Unexpected Guest (1)
At last, the main headquarters of the Eunhae Merchant Group came into view.
The Yeo Eung-am warrior, riding behind on horseback, spoke to the Myeongjong warrior and the Changun warrior.
“That’s our Eunhae Merchant Group headquarters.”
“Pardon?”
“That place?”
They whipped around in surprise, blurting out their questions.
“It’s way bigger than I imagined.”
The two warriors had said they’d heard of our group before, but from their reaction, it seemed they’d only known the name.
No wonder they were so shocked at the sight of the headquarters.
“Of course it’s huge! It’s the second-largest merchant group in all of Hubei Province!”
It was second for now, but soon it would claim the top spot in Hubei.
With that hopeful resolve, we entered the headquarters grounds.
“Whoa, whoa!”
The coachman reined in the horses.
Palgap quickly hopped down from the carriage and unfolded the step.
As I stepped out, the entire family was there to welcome us.
“Did everything go well?”
At Grandfather’s gentle question, my parents and I bowed deeply in greeting.
“This junior has returned safely.”
“We’ve returned unharmed, Father.”
“Your grandson has returned.”
“I’m glad you’re all safe.”
After paying our respects to Grandfather, I glanced to the side. Brother Jin-ho and my two sisters-in-law looked healthy as ever.
Right now, Brother Jeong Ho was in Beijing overseeing the establishment of the branch there.
Once I headed to Beijing, Jeong Ho would return to headquarters.
Setting up the Beijing branch was crucial work, so one of the sub-branch leaders had to stay on top of it.
With greetings exchanged, my parents and Grandfather headed inside.
Thankfully, Geon-hyeok and Bo-yeon hadn’t forgotten my face. The way they burst into giggles the moment they saw me proved it.
Palgap muttered something upon seeing that, but...
Seeing my eldest sister-in-law alone like this made me feel a bit guilty. I needed to get to Beijing soon and switch places with Jeong Ho.
“Hey, did you have fun?”
At Brother Jin-ho’s question, I tilted my head.
“Fun with what?”
“Don’t play dumb. The Dragon-Phoenix Tournament this time. Ah... I wanted to watch it too.”
His expression was like that of a sulky puppy, stirring a twinge of guilt in me.
But thinking back, it was a good thing I’d gone.
Unlike my previous life, Mother had attended the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament. In that situation, Jin-ho probably wouldn’t have been able to watch like in the past—he’d have been off fetching clamshell powder and lime powder.
If something had happened to Mother...
Just imagining it was horrifying.
But that hadn’t happened now, so no matter.
I flashed a grin and replied.
“It was great. Oh, and Sister Hyang-ok competed too.”
“Hyang-ok did?”
“She came with disciples from the Ami Sect. Made it to the third round of the preliminaries, I think?”
“Wow, impressive!”
“Don’t congratulate her when you see her next.”
“Why not?”
“She was pissed about getting eliminated.”
“Ugh!”
Jin-ho, who knew Hyang-ok’s temper well, flinched.
“Thanks for the heads-up. So, how’d it end?”
“Oh, the winner was Peng Gang-un of the Hubei Peng Clan, and the runner-up was Jegal Yu-a.”
“Really? The Jegal clan’s young lady took second?”
Jin-ho was more shocked by Jegal Yu-a’s runner-up finish than Peng Gang-un’s win.
He knew it too.
The Jegal clan’s martial prowess wasn’t particularly renowned.
“By the way, who are those two new faces?”
I introduced the warriors to him.
“They’re joining my guard detail. Warriors from the Huashan and Zhongnan sects—I’m keeping them with me due to circumstances.”
“Got it.”
I introduced Jin-ho to them.
“This is my second brother.”
“I’m Eun Jin-ho.”
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Myeongjong.”
“I’m Changun. Pleased to meet you.”
After the greetings, Jin-ho patted my shoulder.
“You must be tired. Go rest up.”
“Yeah.”
I headed to my pavilion with everyone. With six guards now, it’d be cramped housing them all here.
Like in my previous life, I’d probably need to build a separate building next to the pavilion.
I entered my room.
Not a speck of dust anywhere—the servants must have cleaned diligently after hearing I was coming back.
Returning home after so long felt strangely good.
Not bad strange, but like reuniting with something dearly missed.
One conclusion.
Home really was the best.
.
.
.
That evening, I visited Outer Steward Go Il-pyeong.
To request training for the Myeongjong and Changun warriors.
“Come in.”
As I entered his office, the outer steward greeted me with a hearty smile.
“Ha ha ha! For the hero of the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament, the Swordsman Beauty, to grace this humble place—such an honor!”
It hadn’t even been a full day, and the news had already reached him!
Father...
“Stop teasing. I’m embarrassed enough as it is.”
“Ha ha ha! I know you’re not the least bit fazed. You’re probably already scheming how to leverage that ‘hero’ title.”
“...”
Damn, the outer steward knew me too well.
“So, what brings you here?”
“Actually, I took in two warriors from Luoyang this time.”
I explained the situation in detail. He needed to know, even if others didn’t.
“Hmm, so you rescued them right before they could be excommunicated.”
“Yes.”
The outer steward tapped the desk thoughtfully, then nodded.
“Understood. I’ll train them well.”
“Please do. Oh, and they’ll need about three months. They lack real combat experience.”
“Then, as you say, three months of training it is.”
With that settled, I rose to leave.
“Sub-branch Leader.”
Suddenly, the outer steward clasped his hands in salute and bowed to me.
Startled, I waved my hands frantically.
“What’s this? Please, lift your head.”
“No. I’m thanking you right now. If something terrible had befallen the Group Leader and his wife during the tournament because of that incident...”
“...”
“I nearly failed to repay the grace you’ve shown me.”
The outer steward continued.
“So, thank you. I won’t forget this favor.”
Who’d have thought I’d receive thanks from the outer steward?
A bit embarrassing, but not a bad feeling.
As he raised his head, he asked,
“Where are the two warriors?”
“Oh, they’re right outside.”
“Quick as ever.”
We stepped out of the office.
There stood the Jin Yu warrior and Yeo Eung-am warrior with Myeongjong and Changun.
“I’m Go Il-pyeong, outer steward of the Eunhae Merchant Group and captain of the Silver Wind Squad.”
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Myeongjong.”
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Changun.”
They saluted with clasped hands.
“Starting tomorrow, you’ll train with the Silver Wind Squad for three months. Only then can you guard the Eunhae family. Devote yourselves fully.”
“Understood.”
“We will.”
The outer steward nodded.
“You must feel downcast and worried about the future now. I understand. But since it’s come to this, give it your all. Who knows—you might shake the martial world someday. Like how I earned the moniker One Sword Shocks the Heavens.”
At “One Sword Shocks the Heavens,” the warriors’ eyes sparkled.
Go Il-pyeong’s reputation was well-known in the martial world.
From his words, it seemed the outer steward had been in a similar situation...
No wonder Father hadn’t opposed taking them in.
.
.
.
The next day.
I did my breathing exercises in the pavilion courtyard for the first time in ages.
No word yet from Master returning, so personal training today.
I reviewed everything I’d learned, step by step.
I couldn’t let Master say my skills had regressed.
After morning practice, I washed up and headed to the dining hall.
“The hero has arrived!”
At Brother Jin-ho’s teasing voice, full of mischief, I could only sigh.
“Ah, Brother!”
“What? You are a hero. Hero of the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament! It’s even in this book...”
That was the book Palgap had been reading before: Thirty-Sixth Dragon-Phoenix Tournament’s Rising Heroes.
“How’d you even get that?”
“Asked Manager Yoon for it, obviously.”
“How’d you know about it?”
“Of course! I’ve got volumes from the fifteenth onward in my collection.”
“...”
“Look, it’s right here: Great Hero Swordsman Beauty Eun Seo-ho, White Sword Bear Seo-u Daehyeop.”
“Ugh!”
As I grimaced like I’d bitten into rotten cabbage, the family burst into laughter at my expression.
After the meal, I attended a Silver Moon Pavilion meeting for the first time in a while.
As expected, today’s hot topic was my becoming a hero at the tournament without even competing.
“To become a hero without entering the tournament!”
“This will go down in martial history.”
“Indeed.”
Sigh... They were serious about the teasing.
“Speaking of which, I hear the Sichuan branch manager’s daughter advanced to the finals with excellent results. Shouldn’t we send a congratulatory telegram?”
“Yes, indeed. Division Head Jeok.”
At Father’s words, Jeok Byeong-cheol bowed.
“Yes, I’ll send the telegram.”
“Then let’s begin the meeting.”
The first to speak was Inner Steward Yu So-ak.
“This year’s harvest looks ominous, just as Third Sub-branch Leader predicted... A famine is coming.”
It was mid-October now.
Harvest season was nearly over.
“As expected?”
“Of course, we have ample reserves to last years, but a famine will shrink consumer spending.”
Upper Division Head Sang-yu nodded at the inner steward’s words.
“As Inner Steward says, stifled spending means virtually no growth for the group next year.”
No one opens their purse in a famine.
“Any countermeasures?”
At Father’s question, Upper Division Head replied,
“We target the wealthy. Even in famine, landlords will manage.”
“True.”
I raised my hand.
“I have a suggestion.”
“What is it?”
“First, bolster the courtesans at our Lotus Pavilion branches.”
“Courtesans?”
“Yes. When famines worsen, the state always issues it: the alcohol ban.”
“Ah!”
“So we need entertainment without liquor.”
“Makes sense.”
Then Brother Jin-ho muttered,
“Sigh, so no drinking? Bummer.”
“Wait, didn’t you quit?”
“Just cut back.”
“Don’t worry. When the ban lifts, I’ll let you sample every liquor in the empire.”
“Huh?”
I continued.
“This ban will last a while. Who’ll suffer most?”
“Brewers?”
“I want to gather failing brewers under Eunhae. We’re not a fly-by-night operation.”
Father’s eyes gleamed at my words.
“Preparing for post-famine, then?”
“Yes. Invest now for a bright future.”
I proposed it for those reasons, but the real one was different.
The prolonged famine led the palace to order merchants to import grain from abroad.
Foreigners loved the empire’s liquors most.
But by then, countless breweries had shuttered, brewers scattered—causing headaches.
Amid that, Baekcheon Merchant Group dominated trade with a martial clan’s liquor, raking in profits.
That propelled them into the top hundred merchants.
The ban reminded me of Hangzhou’s taverns.
Sung Clan’s Sung Jun, who’d ousted the Yangyang martial hall for a tavern.
Come to think of it, Sung Jun’s tavern construction was lagging due to funds.
I’d need to visit Hangzhou sometime.
Such thoughts drew a sigh.
So much to do, but Beijing branch first.
“You’re right.”
Father nodded.
“Frankly, your advice lets us discuss leisurely like this. Without it, we’d be scraping by too.”
Everyone nodded.
The meeting concluded adopting my proposals.
“By the way, your birthday’s the day after tomorrow.”
Right.
November held my birthday; after it, I’d turn twenty-one.
“Anything you want?”
After a moment’s thought, I nodded.
“Yes, Father. I do have one request.”