The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 737

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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 737

Chapter 737. Why So Busy (1)

The moment I heard Namgung Kang speak, my first thought was: “What?”
He was asking me for help.
Even though the merchant world operates on the principle that today’s enemy becomes tomorrow’s ally depending on interests, this seemed off somehow.
Still, I couldn’t refuse outright. Let me hear what this is about first.
“I’m not entirely sure what you mean by asking for help, sir.”
At my words, Namgung Kang let out a deep sigh.
“It seems my foolish younger brother needs a taste of the rod.”
A taste of the rod?
“Though he is a brother I hold dear, I must steel myself and wield the rod with tears in my eyes to engrave certain vital lessons deep into his mind for the years ahead.”
Is that really so?
According to what I heard from Heo Un, an agent of the Information Bureau, the rift between these two brothers runs quite deep these days.
And the Namgung Kang I know never shows mercy to those who challenge him.
He punishes them thoroughly.
His younger brother disrespects him, and he would let that slide?
There’s no way that could happen.
“The Former Merchant Lord has done so much, yet his younger brother doesn’t appreciate it. The current Merchant Guild Leader holds his position because the Former Merchant Lord lent his strength, yet he’s ungrateful for that grace! Even beasts understand gratitude.”
“You truly understand my heart.”
Through that response, I became certain of something.
No matter how strained the relationship, one dislikes it when others criticize one’s own brother.
It’s normal for brothers—they may curse each other, but they cannot tolerate others doing so.
Yet despite my rather harsh criticism, not a trace of displeasure crossed Namgung Kang’s face, which told me he harbored no affection for his younger brother whatsoever.
But what exactly is he scheming?
As a member of the Namgung Family, he shouldn’t lack for people willing to help him. So why is he asking me?
After a moment’s thought, I made my decision.
Even without my help, Namgung Kang would eventually become the Merchant Guild Leader again anyway.
In that case, pretending to help him adequately now wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Swallowing one bitter pill or two amounts to the same thing.
If I can make Namgung Kang suffer, I’d gladly swallow a hundred bitter pills.
“What would you have this small merchant do to assist you?”
“Thank you! In truth, at the Baekcheon Trading Company, my younger brother is taking the lead in launching a new venture.”
A new venture?
Was there a new business the Baekcheon Trading Company was starting around this time?
“I would like you to take the initiative in obstructing that venture.”
He continued speaking.
“Of course, this request must remain confidential.”
Only then did I understand why Namgung Kang was making such a request of me.
If this venture led by the current Merchant Guild Leader, Namgung Seok, succeeded, the Baekcheon Trading Company would reap enormous profits.
That meant, in turn, the support of all those who had invested in the Baekcheon Trading Company.
For them, it mattered not who became the Merchant Guild Leader.
They cared only that their coffers be filled.
But if the venture led by Namgung Seok failed, they would suffer massive losses and withdraw their support from him.
Yet he could not openly sabotage the venture himself, so he would use me instead.
Ha, well…
Was this foolishness?
Or was it something remarkable?
In any case, Namgung Kang was now gambling with his entire life’s fortune.
I spoke to him.
“If this matter is ever revealed, the Former Merchant Lord will fall into ruin in an instant.”
“I know.”
He nodded in acknowledgment.
“Life demands that one choose between two paths to gain anything. Choosing the middle ground is merely the pleasant fantasy of a dreamer. One gains nothing that way.”
I exhaled slowly.
“I agree with that sentiment. However, your proposal must have one condition—that I do not betray the Merchant Guild Leader.”
I looked up at him directly.
“What makes you trust me enough to propose such a thing?”
“Yes, naturally you would have such doubts.”
I listened to his words in silence.
“First, I trust your ambition.”
“My ambition?”
“Yes, your hunger for profit. Honestly, those as knowledgeable about profit margins as you, yet so greedy, are rare. And those with both your capability and drive are rarer still.”
He asked me.
“Using the information I’ve given you, you could earn considerable profits. Can you truly abandon that?”
“….”
“And even if you exposed this matter to the world, what benefit would it bring you?”
“….”
“Besides, by then the investors will have no choice but to keep me.”
Such remarkable confidence.
But there was something Namgung Kang did not know.
He himself was one of my targets for vengeance.
I agreed readily.
“Very well. I shall assist with this matter.”
“Thank you.”
“However, this venture could earn the displeasure of the Baekcheon Trading Company, so I must proceed cautiously. Father will likely hesitate as well.”
I continued speaking.
“Therefore, I must receive appropriate compensation in return.”
“Compensation, you say?”
“Yes. If you hope trust will form without any exchange of value, that’s the mindset of a thief.”
I smiled and asked.
“What can the Former Merchant Lord offer me?”
Our eyes met, and after the tension stretched taut between us, he was the first to speak.
Well, that made sense—I held the advantage in this moment.
“What do you want?”
“If the Former Merchant Lord becomes Merchant Lord again, please yield once to the Eun Hae Trading Company in matters involving profit rights.”
He paused in thought, then nodded.
“Fine. I’ll do that.”
How foolish.
He had no idea what he was about to lose with this promise.
“This matter is too grave for a verbal agreement alone. Please draw up a contract.”
“Understood.”
And so we drafted a contract and divided it between us.
“Well then, since the contract is settled, please tell me—what new venture is Baekcheon Trading Company planning to launch?”
“An inn business.”
“Pardon? An inn business, you say?”
“You’ve likely heard of it—the Yeochun Inn.”
Of course I had.
It was the place Moon Ju-sung Scholar was actively developing.
“It seems to be quite profitable. So my younger brother plans to operate new inn branches modeled after the Yeochun Inn.”
The moment I heard this, I barely suppressed a curse from escaping my lips.
Damn these bastards!
No matter how well the Yeochun Inn performs, Baekcheon Trading Company is one of the top five merchant guilds in the entire Empire.
If they commit serious capital there, further growth becomes impossible for the Yeochun Inn.
The problem is that they plan to operate by copying its model.
That means they intend to reap what the Yeochun Inn has painstakingly built.
These shameless bandits!
Competition is natural in the merchant world—if they operated inns differently, I could accept it. But this? This crosses a line.
Moreover, the Yeochun Inn is where I made the initial investment.
Since I don’t need that money now, I continue reinvesting. Of course, no one knows about this.
In any case, if the Yeochun Inn collapses, my investment crumbles with it—so naturally, the curses flow.
Wait, but why specifically the Yeochun Inn?
Could it be… that Namgung Kang knows about my connection to Moon Ju-sung Scholar?
Let me probe a bit.
“But why specifically model it after the Yeochun Inn’s approach?”
“Because the Yeochun Inn has the highest customer satisfaction and it’s profitable—isn’t that obvious?”
“I see.”
It seems he doesn’t know that I’m connected to that place.
Well, I’ve never revealed my relationship with that place to the outside world.
“It appears I won’t be able to head to Beijing for another month or two, as my affairs here in Hubei Province remain unfinished.”
“No matter. Just make sure to cause enough trouble.”
With that, Namgung Kang took his leave, and I saw him off.
Phew…
I’m fortunate that I agreed to join hands with Namgung Kang for a time.
Had I refused this proposal, I would have been caught completely unaware.
But truly, I’ve grown so much.
To think I’ve even agreed to join hands with the man who killed me.
In truth, I could kill Namgung Kang anytime I wished, even now.
But what comes after—that’s the problem.
I don’t intend to end my revenge simply by killing Namgung Kang.
He must experience the despair I felt in that moment.
To achieve this, I needed to grow stronger still.
After seeing Namgung Kang off, I made my way to the Separate Pavilion.
It was nearly time for lunch.
Upon arriving at the Separate Pavilion, a delicious aroma wafted from within.
“You’ve arrived?”
“Yes, my lady.”
The lady came out to greet me.
Hmm, it feels strange calling her “my lady” when I used to call her Seo Hyang.
—Coo-ee. Coo.
Don’t laugh, Geumryeong. I’m being serious.
“You must be tired. I’ve prepared stir-fried moe and meat.”
We headed to the dining hall within the Separate Pavilion and sat together for lunch.
Lunch is typically eaten simply, with dumplings or stir-fried moe like this as an accompaniment.
That’s why meal appointments are usually arranged for the evening.
Moe is made by kneading flour and letting it ferment, with nothing else added to it.
That’s why it’s eaten with stir-fried dishes like this.
“You must have worked hard during the wedding ceremony.”
“Hard work? You worked far harder, my lord.”
I scratched my cheek as I spoke.
“About that title, ‘my lord.’ It feels somewhat off.”
I continued.
“The term ‘my lord’ refers to the one who leads the household, but my Grandfather and Father are still alive, are they not? And I have elder brothers as well.”
At my words, the lady smiled softly.
“That’s true as well. Then what should I call you?”
At that moment, Palgap quickly interjected from beside me.
“That’s something best left to the young master’s judgment. He’ll surely come up with something peculiar.”
“….”
I had nothing to say.
She paused in thought for a moment before speaking.
“Then I shall call you Hwi.”
Hwi—a name meaning brilliance and radiance?
“Because you are like light itself to me. I won’t compromise on this.”
She spoke with unwavering resolve, and I nodded in acceptance.
“Very well. It’s somewhat embarrassing, but I shall accept it.”
At this, she smiled gently and spoke.
“Then, Hwi, would you give me a courtesy name as well? Mother mentioned that the women of this household’s inner quarters each have their own household name.”
She was right.
It was the custom for women who married into the Eun Hae Trading Company, a tradition born from the nature of the merchant guild itself.
Since those working for the trading company must meet countless people, the custom arose so that outsiders would not casually use the women’s family names or given names.
It was a form of courtesy name.
And it was customary for the husband to bestow this courtesy name upon his wife, which he would also use when addressing her.
For reference, my mother’s courtesy name is Lady Nanhwa.
Father gave her that name because she loves orchids.
My First Sister-in-law is called Lady Mudan, named so because she married during peony season.
My Second Sister-in-law is Lady Jiayeon, which means beautiful lotus.
I paused in thought before speaking.
“I shall call you Lady Xiang Mei.”
“Does it mean fragrant plum blossoms?”
“Yes. How do you like it?”
“It’s a beautiful name.”
From her bright smile, the deep fragrance of plum blossoms seemed to drift.
Palgap reacted from beside us.
“Well, well. When did you become so eloquent with names?”
“What? Do you object?”
“Object? I’m just surprised, sir.”
“Nothing surprising about it.”
I cleared my throat awkwardly.
“Ahem, Lady Xiang Mei.”
“Yes, Hwi.”
My face grew warm for some reason.
My hands and feet felt like they were curling up….
“Would you care for a stroll?”
“Yes. I’d like that.”
After finishing our midday meal, Lady Xiang Mei and I left the Separate Pavilion and walked through the Garden together.
As we spoke in hushed, intimate tones, the foul mood from my conversation with Namgung Kang gradually lifted.
Truthfully, accepting his proposal to gain profit was one thing, but separate from that, I was cooperating with the man who had killed me.
There was no way this could be pleasant.
That was when it happened.
“…!”
I saw the Embroidered Uniform Guard Masters approaching us.
They were currently staying within the Merchant Guild Headquarters and had not yet departed.
I should have at least prepared a veil for my lady….
They drew near, and I greeted them with proper courtesy.
“Greetings, Grand Masters. I hope you have not found your stay uncomfortable.”
“Hahaha! If we called that place uncomfortable, we’d be lying! The guest quarters you provided us are truly splendid.”
“I am relieved to hear it.”
Yet something I had feared came to pass.
Dong Myung-su Grand Master caught sight of Lady Xiang Mei’s face and his expression shifted with shock.
“Is something the matter?”
At my question, he hesitated before shaking his head.
“Ah, no… surely not… ah, it is nothing at all.”
Hwangbo Seon-yu Grand Master clicked his tongue and spoke.
“Forgive him. Dong Myung-su’s youngest sister bears a striking resemblance to your lady wife, it seems.”
“I am aware. When I met Dong Hyuk-su Grand Master previously, he had a similar reaction.”
“Ah, I see.”
In the meantime, Dong Myung-su Grand Master had composed himself and scrutinized Lady Xiang Mei’s face from every angle.
That he would do so despite knowing it was discourteous spoke to how desperately he wished to confirm something.
I quickly addressed him.
“Grand Master, forgive me, but would you kindly avert your gaze?”
Lady Xiang Mei then spoke with icy composure.
“It appears the Grand Master has taken a peculiar interest in admiring the faces of newly wedded women.”
With that, she subtly moved behind me, and Dong Myung-su Grand Master exhaled deeply and apologized.
“…My apologies. I have been discourteous.”
At this, Hwangbo Seon-yu Grand Master rebuked him sharply.
“Dong! What is the meaning of this shameful behavior!”
“I beg your pardon.”
“Make a proper apology later!”
That would not do. I had no wish to meet again.
“It is quite alright.”
She answered before I could, and spoke to me.
“Hwi, let us go.”
“Yes.”
Thus we passed by them.
I glanced back briefly.
Dong Myung-su Grand Master stood motionless, lost in thought.
I sincerely hoped that his unnecessarily sharp intuition would not prove troublesome.

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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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