Chapter 27: Fever is Rising, Fever [1]
Yeoju stared directly at Kang-hyuk.
Though she was far too beautiful to be Chang-gwon’s daughter, a daughter she was nonetheless. There were subtle similarities between them that confirmed it.
Yet, her gaze unsettled Kang-hyuk, as if it were Chang-gwon himself glaring at him.
“Don’t glare at me like that.”
“Young master, you’ve been to my room several times, haven’t you?”
“Yeah, I have.”
If she intended to trap him with that, it was a serious miscalculation. As long as he wasn’t caught in the act, he was always prepared to withdraw at a moment’s notice.
“Then you must have seen the drawings I made.”
“Oh.”
“It’s a bit awkward to say it myself, but my drawing skills aren’t bad, are they?”
“They’re not bad at all.”
In fact, not just “not bad”—her skills were truly impressive. She had a remarkable talent for precise, detailed drawings. It made Kang-hyuk wonder why someone like her hadn’t made it into history books.
“I want to draw you while you’re treating patients, young master.”
“Draw me…? Hmm.”
Kang-hyuk rubbed his chin and glanced around the room. There were already several paintings hanging on the walls, so there wasn’t much more to look at.
‘Drawings… That’s not a bad idea.’
He couldn’t keep treating patients and performing surgeries alone forever. He’d need to train apprentices eventually.
‘I’ll stick to the tough, interesting cases, and let them handle the rest.’
He had even let Dolseok handle some minor boils occasionally. The man was surprisingly good at it, showing some talent. The main issue was finding good teaching materials, and illustrated guides would undoubtedly help.
“Drawings, huh.”
“Yes, young master. Here’s one I made of my own injury.”
Yeoju handed him a small piece of paper. Now that she’d recovered somewhat, it seemed she had already taken the time to create this illustration.
It depicted a small wound, with shading that grew lighter the farther it spread. The details of the sole of the foot were particularly meticulous.
‘She captured the features perfectly.’
Though the absence of color was a bit disappointing, the quality was excellent.
“So… you’re saying your father isn’t around.”
That significantly reduced the risks. Although her frequent visits might draw attention, there were capable individuals—like Makbong—who could help manage that.
“Alright, but don’t come every day. Only on the days I call for you.”
“Thank you.”
Yeoju bowed her head gracefully in gratitude.
“Good. Now… it’s not appropriate to linger here, so let’s leave quickly.”
“Yes, young master.”
Kang-hyuk swiftly exited the room with Yeon following behind.
Dolseok, who had been waiting nervously, greeted them eagerly.
“Young master, if we keep giving away chickens, there won’t be any left for us to eat.”
“We can still eat now. Why are you so greedy when you get to eat chicken all the time?”
Most of the chickens Kang-hyuk received ended up in Dolseok’s stomach. He also happily consumed any leftover dried seafood or other offerings. Kang-hyuk never stopped him, which only encouraged the behavior. These days, Dolseok’s face gleamed with an oily sheen from all the good eating.
“Not every day…”
“Pretty much every day. Anyway, let’s go. It’s been a while since I’ve eaten with Father.”
“Yes, yes.”
“Oh, Makbong, stop by the clinic on your way and pick up some food for the gang.”
“You’re too generous, young master.”
Dolseok pouted, reluctant to see the food go elsewhere. Though it wasn’t his to give, his greed knew no bounds.
“If we don’t use it, it’ll spoil. Makbong, take it without hesitation.”
“Thank you, young master. We always rely on your kindness.”
“It’s nothing. I wouldn’t be able to get around like this without you guys. Yeon, make sure you eat well, too.”
“Thank you.”
Yeon lowered her head deeply in gratitude, saliva pooling in her mouth. Meat and rice were rare luxuries, so it was no surprise.
“Alright, let’s part ways here.”
“Yes, young master.”
Kang-hyuk and Dolseok left the others and picked up their pace, though Dolseok seemed especially eager.
“Hurry up, young master.”
“Alright, alright.”
Kang-hyuk, on the other hand, remained leisurely. He didn’t care much for chicken soups like chilhyeonggye [1]—to him, they were just sources of protein.
‘A crispy fried chicken would be nice.’
Forget the sauce—just a simple fried one would do. The thought of the savory juices finally made his mouth water.
“Dolseok.”
“Yes, young master?”
“Do we have any oil at home?”
“Oil? We have plenty. The magistrate gave us some the other day.”
“Oh, really? Then let’s fry one of the chickens.”
“Fry it?!”
Dolseok’s face twisted in confusion. Frying a chicken? That was unheard of. Grilling it, sure, but frying?
“Yes, let’s fry it.”
“I don’t think we’ve ever tried that before…”
“I’ll handle it.”
“You, young master? If the lady finds out, we’ll both get scolded.”
“She scolds us all the time anyway.”
“There’s a proper cook. Please stay away from the kitchen.”
This was one of those frustrating moments where being a noble wasn’t as convenient as it seemed.
‘Stupid rules, stupid decorum.’
Kang-hyuk pouted, making Dolseok uncomfortable. A master who was this capricious could be a real headache—sometimes kind to the extreme, other times demanding without reason.
“Fine, I’ll fry it,” Dolseok relented.
“You think you can do it?”
“Just tell me how.”
“Alright, I’ll sketch out the steps for you.”
“Understood. Such a demanding young master…”
“What was that?”
“Nothing, nothing. We’re almost there now.”
Dolseok looked up at the tall gates. Built to allow riders to enter without dismounting, the gates were massive, a symbol of the Baek family’s prominence. With Kang-hyuk’s recent successes adding to their wealth, the family’s influence had only grown.
“Ahem. Open the gate!”
Dolseok took a deep breath and shouted at the top of his lungs. Despite the influx of new servants, everyone knew Dolseok’s voice. Several men came running to open the gate immediately.
“You’re back.”
“Why are you so slow? Let the young master through.”
Kang-hyuk followed Dolseok into the estate. Though the courtyard at the clinic was spacious, it couldn’t compare to the grandeur of the main house.
Large cauldrons filled with boiling chickens filled the air with a rich aroma. As they entered, Okseok, looking healthier than ever, came running to greet them.
“Young master, you’re back!”
Kang-hyuk waved away the steam rising from the cauldrons and asked, “Where’s Father?”
“He’s in the inner quarters. I’ll take you to him.”
“Alright. Dolseok, take a break here.”
“Yes, young master.”
In the inner quarters, Seungmun and Yi Sun-shin were sitting across from each other, deep in conversation. Laughter echoed from the room, warming Kang-hyuk’s heart.
He entered with a smile. “Father, I’m here.”
“Oh, you’re back. Come, sit.”
“Yes, Father.”
Both men had clearly had their fill of drink—while Yi Sun-shin looked his usual self, Seungmun’s face was flushed.
“You’re a bit late.”
“I stopped by to check on Magistrate Chang-gwon’s daughter.”
“Ah, I heard about that. Remarkable work—you healed her without even seeing her in person. I can’t begin to understand your level of skill now.”
Kang-hyuk felt a twinge of guilt but kept a shameless smile.
“Just lucky, I suppose.”
“No, no. Thanks to you, Chang-gwon can now leave for the academy without worry.”
It seemed Yeoju had been right—Chang-gwon wouldn’t be around for a while.
“What were you two talking about?”
“Oh, we were discussing the ‘Rectifying the Heart’ chapter from *The Great Learning*.”
‘Rectifying the Heart’? The only heart Kang-hyuk knew was the one beating in his chest.
Before he could think of a reply, Yi Sun-shin chimed in.
“We were at the part that says, ‘If there is anger, fear, joy, or worry, the heart will not be aligned.’ I told Master Seungmun it reflects his feelings toward you.”
Seungmun burst out laughing. “Since you’ve grown up, I’ve never stopped worrying about you. But lately, I’ve been reflecting on that passage day and night, and it’s helped me worry less. Things have turned out well, haven’t they?”
Though he didn’t understand everything, Kang-hyuk was relieved—it meant less nagging.
With a quick smile, he slipped between the two of them.
“I always tell you not to worry about me.”
“You’re right. If only you’d study more.”
So much for philosophy. Even the Confucian classics were no match for a parent’s concern.
‘If I don’t answer, this will get annoying.’
Knowing Seungmun’s penchant for lecturing, Kang-hyuk quickly responded.
“Yes, Father.”
“Thanks to you, everyone will feast today.”
As Seungmun finished speaking, the servants brought out trays with chickens—one for each person.
‘So the tradition of one chicken per person goes way back, huh?’
Given their enormous appetites, it made sense.
“Let’s eat.”
“Yes.”
Kang-hyuk ate slowly, careful not to make any noise. Proper dining etiquette required eating without sound. He’d learned that the hard way after slurping soup and getting hit on the forehead with a spoon.
As he ate, his professional instincts kicked in, and he began observing Seungmun.
‘Hmm… He’s covered in mosquito bites.’
It was no surprise—he only ever washed his face.
‘Well… It’s just itchy, nothing serious.’
Finishing his meal, Kang-hyuk rose from the table.
“Father, I’ll take my leave now.”
“Alright, but read a book before you sleep.”
“Yes, Father.”
Kang-hyuk returned to his room, where Dolseok was waiting patiently.
“Shall we fry the chicken now, young master?”
“Ugh, they gave me too much food.”
“I’m a bit full myself.”
“Save the oil for tomorrow. We’ll fry it at the clinic.”
“Yes, yes. Huh? Looks like Okseok’s running this way.”
“Really?”
Okseok rarely came this far, being busy attending to Seungmun. And running was even more unusual for him.
Panting heavily, Okseok reached Kang-hyuk.
“Young master, young master!”
“What is it?”
“The mistress is trembling like a leaf!”
* * *
Footnotes:
[1] *Chilhyeonggye* (칠형계) is a term from Korean that can be broken down into two components: *chil* (칠) meaning “seven” and *hyeonggye* (형계) referring to “punishments” or “penalties.” It refers to a system of seven forms of punishment in traditional Korean law, each with varying degrees of severity.
1. **Fine or monetary compensation** (*gongjo, 공조*).
2. **Beating with a cane** (*jang, 장*).
3. **Beating with a heavy rod** (*do, 도*).
4. **Temporary banishment or exile** (*ryu, 류*).
5. **Permanent banishment** (*cheom, 첨*).
6. **Enslavement or forced labor** (*nyon, 년*).
7. **Death penalty** (*samang, 사망*).
It highlights the structure of criminal punishments in older Korean legal systems, closely resembling the Chinese legal code from which it was heavily influenced.