Chapter 490
The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Trading Company Chapter 490
Chapter 490. Naming Ceremony (7)
I looked at Geum-ryeong and asked.
“Why are you acting so strange?”
“Kui...”
“Huh? Did my expression scare you? I'm quite handsome, aren't I?”
“Kui... Kui...”
“Did I look like I was going to beat someone up? Come on. You must have seen wrong.”
He smiled broadly, but inside he was terrified.
This guy... How did he know?
My father's letter said to do as I pleased.
So, for a moment, I thought about how I could take advantage of Myeong-myeong Trading Company.
Since he had done me a favor, there was nothing wrong with taking advantage of him if I wanted to.
However, I had to consider our future relationship, so I decided to take it easy, but he noticed the expression on my face in that moment.
I smiled and said,
“Don't be scared. Eat your food. I'm not going to take advantage of you.”
By the way, today's meeting is going to be very interesting.
“Kukui...”
* *
Seong Woo-shin, the captain of the Myeongmyeong Trading Company, looked at the carriage driving away.
It was the carriage carrying Eun Jung-ho and Eun Seo-ho of the Eunhae Trading Company.
They were the ones who saved the Myeongmyeong Trading Company, but he believed that a favor is a favor, and a deal is a deal.
He knew from this morning's meeting that the same was true for those two.
“Cheong-min.”
“Yes, Father.”
“You worked hard today.”
At those words, Sung Cheong-min shook his head with a disheartened expression.
“Phew, I really felt like a child. It's been a long time since I felt this way. Still, I'm glad we didn't give in.”
“You didn't back down? Ha ha ha!”
Seong Woo-shin burst into laughter upon hearing his son's words.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Do you know who merchants fear the most?”
“I'm listening.”
“It is those who know the right thing to do.”
“The right thing?”
“Yes, moderation. It means knowing how far you can push and stopping there. Captain Eun Jeong-ho and Captain Eun Seo-ho knew that very well.”
He continued.
“They knew moderation and stopped there.”
“I see.”
“I felt it even before Captain Eun Seo-ho. He is truly extraordinary.”
“If he's like this now, I'm afraid of what the future holds. I must work even harder.”
“That's good.”
The captain of the Trading Company watched the carriage drive away and thought to himself. He was glad that he had formed a connection with the Eunhae Trading Company, even if it was only in this way.
He turned his head to the side.
His grandson, Sung-Yoo-Jin, was standing there with his mother.
Last night, he had heard some surprising news from his bodyguard.
When his grandson had gone missing, he had eaten a magical mushroom, which had given him the inner arts of a second-class warrior.
And the bodyguard's son, Taoist Scripture Jo, had become his grandson's master.
On the one hand, he felt relieved.
His grandson would be a little healthier and safer from now on.
“Grandfather.”
At that moment, his grandson called out to him.
“What is it?”
“I promised my benefactors that I would visit the Eunhae Trading Company next time. I would like to ask for your permission in advance.”
Seong Woo-shin, the head of the trading company, smiled and replied.
“It seems that you will have business at the Eunhae Trading Company soon. Let's go together.”
* * *
On the way to the Sichuan branch of Eunhae Trading Company in a horse-drawn carriage.
I glanced back.
“Why?”
I smiled awkwardly at Jungho's question.
“I just thought I went too far.”
“It's okay. You didn't rip him off as much as I thought.”
“Rip him off? It was a fair deal.”
My brother chuckled at my words.
“You think it was too much for a fair deal?”
“Hahaha.”
I smiled awkwardly.
Through this morning's meeting, our Eunhae Trading Company was able to secure a generous shipping fee for transporting Myungnam Trading Company's pepper.
We also added several special clauses, one of which is a waiver of liability in the event that we are unable to deliver the pepper due to circumstances beyond our control.
It was a clause I really wanted to include, so I was glad I was able to do so.
I looked outside through the window of the carriage. All that was left now was to go home.
“Brother.”
My brother looked at me questioningly when I called him.
“Thank you so much for staying alive.”
Hearing my words, my brother turned his head and scratched his cheek.
“I'm sorry for causing trouble.”
“It's okay. I'm here. As long as you're alive, I can take care of everything. So...”
I said seriously.
“No matter how extreme the situation gets, you must stay alive. I will save you.”
I told him this in advance because I was afraid that the Martial Alliance might try something and put him in danger.
Did he understand the sincerity in my words?
Jeong-ho looked at me and nodded seriously.
“Yes, I promise.”
We arrived at the Sichuan branch and briefly told my uncle about what had happened at the Mingming Trading Company.
“My father will send you a letter later.”
“I understand.”
“We plan to leave tomorrow as soon as we are ready.”
“Yes, you should go quickly. How long will he be waiting?”
There was a lot to prepare because the people who accompanied Hyung-nim Jeong-ho to Sichuan had to come with us.
However, we had already prepared for our departure, so we were able to leave the next day.
In the evening, my uncle's family and the senior members of the Sichuan branch gathered for a small banquet.
The next morning, we departed for Hubei Province as planned, seeing everyone off.
Since it wasn't just me and my bodyguards, we traveled at a much slower pace than when we came to Sichuan.
It's fine. I need to gather my thoughts on the way there anyway.
First, there's the woman named Huang Min.
Not only was it strange that her eyes were red, but it was also strange that the blood-like black energy disappeared from her body the moment she died.
I need to find out what this is as soon as possible.
“By the way, young master.”
At that moment, Jung-ho's servant, who was sitting in front of us, spoke up.
“How did you survive that rapid current?”
Ah, I was wondering the same thing.
I hadn't had a chance to ask him yet.
In response to my question, Jung-ho took a hairpin out of his pocket and showed it to me.
“This.”
“Huh?”
“Actually, I bought it for my wife, but it saved my life.”
The hairpin, decorated with coral and seven treasures, looked quite sturdy.
When Jung-ho pressed the decoration on the hairpin, it made a clicking sound, and a sharp dagger popped out from inside.
The leaders of large trading companies never know when or where they might be targeted, so they always carry weapons for self-defense.
Jeong-ho must have bought this hairpin out of concern for his wife.
But the material used to make the dagger inside this hairpin... It doesn't seem like simple iron.
“This... This is iron.”
“That's right. My wife is so skilled that she bought the best one available.”
My brother continued.
“I was caught in a rapid current and was being swept away, but I knew I had to get up somehow. That's when I remembered this. So, I stuck this blade into a crack in the rock and used it as a support to climb up.”
He explained that after regaining his strength, he was able to cross over to land.
In other words, it was Hyung-nim's love for his wife that saved his life.
“Hyung, please continue to treat your wife well.”
“I will, even if you don't tell me to.”
Before we knew it, we had reached the foot of Mount Ami in eastern Sichuan, where we decided to rest.
Of course, we found a nice inn.
The journey had been quite difficult, so we wanted to have a comfortable trip back.
That night.
I called Seo Woo and Yeo Eung-am.
“I need to go somewhere.”
“We will follow you.”
I told Pal-gap that I was going out for a while, then left the inn with my two bodyguards.
I headed for the place where I had found Jungho.
To be precise, it was the place where I had found the hundred-year-old ghost horse.
Damn.
We stopped running through the forest using our movement arts. Then we entered the place where the hundred-year-old ghost horse was.
“Kahaang!”
At that moment, something blocked our way.
It was a raccoon with fluffy fur.
The spiritual beast was no ordinary raccoon. But...
“Kaha... Ang?”
Soon, the spiritual beast recognized us...
“Kui?”
Geum-ryung poked his head out from my sleeve and said something to the spiritual beast, and it quickly bowed its head.
It must have been my imagination that it sounded like it was saying, “Have you forgotten me?”
The reason I stopped by here on my way back was to take measures for the spiritual beast raccoon that protects the hundred-year-old tree spirit.
I didn't have much time then, but now I have more time than I did then.
“Have you been well?”
“Kaang.”
“I see you've been well. You must have hated me for taking half of the hundred-year-old horse's spirit with me. But I had a reason for doing so.”
“Kahan?”
“The hundred-year-old horse's spirit sucks the yang energy out of its surroundings. Eventually, it even eats the animals and spiritual beasts around it. That means it would have eaten you too.”
“Kahan? Kahan?”
“It's true. So, to be honest, I took half of it because I was greedy, but it was also for your sake. It was necessary to control the population.”
I continued.
“It should be able to last for another hundred years or so. So, let's just keep it at this level.”
“Kang?”
“If you pick the fruits around here once every few years, you'll be able to stay with them longer.”
“Kang!”
He understood.
“That's all the advice I have. Now, there's something we need to do to protect this place.”
I drew the Eunmu Sword.
“Kang?”
The reason this sword is called Eunmu Sword is because it has the ability to control fog.
I am not yet able to use that power in battle. I need to concentrate very hard.
And controlling fog requires a great deal of energy.
I concentrated my qi on the Eunmu Sword and swung it widely.
Sarak.
Fog began to fill the area, and after a while, I sheathed the Eunmu Sword.
Before I knew it, I couldn't see an inch in front of me.
“This should be enough to protect this place.”
I decided to create fog here to protect this place.
We had collected the hundred-year-old ginseng here and given a small portion to the Dao master.
However, one never knows what will happen.
Rumors could spread, or someone could discover this place by accident.
Then, the spiritual beast could steal the precious hundred-year-old ginseng, and there could be bloodshed.
The spiritual beast could be hunted down.
Even though it was forced by Geum-ryeong, I couldn't let the spiritual beast that helped save my brother's life die like that.
I always repay my debts.
Besides, it's Geum-ryeong's subordinate.
Ah... Of course, I plan to take a few with me later if necessary, so I'll keep an eye on them.
“Take care.”
I left that place. I smiled as I saw the spiritual beast raccoon waving goodbye behind me.
On our way out, we placed signs at regular intervals. This was to ensure that anyone who entered this place and lost their way could find their way out safely.
The next day, we set off again.
We decided to take a boat from the landing stage at the foot of Mount Ami to Hubei Province.
“By the way, are you sure you're okay with taking a boat?”
After the accident on the boat, I was often afraid of riding boats.
“It's okay. How can you be the captain of a trading company if you're afraid of boats?”
“But...”
“And if something happens, you'll save me, right?”
I nodded at his words.
“So don't worry.”
With that, Captain Jeong-ho boarded the ship. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.
When he opened his eyes again, his gaze was that of a reliable captain I had seen in my previous life.
The ship headed for Hubei at high speed.
A few days later.
We finally arrived at a familiar landing stage. We stayed there for one night and set off for the Eunhae Trading Company headquarters.
The next day.
“Uh... It's home. We're finally home.”
Jung-ho muttered with tears in his eyes.
Yes. We had arrived at the Eunhae Trading Company headquarters.
It was home.
As we entered the carriage, our family came out to greet us warmly.
“Jeong-ho!”
“Father! Mother!”
“Do you know how worried I was about you?”
“Grandfather...”
“I'm glad you're back safely.”
“Wife...”
Following our parents and grandfather, my sister-in-law and brother-in-law also came out.
“Father!”
“Ugh! Father!”
Gun-hyeok and Bo-yeon clung to Jung-ho's legs, causing him to fall slightly on his buttocks.
However, with tears welling up in his eyes, Jung-ho hugged his two children and couldn't say a word.
Seeing that, I felt like I was going to cry too.
I did really well.
Well done, me.
Meanwhile, my father came up to me and patted me on the shoulder.
“Thank you.”
The weight of those words hit me hard.
I approached them and said,
“Let's talk about it later. If we do it now, our emotions will run high and we'll end up hurting each other.”
“I see.”
“And Hyung-nim needs to rest too.”
I looked at the two children and said, “I understand what you mean.”
“Yes.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
My sister-in-law took the children inside.
My father held Jung-ho's hand tightly and said, “I'm so glad you're back safe.”
“I'm sorry, Father. I'm back safe.”
“I'm sorry, Father. I'm back safely.”
At my father's words, Jung-ho smiled faintly before suddenly losing consciousness and collapsing to the side.
“Oh no!”
I quickly grabbed my brother and calmed my father down.
“He seems to have relaxed. He'll be fine after a little rest.”
No matter how many lives you save, there's no place like home where you can relax.
He must have been under a lot of stress.
When I handed my brother over to his bodyguard, my father said to me.
“Oh, and we have a guest. He says his name is Master Jin-yeong.”
I think I had this thought last time too...
Should I really run away?
Kui.
Oh, right, it's useless.