Chapter 600
Chapter 600
Chapter 600. Hainan Island (2)
The Mu Trading Company was a place that had suddenly disappeared without a trace one day in my previous life.
Because of that, countless people suffered losses.
Those who received goods from the Mu Trading Company were flustered, but there was a bigger problem elsewhere.
Those who had handed over goods and were supposed to receive payment did not receive their money.
Because of that, some went bankrupt, and some even took their own lives.
When closing down a trading company, it was only proper to announce it at least a month in advance and settle matters with those around them, but they had truly vanished overnight.
The Imperial Palace launched a strict investigation into it, but strangely enough, that investigation ended in a vague muddle.
Fortunately, our Eunha Trading Company had no connection to that place, so we suffered no damage.
Come to think of it, that was around when the famine was coming to an end.
Then it should be about a year from now.
Honestly, since it was not a place entangled with our trading company, I had not paid any attention to it at all.
But the fact that I had come to know of this matter like this made me think that perhaps even the heavens had been angered by what happened back then.
In other words, they were telling me to resolve it.
For now, judging from the information that has come out so far, I can make a fair guess.
The Mu Trading Company must have been the place responsible for converting the grain and such that the corrupt officials of Guangdong Province and Hainan Island had embezzled into money.
Then, when the famine ended and it was time to collect taxes, they must have swallowed far more than they should have.
Enraged to the tips of his hair by that line-crossing act, the Emperor must have dispatched a large force of Imperial Guards and Royal Guards.
Those people, who had connections in the Imperial Palace, heard the news and swiftly cleaned up the Mu Trading Company.
Since the local officials had tidied everything up cleanly in advance, there would have been nothing the Imperial Guards or Royal Guards could do when they arrived.
Because there was no evidence.
The fact that they had not been caught until now meant the ledgers were clean too.
The ones who suffered because of that were innocent people.
They really are trash-like bastards.
But now that I had come to know about this matter like this, it would not be able to pass so easily.
Because I would not leave it that way.
Steeling my resolve, I greeted the waiter.
“I see. Thank you for telling me.” (Eun Seoho)
“Not at all. Hahaha. I am glad I could be of help to Master Seonhyeop Mirang.” (Waiter)
“…….” (Eun Seoho)
I suppose I should give up on hiding my identity while traveling.
With a bitter smile, I sank back into thought.
Now that I had learned of the Mu Trading Company’s existence here, I would have to make a move on that place first.
Unlike Hainan Island, this Guangdong was on the mainland.
If they sensed anything strange or received word from Hainan Island, there was a possibility they would flee immediately.
Even when driving prey during a hunt, one had to drive it while cutting off its escape route.
Otherwise, the prey would run away.
Moreover, I had also received an order from the Emperor to thoroughly strip away the wealth they had unjustly accumulated until now.
So I could not allow those bastards to escape.
After finishing our meal, we left the inn and headed for the Mu Trading Company.
Near the Mu Trading Company, Warrior Jin Yu quietly joined us.
* Is this the place? (Eun Seoho)
* Yes. I confirmed that the person tailing us entered this place. But how did you know to come here? (Jin Yu)
* They say the place that sold the grain stained with Warrior Lee Pil’s Tracking incense was the Mu Trading Company. (Eun Seoho)
* I see. (Jin Yu)
While exchanging telepathy like that, I observed the Mu Trading Company.
From that place, I could feel the energy of the Black Path mixed with the stench of blood.
In other words, it meant that this matter did not merely involve corrupt officials.
Is that why the Martial Alliance did not intervene, using government-murim non-interference as an excuse?
Judging from the circumstances so far, it was certain that the Martial Alliance had ties not only with the Black Path, but also with the Blood Cult.
There was one more thing that was certain.
That was that if I destroyed the Mu Trading Company, someone would be quite furious.
Is this what they call killing two birds with one stone?
Nice.
I headed toward the trading company’s entrance.
It was not that late at night yet, so visiting would not be rude.
The gatekeeper who discovered us asked,
“What brings you here?” (Gatekeeper)
“I am Eun Seoho, Young Master of the Eunha Trading Company. I did not make an appointment, but I came because I wished to meet the person here who handles the grain trade.” (Eun Seoho)
“If you are Young Master Eun Seoho……” (Gatekeeper)
“Could you perhaps be Master Seonhyeop Mirang?” (Gatekeeper)
“Yes. That is correct. It is more than I deserve, but I am called that.” (Eun Seoho)
At my words, they quickly bowed their heads to me.
“We greet Master.” (Gatekeepers)
“We will escort you this way.” (Gatekeeper)
They politely guided me.
At times like this, that alias really was useful.
I had already been famous, but they said I had become even more famous this time because of my results in the friendly martial arts competition at the Grand Murim Banquet and the matter of saving people in Luoyang.
I had thought there would be no possibility of being turned away at the door, but they were welcoming me even more than expected.
As I waited while drinking tea in the reception room, someone soon entered the reception room.
“It is an honor to meet you for the first time. I am Wang Seok, the chief agent of the Mu Trading Company.” (Wang Seok)
“I am Eun Seoho, Young Master of the Eunha Trading Company.” (Eun Seoho)
We politely greeted each other and sat down.
“What brings Master Seonhyeop Mirang here at this hour?” (Wang Seok)
“Ah, I will soon have to go to Hainan Island, so I had no time and came at this hour despite knowing it was discourteous.” (Eun Seoho)
“Pardon? To Hainan Island, you say?” (Wang Seok)
He asked subtly.
“Would it be rude of me to ask what matter takes you there?” (Wang Seok)
“It is because of trading company business. Please understand that I cannot say any more.” (Eun Seoho)
For merchants, information is power.
At times it can even become one’s life, so it is an unwritten rule not to ask about it carelessly.
And yet, asking this easily meant he was not a real merchant.
Or perhaps his suspicion of me had not been completely resolved.
“Of course. Of course! I was discourteous.” (Wang Seok)
“Not at all. Thank you for understanding.” (Eun Seoho)
I continued.
“The reason I visited your trading company like this is that I ate a meal at an inn near here today, and the rice tasted quite good. Of course, the inn cook’s skill in cooking rice was good as well, but only when the rice itself is good can the cooked rice taste good.” (Eun Seoho)
“Hahaha, th-that is true.” (Wang Seok)
“So, I would like to purchase that rice.” (Eun Seoho)
“Pardon?” (Wang Seok)
“I would like to procure around twenty thousand seom. Is that possible?” (Eun Seoho)
“Twenty thousand seom……” (Wang Seok)
He gulped.
He must have been calculating in his head the profit he could gain from it.
“It, it is possible.” (Wang Seok)
“How much is it per seom?” (Eun Seoho)
“Five nyang of silver.” (Wang Seok)
Considering that the price in an ordinary year was one nyang of silver, it was quite expensive.
But even this was a somewhat lowered price because it was currently harvest season.
And once the merchant ships that traded with foreign countries returned carrying large quantities of grain, the price would fall further.
“That is a reasonable price.” (Eun Seoho)
“Our trading company is a conscientious trading company.” (Wang Seok)
At that confident manner, I held back the urge to laugh.
No truly conscientious trading company would say something like that.
“I will trust you. First, I would like to see a sample. Is that possible?” (Eun Seoho)
“Of course. Please wait a moment.” (Wang Seok)
He went outside and soon returned carrying a doe of rice.
“This is it.” (Wang Seok)
I pretended to examine the rice, and at that moment, Warrior Lee Pil beside me sneezed.
“Achoo! Ahem, my apologies.” (Lee Pil)
That was the signal.
It meant this rice was the rice that had been inside the sack coated with Tracking incense.
“The rice is quite good.” (Eun Seoho)
“Of course. That old man’s eye for rice is……” (Wang Seok)
“Pardon?” (Eun Seoho)
“Ah, I was referring to our trading company’s agent who bought the rice.” (Wang Seok)
Nice excuse……
When he had been referring to the Sect Leader of the Hainan Sect.
“Good. Let us make a contract.” (Eun Seoho)
“Originally, when making a contract like this, it is proper to receive half of the transaction amount as a deposit, but as you know, it is very difficult to procure rice of this grade. Therefore, we must pay in advance to obtain the rice……” (Wang Seok)
“You are saying you want the full amount as an advance payment?” (Eun Seoho)
“Yes. That is correct.” (Wang Seok)
“Hmm……” (Eun Seoho)
When I pretended to hesitate for a moment, he seemed anxious and hurriedly made another proposal.
“In exchange, our trading company will put up collateral.” (Wang Seok)
“Collateral?” (Eun Seoho)
“Please wait a moment.” (Wang Seok)
He left the reception room again, then returned, and in his hand was a box.
He opened the box and showed it to me.
“This is it.” (Wang Seok)
Inside it was a large golden toad.
“This should be sufficient as collateral for this transaction.” (Wang Seok)
“Hmm……” (Eun Seoho)
When I did not readily accept, he asked worriedly,
“Is there something you do not like about it?” (Wang Seok)
“I just suddenly remembered something that happened before. At the time, our trading company received an item made of gold, just like this, as collateral. And after the transaction was completed and we returned the collateral, the other party claimed it was a fake and once demanded compensation for that collateral.” (Eun Seoho)
I continued gently.
“Could it be that here as well, something like that……” (Eun Seoho)
“Hahaha. No! We would never do such shameless things.” (Wang Seok)
“That is a relief. In truth, that was so outrageous that our trading company used every connection we had to expose their crimes, and that trading company……” (Eun Seoho)
I smiled coldly.
“But that process is truly an annoying one.” (Eun Seoho)
“Hahaha.” (Wang Seok)
He laughed heartily again and continued.
“You do not need to worry. Even if this collateral were somehow changed into a fake, our trading company would not question you about it.” (Wang Seok)
“Do you not trust our trading company? Changed into a fake, you say?” (Eun Seoho)
“Oh dear! I misspoke. In any case, no matter what happens, we will not say anything about the collateral.” (Wang Seok)
“Could you write that into the contract?” (Eun Seoho)
“Of course.” (Wang Seok)
After finishing the contract like that, I handed over a draft on the spot.
It was a draft worth a staggering one hundred thousand nyang of silver.
“Ah, by any chance, do you know much about pearls from Hainan Island?” (Eun Seoho)
“I do not know much, but what is the matter?” (Wang Seok)
“My wife, who came with me this time, says she wants jewelry made of pearls.” (Eun Seoho)
“I see. Hmm, in that case, please seek out the Cheon Clan of Hainan Island.” (Wang Seok)
After finishing the deal like that, I rose from my seat, and I left the Mu Trading Company carrying the golden toad.
Seeing as Geumryeong was quiet, it was certain to be fake.
Then that means they intend to run before properly conducting the transaction.
Well, it must have been about time for them to start running, and I had given them a push from behind.
But it did not matter.
“Warrior Jin Yu.” (Eun Seoho)
“Yes.” (Jin Yu)
“Keep watch over them, and if they withdraw the money from the Geumsan Money House, inform me immediately.” (Eun Seoho)
“Understood.” (Jin Yu)
At that moment, Master Jang Won called me from behind.
“Master Seonhyeop Mirang.” (Jang Won)
“Please just call me Young Master Eun. That alias is a little burdensome.” (Eun Seoho)
“If that is what you wish…… understood. Young Master Eun.” (Jang Won)
“Yes.” (Eun Seoho)
“What on earth are you thinking? Is our purpose not to investigate the Mu Trading Company?” (Jang Won)
“That is correct.” (Eun Seoho)
“But instead, you made a deal with them! And a deal that hands over such a huge sum at that!” (Jang Won)
Well, since he did not know what I was thinking, he would not understand the sight of me paying an advance of as much as one hundred thousand nyang.
I explained calmly.
“It may be difficult for you to understand, Master, but this is my own method of investigation.” (Eun Seoho)
“……?” (Jang Won)
“It may be a method possible precisely because I am a merchant.” (Eun Seoho)
I looked at him quietly.
The uprightness I felt from him brought a pine tree to mind.
In other words, it meant that I could not feel even a speck of Black Path energy from him.
So that was fortunate.
The person assigned to help me personally was not a traitor like during the incident in Chungyeong City, Yunnan Province.
But that did not mean there were no traitors among the others.
If there were only a problem on Hainan Island, the dispatched investigators could not have been eliminated so quickly.
It meant there were Royal Guards here as well who were colluding with them.
Well, the history of those who betray others for private greed is long and venerable.
“Master Jang. There is one thing I would like to ask.” (Eun Seoho)
“Please speak.” (Jang Won)
“Do you know all of those who were dispatched here?” (Eun Seoho)
“Of course.” (Jang Won)
“Then, is there no one among them whom you find suspicious?” (Eun Seoho)
At my words, his face hardened.
“Are you implying there is a traitor among us? That is quite unpleasant. We are people who offer our loyalty to His Majesty the Emperor. And yet how could you say something so insulting……!” (Jang Won)
“Have you not heard the story about Chungyeong City in Yunnan Province?” (Eun Seoho)
“…….” (Jang Won)
A mouth that closed, unable to refute any further.
So he knew after all.
There was no way he would not. The Emperor had said he had taken measures to make them see those people’s wretched state directly as a warning.
Even if he had not seen it himself, he must have heard about it.
“And yet you are objecting to my words?” (Eun Seoho)
“…….” (Jang Won)
“As Master Jang says, I am suspecting the existence of a traitor. Otherwise, it would be impossible to accurately grasp and quickly eliminate those dispatched while hiding their identities.” (Eun Seoho)
I continued.
“Paradoxically, because the Royal Guards’ abilities are excellent, I realized the existence of a traitor.” (Eun Seoho)
“…….” (Jang Won)
Seeing his wavering eyes, it seemed he too had vaguely guessed as much.
The defensive attitude he had just shown must have been self-loathing toward himself for harboring such suspicions.
He is a good person.
“But Master is not a traitor.” (Eun Seoho)
“How do you know that?” (Jang Won)
“I know just by looking. If I had to explain, in your eyes, Master, I do not sense the look of someone plotting to swindle me.” (Eun Seoho)
He furrowed his brow and asked,
“So that is why you asked me not to speak about Young Master Eun inside the inn?” (Jang Won)
“That is correct.” (Eun Seoho)
I had made that request of the innkeeper as well. Since the innkeeper’s energy was also clear, he was not someone conspiring with them.
“Now, this is the answer to the question you asked me earlier. Right now, they are suspecting me. That is why I completely dispelled their suspicion by making a direct deal like this. And.” (Eun Seoho)
“And what?” (Jang Won)
“At the same time, I was able to enter that place openly and examine it. Also, in my own way, I set a snare.” (Eun Seoho)
.
.
.
We returned to the inn.
The innkeeper told us that he had found a ship bound for Hainan Island.
And around noon the next day, Warrior Jin Yu hurriedly returned and reported.
“Liege, they have moved.” (Jin Yu)