Chapter 12: The Birth of a Divine Physician [3] It was a morning no different from usual.
He washed with warm water and ate breakfast.
Maybe it's because I've been eating bland food for so long. Even this tastes alright now.
Kanghyeok looked down at the bowl of rice he had cleaned out.
Compared to before, when he could not even finish half before getting sick of it, it was a huge improvement.
As he sat in the great hall patting his stomach, someone knocked on the main gate.
"Is anyone there?"
It was Makbong.
Since he had been waiting for him anyway, Kanghyeok quickly headed for the gate.
Though of course Dolseok got there first.
"Young master, shall I open it?"
"Yes. He'll probably be coming every day for a while."
"Please wait a moment."
The gate was so heavy that it did not open with a quick tug.
As Dolseok skillfully undid the bar, he said,
"By the way, the medicine you gave me is remarkable, young master."
"It helped a bit?"
"More than helped. It doesn't hurt at all. Usually when the muscles get that sore, it lingers for a while."
Dolseok laughed as he pushed the gate open.
Outside, as expected, stood Makbong and Yeoni.
As always, it was Makbong who knocked, but it was Yeoni who stepped forward.
"My lord, were you well through the night?"
Everyone here knew Yeoni was actually a woman.
And yet she was still speaking in a man's voice.
It sounded awkward as could be, but Kanghyeok did not bother pointing it out.
"Yes. How is the Pyeonsu?"
"Thanks to you, he is well. He overexerted himself a bit yesterday, so he still hasn't gotten up."
"That's good. How much longer can you stay here?"
At Kanghyeok's question, Yeoni scratched under her chin.
"Nothing has been decided yet. But there are other towns nearby where large markets are held, so there is no cause for concern."
Markets.
As expected, they were the best people to ask to look into things.
Handing over the medicine he had prepared in advance, Kanghyeok said,
"I see. Here, this is today's medicine."
"Thank you, my lord."
Yeoni replied in a brisk voice.
She was just about to turn and leave when Kanghyeok stopped her.
"No, why are you in such a hurry?"
"Is there something else you wanted to say?"
"I've got something I'd like you to look into."
Kanghyeok lowered his voice.
At once, both Yeoni and Makbong lowered their posture as well.
After all, he was not just anyone, but their Pyeonsu's benefactor.
And beyond that, to begin with, Kanghyeok was not someone the two of them would ordinarily even stand face-to-face with.
"Yes, my lord. Please tell us."
Makbong nodded.
After a brief pause, Kanghyeok spoke.
"If you go to the market or meet other people, can you ask whether anyone knows about the 'Republic of Korea'?"
"What?"
The words seemed a little difficult for Makbong, and he tilted his head.
Kanghyeok had noticed it the first time he met him, but looking again, the man was not particularly bright.
Yeoni, on the other hand, nodded at once.
"You mean the 'Republic of Korea'?"
"Yes."
"Understood. Starting today, I'll ask every new person we meet."
"Don't overdo it."
"Please don't worry, my lord."
"Then I'll see you again tomorrow."
"Yes, my lord."
After bowing respectfully, the two disappeared into the dim alley.
Every time he saw them, he thought the same thing. They were incredibly agile.
I used to work out too, you know.
Kanghyeok let out a sigh, his face full of envy.
When he turned around, the yard looked utterly bleak.
Maybe once I get used to things, I should bring in some exercise equipment.
When he touched his chest, there was at least still some muscle there.
Given how large-framed he was, that was only natural.
Still, it was nothing like when Kanghyeok himself had been twenty-four.
Feels even worse than before I came here. I'm getting rusty too.
After living every day like a war and then suddenly having nothing to do, he felt like he was going to go crazy from boredom.
That did not mean he could sit there reading texts to death like Seungmun.
For one thing, he could not even read them properly, and even if he could, he would not want to.
Maybe I should go check the clinic room.
He felt like it would be a little better if he was there, at least.
"Dolseok."
"Yes, young master."
"Let's go to the clinic."
"What? Ah, you mean the detached quarters? Yes."
When he stepped inside, unlike yesterday, the room held a trace of warmth.
It seemed they had heated it through the night.
At one side of the room, there was still boiling water with steam rising from it.
It was a very satisfying sight in Kanghyeok's eyes, but Dolseok seemed to find it only strange.
For one thing, it lacked the medicinal scent one normally expected from a physician's place.
"Young master, but do you really not need any medicinal herbs?"
"Medicinal herbs?"
"Yes. There's an apothecary at the market. Should I go buy some?"
"Ah, well…"
Kanghyeok recalled a childhood memory.
Being led by his mother's hand into a traditional clinic.
The bitter medicine he had taken there.
What kind of medicine had that been again?
It was not as if he had ever had any interest in East Asian medicine, nor had he ever studied it.
So there was no way he would know medicinal herbs.
The only thing I know is deer antler.
And even then, he did not know what effect it had.
A doctor can't just hand out medicine he knows nothing about.
Kanghyeok looked down at the leather bag in his hand.
The medicine inside should be enough to cure most ordinary illnesses.
"No need. Isn't this enough?"
"Then… you don't even do acupuncture?"
"Acupuncture?"
"Yes, acupuncture."
Acupuncture.
One of the traditional treatments that had actually been shown to have some effect.
When the boom in alternative medicine had been in full swing, papers on it had poured out.
Back when Kanghyeok was still a student, he had looked into them with some interest.
If you insert needles into an inflamed area, it does have the effect of dispersing some of the inflammatory markers gathered there.
But he had never actually performed it himself.
"No need for that either. Why are you badgering your master like this?"
"What? No, I only mean that I want you to do well, young master…"
"There's no need to worry. Do you know how many patients I've treated in my life?"
Dolseok hid his sullen expression and thought,
At most two, isn't it?
How long had he served this reckless master? Of course he knew.
But the longer he had served him, the sharper his instincts had become.
"How would I know?"
"Thousands. So instead of worrying, just stand beside me and watch and learn. You should consider it an honor. People from overseas used to come just to watch my surgeries… no, well. Never mind."
Realizing he had misspoken, Kanghyeok smacked his lips.
There was no real need to worry.
The moment he heard thousands, Dolseok had already dismissed it as nonsense.
In truth, he had not even been listening properly.
"Young master, Heo Yeop is here to see you."
Heo Yeop was one of the men he had met yesterday.
The one who said his back hurt, right?
Not a difficult case at all.
Perfect for a first patient.
"Yes. Tell him to come in."
"Yes."
As soon as the order was given, Heo Yeop came in holding his lower back.
Dolseok quickly helped him over and seated him in front of Kanghyeok.
"Oh, dear. This thing is making me so uncomfortable."
Heo Yeop himself was not anyone especially impressive, but his family was.
His grandfather had served as Minister of Rites, and his father had served as the Busa of Danseong.
It was the pride of his whole life, so he spoke to Kanghyeok rather casually.
It had been a long time since Kanghyeok had dealt with a patient who spoke down to him, but he did not show it.
"Let me take a look at your back."
"Here… here."
Groaning as if he were dying, Heo Yeop lay face-down on the bedding.
There was a reason he let out such groans despite his dignity as a yangban.
A round boil had risen on his lower back.
"This may hurt a little."
Kanghyeok pressed firmly on the swollen spot.
"Ow!"
Heo Yeop cried out, apparently in considerable pain.
"There's pus inside."
"Pus? Can it be cured?"
"Yes. It's nothing difficult. It will hurt a bit, but it'll get better quickly."
"O-oh. I'm counting on you."
Reassuring the patient, Kanghyeok rummaged through the bag and took out the surgical set, including the scalpel.
Since everything reset every day and effectively came sterilized automatically, it was very convenient.
Dolseok instantly realized what Kanghyeok was about to do.
With his large frame, he moved to block Heo Yeop from turning around.
"Saengwon sir, once the pain passes, it'll all be better."
"This stings."
"Alright—ugh."
The needle and the local anesthetic injection were clearly different things.
This was not just a prick; something was being injected.
"Uh… my back feels kind of numb."
"It doesn't hurt right now, does it?"
"Well, no."
"It's not over yet."
Kanghyeok cleanly sliced open the boil with the scalpel.
At the same time, the thick pus pooled inside came pouring out.
A foul smell spread through the room.
Dolseok was about to cover his nose when Kanghyeok barked at him.
"You idiot, what are you standing there for? Wipe this."
"Ah, yes, yes."
"Use this to wipe it."
Dolseok used gauze to wipe away the draining pus.
The more pus came out, the better Heo Yeop's expression became.
The heavy pain had vanished.
"Oh. It already feels better."
By then, Kanghyeok had already finished suturing the wound.
"Here. Swallow this medicine. Even if it feels all better, you still need to take it. And come again tomorrow."
"Ah, thank you."
Kanghyeok handed him an anti-inflammatory, an antacid, and an antibiotic.
It was the exact same medicine Dolseok had received yesterday.
Dolseok knew better than anyone how effective it was.
In a small voice, he muttered,
"With that medicine, Heo Yeop's wound will heal quickly too."
It was meant to be to himself, but it was loud enough for everyone to hear.
Sure enough, Heo Yeop swallowed the medicine with a pleased expression.
"Thank you. As it happens, I recently received some dried abalone, so I brought a few packs."
"Ah, thank you."
"Yes, well then, I'll be off."
After Heo Yeop, several more patients came and went.
Most of them had only minor ailments, and once Kanghyeok laid hands on them, they improved quickly.
With things going this way, word spread in an instant.
Before long, even patients from beyond the eastern edge of town were coming in droves.
Dolseok muttered with a face that looked ready to die,
"Oh, young master. Are all these really sick people?"
"Yes, you fool. Forget medicine and all that for now. Just make sure you keep track of the fees they brought."
"How am I supposed to manage all of this by myself?"
And he was not wrong. The goods piled up were far too many.
Looking at the long line still stretching on, Kanghyeok shook his head.
He had already seen dozens of people.
Not just today, either. It had been like this for several days.
At this rate, he felt like he would collapse himself.
"This won't do. Let's stop for today."
As if he had been waiting for those words, Dolseok ran outside.
"The young master is tired today, so that's all! Please all return home!"
Complaints broke out here and there, but no one dared cause a disturbance inside Seungmun's household.
They grumbled, but in the end they all left as told.
He thought everyone was gone, but one person remained.
As if afraid others might see, the man quickly slipped straight into Kanghyeok's clinic room.
Dolseok stepped in to block him, but it was useless.
The man moved too fast.
"My good man. Could you not see just me?"
"I don't think so."
What Kanghyeok hated most was special treatment, so no pleasant words came out.
But once he saw the man's face, he knew he had to change his tone.
"Busa…?"
"Shh, shh."
"Ah… please, come inside first."
"Thank you."
The Busa quickly slipped inside.
After confirming that only Dolseok was outside, he spoke in a low voice.
"I have an illness that I am rather too ashamed to let others know about, so I came all the way here."
"I see. Please tell me."
"Well… normally no one knows. But I heard you are exceptionally skilled, so I came."
"You'll have to tell me first if you want me to treat it."
"Well now."
The Busa hesitated for a long while, then looked down at his lower body.
"It doesn't work properly…"
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Read 89 more chapters ahead on NovelDex!
https://noveldex.io/series/doctor-goes-back-to-joseon
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━