Time flew by like an arrow. During the last half a month, Ganghyuk did his best, as did Heo Jun, who was currently standing beside him with a haggard face.
Dolseok and Makbong, who had assisted them all this while, had collapsed a long time ago. Yeoju, who had been drawing all of these incidents, felt her fingers getting numb. Yeoni was not there, as she was busy preparing for the entertainment while celebrating the retreat of smallpox.
She was very tired, but she tried her best to maintain her pride as the best Eoreumsani in Gyeonggi area.
"It is time." The governor looked at Ganghyuk with pitiful eyes.
"Yes, sir. It is alright to have the Gut now." Ganghyuk said as he looked at the villagers leaning against the tree.
Everything was calm and peaceful. As most of the people were gathered on the hill, there were not many left in the village.
'Good. It is good now.'
Thanks to the quick response to the onset, infection did not spread out further. They were mostly cured with cowpox vaccine and the prescription of Heo Jun.
Alas, they had to hear the pitiful cries sometimes as well.
Ganghyuk was not a god, anyway. When a patient was found to have hemorrhagic smallpox, he could not do anything except reducing the pain on their way to the other world.
Many of them, including the first patient, passed away in their sleep.
"You did a good job. You saved this village." The governor showed a smile out of satisfaction. He had already reported the incident. It was mainly about how fast he had reacted after the onset, and how well he commanded the people to prevent the spread of this fatal disease.
Of course, there were some comments about Ganghyuk and Heo Jun as well, but that did not occupy too big a portion.
"Not at all. It is all due to you and my father."
"You are always humble. Anyway, can I host the Gut now?"
"Yes, all the villagers are together, which is really good."
"Good. It is really good."
With that, the governor went to the shamans. Even from the back, Ganghyuk could sense his smiling face as his shoulders were moving from the joy.
At this moment, Dolseok called Ganghyuk.
"Sir…"
"What?"
"He is really great."
"Yes, he is a great man as the governor of Suwon."
"No, I mean… He did not take that medicine for fifteen days."
"Ah…"
The governor did not ask for Viagra during this period. A nobleman like him could go to the salon for a girl even in that situation.
Furthermore, he was a lecher, and yet he controlled his sexual desire all this while. He clearly cared about the people more than Ganghyuk had thought.
"Yes! It is surprising indeed…" Ganghyuk nodded his head with a moved face. But, the feeling did not last for long as the governor came back hastily.
He came back to him as quickly as possible, as if there were an emergency.
"Well, may I… Can I use it now?"
He extended his hand forward with a shy smile, holding a small silk pouch in it. It was made not long ago, but it had so much wear and tear, implying how often it was used.
"I should have given it to you before you asked. Here it is."
"Yes, thank you!"
Having finalized his business, the governor went to the shaman for real. He was shrugging his shoulders this time again, but the reason might be different from the previous one.
"Sir."
"What?"
"I take back what I said just now."
"Yes, I agree with you."
With that, the two laughed for quite a while. As for the rest of them who did not know what the medicine was for, they looked at each other with puzzled eyes.
"Sir, why are you laughing like that? What is the medicine for?"
When Ganghyuk looked back, there he saw Makbong. As the latter had worked quite hard during this fortnight or so, his cheeks were deeply sunken. But, he still had a very obscene atmosphere around him.
He might have read between the lines from the conversation between Ganghyuk and Dolseok, and seemed to know what the medicine was for.
'His name tells what he is... Makbong.'
He did not know who named him, but that person must have been good at physiognomy for sure.
'Mak' meant careless, and 'Bong' meant a rod. He was clearly a man who used his symbol way too carelessly.
Hence, Ganghyuk felt that he could not give him Viagra. That would be just like pouring oil on the flame. Thinking that, Ganghyuk shook his head hastily.
"No, I cannot. I won't"
"What is it for? Please give me one."
"No, you don't need it."
Ganghyuk noticed that his trousers looked different. The latter might have been thinking of something, which made his symbol erect. He stared at the latter while thinking why it was like that. But, Makbong tried to act charming by shaking his shoulders.
"Sir, please. Please…"
"No, if you take that, you may have to cut it."
"What do you mean? I am a man."
"It is true. So, do not try to have it without telling me."
"You are trying to trick me in order not to give me some." Makbong complained.
He could not protest anymore though. His desire could not beat his loyalty toward Ganghyuk after all.
While Ganghyuk and Makbong tussled over the medicine, the people had almost finished the preparation for the Gut. So, Dolseok dragged him by his arms carefully.
"Sir, let's go."
"Dr. Heo, let's go together. It is a party for us, so we must go and celebrate."
"Yes, but my body is all sore…. Haha!" Heo Jun managed to get up while patting his back. At this time, Yeoju stopped drawing and followed Ganghyuk as well.
The small plaza on the hill was crowded with people. Their number was less that what he had seen when he had visited the Suwon marketplace last time, but the concentration was higher.
However, Dolseok did not need to make a way for Ganghyuk.
"Doctor..."
"Scholar Baik…"
"Sir Heo Jun…"
The people made way for them on their own volition while bending their heads with gratitude. Some of them were treated by Ganghyuk and Heo Jun, some were saved, and some had family members who were saved by the two.
'Heo.'
He had been thanked too many times, but not like this. So many people came to him and thanked him at the same time.
'It feels strange.'
Ganghyuk passed the people with excitement. On the upper seat, he could see the governor, but he could not find Seungmun.
He probably did not want to watch a vulgar play such as a Gut. He might be in a quiet place, reciting a poem.
He was not like Ganghyuk after all.
"Oh, there is Yeoni." Dolseok pointed at Yeoni, the Eoreumsani who was warming up. Then, he looked at Makbong with despair.
"Why are you here?"
"They cannot make a swing here, because the trees here are too short."
"Is it because of your technique?"
"No! Never! Sir, can I hit him?" Makbong asked because he did not want to make a scene before Ganghyuk.
Ganghyuk did not want to have a fight at a good day like this, so he shook his head.
"Later. You can hit him later."
"Ok, I will wait till it finishes."
"Ok."
It was now Dolseok's turn o cry.
"Sir!"
"Why did you get on his nerves?"
"Getting on his nerves? I am superior to him."
"But, you are not a nobleman."
"Wow! I am so sad!"
They looked like a group of ruffians in the marketplace, and Ganghyuk in his silk clothes looked like the head of the group.
"Haha…" Heo Jun had a wide smile on his face. When Ganghyuk used to be in the clinic, he would be all smart and scholarly. But right now, he was relaxed and looked like a wishy-washy person.
Furthermore, it was not just Heo Jun who felt that.
"How could Sir Baik Seungmun have such a son?" Yeoju murmured behind of Ganghyuk. There was nothing in common apart from the appearance.
"It begins now." Dolseok pointed at the plaza with excitement. He probably had forgotten already that he would be hit later, as he liked watching plays very much.
"God smallpox… smallpox."
As Dolsoek had said, a splendidly dressed shaman jumped here and there. The cow that Ganghyuk had collected pus from was there instead of a healthy cow.
Ganghyuk had changed them secretly, but nobody noticed it.
The people liked it better, as they thought that the smallpox god had possessed the cow.
They used to sacrifice a straw horse, but they could use a live cow for this session with the grade of the governor. They all assumed that the god was moved, and thus had possessed the cow.
Of course, that was all nonsense.
'I am sorry.'
The cow produced the therapeutic pus and then had to die, which made Ganghyuk feel guilty, only a little though.
'It was going to die, anyway.'
The cow was very weak because of the disease, so much so that it could not even move much.
"Hwai, hwai."
A Shaman put a small straw bag on the shoulder of the cow. It seemed quite heavy, as it contained a wooden hammer. Feeling the weight, the cow's knees trembled even more.
"Hwai."
The other shaman put another small straw bag on its waist, with rice cake and rice in it.
"Hwai."
The other shaman put the last small straw bag, containing fruits, including melons.
The cow finally knelt because of the weight, seeing which, the shamans shouted with excitement.
"Good! The smallpox god has ridden the cow."
Hearing the proclamation, all the villagers applauded, and so did the governor. He told Ganghyuk that it was to comfort the people, but it seemed that he believed in the existence of the god himself.
Ganghyuk and Heo Jun were the only ones who were not excited about seeing the scene.
"Smallpox god?"
"Yes, nonsense."
Next was a dancing party in front of the ceremonial table that was covered with steamed rice cakes. Most of them were red bean rice cakes, but there were two lumps of white rice cakes, one for the dead and the other for the sick.
"There is nothing interesting here."
Ganghyuk wanted to see the tightrope walking, but all the shamans had occupied the scene. Hence, he shook his head and escaped from the venue, with Heo Jun following him.
"Hui… What a Gut! It is a chaos."
Ganghyuk sat down far from the venue, while Heo Jun sat beside him and said. "But, it was you who decided to hold the Gut fourteen days after the onset."
"Yes, right, but it is still wicked."
"But, we cannot help it. They need comfort and mental reassurance."
Comfort…
Ganghyuk felt that he could understand them a little more right now. He turned to look at Heo Jun after thinking for a while.
"You will go to Naeuiwon now, right."
"Yes, I am already late. Fortunately, the governor reported the case and I got some allowance."
"Good! Then, I can see you if I go to Hanyang."
"Yes! I will treat you when you visit the place."
Hanyang… Now, he had two people to meet there...two famous people.
'Heo Jun and Lee Sunshin.'
They were the ones that he should be meeting by dropping everything else. He felt that he had to go there someday.
Beside him, Heo Jun continued, "I have something to tell you before I go."
"Yes, go ahead."
"You asked me about anesthesia when you performed a brain surgery."
"Yes, is there any solution?" Ganghyuk opened his eyes wide with expectation.
And clearly, Heo Jun did not let his expectations down.
"Yes. I have searched through old books and thought of effects of herbs, and I think there is a solution."