Chapter 115
The Youngest Son of the Silver Sea Trading Company Chapter 115
Chapter 115. The Sichuan Tang Clan's Benefactor (5)
Lee Pil continued.
“But at the time, my father didn't know that and left. Later, my mother took me to find the Sichuan Tang Clan.”
Somehow, Lee Pil was accepted by the Sichuan Tang Clan.
“I am grateful that they fed me, but even after I came to the Sichuan Tang Clan, I was always hungry.”
What does that mean?
You were hungry in such a wealthy place?
Is that a metaphor?
“My mother passed away soon after. She was terminally ill, so she left me here.”
He smiled bitterly.
“But the Sichuan Tang Clan was not a kind place for me. I was always bullied. However, I was talented with hidden weapons, and that was a problem. The bullying from my older brothers became worse and worse, and eventually I wrote a letter saying that I would renounce the Sichuan Tang Clan and ran away from home at the age of 18.”
“So how did you survive?”
“I wandered around as a wanderer, then saw an advertisement from the Eunhae Trading Company looking for warriors, applied, and now I am a bodyguard for my Liege.”
He said it calmly, but was it really that simple?
No, to speak calmly without anger is to have surpassed the limits of anger.
It means resignation.
I sincerely comforted the warrior.
“You've been through a lot.”
“But I'm happy now.”
“But even though you ran away from home at the age of 18, you're still skilled with hidden weapons, which means you must be very talented.”
The two warriors nodded in agreement with Yeo-eung-am's words.
Earlier, they had sensed something uneasy in Dang-joon-ryeong's eyes, and now they thought they knew what it was.
He was afraid of losing his position.
He was much more talented than him, and the Sichuan Tang Clan was a family that valued ability.
Is that why he bullied him?
How petty.
“Such days come in life. I became a benefactor of the Sichuan Tang Clan and even got to eat to my heart's content at the Yellow Emperor's Banquet. Hahaha.”
Tears seemed to well up in his eyes as he laughed.
But there was one question that was most important. Just as I was wondering whether I should ask it, Jin-yu spoke up.
“By the way, Mr. Lee Pil.”
“Yes.”
“Who is your father, Lee Pil?”
That was the question.
“Jinyu, that question...”
I tried to stop him, but Lee Pil obediently opened his mouth.
“My father is... the younger brother of the previous Clan Head and the uncle of the current Clan Head.”
He continued.
“Fortunately, he is not here right now. He has been sent on a mission for the Martial Alliance.”
What?
The Martial Alliance?
Knowing what the Martial Alliance was, those words did not sound casual to me.
* * *
Dang Kyu-jung returned to his office after the banquet.
It had been a long time since he had enjoyed such a pleasant banquet.
“Eun Seo-ho... He is a talented man.”
The Sichuan Tang Clan was a family that valued talent, and Tang Kyu-jung was no exception.
He was very interested in the merchant Eun Seo-ho.
When he found out that Eun Seo-ho was the one who saved his youngest son, he mobilized his family's informants to secretly investigate the Sect Leader of Emei.
And he learned about Eun Seo-ho's past.
Until just three years ago, Eun Haesang Trading Company was one of the top ten trading companies in Hubei Province.
However, once Eun Seo-ho began to be seriously involved in the company's business, it grew rapidly and is now one of the top three trading companies in Hubei Province.
According to what I heard, it will definitely be ranked among the top 50 trading companies announced by the imperial court during the winter solstice.
It was clear that Eun Seo-ho's abilities had led to such growth.
“On top of that, he is also generous and wise...”
If that weren't the case, no matter how luxurious the place was or how delicious the food was, he wouldn't have been able to enjoy it.
It couldn't be helped.
It was because of the fear that the name Sichuan Tang Clan instilled in him.
However, it was impossible to give up that fear and approach him in a friendly manner.
Poison was not something that could be considered friendly.
In the end, the Sichuan Tang Clan became a place of fear, and even if they were invited to a banquet, it became natural for them to come reluctantly and eat reluctantly.
However, Eun Seo-ho enjoyed the food at the banquet, and that made the party leader look favorably upon him.
“He's only eighteen years old.”
Moreover, what he said also appealed to him.
“Why don't we try to arrange a marriage?”
He began to feel a strong desire to take him as his son-in-law.
As he thought of Eun Seo-ho, another person suddenly came to mind.
“That guy...”
He was the one Eun Seo-ho called Lee Pil.
His real name was Dang Lee Pil.
He was the son of his youngest uncle, who had been born outside of marriage.
He had known Lee Pil since he was a child, so he knew that he had always been alone.
He was extremely talented with hidden weapons, and seeing that, he thought that he couldn't steal seeds after all.
His youngest uncle was also talented with hidden weapons.
In response to a request from the Martial Alliance for a master of hidden weapons, he was dispatched to the Martial Alliance as a trainer.
“Hmm...”
He let out a low groan.
He remembered seeing Lee Pil being bullied.
Of course, he tried to stop them whenever he saw it, but the problem was that most of those who bullied him were his half-brothers.
That must have made it even harder for Lee Pil.
Eventually, he left home at the age of 18.
In the letter he left behind, he wrote that he was renouncing the Sichuan Tang Clan surname, that he needed nothing and wanted nothing, and to please not look for him.
Those around him said that they should immediately organize a search party and find Lee Pil before he brought shame to the Sichuan Tang Clan.
However, there was one person who opposed this.
Surprisingly, it was Lee Pil's father.
“Clan Head, just let him go.”
“Why, Uncle?”
“He has suffered so much here because of his worthless father. He will be happier outside the family.”
“But it's dangerous outside.”
“He's not weak enough to be exposed to danger. And it's more dangerous for him to stay in the family.”
“...”
“Fortunately, he did not learn the martial arts practiced by the direct and collateral branches of the family. He only learned the martial arts practiced by the vassals, so please do not look for him.”
In response to his earnest request, Dang Kyung-jin finally decided to handle the matter in that way.
However, he ended up facing Eun Seo-ho, who had become his bodyguard.
What's more, he had saved his son.
At first, he was quite surprised and thought about greeting him.
However, that would mean disobeying his own orders.
Therefore, he chose to treat him as a stranger.
Those who noticed his intention did not speak to Lee Pil either.
Once they treated him as someone from outside the clan, Lee Pil's expression gradually began to relax.
And he had eaten very well at the banquet earlier.
When Lee Pil was in the Sichuan Tang Clan, he always picked at his food.
That's why seeing him eat so heartily made him feel both happy and sad.
“Clan Head, I'm going in.”
At that moment, the door opened and an aide entered.
“Did you take Master Eun Seo-ho and his party to the annex?”
“Yes.”
However, the aide hesitated.
“You seem to have something else to say.”
“Well... Sergeant Jang went to the annex.”
“To the annex? To meet Master Eun Seo-ho?”
“No. He met with Dang Pil... No, Lee Pil.”
Hearing this, Dang Kyu-jeon sighed.
“What a useless thing to do...”
* * *
The next morning.
I went to the dining room in the annex with Pal-gap.
“Please come in.”
“Good morning.”
The bodyguards were already in the dining room.
They were supposed to escort me to the dining room, but I insisted that it wasn't necessary here.
I didn't eat dinner yesterday because I ate too much. Perhaps because of that, I was especially hungry this morning.
Strangely, when I eat well the day before, I'm even hungrier the next day.
Soon, the maids in the annex began to serve the food.
Rice was served along with various dishes, including soup.
I remembered that the Sichuan Tang Clan ate rice for breakfast.
“I'll enjoy my meal.”
I said so and picked up my chopsticks, and everyone else followed suit.
However, I noticed that Lee Pil was stirring his rice.
Come to think of it...
Lee Pil always stirred his food before eating, just like he had done before.
At first, I thought it was just a habit.
But such a habit doesn't just appear out of nowhere, does it?
It looked as if he was looking for something in his food, but that wasn't the kind of behavior you would expect from a samurai, given the dangers they faced.
Thieves who disguised themselves as innkeepers often used poison, so they would check for insects flying around and use tools to detect poison.
But poking around in food like that means he had experience with something other than poison being put in his food.
Wait a minute.
Something other than poison?
I remembered something I had overheard in my conversation with Lee Pil yesterday.
“I am grateful that you have fed me, but I am still hungry. Even after coming to the Sichuan Tang Clan, I was always hungry.”
His words, saying that he was hungry even in this materially abundant place, were not meant figuratively.
He was literally hungry.
There was something in his food.
Whether it was sand, gold dust, or insects.
That's why he developed such a habit.
Then who did such a cruel thing?
It must have been the maids who were in charge of his meals. But was it their idea?
Even if he wasn't the heir to the family, would they dare to tamper with the food of someone from the Sichuan Tang Clan?
How could they?
The answer was simple.
It must have been the orders of other members of the Sichuan Tang Clan, especially his half-brothers or their mother.
Ha! This is maddening.
To be honest, I cannot empathize with Lee Pil's feelings.
My two older brothers were such good people, and they would have done anything for me.
It would be deceitful to say that I empathize with him when I did not experience it myself.
But when I thought about it, I felt a burning rage inside me. My head quickly cooled down.
This is just my guess.
But if this is the truth, I have no intention of letting it go.
I will make them pay for their sins.
Some may ask why I am going to such lengths over a childish prank.
However, because of that childish prank, Lee Pil was seriously injured.
He was my bodyguard, no less.
I came to the Sichuan Tang Clan to cut off the arms and legs of the Martial Alliance, which is secretly operating within the Sichuan Tang Clan.
But now I have one more thing to do.
“Young master, what's wrong?”
At that moment, Pal-gap looked at me and tilted his head.
“Huh?”
“Your face suddenly froze, so I thought you were chewing on a stone.”
“It's nothing. I just need a moment to think.”
After eating breakfast and finishing the snacks and tea that were served, the Sichuan Tang Clan Head's aide came to see me in the annex.
“Did you sleep well last night?”
“Yes, I had a good night's sleep thanks to you.”
Behind the aide stood a young lady.
As soon as I saw her, with her dignity and elegance unique to the Sichuan Tang Clan, I knew who she was.
The aide to the head of the Sichuan Tang Clan said,
“Let me introduce you. This is the fifth daughter of the Clan Head.”
She clasped her hands together in greeting.
“My name is Tang Su-bin.”
“I am Eun Seo-ho.”
In my past life, she was the young lady who would later be called the red jewel of the Sichuan Tang Clan.
She was the Clan Head's most beloved daughter and the pride of the Sichuan Tang Clan.
Her specialties were poison and poison detection.
She was extremely talented in poison and could administer poison without anyone noticing.
However, she lost her brilliance all too quickly.
She was sent on a mission by the Martial Alliance and died in the line of duty.
It was truly a tragic loss for the Sichuan Tang Clan.
But that was in the past.
Why is that famous person here?
The Sichuan Tang Clan Head's aide continued.
“Today, Miss Su Bin will be guiding Master Silver and everyone else on a tour of the Sichuan Tang Clan.”
I was a little taken aback.
I thought they would assign us a guide, but they assigned Miss Su Bin as our guide.
However, he did not make the mistake of showing his embarrassment on his face.
“I look forward to working with you, Miss.”
“I heard you were handsome, but you really are handsome. It's like a breath of fresh air.”
At her words, the Clan Head's aide looked embarrassed.
“Miss, such words...”
Ah...
Come to think of it, Miss Dang Su-bin was famous for being very open about her feelings.