Doctor Goes Back to Joseon - Chapter 200

 

It took about one week for Kanghyok to find out the golden ratio of the toxicity of fugu.

 

For he had to go through trials and errors, with lots of tradeoffs in the testing process.

 

Kanghyok looked at Dolsok, Yoju, Yoni and Dorkke who were exhausted after blowing testicles hard, and the gang of the acrobatic members who had to be the guinea pigs for his experiment.

 

‘Can his condition go back to normal?’

 

Kanghyok looked at one gang member who was done in. Kanghyok gave a shot to the wrinkles of his forehead, but his eyes drooped after that.

 

He didn’t know the toxin injection had such a strong effect.

 

He gave a shot to another guy several days ago, who was limping even now.

 

It was through such sacrifices that Kanghyok could find out that golden ratio.

 

“Good. If it’s diluted by 500 times, the poison injection is safe and effective.”

 

Kanghyok looked at a guy in one corner, who was drooling a lot.

 

Ironically he was the guy who could have lost his life due to Kanghyok’s first test.

 

“Is he okay now?” asked Dolsok, looking at his drooling saliva.

 

“Oh, he was partially paralyzed, right? It will go back to normal over time. Of course, he has to stay with it for the time being.”

 

“It’s amazing. How come just one shot can make him paralyzed like that?”

 

“Well, it’s the first time I’ve observed its effect like this.”

 

“You’re not testing me any more, right, sir?”

 

A guy, whose mouth was partially paralyzed, asked pleadingly.

 

Actually he was given several shots for the past few days.

 

Though he was not old enough, he did go through the most difficult times recently.

 

“No more! Let me stop here.”

 

“Thanks so much, sir. Thanks for saving my life.”

 

“You don’t have to.”

 

It was true that Kanghyok saved his life, but it was the very same man who could have killed him.

 

“Can I go now?”

 

With a sullen face he then looked at his colleagues in the yard.

 

Some of them had bandages on their bodies while others were suffering with pain after injection.

 

Everybody looked noticeably weak, but it was not because they were starved.

 

Though the injection of fugu poison was dangerous, its effect was remarkable.

 

“Sure, you can leave now.”

 

The guy, along with his members, left the place quickly.

 

Looking at them, Dolsok didn’t hide his concern about them.

 

“Is it okay to let them go like this?”

 

“Why?”

 

“What if they come back to do harm to us?”

 

“Harming us? Don’t you know they have gone through such an ordeal here?”

 

“I know, but did you do it on purpose?”

 

“In some respect, hahaha.”

 

As for treating Sungryong Yu, Kanghyok had his hemorrhoids treated at his house.

 

For he wanted to give the troublesome acrobatic members that he lived in a house where higher-ups in the government like the minister of education and culture came every day.

 

Not only the minister but also Yunkil Kim, who was appointed as the minister of the interior, as well as the mayor of Ansung and Hangbok Lee, a senior director with the ministry of education and culture visited Kanghyok’s house.

 

In every respect Kanghyok’s house could not be the target of the street gang.

 

“Good idea! By the way, when are you going to visit Lord Hangbok Lee?”

 

“Quite soon. Looks like he is pretty busy these days. He is not coming to see me at all.”

 

That was true.

 

After Hangbok took Pyonsu, the leader of the troublesome acrobatic team, to his house, the other day, he didn’t come back to Kanghyok again.

 

“Huh? He looks like a servant with Lord Hangbok’s house.”

 

“Really? Do you remember him?”

 

“Yes, I know his face.”

 

Like the talk of the devil, Hangbok obviously sent his servant to Kanghyok.

 

“How are you, sir, Dr. Kanghyok Paek?”

 

As soon as he came to Kanghyok, he lowered his head.

 

“What has brought you here?”

 

“My lord has suddenly become busy because of state affairs, so he couldn’t contact you.”

 

“No worries. I was quite busy, too.”

 

Then he pointed at his assistants who were pooped out after helping him test with testicles for the past several days.

 

“I see. My lord is wondering if you could come tomorrow. Are you available, sir?”

 

“Ah, tomorrow?”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

Kanghyok was anxious to test his newly developed drug on Hangbok’s wife.

 

On this occasion he wanted to ask more about Yorip Chung.

 

Though Yoju said she didn’t know much about him, Kanghyok felt she must hide something important.

 

‘Didn’t she say Yorip was a distant relative of her family? She must hide something.’

 

Kanghyok looked askance at Yoju, who was lying on back, putting her hand on her blistered mouth.

 

“Hmm…”

 

When Kanghyok didn’t answer for a while, the servant cleared his throat.

 

“Oops! Sorry about that. What did you say?”

 

“I asked you if you could come over to my lord’s house tomorrow.”

 

“Sure, sure.”

 

“Thanks, sir. I’ll relay your message to my lord.”

 

“Take care, then.”

 

There were no more guests after the servant went back.

 

Everybody welcomed it as they were so tired and exhausted after several days of hard work.

 

“Let’s enjoy delicious food and go to sleep early!”

 

At Kanghyok’s announcement, all of them shouted for joy.

 

“Hoorah!” shouted Dolsok carelessly.

 

Given that nobody but the king deserted such an exclamation, Dolsok’s behavior was quite inappropriate.

 

They didn’t care, of course. Their prime concern at the moment was what kind of food they would have.

 

“As I touched many bull’s testicles, I’m sick and tired of beef.”

 

Putting aside two testicles at a distance, Makbong grumbled.

 

Yoju also complained, taking off a pig’s hair in the corner of her mouth.

 

“I hate pork.”

 

“Then, our choice is chicken, right?” said Dolsok, standing up.

 

The delicious food that Kanghyok mentioned was also meat.

 

But if they didn’t like beef or pork, chicken would be their only choice.

 

“Master, can I boil and brew chickens?”

 

Dolsok asked Kanghyok while heading for a chicken coop, with his sleeves rolled up.

 

“Chicken? Hmm.”

 

Everybody recognizd Dolsok’s excellent cooking skills.

 

As far as cooking meat was concerned, he was even better than professional cooks.

 

That’s why Kanghyok didn’t hire a female servant in charge of cooking.

 

But Kanghyok didn’t feel up to chicken soup today, which he used to enjoy.

 

“Why don’t you fry chickens?”

 

“Frying?”

 

“Yeah, don’t you remember that we once agreed to fry chickens, but couldn’t?”

 

“Oh, you’re right, master. Let me fry then,” looking around the kitchen, Dolsok murmured.

 

All the necessary ingredients were there already.

 

“Okay, let us fry them today. Hey, you guys help Dolsok fry them.”

 

At his shouting everybody got up slowly and headed for the kitchen.

 

Kanghyok visited the kitchen to chip in today, which was unusual.

 

‘I’ve never fried chickens…’

 

He went into the kitchen and saw Dolsok grabbing a living chicken.

 

“Master, I think I need to boil them first to pluck their feathers.”

 

“I see.”

 

Dolsok instantly threw five chickens into boiling water, and at the same time Makbong and Yoni closed the caldron lid right on time, so any of the chicken couldn’t get out.

 

A little later half the chickens running wildly in the yard were delivered to Kanghyok, with their feathers plucked.

 

“Shall I put them into the oily fry fans?”

 

“Hmmm.”

 

Kanghyok knew nothing about it.

 

But he knew that boiled chickens could not be fried without sticky flour.

 

Of course, that was very precious in Joseon, where it was only available in the royal palace.

 

“Hey, can you dry them first.”

 

“Drying these?”

 

“Yes, you can’t drop them in the oil.”

 

“Got it. Hey, give me something to dry these.”

 

“Yes, brother.”

 

At Dolsok’s shouting Dorikke grabbed a handful of something and brought it to him.

 

That was precious traditional Korean paper, but nobody blamed him.

 

“Master, all done.”

 

“Okay, let’s fry them now.”

 

“Well, the big pot is boiling with perilla seed oil now.”

 

Snuffing around the pot, Makbong was murmuring to himself,

 

“Wow, that strong smell from the frying pot makes me crazy.”

 

“You bet! Let’s put in the chicken now.”

 

“Yes, master.”

 

Dolsok began to throw the chopped chicken into the pot one by one.

 

They instantly turned yellow with oil and floated in oil.

 

“Wow!”

 

The strong and spicy smell of fried chickens stimulated Kanghyok’s appetite.

 

Even passers-by stopped before his house because of that smell.

 

Among them was Hangbok Lee, who came to meet him to ask how he was going to treat his wife.

 

“Oh, it smells so good! Ahem~’

 

Though Hangbok cleared his throat several times, Kanghyok and his party didn’t seem to notice that as they were busy eating the fried chicken with relish.

 

“Let’s scoop them one by one.”

 

“Yes, master.”

 

As they were already carried over with the delicious smell, they scrambled to scoop the fried chicken quickly.

 

“Khha”

 

Kanghyok, who chewed a chicken leg first, exclaimed in joy.

 

It was the most greasy food that he enjoyed since he came to Joseon.

 

As they were so absorbed in enjoying the chicken, any of them didn’t know Hangbok was approaching them after opening the door in person.

 

“Oh my… Nobody replied to my call when you guys were inside.” Hangbok said jokingly as usual.

 

Putting down chicken wings, Kanghyok hurriedly got up to greet him.

 

“Huh? How come you…”

 

“Hahaha. Sit down, guys. It seems like you guys are enjoying something with relish.”

 

“Hi, we fried some chicken, sir. Would you want to try them?”

 

“Oh, sure. Thanks.”

 

Hangbok sat beside Kanghyok and held a chicken wing offered by him.

 

“The smell was so good.Though I had dinner, it stimulates my appetite.”

 

Hangbok bit into a chicken wing, drooling at the corners of his mouth.

 

“Wow! It tastes so good!”

 

The chicken fried in perilla oil was delicious enough to impress the future premier of Joseon, Hangbok.

 

After he enjoyed it, he began to tell Kanghyok why he came.

 

“In fact, I am not here for this, Kanghyok.”

 

“What business has brought you here, sir?”

 

“Well, as for your treatment of my wife’s jaw, tomorrow, can you tell me how to proceed?

 

“Of course. Dolsok! Bring me the pictorial book prepared by Yoju.”

 

“Yes, master.”