Chapter 17
The Youngest Son of the Silver Sea Trading Company Episode 17
Episode 17. An Unexpected Journey (5)
I turned my head at the gaze I felt from beside me.
My master was watching me with a complicated look in his eyes.
“Don't worry. Head Escort Kwak. Team Leader Jeong.”
Despite my confident words, they both nodded with concern.
“We understand. We will wait.”
“Young master, please take care of yourself.”
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.
.
I followed Jang Chae-ju with Pal-gap.
As I did so, I remembered what Jang Chae-ju had said to Pal-gap.
That a servant is just a servant.
Only someone who had served as a servant could say that.
And Jang Chae-ju had even noticed that I was stronger than Jeong Cho-jang.
In other words, he must be someone who is far more powerful than me.
That means he is hiding both his true abilities and his identity...
What could his circumstances be?
Soon, we arrived at the forest behind the mountain keep.
Jang Chae-ju stopped walking and turned to me.
“So, what do you want to say? If you went to the trouble of asking me to talk to you separately, it must be something important.”
“Of course. There is something I want to ask you, Boss.”
“You want to ask me something?”
"Yes. It's about the wild herbs scattered around this mountain. I would like to ask you why you are leaving them there.“
Jang Chae-ju tilted his head and asked me back.
”What are you talking about? What herbs?“
”Over there... There are snow herbs, white tiger herbs, and snow sam herbs scattered everywhere..."
Jang Chae-ju looked confused.
From his expression, I realized that Jang Boss really didn't know.
“You really don't know?”
“No, I don't. If I knew, would I have left them there? I would have sold them long ago.”
“That's true.”
After all, even if you've heard the name “young grass,” unless you've handled it before, you often don't know exactly what it looks like.
Jang Chae-ju is a martial artist, so he must know about Youngcho, but it seems he has never handled it before. Even if he has been trained, it is difficult to recognize Youngcho from a plant that has been planted like this.
I have handled Youngcho before and knew it was here, so I was able to find it right away.
In the future I experienced, the real reason the Martial Alliance destroyed this place was because of the Youngcho scattered here.
I had to solve this case this time, if only to prevent that from happening.
The fact that the incident occurred five years later means that even the Martial Alliance doesn't know much about the Youngcho here yet.
If that's the case, then Boss Jang and the people of this mountain keep won't lose their lives for nothing.
Besides, the time will soon come when I'll need a medicinal herb with yin energy.
Sensing my sincerity, Boss Jang asked seriously.
“Is it true that there are spiritual herbs everywhere here?”
“Yes.”
“Would you risk your life for it?”
“No.”
“What?”
I replied confidently to him, who was slightly taken aback.
“Because my life is worth much more than the existence of a mere spiritual herb.”
Jang Boss laughed happily at my answer.
“Kukukuk! You're the real deal.”
“I'll take that as a compliment.”
“So, what do you want from me?”
His gaze had completely changed.
“You must want something, or you wouldn't have called me aside and told me about the existence of young grass. Do you want some of the young grass here?”
“I would be grateful if you gave it to me, but that's not what I want.”
“Then what do you want?”
I looked straight at Boss Jang.
“Would you like to do business with our Eunhae Trading Company?”
“...Business?”
I nodded.
“Yes. It is true that there is an abundance of Youngcho here, but we cannot sell it as is. If this amount were to be released on the market in a short period of time, it could put us in danger.”
Boss Jang looked at me and asked.
“Is that why you wanted to talk to me in private? Are you afraid the secret will get out?”
“That's right.”
“Surely... if it becomes known that we have a lot of Youngcho, there will be more than a few who will target us. Starting with the Black Dao, and even the Martial Alliance.”
“...”
I was slightly surprised to hear the words “Martial Alliance” come out of Jang Boss's mouth.
I didn't expect him to mention the Martial Alliance. Usually, no one mentions the Martial Alliance when they are worried about losing something valuable.
Furthermore, when he mentioned the Martial Alliance, I could sense considerable anger in his expression.
It seemed like there was a story behind it.
“So what do I get in return for doing business with your Trading Company?”
“Secrecy and a stable income. We'll buy it from you at a good price.”
“And if I refuse this deal?”
“Then you'll have to find another buyer.”
“You won't reveal my secret?”
“Why would I?”
“...?”
“If I reveal the secret, this mountain keep will disappear. Then I'll have to make a new acquaintance with the new owner of this mountain keep, and that would be a waste of time and money... That's too much trouble.”
After staring at me for a moment, Boss Jang laughed heartily.
“Hahahahaha!”
After laughing for a long time, Boss Jang stopped laughing.
“You don't seem to be afraid of me. You've got guts.”
“How can I do business with a big shot like you without guts?”
“I really envy your father for having a son like you.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
“All right. I'll do business with Eunhae Trading Company.”
“Thank you. Shall we draw up the contract?”
“Huh! You are thorough.”
“A contract is the basis of any transaction.”
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After reaching an agreement with him, I returned to the vacant lot, and everyone rushed over to me.
“Young master!”
“Are you all right?”
I smiled and replied to their questions.
“Yes, I'm fine. And I'm sorry for acting without permission. I will formally apologize for this later.”
Then Boss Jang said.
“Everyone, listen!”
Everyone's eyes turned to Boss Jang.
“Starting today, I will treat Mister Eun Seo-ho of Eunhaesang Trading Company as a guest of honor.”
“...!”
Everyone's eyes widened at his words.
For martial artists, a debt of gratitude is something very significant. Depending on the debt, one may even suffer tremendous losses, so it was not something that was given to just anyone.
However, Jang Chae-ju, who held a fairly high position in the Green Forest Bandits, had just called me his benefactor.
He had just declared that he would now be my protector.
“Those who do not wish to follow my will, step forward now.”
He then drew his sword and stuck it into the ground.
Puuu!
The Green Forest Bandits of the mountain keep responded to his fierce words without hesitation.
“No one.”
“I will also serve you as my benefactor.”
“I will also follow your will, Boss.”
Just like that, I suddenly became the benefactor of the O-dong Mountain Keep led by Jang Chae-ju.
“So it shall be.”
Jang Boss looked at my Master and said.
“And I don't want to be a shameless man who collects tolls from my benefactor. So please pass through.”
Hearing this, my Master glanced at me, and I shook my head slightly.
My Master nodded and said to Jang Boss.
“No, we can't just leave after receiving your kindness.”
“Heh heh! Are you ignoring our sincerity?”
“No, that's not it.”
Master took his wallet out of his pocket and said.
“This isn't a toll. It's a gift from you. Please take it.”
Hearing this, Jang Boss coughed.
“Well, in that case, I will accept it with gratitude.”
Boss Jang took it and put it in his pocket, saying,
“Now, guys! We are in a hurry. Quickly clear the snow.”
“Yes!”
“Quickly clear the snow, and let's use the money we got today to eat meat and drink alcohol to our hearts' content for the first time in a long time!”
“Yes!”
“Let's go!”
“Let's go!”
The Green Forest Bandits' eyes lit up at the mention of meat and alcohol, and they quickly cleared the snow.
Everyone was speechless at the speed with which the road, which had been covered in snow, reappeared.
Seeing this, Master said, “We will reach our destination faster than expected.”
Jeong-chung nodded in agreement.
“It's all thanks to you, young master.”
“It's all thanks to you, young master.”
He looked at me and asked.
“What did you do to make the Boss honor you with such a favor? It can't be just for suggesting a way to clear the snow from the mountain road.”
“Well, you see...”
I smiled shyly and replied.
“It's a business secret.”
“Are you keeping it a secret even from me, a fellow member of the Trading Company? That's disappointing.”
I couldn't help feeling disappointed.
I had promised to keep the secret about the young masters here, so I couldn't reveal it here.
And this was not a trivial matter, so it wasn't right to make up a lame excuse.
So it was easier to just say it was a secret.
“Jeong-chung wouldn't be upset about something like this.”
Jeong-chung said he was upset, but his face didn't show it at all.
He had an instinctive ability to sense danger.
That was why he had survived all kinds of dangerous situations.
On a smaller scale, this ability extended to knowing what he needed to know and what he didn't need to know, as in this situation.
I think it was thanks to this ability that he rose to the position of Vice Captain of the Eunpungdae.
I envy that ability.
At that moment, Captain Jeong-chung wrapped his arms around himself and began to tremble.
“What's wrong?”
Jeong-chung replied with an awkward smile to his master's question.
“It's nothing. I just felt a little cold all of a sudden.”
“Be careful in this weather. Put on another layer of clothing.”
“I will.”
His master patted Jeong-chung on the shoulder and said.
“Now, let's get ready to leave.”
“Yes, let's do that.”
Lim Kyung-bin and Gakwon got back into the carriage, and I followed Master and Jeong-chung to Jang Boss and greeted him with a clasped hands greeting.
“Thanks to you, I had a pleasant rest.”
“I am grateful to you for indulging my whims. And I am even more grateful for telling me the direction our mountain keep should take.”
Jang Chae-ju looked at me and continued.
“I will be waiting for your news.”
“Yes. Please take care of yourselves.”
“May luck be with you on your journey.”
After saying goodbye to Boss Jang, I got into the carriage.
“Let's go!”
“Yes!”
At Master's command, the journey began again.
* * *
Boss Jang Dae-soo of the O Dongsan Mountain Keep watched the procession disappear into the distance.
Then he smiled.
He remembered the boldness of the boy who had secretly offered him a deal.
“He was the youngest son of the Eunhae Trading Company.”
Even though he had just come of age, he was still a youngster.
Given his own temper, it would have been natural for him to be scared and trembling.
However, his reaction was completely different.
He approached him confidently and presented a clever plan to resolve the situation.
“He had every reason to sigh at my words. This...”
He even felt a little embarrassed.
Furthermore, he told him about the medicinal herbs growing in the mountain keep, which he himself did not know about, and even proposed a deal.
If he traded the mountain herbs as he said, he would be able to grow more herbs and run the mountain keep more stably.
And he would be able to strengthen his defenses.
“I was feeling a little uneasy, but everything worked out well.”
With hope in his heart, he began to think of all the things he needed to do.
Things like selecting people to trade the mountain herbs.
“I mustn't betray them this time.”
Jang Dae-soo looked at his naginata.
He had beheaded the aide who betrayed him and fled with the intent to kill, but he had abandoned his beloved weapon and grabbed a naginata instead.
If he didn't use a weapon like this, his martial arts skills would be exposed.
They must not know that he was still alive.
Looking at Eun Seo-ho, he remembered the guy who helped him escape.
Like Eun Seo-ho, his former servant was also very brave and resourceful.
In any case, he wanted to see how far Eun Seo-ho could go.
That must have been why.
That was why he, who had to hide his identity, decided to serve Eun Seo-ho as his benefactor.
* * *
After descending the mountain for a while, they reached a point where they no longer had to clear the snow.
“This is as far as we can go. Please be careful.”
said the Green Forest Bandits who had been clearing the snow.
This was no longer their territory, and it wasn't good for the Green Forest Bandits to venture too far from their mountain keep.