The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 68

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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 Eunhae Trading Company – Chapter 68

Chapter 68. Fishing for Talent (3)

It would be no exaggeration to say that the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect’s victory in that battle was owed entirely to this administrator.
He had supplied materials at precisely the right moments.
In recognition of this, the Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect personally bestowed upon him the title of Ten Thousand Passage Demon Lord, signifying that all matters of the sect would flow through him.
At that moment, he revealed the origin of his own name, and this story spread widely throughout the world—I knew of it as well.
With a faint hope, I asked him about it.
“Is it possible you chose the name Seok Il-song because you saw a pine tree growing upon the ruins of a broken foundation stone, and wished to become a person equally steadfast?”
“Huh? That’s right. How did you know?”
I found myself momentarily speechless.
A constitution incapable of cultivating martial arts.
And the meaning behind the name he had just revealed to me—the one he had given himself.
This was truly Seok Il-song.
I stared at the boy gazing back at me with wide eyes—Seok Il-song—and spoke.
“I simply had a feeling.”
What had transpired in my previous life?
What circumstances had driven this boy to the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect, plunging the Central Plains into terror?
It was fortunate that I had discovered him before he devoted himself to that sect.
His talents should be channeled not toward slaughter, but toward constructive and hopeful futures.
“We came from Hubei Province. You must come with us and return to Hubei Province as well. Will you be able to do that?”
“Of course.”
“We are a merchant guild. Employing you means you will assist with the guild’s affairs.”
“As long as it is nothing unlawful, I will undertake any task.”
I did not need to deliberate on where to place Seok Il-song.
With my recent appointment as a salt retailer, the workload would only increase.
Moreover, I had now become a Small Merchant Guild Leader.
As a Small Merchant Guild Leader, I could no longer serve as Yu Chief Manager’s assistant.
Therefore, I needed a capable, dedicated member to work directly under Yu Chief Manager.
Yu Chief Manager had always harbored deep distrust of people, which is why he had never taken on an assistant until now.
But Seok Il-song could soften Yu Chief Manager’s suspicions.
He was young, possessed a strong will to live, and was remarkably intelligent besides.
It seemed I could simply bring him to Yu Chief Manager and have him trained properly.
“You stay here for now, and when we return to Hubei Province, you will come with us.”
“Does that mean you are employing me?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you! I will work hard!”
The problem was that this boy was only thirteen years old. Leaving him alone at the inn raised numerous concerns….
As if sensing my worries, Palgap quickly spoke to me.
“Young Master, I shall remain at the inn with this boy.”
“Will you be alright?”
“Of course, sir.”
“Thank you. Use this money to buy something delicious for the both of you.”
I pressed a generous sum of silver into Palgap’s hands.
Now I truly had to return to Jin Merchant Master’s Residence.
Considerable time had already slipped away, and fatigue was beginning to settle upon me.
.
.
.
Two days had passed.
At last, twenty-three merchant guilds gathered at Jin Woo-rim’s Residence.
Representatives from each guild held their conference, and through the documents Father had brought, I could discern the meeting’s contents.
The salt retailers were unified under the name of the Salt Guild, and they agreed to hold regular meetings twice yearly.
Beyond that, matters such as salt pricing and the maximum quantity of salt that could be retailed in a single transaction were all determined through this conference.
Reading through those details, I let out a quiet laugh.
This was surely proof that the Emperor had made his resolve.
Indeed, it was the common people who had suffered from salt prices all this time, so to gain their support, this matter had to be pushed through with unwavering force.
And as a bonus, it would replenish the imperial treasury.
The next day.
We finally set out toward the Imperial Palace to have an audience with the Emperor.
Clack, clack, clack.
The rhythmic sound of the carriage rolling over the stone-paved road echoed steadily.
I observed Father.
His tension was plainly evident.
Well, the person we were about to meet was the Emperor, after all.
Standing at the apex of power, a single gesture or glance from him could scatter a minor merchant guild like ours to the winds.
Yet I felt little tension myself.
I understood that the Emperor had summoned us merely for the sake of appearances.
We would simply meet, hear him say “Conduct yourselves well henceforth. I shall be watching,” respond with “We shall do our utmost,” and then depart from the Imperial Chamber—that would be the end of it.
Ah, but there was one more thing we needed to do. We had brought a fire lance as a tribute to present to the Emperor.
Only Father and I rode in the carriage to the Emperor. My Elder Brother could not attend.
His name was not on the audience roster.
According to the list brought by the Eunuch Official, only representatives from each merchant guild could have an audience, with one exception—myself.
The Emperor had specifically summoned me, which is why I had come all the way to Beijing.
Likely to express gratitude for saving Jin Woo-rim, I suppose.
Eun Jung-ho seemed inwardly disappointed.
Though truthfully, there was no reason for him to feel that way.
The Five Great Merchant Guilds of the World received invitations from the Emperor and had opportunities for royal audiences.
Thus, Eun Jung-ho, who was the Merchant Guild Leader at that time, had visited the Imperial Palace several times.
Then the carriage came to a halt.
“From here onward, everyone must proceed on foot. Please disembark from the carriage.”
At the words of the Eunuch Official who had come to escort us, we descended from the carriage.
In the distance, a magnificent pavilion with a golden roof gleamed in the sunlight.
And a path paved with stone stretched out before us. Which meant one thing: there was no shade.
I glanced up at the blazing sun and exhaled a soft sigh.
I had mastered ice cultivation, so I was not bothered by the heat.
But the others already looked exhausted by the warmth. In particular, In Jun Merchant Guild Leader was well over seventy years old.
They had to walk all the way there in this heat?
What would Eun Jung-ho have said if he had seen this, given how much he disliked the heat?
As I recalled Eun Jung-ho, a memory suddenly surfaced from my past life—something he had told me after returning from the Imperial Palace.

“I was worried about the long and scorching path to Taihua Hall. But the Eunuch Officials carried curved canopies and created shade for us, so I made the journey quite comfortably.”

A curved canopy was used to create shade when there was none, and it was typically attached to a carriage for use.
But when one could not ride in a carriage, the Eunuch Officials would hold the curved canopy directly to provide shade.
For the Imperial Palace to provide a curved canopy meant they were showing us considerable honor.
And whenever a curved canopy was used, an Eunuch Official from the Imperial Wardrobe Department always accompanied the guests.
It was the department that managed the Emperor’s tents and umbrellas, and the curved canopies used for distinguished guests were also managed there.
With a faint hope, I asked the Eunuch Official who had come to escort us.
“Excuse me, but I was wondering if there might be an official from the Imperial Wardrobe Department present here?”
“Why would you be curious about that?”
“Well, our trading company has some interest in umbrellas, you see.”
“Always asking about the strangest things. This is why merchants are… tsk, tsk. That Eunuch Official over there belongs to the Imperial Wardrobe Department.”
The Eunuch Official answered with a dismissive tone.
“Thank you for telling me.”
So there was an official from the Imperial Wardrobe Department here.
Of course there was.
From the Emperor’s perspective, salt merchants would be far more valuable guests than the Five Great Merchant Guilds of the World.
Yet it seemed the Eunuch Officials did not welcome us. The way they treated us from the start, and the look in their eyes as they regarded us—it all carried a sense of disdain.
I understood what that look meant.
It was the look that said: mere merchants who care only about money should be grateful just to set foot inside the Imperial Palace, so why should we bother giving them any special treatment?
I had seen that look many times in my previous life.
In any case, I understood what was happening here.
Originally, we should have been provided with curved canopies. But they deliberately had not prepared any for us.
In other words, they were not properly following the Emperor’s orders.
One might say such a thing could never happen, but thinking about it, it would be difficult to protest the lack of a curved canopy, so they were doing this.
The Merchant Guild Leaders here were from guilds that did not even rank among the Five Great Merchant Guilds of the World, so they likely did not know about curved canopies and assumed we would not either.
The Emperor could hardly be expected to know every detail himself.
So that’s why they create secret societies within the Eunuch Officials to control them, I thought.
It would be better to keep our heads down even now.
From what I remember, a few months from now, a bloodbath erupts among the Eunuch Officials.
The Eunuch Officials collectively deceive the Emperor, and a prime example is selling information to other merchant guilds in exchange for money regarding this new salt distribution law.
And it was one of these Eunuch Officials who leaked Jin Merchant Master’s travel route to the Dong Merchant Guild.
That’s when it gets exposed.
Could it be that their rudeness toward us stems from the fact that the merchant guild they were backing suffered losses, leaving them with fewer scraps to fall back on?
How petty, how utterly petty.
Those who had grown arrogant, believing themselves safe under the Emperor’s favor, eventually paid the price for their actions.
Back then I felt some pity for them, but now that I’m experiencing such filthy dealings firsthand, I can only think they brought it upon themselves.
“Move quickly!”
“Would you have the Emperor wait?”
The Eunuch Officials urged us on. I had no intention of arguing about why we hadn’t prepared a sedan chair in this situation.
Arguing here would only waste time and invite the Emperor’s interrogation.
So I decided to let it pass for now.
I spoke to In Jun Merchant Guild Leader.
“Please, allow me to carry you.”
“No, I’m fine.”
“It appears to be quite a distance. If you collapse from exhaustion before the Emperor, wouldn’t that be a disaster? And if your pace slows, these Eunuch Officials here will scold you.”
The Eunuch Officials did not stop me at my words.
It was the truth, after all.
“….”
“Just think of it as being carried by your grandson and relax into it.”
“Then I’ll shamelessly impose upon you.”
As I carried In Jun Merchant Guild Leader on my back, an Eunuch Official spoke.
“Then let’s go.”
As we walked for some time, In Jun Merchant Guild Leader spoke in a low voice.
“I’m truly grateful. Honestly, I wasn’t sure how I’d make it to Taihua Hall.”
“Think nothing of it.”
“But your body is remarkably cold.”
“It’s likely due to my naturally frigid constitution.”
“I see.”
Then In Jun Merchant Guild Leader spoke.
“The fact that they didn’t prepare a sedan chair seems intentional….”
This man understands the current situation as well.
Indeed, the saying that old ginger is spicier isn’t without reason.
“You’ve noticed it too. How lamentable.”
I answered in a low voice.
“Truth be told, I tend to hold grudges for quite a while.”
“What are you planning to do?”
“If you watch, you’ll understand. I’ll make it even more satisfying than before.”

After walking for quite some time, we arrived before Taihua Hall.
This was where the Imperial Chamber stood.
After we adjusted our official robes properly and waited briefly, an Eunuch Official emerged from within and spoke with utmost courtesy.
“Please enter.”
“Yes.”
We entered in turn and prostrated ourselves before him.
“We pay our respects to Your Imperial Majesty. Long live the Emperor, long live, long live ten thousand years!”
“Raise your heads.”
“We are overwhelmed by your benevolence.”
I lifted my head and beheld the Emperor.
The current Emperor was in his forties, yet young in appearance. However, I sensed that he was no ordinary man.
It felt as though a white tiger—the king of the mountains—was regarding me with leisurely eyes.
Beside him stood Jin Woo-rim.
He had departed an hour before we did, so it seemed he had matters to discuss with the Emperor.
“My selection of your Merchant Guild as the salt retailers under this new salt distribution law is….”
The Emperor spoke as I had anticipated, saying something to the effect of “I am watching, so do well.”
“We are honored to receive Your Majesty’s grace.”
In Jun Merchant Guild Leader spoke on our behalf, and we all bowed our heads together.
“But I hear the Eunhae Trading Company has brought a gift?”
Father had informed the Eunuch Official beforehand, so the Emperor already knew.
Father answered.
“Indeed. Though it is but a humble object, we have prepared it with sincere intention.”
“Bring it forth.”
At those words, the Eunuch Official received the item from Father and presented it to the Emperor.
Upon seeing it, the Emperor tilted his head in curiosity.
It was only natural—it was clearly an object he had never seen before.
“What is this?”
“It is called a hand fan, a device our Merchant Guild has newly created.”
Father explained in detail how the hand fan operated, and the Eunuch Official proceeded to demonstrate it.

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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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