Chapter 491
The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Trading Company Chapter 491
Chapter 491. Liquor Tasting (1)
I immediately headed to my quarters in the annex.
Master Jin-yeong was staying in the building next door.
It seemed that he had given him that place because he was my guest.
I had just returned home, but I couldn't keep Master Jinyeong waiting.
I called Lee Pil and asked him to invite Master Jinyeong to the reception room, and with Pal-gap's help, I quickly tidied myself up and headed to the reception room.
“Master Jinyeong, it's good to see you.”
“It's been a long time. Have a seat.”
“Yes.”
I sat down in front of him.
“You must be wondering why I came.”
No, I'm not.
I hid my true feelings and just smiled. Master Jin-yeong said to me.
“We are planning to hold another poetry contest.”
“I see.”
"We are planning to hold it in the spring, a little later than usual. Naturally, the Sebin Trading Company and the Eunhae Trading Company will play a leading role again."
It seems that the royal family profited quite well from the last poetry contest.
After all, the emperor was able to find the talent he wanted.
However, not all of my questions have been answered.
For a matter of this importance, he could have simply sent a messenger to the holy land.
It's not a matter that would require Master Jinyeong to come all the way here.
Then why did he come?
I listened intently to Master Jinyeong's next words.
Master Jinyeong took something out of his sleeve and handed it to me. It was a small, oblong box.
“This is for you. Open it.”
I politely accepted the box and opened it.
Then I couldn't help but be surprised.
“Is this... a hidden weapon?”
“That's right. It's a hidden weapon called Gui Zhu Hua.”
A flower that returns to its owner...
As its name suggests, the hidden weapon was shaped like a flower. It reminds me of the Sichuan Tang Clan's hidden weapon.
The Sichuan Tang Clan had butterfly-shaped hidden weapons.
“No matter how far you throw this hidden weapon, it will return to its owner within five counts.”
“Then how does the hidden weapon recognize its owner?”
“You must smear your own blood on the hidden weapon and keep it on your body for five days.”
“I see. But why are you giving this to me?”
Master Jin answered.
“His Majesty has not forgotten how you gave those who returned from trade a good night's sleep so that they would not leak any information, and how you prevented the food from being stolen while transporting it to Beijing.”
Ah... So this is his reward.
To be honest, I was a little disappointed that he didn't give me a reward for that.
But when he received the precious Gijuhwa, his disappointment melted away like snow.
“It is a very valuable item, so I brought it myself.”
“I see. Thank you very much for going to so much trouble for me.”
“I just happened to be passing by on my way somewhere.”
“What? Where are you going?”
Master Jin-yeong said as if he had forgotten.
“Isn't it time to break the ice upstream?”
“Ah, yes.”
But there isn't much left.
If we can just hold out until next year, the winter temperatures will return to normal.
And then there will be a period of bumper crops.
From then on, it will be time to trade for things other than food.
Only then did I feel at ease.
Come to think of it, when I was thinking of running away, Geum-ryeong stopped me.
Did he react that way because he knew I would be given this weapon?
He is a guy who can smell money in the future, so it's quite possible.
I'm glad you didn't run away.
Master Jin turned his shoulder and said.
“I've told you what I came for. How about a match?”
“What?”
“Let's have a match using the martial arts of the Imperial Palace.”
“...”
Should I take back what I said about being glad you didn't run away?
.
.
.
A moment later.
We stood facing each other with swords in hand in the courtyard of my annex.
We had been sparring for half an hour already.
To be honest, it wasn't a difficult spar for me. However, Master Jinyeong was panting heavily and looking for my opening.
Master Jinyeong's skill was currently top-notch.
Thanks to the ascending martial arts of the Imperial Palace, he was able to demonstrate skills close to his peak, but he was not yet at the true peak of his abilities.
“You are stronger than I thought.”
“You flatter me.”
I responded modestly.
I did not hide my level of skill from Master Jin-yeong. The emperor would know my level anyway.
At a banquet for those who had achieved excellent results in the poetry contest, the Clan Head of the Jegal Family told me.
He said that among the emperor's bodyguards, there was someone who had reached the Chapter level.
That meant he already knew my level. Of course, due to the special nature of the Taeum Byeonghae Shin Gong, it was possible that he didn't know for sure, but the emperor was the emperor.
I'll find out someday, and I'm afraid he'll ask me why I hid it from him.
Besides, considering that he gave me the Cheonjamsa as a gift, he must know something about my inner arts.
“Ha!”
Master Jin-yeong rushed toward me, and I raised my sword to block his attack.
Clang!
When I first learned the martial arts of the imperial palace, I was still inexperienced and sometimes lost, but not anymore.
I easily twisted my sword and pushed away Master Jin-yeong's sword.
Ta-ah!
I couldn't use my assassin skills against Master Jin-yeong, but I couldn't end it like this.
His determination was relentless and frightening.
I waited for an opening and rushed at him.
“Huh!”
Surprised by my attack, Master Jin-yeong took a deep breath and quickly raised his sword and swung it at me.
Swoosh!
Master Jin-yeong's sword grazed my arm.
“I'm sorry! I didn't mean to...”
“It's okay.”
Thud, thud.
Blood fell to the ground, and Master Jin-yeong looked even more apologetic when he saw it.
It's really okay. I did it on purpose.
“Isn't sparring supposed to involve injuries? So don't worry about it.”
With that, he lightly pressed my acupoints to stop the bleeding.
“I'm really sorry.”
Master Jinyeong bowed his head and clasped his hands together.
“I'm sorry I insisted on sparring with you even though I knew you were tired from just arriving today.”
He knew I was tired.
He knew!
I felt a momentary surge of emotion, but I quickly calmed myself down. I understood why Master Jin-yeong was acting this way.
“Are you impatient because you are having trouble advancing to the next level?”
“...!”
That was the correct answer.
I smiled and said,
“In my humble opinion, Master, there is no need to be impatient.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“When I went to Lanzhou last time, I almost died, and I think it's because of my lack of skill that I can't be of greater service to His Majesty the Emperor.”
His skill is by no means lacking.
He is just relatively weaker than those at the peak or beyond, and there aren't many first-class warriors in the martial arts world.
Why do we say “first-class” when referring to the best?
But these words would be of little comfort to the Master.
So I decided to give him some simple advice.
I think I know what the problem is.
“When you use your sword, you seem to think a lot.”
To put it simply, you fight cleverly.
I have a similar tendency.
“That's right. I am like that.”
“You said you were going to break the ice, right? That's perfect.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“When you go to break the ice, try swinging your sword at the ice without thinking.”
“Without thinking?”
“You won't use your sword against the ice while thinking about it, right?”
“That's right.”
“Exactly. I'm saying that you should just swing your sword without thinking about anything for a change.”
Master Jin-yeong looked puzzled at my words, but then nodded.
“I understand. I'll try that. Thank you for your advice.”
“Don't mention it.”
“I'd like to continue sparring, but my injury makes it difficult.”
“I'm really sorry.”
With that, Master Jin-yeong returned to his quarters, and I returned to my annex.
And then...
“Ouch! It hurts... My arm. I'm in pain.”
“Ugh... Was this really the only way?”
I smiled shyly at Pal-gap's question.
He already knew why I had hurt myself on purpose. Yeon-eung-am sighed beside me.
“Do you know how scared we were?”
“I'm sorry.”
“Please give us a heads up next time.”
“I'll keep that in mind.”
Pal-gap opened the lid of the medicine bottle, poured the clear liquid onto a piece of cloth, and applied it to my arm.
In an instant, the wound healed.
Could this be...
“What is this medicine?”
“It's the remaining Jeong-ansu that you used the other day.”
You still have that?
Wait, that means it's been over a year?
“Why do you ask?”
“No, it's nothing.”
I was sad that Geum-ryeong's medicine had no expiration date because it was so effective.
- Kui?
.
.
.
The next morning.
Master Jin-yeong left early.
The night before, he had told his father about the meeting with the Trading Company, and as a result, his father was busy.
Jeong-ho, who had fainted from the tension, quickly regained consciousness and was surrounded by his sister-in-law and two children.
It seemed that they would not leave him for a while, but Jeong-ho had a lot to do, so...
“Father, you must take care of yourself.”
“I understand.”
“Father, if you make me sad again, I will hate you!”
“Gasp! That cannot happen.”
I was drinking tea with my sister-in-law at the Georyang Party, watching Hyung-nim being scolded by his two children.
My sister-in-law was wearing a new hairpin.
It was the hairpin that my brother had shown me earlier, the one that had saved his life.
“That hairpin suits you well.”
“Really? Does it?”
“Yes, it seems like Jung-ho chose it with great care.”
“They say it saved his life.”
“I heard that.”
I nodded and said,
“It's a very precious hairpin.”
“That makes it even more special.”
That was when it happened.
As I was holding my teacup, I felt a presence approaching the hall and flinched.
Huh? What is this feeling?
“Huff, huff! Hyung! What's going on? Are you okay?”
It was Jin-ho, who rushed in frantically.
“Huh? You're here?”
“Hyung, you're here?”
I heard that Jin-ho was supposed to return from his business trip today, but it seemed that he had heard what happened from my second sister-in-law.
He was changing his clothes.
“Are you really okay?”
Jeong-ho nodded in response to Jin-ho's question.
“Yes, I'm fine.”
“Then why are you lying on the bed?”
“The Hall Leader told me to rest a little. I'm fine, just a little tired, so don't look at me like that.”
“Still... Do you know how scared I was?”
Tears welled up in Jin-ho's eyes, and Jung-ho turned his head away, embarrassed.
“You're such a crybaby.”
Jin-ho may have looked like a tough guy on the outside, but he was actually very sensitive.
At that moment, the sound of drums could be heard.
“I think I should go now.”
I smiled and continued.
“It's time to learn the language of Daewook.”
Jeong-ho looked puzzled and asked, “What do you mean, the language of Daewook?”
“Well, you see…”
I explained.
After hearing my explanation, Jeong-ho said, “I want to learn too.”
“You too?”
“Yes, I want to learn too.”
“Yes, you know that our Eunhae Trading Company has risen to 20th place, right?”
“Of course, I know.”
“In order for our company to rise even higher, we must focus on trade with other countries, as you said. But as the captain of the company, how can I not know the language of Daewook, our most important trading partner?”
“You're right.”
I turned to Jin-ho and asked, “Jin-ho, do you want to learn with me?”
“Jin-ho, do you want to learn with me?”
Jin-ho laughed loudly at my question.
“Hahaha! Now that you mention it, I forgot something! I'll go first. Hahaha.”
I knew he would say that.
A moment later.
Jin-ho and I entered one of the conference rooms of the Eunhae Trading Company.
It was one of the many conference rooms that anyone could use.
A moment later, Captain Yong-eung-wan's mother entered.
“Hello.”
“Nice to meet you.”
She was with Captain Yong-eung-wan, and it seemed that she was there to help him as he was not fluent in the imperial language.
“My name is Ho Su-eon.”
Captain Yong-eung-wan explained.
“My mother's surname is Ho, and her name is Su-eon.”
“And Captain Yong-eungwan?”
“Actually, Yong-eungwan is my surname, but it has become my name here.”
“Then what is your real name?”
“My name is Yong-eungwan Gong-heung. But it's too long, so please just call me Yong-eungwan.”
“I understand.”
I gave her a clasped hands greeting.
“Then, I look forward to working with you, Ho Su-eon.”
A few days passed, and the number of people learning the language of Daewook began to increase.
This was because some of the employees who found out that we were learning the language of Daewook asked to learn it too.
So, I told them, “Learning without reward is bound to lead to negligence. Therefore, I have two conditions. First, you must pay the tuition. Second, those who give up halfway will be reflected in their performance evaluations.”
“Learning without compensation is bound to be lax. Therefore, I will set two conditions. First, you must pay tuition. And if you give up halfway, it will be reflected in your performance evaluation.”
As a result, only about 30 people remained out of the 100 applicants.
As expected, the decision to reflect it in their performance evaluation was decisive.
Time passed, and winter ended.
Spring was coming.
Master's trip is taking a long time. I have something to ask him.
Now that the weather was getting warmer, I had to go to Beijing. The time had come to carry out my plan.
However, the problem was that I had not yet finished learning the language of Daewook.
But if I took Ho Hoon with me, the people here would not be able to continue their studies...
I thought about it for several days, but in the end, there was only one option.
I would take Captain Yong-eung-wan's brother to Beijing.
But I couldn't take my sister with me.
Having made my decision, I immediately headed for the training ground.
“It looks like they're in the middle of a sparring match.”
“Yes, it is.”
I entered between the sparring partners.