Samyengdang, aka Buddhist Master Samyeong… Ganghyuk was not good at history, but he still knew this name.
He did not know of the name Yujeong though.
"Ah, Buddhist Master Samyeong…"
"I am not a Buddhist Master."
"Not yet?"
"What do you mean?" Yujeong looked at Ganghyuk, making the latter feel overwhelmed with the mysterious spirits contained in his eyes. He felt that the stories regarding Buddhist Master Samyeong might indeed be true.
'No, I should be careful.'
If his words influenced him and he was to change, it would cause serious consequences. He had to do a good job later on.
"I was moved by the preachings, so I used that title."
"Thank you! Please sit up, Governor and Chief."
"Yes, yes." The governor sat up with gratitude. His trousers were roughed up at the knees, seeming a little worn out, even though it had been a short time since he knelt down.
He probably would not bow like this even to the king.
"I am honored. I will give more alms soon."
"Do not overdo, please."
"No, I think they would never be enough."
The governor then went out of the room after bowing to Buddhist Master Samyeong politely. He would most likely go to the government office and prepare for things to be delivered.
"What is this fuss?" When he opened the door, he saw the people listening to the conversation from outside, including Makbong and Yeoni. They had heard the terms like 'living Buddha' and 'Sari', so they were all curious.
The chief monk went out and confirmed the situation by holding the Sari and standing in front of the people.
"This came from Monk Yujeong."
It was a white stone that shone brightly under the sunlight. It looked like an extraordinary stone to Ganghyuk, even though he was not religious at all.
'Is that a real Sari?' Ganghyuk looked at Yujeong with suspicious eyes. He was the very Buddhist Master Samyeong for sure. 'But, it is just a stone from a salivary gland.'
It could not be anything else.
But the responses of the people were different.
"Oh my God!" Some screamed.
"Buddha!" Some bowed.
The Chief Monk added with a smile, feeling satisfied with the people's response. "This great man took out this Sari from Monk Yujeong."
He was pointing at Ganghyuk this time, causing strong reactions to rise within the crowd.
"Wow!"
"He is a great man and great helper!"
In an instant, Ganghyuk became 'the doctor who treated the living Buddha'. The rumor winged around, causing him to become extremely well known, so much so that it was not unusual to hear about him even in the town.
Some of the conversations were exaggerated, and some were simply unreasonable.
"Have you heard the preachings of Monk Yujeong?"
"Yes, they get better with each passing day."
"Scholar Baik actually cured him."
"The Sari was obtained thanks to Scholar Baik as well."
"Do you know that he defeated God Smallpox?"
"Smallpox?"
"You didn't know that? He combated with God Smallpox on Mt. Gwanggyo."
In a flash, Ganghyuk became an elixir doctor who defeated God Smallpox without his knowledge. Some people even called him the Divine Doctor, and nobody objected to that title.
Because of this situation, some donations started coming to the temple for Ganghyuk as well.
"See? This one is from the mayor of Gwacheon, this one from Juksan, and this from Yangseong."
Ganghyuk's group was very busy right now. Yeoju played a very important role here, as she knew how to read and write.
Hence, she arranged things and made notes, the records easily accumulating into a book.
"Where should I put it?" Dolseok asked while sweating, which was no wonder because he held a sack of rice on his back.
"Donate it to the temple"
"Okay, sir."
Normally, he would not follow such an order without objection; he was greedy, even though he was not the one earning it.
However, he was different this time.
There was too much rice, so it would be difficult to transfer all of it to Suwon. They could only select some dear and expensive things to take with them.
"Where is the master?" Makbong asked while lifting furs.
He was a good worker, a strong man by birth who trained his waist force on top… Therefore, he was good at delivering heavy things.
"Dunno…" Dolseok answered while putting down the rice, without any great interest. "He went out with Yeoni to practice Takyeon."
"Ha."
They might have been offended under a different situation, but not right now. All of the materials that they moved were the gifts that Ganghyuk gave Makbong and Yeoni. It included rice, furs, silk, salt, and even a carriage for oxen to pull.
It was a hundred times better to follow Ganghyuk than play in the marketplace.
"I can teach him better."
"You were defeated by Yeoni this morning."
"No, I was not defeated. I fell down because of taking a false step."
"I saw it. If I were the master, I would learn from Yeoni as well."
"Aho, this fellow!"
Makbong took the fist, but did not hit him back. Dolseok was a good friend to have a drink together with every night after all. Makbong might have done something else if it were not the temple, but he did not have anything to do except drinking right now.
While Makbong missed his good old days, Ganghyuk was busy learning the martial art.
"Why are you moving so fast?"
"I am an Eoreumsani, sir."
He ran with his all might, but Yeoni's foot hit his back soon nevertheless.
"Ouch!"
It was a blow strong enough to make him scream. Hearing him, Yeoni rushed to him with a worried face.
"Are you Ok? I hit softly."
"It's painful."
He had felt a really serious pain from the blow; Yeoni was an expert for sure.
"Let's see." Yeoni said as she lifted Ganghyuk's jacket.
"Hey, you are taking my clothes off."
"I want to see your wound. You are doing that every day to your patients yourself."
She was undoubtedly right.
"Ok, then." Ganghyuk lifted his cloth by himself. "How is it?"
"You have a bruise."
"Yes, it was quite painful."
"What should I do?"
"I am a beginner and yet you hit me too strongly."
"No, you are doing very well."
"I really don't think so."
He had not practiced for too long, so how could he do well? He could not even touch a hair of Yeoni today, only being hit by Yeoni too many times.
Although he was hit many times before, it was the first time for it to be painful like this.
"You are doing well, sir."
"If you say so…"
"What can I apply here?"
"Let's see if there is something available…"
Ointment for the bruise… There might have been something in the hospital, but there was nothing in the bag.
"Cold water may do just fine."
"I will bring it immediately, sir." Yeoni ran to the valley just as Ganghyuk finished talking, soon coming back with her sleeves soaked in the cold water from the valley.
"How does it feel?"
"It's cold."
"Is the bruise any better?"
"Yes, thank you!"
An injury should be kept cold right after it happened. It was the basic of the basics for treating a bruise.
While he treated his bruise, Dolseok ran to him. It seemed that there was an urgent matter, which was a bit strange.
What could be urgent in the temple?
"Hek Hek…"
Dolseok was breathless after having run with his all might. He could not say anything even though he could see Ganghyuk and Yeoni.
Ganghyuk had taken off his jacket, and Yeoni was touching his naked back.
"What… What is it?"
"Eh…"
"What is it?"
Ganghyuk got up, feeling that something major had happened.
It was only after a while that Dolseok could finally speak.
"Eotanmeyeon… In Eotanmyeon…"
"Tell me clearly… What happened there?"
"Combat… A combat."
"What are you talking about?"
Where was this Eotanmyeon, and what did he mean by 'combat'?
To Ganghyuk, it seemed like an unnecessary fuss. On the other hand, Yeoni, who was good at geography, was quite startled.
She knew that Eotanmyeon belonged to Suwon. Hence, she asked with an urgent voice.
"What happened there?"
"Japanese…"
Gagnhyuk could not understand the situation. It was still far from the year of Imjinwaeran, the Japanese invasion in the year of Imjin. How could Japanese invade Gyeonggi-do at this time?
"Japanese?"
"Yes, Japanese."
"How could they come here?"
Dolseok wanted to smash something at this moment. His master would act way too dumb sometimes, even though he was very knowledgeable in medicine.
"Chiljangsa was rebuilt after it was burnt by the Japanese."
"Ah!" Ganghyuk had heard that it was rebuilt during the reign of Jungjong.
"Then, we need to run away."
"What are you talking about? The Japanese are in Eotanmeyon, so why would we be running away?
"Is it far from here? Then, why are you making a fuss?"
"The governor will go to the battlefield. He sent a person to ask you to come together."
"Heo…"
Even though it was a call from the governor, he did not want to go. If there was a war, it was better for him to run away. Why would he go to the battlefield?
He was not a government official or soldier.
"Let's see the person he sent."
"Yes, sir. He is waiting for you in the temple."
With that, Dolseok and Yeoni hurried their way while Ganghyuk followed them slowly.
'How can I reject the request?'
There were many excuses he could make. First of all, he was the eldest son of Baik Family. He had heard that the second one served for the government somewhere. But, he had not seen the latter, even though he arrived at Joseon a few months ago.
He must be an undutiful son for sure.
Secondly, he was treating Buddhist Master Samyeong. As a matter of fact, there was no need to treat him more, but under these circumstances, he had to make it seem like it was required.
'Good! I will tell him these two excuses.' While he was coming up with excuses in mind, they arrived at the temple where an acquaintance greeted him.
Clerk Lee Jeonbok…
He was wearing an armor; it seemed true that there was a war breaking out.
"You are here."
"Glad to see you, here."
"Although I have many things to talk about, the situation is very urgent. The governor has asked you to be an army surgeon."
"Army surgeon? I am not good at traumatic injuries."
It was a lie.
Most of the contents in the bag were operation tools, and it was well-known that he had treated Sunshin's leg.
The clerk thought that he was trying to be humble, so he smiled and said, "You are too modest. You are the best doctor in town."
He did not seem ready to withdraw his request.
"Eum…"
Somebody pulled his sleeve when Ganghyuk was about to give him the excuses that he had thought of on the way there: it was Yeoju.
"What happened?"
"I have something to talk about."
It was not usual; she looked too desperate to reject. So, Ganghyuk asked her why she was doing that.
"What is it?"
"The governor has called you to Eotanmyeon because of the Japanese, right?"
"Yes."
"I am afraid to ask you, but can you go there? I know it is a shameless favor, but…"
It was really a shameless favor, and he could not imagine the reason either.
"Why?"
"Father… It is the place where my father went for the Hyanggyo education."