“By the way, take care of that poor fellow over there, too.” Opening the door slightly, the mayor said this, pointing at the governor who was standing outside with his head lowered.

There was no more of that arrogance in his att.i.tude that he showed off when he came to Kanghyok's house first.

“I've known him since I was a child. He's not a bad guy.”

As Kanghyok had already promised to accept the mayor's request, he slowly nodded. “Got it. But I've got some patients waiting ahead of him. So, let me see him when his turn comes.”

“Sure. By the way, why did you accept me right away?” the mayor asked, as if he wanted to sound out Hyunwoo's real motivation.

“Well, how can I apply such a shabby principle to you, who has helped me so much? You're my priority whenever you come here.”

“Whenever I come here, I always feel that you're really a good doctor. Take care, then.”

“Goodbye for now, sir.”

“Ah, there is a big feast at the pavilion near Mt. Paldal soon. I wish you would attend iit, too.”

“Sure, I'll see you then.”

“We're going to recite some poetry there. So, prepare one.”

“Got it.” Though Kanghyok answered instinctively, he felt embarra.s.sed.

Poetry?

Maybe the mayor was not referring to children's poems.

‘I have some I can recite from memory…'

But it's most likely that he has to compose poetry on the spot.

‘That's impossible.'

Since he said that he would attend the party, he could not avoid it. If he broke the promise he made to the mayor, the latter would never forget it.

‘d.a.m.n it. I'd be embarra.s.sed.”

Forgetting about the upcoming feast, Kanghyok resumed seeing patients.

“Dolsok, bring me the second patient.”

“Yes, master.”

The governor freaked out when he heard them call out for Patient No. 2. He faintly thought he would have to wait, but it was really frustrating to keep waiting until his turn came. Nonetheless, he could not make any disturbance now, for the mayor left a piece of advice for him.

Of course, the governor instantly sensed that Kanghyok was an unusual fellow when he stood up to him.

Now, he had the powerful backing of the mayor, and he was Sungmun's son.

“Hey, step aside. Let me sit there,” said the governor, pus.h.i.+ng a farmer sitting under a tree shade to the side.

A petty officer quickly put down a cus.h.i.+on for him. He had to wait for a while.

When the sun was about to set, Dolsok shouted, “Come in, patient no. 22!”

“d.a.m.n it. Address me with honorific language!”

“Oops!”

Slapping him upside the head, the governor went into the room.

“What brings you here, governor?” Though Kanghyok looked tired, he tried to show some decency.

“Oh, my problem is…” The governor hesitated, standing before Kanghyok without sitting.

Kanghyok figured out his disease when he sat on a cus.h.i.+on.

“Does your rear end hurt?”

“Oh, you must be an excellent doctor! I've seen blood coming from there for several months after taking a s.h.i.+t. I can't sit down at all. It's really killing me.”

Kanghyok nodded as if he knew the cause of his disease.

In old Korea, it was unthinkable that they would keep their a.n.u.s clean. They couldn't clean it with that precious paper. Kanghyok was really surprised when Dolsok gave him rice straw instead of toilet paper.

‘Of course they use water instead of bidets these days…'

But it was unthinkable in old Korea.

‘Let me check his a.n.u.s anyway.'

Obviously, he didn't clean it thoroughly. However, Kanghyok had no other choice but to check it as a doctor.

“Just take off your pants.”

“Pants? Here?” asked the governor with surprise.

“I need to see your a.n.u.s to treat it.”

“Oh my G.o.d…”

The governor helplessly took off his pants and underwear.

‘How gross!'

He had hemorrhoids and abscess there.

“Now, lie face down.”

“Lie face down?”

“It will hurt a bit, but stay still.”

Kanghyok quickly gave him an injection of anesthetic and then began the surgery.

As the affected area was so sensitive, the governor screamed.

Even Dolsok, who was helping Kanghyok on the side, shook his head.

Dolsok began to whisper in a low voice, “Master, are you doing this to make him feel pain intentionally?”

“What? No, how can I as a doctor?”

“Oh, you're right.”

“I'm trying my best to make him feel less pain.”

Initially, Dolsok felt scared to see blood coming out when Kanghyok operated surgery. But now, he wasn't anymore. He even felt it gratifying to see pus coming out completely.

“It's coming out now, sir.”

“Yeah, this is all pus.”

“How disgusting!”

Dolsok wiped away all the yellow pus.

“Uahhhhhhh!” the governor shouted at the top of his lungs with extreme pain.

But Dolsok held him tight while he was trying to move his body desperately.

When he gave such a big scream, the petty officers outside were pacing up and down near the examination room. As Yoni and Makbong were standing guard before the door, they couldn't go into the room.

Kanghyok spoke in a thick voice, “How come you can't stand it as a n.o.bleman?”

“Hey, dude. You're now torturing me!”

“Just put up with it a bit longer. I'm almost done.”

Kanghyok removed all the pus, and now he was almost done with getting rid of the hemorrhoids. For a while he would still see b.l.o.o.d.y stool, but he would feel better after several days.

“Done!”

“Oh, dear!”

The operation for the removal of hemorrhoids was difficult even in a modern surgery room.

As Kanghyok did it with only a scalpel and threads, the governor must have felt an unbearable pain during the surgery.

With cold sweat all over his body, the governor sank down, exhausted.

“You did such a good job! Now, you have to wash your a.n.u.s with warm water every day. After several days, you'll be cured completely.”

“How long do I have to put up with this pain?”

“As you take pills, you will feel better.”

While Kanghyok was giving him instructions, Dolsok put some pills on his hand.

“Sir, take this.”

“Oh, dear…” Moaning with pain, the governor took the pill.

“Hey, guys, take your master back home. He doesn't have to come back tomorrow. Anyone should come to me to pick up his pills.”

“Yes, master.”

The petty officers now clearly appreciated Kanghyok's status and his miraculous medical skills.

They helped the governor mount the horse and hurriedly left the place.

“The governor is the last patient today, isn't he?” Kanghyok asked, cleaning the blood and pus on the floor.

“I think so, master. Other patients after him must have fled in fear.”

“By the way, I was surprised the governor put up with that terrible pain well.”

“Did you do it on purpose, sir?”

“You did squeeze the pus with all your might, didn't you?”

“Yes, because he slapped me on the back of my neck. Anyway, I guess he won't get any single drop of pus there.”

They laughed merrily and came out of the room.

It was already dark outside. They had to hold a torch to go back home.

“Oh my G.o.d, my body aches now. Let me buy a jar of drinks,” Kanghyok murmured, moving his shoulder around here and there.

However, Yoni greeted them with an uneasy look. “Master, you have one more patient.”

“What? One more patient? Who is he?”

“I think he's the one that the mayor mentioned. He came here a while ago…” Yoni pointed to one corner in the dark yard.

There stood a young man. He had a large build, and his standing posture was disciplined. His eyes were sparkling brightly.

But what attracted Kanghyok's attention was something else.

‘Who is this guy? Do I know his face? Why is it familiar to me?'