Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 153

To Jin Cheon-hee’s words, Acupuncture Hall Master Sama Byeong replied.

“That’s right. It’s also a matter with many intertwined interests.”

Imperial matters are different from martial world affairs.

If successful, one can gain corresponding honor and rewards, but what if it fails?

“What are the symptoms?”

“There’s something written by the imperial physician.”

This time, his master handed over a thin letter made of Korean paper.

The letter contained detailed and dense writing about the patient’s condition by the imperial physician.

It was natural.

What kind of place is the imperial palace, and what position is an imperial heir?

If the imperial heir were to die, even the imperial physician wouldn’t escape responsibility.

He was trying his best to find a way to survive.

“There are various symptoms, but one thing bothers me.”

Cancer.

Specifically, colon cancer.

Cancer is not something to be taken lightly even in modern society.

In this world, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it’s a disease where death is unavoidable.

Especially cancer was clearly a disease very difficult to treat with this era’s traditional medicine.

Even in 21st century Earth, it’s common to combine surgery with chemotherapy.

Yes. At this stage of symptoms, surgically removing cancer cells physically is the most important point of treatment.

“You mean the symptom of being unable to defecate due to the left-side mass?”

Jin Cheon-hee couldn’t answer his master’s question.

‘It’s difficult to diagnose whether it’s benign or malignant with just this.’

Due to the characteristics of colon cancer, it’s difficult to distinguish between benign and malignant based on symptoms alone.

Especially since the thickness of the left and right colon is different, there are often cases where patients don’t realize even with tumors over 10cm on the right side, but on the left side, symptoms of blocked defecation occur even with slightly larger tumors.

‘If discovered early, it could be almost 100% cured but…’

It’s at a level where the imperial physicians can’t handle it and they’re seeking White Dragon Medical Pavilion.

‘I have no choice but to hope it’s benign.’

Jin Cheon-hee asked.

“There’s no right of refusal, is there?”

“His Majesty has even moved Wangya Ju to personally request this, and you’re saying you’d refuse? Hahaha. That would be interesting.”

‘Right. In a situation where even feigning illness doesn’t work.’

Human hearts are like that.

Even knowing what kind of answer will come, one still asks.

Jin Cheon-hee scratched his head vigorously and fell into thought.

‘How should I handle this?’

The answer is already set anyway.

All I can do is go hoping it’s benign.

But somehow, the surgeon’s intuition was saying this matter definitely wouldn’t go smoothly.

‘Colon cancer has a better prognosis compared to other cancers.’

But that’s only up to stage 2.

People who get regular endoscopy exams after their 40s or 50s can catch it early, but there’s no way such a thing exists here.

‘Please be benign. Or at least end within stage 2.’

Just thinking about it makes my stomach churn.

“Master, you’re going too, right?”

“Hmm, although you’re the one designated, I’m planning to go along too. There will be many things difficult to handle alone, after all.”

Here, the ‘many things’ his master referred to meant the situation of grabbing his disciple and fleeing if the worst-case scenario occurred.

It’s the confidence he could display as a peerless master just below the Three Venerables of the world.

Power simplifies many things.

White Dragon Medical Pavilion would be ruined, but if necessary, they could flee to Dark Palace Medical Pavilion, or hide in seclusion.

Jin Cheon-hee’s head started to ache.

‘Let’s succeed. Yes… let’s succeed somehow.’

In this shitty hierarchical society, I have to treat a member of the imperial family.

“Even if you fail, as long as they don’t die right in front of you, it can be managed somehow. Medicine Sage Hwaju has come and gone.”

“So they couldn’t treat it.”

“Yes. They said it’s not in the realm of medicine but in the realm of surgery, so it would be better for White Dragon Medical Pavilion to take charge.”

Passing the bomb.

Unable to hold back any longer, Medicinal Herbs Hall Man Pagok shouted.

“Isn’t it because they thought it was impossible and wanted to drag someone down with them? That Medicine Sage Hwaju, really!”

The other masters also had grim expressions.

“Since it’s come to this, let’s go directly and compete with swords!”

“Calm down, Martial Force Hall Master. What could be more dishonorable than a medical pavilion causing bloodshed?”

Martial Force Hall Master Dokgo Junghoo shouted, panting.

“I need to crack those bastards’… crack their skulls!”

Who is Medicine Sage Hwaju?

A competitor who tries to interfere with White Dragon Medical Pavilion at every turn.

In the past, they didn’t cross the line, but it seems they’ve been greatly affected since the Wangya Ju incident, and now they’re really grinding their teeth at White Dragon Medical Pavilion.

Jin Cheon-hee said.

“Well, we won’t know until we try. And since it’s a cup we can’t avoid anyway, we might as well enjoy it.”

He decided to think about the enormous rewards rather than the dangers of failure.

‘Medicine Sage Hwaju, huh.’

His master said.

“Hee. You’re surprisingly calm.”

His master seemed interested in his different attitude from the angry four generation masters.

Jin Cheon-hee thought.

‘Whether in medical circles or the martial world, humans are, in the end, all the same.’

Even on Earth, there were often doctors who prioritized patients easy to treat and helpful for papers, and tried to avoid difficult patients with risks of lawsuits.

There weren’t such people at the hospital where Jin Cheon-hee worked, but he still heard rumors from time to time.

It seems Medicine Sage Hwaju was that kind of person too.

Thinking like that, he felt no particular emotion.

Jin Cheon-hee said.

“What else should a doctor think about besides curing people?”

That’s all there is to it.

***

Majin Chu^[1], the general manager of Hwaju Medical Pavilion, laughed for a long time when he heard the news that people had set out from White Dragon Medical Pavilion.

“They absolutely won’t be able to treat it.”

“Is it that serious?”

The chief physician of Hwaju Medical Pavilion asked with a worried expression.

“Yes. Even Medicine Sage shook his head as soon as he took the pulse. Since it’s a younger sibling His Majesty especially cherishes, he would have treated them long ago if it were possible. But human affairs aren’t that simple.”

At those words, all the chief physicians nodded.

Who was Medicine Sage Hwaju?

He was someone evaluated to have entered the ranks of immortals through medicine.

For such a person to say it’s impossible as soon as he took the pulse meant it really was impossible.

“Moreover, if His Highness were to die during treatment, who would bear that responsibility?”

“Ah, so that’s why he just took the pulse and came back.”

“How could that be? He said it needs surgery, so it’s suitable for White Dragon Medical Pavilion. The Pharmacist is never the type to fall alone. Hehehehe.”

Greed glittered in Majin Chu’s eyes.

“Surgery is different from medicine. Medicine is a slow-progressing treatment, but surgery is the kind where the patient’s life and death are decided immediately. Who knows? His Highness might die during surgery,”

“…If that happens, it would be difficult to avoid responsibility.”

Majin Chu rubbed his hands.

“Yes. The Pharmacist said it’s impossible to use medicine. As he said, the probability of White Dragon Medical Pavilion using medicine is very low, so they’ll end up going with surgery. What if White Dragon Medical Pavilion doesn’t use surgery? Then the imperial physicians will advise that they’re trying to avoid responsibility.”

It’s a dead end.

White Dragon Medical Pavilion must use surgery. However, if His Highness doesn’t wake up during surgery, who will bear that responsibility?

“It’s a good situation. Huhuhuhuh.”

A chief physician who was listening asked.

“But, General Manager. What if they manage to treat it?”

“Why are you considering the impossible? The Pharmacist said. It’s impossible.”

At the General Manager’s exclamation, all the chief physicians nodded.

None of them could match Medicine Sage’s ability, so it was even more so.

“Kekeke. Heaven is helping us, so we should prepare a toast.”

***

The place Jin Cheon-hee’s group headed to was Wangya Ju’s mansion where Wangya Ju resides.

The patient was resting there, so naturally they headed that way.

It was His Majesty’s command.

They changed horses and even used lightness techniques when necessary to rush there.

They arrived at Wangya Ju’s mansion a week later.

Although it was quite a long distance they had traveled, they arrived faster than most express messengers.

Guided by servants, they entered, and Wangya Ju’s mansion was extremely quiet.

Of course, that was natural. With a heavenly imperial family member as a patient, even falling leaves had to be careful.

“You’ve come.”

Today, even Wangya Ju was wearing dark cotton clothes instead of the red silk clothes she usually favors.

When Jin Cheon-hee tried to pay his respects, Wangya Ju waved her hand.

“I didn’t call you to see that. Everyone except Little White Dragon, withdraw. I have urgent words to say.”

“What about my master…”

“Hmm…! It can’t be helped. I wanted to speak only to you, but your master is quite a tenacious person.”

At those words, Zhuge Rin smiled gently and paid his respects.

“I’m honored.”

“You take it as a compliment. Anyway… how did you end up being picked by someone like White Dragon.”

Saying that, he looked at Jin Cheon-hee pityingly.

“My master is just extremely worried about his disciple.”

“Yes. Let’s say that.”

Like that, everyone except the two of them withdrew.

In the empty Wangya Ju’s hall.

Wangya Ju tapped the small table in front of her with a face full of concern.

“You two have really opened the door to hardship.”

Zhuge Rin answered.

“The fame of the martial world is like a blade that can hurt its owner.”

“…You’re still not over it. Are you still holding a grudge about me trying to take your disciple away?”

“How could I forget?”

“You really hold grudges. This is what happens when you have such a person as your master, Little White Dragon.”

Jin Cheon-hee couldn’t understand.

‘Why, what’s wrong with our master that everyone says that?’

Although he sometimes disappears suddenly and comes back, he’s there 24 hours a day beside his disciple, feeding him, putting him through hell training, researching together.

Where in the world is there a master who sacrifices himself this much for his disciple?

On Earth, they call such a person a ‘true professor’.

Wangya Ju said.

“To get to the point, just don’t let them die on the sickbed.”

“What?”

“The prognosis doesn’t matter, just prevent death during treatment. I’ll take care of the rest.”

Wangya Ju’s meaning was clear.

She meant to pretend to treat rather than actually treat.

“The patient…”

“…It’s a terminal illness anyway, isn’t it? But, it’s an unavoidable situation since it’s a doll that can’t fulfill its role.”

What could that mean?

Wangya Ju continued.

“Although Medicine Sage Hwaju took the pulse, he wasn’t told which prince His Highness is. Medicine Sage Hwaju didn’t ask either. In the Hua Empire, even that becomes a weakness for an imperial family member with a weak body. As descendants of Fuxi the Great, we must show strength.”

That is the shackle of being born into the imperial family.

In their blood flows the blood of the Three Sovereigns Fuxi, not in a symbolic sense but in a true sense.

Regardless of age or gender, they receive supernatural abilities, and the weak have no qualification to be in the imperial family – truly a world of the strong.

It could be said to be an empire truly befitting the world of martial arts.

As a result, even being sick becomes a weakness and a flaw.

There were cases where even while taking the pulse, the physician didn’t know the name.

Zhuge Rin said.

“However, I’ve heard it’s uncommon to hide things to that extent when the imperial power is currently stabilized.”

“That’s also correct. But what if that stable imperial power could suddenly be shaken?”

The meaning was incomprehensible.

Wangya Ju smiled bitterly.

“That’s all there is to it. There are things that would be difficult if you knew. So for now, go and take the pulse. However, you must never remove the patient’s mask. This is advice for Little White Dragon’s sake. You’re such a righteous person, after all.”

Wangya Ju said that much and stood up.

“Follow me.”