Doctor Goes Back to Joseon

Chapter 68: Oseong Lee Hangbok [3]

Plastic surgery…

On hearing the term, one might think of only cosmetic surgery, but plastic surgery was more than that. In the hospital where Ganghyuk worked, reconstruction surgery was quite common, in fact.

‘That is a really difficult operation.’ Even though Ganghyuk was proud of his skills as a surgeon, he was not confident with that.

The anatomy of the face was very complicated and unfamiliar to him. He had not seen that area for a long time since he graduated from medical school.

‘I cannot cut up her chin.’

It might be similar to cutting Yeoni’s stomach.

“Sir, do you still have pain?”

“Why?”

“Because you frowned.” Yeoni looked at him with anxious look, her hand still on his solar plexus.

“Ah!” His pain was mitigated due to her massage, and he had become sober by now. “No, I am fine.”

“Then, do you have some troubles?”

“Wait!” Although it was very comfortable, he could not rest his head on her laps forever. So, Ganghyuk tried to get up. “It is because of the patient.”

“Do you mean Lord Ryu?”

“No, no. He is completely fine now.” Seongyeong ate meat and drank a lot just now, but there was no moaning coming from his room. No servant came to Ganghyuk either. So, he could presume that the person in question was still fine.

“Then what patient do you mean?” As far as Yeoni knew, Ganghyuk was new in town, and had only one patient: Seongyong. She knew this because the latter had paid with materials that could cover fees of a hundred people.

Ganghyuk had spent his time without any worries except when he treated the anus. Sometimes, he learned characters from Yeoju, but he had to tend to Seongyong occasionally. Therefore, there could not be any other patient.

“Among the people I had drink with, there was a man called Lee Hangbok.”

“Is he sick?”

“No, not him. The patient is his wife.”

“Wife?” Naturally, the wife of Hangbok was a woman, the daughter of Kwon Yul. Ganghyuk knew that he could not touch her.

“Yes! So, you must help me when I go there.”

“Ah, yes, yes! Of course!”

“Let’s go to sleep, anyway.”

“Yes, sir.”

…

As he tried to go to bed, he came to see the vomit in the yard. He could see some different things because of the height of eye sight.

‘I did not just eat meat. There was some fish as well…Fish…’

Ganghyuk did not like fish very much. He enjoyed greasy food, mainly meat. Nevertheless, he liked some exceptional fishes, such as eel and blowfish.

But, why did he think of a blowfish? It was good to fry, grill, or boil. But, why the blowfish hit his head at this moment?

“Sir, I will leave now.” Yeoni said as she watched Ganghyuk lost in the thought.

“No, no, wait a moment!” Ganghyuk shook his hands and stopped her there. He then squatted back up and stared the vomit.

Yeoni was already accustomed to strange behaviors of his. She knew that the best thing she could do is to wait when he did strange things.

“Ah! Eureka!”

“Did you find something?”

“Yes, it is good! I think I can do it.” Ganghyuk laughed while nodding his head. Yeoni smiled in response, even though she did not know what had happened. Anyway, no bad thing would happen with Ganghyuk being happy like that.

‘The poison of a blowfish is not exactly Botulinum Toxin… But, the mechanism of action is very similar.’

‘As the toxicity is stronger, it may be dangerous. However, I can dilute it. I can have experiments as I have so much time these days.’ Ganghyuk nodded his head and went to the room, where Yeoju, Makbong, and Dolseok were sleeping here and there.

“Please take her to your room.” Ganghyuk lifted Yeoju, who was sleeping while holding a brush in her hand. There could have been a better expression, such as lifting her up in his arms; but, the situation matched the description of simply ‘lifting’.

He did that without any care or love.

“Ah… She is too heavy for me to hold.”

“Is she?”

“Yes, sir! Please help, sir! You are the strongest here.”

“Yes, you are right.” As he was big, he had a decent muscle power. In terms of strength, even Makbong and Dolsoek could not be his match.

Ganghyuk moved Yeoju to the other room without any difficulties. For the time being, Yeoni moved Dolseok and Makbong to the corner and made bed for Ganghyuk.

“Thank you! I have covered her with a quilt. You don’t need to worry about her.”

“Okay, sir.”

“Good night!”

“Yes, sir! Good night!”

Ganghyuk lay down on the futon after wishing good night to Yeoni. When he turned his head, he found Makbong and Dolseok sleeping; they snored as if they were driving their pigs to the market loudly.

‘They are really noisy.’

Dolseok could still be considered fine, but Makbong must have sleep apnea. He had a short and heavy neck. It would be no wonder if he had sleep apnea.

‘When I am more used to systematic anesthesia… I will try to operate him.’

He would need a tube to insert in his neck, and an air bag too. But, he thought that he would be able to create them in time, as long as he had more money and power.

It was Hanyang after all.

“Yes, it is Hanyang…”

…

Somebody woke him up just when he had fallen in deep sleep. Those were a very familiar voice and hands: it was Dolseok.

“What happened?”

“A nobleman called Lee Hangbok has come to see you, sir.”

“What time is it?”

“The bell will ring soon, sir.” In other words, it was very early. When Gangyuk looked out, he could see a shadow; he could read his desperation even in the shadow. It was definitely Lee Hangbok.

‘Ha… He really does not like to see his wife’s face.’

A nobleman like Hangbok was waiting for him, so what could he do? He got up from his bed and stood up.

It was fortunate that he had vomited last night. Although he had some stomach-ache, he did not have any hangover.

“I have to wash my face.”

“Yes, I have prepared the water, sir.” Dolseok gave him a small basin.

“You are sensible!”

“Thank you!”

While he was washing his face, Dolseok gave him something else as well. “Toothbrush and salt, sir,”

“Good!”

Ganghyuk quickly brushed his teeth with salt and left the room.

“Have you got up?” Lee Hangbok greeted him on seeing him come out. Over his head was the sun rising; Ganghyuk was a little annoyed to be honest.

“Yes, because of you.”

“Yes, yes. You must get up at this time.”

“Really?”

“The sound of the bell is not pleasant. If we have already gotten up, we can avoid hearing those ugly sounds.” He finished his statement by covering his ears with his hands.

Amazingly, the bell rang at that precise moment; the noise got bigger and louder soon.

Deng Deng Deng!

Lee Hangbok gave him a subtle look while covering his ears, as if waiting for the other’s agreement to his point.

“Eu!” As expected, Ganghyuk was annoyed by the noise as well. “I have to make ear plugs. This is too loud.”

“Heo heo… Let’s go.”

“No, wait a moment.”

“Do you have something to do?”

“I need to see the lord first. He had eaten a lot yesterday, so he might feel bad today.”

“Ah…”

Seongyong’s hemorrhoids were quite notorious. They had even affected the government greatly because of his position. Hence, Lee Hangbok nodded his head as if he understood and followed Ganghyuk, who went to Seongyong’s place.

On arriving there, they found that Seongyong had gotten up already. He was washing his face at that moment, and didn’t look uncomfortable.

“Your lordship, are you good?”

The latter smiled at the greeting of Ganghyuk. “Oh, did you come?”

“Yes, I came here a little bit earlier than usual.”

“Yes, please take a look. By the way, why are you here, Hangbok?”

“I followed him. But, I will leave you two alone.”

“Yes, please.”

Seongyong did not show his a*s to even Sunshin. So, he obviously hated the idea of showing it to Hangbok, who was very playful. Nobody knew what he would say later on.

“How is it?” Seongyong lay down on the futon very skillfully and then lifted his buttocks so that Ganghyuk could see better.

Ganghyuk could observe the part without difficulty thanks to the other’s considerate actions.

‘It is a little red… but it seems ok.’

It seemed that he had already been to the toilet. Although it was clean due to the sitz bath, there was a trace of the strain.

“Okay…I will apply the ointment then.” Ganghyuk said and then applied Jawungo, before giving him some pills.

“Please take these.”

“Thank you!”

“Not at all, your lordship. When will you start to work?”

“From today.”

“From today?”

“Is there any reason to postpone it? I’m so sorry for my absence.”

On a second thought, there was no reason why he could not work.

‘However, if he had to move the bowels, that could become a problem.’ In any case, he could ask someone to get water for a sitz bath in the palace, considering his hierarchy.

‘The nation may be at risk without him.’

He was afraid of thinking that Seonjo was managing the nation alone without Seongyong’s advice advice.

“I see. As you want, then.”

“Thank you for your treatment! It is possible for me to go to work only because of you.”

“No need to mention it, sir!” Ganghyuk left the room after leaving behind a humble statement, only to find Lee Hangbok waiting for him.

“All done?”

“Yes, let’s go.”

“Good! Follow me.”

At the door stood two horses: one was for Ganghyuk, and the other was for Hangbok.

“My house is very near.”

“Okay, sir.”

As mentioned, his house was indeed very near. However, it was a little difficult to call it Hangbok’s house. The owner of the house was Kwon Yul; Hangbok lived in his wife’s house.

“Oh, here comes my father-in-law! I will introduce you to him.” Gangbok pointed a man who was preparing for going to work. He was short but stout, and reminded Ganghyuk of Makbong. Except the fact that he looked intelligent, he was almost the same in figure as Makbong.

“Eo, did you sleep outside?” He greeted Hangbok as if the latter were a friend of his.

“Yes, I slept in Lord Ryu Seongyong’s house.”

“Ah, is he fully recovered?”

“Yes, he is good now.”

“I have to visit him soon. By the way, who is he beside you?” He looked at Ganghyuk inquiringly.

Kwon Yul, the hero of Haengju Castle…He had a great victory in the history of Joseon.

If he were the first man that Ganghyuk met in Joseon, Ganghyuk might have given a deep bow. But, he had met too many other great men in Joseon, so he did not feel that moved anymore.

‘How does every house have a great man?’ It seemed like he had come to the world of heroes.

Ganghyuk greeted him with courtesy. “I am Baik Ganghyuk, sir! I stayed in Lord Ryu Seongyong’s house for a while.”

“This fellow is the famous doctor.”

“Aha! I have heard of you. You are the doctor…Okay. What brought you here?”

Ganghyuk could not say that he came here to fix his daughter’s face. As he could not answer, Hangbok helped him. “I drank too much, and I have a hangover. I asked him to come to examine my status. I would like to show him the house too.”

“I see…Take care then! I will be going.”

“Yes, father.”

Hangbok improvised a lie without difficulty. Ganghyuk used to think that he could do that very well, but Hangbok was even better than him.

“What do you think of my father-in-law?”

“He is magnanimous.”

“How do you feel if your wife looked like him.”

“Oh! I think that would not be too good.”

“No, never. I believe you understand me now.”

“Yes…”