Chapter 28
The Youngest Son of the Silver Sea Trading Company Chapter 28
Chapter 28. More Than Expected (5)
The workshop was quite spacious, which made sense considering that she had to make a thousand dolls here.
“Do you like the workshop?”
She nodded with a dazed look on her face.
“Is this really where I'm going to work?”
“Yes, it is. To be precise, it's that room.”
“That's enough for me.”
“Then let's get started on making the doll clothes.”
“Yes.”
I took out the doll I had put away in my armrest.
“This is the doll.”
When I wound the doll's wheels, it started dancing on its own.
“Oh my!”
She exclaimed in surprise.
“This doll!”
“It dances. This is the product our Trading Company will be selling.”
“So... you want me to make clothes for this doll?”
“Yes.”
“Then what kind of fabric should I use...?”
“Follow me.”
I followed her to Eunhae Fabric Store.
Eunhae Fabric Store was nearby, so it didn't take long to get there.
After greeting the staff, I said to her,
“We plan to sell each doll for ten silver coins, so we need to make clothes that match that price.”
“Then we'll need silk.”
“Yes, that's right.”
I spread my arms and said.
“You can choose any silk you like.”
I had already gotten my father's permission the night before.
Looking at the various colors and textures of silk displayed at Eunhae Fabric Store, Mrs. Hong Geum-so timidly asked.
“Can I really choose anything?”
“Yes.”
Even with my confirmation, she only looked at the silk with her eyes and didn't dare to touch it.
In fact, silk is quite expensive.
One piece costs more than eight taels of silver.
No wonder she was hesitating.
I asked her,
“Is there anything you like?”
“...That one.”
I quickly approached her, took out the silk she pointed to, and spread it out in front of her.
“Is there anything else you like?”
“That one too...”
Chuak!
I spread that one out in front of her as well.
“What else do you like?”
“That one?”
When I took the initiative and spread out the silk, she finally relaxed and began to look at the silk in earnest.
Seeing her look at the silk with sparkling eyes, I didn't think she would be able to choose one in a short time.
“Pal-gap.”
“Yes, young master.”
“I'm going to work, so take the silk your wife chose to the workshop and start working. And make sure to pack everything she needs.”
Pal-gap nodded at my words.
“Don't worry, you can go to work. I'll take care of everything.”
I could trust Pal-gap.
I asked Hong Geum-so for her permission and went to work at Jaegyeonggak.
.
.
.
Today, too, I was busy with work at Jaegyeonggak.
With the sale of martial artist figures becoming a reality, expenses began to pile up, adding to the workload, and Chief Administrator Yoo sighed.
However, he did not voice his dissatisfaction.
If income increased, he would have fewer reasons to sigh as the chief administrator responsible for the finances of Eunhaesang Trading Company.
“Well, I'm going home now.”
“See you tomorrow.”
As soon as I left work, I headed to my studio.
“Hey, Seoho!”
I turned my head at the sound of someone calling me.
“Huh? Father. What are you doing here?”
“I found a Palm print who can make dolls. I thought you would go straight to the doll workshop, so I'm going there too.”
“I see.”
I smiled awkwardly.
“Actually, I was on my way there because I wanted to see how doll clothes are made.”
“I see. I told them to bring the craftsman to the workshop, so let's go together.”
“Yes.”
I headed to the workshop with my father.
“Greetings, Trading Company Manager and Captain.”
The guards standing in front of the workshop quickly clasped their hands together and bowed.
We went inside, and I called out loudly.
“The captain and his son are here.”
At my shout, there was a commotion inside, and Mrs. Hong Geum-so rushed out.
“Are you here?”
“Yes, I came to see how the doll clothes are coming along.”
“I've finished them, but I'm not sure if they'll be good enough...”
She led us into her workshop, and we were speechless.
I turned to look at my father.
He had the same expression on his face.
Mrs. Hong Geum-so's true talent was not sewing, arranging colors, or making clothes that looked stylish.
Now I finally understood.
Mrs. Hong Geum-so's real talent was making doll clothes.
“Wow!”
My father was simply amazed.
However, Mrs. Hong Geum-so was nervous because she didn't know if it was a compliment or not.
“Where on earth do you find such talented people?”
I smiled and replied to my father's question.
“I just saw them.”
“Hehehe.”
My father cleared his throat and looked at Mrs. Hong Geum-so.
“What beautiful workmanship!”
“Thank you.”
“To be honest, I was worried because Seo Ho said he would bring the people who would make the doll clothes himself, but seeing your skill, my worries are gone. The future of this business looks very bright.”
“You are too kind.”
“Then, I will be counting on you.”
“Yes. I will do my best.”
At that moment, Lieutenant Lim Man approached the workshop with several men.
My father had three aides, and Lim Man was the second aide.
The third aide was Cho Yeong-yeong.
“Oh! The Palm print craftsmen are here.”
When I saw those men, I smiled to myself. As I expected, they were craftsmen belonging to the Eunhae Trading Company.
I knew one of them.
His name was Bo-gwang.
He had a talent for making doll faces look like real people.
There was no way my father didn't know about the skill of this craftsman I knew.
That's why I only asked my father for permission to find a craftsman to make clothes for the doll.
And so, the best craftsmen gathered to make the Jamo doll.
To be honest, I wanted to ask Master's wife for some silk, but it wasn't the right time yet.
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.
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Today, I am working as an assistant in the office of Chief Administrator Yu of Jaegyeonggak.
Sales were rapidly increasing for red paper used to make hongbao (red envelopes for New Year's money) and peach wood boards for writing spring greetings.
The Lunar New Year must be coming.
In fact, events celebrated by everyone like this were the best opportunity to make money.
People were in a festive mood and willing to spend money.
The Eunhae Trading Company couldn't miss this opportunity.
However!
That was precisely why they didn't sell martial artist figurines during the Spring Festival.
There would definitely be people who would buy them on impulse and then regret it, which could lower the value of the figurines.
Jamu dolls were not something to be bought on impulse, but with a heartfelt desire.
Therefore, as my father said, we had to wait until the rumor spread by the Hubei Province Pojeongsa and people started wanting them.
Even cooking rice requires patience.
So, we prioritized making the dolls to be taken to the Pojeongsa.
“Young master, please take these as well.”
“Yes.”
“Please check if there are any mistakes in the calculations.”
I received the documents from Chief Administrator Yu and did the calculations on the abacus.
But this...
These are the expense documents for the shops where the martial artist dolls were purchased.
Looking at the amount, I laughed to myself.
It was more than I had expected.
It was literally full support.
As the employer of Gongmil and the reason behind this project, I felt a momentary sense of pressure.
Before becoming the captain of the Eunhae Trading Company, one must undergo a total of five years of practical training.
I realized once again why three of those years must be spent at the Ministry of Finance.
This was because looking at the Trading Company's income and expenses, he could see at a glance how the Trading Company was run.
Even I, who was considered intelligent, took over a year to be able to see the flow at a glance.
In fact, the pride of Eunhae Trading Company was Sangyugak, which was in charge of all the Trading Company's products and transactions, but he realized this after a year of practical experience there.
Trading was not something that could be learned from books.
The key was to experience it firsthand.
That's why, after spending a year learning the big picture, I was put in charge of a store to gain experience.
I already knew a lot about Seungpunggak from working at the trading company.
Then, something caught my eye.
It was an expense for travel to Chengdu in Hubei Province.
This was because Yeon Gak-ju and his father had gone to Chengdu themselves with the martial artist that Po Jeong-sa had requested.
* * *
The carriage slowly slowed down.
“We have arrived, Captain Yeon Gak-ju.”
At the escort's words, the carriage door opened, and Eun Gil-sang and Yeon Da-mi got out.
They had arrived in Chengdu, Hubei.
Chengdu was the largest city closest to the headquarters of the Eunhae Trading Company and was its main place of business.
That was why the largest branch of the company was located there.
Eun Gil-sang said to his second lieutenant, Lim Man.
“Lieutenant Lim, go and ask for a meeting with the representative of the Pojeongsa.”
“Yes, sir.”
After instructing his men to keep the martial artist safe, Eun Gil-sang immediately headed for the city center.
He had bought a new shop there to sell the martial artist.
The shop was covered with a red cloth.
This was actually Eun Seo-ho's idea.
“Father, how about covering the front of the shop with a red cloth when you renovate it?”
“A cover? Won't that get in the way of the construction work?”
“Of course, there are disadvantages. But doing so will attract the attention of passersby. People are naturally curious about things they can't see completely.”
So, by covering it with cloth, he wanted to make people wonder what it was for and get them interested.
The red cloth was not tightly woven, so you could see inside faintly.
It wasn't completely visible, so everyone who passed by was curious.
This screen had an unexpected effect.
Dust did not fly into the surrounding shops, so there were no complaints.
Eun Gil-sang entered the tent and was greeted by an employee who was supervising the construction work.
“Welcome! Captain!”
“Oh! Thank you for your hard work.”
He was the shopkeeper who would sell the martial artist dolls.
He had worked for a long time under the owner of a shop in Chengdu.
He had been recommended and promoted to shop owner.
“This is an ambitious project for the Trading Company, so I'm counting on you.”
“Of course, I will do my best.”
“If you have any problems, please let me know.”
While Eun Gil-sang was talking with the shopkeeper who would sell the martial artist dolls, his assistant, Im Man, came running up, panting heavily.
“Huff, huff... Trading Company Captain.”
“What is it?”
“You must go immediately. The Minister of Justice is calling for you.”
“Really? I see.”
Eun Gil-sang stood up and smiled wryly.
“How urgent can it be?”
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A moment later, Eun Gil-sang and Yeon Da-mi met with the Daoist priest.
“You must have had a hard time coming here.”
“Not at all. It is an honor to meet you. What hardship could there be?”
“Ha ha ha, you are flattering me!”
The head of the police department stroked his beard and laughed loudly.
“So, what is the reason you wanted to see me?”
“Yes, I have come to express my gratitude for the kindness you have shown to our Trading Company.”
Although he had brought the martial artist doll that Po-jeong-sa had requested, he did not mention the word “request.”
That was important when dealing with high-ranking officials.
It had to be presented as a gift offered out of gratitude for the kindness of a high-ranking official, not as a request.
“You don't have to do that... Heh heh.”
Eun Gil-sang looked at Yeon-dae-mi, and she opened a special box for the wooden doll that she had placed next to her.
“Oh!”
Po Jeong-sa's eyes widened when he saw the doll that was revealed.
“How beautiful!”
This was a doll made by Hong Geum-so, who was known as the best carpenter and tailor in Eunhae Trading Company, and Gong Mil.
It was so lifelike that it seemed as if it was alive, and it was extremely beautiful.