The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 615

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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 615

Chapter 615. The Missing Letter (2)

I had decided to formally propose to Seo Hyang.
Father’s counsel had played a role, but more than anything, I felt I owed it to her.
She was the woman willing to walk a thorny path alongside me.
But I couldn’t afford to bungle the proposal itself.
It wasn’t as though I lacked the means to do it properly.
Though the timing was somewhat belated, it was far better than not doing it at all.
“Palgap.”
“Yes, Young Master!”
“Everything I mentioned—it’s all prepared?”
“Of course, sir! Everything is perfectly ready!”

* * *

The guests savored delicious food and laughed merrily as the banquet unfolded.
Eun Seo-ho was meticulous about business matters, but when it came time to celebrate, he did so with magnificent generosity.
Of course, certain standards still had to be maintained.
“That’s why I….”
“At that time….”
“According to my words….”
The tavern musicians’ spirited performance continued, and the banquet was reaching its crescendo when it happened.
Silence.
The music abruptly stopped, and a voice rang out.
“I dedicate this song to my beloved.”
That voice belonged to Eun Seo-ho.
He had stepped onto the ceremonial platform, drawing every eye in the banquet hall toward him.
Eun Seo-ho played the guqin himself and began to sing.

Forgive a cowardly man.
For not being the first to speak of my yearning for you,
From the moment we first met,
My heart ceased to be my own,
Yet I was too foolish to realize it—the greatest fool in this world.
Now I shall find the courage to speak.
My beloved, the most beautiful in all the world.
My beloved, more precious than pearls themselves.
I yearn for you. I yearn for you. I yearn for you.
With a passion deeper than my very life, I yearn for you.

Eun Seo-ho set down the lute.
“Gwak Vice-Manager… no, Seo Hyang.”
At his call, Seo Hyang blinked her eyes.
This was a future she had not foreseen.
She had seen herself in this tavern, but she had not seen him singing so sweetly like this.
And she felt slightly flustered.
She had complained that a proposal was unromantic, but she never expected him to gather everyone here and propose so grandly.
Yet that did not mean she disliked it.
She loved it.
What woman would dislike such a magnificent sight?
And the man before her was Eun Seo-ho, whom she adored.
Eun Seo-ho knelt on one knee and spoke, holding a bouquet made of silk.
“I cannot promise to never make you cry, or to keep your hands from getting wet, or such things. But this one thing I will promise: my wife shall be you and you alone.”
Eun Seo-ho continued with utmost sincerity.
“Will you marry me?”
Seo Hyang’s answer was already determined.
She approached Eun Seo-ho and accepted the silk bouquet he offered.
Purple seo hyang flowers, sharing the name of her own.
“Yes. I would love to.”
In that moment, the crowd scattered silk flowers toward Eun Seo-ho and Seo Hyang in unison.
Palgap had swiftly distributed them to the people while Eun Seo-ho sang, and the sight of them being scattered toward the two was truly magnificent.

* * *

I felt relieved inwardly.
Fortunately, Seo Hyang had answered with “Yes.”
She could have changed her mind and said, “I’m sorry, but I must decline.”
“Thank you.”
“Not at all. Such a wonderfully magnificent proposal! I should be the one thanking you.”
Quite a few people had gone to considerable effort to create the red silk flower petals scattered across the ground and the flowers Seo Hyang held in her hands.
Beijing was not in its flowering season right now.
But since Seo Hyang loved flowers, I absolutely wanted to use them.
“A path of flowers has appeared.”
“Yes. A path of flowers for you.”
At my words, Seo Hyang broke into a radiant smile.
The proposal was a resounding success.
.
.
.
Dawn broke.
Last night’s proposal had apparently become quite the topic, as everyone I encountered offered their congratulations.
“Congratulations.”
Jin-ho was no exception.
“Thank you.”
“But how did you come up with the idea to propose so publicly?”
“Well…”
I scratched my cheek.
“I simply wanted to do it that way.”
“How anticlimactic.”
We ate a simple breakfast and immediately departed for Nanking.
By now, the merchant fleet should have arrived in Nanking.
Since I was traveling with Jin-ho and his group, I couldn’t ride Ju Gang Ma directly.
Instead, I used a carriage pulled by Ju Gang Ma, and after receiving a scolding from Geumryeong previously, he now obediently pulls the carriage.
I wondered what task the Emperor intended to assign me.
The fact that there had been no hint of it yet made me somewhat anxious.
We traveled smoothly to Nanking and immediately headed to the harbor.
The merchant fleet had already arrived at the harbor.
However, they could not yet enter port, as a fifteen-day quarantine period was required out of concern for potential epidemic diseases.
We secured lodging at an inn, and I separately headed to the Provincial Military Command.
“This merchant respectfully greets the Military Commander.”
“It’s been a while.”
Ak Young-gyeong, who still served as the Military Commander of Nanking, received me.
He was from the Shandong Ak Clan and remained loyal to the Imperial Court.
And he was someone who viewed me favorably as well.
“You’ve arrived at just the right moment.”
“Pardon?”
“Let’s have a cup of tea, just the two of us.”
The phrase “just the two of us” was significant. It meant he had something confidential to discuss.
“Of course.”
“Follow me.”
I followed Ak Dae-in into the Guest Reception Room.
When the maidservant brought tea, Ak Dae-in spoke.
“I’ll brew it myself, so you may leave.”
“Yes.”
The maidservant departed, and Ak Dae-in personally brewed the tea and handed it to me.
“Try it.”
“Thank you.”
I bowed respectfully and sipped the tea he had prepared.
Mm, this is delicious.
He must truly appreciate fine tea.
“I’m grateful for such exceptional tea.”
“You seem knowledgeable about tea. Can you identify what kind it is?”
“Isn’t this Keungsan tea from Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province?”
“Oh! How did you know?”
“This delicate aroma and flavor are characteristic of Keungsan tea, and given how fresh it is, I assumed it was produced nearby.”
“Ha ha ha! You truly have the discerning eye of a Small Guild Master from the Eunhae Trading Company.”
“You’re too kind.”
Ak Dae-in took a sip of his tea with a satisfied expression and opened his mouth to speak.
“How is the establishment of the Martial Hall you mentioned before progressing?”
“In fact, one reason I sought you out today was precisely regarding this matter.”
I continued.
“This time, I obtained the Emperor’s approval for it.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Yes. I should have informed you sooner, but I’ve been occupied with other matters. I apologize for the delay.”
“Not at all. I’ve also heard of your remarkable performance at the Martial Arts Grand Conference. How could you have had time to attend to such matters?”
“Thank you for your understanding.”
Ak Dae-in spoke.
“Then I too must honor my promise. When you visit next time, I’ll introduce you to a capable Instructor who can teach spear techniques, just as I promised.”
“I’m grateful.”
We discussed several other matters, but it seemed this wasn’t what Ak Dae-in truly wanted to discuss.
Everything we’d talked about so far was the kind of conversation anyone could overhear without concern.
Then it happened.
With a soft rustle,
Ak Dae-in withdrew a letter from his sleeve and handed it to me, shaking his head.
It means to say nothing.
This is why he asked me to have tea alone with him.
I naturally slipped it into my sleeve and continued speaking.
“The tea was excellent. In return, I shall gift you some truly fine tea next time.”
“Hahaha. I look forward to it. Ah! I nearly forgot to mention something.”
“What might that be?”
“When the sailors disembark from the ship, I shall provide them with alcohol at a tavern of my choosing.”
“Pardon? You mean alcohol?”
The prohibition on alcohol hadn’t been lifted yet—was he truly saying this?
“Has the Emperor granted his permission for this?”
“Indeed. I hear the sailors soothe their hardships with drink, you see.”
“They will be most delighted.”
With that, we rose from our seats.

I returned to the inn and immediately unfolded the letter Ak Dae-in had discreetly delivered.
“….”
It bore the Emperor’s seal.

[By now, you must be reading this with the expression of someone who’s tasted stale tea water.]

Yes. Precisely.

[But since you’re suitable for this task, I have no choice. So get to work. I’ve done this much for you—don’t think of slipping away after taking only your share of the profit.]

Damn it! I was hoping to slip away.
In any case, I now understood the source of my unease. The Emperor’s seal had been waiting for me all along.
And as I suspected, the Emperor was never one to bestow favor without expecting something in return.

[It seems the Baekpa Trading Company has been playing games. According to recent reports, they’ve been profiting by exploiting the tax exemption system. This is deception against me.
Therefore, I formally command you: warn the merchants of the Baekpa Trading Company who deceive me never to deceive me again.]

A warning, then.
So he’s going to observe for now?
The Emperor tends to let serious offenses slide with a warning, unless they’re truly heinous crimes.
Of course, if they fail to come to their senses even after that, a punishment so severe it would be terrifying to dream about awaits them.
I burned the letter in the flames.
After all, it was written at the end to burn it once I finished reading.
Anyway, the Baekpa Trading Company… they certainly have audacity.
To think they believed they could illegally operate ships while evading the Emperor’s gaze.
I hope the Eunhae Trading Company wouldn’t do such a thing?
If they did, I would show them just how terrifying I can be.
.
.
.
Several days passed, and finally the port entry permit was granted.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“We are grateful that the two Small Guild Masters have come to greet us personally.”
“Considering the hardship you’ve endured for the guild in a distant foreign land, it’s only natural that we receive you this way.”
“Your words alone are thanks enough.”
“How was this trading expedition?”
Captain Yong answered my question with a satisfied expression.
“Absolutely outstanding. Especially with the alcohol—people’s eyes went wild, and gold and silver flew through the air.”
“It seems it was quite popular.”
“No need to say more.”
It was exactly as I had anticipated.
“As a result, we were able to gain nearly five times the expected profit and filled the ship with provisions.”
“Well done. Hearing that puts my mind at ease.”
I continued speaking.
“I’ve prepared an inn for all of you. Please rest and recover from your fatigue.”
Palgap guided the Eunhae Trading Company members to the inn.
Then I approached the representatives of the other merchant caravans.
“Have you heard from the Military Commander?”
“Pardon?”
“About providing alcohol at the tavern today.”
“Ah! Yes, I heard about it.”
“Well then, I’ve arranged an inn nearby. It would be better to go there instead of the Provincial Military Command.”
“What? You mean for us?”
“That’s correct.”
They wore troubled expressions at my words.
“What is it that you want?”
Their question was natural enough.
Merchants rarely provide lodging without compensation.
“There’s nothing like that. There was simply a confidential order from the Emperor.”
“Ah!”
“So, don’t worry and just head to the inn.”
I was trading on the Emperor’s name to lodge them at the inn for the purpose of investigating them.
A place as free and relaxed as an inn would allow their behavior to be more uninhibited than somewhere rigid like the Provincial Military Command, increasing the likelihood of them making mistakes.
And this time, alcohol was prepared.
If they lodged at the Provincial Military Command, they would have to leave for there after the banquet ended, preventing them from drinking freely.
But if the lodging was at a nearby inn, they would drink without hesitation.
From what I knew, sailors were obsessed with alcohol.
That’s because maritime work was so grueling, and during this time they hadn’t been able to touch a drop due to the prohibition on drinking.
And alcohol was also a miraculous potion that could draw out people’s true feelings.
I would investigate the Baekpa Trading Company primarily, but there was a possibility that other merchant companies had also engaged in such tricks.
And so the people from other merchant companies also headed to the inn.
Well, the Emperor would cover their lodging expenses.

That night.
The tavern designated by Ak Dae-in was filled with the scent of alcohol for the first time in a long while.
Those passing by smacked their lips as they walked past.
They couldn’t enter the tavern and drink, but their eyes sparkled as they watched the sailors drinking.
Seeing this, they would harbor hope that the drinking prohibition would soon be lifted.
I had felt it before, but Ak Dae-in was subtly cunning—that’s what it means to be good at politics.
“Ah, Captain Yong, do you know about this?”
“Yes? What are you referring to?”
“It’s about the pirates you encountered while passing through Haenam Island.”
“Yes. When passing through Haenam Island, we happened to encounter pirates and struck first, sinking them… but how did you know about that?”
“Actually, I was there. Thanks to the merchant fleet’s assistance, we were able to resolve the matter easily.”
“Is that so?”
After exchanging such warm conversation with them, I turned serious and asked.
“Ah, but by any chance… there wouldn’t be anyone in the Eun Hae Trading Company who has lined their pockets illegally, would there?”
“Yes?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“If there were anyone who had lined their pockets through illegal means, I would be truly saddened.”
At my warning, they jumped up and denied it.
“No!”
“We would never do such a thing.”
“Then that’s fortunate.”
The sailors from the other merchant companies began to stumble over their words.
Since they hadn’t been drinking until now, even a little alcohol would make the room spin.
So, shall I begin taking action now?

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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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