Murim Troubleshooter Chapter 17 : The Secret of Managing Affairs

Chapter 17: The Secret of Managing Affairs

Princess Peach Blossom slowly swept her gaze across the assembly.

The eunuchs were pale as white paper, Eun Hwaran and the workers were bewildered, and even the boy who was watching the situation with keen interest.

The tip of Cheonsugong’s sword was lowered just beneath the throat of the eunuch who dared to bark ‘you wench’. And it was radiating a cold blue Sword Qi.

“Wh-why would soone as unworthy as Your Highness co to such a noble place...?”

Wang Jinggong, still reeling from the shock of her sudden appearance, made another slip of the tongue.

The princess didn’t answer. Instead, she slowly examined the silkworm chamber.

It was impressive—contrary to her expectations. To think they had raised this many silkworms without a Sericulture Officer.

She had assud the place was in ruins before coming. She had even visited in person as royalty, planning to forcibly pass them through the inspection.

‘Seems that wasn’t even necessary.’

Who would believe this was a newly established silkworm chamber? They had achieved an unbelievable result in such a short ti. It was almost suspicious.

Princess Peach Blossom glanced at the young female Trading Lord. Perhaps the saying "there are no worthless daughters of tiger fathers" held true.

It had been the right decision to honor her promise with the Spring Radiance Tycoon.

“Wang Jinggong! I don’t hear your apology! Do you not plan to press that blasphemous mouth to the ground?!”

Cheonsugong’s glare burned coldly, implying there were matters to address before asking questions.

He released an intense killing intent, declaring he would sever any necks that refused to bow.

“I-I have committed a grave offense! Your Highness!”

To insult royalty was a capital offense. Ignorance didn’t excuse the cri.

Knowing this, the eunuchs, who had previously stood tall, were now bowing deeply and begging for forgiveness.

Originally, it was supposed to be the princess who would face backlash for forcibly passing the chamber through with her royal decree.

But the chamber turned out to be much better than expected, and Wang Jinggong’s reckless words handed her both justification and leverage.

In short, the sword’s hilt had passed to her hands.

“If you’ve committed a cri worthy of death, then you should die. Yes?”

“Heeeek!”

Cheonsugong threatened to take their heads right then and there.

Princess Peach Blossom observed the scene with a faint smile.

In an instant, the situation had flipped.

Princess Peach Blossom had overturned the entire stage.

“We—we were rely following the orders of the Second Prince...!”

“We never intended to offend you!”

“Your Highness, please, spare our lives...!”

The minor powers of the imperial court were now smashing their heads into the ground, begging for rcy.

Without a word—just by appearing—this woman had reversed a hopeless situation.

So this was the power held by one born of the Emperor’s blood.

“Speak! Did the Second Prince order you to insult Princess Peach Blossom?!”

“Gasp! Absolutely not...”

“Then you insulted Her Highness of your own will by calling her ‘wench’?”

“T-that too is a misunderstanding!”

anwhile, Cheonsugong was swinging his cloudy Sword Qi like a madman, sucking the very soul out of the eunuchs.

“...Mujin, where on earth did you find these people?”

The question ca from Eun Hwaran, who had silently slipped next to Dan Mujin.

There was a hint of disbelief in her voice.

“Right?”

He had a hunch these people were extraordinary, but he hadn’t expected they’d be a eunuch and a princess.

Dan Mujin felt his instincts were still sharp.

He hadn’t beco a troubleshooter for nothing.

“Noona, you owe

again, right?”

“...All you did was escort the people who said they were coming.”

He tried to sneak in credit for himself.

Despite all the trials she’d faced today, Eun Hwaran remained a sharp rchant.

“By the way, what are you doing...?”

“This? My foot suddenly got itchy.”

That eunuch guy had unleashed killing intent in front of the Heaven-Slaying Star.

The Evil Star inside him was going wild. Since he couldn’t sit cross-legged in this situation, he had to quickly deploy a Movent Technique to calm it down.

Tsss-tsst-tsst—

The Heaven-Slaying Star reluctantly fell back asleep.

“Wang Jinggong of the Sanguigam, listen.”

After a long silence, Princess Peach Blossom finally spoke.

A soft yet noble voice ca from beyond her veil.

“Though the selection of sericulture sites falls under the authority of the Sanguigam, upon witnessing the process firsthand today, I have realized it to be deeply unjust.”

She spoke the undeniable truth.

Eun Hwaran nodded vigorously in agreent beside her.

Her clenched fists suggested she had been holding back a lot after enduring so much malice earlier.

“Even without a Sericulture Officer, this chamber raised such fine silkworms. If evaluated fairly, passing it would be the logical conclusion.”

There were still many mysteries about how they succeeded, but ultimately, results were what mattered.

And the result here was exceptional.

“H-however...”

The tide had completely turned. The eunuchs made one last desperate attempt.

“However?”

The princess’s voice took on a sharp edge, causing the eunuchs to flinch.

“Cheonsugong, what’s the punishnt for insulting royalty?”

“Imdiate execution, Your Highness.”

Cheonsugong’s eyes blazed with nace. His sheathed sword rose halfway from its scabbard.

At her command, he looked ready to slice their throats in a single stroke.

“Think carefully, eunuchs.”

Having used Cheonsugong to instill fear in the room, Princess Peach Blossom now coaxed them toward a wise decision.

“Even if your heads roll here, do you think my brother who instigated this will care? You failed your orders and insulted royalty on top of it.”

“...”

A painfully realistic point.

They had planned to crush the Eunseong Trading Company and earn favor from a Grand Eunuch—but now they were barely hanging onto their lives.

“Urgh...!”

Wang Jinggong let out a choked sound and hung his head.

Who could have imagined Princess Peach Blossom, who had quietly stayed in the Imperial Princess’s Palace, would co all the way here herself?

As she said, the Second Prince would likely click his tongue and soon forget these useless eunuchs.

In short, resisting would only lead to a aningless death.

“Wang Jinggong of the Sanguigam... I humbly accept Princess Peach Blossom’s advice...”

Wang Jinggong spoke as if swallowing a thorn.

Nearby, the eunuchs closed their eyes tightly, as if saying, “It’s over now.”

“And by saying that, you an?”

She gave him no room to escape. Truly a thorough person.

In the end, Wang Jinggong had no choice but to utter the words that would put an end to his ambition and path to success, right in front of all the chamber staff.

“The Eunseong Trading Company’s gold assessnt is... approved.”

A reluctant approval. He had co here to crush the Eunseong Trading Company, but instead, he had gifted them wings.

And the workers in the chamber jumped up with bright faces in response to the declaration.

“Ooh!”

“We got the business rights...!”

“Finally, finallyyyy!”

Their eyelids darkened from countless all-nighters. But now, feeling their hardships had paid off, they embraced one another and let out cheers.

With this, the Eunseong Trading Company had finally caught its breath.

“It’s done, it’s really done, Mujin!”

In that surging joy, Eun Hwaran suddenly hugged Dan Mujin beside her.

He was breathless, it was soft, and a faint lotus scent wafted from her.

She probably thought he was just a normal kid, so she didn’t hesitate with the physical contact.

But after Eun Hwaran, others followed suit and pounced.

“Thank you, kid!”

“Thanks to you, I can feed my family!”

“I’m sorry I ignored you at first. You’re a hero of the chamber...!”

The chamber’s n embraced Dan Mujin one after another, laughing heartily and patting him proudly.

Their sour stench from sleepless nights and thick chest hair jabbed at his face.

“...Ah, please.”

The foul odor dug into his nostrils.

It was the middle of sumr.

Power always collapses before even greater power.

With the arrival of Princess Peach Blossom, the nasty eunuchs bowed and retreated.

Thanks to her, the chamber was now in full celebration mode.

In the midst of the chaos, I glanced at the veiled woman who had been called the princess.

“I’ve heard many stories from the Spring Radiance Tycoon, but this is my first ti seeing you in person, Trading Lord Eun Hwaran.”

The princess ntioned her ties with the forr Trading Lord, the Spring Radiance Tycoon.

“...It’s an honor, Your Highness.”

Eun Hwaran lowered herself respectfully, expressing her gratitude and humility.

This was a conversation between the two most influential won in the chamber.

“I never imagined Your Highness would co all the way out here.”

Even Wang Jinggong hadn’t seen this coming.

She had always been cautious with her movents, and now she had suddenly appeared.

“How could I not co? I heard the death of the Spring Radiance Tycoon was highly suspicious. If that’s true... then I too bear a fair share of responsibility.”

Of course, the Spring Radiance Tycoon had knowingly jumped into the shadows of the imperial household. Moved by the princess’s greater cause.

But since his daughter had been dragged into it without consent, the princess felt it was her duty to co herself despite the risks.

“...Father always said that if you receive a favor, you must repay it. This grace you’ve shown by helping Eunseong despite the danger, I will repay it with all my heart.”

Perhaps the answer she’d been hoping for, the princess nodded, her veil swaying slightly.

“Then if you ever need help regarding finances in the future, please call upon , Your Highness.”

“Those are kind words. I’ll rember them.”

It was a mont where the broken bond between imperial power and financial might was reforged.

The princess had likely co personally aiming for this result.

And since Eun Hwaran had stepped into imperial business, she likely accepted the princess’s protection knowing such situations could arise again.

As the two won organized their shared interests, they began discussing what would follow the sericulture business rights.

Then suddenly, the princess asked this:

“So, what was the secret?”

She still seed curious about how they had revived the chamber without a Sericulture Officer.

At this, Eun Hwaran glanced in my direction and pointed.

“It was thanks to that child.”

The princess’s veiled head tilted slightly in surprise.

“...Incredible. No wonder he answered those difficult questions so easily earlier.”

It seed the noble lady rembered my earlier performance.

I puffed my chest out proudly.

“But the knowledge of sericulture is known only to a select few in the royal family. Just who is that child...?”

When she asked about my identity, I shrank my chest back in.

I couldn’t exactly tell her I was soone from modern Earth.

“Well, his origin... Hwang Noya asked us to keep it a secret...”

Eun Hwaran explained that Hwang Noya was a martial expert helping the trading company and that I was his disciple, hoping they’d overlook it as a Murim matter.

“Do you realize hiding one’s identity in front of royalty is a great disrespect, Trading Lord?”

“That is...”

There’s no such thing as inviolability before royalty. Eun Hwaran trailed off in a low voice.

“However, today is a good day for eting you, and your earlier actions have offset your offense, so I shall overlook it this ti, naless child.”

I could feel the solemn gaze behind the veil turning toward .

Honestly, I didn’t know how I would respond if she pressed about where I got my knowledge, so I owed Eun Hwaran for helping

dodge a bullet.

A sigh of relief escaped .

Anyway, with the uncomfortable issue resolved, I didn’t miss the chance to promote myself to this imperial authority, Princess Peach Blossom.

“My na is Dan Mujin.”

It didn’t sit well with

to remain a naless kid in her mory.

You never knew when we might et again.

“And as you saw today, I have quite a few talents. Should there ever co a ti you need help, please call on

as well.”

Even on Earth, clients with power—those wearing gold badges—always offered jobs with different pay scales.

For example, if you dug up dirt or weaknesses on rival candidates, the reward could be in the thousands.

So I took this chance to imprint my fine face.

“Ha! How absurd. Her Highness has the Eastern Depot at her disposal. What could a brat like you possibly...!”

Then the eunuch uncle, Cheonsugong, scoffed and blocked my approach.

Though oddly, he didn’t ntion the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

“How bold of you. But for so reason, I don’t find it displeasing.”

I could feel her veiled gaze softly resting on .

A boy who is at least the disciple of a top-class martial artist and skilled in raising insects.

“You say you want to help ... Truly admirable. Very well, I shall rember you.”

My serious pitch had been treated as the impetuousness of a child.

But I had expected as much—no one gets full returns from the first attempt.

Like eting a final boss character through an event in the early stages of a ga.

Just having made her rember my na ant I had achieved my initial goal.

“I dislike you, brat. So I’ll rember you too. In a different way...”

The eunuch uncle’s cryptic declaration.

I couldn’t tell if eting that man was a blessing or a curse.

“Then, Trading Lord, I shall take my leave now. Since my identity has been revealed, lingering longer would not bode well.”

Princess Peach Blossom gave her quick farewell, perhaps having completed the succession of her promise with the forr Trading Lord and aligned their understanding.

She said she would send soone to coordinate the finer details and thus break off here.

Would sothing ominous co if she stayed longer? No wonder she rarely left the Princess’s Palace.

It must be exhausting in many ways to be royalty.

“Well then, let’s et again soday. Trading Lord. And you too, boy over there.”

Princess Peach Blossom gave her parting words, veil fluttering gently.

And behind her, Cheonsugong followed like a shadow.

Judging from his strange movents and footwork, he seed to be no ordinary master.

“But in the end, I never saw what was under the veil.”

They say a face is a badge of identity. Even a fleeting lift of her veil had the eunuchs dropping flat to the ground, recognizing her imdiately.

“Right, I heard rumors that she’s the most peerless beauty in the entire imperial palace.”

They say she’s another one of the three Spring Beauties of Beijing. I felt a pang of regret at Eun Hwaran’s comnt.

“Is she that beautiful? Even more than you, Noona?”

So far, I had only seen one of the three Spring Beauties in Beijing.

“...Well, you’ll only know once you compare.”

She normally disliked being likened to flowers, but...

As expected, beauties seed to harbor strong pride in their appearance, even subconsciously.

Then I should take advantage of that.

“Noona, I’m sure you’re far more beautiful.”

“Hmph, how would you know when you didn’t even see her face... Still, thanks for saying it.”

The princess is far, but Eun Hwaran is close.

Even though she pretended otherwise, Eun Hwaran’s twitching lips suggested she wasn’t displeased.

This was the secret essence of Mujin-style diplomacy.

Once a request succeeds, paynt begins.

This is the law of money that doesn’t change, whether in the modern world or the Central Plains.

And after a short banquet celebrating the successful assessnt, silence settled in the Trading Lord’s chamber of the Eunseong Trading Company.

“Will this do?”

Eun Hwaran suddenly dropped a gleaming, yellow gold ingot onto the desk with a thud.

“...!”

It was a small gold ingot, no bigger than two segnts of a big toe. But that alone exceeded over a decade’s worth of my warehouse assistant salary.

I was so shocked I froze, unable to react.

Across both my past and present lives, I’d never received a lump of gold this size. Even on Earth, this would be incredibly rare. Just how many nyang was that?

“...I see. It’s not enough, is it?”

But perhaps misunderstanding my reaction, Eun Hwaran plopped down another yellow bar with another thud.

“...!!”

My jaw dropped wide open, nearly splitting my face.