Chapter 149
The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Trading Company Chapter 149
Chapter 149. Daebyeolsan (3)
I responded directly to Chairman Min's words.
“I want grain.”
“Grain...?”
“Yes.”
“Tell me in detail. I don't understand what you mean.”
“Give me a quarter of your harvest for the next three years.”
Min Jang-ju's expression hardened.
As the owner of most of the farmland in this prosperous village, the amount of grain he harvested was enormous.
“You don't have to decide now. Your son is still sick, and I'm not the kind of person who would ask for payment.”
I calmly continued my explanation.
“It is best to feed this medicine to him at night. If he drinks this, he will sleep soundly for two to three days. When your son wakes up, he will be completely cured. We can discuss payment then.”
I clasped my hands together in a bow, opened the window again, and climbed out of the house through the roof.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
When I landed lightly next to the fence, I heard the voice of Jin-yu Musha beside me.
“You waited a long time, didn't you?”
He just smiled at my question.
Seeing that, I was certain. He had hidden himself so well that even I didn't notice him.
* *
At that moment.
Min-ik got up from his seat and headed toward the table. His gaze was fixed on the bottle on the table.
“Is this... Cheonhyangroju?”
He picked up the bottle and opened the cap.
Pop!
At the same time, an indescribably fragrant aroma spread throughout the room.
His hands trembled.
“Is this really Cheonhyangroju?”
With trembling hands, he managed to close the bottle and put it down.
Then he took a deep breath.
“Hoo!”
As he calmed himself down, he thought about the identity of the young man who had given him the elixir.
The fact that he had come without hiding his face meant that he had no reason to hide his identity.
It also meant that it didn't matter if he knew his identity.
However, the fact that he had come secretly at night meant that he wanted it to be kept a secret from the outside world.
“Hee.”
At his question, a black-masked warrior descended from the ceiling to the floor.
He was his bodyguard, and it was because he was there that the surrounding area had been secured.
“You called?”
“Did you see the young man who just entered the room?”
“Yes, I did.”
“What did he look like?”
“He definitely looked unusual. And he knew I was here.”
“What?”
The bodyguard named Hee asked in surprise, and continued.
“He kept looking in my direction.”
“....
”Furthermore, I couldn't easily gauge his level of skill. That means his martial arts skills are equal to or greater than mine.“
”...I see.“
Min-ik nodded.
”Is the contents of this bottle really Cheonhyangroju?"
“I also smelled it earlier. It is almost identical to the scent of Cheonhyangroju that I know. Furthermore, even though he has a very distinctive face, he did not hide it, which means that he is very confident.”
“....”
After thinking for a moment, Min-ik said.
“Let's find out.”
“Yes, sir.”
He picked up the flask.
Whether it was fake or real, honestly, all he could do was grasp at straws.
And if it would cure his son's illness, he could grant that request.
He made up his mind and headed for his son's room.
“Are you still awake?”
“Yes, Father.”
His son was now nine years old.
He usually breathed heavily, but today, for some reason, he didn't seem to be struggling as much as usual.
“Maybe it's because it's cold, so you feel better.”
“About half an hour ago, I suddenly started to feel better. So I was studying, which I hadn't been able to do until now.”
“Is that so?”
Min-ik thought that he was just feeling better today and continued talking.
“I came here late at night because I got some medicine that will cure your illness.”
However, his son did not look very happy.
This was because he had been deceived into taking numerous fake medicines.
He had even had a near-death experience, so he was not very happy about it.
But he knew his father's feelings, so he didn't say no.
“Give it to me. I'll take it now.”
At those words, Min-ik handed him the bottle, and his son opened the cap.
“...!”
At that moment, the room was filled with a fragrance that surprised his son.
It was a fragrance he had never smelled before, and it made him feel calm and peaceful.
“It's called Cheonhyangju. Just like I read in the books, it smells wonderful.”
Hearing this, his son's heart began to pound.
This time, he was filled with hope that his illness would be cured.
Honestly, why wouldn't he want to be cured?
He was the one who suffered the most from his illness.
He wanted to give up, but he couldn't because of his father's relentless efforts.
He carefully tilted the bottle and drank the Cheonhyangroju.
When he finished the bottle, he felt as if his eyes were spinning.
He closed his eyes, overcome by sleepiness.
Seeing his son fall asleep, Min-ik turned his head to the side.
The physician who had come in with him nodded and said, “It seems to be a normal reaction.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, it is the same reaction I have seen with Cheonhyangroju.”
It was the same thing the young man who had given him the medicine had said.
However, he couldn't rest easy just believing that.
So he laid his son on the bed himself and stayed by his side with a heavy heart.
* * *
I am still staying at an inn in Minjang Village.
I decided to stay here a few more days because the scenery is beautiful.
However, the real reason I am staying here is to finalize my deal with Min Jang-ju.
It was certain that Min Jang-ju's son's sunstroke would be cured after drinking the Cheonhyangroju I gave him.
That was the right time to make the deal.
When the other party is overwhelmed with gratitude, you can gain the upper hand in a deal.
I looked out the window and said, “Pal-gap.
The weather is really nice today. Shall we go out?”
“What? An outing?”
“Yes, the innkeeper said there is a nice place for an outing. So...”
I couldn't continue and just smiled.
That was because Pal-gap was standing there holding my clothes politely.
“What are you doing? You need to change your clothes.”
We arrived at a nearby valley.
It was called Dan-yeong Valley, and I could understand why even the shadows were red.
The autumn leaves were very red and beautiful.
“Oh my! What a wonderful place.”
Pal-gap kept admiring the view, and even my bodyguards nodded in agreement.
“How do you like it here?”
“It's wonderful. Thank you for bringing me here.”
Mister Heo also liked it very much.
The reason we came here was not only for the scenery, but also because Min Jang-ju was coming here today.
It was certain that Min Jang-ju's son would be cured of his sunstroke, but it was still uncertain.
The incident surrounding Cheonhyang-ro in my previous life taught me not to let my guard down.
So, after briefly explaining the situation to Jin-yu, I asked him to keep an eye on Min Jang-ju.
It's a good excuse to enjoy the scenery.
How would he know where I am?
Min Jang-ju's village is his territory. It would be difficult for him to maintain his position if he didn't know what was going on in his own territory.
And as few people as possible should know that I am meeting Min Jang-ju.
This place is secluded, so it is perfect.
As I was enjoying the view of Dan-yeong Valley from the pavilion, I sensed someone approaching.
Seo Woo and Jin-yu also seemed to notice the presence and were looking at me.
I told Pal-gap to take Mister Hoon downstairs.
Soon, three people approached.
It was Min Jang-ju, the boy I had seen a few days ago, and his bodyguard.
I smiled faintly.
“We meet again.”
“Yes.”
I greeted them and invited Min Jang-ju to sit down.
“Would you like some tea?”
“Yes, please.”
Min Jang-ju and the boy came up to the pavilion and sat in front of me, and Pal-gap returned with tea.
“This is Cheolgwanum, which is distributed by our Trading Company.”
“It smells wonderful.”
I was certain.
The fact that he didn't flinch when I said I was from a Trading Company meant that he already knew who I was.
I did not cover my face when I met Min Jang-ju. It was to gain his trust.
If he had investigated me, he would have known my past.
And I was confident that my past would increase his trust in me.
“Let me introduce you. The boy next to me is my second son, Min Joon.”
“I am Min Joon.”
He was a bright boy, and he greeted me with a respectful clasped hands greeting.
“Thank you for saving my son's life.”
Min Jang-ju clasped his hands in front of me, and Min Joon also bowed to me again.
“My son woke up, and the physician confirmed that his heartbeat is normal. He said that his heart disease has been completely cured.”
“I am very relieved.”
Min Jang-joo thought for a moment, then told his son and bodyguard to take a walk around the area.
After all, it would be better if his son did not hear what he was about to say.
“Where did you get that medicine?”
It was a question he had expected, so he answered gently.
“I understand that it is the custom in the martial world not to ask about the source of a magical medicine.”
“I see. I'm sorry. My curiosity got the better of me.”
I shook my head and calmly opened my mouth.
“I just happened to come across it and thought it would be useful for a trade.”
“I see. A trade... You said you wanted grain, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then, would you send the grain we agreed upon to Eunhae Trading Company for the next three years?”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“The medicine I gave you is not the property of the Trading Company, but my own. Therefore, I believe that the profit should also be mine.”
“That's fair enough.”
“I will send you a separate message later. Then you can send the grain to that location.”
“I understand.”
I took the contract out of my pocket and spread it out.
When Min Jang-ju saw it, he exclaimed in admiration.
“Wow! Very thorough.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
I asked him not to tell anyone about today's meeting.
I told him that I had just met a stranger in his district and had come to say hello, and Min Jang-ju readily agreed.
I watched Min Jang-ju and his son disappear into the distance and fell deep in thought.
I don't know what kind of variable Min Joon, the son of Min Jang-ju whom I saved, will become in the future.
However, it is certain that the grain I obtained from Min Jang-ju will save the lives of countless people.
About two years later, a severe famine struck the Central Plains.
The emperor offered sacrifices to the heavens twelve times, but he was unable to prevent many people from starving to death.
Some of those who had stored grain in their granaries opened them, but most refused to do so.
Some even held banquets right in front of their homes, regardless of whether people were starving to death.
Eventually, public sentiment became extremely violent, and in some areas, civil unrest broke out.
At that time, civil unrest also broke out in Hubei, but our Eunhae Trading Company was able to survive because we distributed grain.
Under such circumstances, we couldn't hold a grand wedding for my brother Jeong-ho, so we had a very simple wedding.
This was because my brother Jeong-ho was already at an age where he couldn't put off marriage any longer.
That's why I was upset and decided to prepare a grand and magnificent wedding banquet for my brother Jeong-ho.
Although our trading company survived the rebellion in our past life, business could not have been good during such a famine.
Of course, it wasn't just us, but the entire Central Plains was in dire straits, so we couldn't say that the damage was significant.
However, we didn't have much to spare, so we couldn't help many people, which was a regret.
That's why we are preparing grain in advance this time.
Knowing the character of Chairman Min, he would also distribute grain to those around him, so I asked for only a quarter of the grain, considering his circumstances.
I said to Pal-gap.
“Let's head back now.”
“Yes, sir.”
The next morning, we left for the main office of Eunhae Trading Company.
We had gained everything we could from this trip to Luoyang.
I felt really refreshed.