I quickly called out to him.
“Over here!”
“Ah! Deputy Merchant Lord Eun!”
Deputy Merchant Lord Bok Yun came over with a delighted expression, and I stood up and cupped my fists to him.
“It’s been a while.”
“It really has! It’s been a long time. That trip you took to the North before… judging by your face, it must’ve been a good trade.”
“I made it back safely, and it turned into a very good trade.”
I continued.
“And how did things go with your trip to Beijing?”
“Mine was a good trade as well.”
For merchants, a good trade means one where you don’t take a loss and make a hefty profit.
“Have some tea.”
“Ah, I will.”
We drank tea and caught up with each other’s recent news.
Meeting a close friend you really click with is always a joy.
While we were chatting like that, Escort Guard Jin Yu’s Voice Transmission reached me.
– Lord, my apologies, but the one who just came inside… it’s someone from the Baekyeom Merchant Group who spoke with the Baekcheon Merchant Group’s Merchant Lord at Golden Rooster Pavilion last time.
Huh?
– He’s about to talk with someone else. If you permit it, I’ll eavesdrop on their conversation.
My instincts prickled.
– I permit it.
And after a while, Escort Guard Jin Yu’s Voice Transmission came again.
– Lord, I’ve found out the date for the job he was commissioned to do by the Baekcheon Merchant Group’s Merchant Lord. It’s the day after tomorrow.
Wait, what?
The day after tomorrow… that’s the day of the gathering.
Right then, Deputy Merchant Lord Bok Yun asked me.
“Is something wrong?”
“Huh?”
“You suddenly had a serious look on your face…”
Ah… did I?
I glanced over, and Palgap shook his head.
Meaning I hadn’t actually failed to keep my expression in check.
Then how did he notice?
First things first, I should apologize.
“Sorry. I was thinking about the gathering the day after tomorrow and started worrying about how I’m supposed to handle all those illustrious Merchant Lords.”
“Even you, Deputy Merchant Lord Eun, are worried?”
“Isn’t that only natural?”
“I always thought you were relaxed and confident in front of Merchant Lords, so I figured you didn’t worry much about it…”
“I’m just pretending.”
The gathering of the Hundred Great Merchant Groups.
It’s a silent probing match and a war, all disguised as a banquet.
Running one of the Hundred Great Merchant Groups means not only that you have the ability, but that you have plenty of greed too.
The greed to make even more money.
So they casually trade all sorts of information while acting innocent, trying to find each other’s weak points.
Those weaknesses can be put to very good use.
In a place like that, what happens if you look rattled or start trembling in front of them?
Do you think they’ll go, “Tsk tsk, how pitiful,” or, “Huh! Are they like that because of me? I almost feel bad”?
Not a chance.
They’ll just see you as easy prey.
It’s ruthless, but that’s the merchant world.
Of course, saying I was worried about how to treat the Merchant Lords was just an excuse.
I’m not the least bit nervous.
I’ve already met His Majesty the Emperor, the final boss of them all, several times.
“Ah, that reminds me, I heard this gathering is being held at Pear Blossom Pavilion.”
“That’s right.”
Deputy Merchant Lord Bok Yun nodded.
“I heard it’s run by the Baekyeom Merchant Group, and that their main compound is very close by.”
“That’s right. From what I know, its scale is enormous.”
“Once the banquet ends, I expect the Merchant Lord will show us around the merchant group. I’m looking forward to it. I’ve missed my chance every single time.”
Ah… right. That was how it went.
The Baekyeom Merchant Group’s Merchant Lord used to be a blacksmith.
Maybe because he spent their life being looked down on, he always wanted to show off what he’d achieved to others.
So whenever he hosted the Hundred Great Merchant Groups’ gathering like this, he’d personally invite people over and give them a tour.
I felt like I now understood why that person planned to act on that day.
With so many outsiders visiting, the inside of the merchant group would inevitably be in chaos.
Which makes it easy to find an opening to shake the White Flame Merchant Group up.
Still, what exactly is he planning to do to shake the White Flame Merchant Group?
I drifted into thought for a moment, then lightly shook my head and sipped my tea.
It’s rude to get lost in thought with a friend sitting right in front of you.
I’ll think it over after I get back to the inn.
“And…”
Deputy Merchant Lord Bok Yun scratched his cheek with a finger and trailed off.
Why did his face suddenly turn red?
“What is it?”
He pulled a red envelope from inside his robe and held it out.
I tilted my head and opened the envelope. Inside was a red letter.
Red outer envelopes get used fairly often.
But it was rare to use red not only for the envelope but for the letter paper inside as well.
Because you only use this when there’s something to celebrate…
Hm? A celebration?
I quickly read through the contents.
[Since the old man under the moon has bound the two of you with a red thread, how could this not be fate? Thus, on an auspicious day we shall formally…]
I looked up and asked,
“Are you getting married?”
“Hahaha, yes.”
He gave an embarrassed laugh and nodded.
“I’ll be twenty-two soon enough, so I suppose it’s about time.”
Deputy Merchant Lord Bok Yun and I were born on the exact same day, so once the Eleventh Month passes, he’ll be twenty-two as well.
“So I’m planning to marry next summer.”
People usually get married in spring or autumn, but Deputy Merchant Lord Bok Yun has a simple reason for choosing summer.
The region of Liaoning, where he lives, is cold.
Summer is actually the best season there to gather people and hold a banquet.
“Well then, congratulations.”
“Hahaha, thank you.”
Deputy Merchant Lord Bok Yun cupped his fists to me in thanks.
Next summer was still a long way off, but there was a reason he was giving me the wedding invitation so early.
The empire is vast, and everyone is busy.
It takes quite a bit of time to travel back and forth to Liaoning, so you have to let people know in advance.
Still, for him to hand me the invitation personally like this.
There’s even a saying that if you receive a wedding invitation directly from the bride or groom and still don’t attend, you’ll live alone for the rest of your life, so in cases like this you were basically obliged to go.
Which meant he thought of me as someone very special.
I nodded and said,
“I’ll definitely be there.”
.
.
.
After enjoying lunch with Deputy Merchant Lord Bok Yun, I headed back to Inn I was staying.
When I arrived near the inn, I smiled.
I had spotted the person who’d been waiting.
But he couldn’t bring himself to go inside and was just pacing around the entrance.
I could guess why he couldn’t step into the inn.
Worn, smelly clothes.
It looked like he’d worn his cleanest set, but those clothes were still those clothes.
Honestly, any high-class inn would turn their nose up at that.
That’s not discrimination against people.
It’s a measure for the guests who pay good money to stay at a nice inn so they can enjoy cleanliness and comfort.
Besides, there are people downstairs right now eating or drinking tea.
Honestly, if you’re enjoying a good meal at a restaurant and someone who hasn’t changed clothes in a year sits next to you picking their ears and nose, your appetite’s going to vanish in an instant, isn’t it?
Dressing appropriately for the time and place is basic common sense and also a form of consideration for others.
When you think about it, it’s always the people who show no consideration for others who blow up and shout, “Are you discriminating against me?”
People who don’t even know what real discrimination is.
A scene from my previous life suddenly came to mind.
The time I was slapped and humiliated by a low-ranking official younger than me, just because I was a lowly merchant…
Ah, of course, I paid him back several times over later.
I shook off those thoughts and called over Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am and Escort Guard Lee Pil.
“Can I ask you for a favor?”
“Please give the order.”
“We should get that fellow washed and properly dressed. Please buy some scented soap and some decent clothes.”
“Understood.”
They immediately headed toward the man.
“And Palgap. Go bring him here.”
“Got it.”
Palgap brought over the young man who’d been pacing around the inn, Yong Eung-wan.
He greeted me with a face tight with nerves.
“I– I’ve come to pay my respects to the Handsome Young Hero.”
“…”
I hadn’t expected him to know my title.
“My name is Yong Eung-wan.”
“I’m Eun Seo-ho. If you don’t mind, I’d prefer you call me Deputy Merchant Lord Eun or Chief Eun instead of using my title.”
“All right.”
“So, have you thought about my offer?”
“Yes. But… could I really be of any help to you, Deputy Merchant Lord Eun? I don’t have any abilities.”
“No abilities? You have four abilities, in fact.”
“…”
He bit his lip for a moment, then spoke.
“Could you tell me what those are?”
I raised my right hand, made a fist, then extended my index finger.
“First! You can speak the language of the Great Yue Kingdom. Naturally – it’s your mother tongue.”
“…!”
He seemed startled and stammered as he asked,
“H–how did you know that?”
“How could I not know? That tattoo near your collarbone is the mark of a martial clan from the Great Yue Kingdom, isn’t it?”
“…”
At my words, his expression turned to panic.
Right now, the tattoo on his collarbone was hidden under his clothes.
But I knew it was there.
“Ah, you can relax. For now, I’m the only one who knows.”
“How did you know I have a tattoo on my collarbone?”
I had learned about that tattoo in my previous life.
A long time from now, when he became one of the Emperor’s people and commanded a merchant ship, he told me himself.
But I couldn’t exactly say that.
“I saw it earlier when you stuck your hand inside your clothes and scratched.”
“A– ahem.”
His face flushed in an instant.
“Anyway, since the Great Yue Kingdom’s language is your mother tongue, you’re at a huge advantage over any imperial subject who just learned it. You know how it is – no matter how well you learn a language, if you don’t know the culture, it’s hard to catch the subtleties.”
“Mm, that’s true.”
“And in merchants’ dealings, those subtle differences matter a lot. That ability is a very big one.”
I paused for a moment, then extended my middle finger.
“Second! You know the sea route to the Great Yue Kingdom.”
He bit his lip again.
“You intend to return there someday. That means you’ve either memorized that route clearly or written it down somewhere.”
“…”
“Third! You have tremendous perseverance. You haven’t given up even while doing work so hard most people would throw up their hands.”
Finally, I extended my little finger and said,
“Lastly, you have a talent for trade.”
“Huh?”
He looked utterly baffled.
“A talent for trade? That’s news to me.”
He didn’t know it yet, but he truly did have a great head for business.
That’s why, in my previous life, he even earned the title of Trade Lord. But since I couldn’t bring that up now, I glossed over it.
“Actually, I can read faces, and you have the marks of commercial talent. Anyway, based on these four abilities, I intend to put you in charge of a merchant ship of the Eunhae Merchant Group.”
“…Are you pitying me?”
“Pitying you?”
I let out a short laugh.
“People out there call me the Handsome Young Hero… but at my core, I’m a merchant. A merchant who never backs down in front of profit.”
I met his eyes.
“If I were pitying you, I’d have just shoved a few silver taels into your hand and left it at that.”
“…”
“If I wasn’t certain about your abilities, would I put you in charge of a venture that costs that much money?”
“Well…”
For a moment, he flinched.
“P– put me in charge?”
“You didn’t mishear. I’m going to appoint you as the one in charge of a merchant ship belonging to the Eunhae Merchant Group.”
“…”
He hesitated for a moment, then opened his mouth as if he’d made up his mind.
“Before that, please answer just one thing.”
“What is it?”
“How did you know I needed ransom money for my family?”
As he asked, his eyes were as sharp as a predator’s, fixed on its prey.
It was only natural – the answer to that question was extremely important to him.
He was a beast ready to draw blood at any time for his own safety – no, for his family’s safety.
At the killing intent he exuded, my escort guards put their hands on their sword hilts.
“Ah, so that’s what you’re curious about.”
At my words, his killing intent vanished in an instant.
“The necklace around your neck.”
“…!”
“The names carved into that necklace – they’re your family’s names, aren’t they?”
At that, his eyes widened.
He’d said he was afraid of forgetting his family’s names, so he personally carved the wood and engraved each name into it.
That was the very necklace hanging from his neck now.
“And judging from the tattoo on your collarbone, you’re a warrior with great pride. So why would someone like that be living here as a lowly sailor, working themselves to the bone?”
I pointed at the back of his left hand.
“That burn scar on the back of your hand – you did that on purpose, didn’t you?”
“…!”
In the Great Yue Kingdom, slaves are branded on the back of the left hand.
Even if he did it to erase the brand, it must have hurt like hell.
“With this much evidence, it’s not hard to figure out the truth. Is it still hard for you to trust me?”
“Then why haven’t you turned me in? You must know there’s a place further down where the Great Yue Kingdom’s trade ships come and go all the time, and if you reported me to them, you’d get a reward.”
“How much is the reward?”
Escort Guard Seo Wu answered.
“From what I’ve heard, if you report a runaway slave from the Great Yue Kingdom, they give you fifty silver taels.”
“They only give that much?”
“…Uh, yes?”
I let out a small laugh and said,
“If it were fifty thousand taels, maybe, but you expect me to go all the way down to Shanghai just for that little?”
–TL Notes–
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