Dinner with my aunt’s family for the first time in a while was warm and lively.
Most of the conversation centered around Young Lady Seohyang and me, which probably showed just how interested everyone was in the two of us.
“I heard you brought back quite a lot of grain from overseas this time.”
At Cousin Seon-il’s words, I nodded.
“Yes. We probably brought back at least twice as much as last time.”
Thanks to Great Yue Kingdom’s unusual climate, which allowed them to harvest crops three times a year, they had no trouble exporting vast quantities of grain.
And because the goods we brought with us this time had been so popular, we were able to import even more grain in return.
“I also heard you recovered the letter His Majesty the King of Maraeseo sent.”
At Cousin Seon-il’s words, Princess Shina spoke up.
“You can just call him Father-in-law.”
“How could I do that when he is the king of an entire nation? My dear.”
Looks like they still hadn’t completely settled on how he should address him.
Well, I could understand Cousin Seon-il’s position too.
Cousin Seon-il turned toward me and said,
“Anyway, I wanted to thank you.”
“There’s nothing to thank me for. I only did what I should have.”
“You may think it was only natural, but there’s no such thing as something being owed to you in this world.”
He did have a point.
Once dinner was over, my aunt and uncle rose from their seats.
They were both busy people, after all.
That left only Young Lady Seohyang, Cousin Seon-il and his wife, and me.
I wanted to bring up trade with Maraeseo Kingdom now, but it felt a little awkward to be the one to broach the subject first…
Perhaps Princess Shina noticed what I was thinking, because she spoke up.
“Then shall we continue the conversation we were having earlier?”
“What conversation do you mean?”
Princess Shina answered Cousin Seon-il’s question.
“As repayment for recovering the letter and gifts my father sent me, I was thinking of arranging trade with my homeland.”
“I would be the one benefiting from that, but… are you sure?”
“Yes.”
She nodded.
“Because you’re someone I can trust.”
I didn’t think I deserved that much faith, but the look in her eyes and the expression on her face made me feel strangely embarrassed.
“So I wanted to ask whether you’d be interested.”
“Of course I would.”
Maraeseo Kingdom lay even farther away than Great Yue Kingdom, and it was famous for producing tin, an essential material in metalworking.
The Empire had tin deposits of its own, but the quantities were so limited that tin was extremely expensive.
If we could import tin and sell it here, the profit margins would be considerable.
Maraeseo was also famous for specialties such as pepper and rare dyes.
There was no way I could afford to let an opportunity like this slip through my fingers.
“Then make the necessary preparations before the next trading voyage. When the time comes, you’ll need to accompany me to Maraeseo Kingdom.”
“What? You intend to go there yourself?”
“To be precise, I plan to go with my husband. My parents say they want to see their son-in-law.”
Cousin Seon-il must have already discussed it with her, because he offered no objection and merely nodded.
It would be a good opportunity to strengthen friendly relations with Maraeseo Kingdom, so the Emperor would probably appoint Cousin Seon-il as an imperial envoy and send him along.
.
.
.
After finishing my discussion with Princess Shina, I returned to the Beijing Branch with Young Lady Seohyang.
I changed clothes, sat down on my bed, and began sorting out my plans for the future.
I had started so many things that I needed to decide which ones deserved priority.
Of course, they all had to be done eventually, but I only had one body.
All right, I’ve decided.
The most urgent matter was expanding the Luoyang Branch.
Luoyang was home to the Murim Alliance, but it was also one of Henan’s major transportation hubs.
That meant the branch needed to be expanded considerably, even if there was no reason to make it as large as the Beijing Branch.
I was finding myself traveling to Luoyang more and more often, and staying at an inn every single time was inconvenient.
Money was one issue, but security was the bigger concern.
And there was another reason I couldn’t afford to delay expanding the Luoyang Branch any longer.
For now, the Baekcheon Merchant Group still didn’t consider the Eunhae Merchant Group enough of a threat to seriously guard against us.
They’d suffered losses because of us in one way or another, but we still weren’t direct competitors.
But once our presence grew stronger than it was now, they would become wary of us and start throwing every obstacle they could in our path.
How could I be so certain?
Because that was exactly what they’d done in my previous life.
I’d wanted to expand the Luoyang Branch much sooner back then as well, but circumstances forced me to wait until the Eunhae Merchant Group broke into the top ten of the Hundred Great Merchant Groups Under the Heaven.
By that point, the Baekcheon Merchant Group had already come to see the Eunhae Merchant Group as a thorn in its side, and with the Murim Alliance interfering at every turn, the entire process had been miserable enough to bring tears to my eyes.
I wasn’t going to make the same mistake this time.
Then I should head straight to Luoyang.
At the meeting, Father had already entrusted me with full authority over the Luoyang Branch expansion.
That meant I could choose the site entirely at my own discretion.
Once I secured the land, everything after that could move forward without delay.
I just needed to lay the groundwork for expanding the Luoyang Branch, then return to Headquarters and report everything to Father.
And I’d need to discuss my marriage with him too.
By then, Father should be back from Guizhou.
“Huh? Why are you suddenly sitting there grinning like that?”
Palgap asked as he entered my room.
I quickly schooled my expression and shot back,
“When was I grinning?”
“You don’t have to hide it from me. Weren’t you thinking about marrying Deputy Gwak?”
Damn it! He’s way too perceptive.
“Never mind that. Get ready to leave for Luoyang.”
“What? We’re going to Luoyang?”
“Yeah. We’ll be leaving within a few days.”
The next day.
I asked Escort Guard Lee Pil to deliver a letter to Warrior Jin Yeong.
Warrior Jin Yeong came to see me that very same day.
“You’re here, Warrior Jin Yeong.”
“His Majesty the Emperor has summoned you.”
“I see.”
Come to think of it, enough time had passed by now for the men who committed all those abuses on Hainan Island to have been transported to Beijing.
“Um… there’s something I’d like to ask.”
“What is it?”
“The Prefect and the others involved in what happened on Hainan Island should have been brought to Beijing by now. What happened to them?”
“Ah! Come to think of it, I never told you. My apologies.”
“Not at all.”
“You were the greatest contributor to that case. Of course you deserve to know how it turned out.”
Warrior Jin Yeong continued.
“First, that bastard Mo Gyeong was an Embroidered Guard, so he was executed in secret. They flayed him alive.”
“…”
“As for Prefect Geum Sa-gyeon and the others who actively participated in the scheme, they’ve been sentenced to public execution by slow dismemberment.”
“You mean…”
“The executions are tomorrow.”
Flaying and slow dismemberment…
Both were exceptionally agonizing punishments that took a long time to kill the condemned.
Hearing that made it clear just how furious the Emperor had been over what happened on Hainan Island.
I didn’t feel sorry for them either.
They’d spent years draining the people of Hainan Island dry.
“But there must have been some people who were dragged into it unintentionally or against their will, right?”
“Of course. Their circumstances will be taken into consideration, and they’ll receive lighter punishments such as penal labor or fines.”
“I see. Then what time are the executions tomorrow?”
“They’re scheduled for 10 a.m.”
Hmm. I’ve decided.
I’d leave for Luoyang early tomorrow morning.
The executions would be held in an open field along the road leading toward Luoyang, and the sight would undoubtedly be gruesome.
I didn’t want Young Lady Seohyang to see something like that and be shaken by it.
“If that answers everything, we should get going.”
“Yes.”
A short while later.
I arrived at the Imperial Palace and stood before the Emperor.
“I heard about it. Apparently you made quite a spectacle out of your proposal.”
“It’s embarrassing to admit, but yes.”
“You did well. A man needs something joyful like that in his life.”
The Emperor had already figured out Young Lady Seohyang’s true identity. That was why he was praising me.
“He’ll be pleased when he hears about it.”
The Emperor continued with a smile.
“And I heard that you recovered the letter the King of Maraeseo sent to his daughter.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“You caught the culprit as well.”
“Yes.”
I made no attempt to act overly humble.
He already knew exactly what I was capable of, so false modesty might only result in me missing out on a reward I deserved.
Granted, it might make him even more determined to recruit me as an official, but I’d been continually proving through my actions that I was far more useful to him as a merchant.
“Thanks to you, we avoided damaging our relationship with Maraeseo Kingdom, and I can now strengthen Provincial Commander Ak’s position.”
So there was something political going on behind the scenes.
Complicated politics gave me a headache.
I preferred taking whatever benefit I could get and then stepping out of the way.
“I’m pleased that I could be of service to Your Majesty.”
“Are you pleased because you served me, or because you’re already imagining the reward you’ll receive for it?”
Urk…
If you ask me that directly, Your Majesty, you’re putting me in a very awkward position.
I respectfully lowered my head and answered,
“I can only place myself at Your Majesty’s mercy.”
“You little bastard certainly know how to talk.”
The Emperor chuckled.
“I’ll add the reward for this matter to your wedding gift.”
“My wedding gift, Your Majesty?”
“Why? You don’t want it?”
“Of course I do! How could I possibly refuse?”
“Then go. Have a safe trip to Luoyang.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
As I withdrew from the Emperor’s presence, I tilted my head in puzzlement. So the reason he had summoned me was…
It seemed he simply wanted to thank me.
Now that I thought about it, Maraeseo Kingdom was an important trading partner for the Empire, and Lord Ak was someone who could protect the Crown Prince while he struggled through the mess in Nanjing.
I suppose I had given him plenty to be grateful for.
The next day.
Just as planned, I departed for Luoyang early in the morning.
Leaving behind the Imperial Guards bustling about in preparation for the executions, I urged my River-Crossing Horse onward.
The journey from Beijing to Luoyang didn’t take very long, and a few days later, we arrived in Luoyang.
“Welcome!”
Our destination was Yeonpung Inn, where we had stayed during the Murim Grand Assembly.
The inn attendant recognized us and greeted us warmly.
“Thank you for choosing our inn again.”
“I liked this place.”
“Thank you. I’ll have your rooms prepared immediately.”
We entered our rooms at the inn and unpacked our belongings.
“Let’s spend today resting and recovering from the journey. We’ll start moving tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
The next day.
With the gifts I had prepared in advance, I headed to the Zhuge Clan estate in Luoyang.
I’d heard that the Grand Clan Lord was still staying there.
Come to think of it, the winter solstice was almost here.
At the last winter solstice, we were ranked twentieth.
I couldn’t help wondering how much higher the Eunhae Merchant Group might climb this time.
I’d heard that follow-up discussions on the matters raised during the Murim Grand Assembly would continue until the beginning of the new year.
That was why the Grand Clan Lord was still in Luoyang.
The major issues had already been settled, and only detailed or supplementary matters remained, so Clan Lords and Sect Leaders no longer needed to attend personally. Other representatives could take their places.
In the Zhuge Clan’s case, the Grand Clan Lord was attending.
“Welcome!”
The gatekeeper at the Zhuge Clan estate recognized me and hurriedly announced my arrival.
Before long, I was escorted to the reception room. As I waited there drinking tea, the Grand Clan Lord entered.
“Forgive me for keeping you waiting.”
“Not at all. The tea was so good that I lost track of time while enjoying it.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Sit.”
I returned to my seat.
“Has everyone been well?”
“Everyone is doing well.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
I held out the gift I had brought.
“I had occasion to visit Hainan Island recently, and while I was there, I saw this and thought of you, Grand Clan Lord.”
“What is it?”
“Kuding tea. The liquor is clear, and there’s a peculiar charm to the sweetness that follows its bitterness.”
“Oh? Now I’m curious.”
“The quality is exceptional, so a single leaf is enough to produce a deep flavor. But if you steep it too long, the bitterness becomes overpowering, so just count to about twenty before drinking it.”
“I understand. Thank you for such a precious gift.”
“Compared to everything you’ve done for me, this is hardly enough.”
“Nonsense. Isn’t the thought behind a gift what truly matters?”
He really does like it.
Giving someone like the Grand Clan Lord pearls or expensive jewelry wouldn’t be particularly meaningful.
It was better to show my sincerity with something modest that I knew he would genuinely enjoy.
“I’m grateful that you see it that way.”
I continued,
“Actually, there’s something I’d like to ask of you, Grand Clan Lord.”
“Go ahead.”
“The Eunhae Merchant Group intends to expand our Luoyang Branch. We’ve been looking for a suitable site, but we haven’t been able to find anything that meets our needs.”
This was Luoyang.
The martial world held more influence here than the government did, so if I wanted to avoid problems later, I needed to go through the right people.
That was why I intended to secure a site through an introduction from the Grand Clan Lord, the most influential connection I had in the martial world.
“The Eunhae Merchant Group has grown enough to expand its Luoyang Branch!”
“It’s all thanks to the care you’ve shown us, Grand Clan Lord.”
“What have I ever done? If anything, I’m the one indebted to you. So, what sort of conditions are you looking for?”
After hearing my requirements, the Grand Clan Lord thought for a moment before speaking.
“I’ll look into it myself. Go back for now and wait a little while.”
“Thank you.”
I continued,
“And there’s someone I’d like to introduce to you.”
I called Deputy Gwak, who had been standing behind me, over to my side and said,
“She’s the woman I’m going to marry.”
If I didn’t introduce her beforehand, he might feel slighted later.
Things like this might seem trivial, but they mattered more than people realized.
“Hoho. The two of you look as though you were made for each other. Congratulations. So, when will the wedding be?”
“We’re still in the process of choosing a date. As soon as it’s decided, I’ll let you know.”
“Very well. First my younger brother, and now you! The Eunhae Merchant Group certainly has one happy occasion after another!”
“Thank you.”
.
.
.
A few days later.
The Grand Clan Lord summoned us, and we returned to the Zhuge Clan estate.
“I found a site that meets all the conditions you gave me.”
“That’s a relief. Thank you.”
“However, there’s a problem.”
–TL Notes–
Tired of seeing Ads? Then please support me on Patreon! Any tier of subscription will make it so you won't get any ads!
If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at patreon.com/InsanityTheGame
Join my Discord! https://discord.gg/BWaP3AHHpt