At my words, Uncle flared up.
“What? Delegate the Merchant Lord’s seat? What’re you talking about?”
I stayed silent, just looking at Uncle since I expected this reaction.
“I asked what you meant by that!”
“How much is your current deficit?”
At my question, Uncle flinched.
“Can you cover the deficit with just this one thousand silver taels?”
“…”
Uncle couldn’t answer.
Because he knew better than anyone that it was impossible.
“The truth is… I arrived in Guizhou much earlier than I let on. Even if the Migwa Merchant Group is technically separate from the Eunhae Merchant Group, you’re still family. That’s why Father told me to figure out exactly what’s going on.”
I continued.
“I already know the situation. So there’s no need to put up a front in front of me.”
“…”
A brief silence passed.
“Heh, hahaha.”
Uncle soon let out a hollow laugh.
“So that’s how it is? You already knew when you came? So what? You plan to have the Eunhae Merchant Group absorb the Migwa Merchant Group?”
Since I asked to be entrusted with the Merchant Lord’s seat, it made sense for Uncle to think that.
However,
“Why would we absorb this place?”
“What?”
“I think you’ve misunderstood something.”
“Misunderstood? Then why’re you asking to take over as Merchant Lord?”
“There’s a saying, ‘If the lips are gone, the teeth get cold (脣亡齒寒).’”
One cannot exist without the other.
“If the Migwa Merchant Group is the lips, then the Eunhae Merchant Group is the teeth. If the Migwa Merchant Group collapses…”
“Collapse? Who’s collapsing?”
Uncle flared up again at my words.
“Uncle, let’s face reality. From what I can see, the accumulated deficit has already passed thirty thousand silver taels.”
“…”
“If the Migwa Merchant Group collapses, we’ll suffer losses too. We rely on this place to supply herbs from Guizhou.”
I continued.
“If the Migwa Merchant Group goes under, the Namho Merchant Group will become the top intermediary in Guizhou. And they’ll never keep prices where they are.”
“…”
“They’ll definitely raise prices drastically. That’s why the Migwa Merchant Group can’t be allowed to fall.”
I took a breath and spoke again.
“So if you delegate the Merchant Lord’s seat to me for half a year… I plan to save this merchant group.”
“Are you really not interested in taking over my merchant group?”
Ah… Why’s Uncle so suspicious?
I sighed inwardly and asked back.
“Uncle, do you really think the Eunhae Merchant Group gains anything from absorbing the Migwa Merchant Group? Wouldn’t it be better to just start an entirely new merchant group?”
“…”
Uncle couldn’t answer.
I knew full well that someone as prideful as him would never agree to a merger, so there was no point forcing it.
Then why was I spending so much money to save the Migwa Merchant Group?
Because it benefits the Eunhae Merchant Group.
“This offer… is also for Grandfather’s sake, who always cares deeply about you. Shouldn’t you be able to look him in the eye proudly while he’s still alive?”
Uncle flinched and sighed.
His greatest weakness right now… is Grandfather.
For Uncle, Grandfather is like his father. From what I know, when his own father passed away from illness, he entrusted Uncle to Grandfather.
That’s why after Grandfather passed the Merchant Lord position to Father, he stayed here for about five years as a guardian.
Which is why… when Uncle died in my previous life, Grandfather grieved deeply.
Uncle went deep into thought after hearing me out.
But… the conclusion he could reach was only one.
“How… do you plan to save the Migwa Merchant Group?”
“That’s a trade secret.”
“What if things get worse within that half-year?”
“That won’t happen. But if it does…”
I pulled out three more payment notes from my pouch and placed them on the table.
Each was worth ten thousand silver taels.
“Then I’ll give you this.”
“…!”
Uncle’s eyes widened.
I continued.
“So… I should also set a condition. If I turn the Migwa Merchant Group around and make the finances profitable within six months, what’ll you do?”
“In that case…”
Uncle thought for a moment, then spoke.
“As long as it’s not about merging the Migwa Merchant Group with the Eunhae Merchant Group or taking my seat as Merchant Lord… I’ll grant you one wish.”
“Then you accept the terms?”
“Ah…”
I grinned.
“From today, I’ll be acting as the Merchant Lord.”
.
.
.
The next day.
I gathered everyone in the Migwa Merchant Group.
They all looked at me with confused faces.
“Nice to meet you. My name’s Eun Seo-ho. I’m the Deputy Merchant Lord of the Eunhae Merchant Group and the Department Chief of the Virtuous Wind Department. Some of you probably know this, but the Merchant Lord here is my uncle.”
I continued.
“And starting today, for the next six months, I’ve been entrusted with the Merchant Lord’s position.”
“…!”
Shock spread across everyone’s faces.
“You all know the Migwa Merchant Group’s current situation better than anyone.”
“…”
“In a situation like this… why do you think I’ve been entrusted with the Merchant Lord’s seat?”
I grinned.
“It’s to try saving this merchant group.”
Their eyes were filled with doubt.
Doubt about whether it’s truly possible to save this place that’s practically bankrupt.
Honestly, employees always know better than anyone how bad a merchant group’s situation is.
That’s probably why they couldn’t believe my words.
“Think it can’t be done? But it can. Of course, there’s one thing that’s absolutely necessary.”
I paused, then continued.
“And that’s your cooperation and support.”
I took a breath and went on.
“This Migwa Merchant Group has been your workplace. Your livelihood. It’s the money you earned here that let you care for your parents, raise your children, and marry them off.”
“So now… it’s time to repay that grace.”
People nodded.
“We can’t just sit and watch the Migwa Merchant Group collapse, right?”
“Y-yeah. That’d be shameless.”
“Of course! A person’s gotta know gratitude.”
“Exactly!”
The Migwa Merchant Group was founded by my great-uncle, who learned everything from the Eunhae Merchant Group.
That’s why employee welfare here was always good, and that’s what helped the employees come together in this crisis.
See? This is why you always have to treat people well.
Though I’d moved their hearts, the real problem would surface soon.
That real, practical problem.
And solving that… is the most important step.
“As proof of my promise to save the Migwa Merchant Group… today, I’ll pay everyone the wages that’ve been delayed.”
“R-really?”
“You’re really giving us our wages?”
I nodded.
When I asked Uncle, he told me the reason he requested a loan from the Eunhae Merchant Group was to pay the employees’ wages.
They hadn’t been paid for three months now.
So, when I said I’d pay the overdue wages, of course everyone’s support shot up.
“For the next six months, the things I’ll be doing will seem completely insane to you. You’ll probably mutter at least ten times a day that the acting Merchant Lord has lost his mind. So let me say this upfront.”
I grinned.
“You don’t need to understand. Just do as I say. If you do… six months from now, this Migwa Merchant Group will overcome its crisis and become something you can all be proud of.”
I finished and turned to Uncle.
“Would you like to say a few words?”
Uncle cleared his throat and stepped forward.
“Ahem, ahem. That’s how it’s going to be. So for the next six months… treat Acting Merchant Lord Eun Seo-ho as me.”
I looked at everyone.
“Is there anyone here who doesn’t want to work for the Migwa Merchant Group?”
“…”
“If there is, speak to me by the end of today. I’ll settle your severance right away. But remember. Once you leave… you won’t be allowed back.”
I grinned.
“Alright, let’s get to work!”
.
.
.
After giving instructions to the workers, I headed to Uncle.
Uncle was in his private quarters.
He’d decided to stay in seclusion there for the next six months.
“Seo-ho.”
I turned my head at the voice calling me.
It was my sixth cousin.
His name was Eun Ji-seo.
He was currently the Deputy Merchant Lord of the Migwa Merchant Group.
“Yes, cousin.”
“Do you… really think you can save this merchant group?”
His eyes were filled with worry.
“I’m going to try.”
“But… what’re you putting yourself through all this trouble for?”
“For profit.”
“Profit?”
“Merchants move for profit, don’t they?”
“…Right. Got it.”
Ji-seo walked away with heavy steps, heading toward his quarters.
“Cousin, where are you going?”
“To my quarters. Father handed the Merchant Lord’s seat to you for now. What am I supposed to do?”
“And?”
“So I’ll just read some books in my quarters. There’s nothing else for me to do.”
“Cousin, I asked to be acting Merchant Lord. Not acting Deputy Merchant Lord. You’re working. Where do you think you’re going?”
“Huh?”
“For now, go wait in the Merchant Lord’s office. And while you’re at it… let Uncle know to come to the office too.”
A little later,
I entered the office with Jin-ho.
Uncle and Ji-seo were already waiting.
“You called me?”
“Yes, Uncle.”
I sat down and asked,
“Would you like some tea?”
“Not in the mood.”
I looked at Ji-seo, but he shook his head too.
“Then let’s get straight to it. I heard that about three months ago, several groups started complaining that the herbs they bought from the Migwa Merchant Group were defective.”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
Uncle nodded but then exploded as the memory seemed to come back.
“But it’s absolute nonsense! If nothing else, our Migwa Merchant Group has always provided the best quality goods. And what? They say the herbs are defective? Hmph! What kind of nonsense is that?”
I quietly listened.
Once Uncle had vented enough, he seemed to calm down and closed his mouth.
“But… doesn’t it seem strange? Those groups… weren’t they long-time trading partners with the Migwa Merchant Group?”
“Exactly! That’s why I’m even angrier!”
“Then what about them? They also had a long-standing trust with this merchant group. Would they really try to destroy that trust over something like this?”
“…”
“And it wasn’t just one or two. It was five or six different groups.”
I looked them both in the eyes and asked.
“Doesn’t something feel… strange?”
At my words, Ji-seo nodded.
“Yeah. It does feel strange.”
Uncle finally seemed to realize something was off as well.
“C-come to think of it…”
“That’s why I investigated. And I found that the herbs sent from the Migwa Merchant Group… really were defective.”
“T-that’s impossible!”
Uncle jumped to his feet.
“The impossible… actually happened. How do you think that came to be?”
I looked at Jin-ho sitting next to me.
“Brother, if you would.”
“Got it.”
Jin-ho left the office.
A moment later, he returned with two of my escort guards.
Escort Guard Seo Wu and Escort Guard Jin Yu.
And they brought a group of people with them into the office.
“Wait… you guys?”
Uncle’s eyes darted between me and them in shock.
“Familiar faces, right?”
Uncle nodded.
“They used to work for our merchant group. But when things got rough, I had to let them go three months ago.”
I spoke to them.
“You should tell the truth. We did spare your lives, after all.”
The Merchant Lord of the Namho Merchant Group probably worried they might spill everything if their minds wavered even a little.
But they hadn’t touched them for three months.
Because if those workers suddenly went missing right after starting work at the Namho Merchant Group… it’d definitely raise suspicions.
Seems the Namho Merchant Group had finally decided now was the time to silence them.
But… their attempt was foiled by Escort Guards Seo Wu and Jin Yu, whom I had assigned to monitor and protect them from the start.
At my words, the group fell to their knees and pressed their foreheads to the floor.
“W-we’re sorry.”
“We’ve committed an unforgivable crime.”
“We truly beg forgiveness.”
Uncle was baffled by their sudden apologies.
“Calm down. What… what’s going on?”
“We… we mixed defective herbs into the products.”
“…What?”
Uncle looked utterly shocked.
Of course he was.
He’d treated all those visiting merchants who came to complain as scammers and thrown them out.
But now… the herbs really had been defective.
–TL Notes–
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