The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 5

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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 Eunhae Trading Company – Chapter 5

Chapter 5. Prevent the Fire at Jaegyeong Pavilion (1)

The energy began to move gradually along the meridians.
Yet that movement did not follow the incantations of the Manki Great Heart Method.
It moved according to the inner energy cultivation method I had learned in the future—the one I knew by heart.
I was utterly astounded by Hyun Ryong’s unexpected movements.
‘How is this possible?’
But there was no time for shock.
When Hyun Ryong reached my dantian, she expelled the energy she had been holding.
And then,
my memory went blank.
.
.
.
“….”
When I opened my eyes, I was collapsed in the middle of the room.
Ah!
In that instant, the memory just before everything went dark returned to me.
Consuming the Crystalline Ice Snow Plum Fruit and nearly dying because I couldn’t control its power.
I quickly steadied myself.
“…!”
I felt the vast, frigid inner energy accumulated in my dantian.
It was unmistakably the power of the Crystalline Ice Snow Plum Fruit.
Hyun Ryong had swallowed all of the fruit’s energy herself, circulated it through a complete meridian cycle, and deposited it in my dantian to save my life.
“How absurd. I nearly died because of the Hyun Ryong Constitution, yet I live because of it.”
Suddenly, the words spoken by the Black Flute Physician came back to me.

“According to legend, a woman born with the Hyun Ryong Constitution becomes a prodigy of The Realm, while a man becomes the center of the world.”

I had thought it was said to comfort me, but only now did I understand its true meaning.
Come to think of it, something was rather odd.
In my previous life, there had been more than one occasion when my life hung in the balance, but never anything like this.
However, even if I pondered it, this was not a question that could be resolved immediately.
Since I had survived in the end, I counted myself fortunate and focused on the inner energy within my dantian.
The Black Flute Physician had advised me that if I wished to live healthily going forward, I should master the Ice Martial Art.
Since Hyun Ryong’s constitution lacked yang energy, martial techniques of yang strength were equally ineffective.
Fortunately, I formed a connection with a master who practiced the Ice Martial Art at that time, and I received instruction in martial techniques from him.
The foundation of it all was the Supreme Yin Ice Sea Divine Technique.
At first, the name “divine technique” had seemed grandiose, but as I wielded the heart method, I came to understand why such a name was used—it was a technique of extraordinary power.
‘Yet such a master, with no connections whatsoever, wandered about and settled in Hubei….’
I suspected there was some story behind it, but ultimately I never learned what it was.
I set aside my thoughts and calmly executed the heart method.
As though I had spent decades mastering the technique, the meridians within my body were already open, and my inner energy moved naturally.
It seemed Hyun Ryong had forcibly opened them.
During this time, I sensed Hyun Ryong’s presence, yet he remained completely still.
I finished the heart method and opened my eyes.
Only then did my surroundings come into focus. But the entire room was covered in a pristine white frost.
“What the—!”
Startled, I sprang to my feet, and my clothes fell away limply.
Crackle.
“Huh?”
I blinked my eyes.
The clothes that had fallen to the floor were so deteriorated they could barely be called clothes anymore, and they were frozen solid.
‘What in the world is this….’
I tilted my head and opened the locked door.
Creeeeak.
Standing before the door was Palgap, his face filled with worry.
“Palgap. Thank you for….”
“Waaahhhhh! Young Master!”
Before I could finish speaking, Palgap collapsed on the spot and began to wail.
“What, why, why are you suddenly like this?”
Palgap spoke through his tears.
“Do you know how worried I’ve been? You didn’t come out all night, the door froze over white, and from inside I could hear sounds like bones were breaking….”
“Really? Ha ha ha.”
“But since you’ve come out safely like this, I am truly….”
Palgap, who had been wailing, tilted his head.
“Sniff sniff! But what is this smell? No, more than that, why are you undressed?”
“Ah, well….”
Palgap wrinkled his nose and quickly stepped backward.
‘Hmm? Could it be…?’
I had thought the stench was unbearable, but it seemed the odor was coming from me.
Still, to recoil so urgently like that.
“…What are you doing?”
“Ah, no, well…”
“I’m already wounded.”
“I-I was just preparing the bathwater, sir.”
.
.
.
Palgap promptly drew the bathwater, and I immersed myself in water infused with fragrant oils.
Emerging refreshed, I dressed in the clothes Palgap had prepared, but a problem arose.
“Hmm, these clothes seem a bit tight?”
At my words, Palgap responded with an incredulous expression.
“Those are the clothes you wore just the other day, sir.”
“Then why are they tight?”
“Ah? Now that you mention it…”
Palgap examined me carefully before speaking.
“You seem to have grown taller and your physique has improved noticeably, sir.”
“Is that so?”
“And your face appears more handsome as well, sir. Please look in this mirror.”
I accepted the mirror Palgap offered and examined my reflection.
My face had indeed changed subtly from before—it appeared more refined.
There was only one cause for all these transformations.
The inner force from the Blue Ice Plum Blossom Scripture.

Palgap mentioned needing to have new clothes tailored and headed toward the seamstress.
The disheveled chamber had been restored to pristine order by Palgap’s hands while I bathed.
I settled onto the edge of the bed.
Though it felt subjectively like only about two hours had passed since I locked the door, in reality nearly an entire day had elapsed from the Hour of the Monkey to the Hour of the Dog.
Yet I felt neither hunger nor fatigue.
I drew forth my inner force.
A faint azure radiance emanated from my palm.
Fifty years of cultivation, no less.
I had nearly died, but the outcome was fortunate nonetheless.
And this was my hidden weapon.
Therefore, it had to remain concealed.
There was an old saying about this.
A tiger hides its claws.

I moved forward to the next stage without hesitation.
The Ice Martial Master who had taught me martial arts was truly a good person.
But when it came to teaching martial arts, he was genuinely stern and terrifying.

“If you practice martial arts without proper physical conditioning and strength to support it, your body will deteriorate. Therefore, you must build a solid foundation properly and thoroughly. It will be grueling and frustrating enough to make you curse, but you must endure.”

Thanks to that, despite beginning my martial arts training only at twenty-four, I was able to reach the pinnacle of mastery.
He said it was because my aptitude was exceptional, but the credit also belonged to the solid foundation I had built.
That was why I had begun laying the groundwork again, drawing upon those memories.
Tears momentarily blurred my vision at the thought of enduring that grueling process once more.
‘But why does it feel more bearable than before?’
I was clearly following the same process as back then.
Perhaps it was because I had done it once already.
Or perhaps my body had changed somewhat from before.
According to Palgap, he had heard the sound of bones cracking and popping from inside the room.
‘Could I have undergone a complete physical transformation?’
It certainly seemed that way.
Thus my five days of leave passed in an instant.

* * *

The morning after my leave ended.
From today onward, I was to begin practical work at the Jae-gyeong Pavilion.
All those who worked for the Eunhae Trading Company wore identification badges made of wood.
I examined my newly issued identification badge.

[Eunhae Trading Company Jae-gyeong Pavilion Special Apprentice Eun Seo-ho]

My position was that of a Special Apprentice.
I had not entered through the normal hiring process, after all.
And the Special Apprentices of the Jae-gyeong Pavilion had the authority to access anywhere within the pavilion.
I fastened the identification badge to my waist and left the room.

Upon arriving at Jaegyeong Pavilion, I made my way directly to Yu So-ak’s office—he was both the pavilion master and my chief manager.
A single warrior stood guard before the office door.
His name was Gyo Jin-un.
He was one of two personal bodyguards under Yu So-ak’s command.
“You’ve arrived, sir?”
“The Chief Manager is inside, isn’t he?”
“Yes, please wait a moment.”
Gyo Jin-un reported my arrival, and Yu So-ak’s response came swiftly.
“Come in.”
The door opened.
I stepped inside.
Atop Yu So-ak’s desk, documents were precariously stacked in a towering pile.
“You’ve arrived?”
Yu So-ak lifted his head, his face etched with exhaustion.
“Yes.”
“Here is your assignment for today.”
Yu Chief Manager deftly extracted a single scroll from the precarious tower of documents and handed it to me.
I accepted it and unrolled it to examine the contents.
The task was to review last year’s grain delivery matters, summarize their characteristics, and submit a report.
‘It’s exactly the same as before.’
This was work I had received in my previous life as well.
“Once you’ve reviewed it, submit your findings.”
“Yes.”
Yu So-ak lowered his head once more and immersed himself in his work, while I rolled up the scroll and gripped it firmly.
I then left the Chief Manager’s office and made my way to my own desk.
I sat before my workspace and surveyed my surroundings.
Sitting here now, the sensation felt strangely fresh.
At that moment, a man in gray administrative robes and a gray silk cap approached me.
“Young Master, you’ve arrived?”
“Ah, yes. It’s good to see you.”
His name was Yeo Chang-ui.
He was assigned as my assistant and served as a Gyeong-rank officer of Jaegyeong Pavilion.
The employees of Jaegyeong Pavilion, as well as those of the Eun-hae Trading Company, were divided into nine ranks based on their experience and ability, ranging from Gap-rank to Im-rank.
The External Chief Manager and Internal Chief Manager held the same rank as the company master.
Beneath the External and Internal Chief Managers were deputy managers respectively, whose ranks were Gap-rank.
Gyeong-rank was the seventh rank among the nine.
While not a particularly high rank, considering his age, it was certainly respectable.
He held a position with enough authority to assist me while possessing considerable experience.
He was the appropriate choice to be assigned to someone like me, who had only just begun practical training.
‘He was likely someone Yu Chief Manager had taken notice of.’
The son of a merchant guild leader wouldn’t have carelessly chosen someone to attach to him. Moreover, if I took a liking to him, he could experience rapid advancement by following me.
Assigning Yeochang’s Officer as my assistant was undoubtedly Yu Chief Manager’s decision.
He was a man who thoroughly evaluated both competence and character.
‘From what I remember, he possessed considerable skill and had a decent temperament.’
But unfortunately, my connection with him was far too brief.
He met with an unexpected accident not long after and departed from this world.
Had he not died in that accident, Yeochang’s Officer would have become my deputy.
“Last time, I was in poor health and caused you trouble.”
“Please don’t speak of such things.”
“I’ll make more effort to maintain my health going forward. Now, let me begin the work. The thing is, I need to bring the documents necessary for the task I’ve been assigned.”
“You’ll bring them yourself?”
“Yes. There are quite a few documents to gather. Would you help me?”
“Of course. I should naturally assist you.”
A lesson I learned from the future I experienced.
It was that I could never write documents satisfactory to Yu Chief Manager by merely reviewing the materials brought to me.
I had to go myself, examine the documents, and gather the information I needed.
I headed to the Document Storage Vault with Yeochang’s Officer.
A place so familiar from my frequent visits that I could navigate it with my eyes closed.
Soon I began selecting the necessary materials.
To complete the task of reviewing last year’s grain delivery matters and summarizing their characteristics in a report, documents on grain deliveries alone were insufficient.
I needed numerous materials—from grain production to supply and demand, official prices, and delivery destinations.
Back then, I didn’t know this and received considerable scolding from Yu Chief Manager.
But not now.
I was the very architect who transformed the Eunhae Trading Company into one of the three greatest merchant guilds in the Realm.
Such work had long since become second nature to me.
The eyes of Yeochang’s Officer, holding a tray beside me to receive the materials I handed over, wavered.
It must have been because I selected only the necessary documents without hesitation, pointing to each one precisely.
A small laugh escaped me.
.
.
.
That day,
I completed the task assigned to me in two hours.
Normally I would have struggled and taken brief rests every hour, but thanks to the inner strength I’d gained and my improved physical condition, I felt no strain.
As a result, my efficiency increased and the work finished faster than expected.
“It’s done.”
At my words, Yeochang’s Officer approached with an expression of disbelief.
“You’ve finished already? That can’t be right… That should take at least two days! You mustn’t have done it carelessly. Yu Chief Manager will be furious.”
“Then shall we make a light wager?”
Yeochang’s Officer questioned my proposal.
“If you’re calling it a wager….”
“I’ll submit it right now and return. We’ll see whether I pass or fail. If I don’t pass, I’ll organize all these materials piled here by myself.”
Around my desk lay countless documents I had referenced.
Nearly half a day’s worth of organizing awaited.
“But if I do pass, how about you organize these materials by yourself, Yeochang’s Officer?”
At my words, Yeochang’s Officer nodded readily.
“Agreed.”

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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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