Chapter 52 :

Chapter 52. This Is How False Rumors Spread (2)

The next day.

A meeting was held at the Eunwol Pavilion, and I too attended the meeting.

“We’ve found the source of this rumor.”

Father spoke as he pushed forward the paper he had placed in front of him.

“These are documents sent from the Hao Sect.”

As expected, you used the Hao Sect.

Because our information could also leak into their hands, we had to make some additional maneuvers, but among the intelligence organizations we could use, it was still the most reliable.

Thinking back to the information we got when we tracked down Gong Mil’s residence made me sigh though.

Pavilion Master Jeok picked up the document and unfolded it.

“Sacheon Province, is it.”

“That’s right.”

“And as for the candidates…”

Information organizations always give only as much as the payment. The Hao Sect was no exception, never offering perfectly precise and detailed information.

This time was the same. They merely pointed out a few merchant groups under suspicion.

Damn it.

What useless bastards, taking our money and giving us scraps.

I calmed myself and looked over the candidate list. And then I sighed.

Because I felt like I knew where.

The Dan Merchant Group.

It could only be here.

Pavilion Master Yeon, who was also looking at the document, spoke.

“It’s here, the Dan Merchant Group.”

“I too think the same.”

So the others thought the same as well.

“It seems the Dan Merchant Group really is behind this.”

I let out a small laugh inside.

“With that greedy old man, of course it would be so.”

Pavilion Master Yeon continued.

“The problem is, where on earth was our surveillance net breached.”

That group was one of the merchant groups that produced ornamental dolls, one of the ones we were already monitoring.

And that surveillance net was breached?

That meant either the Eunhae Merchant Group’s branch in Sacheon Province had a problem, or the Dan Merchant Group moved so secretly they slipped past our watch.

“Could it be they have other collaborators?”

At elder brother Jeong-ho’s words, Father nodded.

“That possibility exists. For now we can’t judge anything with certainty… what’s immediately at hand is how to respond to the strange rumors about the Self-Dancing Doll.”

At Father’s words, everyone sighed.

“It’s already a business we’ve started, and it’s one that will bring nearly permanent profits in the future. To simply abandon it now, wouldn’t that be too wasteful?”

Then he glanced at me.

It seemed he had me in mind.

In truth, the reason the Eunhae Merchant Group had grown this far was because we held trust as our greatest virtue.

To be honest, there was one thing the Eunhae Merchant Group lacked.

That was the ability to devise strategies.

For the Eunhae Merchant Group to become a greater merchant group, the ability to think up stratagems was necessary.

Knowing this, when elder brother Jeong-ho became Merchant Group Leader, the role I volunteered for was precisely to devise strategies.

It suited my nature as well.

And from then, our merchant group, which had lingered near the bottom among the Hundred Great Merchant Groups of the realm, began to climb higher.

I like the people of the Eunhae Merchant Group.

That’s why, for their sake, and for the Eunhae Merchant Group, I intended to take responsibility for devising strategies again this time.

That did not mean betraying the trust our merchant group valued most.

Trust.

That is the very virtue a merchant must keep until the very end, the lifeline of a merchant.

Looking at Father, I spoke.

“Father, may your son say a word?”

“Yes, what is it?”

“I have a good method.”

I explained the stratagem I had conceived, and Father, as well as the others, nodded their heads.

“Good.”

“Not a bad measure at all.”

At Father’s words, the others also agreed. And elder brother Jeong-ho, with an expression of admiration, spoke.

“How on earth do you think of such measures every time?”

Elder brother Jeong-ho continued.

“When the former Pavilion Master of the Lotus Courtesan House committed the vile act of setting fire to the Finance Pavilion, I heard it was you who thought of the stratagem of ‘using the false to confound the true.’”

“Hahaha.”

I scratched under my ear.

Hearing praise always made that spot itch. Maybe I had a rash against compliments.

Father called me.

“Seoho.”

“Yes, Father.”

“But to execute the stratagem you spoke of, there is one precondition. Do you know what it is?”

“Yes, of course I know.”

I continued.

“It’s that someone trustworthy must take direct command of this matter.”

“Moreover, considering the possibility that someone in the Sacheon branch of our merchant group has already been bribed, all the more reason a trustworthy man must go.”

“That’s right.”

“And he must be able to respond swiftly to changing circumstances.”

At Father’s words, Chief Manager Yoo let out a sigh. And Pavilion Master Jeok, looking at Pavilion Master Yoo, smiled.

Pavilion Master Yeon also chuckled and said to Chief Manager Yoo.

“What can we do? The assistant is just too competent.”

Which meant…

“So, Seoho. You must go to Sacheon Province.”

As I had expected, Father ordered me to go to Sacheon.

Sacheon Province was virtually a natural fortress, and to reach it quickly, one had to either board a boat through the treacherous Yangtze Three Gorges, or cross the narrow and dangerous mountain path of Jiange, or go through the western jungles of the Sichuan Basin.

Of course, there was also the way through Shaanxi Province, but that took too long.

This was something that had to be handled swiftly.

In other words, this journey would be a hardship.

It would be a hundred times better to just sit in Chief Manager Yoo’s office and look at documents all day.

Even so, I had to go to Sacheon.

Even if this hadn’t come up, I had been planning to go there anyway.

Now that such an issue had arisen, in truth, it was convenient.

But because my reply was slow, perhaps to the others it looked like I was hesitating.

Chief of external affairs Go spoke.

“In fact, sending young master Jinho is also an option. But when you think about it, would young master Jinho be able to act skillfully according to the situation?”

Elder brother Jinho was indeed a very good person, but he could never endure injustice.

Too full of chivalry and righteous spirit, that was his flaw.

“…If he doesn’t draw his sword and cause trouble, it will already be fortunate.”

As expected, being his sword instructor, Chief of external affairs Go knew elder brother Jinho too well.

Father continued.

“The objective of this stratagem is to settle matters as quietly as possible. That way, we won’t create aversion among buyers.”

Having heard my stratagem, Father had already seen through to its essence.

The ability to pierce through to the core of a matter.

That was Father’s greatest ability.

It was because of that ability our merchant group had come this far.

“So, you must go.”

Elder brother Jeong-ho interjected.

“To tell the truth, I’d like to go myself, but, elder brother is busy.”

“…”

Well, elder brother Jeong-ho was surely drowning in tasks now, handling the new business ventures.

The most trustworthy person.

A person who can move according to the situation.

A person who has the authority.

A person who is the most free.

The one who fit all of these, was truly none other than me.

That was why I had expected that I would be the one to go.

“And since it’s the stratagem you thought of, you’d know it best, wouldn’t you?”

At elder brother Jeong-ho’s words, Father nodded.

“Go, and return.”

“Yes, Father.”

***

Sacheon Province.

The Merchant Lord of the Dan Merchant Group was receiving a report in his office.

“And so, it seems the Eunhae Merchant Group is suffering great losses, because they cannot sell the Self-Dancing Dolls.”

“Of course.”

“Even so, what an exquisite move.”

The way the Dan Merchant Group countered the Eunhae Merchant Group’s Self-Dancing Dolls was simple.

Make sure the Self-Dancing Dolls would not sell.

And to do so, they spread grotesque rumors about the dolls.

The Self-Dancing Dolls were too exquisitely crafted, almost like real people.

That was why, when a rumor spread that they contained human souls, people found it believable.

Feeling a sense of dread, people refrained from buying the dolls. Just as they thought.

“This success, is thanks to that man.”

“Indeed. He informed us that the Eunhae Merchant Group was watching us.”

“And he even turned a blind eye to our actions. We must reward him generously.”

“Do so. But remember this, no matter what, never give him any of our information.”

“Of course.”

One who betrays once, betrays again.

“But the question is, how will the Eunhae Merchant Group respond?”

“They will abandon this business.”

“They’ve already invested. Will they give it up so easily?”

“Rumors are not something you can silence so easily. The rumor will continue to follow the Self-Dancing Dolls, and then the authorities will come to investigate.”

“Ah!”

“The Merchant Lord of the Eunhae Merchant Group surely knows this. Would he still continue the business?”

“I see. But, what if they still don’t abandon it?”

“Then the authorities will come to investigate, and amidst that, we will learn the manufacturing method of the core components.”

“Ah!”

What had shackled them in their attempt to replicate the Self-Dancing Dolls, was precisely that.

The manufacturing method of the core components.

“With that, we can create dolls similar to theirs.”

“But wouldn’t that mean we’d end up wearing the filth we ourselves flung?”

“It may seem so, but as long as we don’t make them in human form, it will be fine.”

He smirked.

“People are simpler than you think. If it looks different, they’ll assume it is different.”

“Oh! Truly! That’s right!”

The Merchant Lord of the Dan Merchant Group and his adjutant smirked.

***

Before their eyes, a rainbow-like future gleamed brilliantly.

Clip, clop. Clip, clop.

The sound of horse hooves rang rhythmically.

Right now, I was riding a horse, heading toward Sacheon Province.

The carriage that carried my luggage, and in which I was supposed to ride, was coming along far behind.

The reason I was riding ahead to Sacheon Province was not at all because the carriage was uncomfortable.

It was to execute the stratagem I had thought of, and at the same time, to examine the Eunhae Merchant Group’s branch in Sacheon.

If, by any chance, there was someone in the branch who had sided with the Dan Merchant Group, then they would notify them of my arrival.

And then my stratagem could be obstructed.

So I requested that my journey to Sacheon Province be conducted in utmost secrecy.

Father too agreed with my reasoning.

Thus I went one step further, and headed toward Sacheon Province ahead of the others.

“Good heavens, young lord. When will you take a break?”

At Palgap’s words, I turned my head slightly and asked.

“Why? Are you tired?”

“My backside feels like it’s about to split.”

“For someone who says that, you ride quite well.”

I let out a small laugh.

A servant and an attendant are vastly different.

An attendant directly serves by the master’s side, so he must cultivate various skills accordingly.

Though Palgap seemed slow and clumsy like a bear, he was the son of a steward who held a position in the Eunhae Merchant Group.

And from an early age, grandfather had recognized in Palgap the qualities of an attendant, raising him as such, and eventually he became my attendant.

So horsemanship was a given, and he could also use some martial arts, and even a bit of swordsmanship.

At that moment, a warrior of the Silver Wind Squad, who had come to escort me, spoke.

“Just as young master Palgap says, it may be wise to take a short rest.”

For safety, the Silver Wind Squad was following along.

And among them, two had been assigned to guard me—warriors Yeo Eung-am and Lee Pil.

Come to think of it, warrior Yeo Eung-am was often appointed to guard me.

“If you don’t take timely rest, you’ll struggle once in Sacheon Province.”

Indeed…

Sacheon Province had a very hot and humid climate, sapping people’s strength.

That was why its cuisine of fiery and spicy dishes had developed, to fight heat with heat.

“Then, let us rest a little.”

“Yes.”

We decided to rest under the trees ahead.

“Whoa, whoa.”

Arriving beneath the tree, we tied the horses to the side. In the meantime, Palgap quickly spread out a mat.

“Here, sit down, young lord.”

“Thank you.”

“And how about some dumplings?”

Come to think of it, I was feeling a little hungry. And once we reached Sacheon, we didn’t know what might happen.

So better to eat while I had the chance.

“Let’s eat.”

“Yes.”

I also offered dumplings to warrior Yeo Eung-am and warrior Lee Pil.

So the four of us sat around, eating dumplings and drinking tea.

When suddenly, I felt something unpleasant.

It was repulsive.

That same repulsion I had once felt when visiting the Zhuge Family.

Which meant, there were people of the dark sect nearby.

I immediately rose, and gripped the hilt of the sword at my waist.

At my action, both warriors also laid their hands on their hilts.

“What is it?”

“It seems someone is nearby.”

Then warrior Yeo Eung-am briefly closed his eyes, then opened them and said.

“Over there.”

The direction he pointed was exactly where I had sensed someone’s presence.

“What shall we do?”

The best choice here was to leave quickly.

There was no good in needless clashes that spilled blood.

So I was about to leave.

“Please, save me!”

If not for a child’s voice calling out.