The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 717

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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 717

Chapter 717. Chung-ui Hall (4)

Before coming here, I had heard from Seo Hyang that Jang So-seok would meet his end.
So as soon as I finished my morning lecture today, I sought out Jang So-seok, explained the entire situation, and brought him here to take refuge.
The fact that he didn’t resist my sudden proposal and simply followed along meant he had already sensed the danger closing in on him.
According to what Commander Dae-hyeop told me, Jang So-seok had been deployed on the same mission where two men had fallen in the line of duty.
And among those attending my lectures, there was another who had been deployed on that same mission.
His name was Baek Son, if I recall correctly.
During the theoretical instruction spanning yesterday and today, Jang So-seok must have sensed something amiss.
And there was one decisive moment.

“There is no place with as many spies as the Merchant Guild. The same holds true for the Geumui Guard, but when spies are captured, they are interrogated thoroughly. What they discovered, who sent them—such things are extracted. It happens quite often that someone who seemed to be smiling ends up stabbing you in the back.”

At my words, Jang So-seok’s expression hardened, as did Baek Son’s.
Baek Son’s eyes in particular betrayed a deep anxiety.
Seeing this, I could piece together much of what had transpired.
Baek Son must have betrayed his fellow soldiers deployed on that mission to save his own life.
The reason Jang So-seok hadn’t been discovered was likely because he hadn’t known he was part of the same deployment.
But later, when he learned of this fact and was troubled over what to do, he must have realized during my lecture that Jang So-seok had noticed something suspicious.
Then, when class ended and the break began, Baek Son must have made his decision.
He instinctively understood that if he missed this moment, his life would be ruined.
Jang So-seok let out a heavy sigh and spoke.
“When those two men fell, even knowing that they were killed immediately without interrogation on that side, how could I not have suspected that bastard Baek Son? I was a fool.”
He looked down at his own hands.
“I couldn’t even save my promising juniors, and now I’m being saved by the Grand Master’s help—it’s almost shameful.”
I knew of this situation because Yeo Eung-am Warrior had explained it to me.
“Still, you mustn’t let your spirit break,” I said.
I pulled over a chair and sat before him.
“If nothing else, for the sake of the Emperor who saved your life.”
“What? The Emperor, you say?”
“How else would I have known to save Chief Jang? The Emperor knew everything and sent me.”
I continued.
“The Emperor does not desire meaningless deaths. And he cherishes the Geumui Guard, who are like his own hands. So shouldn’t we repay that kindness?”
“Ugh! Your Majesty….”
Yes, Your Majesty.
Are you watching?
This is how loyal I am. I have elevated the Emperor’s name and created another truly faithful subject.
Jang So-seok, moved by such sentiments, changed the subject.
“By the way, how did you manage that?”
“What do you mean?”
“Creating my phantom, that is.”
“It is merely a technique of mine.”
I had created a phantom of Jang So-seok’s appearance using Hwagyeong.
Thanks to my cultivation level as the master of Hwagyeong having grown stronger, the phantom now possessed substance and could move of its own accord.
Though it had limitations in behaving exactly like a real person, it was sufficient to deceive an assassin who had come to kill.
Thus Baek Son mistook the phantom for the real Jang So-seok and murdered it.
When my cultivation eventually breaks through the barrier of Hwagyeong, will Hwagyeong then be able to handle documents on my behalf?
– Chirp!
Is that possible?
I know. I was merely speaking aloud.
In any case, I concealed the existence of Hwagyeong and attributed it to my own technique.
A Kimul, by its very nature, awakens human desire.
That is why it is also called a demon beast.
“But regarding Baek Son being the culprit—how do you intend to expose him?”
“I have already given this thought.”
Jin Yu Warrior proved invaluable in this matter.
Because he was hidden within Jang So-seok’s chamber, he witnessed everything—that Baek Son was indeed the culprit, and precisely how he constructed the secret chamber.
So now all that remains is for me to act as though I have uncovered the culprit myself.
And I possess the token of succession given to me by Bang Hyo-myeong, called the Meat-Loving Duke.
I have the authority to investigate this matter, and I have sufficient conditions to lend credibility to my words.
But was Baek Son turned through having his identity exposed? Or was he on their side from the beginning?
Judging by how he constructed the secret chamber, he seems quite intelligent, so it does not appear to be merely a matter of his identity being discovered.
.
.
.
Evening came, and it was time for dinner.
Nineteen Gold-Clad Guards gathered in the conference room.
I stood upon the platform and asked them a question.
“How did you find the assignment?”
“….”
I could discern their experience simply by observing their expressions.
“It was no easy task, I imagine. You must have received looks as though you were mad when you spoke of selling stones.”
At my words, they nodded in agreement.
“Yet those who buy and sell goods even in such circumstances are true merchants. They employ every method at their disposal—leveraging connections, seizing opportunities, wielding eloquence to persuade.”
I continued, surveying them all.
“Each of you must have demonstrated your own strengths in doing so. Now, please tell me one by one—at what price and to whom did you sell?”
They began telling me how much they had sold their stones for.
Of course, I also asked them to whom and by what method they had sold them.
After all, some people lie and claim they used their own money to make up the difference.
It was exactly as I had anticipated.
“Well, um, so….”
“The fact that you cannot answer immediately tells me you brought your own money. I’ll give you another chance. Sell those stones by tonight, no matter what it takes.”
I identified about three people who had attempted such tricks.
I turned my attention to the one who had earned the most money.
There was someone who had earned a whole gold coin.
“How on earth did you manage to sell that stone to Hwangbo Seon-yu Grand Master for a gold coin?”
“Ah, I bundled it in with something else.”
“Pardon?”
“I sold important information to Hwangbo Seon-yu Grand Master and bundled the stone in with that transaction.”
Since he was also a Geumui Guard, he wouldn’t have sold classified information.
Now that I think about it….
“What is your name?”
“Ak Cheom.”
“Are you perhaps from the Shandong Ak Clan?”
“That’s correct.”
Ah… then I could guess what information he had sold.
He must have sold to Hwangbo Seon-yu Grand Master the information that the House Master of the Shandong Ak Clan would be visiting the Imperial Palace soon.
Since they were rivals, that would be quite valuable information.
Valuable enough to warrant payment of a gold coin.
“But how can you pass such information to another family?”
“It seems you know what information I sold. You truly are Seon Hyeop Mi-rang.”
He grinned widely as he spoke.
“Well, it doesn’t matter. Eventually everyone will find out anyway—it’s only a matter of time. The real issue is when they find out, and Hwangbo Seon-yu Grand Master understood that, which is why he paid the gold coin.”
“But you cannot know what the Hwangbo Family will do with that information, can you?”
“That’s what makes things interesting.”
Was it confidence? Or was he simply ambitious?
Well, that wasn’t important right now.
“Well done. You’ve applied what you learned very effectively.”
I had explained the theory of bundling sales to them, but I never expected anyone would actually implement it.
Impressive.
I was pleased.
If he weren’t a Geumui Guard, I’d want to recruit him on the spot.
The future looks promising.
“But… why are you looking at me like that?”
Ak Cheom looked at me with a somewhat fearful expression, and I quickly averted my gaze. He has good instincts.
“It’s nothing. As promised, I’ll give you a gift. You can look forward to it.”
And I looked around at everyone and spoke.
“Then I shall give you the next assignment. Take the money you’ve earned and purchase goods that you can sell for a higher price than what you paid for them, then show them to me.”
Well, let’s see how everyone solves this problem.
“It doesn’t matter if you buy one item or two. And it doesn’t matter what you buy.”
I smiled faintly.
“After showing me the goods, sell them and bring back the proceeds. The deadline is before lunch tomorrow. At that time, you simply need to have more money than you do now.”
Someone asked.
“How will you determine the winner this time?”
“An excellent question. The person with the largest difference between your current funds and your final remaining funds will be the victor. I shall present that person with a fine reward.”
I continued.
“If you were to use your own money again, or break the rules by selling to subordinates, it wouldn’t be very amusing. Though you may not know it, each stage of this training is reported to the Emperor.”
“…!”
At my words, the faces of three Gold-Clad Guards who had attempted shortcuts turned ashen.
“Shouldn’t you have mentioned that from the beginning?”
“You’re right.”
At that response, I smiled and asked in return.
“Why should I have mentioned it beforehand?”
“Pardon?”
“I had actually intended not to say anything, but I’m choosing to show mercy and tell you anyway. I am, after all, quite merciful.”
“….”
“And whether or not it’s reported to the Emperor, doing your best is simply the right thing to do. To cut corners and scheme when it won’t be reported to the Emperor is to deceive the Emperor himself. Is that not so?”
At my question, Kwon Eul nodded.
“Your words are correct. Anyone harboring such thoughts is unfit to serve as a Gold-Clad Guard.”
I clapped my hands to clear the air.
Clap clap!
“So simply do your best on the assignment. You may show me the goods whenever you wish, but the deadline remains before lunch tomorrow.”
With that, I left the lecture hall.
In truth, I had not actually arranged for this training to be reported to the Emperor.
So did I lie?
No, I did not.
I said it would be reported, not that it had been arranged to be reported.
It may seem like mere wordplay, but such distinctions matter greatly.
A single word or phrase can cause someone to suffer unjustly.
The Gold-Clad Guard Masters needed to experience that for themselves.
Only then would they avoid falling into such verbal traps in the future.
And that’s how merciful I am.
– Chirp?
Geum-ryeong. Be quiet.
I proceeded to the dormitory at Chung-ui Hall, accompanied by Jin Yu Warrior.
Someone was waiting there.
“Who? Ah… Seonhyeop Mirang Great Swordmaster.”
It was Hwangbo Seon-yu Grand Master, someone I had met before.
Given his rather elevated position within the Geumui Guard, he appeared to have become the person in charge of this incident.
That worked out well for me.
“Indeed, what brings you here?”
“I wondered if I might be of some assistance in this matter, so I came to inquire.”
“You?”
“Yes.”
I withdrew a jade token from my robes and displayed it.
The jade tablet, with its blend of crimson and white, was a token from Bang Hyo-myeong Master designating me as his successor.
“Since the one I educated has come to such a fate, how could I possibly remain idle as Bang Hyo-myeong Master’s successor?”
At my words, Hwangbo Seon-yu Grand Master nodded slowly.
“That’s true enough. I know your capabilities well, so how could I refuse? I grant you permission—investigate as thoroughly as you wish.”
“My gratitude.”
I clasped my fist and bowed respectfully.
“And in fact, there is something I must tell you.”
“What is it?”
I answered through transmission of voice.
– Please do not be startled by what I am about to say, Grand Master.
– A secret matter, it seems. Speak.
– Jang So-seok did not die.
– What did you say?
Hwangbo Seon-yu Grand Master’s eyes widened in shock, though he did not open his mouth to speak.
It was time to dispel the phantom I had created using the secret technique, so I informed him in advance.
I had heard that the autopsy would begin after this evening’s meal, and the truth would be revealed once the examination commenced.
– During the instruction, I detected something suspicious. On the chance it might be necessary, I secretly removed Jang So-seok and created a phantom in his place using a secret technique I had learned.
– If what you say is true, then the culprit must be among those receiving instruction.
– That is correct.
Hwangbo Seon-yu Grand Master was indeed sharp.
He grasped it immediately.
– Then what would you have me do?
– First, please keep the fact that Jang So-seok lives a secret.
– That is not difficult.
And…

* * *

At that moment.
Baek Son returned to his quarters in the dormitory and sat upon his bed.
A long exhale escaped him.
He gazed down at his own two hands.
Hands that had trembled just moments before.
But now that he had steeled his resolve, or perhaps resigned himself to what was already done, did it matter?
His hands no longer shook.
He had killed Jang So-seok, his senior.
Should the truth of his crime spill from that man’s lips, all would be lost.
‘This is all because of that bastard Eun Seo-ho. Had I simply not educated him about this, no one would have ever suspected a thing.’
Yet his crime had been flawless.
No one would ever discover what he had done, and Jang So-seok’s death would surely be dismissed as mere suicide.
It was then.
Voices from beyond the door reached his ears.
“What? Eun Seo-ho Grand Master is going to reveal the circumstances of this affair?”
“He’s uncovered the truth about what happened?”
“So he’s at Jang So-seok’s quarters right now?”
“But are we allowed to go there too?”
“Hwangbo Seon-yu Master said it would be educational, so he gave his permission?”
Baek Son’s eyes wavered.
‘He uncovered the circumstances? That’s impossible.’
Seized by dread, he sprang from his seat and rushed toward Jang So-seok’s quarters.

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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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