Dokmaeuiseon - Chapter 52
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 52
‘I might be able to gather some useful talents?’
Jung Myeong wore a joyful smile like a farmer who had reaped a bountiful harvest.
‘I can’t forgive those who want to freeload.’
He had lived a difficult life as a Gangho Physician.
It was natural for someone with his personality to despise those who came seeking to gain fame easily.
That’s why he had started the sparring half as punishment.
That’s why he told them to stay at the Medical Clinic for three months as a penalty.
To keep them by the Medical Clinic and put them to work.
However, his expectations were beautifully overturned.
‘There were treasures hidden away.’
There were quite a few who could be called gems among the mud.
It was the third day since the Warriors had settled in.
Jung Myeong’s face was always smiling.
“Are you that pleased with them?”
“Wouldn’t it be strange if I wasn’t?”
“Haha. That’s true indeed.”
It wasn’t just Jung Myeong who was satisfied.
Song In, who was responsible for the Medical Clinic’s security.
He too had gained much more ease and satisfaction.
“Thanks to them, work has become much easier.”
“Is that all?”
“Yes. Even with multiple shift changes, there’s plenty of leeway. Actually, it’s possible because the Medical Clinic itself isn’t that large.”
“Good.”
The Martial Artists who had settled in moved properly.
Meanwhile, they even organized shifts among themselves to guard the Medical Clinic.
The Martial Artists who came for internal injury treatment. In addition to them, new Martial Artists who patrolled around the clock.
‘Soon the formation will be reinstalled, and the existing one will be reinforced.’
His Medical Clinic had gained quite ironclad defenses.
Thinking back to when he first opened the Medical Clinic.
It was a change that made him feel the passage of time anew.
He couldn’t help but be extremely satisfied.
“But will you go again today?”
“I have to go.”
Jung Myeong didn’t just leave them there and put them to work.
As soon as Medical Clinic work ended, he would go find them.
The purpose of his visits was only one thing.
Sparring.
“They’ll all be happy.”
“They would be. Aren’t they half-crazy people?”
“Hehe. Crazy people, you say. Isn’t that a Martial Artist-like attitude?”
“Then let’s say they’re people crazy about Martial Arts.”
There was no one who disliked this.
Anyway, most of those remaining now were people crazy about Martial Arts.
Just mentioning sparring would make their faces light up.
“Ahem.”
“What’s wrong?”
“From what I can see, the most crazy person is…”
“Ahem. Hmm…”
The funny thing was that the most crazy among them was Jung Myeong, who stood at the center of sparring.
But who could say anything more about that.
“Then can I join in today too?”
Even Song In, who was teasing him, wanted to join in.
It wasn’t a strange thing.
The skills of the Martial Artists he had accepted were actually improving rapidly.
It was thanks to the daily sparring and Jung Myeong’s guidance.
It would be strange if Song In, a natural-born Martial Artist, wasn’t moved by that.
“Brother Song wants to?”
“Ahem. I’ve been watching and feeling something myself. How could it not work?”
“Please come by all means!”
“Ooh…! Thank you.”
“Welcome to the gathering of crazy people.”
“Hmm… Well, I’m not quite crazy… Anyway, thank you.”
Crash! Boom!
That day’s sparring was more intense than ever.
* * *
Time flew by like an arrow.
Jung Myeong’s Medical Clinic rapidly expanded its influence.
The ripple effects reached other places.
“Ugh… Tsk. Not many patients today either? Are there no more?”
“Yes. Today… there don’t seem to be any more.”
“Hmph. Then let’s call it a day.”
The medical clinic was hit hardest by the aftermath.
Patients immediately decreased.
“Huh? Still, there’s one patient remaining.”
“Where did they come from?”
“Nothing in particular.”
“Then tell them to come next time.”
“Pardon?”
“Tell them to come next time!”
“…I’ll convey the message.”
“Good. I’ll be at Hwae Pavilion today, so call me if there’s anything.”
“Yes.”
“Tsk, tsk. How can you be so slow to understand.”
The medical clinics in Hangzhou themselves were being selective about patients.
“Oh my? What brings Physician Hwang here?”
“What about you, Physician Jang?”
“Well, I came out because I was bored lately.”
“Hmph, isn’t the reason for your boredom the same as mine?”
“Then you too?”
“Only flies are buzzing around. Only flies… tsk.”
“Oh dear. This is quite unpleasant.”
“Indeed it is.”
There was no way they’d be pleased about fewer patients, no, customers.
Physicians gathered in small groups.
“How about we all have drinks together today?”
“Together?”
“Of course, together!”
“While we’re at it, let’s include a few more.”
“A few more?”
“I know a good place. Hmph.”
“Alright. Then let’s go.”
There were sufficient reasons and connections to gather.
Each had inherited connections through generations. Or had some relation to the famous Medical Immortal Sect Hangzhou Branch in the distance.
On the surface, they gathered as if for a social meeting.
‘Seeing these fellows gathered here… seems we’re all in similar situations.’
‘Damn bastard doesn’t know proper business ethics. How can he steal customers like that.’
‘Clear Intestine Decoction? Ha… selling some quack medicine!’
It was obvious they all shared one common complaint.
The small talk among those who knew each other well was brief.
“Ahem… well, setting aside recent medical clinic matters. Are we going to leave this as is?”
“If we don’t leave it as is?”
“We need to punish them!”
As soon as someone broached the topic.
It quickly flowed toward their real ‘purpose’.
“Well, aren’t there other methods?”
“Methods?”
“Physician Jang here has a relative who’s a squad leader, doesn’t he?”
“What relative, he’s more than eight times removed!”
“Anyway!”
“Would moving one squad leader be enough?”
“Hmm… that’s true too.”
A squad leader who commands constables.
They considered pulling strings at that level.
“Shouldn’t it be at least a county magistrate level? After all, it’s still a medical clinic… I hear he’s quite skilled as a martial artist too?”
“Then Physician Wang will move the county magistrate?”
“Well, it’s possible!”
“Ooh…!”
“As expected of Physician Wang!”
The conversation gained momentum.
And escalated to county magistrate level.
“But can I handle that alone?”
“Hmm… then what do you suggest?”
“We should submit a joint petition. Saying some quack private physician is muddying the waters.”
“Would that be easily accepted? I hear the common people follow him quite a bit.”
“It’s not easy, so I can’t do it alone!”
“Ahem… if we’re going that far, I know a relative of a vice governor.”
“Oh? A vice governor!?”
County magistrate level quickly escalated to vice governor.
Hangzhou Castle was called a castle, but administratively it was classified as a prefecture. A vice governor there held quite a high administrative position.
“Ahem. As it happens, one of my relatives who’s connected to a vice governor is my son-in-law.”
“Hooo…”
“This might… actually work, don’t you think?”
“Indeed. I can see the picture forming.”
Working in medical practice naturally led to easy contact with so-called high-ranking elders.
These were physicians in Hangzhou who had met various elders. Unlike common patients, they had made various efforts to strengthen those relationships.
Thanks to this, unlike others, they were in a convenient position to move the ‘government’.
“Then shall we try drawing up that picture?”
“Start with a petition.”
“Hey. Not a petition, we should lock him up first. Shouldn’t we start by grabbing that scoundrel’s limbs first?”
“Excellent! Cut off his limbs first? You mean start by torturing him so he can’t even place an acupuncture needle.”
“Why? Don’t you like it?”
“No, who said they disliked it? That sounds good?!”
“Hehe. So the Squad Leader brings them in, the County Magistrate arrests and interrogates them, then the Vice Governor steps forward to handle it? Is that the picture?”
“Hah. That’s right. What a fine picture!”
Squad Leader, County Magistrate. Then even the Vice Governor.
The discussion gained momentum and shot up in an instant.
“Then assuming everything’s good. What name should we put on the initial petition?”
“We happen to have connections that bind us together, don’t we?”
“Medical Immortal Sect Hangzhou Branch!”
“Oho. That’s right. Then let’s go with that name.”
“Hah… Excellent!”
Some time later. A secret petition flowed to one of the two County Magistrates inside Hangzhou Castle.
It was the moment when the small discussion created in the pleasure house became a stone thrown onto the water’s surface.
* * *
A brief time before the ripples spread out.
Jung Myeong had to handle the work suddenly given to him.
‘I need to organize this.’
As much as his influence had grown.
Naturally, demands proportional to that size increased.
The situation had come where he needed to expand the medical clinic’s size itself.
‘Fortunately, this time I don’t need to go through a broker.’
The targets became several nearby houses and shops.
After expanding the physical size like this.
He also officially hired people for the place that had been temporarily operated with patients staying there. It was a measure for patient care.
“We need to install formations here too, right?”
“That’s right.”
“You know well that installing formations while being mindful of people coming and going is no ordinary task, right?”
“Of course. Whose disciple am I?”
“Hmm… Someone who knows that is saying this?”
“Instead, don’t spare the money. Even if it’s difficult, please think of safety as both first and second priority.”
“I would do so even without you saying it. I dislike failure, after all.”
“Hahaha. Yes. We must eliminate what we dislike.”
The expanded medical clinic plus formations.
It cost so much money that he couldn’t have even dreamed of it before.
But now it wasn’t such a burdensome amount.
‘I have enough money to use right now.’
Money sent from Baekyang Escort Agency, which had become an ally, under the name of donations.
Money left over from treating the escorts they sent.
Added to this, Clear Intestine Decoction sales had also increased as Jung Myeong grew.
‘As my skills improved, alchemy became easier too. Soon I should be able to quickly make several other medicines, right?’
This Clear Intestine Decoction, which was his funding source, even now couldn’t be sold because there wasn’t enough.
It wasn’t a situation where he couldn’t sell even when he had it.
Since increasing production meant immediate money, his funding source would remain solid going forward.
The problem was what came next.
Money, people, and funds were all sufficient.
Then naturally one thing became a concern.
‘How do I handle managing all these things?’
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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