Chapter 13
The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Trading Company Chapter 13
Chapter 13. An Unexpected Journey (1)
Early the next morning.
I began learning martial arts from my Master in the front yard of my room.
“First, you must master a mental technique called Taiyin Binghai Shinkong.”
“Yes.”
“You must start by feeling your energy, but since you already have inner arts in your qi center, we will begin with Taiyin Binghai Shinkong.”
I sat cross-legged, and my Master placed his palms on my back.
“Remember the acupoints I lead you to, and follow my movements.”
My master enveloped my inner arts in his own and guided me to the acupoints of Taiyin Binghai Shigong.
In less than half an hour, I was able to complete a full cycle.
This was because my acupoints were already wide open.
My master was surprised and asked me, “Do you know what Taiyin Binghai Shigong is?”
“Do you know the Taiyin Binghai Technique?”
I hesitated at my master's question.
“What is that?”
“Then how did the acupoints…”
After thinking for a moment, my master said.
“I told you before. By chance, I ate a magical medicine, and its energy accumulated in your qi center.”
“Yes.”
I had already told my Master most of what I knew about the energy in my qi center.
I knew he wasn't the type of person to go around talking about such things lightly.
Besides, there was no other way to explain the inner arts of my qi center.
However, the case of Taiyin Binghai Xingong was a little different.
I couldn't say that I knew about it because it was my Master's family specialty.
“Actually, Tae-eum Byeonghae Shin-gong is a mental technique created to accumulate yin energy in the body as efficiently as possible. According to the story that has been passed down, it is a mental technique created by the survival instinct at the moment of death.”
“Is that so?”
Come to think of it, I almost died.
Because of the coldness of Cheongbing Seolmae...
My master continued his explanation.
“I think the same is true for you, young master. Your body instinctively moved your inner arts to those acupoints.”
It was a more accurate analysis than I expected.
“If you hadn't done that, you would no longer be with us. There was a high probability that you would have frozen to death.”
His accurate guess gave me goose bumps.
“I see. That's a relief.”
“Anyway, thanks to your miraculous encounter, you can move on to basic physical training right away.”
My master nodded and continued.
“If you use martial arts without physical strength and stamina, you will ruin your body. Therefore, you must lay a solid foundation thoroughly.”
It had been a long time since I had heard those words.
“It will be hard.”
“It will be so hard that you will want to curse, but you must persevere.”
“Yes. I will persevere.”
I began physical training as instructed by my Master.
Seeing that I was doing better than expected, he muttered to himself.
“I think we can increase the intensity.”
“What?”
“Then let's increase the intensity. Let's add two more sandbags.”
I was shocked to hear that.
“No, that's not right!”
.
.
.
.
It was time to go to work.
I had been training all night, so I was worried that I wouldn't be able to go to work because I had no strength left.
However
having strong inner arts also had its disadvantages.
When I practiced breathing exercises, I recovered before I knew it.
It was heaven's will that I go to work.
And to achieve my goal, I had to work hard.
No matter how much experience I had in making Eunhae Trading Company one of the three largest trading companies in the world, I was now just a fifteen-year-old boy who had just started working.
The reason I was able to get my hands on this Hwaryeonru was because I had prevented the fire.
By the way, hiding my constitution...
What my Master said last night confused me.
He said that it would not be good for me to be widely known, but I could sense that there was a more complicated reason behind his words.
He wasn't wrong, and I'm sure he'll tell me when the time is right.
“Are you here?”
“Yes. Good morning.”
The eyes of the Jaegyeonggak officials who greeted me were full of kindness.
It was because I prevented the fire, so they didn't have to work so hard.
In order to hide the fire from the public, the Jaegyeonggak officials had taken a few days off work.
Because of that, they had to work overtime for a few days, but it was worth it if it meant they didn't have to go through all that trouble.
In any case, it had been a long time since I had seen everyone.
At that moment, Chief Administrator Yoo approached, and everyone stood up.
“Young master, you're here.”
Chief Administrator Yoo smiled and said to everyone.
“Starting today, Eun Seo-ho will be working as my assistant.”
Chief Administrator Yu made it clear.
“What?”
“Huh?”
“Is that really true?”
The officials were surprised and looked at Chief Administrator Yu. The female officials were especially shocked.
I hadn't given any indication that this was going to happen.
“Young master?”
“That's right.”
However, the other members did not seem jealous of me for becoming Chief Administrator Yu's assistant.
Rather, they looked pitiful.
They knew how difficult it was to be Chief Administrator Yu's assistant.
Chief Administrator Yu smiled and turned around.
“Let's get to work. We have a lot to do.”
“Yes.”
I shed tears inside as I was led to Chief Administrator Yoo's office.
When I entered Chief Administrator Yoo's office, I immediately noticed something different.
Right next to his desk was another large desk.
I knew at once that it was my desk.
“Please sit down.”
“Yes.”
I sat quietly in my seat. Soon, documents began to pile up on the desk.
“Review these and mark the important points in red, then give them to me.”
“Yes.”
“And these are the parts that need to be researched. Find the relevant materials and add them.”
“Yes.”
“And these are...”
I was in for a lot of work.
Only then did I realize.
I wasn't competent.
I had simply made my own fate.
.
.
.
Time passed, and before I knew it, Dongji was approaching.
Every year, Eunhae Trading Company gave its employees three to four days off for Dongji.
Of course, not everyone could be absent, so they took turns before and after the winter solstice.
I plan to stay in bed as much as possible during my vacation.
I'm going to rest thoroughly.
Of course, I can't skip my martial arts training, but I can do that in the morning.
It was natural for me to look forward to my vacation.
It was because I was extremely busy assisting Chief Administrator Yu. It was not surprising that he died of overwork.
In Chief Administrator Yu's office, all you could hear was the sound of papers being turned and brushes being moved.
That was because Chief Administrator Yu believed that it was more efficient to read one more document during that time than to spend time chatting.
I agreed with him.
At that moment, I sensed someone approaching me.
Perhaps because I had been training harder lately, my senses seemed to be more acute.
To be honest, I could still endure my Master's physical training, but I never said so.
If I said, “I can endure it,” he would add more sandbags.
So I was trying my best not to complain.
I was using a total of twenty-five sandbags for my physical training.
That was the weight of a fairly large adult man.
If I added any more weight, I would really die.
Soon, I heard a woman's voice. It was a familiar voice.
“The captain sent me.”
Then I heard the voice of Kyojin-un's escort.
“Lieutenant Cho Yeong-yeong is here.”
Chief Administrator Yu nodded at that. Seeing that, I quickly replied.
“Come in.”
The door opened and a woman in her mid-twenties entered.
Her name was Cho Yeong-yeong.
She was the daughter of a family that had worked for the Eunhae Trading Company for a long time, so it was natural for her to work there as well.
Becoming one of the captain's lieutenants at such a young age, and as a woman, meant that she was intelligent and quick-witted.
There were rumors that she and my father were having an affair.
In the end, it turned out not to be true.
She said she had a man she loved, and in the end, she never married until I died.
“What is it?”
“Chairman Song is here. He asked you to join him.”
“I see. I'll go with you.”
“Yes.”
She bowed her head slightly to Chief Administrator Yoo, and at that moment, I saw it.
Her cheeks were slightly reddened.
When I looked up again, her expression was the same as usual, expressionless.
Her gaze was fixed on Chief Administrator Yu the entire time.
Could it be? Chief Administrator Yu?
Only then did I understand why she had cried so bitterly when Chief Administrator Yu died.
I also understood why she had never married.
“It was truly pure love.”
At that moment, Chief Administrator Yu called me.
“Young master.”
“Yes!”
“What are you doing? The Trading Company Chairman is waiting for you.”
“What?”
For a moment, I didn't understand what he was saying. Song Jang-ju had arrived, and I didn't understand why I had to go to a meeting that I was supposed to attend with my chief administrator.
“Isn't Chief Administrator Yu going alone?”
Chief Administrator Yoo explained, spreading his fingers one by one.
“First, the fact that Chairman Song has come means that there is something to discuss, and it is highly likely that you will have to do paperwork related to that. However, I am busy with other work, so it is likely that you will have to do the work related to that. But explaining that would be troublesome... It's a waste of time.”
“...”
Didn't you just say it was troublesome?
“And you are one of the successors of the Trading Company. Therefore, you are fully qualified to be present. Do you have any further questions?”
He tried to sugarcoat it, but the bottom line was that he was taking me with him to get the work done efficiently.
I let out a small sigh and followed Chief Administrator Yu to the reception room.
.
.
.
Eunhaesangdan had a separate reception room.
This was because they often had guests to entertain.
The maid in the tea room brewed tea, served everyone, and then withdrew.
Inside the reception room sat my father, the chief administrator, and the head of Sangyugak.
Opposite my father sat our guest, Song Jang-ju.
Song Jang-ju was one of the influential figures in the area where Eunhaesang Trading Company was located, and he was also a long-time customer of Eunhaesang.
He was a very special customer.
As evidenced by his colorful attire, including a jade-colored silk robe and gold earrings, he was one of the largest landowners in the area.
In the future I had experienced, Song Jang-ju gradually fell into decline and eventually grew old as the head of an old manor that was now nothing more than a name.
“It's been a long time since you've visited.”
In response to my father's words, Song Jang-ju put down his teacup and said, "It's been a long time since I've visited.
“It just happened that way. Still, this is the place I rely on the most. That's why I came to see you, the head of the Trading Company.”
Hearing this, my father asked cautiously.
“It seems like you need something.”
“Yes. That's why I came to ask for your help.”
We listened silently to what Song Jang-ju had to say.
“Due to my mistake, the land tax was not reflected in the tax revenue, and the Bu Jeong-sa (布正使) took issue with this.”
“I see.”
My father nodded with a look of regret. However, I could see the truth in Song Jang-ju's expression.
It was not a mistake, but intentional embezzlement.
That must have been how he got caught by the Minister of Revenue.
“So I consulted with the county magistrate, who is a close friend of mine, and he said he had something the Minister of Revenue was looking for.”
It was a very simple problem.
He planned to offer a bribe to cover up the mistake.
And that item was the reason Song Jang-ju had visited Eunhae Trading Company.
There was no way my father wouldn't notice what I had noticed. My father asked with a gentle expression.
“Your concern, Chairman Song, is also the concern of the Eunhae Trading Company. Please speak freely. What is that item?”
“It is...”
Chairman Song sighed and replied.
“It is a strange object.”
“What do you mean, a strange object?”
“Well, we need a doll that dances by itself every hour.”
At his words, silence fell in the reception room.
My father, the chief administrator, and Yeon Gak-ju looked puzzled, wondering what he was talking about.
But I knew what he meant.
“That's right. There was something like that.”
One of the things I regretted most in my past life.
I had vowed not to do it again, but I almost ended up regretting it once more.
Perhaps it had come to find me to awaken me.
The origin of this matter was nothing special.