The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 599

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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 599

Chapter 599. Haenam Island (1)

I couldn’t help but feel momentarily flustered by Jang Won Grand Master’s words.
I had only intended to elevate the Eunhae Trading Company’s standing by establishing a mooring point on Haenam Island, but the Sect Leader had elevated my name as well.
Of course, I understood his gratitude, but this was rather awkward.
“Why do you have that expression?”
Unable to comprehend my reaction, Jang Won Grand Master tilted his head in confusion.
Ah, had I worn such an obvious expression of displeasure?
I needed to deflect this somehow.
“I’m simply feeling a bit burdened. A small merchant like myself lacks the magnanimity to deserve such praise.”
“What? Are you saying those deeds are not factual?”
“That is… not the case.”
There is no exaggeration in those rumors. Everything is true.
That’s the problem. Damn it.
“Ah! There is one thing that is not entirely accurate.”
“What is that?”
“I did not shed tears over it.”
“…”
The atmosphere suddenly became awkward.
“Ahem, I see.”
Jang Won Grand Master continued.
“Excessive humility is also a flaw.”
“Everything I have done was solely to elevate the Eunhae Trading Company’s name. I was simply startled to hear that my own name had risen unexpectedly as a result.”
“That is understandable.”
“But tell me—how widespread are the rumors about me that you speak with such conviction?”
He paused thoughtfully before answering my question.
“Likely the highest, save for the Emperor himself.”
What? That meant my reputation rivaled the Emperor’s, or perhaps even exceeded it?
The Geumui Guard was extremely vigilant about anyone who might aspire to the Emperor’s throne.
I carefully observed Jang Won Grand Master’s demeanor.
His respectful attitude toward me suggested he was indeed favorable, but to the Geumui Guard, the Emperor was an absolute authority.
If they judged that I posed a threat to the Emperor, they would abandon all prior goodwill and favor without hesitation.
I could not give them such an opening.
I needed to be very careful with my conduct.
Deliberately, I feigned indignation.
I deliberately got angry.
“A humble merchant like myself bearing such prestige? That’s entirely wrong!”
I raised my voice as though I could no longer contain myself.
“The Emperor’s name is being overshadowed by a mere twenty thousand silver taels! This is all because of corrupt officials blocking the Emperor’s benevolence. Is it not?”
“The Great Hero speaks truly.”
“The Emperor’s name must never be obscured by anyone. And I am one who has sworn an oath before His Majesty. So, Great Hero.”
“Yes.”
“Help me. This time, I will root out those who obstruct the Emperor’s benevolence.”
“Of course! I will do my utmost to assist you.”
Jang Won Grand Master’s eyes grew even more favorable.
I exhaled a breath of relief inwardly and revealed my plan.
“I came here posing as a young nobleman from a wealthy family on a pleasure tour of Haenam Island. But given the current situation, such a disguise….”
“Is unlikely to work.”
“I share that assessment.”
After a moment’s thought, I spoke to everyone present.
“I will change our strategy. From now on, I came here for pearl trading on Haenam Island. And during this journey, I simply indulged in some entertainment.”
“Understood.”
“Then what should I do?”
At Seo Hyang’s question, Jang Won Grand Master asked.
“Who is this person?”
“Ah, she is my Deputy Officer. For the sake of our cover, we were betrothed and traveling the Empire together, but….”
Upon hearing my words, Jang Won Grand Master made a suggestion.
“It would be better if you were married, not merely betrothed.”
“Is there a reason?”
At my question, he nodded with a troubled expression.
“Yes. One of the high officials on Haenam Island is quite the lecher.”
“Hmm, then what if she simply disguised herself as a man?”
“That….”
He laughed awkwardly and spoke.
“The desires this official pursues are not limited by gender….”
“Ah… I, I see.”
“Though at the very least, he has some decency—he does not touch married women. So for both your and your Deputy Officer’s sake, that would be the better choice.”
“I appreciate the counsel.”
That was a close call.
“Then I shall return again tonight.”
“Understood.”

Shortly after, the Shop Attendants arrived at my room with the meal.
The dishes were quite excellent, and we enjoyed our dinner together.
After finishing our meal, as promised, Jang Won Grand Master quietly visited my guest room.
Earlier, time constraints had prevented us from having a deeper conversation, but now there was no such limitation.
“I heard from the Jingyeong Alliance that seven people dispatched to investigate the matter of Haenam Island have gone missing.”
“That’s correct. Among them were people I was quite close to… it’s truly regrettable.”
His face was filled with bitterness.
But true to his nature as a Geumui Guard, he quickly composed himself and spoke.
“It was truly wise of you to come in your current form.”
“Haha, thank you.”
I continued speaking.
“As I mentioned earlier, I’m going to purchase pearls from Haenam Island. And I will travel with you as my guide.”
“Understood.”
“But I wonder—when the Haenam Sect obtained grain and brought it to Haenam Island, did all of it arrive safely?”
“Unfortunately not. It appears that two ships ran aground.”
But his expression showed not regret, but anger.
“As I suspected?”
“Yes.”
The provisions loaded on those two ships had been stolen away.
“But how can you be certain it wasn’t truly a shipwreck? It could genuinely have run aground.”
“That is…”
He furrowed his brow and continued.
“I examined the corpse of the boatman from the ship that allegedly ran aground, which washed ashore. But… there was something suspicious about it. If the ship had run aground so severely, the body should have been damaged, yet it was surprisingly intact.”
“You mean he was killed on the shore?”
“That is my suspicion.”
“I see.”
.
.
.
Morning arrived, and I came downstairs to the first floor after a light cultivation session.
“Great Hero! Did you rest well last night?”
The Inn Owner I had greeted yesterday offered his regards.
He was not a Geumui Guard himself, but rather someone who assisted them.
“Thanks to you, I rested comfortably.”
At that moment, Palgap stepped forward beside me and spoke.
“Our young master has business to attend to on Haenam Island. So, could you arrange a ship for us?”
“Of course. I’ll look into securing a comfortable vessel for your journey.”
“And it would be good if we could find someone who knows Haenam Island well.”
At Palgap’s words, the Inn Owner mentioned someone.
“There’s Jang Won who knows Haenam Island well.”
The Jang Won he was referring to was Jang Won Grand Master, just as we had arranged beforehand.
“Ah, then would it be acceptable to borrow him briefly as a guide?”
“Of course.”
“Then I would be grateful if you could look into available ships as quickly as possible.”
“Understood.”
I fanned myself leisurely with my fan as I spoke.
“Palgap.”
“Yes.”
“Could you look into whether there are any worthwhile sightseeing spots in the nearby area?”
“Understood.”
Palgap asked the Inn Owner about sightseeing destinations on my behalf and gathered detailed information.
“Well, since we’ve already arranged to borrow the Merchant as a guide, there’s no issue with borrowing him starting today, correct?”
“Of course. I’ll inform him in advance.”
After breakfast, we left the inn together with Jang Won Grand Master.
The pretext was sightseeing in the area, but in truth, it was for investigation.
Our current location was Seomun County, the mainland closest to Haenam Island.
According to the documents the Emperor had shown me, it wasn’t merely goods traveling from here to Haenam that had vanished.
Taxes sent from Haenam to Beijing had also disappeared.
While it was frustrating that what was sent from above had vanished, someone had also stolen what Beijing should have received.
From the Emperor’s perspective, there was no choice but to be furious.
That’s why he continued dispatching Investigators.
In any case, the disappearance of ships traveling in both directions suggested a high likelihood of suspicious activity here in Seomun County.
So I deliberately came down to the First Floor and asked Palgap, who had a good voice, to inquire about sightseeing locations.
That way, even if people saw me moving about Seomun County, they would think, “Ah, he’s sightseeing!”
“My, you’re quite resourceful, more than I expected.”
At Jang Won Grand Master’s words, I chuckled softly.
“If I couldn’t manage this much, I couldn’t be a merchant.”
“Haha. Is that so?”
“Then, what place in this area would I regret not seeing?”
“The pavilion on that mountain is quite famous. And….”
He introduced various scenic spots throughout the area.
“Then we should visit those places first and then head to the Marketplace.”
“Why are you going to the Marketplace?”
“I am a merchant. For a merchant, there is no place more interesting or better for understanding a region than the Marketplace.”
“I see.”
Though I had come on the Emperor’s orders, I was still a merchant.
I couldn’t miss the opportunity to investigate the market of Guangdong Province.
Of course, there were other reasons as well.
Thus, I boarded a carriage and headed toward the places Jang Won Grand Master guided me to.
Dressed in fine clothes and sightseeing, I sent a telepathic message to Jin Yu Warrior.
– It seems there’s someone tailing us from the Inn earlier. Is that correct?
– Yes, it is. What should we do?
– Follow them discreetly.
– Understood.
Jin Yu Warrior, having received my orders, slipped away quietly, and I threw myself into enjoying the sights with renewed enthusiasm.
“Oh! That looks delicious! Palgap!”
“Yes. I’ll go fetch it right away.”
I indulged in all manner of delectable treats.
“Indeed, the view from up high is truly beautiful, wouldn’t you say? Isn’t it, Lady?”
“It is.”
And I took in the magnificent scenery.
By the time I finished my leisurely sightseeing, the tail had vanished without a trace.
They must have concluded that I was merely here for tourism.
Jin Yu Warrior would uncover their movements, so I needed to attend to my own business.
“Well then, shall we head to the marketplace now?”
“Yes.”
Under Jang Won Grand Master’s guidance, we made our way to the largest marketplace in Seomun County.
Numerous merchants hawked their wares, with local specialties rarely seen in Hubei or Beijing dominating the stalls.
“What is that?”
“That’s lychee preserved in candy. And next to it is dried lychee.”
Jang Won Grand Master explained in detail, as befitted a proper guide.
“Lychee is a delicious fruit in its own right, but it’s also consumed as tea. And it serves medicinal purposes as well.”
As he said, lychee has many uses.
Which is why our Eunhae Trading Company’s medicinal warehouse also stocks dried lychee.
Though not in particularly large quantities.
“There are historical records of an ancient Emperor’s beloved concubine who adored lychee so much that during summer, fresh lychee was transported daily from here all the way to Beijing.”
“What! All the way from here to Beijing?”
“Eventually, her extravagance became the cause of rebellion, and the Emperor, to avoid calamity, ordered her to take her own life.”
Thus, exchanging such tales, we toured the marketplace.
And in doing so, I examined various corners of the marketplace for one of my purposes in coming here.
Back in Luoyang, I had quietly made a request of the Haenam Sect Leader.
It was to coat grain sacks with a tracking scent I provided.
To mark them with a special symbol.
And to allow these to be “stolen” without resistance.
If my suspicions were correct, they would certainly be resold.
The fact that seven agents sent by the Emperor—whether Geumui Guard or Dongchang—had been eliminated meant their connections extended to the Imperial Palace itself.
Otherwise, how would I know when an investigator might arrive?
Moreover, these were specially trained operatives.
So it was reasonable to assume they possessed detailed knowledge of the Imperial Palace’s inner workings.
For instance, the fact that the alcohol ban would soon be lifted.
This comes to the people as hope.
Especially, thanks to grain imported through foreign trade in the coming days, grain prices will plummet.
Of course, it’s far more expensive than in normal years, but compared to current prices, it’s dropped considerably.
So if they want to profit greatly from the grain they’ve seized, they need to sell it as quickly as possible.
In other words, by now those seized provisions should be—or already have been—traded in this marketplace.
What matters here is the location.
This grain was brought for the residents of Haenam Island.
Yet if that grain crosses the sea again and is traded here, that’s peculiar.
In other words, if grain in those sacks is being traded here in Guangdong, it means that grain never reached Haenam Island in the first place.
Suddenly, Lee Pil Warrior grinned widely and looked at me.
The tracking scent he’d applied to those sacks was a refined version that only Lee Pil Warrior could detect.
He’d identified where that scent was coming from.
What that meant was simple.
They’d fallen for my scheme.
“My lord, I can sense the scent at several rice merchants in this area. However, the quantities are quite small….”
It seems they couldn’t acquire large amounts because rice prices are so high.
“Where is the scent strongest?”
“Over there. Shall I guide you now?”
At Lee Pil Warrior’s words, I nodded.
“Please do.”
And so Lee Pil Warrior led us somewhere, and we arrived at an inn.
An inn is a place that provides meals and lodging.
Which means, no matter how expensive grain is, they must purchase it in large quantities.
“Welcome.”
“Do you serve meals?”
“Of course.”
We sat around a table on the first floor of the inn.
And I deliberately ordered several dishes made only from rice.
Shortly after, the dishes began arriving one by one.
Lee Pil Warrior examined the food and nodded.
It meant the dishes were made from rice that had been in the sacks marked with the tracking scent.
As I ate, I called over the Shop Attendant.
“You called?”
“The rice tastes quite excellent. I was curious where you sourced it from.”
“I’ll look into it for you. Please wait a moment.”
The Shop Attendant soon returned and informed me.
“There’s a place nearby called the Mu Clan Trading Company, and they say the rice comes from there.”
The Mu Clan Trading Company in Guangdong Province….
Ah! Now I remember!
I think I’ll need to ask the Emperor for additional funds.

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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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