Chapter 50
The Youngest Son of Eunhae Trading Company Chapter 50
Chapter 50. The First Pocket (4)
Yang Jin-soo and his group nodded at my words.
In fact, there were many cases where a slight indigestion could not be completely cured, eventually leading to death.
There were also many cases where a slight cut had to be completely cut off.
“It's true that minor illnesses often turn into serious ones.”
“That's why we came up with this business idea. We will make medicine that can be used without a prescription from a physician.”
At that moment, someone raised their hand.
“I have a question.”
“Yes.”
“Don't people already gather or purchase medicinal herbs on their own and boil them to make medicine?”
“That's right.”
As he said, there were medicinal herbs that had been passed down from generation to generation among the common people.
For example, when your gums hurt, you boil corn stalks and eat them, and when you have trouble urinating, you drink boiled mugwort.
“But when you think about it, a lot of it doesn't make sense, does it?”
There were many strange things, such as plucking eyebrows at dawn when you had a stye and floating them in purified water while reciting a spell.
“And even if folk medicine is really effective, people often get sick from taking too much of it.”
They nodded in agreement.
“That's what I thought.”
“Will it work?”
“We won't know unless we try.”
“But if it benefits the Trading Company and makes people healthier, then it's a good thing.”
The discussion continued.
As they discussed, they shared their considerable professional knowledge.
This was only natural.
The Green Jade Trading Company was a company that sold medicinal herbs.
They had been working there since they were young, so they knew everything about medicinal herbs.
In fact, there were a couple of physicians among them.
That's why I brought them into this business.
Even in the future, this business was not someone else's idea, but my own.
I actually started the business.
The result was a huge success.
However, only three years later, I was killed by the Baekcheon Trading Company and the Martial Alliance.
That's why it was so unfortunate.
I had planned to expand to the Central Plains, but I was unable to achieve that.
At that moment, Yang Jin-soo asked, “But as far as I know, Mister Eun Seo-ho is the third son of the head of the Eunhae Trading Company.”
“That's correct.”
“And the Eunhae Trading Company deals in medicinal herbs, right?”
“And Eunhaesang Trading Company deals in medicinal herbs.”
You did your research thoroughly.
I chose you well.
“Then won't our business cause losses to Eunhaesang Trading Company, which Mister Gong belongs to?”
I smiled at his question.
“You don't have to worry about that. It won't cause losses, but rather profits.”
“What do you mean by benefit?”
“Our Trading Company's medicinal herbs are of the highest quality and reasonably priced in Hubei Province. And we have a monopoly on the supply of medicinal herbs in Hubei Province. So where would you get your medicinal herbs?”
“Ah!”
“I see.”
“The more successful Mister's business is, the more medicinal herbs Eunhae Trading Company will be able to supply.”
“Then wouldn't it be better for Eunhae Trading Company to do this business?”
I shook my head at that question.
“If Eunhae Trading Company takes all the credit, we'll be blamed.”
They nodded at my answer.
“It's a kind of front company.”
As expected, these were seasoned merchants.
They understood exactly what I meant.
“That's right.”
In my previous life, this business was also run by a front company, not Eunhae Trading Company.
It was a method used by many trading companies.
That's why they immediately thought of a front trading company when they heard what I said.
“Then, should I report to the captain of Eunhae Trading Company?”
“No.”
“What?”
I smiled at their words.
“The trading company I'm going to start is mine.”
In other words, the trading company I was about to start was a trading company under a false name, but it was not a trading company under a false name.
“You're not trying to line your own pockets, are you?”
I didn't answer.
Yes, I was trying to line my own pockets.
But these pockets were not for any other purpose than for Eunhae Trading Company.
Therefore, I have no qualms about using one of the businesses that will enrich Eunhae Trading Company in the future.
Various discussions followed.
As expected, they were well-versed in medicinal herbs, and soon they came up with specific plans.
Medicinal tea to help you sleep, medicine to relieve nausea, medicine to apply to insect bites, and so on.
And it wouldn't be difficult for them to make such medicines.
It was time for me to leave.
“I'm going to get going now.”
“Are you going somewhere?”
“Actually... it's almost time for me to go to work.”
“What?”
I scratched my ear and replied.
“I am currently undergoing training as a special apprentice at the Eunhaesang Trading Company.”
“Mister's age?”
“Fifteen.”
“....”
“As an apprentice, you must strictly adhere to your working hours.”
Yang Jin-soo looked flustered.
“Why are you acting like that?”
“Nothing.”
“I look forward to working with you, Yang Jin-soo. No, Captain Yang Jin-soo.”
“What? Captain? I'm just...”
“Why else would I hold a secret meeting here?”
I told them.
“I'm just providing the capital for the business.”
“Do you mean you're not involved in this business at all?”
“You are capable people. Why would I interfere? Would a ship sail well with two captains?”
I know their abilities.
That is why I believe this venture will succeed.
“I will only offer advice when asked. I'm not sure if my advice will be valuable, though.”
“With the insight of Mister, who brought us here safely, it will be more than worth it.”
“I appreciate your high opinion. This is the contract.”
I took the contract out of my sleeve and handed it to him.
After reading the contract, Yang Jin-soo, the head of the Trading Company, asked, “You will provide all the initial capital and help us establish a base here, and in return, you will take half of the profits?”
“You will provide all the initial capital and help us establish a base here, but you will take half of the profits?”
“Yes. I will take half of the profits. And the other half will go to...”
I looked at them and said.
“It's yours.”
* *
Only Yang Jin-soo and his party remained in the basement.
He stared blankly at the contract on the table.
It was a contract signed by all of them.
And there was the name “Eun Seo-ho” written on it.
He smiled wryly.
When he came here, he was unsure, but now he could see a clear future ahead of him.
The business he proposed had enough potential.
Before they knew it, they had been persuaded by Eun Seo-ho and were looking forward to a hopeful future.
“He is truly a formidable Mister.”
They already knew that Eun Seo-ho was only fifteen.
They had researched him before coming here.
However, the Eun Seo-ho standing in front of them was so skilled that it was hard to believe he was only fifteen.
He seemed like a merchant with considerable experience.
He was only fifteen.
And he was still undergoing training at a trading company.
Just in case, they asked him his age again, but he was indeed fifteen.
“But fifty percent of the profits...?”
“Don't they usually take seventy percent in cases like this?”
Yang Jin-soo nodded in agreement with the others.
“That's right.”
“Looking at the profit distribution ratio, I feel like working.”
“And they don't interfere either.”
Yang Jin-soo chuckled at that.
They were tired of the conflict with the new captain of the Green Jade Trading Company.
If there had been a clause stating that his advice must be accepted, some would have refused to take the job.
But he said he wouldn't interfere and would just take the profits.
Mister Eun Seo-ho knew how to manage people.
“If he's like this now, I wonder what kind of monster he'll become in the future.”
It was a feeling of anticipation.
* * *
Time passed and it was now mid-May.
It was the border between Dongga, frequented by commoners in the market district of Sungyang County, and Namga, lined with high-end shops.
A new shop had opened there.
[Palin Yakbang (Eight People's Pharmacy)]
People tilted their heads as they looked at the pharmacy.
Judging by the name, it seemed to be a place that sold medicine, but it was strange that there were no physicians.
If a physician took a patient's pulse, it would be called a physician's office, and if it was a place that sold medicinal herbs, it would be called a herbalist's shop, but this was called a pharmacy.
A curious man slipped inside.
“Welcome.”
The man was greeted by a middle-aged woman.
Palin Pharmacy was a pharmacy run by eight people.
There were seven people, including Yang Jin-soo, and Eun Seo-ho, making eight.
Of course, Eun Seo-ho's identity was a secret.
Her name was So Baek-yeon.
She was one of the eight.
She was mainly in charge of entertaining customers, and she was so skilled that she could captivate any customer in an instant.
Just like now.
“You came here because you were curious about this place, right?”
“Eh? That's not it…”
“Please sit here. Since you came to our pharmacy, please have a cup of medicinal tea before you go.”
In an instant, a cup of tea was placed in front of the man.
“This medicinal tea is only sold at our pharmacy. You have trouble sleeping at night, don't you?”
“How did you know?”
“I can tell just by looking at you. That's why I offered you this tea. This medicinal tea is called ‘Kai-cho Tea,’ and it helps you sleep soundly. It is called Kai-cho because it allows you to wake up feeling refreshed in the morning.”
“Oh...”
“Try it.”
The man took a sip of tea. The warm aroma made him feel better.
When he returned home, he slept soundly that night.
The next morning, the man woke up feeling refreshed and muttered to himself.
“That herbal tea is really effective.”
The next day, the man visited the herbal medicine shop.
“How much is that constable?”
When he bought the constable, there was a picture that caught his eye.
It was a picture of a man tapping his chest as if he felt stuffy, and below it was a man standing with a refreshing expression.
And in his hand, he was holding a box.
It was easy to understand what it meant.
“Does that mean it's a medicine that relieves indigestion?”
“Yes, that's right.”
So Baek-yeon put a single pill in a small paper box and handed it to him.
"It's called Cheongwi-hwan. Try it when you feel indigestion. Children should take half a pill and adults should take one pill with water. If it's difficult to swallow, you can dissolve it in water.“
”How much is this?“
The price was reasonable, considering the quality.
”Try this first, and if it works, you can buy more. It may go bad if you keep it for too long, and it would be a waste if you bought it and it didn't work."
His words inspired confidence in him.
After the man left, So Baek-yeon smiled.
“The young master's advice was right.”
He set up a store and asked Eun Seo-ho for advice.
After all, he was the one who provided the business capital, so it was only natural.
Eun Seo-ho came to the store secretly and looked around.
“Everything looks good. I think I made the right decision to work with you guys. However...”
“...?”
“Add a picture next to the promotional slogan. Many of your customers will be people who don't know how to read. That consideration will pay off.”
“Ah, I see.”
So they added a picture next to the promotional slogan.
They also put pictures on the medicine boxes. This was to prevent people who couldn't read from using the medicine incorrectly.
And now they were seeing the effects of their efforts.
.
.
.
A few days later, there was a commotion at the man's house.
“Huh, huh!”
“Oh no! What should we do? He seems to have a stomachache.”
“Try hitting his back and rubbing his stomach.”
They tried various folk remedies, but their son's stomachache did not go away.
Then the man remembered the pill he had bought at the herbal medicine shop a few days ago.
It was said to relieve indigestion.
He quickly brought the pill, broke it in half, and gave it to his son.
Half an hour later.
“Ugh.”
His son burped, and his indigestion was completely gone.
Seeing this, the man muttered.
“Wow! That's amazing!”
The next day, he bought Cheonguihwan as well.
* * *
It was lunchtime.
I was having lunch with the members of the Jaegyeonggak and drinking tea.
“By the way, how is the medicine from the Palin Pharmacy?”
“Oh, that place?”
“The medicine is incredibly effective. I used the athlete's foot medicine I bought there and it completely healed.”
“Eww! You had athlete's foot?”
“Ugh...”
“But isn't that a problem for physicians?”
“At first, the physicians complained, but now they don't have any complaints.”
“Why?”
“The pharmacy has a sign saying that patients with serious illnesses should go to a physician, and the pharmacy staff also check the patient's condition and tell them to go to a physician.”
“I see!”
“So they only sell medicine for minor illnesses.”
“They're not fighting over their livelihoods.”
“And the place where they buy their medicine is Eunhae Trading Company.”
Listening to them, I smiled to myself.
As expected, this business was a huge success.
Money was piling up in my wallet.