Chapter 419
The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Trading Company Chapter 419
Chapter 419. Wedding Gifts (1)
The night before leaving Hangzhou.
Geum-ryung returned.
This time, he had visited three places.
First, she informed the Northern Sea Ice Palace and her Master about the relocation of the Yangyang Martial Arts Academy, and she sent a letter to her father informing him that she had successfully acquired the businesses and would be visiting Beijing and Liaoning.
“Kui! Kui!”
Yes, yes, good job.
Sitting on the desk, Geum-ryung tapped the desk with her front paws.
She had worked hard running errands, so she wanted to be paid.
I took out three silver coins and handed them to Geum-ryung.
“Here's your reward for running errands.”
“Kui!”
As soon as he saw the silver coins, he rolled around on the floor, rolling left and right... He really likes them.
I smiled as I watched Geum-ryung run over and eat the silver coins.
The next morning.
We set out early in the morning.
The employees of the business we acquired were very disappointed.
However, we couldn't stay here forever.
So we left Hangzhou behind and set off on our journey.
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.
.
“It's not hot here,”
Pagap said, and I nodded in agreement.
Before we knew it, we arrived at the entrance to Liaoning, and we could clearly feel the change in the weather.
It was now July.
In Hubei and Hangzhou, it would have been a time to sweat, but here in Liaoning, it was only cool.
“That's why they get married at this time of year.”
We continued riding while talking about such things.
Among our party, only Miss Seo Hyang remained in the Beijing branch.
This was my personal business, so there was no need for Miss Seo Hyang to trouble herself.
Besides, the journey to Liaoning was quite arduous, and there was a lot of work to be done at the Beijing branch.
For example, I had to organize the documents for the businesses we had acquired in Hangzhou.
As we rode along, we arrived at an inn.
“Let's rest here for the night.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
As we approached the entrance of the inn, a waiter rushed over.
“Welcome! Are you perhaps looking for a place to stay?”
I nodded in response to his question.
“Yes. We plan to stay for one night.”
At my words, the waiter bowed his head with a troubled look.
“I'm sorry, but we don't have any rooms available today.”
“No rooms... available?”
“Yes. There is a wedding for the captain of a fairly large trading company from Liaoning. So, we have many more guests than usual.”
Even so, how could there be no rooms in such a large inn with eight floors?
I realized once again the power of the Guangjun Trading Company in Liaoning.
In that case, there was nothing we could do.
“Then, can we have a meal?”
“Yes, you can have a meal.”
It was well past lunchtime, so it seemed like there were seats available.
“Then we'll just have a meal and go.”
We entered the inn and ordered food.
“Looks like we'll have to sleep here tonight.”
Seo Woo-musha nodded at my words.
“I guess so.”
“By the way, this is the Gwangjun Trading Company, isn't it?”
“It's one of the top trading companies. It's also one of the leading trading companies in Liaoning.”
Due to a series of bad harvests and civil unrest, business was slow, but if that weren't the case, there might have been more customers.
After finishing our meal, we left the inn. We had to hurry to find a place to sleep.
That was when it happened.
I felt something falling from above.
Startled, I quickly looked up and caught the eye of a child.
Huh? A child?
Why is a child...
But I didn't have time to think further, and I immediately jumped forward and caught the child.
Thud!
“Phew...”
I patted the child on the chest, and the child, who was in my arms, was so frightened that he burst into tears.
“Uaaah!”
Seeing him cry, I felt relieved.
When a child is very frightened, it's really serious if he doesn't cry and just turns pale.
“Stop crying now. If you cry too much, your throat will hurt.”
The child, who had been crying hysterically, stopped crying as soon as he saw my face.
Then he stared at me.
He looked surprised.
Then... he smiled shyly.
The man next to me muttered.
“Even babies smile in this dirty world.”
“Huh? What?”
“Nothing.”
Come to think of it, wasn't Gun-hyeok and Bo-yeon like this too?
At that moment, someone rushed toward us.
“You people! Who are you and why are you taking my nephew?”
“What?”
“Tell me the truth! Where are you taking my nephew?”
What the hell is he talking about?
“Are you trying to kidnap my nephew?”
To make matters worse, he even pulled out a knife and pointed it at us.
While I was at a loss for words, a man standing next to us raised his hand and stepped forward.
“I don't know what's going on, but I think there's been a serious misunderstanding. This man saved your nephew's life.”
The others nodded in agreement.
“I saw it too. Master caught the child who fell from up there.”
“If it weren't for Master, this child would most likely not be alive.”
“You should at least thank him. What are you doing? Tsk, tsk.”
Seeing the people's reactions, the young man looked embarrassed and put away his sword, asking, “Is what they say true?”
“Yes, it's true.”
I continued, “I was about to leave the inn when this child fell. It seems he was playing in the room and fell out of the window.”
“Oh...”
The man looked confused and couldn't speak properly.
At that moment, a woman with a worried look on her face ran toward us.
Hearing my explanation, the man seemed dazed and couldn't speak properly.
At that moment, a woman with a worried look on her face rushed toward us.
“Kyung!”
The child responded to her voice. He turned his head in her direction and held out his hands.
“Ma! Ma!”
I handed the child to her.
“Here you are.”
“Thank you! Thank you so much.”
Holding the child tightly in her arms, she bowed her head repeatedly to me in gratitude.
“I'm so glad the child is safe.”
“How can I ever repay you?”
“Just think of it as fate. Don't feel obligated.”
“But...”
“If the child grows up to be someone who can help others like me, that will be your reward.”
With that, I turned away. In the meantime, Pal-gap had prepared the horses.
We mounted the horses and rode away from the inn.
Looking at the clothes of the child's mother, it seemed like she came from a fairly wealthy family...
But that didn't matter now.
The priority was to find a place to sleep.
“Should we go to the place where we slept last time?”
He must have been referring to the place where we stayed when we took food to the Northern Sea Ice Palace.
I nodded in agreement.
“That's a good idea.”
Fortunately, the place was empty.
We hurriedly prepared to spend the night and lay down our tired bodies.
It had been quite a tiring day.
.
.
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It was morning.
I woke up after a good night's sleep and stretched as I got up.
After wandering around so many places, I had reached the point where I didn't even mind the uncomfortable floor anymore.
“Are you awake?”
I turned my head and saw a soldier from the royal guard approaching me.
“Yes. You were the last one on guard duty.”
“Yes. The female soldier said she would check around the area.”
“I see. Then I will practice breathing exercises, so please keep watch.”
“Yes.”
I sat down and began breathing exercises.
A cold, pure energy filled my body. After finishing my breathing exercises, I got up from my seat.
Then I began my training.
I started with some light push-ups...
As I was training, I noticed that the warrior's gaze toward me was a little different than before.
It wasn't so much that he was guarding me... It was more like respect or awe.
Hmm, that's a little strange.
I stopped training for a moment and asked the warrior.
“Is there something you want to say?”
“No, it's nothing. I'm sorry to bother you.”
He shook his head hastily in denial.
But I didn't let it go and stared intently at him.
Unable to withstand the pressure of my gaze, he scratched his ear and said,
“Actually, I think you're amazing.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
He nodded.
“When you reach that level, it's natural to slack off a little, but you still train harder than anyone else.”
“I don't know about the others, but I can't feel refreshed unless I train this hard.”
I said this as I wiped the sweat from my forehead with a towel.
Whether it was because of my constitution or my martial arts training, I didn't sweat easily.
Even so, the fact that I was sweating must have been due to the intensity of my training.
I need to train hard enough to sweat to feel refreshed.
This is because of my Master.
And the reason I train so hard is because my goal is so high and difficult to achieve.
In order to take revenge on the Martial Alliance and protect my family, I must reach a much higher level than I am now.
My words impressed the Mingzong warrior.
“It seems that your Liege's attainment of that level was not just a coincidence or luck. Perhaps it was inevitable.”
“Hahaha. Is that so? I'm not sure, but I think luck can be either good or bad depending on how you accept it. That's why I try to make the luck that comes my way good luck.”
Mingzhong bowed his head and said, “Hearing you say that, I realize that I've been arrogant since a certain point in time. I've always been the center of attention in the Mount Hua Sect...”
I think I understand what he means.
I think I understand what he means.
Whether it's the Mount Hua Sect or any other martial arts sect, the most important thing is martial arts skills.
Naturally, if you are skilled, you will be treated well and enjoy many privileges.
Mingzong was a talented warrior who had the expectations of the Mount Hua Sect resting on his shoulders. Changyun must have been no different from Mingzong.
“If I hadn't been so arrogant, if I had trained just a little more...”
His words were filled with deep regret.
He still couldn't let go of what happened.
To be honest, I wouldn't be able to let it go either.
But it's problematic if it becomes your inner demons.
“There is a saying that if I had known my current regrets in the past, I would not be who I am today. What do you think that means?”
He thought for a moment and shook his head.
“It means that whatever mistakes I made in the past and whatever regrets I have now, they have all made me who I am today.”
Myeongjong Musha nodded, and I continued.
“I haven't lived long enough to say that my words are absolutely true. But I hope you don't dwell on the past too much. You can't undo what has already happened, no matter how much you regret it.”
Unless you have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity like I did.
I did have that opportunity, but it was really difficult.
And even if you do, it's really, really difficult to undo your regrets.
My biggest regret is that I can't undo what happened on the day I died...
I smiled bitterly and continued.
“Sometimes, even when trees are standing still, the wind blows their branches violently. But what can trees do about the wind?”
“That's true.”
“So, I hope you won't dwell on it too much. There are many things in this world that are beyond our control. That's why we must think positively. For example, you should be glad that you didn't lose your qi center because of that incident.”
At my words, Myungjong Musha nodded, stroking the area where his qi center was located.
“You're right. If I had, I would have…”
Because of my memories of my previous life, I couldn't help but smile bitterly again.
“Actually, I don't plan on having Myeongjong and Chang-woon as my bodyguards forever. Someday, you will return to your original lives.”
“Is that possible?”
“The way you ask that question, it seems you don't believe me yet.”
“No, that's not it... It's just...”
A flustered expression.
I chuckled and continued.
“Master Yeo-eung-am is coming. When your mind wanders, the best thing to do is to train hard. Would you like to join us?”
Was it my imagination that Master Myeongjong's eyes wavered at my question?
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After finishing our morning training and eating the breakfast prepared by Pal-gap, we tidied up and set off again.
Thanks to our diligent riding, we arrived at the Gwangjun Trading Company around sunset.
Visitors were already lining up at the main gate of the company.
We were waiting in line when suddenly someone rushed over.
“Isn't that Captain Eunseo-ho?”
“Uh...”
It had been a long time since I had seen him.
It was Young Master Bok-yeong, the younger brother of Captain Bok-yoon, who was studying at the Hyeonghak Academy.
“Long time no see.”
“Yes, it's been a long time. But why are you standing in line?”
“Because we are guests too.”
At my words, Young Master Bok-yeong looked surprised.
“Oh no. It seems your brother didn't explain everything. I also studied in Beijing, so I know that this custom is unique to our family.”
“What do you mean?”
“Didn't you receive a wedding invitation directly from my brother?”
“Yes, I did.”
“And the invitation was very elaborate, wasn't it?”
“Yes.”
When I nodded, he smiled and explained.
“That means that Captain So asked you to attend as Hyung-nim's best man at his wedding.”
Best man?