The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 593

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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 593

Chapter 593. Everything Has Its Reason (3)

I spoke to the Alliance Leader.
“Then please give me one hundred thousand silver taels.”
“One hundred thousand… silver taels?”
“Yes.”
Was my request unexpected?
The Alliance Leader asked me with a puzzled expression.
“Everyone here knows of the Eun Hae Trading Company’s wealth. So why do you desire more money?”
“That is the company’s wealth, not mine, is it not? And what I love most is money.”
At my response, those connected to me nodded knowingly. Their expressions suggested they understood there was a deeper purpose behind such a request.
Meanwhile, those without prior acquaintance with me reacted unfavorably.
Some even let out open ridicule.
Surely they thought, “As expected of a lowly merchant, so obsessed with wealth.”
Let them think as they wish.
The Alliance Leader, however, wore an enigmatic expression.
“So, will you grant my request?”
“If that is truly what you desire, I cannot refuse. Very well. I shall give you my one hundred thousand silver taels.”
“Thank you.”
“Then off with you. And I look forward to your performance in the next martial tournament.”
“I shall strive to meet your expectations.”
I bowed respectfully and took my leave. Then I spoke to Jin Yu Warrior through a transmission of inner energy.
– Are you well?
At my question, he smiled.
– I am. To think I can walk through the Murim Alliance so openly! It feels like a dream.
His face was radiant with joy.
Indeed, before this, he could never have dared such a thing.
Please be patient a little longer.
In time, I shall have you walking boldly through this Murim Alliance without needing to use the Divine Transformation Technique.

And so I returned to the Yeon Pung Inn.
I needed to have lunch.
Palgap, who had already arrived at the inn ahead of me, spoke up.
“Young Master. You have a visitor.”
“A visitor?”
“Yes.”
He guided me to a corner of the first floor, where an unexpected person awaited.
Jegal Yu-ah Minor Clan Master.
“How is your body feeling now?”
She had suffered considerable injuries in the final martial arts match that determined the ultimate victor of the Cheon-jo tournament.
“Yes. Thanks to the precious elixir the Small Merchant Guild Leader provided, I’ve nearly recovered.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“That’s why I came. I wanted to express my gratitude.”
She cupped her fist and bowed respectfully.
“But… why did you give me such a precious elixir? Father was quite startled when he used it on me.”
I could imagine.
Geumryeong’s essence was remarkably potent for external injuries—almost miraculous in its effects.
I smiled slightly.
“Well, since you’ll be the next House Master, it’s only prudent that we of the Eun Hae Trading Company maintain good relations, wouldn’t you say?”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. That’s the reason.”
She smiled at my words as well.
“If there’s a price to it, then I feel better about accepting. By the way, I watched your match today. It was impressive.”
“I didn’t even draw my sword once. Can that truly be called a martial arts match?”
“You prevented Yi Myeon-eum Ma from ambushing Hyang-ok Warrior, didn’t you?”
“That’s beside the point.”
Jegal Yu-ah Minor Clan Master shook her head and continued.
“There’s a saying in military strategy: the greatest victory is to triumph without fighting. There are many ways to win without fighting, and one of them is precisely the method the Small Merchant Guild Leader demonstrated.”
“…”
“In that sense, I believe the Small Merchant Guild Leader fought the finest match.”
At Jegal Yu-ah Minor Clan Master’s words, I nodded.
“Now that you mention it, you’re right.”
Since her words held truth, I nodded in agreement.
Anyway, my match with Sister Hyang-ok was coming up soon.
Since she had spoken so earnestly, I couldn’t very well forfeit…
Damn it.
So why did the League Master recommend me in the first place…
.
.
.
After Jegal Yu-ah Minor Clan Master left, I had lunch.
I invited her to join me, but she said she’d already eaten and left.
So should I start moving now?
“I have something to convey to Im Chief Manager at the Eun Hae Trading Company Temporary Shop. Let me stop by there before heading to the Martial Arts Arena.”
“Understood.”
As we walked, Seo-woo Warrior spoke to me.
“It seems something is troubling your mind, sir.”
“Ah… does it show that much?”
“Yes.”
“That’s why Palgap and the guards are worried about you.”
At the Two Warriors’ words, I laughed awkwardly.
Perhaps because they’ve been guarding me for so long, they can now read my true feelings just by looking at my expression.
Though I don’t usually fail at managing my expressions.
“I’ve caused you unnecessary concern.”
“It’s fine.”
I stopped walking for a moment.
“To be honest, I’m not entirely comfortable participating in this Friendly Martial Arts Tournament on the League Master’s recommendation, since I don’t seriously walk the path of martial arts. Truthfully, I’m an uninvited guest to them.”
“You shouldn’t think that way.”
Seo-woo Warrior continued firmly.
“For martial artists, fighting against the strong is the greatest honor.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“Thanks to Jegal So-gaju earlier, I’ve resolved my doubts about the victories I’ve obtained. But I’m curious what those I faced were thinking when they chose to forfeit.”
Seo-woo Warrior pondered my question for a moment before answering.
“Aren’t those warriors first and foremost people? Just as each person thinks differently, wouldn’t their standards for action also differ?”
“…”
“So the decisions of those you’ve faced so far were actions based on their own standards. Therefore, I believe we should respect each of those decisions.”
Yeo Eung-am Warrior added his thoughts.
“Though it seems you reached the Main Ship Sacha Market somewhat unexpectedly, I believe you’ve gone through a sufficiently legitimate process. So you should walk that path according to your own standards. We too will walk the path of martial arts according to our standards.”
Listening to their words, I looked up at the sky.
The sky was truly beautiful.
After hearing the Two Warriors’ counsel, the slight unease I felt was put in order.
Honestly, I was displeased that my plans had gone awry because the warriors I fought forfeited.
But they simply acted according to their own standards.
Yes, I should respect their decisions.
So Sister will understand my decision too.
Though it will be difficult for her to accept immediately.

* * *

Alliance Leader’s Hall.
The Alliance Leader sat in his office, using the intermission to process documents.
Though the Martial Arts Grand Conference was in full swing, his duties could not be neglected.
“Sigh! Had I known the Alliance Leader’s workload was this heavy, I would never have chosen to become one.”
He grumbled quietly to himself, then rose from his seat and opened the window wide.
From the Alliance Leader’s Hall, the entire vista of Luoyang spread before him.
The Martial Arts Grand Conference had drawn countless people, and their noise displeased him.
It was not merely the loudness.
That noise was born of peace itself.
Peace built upon blood he chose to ignore.
The Alliance Leader closed the window.
Click.
He returned to his seat at the wooden table and unrolled the next document to process.
It was a document awarding Eun Seo-ho a reward of one hundred thousand silver taels.
“Hmm… what could he be thinking?”
He recalled his conversation with Eun Seo-ho, who had completed the ‘test’ he had set.

“Martial techniques! I appreciate the kind offer, but I must decline. As I mentioned, for a merchant, the greatest treasure is what can be seen and held in hand. I desire nothing beyond that.”

The man had claimed to be a merchant and boldly demanded material compensation.
“Hmm… does he truly love money so much that he demands it?”
It was paradoxical—at times he displayed the magnanimity of a great man, yet in moments like this, the pettiness of a small one.
‘In a way, it is fortunate that such a man is the successor to the Heavenly Stream Ice Sword.’
A man who knew only money would never grasp the true essence of the Heavenly Stream Technique.
Though he signed the document with this thought, his expression remained grim.
All that he had sought to accomplish through this Martial Arts Grand Conference’s friendly tournament had failed.
Most painful of all was the theft of the Buddha statue.

* * *

Upon arriving at the Commercial District, I made my way to the temporary shop of the Eun Hae Trading Company.
“How is business treating you?”
The managers there greeted me in response to my courtesy.
“Ah! Small Merchant Guild Leader!”
“We heard the news! You’ve advanced to the Sacha Market tournament.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Congratulations. But what brings you here at this hour?”
In response to Im Chief Manager’s question, I stated my purpose directly.
“Well, I noticed the weather today is quite dry. If a fire were to break out in these conditions, it would be disastrous, wouldn’t it?”
“That’s true.”
“So I thought it would be wise, though it may be troublesome, to regularly sprinkle water on the roof of the temporary shop and around the surrounding area.”
“Understood. We’ll do that.”
Im Chief Manager nodded readily and ordered his servants to fetch water.
“I apologize for the inconvenience caused by my excessive caution.”
“Please don’t say such things. If a real fire were to break out, it would be a disaster, wouldn’t it? Thank you for the advice.”
“Not at all. I simply hope nothing unfortunate occurs.”
I sent another manager to convey this advice to the other trading companies as well.
Those affiliated with trading companies favorable to me heeded my counsel, but there were several who dismissed it.
One of them was the Baekcheon Trading Company.
With the company leader changing to Namgung Kang’s younger brother this time, several managers had also been replaced.
Unfamiliar with me, they sneered at us as we spoke.
“Hmph! If you have time for that, you should be selling more goods!”
“What a waste of effort!”
Tsk tsk, they should have listened to my advice.
As lunch hour ended and I was about to leave.
Someone’s cry rang out.
“Fire! Fire!”
I sighed. A fire had broken out after all.
What I had heard from Father and my elder brothers in my previous life was unfolding exactly as it had then.
The day before the finals of the Friendly Martial Arts Tournament, a sudden fire destroyed several temporary shops located in prime locations, or so I had been told.
Because I remembered hearing about the location and extent of the fire back then, I had readily yielded the Baekcheon Trading Company’s spot.
I had wanted to prevent this fire beforehand, but without knowing its cause, there was no clear way to do so.
So the best method I could devise was to advise them to sprinkle water on the shop roofs and keep water supplies ready.
The temporary shops of trading companies that heeded my advice would be able to prevent the fire.
But those who ignored my counsel would pay the price dearly.
“Extinguish the fire at once!”
“Don’t let it spread!”
“All the goods are burning! Everything’s burning!”
And I plan to use this fire as a reason not to participate in today’s martial arts tournament.
I apologize to Sister Hyang-ok, but if I do my best as she suggested, I will expose my true abilities to everyone.
From my position, that would be extremely troublesome.
So it’s actually better for everyone that I can’t participate in today’s martial arts tournament.
And if I were to win the championship, imagine how inflated the Alliance Leader’s ego would become.
I can’t bear to see that.
“Fetch more water, quickly!”
“Yes!”
“You need to extinguish the fire from that point!”
I calmly directed the firefighting efforts, and everyone moved in perfect unison according to my commands.
Then I heard voices.
“Someone, help us!”
“Please, save us!”
There were people trapped in the warehouse behind the Baekcheon Trading Company’s temporary shop, unable to move an inch.
The area was so dry, and with so much oil-soaked packing paper from the merchandise, the fire had spread rapidly, trapping them inside.
The warehouse behind the Baekcheon Trading Company’s temporary shop was a storage facility they had been using for years.
When I chose the Baekcheon Trading Company’s location, that was the biggest reason the Tournament Announcer had seemed troubled.
The location was good, but the Baekcheon Trading Company still needed to use that warehouse.
I carved a path open with the Heavenly Stream Ice Technique and rushed inside.
“Come this way, quickly!”
“Th-thank you!”
“Save your thanks for later!”
After evacuating them and confirming everyone had escaped, I subtly touched one of the warehouse’s pillars.
Crash!
The pillar naturally collapsed, and the building began to crumble. People urgently called out to me.
“Young Master!”
“Eun Seo-ho, Small Merchant Guild Leader!”
“Eun Small Merchant Leader!”
“Seonhyeop Mirang Great Swordmaster!”
I rolled my body with all my strength.
“Hup!”
Barely escaping the collapsing roof, I bit my lip and furrowed my brow.
“Young Master! Are you alright?”
“Ugh… Damn it, my leg…”
“Sir?”
“It appears my leg is broken.”
Father, who must have been nearby, came rushing over in panic, with Jin-ho following close behind.
“What in the world… No, Seo-ho! What happened?”
“Father… I’m truly sorry. My leg appears to be broken.”
Jin-ho came running in shock.
“What? Your leg is broken?”
I nodded with an expression of pain.
“Ugh… What about the tournament match?”
“Hey! Is the tournament really the concern right now? You’re not seriously injured, are you?”
Jin-ho rushed to examine my leg.
I quickly sent him a silent message.
– Elder Brother, the truth is I’m perfectly fine. But there’s a reason for this. Please play along with me.
When Jin-ho’s expression turned bewildered, I clenched my fist slightly.
At that, Jin-ho looked at my leg and cried out dramatically.
“Oh no! What a disaster! You won’t be able to move properly for several days at this rate.”
Only then did I release the fist I had been clenching.
And I apologized to Father.
“Father, this incident occurred due to my own inexperience. Please do not blame my guards for it.”
“Tsk!”
Father shook his head while clicking his tongue.
“Still, I’m relieved it ended this way.”
“We should move the young master to the inn first.”
“Do so.”
Thus I was carried on a stretcher to the Yeon Pung Inn.
In the process, the Baekcheon Trading Company’s temporary shop and warehouse were completely consumed by flames.
The temporary shops located nearby were caught in the fire as well, but those that had followed my advice remained unscathed.
So they should have listened to my counsel.
Then Father approached me and spoke in a low voice.
“I’ll explain the circumstances to the Physician, so stay put in your guest room. Won’t it be more convincing if you lost consciousness from the pain?”
How… how did he know?

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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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