Merchants Blood

After finishing her meal and responding to her family members Ki was ready to get up and set a plan on what she needs order to deal with future troubles.

Her grandmother Agnes seemed to have been waiting for this opportunity and shot a cold look to her sister.

Agnes got up from her seat while heading over to Ki.

She took Ki by her arm and dragged her out of the room at the fastest speed she could muster leaving behind Ki's mother and father with a look of confusion and the Hazel family had a look on their faces as if holding back their anger.

Celene spoke up first to ease the tense atmosphere. "They must have had something to discuss in private, you know my sister she is always business business. Haha"

Her husband seemed to not be very good at hiding his emotions but after his wife's words he took a deep breathe to calm himself down then let out a light "Hm."

Her son and daughter in law sat there quietly and nodded as if they did not mind but within their eyes showed their humiliation they experienced during this meal.

Their children sat oblivious to the inner thoughts of the adults while Ki's father looked tired.

Ki's mother however sat by her husband looking at his tired figure. 'Hmph, you were the one who brought them into this family. Your decision so deal with it.'

As if sensing his wife's thoughts the father turned to his wife and shook his head helplessly. 'I can't do anything about it, although they can be annoying and make unreasonable requests they have done nothing wrong in the end. If I suddenly lost my temper and kicked them out it would only end up with the outside world perceiving us as the bad guys.'

The wife witnessing this turned her head showing that he would not get to talk to her again for a good few days, she got up from her seat leaving him behind.

The fathers stoic face crumbled and revealed how depressed his wife's actions made him. 'It's all their fault!'

Shooting them a glance he got up and followed his wife as if chasing her tail leaving behind a bewildered Hazel family. "…"

A maid quickly picked up their son who had been abandoned and began to carry him out of the dining room as if avoiding a plague.

Elizabeth was a talented lady in her youth, she was highly skilled in the zither and embroidery not to mention she learned literature and poems from an early age but her family did not place much importance on her so quickly married her off to the Bombyx family.

There she met her husband Adam who seemed cold at first but was warm inside, in her new environment she could be herself and had a new place to call home.

While her husband had been taught to manage the family business and familial matters he still made time to accompany her often.

Her parents indifferent treatment let her to grow up in sadness and craving unconditional love, upon marrying Adam she opened up more and even had the freedom to be part in some of the family activities if she wished to.

Although she had her own thoughts on the Hazel family intruding into their happy home and their shameless behaviour over the many years she could only keep quiet about it so as to not constantly argue with her husband.

So in conclusion, Elizabeth went to her bedroom and locked the door almost hitting her husband on the nose when she shut the door.

She lay on her bed and sent several feeble punches into her pillow. "Today is my baby daughters birthday how dare they intrude, a bunch of shameless people! They weren't even invited… look at their faces they clearly came to gain something from us. What a bunch of hungry wolves! Aah!"

A certain wife slave sat outside the door obediently listening to his wife's venting as if used to this kind of behaviour from his wife.

In her grandmothers office, Ki sat sipping a cup of water, she briefly and calmly looked at the ripples in the water and placed down the cup on the table before facing her grandmothers evaluating eyes.

Her grandmother noticing that her granddaughters temperament and etiquette had risen by another level since she taught her previously 'She has indeed improved but it's not just that. Her whole mood has changed, if I were to describe it before she had somewhat restrained her energetic and youthful self with her etiquette teachings resulting in a lively but modest appearance. However now her heart seems to reflect the water, she has a peaceful and calm aura around her as if she would not be affected by the slightest ripple.'

Although she taught her granddaughter personally she had not been able to reach such a level of self control and peacefulness so could not help but be suspicious and worried for her granddaughter. "Child how have you changed so much? Is there something worrying you?"

Thankfully Ki had already prepared for such questions. "Nothing is wrong with me so do not worry grandma. I just have had a lot on my mind lately so I have been spending my time under the old tree by the pond in order to sort out my thoughts and decide on what I wish to do. During that time I have gained some clarity and I think I am ready to decide my future direction."

"Is this about what others are saying about those brats? There is no need to compare yourself with them as they are not worthy! Nobody would dare to say the child I taught personally would be useless. My eyes are never wrong, those brats have no future in their respective roles as their character does not suit places with rules. One is lazy while the other cannot hold back his temper, a lazy scholar is bound to cut corners or fall behind on work and a martial artist who cannot hold back his fists when provoked will only serve to cause trouble. Hmph." Agnes had begun to think about the pressure her granddaughter had been facing alone and ignited her anger towards the Hazel families business. "Do not worry about anything because you are doing a great job, although I never taught you music or poetry you have already know how to read and write, you have recently learned how to manage the account books and your eating and drinking etiquette and general mannerisms are well polished. If anyone dares say you are useless I will break their legs for you."

Indeed those in the village had begun to gossip after every visit from the Hazel family, from praises of their grandchildren to wishes to compare the Hazel & Bombyx family.

Worst of all the gossip triggered others seeking gains to try curry favours from the Hazels while the ones who manage most of the village territory were in fact the Bombyx family.

Faced with the pressure from outside and inside the family any seven year old child would begin to feel pressured and uneasy.

Ki again felt a warm current in her heart, she nodded calmly. "Grandma I wish to protect my family and take up my role as a part of the family business in the future."

"Then little Ki I would like to ask you what is a merchant and what is most important to a merchant?" After thinking a moment Agnes decided to test if her granddaughter was ready to undergo further training of the families inheritance.

"A merchant trades goods, they create and manage businesses which provide work and opportunities for others to learn new skillsets and earn a living." Ki still remember her old grandmothers teachings from long ago in her heart and combined it with her many years of experience dealing with her intelligence network and businesses while she was an elder of the blood sect. "If I had to say anything specific a merchant would need to place more importance on people."

'It seems like the merchants blood has awakened in this little one.' Agnes looked at her granddaughter with a look of appreciation. "So why do you think so?"

'Sure enough, it is working.' Ki took a deep breath. "People are required in everything, people with talents can be nurtured and become beneficial to us as the merchant. Earning the trust and loyalty of the people we gain loyal workers and skilled individuals which could help stabilising and promoting a merchants business and creating further opportunities. In return these people receive enough money and support to improve their future prospects and living conditions. A merchant buys and sells to trade and people are the ones doing the trading, a merchant sticks to their agreement and their contract between fellow humans is to be built on mutual trust but if the other party does not abide by the contract we have every right to cancel relations and business with them."

Truthfully back in her days establishing herself as an elder in the blood sect her biggest help were words of advice and the teachings of her grandma since young, this helped her set up many different types of businesses in order to act as a front for gathering information and supplying the blood sect with funds from the profits which lead to securing her position beside the sect leader.

"Alright then final question, if our family had been one of the best merchant groups in the continent how have we been forced back to this village while our businesses have been decreasing over time?" Truthfully the old lady was already dead set on raising Ki as her successor, although most families successors were men she thought differently, since her generation she took on the duties of the family leader so she did not have any kind of backward thinking.

"If I remember your stories correctly and from information about the great families in the past I believe we did not have enough power and stability." Ki thought for a moment before answering. "Our foundation within the nobles families were unstable compared to the 5 great families and other families who had remained in their position for more than 500 or more years. We did not have the strength or stability to compete so could only retreat to protect ourselves to preserve the foundation of our family before it crumbled beneath the weight of the power of the other families. Not just politically or financially but also we lacked sufficient strength to protect ourselves should others resort to cowardly or lethal means. In the past many families have disappeared over family disputes or competition so if we could not preserve ourselves in that position then we should abandon the position as it is nothing but damaging to us."

Agnes sighed in response to her young granddaughters words of wisdom, she could tell that her granddaughter had took her every teaching to heart and had some of her own thoughts of some matters at a young age. "Little Ki I'm proud of you."

The old lady began to tear up a little, perhaps the words of her granddaughter stirred up some of the unwillingness in her heart that had long been passed down within her bloodline.

Back in the past the family lost workers because of bribery and coercion, this lead to the silk embroidery and dying methods being spread throughout the capital because some of the workers were specially taught the methods to have enough manpower to handle to rising demands and needs of the customers.

While the Bombyx family managed to keep the methods of silkworm farming to themselves becoming the sole silk trader they still faced opposition because their rivals needed the silk to use the techniques but would rather acquire the source of the profits.

In order to cope with this and the pressure the Bombyx family faced they began to retreat from the competition of the embroidery and clothing businesses to preserve what they had left, eventually leaving the noble circles and leaving the capital politics behind.

Of course some held a grudge but they could not find fault with the family as they still supply the silk to various businesses and families after moving away from the capital even to the present day.

After the families destruction in Ki's past she could remember how nobody took her cries for help seriously when she arrived at the city, years later however ushered in a shock which would crush the livelihoods of many businesses because they ran out of stock of silk and they no longer had a supplier.

Agnes could feel her ancestors unwillingness when her father told her the families history and like herself she sensed that Ki had inherited her families traits even more than herself.

Perhaps her granddaughter may be even more unwilling and attempt to make the family rise again.

For a long time the family has stayed rooted to the mansion in the village and slowly building their foundation with the money they have earned over the years.

Generation after generation to keep the family blood preserved, the family kept going like a turtle hiding in its shell.

In their hearts most of the previous family heads desired more of what they had but lacked the strength and wisdom to push the family forward.

Agnes had the wisdom to push the family forward but instead spent her life keeping the family business stable because she lacked the means to protect what she had just like most family members in the past because she did not have sufficient talent or a mentality suited to practice martial arts or have anyone strong by her side.

Her son Adam was the same as her in most cases but was softhearted to ones bloodline even if distantly related, this lead to him having a weakness which could harm the stability of the family.

Her daughter in law had helped her son in various matters in the past and has quite a few talents but does not know how to properly use them effectively and she is not good under pressure so often so most decisions are often left to her son.

Although the youngest son had yet to be taught anything but starting from the basics he is more interested in animals, bugs and spending his time playing games so no judgements could be made early on.

Facing her granddaughter she made a decision on the spot taking out a box from her draw.

Opening the lid an old key appeared before the old lady and her granddaughter.

Agnes placed the key into Ki's hands. "Keep this safe and visit the mountain wall by the pond when nobody is around. There is a hidden key hole there so if you find it then you should be able to enter the inheritance site and the source of our family. There you will learn everything you need to know, take what you need and do not tell a soul not even your father, mother or brother. This will be a final test for you so don't let me down, that father of yours could not get in so the only person with access has been me so anything he needs goes through me still. By the way don't forget to bring a candle with you just in case you do succeed."

"I will grandmother!" Ki quickly took the key from her grandmother and gave her a hug out of gratitude for her grandma putting her trust in herself.

'This should be easy for me' Ki's eyes flickered with a crafty light not fitting for her current age, if someone witnessed and did not pay much attention to her age then this look would definitely be described as cunning old fox.

Back in her days she had entered many tombs and began learning from mistakes that she has made so she began to learn everything from scratch from where traps would be installed, secret entrance locations, various puzzles to passing various tests required upon entering and after interacting with the poison clan in the eastern forest she further perfected this skill.

She quickly left the room with a confident smile on her face.

Agnes sat in her chair deep in thought. 'Perhaps the words of that man seven years ago had some truth to them. I don't know whether I should be excited or worried.'