Chapter 489
The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Trading Company Chapter 489
Chapter 489. Naming Ceremony (6)
Tears streamed down Sung Joon-min's eyes at Mister Yoo Jin's words. And then...
“Yoo Jin! Huh!”
He hugged Mister Yoo Jin and cried loudly, but no one thought it was inappropriate.
Everyone's eyes were red from crying.
I could see Mister Yoo Jin's true nature in his words.
He will definitely become a great man.
After a bit of commotion, Mister Yoo Jin headed to his quarters.
Jeong Ho and I followed Captain Sung Cheong-min.
It seemed to be the reception room for distinguished guests, and the office of the Trading Company captain was also located there.
Thanks to my memories from my previous life, I had a rough idea of the layout of the main Trading Company.
This was because I had visited many places myself and gathered a lot of information through my intelligence network at the time.
At that time, there were many factions vying for power, so it was necessary to gather such information.
Captain Sung Cheong-min led me and Jung-ho to a reception room.
“Please wait here for a moment.”
As I expected, it was a reception room for entertaining distinguished guests.
When I visited the Ming Trading Company in my previous life, I was also led here.
The reception room was not flashy, but it was elegantly decorated.
The paintings and calligraphy on the walls were by famous artists, but they revealed the captain's bad taste.
They were works of art to decorate the room, but they were also used to gauge the knowledge of visitors.
How do I know that?
I was asked about it myself.
“That painting is by An Jun Hwasha.”
“...Is that really a painting by An Jun Hwa?”
Yes.
Some of those paintings are fakes.
Thanks to noticing that in my previous life, the head of the Trading Company thought highly of me.
However, when Sung Joon-min became the head of the Trading Company, the friendly relationship changed.
Of course, I won't ask him about that this time.
He wouldn't test his benefactor like that.
Soon, a maid entered and served tea and snacks.
Hyung-nim and I enjoyed the refreshments and talked.
Before long, the door opened and the head of the Myeongmyeong Trading Company and his deputy entered.
We stood up and greeted them politely.
“Greetings, head of the trading company.”
“Thank you for accepting our invitation. Please be seated.”
“Thank you.”
We sat down, and tea cups and snacks were placed in front of the head of the Trading Company and the deputy head.
“First of all, our Myeongmyeong Trading Company owes you a great debt of gratitude. We don't know how we can ever repay you.”
“It was just fate that brought us together.”
I also responded modestly to Jung-ho's words.
“It must be thanks to the Trading Company's virtue that it has reached the heavens.”
The Trading Company's head waved his hand as if embarrassed.
“Don't say that. Honestly, how much virtue can a merchant accumulate? I'm lucky if I don't get cursed at.”
We all smiled silently at his words.
“Anyway, when you receive something, you must express your gratitude. That is why I invited you two here.”
Then he looked at Jung-ho and continued.
“I actually had something to discuss with Captain Eun Jeong-ho.”
“Yes, sir.”
It was about loading pepper onto our Eunhae Trading Company ship.
“I've been thinking about how to express my gratitude for your help, and I've come to a decision.”
“My father and I discussed it at length.”
“Eunhae Trading Company agreed to ship the pepper purchased by our Myungnam Trading Company, right? I will give you a third of the profits from that pepper for the next ten years.”
“What?”
“Don't feel too burdened. Transporting pepper by sea is much cheaper, and we can bring back much more than before.”
Pepper is an extremely expensive spice.
It is said to be comparable to silver of the same weight.
And now he is giving us a third of the pepper for ten years!
“That's too much!”
Even after I said that, the captain of the Trading Company shook his head.
“Considering that you saved my two sons and grandson, it's not too much at all. And if the fourth son had become the captain of the Trading Company while under the control of the soul-stealing technique, who would have owned this company?”
“...”
He sees the reality quite accurately.
“Besides, didn't you use your only treasure to break the fourth son's soul-stealing spell?”
Hearing that, Jung-ho glanced at me.
He seemed to be asking me what he meant, but he didn't press the issue.
He knew that this wasn't the place to ask.
“So you can accept it.”
The captain repeated his offer.
“Please accept it. In fact, I would like to continue our relationship with you both.”
I thought that seemed to be his true intention.
Jung-ho and I exchanged glances.
It would be rude to refuse when he had offered it to us, so we decided to accept the offer.
“We will accept your offer.”
The faces of the Trading Company President and the Young Master lit up at Jung-ho's answer.
“But there is a problem.”
Their expressions froze at my words.
“What problem?”
“Even if we accept the pepper, we have no way to sell it.”
Pepper is an expensive spice, so it is not easy to find new markets for it.
“Ah!”
“I see.”
Realizing what I meant, they both nodded.
“So, even if we receive a smaller amount of pepper, we would like you to sell it and give us the profits.”
“No, we can't do that. How would we receive a commission?”
“You're right. We mustn't let the meaning of our offer fade away.”
They decided to sell the pepper they had agreed to give us and give us the proceeds.
As expected of the Captain of the Ming Trading Company.
Now it is a foregone conclusion that our Eunhae Trading Company will be transporting the pepper.
Furthermore, since we will be receiving our share of the profits, we will have to be extra careful when transporting the pepper.
But who am I?
I am Eun Seo-ho.
“Then what about the shipping costs?”
“Shipping costs?”
“Yes. The Trading Company gave us the pepper, but shouldn't we discuss the shipping costs and other expenses?”
“That's true.”
“Then let's discuss that...”
“Wait a minute!”
The captain quickly held out his hand and said.
“Let's discuss that tomorrow. You must be tired from traveling all this way.”
That reaction confirmed it.
This captain clearly wanted to lower the shipping costs in exchange for giving us a third of the pepper.
But when I mentioned it, he wanted to postpone the discussion.
The junior captain also smiled and added.
“Our Meimei Trading Company has a pretty impressive garden. Please take a look around, and we will call someone to show you to the banquet hall.”
A short time later, we were guided by a maid to the garden.
The garden was indeed beautifully decorated.
There were even flowers blooming, which was rare in winter.
I told the maid that she could leave us now and sent her away.
“I will come and get you when the banquet is ready.”
“Yes.”
The maid disappeared into the distance, and I looked around.
There was no one else there.
I said to Jung-ho.
“To be honest, I'm a little surprised. They're giving us a third of the pepper brought from Daewookguk.”
“I'm surprised too.”
Jeong-ho looked at me and smiled.
“Huh? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I think you're the right person for the position of captain of the trading company.”
“What are you talking about?”
I said in shock.
“Didn't you say you wanted to be the captain? Don't say such terrible things!”
“Do you hate it that much?”
“Yes, I do.”
I replied immediately.
“I'm already working myself to death... And with me always running around, me as captain? I'd ruin the company!”
“You're right.”
“So don't even think about it.”
I never wanted to experience being beaten by Master and forced to rest again.
My brother laughed heartily at my words.
“By the way, what was that about the equipment earlier?”
“Oh, that?”
I scratched my nose and said.
“I'll explain later.”
I didn't want to lie to Jung-ho, who was like an older brother to me, and he was someone I could trust.
“By the way, we should tell our father about what happened.”
“Don't worry about that.”
I said, looking at my sleeve, and Jung-ho nodded in understanding.
“That guy is really clever.”
“I think so too.”
A short time later, a maid came to pick us up, and we headed to the banquet hall.
The families and senior members of the Myeongmyeong Trading Company were all gathered there.
We enjoyed the banquet in a friendly atmosphere.
Late at night, we returned to our quarters.
“Geum-ryung.”
At my call, Geum-ryung poked her head out from my sleeve.
“Kui!”
“Can you run an errand for me?”
Geum-ryung nodded at my words.
“Wait a moment.”
I wrote a letter to my father, and Geum-ryung sat on the writing table and looked at the letter.
“It's done.”
I folded the letter neatly and tied it to Geum-ryeong's tail.
“Go on.”
“Kui!”
Geum-ryeong ran out the window like a flash.
Then, with Pal-gap's help, I washed up and changed into my pajamas.
Usually, when someone invites you to their house, it means you are expected to stay overnight.
It is a great discourtesy to send a guest away without letting them stay overnight.
Since I was going to another trading company, I didn't bring any work with me, so I thought I would go to bed early.
But then...
“Master, the Captain of the Trading Company's bodyguard, Dao, wishes to see you.”
Huh? Dao?
The aura I felt outside the door was familiar.
“Tell him to wait a moment.”
I quickly put on my outer garment. It would be rude to greet a guest wearing only my pajamas.
Then I said,
“Tell him to come in.”
“Yes.”
Soon the door opened and a warrior entered.
He was a warrior of the highest caliber who served as the captain's bodyguard.
Because of his skills, he was quite famous along with Master Dae-gum, the bodyguard of the Sebin Trading Company.
But was his surname Dao?
People usually referred to him by his title, so I had forgotten that his surname was Dao.
When he saw my attire, he bowed with his hands clasped together and apologized.
“You were about to rest. I apologize for coming at such a late hour.”
“Not at all. I wasn't ready for bed yet. Please sit down.”
We sat down at the table, and Pal-gap brought us tea.
“What is the matter?”
“I took the liberty of visiting you at this hour because I need to confirm something.”
Oh, is that why he came.
“Are you referring to my martial arts skills?”
“Yes.”
He nodded and asked me.
“What is your relationship with the Royal Guards?”
He was asking me about my relationship with the Royal Guards, which was none of his business. It must have been because he realized that I had used the martial arts techniques of the Royal Guards.
The title of the Dao Master was Mantong Jian.
It was a title given to him because he was knowledgeable in numerous martial arts and could recognize them better than anyone else.
That was why I deliberately used the imperial martial arts in front of him, lest he recognize that the martial arts I used were those of Seolpunggung.
Or I could have used them secretly.
It was worth learning the martial arts of the imperial palace in advance.
I learned them just in case a situation like this arose.
I replied with a smile.
“You already know, so why are you asking?”
He closed his eyes tightly, stood up, and knelt before me.
“I beg you.”
“Why are you doing this? Get up.”
“Please keep this a secret.”
He continued with a serious expression.
“If this reaches the ears of His Majesty, your fourth brother will be severely punished.”
“...”
As he said, this was a very serious matter.
He had killed his brother and tried to kill his nephew.
Even if it was done under the influence of black magic, that fact would not disappear.
Of course, if this fact was not known to the imperial family or the government, he would not be punished.
“But many people in the Trading Company already know about this.”
Even if I kept my mouth shut, this matter could still become public knowledge through their mouths.
“That's okay. I've taken measures to ensure that they don't reveal anything about this outside.”
He was confident that he could silence the members of the Trading Company.
If that weren't possible, he wouldn't have been able to rise to his current position.
Dao Master bowed his head to me.
Eh, I wasn't planning on saying anything.
They have done many favors for my grandfather and father, and they will continue to do so for us.
Furthermore, as we have a common enemy, they are our reliable allies.
“Please raise your head and stand up.”
I continued.
“I never had any intention of reporting this matter to the higher-ups.”
“What? Is that true?”
“It is the family of Mister Yoo Jin, whom my brother saved. I don't want to make him sad.”
His face brightened at my words.
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
“Now, please get up. This is embarrassing.”
“Yes, sir.”
What a man! To kneel before the captain of a trading company!
It must be because of the loyalty of men like him that the Myung Trading Company remains so strong.
“By the way, what is your relationship with Dao Zong?”
“Are you referring to Taoist Scripture Dao Zong?”
“Yes.”
“He is my son.”
Blood cannot be denied.
.
.
.
It was dawn.
I woke up and saw Geum-ryeong climbing through the window, so I quickly caught her.
“Are you back?”
“Kui!”
I opened the letter and read it, then smiled.
Geum-ryeong on the table saw me and backed away.
“Kui kui....”
“Hm? Why?”
“Kui....”
“Are you saying you'll eat it gratefully if I give you the silver?”
Why is this kid suddenly being so polite?