Chapter 68: Oseong Daegam [3] Plastic surgery.
People commonly thought of beauty first when they heard it, but that was not actually all it was.
At the university hospital where Kanghyeok had worked, reconstructive surgery was actually more common.
It's an insanely difficult field, though...
No matter how much of a genius Kanghyeok might have been in general surgery, he did not feel very confident.
For one thing, facial anatomy was complicated. On top of that, it was extremely unfamiliar to him.
He could not remember seeing it at all outside of his student days.
So shaving down a jaw is out of the question.
It was about on the same level as Yeoni suddenly declaring she was going to cut open someone's abdomen.
"Young master, does it still hurt?"
"Hm?"
"You were frowning."
"Ah."
Yeoni looked down at Kanghyeok with a deeply worried expression.
Her hand was still rubbing around his solar plexus.
Thanks to that, the pain had eased considerably.
He had even sobered up.
"No, I'm fine now."
"Then is something troubling you?"
"Wait a moment."
Yeoni's lap pillow was nice, but he could not keep lying with his head on it forever.
Kanghyeok slowly sat up.
"It's because of a patient."
"Daegam?"
"Ah, no. Daegam Ryu Seong-ryong is completely better now."
Even after drinking heavily and stuffing himself with meat, not a single groan had slipped out of him.
No servants had come running, either.
"Then what patient are you talking about?"
As far as Yeoni knew, Kanghyeok had recently been little different from an idle loafer.
His only patient was Seong-ryong, but the things given in place of medical fees were enough for several hundred people.
Except for the moments when he had to deal with Seong-ryong's anus, he really had done nothing but eat and loaf around.
He did sometimes study writing with Yeoju, but only occasionally.
So there should not have been any other patient.
"One of the men who was drinking with us earlier was Elder Yi Hang-bok..."
"Is something wrong with him too?"
"No, not him. It's his wife."
"His wife?"
Come to think of it, Yi Hang-bok's wife was naturally a woman.
And Kwon Yul's daughter besides.
It felt a little burdensome for Kanghyeok to lay hands on her directly.
"That's right. Ah, when we go there, I'll need your help."
"Ah. Yes, yes. Of course."
"Good. Let's sleep for now."
"Yes, young master."
As he got up and brushed himself off, the vomit splattered in the courtyard caught his eye again.
Maybe because he was looking at it from a different height than before, it looked a little different too.
So I didn't only eat meat.
There was fish mixed in here and there too.
Fish, huh.
It was not exactly Kanghyeok's favorite food.
He usually preferred heavy food dripping with grease.
Still, there were a few exceptions among fish.
For example, eel. Or pufferfish.
Wait... pufferfish?
Why had pufferfish suddenly come to mind?
Of course, it tasted good deep-fried, grilled, or boiled.
But it was not the kind of thing that should suddenly slam into his thoughts out of nowhere.
"Young master? I'll clean that up."
Yeoni looked worried again, seeing Kanghyeok staring so intently at the vomit.
"No, it's fine. Just a moment."
Kanghyeok waved her off and stopped where he was.
No, he actually crouched down and examined the vomit more closely.
Yeoni was not as used to Kanghyeok's strange behavior as Dolseok was, but she had still grown somewhat accustomed to it.
She also knew very well that at times like this, the best thing to do was simply wait.
"Ah, ah!"
"What have you thought of this time?"
"That's it. Mm. Very good. I think this will work."
Kanghyeok kept nodding to himself, smiling with satisfaction.
Yeoni smiled along with him, though she had no idea why.
Whatever it was, when Kanghyeok smiled, it never meant something bad was about to happen.
Pufferfish poison isn't botulinum toxin... but the mechanism is pretty similar.
It was more toxic and therefore more dangerous, but that only meant he would have to dilute it properly.
He could test it enough, surely. It was not as though he lacked time here.
Kanghyeok nodded repeatedly and headed toward the room.
Inside, Yeoju, Makbong, and Dolseok were still sprawled all over the place.
"Take this one away."
Kanghyeok picked up Yeoju, who had fallen asleep with a brush still clutched in her hand.
There was a prettier way to say it—he lifted her in his arms—but at this moment, picked up suited better.
That expression of utter annoyance, and that awkward posture of his, both fit it exactly.
"Ah... she's a little too heavy for me to carry."
"Is she?"
"Yes. Aren't you the strongest person here, young master?"
"I suppose that's true."
The strength that came from his frame was not something to ignore.
Otherwise, how could even Makbong and Dolseok be weaker than Kanghyeok when it came to brute force?
Kanghyeok carried Yeoju into the next room without much difficulty.
While he was doing that, Yeoni shoved Dolseok and Makbong off into one corner and spread out the bedding.
"Oh. Thanks. I covered Yeoju with a blanket, more or less. There's nothing much to worry about."
"Yes, young master."
"Then sleep well."
"Yes. Sleep well too, young master."
Kanghyeok gave Yeoni a brief glance, then lay down on the bedding.
When he turned his head, he saw Makbong and Dolseok sleeping in a pose that was nearly an embrace.
The way they were snoring was enough to make even an onlooker uneasy.
That one really is snoring like crazy.
Dolseok aside, Makbong strongly seemed to have sleep apnea.
His neck was short and his body was heavy, so it was hardly surprising.
Once I get more used to general anesthesia... maybe I should operate on him.
He would need a tube to insert into the throat, and an air bag too.
But he thought he could probably make something like that somehow.
Once he had a little more money and power.
This was Hanyang, after all.
"That's right... this is Hanyang..."
While he was sleeping soundly, someone shook him awake.
A touch and voice that were far too familiar.
As expected, it was Dolseok.
"Uh, what is it?"
"Well... the gentleman named Yi Hang-bok has come to see you."
"Hm? What time is it?"
"It's just about time for the bell to ring."
In other words, it was absurdly early.
When he looked outside, he could see a wavering shadow.
Even from the silhouette alone, it was obvious how restless the man was. It was unmistakably Yi Hang-bok.
That gentleman must really hate his wife's face.
What else could he do, when a far superior elder was pacing around out there like that?
Kanghyeok forced himself upright.
At least it was fortunate that he had thrown up last night.
His stomach hurt a little, but his head felt clear.
"I should wash my face first."
"I prepared it already."
Dolseok held out a somewhat smaller basin.
"You really do have good sense."
"Thank you."
After spending so long together, Dolseok had now more or less learned what sense meant.
He really did have good sense.
As Kanghyeok splashed warm water over his face, Dolseok handed him something else.
"Your toothbrush and salt."
"Oh. Good."
His mouth had felt rough and unpleasant anyway.
Kanghyeok brushed thoroughly with the willow toothbrush and salt, then stepped out of the room.
"Oh, so you're up."
Yi Hang-bok greeted him cheerfully, even though he was the one who had woken him.
The sun was rising behind Hang-bok's head, and for some reason that sight made irritation surge inside him.
"Yes. Thanks to you."
"Yes, yes. At this hour, one should be awake."
"Is that so?"
"Do you know how unpleasant the bell sounds? If you're already awake, you might avoid hearing it. Like this."
Yi Hang-bok finished speaking with his ears covered.
And right on cue, the bell rang out.
It was far louder and noisier than the one Kanghyeok used to hear in Suwon.
—Deng, deng, deng.
Yi Hang-bok kept his ears covered and looked at him meaningfully.
As if asking, See? Wasn't I right?
"Ugh."
On the other hand, Kanghyeok, who took the noise head-on with no defense at all, only felt more annoyed.
"I really ought to make some earplugs or something."
"Haha. Well then, let's go."
"No, wait a moment."
"Do you still have something to do?"
"I should check on daegam before we go. He ate a lot yesterday, so you never know today."
"Ah, ah."
Ryu Seong-ryong's hemorrhoids were quite famous.
Once a minister of that caliber was involved, even the condition of his buttocks had a great effect on the country.
Yi Hang-bok nodded with an understanding expression and trailed after Kanghyeok as he headed toward Seong-ryong.
Fortunately, Ryu Seong-ryong was already awake as well.
The way he was splashing water over himself while washing his face did not look especially uncomfortable.
"Daegam, did you rest well through the night?"
At Kanghyeok's greeting, Seong-ryong smiled brightly enough to show how good his condition was.
"Ah, you've come."
"I came a little early today."
"Yes, yes, take a look. But why is Hang-bok here?"
"I came for several things at once. I'll step back."
"Please do."
Was this not the anus he had not even shown to Sun-sin?
He would rather die than let the mischievous Hang-bok see it.
There was no telling how or when the man would mock him over it.
"So, how is it?"
Seong-ryong very skillfully lay down on the bedding.
Then he raised his buttocks toward the sky.
Thanks to that, Kanghyeok was able to examine him without much effort.
It's still a little red... but this is good enough.
Judging from the look of it, it seemed he had already had a round of bowel movement in the morning.
Perhaps because he had taken a sitz bath, it was clean, but the traces of strain remained.
"It looks good. Now I'll apply the ointment..."
Kanghyeok applied Jawoongo, then handed over the medicine as well.
"Take this too."
"Thank you, thank you."
"It's nothing. When will you return to court?"
"Starting today."
"Starting today?"
"Why should I delay any longer? I can only feel apologetic toward His Majesty."
Come to think of it, there did not seem to be any reason he could not work.
The real problem is when he has to relieve himself at the palace...
But given Seong-ryong's status, having water prepared for a sitz bath seemed like it would be no problem at all.
If I keep him tied down here any longer and the country falls apart because of it, then what?
When Kanghyeok imagined King Seonjo running state affairs all by himself, the back of his neck prickled.
"Understood. Then please do so."
"Oh. It's all thanks to you."
"No, daegam."
Kanghyeok left the room after speaking words he did not mean in the slightest.
Yi Hang-bok had been waiting with surprising patience.
"So, are you all done now?"
"Yes. Let's go."
"Good. Let's go."
There were already two horses prepared at the main gate.
One for Yi Hang-bok, and one for Baek Kanghyeok.
"My home is not very far."
"Yes, elder."
As Hang-bok had said, his house was nearby.
Though calling it Yi Hang-bok's house was a little questionable.
The true master of that house was not him, but Kwon Yul.
"Oh, there is my father-in-law. Go and greet him."
Hang-bok pointed to Kwon Yul, who was in the middle of preparing to go to court.
For a general, he was somewhat short, but his build was no joke.
His size really did call Makbong to mind.
Aside from the fact that Kwon Yul looked a bit more scholarly, he almost seemed like the same person.
"Oh, so you spent the night out."
Kwon Yul greeted Hang-bok almost like he was speaking to a friend.
"Yes, I stayed over at Daegam Ryu's residence."
"Ah, really? Has he recovered now?"
"He's doing very well."
"I should go and pay my respects as well. But who is this beside you?"
Kwon Yul's gaze shifted to Kanghyeok.
Kwon Yul, the hero of the Battle of Haengju.
If he had been the first great figure Kanghyeok met after arriving in Joseon, he might have been bowing in worship by now.
But now, it was no longer to that extent.
Why is there a great figure in every household?
This was not some age of heroes.
Kanghyeok simply offered a proper greeting.
"My name is Baek Kanghyeok. For now, I'm staying as a guest at Daegam Ryu's residence."
"Ah. So this is that famous physician."
"That's right, that's right. I've heard of you. I see. So what brings you here?"
He could hardly say, I'm here to fix your daughter's face.
When Kanghyeok could not bring himself to speak, Hang-bok stepped in instead.
"I drank a bit too much and my stomach feels off. I also wished to ask him something, and to show him the house while I was at it."
"You should be more careful. Very well, I'll go ahead first."
"Yes, Father."
The lie flowed out of him so naturally.
Kanghyeok had thought he was fairly good at that sort of thing himself, but now it was clear Yi Hang-bok was several levels above him.
"So then, what did you think of my father-in-law?"
"He seems broad-minded."
"If my wife looked exactly like him, what would you say?"
"That would be difficult."
"Exactly, yes? So I'm not being unreasonable."
"Well... I suppose not."
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