The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 9

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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 9

Chapter 9. Prevent the Fire at Jaegyeong Pavilion (5)

At those words, Eun Gil-sang glanced toward Yu So-ak.
He was asking whether it was appropriate to speak freely with Yeochang present in the room.
Yu So-ak responded with a subtle nod.
“I shall explain on your behalf.”
“Yes, I’m listening.”
“The truth is, Hwayeonru’s outstanding payment has been overdue for eleven months.”
“….”

* * *

As I listened to Yu Chief Manager’s words, I recalled the future I had experienced.
When an incident occurs, the one with the greatest profit is most likely the culprit.
Among the three suspects narrowed down at that time, Hwayeonru was one of them.
In fact, I had learned back then that Hwayeonru had defaulted on substantial payments for nearly a year.
And I even knew the reason why.
But since I couldn’t reveal that I already knew this, I feigned ignorance and asked.
“What? They haven’t paid their trade fees for nearly a year? More importantly, why wasn’t this reported to the authorities?”
“That is because of this contract.”
Yu Chief Manager unfolded the documents labeled [Hwayeonru] and showed me the contract bound within.
“Please look at this clause.”
I examined the section Yu Chief Manager was pointing to.

[Should Hwayeonru default on payment for goods owed to the Eunhae Trading Company for more than one year, ownership of Hwayeonru shall transfer to the Eunhae Trading Company on the day following the final payment deadline.]

That was precisely why the Eunhae Trading Company had tolerated Hwayeonru’s nearly year-long delinquency on their merchandise payments.
However, in the future I had experienced, the Eunhae Trading Company never received ownership of Hwayeonru.
Moreover, they never recovered the accumulated overdue payments either.
Because this ledger and contract were burned to ash, leaving no evidence of the transaction.
Thus, I had now identified with certainty the culprit whom I had only suspected in that future.
“By the way, Chief Manager.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“Has Hwayeonru declined significantly lately? Enough to default on payments for nearly a year?”
“Hardly. It remains one of the five great pleasure houses in Hubei Province.”
“Then…?”
“I couldn’t understand why they hadn’t paid their debts all this time, but thanks to A-seung Officer, I’ve learned the truth.”
“…?”
“They’re operating illegal enterprises. But their income from those ventures is meager, so they’re short on funds.”
“I see.”
Father exhaled heavily.
“Still, what should we do about this? Even if we report it to the authorities, there was no actual fire, and it won’t be easy to find evidence that A-seung Officer was acting on someone’s orders…”
Father was right.
But I couldn’t accept this.
Those bastards.
If they only needed to destroy this one document, why burn down all the records there to prevent suspicion from falling on them?
The losses I witnessed back then were staggering.
We suffered hardship, we suffered losses.
And when we asked for even half of the overdue payments, they mocked us with “Did we ever do business? I don’t recall it.”
Father and Yu Chief Manager nearly collapsed from the shock.
On top of that, they even had the audacity to lecture us: “Well, you should have managed things better.”
Ah, remembering that time makes my blood pressure rise.
I need to calm down.
In any case, I couldn’t let this slide.
Though there’s no damage now, this is exactly what the Eunhae Trading Company suffered in the future I experienced.
As long as I remember it, it cannot be allowed to happen.
Then a sudden thought crossed my mind.
If things went wrong, Hwayeonru could fall entirely into the hands of the Eunhae Trading Company.
Would they really rely on just this in such a situation?
Impossible.
Then my eyes caught on the date of the final payment deadline.
Five days from now.
I asked carefully.
“A-seung Officer strikes me as a cautious man. That’s why no one could have imagined he would set a fire. So why did he set it today? Why specifically today?”
Go Chief Manager answered my question.
“He said he was ordered to set the fire without fail by today.”
From Go Chief Manager’s words, I could grasp the true meaning behind them.
“You’re saying that if this plan fails, you’ll resort to other methods, aren’t you? You’re giving us a grace period to prepare alternative solutions.”
“Ah….”
“They refused to pay, which is why they resorted to this. But now they’ll settle the overdue payments and resolve the matter? And if they had that money, we wouldn’t be in arrears in the first place.”
At my words, not only Yu Chief Manager but Father and the others widened their eyes in astonishment.
“That’s certainly true.”
Yeon Gak-ju of Sangyu Division spoke.
“Next time, they won’t hesitate to use any means necessary.”
“Then what should we do….”
A brief silence followed.
That’s when I stepped forward.
“Father. May I offer a suggestion?”
“What is it?”
“We need to set fire to Jaegyeong Pavilion.”
“Set… fire to it?”
Father, as well as Yu Chief Manager, asked with bewilderment.
“What are you saying now? Set fire to it with our own hands!”
“Hohoho!”
Laughter rang out at that moment.
“Our youngest young master has proposed a truly brilliant stratagem.”
It was Yeon Gak-ju of Sangyu Division.
She continued with gleaming eyes.
“It’s the stratagem of using falsehood to obscure truth, isn’t it?”
“Yes, Yeon Gak-ju. We need to conceal the truth with deception.”
“An explanation is necessary.”
At Jeok Gak-ju of Sefung Division’s words, I methodically explained the stratagem of using falsehood to obscure truth that I had proposed.
After hearing my explanation, everyone’s lips curved upward, and their eyes gleamed with brilliance.
“And ultimately, we devour Hwayeonru entirely.”
The very act of orchestrating such a scheme meant Hwayeonru had already abandoned all moral principles.
There is no mercy for those who have forsaken righteousness.

* * *

Baek Bok, the proprietor of Hwayeonru, was the son of the previous proprietor.
However, public opinion held that the former proprietor had raised his son poorly.
It was inevitable—he was arrogant and willful.
This stemmed from the absence of any elder to correct him or offer honest counsel.
Everyone merely flattered him.
As a result, Hwayeonru’s finances deteriorated steadily.
Money is difficult to earn but easy to spend.
Thus, he came to regard even staggering expenditures as trivial, until the Chief Manager overseeing Hwayeonru’s finances delivered news that struck him like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.

“What? We have no money?”
“That is correct, Proprietor.”
“What nonsense is this?”
“At this rate, we face genuine peril. There are wages owed to the servants and maids, payments due to the Eunhae Trading Company for goods—in any case, you must reduce expenditures now.”
“Reduce expenditures? That’s impossible!”
“But Proprietor—”
“I am the proprietor of Hwayeonru! One of the five great establishments in Hubei Province!”
I couldn’t fathom what his status had to do with reducing expenses, but the Chief Manager simply listened.
To protest would invite an inkstone hurled at his head.
“The payment owed to the Eunhae Trading Company—defer it for now.”

Though he postponed the payment for goods, the problem remained unresolved.
Month after month, payments continued to be deferred.
In such circumstances, Baek Bok heard at a gambling house he visited for leisure that someone was seeking to acquire it.

“Truth be told, this establishment generates decent income, but circumstances have arisen for me. So I intend to sell it.”

Even by his own observation, patrons never ceased coming.
That meant money.
Seizing the opportunity to profit, Baek Bok acquired the gambling house on the spot.
But there was something he had not foreseen.
A gambling house was an illegal enterprise.
The man who had transferred it to him was preparing to flee after embezzling the bribes meant for his superiors, and thus had fallen into disfavor.
Not long after Baek Bok took ownership, officials arrived, and he tearfully presented them with bribes.
The bribes he paid exceeded the income the gambling house generated, forcing him to draw upon Hwayeonru’s revenues as well.
And a month ago, the Chief Manager delivered news to him that struck like thunder from a clear sky.

“Lord Baek, next month the ownership of Hwayeonru will change hands.”
“What? What nonsense are you spouting?”
At Baek Bok’s words, Chief Manager sighed and slid a contract across the desk toward him.
“You don’t seem to remember. Please look at this.”
Baek Bok read the clause that Chief Manager pointed to.

[Should Hwayeonru fail to pay the goods owed to Eunhae Trading Company for more than twelve months, ownership of Hwayeonru shall transfer to Eunhae Trading Company on the day following the final payment deadline.]

He asked Chief Manager.
“How many months overdue are we as of today?”
“Eleven months. One month remains.”
At Chief Manager’s words, Baek Bok erupted in fury.
“Why are you telling me this now, you bastard!”
“I told you! I’ve told you five times already!”
“I don’t know! I never heard it!”
After beating Chief Manager, he headed toward the gambling house he operated.
There he drank and threw himself back into gambling.
In the midst of it all, his complaints about his predicament faded from his mind.
Then someone approached him.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m from Taoyun Trading Company. I hear you’re facing some difficulties.”
“That may be so… but what business is it of yours?”
“I’ve come to share a way to resolve your situation.”
He replied curtly.
“What do you mean… go ahead, tell me.”
“Destroy that contract.”
“…How?”
“Set a fire.”
“What?”
“We’ll handle such dangerous work for you. All you need do is grant us one small favor.”
Of course, they wouldn’t do such a thing for nothing.
But Baek Bok had no other choice.
“What do you want?”
At his question, the man from Taoyun Trading Company smiled and continued.
“It’s not difficult. Simply conduct business with our company. And build a separate pavilion at Hwayeonru where our people can stay. Also, hire the individuals our company recommends.”
The conditions were surprisingly modest.
Baek Bok couldn’t help but ask in bewilderment.
“That’s truly all?”
“Of course. Surely this causes you no loss, Lord Baek? However, we’d appreciate it if you began construction immediately.”
“That much I can do. I’ll give orders to start right away. But tell me, if this fails…”
“That won’t happen.”
“How can you be certain of that?”
“Because we have prepared more than one method. If the first attempt fails, we can simply employ another.”

Thus, more than a month passed.
Then welcome news reached his ears.

“Did you hear? There was a massive fire at the Eunhae Trading Company this time?”
“Ah! I heard too. A fire broke out at Jaegyeong Pavilion, right? And they found an unidentified person burned to death inside?”
“But the fire happened to break out at Jaegyeong Pavilion, so all the important documents were completely incinerated.”
“That’s why the Eunhae Trading Company is in complete chaos now. All the contract documents with the Hubei merchants were destroyed, weren’t they? I wonder what they’ll do.”
“Tsk… That’s why you need to manage things properly.”

Listening to that conversation, Baek Bok smiled wickedly.
The people from Taoyun Trading Company had done their job well.
And, that very day.
An ultimatum arrived from the Eunhae Trading Company.
But seeing that the space where an amount was usually written was now blank, it seemed the rumor that the ledger of Hwayeonru had disappeared was indeed true.
Baek Bok burst into raucous laughter.
“Puhahahaha!”
He had no intention of missing this opportunity, so he immediately summoned the Chief Manager and gave his orders.
“We have the delivery confirmations and contracts received from the Eunhae Trading Company, right? Bring them all here!”
The Chief Manager brought the documents and contracts from their dealings with the Eunhae Trading Company.
Baek Bok threw them into the courtyard and set them ablaze.
“L-Lord Baek! What are you doing!”
The Chief Manager was horrified, but Baek Bok grinned wickedly and glared at him.
“We never conducted any business with the Eunhae Trading Company.”
“Sir? What do you mean by that…?”
“You heard and saw it yourself. The Eunhae Trading Company has no way to prove their contract with us. So our debt relationship is over. Ahahaha!”
He thought to himself.
That everything had been resolved with this.
It was a delusion.
I stood before Hwayeonru.
Originally, Father and the other elders had intended to handle the matter, but I insisted on coming along as well.
The ornamental paintwork of the five-story pavilion, painted in the color of crimson lotus flowers, was truly magnificent and beautiful.
Suddenly, memories of the future events I had experienced came flooding back.

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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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