Chapter 30
Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Return to the Eun Merchant Group
As we entered Beijing, the streets were bustling with people.
Glancing around for any pretty girls, Eun Garyeon spoke up first.
"Hee-hee, is this your first time in Beijing?"
I must have looked like some country bumpkin heading to the big city.
Well, Shanxi was pretty rural compared to Hebei or Beijing.
Since it was my first time in this life, I nodded vaguely.
Eun Garyeon puffed up with pride.
"Anything you're curious about Beijing? I'm a local, after all..."
"How much farther to the Eun Merchant Group?"
I cut her off mid-sentence, and she looked disappointed.
Still, she smiled again and answered.
"Not far. I'll repay the money you lent me as soon as we get there. Oh, should I give you the leftover now?"
"Hand it all over at once later."
The money I'd lent her was twenty silver taels.
Eight were left.
For reference, of the twelve taels spent on expenses, I'd used ten myself.
The two of them together had only spent two.
That was even with free access to the brothels through Brothel Hall.
'Thanks to that, I ate whatever I wanted to my heart's content.'
The Jang guy grumbled now and then, but Eun Garyeon had generously approved everything, making for a very satisfying trip.
'Wonder if I'll actually get it back, though.'
From what I'd heard through the Shadow Gate Sect, the Eun Merchant Group was in dire straits right now.
Oblivious to it all, Eun Garyeon walked ahead with light steps, in high spirits.
"Jang So-hyeop, you've worked hard. I'll give you a fat bonus, so look forward to it."
"Thank you."
The Jang guy's face was brighter than usual; he must be thrilled to be back in Beijing.
Eun Garyeon kept chattering on.
"Brother Mok, why not stick around for the celebration? I sealed a big deal, so I sent a letter ahead to Uncle asking him to prepare a grand feast. It should be ready by now..."
"Hmm. Sure."
I gave a half-hearted reply.
Her head seemed full of flowers right now, but according to the Shadow Gate Sect, the Eun Merchant Group was a total shitshow.
The kind that stank just hearing about it.
'This oughta be interesting.'
An hour later, we arrived at the Eun Merchant Group.
"Garyeon! Where the hell have you been, showing up only now?!"
No sign of the grand feast she'd mentioned. Instead, a middle-aged man who looked about forty came out yelling.
"Uncle...? Didn't you get my letter...?"
Eun Garyeon panicked at the unexpected turn.
But her uncle, Eun Taehyeok, flew into a rage.
"I got it. You want me to prepare a feast while the merchant group is falling apart? And you're supposed to be the leader?!"
"Wait, Uncle...? What are you talking about?"
Eun Garyeon, fresh off the road, was utterly baffled.
Onlookers muttered among themselves.
"You hear that...? She wanted a feast."
"Bullshit. After months away?"
"Our pay's three months late, and she wants a party?"
They were Eun Merchant Group employees, unpaid for months.
Eun Taehyeok must have gathered them at the gate after getting her letter.
'This is fun.'
Knowing the full story already, I found the scene quite entertaining.
Eun Garyeon and the Jang guy, though, floundered in confusion.
"Uncle, what is this? The employees' pay is late...?"
"You become leader and can't even look after your people first—feast instead! I'm ashamed to face your late father!"
The guy was busy tearing her down in front of everyone.
Finally, she raised her voice too.
"Uncle! Give me a proper explanation...!"
Right on cue, someone else chimed in.
"Chief Manager, that's enough. The leader just arrived—why not go inside and talk it over?"
"Ahem, if the deputy manager says so..."
Eun Taehyeok backed off when the deputy manager intervened.
I was sure this was all staged too.
'But who's that guy?'
The deputy manager was a martial artist hiding his internal energy.
A highly skilled one, at that.
'Shadow Gate Sect didn't mention him.'
I'd have to revise what the Jang guy said last time about him being the top expert there.
This deputy manager was no ordinary fellow.
If I had to compare, he was on par with my father.
No way a single merchant group should have someone like that.
'Not Red Serpent Sect... maybe planted by the Four Black Alliance?'
Even Red Serpent Sect wouldn't have many at that level—maybe just their leader.
High chance he was one of Chu Mun-rak's underlings.
"Deputy Manager!"
Eun Garyeon lit up, like they were close.
The deputy manager gave a kindly smile.
"Whatever happened, you've been through a lot. Let's go inside and discuss."
Just as things seemed to wrap up...
"Hmm, but who might you be?"
Eun Taehyeok finally noticed me and piped up.
I could say bodyguard or temporary companion.
Given the mood, either would work.
But I had other plans.
"Me? Creditor."
Eun Taehyeok's eyebrow twitched.
"Creditor? What do you mean?"
"This young lady said she had no travel funds, so she borrowed from me. I'm here to collect."
The tidy atmosphere turned chaotic again.
The Jang guy squeezed his eyes shut, muttering, "Of all times..."
Eun Garyeon was already under fire, and I'd just handed them more ammo in front of everyone.
Eun Taehyeok seized it, raising his voice.
"Wh-what is this...?! Eun Garyeon! Is that true?!"
He feigned outrage, but I caught his lips twitching in glee.
The deputy manager radiated quiet satisfaction too.
'Good. Chew her up good.'
I silently cheered Eun Taehyeok on.
They were undermining her position in the merchant group.
Exactly what I wanted.
'Then I swoop in dramatically at the end.'
I'd been pondering how to win her over, and this was perfect.
Rescuing someone in a pinch was a time-tested way to boost favor.
And wipe out the Red Serpent Sect goons in one go.
Two birds, one stone.
'Kuh, perfect. Absolutely perfect.'
But Eun Garyeon, cornered because of me, squeezed her eyes shut.
"...It's true. Let's go inside and talk it all over..."
"How much money did the merchant group have when you left, and you blow it all and borrow more?!"
Eun Taehyeok cut her off, refusing to listen.
It got me curious.
'How much did she take with her to make him flip like that?'
From what I'd seen, neither she nor the Jang guy were spendthrifts.
Hell, I'd spent way more on the trip than both of them combined.
Eun Taehyeok answered my question.
"You took twenty gold taels with you—twenty gold taels! Where did all that go that you had to borrow more?!"
'Huh? Twenty gold taels? That's a lot.'
For reference, one gold tael equals twenty silver taels.
Meaning she'd left with twenty times what she borrowed from me.
Even when recruiting me as an escort, her offered pay was two silver taels.
She'd burned through four months' pay for two hundred escorts...
'Is that even possible?'
Not just me—the watching employees buzzed again.
Finally, Eun Garyeon bowed her head.
"We can discuss that inside too."
"Hah... I just don't get it."
Eun Taehyeok sighed loudly for all to hear.
Eun Garyeon flushed red.
"Creditor... or was it claimant? Sorry, but could you come back tomorrow?"
Eun Taehyeok spoke to me kindly now, laced with gratitude.
I agreed readily.
"Hmm, the mood here's off. I'll come back in the morning then?"
"Appreciate it."
While we talked, Eun Garyeon kept her head down, face red.
She didn't seem angry...
'Embarrassed, huh?'
Makes sense. She'd bragged nonstop about the Eun Merchant Group the whole trip.
Even an hour ago, talking about the feast—now she couldn't even repay a loan.
After Eun Garyeon, Eun Taehyeok, and the deputy manager left, the Jang guy glared at me.
"Why say that?"
"What? Creditor?"
"Yes."
"Did I say anything wrong? It's my twenty silver taels. Gotta collect."
"..."
The Jang guy was speechless.
But his eyes burned with resentment.
"Hey, whatever. That chief manager guy—Eun Garyeon's uncle?"
"...Yes."
"Then what's the deputy manager?"
"You mean Deputy Manager?"
He frowned at my tone but sighed, remembering that's just how I talked.
"Sigh, what do you want to know?"
Now that he asked, I wasn't sure where to start.
'Does this guy even know anything?'
But spilling that the deputy was a martial artist would spoil the fun.
After a moment, I picked something he might know.
"How long has that deputy been with the Eun Merchant Group?"
"Deputy Manager? About four years ago, the former leader brought him in. Why?"
The Jang guy tilted his head, sensing something off.
Too much hassle to explain.
"Just. Don't like his face. Anyway, I'm out."
I patted his shoulder and left the Eun Merchant Group.
'Where was Brothel Hall in Beijing again?'
I needed more detailed info on the Eun Merchant Group.
And that deputy manager too.
...Definitely not to fool around with courtesans.