Chapter 166 (1/2)

Chapter 166: Chapter 39

Kanghyok felt very bad.

Soap was not available in Joseon during those days.

Though he washed both hands dozens of times with water, they seemed to stink.

‘d.a.m.n it.'

He sniffed at his hands and then shook his head.

The guy who p.o.o.ped was kneeling in one corner of the room.

“Do you feel okay now?” asked Kanghyok.

“Sorry, sir.”

Watching him with an annoyed look for a moment, Kanghyok cast a glance at his pants through which his bare legs were revealed.

Though that man insisted on putting on the pants crammed with germs after was.h.i.+ng, Kanghyok burned it.

“Dang it. p.o.o.p here.”

Kanghyok put down a basin before him.

It was of high quality as Kanghyok used to use it, which was never intended for p.o.o.ping.

“Do you mean I have to p.o.o.p here? There are women here…”

In terms of human rights Kanghyok was not supposed to force him to do so, but he could not allow the smallpox virus to spread to others.

“Yes, you have to. Some more people are coming here to help you, so be patient.”

“More people?”

“Yes, the mayor dispatched many helping hands for this place. I expect many soldiers coming here to help you out.”

“The mayor did? Good heavens!”

At Kanghyok's remark they all lowered their heads. They now had to follow Kanghyok's direction because he was powerful enough to communicate with the mayor.

“You guys stay put here, okay? And take this medicine.”

Anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics were the only medicine that he could give them as the herbal medicine Joon Huh made, yanggyoksan and sonbanghwalmyongum, ran out already.

‘I hear some of the patients in the warehouse already found that their pus has reduced a lot.'

Apparently, the herbal medicine was effective.

Kanghyok wished Joon Huh had made more, but the problem was there were no more medicinal herbs available.

‘I guess Makbong conveyed my message to the mayor and my father well.'

Even though Makbong was a slow walker, he left the previous night, so he might have arrived at Sungmun's house by now.

The sun was slowly rising high.

As Kanghyok expected, Makbong diligently walked and arrived at the destination at dawn.

“Who did you say you are?” half-awake from sleep, Sungmun, Kanghyok's father, asked.

If Makbong had not been a messenger sent by Kanghyok, Sungmun would not have seen him at all because his attire was so strange.

Makbong had on a pair of gloves, a mask, and an operating cap.

“My name is Makbong, sir.”

“Makbong?”

“Yes, I' serve your son.”

“He's right, sir,” Oksok said, confirming his ident.i.ty.

Makbong had never stood before a powerful n.o.bleman like Sungmun before.

While he was walking along the way, Makbong kept memorizing only important words that Kanghyok taught him.

Sungmun hurriedly came down in his socked feet.

“What did you say? Smallpox? Kanghyok had smallpox?”

“No, sir. Kanghyok was immunized.”

“What the h.e.l.l are you talking about?”

“He said if they had a shot of a cow's pus, they could get immunized…”

“Which shot?”

Sungmun stared at Makbong sternly.

“So, why did Kanghyok send you to me like this?”

“Oh, he asked you to send the medicinal herbs written down here.”

Makbong showed Sungmun the piece of paper Kanghyok had given him.

“Medicinal herbs and people?”

“Yes, because of smallpox…”

“Do you mean there was an outbreak of smallpox in the area where Kanghyok was now staying?”

“Yes, yes, sir.”

Sungmun already knew Kanghyok went to the foot of Mt. Kw.a.n.ggyo.

If that was true, Kanghyok was not far from his place, and smallpox could spread soon.

He suddenly looked gloomy.

“He's in big trouble! Hey, Oksok. I've got to go out now.”

“Yes, master.”

“I think I need the mayor's help.”

No matter how many servants Sungmun had, they were far outnumbered by the mayor's soldiers.

As for the medicinal herbs wanted by Kanghyok, the mayor had much more than Sungmun.

While Sungmun was preparing to go out, Makbong was also busy.

“Oops! The water is so cold.”

As instructed by Kanghyok, Makbong was was.h.i.+ng his body in one corner of the kitchen.

‘I have no other choice but to follow his directions…'

Kanghyok warned him that if he didn't wash his body, the whole area of Suwon would be in big trouble.

‘He told me to burn this stuff.'

Makbong then put his clothes and gloves into the furnace to burn them. Then, he put on the clothes Dolsok prepared for him.

“Where are you, Makbong?” Sungmun shouted after he was ready to head out.

Makbong, who was drying his wet hair at the moment, had to rush to him.

“What the heck are you doing now? Are you crazy?”

“Well, your son directed me to wash my body…”