Chapter 133
The Youngest Son of Eunhaesang Trading Company Chapter 133
Chapter 133. You Reap What You Sow (3)
I thought I understood the whole story.
Namho Trading Company used someone to tamper with the goods of Miga Trading Company.
But then I wondered.
Then why didn't they tamper with the goods delivered to Eunhae Trading Company? Honestly, that would have had a greater impact, right?
I asked Jong-gil, the head of the trading company.
“I have a question.”
“Go ahead.”
“Are the medicinal herbs sent to our trading company handled by someone other than you?”
He nodded in response to my question.
“Yes, the medicinal herbs sent to our trading company are handled directly by the captain and the chief deputy.”
“I see.”
Just as I thought.
At that moment, an employee of the Namho Trading Company approached and asked, “Have you seen the medicinal herbs?”
“Yes. The quality of the medicinal herbs is very good.”
“That's right. Our captain is very particular about the quality of the medicinal herbs. Unlike that trading company.”
“Of course. Our captain is very particular about the quality of medicinal herbs. Unlike other trading companies.”
What is this?
There is something behind his words.
But I didn't show it and smiled and said,
“Please give me 100 kg of Heavenly Demon, this, and that.”
“Yes, sir.”
* * *
We returned to the inn.
Then I called Jin-ho and Jong-gil to my room. I had something to discuss with them.
“So, you're saying that Namho Trading Company planted someone in your uncle's trading company and used such a dirty trick?”
I nodded in agreement with Jin-ho.
“I don't know if they planted someone or bribed someone, but that's what I think.”
Jong-gil agreed with me.
“I agree with you, Lord. Otherwise, there's no way the manager and employees who were in charge of packaging medicinal herbs at the Miga Trading Company would be there.”
“Yes, and the trading company that complained about the poor quality of the medicinal herbs hasn't come forward in the last three months, so I think that's when they left the Miga Trading Company.”
“But how can we prove that? They could just say that they took them in because they felt sorry for them for leaving the Trading Company due to difficult circumstances, right?”
As expected of Jin-ho.
In my opinion, Jin-ho is just lacking in experience, but he has a very broad perspective.
“It's not just a possibility, it's definitely what they'll say.”
“Exactly!”
“But Jin-ho, can I be honest?”
“Go ahead.”
“It's too late to spread rumors that it was all fabricated.”
Jong-gil-dae continued after I said that.
“You are right, Your Highness. There are already direct victims. Even if we tell them that they were manipulated by the Namho Trading Company, they are already upset, so they won't believe us.”
“They are upset?”
“You said your uncle turned them away.”
“Ah…”
Your uncle had no choice but to turn them away.
They would have thought that something like that could never happen at the Mi-ga Trading Company and that you were trying to frame them.
I sighed.
Your uncle should have put his pride aside and apologized first, then found out what happened.
Anyway, that's not important now.
“I have no intention of letting the Namho Trading Company get away with such despicable tactics. I think I know what their goal is.”
“Their goal?”
“Yes. Why do you think the Namho Trading Company is resorting to such despicable tactics and even sacrificing their own profits to destroy the Miga Trading Company?”
“Isn't it because they want a monopoly?”
“When they get their way and monopolize the medicinal herb trade in this area, what will Namho Trading Company do?”
“Ah!”
Jong-gil's eyes widened.
“They'll raise the prices.”
“That's right. Then, with no other options, what can the trading companies that deal in medicinal herbs in Gyeongju, including ours, do? We'll have no choice but to buy them at high prices.”
I continued.
“Then our trading company will also suffer greatly.”
I said it as if it were my guess, but this is what actually happened.
When the Miga Trading Company went bankrupt, the Namho Trading Company forced the small trading companies in the area to merge with them and grew in size.
In the end, the Namho Trading Company was the only herbal medicine broker left in Gijoo.
Once they had a complete monopoly on the supply of medicinal herbs in Guizhou, the Namho Trading Company raised the prices of medicinal herbs significantly.
The trading companies that dealt in medicinal herbs were reluctant to accept this, but in the end, they had no choice but to buy the herbs at the high prices.
As a result, our trading company also had a difficult time, and in the end, we managed to solve the problem by spending a lot of time and money to establish a branch in Guizhou.
Jong-gil expressed his concern.
“But... it's already happening. How can we stop it?”
“There is a way.”
Both of them focused their attention on me.
I calmly continued.
“It's called ‘planting beans and reaping beans.’”
Planting beans and reaping beans.
If you plant beans, you will get beans.
“Since Namho Trading Company planted beans, isn't it only natural that we give them beans in return?”
The price of medicinal herbs is less than half!
In my opinion, Namho Trading Company is being quite unreasonable. And a price war is a battle of capital.
A battle of capital is a battle of size.
I'm not bragging, but our trading company is one of the top three in Hubei Province.
On the other hand, Namho Trading Company is just a brokerage firm specializing in certain products.
If we set our minds to it, we can never lose in a capital battle.
“They should experience it once. They should know how it feels to be drained of blood because of capital.”
And this was also revenge for my uncle, who chose suicide in his previous life.
.
.
.
I wrote a letter to my father.
I wrote about the results of my investigation and what I thought would happen if things continued as they were.
I also wrote about the support I needed to prevent this from happening and how to get it.
“Geum-ryung, come out.”
“Kui?”
Geum-ryung came out from inside my sleeve and poked her head out.
“I need you to deliver a letter.”
“Kui...?”
Her answer was vague.
There was a way to deal with that. I held out the silver coin and said, “If you do it well, I might give you this.”
“Kui!”
At my words, Geum-ryung quickly stuck out her tail. It was the first time I had seen someone so eager for money.
But how can I give her a silver coin for delivering one letter?
When I think about how half a nang of silver is worth a bushel of rice, my hands tremble, but she did more than her share.
I tied the letter tightly to Geum-ryeong's tail.
“Please give this to my father.”
“Kui!”
Geum-ryung darted out the window and soon disappeared into the distance.
He was certainly fast.
The next morning.
I received a reply from my father.
[I am sure it will be as you say. Then we will have a lot to do. Do as you think best.
My father gave me his permission.
*
Namho Trading Company.
The head of the trading company was in a very good mood.
“So, more than half of those who were doing business with Miga Trading Company have switched over?”
“Yes, sir.”
The deputy reported to the head of Namho Trading Company.
“Then where are the ones who haven't switched over yet?”
“Eunhae Trading Company and...”
The deputy mentioned the names of several trading companies, and the captain of the Namho Trading Company nodded.
“There aren't many left. Once we deal with the Eunhae Trading Company, it's practically over.”
“That's true, but... aren't they related to the captain of the Miga Trading Company? It won't be easy.”
“Money comes before family. If they decide it's a loss, they'll end up doing business with us.”
The second-in-command nodded.
“What should we do about them? You know, the ones who put low-quality goods into the shipments that were supposed to go to other trading companies according to our instructions.”
“You said they are currently working for us, right?”
“Yes, that's right. I have a cover story in case anyone else asks questions, but if they feel guilty and go to the Miga Trading Company and spill the beans, we'll be in big trouble.”
After thinking for a moment, the head of the Namho Trading Company said,
“The dead can't talk.”
That was his answer.
“I'll take care of it.”
Just then, someone's voice was heard from outside.
“Captain. This is Chief Administrator Seo.”
“Come in.”
The door opened and Chief Administrator Seo entered.
“Yes, what is it?”
“I have come to give you this month's financial report.”
He handed him the report, and Namho Trading Company's captain opened it.
“We started selling at prices that were too low compared to the price we paid for the medicinal herbs, and the situation has rapidly deteriorated.”
“That is certainly true.”
He rolled up the report and placed it on the desk, then asked, “So how long can you hold out?”
“At this rate, we can hold out for about another six months.”
“Six months is enough.”
“But if something happens in the meantime, I can't guarantee anything.”
“But if something happens in the meantime, I can't guarantee anything.”
“That won't happen. Mi-Gwa Trading Company can't lower their prices any further. They must be in agony right now.”
“I'm sure they are.”
“So, Chief Administrator Seo, there's no need to worry. When we become the only herbal medicine broker in Gyeongju, we'll raise the price of herbal medicine. Honestly, even if we raise the price fivefold, what can they do? They have no choice but to buy herbal medicine from us.”
“You are right, Captain.”
The second-in-command nodded in agreement.
“Then we will be able to put our name on the list of the 100 greatest trading companies in the world.”
Nam Ho-sang frowned and clicked his tongue.
“That's why I told you not to reject my suggestion to agree on the price of the medicinal herbs. Tsk, tsk.”
* * *
People from Eunhae Trading Company arrived.
They were Eunpungdae Samjo and his workers, sent by my father for my plan.
My first order was to purchase a large estate in a remote mountain area.
A moment later
“Are you there?”
Someone arrived at the estate, and I quickly welcomed them.
“We have brought the medicinal herbs you requested.”
“Thank you for listening to my request.”
“Hehehe, I am more grateful to you for giving me a generous reward.”
“This matter must remain a secret.”
“Of course!”
I made a request to the trading companies that had come to do business with Namho Trading Company.
I asked them to buy the medicinal herbs with the money I gave them, which was more than the price offered by the Namho Trading Company.
It wasn't a bad deal for them either.
The medicinal herbs began to pile up in the manor we had prepared.
I could have gone to buy the medicinal herbs myself, but that would have aroused suspicion.
That's why I asked them to do it for me.
“Your Highness. We have no more room to store the medicinal herbs.”
“Then let's buy another manor nearby.”
“Yes, sir.”
A month passed.
Seven manors were filled to the brim with medicinal herbs.
It was time to get down to business.
“Pal-gap.”
“Yes, young master.”
“Get ready. We're going to see my uncle.”
“Yes, sir.”
.
.
.
It took about a day on horseback to get from where I was to my uncle's Trading Company.
We had sent word ahead, so when we arrived, my uncle came out to greet us.
“Eun Jin-ho is here to see you, uncle.”
“Eunseoho is here to see you, uncle.”
“Hahaha! Come in.”
My uncle welcomed us with a big smile.
“You must have had a long journey.”
It wasn't a long journey. It was only a day's ride.
But my uncle, who didn't know that, said we must be tired and showed us to our lodgings.
Jong-gil, who was following behind us, whispered to me.
“The roof that was broken before is still the same. And the Trading Company Captain's belt ornament is also the same.”
“I see.”
After resting for a while at the lodging, we headed to the dining room, guided by my uncle's servant when it was time for dinner.
While we were greeting my aunt and second cousins, the food was served.
When I saw the food, I laughed to myself.
My cousin...
The food was quite expensive.
Perhaps he didn't want to show that he was having a hard time, but it wasn't right to do this after sending a letter saying that he was in a difficult situation.
It must have been his pride.
Seeing him trying to save face in front of us made me feel a little sorry for him.
But since he had prepared the food,
it was only polite to eat it.
“I'll enjoy the meal.”
“Yes, eat up.”
After we finished eating, I said to my uncle.
“I'd like to talk to you for a moment.”
“Yes, let's go to my study.”
“Yes.”
A moment later
my brother Jin-ho and I headed for my uncle's study.
My uncle invited us to sit down, and we sat in front of a low table.
“First of all, my father was very saddened to read the letter you sent. And Eunwol Hall has decided to send you some money.”
I placed a slip of paper on the table.
“This is a slip from Eunhae Trading Company.”
It was a slip for 1,000 nyang.
When my uncle saw it, he bit his lip slightly. Then he sighed and said,
“Tell your father I thank him.”
Then my uncle tried to pick up the slip. At that moment, I quickly grabbed it and said,
“There is one condition.”
“Condition?”
“Yes.”
I nodded and continued.
“Starting today, for the next six months, please entrust me with the position of captain of the Miga Trading Company.”