Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 372

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 372
“Does the Hyeolpyeon-wang enjoy that?”
“The pumpkin taffy is just so-so, but this honey cold fruit punch really suits my palate.”
“Your cooking skills are exceptional. You’re especially good at making these kinds of snacks~”
“I’d love to keep eating these… but once the Baek-ui Sinryong leaves, I won’t be able to anymore.”
Dang-a grumbled with regret.
Sama Hyeon seized the moment and quickly added a word to Dang-a.
“While we can’t quite match what I make, we’re actually attempting to prepare honey cold fruit punch at an inn I know. A master skilled in ice techniques has agreed to help.”
That inn was surely affiliated with the Geumhyeol Bangs.
That master of ice techniques would owe an immense debt.
“Oh! Really!”
“Of course~ If it turns out well, I’ll have some sent to the Dang family too.”
“Excellent! I’ll speak to Father about this myself!”
Since Dang-a had reached Hwagyeong at her age, she would naturally become the next Gaju of the Dang family.
Whether that time came sooner or later, nothing would change.
‘Then power would naturally already be organizing itself around Dang-a.’
Not merely a daughter beloved by the Gaju, but a Soggakju who would lead the Dang family.
For an inn, capturing the palate of such a future patriarch would be quite fortuitous.
‘Sama Hyeon definitely mentioned wanting to trade in Sichuan fruits.’
Being in a region of high temperatures, tropical fruits flourished abundantly.
They were all characterized by their moisture content and sweetness, which made preservation and transport quite arduous.
However, this was a world where human effort was more efficient than steam engines.
Using masters of ice techniques to sell at premium prices to noble families and the imperial court would yield considerable profit.
But there was only one reason why this couldn’t be done.
‘Sichuan is so exclusionary that trade becomes difficult.’
The Sichuan Dang family was orthodox.
Among the Eight Great Families, they were always given the lowest seat.
However, since the Sichuan Dang family was often excluded when dividing the profits of the Central Plains, they naturally began conducting themselves with exclusivity as well.
And there was also the matter of unit prices.
No matter how one sold tropical fruits to the nobility, since they were food that entered the mouth and disappeared, prices had to be reasonable to some degree.
To use a master of ice techniques in the transport business, this master’s price had to be cheap.
Which meant squeezing them mercilessly.
To use such a master’s services while ignoring their true worth for mere fruit transport…
‘Haha, the Baekrin Medical Guild certainly couldn’t do that.’
If Jin Cheon-hee gave the order, perhaps, but he wouldn’t do it every time.
Transporting such goods would inevitably lead to the question ‘Did I become an iron merchant for this?’ causing one to doubt life itself and speak of retiring as a warrior.
It was a matter of pride.
The purpose of delivering medicine and saving lives aligned somewhat with the warrior’s code of chivalry, which made it feel worthwhile.
And on top of that, squeeze the price too?
‘Haha, the Geumhyeol Bang could absolutely do that.’
The miracle franchise’s second… or sometimes third financial sector.
Sama Hyeon, the darling of capitalism, was certainly capable of such schemes.
That darling of capitalism was currently sweet-talking Dang-a.
“Lord Hyeolpyeon-wang, if we made honey punch with fruits from here, it would be absolutely delicious. Sichuan has plenty of excellent fruits, doesn’t it?”
“Ooh! You’re right, that’s a good point. I’m not particularly fond of fruits from other regions anyway.”
He was laying the groundwork with impressive diligence.
For now, he was selling honey punch no bigger than the palm of one’s hand, but soon he’d be selling small ornaments, pears, and proposing joint ventures.
If things went well, he’d even offer loans.
I watched Sama Hyeon’s grand scheme to insert his straw unfold.
‘Well… if things go wrong, Dang-a will probably smash Sama Hyeon’s head in anyway.’
The opponent was a genius who surpassed me—someone operating outside normal parameters.
If the previous era’s genius could be called my Master, then the current era’s genius was undoubtedly Dang-a.
‘I’m merely a madman using cheat codes.’
I sent a transmission to Sama Hyeon.
[Dang-a is my cherished younger sibling, so Hyeon…]
[Brother, what do you take me for~? I have no intention of making moves on the Dang family~ It’s just that our Geumhyeol Bang is also conducting business in Sichuan. It’s good to strengthen our bonds~]
That grand vision seemed acceptable.
When we arrived before the Dang Sect’s great hall, only I, as the representative of Baekrin Medical Guild, and Sama Hyeon, as the representative of Geumhyeol Bang, could enter.
The escorts all surrendered their weapons and retired to their respective quarters to rest.
The two of us proceeded inside.
“You have come.”
Inside the great hall, the Gaju and elders responsible for the Dang Sect were seated, waiting for us.
‘Wow… they all came.’
Among them were those who owed favors to Baekrin Medical Guild’s main headquarters.
Some others I had met at the Yongbong Branch.
Bearing the gazes of the Dang family’s old monsters was no ordinary task.
However, I had grown accustomed to the position of Soggakju by now.
“Baekrin Medical Guild’s Soggakju Jin Cheon-hee, I offer my respects.”
I infused my voice with inner energy and spoke loudly, then bowed respectfully.
Beside me, Sama Hyeon also bowed respectfully.
“Geumhyeol Bang’s Silver Patriarch Sama Hyeon, I offer my respects.”
The Gaju and all the elders rose from their seats.
“Welcome to the Dang Sect. The Dang Sect welcomes guests and protects them—this is our way. If you need anything, please speak freely.”
The sight of them all bowing in unison was quite spectacular.
As a martial arts novel reader, my heart swelled a little.
Then Dang-a spoke.
“Krahaha! Welcome to the sanctuary of darkness and poison, strangers!”
As Dang-a laughed loudly while covering one eye, several elders suddenly clutched their chests and hunched over.
“Ugh… as I grew older… the… the sealed ancient past…!”
“I… I cannot breathe…”
“How did such a genius end up appearing in the Dang Clan…!”
“Blankets… where are the blankets!”
“How… why… won’t the Soggakju’s heart demon illness heal! Why!”
That was the situation.
The fact that Dang-a hadn’t recovered meant the Elders’ dark history was playing out right before their eyes.
It was truly a time of anguish.
* * *
After the simple welcoming ceremony concluded, came the banquet.
The Dang Clan had prepared the banquet generously so that all the arriving martial artists could enjoy it together.
With warriors, doctors, and people from Hao-mun all included, the banquet became far grander than anticipated.
‘Since the Dang Clan is located at the edge of the Central Plains, we don’t get many guests.’
Moreover, the Baekrin Medical Guild was cooperating quite closely with the Dang Clan.
Though superficial, they continued to exchange medical knowledge,
and the acupuncture needles needed for my surgical techniques as well as the tubes used in intravenous treatment were also manufactured by the Dang Clan.
“Oh… so you apply glaze to pig intestines in that manner?”
“It’s not just any glaze. It’s a specialized glaze used by the Dang Clan. We call it Dang glaze. After boiling the intestines in Dang glaze, we layer them several times, then compress them thin like paper, and apply Dang glaze again.”
Another doctor from the Dang Clan beside me explained.
“Finally, after soaking it in Dang glaze again and boiling it once more, it becomes tough and elastic. It doesn’t tear easily either.”
This was how the Central Plains created modern-style tubes.
‘Hmm. Since Yoo Ho can’t make them every time, we’ve had to use our wits and procure materials from the Dang Clan instead.’
However, I couldn’t know exactly how they were made, nor did I seek to learn.
If this were Earth, I would have searched for papers first, but in the martial world, such matters are sensitive, and one cannot know unless the people of the three great families tell you directly.
‘Still, seeing how readily they’re explaining things, it seems acceptable.’
After all, the ‘Dang glaze’ must be a secret medicine of the Dang Clan, and as long as they don’t reveal the glaze’s composition, the Baekrin Medical Guild would have no reason to encroach on that field.
‘Honestly, I have no intention of doing so anyway.’
Since plastic doesn’t exist in this world, these intravenous tubes are crafted by artisans and are quite expensive.
In the Central Plains, they’re also called ‘soft tubes’ or ‘water tubes.’
‘Medicine has always been about money. Here, without mass production, it’s even more so.’
In the past, our own country faced difficulties with intravenous treatment during the post-war era.
We lacked the technology to manufacture bag-type intravenous solutions, so we used bottle-type ones.
Even finding bottles was difficult, so we collected and used bottles discarded by American soldiers.
During the Korean War, casualties multiplied exponentially, making the need for intravenous solutions a major issue.
However, there was still the perception that only the wealthy received such treatment.
And it was correspondingly expensive.
‘The Central Plains are showing similar patterns.’
Because of such cost issues, we try to resolve cases through oral administration whenever possible rather than intravenous treatment.
Even here, some of the Elders think of intravenous solutions like tonics, but we treat them with oral administration when possible.
Even if someone offers money, if the Dang Clan’s production of intravenous tubes runs short, truly critical emergency patients won’t be able to use them.
Thus, the Dang Clan holds quite an important position medically.
I savored the food the Dang Clan served and enjoyed the feast.
The performers sang and danced.
Their garments were vibrant in color and made of thin, breathable fabric befitting the hot climate.
With each movement, the cloth fluttered like butterfly wings—quite beautiful to behold.
‘Such an elaborate banquet… does this mean the Dang Clan truly wishes to forge a formal alliance with Baekrin Medical Guild?’
They had signaled their desire to share medical knowledge beyond mere cultural exchange.
The Dang Clan would naturally share their expertise in detoxification with Baekrin Medical Guild, while Baekrin would teach them acupuncture and bone-setting techniques.
In such an arrangement, the Dang Clan would emerge at a disadvantage compared to Baekrin Medical Guild.
To practice detoxification, one must understand poisons.
For the Dang Clan as a martial sect, this meant revealing their foundational secrets.
‘Hmm. The real question is how much they’re willing to disclose.’
Either way, maintaining good relations with the Dang Clan was paramount.
I revealed my azure eyes and rose to my feet.
“I hardly know how to repay such magnificent hospitality.”
“Hahahaha! As the Patriarch of Baekrin Medical Guild, you deserve nothing less!”
Everyone from the Dang Clan raised their cups together.
The martial artists of Baekrin Medical Guild responded in kind, raising their cups as well.
Waaaah!
Once the atmosphere had sufficiently warmed, I spoke up.
“Would it be permissible for this humble physician to perform a piece?”
“Ho! How intriguing. I’ve heard the White Divine Dragon possesses deep knowledge of sound cultivation, yet I’ve never heard of you actually performing.”
At my gesture, Sama Hyeon brought forth the seven-string zither.
After positioning the seven-string zither and settling into place, Sama Hyeon took his position behind me with the pipa.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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