Chapter 138: Chapter 11
“Scholar Paek?”
At Pyonsu’s calling Kanghyok a ‘scholar,’ the mayor narrowed his eyebrows.
There were only two persons by the surna of Paek.
He must not refer to Sungmun, of course.
Then the other Paek was Kanghyok.
Kanghyok was notoriously known as a scum in Suwon.
Even the governor of Kyonggi Province was aware of him because of his evil reputation.
Kanghyok was a fly in the ointnt in Sungmun, a famous scholar who retired from the governnt service after successful public life.
How was it possible that Kanghyok had dical skills enough to save a man’s life?
The mayor of Suwon could not believe it.
“That scum...Kanghyok Paek?
Even the governor of Kyonggi Province was so embarrassed as to spit out his na before he knew.
It was pretty discourteous for the Kyonggi governor to ntion Sunmun’s son openly, given that he was far inferior to Sungmun in terms of rank and learning.
“Oh, I’m sorry, sir,” said the Kyonggi governor.
“No, that’s fine. Hey, Kanghyok, is the guy you treated yesterday Pyonsu?”
Sungmun was as much surprised, so he stamred a bit when he asked.
Anyone who collapsed like that had no hope of surviving as a rule.
At that ti there were many people interested in dical skills among the noblen, and Sungmun was one of them.
So, he read dical books whenever he had free ti, and sotis treated his sick servants.
According to the keisha who witnessed Kanghyok’s surgery last night, he was the resurrection of Hwata or Pyonjak, the legendary dical doctors in old China.
So, Sungmun could not close his mouth at his son’s miraculous dical skills.
But Kanghyok himself just stayed calm.
‘I just don’t know why they’re making such a fuss about .’
When he worked at the hospital in modern Korea, he treated several patients like Pyonsu.
Kanghyok replied casually.
“Yes, dad. I treated Pyonsu.”
“Oh my god!”
Sungmun let out a short sigh to hear that.
Though he was stunned, Sungmun made a satisfied smile.
But the Suwon mayor and the Kyonggi governor differed.
‘I can’t believe what the kisaeng said. How can I?’
In particular, the Suwon mayor who thought he was well versed in dical knowledge, didn’t recognize Kanghyok’s dical expertise.
Any famous doctor he t so far was not as young as Kanghyok.
But all the higher-ups didn’t think like them.
Most of those who took seats at the upper tables looked at Kanghyok from a different perspective.
In particular, those middle-aged n showed intense interest in him
For their body ached or hurted here and there at that age.
As expected, there were lots of people who ca to see him after the banquet was over.
“Hey, Kanghyok, it’s been a while! My back started to ache a while ago. Can you cure it?”
“I had my ankle sprained on my way here. Can you examine it?
They were mostly ranking officials in their villages.
“If you co to my house, let take care of your pain anyti. You can co with anybody who is sick around you.”
“Oh, really? Got it. Let see you even tomorrow.”
“Sure, let go ho now.”
Kanghyok got on a horse right away.
When he was about to leave, Yoni ran to him with Pyonsu and Makbong.
“Are you going back, sir?”
“Yeah, I’m going ho now.”
“Sorry I didn’t pay you back properly. I received this gift from the mayor’s office for our performance today. Please accept it, such as it is.”
At Yoni’s request Makbong brought a box and put it down before him.
The box contained several pieces of marten and deer skin.
As they were precious, Sungmun burst into laughter at that.
“Kanghyok, accept them as you saved his life.”
“Ah, yes, dad. Thanks for this. As you have not been cured, co to see every day for a while.”
“Yes, sir. In fact, we’re going to stay here for a whole after consulting with Pyonsu.”
“Good. Good night then.”
“Good night, sir.”
Everybody was happy except for one.
He was Dolsok because he had to carry all the bags alone.
He couldn’t share them with the servant now holding the reins of Sungmun’s horse.
“Whew!” Dolsok kept breathing a sigh, as the bags were heavy.
But as he had a strong build, he walked alright without staggering along the way.
“By the way, what happened? According to the kisaeng next to , you saved Pyonsu who was almost dead.”
“Well, I made his dead heart beat again.”
“Is that true? How is it possible?”
“If you know the principle, it is not that difficult, dad.”
“Huhhh...You saved Oksok’s life like that. I think you really have wonderful dical skills. I just thought you were wasting your ti away...”
What Sungmun wanted most was for Kanghyok to take the state civil exam.
But he gave it up as a bad job long ti ago as Kanghyok was not interested.
“By the way, I would like to treat people starting tomorrow. I think it’s not appropriate to accept the patients in my room...”
“Sure, let arrange another room for you. Don’t worry.”
“Thanks.”
Sungmun was so proud of his son that his face flushed with excitent.
Dolsok boasted of Kanghyok’s dical skills as if it was his own business.
“I guess all the people who saw our master’s skills will co tomorrow. I think his dical skills are just out of this world.”
“What do you know about it? Just hold the reins well,” said Sungmun.
Feeling happy to hear that, thought, Sungmun teased Dolsok.
After riding a horse back ho for a while, Sungmun called Kanghyok.
“Kanghyok!”
“Yes, dad.”
“It’s good that you’re well versed in dical knowledge and lots of interest there. But you have to pay attention to the state civil exam. Okay?”
Kanghyok didn’t have any intention to study other topics than dicine.
When he was in college, he used to rember lots of Chinese characters when he was a mber of a calligraphy club. But that was a thing of the past.
Now he could write his na in Chinese characters, and so Chinese poems.
But that’s it. How could he take the civil exam in Chinese characters?
‘But I don’t have to argue with dad on this’
So, he pretended to agree.
“Yes, dad.”
“Sounds good. Hurry up!”
As soon as they arrived, Sungmun had his servants prepare an empty room.
After preparing it nice and clean, Dolsok called Kanghyok.
“Master, can you take a look?”
“Sure, let’s go and see.”
As the room was originally used by guests, it was empty now.
“It’s still cold on the floor because I didn’t heat it yet.”
“No problem.”
Kanghyok walked into the room.
Obviously Sungmun paid a lot of attention to it.
The cushions and mattresses were like new, and the bedding was arranged for the patient to lie on it. It looked like a country clinic.
“Great. This is wonderful.”
“Thanks, master.”
“Let see the patients here, starting tomorrow. Be ready to help , okay?”
“What? helping you, sir?”
“Sure, it will do you good to see and learn my dical skills.”
“Oh, I see...”
After hesitating for a mont he nodded.
Anyway he was Kanghyok’s servant, who had to follow his order.
“Yes, sir.”
“Go to bed early, then. It’ll be a hard work for you tomorrow”
“I wonder if there are lots of people coming to see you tomorrow.
“We never know.”
When he worked at the hospital in modern Korea, even lawmakers found it hard to make an appointnt with him.
‘I should not think of my brilliant past here.’
Here in old Korea, Chosun, there might not be a single person who could co tomorrow.
“Prepare two washbasins with boiling water tomorrow. I might need them just in case I have patients.”
“Boiling water? Got it.”
“Yes, go back and take a rest.”
“Yes,sir.”
Dolsok raced to his room, feeling pain in his arms as he had to carry heavy bags.
“Dolsok!”
“Yes, master.”
“Take this before you go to bed. Your arms will feel much better.”
Kanghyok gave him anti-inflammatory and antacid pills.
Dolsok received them politely as he knew how precious they were.
“Thanks, master!”
“See you tomorrow morning.”
After sending him to his room, Kanghyok looked at the sky with a blank expression.
‘Am I the only person who has co here?’
As it was so ridiculous, he could be. Or he couldn’t be.
He wanted to confirm it.
‘When I see the guys of the acrobatic team tomorrow, let ask them if they know about the Republic of Korea.’
As they move around lots of places in old Korea, they might know better.
Of course, he didn’t expect much.
‘I think I have to get along well here.’
Kanghyok let out a sigh, looking to the room where Sungmun was sleeping.
When he saw Sungmun who really looked like the sa as his late father, he felt sympathetic toward him.
Tomorrow was important to him.
Kanghyok hurried into his room and hit the sack.
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