild Master.”
The staff of the Beijing Branch welcomed me warmly.
Fortunately, everyone seemed to be doing well.
“You’ve all worked hard in my absence. Since it’s late today, let’s go enjoy some good food tomorrow.”
“Excellent!”
Everyone cheered at my words.
After exchanging greetings, I headed straight to my office.
Seo Hyang stopped me.
“Small Guild Master, there is nothing urgent that requires your immediate attention.”
“Ah, is that so?”
That’s strange. I’ve been away for so long, yet there’s nothing urgent I need to handle?
“It appears His Majesty the Emperor instructed us to postpone matters slightly.”
“Ah… I see.”
Should I be grateful for that?
“So go wash up and get some rest.”
“I suppose I should.”
Palgap spoke at my words.
“Then I’ll prepare the bathwater for you.”
I chuckled softly watching Palgap’s retreating figure hurrying toward my quarters, then turned to Seo Hyang.
“Gwak Vice-Manager.”
“Yes.”
“Your counsel this time proved invaluable. I’m truly grateful.”
She smiled and shook her head at my gratitude.
“Don’t mention it. It was something I had to do for my own security anyway.”
Indeed, I was her lifeline in a manner of speaking.
When I thought about it that way, it was only natural, but gratitude remained gratitude nonetheless.
That evening, I washed in warm water and lay upon my bed with a refreshed body and spirit.
There’s nothing quite like home.
Of course, this wasn’t the Main Headquarters’ true residence, but somewhere along the way, I had come to find this place as comfortable as my own home.
The moment I lay down, my consciousness grew hazy, and I fell into sleep immediately.
.
.
.
When my eyes opened, I slowly rose from the bed and stretched.
After sleeping so soundly for the first time in ages, I felt remarkably refreshed.
As I opened the door and stepped out, Myeong-jong Warrior and Lee Pil Warrior, who had been standing before it, bowed respectfully to me.
“Did you have a coughing fit?”
“Ah, yes. But what time is it now…?”
“You’ve been sleeping for two days straight.”
At those words, I felt a wave of embarrassment wash over me.
“Two days? But I promised we’d have something delicious to eat. It seems I’ve broken that promise.”
“It’s quite alright. Everyone understands. And honestly, this wasn’t an ordinary matter, was it?”
“That’s true. Moreover, given the burden you’ve been carrying as the Small Guild Master, you must have endured far more hardship than any of us.”
At those words, my heart swelled with emotion.
“Ah, you should eat first and then head straight to your office.”
“What?”
“Apparently, urgent matters have been piling up since this morning.”
Ah… just moments ago it was so touching, but in an instant, that warmth shattered.

* * *

The Imperial Palace.
So-un of the Geumui Guard followed Jin Young and Kwon Jik toward the Emperor’s office.
Shortly after, an Eunuch Official who had announced them opened the door, and they entered.
They bowed with proper respect.
Then So-un spoke to the Emperor.
“Your Majesty. Your son reports that he has completed the five years of duty in the Geumui Guard that you commanded.”
“You’ve worked hard. Yes, when I first gave you such an order, you must have resented me.”
“Truthfully, I did at that time, but now that I understand the reason behind your command, I can only admire your foresight.”
He continued.
“Especially through the final mission that took place, I was able to learn much.”
So-un’s eyes gleamed as he spoke.
“In particular, I learned greatly from Eun Seo-ho, the Small Guild Master. Honestly, he was the first person to treat me with such consideration.”
The Emperor had deployed Eun Seo-ho for this task because he trusted his abilities.
He also hoped that his son, facing this final mission, would learn even more.
The Crown Prince was already determined, but he needed to prepare some contingency, just in case.
That contingency was So-un.
Others were talented, but none possessed the qualities of an emperor.
So-un was wise for his age and excelled in many ways, but his temperament was hasty and emotional.
To improve these shortcomings, the Emperor had sent him to the Geumui Guard.
He hoped that through various missions, So-un would come to understand how the world worked and learn to temper his impatience.
Those shortcomings had been improving gradually, but he hadn’t completely overcome them yet.
Yet something had happened—this time, his temperament had been completely transformed.
‘But… it seems he’s learned far more than I intended.’
Still, having observed and learned from Eun Seo-ho over such a considerable period, he would not be easily swayed by those who sought to shake him.
“You’ve worked hard. Now, regarding your duties in the Geumui Guard….”
“Your Majesty, I beg your pardon, but I have a request.”
“What is it?”
“I wish to remain with the Geumui Guard for one more year.”
The Emperor asked the reason behind this unexpected request.
“What has led you to think this way?”
“Your Majesty, upon reflection, I have come to realize that I have been nothing but a burden to the Gold-Clad Guard Masters. Thus, I wish to serve the Geumui Guard for at least one more year so that I might become of use to them.”
His eyes gleamed with brilliance, and I could sense the sincerity in his heart.
“I believe that now I can make up for my past shortcomings.”
“Shortcomings, you say? Then you must understand what caused those shortcomings.”
“Of course. I am too hot-blooded. Far too emotional. That was because of my pride.”
So-un spoke with conviction.
“Until now, I could not let go of the pride that was given to me. But through this ordeal, I have come to understand something. Pride is something that depends entirely on one’s own actions.”
He continued.
“When I finally released the pride I was clinging to, new things came into view. What I had been holding onto was not my true pride. I have come to realize that true pride comes from one’s words, deeds, and accomplishments.”
“To have grasped this already—how admirable.”
“In truth, I owe this realization to Eun Seo-ho.”
As he spoke, his face flushed slightly.
“It seems Eun Seo-ho has taught you much.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Through this experience, I have come to truly understand why Eun Seo-ho is called the Seon Hyeop Mi-rang. He is truly an admirable person.”
Watching his expression filled with admiration, the Emperor suddenly felt a pang of regret toward Eun Seo-ho.
‘I apologize. Even I cannot control that man’s obsession.’

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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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