Eun Seo-ho spoke with a gentle smile.
“It sounded like voices were being raised, so I came to see what was going on.”
Bang Wu let out an inward sigh of relief.
Fortunately, it didn’t seem like he’d caught on to the relationship between himself and the escort guards.
So he brushed it off casually.
“I was just reprimanding these escort guards for a moment.”
“I see. Did our escort guards make some mistake?”
“Ahem, it was nothing serious.”
“Even so, you should tell me what it was so we can prevent such mistakes in the future, shouldn’t you?”
Bang Wu pondered for a moment before speaking with the corners of his mouth curling up.
“These fellows were speaking ill of me.”
“Is that so? I’m sorry to hear that.”
“I’ve already given them a proper talking-to, so it’s fine.”
“I truly apologize.”
“Then I’ll be going now. Manage your escort guards properly. Ahem.”
Bang Wu cleared his throat and left.
Still, after giving them a thorough scolding, his anger seemed to subside somewhat.
‘Seeing that fellow bow his head to me does improve my mood. Hehehe.’
And because of that statement about them “speaking ill of him,” those two escort guards were going to get quite a beating.
After all, he’d heard that Eun Seo-ho’s temperament was normally gentle, but when it came to things that were wrong, he was very sharp and strict like a blade.
If they tried to make some half-baked excuse, they’d only get beaten worse.
The two escort guards would squirm and get beaten by Eun Seo-ho.
‘If Deputy Merchant Lord Eun punishes those two bastards instead of me, I won’t have to waste my energy feeling annoyed. That’s good. Hehehe.’
But soon a deep sigh escaped him.
He’d been reminded once again that this plan had completely failed and he’d blown a considerable amount of money.
‘That bastard Black Frog! I should never have trusted such a lowborn bastard whose origins I didn’t even know from the start.’
He felt gloomy about how to handle this situation, but first there was something he needed to do.
“Go and kill Black Frog, that bastard.”
“Understood.”
- * *
I watched Deputy Merchant Lord Bang Wu’s retreating figure while holding back laughter that threatened to burst out.
These two escort guards had spoken ill of him? If you’re going to make excuses, at least make them believable.
It seemed like he’d told that lie hoping I’d punish them for him instead.
Does he think I’m that stupid?
I waited until he was out of sight before asking Escort Guards Bae-cheol and Go Ju-sang.
“Why did that fellow call you two?”
“Well… he was interrogating us about why people weren’t getting stomachaches.”
“I see.”
Stomachaches? Of course they wouldn’t get them.
How could they get an upset stomach from fake medicine?
Then Escort Guard Go Ju-sang carefully asked.
“Um, but why did you bow your head for our sake earlier?”
“Since escort guards belonging to our Eunhae Merchant Group made a mistake, isn’t it natural for a deputy merchant lord of the Eunhae Merchant Group to bow his head?”
“…”
At my words spoken as if it were obvious, their expressions stiffened.
“Not just me, but my father and brothers would have acted the same way.”
“But we’re…”
“Even so, on the surface you’re escort guards belonging to our Eunhae Merchant Group’s Eunpoong Division, aren’t you?”
At my words, they looked moved.
Is this really something to be so moved about?
“Anyway, you did well. If you continue cooperating like this, I’ll make sure you can remain in the Eunpoong Division as you wish.”
“We’ll give you our loyalty.”
“Please trust us.”
I nodded and left.
By the way, earlier Deputy Merchant Lord Bang Wu seemed to tell his subordinate, “Go and kill Black Frog” didn’t he?
A Peak warrior’s hearing far exceeds that of ordinary people.
He must have thought he was far enough away from me when he spoke, but I heard everything.
‘Escort Guard Seo Wu, you heard what Deputy Merchant Lord Bang Wu said too, right?’
‘Yes. I heard it very clearly.’
‘Subdue them together with Escort Guard Jin Yu.’
‘Understood.’
‘And Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am, please relay my words to Young Master Bang Jin.’
- * *
Bang Wu hurried toward Jinse Pharmacy.
He needed to assess the situation and come up with countermeasures.
In his head, he was calculating how much money had been blown away in this incident.
As he calculated that amount, his face grew increasingly pale.
Soon he arrived at Jinse Pharmacy.
Though the lights were brightly lit even late at night, hardly any customers were visible.
“Ah! You’re here?”
The manager of Jinse Pharmacy bowed his head to him.
“About those medicines that you ordered to be made in large quantities. If we don’t use them today, we’ll have to dispose of them all. When will we be able to use those medicines?”
“Those medicines… we can’t use them.”
“What?”
He spoke through gritted teeth.
“So dispose of them.”
“Understood, but… if we do that, we currently can’t pay for the pharmacy’s medicinal ingredients.”
“…”
“And… as you know, tomorrow is the day monthly wages are paid.”
“…”
“And headquarters is asking us to submit the pharmacy’s profit and loss report the day after tomorrow…”
Bang Wu felt like punching the pharmacy manager in the mouth.
Of course, he could explain the situation to headquarters and receive additional funding.
But this pharmacy business was his pride.
It was the cornerstone that would solidify his still-unstable position as deputy merchant lord.
But if that cornerstone was thought to be unsound, they’d remove it.
Then naturally he, the pillar standing on that cornerstone, would…
‘That can’t happen.’
In the end, the only method available to him was set. Emptying out his own personal funds…
Tears of blood flowed.
Soon a bonfire was lit in the courtyard of Jinse Pharmacy.
Crackle, crackle crack.
Watching those medicines burn felt like his heart was being seared, as if money itself was burning.
‘By the way, why haven’t those bastards come back yet? How long does it take to deal with that one bastard…’
That’s when a group of escort guards burst into Jinse Pharmacy.
They were those who guarded the Jinse Merchant Lord, and their expressions were completely hardened.
Just from that, he could tell something had gone wrong.
“Deputy Merchant Lord Bang Wu. You’ll need to come with us for a moment.”
“What’s going on?”
“The Merchant Lord is summoning you.”
.
.
.
Bang Wu arrived at Jinse Merchant Group’s headquarters with a tense expression.
The place he’d been summoned to was Sesejon Hall, where the merchant lord publicly conducted business.
When he entered, the supervisors of the Jinse Merchant Group were standing on both sides.
His half-siblings who had reached adulthood were also seated there.
However, his greatest rival, his eldest brother, was nowhere to be seen.
That’s when it happened.
Step, step, step.
With footsteps, his father, who should have been bedridden, appeared.
And behind him followed his eldest brother, who hadn’t been at his seat.
When the merchant lord sat in the chair, everyone bowed their heads toward him.
“We greet the Merchant Lord.”
“Yes, I’m sorry for suddenly calling everyone together like this.”
“Not at all.”
Despite being ill in bed, the merchant lord’s presence remained strong.
“The reason I’ve arranged this gathering today is… to discuss whether Bang Wu should continue to maintain his position as deputy merchant lord.”
“…!”
Bang Wu bit his lip.
The lip he’d been biting and biting again all day long was already torn and raw, stinging with pain.
“Father. You’re discussing my position as deputy merchant lord? I’m a deputy merchant lord elected by vote of the supervisors.”
“You’re right. But if there’s a problem with that deputy merchant lord, we can change him at any time.”
“A problem? What problem could I possibly have?”
At his feigned ignorance, the merchant lord clicked his tongue and spoke.
“Bring in the witnesses.”
“Yes!”
Soon escort guards belonging to the merchant lord’s guard brought in three people.
‘Why are those bastards…!’
It was Black Frog and his escort guards.
Especially the escort guards’ appearance was far from fine.
They had bruises all over their faces, their clothes were covered in dirt and torn in places.
Only then did Bang Wu realize things had gone terribly wrong.
The merchant lord asked Black Frog.
“What did that Bang Wu demand of you?”
“Well…”
From his mouth flowed smoothly about how Bang Wu had asked him to make medicine that would cause stomachaches.
And about the purpose behind it too.
‘Damn it! I’m screwed.’
But he didn’t give up and quickly racked his brain.
“These two escort guards are known to be your escort guards, Bang Wu. And they confessed that you ordered them to kill that fellow to silence him.”
“Father. I’ve been wronged! This is slander! I don’t know this person called Black Frog at all, and I never gave such orders to my escort guards. In fact, because their conduct wasn’t good, I just fired them today. It seems they held a grudge and committed this act.”
At those words, the escort guards sent looks full of betrayal.
Having guarded Bang Wu all this time, it wasn’t that they didn’t know his temperament.
But despite their loyal service, to discard them like worn-out shoes!
“Bang Wu.”
“Yes, Father.”
“You said you don’t know that poison maker at all?”
“Ah! Yes! I’ve never seen him.”
“Then how did you know that fellow’s name was Black Frog?”
“…!”
“And also, according to what I’ve heard, you ordered Jinse Pharmacy to make plenty of medicine for stomachaches. Using your own personal funds, no less.”
“…”
“There’s only one reason you did that. Because you knew it wouldn’t be a loss.”
“…”
He was left speechless.
He saw the expressions of the surrounding supervisors.
Expressions mocking and despising him.
And he saw the face of the eldest son standing up front.
That face that had tried so hard to remain calm when the voting results came out was now smiling.
A smile of victory.
“As Merchant Lord of the Jinse Merchant Group, I declare. From this moment, Bang Wu’s position as deputy merchant lord is stripped.”
At that declaration, he squeezed his eyes shut.
He was finished.
- * *
The day after Brother Jin-ho’s wedding.
Today I started training energetically from the morning again.
“You’ve worked hard. That concludes today’s training.”
“I’m grateful for Master’s teachings.”
I cupped my fists and bowed my head respectfully.
“It seems you attended the banquet late into the night yesterday… Aren’t you tired?”
Master slowly shook his head with a peaceful air.
“I’m not tired at all.”
Well, that’s why he pushed me this hard again today.
“Actually, I wanted to sleep early yesterday, but I had no choice but to stay up late keeping Escort Chief Ha company in conversation. I was the only one who could converse with him.”
That makes sense. With a career long enough to exceed even Master’s, there would be hardly any escort chiefs with comparable experience.
Rather, there would be many more escort chiefs who learned from him.
So others would find Escort Chief Ha burdensome.
On the other hand, the master before me is the Lord of Snow Wind Palace.
“Thank you once again. If not for the Department Chief, Escort Guard Ha would have died early, and Escort Chief Ha would have been heartbroken and suffered greatly.”
“Please don’t say that. It all happened because the heavens were moved by Brother Jin-ho’s loving heart toward Second Sister-in-law.”
“…Understood. I’ll think of it that way.”
I smiled slightly and asked carefully.
“By the way, is Second Sister-in-law’s mother by any chance… a disciple of North Sea Ice Palace?”
“…”
After hesitating briefly, Master nodded.
Then that woman I saw yesterday is indeed Brother Jin-ho’s mother-in-law.
“It seems you saw her yesterday.”
“Yes. Huh? How did you know?”
“When you master Snow Wind Palace’s inner arts and reach the Peak realm, you become sensitive to the Qi of the North Sea Ice Palace.”
Ah…
So that’s why I could feel the Qi of the North Sea Ice Palace’s disciples so distinctly.
.
.
.
From that day on, one more person joined our family’s breakfast.
Right next to Brother Jin-ho.
Mealtime was continuously harmonious and warm.
Seeing the happy Brother Jin-ho and Second Sister-in-law made me feel good.
After finishing breakfast like that, I returned to Munghok Hall, my separate residence.
“My lord.”
As soon as I returned, Escort Guard Seo Wu approached me.
“I have something to tell you.”
“Yes, please speak.”
“Yesterday a meeting was held at Jinse Merchant Group, and Deputy Merchant Lord Bang Wu was stripped of his deputy merchant lord position.”
As expected.
Yesterday I sent a letter to Young Master Bang Jin.
The content was about sending Black Frog and the escort guards that Deputy Merchant Lord Bang Wu—no, now Young Master Bang Wu—had sent as a gift.
And Young Master Bang Jin took my gift and mixed it well to create a delicious dish.
Not bad.
“It seems they’ll soon hold a re-vote to elect a new deputy merchant lord.”
“That makes sense. They can’t leave that position vacant for long.”
Young Master Bang Jin will smoothly take that position.
After all, it was the position Young Master Bang Jin had risen to in my previous life too.
By the way, I know that Young Master Bang Wu used quite a bit of his personal funds this time, and then emptied out his remaining personal funds to cover the losses from the unsold medicine.
Oh my, what to do.
His stomach must hurt quite a bit.
Hearing such satisfying news from the morning, I think I’ll be in a good mood all day long.
…Or so I thought.
Brother Jin-ho, who came to find me in the evening, brought up something unexpected.
I thought I’d misheard and asked again.
“Hm? What did you just say?”
“I said I want to go to the North Sea Ice Palace.”
“Why the North Sea Ice Palace all of a sudden?”
“I need to greet my mother-in-law.”
–TL Notes–
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