Chapter 479
The Youngest Son of the Silver Sea Trading Company Chapter 479
Chapter 479. It's a Real Misunderstanding (2)
Anyway, after finishing my conversation with my grandfather, I headed back to my father's office.
On the way, Pal-gap called me.
“Young master.”
“Why?”
“Work is important, but please take a break. I'm worried you'll ruin your health.”
I shook my head firmly at Pal-gap's words.
“No. The harder I work, the more profit our Trading Company will make. That way, we'll grow faster.”
“I know that.”
Then Pal-gap let out a long sigh.
“Alas, when I heard that you had arrived, Young Master Gun-hyeok and Miss Bo-yeon were very excited to give you birthday presents... They must be very disappointed.”
At those words, I stopped in my tracks without realizing it.
“What? What did you just say? Gun-hyeok and Bo-yeon are waiting for me?”
Pal-gap nodded in response to my question.
“Yes. On my way to escort the Clan Head and Young Master Yoon Gang-man to their lodgings, I ran into the young master and young lady.”
“...Have they grown a lot?”
“They've grown so much I didn't recognize them. The young master looks just like the first young master's wife, and the young lady looks just like the first young master.”
Hearing that, he wanted to see them even more.
“Ugh...”
But... he had to go to work now.
Then, Seo Woo said, “I believe one of the reasons you work so hard is for the happiness of your family.”
“Yes, that's true.”
“Yes, that's right.”
“But that family includes you, my lord. If something happens to you, your family will not be happy.”
“Uh...”
Seo Woo's words felt like a slap in the face.
“You're right.”
I sighed.
“And as you said, I'm busy working so that my family can live happily, but I don't have any time to spend with them.”
Seo Woo-mu nodded at my words.
“This is the first time I've ever said this, but my father was also a Head Escort. When I was little, my father would look back at me several times before leaving for work.”
He continued.
“Now that I am a father myself, I understand how he felt. You have to earn money to support your family, but the more you work, the less time you have to spend with your family... It's a paradox.”
Yes.
It really is a paradox.
Listening to Seo Woo-mu, I suddenly remembered how I felt when I was a child looking at my father.
My father was always busy and didn't have much time to spend with me.
I used to think that when I grew up and could help my father with his work, I would be able to spend more time with him.
But the reality is that I spend less time with my father now than I did when I was a child.
“I wish someone could give me a clear answer about this situation.”
Pal-gap responded to my complaint.
“If you have time to complain, you should get moving.”
“Huh?”
“Aren't you going to the Georyang Party? Your younger brother must be waiting for you. What if you're late and he says, ‘I hate my youngest uncle!’ and won't even show his face?”
Ah... Imagining Pal-gap's words, my heart sank for a moment.
“...Let's go.”
Yes, even at a time like this, I need to take a break and relax.
But I have no choice but to give up spending time with my family.
Still, I mustn't push myself too hard.
As Seo Woo-musa said, if something happens to me, my family will be heartbroken.
How could I forget how worried my family was when I was sickly and couldn't walk properly without a cane?
Eun Seo-ho, you idiot!
Georyangdang is Jung-ho's annex.
When I entered Georyangdang, two small children ran toward me.
“Uncle!”
“Little uncle!”
The two children who hugged me were Gun-hyeok and Bo-yeon.
As Pal-gap said, Gun-hyeok looked just like my eldest sister, and Bo-yeon looked just like Hyung-nim.
I hugged the two children and sat down in the yard.
“Oh my! You've grown so much!”
“Yes! I've grown a lot.”
“Bo-yeon has grown a lot too!”
“Yes, yes, you've both grown a lot!”
I smiled and ruffled their hair.
“We missed you, uncle.”
Geon-hyeok spoke quite maturely.
“Did you miss us?”
“Of course not! I missed you so much.”
“But I understand. You said that my little uncle does very important work. When I grow up, I will do important work like my little uncle.”
“Yes, you will.”
I nodded with a happy expression. Then Bo-yeon said, “Uncle! Is your name really Seon-hyeok?”
“Uncle! Is your name really Immortal Qi?”
“Ahem!”
I couldn't help but cough at her question.
Huh... It wasn't the first time I'd heard it, but I didn't think Bo-yeon would say it too...
Was it already wrong?
Why are tears coming to my eyes?
Pal-gap said excitedly from beside me.
“That's right! Little Miss. Eunseoho Dao's name is Sunhaengmi, and countless people have benefited from his kindness, and his praise reaches the heavens.”
“Wow!”
Keon-hyeok and Bo-yeon looked at me with sparkling eyes.
“I want to be a hero like you when I grow up!”
“Yes, Bo-yeon will definitely become a heroine.”
Gungok is a headdress worn by women, and a gungok heroine refers to a female hero.
“Actually, I wanted to marry a man like you, but my father said there was no man like you in this empire, so I gave up.”
Pal-gap nodded at her words.
What does that mean? Why are you nodding?
No, more importantly, Hyung-nim... What did you tell Bo-yeon?
Are you going to become her father and prevent her from marrying?
Did you deliberately prevent her from marrying?
Considering your behavior, it's not entirely impossible...
At that moment, my eldest sister appeared with a smile on her face.
“You kids talk about such strange things.”
“Oh, sister-in-law!”
“It's been a long time.”
Hearing that, I scratched my cheek.
“I apologize for keeping you waiting.”
“Don't worry about it. Everyone knows you've been busy.”
My sister-in-law said to the children.
“Children, it's time to give them their presents.”
“Yes!”
The two children quickly ran into the annex.
I stood up, and Pal-gap quickly dusted the dirt off my clothes.
“Your children are very energetic.”
“Yes, they are too energetic, which is a problem.”
I laughed at my sister-in-law's words.
“I think it's a problem if children don't run around and play.”
“That's true.”
“But as I recall, I think it was around this time of year that Gun-hyeok and Bo-yeon had their birthdays…”
“That's right. They were born in December.”
Uh… Could it be…
“They just had their birthdays the other day, so they're six years old now.”
“…”
The two children's birthdays are in early December.
Their birthdays have already passed.
I must have been really busy. I even forgot Gun-hyeok and Bo-yeon's birthdays.
I need to reflect on this.
“I'm sorry. I didn't even get them birthday presents.”
“Please get them something nice for their tenth birthday.”
“Yes, I will.”
At Eunhae Trading Company, we place great importance on birthdays that are multiples of ten, such as ten and twenty.
“Please let me know what you need when the time comes. By the way, even though they are only six years old, they seem very bright.”
My sister-in-law smiled awkwardly at the compliment.
After all, no one dislikes hearing praise for their own children.
“I think they take after their father.”
“My father-in-law told me that you were also very bright when you were young.”
“Oh, my father...”.
At that moment, Gun-hyeok and Bo-yeon came out carrying something.
Paper?
The two of them were each holding a piece of paper.
“It's a gift.”
“I have a gift too!”
I took it and unfolded it.
“Our teacher asked us to write a poem about someone we respect.”
A poem already!
Of course, writing poetry is quite important for those who have studied the classics.
That's why once you reach a certain level of literacy, you start practicing writing poetry.
That way, you won't embarrass yourself when you have to write poetry later in life.
By the way, they've already learned enough to write poetry?
And of course, there aren't many six-year-olds who can write poetry.
Writing poetry is not something you can do just because you have learned to read and write.
That's really amazing!
“You've already learned to read and write?”
“My father said I have to study hard to become like my uncle.”
“So I'm studying hard.”
“That's great.”
I feel a little embarrassed...
Oh, Jung-ho!
It's good to motivate the kids to study, but what on earth did you tell them?
I grumbled to myself as I read the poems the two children gave me.
Of course, the poems were still lacking in rhythm and form.
But I could feel their feelings for me in those poems, and I couldn't help but smile.
After leaving the Georyangdang, I headed toward my father.
“Thanks to you, I had a good rest. Thank you, Pal-gap. Thank you, Seo-woo Musanim.”
“You're too kind.”
I said to Pal-gap.
“But didn't you used to mutter that this is a dirty world that only remembers good looks?”
“Do you remember that?”
“I have a good memory.”
“You did. But I felt like it was making me sad, so I gave it up.”
As he said that and looked up at the sky, his expression reminded me of a bear with its ears drooping, and I couldn't help but laugh.
“By the way, the kids are really mature. It's their birthday, but they haven't asked for any presents.”
I glanced behind me.
My sister-in-law asked me to take good care of the children on their tenth birthday, but I couldn't just let it pass.
After all, they received birthday presents.
A moment later.
I arrived at my father's office.
“I'm here.”
“I knew you would come back. To discuss making liquor, right?”
“Yes, that's right.”
“I see. It looks like it will take some time, so you didn't mention it earlier.”
I didn't answer and just smiled as I sat down in front of the table.
My father stood up, took a few scrolls from the rack next to him, and placed them on the table.
“These are places where you can make alcohol right away, and these are places that need some preparation.”
“I see.”
I looked over the documents and organized my thoughts.
“First, we need to make sake in the places where it can be made right away, and then load it onto the ships for the next trade. By the way, it's a shame we don't have more ships...”
At that moment, my father smiled.
“Don't worry about that.”
“What?”
“We've built two more ships, and they're currently undergoing training.”
“What?”
I was surprised by my father's words.
“So, our Trading Company has a total of four ships?”
My father nodded triumphantly in response to my question.
Building ships is not a cheap endeavor, so it must be done with great care.
I was once again surprised by my father's generosity.
“You have to row when the tide is in.”
“That's true. Hahaha.”
I looked through the documents my father had prepared. He is my father, after all.
Just by looking at the documents, I could see the current situation clearly.
Perhaps it was because I had just met the children and had a little break that my thoughts were clearer.
“Oh, wasn't it Gun-hyeok and Bo-yeon's birthday the other day?”
“Yes, it was.”
My father nodded.
“That's why Jung-ho said he would come back before the children's birthday... It's later than I thought.”
“Yes, it is.”
I'm sure nothing happened.
Why am I worrying for no reason? Why is he so late?
I gathered my thoughts and continued reading the documents, but something bothered me.
There's definitely something...
What is it?
There was no reason for me to be bothered.
I continued to look at the documents, searching my memory, and then I realized something.
Among the people on this list were those who were not qualified to make alcohol.
I stood up and said, “Father.
I think I will inspect these places tomorrow.”
“You don't have to do it yourself, do you?”
“This is something His Majesty the Emperor has specially permitted. Furthermore, the alcohol we produce is a commodity that will be sold in distant foreign countries. This will raise the profile of our Eunhae Trading Company, so how can we neglect it?”
“Yes, you're right.”
“Therefore, I will inspect them myself to make sure there are no deficiencies.”
If we don't weed out the bad ones this time, there will definitely be problems later.
It could tarnish the reputation of our trading company, but there is a bigger problem than that.
If the emperor finds fault with us, he may use it as an excuse to push me around even more.
No, he definitely will. Ugh...
Just thinking about it makes me break out in a cold sweat.
And this trade has laid a foundation for a positive perception of the Eunhae Trading Company.
We can't let him ruin the foundation we've worked so hard to build. How much money has been invested in this!
My father nodded in agreement.
“I understand. I'll pass that on to my palm print artisans.”
“No!”
I said firmly.
“If I tell them that I'm going, how can it be an accurate inspection? So please keep my inspection a secret.”
I continued.
“I will conduct the inspection, but no one else will know about it.”