The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 521

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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 521

Chapter 521. Facing Each Other Again (2)

Maeng Hyun could only doubt his own ears.
He was no longer the Lesser Palace Mistress!
This was a thunderbolt from a clear sky—something he had never once considered.
“F-Father! I am your eldest son! It is only natural that the eldest inherits the position of Palace Master. But what do you suddenly mean by this?”
“Do not be mistaken. There is no law in any record of the Main Palace stating that the eldest must necessarily inherit the position of Palace Master.”
“If I am cast out from the position of Lesser Palace Mistress like this, it will be a tremendous disgrace.”
“For the future of the Main Palace, it is better to suffer disgrace now.”
“You call me a disgrace!”
….
At his son’s words that showed he cared more for himself than for Zhurong Palace, Palace Master Maeng Jin exhaled deeply and squeezed his eyes shut.
When he opened them again, his voice had lost all warmth.
“This decision will not be reversed.”
Faced with Palace Master Maeng Jin’s firmness, Maeng Hyun resorted to his last method.
“Father! Then rather, kill me here!”
“What?”
“Just kill me! Death is better than enduring such humiliation!”
Hah….
Maeng Jin exhaled a sigh.
“I am reminded once more that my decision to strip you of the Lesser Palace Mistress position was correct. I nearly ruined Zhurong Palace.”
Shing.
Maeng Jin rose from his seat, drew his sword, and approached Maeng Hyun.
Maeng Hyun stumbled backward at the sight of the Palace Master.
“F-Father? Why are you doing this?”
“Did you not ask to be killed? Since you speak thus, as your father, I cannot refuse your wish….”
Maeng Hyun trembled at the genuine killing intent he felt from Maeng Jin for the first time.
“Still, I shall send you without pain.”
Whoosh—!
Maeng Jin’s sword swept toward Maeng Hyun.
“Gasp!”
A handful of his hair was severed and scattered to the floor.
Thump.
And Maeng Hyun collapsed to the ground right there.
“What? You asked to be killed?”
“I-I apologize! I was, I was speaking nonsense!”
“That’s precisely why you’re stepping down from the position of Lesser Palace Mistress.”
Swish, thud!
Palace Master Maeng Jin spoke coldly as he sheathed his blade.
“Confine yourself to your quarters and reflect on your actions.”
“….”
“Now, leave.”
Meng Xian Minor Palace Master stumbled out of the office. Watching his departure, Palace Master Maeng Jin clicked his tongue in disapproval.
“Isn’t that a bit harsh?”
Even at the concern voiced by External Chief Manager Hae Dal-man, who had quietly observed the entire exchange from the side, Maeng Jin shook his head firmly.
“If a vessel is flawed, it must be replaced as soon as possible.”
“That’s a fair point.”
He nodded and continued speaking.
“However… isn’t the Second Son always present in that library building where Small Guild Master Eun Seo-ho entered? It doesn’t seem like you sent him in without knowing that. Are you perhaps expecting something?”
At that question, Maeng Jin nodded.
“I’m curious about what the Lesser Palace Mistress Eun thinks of that fellow.”

* * *

Upon entering the library, I sensed the presence of another person besides myself as I surveyed the shelves.
Who could it be?
Cautiously approaching the source of the energy, I spotted someone leaning against the wall beside a bookshelf, absorbed in reading.
Who is this person?
Though his face appeared younger than I remembered, it was unmistakably him.
Someone I had a connection with in my previous life.
Sensing my presence, he lifted his gaze to meet mine.
“A stranger to me. It appears you’ve received permission from Father, given that you’ve entered this place.”
At his courteous words, I clasped my fist and offered a respectful bow.
“This is our first meeting. I am Eun Seo-ho, Lesser Palace Mistress of Seolpung Palace. I’m here with the Palace Master’s permission to research materials.”
At my greeting, he nodded in acknowledgment.
“Ah, so you are the Lesser Palace Mistress of Seolpung Palace. I heard you came for the conference.”
He set down the book he had been reading and introduced himself.
“My name is Maeng Cheon. I am the Second Son of the Main Palace’s Palace Master. It’s a pleasure to meet you this way.”
Ah… so he was the Second Son of the Chuyong Palace Lord.
Was meeting Maengcheon Scholar here like this someone’s intention? Or merely coincidence?
Contemplating such thoughts, I observed Maengcheon Scholar carefully.
His composed expression and the clarity evident in his gaze.
He was completely different from the Elder Son, Meng Xian Minor Palace Master.
Not only in appearance, but his eyes and voice were identical to the man I had met in my previous life.
Though his name was different then.
What circumstances had transpired in that previous life?
In any case, if someone is here at this hour, they must know this Archives well. I should ask for their help.
“Are you perhaps familiar with this Archives?”
“I do visit here quite often.”
“I see. Then would it be alright to ask for your assistance? The materials here are so extensive that I’m at a loss as to how to find what I’m looking for.”
“I understand. What materials are you searching for?”
“Doyeon Gate and Blood Heaven Gate. I’m looking for materials about those two sects.”
At my answer, he flinched slightly.
“Why is that?”
“It’s nothing. I was merely surprised that you’re searching for such unexpected materials.”
Well, that’s understandable enough.
If he frequents this Archives, he would certainly know what those two places are.
“Those materials should be over there.”
He took the lead and guided me forward.
As we walked, he found a small cart and pulled it along with us.
“Why are you bringing a cart?”
“Ah, there are quite a lot of books.”
“Don’t worry. I can carry them all.”
“Of course you could. But if you do, the books will be damaged. The books here are precious and must be handled with care.”
“I see.”
I quickly nodded in agreement.
Indeed, if I held the books in my arms, they would be easily damaged.
Maengcheon Scholar carefully examined the shelves and placed the books one by one into the cart.
“I believe I’ve gathered them all.”
“It seems you’ve read all the books on this shelf.”
I couldn’t help but admire him.
In less than half an hour, he had selected exactly the books I needed.
“It’s merely a modest skill. If you examine those books, you should be able to find the materials you’re looking for.”
“Thank you for your help.”
“Think nothing of it. Please take your time looking through them. I’ll be going now.”
Though he had helped me, it was clear he didn’t wish to be a bother, so he turned back toward his original spot.
I quietly watched his retreating figure.
His silhouette seemed to overlap with the image of him I had seen in my previous life.

In my previous life, the man I met was a ronin.
I encountered him when I needed to hire some ronins.
However, for someone called a ronin, he possessed considerable knowledge, and his bearing exuded refinement.
After working with him, I was so impressed by his wisdom and erudition that I asked him to join the Eunhae Trading Company as an employee.
He initially refused, but eventually succumbed to my persistent persuasion.
He quickly distinguished himself, and thanks to his strategy in sugar trading especially, we were able to establish an unrivaled position in the market.
But he was the Second Son of the Chuyong Palace Lord?
In any case, this revelation answered one lingering question about him.
Why he had so firmly refused the trade expedition to Yunnan.
When I learned he was from Yunnan, I had once asked him to oversee our operations there.

“I will not go to Yunnan. If you send me there, I would rather submit my resignation.”

Thus, I had no choice but to send him to Guangxi Province instead, where the sugar production areas were located.
The reason he refused the Yunnan expedition was likely because of Meng Xian Minor Palace Master.
The man I observed was not one to leave those who had fallen out of favor unscathed.
Maengcheon Scholar must have been exiled for displeasing him, and returning to Yunnan would have meant facing threats to his life.
A truly unfortunate situation.
But that is a matter for later—for now, I must urgently examine these documents.

I sat before the wooden table.
The wooden table, given the nature of the archives, was equipped with a reading stand that allowed for comfortable perusal of the books.
I began to rapidly scan through the documents.

[By the request of the Doyeon Gate Sect Master, the Main Palace decided to accept him as a member of the Main Palace.]

Was this the beginning of the records concerning the Doyeon Gate?
I continued to examine the records carefully.
They were rather unremarkable entries. However, one record suddenly caught my attention.

[According to those who visited the Doyeon Gate, the attitude toward our delegation there is questionable. It appears they have grasped a different rope than ours. The one who reported this was quite perceptive, so the information is fairly trustworthy. Moreover, they witnessed a stranger in that place. We reported this matter to the Palace Master, and for now, we have decided to observe the situation.]
The person who reported it that way was quite perceptive, so it’s fairly reliable information.
And they say they saw a stranger there.
I reported this matter to the Palace Master, and we decided to wait and see for now.

A stranger, you say?
This record dates back some twenty years.
Of course, it’s not the Palace Master’s record like what I saw yesterday, but the Previous External Chief Manager’s record.
The place I’m in now isn’t where I went yesterday, after all.
But it doesn’t matter.
Records kept by those beneath the Palace Master tend to be more detailed and accurate in matters like these.

[According to the Warrior’s account, a Subordinate reported that this stranger seemed to emit an inexplicable scent of blood.]

A scent of blood?

[As expected, the Doyeon Gate declared independence. We probed them cautiously—had they secured some powerful backing? A Warrior from the Doyeon Gate claimed that they would now transcend their status as a borderland martial family and become a sect of the Central Plains itself. The Central Plains? They’re delusional. The sects of the Central Plains are so petty and cliquish. As if they’d willingly accept them into their domain. Even if they did, they’d use them and discard them without hesitation. But we have no obligation to look after those who declare independence. What irritates me is that they came here in the first place, only to suck the marrow from the Main Palace and abandon us…]
The Central Plains?
They’re living in a fantasy.
The sects of the Central Plains are so petty and stick together so tightly.
As if they’d willingly accept them into their ranks.
Even if they did, they’d use them and discard them without question.
But we have no obligation to care for those who declare independence.
What irritates me, though, is unavoidable.
If they wanted independence, they shouldn’t have come in the first place, only to suck the marrow from the Main Palace and leave…]

I let out a quiet laugh.
The Previous External Chief Manager who left this record seemed quite irritated.
What followed was filled with criticism of the Doyeon Gate.
Among what I’d just read, something else caught my attention.
The reason the Doyeon Gate abandoned the Chuk Yong Palace and joined hands with another force was to escape the borderlands and advance toward the center.
But for that, they would need to ally with a faction of considerable influence within the Empire.
Since those sects took pride in being orthodox, they wouldn’t have joined hands with the Black Path.
In fact, the more peripheral a sect, the stronger such pride tends to be.
They simply possessed more practical laws and regulations due to geographic necessity.
Though that also meant their surrounding environment was in chaos.
And if the Doyeon Gate was determined enough to break free from the Chuk Yong Palace’s protection, they must have had considerable renown or power within the martial world.
There was one more thing that caught my attention—the record that the person who became the link between the Doyeon Gate and others seemed to emit a scent of blood.
I pulled out another book.
That book contained information about the Doyeon Gate’s destruction.

Something felt off. It was like that unpleasant sensation of discovering someone had secretly eaten the candies I’d been saving.
I learned the reason for this feeling the following dawn.
Upon receiving a report that a Warrior had arrived from Doyeon Gate, I hurried out to find a man covered in blood, his hair disheveled, prostrating himself before me.
He pleaded with me to save Doyeon Gate.
He said Doyeon Gate faced a dire crisis due to an attack by unknown assailants.
So I asked.
Whether they had also sought help from those who had been protecting them.
The Warrior answered with a sorrowful expression.
He said contact had been cut off abruptly four days prior.
Sigh.
These foolish bastards.
What did I tell you? I said not to trust those from the Central Plains.
In any case, I reported to the Palace Master and immediately led my Disciple Attendants toward Doyeon Gate.
But we were too late. Nothing remained.

These records meant one thing.
The destruction of Doyeon Gate had been meticulously planned long ago.

[The Palace Master, considering that those targeting Doyeon Gate might ultimately target us as well, ordered me to find Hyung-su, who had destroyed Doyeon Gate.
We dispatched Disciple Attendants throughout Yunnan Province to begin our investigation.
After persistent inquiry, we identified the culprit.
Blood Heaven Gate.
Black-Clad Criminals who had suddenly emerged and established themselves about five years prior.
Since they had remained quiet without causing problems until now, we hadn’t paid them much attention, yet they caused this incident.
After reporting this to the Palace Master, we sought out Blood Heaven Gate to lodge a protest.
But they claimed self-defense, insisting that Doyeon Gate had drawn their blades first.
While speaking with them, I felt something peculiar.
Unlike ordinary Black-Clad Criminals, they seemed to operate under an order based on something other than money or power.
Moreover, when I met them, I briefly sensed a blood scent, but it vanished immediately.
Truly, there are strange places everywhere.]

I bit my lip.
I focused on the record mentioning the scent of blood.
The one who visited the Doyeon Gate had also said they sensed the scent of blood.
Both the Northern Sea Ice Palace and Chuk Yong Palace employ martial arts close to nature.
As such, their sensitivity to ominous signs and distortions in the natural order was exceptionally keen.
Perhaps that was why both factions walked the righteous path rather than straying into darkness.
I too had sensed the aura of the Black Path mixed with the stench of blood several times until now.
And Master had said that the Blood Sect reeked of blood.
Then could it be that the Blood Sect was involved in the affairs of the Doyeon Gate and Blood Heaven Gate?
Why had the Doyeon Gate believed their new backer was an orthodox faction from the Central Plains?
So the Blood Sect manipulated the Doyeon Gate to cause upheaval in Seolpung Palace, then established the Blood Heaven Gate and erased the Doyeon Gate they had used?
But I could only sigh.
The problem was the ‘why.’
Why did they need to annihilate Seolpung Palace so thoroughly?
And there was another problem.
That was the ‘how.’
It was impossible for them—known to have been annihilated and barely maintaining a thread of their lineage—to not only establish the Blood Heaven Gate but also annihilate Seolpung Palace.
Sigh, there’s still a long way to go.
But that’s fine.
I’ve uncovered quite a lot at this point.

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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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