We suppressed our presence and crept in as close as we could.
If I had to sum up this operation in one sentence, it’d be, there was no kidnapping.
At first, I considered asking the Emperor for help, but I gave up on that.
Without solid evidence, it would just create unnecessary noise and might even lead him to doubt me. Worse, the Imperial Silk Supplier Competition could be suspended or canceled.
Eunhae Merchant Group is ahead. That’s not acceptable.
I came to Beijing to lead this competition to success in Jeong-ho’s stead.
And for the sake of the future, Eunhae Merchant Group had to win.
So the competition had to continue.
Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m letting this slide.
How could I. They dared to pull this on my birthday.
After Namgoong Bo drinks the bitter cup of defeat in this competition, I’ll make sure he pays for it.
We closed in without being noticed and studied their movements.
Just then, one of the kidnappers opened the door, likely to check Supervisor Geum-suk’s condition.
That brief lapse in focus was our chance.
Now.
Escort Guard Seo Wu and Escort Guard Jin Yu moved at the same time, and I followed right behind.
“W-who…”
“Gahk!”
We didn’t hold back.
They were kidnappers, and even if they hadn’t been, they were Unorthodox Sect.
Not learning Orthodox Sect martial arts doesn’t automatically make one Unorthodox. They’re called that because they commit all sorts of crimes.
So I had no qualms about cutting them down.
Besides, this plan only works if no one walks away to talk about it.
I didn’t want to dirty our hands, but this time there was no choice.
Whether it was because their skills were low or ours were high, it was over in an instant.
I moved to wipe the blood from my blade, but there was no need. Not a single drop had stained the Silver Mist Sword.
What a fine sword.
We opened the door and stepped into the room, where Supervisor Geum-suk and a Eunpoong Division Escort Guard were tied to a pillar.
“Is everyone unharmed?”
“…!”
Their eyes flew wide the moment they saw me.
Seo Wu rushed forward and removed their gags.
“D-Deputy Merchant Lord?”
“Deputy Merchant Lord!”
“We came to get you out.”
At my words, their eyes reddened. Was it really that touching?
Hmm…
I suppose it was.
When Seo Wu cut the ropes binding their limbs, they were finally free.
“You went through a lot.”
“We’re sorry, Deputy Merchant Lord.”
“We beg punishment for failing to protect the Supervisor.”
I shook my head.
“Given who the enemy was, it couldn’t be helped. And I’m the one who should apologize. The target was me. I’m sorry you got caught up in this because of me.”
“Please don’t say that. Just as you are of the Eunhae Merchant Group, so am I.”
Hearing that from someone who used to bare his fangs at me… the world really is funny sometimes.
“We’ll talk more later.”
The two Escort Guards helped support them out of the room.
Thankfully, their arms and legs were fine, and they were soon walking on their own.
We moved quickly to clean up.
We threw the corpses back into the house, scrubbed away the blood and our tracks, and then I took the oil I’d prepared and spread it evenly.
I struck the fire striker.
Whoosh—
The flames caught instantly and swallowed the house.
“Let’s head back.”
We had saved the two, but we couldn’t just walk straight back into the Yeonjun Merchant Group like this.
I needed to be inside right now.
“From here on, listen carefully.”
I explained how they should act, then asked Jin Yu to tail them discreetly.
“Then, I’ll see you in a bit.”
“Yes.”
I vaulted the wall and slipped back into the Yeonjun Merchant Group. Using No-Trace Step, I returned to my room without a soul noticing.
“Phew…”
I changed clothes again and opened the door, putting on a worried face.
“Hasn’t Supervisor Geum returned yet?”
“Ah! Young Master!”
Palgap looked into my eyes.
Was it handled?
I gave a small nod and a faint smile. Outwardly, I acted as if I were deeply anxious.
“Was Supervisor Geum really kidnapped? What do we do…”
Quick-witted as always, Palgap put on a show of trying to calm me while visibly relieved.
Just then—
“Huh? Deputy Merchant Lord. Why are you out here?”
Supervisor Geum came walking toward my quarters.
“Huh? Supervisor Geum? Weren’t you kidnapped?”
“Kidnapped?”
“Someone brought this letter earlier.”
I showed him the letter, and as he read it, his hands trembled.
This reaction wasn’t an act.
“T-this! Those dog-bastards!”
“It seems someone played a trick.”
“Still, I’m really glad you came back safely, Supervisor Geum.”
That evening,
As Aunt had said, a banquet was held to celebrate my twentieth birthday.
“Congratulations.”
“Congrats.”
Uncle and Aunt handed me gifts.
“Hem-hem, congrats.”
“Happy birthday, Brother.”
Cousin Seon-il and Cousin Seon-mi chimed in as well.
Maybe because we’d foiled the Baekcheon Merchant Group’s scheme and brought back Supervisor Geum-suk safely,
this birthday banquet was happier and more enjoyable than the one I had in my previous life.
.
.
.
The next morning.
After finishing my morning cultivation and stepping out of my room, Palgap greeted me.
“You’re heading out?”
“Yeah.”
Today was the final stage of the Imperial Silk Supplier Competition.
With the Eunuch’s documents in hand and our Supervisors with me, we headed to the Imperial Palace.
By the time we arrived, several merchant groups had already gathered.
“Eunhae Merchant Group.”
At my words, the Eunuch dotted his list.
My party and I waited near the gate. Before long, I saw familiar faces approaching from afar.
The Baekcheon Merchant Group.
Of course they weren’t welcome.
But I was glad to see them.
Because I’d get to watch Namgoong Bo’s smug face twist in real time.
“…!”
Namgoong Bo stepped up to the gate—then froze.
He spotted us and his face turned pale. His hands trembled.
He clearly didn’t want to believe what he was seeing.
When the appointed time came, the Eunuch called out.
“We’ll enter the palace now.”
We followed him to the familiar competition site.
It was the same place the third and fourth rounds had been held.
As we waited, an Eunuch announced the arrival of the Empress, the consorts, the princesses, and the ministers.
We bowed in greeting.
“All may rise.”
The Empress looked over us and spoke gently.
“Today is the final competition. I hope you’ll all do your best and not disappoint me or the other judges.”
As her gaze shifted, Eunuchs brought out five tables and placed a box on each.
…These boxes.
I recognized them.
They were used to store silk.
Silk is sensitive to moisture, so we use specially designed boxes that keep out dampness while allowing air flow.
That meant each one held a bolt of silk.
Judging by the looks on the other groups’ faces, they’d realized it too.
Everyone was tense.
“The fifth round is selecting appropriate prices.”
“…?”
“As you’ve likely guessed, each of these boxes contains one bolt of silk. There are five in total. From this moment, you have one hour. Examine the silks and write down the prices at which your group could supply them. That is this round.”
There was a reason they didn’t announce the theme in advance this time.
If they had, the merchant groups would’ve prepared extensively. That would make it impossible to measure true capability.
This, too, was different from my previous life.
Back then, the final round was about describing the characteristics of various silks.
I remembered Supervisor Min of Baekcheon had shined during that round.
Thinking of that, I glanced over to Baekcheon’s Supervisors.
There he was—a middle-aged man with a mole on his chin.
Supervisor Min.
A man too talented for Baekcheon.
Then the Empress spoke.
“The judging criteria this time is appropriate pricing. Now, open the boxes.”
The Eunuchs opened the boxes and placed a numbered plaque in front of each.
“Begin.”
Another Eunuch lit an incense stick to keep time.
The merchant groups crowded the tables. We stepped up as well.
We slowly began examining the silk.
Suddenly, a representative from one group raised his hand.
“Objection.”
“What is it?”
“Three of these five bolts are Shu brocade. Doesn’t that favor the Sichuan merchant group that specializes in Shu brocade?”
The Empress looked around at the other groups.
“Do the rest of you think so as well?”
“Well…”
Supervisor Yeong looked ready to step forward, but I stopped him.
He gave me a confused look but backed down.
“You all seem to have a lot to say. But do you think I would’ve prepared this task without considering that?”
“…Forgive me.”
Intimidated by the Empress’s natural authority, the man backed off.
As expected.
I turned back to the silks.
After examining each bolt carefully, we returned to our table and began our discussion.
Each group’s table was spaced far enough that quiet conversation wouldn’t carry.
“I held back because you stopped me, Deputy Merchant Lord, but this is unfair. How can three out of five be Shu brocade?”
He finally let his frustration out.
He still didn’t get it.
I smiled and spoke.
“Supervisor Yeong, that’s not how you should look at it.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve gone to Sichuan many times to trade silk, right?”
“Of course. Easily more than ten times.”
“How much did it cost you to bring silk out of Sichuan?”
“Quite a bit. The roads are rough.”
“Exactly. But even so, Shu brocade brings huge profits. That’s why people brave those roads.”
I grinned.
“So the silk merchants in Sichuan don’t need to leave Sichuan to sell.”
“Ah!”
“Which means, the ones focused on brokering silk within Sichuan… do they really understand the transport and logistics costs involved?”
I answered myself.
“They don’t. The Empress said to write down appropriate prices. What do you think that means?”
Chief Supervisor Seok smiled gently.
“You really are sharp, Deputy Merchant Lord.”
“As expected of you.”
“There’s a reason we’ve been given a full hour.”
“Right. It means they want us to factor in logistics, protection, and transport in our quotes.”
I glanced at the Empress and said,
“The Imperial Household likely already knows the ballpark figures. Sure, cheaper prices look good, but if they’re unrealistic, it’ll backfire.”
Supervisor Geum and Supervisor Yeong looked amazed.
“I see. That makes perfect sense.”
“If not for you, I would’ve made a serious misstep.”
I gave a slight smile.
“Then shall we begin calculating?”
.
.
.
Meanwhile, Namgoong Bo was stewing.
He had been so sure Eun Seo-ho wouldn’t be here today.
Yet there he was, seated as if nothing had happened.
And right beside him, Supervisor Geum-suk—who was supposed to be kidnapped.
‘How? How is this possible? This doesn’t make any sense.’
The plan had been simple.
Kidnap Supervisor Geum-suk to lure out Eun Seo-ho, then get rid of him.
Of course, Namgoong Bo couldn’t do it himself.
A noble like him couldn’t get his hands dirty.
So he hired people who could.
He paid them ten silver taels in advance, and told them they could take the thousand silver taels Eun Seo-ho would bring as their final payment.
They were just merchant people. Their martial strength should’ve been minimal.
At their level, they should’ve had no problem handling Eun Seo-ho and making off with the money.
And yet…
‘Did he talk them into switching sides?’
The thought that Eun Seo-ho had killed them never even crossed his mind.
He simply couldn’t imagine it.
‘Damn it. This ruins everything.’
–TL Notes–
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