Chapter 398
The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Trading Company Chapter 398
Chapter 398. There was a reason (5)
The emperor laughed heartily at my words.
“Hahahaha!”
Was it a positive reaction? Or was it a negative reaction?
A tense moment passed, and the emperor smiled slightly.
“I've never seen anyone like you before. How dare you ask the emperor to play the role of a matchmaker?”
“I apologize. I only said that to ease the emperor's worries. Please don't be angry.”
“Then why did you say that to me?”
“I have no ulterior motive. I just...”
“Tsk! Speak clearly.”
Ouch!
I bowed my head and confessed.
“To be honest, I am also greedy. However, since His Highnesses the two princes refuse, isn't there no way to connect them to the royal family?”
“That's true. That's why I'm thinking of connecting them to your cousin, Hong Su-chan. Is that it?”
Um... How did you know?
“I heard the news. Hong Su-chan gave the princess a necklace, and she did not refuse it.”
You know everything.
I have to handle this well.
“It was just to show my gratitude for your advice.”
“Is that really what it meant?”
“...”
“Fine. I will play along with you this time. It won't hurt me. In fact, it's what I wanted.”
“I am deeply grateful.”
“You may leave now.”
I quickly withdrew at the emperor's order.
I got what I wanted, so I didn't want to linger and risk being caught in the imperial palace.
* * *
After Eun Seo-ho left, the emperor looked at the place where Eun Seo-ho had been standing and licked his lips.
“He really is a desirable guy.”
“His skill in striking at the right moment and retreating is admirable. I think I understand why Your Majesty likes him so much.”
The emperor nodded in agreement.
“He knows exactly how to scratch my itch.”
The reason the emperor liked him was not only because he was useful to him, but also because Eun Seo-ho also benefited from it.
“Then I have no choice but to do my best.”
The emperor smiled slightly and said to the eunuch.
“Bring Princess Sina.”
* * *
Hong Sun-il was working hard at the Hanlin Academy.
Although he was tired from not eating properly and not sleeping well, he had to faithfully carry out the emperor's orders.
“Hong Su-chan, should I put this here?”
“This would be better here.”
“I'll do that. But are you sure you're okay? I heard you haven't been eating well lately. Shouldn't you have your pulse checked?”
“I'm fine.”
“I'm worried you're going to collapse if you keep this up.”
Hong Sun-il smiled bitterly. He knew very well what his symptoms were and what was causing them.
He was suffering from homesickness.
“If you had told me a year ago that I would have a superior complex, I would never have believed you.”
Then, Eun Seo-ho said to him a while ago.
“Don't worry, Hyung-nim. Everything will be fine. The important thing is your willpower. As long as you don't lose your willpower, you'll be fine.”
Willpower is fine.
Even if he was told to carry a bundle of sticks into a fire, he would do so without hesitation.
Just as he was about to clear his mind and focus on his work again,
“Hong Su-chan! Is Hong Su-chan here?”
Surprisingly, it was Taegam who was looking for him.
“His Majesty the Emperor is looking for you.”
A moment later,
he stood before the emperor.
“Your servant Hong Su-chan is here to see His Majesty the Emperor.”
“Raise your head.”
“Your Majesty, I am deeply honored.”
Hong Seon-il raised his head, and the emperor shook his head when he saw his face.
He already knew.
He knew that Hong Seon-il had been refusing to eat or drink.
To be honest, he had intended to tease him a little, but when he saw his emaciated face, he changed his mind.
“If I tease him too much, I will lose a loyal subject. Moreover, it would be problematic if he harbors a grudge against me.”
The emperor changed his mind.
“Is Princess Shina that good? Good enough to ruin your health?”
“Huh! I have committed a great crime against His Majesty the Emperor.”
He quickly prostrated himself on the floor.
“That's okay.”
The emperor continued.
“If we were to punish people just for what they think, how many people in this palace would be punished for treason? Doing so much work, I'm sure everyone has thought about killing me at least once.”
“I have never had such a terrible thought.”
The emperor raised the corners of his mouth and nodded.
“I know well the loyalty of Hong Su-chan.”
“Your Majesty, I am deeply grateful.”
“Now, get up.”
“Your Majesty, I am deeply grateful.”
Hong Sun-il rose from his seat, and the emperor said to him.
“Hong Su-chan. I am asking you seriously, what exactly do you like about Princess Shina? To be honest, she is not very pretty, is she?”
“To be honest, people do place importance on outward appearances. That's why they wrap gifts in colorful wrapping paper and dress themselves in expensive clothes. But I believe that such external beauty is only temporary. I believe that inner beauty is eternal beauty.”
He continued.
“That is why I find the social norm of judging the princess by her appearance distasteful, and I feel nothing but sorrow and sadness.”
“So you think Princess Shina is beautiful?”
“Yes.”
“What a strange fellow.”
The emperor clicked his tongue in his mind.
He wished that his two sons who had rejected Princess Shinaa were even half as good as Hong Sun-il.
“Then I wouldn't have to go through all this trouble. Tsk, tsk. What good-for-nothing boys. What can I do? That's all they are.”
On the other hand, he felt relieved.
At least he had learned what his sons were capable of before they made a bigger mistake.
“Hong Su-chan.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“If you marry Princess Shina, you cannot take another wife for the rest of your life.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
“Good. Then you are married.”
Hong Sun-il was so surprised by the emperor's abrupt words that he could only ask him to repeat himself.
“What?”
“Before I called you, I already asked Princess Sinaa about her intentions. She said she would like to marry you, and you said you would like to marry her, so there is no problem, is there?”
“Then...”
“In the name of the emperor, I grant permission for the marriage of these two.”
Suddenly, Hong Seon-il felt as if Eun Seo-ho was standing in front of him.
And he could hear Eun Seo-ho's voice saying, “What did I tell you? Didn't I say it would work out?”
* * *
Did I mention this before?
The emperor's drive is insane.
The day I spoke to the emperor about the princess of Marrakesh and Hyung-nim Seon-il.
“Huh? What?”
“The eunuch from the Trading Company just came and delivered a marriage contract.”
The exchange of marriage contracts marks the beginning of a wedding.
Wow... They say you should strike while the iron is hot, but I didn't think they would start so soon.
Your aunt and uncle must be very surprised.
A marriage with a foreign princess out of the blue.
Hmm
I couldn't tell you before because Hyung-nim Seon-il asked me not to, but I should have visited you yesterday to give you a hint.
Still, it's a good thing.
Now Hyung-nim Seon-il won't have to stop eating and drinking.
And you don't have to worry about Hyung-nim Seon-il.
Now that the emperor has agreed to act as matchmaker, everything will proceed smoothly.
The fact that the eunuch brought Princess Shina's birth chart means that the emperor will act as the matchmaker for Princess Shina.
In fact, that is why we brought the emperor into this.
And the emperor is the most reliable person I know when it comes to getting things done.
Regardless of his desire to make me his work slave, if I had to entrust someone with a task, the emperor would be my first choice.
Several days passed.
The marriage between the princess of Maresu and Hyung-nim proceeded quickly, and the engagement was already set.
Perhaps because of that, Hyung-nim always had a smile on his face these days.
It was as if he had never been so thin from starvation.
Well, it's good that things are going well.
On a beautiful spring day, I was working hard in my office when Pal-gap entered.
“Young Master, Head Escort Kwak is here.”
“Oh, he's finally here? Tell him I'll be right there.”
I quickly finished my work and headed for the reception room.
When I opened the door, my master was sitting there drinking tea.
“Greetings, Master.”
“Yes.”
My master responded to my greeting and continued.
“I heard from Head Escort Ha Cheol. You did a wonderful job with the Northern Sea Ice Palace.”
“Many people helped me.”
“Still, the one who worked the hardest was the Prince... wasn't it the Palace Head? Those who are responsible for something always have the hardest job.”
Master's voice was filled with regret as he said this.
“Oh, and I told the Palace Head of the Ice Palace that I became the Palace Head.”
Come to think of it, he said he would give me a gift to commemorate my becoming the Palace Head...
“Well done. By the way, why did he ask you to stop by Beijing?”
“Actually, when I went to the North Sea this time, I found something that the former Palace Head left behind in Bigo.”
“What? Bigo?”
My master looked as if he had never heard of it before.
I took out the inkstone and asked him.
“Don't you know what this inkstone is?”
“I'm not sure, but it looks very similar to the one my father used.”
“This inkstone is the key to Bigo.”
I told my Master how I came to obtain it. After hearing the whole story, my Master said, "Perhaps someone who attacked and destroyed Seolpung Palace sold this inkstone.
“Perhaps someone who attacked Seolpung Palace and destroyed the clan sold this inkstone. That is how it came into the hands of the young palace head.”
It was made of stage stone.
However, it was a key, and it came into my hands through a general store.
“However, the items inside were hidden by the previous Seolpung Palace Head, and I found them.”
I continued.
“The items inside were left by your master's father, so they rightfully belong to you. However, it is too much to give you now, so I will give it to you when I return to Hubei next time.”
“I would like to refuse, but since you insist, I will accept it.”
“You mustn't think that way. It is your rightful inheritance from your father.”
I continued.
“And the reason I asked you to come is because there is something I must give you without delay.”
“If it cannot be delayed, then what is it?”
I opened the briefcase, took out the box inside, and handed it to my master.
It was the box that my master's father had left him.
“This is it.”
My master took the box, looked at the lid, and his face froze.
[To My Son, Myung-hyun, the Palace Head of Seolpung Palace]
“This is...”
My master brushed away the letters with trembling fingers. His lips were shaking.
His eyes were also shaking... Soon, his whole body was shaking.
It was understandable. It was something his father, who had passed away twenty years ago, had left for his son.
Such a reaction was natural.
“We don't know what's inside yet. Since it was left by your father, it's only right that you open it yourself.”
“...”
And I naturally got up from my seat.
“I'm sorry. I have something urgent to take care of, and I forgot about it. May I leave first?”
My master nodded.
“You should finish the refreshments. They are very expensive. We don't have any guests scheduled for today, so please make yourself comfortable. I will leave now.”
I got up from my seat and left the reception room. Then I said to Pal-gap, “Don't let anyone else come in until Master comes out.”
“Don't worry,” he replied.
I glanced behind me and saw Master's reddened eyes.
I glanced back and remembered my master's reddened eyes.
.
.
.
My master left the Beijing branch without saying a word.
However, he left a handwritten letter.
It expressed his gratitude and apologized for his behavior.
I wondered what was inside that box.
I am a little curious.
I am now on my way to the imperial palace.
Today is the day of my second meeting with foreign officials.
Upon arriving at the imperial palace, I was guided by an attendant to the Ministry of Rites.
Hmm...
Unlike before, there was a palpable tension in the expressions of the officials of the Ministry of Rites.
It was because of what I had reported to His Majesty the Emperor about Son Se-gil.
They were investigating whether other officials had also accepted bribes.
Although my report would cause other officials of the Ministry of Rites to suffer, I did not feel particularly sorry.
Those who were not innocent would be the ones to suffer.
Then, I met with the people from the trading company I had seen earlier and discussed trade with them.
However, even after talking for a long time, the people from the trading company did not come.
It was the Changhae Trading Company that I had been introduced to by Jiseok-mun, the captain of the Baekbeom Trading Company.
“The Changhae Trading Company seems to be late.”
Jiseok-mun nodded with a worried look on his face.
“Yes, you're right. They're not the type to be late for an appointment...”
I couldn't help but flinch.
Could this feeling be...
“We're sorry we're a little late.”
A few moments later, the door opened and a familiar voice rang out.
When I saw who was entering, I couldn't believe my eyes.
He was the Martial Alliance...
No, it was Namgung Kang, the captain of the Baekcheon Trading Company.