Reaping What You Sow (4)
My words made my great-uncle bristle.
"What? Hand over the position of merchant lord? What kind of nonsense is that?"
It was the reaction I'd expected, so I simply gazed at him steadily.
"Didn't I just ask what the current deficit is?"
At my question, he flinched.
"Could this thousand taels of silver cover the losses?"
"……."
He couldn't respond.
He knew better than anyone that it was impossible.
"In truth, I arrived in Guiju much earlier. Even if it's a completely different merchant group from Eunhae, you're still blood kin, aren't you? That's why Father sent me to find out exactly what's going on."
I continued.
"I already know the full situation. So there's no need to force your pride in front of me."
"……."
A brief silence fell.
"Heh heh heh heh."
Soon, laughter bubbled from his lips.
"Is that so? You already know everything? So what now? Are you planning to absorb Migwa Merchant Group into Eunhae?"
From his perspective, asking to take over as merchant lord could only mean that.
But,
"Why would you think we'd want to absorb this place?"
"What?"
"It seems like there's some misunderstanding."
"Misunderstanding? If that's not it, then why ask me to hand over the merchant lord position?"
"As the saying goes, 'If the lips are gone, the teeth will feel the cold.'"
It meant that without lips, the teeth would shiver from the chill.
"If Migwa Merchant Group is the lips, then our Eunhae Merchant Group is the teeth. If Migwa falls…"
"Fall? Who's falling?"
My great-uncle bristled again at my words.
"Great-uncle, face reality. From what I see, the accumulated deficit has easily surpassed thirty thousand taels of silver."
"……."
"In any case, if Migwa collapses, Eunhae will suffer too. We source our medicinal herbs for Guiju Province from here."
I pressed on.
"If Migwa goes under, Namho Merchant Group will become Guiju's top intermediary. And they won't keep prices as they are."
"……."
"They'll jack them up, no doubt. That's why Migwa can't be allowed to fail."
I paused to catch my breath before continuing.
"So, if you entrust the merchant lord position to me for the next six months, I'll try to save this Migwa Merchant Group."
"You really have no interest in taking over my merchant group?"
Why is this great-uncle so full of suspicions?
I sighed inwardly and countered.
"Great-uncle, do you really think Eunhae gains anything by swallowing Migwa? Wouldn't it be better to just start a new merchant group elsewhere?"
"……."
He had no reply.
I knew his pride wouldn't let him agree to a merger, so there was no point in pushing.
But why spend big money to save Migwa?
Because it benefits Eunhae Merchant Group.
"This proposal is also for Grandfather's sake, out of consideration for his nephew. Even so, shouldn't we hold our heads high when we visit him while he's still alive?"
He flinched and let out a sigh.
His current weakness was Grandfather.
To him, Grandfather was his uncle, and from what I knew, when his own father—my granduncle—died of illness, he'd entrusted his son to Grandfather.
That's why Grandfather passed the Eunhae merchant lord position to Father and stayed here for about five years, acting as guardian.
In my previous life, he'd been utterly devastated by news of this great-uncle's suicide.
After hearing me out, he pondered deeply.
But there was only one conclusion he could reach.
"How… do you plan to save Migwa Merchant Group?"
"That's a trade secret."
"What if things get worse in six months?"
"That won't happen, but if it does…"
I pulled three more bills from my pocket and placed them on the table.
Ten-thousand-tael silver bills, three of them.
"I'll give you these."
"……!"
His eyes widened.
I continued.
"So, great-uncle, you'll have to agree to one condition. If I turn Migwa's finances around and into the black within six months, what will you do?"
"Then…"
He thought for a moment before adding,
"I'll agree to the merger with Eunhae and hand over the merchant lord position—plus grant you one thing you want."
"So you're accepting our terms?"
"Ah…"
I grinned.
"Then starting today, I'm acting merchant lord."
.
.
.
The next day.
I gathered everyone from Migwa Merchant Group.
They all stared at me with faces full of questions.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Eun Seo-ho, vice leader of Eunhae Merchant Group and lord of Hyeonpung Province. Some of you may know, but the Migwa merchant lord is my great-uncle."
I went on.
"And starting today, for the next six months, I've been entrusted with the Migwa merchant lord position."
"……!"
Their expressions turned to shock.
"You all know better than anyone that Migwa's situation isn't good."
"……."
"Why would I take over the merchant lord role in a situation like this?"
I smiled.
"To try and save Migwa Merchant Group."
Doubt filled their eyes.
Doubt about whether this sinking—no, already sunk—merchant group could really be saved.
The employees knew the group's troubles better than anyone.
So they couldn't believe my words.
"Think it can't be done? But it can. Of course, one thing is absolutely necessary: your cooperation and support."
I took a breath and continued.
"Until now, Migwa has been your workplace and your lifeline. With the money earned here, you've supported your parents, raised your children, married off daughters, and sent sons to wed. Now, don't you think it's time to repay that favor?"
They nodded.
"We can't just stand by and watch Migwa collapse, can we?"
"R-right. Exactly. Letting it fail like this would be shameless."
"Of course! People should know gratitude."
"Then!"
Migwa, like Eunhae, was founded by my granduncle who'd learned the trade there.
That's why welfare for employees was good, and it was what kept them loyal in crisis.
This is why you treat people well in good times.
I'd stirred their hearts, but soon practical concerns would arise.
So solving those was key.
"As proof of my promise to save Migwa, today we'll pay all the back wages owed."
"R-really?"
"We're actually getting paid?"
I nodded.
From what great-uncle had told me, they'd sought a loan from Eunhae to pay salaries.
Already three months behind.
In that situation, promising back pay naturally skyrocketed their support.
"What I'll do over the next six months will be beyond your common sense. You'll probably say the acting merchant lord's gone mad ten times a day. So here's my advice."
I grinned.
"No need to understand. Just do as I say. Then, in six months, Migwa will overcome this hardship and become something you're proud of."
With that, I looked at great-uncle.
"Please say a word."
He cleared his throat awkwardly and stepped forward.
"Ahem, ahem. So it is. For the next six months, treat Eun Seo-ho, acting merchant lord, as me and serve him accordingly."
I addressed everyone.
"Anyone who doesn't want to work at Migwa?"
"……."
"If so, tell me by today. We'll settle your severance. But remember: once you're out, no coming back."
I flashed a grin.
"Alright, let's get to work!"
.
.
.
After assigning tasks to the workers, I headed to great-uncle.
He was in my quarters.
He'd stay secluded there for the next six months.
"Seo-ho."
Turning at the voice, I saw my cousin looking at me.
Eun Ji-seo.
Currently Migwa's vice leader.
"Yes, brother."
"Really… do you really think you can save this merchant group?"
Worry filled Ji-seo brother's eyes.
"I'll try."
"But why go to such lengths? For what?"
"Family ties."
"Family ties?"
"Merchants move for the sake of family, don't they?"
"……I see. Got it."
Ji-seo brother trudged away. Toward his quarters, by the look.
"Brother, where are you going?"
"My quarters. Father's handed the merchant lord role to you for now—what more is there for me here?"
"And?"
"So I have nothing to do. I'll just read books in my room."
"Brother, I took acting merchant lord, not acting vice leader. Get to work—where do you think you're slacking off to?"
"Huh?"
"Wait in the merchant lord's office first. Oh, and tell great-uncle to come there too."
A short while later,
Jin-ho brother and I entered the office to find great-uncle and Ji-seo brother waiting.
"You called for me?"
"Yes, great-uncle."
I sat and said,
"Tea?"
"No."
I glanced at Ji-seo brother, who shook his head too.
"Straight to business, then. I heard that around three months ago, several groups complained that the herbs sold by Migwa were substandard."
"Ah, yes."
Great-uncle nodded, then rage surged as the memory returned.
"But it's nonsense! Migwa may not excel elsewhere, but our goods are top quality. Substandard herbs? Hmph! What cheek!"
I listened silently.
After a while, his anger subsided, and he fell quiet.
"But isn't it strange? Those groups had dealt with Migwa for years, hadn't they?"
"Yes. That's why I'm even angrier!"
"What about them? They'd built trust over long dealings. Would they risk that over something trivial?"
"……."
"And it wasn't just one or two—five or six places."
I looked them in the eyes.
"Doesn't that seem off to you?"
Ji-seo brother nodded.
"Definitely strange."
Only then did realization dawn on great-uncle.
"N-now that you mention…"
"So I investigated, and found that the herbs Migwa supplied were indeed substandard."
"N-no way!"
He jumped up.
"It happened, despite the odds. How do you explain that?"
I turned to Jin-ho brother beside me.
"Brother, if you would."
"Got it."
Jin-ho brother left the office, returning soon with my two guard warriors.
Seo-u Warrior and Jin Yu Warrior.
And they brought a group of men into the office.
"W-what? You lot?"
Great-uncle looked back and forth between them and me in confusion.
"Familiar faces, right?"
He nodded.
"They worked for our merchant group. We let them go three months ago when things got tough."
I told them,
"Better tell the truth. We spared your lives, after all."
The Namho merchant lord, wary of evidence, must have worried they'd confess if they turned.
Yet he hadn't touched them for three months to avoid suspicion if new hires vanished too soon.
Now figuring it safe, he'd tried silencing them.
But Seo-u and Jin Yu Warriors had stopped that.
I'd sent them to watch and protect, expecting as much.
At my words, they knelt and slammed their heads to the floor.
"F-forgive us."
"We've committed a grave sin."
"Truly sorry."
Great-uncle panicked at the sudden apologies, clueless.
"Calm down—what's this about?"
"We… mixed defective goods into the shipments."
"……What?"
He looked deeply shocked.
No wonder—he'd treated the complaining merchants as frauds and turned them away, only for the goods to truly be faulty.