The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 497

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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 497

Chapter 497. White Egret Wine (1)

I sought permission from Go Merchant Lord and hurried toward the Beijing Branch.
“Seo-ho!”
Jin-ho’s face brightened when he saw me.
“What’s happened? You said there’s a problem with one of our distilleries?”
“Well, it’s like this… Sigh.”
Jin-ho exhaled deeply and continued.
“One of the Master Craftsmen from our distilleries has disappeared.”
“Disappeared? What do you mean? Wait, that’s not the important part. Which Master Craftsman disappeared?”
“Young Gu Jin Master.”
Young Gu Jin Master—he was the childhood friend of Dong Hyuk-su, the Great Hero and elder brother of Seo Hyang.
I had met him during an inspection with Dong Hyuk-su not long ago.
“Did you ask your old friend Dong Dae-hyeop about this?”
“Of course, I went there first. But he said he doesn’t know either. He’s currently searching for the Master’s whereabouts with his warriors.”
It’s possible he withdrew from the competition submission, but the man I know wouldn’t disappear without a word.
If he were to withdraw, he’d announce it confidently.
Just like the clean, refreshing White Egret Wine he brews.
“According to Dong Dae-hyeop, Young Gu Jin Master was apparently a martial artist of considerable skill. He worked at a martial hall for quite some time.”
“Is that so?”
“For someone like that to suddenly vanish like this means something must have happened.”
I agreed with that assessment.
The problem was that Young Gu Jin Master’s submission deadline was tomorrow.
After preparing so diligently for this evaluation, it would be truly disappointing if it all came to nothing.
Just then, Dong Hyuk-su entered the Beijing Branch.
“Have you found him?”
He shook his head at my question.
“Not yet. Where on earth could this bastard have gone… Sigh.”
“Still, since we discovered his disappearance quickly, we should be able to find him soon.”
While Jin-ho comforted Dong Dae-hyeop, I turned to Palgap with a question.
“Palgap, where was the Master’s guest quarters?”
Jin-ho caught the meaning of my words and spoke up.
“Ah! Geum….”
Thud!
– Stay quiet!
I quickly sent a silent transmission to Jin-ho while lightly kicking his leg.
It was only a light kick, but it must have hurt.
“Ugh!”
Seeing my Elder Brother, who was himself a Peak Martial Artist, cry out and collapse told me everything.
“What’s wrong, Elder Brother?”
“Why did you suddenly do that?”
“Ah… it’s just a cramp in my leg, I think.”
“Oh dear…”
I massaged Jin-ho’s leg, and he grumbled at me through sound transmission.
– Ow, that hurts.
– Sorry. But Elder Brother, didn’t you say before? Geumryeong’s existence should be kept secret as much as possible.
– Of course Geumryeong is remarkable, but did you have to go that far? To others, he’s just an adorable little piglet.
– Geumryeong is rather shy.
After reminding my Elder Brother once more, I stood up and extended my hand.
“Feeling better?”
“Mm…”
Jin-ho took my hand and got up.
“That’s why I keep telling you to ease up on the training… If it hurts again, go see a Physician.”
“…Alright.”
I headed toward Master Brewer’s Quarters.
Ah, I forgot to tell Elder Brother’s Wife not to mention that I kicked his leg.
Well, she’ll understand anyway.
Soon I arrived at Master Brewer’s Quarters. A young boy who had been making liquor with him was there with a worried expression.
He must have wanted to search for the Master Brewer too, but since he had to guard the liquor and materials, he couldn’t leave his post.
The boy was the grandson of the old man from whom the Master Brewer had learned liquor-making, and after the old man died, he had been living with the Master Brewer, brewing liquor together.
His name was Maeng Hyun, if I recall correctly.
“Ah! Small Guild Master. Did you find Uncle Gu Jin?”
“Not yet.”
“I see.”
Seeing his dejected expression, I tried to comfort him.
“He’ll be back soon, so don’t worry too much.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“May I take a look at Master Brewer’s Quarters for a moment?”
“His Quarters?”
My primary purpose was to find something of his so that Geumryeong could track him down.
But I couldn’t say that directly.
“Yes. To find someone, we need to start by finding clues.”
“Ah! I see.”
I asked Myeong-jong Warrior and Chang-un Warrior to guard the liquor and materials for a moment, then entered the Quarters with Maeng Hyun.
The Quarters looked much like any other place.
Two beds and one multipurpose table.
And one small brewery.
I surveyed the residence and asked Maeng Hyun.
“Is there anything that bothers you? Anything at all?”
“Something that bothers me?”
“Yes. Even trivial matters are fine.”
After a moment of thought, he answered.
“Now that you mention it, Uncle Gu Jin received a letter.”
“A letter?”
Receiving a letter was hardly unusual. But in these circumstances, it could be significant.
This was Beijing, not Hubei Province.
Someone in Beijing sent him a letter? Who on earth could it be?
Maeng Hyun spoke.
“Yes. But Uncle’s expression when he received that letter was strange.”
“Really? Then do you know where that letter is?”
Maeng Hyun shook his head.
“It’s gone. Uncle burned it.”
“So it was something special.”
Burning a letter meant leaving no trace of its contents.
The quarters were immaculate.
One would never guess two men lived here.
Palgap was moved by the sight.
“Wow! It’s truly spotless!”
At this, Maeng Hyun sighed.
“It’s obsessive-compulsive level cleanliness. Of course, Grandfather took him as a disciple precisely because he maintains such excellent order and organization.”
Then I heard Dong Dae-hyeop’s voice from behind.
“Old habits die hard, it seems.”
“Sir?”
“In the military, training instills habits of organization and discipline. But Gu Jin was meticulous from the start. Later I learned he’d lived this way since childhood.”
“What kind of family background could produce such discipline…?”
“Ah… you didn’t know.”
He continued.
“Gu Jin is the Third Son of the Seonju Yeongga Family. Spring Commander is the Guizhou Provincial Military Commander and Inspector—he oversees all training matters.”
A Provincial Military Commander and Inspector was a high-ranking martial official of the third rank.
“From childhood, he was required to organize his own quarters. If things weren’t in order, his father would punish him severely.”
“I see.”
“And his older brothers are likely in Beijing right now.”
This smelled suspicious.
I had a feeling Young Gu Jin Master was at that residence.
Still, I needed Geumryeong’s assistance to be certain.
I placed one of Young Gu Jin Master’s belongings in my sleeve and sent a silent transmission to Geumryeong.
– Remember the scent of this object.
– Squeak!
Since my instruction to remember the object’s scent meant money was coming Geumryeong’s way, he responded eagerly.
“I’ve seen it well.”
As I stepped outside, I sent a telepathic message to Geumryeong.
– Find the owner of that scent I just mentioned.
– Squeak!
Geumryeong darted out from inside my sleeve in a flash.

* * *

A residence in Beijing.
In one of its rooms, Young Gu-jin sat bound to a chair, heaving a sigh.
“Ugh, this is driving me insane.”
Then the door opened, and a familiar face appeared.
“That’s not the face of someone who’s given up.”
The one who spoke so bluntly as he approached was his Second Brother, Young Gu-sang.
He furrowed his brow and began to protest.
“What on earth is this? You wrote saying you just wanted to see my face, so I came… and you drugged me in the carriage!”
“How else would I keep you here if I didn’t drug you? If you promise not to run away, I’ll release you.”
“Brother, I am your younger brother. Don’t you know me? Why would I promise not to run away when you won’t even tell me why?”
“I’m your older brother. I anticipated you’d say that, which is why I’ve bound you like this.”
At those words, Young Gu-jin exhaled deeply.
“So what is this about? When I said I was going to brew liquor, you acted like you’d cut ties with me…”
“Yes. Your declaration was truly shocking. You, who had been serving faithfully in the military, suddenly submitted your resignation.”
“Does Father and Elder Brother know about this?”
At that question, he pulled over a chair and sat before him.
“Of course they don’t. Aren’t they military men through and through? They would never tolerate such behavior.”
“Then why are you doing this?”
At that question, Young Gu-sang spoke abruptly.
“You should marry.”
“What? What kind of nonsense is that?”
“Are you planning to grow old and die alone?”
“Don’t change the subject! Tell me the real reason! What’s the purpose of telling me to marry?”
Watching Young Gu-jin raise his voice, Young Gu-sang answered calmly.
“The Minister of War’s Household has a daughter. But there’s a problem.”
“…What kind of problem?”
“She has a condition—madness.”
“…What?”
“She’s of marriageable age, but there’s no suitable place to send her, so the Minister is deeply worried. If you marry her, you’d ease his concerns, and I could build connections with him. That’s what you call a win-win situation, isn’t it?”
Young Gu-jin’s face twisted into an expression of utter disbelief.
This detention was meant to sell him off as a son-in-law to the Minister of War’s household.
“Elder Brother!”
“Don’t be so angry. To be honest, becoming the Minister of War’s son-in-law isn’t a bad thing for you either.”
Young Gu-sang coaxed him gently.
“Once the marriage is done, it won’t matter whether you make liquor or tea. So just close your eyes and help me out.”
“….”
Young Gu-jin ground his teeth as he spoke.
“So you deliberately detained me now, when tomorrow is the submission deadline?”
“That’s right.”
He had deliberately created time pressure so that Young Gu-jin couldn’t make a proper decision.
‘This child’s mind has always worked too well.’
After everything Young Gu-jin had done to him, he didn’t even want to call him brother.
“And let me add one more thing.”
Young Gu-sang spoke with a cold expression.
“If you don’t decide by tomorrow morning at the Hour of the Tiger, I will destroy two things you hold dear.”
“…!”
“The brewery and the child named Maeng Hyun.”
At those words, Young Gu-jin clenched his teeth and spoke.
“How far are you willing to fall?”
“I wasn’t always like this. But working as an official in the Court, I realized that to survive, I had no choice but to get my hands dirty too.”
“….”
“So think it over carefully.”
Young Gu-sang rose from his chair and left the room. Young Gu-jin then kicked over the chair where his brother had been sitting.
“Damn it!”
Crash!
And at the small window of that room, a small pig poked its head through, watching the entire scene unfold.

* * *

I was heading toward the Evaluation Hall. I couldn’t afford to be away for long.
At that moment, I felt something stirring inside my sleeve.
What? Has Geumryeong returned already?
I reached into my sleeve and felt the creature there.
That meant Young Gu Jin Master was nearby.
“Guide me.”
“Squeak!”
Following Geumryeong’s guidance, a residence came into view.
The plaque on the residence read: Seonju Yeongga Family.
My suspicion had been correct.
I spoke to Jin Yu Warrior.
“Follow me discreetly.”
“Understood.”
I used the Shadowless Step technique to slip silently into the residence, and with Geumryeong’s help, I reached the location where Young Gu Jin Master was held.
Peering through a small window, I saw Young Gu Jin Master inside.
He was bound to a chair’s backrest and imprisoned.
Hmm…
The Seonju Yeongga Family was counted among the prominent martial clans.
Yet they were resorting to such methods.
I examined my surroundings.
The location was quite secluded, and no servants or maidservants were visible.
I could only sense the presence of what appeared to be warriors nearby.
A feeling was coming to me…
This situation was unknown not only to the Guizhou Provincial Commander but to most of the family members as well.
Because of this, there was a problem with me simply barging in and demanding Master Brewer’s release.
There was the matter of evidence that he was here…
Should I bring the Crown Prince?
No. That would make this far too complicated.
After a moment’s thought, I recalled someone.
There was someone with a fiery temperament who could raid this place without causing a major incident.
And he cared for Young Gu Jin Master more than anyone else.
I immediately left the residence and headed toward the Beijing Branch.
“What? You said you were going to the Evaluation Hall, so why are you back?”
Jin-ho asked me this upon seeing me, and I spoke urgently.
“Just now, I discovered where Young Gu Jin Master is.”
Dong Hyuk-su, upon hearing my words, rushed toward me and asked.
“So where is that bastard?”
“I recalled what you mentioned earlier about the Seonju Yeongga Family having a residence in Beijing, so I investigated that location thoroughly. And it seems he was taken there this morning.”
“Let’s go at once!”
Just as I expected, he dashed off, and we followed in his wake.
Soon we arrived at the Seonju Young Estate.
“Who are you?”
“I am Dong Hyuk-su, an old friend of Young Master Gu Jin. I’ve come to meet my friend.”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“Yes. We arranged to meet today.”
He spoke with confidence, and from the Gate Keeper’s reaction, it was clear that Young Gu Jin Master was indeed here.
Otherwise, he would have said, “The Young Master is not here.”
“Please come in. I’ll inform them of your arrival.”
Though he might also be detained.
That’s why he would say he’d inform them inside.
We entered and, without waiting for a guide, headed straight toward where Young Gu Jin Master was being held.
Two warriors I had sensed earlier stood guard at the door.
“Stop!”
“I’ve come to meet Young Master Gu Jin.”
“Why would you look for him here?”
“Young Master Gu Jin told me to come here. So open the way.”
“That’s impossible. We have orders from the Second Young Master to let no one through.”
At those words, Dong Dae-hyeop rolled up his sleeves and spoke.
“I’ve never liked that older brother anyway.”
He suddenly cried out with a startled expression, pointing to the side.
“What! What is that?”
The moment the warriors’ gazes turned that way, Dong Dae-hyeop drew something from his waist and hurled it at the door.
Crash!
Wait, did he just throw an axe?

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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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