The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 663

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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 663

Chapter 663. The Emperor’s Secret Decree (4)

That evening.
The Crown Prince held a banquet for all the attendants he had brought to Nanking.
Since the alcohol prohibition had not yet been lifted, everyone enjoyed their meal with clear minds and dispersed afterward.
Of course, even if alcohol had been permitted, no one would have overindulged in front of the Crown Prince.
In any case, after the banquet concluded, I made my way to the inn where we always stayed whenever we came to Nanking.
The Inn Owner greeted us warmly upon our arrival.
“Welcome. I am delighted to serve you again.”
“The pleasure is mine. By the way, have the others arrived?”
“Yes. The Haeng-su overseeing the tea shipments have already arrived.”
“I see. Shall we go in?”
The goods necessary for overseas trade were transported to Nanking by the Haeng-su from each region, timed to coincide with the departure date.
When passing through Hubei Province, the goods were loaded onto ships there and transported; otherwise, they were simply brought to Nanking.
And the goods that were loaded onto ships in Hubei Province are reorganized again in Nanking.
We reload everything to carry as much as possible and enable long-term voyages.
We must also balance the weight.
As I entered, those who had been drinking tea inside rose from their seats to greet me.
“Welcome, Small Merchant Guild Leader.”
“We greet you, Small Merchant Guild Leader.”
I exchanged greetings with them.
“You have worked hard to come all this way. There is still time before the promised deadline, so please rest well.”
“Thank you.”
I arrived at my guest room and was about to lie down on the bed when…
“Young Master, shouldn’t you wash up first? If you lie down like that, you’ll soil the bedding. Is that acceptable to you?”
Palgap stopped me in my tracks.
True enough, I must look quite a sight right now.
After washing thoroughly with fragrant water and changing into fresh clothes, my spirits lifted considerably.
As I lay upon the bed, my conversation with Ajeong Eunuch suddenly came to mind.

“Hehehehe, and do you know what else? There’s someone planted in your Eun Hae Trading Company by the Baekcheon Trading Company. But I’ll never tell you who… *cough*… I won’t.”
“I see.”
“D-don’t pretend you’re not surprised…”
“I apologize, but that’s far too obvious. Were you really trying to shock me with such a statement?”
“*Cough*! What did you just…?”
“Honestly, our trading company is doing quite well. So naturally, the Baekcheon Trading Company would be wary of us.”
“….”
“And is the Baekcheon Trading Company the only one that’s planted spies in our organization? We know about them and simply leave them be.”
“That’s… why don’t you eliminate them?”
“Why bother? We can use them. Why stir up trouble when we don’t have to?”

By using them, I could actually turn the tables and inflict significant losses on those who planted them. Why would I remove them?
They planted spies precisely because they were hostile to the Eun Hae Trading Company from the start.
So if they suffer losses because of this, it’s simply reaping what they’ve sown.
I’ve already assigned people to monitor them, so I’m not particularly worried.

“Anyway, stop wasting my time with such nonsense and tell me about those operating secretly within the Imperial Palace.”
*Tap! Tap tap!*
“Ugh! Aaaahhhhh!”

I inflicted more severe pain because he had wasted my time.
That conversation came to mind because I had just spotted a spy among the Haeng-sus.
Then, from outside, I heard the voice of Chang-un Warrior.
“Master. Oh Haengsu has arrived.”
I cleared my thoughts and rose from the bed.
“Tell him to come in.”
“Yes.”
The door opened and Oh Haengsu entered.
One of the Haeng-sus who had brought the Tieguanyin tea from Fujian Province this time.
As the saying goes, even a tiger will come if you speak of it…
“Forgive me for disturbing your rest.”
“Not at all. Please come in.”
As he entered the room, the door closed behind him.
He immediately knelt and prostrated himself.
“Small Guild Master. I have committed a grave sin.”
“Why do you say such a thing so suddenly?”
“I am… in truth, a spy planted in this Eun Hae Trading Company.”
“Is that truly so?”
I asked as if surprised, though I already knew his identity.
“Who exactly gave you such an order, Oh Haengsu?”
“It’s the Baekcheon Trading Company.”
I already knew that much.
So the real question was—why confess it to me now, all of a sudden?
He must have been promised substantial compensation from the Baekcheon Trading Company.
That’s why he’d taken the risk of playing spy.
“I see. What orders were you given, Haeng-su?”
“My orders were to periodically report on the movements of the Eun Hae Trading Company.”
“That’s nothing particularly unusual, but the fact that you sought me out means something serious has happened.”
He bit his lip at my words.
“That’s just it… I couldn’t possibly accept this latest order.”
“What kind of order could that be?”
“I was ordered to place a dead rat inside the Tieluanyin tea we’re transporting.”
These insane bastards…
He seemed to share my sentiment, continuing with a pained expression.
“My conscience wouldn’t allow it. Think of how much labor goes into producing and selling that tea. And they want me to put a dead rat inside it? That would be trampling on all that effort!”
Seeing his reaction, he seemed like a decent person.
“You’re right. It’s unforgivable.”
I helped him to his feet as I spoke.
“The floor is cold. Please, stand up.”
“How can I… I have no face to show.”
“I don’t see it that way. Think of the conflict you must have endured before finding the courage to tell me this. I’m grateful you did.”
At my warm words, his eyes grew red.
“Sob… Small Guild Master…”
“Don’t worry too much. As you know, our Eun Hae Trading Company has a system called ‘Confession in Good Faith,’ doesn’t it?”
Confession in Good Faith.
It was one of our company’s systems—when someone confessed to discovering wrongdoing, we protected their secret.
The same applied when someone confessed to being bribed by another party.
And the company would reduce the punishment of those who made such confessions.
This was one of the systems I’d implemented early in this life, drawing on the lessons of my previous existence.
Thanks to it, quite a few spies had defected to us—which must be quite a headache for those who’d planted them.
Anyone capable enough to be planted as a spy in another company had to be fairly talented.
We could simply employ such capable people.
“That’s why I’m telling you this. Please, punish only me and show mercy to my family so they can survive.”
I chuckled inwardly at his words.
There were many reasons spies planted in our company defected, but the greatest was the Eun Hae Trading Company’s welfare system.
Working for the Eun Hae Trading Company forced them into serious contemplation.
Which side was it better to continue working for?
And when someone like Oh Haengsu reached that crossroads, the answer became clear.
“Why would I punish you, Haeng-su? I know well how hard you’ve worked all this time. So please, continue to serve us well.”
“Small Guild Master…”
“I’ll need to inform Father and my First Elder Brother about this, but don’t worry. There shouldn’t be any serious consequences.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
He bowed repeatedly with a grateful expression, but his face suddenly darkened.
“However, if Baekcheon Trading Company contacts me….”
“Tell them the surveillance was too tight and the mission failed. After that, simply follow the instructions provided by our Eunhae Trading Company’s Information Bureau. There’s no need to worry excessively.”
“Thank you.”
“By the way, I heard your Lady recently gave birth to a healthy son.”
“That’s correct. But how did you….”
“As the Small Merchant Guild Leader, I should know at least that much about my subordinates’ families.”
I smiled and reached into the pouch I’d placed on the wooden table, withdrawing a gold coin and handing it to him.
“Gasp! This, this is a gold coin, isn’t it?”
Oh Haengsu was startled.
A gold coin was a fortune he couldn’t earn even if he saved several months of his salary.
I spoke to him gently.
“Raising a child requires considerable expense, doesn’t it? Please use this to help support your son.”
“No, no! How could I, a criminal, possibly….”
“Nonsense! A criminal? You’ve been so courageous in your confession that from our trading company’s perspective, you’re a hero.”
Even if you’re a traitor from Baekcheon Trading Company’s perspective.
“I’m giving this out of gratitude. So please accept it.”
Faced with my insistence, he no longer refused.
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
“Then don’t worry about anything and return to your duties, giving your best effort.”
“Thank you, thank you. Small Merchant Guild Leader.”
He continued expressing his gratitude as he left my quarters.
“Sigh….”
This is exhausting.
Honestly, hearing a spy’s confession and managing not to lose my temper while consoling him is no easy task.
But through this, I’ve gained another card to check against my opponent, so it’s something to be pleased about.
I smiled faintly and was about to lie back on the bed when the door opened and Palgap entered.
“Would you like more tea?”
“No, I haven’t even drunk what I have. But you’ve arrived at a good time. We have an Information Bureau here in Nanking as well, don’t we?”
“Of course we do.”
I rose from the bed, composed a letter, and handed it to Palgap.
“Deliver this to the Information Bureau.”
“Understood.”
“Speaking of which, I heard Ha-hwa Officer was recognized for her abilities and became the head of the Information Bureau?”
“That’s right. Ha Young Lady has quite impressive abilities.”
“Ha Young Lady?”
Watching Palgap’s face flush red in embarrassment, I chuckled.
In fact, I’d happened to see them together before coming to Nanking.
I was referring to the hairpin that Palgap had bought before, which she was wearing in her hair.
“So, how far did things go?”
“W-what do you mean, how far? W-what are you saying, sir?”
“You might as well try deceiving a ghost spirit.”
“…We only held hands, sir.”
Quite the feat, that.
Even while attending to me as I moved about in all directions without pause, their relationship had already progressed to that point.
In my previous life, Palgap remained alone until his death.
Even when I urged him to find a good woman and marry, he would respond, “How could I marry when you haven’t, young master?” which weighed heavily on my conscience.
“But are you certain about this?”
“Certain about what, sir?”
“Ha-hwa Officer is a gisaeng, isn’t she?”
I asked this because I was curious about Palgap’s true feelings—whether he was approaching her out of mere curiosity or genuine affection.
At my words, Palgap dropped to his knees.
“Young master, I have a request!”
Why was he suddenly kneeling….
“W-what is it?”
I was genuinely taken aback.
Palgap had never shown such behavior before.
“If you would lend me the money to buy Ha Young Lady’s freedom from Gijuk, I swear I will repay every coin, sir.”
“….”
So it was genuine.
“Rise.”
“I will not stand until you say you will lend me the money, sir.”
“Ha-hwa Officer is no longer at Gijuk.”
“…Pardon?”
“Would I leave such a capable officer there? I freed her from Gijuk long ago.”
I laughed at Palgap’s bewildered expression.
“You should have investigated more thoroughly before kneeling.”
The usual Palgap would have known this much, so his ignorance meant his feelings were genuine.
He had approached her not as a target of investigation, but with his heart.
Palgap lowered his head in utter embarrassment, and Geumryeong, who had emerged from my sleeve, patted his shoulder reassuringly.

* * *

Jocheon Palace.
The Crown Prince was reviewing documents in his office when he lifted his head and summoned the Eunuch Official who had followed him from Beijing.
“Chief Eunuch Jang.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Did you send A Chief Eunuch’s body back to Beijing?”
“Yes. It is currently being transported to Beijing.”
“I see. By the way, weren’t you puzzled when I chose A Chief Eunuch?”
“I merely follow Your Highness’s intentions.”
Looking at Chief Eunuch Jang, the Crown Prince let slip a remark.
“He used sorcery on me.”
“Your Highness?”
“I hear that I rejected someone already chosen and selected Ajeong Eunuch instead.”
“….”
“I don’t know the reason, but I suddenly came to my senses. So I eliminated him. He was someone who could not be left alive.”
The Crown Prince’s cold gaze softened slightly.
“What do you think of Eun Seo-ho, the Small Merchant Guild Leader?”
“I do not understand Your Highness’s intent in asking.”
“Never mind the intent—just tell me what you genuinely feel.”
Chief Eunuch Jang pondered for a moment before answering.
“He appears soft on the surface, but in reality, he is quite resolute.”
“I think the same.”
The Crown Prince nodded, regarding Chief Eunuch Jang.
This was the man whom Eun Seo-ho had said was trustworthy.
That is why he speaks so candidly now.
“Here in Nanking, at Jocheon Palace, there are suspicious individuals operating in the shadows. Having experienced them firsthand, I can say they are people who must be dealt with as soon as possible! Since the Small Merchant Guild Leader possesses considerable ability, I appealed to him to handle this matter, but it didn’t work.”
The Crown Prince smiled bitterly.
His persistence with Eun Seo-ho was not because his own ability was lacking, but because he needed to borrow Eun Seo-ho’s ability.
“Well, do you have any good ideas?”
At this, Chief Eunuch Jang pondered briefly before speaking.
“Force will not work. His ability and integrity have a solid reputation even among us eunuchs.”
“I see….”
“But there is a way.”
The Crown Prince’s eyes brightened as he asked.
“What is it?”
“He is a merchant. And one must negotiate with merchants. If we offer something, they will offer something in return, will they not?”

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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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