Chapter 98: A Divine Physician Descends Upon the Slums [1] "Whew, that stinks."
Kanghyeok muttered as he lightly fanned himself.
And it really was not an exaggeration. A strange smell kept drifting continuously out from the alley leading to Bojewon.
The stench was a foul mix of urine, vomit, and alcohol.
"Damn it. This is all because of the drifters coming in from around Gyeonggi Province."
Makbong said it with the face of someone who knew exactly what he was talking about.
Ever since he started following Kanghyeok around, he himself had not really gone through any real hardship.
So smells like this were not welcome at all, and because of that, his face had twisted into a full grimace.
"Drifters?"
Apparently unable to bear it any longer, Kanghyeok stuffed hanji into his nostrils as he asked the question.
It was a practical trick he had learned from Yeoju, who had already come prepared with a mask.
"Yes. Well... isn't Magistrate Kim Yungil of Suwon still a fairly decent sort?"
"That's true. Someone like Elder Kim Yungil is decent enough."
Though he was a corrupt official, he was not so excessive in fleecing the people that it went beyond all limit.
Rather, because he was corrupt, he paid even more attention to the people's property and standard of living, and did not strip them so bare that their survival was threatened.
If anything, he probably earned more through selling offices and titles.
It would've been something to see if he'd become Minister of Personnel.
Even while serving as no more than the Magistrate of Suwon, he had been quietly selling things under the table.
So if he had become Minister of Personnel, one of the key posts of state?
He would probably have sold things shamelessly on an enormous scale.
But after being touched by the fallout of the Gichuk Purge, that became rather difficult.[2]
"But other places are completely different. There are a lot of places where the officials really come at people with their teeth bared, to the point that they can't survive there. And if famine happens on top of that... well, there's no way to live except wandering and begging for food."
"Wandering and begging for food, huh. You've really improved. To think you can even say things like that now."
"Hehe. I learned it from Miss Yeoju."
Makbong smiled sheepishly.
Turning around, Kanghyeok saw that Yeoju was smiling with satisfaction as well.
The one who felt sorry was, once again, Kanghyeok.
The others were commoners anyway, so it was one thing, but was Yeoju not a proper young lady from a noble household?
Sometimes he felt guilty for making her go through hardships she never should have endured.
Then again, if I had left her alone, she might've been branded a traitor and killed.
That thought came to him right away, but still, at least a word of praise would be good.
It did not cost any money, and it was surprisingly effective.
"My, my. Yeoju really does too much."
"It's nothing, young master. Teaching is always enjoyable."
"If that's the case, then good."
Kanghyeok laughed heartily and quickened his pace.
By the time they drew very near to Bojewon, the streets seemed at least a little cleaner.
No matter what, it was still the equivalent of a government office, so apparently some level of management existed.
At the very least, there were no half-rotting mangy dogs or people sitting around with vacant eyes.
Instead, there was something different that drew the group's attention.
—The famous physician of Hanyang, Baek Kanghyeok, begins treatment!
—Everyone at Bojewon sincerely welcomes Scholar Baek Kanghyeok!
Kanghyeok rubbed his eyes and looked again.
He thought perhaps he had read it wrong.
But whether he looked a second time or a third, the words were the same.
"What is this?"
Kanghyeok pointed at the large notice pasted up at the road leading to Bojewon.
It was not just those lines. The broadside was filled with phrases praising Kanghyeok to the skies.
Since it was written in vernacular script, even Dolseok and Yeoni could read it without difficulty.
And then all of them wore equally bewildered expressions.
"Uh... well, for now, it says they're welcoming you, young master."
"What is this? It's not like a hospital grand opening. What do they mean, 'begins treatment'?"
Kanghyeok thought of a friend who had taken a job at a public hospital all the way down in Haenam, at the far southern tip of the land.
That friend had also been one of the finest talents trained at Chungmu Hospital, but he still had not become a professor, not even close to Kanghyeok's level.
After falling into despair, he had gone back to his hometown, and the Haenam Medical Center had given him the position of Head of Surgery, then advertised him in the local newspaper and on broadcasts with flashy phrases just like this.
I thought it was just needless fanfare, but turns out this was our tradition all along.
Kanghyeok clasped his hands behind his back and read through the notices one by one.
From curing smallpox, to treating Great Master Samyeong, to Kim Gyehan, to Gwanghae—
the enormous trail of accomplishments Kanghyeok had left everywhere he went was written out in detail.[3][4]
"Did Teacher Heo write this?"
"I think so. Ah, but this part is in Prince Gwanghae's handwriting."
Yeoju nodded several times, then pointed to one side of the broadside.
Just as she said, there was a passage written in Gwanghae's somewhat rough but manly brushwork.
—Baek Kanghyeok is a physician sent by Heaven, so all commoners and officials alike shall ensure that there is no lack in how they receive him.
It truly was something to be grateful for.
Though since it was written in classical Chinese, the common people probably could not read it anyway.
"They've made an awfully big fuss."
"Still, it should make things easier when working."
"That much is true."
Kanghyeok turned away from the broadside and headed toward Bojewon.
The scale of Bojewon was larger than he had expected.
Within its high walls were no fewer than ten rooms.
As the group approached the main gate, one of the guards standing watch blocked their way.
He was a man with an unusually round face.
"Who... are you?"
The reason he did not dare speak too casually was, of course, the group's clothing.
What era was this, for even the people who looked like servants to be wearing cloth of such quality?
Especially the man standing in the middle—Kanghyeok—whose appearance made him difficult to address carelessly.
He wore a green silk robe with a leather vest over it, and hanging from his gat strings was what looked unmistakably like precious coral.
"Ah, I'm Baek Kanghyeok. I came here to do a bit of service."
No matter how one looked at it, that was not the tone of someone who had come to perform charitable service.
He stood with one leg slanted and swaggered as he spoke, then casually mentioned "service."
But everyone at Bojewon had already been roughly briefed about Baek Kanghyeok beforehand.
The guard immediately pressed his spear to his body and bowed.
"Ah, greetings, Scholar!"
"Mm. I can go in, right?"
"Of course. If you wait just a moment, I'll call someone to guide you."
"Go on, then."
The soldier ran off so fast it looked as though his tail were about to fall off.
This was not the sort of thing that could happen through Heo Jun's influence alone.
Though Heo Jun did hold the rank of Senior Fourth Grade, it would still have been difficult for him to wield influence over a place outside his own jurisdiction.
Moreover, was Heo Jun not an illegitimate son?
Even at the same official rank, people were always liable to look down on him one notch.
Power really is useful.
It was obvious that Gwanghae had stepped in personally.
Of course, Gwanghae was also an illegitimate son, but an illegitimate son of the royal family was a different matter entirely.
And in any case, there was no proper legitimate heir at the moment.
Soon the soldier returned, bringing with him a servant employed by Bojewon.
His appearance was so shabby that, at first glance, one might have mistaken him for one of the people being given relief rather than a servant.
Most striking of all was the large wart on his cheek, which was extremely hard on the eyes.
The servant seemed to have a complex about it too, because he kept his head slightly tilted.
Even so, since it was still visible at a glance, one could easily imagine how large and ugly it was.
One more thing stood out as well: this man's face was round too.
"Greetings to you, sir."
"Mm."
"You will be staying in the Jinjaewon, sir. Please come this way."
The wart-faced servant bowed repeatedly as he guided Kanghyeok onward.
From Kanghyeok's point of view, it was very much to his liking.
It was not easy for anyone to dislike someone who bowed and scraped to them for no particular reason.
Once I get used to things... I should remove that wart for him for free.
Following behind the wart-faced servant with a very satisfied expression, Kanghyeok moved onward.
Behind him came Dolseok, Yeoni, Makbong, Yeoju, and the ox cart they had brought with them.
On the cart were piled mountains of rice, dried animal meat, dried fish, and even medicinal herbs, more than enough to draw the attention of anyone passing by.
Some among the onlookers even nodded and raised a thumbs-up.
"So they say this Scholar Baek Kanghyeok who's come this time is truly remarkable."
"Exactly. What was it again...? Right. They say he even saved a living Buddha."
"And drove off the Japanese pirates too."
"And caught traitors as well."
"Hah... and he's handsome too."
"Exactly what I'm saying."
The more Kanghyeok listened, the more a smile kept tugging at his lips.
After all, they were gossiping away without knowing in the least what his real purpose in coming here was.
Dolseok whispered with a face that said he could barely hold it in.
"Well now, hearing it like this, our young master really ought to enter official office."
"Official office, huh. Maybe I really should just do it."
"What? Have you changed your mind now? The old master would be overjoyed."
"Father... hm."
Even if Seungmun did not say it directly, he had been quietly pressing the matter all the while.
That old man. Marriage, office. He really does want a lot.
Of course, since this was a noble household in Joseon, it was not entirely incomprehensible.
But as far as Kanghyeok knew, had not the original Baek Kanghyeok been utter trash that everyone despised?
And yet now that same man had come to Hanyang, come to his senses, and was making his name known as a divine physician.
Truly, there was no end to parental greed.
After seeing the Gichuk Purge... office really is...
Had there ever been an event that made the transience of power feel so real?
Men who had swaggered about as high ministers of a nation were swept away in droves.
Some even died under torture.
And as for those who were exiled, they were too many to count.
And I think there was another similar incident before the Imjin War too.
How was it that this damned country never had a day of peace?
On the eve of the unprecedented crisis called the Imjin War, they were still busy tearing each other apart among themselves.[5]
He had not the slightest desire to get caught in the middle and become a sacrifice.
Kanghyeok shook his head roughly.
"I'm not thinking about that right now. Ah, is this the place?"
The wart-faced servant had stopped in front of a building that was neither particularly large nor particularly small.
Judging by the shoes left outside, someone was already inside.
As always, Kanghyeok did not bother restraining his curiosity and asked directly,
"Is someone in there?"
"Ah, yes. There is one physician working here at our Jinjaewon. He is probably seeing patients right now."
"I see. Well, it makes sense there'd be at least one physician here."
"Yes, exactly. They already know you were coming, so you may go right in."
"Good. Thank you."
"It is my honor. If you need anything, please call for me."
Just as before, the wart-faced servant withdrew with a very respectful manner.
Watching him go, Kanghyeok clicked his tongue.
"Dolseok, it'd be nice if you acted like that too."
"Come on, young master. Are we just master and servant to each other?"
"Then what are we?"
"How hurtful... Don't I serve you as my teacher?"
"Teacher and disciple, master and servant. Aren't they basically the same thing?"
"Hehe. Even so, when it comes to devotion, I won't lose to anyone."
Dolseok grinned and showed his ugly teeth.
They were especially yellow, which made them all the more unpleasant to look at.
If Kanghyeok had happened to know dentistry too, he probably would have ground them down and made them white on the spot.
Well... his heart's in the right place.
Whatever the case, had he not served him with loyalty this whole time?
"All right. Let's go in."
"Yes, young master."
After taking off their shoes and entering, a clear medicinal scent tickled their noses.
It was a smell Dolseok particularly liked, and just as expected, his mouth started running at once.
"Oh. This is nice."
"The smell, sure..."
It might feel unfamiliar now, but was there not an era in the future where even samgyetang would be made with medicinal herbs?
Since Kanghyeok had come from that era, he could not muster much excitement.
In any case, up to now, he had never seen anyone besides Heo Jun who used such medicines properly.
"Ahem."
Even so, it felt a little rude to burst straight into a place where someone else was treating patients.
So Kanghyeok coughed loudly before opening the door.
But from inside, there was no response telling him to come in or not to.
What's this?
Thinking perhaps they had not heard him, he repeated it a second and third time, but it was the same.
Unable to watch any longer, Makbong yanked the door open.
"What, is the person in there dead or what?"
And he did it while spitting out a coarse curse.
Because of that, the physician inside looked startled for a moment, but soon his face returned to normal.
Then he bowed toward Kanghyeok.
"Greetings. I am Dongpa, a physician of the Jinjaewon."[6]
His tone sounded extremely polite, but he could not hide the displeasure written across his face.
Hm. Is this the old stone's territorial hostility toward the new stone that came rolling in?
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