At my words, Father tilted his head.
It was the first time I’d ever pushed this hard for something I wanted on my birthday, so of course he found it strange.
“Alright then, what is it you want?”
“For my birthday, I’d like the birthday banquet to be a bit more grand.”
“You want to make your birthday banquet grand…”
Father muttered that and smiled.
“Alright, what’s your real intention?”
He’d noticed it. That there was a hidden intention behind me saying I wanted a grand birthday banquet.
“In a famine, the ones who suffer are the common folk and the poor.”
“That’s right.”
“If we treat even those people to a full meal, won’t our family come out unscathed when something happens later?”
I continued.
“They say even a beast won’t bite the hand that feeds it. When a famine drags on, uprisings will break out sooner or later, big or small.”
In my previous life, a rather large rebellion had broken out.
This time, thanks to the advice I’d given the Emperor, the imperial family had prepared thoroughly, but it was hard for their reach to cover the entire empire.
And at times like this, there were always bastards who pounced on the chance and bewitched the people with their silver tongues.
“In those moments, a single meal they’d once gotten from us will feel like a huge favor to them.”
“But there are people who won’t feel any such gratitude.”
“True. But what can you do? People twist their own fate with their own hands.”
At my words, Father nodded.
“That’s true.”
The Operations Pavilion Lord and the others all burst out laughing and started praising me.
“Hoho, our third Deputy Merchant Lord treats even their own birthday as something for the Eunhae Merchant Group’s sake! I’m so moved I could almost cry.”
“So this is why everyone keeps saying ‘Handsome Young Hero, Handsome Young Hero.'”
“Hoho! As expected of the hero born from the Dragon-Phoenix Martial Gathering!”
“I knew it from long ago.”
“To be a hero’s father, hoho, not bad at all.”
“…”
Why are they so serious about teasing me like this?
I wanted to grumble, but I could see pride in their eyes, so I just gave a sheepish smile.
.
.
.
Time passed before I knew it, and my birthday was only a few days away.
During that time, I’d been running around busy with all sorts of things, but what I spent the most time on was working together with Gong Mil.
I discussed all the devices I’d been mulling over with Gong Mil and got the answer that they seemed feasible to make.
And, true to being a man of action, Gong Mil made sample versions of the devices I’d requested in just three days.
No question, the guy’s a genius.
To work a genius like this to death from overwork in my previous life…!
The more I thought about it, the more it felt like I’d let the Jinkyeon Merchant Lord go to the next world far too comfortably.
Anyway, it’s about time Gong Mil had some apprentices, isn’t it?
It was impossible to make that many devices alone.
The problem was that secrets could leak out…
Wasn’t there some way to ease Gong Mil’s burden while still keeping everything confidential…?
I walked along while wrestling with that worry.
Right now, I was on my way to see the old man at the general store on West Street.
The old man was sitting in front of the shop, soaking in the warm sunlight.
“It’s been a while.”
“So, how does it feel to have become a hero?”
“Good grief, why are you doing this too, Elder? People around me have already teased me to no end.”
At my complaint, the old man chuckled.
After we exchanged a few quick updates, I pulled an invitation out from my sleeve and held it out.
“I’m having a birthday banquet soon.”
The old man tilted his head as he looked at the invitation I’d handed him.
“It’s not like you don’t know how restless people’s hearts are these days because of the famine… what are you thinking?”
As expected of Elder.
I smiled and continued.
“At least on my birthday, I don’t want anyone around here to go hungry.”
At my answer, the old man let out a snort of laughter.
“You sly brat.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Still, it’s better than being a hero with nothing to show for it.”
As expected of Elder. He seemed to have seen right through my intentions.
After thinking for a moment, the old man spoke.
“While you’re at it, make sure the beggars eat well too.”
Elder never says anything meaningless. It meant he had a reason.
“Thank you for the advice.”
At my words, the old man nodded, then spoke.
“By the way, you came at just the right time.”
The old man rose from his seat and went inside. A moment later, he came back out holding a pouch and held it out to me.
“Take it.”
“What is it?”
“I heard you made big contributions when the former Minister of Revenue and the Minister of Works staged their rebellion last time.”
“Ah…”
“And I heard you gave good suggestions about the gambling houses too, didn’t you?”
I scratched the back of my neck.
“He entrusted this to me as thanks.”
When I opened the pouch, there were quite a few high-value promissory notes inside.
I carefully asked.
“Is it really alright for me to accept this?”
“Of course. That person never gives anything for free.”
I hesitated for a moment, then grinned and took the pouch, tucking it into my sleeve.
“Please tell him I’m grateful.”
One day in the Eleventh Month.
Sunyang County in Hubei was especially lively today. It was because of Eun Seo-ho, the Eunhae Merchant Group’s third Deputy Merchant Lord, and the birthday banquet.
For days now, notices saying anyone could come enjoy the banquet had been posted all over town.
Honestly, even if you put up notices like that, ordinary people usually feel too intimidated to think about going.
The Eunhae Merchant Group noticed that, so they prepared separate venues for people who felt burdened or lived too far away to come, and held banquets there too.
Thanks to that, people all over Sunyang County could eat and drink their fill.
Among the poor were tenant farmers.
Even in a bumper harvest year, very little grain actually ended up in their hands.
So what do you think it was like in a famine?
Living day by day on day labor as they were, the idea of attending a banquet never even crossed their minds.
When they dragged themselves home after a grueling day, the Eunhae Merchant Group staff visited each house carrying warm food.
“Th-this, what’s all this?”
“It’s from the Eunhae Merchant Group.”
“Why would the Eunhae Merchant Group send this?”
“Today is Deputy Merchant Lord Eun Seo-ho’s birthday, and the Young Master said that on his birthday at least, he didn’t want anyone in Sunyang County going hungry, so we prepared this food.”
“Really, is it alright to just accept this?”
“Of course. If you feel bad taking it for free, just pray for Deputy Merchant Lord Eun Seo-ho’s long life and the Eunhae Merchant Group’s prosperity.”
“Alright. I’ll definitely do that.”
The tenant farmers’ eyes grew wet as they watched delicious food go into the mouths of their children who had been starving.
The day was drawing to a close.
The only thing livening up my birthday banquet, which had been going since morning, was the musicians’ music.
We’d saved the money we could have spent hiring dancers and used it to prepare more food instead.
On top of that, thanks to the unexpected reward from the Emperor, we could prepare food even more generously.
By the way, no one is going to get sick from the food I prepared… right?
This time, I’d distributed food to everyone, and following the old man’s advice from the general store, even sent food out to the neglected beggars.
Honestly, I would have done that even without his advice though.
If someone who hasn’t eaten anything oily for a long time suddenly eats rich food, they’re bound to have stomach trouble, and in severe cases they could even die.
That’s why they have to eat something that protects the stomach to prevent that.
So I had prepared dishes that were tasty but still gentle on the stomach.
“Happy birthday.”
“Thank you for coming.”
I exchanged greetings, keeping proper etiquette.
“I heard you sent food out to everyone in Sunyang County.”
“It’s nothing much. I just didn’t want anyone going hungry on my birthday.”
“As expected of the ‘Handsome Young Hero’!”
“…”
You’d think I’d be used to that title by now, but I still really can’t.
For merchants, a birthday banquet was an opportunity.
Especially for a large, well-known merchant group like ours, countless people gathered.
With influential figures from the area gathered, it was a chance to have close, private conversations.
On top of that, maybe because I’d gained a hero title at the Dragon-Phoenix Martial Gathering, even more people had come than I’d expected.
That was when it happened.
“Gasp! Th-that person is…!”
“No way! How is that person here?”
I heard a commotion from over there.
I couldn’t see the person yet, but I already understood why everyone was murmuring.
I felt a familiar aura—one that shouldn’t possibly be here right now.
It was because training in Supreme Yin Ice Sea Divine Art had made me sensitive to sensing Qi.
A moment later, Escort Guard Seo Wu and Escort Guard Jin Yu seemed to have realized something was up as well.
Soon, a sturdy man appeared from that direction.
“…”
His name was Peng Gang-un.
He was this Dragon-Phoenix Martial Gathering’s champion.
Wait, why did that fighter come here?
I had no idea what was going on. No matter how I thought about it, he had no reason to attend my birthday banquet.
But I didn’t let it show and greeted him with a bright smile.
“I’m simply grateful that the new hero of the martial world has graced such a humble place with a visit.”
“Humble, what are you talking about? This is where the hero who saved so many lives at the Dragon-Phoenix Martial Gathering is, and it’s that hero’s birthday banquet. Please take back those words about it being humble.”
Peng Gang-un bowed to me with impeccable courtesy.
There wasn’t a trace of pretense on his face.
Which made it even harder to grasp his real intentions.
Judging from how he’d offered his hand to Lady Yu-ah Zhuge, or slid his foot under her so her head wouldn’t hit the ground when she fell, he seemed considerate and well-mannered…
And the way he was speaking to me now as well…
Did he really just come to celebrate my birthday?
Just then, Father came over and asked him with a smile.
“Now, what brings you all the way here? Didn’t I say I would personally visit the Peng Clan?”
“Hahaha, you did. But how could I let a hero’s father personally come to see me? So I came to pay my respects in person.”
“I see. Come this way.”
Father led him toward the reception room.
.
.
.
I met him face-to-face the next day.
Because he had formally requested a meeting with me.
After breakfast and attending the Eunwol Pavilion meeting, I headed straight to the reception room.
After I waited a bit, Palgap brought Young Hero Peng Gang-un to the reception room.
“Young Master, I’ve brought Young Hero Peng.”
“Please, show him in.”
“Yes, sir.”
The door opened and Young Hero Peng entered. Behind him, the maid in charge of the reception room followed in.
“If there’s any snack you prefer, please let me know.”
“I’m not picky, so anything is fine.”
At his words, the maid bowed and left, then soon came back with refreshments and set them before us.
“Please, help yourself.”
“Thank you.”
At my invitation, he ate the snacks and chatted with me about this and that.
In the middle of that, I noticed something strange.
When he raised his arm, I caught sight of a rash on the inside of his sleeve.
No matter how I looked at it, that was clearly an allergic reaction to food.
Some people often showed reactions to certain foods.
In severe cases, their throat could swell, leading to difficulty breathing and even putting their life at risk.
Typical examples included nuts like walnuts or peanuts, or fruits like peaches.
The snack we served now was made by soaking peaches harvested this summer in liquor, then simmering them with honey and placing them on top of the pastry.
It was that precious, and we’d brought it out because the Dragon-Phoenix Martial Gathering’s champion had come.
But of all things, he seemed to have a reaction to peaches. He was just suppressing it with his internal Qi.
That was why the skin on the outside looked fine while the inside was a mess like that.
Good grief. If you’ve got a problem with peaches, just say so—why say anything is fine!
Seeing him suppress the reaction with internal Qi, it wasn’t like he didn’t know he shouldn’t eat peaches.
Thinking of how skilled he’d been in real combat at the Dragon-Phoenix Martial Gathering, and how he was hiding his reaction to the peaches now…
It was obvious.
The young hero in front of me must have wandered the harsh martial world without his clan’s protection.
That was why he refused to reveal his weaknesses.
“Haah…”
I sighed and pushed the plate of peach-topped pastries to the side.
Watching him calmly eat something that was basically poison to him was hard to bear.
At my action, he tilted his head.
“Why are you moving the plate away?”
“I’m sorry. After tasting the pastry, I realized it’s not at its best. It’s not worthy of the Dragon-Phoenix Martial Gathering’s champion. My apologies.”
Then I pulled the bell cord to call the maid, had her clear away the plate, and asked for a different snack to be brought.
Watching me, Young Hero Peng made a strange expression.
Then he gave a small laugh and spoke.
“You’re a good person.”
“Huh?”
“I noticed it when you threw yourself in front to save the spectators back then too, but now I understand why people call you ‘Handsome Young Hero.'”
“It’s an undeserved name.”
“Not at all.”
He shook his head and said,
“Which makes me even more certain that I came to the right person.”
So this was the main topic.
“The reason I came to see you, Deputy Merchant Lord, is because there’s something I’d like to commission.”
–TL Notes–
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