Chapter 21: Some Poem as well?

“You are walking very well.”

Ganghyuk had become breathless by this point. He had thought Mt. Paldal was a hill behind the village. If he knew it would be so far and difficult to go, he would have visited home first.

‘I had better go home and get a horse.’

He could not remember when he had last walked like this. Thinking back, he guessed it was the first time for him after the marching in the military. But, Yeoni was good at walking, and she climbed the mountain very well.

She looked back from far ahead of Ganghyuk. “Pardon, sir? Ah, I am alright.” She looked very sexy with a sweaty face.

‘Am I crazy?’ Ganghyuk shook his head and hurried on his way.

“I had better run to the village. I cannot walk like you.”

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“You are a nobleman, sir. You cannot run… You must think of your face.”

“But, I become breathless too easily.”

“If it were Makbong, he might have been sitting over there by now. Furthermore, you are holding the bag.”

Yeoni smiled and pointed at a stump over there. Seeing it, he thought of Makbong who had short legs, and thought that he would not walk very well either.

“Yes, I am better than him, maybe. Ugh… I think that is the place.”

Yeoni was far ahead of Ganghyuk, but he was a lot taller than her. Therefore, he could spot the Governor and other fellows gathering in a small pavilion before her.

…

Red flowers were blooming in the neighborhood, so the scenery was quite good.

People already had escort girls beside them, which reflected the nature of the meeting.

“I am late. Hurry up.”

“Yes, sir.”

It was only a while later that Ganghyuk and Yeoni arrived at the pavilion. Many horses were tied up in front of the pavilion; clearly, all of the guests except Ganghyuk came there by horses.

The governor, who was busy petting the bust of a girl, welcomed Ganghyuk, “Ah, Ganghyuk! Come and take a seat.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You all might be knowing him already. He is Baik Ganghyuk, who has become quite famous these days.”

He was very good at taking care of his fellows. So, he did not criticize Ganghyuk even though he was late. Instead, he introduced him to the guests in a jovial manner.

“Yes, I know, of course. He is the son of Sir Baik Seungmun. I have been there, too.”

The man who told the story first was the court clerk in Suwon Court, named Lee Jeongbok. When he had first heard of his title, Ganghyuk thought he was a kind of judge. But, he was only a Grade 5 official, and worked as an assistant of the Governor.

“Yes.” The man who answered stiffly was Jeong Changgweon. He was a professor in Suwon Dohobu. As the title said, he was a Grade 6 official who was responsible for Confucian education.

One could guess his job from his face very easily, even without knowing what his job was. Ganghyuk had met him a few times in Seungmun’s house.

He was a fellow student of Seungmun, and had a talent at making people uncomfortable.

The rest of them were students of similar or younger age than Ganghyuk.

He was not interested in them very much, so he greeted them as a formality only.

“All of the guests have arrived now. Then, let today’s meeting start.”

The Governor took his hands off the girl and made a serious face. The Confucian students who were young turned deadly pale with his remark. Some of them were too tensed and swallowed hard.

“En… I feel something will happen.”

Ganghyuk had experienced the freshman life, as well as internship and resident times. He had forgotten in his head, but the body did not forget it, the ‘instinct’ of the weak, that is.

‘It seems that he will ask us to do something.’

Then, the servants of the Governor distributed paper and something else.

‘Hanji, brush, ink and inkstone…’

He had told that they might discuss poetry, and it seemed that he would be asking the guests to write a poem.

Those who were in the office such as Governor, court clerk and professor were exempted. So, their expressions were all jovial and chilled out.

“What do you think about the quality of the paper?”

When the governor asked the question, the clerk answered even without receiving the paper.

“Very good, sir,”

“Yes, I got them through Jojiseo.”

The Hanji had a great quality. Even Ganghyuk could notice it, although he was totally novice in paper quality. But, he did not know what Jojiseo was.

He was the member of the Calligraphy Club in University, and he had probably wasted around 10,000 sheets.

“En… What would be good as a topic?”

“Governor, we have beautiful flowers today.”

“Yes, you are right. I like the red flowers. Please write a poem with the topic of flowers.”

And thus, his order was given out, with which, the participants tried to write a poem regarding flowers. On the other side, Ganghyuk was at a complete loss.

‘Oh my goodness!’

He did not know many poems, and furthermore, there were none related to flowers among the ones that he did have memorized. If he had not been given a theme, he could write any one from amongst what he had memorized.

When he looked back, Professor Jeong Changgweon was looking at him.

‘Father told me to study whenever he met me, and here I am facing troubles.’

It seemed that the governor had put his mind to catching something to scold him for.

This was not good!

According to his experience, students with high scores could have more freedom. If he did not succeed in here, Seungmun would press him more and more. As a matter of fact, he was already pressing him to stop the clinic and study.

‘Brainstorm!’

Ganghyuk took a Korean snack in front of him and tried to think. As it was soaked in honey, the sweetness gave him some strength.

‘OK, I can think…’

He was good at thinking and using his brain. The fragments of the knowledge scattered here and there came together.

‘Anyway, think of the time. Right now is King Seonjo’s reign. It must be end of the 16th century.’ Then, he must write a poem written after that period.

Plagiarism was a sin in the past as well as at present after all.

‘Who is the poet in the middle or end of Joseon?’

He could only think of Kim Satgat immediately. But, the problem was that among his poems, he could only recite the vulgar poem called ‘Swearing School’

‘Teach my %$$@, sperm in $#^%$%, teacher is ^$#$& … No, no, I cannot do this.’ It was full of bad language. Although the meaning of the phrases were not exactly swear words, but they did sound like them. He could not write such a poem for the governor!

‘Governor might still be fine, but the professor will surely kill me.’

And lastly, that poem was not related to flowers at all. So, Ganghyuk tried to think of a poem desperately.

‘Ah, there is Park Jega.’

As he was the man of the 21st century, he was not a person of this world. At least, there would not be an issue of plagiarism.

And coincidentally, he finally remembered a poem relating to a red flower.

‘Okay. Let’s write it.’

When he opened his eyes, many fellows were already writing the poems. He tried to see what they were writing, but it was full of letters that he could not read.

‘Ei’

He did not dream of getting the first place anyway. What he wanted was to pass this session without any major problems.

Fortunately, his calligraphy was not so bad. It was better to say ‘to draw’ rather than ‘to write’. Anyway, he almost finished writing a poem.

“En… It seems almost finished. Hm…”

The governor seemed bored and asked the participants to finish quickly. The fellows who had not finished yet hurried up to finish one.

“Ok, then recite it in turns.”

With the order of the governor, one of the fellows stood up. He held his paper with one hand wide open so that the governor and others could read.

‘En? That must be a courtesy I guess.’

Ganghyuk was thankful that he was not the first one to present.

“My mind is surrounded by red flowers.

I am using my brush, intoxicated by the aroma.

I am missing the beautiful face,

which was as red as flowers.”

To Ganghyuk, it sounded average. And after the poem finished, the governor also nodded his head.

“En…”

But, the ears of Changgweon, who was a Confucian scholar from the bone, did not think so.

“You are in the age of studying. The poem is too vulgar.”

“I am sorry.”

And yet, his criticism and scolding continued after that. Fellows who were scolded sat down with frowning faces. It was not clear if this were a party or a place for punishment.

On the other side, the governor seemed to think that it was an interesting thing to watch, observing the scene without any comments.

‘Well, he is not an easy one.’

Ganghyuk looked a Changgweon, who was sitting there with an incorruptible face.

Frankly, all of this was turning out to be good for him. As most of them were scolded, it would pass even if he were to be scolded as well.

“Today, we do not have any good poems at all. Then the last, Ganghyuk, please read yours.

With the call of the governor, he stood up in his seat. As he was a tall man, he looked great when he stood up.

“Ahem ahem.”

Ganghyuk held the paper after a few dry coughs. It could not be said that the letters on the paper were excellent, but they did not seem to be too bad either. At least, they looked better than his reputation.

Seeing this, the governor looked at Ganghyuk with a more comfortable face.

“The letters look tidy. Then, let’s hear the poem.”

“It is not good, but I will recite it.”

“Okay, okay.”

And with that, Ganghyuk recited the poem carefully. He was actually quite tensed because of stern sight of Changgweon.

“Do not call all the flowers with the one letter of red.

There is difference between stamens.

So, you need to look at them carefully.”

It was a poem by Park Jega, who was said to be the best poet in the mid Joseon. His slanted sight had a kind of humor and charm; Ganghyuk felt that way when he had first memorized this poem.

‘What is this? Why is it so quiet? Is it too early for this time?”

When he looked around, he saw the governor looking at him quietly. He opened his mouth after staying silent for some time. “Good. Good. You are sarcastic that everybody talks about only red flowers.”

Then, the court clerk added. “I think that this was the best among what I have heard today.”

“No, no. It is the best among what I have heard this whole year. Changgweon, what do you think?” The governor asked him while reading his countenance.

Although he was the lowest ranking officer, the former could not help but acknowledge the depth of his knowledge.

“It is not bad. There is noble sarcasm in the poem.”

“Then, today’s first prize goes to Ganghyuk. Come and have a glass of wine.”

It was said that true art transcended the times.

‘Thank you, Sir Park Jega.’ Ganghyuk thought in his head as he went to the governor to receive the glass. The governor laughed while pouring the wine. “A talent was born in the family of Baik. You are an excellent doctor, and can write a good poem as well.

“No, sir. You are exaggerating.” He was good at pretending to be humble. So, he drank the wine as if it were nothing.

Seeing this, the governor liked Ganghyuk even more, as his behavior showed his broadmindedness.

“No, no. Hey, Changgweon, you must ask him now. Don’t be obstinate.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean your daughter. You told me that she has had high fever for days. If Ganghyuk examines her, he will surely be able to treat her. She will then recover completely.”