Chapter 32: Another Renowned Physician [2]
As Kang-hyuk looked closely, it was clear that Dolseok was right.
The physician sitting there wore plain but neat clothes.
He seemed quite tired, likely from treating many patients already.
“There’s no need to worry too much.”
The kindness of someone who had lived a life of service was evident in his voice.
It somehow reminded Kang-hyuk of the elderly professor from the pediatrics department at Chungmu Hospital.
That professor had devoted his life to treating children, conducting research, and eventually publishing a pediatrics book bearing his name.
‘Even if the field is different, he’s a master in his own right.’
Just hearing his voice made Kang-hyuk believe in his skills.
It was the kind of voice that inspired trust.
‘Shall I approach him?’
Kang-hyuk dismounted from his horse and slowly walked toward the physician.
However, a commoner stepped in his way.
“Sir, please respect the line.”
A line, indeed.
This was quite the misunderstanding.
Kang-hyuk chuckled softly and waved his hand dismissively.
“I’m not here for a consultation.”
“Then, why are you here?”
“I’m here to meet the physician.”
Even as he said this, his words felt somewhat confusing.
‘Isn’t that the same thing?’
The man blocking the way looked troubled.
Had it been anyone else, he might have driven them away, but Kang-hyuk’s bearing was far too distinguished.
His silk clothes, the elegant fan in his hand, and the unfamiliar yet luxurious bag he carried all spoke volumes.
There was no need to even mention his fair complexion and commanding stature.
“Sir, the physician might be displeased.”
Dolseok and Makbong quickly stepped forward.
“You idiot! The young master isn’t here for treatment!”
“Do you even know who this man is?”
With two burly men confronting him, the commoner quickly wilted.
This was hardly different from what had happened with the magistrate from Anseong before.
‘Few things are as annoying as disruptions during a consultation.’
Unintentionally, Kang-hyuk had caused a disturbance.
He hurriedly pushed Dolseok and Makbong aside and stepped forward.
“Ha-ha, these fools misunderstood me. I’ll wait, then. When do you think the consultations will end?”
“Just look at the line, sir. It’ll take a while.”
“Hmm.”
Indeed, the line was long, stretching not only across the yard but also beyond it.
It seemed like the whole village had turned out.
Given the shortage of physicians despite the abundance of ailments, this was only natural.
“Will the consultations continue late into the night?”
After all, they had left in the middle of the day, and even within Suwon, traveling took time.
The sun was already dipping behind the mountains.
If it had been Kang-hyuk’s clinic, it would have closed long ago.
“The physician is very dedicated to his patients, so he’ll probably continue until late at night.”
“Until late at night, huh.”
In that case, waiting here was pointless.
“Dolseok, let’s head to the tavern nearby. Even physicians need to rest at night, don’t they?”
“Shall we? I’ll go find us a spot right away.”
After all, they had been walking all day.
There was no reason to refuse a chance to sit and rest, especially at a tavern.
Dolseok and Makbong dashed off eagerly.
“It’s unfortunate for Yeoju, though.”
“It’s fine. We have plenty of time.”
“Alright, let’s wait a bit.”
Fortunately, the tavern was of a decent size, likely because the village was located at the foot of the mountain, attracting many travelers.
“Young master, I’ve secured us a spot. Two rooms should suffice, right?”
“Yes, that should be fine.”
Even though Yeoju was in disguise, it wouldn’t be appropriate to have her and Yeon share a room.
Dolseok smiled only after receiving Kang-hyuk’s confirmation.
Then he shouted loudly.
“Madam! Bring us some food and drinks!”
“Yes, coming!”
“Young master, shouldn’t you have some hangover soup?”
“…No, thank you.”
“How unusual! You’re refusing alcohol?”
Dolseok was surprised.
It wasn’t as if Seungmun was sick, nor was there another patient waiting to be treated.
Yet, Kang-hyuk was turning down alcohol.
“I don’t think it would be wise to have alcohol in my system when meeting that physician later.”
“From what I hear, he’s quite skilled, but surely he’s no match for you, young master?”
Kang-hyuk didn’t think that far ahead.
Could there really be a better physician than him in 16th-century Joseon?
‘He can’t be better than me.’
The depth of knowledge accumulated over the next few centuries was incomparable.
The medical knowledge acquired in the past ten years alone rivaled everything before it.
Textbooks grew thicker, and students groaned louder with each passing year.
‘Still, I might learn something new.’
Even from a distance, the physician’s voice resonated in a way that was strangely familiar.
“You never know. You and Makbong, go ahead and drink. Don’t worry about me.”
“As expected of you, young master. Thank you!”
Dolseok and Makbong bowed repeatedly before eagerly downing their drinks.
-Gulp
The sound of someone swallowing made Kang-hyuk turn his head.
Yeon was staring intently at the table of drinks.
‘Right, she’s a heavy drinker.’
She wasn’t just a good drinker for a woman—she was a good drinker, period.
If she really tried, she could probably outdrink Dolseok, though maybe not Kang-hyuk.
“Yeon, don’t hold back. Go ahead and drink.”
“Really? Thank you!”
Yeon dashed toward the drinks with enthusiasm, and Dolseok and Makbong handed her a cup as if it were second nature.
The three of them drinking together had become a regular occurrence by now.
In this situation, Yeoju felt like an awkward outsider.
While Kang-hyuk didn’t care much for social status, Yeoju couldn’t ignore it.
In a world where even men and women had to maintain propriety, it was even harder for a noble to share a table with commoners.
No matter how open-minded a person might be, there were still societal limits.
“Yeoju, won’t you have a drink?”
“Ah… No, I’m fine.”
“You’re not drawing anything today, so why not relax?”
“It’s alright.”
To Yeoju, Kang-hyuk was a shocking figure.
Despite being from a noble family, he associated freely with commoners.
He practiced medicine, a profession often looked down upon.
He even sneaked into women’s quarters late at night to provide treatment.
‘It wouldn’t be a bad idea to document the life of someone like him.’
He was truly an interesting person.
Though he lived freely, people naturally gravitated toward him, including herself.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve traveled this far. I think I’ll sketch some landscapes.”
“That sounds great. A wonderful hobby indeed. So, what’s so amusing over there?”
Kang-hyuk poured himself a cup of water and joined the conversation.
By now, the smell of alcohol filled the air, and Dolseok laughed heartily.
“Listen to Makbong’s stories.”
“What kind of stories?”
“Oh, just the usual.”
Apparently, Makbong was recounting his escapades with various widows.
He claimed to bring joy to every widow in the village, with no end to their delighted cries.
Of course, his story was full of embellishments, making it all the more entertaining.
‘In this day and age, telling such stories would land him in jail.’
Kang-hyuk glanced at Yeon, concerned about the coarse language and crude expressions.
“So, what happened next?”
It was a needless concern.
Yeon’s eyes sparkled as she urged Makbong to continue.
‘Is she really a woman?’
Moments like these always made Kang-hyuk second-guess himself.
Her sharp nose and flushed lips made it clear she was a woman, yet…
“Then what? I just went for it!”
“Wow, that’s impressive.”
Dolseok muttered in genuine admiration, wearing an expression he hadn’t even shown when Kang-hyuk mended Seungmun’s broken leg.
‘Even Magistrate Kim Yoon-gil would love these stories.’
Not just enjoy them—he would be utterly delighted.
He couldn’t go a single day without Viagra.
Since Kang-hyuk had posted a notice on his clinic and residence that he was heading to Gwanggyo Mountain, someone would surely deliver the message.
This might be a good chance to challenge him to manage without his pills.
‘Though that might be difficult.’
Viagra wasn’t exactly a cure—it only treated erectile dysfunction temporarily.
Taking it regularly wouldn’t improve natural function.
In that sense, Magistrate Kim Yoon-gil was entirely at Kang-hyuk’s mercy.
It was an unfortunate truth, but a truth nonetheless.
‘Meanwhile, I’m still perfectly fine.’
Listening to Makbong’s stories made it hard for Kang-hyuk to sit still.
He shifted his legs uneasily, just as he sensed someone approaching.
Makbong and Yeon instantly stopped their chatter and prepared to stand.
Moments like these made them truly dependable.
-Creak
The poorly made wooden gate opened, and the physician entered, accompanied by the man who had been guiding him earlier.
After treating patients all day, the physician looked exhausted.
Yet, his eyes shone brightly, reminiscent of Yi Sun-Shin.
“So, you’ve come.”
Kang-hyuk quickly approached him.
“And who might you be…?”
“I told you about him earlier. He’s been waiting here for you.”
“Ah, I see.”
The guide must have informed the physician in advance.
Relieved, Kang-hyuk introduced himself.
“Hello, I am Baek Kang-hyuk.”
“Baek… Kang-hyuk? Oh, the one from the Suwon neighborhood?”
“Yes, that’s me.”
“Oh! It’s an honor to meet you. I’ve been wanting to see you.”
It seemed Kang-hyuk’s reputation had spread far.
For a physician to react this way was quite telling.
“My name is Heo Jun.”
“Heo Jun?”
“Yes, Heo Jun.”
Could it really be that Heo Jun?
Kang-hyuk stared at the physician, speechless.
There wasn’t much to analyze.
The only image of Heo Jun in Kang-hyuk’s mind was the one portrayed by the actor Jeon Kwang-ryeol.
‘Amazing.’
The impact of that portrayal had been so great that, for a time, Kyunghwa University’s Oriental Medicine program outranked Chungmu University’s Medical School in admissions.
Even Kang-hyuk and his friends, already enrolled in pre-med, had to resist the temptation to switch majors.
‘It seems like everyone I meet is a historical figure.’
After Yi Sun-Shin, now Heo Jun.
Surely, there was much to learn from this man—possibly more than he could imagine.
“Ah, I see. I’ve come to the right person.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I’ve been seeking knowledge, and I believe I can learn freely from you.”
“Learn? I’m just an ordinary physician. Your reputation far surpasses mine, Scholar Baek.”
Such humility.
It was an attitude Kang-hyuk could never adopt, no matter how hard he tried.
He couldn’t help but be impressed.
‘No wonder he became a historical legend.’
Once he began to admire someone, it was hard to stop.
“Please, teach me.”
Before becoming a renowned physician, Kang-hyuk was already well-known, though not necessarily in a good way.
He was widely recognized as the son of the famous Baek Seungmun.
Heo Jun, though from a respectable family, was still of lower status.
It couldn’t have been easy for him to feel comfortable seeing a true noble bowing before him.
“Ah, well. Alright then.”
“Thank you.”
“Starting tomorrow, you can join me for consultations. But since I’ll be teaching, I won’t go easy on you.”
“That’s exactly what I want.”