At Father’s question, I tilted my head and answered.
“Doesn’t it mean we should earn so much silver it could fill the sea?” (TL Note: Eunhae means Silver Sea)
“That’s not wrong, but that actually wasn’t the founding Merchant Lord’s true intention when he created the Eunhae Merchant Group.”
“Huh?”
“There’s a record passed down only to each Merchant Lord. In that record, it’s clearly written why the founding Merchant Lord named it the Eunhae Merchant Group.”
Father chuckled.
“You can’t become a true great merchant by staying only within this empire. You have to look toward the money beyond the sea to become a true great merchant. With that meaning in mind, he named it the Eunhae Merchant Group.”
To think the name Eunhae Merchant Group had that sort of meaning behind it!
But then, a question suddenly popped into my head.
“Then why… is it the Silver Sea Merchant Group and not the Gold Sea Merchant Group?”
I mean, right?
Gold is honestly worth more than silver.
At my question, Father burst out laughing.
“Exactly. To be honest, even I don’t really know that one.”
“Isn’t there anything about it in the records?”
“There isn’t.”
Father went on.
“You should find out yourself someday why it’s the Silver Sea Merchant Group and not the Gold Sea Merchant Group.”
“Yes.”
On top of figuring out the old Ghost–faced Constable’s real birthday at the general store, I had another assignment now.
I had to find out why our merchant group’s name was the Silver Sea Merchant Group and not the Gold Sea Merchant Group.
“Anyway, the founding Merchant Lord said that once our Eunhae Merchant Group climbed to rank fifty or higher among the Hundred Great Merchant Groups Under the Heaven, we could finally go out to sea.”
“Then we can finally head out now, right?”
“Yeah. It’s finally time for us to give it a try.
Our Eunhae Merchant Group is ranked thirty–fifth.
We more than meet the condition the founding Merchant Lord laid down.
Besides, we’re only thirty–fifth on paper. In terms of actual strength, we’re far better off.
We have a lot of monopoly products starting with the Windcraft Fan, and the profit from those is pretty sweet.”
“And one of the storage yards where we stack the Eunhae Merchant Group’s goods is down by the river, right?”
“Yes, I know.”
“Don’t you think that place is strangely huge compared to the size of our Eunhae Merchant Group?”
No way…
“Could that land be a site the founding Merchant Lord prepared in advance?”
“That’s right.”
Father nodded.
“It’s a spot the founding Merchant Lord set aside ahead of time to build ships.”
Only then did I finally understand why, in my previous life, Father had always worn such a bitter look.
It had been self–loathing for failing to carry out the founding Merchant Lord’s will.
Back then, our merchant group’s ranking hadn’t even reached fifty.
We might have been able to attempt trade with the Great Yue Kingdom, but the problem was we didn’t have enough capital.
“We’ll push it forward as soon as we get back.”
“Thank you.”
I continued.
“And I’ve already found someone suitable for the job.”
“Oh? Who is it?”
“He’ll be coming to find us soon.”
At my words, Father tilted his head.
“Coming to find us?”
“I’m going to hire one very impressive warrior who fits the sea perfectly.”
The earliest the Emperor would officially hire a merchant group to conduct this trade was next summer.
And the reason I was moving so fast was because setting up sea trade is never something you can prepare in a short time.
That’s why we needed to build the right ship in advance and find the person who would sail it and handle the trade.
Of course, I would’ve liked to start even earlier, but right now was the first time I knew exactly where that sailor I had just met was.
Besides, building the ship beforehand would’ve been pointless. With the old design, there would’ve been no way to sail safely to the Great Yue Kingdom and back.
In short, in every way this timing was perfect.
Of course, I had no intention of personally going to the Great Yue Kingdom.
I’ve still got too much to do here in the empire.
Warrior Yong Eung–wan, who watched Eun Seo–ho leave the inn, looked down at the word written on the table.
Redemption money.
It meant the money needed to become a free citizen.
The man named Eun Seo–ho who had come to see him had written that word and said he’d pay it in his place.
Yong Eung–wan bit his lip.
‘Can I really trust this?’
Honestly, he was in no position to trust just anyone.
Just then, he sensed someone approaching him and quickly wiped the word away with his hand.
“Hey!”
Someone plopped down in front of him.
It was one of the fellow sailors he was close with.
They’d ended up working together a lot by chance and naturally grown friendly.
“What’s going on? Did something happen?”
“What problem…”
“Someone dressed that fancy has no reason to come looking for this place. Unless they’re here to see the shipowner.”
“…”
He had to admit the man’s eye for detail was sharp; the question was spot–on.
But he couldn’t just tell him the truth, so he made something up.
“It’s nothing. Someone tried to steal his purse before and I helped stop it, so he came to thank me.”
“I’m pretty sure I heard him say he was going to help you, though.”
“Your ears are sharp.”
“I don’t know what your situation is, but if that guy says he’ll help, you should accept the goodwill.”
“Huh?”
“Don’t tell me… you don’t know who that man is?”
At that, Yong Eung–wan nodded.
“What! You gotta be kidding me! You don’t know Young Hero Eun Seo–ho?”
“Who the hell is he supposed to be?”
“He’s the hero of the Murim Alliance! The hero of the Dragon–Phoenix Martial Gathering! The successor to the secret techniques of the Extreme Heaven Sword, the hero from five hundred years ago! With his outstanding looks, he steals the hearts of men and women of all ages, but it’s actually his righteous deeds that people talk about more. They call him the Handsome Young Hero!”
“…”
He remembered that the guy in front of him was pretty knowledgeable about rumors, and he wasn’t the type to brag or lie either.
‘Then maybe I really can trust him?’
Even so, his doubts didn’t go away.
What in the world did he plan to use him for that he was willing to pay his redemption money?
‘Is he planning to use me as a bodyguard?’
But Eun Seo–ho was already surrounded by guards so strong they even made Yong Eung–wan feel small.
Just then.
“Oh ho! Handsome Young Hero was here?”
At those words, he turned his head. It was a customer who had just walked in. At his words, Yong Eung–wan’s fellow sailor asked back.
“You know Handsome Young Hero?”
“Of course. I’ve even met him in person.”
He nodded with confidence.
“He was truly a beautiful man.”
At that, Yong Eung–wan nodded too. The man really was that handsome.
“So when did you meet him?”
“Let me think… Right! I met him on the way to Nanju.”
“Nanju?”
“He got on the ship I work on. Anyway, it was spring then, so the water level had risen and the rapids were really dangerous. You two know how deadly the rapids in the upper Yellow River are, right?”
At his question, the two men nodded.
“The adults were all tied to the ship’s racks, so they were fine, but one child must’ve been tied too loosely and fell into the water!”
“What!”
“No way!”
“But! Right then, Handsome Young Hero suddenly stepped forward. Without even a moment’s hesitation, he shrugged off his outer robe and jumped straight into the raging water.”
“What?”
They knew too well just how dangerous the Yellow River’s rapids were.
Even most martial artists couldn’t guarantee they’d live if they got swept in just once – that was the Yellow River’s rapids.
“And before even a couple of minutes had passed, he pulled the child out and climbed back onto the ship.”
“Seriously?”
“Of course, it’s true!”
“But why would he do something that dangerous? I mean, saving the child is one thing, but he could’ve died himself.”
At that, the sailor shrugged.
“That, I don’t know. From what I heard, he’s just that kind of person. He took our ship again on the way back from Nanju to Beijing, and they said he was escorting a group that had tried to throw the whole country into chaos. Then he even paid us generous fare, saying we’d probably suffered losses because of them.”
“…”
The sailor grinned.
“If you don’t believe me, go ask our shipowner.”
“N–no, it’s fine. I believe you.”
He turned his head and spoke to Yong Eung–wan.
“He’s really as good a person as the rumors say. From what I can tell, when he says he’ll help, he probably means he’ll hire you as a worker in his merchant group. So if he offers you a job, don’t even hesitate – just accept it. I heard the Eunhae Merchant Group where he serves as Deputy Merchant Lord treats its people really well. You’ll earn way more than you do as a sailor and it’ll be much safer.”
He went on.
“You gotta stay alive till the end if you ever want to go back to your family in your hometown.”
“Huh?”
His close friend spoke to the startled Yong Eung–wan.
“What? You think I wouldn’t notice?”
He gave a short laugh.
“I don’t know what your story is, but guys as desperate as you always have a reason. Most of the time it’s family or a lover. Otherwise no one scrapes together money as desperately as you do.”
Morning came.
I got up from the bed and circulated my Qi. Maybe because the sea was so close, the Yin Qi felt denser than usual.
Still, the place with the thickest Yin Qi was Hangzhou.
There, they had not only the sea but also a huge lake.
After I finished circulating my Qi, I climbed down from the bed and started training.
Since I didn’t want others to see how I trained, I’d decided to practice in my room the whole time we stayed here.
Of course, what I did the most was physical conditioning.
For me, building my body was more important than swinging my sword. The higher my realm climbed, the more my inner Qi and my stamina had to stay in balance, or I’d pay for it later.
“Phew, time to get started.”
You can do all the physical training you want even inside a room.
As long as you have the will for it.
Saying you have to go outside to train, or that you can’t because you don’t have equipment – that’s all just an excuse.
You can do handstand push–ups on a chair with one arm, or hang upside down from a ceiling beam and do sit–ups.
Of course, it’s brutal if you don’t use your inner Qi.
It feels like it’s going to kill you.
But I can’t stop training, because I never want to die a pointless dog’s death again like in my previous life, just because my martial arts were lacking.
My enemy is the Murim Alliance.
They’re the center of the central plains’ martial world, with both military might and wealth.
To go up against a place like that, I needed both as well.
Just then, the door to my room opened and Palgap walked in.
“Gah!”
Palgap nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw me hanging upside down.
“Why are you so shocked?”
“How could I not be shocked when there’s a person hanging upside down like that?”
“It’s not like this is your first time seeing me train.”
“That’s true, but you know I’m faint–hearted.”
“Right, you are.”
I let out a small laugh and lightly dropped down from the ceiling beam.
“Have you finished training, Young Master?”
“Yeah, I can wrap up now.”
“Then I’ll bring you some water and a towel.”
“Mm.”
Catching my breath for a moment, I thought back to last night.
Escort Guard Jin Yu had returned at midnight and reported to me.
“We tracked the man you mentioned, and he turned out to be from the White Flame Merchant Group. More precisely, he works in their Iron Workshop.”
“The Iron Workshop?”
“Yes. He appeared to be a blacksmith there.”
If it was the Iron Workshop, that was the very core of the White Flame Merchant Group.
Which meant the Baekcheon Merchant Group was trying to pull something on the White Flame Merchant Group.
Could the Baekcheon Merchant Group be trying to muscle into the ironworks business?
That never happened in my previous life.
.
.
.
I went down to the first floor of the inn and had breakfast.
While I was drinking tea afterward, the server came over to us.
“Someone sent from the White Flame Merchant Group is here.”
“Oh, is that so?”
Soon someone approached from behind us. From his clothes, he looked like a deputy.
“Are you the Merchant Lord of the Eunhae Merchant Group?”
“I am.”
At Father’s reply, the man clasped his fists and bowed politely.
“Greetings, Merchant Lord. I’m the White Flame Merchant Group’s Merchant Lord’s deputy. I’ve come to inform you of the meeting place.”
“Alright. Where is the meeting being held?”
“At Pear Blossom Pavilion near the White Flame Merchant Group. And the meeting will begin the day after tomorrow, around midday, from about 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.”
“Got it. But that’s earlier than I expected.”
The deputy nodded and explained.
“We can’t drink anyway because of the prohibition decree, so what’s the point of gathering late? Better to meet earlier and enjoy Shandong’s delicacies while we’re at it, don’t you think?”
“That’s true enough. Understood. Thanks for letting me know.”
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
After the deputy left, I spoke to Father.
“Then I’ll be going out for a bit today.”
“Go ahead.”
.
.
.
A short while later,
I headed to a teahouse.
I picked a decent seat, sat down, and ordered tea in advance.
Compared to the regions along the Yangtze River, Shandong Province isn’t exactly ideal for growing tea.
Good tea does come from Mount Tai, but the yield isn’t very large.
So most tea is brought in from other regions, usually transported here by ship.
This was a place where ships could come and go with ease.
Because its location makes it perfect for trade, it’s also one of the places where you see a lot of people who aren’t citizens of the empire.
Trends catch on here just as quickly.
People even say more than half the fads in the empire start right here in Shandong.
Just then, I sensed a familiar presence, and a man walked into the teahouse.
It was a welcome face.
–TL Notes–
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