The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 608

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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 608

Chapter 608. An Unexpected Clue (4)

After thoroughly searching the surroundings with my two Guard Warriors, I discovered something suspicious.
It appeared to be a hook for hanging torches, but since this place had Night Luminous Pearls embedded in it, torches weren’t necessary.
Yet there were clear signs of use.
When I pulled it downward, a grinding sound echoed and the door swung open.
Installing all of this must have cost a considerable fortune.
The moment the door opened, a thick scent of blood assaulted my nostrils.
Judging by the stench of decay, it appeared to have been left undisturbed for quite some time.
What on earth had happened here?
Both the Seo-woo Warrior and Yeo Eung-am Warrior accompanying me seemed to sense something amiss, their faces hardening.
Unlike the outer chamber, the interior was shrouded in darkness.
But I had Night Luminous Pearls on me.
I retrieved three Night Luminous Pearls from my pocket—ones fashioned to hang around the neck—and distributed two to my warriors.
We each fastened one around our necks and ventured inside, immediately sensing the presence of Black Path energy.
There were three Black Blade Warriors within.
“Let us each handle one.”
“Understood.”
We rushed in silently, shielding the light of our Night Luminous Pearls, and swiftly rendered the Black Blade Warriors unconscious.
No further Black Path presence could be detected.
While the Yeo Eung-am Warrior bound them, the Seo-woo Warrior and I searched the surroundings.
Several caves had been excavated nearby, and from one particularly large cavern came the sound of groaning.
“Ugh….”
Following the overwhelming stench of blood that made my nose ache, I spotted someone suspended against the wall.
Is that… even human?
The sight was so horrific it made me question it.
Whatever had been done to this person, their naked body bore not a single unblemished spot.
I approached but halted abruptly, biting my lip.
I sensed the distinctive aura of Imperial Palace martial arts emanating from him.
He lifted his head upon hearing our presence.
But whether from torture-induced blindness or other causes, he couldn’t discern who had arrived.
“Ha! Who is it this time? I beg you, spare me the pointless torment. Just kill me already.”
His voice was hoarse and broken.
I spoke to him.
“Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster, you are greatly missed.”
“The Great Swordmaster is very worried.”
At my words, he flinched.
“My name is Eun Seo-ho. I am Eun Seo-ho of the Eun Hae Trading Company. His Imperial Majesty the Emperor sent me to resolve the problems plaguing Haenam Island.”
But instead, he raised his voice.
“How dare you invoke the Emperor’s name! And Jin Young? I don’t know any such person.”
“Whether you believe me or not is your choice.”
Still, I was grateful that Jang Won Grand Master hadn’t witnessed this spectacle first.
Had he seen it, he would have been quite shocked.
“Seo-woo Warrior.”
“Yes.”
“Go outside and tell Myeong-jong Warrior and Chang-un Warrior to bring reinforcements here.”
“Understood.”
“If possible, also ask them to bring the Embroidered Uniform Guard Master with them.”
“Yes.”
Looking at his condition, I needed to treat him quickly, but ordinary wound medicine wouldn’t suffice….
There was no help for it.
Watching Seo-woo Warrior head outside, I approached a nearby table that served as both dining surface and tea table.
I picked up something resembling a bowl from its surface and withdrew Geum-ryeong from my sleeve.
– Here, Geum-ryeong. The gold coins I promised you before.
– Coo! Coo-ee!
Geum-ryeong’s eyes sparkled at the sight of the gleaming gold coins, and he panted eagerly.
Naturally, saliva dripped from his mouth in streams.
Ick!
I collected it in the bowl, and once it had accumulated sufficiently, I gave the gold coins to Geum-ryeong.
– Coo-ee!
Geum-ryeong took the gold coins in his mouth and disappeared into my sleeve.
I felt his tail fluttering inside the sleeve—he clearly loved it.
I chuckled softly, then approached the man hanging against the wall with the bowl containing Geum-ryeong’s saliva.
And I applied it evenly across his entire body.
He tried to resist my hands, but since he couldn’t move, well….
Hmm… I wonder if it might be effective on his eyes as well?
This is an external injury after all, so it’s worth trying.
With that thought, I applied Geum-ryeong’s saliva to his eyes as well.
I poured the remainder into one of the wine bottles.
Wine bottles, that is….
Now that I thought about it, the Young Master of Mu Trading Company had been caught drinking contraband liquor.
He would receive enhanced punishment for it.
Tsk, just hold on a bit. The alcohol ban will be lifted soon enough.
That was when it happened.
“Mmm?”
At that sound, I turned my head to see the Embroidered Uniform Guard Master blinking his eyes open.
His focus had shifted to that gaze.
Wow… Geum-ryeong’s saliva has incredible efficacy?
Goodness, what a remarkable creature.
I approached him and asked carefully.
“Can you see a bit better now?”
“Who are you?”
“Didn’t I explain earlier?”
“…Was that the truth?”
“Yes.”
“I apologize.”
His voice rose sharply.
I shook my head.
“No, I understand your circumstances well enough.”
He looked at the three Black Path Warriors that the Yeo Eung-am Warrior had bound and spoke.
“When you cannot see, suspicion only grows.”
“That’s true. Please wait a moment. The Imperial Guards will arrive soon.”
My words made him look startled.
“Then does that mean the true identity of this Cheon Cheon-bok has been revealed?”
“Of course. He’s already been arrested and imprisoned in the Prison.”
“Then what about the branch here?”
“He’s also in the Prison.”
“In Guangdong Province…”
“The Mu Clan Trading Company Manager, the County Official, and even someone named Mo Gyeong—they’re all locked up in the Prison.”
“Hmm… truly impressive. Now I understand why the Emperor favors you so.”
“…”
That’s… a good thing, right?
The Emperor simply gives more work to those he favors.
I smiled bitterly to myself and spoke.
“It was fortunate timing. The pirates that Cheon Cheon-bok had summoned invaded Haenam Island, and our Eun Hae Trading Company’s merchant ships dealt with them.”
“I see.”
I asked him.
“Are there any other survivors?”
“I’m not certain. For now, search the caves in this area. If you’re lucky, there might be some still breathing.”
His tone carried resignation.
It meant the possibility of others surviving was slim.
Just then, Seo-woo Warrior returned, so I ordered him and the Yeo Eung-am Warrior to search the surrounding caves.
“And… there is a wooden table over there.”
“Yes.”
“Try opening the drawer beside that wooden table.”
I immediately approached that location and opened the drawer.
Hmm….
Inside were blood-stained papers scattered about, and I took them out to read.
Since they weren’t official records, the handwriting was quite rough, but it was still legible.

[We began interrogation to obtain information about the Geumui Guard as requested from above. We extracted fingernails, toenails….]

The documents contained records of the torture they had inflicted and the information extracted from those interrogated.
My teeth chattered.
These bastards.
Those they had interrogated were not only from the Geumui Guard, but also from the Dongchang.
However, despite their efforts, they had learned very little.
After all, not every member of the Geumui Guard or Dongchang was a traitor like Mo Gyeong.

Shortly after.
The Golden Army arrived, and a rather high-ranking member of the Geumui Guard came with them.
“Wait! Aren’t you O Samryeong Officer?”
“To meet you alive like this! It feels like a dream.”
He recognized me after all.
“Thank you! I’m truly grateful! Without you, I would have missed finding my colleague right before my eyes.”
He offered me his thanks repeatedly.
“There’s another survivor here!”
My Guard Warriors found another survivor in the cave, and this person was from the Dongchang.
And in another cave, we discovered remains that appeared to have been cremated.
I had the Dongchang survivor treated with Geum Ryung-i’s saliva that I had stored in a bottle earlier.

Through their testimony, this matter progressed rapidly.
Those implicated who had not yet been brought in were arrested and dragged before us.
And I began recovering one by one the wealth they had accumulated.
The amount of wealth recovered was enough to astonish even me.
This was enough to exempt Haenam Island and Guangdong Province from taxes for several years.

“Eun Seo-ho, Small Merchant Guild Leader.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I’m not sure whether to be pleased or displeased about this.”
The one addressing me was the Crown Prince.
The Emperor had dispatched the Crown Prince to handle this matter, and he had crossed over to Haenam Island yesterday.
Since this incident involved high-ranking officials from Guangdong Province, no ordinary administrator could have resolved it.
Soon, the Crown Prince would be dispatched to Nanking.
Since Guangdong Province fell under Nanking’s jurisdiction, there was likely an intention to settle matters here preemptively when the opportunity arose.
“You may feel both, Your Highness.”
At my response, he spoke with a deflated expression.
“Had it not been for you, they would have continued to drain the Empire’s treasures.”
That wasn’t quite right.
They would have been dealt with eventually anyway.
But since I couldn’t say that, I nodded in agreement.
“Still, I’m truly grateful. His Imperial Majesty sent me without delay, and the Geumui Guard and Golden Army moved at precisely the right moment.”
“I knew you would say something like that.”
The Crown Prince spoke thus and extended a scroll toward me.
A magnificent scroll adorned in gold and crimson.
Since it came from the Emperor, I quickly rose from my chair, knelt, and received the imperial decree with both hands.
Then I unrolled it to read.

[I have heard of your accomplishments. Well done. You have not disappointed me, as befits one of my people. In recognition of your merit, I officially grant you permission to establish a naval base and to set up a mooring station for the Eun Hae Trading Company there.]
I silently exulted.
Seeing this imperial decree, all my past hardships seemed to wash away.
What had I endured all this suffering for!
I carefully placed it in my sleeve and sat back down.
“But Eun Small Merchant Leader, I hear your wife also came with you. When did you marry?”
However, at the Crown Prince’s next words, I nearly spat out the tea I was drinking.
“Cough!”
“Oh! Are you alright?”
“Cough! Cough! I’m fine.”
I pulled out a handkerchief and wiped my mouth, quickly offering an explanation.
“In truth, I arranged it that way to lower their guard and to protect my deputy officer.”
“Ah, I see.”
I was now twenty-four years old.
In the Empire, that was more than old enough to be married.
That’s why introducing Seo Hyang as my wife had seemed natural to everyone.
“You two seemed quite well-matched, though.”
The Crown Prince laughed playfully and spoke to the Eunuch Official attending him.
“Bring that thing I mentioned.”
“Yes.”
The Eunuch Official left the room and returned with an elegant box in his hands.
“Take it.”
“What is this?”
“Open it and you’ll see.”
I accepted the box from the Eunuch Official and opened it.
What? This is…?
A hairpin with pearls arranged beautifully.
And the pearls used here were ones that Seo Hyang had personally selected.
The Crown Prince spoke to me, who was slightly taken aback.
“A craftsman came to the Chaehong Trading Company and said that Cheon Cheon-bok had commissioned it. And I found the commission request you left at the wooden table.”
“Ah…”
I explained the matter to him.
“I suspected the Chaehong Trading Company, so I arranged to investigate it.”
“I don’t engage in needless suspicions, so you don’t need to explain further.”
The fact that they had disguised themselves as a trading company dealing in pearls and hadn’t been discovered until now meant they were genuinely operating as a pearl trading company on the surface.
So this must have been made and brought by the craftsman.
“But why are you giving this to me?”
“It’s a gift.”
“Your Highness?”
“I paid for it. Besides, I can spare something of this caliber with my authority.”
“However…”
“Hmph, I’m disappointed. You’re saying I can’t even do this much?”
“No, that’s not it!”
“Then take it. Take it and give it as a gift, discard it, or do whatever you wish with it.”
.
.
.
After discussing future matters with the Crown Prince, I returned to the Inn where I was staying.
“Welcome back.”
Seo Hyang greeted me warmly.
Seeing that she was on the first floor, it seemed she already knew I would be coming.
“Did anything happen while I was away?”
“No. Everything is fine. And Palgap took careful care of everything.”
I turned my head and spoke to Palgap.
“You worked hard. Thank you.”
“I only did what was naturally expected of me. You’re too kind to say such things.”
As he rubbed his nose, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
In the meantime, the others began emerging one by one and gathering around me.
It was as if they had been waiting for my arrival.
“I heard what you did! You fought alongside us.”
“I’m not sure how to properly express my gratitude.”
“Please accept this gift of thanks from our tribe.”
They were tribal chiefs from several tribes living on Haenam Island, and they presented me with various gifts.
Stone-carved frogs, garments woven from intricately patterned cloth, and ornate daggers painted in vibrant colors.
As I accepted these offerings, I realized I had achieved one of my primary objectives.
The gifts they gave me were items outsiders were not permitted to possess.
In other words, they were genuinely accepting me as a member of their community.
I thanked each of them individually before sending them on their way.
“Well then, I should head upstairs and rest for a while.”
“Yes, please do.”
“I… Gwak Vice-Manager. There’s something I’d like to tell you. Please come to the guest room with me for a moment.”
I entered the guest room together with Seo Hyang.
“What is this about?”
In response to her question, I awkwardly presented the box I had brought with me.
“A gift.”
She accepted it and opened it, her expression shifting to one of surprise.
“Oh my! This is…”
It seemed she hadn’t seen this one yet.
I picked up the pearl hairpin and gently placed it in her hair.
“It suits you beautifully.”
Her face flushed crimson.
Well, it’s suddenly quite warm.
I think I’ll need to bathe in cold water.

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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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