The wings of the Windcraft Fan began to spin, sending a cool breeze directly toward the Emperor’s face.
“Oh!”
The Emperor let out an impressed exclamation, looking utterly pleased.
The expressions of the surrounding ministers were filled with envy as they watched.
‘Yes… this is exactly what I was aiming for.’
The Emperor nodded repeatedly, enjoying the breeze from the Windcraft Fan.
“What a truly marvelous invention! Are you planning to sell this?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Father answered, then quickly continued,
“Since it pleases Your Majesty, our merchant group would like to offer five hundred Windcraft Fans as tribute.”
“Five hundred?”
The Emperor spoke again.
“Five hundred of these… Such a commendable gesture. Then I should provide an appropriate reward. Don’t you agree, Merchant Lord Jin?”
When the Emperor asked, Jin U-rim replied,
“Please do as you see fit, Your Majesty.”
“Very well. And how much do you intend to sell this for?”
“We were thinking… around the price of three chickens.”
The Emperor was visibly surprised.
“What? You mean to sell it for only that? Surely it’ll bring considerable profit to your merchant group.”
“That is true, Your Majesty.”
Father answered slowly, calmly.
“But everyone suffers from the heat. Some even lose their lives to it. Our wish is for this invention to spread widely so people can better endure the summer.”
“Oh! Such compassion for the people is truly admirable.”
“Therefore, we hope that the merchant groups present here will also produce this item, so that many more may escape the suffering of the heat.”
Right now, the Emperor’s greatest need was stabilizing public sentiment and the imperial treasury.
Because he was locked in a power struggle with his ministers.
In that situation, Father’s words probably sounded like sweet music to him.
“Very good. You’re from the Eunhae Merchant Group, yes?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Moved by your sincerity, I shall accept your proposal. Furthermore, I shall grant you half of all profits earned from selling this Windcraft Fan.”
I was stunned by the decree.
Honestly, my goal had been to offer the gift and secure a strong connection to the throne.
But the Emperor had given us something far better.
Half the profits from every Windcraft Fan sold… guaranteed.
“We humbly accept Your Majesty’s decree.”
As the ministers responded, Father and I quickly dropped to our knees and expressed our gratitude.
“We are unworthy of Your Majesty’s boundless grace!”
“You may withdraw now.”
At the Emperor’s command, I stepped forward.
“Forgive my boldness, Your Majesty, but might we remain in a shaded corner of the palace until sunset before departing?”
“And you are?”
“I am Eun Seo-ho, Deputy Merchant Lord of the Eunhae Merchant Group.”
“Ah…”
The Emperor looked at me with a meaningful gaze.
“What is your reason?”
“Because of the heat, Your Majesty. Most of the merchant lords here are elderly, some even past seventy. I fear for their health under this harsh sun, so I humbly beg your permission.”
“Tch tch… Their stamina’s that poor? Didn’t the eunuchs provide shade with curved canopies? They’ll do the same when you leave, so there’s no need to worry…”
The Emperor wasn’t a fool.
Seeing the looks on our faces, he sensed something was wrong and asked,
“Why that expression?”
“Forgive me, Your Majesty. I misspoke.”
“No. Explain why you made that face.”
“Forgive me, Your Majesty, but… we did not see a single curved canopy on our way here.”
“What?”
“As such, I was concerned that the elderly Merchant Lord In might collapse from exhaustion, so I carried him here myself.”
Let me remind you—I hold grudges for a long time.
Hearing this, Merchant Lord Jin’s expression darkened. He must’ve been furious that the merchant lords he selected had been treated so poorly.
The Emperor paused for a moment, then ordered,
“Summon the eunuchs who escorted them.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Soon, a group of eunuchs entered the hall. They were the very ones who had accompanied us.
“You summoned us, Your Majesty?”
“Yes. I have a question for you.”
“Ask anything, Your Majesty.”
“Did you provide curved canopies for them on their way here?”
“…”
The eunuchs looked flustered.
They must not have expected the Emperor to ask so directly.
As they hesitated, one finally spoke.
“We did not.”
“And why not?”
“Because they are not nobles, as defined by law, Your Majesty. Curved canopies are reserved for Your Majesty, the imperial family, and high-ranking officials. How could we possibly offer them to mere merchants?”
That was bold. Incredibly bold.
What on earth gave them the nerve…?
The Emperor chuckled.
“You seem to have forgotten something. When commanded by the Emperor, curved canopies may be used.”
“To our knowledge, there’s no such regulation.”
“Is that so? Grand Secretary.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Whose statement is correct?”
The Grand Secretary responded immediately.
“Your Majesty is correct. It is stated in the supplemental regulations.”
He then recited the exact clause. As expected, I wasn’t mistaken.
That rule was precisely why the lords of the top five merchant groups had always received canopies when entering the palace.
“We were ignorant and failed to realize it.”
“Forgive us, Your Majesty.”
They only dared act like this because the Emperor had always been lenient with them.
But you’re supposed to know when to push your luck and when not to.
One eunuch spoke up.
“However, Your Majesty, these are lowly merchants. Giving curved canopies to such people would undermine Your Majesty’s dignity.”
“People who know nothing but money don’t deserve such honors.”
“While we speak, allow me to offer advice, Your Majesty. Please entrust the salt distribution law to us eunuchs.”
“It’s beneath Your Majesty’s dignity to personally deal with these merchants.”
Well, well… so that’s what this is about. They’re even aiming for the profits from the salt distribution.
I told you—know when to push your luck.
The Emperor said,
“Then are you saying that because I employ merchants… I, too, am base and lowly?”
“N-No, Your Majesty…”
The Emperor had been waiting for a moment like this to seize control over the eunuchs.
And the perfect opportunity had just landed in his lap.
“If you’re going to object, at least know what you’re talking about. How dare you try to defy me with nothing but that glib tongue of yours?”
The Emperor reprimanded them quietly but sharply.
“These people stand on the front lines of the salt distribution law, acting on my behalf for the sake of the people. And you dare call them lowly?”
“…”
“I’ve heard… there are eunuchs who accepted bribes over the salt retail licenses. Is this insolent behavior today because you bore a grudge over that?”
“…!”
The moment the Emperor said it, the eunuchs immediately dropped to their knees.
“Absolutely not, Your Majesty!”
“It’s not true, Your Majesty!”
“If that were not the case, you wouldn’t have demanded the salt distribution law be entrusted to you. So, tell me. How much did you take?”
The Emperor already knew.
Judging by Merchant Lord Jin’s expression, he knew as well.
No wonder there’d be a massive purge of eunuchs three months from now.
“I’ll find out when we investigate. Arrest them all!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
At the Emperor’s order, the Imperial Guards dragged the eunuchs away.
“We’ve been wronged, Your Majesty!”
“We’re innocent!”
Yeah, right.
Watching it all unfold felt… deeply satisfying.
Some might say I was being harsh, but this was nothing more than them reaping what they’d sown.
If they were innocent, they’d be released.
And those who were destined to die in three months… would.
Shortly after, we finally left the palace, walking under the cool shade of curved canopies.
Everyone… except me.
.
.
.
I was guided into a separate building.
“Please wait here for a moment.”
The eunuch treated me with the utmost respect. No doubt because he’d just witnessed the eunuchs who escorted us get hauled away.
“Understood.”
I was curious why I was being made to wait alone, but the eunuch offered no explanation whatsoever.
As I sat there thinking, a loud announcement echoed from outside the door.
“The Emperor approaches!”
I quickly stood up from my seat.
As the Emperor entered, I immediately bowed deeply.
“I humbly greet Your Majesty! Ten thousand years of life, ten thousand years, ten thousand ten thousand years!”
“Rise. You may be seated.”
“I am unworthy of Your Majesty’s boundless grace.”
I cautiously sat down. The Emperor sat right across from me.
A private audience with the Emperor!
Was this the real reason he summoned me to Beijing?
Father had said it. The reason I had to come was by the Emperor’s order.
“I summoned you here… to express my gratitude.”
“Pardon?”
“I heard you saved Merchant Lord Jin U-rim’s life in Sichuan. I wanted to thank you personally.”
“Ah… It was nothing, Your Majesty! I simply did what anyone should do. Receiving thanks from Your Majesty for something so obvious… I don’t deserve it.”
“Merchant Lord Jin once saved my life. If he had died carrying out my orders… I would’ve been deeply grieved.”
“…”
“So this is my way of expressing gratitude.”
I bowed silently in response.
“There is something else I wish to ask.”
“Please, ask anything.”
“When you requested to stay in the palace until sunset… was that intentional?”
“…Yes.”
I admitted it truthfully.
No point in lying when he already knew. Doing so might only invite his anger.
“It was because I realized the eunuchs had disrespected us and deliberately didn’t provide curved canopies. I figured… since there were attendants from the Imperial Tent Office present…”
“Which meant… canopies should’ve been provided.”
The Emperor nodded.
“So it was because they insulted you?”
“I can’t deny that was part of it. But there was a bigger reason.”
“What was it?”
“Because the Emperor’s own limbs—his eunuchs—dared to defy the Emperor’s orders.”
I continued.
“Merchants like us can freely travel the world, buy and sell goods, only because this nation is stable. If the Emperor’s command is ignored by those entrusted with governance, the world falls into chaos… and merchants like us suffer first.”
“Continue.”
“And if merchants suffer… forgive me for saying this… but the flow of goods will stop. And when that happens, the people suffer. Eventually, this nation…”
“Will collapse.”
“Forgive my boldness.”
“No. You speak truth. Why would I blame you for that?”
The Emperor spoke firmly.
“So in the end, you did this… for your own benefit?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor paused, then burst out laughing.
“Hahaha! You bold little fox! So you’re basically threatening me. That if merchants fall, the people fall… and so does the nation!”
I didn’t deny it.
Because that’s exactly what it was.
“In truth, I’ve been long displeased with their arrogance. I was waiting for an opportunity to deal with them.”
Just as I’d suspected.
“And… it seems I owe you both thanks and an apology.”
“…”
“I heard… you nearly lost your life on your way here. You managed to avert disaster with your quick thinking.”
“It was merely good fortune, Your Majesty.”
“No… it was my failure that led to that. I apologize.”
“Your Majesty, I do not deserve such words!”
“I’ve heard the men involved fled. And that Merchant Lord Jin requested the pursuit be called off.”
“…”
“That was your request, was it not?”
“They were only tools, Your Majesty. And their families… are innocent. If they were killed or left destitute, the resentment might eventually turn toward Your Majesty.”
The Emperor looked at me quietly.
“How old are you?”
“I am fifteen.”
“I see.”
As we exchanged a few more words, a eunuch approached.
“Your Majesty, the next audience is approaching.”
“Time has flown already?”
The Emperor spoke with a trace of regret.
“I hope we meet again in the future. Return safely.”
“I am unworthy of Your Majesty’s boundless grace.”
The Emperor left the room, and I let out a deep sigh.
I think I managed to say everything I wanted without offending him… but the pressure was overwhelming.
I felt my legs weaken without realizing it.
Still… to receive both gratitude and an apology from the Emperor himself…
Should I pass this story down for generations?
But the fact that it was said in private… probably means I should keep my mouth shut.
.
.
.
The merchant groups that had gathered at Merchant Lord Jin’s residence began to depart one by one.
Naturally. They were all busy people.
The Eunhae Merchant Group quickly prepared to return to Hubei as well.
Standing beside me was Seok Il-song.
Of all the gains from this trip to Beijing… he was without a doubt the greatest.
I’d caught a truly rare talent.
–TL Notes–
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