Chapter 49

: Ultra Short Term Army Surgeon [2]

What? Professor?


Yes! Please…
Yeoju bent her head hastily, causing her white neck to become visible behind the cloth. It was a scene he could not help but love, something he surely wanted to see more of.
‘Eum’
Yeoju had followed him for a month. Although he had helped her, she was quite helpful to him as well. The picture book that she prepared for him was a real treasure.
‘Although I am a rude man, I am loyal to those who helped me.’
He was a man of loyalty, so he could not refuse. It would be good to make the governor feel more obliged anyway.
It was well known that the governor would be promoted into the central government very soon because of his ‘service’ at the time of the smallpox outbreak. If he could defeat the Japanese, his future would be more than promising.

Clerk?


Yes, Scholar Baik.


I will be ready soon.


Yes, I had thought so. I will be waiting here.’

Okay.

…
With that, Ganghyuk went to Yujeong. He had to tell the latter that he would go, but he was a bit afraid. It was a battle he had to participate in after all.
All he had was two months’ army surgeon training only. It was no wonder that his hands were trembling right now.
Yujeong was mediating calmly, but when Ganghyuk approached, he opened his eyes.

It is time to depart for you now.


Were you listening?

But, it was hard to hear from that distance, so Ganghyuk tilted his head in wonder. Yujeong smiled in response.

When we meet, we have to part someday.


Yes…right.


Do not worry about it too much. We will meet again.
He said this like a fortuneteller, but it sounded very reliable coming from his mouth. Still on hearing him, Ganghyuk’s trembling hands became settled.

Thank you.


It’s nothing at all. You are blessed.


You do not need to take the medicine anymore. However, do consume a lot of water.

When a stone developed in the body, it was good to drink more liquid. It was said that beer was good for a bladder stone patient. However, that was only half right.
Beer would increase urine output, and it might actually cause dehydration on the next day. Hence, the safest thing was to drink water.
‘The monk will not drink alcohol, anyway.’ Great Buddhist Master Samyeong was not Noe Jishim in the romance of the Three Kingdoms.

I will.


I will take my leave then. Goodbye.


Goodbye…Wait!
Yujeong suddenly stopped Ganghyuk.

Yes?

He moved his hand and gave him a shiny stone. It must be something special, given the way it shone brightly.

It will help you someday.


Is this the stone?


Yes.


I see.

The monk had given him the stone as the parting gift. Ganghyuk received it put it in his bosom while looking back.
All the fellows, including Dolseok, were already ready to leave, and a horse had been prepared for Ganghyuk.
He got on the horse and asked Dolseok, who had taken the reigns of the horse.

What should I do with the things that I have received?


I asked the chief monk to send them to your house. He said that they would be delivered by tonight.


Good!

He thought that he should call Dolseok a slugger. He did not learn much, but he was a clever guy.
Ganghyuk laughed as he said to the clerk.
Let’s go.


Yes, let’s go.

…
The clerk had brought many soldiers, so they could travel safely. Anseong was not too far from Suwon, so it did not take them long as they hurried up.
Ganghyuk had been staying on the horse, but he was still exhausted as they hurried on their way. So, he thought to ask the others about their status.

Are you Ok?


Yes, we are all good.

Yeoni still looked very playful, and Yeoju nodded her head as well. She was worried about her father, and the worries overwhelmed the pain in her feet. Therefore, she moved without falling behind.
‘Her feet were very soft.’ Ganghyuk looked at her and remembered. They were like tofu compared to those of Yeoni, who was trained in martial arts. Red blood was visible on her socks from the injuries due to walking so much.
There was no urgent atmosphere in the marketplace in Suwon. However, there were much fewer people present, which meant that it was still far from Eotanmyeon.
If her feet were already having problems, it would get even more serious later on.

Yeoni, please look at her feet later on.


Okay, sir.

The Clerk looked back and said,
Here we are! The governor must have been waiting for you for a long time. Please come quickly.


Yes.

As the person who had summoned him was the governor, he had a funny thought.
‘Even if he were a lecher, he would not ask for Viagra now, would he?’
If he was not insane, he would not do that. After all, he did not ask for it during the smallpox epidemic. And now, this situation was a much bigger and more serious event.
While he was having this useless thought, they arrived at the government office, where
the clerk tapped on the door and shouted.
Open the door! I am Lee Jeongbok, and I have brought the army surgeon Baik Ganghyuk with the order of the governor.


Yes, sir.

A few soldiers immediately rushed and opened the door.
Squeak!
In the government office were hundreds of soldiers armed with bows and spears. There were some unfamiliar officers as well right now. They seemed to have been dispatched by the central government.
They were wearing differently styled armors which made sounds whenever they moved.

Oh, come here!
The governor greeted Ganghyuk gladly with open arms, then introduced him to an unfamiliar officer.
The officer had a beard and a very stout figure. He also had a long vertical scar on the cheek.
Ganghyuk had the impression that he was a powerful warrior.

This is Baik Ganghyuk, I had told you about him before.


I have heard about you many times. I am glad to finally meet you. I am the Jungchubudongjisa, Shin Rip.

Ganghyuk did not know what a Jungchubudongjisa was. But, it seemed that he was quite a high-ranking official, given the attitude of the governor. He had the sense of identifying hierarchy very quickly due to having worked in the hospital.
Ganghyuk then bowed and answered.
I have heard about you as well. I am Baik Ganghyuk.


You are cool. You have a good body. You will do better as an officer than a surgeon.

Shin Rip laughed while patting Ganghyuk’s back, causing the latter to get the feeling that even his intestines were shaken by it. Was it because the former had thick fingers?
‘Is it the level that Heo Jun told me about?’
Shin Rip looked at the soldiers after patting Ganghyuk’s back.
Listen! Scholar Baik Ganghyuk is joining us as an army surgeon. He can treat and cure you as long as you are alive. So, don’t worry.


Wow! Wonderful!

There was a big clamor that rose suddenly. It seemed that the soldiers were very familiar with Ganghyuk. After all, they were not the ones from the central government. As they worked in Suwon, they had already heard of Ganghyuk’s fame. Moreover, some of them had already visited him.

Here comes our Divine Doctor!

Because of the recent rumors, the morale of the soldiers rose even higher.

Great!

They felt that he would be able to cure them even if their life was hanging by a thread.
‘They are expecting too much.’
Ganghyuk looked down inside the bag he held in his hand. He had a good deal of operational tools. But, he was short of the other products.
‘Maximum two operations a day? Maybe three if I stretched the resources thin…’
Given the amount of gauze or IV sets he had, that was the maximum he could stretch them. Yet, it was very hard to reject patients after seeing their desperate eyes.
So, Ganghyuk just smiled and responded to their applause.
Kung!
At that moment, Shin Rip hit the ground with the sheath, causing the area to turn absolutely silent. They were very orderly, which was very strange for Ganghyuk, considering the fact that he did not see them training ever.

They have become completely different with your orders, general.
The governor smiled with satisfaction, with Shin Rip laughing loudly in response.

It owes to your training during ordinary days.

Not only the governor, but even Ganghyuk knew that it was not true.
The governor looked around the soldiers with a shameful smile. He knew he could not trust them.
They were only 200 of them, and were not well equipped. Although they had bows, they did not have enough arrows.

Will you leave when the cavalry regiment comes?

Shin Rip was famous for his cavalry regiment. His achievements in the northern area had impressed the central government. The governor had actually asked for Shin Rip by specifying his name. After all, his martial arts skill and strategy were really exceptional.
He only had one weakness, that he tended to underestimate the enemy. And he showed this weakness of his again here.

Cavalry? Why should we wait for them? I think we can do the job with these soldiers.


But, I heard that the Japanese army was big.


They are just mobs.’
How could the governor tell him that it was the same here; the soldiers of the governor were a mob themselves. This made him frown with worry.

My soldiers do not have much of battle experience.


Don’t worry! I have good officers. In a war, the most important people are the commanders.


I trust you, but…


Governor, leave the war to us. I will leave now. The Japanese must be plundering even during this moment.

And it was actually true!
Ganghyuk could not believe that the Japanese had come to Gyeonggido and started plundering. It was the first time this had happened since Eulmyo Waebyeon. Furthermore, as they were not prepared, the damages caused were expected to be enormous for sure.
There was a new Hyanggyo in Eotanmyeon, built under the orders of Governor Kim Yungil. Professor Jeong Changgweon was working precisely there. With the Japanese invasion, all the Confucian scholars there were at risk of being killed.
Thinking of the Japanese’s cruelty, it could be guessed easily.

Yes, you are right.


Then, let’s go.

At this moment, Ganghyuk was somewhat embarrassed and really scared. He had just come back from Chiljangsa, and now, he had to go to the battlefield. Obviously, he could not shut his mouth.

Eo…


Don’t worry.
Shin Rip patted his shoulders and went forward, standing in the middle of his officers.
Gulp!
All the soldiers and officers were watching him with rapt attention. He was the man known as the best general in Joseon.
He was not a man of too many words.

We are going now. Open the door!

Hearing his command, the soldiers started to move swiftly. They were already holding weapons, and food was ready in their carriers. Therefore, there was no reason to hesitate.
Ganghyuk looked at the soldiers with a surprised look on his face.

Ganghyuk…


Yes, sir?


You will not need these, but take them nevertheless.
Lee Jeongbok said while giving him five swords.

Yes, thank you!

The swords were very heavy, to the extent that Ganghyuk almost dropped them.
‘Sword…’
It seemed that his joke had come true.
‘The private joke we had amongst us in the hospital about calling ourselves ‘sword men’ just because we used surgical instruments seems funny for all the wrong reasons right now.’
The ‘sword’ he used back then was just a mess that was as small as a palm. But now, he had received a sword that was as big as his arm.
Ganghyuk then gave one to Dolseok.

Here, take it.


Eo… Okay, sir.

Dolseokk was not a fighter, so he froze on receiving a sword, sweating profusely while looking very awkward.
But, Ganghyuk wasn’t any better. He looked the most stupid ever since he came to Joseon.

Sir, give me one as well.
Yeoni came forward and said with a valiant voice.

Ah, will you?


Yes, sir. Don’t worry. I know how to use it.

Yeoni received and wore a sword at her side skillfully. Watching her masterful movements with the sword, Ganghyuk felt better.
But that was only in relative terms, considering the fact that they had to be on their way to the battlefield…