Chapter 170: Chapter 43
Anesthetic?
Several drugs flashed into Kanghyok’s mind, ranging from primitive medicine like chloroform to modern medicine like propofol.
‘I wish Joon found this type of medicine.’
Joon said,
“There are herbal medicines called Somsu and Choh.”
“Somsu and Choh?”
Of course, they were not English words.
But they were too unfamiliar to him.
After hesitating for a moment, Joon continued,
“Somsu means the poison of a toad.”
“Poison?”
“Yes.”
“What about Choh?”
“It’s medicinal herb that makes poison.”
“Poison?”
“Yes.”
Kanghyok suddenly felt dizzy.
Joon continued,
“Somsu began to be used as poison since ancient times. If anybody eats it too much, his or her hands and feet are frozen on the spot, losing their lives.”
It was kind of neurotoxin.
‘Ah, come to think of it...’
When he was back in modern Korea, one of his medical students showed Kanghyok a strange footage.
It was a foreign YouTube video.
“A woman was trying to catch a toad, but its poison spattered in her eyes, which made her numb and taken to a hospital.’
When Kanghyok saw that woman couldn’t move one of her eyes, he was shocked.
While he was recalling that scene, Joon continued to explain,
“Choh is called Odu in China, which is also used as poison. When I used it as herbal medicine, I tasted it before.”
“Really? You tasted it?”
“Yes, I had to because I wanted to confirm its effect and problem with my own eyes.”
Wow!”
Kanghyok exclaimed with admiration.
Joon set an example by daring to sacrifice himself to preserve his integrity.
‘I could not have done so for the life of me.’
Kanghyok would have preferred to experiment with animals.
Joon smacked his lips as if he recalled the day he tasted Odu.
“If you grind Odu and put it on your tongue, it will taste spicy, and then you feel numb. I guess that’s what you’re expecting,” said Joon.
Choh seemed to be part of neurotoxin, too.
When used well, it could be effective as an anesthetic.
“Hummm...I think I can try it. Thanks.”
“I’m glad to hear my explanation was helpful. Let me take my leave now...”
“Oh, are you leaving for Hanyang?”
Joon looked at the square where their exorcism dance was still going on.
When Kanghyok watched it, he saw someone flying up and down on a tightrope. It must be Yoni.
He was amazed how good she was at walking on a tightrope with no proper acrobatic tools.
“I’m sorry, but I have to go now.”
“Sure. Let’s keep in touch!”
“Okay. As soon as I find a regular lodging, I’ll send you a letter.”
“Yes, doctor Huh.”
“Goodbye for now.”
Waving his hand at Kanghyok, Joon now headed for Hanyang.
The only man who followed Joon was that young man that Kanghyok saw first.
And he had a simple bundle on the back.
He was indeed the savior of the whole village, but his appearance from behind was just humble.
“Wait a minute, doctor Huh!”
Kanghyok urgently called him.
“Did you call me, doctor Paek?”
“Please take this as you are going on a long journey.”
Kanghyok took out a fan from his sleeves.
It was a colorful silver-carved fan made in juniper with a delicate fragrance.
It looked really precious and a real treasure.
Joon could not figure out Kanghyok’s intention.
Given Kanghyok’s easy-going attitude, he might have given it to Joon as a simple gift.
“What is this?”
“Please use it as the expenses for your long journey.”
“This one? This is too...”
It was too expensive a stuff to be used as his travel expenses.
Actually he could hire several more servants by selling it.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be more comfortable if you take it.”
“Still, this is too much..”
“No, no. You taught me about narcotic herbs. I think I should learn a lot from you in the future.”
“Oh, I see.”
Though Joon wanted to reject Kanghyok’s gift, he couldn’t.
When he arrived in Hanyang, he would have to find a lodging first.
“Please accept it,” Kanghyok demanded once more.
Kanghyok took another fan from his sleeves, which looked also precious, though it was not worked in gold.
“I’ve got lots of fans like this,” said Kanghyok.
“Okay, let me take it, doctor Paek,” said Joon.
“Great. Please let me know when you arrive.”
Thanks!”
Turning back and bowing to him, Joon left.
When Kanghyok looked at the square in the distance the exorcism performance was over.
However, the villagers gather there were whooping it up thanks to the food and drinks offered by the mayor.
‘I think I have to take a break.’
Come to think of it, he couldn’t have any sound sleep for the past 15 days.
He went down to the village bar and occupied the largest room.
After making a bed he lay on his back.
As he was so exhausted, he fell asleep before he knew.
He didn’t know how long he slept until someone woke him up roughly.
“Master, master!”
“Ugh?”
“You’re alive! You slept so deeply...”
Dolsok murmured, strongly smelling of alcohol.
The sun was rising high already.
‘Where is my bag? Oh, here it is.’
He found he was holding it tightly even when he was asleep.
“Why are you making such a fuss like this?”
Kanghyok got up, scratching his head, and found something below his pillow.
It was a letter.
“What’s this?”
“The mayor left it behind.”
“Did he already leave?”
“Yea, he left last night. You slept one full day, sir.”
“I see. Where is my father?”
“He left with the mayor, too. He said he couldn’t leave his house empty too long.”
“Why didn’t you wake me up?”
“Both of them told me not to wake you up. You really slept deeply, master.”
“Let me read the letter anyway.”
He slowly opened it.
As he learned some Chinese characters from Joon and Yoju, Kanghyok could how to read, though he could not understand completely.
At a glance, the mayor praised his medical skills.
‘There is a prize for me, too.’
When he looked outside, he saw the cart filled with all kinds of medicinal herbs.
Obviously the mayor gave all the leftover herbs to him.
There was even a cow that the mayor took with him.
‘Above all, the biggest reward for me was to have mastered how to control cowpox.’
Kangyok was watching Yoju who was standing near the cow.
She had a pictorial book in her waist, on which she put down the records on Kanghyok’s medical skills and medicinal herbs, including how to squeeze and inject a cow’s pus as well as putting it into noses, etc.
When he raised himself, Yoni, Yoju and Makbong, who were standing in the year, approached him.
“How are you, master?” Yoju asked politely.
“Looks like you need to do some morning workout, master,” said Yoni spiritedly.
And Makbong greeted him by saying, “The madame of the bar has prepared breakfast for you, master.”
“Thanks, folks. Did you have a good sleep, too?
“Yes, master. We had beef yesterday. I wish you had, too.”
Yoni smacked her lips as if she couldn’t forget the delicious beef.
But Kanghyok didn’t feel up to it at all as he knew that it was a sick cow with smallpox.
‘They would freak out if they realized it was that sick cow with yellow pus.’
“Okay, let me have rice soup then.”
“Here you go, master!”
The madame brought the soup, speaking through the nose.
“Wow, this soup has lots of meat slices...”
At that moment Makbong winked at her, who specially prepared it well at his request.
Kanghyok emptied the soup deliciously.
“Shall we leave now?”
“Yes, master.”
As if he was already ready to go out, Dolsok answered quickly, but with some wistful eye.
“By the way, are you going to head back for your house now?”
“Yes, I’m going to. Why?”
“Well, I hear that there is a famous monk nearby.”
“Monk?”
“Yes, that monk is cultivating the heart in Mt Kumkang, but he sometimes goes out to villages for preaching about Buddhist scriptures. Some say he is an incarnation of Buddha.”
“Preaching by an incarnation of Buddha?”
Kanghyok didn’t believe it at all, but his entourage including Yoni, Yoju, Dolsok and Makbong seemed to be pretty much anxious to go and see him.
“Okay, then Let’s go to that place.”
“Thanks so much, master!”
Dolsok held the horse by the reins with an excited face.
While they were marching toward the monk’s place, Makbong suddenly beat on his belly.
“I’m still full as I enjoyed that beef so much last night.”
“Are you talking about that cow?”
“Yes, master. Haha.”
Kanghyok was sneering at him as Makbong was not aware that the beef he had was the meat of that sick cow.
Yoju asked, “Master, you enjoyed the rice soup this morning, right?”
“Sure, I did. All thanks to him.”
Kanghyok was referring to Makbong, but Dolsok answered instead,
“Well, I took away some slices of beef before the feast began.”
“What?”
“I wanted to treat my master to some beef. He, he!”
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