At that time, the bond between Fire Lotus Inn and the Eunhae Merchant Group was severed, and Fire Lotus Inn signed a contract with another group.
Then, a month later, word came that the master of the house had changed.
The master had died suddenly.
A voice pulled me from my brief reverie.
“You’ve arrived.”
At that moment, a server from Fire Lotus Inn rushed out and bowed his head.
Father spoke to him.
“I’m Eun Gil-sang, Merchant Lord of the Eunhae Merchant Group. Is Master Baek in?”
“Pardon? Ah, well…”
The server hesitated and glanced toward the direction of the master’s office.
Instead of waiting for an answer, Father started walking toward the office.
I, Chief Administrator Yu, and members of the Eunpoong Division followed behind.
There was no need for all of us to go, so the Pavilion Lords of the Trade Pavilion and the Operations Pavilion remained at the merchant group.
Soon, we reached the master’s office.
A guard stood at the door, and when Father approached, he asked,
“Who are you?”
“I’m the Merchant Lord of the Eunhae Merchant Group. Is your master inside?”
A voice came from within.
“Let them in.”
The guard quickly opened the door, and we entered.
We were greeted by a man with an oily face and a slightly protruding belly.
His name was Baek Bok.
Master of Fire Lotus Inn.
“What brings the Merchant Lord of the Eunhae Merchant Group all the way here?”
“I’ve come to collect what’s due.”
“Pardon? Collect what, exactly?”
“As of today, payment for a full year of deliveries is overdue.”
“What are you talking about? Deliveries? We’ve never done any business with you.”
As expected, Baek Bok was brazenly shameless.
His audacity made Father and Chief Administrator Yu chuckle dryly.
“It seems Master Baek is suffering from dementia. And at such a young age…”
At Father’s words, Baek Bok snapped.
“What nonsense are you spouting?!”
“Then how else do you explain forgetting all the deliveries we made? We delivered goods just a month ago.”
“Deliveries? I told you, we’ve never had any such dealings! If you want money, show us a delivery confirmation or something. Coming here demanding payment without proof—are you the ones going senile?”
“Delivery confirmation, you say… Well, that is…”
Seeing Father struggle to answer, I almost burst into laughter.
His acting was top-tier—he truly was a born merchant.
“If you keep causing this kind of scene, I’ll call the authorities! Leave at once!”
The fact that he was turning the blame on us meant he was fully confident we had no proof.
Just as planned.
“Chief Administrator Yu, I think I forgot to bring that, didn’t I?”
“Expecting as much, I brought it with me.”
Chief Administrator Yu pulled documents from his sleeve and held them out.
“Here’s the delivery confirmation.”
“…”
“And here’s the contract.”
“…”
Baek Bok froze at the sight of the documents.
Then he snapped back to reality and frantically inspected them.
They were genuine—his own signature on the confirmation, and the same contract he remembered seeing.
They were real.
“H–how is this possible?”
“What’s with that expression?”
“I–I heard they were all burned…”
“What are you talking about?”
“There was a fire in the Finance Pavilion recently. I heard the documents inside burned, and among them was the ledger concerning Fire Lotus Inn…”
“There was a fire, yes.”
Father chuckled as he spoke.
“But it barely scorched the floor. The documents related to Fire Lotus Inn are perfectly intact.”
He tapped the delivery confirmation on the table as he continued.
“Just like this. To think you believed such nonsense—doesn’t suit a master of your stature.”
It was true.
There had been a fire.
But we had set it ourselves.
All to create the rumor that there had been a fire.
Then we spread a false rumor that the ledgers related to Fire Lotus Inn were destroyed.
Baek Bok had walked right into our trap.
Father gathered the documents and passed them to Chief Administrator Yu, who took out another set and held them out.
“As per the contract, Fire Lotus Inn now belongs to the Eunhae Merchant Group. Sign here.”
Tap.
“T–this can’t be!”
Baek Bok protested furiously, but Father didn’t bat an eye.
“A contract is a contract.”
“You–you! You think I’ll just sit back and let this happen?!”
He shouted toward the door.
“Seize them at once!”
The doors burst open.
Clang––!
“Gah!”
But it wasn’t Fire Lotus Inn’s guards who came running.
It was Go Il-pyeong, External Chief Administrator of the Eunhae Merchant Group.
A sword was in his hand.
“The exterior’s already been secured.”
“Well done.”
Baek Bok, finally understanding the situation, slumped to the floor.
But I didn’t feel the least bit sorry for him.
He was simply paying the price he owed.
.
.
.
Baek Bok had no choice but to sign the contract relinquishing all rights over Fire Lotus Inn to the Eunhae Merchant Group.
As I watched, it felt as if all the humiliation I’d suffered in the future had finally been washed away.
Nearby, Fire Lotus Inn’s staff stood in line, casting nervous glances toward the Eunpoong Division guards.
‘Huh?’
In that moment, I doubted my eyes.
There, trembling among them, was a man I recognized.
I hesitated because of the bruise on one side of his face—but as I looked closer, I was certain.
‘That’s… him!’
The young man wearing a topknot cap was named Seo Su-chang (徐秀倉).
In my memory, he wasn’t from Fire Lotus Inn. He’d been the Chief Administrator of another courtesan house.
And with outstanding skill, he had dragged that deficit-ridden house out of the red.
That house eventually became one of the Three Great Courtesan Houses in Hubei.
I knew so much about him because I’d once tried to recruit him.
He gently refused my offer.
When I approached again, he told me the master of that house had saved his life—and I had no choice but to give up.
And now, to find him here.
Suppressing my surprise, I approached him.
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Eun Seo-ho, third son of the Eunhae Merchant Group’s Merchant Lord.”
“Ah, yes. I’m Seo Su-chang, Chief Administrator of Fire Lotus Inn.”
“You’re the Chief Administrator. May I take a look at Fire Lotus Inn’s account books?”
At my question, he glanced toward Baek Bok.
Slide—
I stepped between them.
“Fire Lotus Inn now belongs to the Eunhae Merchant Group. The contract’s already been signed.”
“…Understood.”
After a brief hesitation, he nodded.
With Father’s approval, I sent four Eunpoong guards to accompany him.
We had to prepare for any unforeseen situation, and it looked like there would be a lot to bring back.
Soon, Chief Administrator Seo and the guards returned, arms full of documents.
I began examining them.
“…”
They’d brought every last accounting book.
Seemed like he’d had enough and let go of any lingering loyalty.
That meant we could probably bring him over to our side.
Judging by this, Baek Bok didn’t seem to be someone who’d saved Chief Administrator Seo’s life.
“Hm…”
Looking through the ledgers, I could see the finances had sharply declined right after Baek Bok became the master.
And little by little, the flow of funds grew suspicious.
“This, this, and this. Something’s off.”
At my words, Chief Administrator Seo flinched.
“Could it be… he’s been embezzling?”
“…”
For someone like me, who’d lived through so much, reading an accounting book and grasping the situation was easy.
No matter how cleverly they’re forged, I know all the tricks.
He must’ve skimmed funds to run that illegal gambling den.
But did it actually make money?
Of course not. Running an illegal gambling den is no easy task.
That’s why these books are a mess.
At my words, Chief Administrator Yu—who had also been reviewing the records—looked up at me.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
Just then, I noticed something odd.
An expenditure entry from just a short while ago.
They were building a new wing?
That made no sense, no matter how I looked at it.
“What’s this about?”
“Ah, that building project was ordered by Master Baek.”
At that, I turned to Baek Bok. He quickly looked away, avoiding my gaze.
Suspicious.
They could barely keep this place running, and now they were constructing a new wing?
Clearly something was going on.
“Master Baek, may I ask why you’re building this new wing?”
“It’s, uh, lodging for the servers.”
“Lodging?”
“Their… current quarters are old and worn down…”
He stammered out his excuse.
A man who embezzled funds owed to the Eunhae Merchant Group—building living quarters out of concern for the staff?
Yeah, right.
You have to know who’s worth trusting.
After a moment’s thought, I asked Father,
“Father, may I step out for a bit?”
“Where are you going?”
“I’d like to check out this building project.”
Perhaps sensing something, Father nodded without hesitation.
“Very well. Go on.”
“Yes, sir.”
I turned to Chief Administrator Seo.
“May I see the new wing you’re building?”
“Of course. I’ll guide you.”
With two bodyguards in tow, I followed Chief Administrator Seo toward the new structure.
We arrived quickly.
At a glance, it seemed ordinary, but there weren’t any workers in sight.
“Looks like the laborers aren’t here yet.”
“Well, he instructed us not to bring them in until tomorrow.”
“Is that so?”
I tilted my head and stepped inside the half-finished building.
Flinch—
Before I could take more than a few steps, someone appeared.
‘There was no Qi presence at all…!’
Clad in black with a mask—clearly suspicious.
“…!”
“Who are you?!”
One bodyguard shielded me while the other drew his sword and charged the intruder.
The masked man drew his own blade to counter.
Clang! Clang, clang!
The blades clashed several times.
Boom–!
A smoke bomb exploded.
The masked man had set it off.
“Young Master, fall back!”
At the bodyguard’s warning, I quickly retreated.
“I’ll pursue him!”
The bodyguard who’d crossed blades gave chase.
I left the pursuit to him and approached the spot where the masked man had clashed with the guard.
‘Huh?’
A strange scent lingered in the air.
It smelled somewhat like orchid blossoms.
I asked the others nearby,
“Do you smell something? Like a scent?”
“Scent?”
“Could it be the timber? It’s still under construction.”
“I don’t smell anything.”
So I was the only one who could detect it.
‘Strange.’
But that thought didn’t last long. One of the bodyguards found something.
“There’s something here.”
He pointed toward the floor—there was a hatch set into the ground.
That must be why the masked man was here.
I turned to Chief Administrator Seo, who stood behind me.
“What’s this?”
“I’m not entirely sure. It’s a passage leading underground. I only know that it was ordered by Master Baek.”
Suspicious.
“We should open it.”
At my words, a guard spoke.
“Just in case, I’ll stand watch.”
My senses told me no one was down there, but we couldn’t be too careful—not after what just happened.
Then, reading the mood, Chief Administrator Seo stepped forward.
“I’ll open it.”
While the bodyguard stood ready with his sword, Chief Administrator Seo lifted the hatch.
A passage descending underground was revealed.
Just then, the guard who’d pursued the masked figure returned.
“I’m sorry. I lost him.”
I’d expected as much.
The masked man had been a martial expert—so skilled that I hadn’t even sensed him.
Still, I didn’t stop the guard from pursuing him because it would’ve been hard to explain otherwise.
And since the escape was their priority, I’d been confident he wouldn’t be harmed.
“It’s alright. Nothing you could’ve done. We’ll head down now. Please keep watch here for anyone who approaches.”
“Understood.”
We entered.
The underground space was fairly large, and already well constructed.
It was divided into several rooms, and in one of them, we found something strange.
A symbol on the wall—clouds intertwined with peach blossoms.
‘This… is the Doun Merchant Group?’
There was no mistaking it.
It was the Doun Group’s emblem.
I couldn’t help but smile.
Why?
Because the Doun Merchant Group was a subordinate faction—a loyal lackey—of the Baekcheon Merchant Group.
Which meant that behind the Finance Pavilion arson plot…
Stood the Doun Group.
Or more accurately—the Baekcheon Merchant Group.
After Fire Lotus Inn severed ties with the Eunhae Merchant Group, they had started dealings with an unknown merchant group.
Now I finally knew its name.
That merchant group was the Doun Group.
–TL Notes–
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