Doctor Goes Back to Joseon

 

The order of Jeong Cheol was delivered as swift as a bird flying in the daytime and as secretly as a mouse crawling at night.

Hwanghaedo Gwanchalsa Han Jun, Anak Gunsu Lee Chuk, Jaeryeong Gunsu Park Chungggan, and Chincheon Gunsu made reports.

The contents were as follows:

Jeong Yeorip and his fellows in Daedonggye are planning a treason to attack the government in Hangyang simultaneously from Hwanghaedo and Honam. They plan to kill Shin Rip and Minister of Defense to possess the military power.

It really had shocking contents to stir the government.

When there was additional report that Daedonggye was already organized in Hanyang, Seonjo sent Euigeumbu Dosa [high-ranking policeman] to Hwanghaedo and Jeollado. Ganghyuk was not worried much about the situation. It was because of Hangbok. The young hero of Seoin visited Ganghyuk nearly every day.

Sometimes, he asked Ganghyuk to torture someone, but it was only occasional.

He came and asked his situation and let him know the current status.

“How are you? Are you good.”

“Yes, sir,”

“Good.”

Lee Hangbok sat down on the floor as if it were his home.

Dolseok and other servants were already accustomed to the guest and they did not care much.

When Hangbok came, they made chicken for him, as he loved it very much.

“It is always tasty.”

“It is upgraded thanks to the flour that you gave me.”

“This black thing may be pepper.”

“Yes, sir. Before this incident, Lord Ryu gave me some.”

When Ryu Seongyong’s name was mentioned, his face became a little darker.

He did not have any grudge against Ryu Seongyong although they belonged to different party.

Hangbok was moved by the greatness of Songyong as they worked in the same ministry, Yejo.

He chewed the chicken for a long time and then said.

“Yes, he will be ok. He is not related with Jeong Yeorip, anyway. He will be ok.”

“Good.”

“I came here today…”

Lee Hangbok left the bone on the floor.

After he wiped his oily fingers, he said with a serious face.

“Jeong Yeorip died.”

“What?”

“He was found dead in Jukdo. He committed suicide”

“Heo, he killed himself…”

“Yes, a man called Byon Sungbok was found there, too.”

“Ah…”

He had met Byon Sungbok once.

They met as an enemy, but he felt some emotion when he heard that Byon Sungbok was dead.

“How about Euiyeon?”

“Ah, the monk? Died.”

“Yes.”

“There are more.”

Lee Hangbok remembered people who were killed in the incident closing his eyes.

He proactively moved to prevent a treason but now it was being used as a tool to coerce Dongin.

Too many people were killed, exiled and lost their offices.

Kim Simin, Lee Eokgi, Shin Rip and Lee Sunshin lost their offices. Jeong Eonshin resigned because he was a distant relative of Jeong Yeorip.

“You don’t look happy.”

“Do I? No, I am not happy at all.”

“I am sorry that I cannot help you.”

“No, I am sorry to make you suffer, too.”

Lee Hangbok ate chicken leaning to the column.

He would stay in Ganghyuk’s place for some time, before going home.

Recently, he visited Ganghyuk more frequently.

It seems that Hangbok had healing time in Ganghyuk’s place.

“Sir?”

“Why?”

“I asked you a favor last time. Do you remember?”

“Ah, you mean Changgweon?”

A distant relative had to resign.

Changgweon was the only brother of Yeorip.

Although Changgweon did not have good terms with Yeorip…

If somebody wanted to harm Changgweon, he could be at risk because he was Yeorip’s brother.

“It was reported that he made a contribution in the war in Eotanmyeon. Governor Kim Yungil had reported the incident in detail. According to his report, Changgweon must be a great man.”

“Yes, I bet it.”

Kim Yungil.

He was one of the victims of this incident.

He was subjected to be a minister, but he remained as governor because of this big incident.

Luckily, he had friends not only in Dongin but also in Seoin.

Therefore, he was not removed from his office although he belonged to dongin.

“He was already dead and how could we investigate further? I asked Lord Jeong Cheol to cover it.”

“As far as I know, he had a daughter. What will happen to his daughter?”

Ganghyuk asked the question looking at the backyard.

That is the place where Yeoju hid herself in male costume.

“Ah, they reported to me that there was a search warrant. But nobody knew where she was. The governor and your father reported that she disappeared long time ago. Anyway, it is a girl, not a boy.”

“Yes.”

“I heard you were close to Changgweon since childhood. I am sorry to make you suffer.”

“No, sir. I am good.”

“It will be sorted out soon. It will be.”

Lee Hangbok left saying goodbye to Ganghyuk.

“See you later.”

He walked to the gate shaking his hand.

Suddenly he looked back as if he had remembered something.

“Do you know Heo Jun in Naeeuiwon?”

“Yes, I know him. We correspond.”

Ganghyuk was too busy to visit him, but he intended to visit him when he first arrived here.

He wanted to discuss the effect of Seomsu and Chooh with him.

They were the herbs that Heo Jun suggested.

Ganghyuk smiled at the name.

He has not smiled for a long time.

It was almost the first time that he smiled since the incident of Yeorip.

“He wanted to see you urgently. I told him I would deliver his message and then I almost forgot.”

“Urgently?”

“Yes, he told me a servant in the palace named Kim Kyehan fell because he lost his footing. He said that the guy was in critical situation. I am sorry. These days I am out of mind too often.”

“Where should I go?”

Actually, Ganghyuk was bored at that time.

He was originally active man, but he could not go out and roam around for many months.

He could keep himself and his fellows by staying silent at home, but he was very bored.

‘I can see Heo Jun and use my skills.’

If he fell, he must have had trauma.

It would not be simple.

If it was a simple wound, Heo Jun would not ask his help.

“Let’s go with me. He must be in Naeeuiwon.”

“Naeeuiwon… I see. I will call my fellows.”

“Yes. But I am afraid if he has already been dead… It was some time ago when he asked me this.”

Hangbok regretted that he could not remember Heo Jun’s favor a little bit earlier.

Ganghyuk could guess how the government was chaotic seeing Hangbok, famous for his cleverness, forgetting somebody’s favor.

It means that they could not prepare for the coming war, Imjinwaeran.

Ganghyuk could understand why Joseon had been defeated completely.

‘They were in civil war in front of the enemy.’

Many of people from Dongin were killed.

From the leading group, Lee Bal, Lee Gil, Lee Geub brothers, You Mongjeong, Choi Yeokyung, Lee Hwangjong, Yoon Gishin and Lee Jingil were killed only because they were close to Jeong Yeorip.

Some people from Dongin lost their offices. Among them, there were Prime Minister Noe Sushin, Vice Prime Minister Jeong Eonshin and Jikjehak (Grade 2 Official) Hong Jongrok.

It could be said that Seoin removed Dongin from the government rather than they tried to interrogate and prosecute Jeong Yeorip’s treason.

The only good thing that Ganghyuk found in this incident was it happened earlier than the original so that Joseon might have some time to prepare for the war.

If Toyotomi Hideyoshi did not make an invasion earlier, they would have some months to prepare for it.

‘Anyway, we have some time. There is nothing for me to do.’

In this dangerous situation, it is better to keep quiet.

He did not want to die in Joseon.

“Sir, we are ready to go.”

With the command of Ganghyuk, Dolseok, Makbong, Yeoni and Yeoju came out.

As Yeoni and Yeoju wore male costume even in the house, they looked very natural.

They could deceive Lee Hangbok, who had good observation.

“Ok, let’s go.”

“Yes, sir.”

They went to the palace passing Geoncheondong.

The marketplace lost its vitality.

As people were killed nearly every day, people were very cautions to do anything.

The massacre slowed the economy.

“We are going to Naeeuiwon”

Lee Hangbok showed a token and a letter to the police who stopped him.

The letter said to allow Ganghyuk to enter and there was a stamp.

The stamp was Jeong Cheol’s so the policeman could not help passing them.

Jeong Cheol became the first man in the government. There was only one who was more powerful than him. The one who was more powerful than Jeong Cheol in Joseon was the King.

Two of them went in leaving their horses outside.

“It was fortunate that I had asked the letter.”

“Yes, sir.”

It was not the first time for Ganghyuk to go to palace.

But it was the first time not for torture.

‘It is strange to go to the palace to save someone.’

When he came here last time, the atmosphere itself was very fearful.

Ganghyuk did not make anything wrong, but he could not relax.

Comparing to that time, this visit was something like walking on the red carpet.

The company is Lee Hangbok rather than Dosa [Senior Policeman].

“This way.”

“Yes, sir”

“That way is to Euigeumbu. Do you want to torture again?”

“No, sir.”

“I don’t like that either. Here it is.”

“Ah.”

Naeeuiwon was not so big.

There were several buildings.

Lee Hangbok called the passerby and asked him to report their arrival to Heo Jun.

“Hey. Tell Cheomjeong (Grade 4) Heo Jun that we are here. I came with Scholar Baik Ganghyuk.”

“Yes, sir.”

The man ran.

After some time, someone came out of the room.

He had blood all over on the face and in his clothes but Ganghyuk could recognize him at a glance.

“Heo Jun.”

“Ah, you came.”

“Long time no see.”

“Come on in. It is urgent.”

“Yes.”

Ganghyuk forgot that Heo Jun was a born doctor. He could not help seeing patients.

Ganghyuk was pulled into the clinic without saying goodbye to Hangbok.

Hangbok left there without complaints.

He had already heard of Heo Jun. It was said that Heo Jun thought of patients and treatment only. No other thing could attract his attention.

“This way.”

“Ah, yes.”

Ganghyuk took off his leather shoes and came into the room.

He could smell blood as soon as he came into the room.

“What is this?”

“He is the eunch [man serving for the king in the palace] of the king. He fell from the stairs.

“Aha.”

His status was not good.

Ganghyuk took out a blood pressure gauge and a stethoscope hastily.

“Dolseok, measure his blood pressure. Yeoni, wipe his wound with water. Makbong, ask all other people than Dr. Heo to go out.”

“Yes, sir!”

Ganghyuk heard the heartbeat with stethoscope.

It was because blood flew from the lung.

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-Hiss Hiss

He could hear the noise of wind from his right lung.

It was not good.

When he frowned, Dolseok shouted.

“Blood pressure is too low, sir. It is 70/40. Eho… It became 60… Oh my goodness. It is going down constantly!”