Doctor Goes Back to Joseon - Chapter 45: This Time, a Monk [3]

“You think it’s strange, so it looks strange to you. That’s just like what the monk said.”

“No, it looks strange because it *is* strange.”

“You’re just being contrarian again, sir. How could a sick person deliver such an eloquent sermon?”

“That, too, is quite odd, isn’t it?”

“Good grief.”

Dolseok exhaled as if the air had escaped his lungs and then returned his attention to the sermon.

As far as Kang-hyuk knew, it was rare for Dolseok to focus so intently on anything—usually only when he was eating his favorite food or spinning a clever story.

‘Even the others are the same.’

Yeon was also engrossed, her mouth slightly agape as she listened. The faint glimpse of her tongue was oddly distracting.

Kang-hyuk quickly turned his head. No matter how deprived he felt, it was absurd to entertain inappropriate thoughts about a woman in a traditional bun.

‘Even Yeoju?’

Yeoju, at least, wasn’t sitting with her mouth open. Instead, she was listening intently, her delicate brows slightly furrowed.

For her, learning about Buddhist teachings was likely a novel experience. There was no way someone as rigid as Chang-gwon, one of the most traditional Joseon scholars, would have permitted her such exposure.

Looking back, even Makbong was silently listening from atop a rock. In fact, the entire crowd seemed captivated.

The entire **Chiljangsa Temple** was engulfed in a strange fervor.

Except for one person—Kang-hyuk.

‘Did no one else notice?’

He rubbed his rough chin, deep in thought.

‘That must hurt like hell…’

His sharp gaze fixed on the monk’s chin. While the right side seemed fine, the left was swollen to the size of an egg.

The skin was red, and on closer inspection, it seemed as if the monk had difficulty opening his mouth properly on that side, which affected his speech slightly.

No one else appeared to notice.

‘What could it be? I’ll have to take a closer look later.’

A number of diagnoses came to mind immediately. Some of them were conditions Kang-hyuk could treat with just his portable kit, while others were beyond that.

‘It’s definitely an infection…’

If so, antibiotics would help, along with other treatment options that popped into his mind.

While everyone else was engrossed in the sermon, Kang-hyuk was preoccupied with entirely different thoughts.

A common occupational hazard for a doctor—focusing on someone’s medical condition rather than the person themselves.

Kang-hyuk was a particularly severe case, likely due to his relentless studies, which began when he graduated high school early and dove straight into medical school.

No wonder he found the sermon dreadfully boring.

“*Yawn*.”

He unconsciously let out a yawn.

‘Oops.’

The glares from nearby people made it seem as if he might get lynched.

“Ah, such wonderful words,” Kang-hyuk quickly muttered in a loud voice.

Thankfully, the crowd was in a state of peaceful serenity, their spirits soothed by the sermon. No one made a fuss over Kang-hyuk’s momentary blunder.

Soon, the monk finished speaking, and thunderous applause erupted.

‘Oh, it’s over.’

Having not listened at all, Kang-hyuk only realized the sermon had ended because of the clapping.

The lengthy discourse had clearly drained the monk, who now appeared utterly exhausted. He needed assistance to leave the area.

“Hey, guys.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Let’s go see the monk.”

“Eh? After yawning through the whole thing, have you suddenly been enlightened?”

*Smack.*

“Ouch.”

Dolseok’s cheeky comment was swiftly silenced by a slap to the back of his head.

“I told you, he looks sick.”

“Ah… now that you mention it, he does look wobbly.”

Dolseok pointed at the monk, who was staggering as he walked.

During the sermon, the monk had shown not even a hint of weakness. Now, he swayed like a candle in the wind.

It was only natural—delivering such an impassioned sermon while in poor health would drain anyone’s energy.

“But how are we supposed to get through all this?”

Kang-hyuk muttered as he glanced at the sea of people.

Yelling “Make way!” wouldn’t solve the problem, especially since Kang-hyuk wasn’t the only one eager to meet the monk. Many others were desperate to seek personal guidance from the famous ascetic.

“Leave that to us,” Makbong said, rolling up his sleeves.

Kang-hyuk had initially thought Makbong was merely a strongman. Later, he realized Makbong excelled at all kinds of physical skills.

After learning **taekkyeon** (traditional Korean martial art), it became clear Makbong was an expert fighter.

‘Though apparently Yeon is even stronger than Makbong?’

Kang-hyuk watched as Yeon worked alongside Makbong to clear a path through the crowd.

Her petite frame made her seem like nothing more than a delicate woman. Yet when she fought, her ferocity rivaled that of a demon.

Thanks to their efforts, the group moved forward with relative ease.

“Good work.”

Makbong used sheer force, while Yeon applied precise techniques to deftly maneuver people aside.

Some of those shoved aside glared at the group angrily. Most, however, said nothing.

“Who pushed me—”

Those who did complain quickly fell silent after seeing Kang-hyuk.

His fine silk robes, pitch-black *gat* (traditional Korean hat), and calm demeanor were impressive enough. But what truly silenced them was the magistrate’s pass, which he casually swung in his hand.

“Rank does have its privileges,” Dolseok remarked cheerfully.

He seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the experience of walking through the crowd as if parting the seas.

After all, why else would CEOs and directors bask in the greetings of their subordinates lined up on either side?

Yeoju, however, looked uncomfortable. Her unease was likely due to her strict upbringing by Chang-gwon, who had lived a life of obsessive integrity.

“Is this really the right thing to do?” she asked.

“Hmm?”

“I mean, shouldn’t these people also have the chance to meet the monk?”

“Ah, it’s not like we’re stopping them. We’re just seeing him first.”

“Still… even if they’re lowly commoners, they have rights too.”

Although Yeoju was a noblewoman, her sense of equality was surprisingly strong. Perhaps it stemmed from the injustices she had endured as a woman in Joseon.

Had she been born a man, she wouldn’t have needed to hide her identity or follow Kang-hyuk in disguise.

No bun, no shabby attire—none of this would have been necessary.

Kang-hyuk looked at Yeoju with a faintly sympathetic expression before smiling.

“Those people want to see the monk for themselves, but we’re doing it for the monk’s sake. That makes it okay.”

In other words, they still intended to meet him first.

While his reasoning was flawed, his tone carried a persuasive charm that left Yeoju with little to argue.

“Well… I suppose so. But is the monk really sick?”

“He definitely is. I just don’t know exactly what’s wrong yet.”

“Hmm.”

Yeoju bit her lip.

“Now that I think about it, his jaw did seem unusual.”

“Right? On the left side?”

“Yes, exactly.”

Her keen observation, perhaps honed by her artistic talents, impressed Kang-hyuk.

“So, you suspected that as well?”

“Yep. Oh, looks like we’re here.”

The monk had entered a small building tucked into a corner of **Chiljangsa Temple**. Several straw and leather shoes were already placed outside, suggesting other visitors had arrived before them—important figures, judging by the leather shoes.

By custom, they should have waited. But Kang-hyuk wasn’t in the mood for formalities.

Sometimes, you just feel like breaking the rules.

For Kang-hyuk, most of his time in Joseon was like that.

“Dolseok, open the door.”

“Huh? Just open it?”

“Knock and say ‘Excuse me’ first.”

“Uh… Yes, sir.”

What could Dolseok do? He might complain, but Kang-hyuk was still his master and teacher.

“Excuse me,” Dolseok called out as he opened the door.

From inside, voices could be heard.

“The monk Yu-jeong said an important guest would arrive. It seems that guest is you, benefactor.”

“Ha ha, me? An important guest? What an honor.”

The second voice sounded familiar.

Dolseok tilted his head, confused, as he pushed the door open.

*Creak.*

The old door groaned as it swung wide, shaking loose some dust—a scent of time long past.

“Who’s there?”

A haughty voice rang out from inside.

“I said, who’s there?”

The voice was startlingly familiar, as though Dolseok had heard it countless times before.

Kang-hyuk was the first to recognize it.

“Deputy Governor, sir?”

“Kang-hyuk?”

Inside the room sat the head monk of **Chiljangsa**, the sermon-giving monk, and the deputy governor.

The unexpected encounter left both Kang-hyuk and the deputy governor momentarily speechless.

“How… how did you end up here?”

“Ahem.”

The deputy governor looked visibly flustered, like a child caught secretly watching something inappropriate.

As a rising star among the Confucian scholars of the Dongin faction, it was undoubtedly awkward to be found in a Buddhist temple.

From his past medical issues to his clandestine spiritual inclinations, everything he wished to hide had been exposed to Kang-hyuk.

“And you? What brings you here?” the deputy governor asked.

“Oh, my companions were so eager to visit, so I accompanied them. Was that the case for you as well, sir?”

Kang-hyuk’s response was tactful, leaving room for the deputy governor to save face.

The deputy governor, quick-witted as ever, didn’t miss the opportunity.

“Yes, exactly. They were insistent.”

He nodded emphatically before adding, “Anyway, come in. Didn’t you come to see the monk?”

“That’s right. Thank you, then.”

The room was small, leaving space only for Kang-hyuk, Dolseok, and Yeoju to enter. Makbong and Yeon had to remain outside.

‘A shame to waste Yeon’s talents…’

Kang-hyuk mused. She had proven her intelligence and skill during the smallpox outbreak and was even adept at handling medical instruments like IV lines.

But having her treat the monk’s body was out of the question—it would be inappropriate for a woman, even if Kang-hyuk wasn’t a devout Buddhist himself.

“Hello, I’m Baek Kang-hyuk,” he introduced himself, bowing politely.

Although his status didn’t require it, he chose to be respectful.

‘Seeing him up close, he’s clearly no ordinary man.’

The monk’s unkempt beard, instead of detracting from his appearance, added a certain gravitas.

The monk clasped his hands together and responded, “I am Yu-jeong.”

A brief introduction.

The name sounded familiar, but Kang-hyuk couldn’t place it immediately.

His attention was drawn instead to the monk’s swollen lower jaw, a sight that bothered him deeply. He wanted to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

“I noticed earlier that you seemed unwell, so I came to check. How long has your jaw been like this?”