The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 8

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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 8

Chapter 8. Prevent the Fire at Jaegyeong Pavilion (4)

Yeochang’s Officer spoke in response to my words.
“No, this can’t be! If I betray them….”
“You’ve already betrayed the Eunhae Trading Company, Officer. What’s one more betrayal?”
“….”
“Besides, betraying them now is also a way of atoning for your betrayal of the Eunhae Trading Company.”
I looked directly at him and asked.
“And do you really think they’ll keep their promise?”
“….”
At my words, Yeochang’s Officer’s eyes trembled violently.
He was beginning to grasp the fate awaiting him and his family.
Yet this was all he could cling to in this moment.
“Officer, you know what two things our Eunhae Trading Company values most, don’t you?”
At my question, he nodded and answered with a trembling voice.
“People, and trust.”
“Yes, that’s right. Then why can’t you trust us?”
“….”
“This is quite a problem. An officer of the Eunhae Trading Company who doesn’t trust the Eunhae Trading Company.”
I asked again.
“Has your monthly salary ever been delayed, even once?”
“…No, it hasn’t.”
“Have you ever been denied leave?”
“No.”
“Then why can’t you trust us?”
A brief silence followed.
Yeochang’s Officer asked carefully.
“Can you really… protect my family?”
His words grew longer.
He was beginning to be persuaded.
I felt gratitude toward my father and ancestors who had built this trust over time.
My words were effective because of that trust they had cultivated.
“Yes. I promise you. I will protect your family.”
His family was innocent, after all.
But Yeochang’s Officer was not.
Regardless of his reasons, he was an attempted arsonist.
Still, since he hadn’t actually committed arson, there was room for mitigation.
“That flint pouch. Give it to me.”
“….”
“Quickly.”
At my repeated urging, Yeochang’s Officer handed over the flint pouch with trembling hands, and I accepted it.
Then I exhaled a silent breath of relief and pressed my hand to my chest.
Just then, members of the Eunpung Corps entered the Document Storage Vault.
“Young master. Are you alright?”
A man standing before the Eunpung Corps members asked me. I recognized him.
His name was Jung Chung.
One of the squad leaders of the Eunpung Corps.
A man who would eventually become a deputy commander.
Though I found him somewhat familiar, I showed no sign of it and simply nodded.
“Yes. I’m fine.”
I spoke to Yeochang’s Officer behind me.
“Though I must say, you arrived considerably faster than I expected.”
“When you called for the Eunpung Corps, your expression was grave, young master. So I requested reinforcements as quickly as possible. But why is A-seung Officer here…?”
I glanced at Yeochang’s Officer trembling beside me and spoke.
“An attempted arsonist.”
“Pardon?”
Everyone’s expression shifted to shock at my words.
Jung Chung quickly regained his composure and shouted to his men.
“An arsonist! Restrain him!”
“Yes, sir!”
I spoke to Jung Chung.
“He’s an important witness. Please treat him with care. And send the Eunpung Corps to protect Yeochang’s Officer’s family.”
“Pardon?”
Jung Chung tilted his head in confusion at my words, and I continued.
“I made him a promise.”
At my words, Yeochang’s Officer’s eyes reddened, and he began to weep quietly.
“Where is your family right now? Please tell me.”

* * *

In the small conference room of the Eun-hae Trading Company.
There sat the members of the Eunwol Society of the Eun-hae Trading Company.
Guild Master Eun Gil-sang, Internal Chief Manager and Jaegyeong Pavilion Director Yu So-ak, Eunpung Corps Commander and External Chief Manager Go Il-pyeong, and even the Sefung Director and Sangyu Director.
These five were the members of the Eunwol Society.
Eun Gil-sang exhaled a long sigh and spoke.
“What on earth has happened….”
At his words, Internal Chief Manager Yu So-ak replied.
“Still, we are infinitely fortunate. If that place had caught fire… it is something I dare not imagine.”
Anger was evident in Yu So-ak’s expression as he spoke.
At the sight of him, the others involuntarily shuddered.
One of the things Yu So-ak despised most was being disturbed from his sleep.
Though it was unavoidable when there was a legitimate reason, the one who created that reason had to face Yu So-ak’s wrath.
“Ahem, ahem, still, Young Master Eun Seo-ho has accomplished something truly remarkable.”
Go Il-pyeong hastily interjected to change the subject.
The External Chief Manager of the Eun-hae Trading Company served simultaneously as Commander of the Eunpung Corps and handled external matters and problems.
He was such a formidable master that a single sword strike was said to shake the heavens—hence his epithet, “One Sword Shakes Heaven.”
He was also the martial arts instructor of the brothers Eun Jin-ho and Eun Jung-ho.
At Go Il-pyeong’s words, Eun Gil-sang cleared his throat.
“Ahem, ahem, though he is my son, he is indeed worthy of praise.”
“But… how did Young Master come to know of this and prevent it?”
The Sefung Director asked.
His name was Jeok Byeong-chul.
A middle-aged man of quiet disposition who preferred not to stand out.
Since all knew that without him meticulously managing every detail of the guild’s affairs, the organization would not function properly, his voice carried considerable weight.
At his question, the Sangyu Director replied.
“I heard a general account of the situation, but I have not yet heard the details….”
Sangyu Division oversaw all matters related to commerce—the selection and distribution of goods.
It could be called the jewel of the Eun-hae Trading Company.
The director of such a division was a middle-aged woman, and her name was Yeon Da-mi.
A remarkable woman who, despite her gender, had overcome countless obstacles to bring the Eun-hae Trading Company to its present standing.
At their words, Eun Gil-sang spoke.
“The principals will arrive shortly, so we can ask them directly.”
Just then, word came that Eun Seo-ho and Yeochang had arrived, and the door opened.
The two of them bowed respectfully to the five.
Eun Gil-sang, receiving their greeting, offered them seats, and they sat before him.
“First, I wish to express my gratitude. Thanks to you, we have avoided a disaster.”
At Eun Gil-sang’s words, Yeochang waved his hand dismissively.
“All I did was summon the Eunpung Corps.”
“That alone is no small matter. Now I am curious—how did you notice the sedative in the tea and refrain from drinking it?”
At that question, Yeochang answered.
“That is thanks to the keen insight of Eun Seo-ho, Young Master.”
At that answer, Eun Gil-sang turned to Eun Seo-ho beside him.
“Yes, I heard you prevented an accident, Seo-ho. What happened?”
“Yes, Father. Allow me to explain.”
Eun Seo-ho caught his breath and began to speak.
“Today, I took over the night duty in place of In Dae-su Officer. So I went to Sammi Restaurant for dinner with Yeochang’s Officer here, and then returned to the Night Duty Room. But something felt wrong.”
“What do you mean?”
“First, the lamp in the Night Duty Room was lit. As you and the External Chief Manager know, Jaegyeong Pavilion has much flammable material around it, so we are always trained to extinguish the lights when leaving.”
At Eun Seo-ho’s words, Eun Gil-sang and Yu So-ak nodded.
Eun Gil-sang knew this from his experience with Jaegyeong Pavilion’s operations, and Yu So-ak knew it as the External Chief Manager overseeing the pavilion.
However,
‘Would someone normally find that suspicious at first glance?’
‘It’s true that it’s a habit of the Jaegyeong Pavilion staff, but to notice it after only ten days?’
Those present exchanged subtle glances with one another, and each realized they shared the same thought.
Eun Seo-ho continued his explanation.
“And there was a strange mark on the knob of the teapot lid. Upon closer inspection, it was a smudge left by a hand stained with ink.”
“Why would that be strange? Someone might have touched it if they wanted to drink tea.”
“If that were the case, the smudge would only be on the handle and the upper part of the lid knob.”
Eun Seo-ho mimicked the motion of pouring tea as he spoke.
“When pouring tea, one presses the lid with their hand to keep it from falling off—one doesn’t grasp the knob itself.”
“Ah!”
“That means the lid was opened… but wouldn’t that only happen when there’s no tea left?”
“Exactly.”
“Yet the tea brought just before starting night duty would never run out completely, would it? So someone must have opened the lid.”
“The servants and maids of the Tea Room would never have ink stains on their hands…”
Eun Seo-ho’s grandfather, Eun Ji-bong, was extremely particular about tea.
It was thanks to this meticulousness that the tea business had flourished.
Not satisfied with that alone, he had established a Tea Room within the Merchant Guild and employed people who specialized exclusively in managing and researching tea.
This remained true even now—those who worked there were always required to maintain impeccable cleanliness.
Eun Ji-bong’s philosophy was that if the person handling tea was not clean, the taste of the tea would be affected.
Thus, those who failed to pass Eun Ji-bong’s surprise inspections faced severe reprimand.
As a result, the Tea Room’s employees washed their hands almost obsessively.
For them to have opened the tea lid with ink-stained hands was simply inconceivable.
“So that’s how you noticed?”
“Yes. So I poured the tea and examined the cup, and found strange white powder mixed inside. I then signaled to Yeochang’s Officer through written notes not to drink it, and pretended to fall asleep.”
“Hmm…”
“While I lay there, someone carefully rushed toward the Document Storage Vault. So I asked Yeochang’s Officer to summon the Eunpung Corps members.”
“I see.”
Eun Gil-sang and the others nodded their heads.
But their true thoughts were all different from one another.
‘My own son, yet how remarkable!’
‘Truly keen-minded, aren’t you.’
‘The Trading Company’s future is indeed bright.’
‘The young master shows considerable promise.’
‘Someone like that ought to study martial arts….’
Eun Gil-sang continued speaking.
“But why did you go after the culprit yourself?”
At that question, Eun Seo-ho’s expression turned puzzled instead.
“Wasn’t it natural that I should go? I am the Trading Company Master’s son and the heir to the Eunhae Trading Company, after all.”
All five men, each seasoned by countless trials, fell silent in bewilderment.
It was an answer none of them had anticipated.
Eun Gil-sang soon regained his composure and spoke with a slight cough.
“Ahem, ahem. I understand your sentiment, but you were far too reckless. What would have happened if he had been armed?”
“Still, as the heir to the Trading Company, how could I simply stand by and watch something dishonorable unfold within it?”
Eun Seo-ho continued carefully.
“However, it is also true that my actions caused Father considerable worry. I apologize.”
“Yes, be more cautious from now on.”
“Understood. And unexpectedly, he possessed another flint striker, so I negotiated with him by offering to protect his family in exchange for his cooperation. Truthfully, the gambling debts are his fault, and the arson attempt is his fault as well, but his family bears no guilt.”
Eun Seo-ho bowed his head again in apology.
“I am sorry for making such a decision without your permission, Father.”
“No. You did well.”
Eun Gil-sang said.
“As you said, that family is innocent. And isn’t it fortunate that through negotiation, the fire never started? I heard oil had been spread there as well. If the fire had ignited… my heart trembles at the mere thought.”
Everyone nodded at his words.
The place where A-seung Officer had intended to set the fire was within the Document Storage Vault, specifically in the section known as the Red Bookshelf Section.
That location housed truly critical documents.
This also meant those were documents that could not be duplicated.
The most important documents in the Trading Company’s transactions are contracts and delivery confirmations.
Those bore the seals of both parties to the agreement.
The authenticity of transactions was verified through sealed documents, and they served as proof of the transaction itself.
Eun Gil-sang picked up the documents before him.
“Hwayeonru….”
Hwayeonru was originally one of the smaller pleasure houses, but it had grown rapidly under the advice of Eun Gil-sang’s grandfather.
It had been converted into a high-class establishment and staffed with many talented courtesans.
Through that connection, the Eunhae Trading Company and Hwayeonru had maintained a supply relationship for decades.
Yet even that bond was now showing signs of coming to an end.
“It seems the proprietress of Hwayeonru was desperate. To resort to such measures….”
At the External Chief Manager Go Il-pyeong’s words, the Internal Chief Manager Yu So-ak also burst with indignation.
“If she had that time, she should have scraped together the payment instead of pulling this nonsense!”
Then Eun Seo-ho stepped forward cautiously.
“Father, I have a question, if I may.”
“What is it?”
“You mentioned money to settle the transaction fees? Has there been a default on payment?”

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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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