The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 745

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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 745

Chapter 745. As Expected (1)

I expressed doubt at the Lady’s words.
“Not a first meeting? What do you mean by that?”
“Well… it means the two of them already know each other. The scene I witnessed showed them facing each other and greeting warmly.”
So that was it.
I had wondered why the Jin Bok-ju Warrior drew his blade at insulting words directed at Jegal Yu-ah Minor Clan Master, but there was a reason for it.
Anger at insults toward someone usually stems from familiarity with that person.
One grows angry when others insult their acquaintances, but when strangers insult each other, one simply accepts it as the way of things.
How did these two come to know each other?
I would need to investigate this.
Now that I thought about it, the Jin Bok-ju Warrior’s skill was quite considerable…
I was also curious why someone of such ability would drop his sword.

That evening.
I stepped out into the Jegal Family Estate’s garden.
The Lady was meeting with Jegal Yu-ah Minor Clan Master’s mother, so I had come out to the garden alone.
The Jegal Family Estate’s garden possessed a serene quality, perhaps due to the family’s character.
But it would be a mistake to think it was merely arranged for tranquility alone.
The Jegal Family Estate was considered the finest in the current Murim for formation arrays and mechanical devices.
As such, the garden contained not only defensive formations but also arrays designed to display beautiful sights.
Palgap let out an exclamation.
“Wow! It’s incredibly beautiful! Every time the butterflies with their five-colored radiant wings flutter, they shimmer as if gold dust and silver dust were being scattered!”
“I see.”
Smiles played across the faces of Lee Pil Warrior and Myeong-jong Warrior, who accompanied me as my guards.
But sadly, I could not see it.
The energy of the Taiyin Ice-Sea Divine Art I had cultivated prevented me from falling prey to illusions.
I wish I could see something like this too…
Why can’t I see it…
No, the Lady can’t see it either.
The Ice Crystal Eye has the function of seeing hidden things, and because of that, illusions don’t work on it.
The realization that I wasn’t the only one unable to see it provided considerable comfort, and I felt a sense of shared sympathy.
With a quiet chuckle at that fact, I was walking along the pond side when I noticed someone standing alone ahead.
It was Jegal Yu-ah Minor Clan Master.
It seemed she had deliberately cleared the area around her—should I simply avoid her as well?
I hesitated for a moment, but I found I couldn’t simply pretend not to notice and pass by.
I approached her and spoke.
“Fortunately, it seems the weather will be quite clear.”
Jegal Yu-ah Minor Clan Master turned to look at me and replied.
“Yes, it does.”
But the moment I saw her expression, my heart sank without warning. Those eyes—they were the same cold, piercing gaze I had seen in the Jade Maiden Without Smile before.
Still, I found myself apologizing without thinking.
“I apologize.”
“Yes? Why are you apologizing?”
“It seems I have not been of much help to you, Minor Clan Master.”
At this, she shook her head.
“No, please don’t say such things. I heard about it. You placed a substantial bounty on those who insulted me today. When I heard that, I was deeply grateful.”
A faint smile played across her face as she spoke.
“It means you care for me that much.”
“….”
A brief silence fell between us.
“To be honest, from the moment I was born into the Jegal Family and became aware of my position, I anticipated a political marriage. But now that it’s actually happening, my feelings are strangely complicated.”
I listened to her words in silence.
Truthfully, I didn’t know what comfort I could offer her, and whatever I said would likely ring hollow anyway.
“Still, I suppose I should be grateful that I’m not marrying the man the League Master introduced.”
That’s true enough.
That League Master once tried to annihilate the entire Jegal Family.
There was no chance such a man would introduce someone with good intentions.
“What can I do? It’s something that cannot be undone now. And I cannot allow my personal feelings to bring harm to my family.”
She continued with unwavering resolve.
“I am the Minor Clan Master of the Jegal Family, after all.”
In her eyes, I could see the determination to sacrifice herself for her family.
Now I understood.
That cold, distant gaze of the Jade Maiden Without Smile.
It was the look of someone who had resolved to make sacrifices for their family.
Seeing her dedication to her family stirred something painful within me. Because I knew that feeling all too well.
“If there is anything I can help you with, I will do my utmost to assist you.”
“I am grateful for that alone.”
Ah, since we’ve met like this, I should ask.
“By the way, do you perhaps know of a warrior named Jin Bok-ju from Uichang?”
Her eyes widened.
“Why are you asking about Jin Young Master?”
Jin Young Master?
So it was indeed an acquaintance, just as the Lady had said.
Seeing her face light up, it seemed to be a favorable connection.
“The warrior who crossed blades with the one who insulted you—that was him.”
“Ah….”
“You seemed quite angry, so I wanted to ask if there was some connection between you.”
At my question, she twirled her hair and spoke.
“It’s nothing major… Do you happen to know what Zamryong Journey is?”
“Yes. I’ve heard of it before.”
“That Young Master was someone I became acquainted with during my Zamryong Journey. I received his help back then.”
Her cheeks flushed a deep red as she said this.
The reaction seemed odd for merely receiving help.
There was undoubtedly something more she wasn’t saying.
“Is that truly all?”
“…Yes.”
I couldn’t press further on what remained unspoken, so I let the matter drop.
“But… does that mean Jin Young Master came here to participate in this martial arts competition?”
“I’m not entirely certain about that either.”
I hadn’t seen the list of martial arts competition participants.
“But based on the circumstances, it appeared that way.”
“I see.”
Just then, someone came rushing toward us from afar.
Ah, one of the warriors serving Jegal Yu-ah Minor Clan Master.
“Minor Clan Master! You should come to the Punishment Hall courtyard at once. It seems those who insulted the Minor Clan Master have been captured.”
I had anticipated they would be caught quickly, but this was faster than I expected.
“Let us go together.”
Jegal Yu-ah Minor Clan Master said.
“You have every right to be present there, Small Merchant Guild Leader.”

And so, I headed to the Punishment Hall together with Jegal Yu-ah Minor Clan Master.
Though I had visited the Jegal Family Estate several times before, the Punishment Hall was a place I had never seen.
That made sense, as it was not a location that outsiders could freely enter.
However, thanks to accompanying Jegal Yu-ah Minor Clan Master, I too was able to pass through its gates.
The Grand Patriarch and House Master were already present there.
And in the courtyard, three men were forced to their knees.
They had resisted quite fiercely, their clothes caked with dirt and torn in several places.
Yet their faces were filled with terror.
“Do you understand why you have been brought here?”
At the House Master’s question, one of them spoke.
“P-please, forgive us just this once!”
“We merely misspoke in jest.”
“We beg your mercy.”
At that moment, Jegal Yu-ah Minor Clan Master stepped forward.
“Are these the men who insulted me?”
“They are.”
“Did they submit applications to participate in this Tamseo Martial Arts Competition?”
“Their names appeared on the roster.”
At the Grand Patriarch’s response, her gaze toward them turned glacial.
They flinched, not daring to lift their heads.
She had reached the pinnacle of cultivation.
For mere first-rate merchants like them, it would be difficult to withstand her aura.
Looking at their abilities, I found it somewhat strange that Jin Bok-ju Warrior had let his sword fall.
But that was not what mattered now.
Watching the three warriors in their current state, I felt a certain contempt.
They could not speak properly to her face, yet they insulted her behind her back—it revealed their true character.
“To be honest, I am displeased that you insulted me, but I could overlook such a thing.”
Hmm?
“People curse the ruler when the ruler is not present—how could I fault you for that?”
She continued.
“However, if you came seeking to become my husband, you should at least show minimal sincerity. What lady would respect and acknowledge a husband who insults her in public?”
“….”
Every word was perfectly reasonable and irrefutable.
Because of this, the three warriors felt even greater shame and could not raise their heads.
“Furthermore, the place where you were staying is Jegal Family Territory. To insult the Jegal Family in Jegal Family Territory means you are looking down upon the Jegal Family itself.”
“Hmm, that is true.”
The Grand Patriarch nodded.
Yet despite his mild expression and tone, his presence had become considerably sharper.
“Kugh!”
At that moment, someone protested.
“I don’t believe it befits the Jegal Family to forcibly suppress people.”
Who is this? Now?
Why would he speak up when he’s been cowering like that….
The House Master then spoke.
“The Main House does not forcibly suppress anyone. If there are grievances, we accept formal objections and take appropriate measures if they are valid.”
“….”
“However, hearing the content of how you insulted my daughter, that is not something subject to formal objection—it is merely crude insult.”
He continued.
“So keep your mouth shut. I’m restraining myself from tearing you to shreds right this instant.”
Well, that’s true….
What father would remain calm when his daughter had been sexually insulted?
If one doesn’t rage in this situation, one is no father at all.
“…H-hiccup!”
Bearing the full brunt of that aura, he turned ashen and began hiccupping uncontrollably.
“So then… Sigh.”
The House Master exhaled deeply and turned his gaze toward me.
Huh? Why is he suddenly looking at me?
“In the opinion of the Eun Small Merchant Leader, what punishment do you believe would be appropriate for them?”
“Pardon?”
Ah, no—why are you asking me that?
You clearly stated the Jegal Family would handle the punishment.
I thought I’d avoided a troublesome matter, but now I’m truly in a bind.
The Grand Patriarch spoke.
“In truth, we intended to punish them. But seeing it like this, I’m uncertain what punishment would be fitting. Part of me wants to follow the House Master’s words and tear them apart, but that seems… problematic.”
In other words, his heightened emotions prevented sound judgment, so he was asking me, as a third party, to render the decision.
The Jegal Family walks the path of the White Dao as an Orthodox sect.
If they were to kill brutally merely for insulting Jegal Yu-ah Minor Clan Master, they could face public condemnation.
I spoke carefully.
“Strictly speaking, I’m not entirely a third party. I was the one who posted the bounty.”
“I’m aware of that. But precisely because you are such a person, the family will have no objections.”
“….”
“So I ask of you.”
I sighed inwardly.
Ah, so much for avoiding this.
Since matters have come to this, there’s no helping it.
I looked at those three and spoke.
“First, I believe their eligibility to participate in the martial arts competition should be revoked.”
“Yes, that must be done. They insulted Yu-ah, yet they would participate in the martial arts competition to find her future husband—that is absurd.”
The House Master nodded, agreeing with my words.
“And have them perform cleaning duties.”
“Huh? Cleaning?”
“The Tamseo Martial Arts Competition takes the form of a public spectacle. Once the tournament concludes, the spectators will leave the grounds filthy.”
“That’s true.”
“If we assign them the task of environmental restoration as a form of reflection, it should suffice.”
I continued.
“And inform their families of this fact. If they refuse, demand substantial compensation under the charge of defamation.”
“How much compensation would be appropriate?”
At that, they looked at me.
Their eyes held a glimmer of anticipation, but I crushed their hopes entirely.
“Should it not be at least one hundred million silver coins per person?”
“…!”
The three warriors gasped at my words.
One hundred million silver coins—a sum even the greatest families and the Ten Greatest Merchants of the Land would struggle to produce at once.
“That, that’s unreasonable!”
“Exactly! How can we be demanded to pay one hundred million silver coins for a mere slip of the tongue!”
“It’s absurd.”
“Unreasonable? Absurd?”
I shook my head and spoke.
“How much effort has the Jegal Family invested to become what it is today? How much blood has been shed? Especially during the Blood Sect conflict two hundred years ago—without the Jegal Family, the Martial Arts World might not exist as it does now.”
Back then, the Jegal Family suffered considerable losses, yet they personally ventured into the fray, established formations, and achieved the merit of annihilating the Blood Sect.
The hero Geuk Cheon Sword Gwak Hoon was able to accomplish his deeds only because of the Jegal Family’s assistance at that time.
I continued.
“Yet you warriors used your three-inch tongues to insult the descendants of those heroes, and specifically the Small Patriarch, who will become the next House Master. Do you feel no shame as members of the same Orthodox Sect?”
“….”
“One hundred million silver coins in compensation is not an arbitrary figure. It has been calculated considering their tradition, history, and position within the Martial Arts World, among other factors. But even that is merely the minimum.”
There was no rebuttal to my words.
How could there be, when everyone acknowledged the Jegal Family’s history, tradition, and current prestige.
Yet someone had attempted to annihilate the Jegal Family!
That cursed Alliance Master.
“B-but how can they pay such a sum?”
At that moment, the House Master spoke.
“When did the Eun Small Merchant Leader say compensation must be paid in money?”
“Pardon?”
“The arrangement was to assign them environmental restoration of the Martial Arts Arena, and receive compensation only if they refused.”
They hastily opened their mouths.
“We will perform the environmental restoration.”
“P-please, if you entrust it to us, we will work diligently.”
“Please, allow us to undertake the environmental restoration.”
Faced with the choice between environmental restoration and one hundred million silver coins in compensation, they naturally had no choice but to accept the former.
But wasn’t the difference between the two far too vast?
From the start, I merely named that sum to have them perform environmental purification.
I thought it absurd to reduce the Jegal Family’s history, tradition, and prestige to mere currency.
The environmental purification they chose appears to be a light punishment in my eyes.
But is it truly so?

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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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