Chapter 167: Chapter 40
“Hi, dad, hi, mayor, thanks so much for coming here!” With unusual politeness Kanghyok bowed to them.
“Oh, how are you son?” Sungmun recalled that Kanghyok had smallpox when he was a child. So, he asked with a worried look.
“I’m alright, dad. How are you?”
“Don’t worry about me. I, too, have been there already as a child.”
The mayor waited patiently until their conversation was over.
If Sungmun had smallpox before and got over it, Kanghyok didn’t need to worry about him because he already acquired immunity.
But Kanghyok was not sure if what his father said was really smallpox.
‘He might have confused scarlet fever or measles with smallpox.’ Patients with such diseases developed rashes on their faces.
“Dad, I think you should still take care. As I have a very effective medicine for smallpox, please take it.”
“Medicine for smallpox?”
“Yes, I have it.”
“How can I ignore your judgement? Got it.”
Obviously, Sungmun’s attitude changed after Kanghyok cured his malaria just recently.
Sungmun quickly got off the horse and approached Kanghyok. Then, he waited with a complacent look.
“Are you going to put this into my nostril?”
Sungmun made a frown after looking at Kanghyok’s finger coated with something.
“Yes.”
“Are you making fun of me, son?”
“No, dad. I’m a doctor.”
The mayor, watching them on the side, smiled gently. “Lord Paek, just go ahead. Your son’s doing it for your sake.”
“You should get this, too, mayor.”
“Me, too?”
“Yes, if you don’t want to have smallpox.”
“Good heavens!”
Sungmun and the mayor suddenly frowned. But in the end, they did as directed by Kanghyok.
“Ugh, it stinks!”
It was a cow’s pus, never cleaned before. As it was, Kanghyok had to collect it from the cow’s anus part since he already collected the pus from other parts of the cow in several syringes and used them up.
‘I’m so fortunate.’ Dolsok shivered, watching Kanghyok push the cow’s yellow pus into the mayor’s and Sungmun’s nostrils. He thought one hundred shots would be much better than that disgusting yellow pus.
Even the mayor and Sungmun had to ask Kanghyok begrudgingly, “Was this the only way available?”
Kanghyok just shrugged his shoulders and said, “Well, I could have put them in your mouth...”
“Damn it. No way!” Sungmun waved his hand, disgust evident after hearing that.
There were between 50 to 60 servants and soldiers combined who followed the mayor and Sungmun.
“Hey, Dolsok, Yoni. Get me some more pus into the basin.”
“In the basin?”
“Yeah, I need to put them into these patients’ nostrils.”
“Oh, got it.”
Dolsok and Yoni gleefully squeezed the pus from the sick cow.
In the meantime, Joon Huh was examining the medicinal herbs carried on the carts. As Joon was new to the mayor, the latter approached the former with a frown on his face.
Several soldiers quickly followed him.
“Who are you?”
“How are you, sir? My name is Joon Huh, a doctor here.”
Joon, who was absent-minded while searching through the medicinal herbs, suddenly lowered his head.
“Joon Huh?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Joon Huh...”
The mayor tilted his head to one side as if he heard of it before.
It was Sungmun who heard that name.
“Do you know Lord Heechun Yu?”
“Yes, I do.”
“I see.”
Kanghyok had also heard of Heechun Yu.
His father said he once worked with Yu at Royal Academy.
It seemed Yu was very close to Sungmun. After he returned to his hometown after retirement, Yu had sent some gifts to Sungmun.
“I heard that someone saved Lord Yu’s son, who almost lost his life, and it was you.”
“Oh, now I remember. It’s you, Joon Huh!” the mayor now shouted his name as if he clearly recalled Joon’s name.
The three began to chat in no time.
It was the mayor who opened his mouth first, “Oh, you’re on your way to Hanyang now.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I hear you’re heading to Royal Medical Service, right?”
“Yes, Lord Yu has recommended me. It’s an honor for me.”
Royal Medical Service was responsible for making medicine for the king and palace people, and was also responsible for treating them.
In other words, Joon Huh was on his way to Hanyang to become a royal doctor.
Sungmun envied him.
“In your opinion, what do you think of my son’s medical skills, Doctor Huh?”
“You mean Kanghyok?”
“Yes, Kanghyok.”
Joon wanted to give out a hearty laugh.
“Well, if I was not chosen as a royal doctor, I would just stop here and serve Kanghyok as my teacher.”
“Really? Are you sure?” Sungmun was so happy to hear that, expressing great pleasure.
“Dad, and mayor. You have to stop chatting so that I can stop the smallpox from spreading.”
At his sharp rebuke, Sungmun came to his senses. “Oh, you’re right. Here are the medicinal herbs. What about these people that I brought here?”
“There are some more patients in the village. These people have to go there and bring them here.”
Kanghyok looked around.
As the examination room was located on the hillside, he could have a good view of the village houses, and saw where there was some smoke from the chimneys.
“I see. What else?”
Kanghyok pointed at the warehouse and another room.
“There are more than 20 patients in those two rooms. As men and women are mixed in the same room, it’s very inconvenient for them.”
“Got it. So, you need some rooms to house the patients. Don’t worry,” said the mayor. It was a piece of cake for the mayor to secure several houses with his authority.
“Let me have their noses stained with this cow’s pus first.”
“Sure. Hey, guys! Come forward, everyone.”
At the mayor’s order they quickly gathered. They must have clearly seen Kanghyok putting the cow’s pus into their noses.
“Here you go, master!” Dolsok brought with him a basin full of the cow’s pus.
As its bad smell was so strong, even Kanghyok, who was wearing a mask, formed a frown.
“Whew!”
Kanghyok spooned the pus with his gloved hand.
The soldier right before him closed his eyes tightly.
“You have to endure it. This is the real medicine.”
“Ughhh.”
“Next!”
Dozens of soldiers and Sungmun’s servants all had pus applied on their noses.
Yoju drew this spectacular scene skillfully.
“I think I have to visit the village now,” said Kanghyok. He had to tell apart the patients from the normal villagers. He carefully looked around.
‘Joon could help him, of course, but Dolsok might not. But I’ll just have him bring anyone who looked sick here.’
He could examine them first for an accurate diagnosis. It would take some time for them to get immunity even after the pus was put into their noses.
It was Dolsok, Yoni or Makbong who should touch the patients.
“You guys take the soldiers to the village. If you notice anyone who looks sick, bring them here. You, not the soldiers, should touch them when you have to.”
“Yes, master.”
“Doctor Huh, you can immediately determine whether anyone is sick or not on the spot.”
“I understand.”
At Kanghyok’s order, they dispersed into the village.
Next, Kanghyok had to carry the patients in the yard.
‘Let me check them first.’
He had to put the most serious patients right behind him.
“The rest of you should stay here. Dad, mayor, you can take a break here.”
“No, let me help the mayor.”
“Any particular thing to help him?”
In Kanghyok’s mind, their role was over. To be honest, it would be better for them to leave now. He was worried that both of them might get sick during their stay here.
“Just like how the doctor treats patients, government officials like me should take care of the people. How can they think good of me if I run away when the smallpox broke out like this?”
“You’re right, dad. I was really short-minded.”
In the meantime, Kanghyok saw several shamans carrying a cow up a hill.
“What are they doing?”
“The mayor has prepared it. He’s going to bring all the villagers there.”
“Gathering the villagers?”
“They are going to perform an exorcism in the presence of the villagers.”
“Good heavens! Where is the mayor?”
“He’s going to preside over the ceremony.”
“Dang it.”
Kanghyok ran to the hill, uttering some foul words.
Yoju quickly followed him, holding the art supplies.
“Are you going to watch the performance?”
“Nope.”
“Then, why are you going there?”
“I’m going to stop him.”
“Really?”
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