Doctor Goes Back to Joseon

Chapter 58: Letter from Hanyang [2]

“Did both of them send a letter?”

“Yes…You are quite blessed.” Seungmun laughed.

Ganghyuk was a guy who used to be called a gangster some time ago. But now, he had become a doctor and made friends with good people in Hanyang. He had even participated in the war against the Japanese by following the governor.

As a father, Seungmun was quite moved by this transformation.

“Here are the letters.”

“Thank you, father.” Ganghyuk received the letters. Although he could read better than before, he did not have the fluency to read them without difficulty. He might need some time to interpret them, or he might need help from Yeoju.

“Do you remember the servant that you sent me?”

“Yes…Do you mean Park Kyungwon?”

It was hard to call him a servant. He had stayed there as a patient rather than a servant.

First of all, he did not pay him at all. Of course, he could think that his medical fees would be his wages.

“He is very diligent.”

“Really? Has he already started working?”

“Yes! He sorted the books with a bandaged arm, asking for characters that he did not know.”

“Did he?”

Ganghyuk was surprised that he had already started working. It had been only a few days since he lost an arm after all. He had to take a handful of medicines because of the wounds everyday.

“Yes, I told him not to do it, but he insisted.”

“Eum… He was the soldier who fought with Dolseok. Please take care of him.”

“Yes, of course! He became disabled while fighting the Japanese. We have to be generous to him.”

“Thank you!”

“I will go to meet my guests.”

“Yes, father.”

A crowd of people had gathered for the funeral of Changgweon. Of course, many of them came to see Seungmun, rather than to remember Changgweon. Perhaps, more people came there to see Seungmun than Changgweon.

‘There are not many that I know.’ Ganghyuk saw the scene and wondered. He knew Governor Kim Yungil and Clerk Lee Jeongbok at most. However, he had seen them on the battlefield all along, so he did not want to see them here anymore.

‘I had better go to Yeoju.’

It seemed that she had managed to be alright; she ate well and looked tidy. She looked quite fine for a woman who had lost her father a few days ago.

Of course, he did not know what she truly felt.

“Dolseok…”

“Yes, sir?”

Dolseok was drinking with the other servants, but did not hesitate to run to Ganghyuk once he heard his master’s voice.

“Let’s go to Yeoju.”

“What? If the great master knew it, I would be scolded.”

“It is alright. We will go there secretly.”

“But, there are too many people…”

“There is a way that servants use.”

“Ah…Yes.”

Ganghyuk had become better than before, but he was still a gangster rather than a nobleman in Dolseok’s view. How could a nobleman try to use the servants’ lane?

Dolseok guided him with worries.

Fortunately, all the servants were busy serving for guests, and there were not many in the inner building. (1)

“Hurry up…Hurry!” Dolseok was anxious; he could not understand why Ganghyuk was so relaxed.

“I am coming.”

“Run.”

“You told me that a noblemen never ran.”

“You are right.”

As it was true, Dolseok could not say anything. He could not help but take care by himself.

“Here…”

“Oh!”

“In the room… Let’s see. Miss Yeoju is alone.”

Dolseok guided him to the room where Yeoju stayed without difficulty. There was only one pair of shoes on the footstone.

“Good! You did a nice job.”   

“I will stay here, and will give you a signal if somebody comes.”

“Ok.”

“But, you need to be quick.”

“Ok, ok…You are nagging me too much.” Ganghyuk went into the room while shaking his head, only to see Yeoju shedding tears alone.

She seemed pacified and calm; she was not much surprised to see Ganghyuk.

“You came here…”

“Are you alright?”

“I am not really alright, but I can manage it.”

“Good…”

Ganghyuk sat down in front of Yeoju without saying anything. Time went by, and he started feeling needles in his feet. Then, he opened his mouth.

“What are you going to do?”

“What do you mean?”

“Would you like to continue painting?”

“Ah!”

It seemed that Yeoju had something in mind. She hesitated for some time and then opened her mouth. “I will begin painting after the funeral.”

“Really? Then, will you go to Hanyang with me?”

“Hanyang?”

“Yes, Hanyang.”

She could not answer right away. She then asked him after some time of agony.

“Did my drawing help you?”

“Of course!”

There was no reason for him to hesitate in answering that question. He was always feeling gratitude toward her drawings.

“Do you really mean it?”

“Yes! I am searching for the herbs, and Yeoni and Dolseok learn medicine with the book you made for us.”

“Ah…”

Yeoju bent her head, showing a smile of satisfaction, but Ganghyuk did not notice it unfortunately.

“Will you go with me?”

“Yes, I will.”

“Good! You don’t need to worry about your house. I will have someone to take care of it.”

“Ok… I trust you.”

Ganghyuk thought of Park Kyungwon who had come here recently. He was a commoner and not a slave. Furthermore, he could read Chinese characters. It was good for him to have his own residence.

As Yeoju’s house was near the clinic, he could lend it to him.

“Take it easy. If you need something, let me know.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“No. You are the daughter of my savior.”

“But you saved my life, too.”

“Yes, we have Karma between us.”

Ganghyuk went out of the room with a slight laugh. Meanwhile, Dolseok gave a sigh of relief on seeing him come out.

“You finally came out.”

“Yes…You can go back to the table and have some drinks.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”

…

Seungmun had opened his warehouse without sparing anything, so all the visitors felt full. While they were enjoying their time eating and drinking, they praised Changgweon. Actually, he was a hero in Eotanmyeon; nobody could reject that.

“There is no one like your father.”

“I owe my life to your father.”

Yeoju could hear those incessant praises. Heo Nanseolheon paid a visit to her and consoled her. All of them tried to offer her support and strength to live on.

Thanks to them, Ganghyuk and the other people could be released from the burden.

…

“Yeoju seemed really good now.” Ganghyuk was on the horse.

“Yes, Yeoni told me so.” Dolseok was holding the reigns as always. They were on the way to the governor.

“Are Yeoni and Makbong searching for a place for their group in Hanyang?”

“Yes. There are some other groups in Hanyang already, but she said they can solve the problem.”

“Yes, we need them. We might have some troubles on the way to Hanyang. We will surely need them.”

“Yes, they don’t keep two tongues in one mouth.”

At first, Dolseok despised them and called them ‘gangsters.’ But now that they had become friends, Dolseok was actually defending them.

Ganghyuk was in the same shoe as well.

“Sir, we have arrived.”

“Good!” Ganghyuk took off the horse, not wanting to be rude to the governor.

“Why did you come here by yourself? You could have used the messenger to deliver the medicine.”

“Ah, it is not for his medicine. I came here to ask a favor.”

“No medicine, then?”

“I have that of course.”

“Good!”

“He is the governor, you know?”

He could not imagine Governor Kim Yungil without Viagra. He had always been happy since he used Viagra. Even now, he ran to him with gladness, wearing his shoes nevertheless (2).

“Oh, when did you come? Why didn’t you tell me that you would be here?”

“I didn’t want to bother you.”

“No, what are you talking about? Between us… Come in.”

“Yes, sir.”

The soldiers were at a loss because the governor himself greeted Ganghyuk, welcoming him at the gate. Who else could be welcomed like him? A Minister?

“What are you doing, there? We have a VIP here.”

The soldiers moved hurriedly on hearing his command. Some of them prepared a drinking table while others brought out some snacks.

“Heo heo… After the victory, they are all relaxed.” The governor laughed as he went into the room.

In his room was a folding screen, with silk cushions and futon laid out. They looked very expensive, and seemed like things he could not have bought with just his salary.

“Sit down.” The governor sat down first and asked Ganghyuk to take a seat.

“Yes, sir. Dolseok, wait here.”

“Yes, sir.”

Dolseok arranged the shoes of Ganghyuk and governor, then went to stay outside. With that, Ganghyuk and the governor sat in the room undisturbed.

The governor looked at Ganghyuk authoritative.

“What brings you here today?”

“I came here to ask you for a favor.”

“What is it? If I can, I will do it for you.” He nodded his head first without even knowing what favor the other would request for. He knew how to handle people indeed. Ganghyuk was moved by his technique to move people’s mind and said. “I need some medicine.”

“Medicinal herbs? I have already told my pharmacist that you can take anything from my warehouse.”

“It is very rare, so I think it is not in your warehouse.”

“What is it, then?”

He showed the attitude that he could do anything for him.

‘Viagra is a good thing indeed… Haha.’

Ganghyuk said while rubbing the silk pouch that he had brought. “It is called Seomsu, which is the poison of a toad.”

“Toad? Does it work as medicine?”

“Yes, it will be very useful when I treat patients with heavy wounds.”

“Ok. I will ask soldiers to catch toads. I think they can catch them easily in the hills behind the village.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Is it all? Then, we can have a good time.”

The governor took the jar on the table and poured a drink in the glass, offering it to Ganghyuk.

“Ganghyuk…”

“Yes, sir?”

“Will you go to Hangyang?”

“I am going to Hanyang soon because my acquaintances invited me.”

The governor smiled at the remark of Ganghyuk.

“No… Not that kind. I will be in Hanyang to work in Internal Affairs.”

“Internal Affairs? Wow, will you be a minister?”

“Don’t make a fuss. It is not fixed yet.”

Although he had told him to not make a fuss, it seemed he was appointed as a minister indeed. If the governor had become the minister of internal affairs and was asking him to go to Hanyang, it meant that he would take him and give him an office as well.

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Ganghyuk should have said yes to this offer at normal times. But, the king right now was Seonjo.

‘I could fall into a swamp…” (3)

Traditional Korean houses have two buildings: the outer building is for men, and inner building is for women. In Joseon, girls and boys do not sit together after seven years of age.

In Korea, it is a figure of speech to show one’s gladness when one comes out without wearing any shoes. It reflects one’s joy on seeing the other to the extent that he or she ended up forgetting to wear his shoes.

Korea was invaded by the Japanese in the sovereignty of Kong Seonjo.