Doctor Goes Back to Joseon - Chapter 42: Mama Baesonggut [2]

Time flew by swiftly.

During the past two weeks, Kang-hyuk did everything he could.

Heo Jun, sitting beside him with an exhausted look, did the same.

Dolseok and Makbong, who had been assisting them, had collapsed long ago.

Even Yeoju, who was documenting the scene, had hands that were now visibly sore.

Since yesterday, her drawing speed had noticeably slowed.

Only Yeon was absent from her position.

She was preoccupied with preparations for the festival to commemorate the defeat of smallpox.

Despite her exhaustion, she gritted her teeth, driven by her pride as the best *Eoreumsani* (tightrope walker) in Gyeonggi Province.

“The time we agreed on has arrived.”

The magistrate looked at Kang-hyuk with a sympathetic expression.

“Yes, Magistrate. I think it will be fine.”

Kang-hyuk leaned against a tree on the hill and looked down at the village.

A tranquil and peaceful scene.

Since nearly everyone had gathered on the hill, the village itself was almost empty.

‘It’s fine. Everything is perfectly fine.’

Thanks to Kang-hyuk’s swift response, there had been hardly any new cases after the first day.

For the most part, the *Cowpox Vaccination Method* and Heo Jun’s treatments kept the situation under control.

– “Oh, oh.”

The sound of lamentation mixed with the mountain breeze could still be heard.

After all, Kang-hyuk wasn’t a god.

If hemorrhagic smallpox appeared, there was nothing he could do.

All he could offer was relief from the final moments of suffering.

Several people, including the first patient, had passed away.

“You’ve worked hard. Thanks to you, this village has escaped calamity.”

The magistrate smiled with satisfaction.

He had already submitted a detailed report.

It mainly emphasized how quickly he had responded after smallpox broke out and the measures he’d taken.

Of course, he mentioned Kang-hyuk and Heo Jun as well, albeit in a token manner.

“Thank you, but it’s all due to you and my father.”

“I admire your humility. Anyway, we can proceed with the ritual now, right?”

“Yes, the entire village can gather safely.”

“Excellent. Very good.”

The magistrate laughed heartily as he went over to the shamans.

Even from the back, his face seemed to glow with joy.

His shoulders kept shaking.

Dolseok watched him go, then called out to Kang-hyuk.

“Young Master.”

“What is it?”

“The Magistrate is quite something.”

“He served as the Magistrate of Suwon, after all. That’s no small feat.”

“No, I mean… for the past two weeks, he hasn’t come to collect his medicine, has he?”

“Oh…”

Come to think of it, he hadn’t asked for his Viagra at all.

A man of his status could have easily slipped off to a gisaeng house.

Especially someone as notorious as Kim Yoon-gil.

For him to restrain his desires so thoroughly…

It showed an admirable concern for the people.

“Indeed. Quite impressive.”

Kang-hyuk nodded, genuinely moved.

But the moment didn’t last long.

The magistrate was hurriedly coming back, almost as if there were a fire.

“Ahem… so… uh, I guess… it’s alright to use this now, right?”

With an awkward smile, he extended his hand shyly.

A small silk pouch was held within.

It wasn’t even that old, but it was already frayed, showing how often it had been used.

“I should have given this to you sooner. Here you go.”

“Yes, yes, thank you.”

The magistrate headed back toward the shamans.

Once again, his shoulders were shaking, but this time, likely for a different reason.

“Young Master.”

“Hmm?”

“I take back what I said earlier.”

“Yeah, I agree.”

The two of them laughed heartily for a while.

The others, not understanding the reason, could only look on in bewilderment.

“Young Master, what kind of medicine did the magistrate take just now?”

It was Makbong, looking a bit worse for wear after all the hard work.

Despite his thin face, his lewd demeanor remained unchanged.

He seemed to have picked up on the context from Kang-hyuk and Dolseok’s conversation.

His face showed he had a vague idea of what the medicine was for.

‘Whoever named him did a fine job. Makbong indeed.’

Whoever chose that name must have had an uncanny talent for reading people.

You don’t give Viagra to someone who swings around recklessly.

It would be like handing a knife to a killer.

Kang-hyuk quickly shook his head.

“No, not for you. I’m not giving you any.”

“What kind of medicine is it? Just one pill, please.”

“No way. You don’t even need it.”

He noticed that Makbong’s trousers were bulging slightly in the middle.

Even now, whatever he was thinking, it wasn’t relaxed.

Kang-hyuk glared at him, wondering what could possibly have caused this.

Despite that, Makbong wiggled his shoulders playfully, pleading.

“Come on, just one, okay?”

“No. If you take it, you might have to cut off your… uh, part.”

“What? You’re saying that to a fellow human?”

“It’s the truth. So, don’t even think about taking it.”

“Geez… you’ll say anything to keep it from me.”

Makbong muttered with a grumbling face.

Still, he didn’t dare challenge Kang-hyuk directly.

His desires didn’t outweigh his loyalty.

“Young Master, shall we go?”

While Kang-hyuk dealt with Makbong, it seemed the ritual preparations were almost complete.

Dolseok cautiously took Kang-hyuk’s arm.

“Alright. Let’s go, Mr. Heo. It wouldn’t be right to miss the celebration.”

“Shall we? Oh, my aching body.”

Heo Jun tapped his back and slowly got to his feet.

Yeoju stopped her drawing and followed after Kang-hyuk.

The small square atop the hill was already surrounded by people.

Though fewer than when Kang-hyuk had gone to the market in Suwon, it felt more crowded.

Despite this, Dolseok didn’t need to push anyone aside.

“Oh, doctor!”

“Mr. Baek!”

“Master Heo Jun!”

People parted on their own accord.

Many bowed respectfully.

Some had been treated by Kang-hyuk and Heo Jun, some owed their lives to them, and some had family members who were saved.

‘This is… quite something.’

He’d received many thanks before.

But never from so many people all at once.

‘This is… a strange feeling.’

With a slightly uplifted heart, Kang-hyuk walked through the crowd.

Only the magistrate sat at the place of honor; Seungmun was nowhere to be seen.

He must not have wanted to witness the superstitious ritual.

Most likely, he’d found a quiet place to recite poetry.

In many ways, he and Kang-hyuk didn’t get along.

“Oh, look, there’s Yeon!”

Dolseok pointed at Yeon, the *Eoreumsani*, warming up.

Then he looked at Makbong with disdain.

“What are you doing here?”

“The trees here are too small to hang a swing.”

“Are you sure it’s not because your skills have dulled?”

“Not at all. Young Master, can I smack him once?”

Even Makbong, as unruly as he was, wouldn’t dare act up in front of Kang-hyuk.

Kang-hyuk didn’t want to see any fights on such a festive day, so he shook his head.

“Later.”

“Alright. After this, then?”

“Yes.”

Dolseok’s face fell.

“Young Master!”

“Well, then don’t provoke him.”

“Provoke? I’m way above Makbong in rank.”

“But not a noble.”

“Ah… I can’t bear the unfairness.”

The way they bickered was no different from street thugs.

Especially with Kang-hyuk swaggering around in his fine clothes, looking like the leader of a gang.

“Heh.”

Heo Jun chuckled in disbelief.

When it came to treatment, Kang-hyuk was sharp and focused.

Yet here he was, acting loose and carefree.

The contrast was amusing.

And it wasn’t just Heo Jun who had such thoughts.

“How could the esteemed Master Baek Seungmun have such a son?”

Yeoju mumbled from behind Kang-hyuk.

She felt there wasn’t a single trait he shared with his dignified father, aside from his physique.

“Look, it’s starting.”

Dolseok, now excited, pointed at the square.

As an enthusiast of festivities, he had quickly forgotten he’d be smacked later.

“O God of Smallpox, O God of Smallpox!”

As Dolseok had mentioned, a shaman in flamboyant attire began dancing energetically.

A cow stood among the shamans, letting out pitiful moos.

This wasn’t the robust cow from before, but the one used for pus extraction.

Kang-hyuk had secretly swapped it himself, though no one noticed.

Instead, people thought the smallpox god had taken the cow instead of a person.

Usually, they would have used a straw dummy, but thanks to the magistrate’s grace in offering a real cow, people thought the god was pleased.

Of course, it was all nonsense.

‘I feel a bit guilty.’

That cow had produced pus until it was drained, and now it was on the verge of

death.

Though it was merely an animal, he felt a twinge of conscience.

Just a small one.

‘It was bound to die anyway.’

The cow, likely weakened by smallpox, seemed incredibly frail.

It was barely able to walk.

“Go on, go on!”

One shaman hung an *Ojaeng-i* (a bundle of straw) on the cow’s shoulder.

Inside were wooden mallets, making it quite heavy.

The cow’s knees began to buckle further.

“Go on.”

Another shaman placed a second bundle on its waist.

This one contained a bit of rice and rice cakes.

“Go on!”

The final shaman added one more bundle.

It contained some melons and other fruits.

The weight was substantial, and the cow’s knees started to give way.

Seeing this, the shamans excitedly shouted.

“Good! The smallpox god has mounted it!”

At this, the villagers applauded and cheered.

Even the magistrate joined in.

Despite his words about “showing the people,” it seemed he hadn’t entirely dismissed the existence of the smallpox god.

Only Kang-hyuk and Heo Jun remained indifferent.

“The smallpox god, really.”

“Indeed.”

Next, a dance began in front of the altar where rice cakes were laid.

Typically, it would have been red bean rice cakes, but there were two white rice cakes as well.

One was to console the dead, and the other was for the currently sick.

“Nothing special, really.”

Hoping to see Yeon’s tightrope performance, he only saw shamans prancing around.

Kang-hyuk shook his head and slipped away from the ritual site.

Heo Jun followed.

“Whoa. These rituals are exhausting.”

Kang-hyuk flopped down a fair distance away from the ritual.

Heo Jun sat beside him and spoke.

“But it was you who ensured this ritual would be held after 14 days.”

“That’s true, but… it’s still so superstitious.”

“What can we do? People need a visible source of comfort.”

Comfort, he said.

Kang-hyuk wasn’t sure if he fully understood.

He nodded slightly, then looked at Heo Jun.

“You’ll be going to the Royal Medical Bureau soon.”

“Yes. It’s a bit delayed, but fortunately, the magistrate’s report has granted me some extra time.”

“That’s good to hear. Then I’ll see you in Hanyang.”

“Indeed. When you come to Hanyang, I’ll be sure to host you.”

Hanyang.

Now he had two people to meet there.

And both were quite significant figures.

‘Heo Jun and Yi Sun-shin.’

They were both people he absolutely needed to meet.

As he mused on this, Heo Jun spoke again.

“Ah, yes. Before I leave, there’s something I wanted to tell you.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“Previously, when you performed that surgery on the head, you mentioned ‘anesthesia,’ correct?”

“Yes, that’s right. Have you found a method?”

Kang-hyuk’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.

And Heo Jun didn’t disappoint.

“Yes. After going through old texts and thinking about the properties of herbs, I believe it’s possible.”