“Really?”

It was real good news that made him suddenly sober up. He could be a quack, but he was allegedly really good at medical skills.

As Mt. Kw.a.n.gkyo was not far from his place, Kanghyok had no reason not to see him.

“Where are they now?” he asked, curious about the whereabouts of Yoni and Makbong.

“I asked them to wait at your examination room on the market street as you were still sound asleep.”

“Huh?”

When he raised his head, Kanghyok found that the sun had already risen high up in the sky.

‘I think I slept like a log.'

In fact, Kanghyok kept drinking his cup that was constantly refilled by Soonsin last night, and drank himself to sleep.

“Let me wash my face first.”

“Here is water for was.h.i.+ng up, sir.” Dolsok gave him a basin with warm water as if he already expected it.

“Oh, thanks.”

“You're welcome, master.”

Kanghyok quickly washed his face and turned his head.

“Why don't you brush your teeth, master?”

“Oh, I almost forgot.”

With a.s.sistance from Dolsok, Kanghyon was now fully ready to go out in formal dress and new shoes.

“Let's go now.”

“Yes, master.”

With the bag in hand, he got on a pony. He also carried a large bundle that contained several days of necessities. Of course, it was Dolsok who carried the bundle on his back.

“We're almost there,” said Kanghyok, pointing at his examination room on the street.

Makbong stood there to greet him, the gate open. “Welcome, master.”

“Nice to see you here. It seems you lost flesh, didn't you?”

Makbong scratched his head hard at Kanghyok's question.

By Joseon's standards, Makbong was br.i.m.m.i.n.g with youth.

“Well, we hardly do any performances these days, so I've been pretty busy during the night.” Makbong smiled broadly as usual while saying so.

Shaking his head, Kanghyok looked around the yard. “By the way, where is Yoni?”

“Ah, she's tying up a topknot right now.”

“She's inside then. Let's go when she comes out.”

“Yes, master. Let me bring her here.” Makbong went into the room quickly and shouted, “Yoni! Master is here.”

“What? Okay.”

The door was thrown open, and Yoni came out, quite embarra.s.sed. She looked a bit awkward as she just finished her topknot.

“How are you, master?”

“Good. Let's start now.”

“Yes, master.”

While she was putting on her shoes hurriedly, she spoke to Kanghyok as she recalled something, “Ah… Yoju sent you a letter today.”

“Today? Give it to me now.”

“Here you go,” she said, handing him the letter stuck in her waistband.

‘Um… She's poor, as expected.' Kanghyok murmured, looking at the quality of the letter paper, “Ah, her father Changkwon left his house today. Oh, I see…”

Looking up at the sky, Kanghyok recalled her drawing. She was really good at detailed descriptions. She could produce such a fine drawing with cheap art supplies. Equipped with fine supplies, she could surely produce far better drawings.

‘I could learn something from the doctor.' In particular, he felt he needed to learn medicinal herbs from the doctor. But it would be useless to simply hear the names of the herbs as Kanghyok did not know how they looked.

The solution would be for someone like Yoju to draw the pictures of the medicinal herbs for him.

Kanghyok looked at Yoni with a strange expression.

‘I think if Yoju dressed like a man, she could hide her ident.i.ty.'

Fortunately, Yoni, who was pretty good at masquerading as a man, would accompany him anyway.

“Good. Let me take Yoju there.”

“What?”

“Why? Can't I take her?” Kanghyok asked nonchalantly.

In fact, there was n.o.body around Kanghyok who could oppose him.

“You can, master,” Dolsok, who was standing behind him, answered readily.

“Great. Let me take Yoju then.”

Fortunately, Yoju's house was located on the way to Mt. Kw.a.n.gkyo.

Yoni tipped her off on this, and she gladly came out.

Yoju was also dressed like a man, but she looked somewhat awkward.

“Hey, Yoju, I see your attire dragging on the ground.”

“Oh, it's because it's my father's, not mine.” Dressed in a big coat, Yoju quickly walked along.

As she said she could not get on a pony, Kanghyok had no other choice but to let her walk.

While he was casually looking at her rear, she suddenly turned back.

“Master?”

“Ah? Why?”

“You asked me to draw medicinal herbs, right?”

“Right,” trying to hide his embarra.s.sment, Kanghyok answered calmly.

As he was on a pony, they didn't notice his embarra.s.sed look.

“I need some paints to draw. Also I need a small brush and paper…”

“I've brought some paper, but I think I have to get some paints and a brush.”

Kanghyok looked down the street with an annoyed look.

It would take lots of time to go back to the street to buy that stuff.

“Well, my friend lives nearby, so I can borrow them from her.”

“Oh, really?”

That was a good solution.

“Where is her house?”

“Right there is n.o.bleman Yop Huh's house.”

“Yop Huh?”

Kanghyok knew him because he treated that man before.

“Yes, master. One of his children is a girl named Nansolhon. She is my bosom friend.”

“Hahaha.”

Kanghyok made a forced smile once he learned that Yop Huh was Nansolhon's father. Kanghyok wished he had studied Korean history harder during high school.

Nansolhon was the finest Korean painter in Joseon, and he was about to see this woman painter now!

Yoju Chung, who was Nansolhon's best friend.

Kanghyok never heard about Yoju in a history book, though.

At his strong reaction, Yoju tilted her head. “Do you happen to know her name?”

“Uh, no, not her name. I know her father, though.”

“Oh, let me tell her about you, then.”

Yoju then picked a stone on the road and threw it over the wall.

Though Yop Huh was not an inc.u.mbent official, his house was much larger than Changkwon's.

After Yoju threw several stones like that, somebody opened the door.

Her face was calm with regular features.

As soon as Kanghyok saw her, he could immediately recognize Nansolhon.

‘Wow, this is Nansolhon Huh!'

Though Nansolhon might be better at drawing, Yoju was much more beautiful than her.

“Hey, Yoju! Why are you playing tricks like this?

“Well, I'm dressed like a man for a specific reason.”

“Who is this man?”

“Kanghyok Paek. You know him, right?”

“Ah!”

Kanghyok was one of the most famous men in Suwon. And he treated her father's chronic hemorrhoids completely. How could she not know such a famous doctor?

She politely introduced herself, “How are you, sir? My name is Nansolhon Huh.”

“I'm Kanghyok.'

After exchanging pleasantries, she turned to Yoju again. “What business brought you here?”

“Well, I decided to help him. I wonder if I can borrow your painting supplies.”

“Helping him?”

“Yes. I want to draw some medicinal herbs and the way he is treating patients.”

“Wow, that might be very interesting. Did you father approve of it?”

“No, I'm doing it secretly.”

“It could be more interesting. Got it. Let me give you some supplies.”

Then Nansolhol quickly came out with the painting supplies.

They were of high quality, as opposed to Yoju's.

“Take care, then. I hope I can learn something from you later,” said Nansolhon.

“Okay, thanks!”

This was something Kanghyok didn't know at all.

Nansolhon had a private drawing teacher! And that teacher was Yoju.

‘Wow, I really can count on Yoju, then.'

Now, Kanghyok felt he was fully prepared to see the doctor.

“Great. Yoni, where shall we go?”

“I heard that he is staying at the foot of Mt. Kw.a.n.gkyo. We have to walk at least half a day.”

“Kw.a.n.gkyo? It's really far from here. Let's hurry up.”

Once the sun sets in Joseon, real danger luked everywhere.

In particular, if they had to head toward Mt. Kw.a.n.gkyo, the danger was bigger.

‘I can't allow myself to be some tiger's prey.'

All of them trotted along, with Yoju also following them.

With a satisfied look, Kanghyok spurred the pony.

At that moment, Yoni pointed somewhere. “Look at that mountain! That's Mt. Kw.a.n.gkyo.”

“We're almost there. I see some houses there, too. Great. Is the doctor there?”

“Yes, I'm sure.”

When he arrived at the destination, he could have a clearer view of the village.

Arriving at the entrance of the village, he saw some people gathered at one place.

“Are they having a feast?”

Dolsok shook his head at Kanghyok's question.

“Looks like that's a line waiting for their treatment. And that man at the forefront seems to be the doctor.”

“Oh, I see.”