171 Chapter 44 (1/2)
”Dang it!”
Kanghyok uttered a curse at the thought that he also had the meat of that sick cow.
Though he ate it deliciously, he somehow felt as he could smell the puss.
”What's wrong with you?”
Dolsok asked him, blinking his small eyes.
Though Dolsok was innocent and didn't do anything wrong, Kanghyok felt upset about him.
”You son of a bi-, no, let me stop it. Let's go.”
What's the point of blaming him when everybody including Kanghyok had it already?
While moving along for some time, Kanghyok suddenly recalled what he had to ask.
”By the way, where is the monk now?”
”Oh...he is in Ansung.”
”Ansung? That poor mayor of Ansug?”
”Yes, that n.o.bleman, master.”
Kanghyok was referring to that man who came to see him a while ago because of his terrible hemorrhoids. As soon as he arrived at Kanghyo's place, he screamed and even slapped Dolsok on the neck.
'I hear he changed his character a lot after I treated his hemorrhoids.'
Apparently his temper has been mellowed since then.
He even sent Kanghyok a thank-you letter, along with dried yellow corvina.
”Can I see him as I'm on my way to Ansung?”
”Do you really want to see him, master?”
”Why not? He's going to treat us well anyway.”
”Treating you, master?”
”Yea, he may arrange rooms for us to stay and…”
Yoju nodded at her head readily and said,
”I think it's a good idea that you see that mayor if you know him already.”
Yoi and Makbong also agreed.
As they didn't care about sleeping in the open, both welcomed Kanghyok's idea.
”Great. Let's head for Ansung then.”
Ansung was a long way from Mt. Kw.a.n.ggyo.
It was only after sunset that they arrived at Ansung.
Several patrollers approached them.
Though they felt Kanghyok was a n.o.bleman, they were polite.
”What brought you here sir?”
If these were the old days, Kanghyok would have answered quickly.
But he was a full-fledged n.o.bleman in Joseon.
He, who was on a horse, looked down at them quietly.
They were overawed by his imposing style now.
One of them stepped back and asked,
”Who are you, sir?”
Kanghyok was about to reply now, but Dolsok said quickly.
”This n.o.bleman is Kanghyok Paek of the Paek family in Suwon. He is here to see the mayor here.”
”Ah, got it. Let me escort you, sir.”
”Okay, that sounds good.”
One of the patrollers talked to his fellow, as if he noticed who Kanghyok was.
”Have you heard about him?”
”Who?”
”That doctor our mayor praised for several days after he had his hemorrhoids treated.”
”Oh, I know him. Is this n.o.bleman the same as doctor Paek?”
”Yes, I saw him back then. He seems to be the same man.”
”Good heavens! We have to escort him with utmost respect, then.”
In fact, the people's perception of Kanghyok in Ansung was pretty bad. The rumor was getting around that Kanghyok was so tyrannical that even the mayors of Ansung and Suwon were shaken up by him.
As if the rumor terrified them, the patrollers became more polite to Kanghyok.
”This way, sir!”
”Good.”
They now stopped before a big gate.
The patrollers escorted Kanghyoks' entourage into a side door right next to the gate.
Kangyok felt a bit nervous as he came here without informing the mayor of Ansung in advance.
”Can he still accept us, can't he?”
”What?”
Dolsok showed an embarra.s.sed look at Kanghyok's asking.
”Well, the mayor sent me an invitation letter long time ago, but I don't remember if I ever replied.”
Most probably he didn't because he simply couldn't read the letter back then.
But Kanghyok didn't need to feel nervous.
”Welcome, Dr. Paek! Haha”
The mayor rushed to Kanghyon in his stockinged feet.
He looked pretty healthy now.
”How are you, mayor?” Kanghyok said politely.
”Of course, I'm. I think I'm born again thanks to you.”
”I'm glad to hear that, mayor.”