The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 525

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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 525

Chapter 525. Facing Each Other Again (6)

I found myself momentarily at a loss for words.
What? Made his elder brother die? What in the world did that mean?
Maengcheon Scholar continued speaking.
“The Lesser Palace Mistress I have come to know is a woman of few words. And since she does not abandon her pursuit until the truth is spoken… I am telling you this.”
“I am listening.”
“In truth, I am the younger of a pair of twins. And among those born as twins, one cannot be raised in the Main Palace.”
Ah…
Now that I thought about it, I had heard of this before when receiving instruction from Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master.
According to legend, twins meant two fires.
When there are two fires, it becomes yan—a great flame.
This signifies not only great fire but also suffering.
For this reason, when twins were born in Chuyong Palace, those with heavy tongues were selected to raise one of them outside the palace.
Usually, it was the younger one who was raised outside.
“My elder brother was an exceedingly kind person. He would often come to visit me and play with me.”
“…”
“But around seven years ago, my brother’s complexion began to grow increasingly poor. I asked him many times, but he would never tell me.”
“…”
“Then, five years ago—precisely when my eldest brother departed for the Northern Sea Ice Palace for the conference—I was suddenly summoned to the Main Palace. And there, my father delivered news that struck like a thunderbolt from a clear sky. My brother had died… and now I was to take his place.”
Then, when he said his brother had been killed… could it be…?
“Was it suicide?”
“Yes.”
He nodded.
“My father did not speak of it, but through those in my quarters, I came to know. I also learned who caused him to make such a choice.”
“…”
I could find no words of comfort.
Any consolation would feel like mere pretense or deception.
“My eldest brother’s torment killed my younger brother. And my father summoned me to keep this secret. As you know, suicide is a grave disgrace in the Main Palace.”
“Do you perhaps resent your father?”
“That is not the case.”
He shook his head.
“Though I could not live in the Main Palace and had to remain outside, my life was comfortable and abundant. My father and mother, though not frequently, would occasionally visit and show me affection, caring for me with tenderness.”
“…”
“And this was a choice made so as not to burden my brother with the dishonor of his suicide. Why would I object to that? I myself desire it.”
“Then why do you say you do not wish to take the seat of Lesser Palace Mistress?”
“Didn’t I tell you? I have no desire to grant that man’s request.”
“Then it’s not the position of Lesser Palace Mistress itself that you dislike.”
“That’s correct.”
“Then the solution is simple.”
At my words, he tilted his head, regarding me with confusion.
“If Father commands it, you would obey. Because that would be Father’s order, not Maengxian Prince’s request.”
He blinked at my words.
“Well….”
“I’m right, aren’t I? You said you have no feelings toward Father.”
“That may be true, but….”
“To be honest, when I said I would persuade Maengcheon Scholar… is it acceptable to call him that?”
“Yes. It matters not. The twin sons of the Main Palace have but one name.”
“I see. In any case, my intention to persuade Maengcheon Scholar was not for his sake, but for the sake of this Chuyong Palace.”
Though there is benefit to me as well, it would be unseemly to mention that.
“Is not Chuyong Palace the rival of the Northern Sea Ice Palace? Losing a rival is a sorrowful thing.”
“…I see.”
“Still, I thought Maengxian Prince had committed many wrongs, but not crimes deserving of death….”
I smiled bitterly.
“Yet he has committed such a crime.”
Did the Palace Master, his father, not know that the Second Brother took his own life due to the Elder Brother’s torment?
He must have known everything.
Yet he kept it secret and let it pass, because revealing it would only expose the Second Brother’s disgrace.
In other words, the Palace Master’s decision to strip Maengxian Prince of his position as Lesser Palace Mistress was not a hasty one.
The Palace Master has endured much indeed.
I spoke to him.
“Maengxian Prince will likely not live long. Still, I believe he should die knowing the sins he has committed.”
He nodded at my words.
“I share that same thought.”

The next day.
I received a reply from my Master.
My Master was delighted by what I had discovered, yet displayed a wealth of emotions simultaneously.
Regret and longing for the Chuyong Palace Lord.
Relief and fury at having exposed Hyung-su as a member of the Blood Sect, and more besides.
However, since we remained ignorant of which faction the Blood Sect had infiltrated or which powers they were allied with, he instructed me to remain vigilant.
He also mentioned he would visit Chuyong Palace soon.
I looked forward to their reunion.
.
.
.
Several days later.
The Chuyong Palace Lord returned.
Naturally, it was a triumphant victory.
The spear held by Hae Dal-man, the External Chief Manager, bore the severed head of the Black Lotus Sect Master.
Thus, the Black Lotus Sect—which had plunged the Yunnan Region into terror during my previous life—vanished from existence.
“You have labored greatly.”
At the greeting from myself and Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master, he nodded his head.
“Thank you for your consideration. I shall ensure the conference begins at the earliest possible moment.”
“Yes.”
And several days later.
I learned that Maengcheon Scholar had become the Young Palace Master.
That was fortunate.
.
.
.
Mid-April.
At last, the conference began today.
Before me sat Maengcheon Scholar—or rather, Maengcheon Young Palace Master—and Hae Hong.
Hae Hong appeared to have suffered greatly during this time, his frame noticeably gaunt.
Forced into secluded cultivation, and having learned of all that transpired, his heart must have ached terribly.
“Young Palace Master. Here are today’s conference matters.”
Yet seeing how calmly he attended to Maengcheon Young Palace Master, it seemed he harbored little loyalty toward Maengxian Prince.
“Then shall we commence the conference?”
At the words of Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master, Maengcheon Young Palace Master replied.
“Regarding the first agenda item….”
The proceedings flowed as smoothly as water.
Had Maengxian Prince been present, the conference would surely not have progressed so seamlessly.
Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master, wore an expression of profound satisfaction.
Through this conference, both the Northern Sea Ice Palace and Chuyong Palace reaffirmed their respective territories, and the ceasefire accord proceeded as planned.
True enough, without anything special happening, there’s no reason for things to change.

After the conference concluded, Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master, and I made our way to the quarters.
“Such a smooth proceeding! It’s wonderful.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
She nodded in agreement.
“Five years ago, the conference was dreadfully difficult with all those absurd quibbles. To be honest, it was deliberately prolonged just to see my face more… but it was truly irritating.”
“Haha. I see.”
“Still, that young master had it rough too.”
To Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master’s words, I simply laughed without responding.
Had it rough….
I had thought the same initially, but after hearing Maengcheon Scholar’s words, such thoughts vanished entirely.
It felt as though he was simply receiving the karmic consequences of his own actions.
Before long, we arrived at the quarters.
“Then I shall see you later.”
“Yes. Rest well.”
A banquet was scheduled for the evening to celebrate the successful conclusion of this conference.
“Galing?”
“Kwui!”
“Krung….”
The sounds of creatures—no, spirit creatures—coming from my room.
I sighed and opened the door.
“What are you all doing here?”
As expected, in my room… wait? What is that?
A tiger cub?
I was momentarily taken aback, but I sensed from the cub’s aura that it was Hwasik.
So he normally takes the form of a tiger cub.
I had heard that Hwasik performed remarkably in this recent subjugation of the Heuk Ryeon Bang.
By the way, it seems Geumryeong is explaining something to Hwasik?
“Kwui! Kwui!”
“Krung?”
“Kwui!”
Geumryeong was boasting to Hwasik about everything she had seen thus far.
After all, Hwasik had only ever been in Chuyong Palace, while Geumryeong had traveled across the Empire following me.
Regardless….
“Why are you all here of all places?”
“Kwui!”
“This is the safest and most comfortable place?”
I had nothing to say since she wasn’t wrong.
Upon seeing me, Hwasik immediately showed his belly and panted eagerly.
I chuckled softly, lifted Hwasik onto my lap, and gently stroked his belly—he was so delighted he writhed with joy.
A puppy, truly.
And Geumryeong was….
Hmm, so she hasn’t stopped being jealous after all.
Even if she pretended not to be jealous, Geumryeong wouldn’t realize it herself—that her tail wasn’t settling down.
I retrieved a silver coin from my pocket and offered it to her.
“Here, eat this.”
“Chirp!”
Now her tail had finally calmed down a bit.
.
.
.
Evening arrived.
I made my way to the back garden prepared before Chuyong Palace for the banquet.
Since it was a gathering where everyone from the Northern Sea Ice Palace delegation and the senior officials of Chuyong Palace would attend, a spacious venue was necessary.
I took my seat at the head table alongside Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master and Seo Hyang.
“I hope the amicable relationship between the Main Palace and the Northern Sea Ice Palace will endure eternally.”
With the toast from the Chuyong Palace Lord, the banquet began in earnest.
Before each guest lay pu-erh tea, a specialty of Yunnan Province.
Originally, Chuyong Palace forbids alcohol.
Why, you ask?
Because they know their own temperament is hasty.
If they drink and become intoxicated, they cause serious trouble, so they forbid alcohol from the start.
And since it’s a hot region, they also become intoxicated more quickly.
It seems somewhat different from the Northern Sea Ice Palace.
Seolpung Palace and the Northern Sea Ice Palace love alcohol so much they brew their own, like ice-lotus wine.
Perhaps it’s to endure the harsh cold of the Northern Sea?
They’ve been struggling these past few years because of the alcohol prohibition edict.
Still, soon the famine will end, and the prohibition will be lifted as well.
I ate and enjoyed the food to my fill.
Of course, Maengxian Prince was not in attendance at this gathering.
Hmm?
I felt it during the talks earlier too, but the relationship between Maengcheon Scholar and Hae Hong seems quite good.
I had thought that Hae Hong would also dislike him, given that he was a companion to the man who caused his elder brother’s death.
As the banquet ended and we were leaving, I casually asked Maengcheon Scholar about it.
“Ah… Hae Gongja is someone I’m grateful to.”
“Is that so?”
“Even while being mistreated by my elder brother, he looked after me. And… my brother also received his help, or so I heard.”
So there was no rift in their feelings after all.

The next day.
We completed our preparations to depart.
And we left Chuyong Palace, escorted by the Chuyong Palace Lord, the Great Lady, and many others.
At last, I was returning to the Northern Sea Ice Palace.
However, I intended to head not to the Northern Sea Ice Palace, but to the Hubei Province Headquarters.
With the merchant fleet soon to set sail for trade with foreign lands, there was much work to be done.

* * *

After Eun Seo-ho and his party departed.
Chuyong Palace quickly returned to its ordinary routines.
And Maeng Cheon was formally appointed as Lesser Palace Mistress.
He had represented the position at the Ice Conference to expedite the talks, but the formal appointment came now.
“I hope you will become a splendid Lesser Palace Mistress who supports the Main Palace going forward.”
In response to the Great Lady’s words, he answered.
“Yes, Mother.”
“I have always felt sorry toward you.”
At the Chuyong Palace Lord’s words, Maeng Cheon shook his head and spoke.
“Please do not harbor such thoughts. I do not resent you, Father.”
“That alone is enough to be grateful for.”
Maeng Cheon suddenly recalled the words Eun Seo-ho had spoken to him.

“If your father commands it, you will obey. Because it is your father’s command, not a request from Maengxian Prince.”

It was a blind spot.

“Is not Chuyong Palace the registered rival of the Northern Sea Ice Palace? Losing a registered rival is a sorrowful matter.”

And the sincerity he had shown.
In the end, he resolved to become the Lesser Palace Mistress in accordance with his father’s command.
‘What a strange person he was.’
After completing the Lesser Palace Mistress inauguration ceremony, he headed straight to Maeng Hyun’s quarters.
“Oh? You came?”
Maeng Hyun welcomed him with a smile.
But to Maengcheon, that smile was repugnant.
‘Now he smiles at me? What shamelessness.’
Thinking thus, he replied.
“Yes, Elder Brother.”
“I heard. Your inauguration ceremony was today? That ceremonial robe suits you well.”
“Thank you.”
He sat before him and spoke.
“But Elder Brother, do you know something?”
“…?”
“I am not your first younger brother, but your second.”
“What are you talking about?”
“It’s a common story. Twin sons were born in Chuyong Palace, and the younger one was raised outside….”
Maengcheon continued.
“And I am the one who was raised outside.”
For Maeng Hyun, this was shocking news he was hearing for the first time.
“That, what do you mean… Then, what about the other one?”
If one was raised outside, it meant there was another raised in the Main Palace.
“You killed him, Elder Brother.”
“What are you saying? I killed him?”
“Unable to endure your torment, he took his own life. Father kept this secret and summoned me to the Main Palace.”
“….”
“Do you think I was in the archives to avoid your harassment? I was simply trying to keep my identity hidden.”
“….”
“Honestly, I considered keeping it secret, but someone told me that even if one dies, they should know the sins they committed. I share that belief. That is why I am telling you this.”
The shock struck Maeng Hyun like a blow to the head, leaving him speechless.
He had… killed his own brother!
“I, I merely tormented him a little….”
“It may have been little to you, but for the one enduring it, it was hell.”
“….”
“So, Elder Brother. Do not entertain thoughts of suicide. Spend your entire life asking forgiveness from your brother in that body. That is the finest atonement you can offer.”
He rose from his seat and left.
Crash!
“Aaaaahhhhh!”
A heartrending wail echoed from behind.
Maeng Cheon felt as though his chest had suddenly opened wide.
‘Elder Brother, are you watching?’
It was a certain day in April, when sunlight streamed down like the smile of his twin elder brother who had always smiled for him.

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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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