Chapter 22: Secret Treatment [1]

Hearing the Governor’s remark, Changgweon shook his head. “My daughter is being treated by the medical girls that you had sent.”

“No, I heard from them. They were at a loss because they could not help her, saying that there would be no cure for her.”

“It is all because my daughter is not strong enough. She would get better as time goes by.”

He was very persistent, not even listening to his senior. This made the Governor feel stuffy as well. “Ganghyuk, tell me… You can cure her, right?”

Ganghyuk could not say ‘yes’ without knowing the details of the disease, and he did not like Changgweon too much either. ‘But, if I do something for him, maybe he will not criticize me in front of my father.’

For example, he would not make him go to Hygangyo to study…

Moreover, Ganghyuk was very proud of his medical skills.

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“I can take a look at the condition. I will be better that the medical girls, anyway.”

“Yes, I think so too. He cured my old disease. You know Sunshin, right? He cured him yesterday.” The Governor then turned to Ganghyuk, “How is he now?”

“He is in recovery. His leg was broken and I treated him. After a few months, he will be able to use his legs as before.”

“See!”

“I have experienced his treatment, and he is really good. It is true.” The court clerk joined the conversation in order to flatter his boss, the Governor.

As three people made a fuss, Changweon could did not have any choice but to comply. So, in the end, he gave in to the persuasion.

“Okay. But, he cannot see my daughter face to face.”

“Eh? But…” Ganghyuk was startled. But soon, he remembered his title.

“Professor, how can a doctor examine the patient without seeing the face?”

“Then, I will not agree with it.” Changgweon turned away while folding his arms.

Ganghyuk looked at the governor, but it seemed he did not have a solution. Although the governor was a senior in the office, he could not meddle in his housework.

So, this time, it was Ganghyuk who took a step back.

“OK. But can I talk?”

“Yes, you can. But, the door should be shut down.”

This all sounded just like a fake examination. But, there was clearly no other way, so Ganghyuk nodded his head. “Okay, I see.”

“Good! As both of you have given way, you will get a good result. Let’s have a good time now.” With the governor saying that, all of the attendees continued with the event, with the Gisaengs playing instruments and dancing to cheer them up.

Ganghyuk did not like this sort of activity with all these officials. ‘I need to see Lee Sunshin later on, and have to see the professor’s daughter.’

It was a good excuse, so he talked to the governor carefully about retreating from the party, “Sir, I cannot drink much because I have to see Lee Suhshin and the professor’s daughter.”

“Ah, yes. You should not do that indeed…You can go back to your seat.”

The governor was already very busy with his escort girl, so he just shook his hands to indicate that the latter could go.

“Yes, sir,” And with that, Ganghyuk went back to his seat, where the servants had already delivered a portable table full of food and drinks.

‘Liquor is quite dear, but it is still abundant here… It must be from the government office. The liquor that the governor just gave to me was quite tasty for sure.’

He had told the governor not to drink too much, but he did not say that he himself would not drink at all.

Ganghyuk drank the liquor quietly to enjoy it.

‘Em. It is pretty good. I must take it slowly so that I don’t get too drunk.’ It was very hard to climb up even when he was sober, and if he were drunk, he would not be able to climb down properly.

‘But, I cannot ride on Yeoni’s back.’

When he turned his head, he found Yeoni having a good time there. Snacks and liquor were shared, and the pavilion was full of laughter.

‘Even though she is quite strong, she will not be able to hold me on her back. She is too small.’

She was agile and good at martial arts, but he was too big for her. She must be around 160 cm in height. How could she hold a man who was over 185 cm tall on her back?

Although they had not weighed themselves, her weight must be half that of Ganghyuk.

‘No, it is impossible! I need to drink modestly.’

It was certain that Yeoni could not hold him on her back; she was not an ant anyway. Hence, he slowed down the pace of drinking. As he was very strong in alcohol, he did not feel drunk after a few drinks.

‘It is nearly time.’

Parties in Joseon had some advantages, one being that they finished early. As he expected, the governor stood up to finish the party.

“Well, it is already late.”

It was very early to say late. But, as they were in the mountain, it could be considered a late hour. Although there were soldiers, it would be very dangerous if there were a tiger or some other beasts.

It was the time animals would roam around villages as well as in the mountain.

They used pot for pees after this hour. It was said there were some who died on the way to the toilet.

“Sir, let’s go.”

At that moment, the clerk left the pavilion with the governor. All other people came on horses, but the governor came here by Gama, which was a kind of sedan chair.

‘Did he come here by that?’

Ganghyuk looked at the sedan chair bearers with a pathetic face. They had a determination showing up on their faces, looking like soldiers going to the battlefield.

“Then, I’ll be going.”

“Yes, good bye. I will see you tomorrow.”

The governor rode the sedan chair while shaking his hands like an old professor who would leave from the party early, with the clerk following him on a horse.

“Wake him up.”

Changgweon took care of the Confucian students remaining at the venue. Ganghyuk intended to go to his home together with him to see his daughter. Therefore, there was no other option but to wait.

But still, he did not help the former.

“Yeoni, are you Ok?”

“Yes, I am OK.”

“I saw you drinking alcohol from the bottle. Are you really ok?”

“Yes, I am very strong.”

Although he could smell alcohol from her, she looked alright. So, there would be no possibility for him having to hold her on his back.

“Drink water and take a deep breath.”

“Why?”

“You can be sober earlier with that.”

“You know everything.”

Yeoni tried to inhale and exhale although she did not seem to believe it. The aromatic breath tickled his nose.

“Yes, breathe like that.”

“Why are you so sober, sir?”

“You saw me before. I have a strong head.”

“Ah, yes! All of the fellows offered you wine, but you could still walk on your legs just fine.”

While they were talking, Cahnggweon came near them and said, “It is time to leave now. What will you do?”

He was clearly showing a more favorable attitude towards him right now. It seemed that the poem by Park Jega had really helped a lot.

“I would like to visit your house. There is no reason to postpone the treatment of your daughter.” Ganghyuk answered while holding up his bag.

Changgweon did not like the look of the bag, but he did not go back on his word, which was given not only to Ganghyuk, but also the governor.

“Yes, let’s go. Do you not have a horse?”

“I slept in the clinic yesterday to treat the man whom the governor had sent.”

“It is quite far. It may be hard for you.”

“It will be alright, sir.”

“Ok. I will go slowly then. Follow me.”

…

Changgweon rode the horse and went on towards his home. As he did not speed up too much, Ganghyuk managed to follow him somehow, although it was not easy at all; very tiring, actually.

“Oh my goodness!”

After not that long, Ganghyuk became totally breathless. Seeing his condition, Yeoni asked with an anxious face, “Are you alright, sir?”

“Even though I am not fine, there is no other way. Let’s go.”

“I can carry you on my back.”

Ganghyuk laughed on seeing her position her back towards himself, “Haha… you might get hurt. Don’t worry! Let’s go.”

“I am strong, sir.”

“Yes, I know.”

“I mean it.”

“Yes, but how I can ride on your back? I have to keep my face.”

“If you are too tired, let me know.”

“Okay.”

The laughter had somehow cheered him up, making him feel less tired physically. Continuing on, he managed to reach the house without too much difficulty. But, it was already dark when they arrived at the destination.

“Good job! She is in her room. Follow me.”

“Yes, sir.”

With that, Changgweon opened the door and went in.

‘Even a nobleman lives in a thatched house!’

The house looked very shabby compared to Ganghyuk’s place, which looked as good as a palace. A professor was a 6th grade official, but he still lived like this. It seemed that he lived only on his salary.

“This is the room.”

“Yes, sir,”

“Promise me, you will stay here.”

“Yes, I will.”

Ganghyuk was a professor in Chungmu Hospital in the other world. If the president of the hospital saw this scene, he would have fainted.

Changgweon looked at Ganghyuk for a while and then went into the room. The latter could smell a bad odor from the chick in the room.

‘She must be in a very bad condition.’

And, it seemed that Ganghyuk was indeed right. When Changgweon came out of the room, his face looked quite bad.

“Since my daughter has a small voice, talk to her by standing at the door.”

“Okay.”

“I will watch from here.”

It was just going from bad to worse. There was no other way to do it with his presence, so Ganghyuk nodded and went to the door.

He stood at the door as close as he could towards the inside and then asked.

“It is the doctor. I have something to ask.”

“Yes, please do.” The voice was cracked. It seemed that she had dry mouth. She must be having a fever.’

Ganghyuk was an able doctor, and even trivial things could give him clues. After considering those things, he asked questions while making inferences.

“Where do you have the most pain?”

“En Leg… Left leg.”

“Since when?”

“Since around ten days ago.”

If it were ten days old, it was quite an old wound. If it had developed too much, it would be possible that even he would not be able to cure it given his current resources. So, Ganghyuk asked with a more urgent voice.

“Was there something special on the day or the previous day from when you started having such pain?”

“En…”

It seemed that she could not remember. After thinking for a while, she answered without confidence.

“I think I stepped on something. There was blood on the sole. But, it stopped soon, so I did not take it seriously.”

“Aha, is that so?”

When he heard the answer, he guessed that it could be tetanus or phlegmon. The problem was that both of them needed more than just antibiotics.

If there were something in the wound, it also needed to be removed immediately.

‘Should I go in?’

Ganghyuk knew he should not do that. It was impossible as Changgweon was looking straight at him with an eagle-like gaze.

Was there any other method?

He looked around, noticing that the house was quite shabby. He also realized that the wall was quite low.

‘Nobody would know if I climbed over the wall.’