Chapter 305
The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Trading Company Chapter 305
Chapter 305. Single-minded (4)
At my words, Chief Administrator Yoo's expression hardened.
But after a moment, he sighed and nodded.
“That's right.”
“...”
“You seem embarrassed that I didn't deny it and told you the truth.”
“Ah, yes...”
To be honest, I thought he would deny it at first.
Chief Administrator Yoo looked up at the ceiling of the carriage and began to speak.
“It's been over ten years now. At that time, I was treated unfairly and was punished.”
“...”
“The physician said that you were very fortunate that your bones were not broken and that you were able to walk.”
“Would it be rude to ask what happened?”
Yoo Na-joong smiled bitterly at my question.
“Since you are curious, it would be better for me to tell you myself rather than through someone else.”
I quietly nodded.
In fact, I already knew the whole story from my father.
However, I wanted to hear the circumstances from the person involved, as the story can differ depending on the perspective.
Chief Administrator Yoo calmly began to tell me what happened at that time.
The overall story was similar to what my father had told me.
However, hearing it from Chief Administrator Yoo, who had experienced it firsthand, gave it a different sense of reality.
How cruelly the bride had been murdered. How humiliating it must have been to be dragged away in her undergarments, tied up with a rope.
And how painful the torture he had suffered at the county office.
“But thanks to you, Captain, my innocence was proven.”
“That's why you came to work for our trading company.”
“That's right.”
He continued.
“To be honest, I wanted to escape from the stares of those around me. People are more interested in the incident itself than in the fact that the perpetrator was actually innocent.”
“...”
“There must still be many people in Beijing who remember the incident and believe that I am the culprit.”
His words made me feel bitter.
It only attracts attention for a moment. After that, people don't care much about what happened.
Because it's not something that happened to me or my family or friends.
Other people's affairs are only of momentary interest, so I am no longer interested in the truth.
“Is the reason you have never been back to Beijing because you remember what happened then?”
“It's been over ten years. It's okay. That's why I can tell you about what happened then.”
“Then why...”
“But there are still people in Beijing who know me, so I'm afraid to face them.”
I see. It's not the memory of that time that scares him, but the people who remember that time.
I remembered when I went out with Chief Administrator Yu Na. At that time, I had no social skills at all.
Now I think I understand why.
It wasn't that Chief Administrator Yu Na didn't have opportunities to develop social skills; he had cut himself off from society.
“...
Still, I'm glad you're much better now than you were then.
Now, let's get down to business.
”So... is that why you rejected Lieutenant Cho Yeong-yeong's feelings?“
”...
Chief Administrator Yoo sighed deeply and looked outside the carriage window.
“The people at the Trading Company must think I'm a despicable person.”
“Why do you think so?”
“They must think I'm using Lieutenant Cho's feelings. If I don't intend to accept her feelings, I should reject her, but I haven't done that.”
“So what do you think, Chief Administrator?”
“I...”
“Do you like her? Or not?”
“...I don't dislike her.”
“Then that's good.”
“It's not that simple. When I see her, I feel restless, and when I tell her to stop, she looks like she's about to cry, and that makes me feel bad...”
I laughed inwardly.
What...
Chief Administrator Yu also has feelings for Lieutenant Cho. But he hasn't admitted it to himself yet.
Doesn't he know that those are feelings of love?
“When you look at Lieutenant Cho, do you think of the bride who died?”
Chief Administrator Yu looked embarrassed.
“Actually... when I met a few women during that time, she did come to mind. That made me feel miserable.”
He blinked.
“Come to think of it, that's strange. Why don't I feel that way when I see Lieutenant Cho?”
What should I say when he asks me that?
.
.
.
That was the end of the two-day business trip.
Thanks to Lord Jik, I was able to spend time with Chief Administrator Yu.
And just confirming his feelings was a big achievement.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“Not at all. Captain, you worked very hard. By the way, working with you like this reminds me of when you used to work as my assistant.”
“Me too. How is A-Il-Song? He seems to be getting used to his work.”
“Yes. He's getting the hang of it.”
If Chief Administrator Yoo said he was getting the hang of it, that meant he was doing a good job.
Bringing Seok-Il-Song with me was a good decision.
We soon arrived at the headquarters of the main branch and got out of the carriage. But...
The atmosphere at the headquarters was chaotic and tense.
And...
Eunpungdae was moving around busily with a solemn expression.
Something had definitely happened.
Palgak quickly ran over to them, exchanged a few words, and immediately returned.
“Young master! It seems that something serious has happened.”
“Something serious?”
“We've been attacked. While transporting medicinal herbs and rice to Yang-eun-hyun, we were attacked by the Green Forest Bandits.”
“The Green Forest Bandits? Didn't we establish friendly relations with the Green Forest Bandits on the way there?”
“Well... They said they had never seen them before.”
Hearing that, I guessed who they were.
They must be a group of vagabonds who formed a bandit gang.
This is a sign of a growing peasant uprising.
“Are the people all right?”
“According to the instructions from the Trading Company, they left the goods behind and fled.”
In such situations, the Eunhae Trading Company's top priority is to abandon the goods and ensure the safety of the people.
The idea is that the goods can be returned later as a token of goodwill, and even if that is not possible, it does not matter.
People only have one life, and it is very difficult to find skilled workers.
Those who first start working for Eunhae Trading Company tend to be very attached to the goods. They are not sure if they should follow the instructions to the letter.
However, as they gain experience, they become more confident and follow the instructions.
That's what happened this time, too.
“So they all ran away?”
“Yes.”
“That's good.”
“But... I can't say it's good.”
“What do you mean?”
“While they were running away... Lieutenant Cho Young-yeong was seriously injured. So now he's at the government office...”
“What?”
At that moment, someone rushed out before me.
It was Chief Administrator Yoo.
I watched him leave and followed after him.
“Let's go to your father first.”
“Yes.”
I went to my father's office and heard the whole story from him.
“Lieutenant Cho Young-young was accompanying Yang Eun-hyun on his way to the capital with a letter, as he needed his assistance.”
“Yes, that's right. Of all times, why now?”
“How is he?”
“He's in critical condition.”
“Oh no...”
I sighed and splashed water on my face.
“He was my aide. Why are you so upset?”
This must have happened because of the change I made.
In my previous life, the trade caravan was attacked by a mob.
However, Lieutenant Cho Young-yeong was never attacked.
She was still alive when I died.
No one died.
However, just because no one died in my previous life does not mean that the same will happen this time.
“Have you identified them?”
“They are a group of vagabonds, numbering about fifty.”
“What do you plan to do?”
“First, we will do what is customary.”
What my father meant by “customary” was to give them a reward and retrieve the stolen goods.
If they refuse, then it's a battle.
But...
“Father, they are a group of rebels. Will the standard method of dealing with the Green Forest Bandits work?”
“The head of the Changin Escort Agency is also concerned about that.”
Rebels are different from the Green Forest Bandits.
A good example would be a merchant who just started his business and doesn't know anything about the world.
But even then, he's not a merchant who entered the business with high aspirations, but a young merchant who has no other way to make a living and reluctantly entered the business.
That's why they don't understand.
You can tell how incompetent they are just by the way they attacked those who were running away.
It is an unwritten rule that you don't attack people who are running away.
“They are likely to be blinded by the easy prey in front of them and swallow it whole.”
The problem is that they are a group of rebels.
I am concerned about their composition, so I cannot treat them as Green Forest Bandits and wage an all-out war to defeat them.
There are bound to be children and women among them.
“I need to think about this.”
I got up from my seat and headed for the council chamber before going to the annex.
On my way there, I ran into Chief Administrator Yoo standing in front of the council chamber.
“Why are you here?”
“Well...”
I looked at Chief Administrator Yoo's escort. She shook her head slightly, indicating that she hadn't been able to go in to see her.
He had run all the way to the main hall, but when it came time to go in, he couldn't bring himself to take the first step.
He trailed off and then sighed and said,
“I'm scared.”
“When you saw Lieutenant Cho, you said you didn't think of the bride, so what are you afraid of?”
“What if Lieutenant Cho dies like this? I... I mean...”
Seeing him unable to speak, I said firmly.
“She is in critical condition.”
“...!”
“If she dies like this, you will regret it.”
At my words, he bit his lip.
“Let's go.”
I took Chief Administrator Yoo's hand and entered the hall.
A moment later.
We could see Lieutenant Cho.
Lying on her side on the bed, she was breathing with difficulty, her face pale.
“You're here?”
Cho Haeng-soo was standing next to Lieutenant Cho. His gaunt face revealed his feelings.
“I'm sorry. I should have sent more warriors...”
He shook his head at my apology.
“No, you sent enough warriors. Thanks to you, she is alive.”
“Still, I am sorry.”
I asked the doctor next to me.
“How is she?”
“She was shot with arrows in her back and arm. We removed the arrowheads as soon as we arrived, but it was a little too late...”
“...”
“He was in so much pain that he kept waking up and passing out. That's why we put him to sleep with medicine.”
“I see.”
Beads of sweat formed on her forehead. She seemed to be running a fever.
“Tonight will be critical.”
The court physician's words were clear.
If she made it through the night, she would live, but if not...
Just then.
“Chief Administrator.”
Cho Hyung-soo called out to Chief Administrator Yoo.
“Yes. What is it?”
“Would you mind if I asked you for a favor?”
“...?”
“I know you have a lot of work to do right now. But still... Please grant this father's request for his daughter.”
“What is it?”
“Please hold my daughter's hand tonight.”
“....”
“As you know, my daughter loves you very much. So... I beg you.”
I couldn't even begin to imagine how a father felt when making such a request for his daughter.
To be honest, Chief Administrator Cho must have disliked Yoo Na. It seemed like he was toying with his daughter's feelings.
However, with the death of his deputy, Cho Young-young, he put those feelings aside.
It was solely for the happiness of his daughter.
“If you do that, Young-young will be able to rest in peace.”
“...I will do that. I will do as you ask.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
“But,”
Chief Administrator Yoo continued.
“Please don't mention the death of Lieutenant Cho. Why would Lieutenant Cho die? No, Lieutenant Cho... won't die. He won't die.”
Chief Administrator Yoo was right.
Lieutenant Cho wouldn't die.
If this was the result of the future I changed, then I could change even Lieutenant Cho's death.
As I headed to my annex, I sent a telepathic message to Pal-gap.
- Pal-gap. Tell Seo Woo-mussang and Jin-yu Moo-sa to get ready to leave right now.
A moment later.
I left the annex with the two warriors.
We needed a magical potion to aid his recovery. Of course, I have the Divine Blessing Chamber, but honestly, that would be excessive for Jo Bu-gwan.
And coincidentally, I know exactly where to find the right potion.