Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 89

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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 89
I watched with satisfaction as the Namgung siblings bickered with each other. Namgung Un spoke.
“By the way, your gaze is quite peculiar. The way you look at me is rather strange.”
“What do you mean by my gaze?”
“It’s like the way a grandfather looks at his grandson.”
Sharp observation.
I shifted my expression.
“I have no memories of family. Perhaps that’s why I envied it.”
“…Well, let’s leave it at that.”
He seemed willing to let the matter drop.
The server began setting down dishes one by one. The fragrant aroma made me smile involuntarily.
“Care for a cup of rose wine?”
Though Namgung Un, being in his early twenties, could drink without issue, in this era, someone of my apparent age would typically be married, so drinking wouldn’t seem particularly unusual.
However, I waved my hand in refusal.
“I have a long journey ahead, so I’ll forgo the wine.”
When I declined, he smacked his lips with disappointment.
“Then I’ll have to drink alone. Server, bring a bottle of rose wine!”
To all appearances, he was the very picture of a refined nobleman.
Embroidered silk sleeves and a jade hair ornament carved by a master craftsman—everything seemed to be the work of renowned artisans.
Combined with his gentle eyes, he appeared to have never encountered anything rough or arduous in his entire life.
Even the sword sheath at his waist was intricately patterned.
Rather than the Namgung clan’s legendary “Dragon-Slaying Sword,” titles like “Refined Nobleman” or “Graceful Young Master” seemed far more fitting for his appearance.
‘He looks even more suited to leisure than what I’ve read in novels.’
It was hard to believe this man would become one of the Three Swords of Heaven. That with just a bit more time, he might have become the Greatest Sword Under Heaven.
He accepted the rose wine and poured it with a gentle sound.
“I never expected to meet you like this while traveling. You’ve become quite famous lately.”
“Me?”
“Yes. You created a medicine that cures syphilis, didn’t you? And I’ve heard you’re using it to treat not just syphilis, but other incurable diseases as well.”
Penicillin treatment is most famous for curing syphilis. But that was merely a fraction of what penicillin could accomplish.
It was effective against sepsis and scarlet fever, and we were currently testing it on numerous other diseases like meningitis.
It was also effective against tetanus, though verification continued due to safety concerns. However, the consensus within the Medical Hall was that it was better than amputation.
Moreover, by personally treating a wandering beggar, I had proven its effectiveness in treating open fractures.
I merely smiled faintly at his words.
“There are no secrets in Gangho, they say….”
“For a family like ours, it’s natural to learn such things on our own. How could such an achievement remain hidden? But I’m curious why you haven’t made an official announcement yet. Why is that?”
The refined, carefree demeanor vanished from Namgung Un’s eyes.
‘Indeed. Is this what it means to be worthy of becoming one of the Three Swords of Heaven?’
“Medicine must be thoroughly verified before use. While it certainly is effective against various incurable diseases like syphilis, since we cannot know what side effects might occur, I plan to conduct complete verification before making an official announcement.”
“Hmm… How remarkably cautious.”
“It is medicine, after all. Human lives depend on it.”
At my words, Namgung Un nodded, while Namgung Yeon stared intently at me. Her gaze was unsettling, but I didn’t look away.
“Indeed… the rumors aren’t baseless, it seems. Perhaps that’s why this situation arose.”
“This situation?”
“I’m referring to Haowen.”
Namgung Un poured alcohol into his own cup.
“When I heard the stories about Haowen, I thought they lived quite complicated lives. They don’t genuinely intend to kill you.”
He drank alcohol while I sipped tea.
“That’s rather unsatisfying to hear, I must say.”
“If they truly wanted to kill you, they would’ve offered five thousand taels of gold, not one thousand. Of course, one thousand taels isn’t a small sum. But is it enough to incur the hatred of both Gaebang and Baekrin Uigak? Well, I doubt it. At least it’s not enough to move the major players.”
“….”
“You don’t look surprised.”
“I’ve already dealt with one small-time operator.”
“Hahaha! So that’s how it was. For small-timers, that’s quite a substantial sum—enough to be troublesome. In other words, for Haowen, it’s merely a face-saving amount.”
Then he drained his cup in one gulp.
“Ahhh… excellent taste. Good. So you show no signs of injury, yet you seem quite skilled? Or did Gaebang help you?”
“Both.”
“Hmm… judging by the martial energy I sense, it seems like modesty. Well, in any case, you don’t appear to be in serious danger.”
“I have a question myself, though….”
“What is it?”
“We did meet by chance, but I’m curious why you’d go so far as to share a meal and conversation. Are you perhaps trying to protect me?”
Namgung Un’s eyes widened. Namgung Yeon continued staring at me intently. She was drinking tea, just as I was.
“Hahaha! Well, well. You’re not entirely lacking in perception, are you? That’s right. I intended to protect you. I heard there aren’t many Gaebangdo members in this area. What better opportunity to place Baekrin Uigak in my debt? Of course, I also happen to find you quite agreeable.”
He picked up the wine bottle and smiled gently, attempting to pour for me.
I withdrew my teacup, and his expression became awkward.
“Really now, are you going to make me drink alone?”
“Regardless of what you say, I’ve made my decision.”
“You lack refinement.”
“It’s necessary.”
“Still, I’ve arranged passage by boat—surely you could manage one cup?”
“Passage by boat?”
“I’ve secured the fastest vessel in the area. Not a regular merchant ship, but one our family can operate privately. I’ve staffed it with trustworthy people, so you needn’t worry.”
It was far more than simply arranging passage.
“It seems like more than just placing Baekrin Uigak in your debt.”
Namgung Un spoke.
“Didn’t you once save someone from Haowen? That incident where you caused Haowen to place an ambiguous bounty—the Muhua you saved then is an old friend of mine.”
At the word “friend,” I stared at him, and he shook his head.
“Haha. It’s not the kind of relationship you’re thinking of. We simply helped each other during difficult times in our childhood.”
The Namgung family’s education was harsh. Moreover, the pressure that Namgung Un, who had shown martial talent early on, must have felt was beyond imagination.
The eldest son of the main branch.
And possessing genius-level talent at that.
Even he was human, so it seemed he had experienced hardship in his childhood.
“I can’t fault you for not believing.”
At those words, I shook my head seriously.
“I do believe you.”
“Hmm? It doesn’t sound like mere courtesy—it sounds like you genuinely mean it.”
“Well, you could say that.”
I simply returned the words that Namgung Un had spoken earlier.
“Ha ha ha. You got me there.”
Still, my belief was justified. Based on his personality as I’d read about in books, if he considered someone a friend, he would call them a friend outright.
The fact that he went so far as to emphasize the word “friend” like this meant he truly meant it.
It was then that Namgung Yeon spoke with difficulty.
“S-Sohyeop, how far will you be traveling by boat?”
Even this much must have required great courage from her.
“I’m heading to Tangshan near Nanjing.”
“Th-that’s quite far downstream…isn’t it.”
Had she already calculated the distance from here to Tangshan? Namgung Un spoke up.
“My Yeon is talking so much—it seems you’ve made quite an impression on her… Ow, ow! Yeon! Stop pinching me.”
Namgung Yeon pinched Namgung Un’s side again, her face flushed crimson.
Namgung Un teased his sister while enduring the pinches.
I picked up a xiaolongbao with chopsticks and popped it into my mouth.
‘This really is delicious.’
The huiguo rou was the same.
‘Now I understand why he recommended wine.’
These were dishes that suited wine better than a meal. I picked up my teacup.
“Pour me another cup, would you.”
“Wine?”
“No, leaf tea instead. But since this is also fate, I’ll take your pulse as payment.”
“Did you really need to go through all that just to avoid drinking?”
Instead of answering, I simply grinned.
Seeing that expression, Namgung Un replied.
“You’re quite an unusual person.”
“I agree.”
“Then let me ask you to examine my sister’s pulse first.”
I grasped Namgung Yeon’s wrist and took her pulse. My qi penetrated into her body, conveying various information to me.
‘Hmm, there’s nothing seriously wrong with her health. The rapid pulse seems to be from nervousness. Her constitution itself is quite formidable, befitting the Namgung clan. Her meridians are well-developed, and it appears she doesn’t neglect her martial training.’
After finishing the pulse examination, I spoke plainly.
“Everything is normal. Aside from some tension in your body, you’re fine.”
“My Yeon has always been prone to nervousness. Ow, Yeon!”
This time it was Namgung Un’s turn.
I examined his pulse for a while, then tilted my head in confusion.
“One moment, please.”
I rose to my feet and pressed my fingers against Namgung Un’s lower abdomen, releasing my true qi once more. The unexpected action caught him off guard.
Opening my eyes, I asked him a question.
“Have you experienced sharp, stabbing pains below your lower back whenever you’ve bent forward recently?”
“Not frequently, but there are rare occasions when I feel something like that…?”
“It’s urolithiasis.”
Such was the diagnosis for the Sword Sovereign Namgung Un. Alarmed, he asked me.
“Urolithiasis? What is that?”
“Hmm….”
I fell into thought for a moment. This world was an era of imbalanced information. While urolithiasis was fairly well-known in modern society, in this world it was natural that only doctors would know of it.
“Are you familiar with the bladder?”
“You mean the urinary sac?”
“Correct. To put it roughly, a stone has formed somewhere inside it or along the surrounding passages.”
“A stone?”
Namgung Un’s expression became one of bewilderment.
“Urine is bodily waste that exits as liquid. Sometimes, such waste accumulates gradually inside and hardens like a stone, growing larger. Currently, it’s near the bladder, but when it tries to pass out with the urine….”
“When it does?”
“You experience pain as if your flesh is being torn. It poses no immediate threat to your life, but it will be extraordinarily agonizing. Well, if it becomes severe enough, it can be fatal.”
In the past, urolithiasis was a mortal disease.
One that killed you in excruciating agony.
Back then, it was an even more terrifying ailment because the cause was unknown.
Namgung Un’s complexion turned ashen.
“Then… how is it treated…?”
“Since this is not an acute emergency, please visit the Medical Hall at a later date.”
“So you’re saying you won’t treat me immediately?”
“Because it is not an acute emergency. Based on its size, it doesn’t appear that pain will begin immediately. Roughly speaking… if it doesn’t pass through urine, I’d estimate you’ll begin experiencing excruciating pain within a month or two. So please come to the Medical Hall by then. You must come to the Main Clinic specifically, not any of the branch locations. Only my Master and I would be capable of treating it.”
I answered with conviction.

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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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