46 This Time, A Monk 4 (1/2)
Ganghyuk went straight onto the topic, hearing which, Yujeong stopped talking immediately. Instead, it was the governor who talked. It seemed he had had a drink while listening to the preach; there was weak alcoholic smell emitting from him.
'Did he really drink here in the temple?'
It was a reasonable suspicion, and given the governor's history, he deserved such suspicion. However, the latter did not know he was being suspected as he pointed at Ganghyuk and talked.
”Yes, yes. He had a fever and did not eat well.” Then, he turned to the monk and said, ”This guy is a really good doctor.”
He used honorific language for the monk, seeming to have good faith in Buddhism. He might be beyond just reading and reciting some of the scriptures.
If Seungmun or Changgweon saw him here, they would cut his hair to make him a monk.
'He is really strange.'
He was a Confucian scholar and government official, but he believed in Buddhism in Joseon, which promoted Confucianism and oppressed Buddhism.
He was eligible to be a friend of Ganghyuk.
On the other side, the chief monk of Chiljangsa showed interest as well. He was sorry because Yujeong came from a long way while being sick. There were some medical monks in the temple who offered Buddhist prayers, but there was no use.
”He is a famous doctor in Suwon. He healed my problem that I consulted you with.”
It seemed the governor might have told about his impotence to the chief monk. It was funny to consult about impotence with a monk who had abstained from s.e.x for his lifetime.
He was an invincible silly peasant.
'If he wanted to go to the temple, why didn't he visit a temple in Suwon?'
Anseong Chiljangsa was a famous temple with a long history. Then, why did he come here to have a consultation?
The chief monk seemed to find it awkward, so he cleared his throat constantly.
”Ahm…Good! You are blessed.”
”It is all owed to you and Buddha.”
The chief monk changed the theme very quickly, before looking at Yujeong, ”Then, can I ask you a favor?”
He was much older than Yujeong, but the latter was far ahead in terms of the depth of enlightenment. He looked like a priest of virtue even to Ganghyuk.
His behavior was not vulgar at all.
”If you say so, I cannot object it.”
He nodded while holding his hands together, just when Gagnhyuk saw a light behind him. Maybe the light was reflected off his bald head. However, the chief monk did not have that light.
'Maybe it is the aura.'
He was a priest of virtue, considering the fact that he did not protest.
Ganghyuk looked back, only to see that Yeoju had taken out the painting set and was drawing the face of the monk. Her skills had become better while drawing many pictures in the village, so much so that even the governor was surprised.
'If Changgweon were here, what would he say? He would probably say some old phrases such as 'it is all my fault' or something.'
”Then, I will take a look.”
”Please do at your convenience.”
”Dolseok, hold the lamp for me to see clearly here.”
”Yes, sir.”
Dolseok promptly took out a lamp from the carriage. Although there was a lamp in the room before, it was still dark. Not only was it dark under the lamp, it was dark all over.
Maybe they used very cheap oil.
The lamp that Dolseok took out of the carriage brought about a whole new world.
”Good!”
'How could he talk with this chin?'
As he examined the monk, he couldn't help but wonder; the latter's chin was swollen way too much after all.
Ganghyuk looked at Dolseok, who was holding the lamp. He then looked around at the monk, the chief monk, and the governor in turn.
'I could probably teach Dolseok while I treat him.'
It might work; the governor was his friend, and the rest of them were all generous as well. It was not non-respectful anyway.
”Dolseok, touch here.”
”Yes, sir.”
”What do you feel?”
Dolseok did not answer right away, observing carefully as he learned. He checked the texture, temperature, color change, and soreness when pressed. Those would give clues for diagnosis.
”It is hot.”
”Then?”
”The color changes with very light pressure, and the priest feels pain when done so.”
”What would you think of.”
”Inflammation, sir.” Dolseok had given the right answers up till now.
He had followed Ganghyuk quite a long time. He was the best pupil of the latter's rather than a servant.
”Then, how can we treat it?”
”Pardon?”
”What would you do if you were a doctor?”
It was difficult from here on.
”En…”
Ganghyuk remembered the days when he was working as a professor while watching him wonder. He was a very popular professor, although he did not want to boast about it…even without his tall body and handsome face.
He was very kind in teaching, although he used bad language sometimes.
”I think we need to cut.” Dolseok thought of doing an operation straightaway, being a pupil of a surgeon.
”Why?”
”There might be pus in there.”
”Yes, it is full of something.”
”So, it is indeed filled with pus, right?”
”It might be. But that is not main thing. Priest, could you please open the mouth?”
”I will follow your instruction.” Yujeong opened his mouth while complying, although in pain.
Normally, three fingers should be able to be inserted in one's mouth, but right now, even two could not go in on the left side.
It would only get narrower with time.
”Dolseok, take out the pen light from the bag.”
”Yes, Pen…”Maybe the word 'light' was too difficult for him to p.r.o.nounce. He always called it pen, although Ganghyuk had repeated pen light many times.
”Press your tongue upward. Yes, good.” Ganghyuk instructed the monk. When the latter moved his tongue upward, the difference between the left and the right became conspicuous.
On the right side was only one protrusion for saliva secretion, but the left side was completely swollen.