Chapter 47
The Youngest Son of the Silver Sea Trading Company Chapter 47
Chapter 47. The First Pocket (1)
The situation was over.
I looked at Je-ga-gyeong, who had become a mummy.
Looking at him, I sighed with a feeling of confusion that was difficult to explain.
Anyway, I felt a little relieved now.
The disgust I had felt toward him just a moment ago disappeared.
Could it be that you can't feel it when someone dies?
I thought I should ask Master about it.
And when the time was right, I thought I should ask him about formations as well.
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“Grandfather! Are you all right?”
The Grand Master was sitting on the floor. I quickly ran over and asked him.
“Are you all right?”
“I'm fine.”
However, contrary to his words, the Grand Master's complexion looked extremely pale.
“I'm fine, so don't worry.”
“But…”
He continued after Jaegal Yoo-ah spoke.
“It's just that my inner arts are a little lacking. It's rare for my inner arts to be so lacking.”
“Then, were those formations so powerful?”
The Grand Master replied to her question.
“Yes, they were.”
The Grand Master looked at me with a strange look in his eyes.
Why is he looking at me like that?
“Mister, thank you for rushing to help our family and for helping us.”
“It was my pleasure.”
“I knew you would say that. But I am truly grateful.”
He continued.
“If you don't have anything urgent to do, I'm sorry to ask, but would you mind staying at the inn for a while? I would like to have you stay here, but as you know, I have a lot of things to take care of, so I'm afraid I won't be able to entertain you properly.”
“I understand. I will do so.”
“Thank you.”
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The Jegal Clan prepared the most luxurious room in the most luxurious inn in the vicinity.
You didn't have to do that.
By the way, is Chief Administrator Yu doing well?
Realizing that there was another hidden agenda behind this incident, I had to return to the Jegal Clan as soon as possible.
Therefore, I couldn't take Chief Administrator Yu with me.
It was a journey that required us to travel at full speed, which was a bit too much for Chief Administrator Yu, who was not in the best of health.
Furthermore, it was not good for Chief Administrator Yu to be away for too long. Work would continue to pile up at the Trading Company.
So, I asked my Master to escort Chief Administrator Yu.
My Master's journey would take him past our Trading Company anyway.
As I had expected, my Master readily agreed and said he would leave as soon as it was light.
Two days passed, and I spent my time exploring the area as best I could.
I had something I needed to do while I was here.
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On the third day, I was summoned by the Taesangga.
The place I was directed to was not the residence of the Clan Head, but the main hall of the Jegal Clan.
The place I was led to was not the residence of the Clan Head, but what could be called the main hall of the Jaegal Clan.
The Hall of the Reclining Dragon.
Upon entering the enormous building, I found the person who had come to greet me.
“Miss Jaegal.”
“Please come in, Mister. Everyone is waiting for you.”
I asked her.
“Are you not going to act anymore?”
“There is no need. It is all thanks to you, Mister.”
“What did I do? It was all thanks to the efforts and sacrifices of the Clan members.”
I entered the Clan Head's office.
The Grand Clan Head, the Clan Head, and several others were seated there.
“I came when you called me.”
I bowed politely, and the Grand Master said to me.
“Raise your head.”
“Yes.”
When I raised my head, the Grand Master stood up and said.
“Thanks to you, Mister, the Jaegal Clan was able to escape a great crisis. I am truly grateful.”
Then he bowed his head to me, and everyone else followed suit.
I was receiving words of gratitude from the Grand Master of the Jaegal Clan!
I waved my hands to stop him.
“Why are you doing this? I haven't done anything.”
“No, you have done a lot for this clan.”
He continued.
“Before that, I have something to ask you.”
“Please say it.”
“How did you know that there would be trouble at my house? My servant said that the family was in danger and that martial aunts would be used.”
“That is correct.”
He had anticipated the Clan Head's question and answered calmly.
“Actually, I met him when I went to the proposal office.”
“Yes, you said you went to the proposal office.”
“Yes. At that time, he seemed unusually wary of me. It was more than just caution toward an outsider. It was as if he was hiding something.”
“Hiding something...”
“Yes, he was wary of me until the very end and then disappeared. I grew up in a merchant family where we had to be wary of not only outsiders but also traitors within, so I was able to read his expression and thought it was suspicious.”
“But that alone...”
“The decisive factor was what I saw before leaving the clan. It only occurred to me after I had finished my meal at the inn. If someone from the same Jaegal Clan was revealed to be the perpetrator of the poisoning attempt, what would be the normal reaction?
”They would be confused.“
”But he was walking leisurely toward somewhere. From that, I realized that there was still danger within the Jaegal Clan."
“I see. Then you thought he would use formations?”
“Isn't that obvious? He is also a member of the Jegal Clan.”
“Hmm...”
“I was worried, so I went back to the clan to warn them, but I was very surprised to find that things had already happened.”
“I see. I understand.”
That was the end of the questioning.
Actually, I was a little puzzled. That was because I hadn't asked the really important question.
It was about the lion's roar. It was only natural to wonder what had happened to make those who had mistaken each other for enemies and drawn their swords against each other come to their senses.
However, I didn't ask about that.
Why?
He's not the type to leave out that question, is he?
The Clan Head looked at Taesangga for a moment and then continued.
“Therefore, our clan would like to repay you. Tell us what you want.”
“No! I don't want anything.”
Taesangga replied to my words.
“Heh heh, feel free to tell us.”
“I really don't want anything. I didn't do it for anything in return.”
I continued.
“How could I just stand by and watch those in danger right before my eyes? That's why I took action. I didn't do it for anything in return, so how can you ask me for something in return?”
In fact, if I wanted to get something in return from the Jegal Clan, there were many things I could have asked for.
But I just wanted the Jegal Clan to remain intact.
That way, the Martial Alliance would not be able to easily reveal its ambitions.
Therefore, this was a stepping stone to keep the Martial Alliance in check in the future.
However, my answer seemed to have made quite an impression on him.
“Heh heh! A true gentleman is here!”
The Clan Head nodded at Taesangga's words.
“Yes, although he is young, he is a Mister who truly possesses the qualities of a gentleman.”
The others also nodded in agreement.
“However, it would be inappropriate to refuse your father's request. So, don't worry about anything and tell us what you have to say.”
Under their silent pressure, I finally sighed and said, “I have a request.”
“Then I have a request.”
“What is it?”
“Actually, our Trading Company's Chief Administrator, Yoo So-ak, became the Chief Administrator due to various complicated circumstances. However, he is someone who truly enjoys reciting poetry. I was invited by the Grand Master and had a truly enjoyable time with him. Therefore, I have a request.”
I clasped my hands together and continued.
“I hope that you will continue to be friends with Chief Administrator Yu and recite poetry together.”
My words brought tears to the eyes of the Clan Head.
Huh?
Why is he acting like that all of a sudden?
“Kuh! How can you move me like this?”
“...What?”
“Have you forgotten, Young Master? Chief Administrator Yoo is already my younger brother. That means Chief Administrator Yoo is Yoo-ri's uncle.”
The Clan Head continued.
“It is as my father said. Chief Administrator Yoo So-ak is now my uncle.”
In other words, if anyone tried to harm Chief Administrator Yoo, the Jegal Family would not stand idly by.
Thus, Chief Administrator Yu gained a powerful ally.
All I did was ask that our Trading Company continue to have a good relationship with them.
“Is there anything else you really want?”
I nodded lightly at Miss Zhuge Yu's question.
“Yes.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
At that moment, the Clan Head spoke.
“Come to think of it, your family's relative, Yeon Gak, is trying to purchase Cheolgwanum directly from An-gye in Fukien Province, isn't he?”
“You know about that?”
“I found out by accident. Actually, our family owns a tea plantation in Fukien Province.”
“I see.”
“I noticed that Mister was also very interested in tea. Therefore, to repay you, I will give you the distribution rights to the harvest of the Clan's Tieguanyin tea plantation in Fujian Province.”
“What?”
As far as I knew, the Tieguanyin tea plantation owned by the Jaegal Clan was enormous.
In the future I experienced, the Martial Alliance swallowed it whole.
If our Trading Company obtained the distribution rights for the tea harvested from those vast tea plantations, the profits would be immeasurable.
“The term is indefinite.”
“No, no! I can't accept that!”
“You can accept that much. The entire Jegal Clan, myself included, owes you our lives.”
“But...”
“Just take it! I want to give you more, but you may need our help in the future, so I'll save the rest for later.”
Through my dealings with the Jegal Family, I gained something I never expected.
This is the result of the life I changed.
I don't know what the future holds for me in this life, but for now, everything has worked out well.
Now it was time for me to leave.
“Then I'll be going now. I have work to do, so please understand that I can't stay any longer.”
“Yes, that's fine.”
Then Jaegal Yoo-ah said.
“Mister.”
“Yes.”
“Thank you very much. If there is anything I can do to help you personally, please let me know.”
Since it was a gathering of the elders of the clan, I couldn't refuse her offer outright.
“I will remember your kindness, Miss. Please take care of yourself.”
My words made her cheeks flush red.
Then the Clan Head said,
“Hm, hm. Do you have a fiancé?”
“Not yet, but…”
“Is that so? I see.”
What was the intention behind this question?
In any case, I gave everyone a clasped hands greeting.
“Then, please take care. I am grateful for the kindness of the Grand Master, the Clan Head, and everyone else.”
Now it was time to return home.
* *
The Grand Clan Head watched Eunseoho's carriage as it drove away.
His eyes were filled with joy.
“Is it the blessing of our ancestors that Young Master visited his family home? Or is it the will of heaven that his family home must not disappear yet?”
He took a small jade pendant from his sleeve and stared at it blankly.
It was a token he had shared with a close friend in the past.
His friend's family had been known for their exceptionally pure and righteous inner arts, but now they were gone.
They had been wiped out in an instant by the Demonic Cult.
How painful it had been to hear of his friend's death...
But something didn't feel right, so he secretly investigated the incident.
In the process, I found a letter left by my friend.
That was when I realized
that it was the work of the Martial Alliance.
I still hold a grudge against my friend, but I also think that the Martial Alliance is suspicious, so I have kept my distance since then.
It is thanks to the jade pendant my friend gave me that I was not affected by the Hon'anmakujin technique this time.
The jade pendant contained my friend's pure inner arts, which is why I was not affected by the Hona-Anmak Jin-Hap's evil energy.
And I felt that same pure energy from Eun Seo-ho.
That means that my friend's descendants are still alive somewhere and secretly carrying on his legacy.
That was why he did not ask Eun Seo-ho about his father, Sect Leader of Emei.
It was also to protect Eun Seo-ho, who had saved his family, from them.
“I'll have to manipulate some information about this...”
It seemed that he would have to move quickly.
* * *
When I returned home, I immediately headed to my father's study.
“I have returned home safely.”
“Did you have a good time?”
“Yes. It was a very enjoyable and meaningful time.”
“I heard from Chief Administrator Yoo. I heard that something happened to the Jegal Family and you had to return urgently?”
“Actually…”
I told my father the whole story, and after hearing my story, my father sighed.
“I see what happened.”
“Yes.”
“Still, you are still...”
I quickly handed my father what I was holding in my hand.
“And Father, this is from the Jegal Clan.”
“What?”
“They insisted that I take it, but I'm not sure if I should accept it.”
My father took the document from me and unfolded it.
Exactly three.