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Chapter 30: Fever [4]

“Ah…!”

Seungmun was lying down, covering his body completely with the quilt; he finally fell asleep after some painful time. Ganghyuk measured his body temperature, taking care not to wake him up.

‘It is 37.2 degrees now. It has lowered, but…’

It could be the effects of the anti-inflammatory medicine. But, if the malaria was not cured, he would have the fever again.

‘His fever was higher this time compared to the previous attack.’

His liver was swollen, which meant that his disease was progressing. If the medicine from sweet wormwood had no effects, it would only get worse.

Ganghyuk could not leave it like that. ‘I am a doctor… I can’t lose two fathers due to disease.’

Once was enough.

‘I should meet other doctors from this world.’

He remembered the doctor he saw last time, but he shook his head soon.

‘I should find someone else. He is not the one I am looking for.’

That guy mistook appendicitis for indigestion. Ganghyuk could not leave his father in the hands of a quack.

‘Let’s wait. It is sure that sweet wormwood has the effective component in it.”

A Nobel Prize was not given to just anyone after all.

Ganghyuk came out of the room, leaving Seungmun alone, only to see Dolseok waiting outside.

‘How is he?”

“He is sleeping now.”

“Your hands have miracle in them. You can make him better for sure.”

“I don’t know yet.”

Dolseok tried to take care of him even though he was at a loss because of the great master’s illness. He asked Ganghyuk while assisting him in wearing his shoes.

“Is it enough?”

He pointed at the place near the kitchen; Sweet wormwood was stacked beside the pot. The amount was not much; maybe it would finish up the day after.

“No… We need more.”

“Okay. Then, I will let more people find it.”

“Yes… If we need more people, ask the fellows in Aeogae.”

“Yes, sir.”

Dolseok hurriedly ran to deliver the order when Ganghyuk shouted from behind, “Wait a moment!”

“Yes, sir?”

“Ask the fellows in the inn if there are any good doctors here.”

“Ah! Yes, sir. I will come back soon.”

“Okay… I am sorry to give you too much work.”

“No, sir. It’s totally fine.”

Ganghyuk sat down while supporting himself against the column and sighed. His eyes involuntarily reached inside the bag.

‘My God… If he were injured somewhere, I could fix it quickly with all that stuff.’

The bad had plates and other operational tools; he could do an operation with those items. Of course, the patient had to be brave like Sunshin.

“Why do you sigh?” An orderly voice was heard; it was Chungmugong Lee Sunshin. Ganghyuk stood up quickly; this was one of the three people whom he respected. Ganghyuk was not a very polite guy, but he still felt that he should show respect towards him.

“Ah, brother.”

“Why are you so surprised?”

“No, nothing.”

Ganghyuk sat down with a sigh, and Sunshin sat beside him.

“You must be having a lot of worries.”

“Yes, I am a doctor, but I cannot help him much.”

“Don’t say that. The new medicine is very effective. He sleeps well with that.”

He slept like a log, such that they could hear snores even outside the room. Ganghyuk looked in the direction of Seungmun’s room and then turned his head to Sunshin.

“I pray that it will be effective.”

“Yes, it will. Don’t worry.” Sunshin showed his leg and said. “See? I can walk, and even run now. I just followed your orders, and it all turned out fine.”

“Yes.”

“You are the most excellent doctor in the world, I believe.”

Sunshin was not good at medicine, so his remarks did not give Ganghyuk much reassurance. Actually, the former was not ‘Chungmugong’ at that time, but an unknown person who had failed in the military service examination.

‘But, it is strange.’

His comments still comforted him; trust that could not be expressed in language emitted out of him, so much so that Ganghyuk wanted to believe his words.

“Your eyes are red.”

“Eh?”

“Do not maintain a weak mind. Stand up and walk.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Ganghyuk stood up while wiping the tears with his sleeves, then took a walk with Sunshin; it gave him a sense of security and comfort. Sunshin was a man whom he could depend on.

“Your father is worried about you.”

“It is because I don’t study for the examination.”

“I told him not to worry. After all, there is no one like you in the world.”

“Thank you, brother.”

…

After a while, all servants who went to the field to get sweet wormwood came back with the leaves in their hands; the amount was proportional to the years of their service. In other words, the ones who had worked for Seungmun for a longer time brought more than the ones who had worked for a shorter time.

Incidentally, Okseok brought as much as his body could hold. It all showed that Seungmun treated his servants quite well.

“You brought too much. You might have gotten injured.” Ganghyuk received it from him quickly before Olseok got injured from the strain, feeling the aroma of the herb tickle his nose.

“Sir, is it enough?”

“Yes, I think it is more than enough.”

“I wish our great master recovers soon.”

Okseok looked at the door of the room where Seungmun slept; the other servants had the same thought and worry, just like Sunshin and Ganghyuk.

At least all of the people in the house wished for his health, which probably yielded good effects, with Seungmun looking much better the next day.

“I feel quite good.”

And the next day as well…

“Ah, I am indeed fine now.”

On the third day, he looked even better…

“I think I have recovered already.”

On the fourth day, he looked as healthy as a lion, as if he had been never sick.

“I would like to go out today.”

“No, you must take a rest for today.” Ganghyuk was not going to let him leave his observation to make sure that he was actually cured.

“Please listen to Ganghyuk, sir.” Sunshin also chimed in to support Ganghyuk’s point.

Seungmun was not the type to only force his opinion, so he agreed without too much of a fuss. He realized that he might even die if the temperature went up again and he started feeling very cold.

“Please lie down here.”

“Okay.”

Ganghyuk then went on to examine his abdomen. Then nodded his head with a satisfied face.

‘Good! The liver size has normalized.’

Clearly, it seemed that the extract was effective. Although, he was not sure if it was actually due to the extract. Anyway, it was a good sign that Seungmun did not have fever on the fourth day, because his disease was the three-day-fever malaria, which made a cure seem likely.

‘I am a genius.’ Ganghyuk had cured malaria without a proper antimalarial drug. It might have been a difficult job even for the professor of the division of infectious diseases in Chungmu Hospital. It owed a lot to his clever brain that never forgot what he learned once.

He exclaimed at his excellence and genius once more. The only weakness of Ganghyuk was his lack of humility.

“Good! I will observe you for one more day. If you do not have fever tomorrow, you can go out.”

“Okay. That is reasonable. You did a good job.”

“Not at all, father.”

“No, no… I have learned it this time. Your medical skills can be compared with Hwata and Pyeonjak from the old times.”

In response, Ganghyuk almost said, ‘I am better than Hwata and Pyeonjak.’

But, it was not the same situation as the hospital in that world. In that world, he could save almost everyone if he or she were still alive when he started an operation.

But, the situation was way too different here.

‘Yes, it used to be… But now, I don’t have facilities.’ Without the facilities, Ganghyuk was not that great a person, something he learned from this incident of trying to cure malaria. He almost lost Seungmun due to a disease that he had never been interested in.

“You are exaggerating, father,”

“Ha ha… You are being humble.”

Humble?

Ganghyuk smiled while looking at Seungmun, who did not know much about his child. On the other side, Seungmun continued talking, “I learned how medicine was important through this incident. Ganghyuk, if you really don’t want to take an exam, I will not force you to take it. But, you must become a good doctor.”

“Really? Do you really mean it?”

It was quite an unexpected yet pleasant gift. It was said that people would change when they suffered a near-death experience.

Seungmun was an example of that for sure.

“Yes, you can do what you want.”

“Thank you!”

“I feel sorry, as you like it too much.”

“I am sorry.”

“No, it is fine. But, do not desert reading. You must communicate with people.”

“I see. I will not forget your advice.”

But, Ganghyuk did intend to learn Chinese characters in full scale in order to be capable of reading books.

“Sweet wormwood… It was called Cheongho in Joseon.”

As Seungmun got better, Ganghyuk’s brain became more stable. With that, he could remember more about the article he had read.

It was said that she had referred to old Chinese medical books. After all, it was more efficient to extract effective ingredients from existing natural medicine rather than creating new chemical formulae.

Professor Youyou Tu had said that she had reviewed treatments in old Chinese medical books. She was inspired by the book titled ‘Juhubigeupbang’ by Galhong from Dongjin in 340 BC.

‘That means there may be more to learn here.’

Of course, there might be some wrong methods to be found as well. But, Ganghyuk believed that he could distinguish the good ones from wrong ones. Therefore, the exchange with other doctors would be important. But, even more important was to read books.

“I am proud of you.” Seungmun nodded his head with satisfaction.

“I have gathered many books. You can read any books you want to. I have some medical books as well.”

“Thank you, father.” Ganghyuk left the room with joy, and Sunshin showed the same satisfied expression.

“You are an outstanding doctor.”

“No, you are flattering me.”

“Ha ha…” Sunshin laughed with delight.

“Well, can I start exercising now?”

“Yes, you can practice martial arts again.”

“I owe you for this.”

“Thank you for your compliment.”

“Then, I will leave tomorrow. Now that your father has fully recovered, I must start preparing for the military examination again.”

“Ah…” Ganghyuk sighed because of regret. He had not spent much time with him even though he had the luck to meet the famous Lee Sunshin. The latter had the right reason to leave, but he still felt sorry.

“I live in Geoncheon-dong, Hanyang. So, we can visit each other.”

“Hanyang? Okay.” Ganghyuk had not thought of going to Hanyang up until that point.

“Come and visit me. There is someone who needs your hands.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Anyway, let’s have a drink tonight.”

“I am honored.”

“What honor?”

Ganghyuk never rejected drink. Moreover, when the counterpart was Sunshin, he had no reason to reject.

…

Dolseok prepared the table for them to have a drink.

“Here…”

“Yes, brother.”

Sunshin was very strong at drinking. He was like the people who were good at holding their alcohol even though they rarely drank. But finally, Ganghyuk slept in the room with Sunshin after he got too drunk.

By the time he got up, all he saw was a note left there from Sunshin.

‘Thank you. Come and visit me at any time.’

Ganghyuk frowned because of the longing and hangover.

“I did not bid him a proper farewell.”

At this moment, Dolseok ran to him while he was murmuring, “Sir, have you gotten up now?”

“Yes, I have a headache though. Why, what happened?”

“Yeoni and Makbong are here.”

“Why?”

“You had asked them to find an excellent doctor, and they found one at the foot of Mt. Gwanggyo.