“Why in the world… did you do something like this?”
“Well…”
One of the Clerks kneeling hesitated and said,
“We… fell for the Namho Merchant Lord’s sweet talk. He promised us a huge sum if we just did what he said. And… if we ever got kicked out of the Migwa Merchant Group, he’d take us in at the Namho Merchant Group.”
In other words, they were bribed.
They confessed everything they’d done.
“We’ve committed an unforgivable sin.”
“The Migwa Merchant Group treated us so well… but we forgot all that…”
“We’re truly ungrateful wretches.”
Even as they repeatedly banged their heads on the floor and apologized, Uncle couldn’t say a word.
I quietly leaned toward Jin-ho and whispered.
“Brother, I think it’s fine to take them out now.”
At my words, Jin-ho nodded and left the office with the two escort guards, taking the group with them.
I turned to Uncle.
“Uncle, rather than getting angry at the merchant groups that came to complain… you should’ve first figured out what actually happened.”
“I should’ve…”
“It’s a bit late now, but there’s still something you absolutely must do.”
“What is it?”
“An apology.”
“An a-apology… You want me to apologize?”
“Yes.”
“But… how could I possibly bow my head to them? That’s humiliating…”
“This whole situation happened because you drove them away without even checking, insisting it couldn’t possibly be true.”
“…”
“Am I wrong?”
“…”
I silently stared at Uncle.
Maybe overwhelmed by my presence, Uncle finally squeezed his eyes shut and admitted it.
“Fine! It’s my fault!”
“Then… why do you think you made such a poor move, Uncle?”
“…”
Since he stayed silent, I answered for him.
“Because of your pride.”
“Urgh!”
The Namho Merchant Lord definitely knew just how prideful Uncle is.
That’s exactly why he used this tactic.
He knew Uncle would explode rather than investigate.
And that’s exactly what happened.
“The fact that the Migwa Merchant Group sold defective herbs… is true. Because no matter how it happened, it did happen.”
“…”
“So… what hurts your pride more, Uncle? Going to those merchant groups to apologize… or letting the Migwa Merchant Group’s reputation be permanently ruined?”
I looked straight into Uncle’s eyes and said firmly.
“Even if I save this merchant group… without trust, it won’t last long. Uncle, you know that better than anyone.”
“…”
“I’m not asking you to throw away your pride. I’m asking you to sacrifice a small pride… for a greater pride.”
“…”
“This merchant group, which our forebears built… shouldn’t you further grow it into Guizhou’s greatest intermediary?”
“Well… you’re right.”
Uncle nodded.
I smirked inwardly.
What I did wasn’t anything grand.
All I did… was redirect where Uncle’s pride was pointing.
From experience, trying to break a prideful person’s pride is not only difficult but usually leads to backlash.
It’s far better to just subtly adjust the direction of that pride.
“So starting today… Uncle, go visit those merchant groups yourself and apologize. And… take these.”
I handed him the apology letters I’d prepared in advance.
Merchant Lord Eun Jo-san of the Migwa Merchant Group let out a deep sigh inside the carriage.
“What’s troubling you?”
Sitting across from him was his Chief Clerk, someone who’d worked with him practically his whole life.
“It just feels… overwhelming… that I have to apologize.”
“Apologizing isn’t difficult. But… I suppose for you, who’s never apologized before, it might be.”
“Are you criticizing me?”
“If it sounds that way to you, then at least your ears still work.”
“What?”
“I told you to check their side of the story. But you ignored me, Merchant Lord.”
“Ghk…”
“And now here we are. Going to apologize.”
A brief silence passed.
“Really…”
“Pardon?”
“Do you think… Seo-ho can really save our merchant group?”
“At this point… we’ve got no choice but to believe him.”
Eun Jo-san sighed again, wondering how things ended up like this.
At first, he simply thought the Namho Merchant Group was selling cheap herbs.
But before he knew it, more than half their clients had switched to Namho.
Their finances got worse by the day.
There was no money left to buy herbs.
Not even enough to pay the workers.
So he sold off furniture, equipment… anything he could, and let go of whoever he could.
The ones still remaining… were those willing to stay even without pay, just for the sake of keeping the merchant group alive.
Truly… people he was deeply grateful to.
And he felt ashamed toward them.
But… the situation showed no signs of improving.
In the end, he had no choice but to send a letter to the Eunhae Merchant Group asking for a loan.
His pride wouldn’t let him explain the details.
Then unexpectedly, Eun Jin-ho and Eun Seo-ho arrived… and offered a condition he never saw coming.
Let them take over as acting Merchant Lord for six months.
They said they’d save the Migwa Merchant Group.
Honestly… Eun Jo-san still didn’t fully understand why Seo-ho would do this.
He said something about blood ties and how ‘if the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold’, but in the end, it had to be because his elder brother asked him to help.
Suddenly… Grandfather’s words echoed in his mind.
— Do you know… that pride of yours is exactly like your father’s? Truth be told… when it comes to business talent, your father was even better than me. But my father still made me Merchant Lord. You know why?
— I don’t.
— Because of pride. His pride was too strong.
— How’s that a problem?
— Having some pride is good. But excessive pride… ends up stabbing yourself. A true merchant must know when to bend gently like a willow. Before that pride ruins you… I hope you’ll learn to bow just a little.
That was what Grandfather said… right before he left to return to the Eunhae Merchant Group.
And just like Grandfather warned… now he was suffering because of his pride.
Yet… Seo-ho had told him.
Sacrifice small pride… for greater pride.
Thinking about it more… it was just as Grandfather said.
At that moment, the Chief Clerk asked,
“Merchant Lord… did you memorize it? The apology script Acting Merchant Lord Seo-ho wrote for you.”
In Eun Jo-san’s hands… was the sheet of paper Seo-ho had given him.
A guide titled, “How to Apologize.”
It was filled with examples.
Like… if they say this, reply with that.
“It’s fine if you just memorize that well. If you do… you won’t end up turning red in the face or getting angry while apologizing.”
.
.
.
The next day.
The first place Eun Jo-san’s group arrived at was the Geum Merchant Group, the closest one.
“Is anyone there?”
“Who is it?”
“We’ve come from the Migwa Merchant Group.”
“Please wait a moment.”
The gatekeeper called someone inside, and shortly after, a man came out.
It was the chief Clerk they always dealt with during trades.
“Our Merchant Lord is currently away.”
“Then when will he return?”
“Who knows? He’ll come whenever he feels like it.”
The meaning was obvious.
They were being kicked out.
“Then… be on your way.”
Slam.
The door shut.
“…”
Eun Jo-san felt something surge from deep inside.
“Damn it! Even being treated like this, I’ve come to apologize…”
“Well, after you threw them out like that before… did you really think they’d just open the door for you?”
“…”
“Please read what Acting Merchant Lord Seo-ho wrote for you.”
At those words, Eun Jo-san pulled the paper from his coat and read it.
“…Phew.”
Then, with a deep breath, he spoke.
“Prepare a seat in front of the gate.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s written right here. Just wait no matter what. Especially… if it rains, just stand in the rain.”
Eun Jo-san met the Merchant Lord of the Geum Merchant Group three days later.
“So… what exactly do you want to say?”
The Geum Merchant Lord asked.
“I’m sorry.”
“Sorry… for what?”
“I shouldn’t have acted like that. But my damn pride… led me to make a huge mistake.”
Eun Jo-san continued.
“I made two mistakes. First, I failed to check the situation with my trading partners. Second… I failed in managing my staff.”
“…”
“That’s why I’ve come to apologize. Truly, I’m sorry. And… I also wish to compensate for what happened.”
Eun Jo-san held out a pouch.
“Here. This is the payment for the herbs that had low-quality ones mixed in.”
The Geum Merchant Lord was surprised.
He opened the pouch and asked,
“You said your finances aren’t good… Is this really alright?”
“It’s true the situation’s bad. But this… this is my pride. I can’t accept money for herbs that weren’t up to standard.”
“…”
The Geum Merchant Lord nodded and brought up something from earlier.
“But… you said you failed in managing your staff. What do you mean?”
“The truth is… some of my staff were bribed by the Namho Merchant Group to mix in low-quality herbs.”
“Is that… true?”
“It may sound like an excuse, but it’s true. I found out late… and that’s why I’m here now.”
“I see… so that’s how it was.”
The Geum Merchant Lord suddenly felt guilty.
It wasn’t something he did knowingly.
And now, even after realizing it late… Eun Jo-san had come all this way to apologize.
Thinking about how he’d turned him away for three days… leaving him to stand outside in the rain… it pricked at his conscience.
Especially since… he himself hadn’t been standing in the rain.
“I accept your apology. Truly… I’m sorry too.”
“There’s nothing for you to be sorry about. If anything, I’m sorry for apologizing this late.”
Then he pulled a letter from his coat.
“What’s this?”
“To tell you the truth… my cousin’s son is now the Acting Merchant Lord. He’s also the one who uncovered the Namho Merchant Group’s schemes.”
He continued.
“He told me to give this to you.”
The Geum Merchant Lord took the letter.
Eun Jo-san gave a polite bow and left the Geum Merchant Group.
There were still plenty of places he needed to visit and apologize.
Meanwhile…
The Geum Merchant Lord’s heart had softened.
‘So… that’s what happened.’
The sense of betrayal vanished.
Now… all that remained was pity.
Then his eyes fell on the letter sitting on the table.
“A letter from the Acting Merchant Lord…”
He opened it.
“Huh?”
His eyes blinked in disbelief.
[Migwa Merchant Group Special Discount: For the next month, the first 50 customers each day will be able to purchase herbs at 40% of the original price.
If you present the attached voucher, you’ll receive them at 30% of the original price.]
It had been four days since I became Acting Merchant Lord.
And right now, the front of the Migwa Merchant Group was absolutely swamped with people trying to buy herbs.
“Hey! No cutting in line!”
“What? Who’s cutting?”
“Why you…!”
Arguments broke out here and there.
I chuckled at the sound.
Right after I took over, I slashed the herb prices dramatically.
But with a limit.
For one month, only the first 50 people each day.
And I spread this rumor through inn servers.
As a result, everyone who came to Guizhou to purchase herbs had gathered at the Migwa Merchant Group.
The price was even cheaper than the Namho Merchant Group, which was already selling at less than half the usual price.
And… the merchant groups that had regained trust thanks to Uncle’s apologies started trading with us again.
Just like that… the atmosphere instantly shifted to favor the Migwa Merchant Group.
“But… I’m still worried.”
“About what?”
I turned to look at Cousin Ji-seo, standing next to me.
“It’s good that we’re pulling customers in with cheaper prices than the Namho Merchant Group… but how long are you planning to sell this cheap? Won’t they all just go back to Namho in a month?”
“It’s fine. I never planned to stop after just a month.”
“Huh?”
“Right now… the Namho Merchant Group is probably comforting themselves thinking, ‘We just need to hold out for a month.’”
“Yeah, probably.”
“But… what do you think happens if I extend it for another month after that?”
“What?”
At my words, Jin-ho looked at me and said,
“That’s brutal. You’re planning to crush their hope completely.”
“Well… they started it. All because we refused to join their price-fixing scheme.”
Ji-seo said anxiously,
“Still… are you sure about the funds? We’ve already spent so much…”
“We’re still fine.”
“But… buying all those herbs must’ve cost a fortune…”
But what Ji-seo didn’t know…
I’ve been buying herbs for even cheaper than direct sourcing from the mountains.
Because I bought them… from the Namho Merchant Group.
So the costs were far lower than what Ji-seo imagined.
Plus… the amount of herbs I’d already stockpiled filled seven entire estates.
We could keep this going for three months… maybe longer.
–TL Notes–
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