Episode 77. People change (2)
“They say they keep getting stomachaches and dizziness.”
Looking at the skinny child brought by the skinny woman, the painter let out a long sigh.
‘Ha~. Malnutrition again!’
As winter came and the weather got colder, the number of patients like this increased dramatically. In fact, you don’t have to examine it, you can understand it just by looking at it, but I did the formal examination anyway.
First, I touched the part where the fat layer should be piled up on the upper arm of the child. It was like holding a thin piece of paper.
‘My hair has no elasticity, so it’s breaking off and I’ve even developed peripheral edema.’
I didn’t feel the need to investigate further.
The fireman raised his head and looked at the overcast sky.
Chohyeon here is located at a lower latitude than Jeju Island in Korea, where Han Jin-soo lived in his previous life, so winter is short and snowfall is small enough to count on one hand a year.
However, because it was winter, it was quite cold, and many people starved or froze to death.
‘What kind of medicine is there for malnutrition? Whoa-. Even if it’s a waste of money, let’s make sure no one starves to death in this village.’
The painter opened the pouch he received from Gocho a while ago.
There was more money in the bag than all the money he had earned so far. The painter approached Kocho, who was sitting on a bench and basking in the sun, leaving the patient behind.
“A person.”
“Why?”
“I want to buy some rice, but do you have enough food for the winter in your barn?”
“Hehe, it’s the grain of the original family, so it’s always full and overflowing.”
“Then could you sell me some?”
“How much do you need? Don’t take my money, just give it to me.”
“If I were going to eat it, I would be favored by the people, but it is not something I will use, so I have no shame in doing so. I will buy it with money because it will enable the starving people of this village to survive this winter.”
Not only Shun Gwan Go-Cho, but also the eyes of Chun, who was next to him, were round.
“Heh heh…. Even though he is young, his thoughtfulness is deeper than mine. However, it would cost a lot of money to be able to survive the winter of the villagers. Are you okay?”
The fireman smiled shyly and replied.
“I apologize for using the money I received from you to buy rice from you, but wouldn’t the villagers be able to survive the winter with this money?”
“Are you going to spend all your money on treating me?”
“yes.”
“Heh heh heh heh…. You really are an unknown person.”
Gocho laughed for a while, then nodded.
“good night. Instead of taking my money, I will give you grain equal to that money.”
At that moment, not only the fireman, but also Congressman Cheon next to him, and everyone who was listening to the conversation between the two from a distance made faces of disbelief.
They were people who had seen Gocho’s careless behavior more than anyone else.
Of course, after receiving treatment for a serious injury recently, he has changed a lot from before, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t the kind of person to give so much.
The painter asked with a disbelieving expression.
“Are you really me?”
“Am I going to play a joke on you? Senator Chun.”
“yes. interpersonal.”
“Take a few samurai and go to the family home to bring grain.”
“All right.”
“You have to tell me how much to bring over there…”
Gocho laughed as the painter hesitantly interrupted.
“Chun will take care of it. Senator Chun is right.”
“yes. interpersonal. Your name will be praised in this town.”
The painter couldn’t hide his bewildered expression until Congressman Chun disappeared after a while accompanied by a few warriors.
‘They say that when a person suddenly changes, he dies… Did I get the treatment wrong? Has your personality changed because of a serious head injury? I don’t understand.’
The next day, Congressman Chun loaded three carts full of grain and distributed them to the villagers.
Naturally, everyone in the village rushed to get the grain, and among them was Dangi’s family, who was run over by a carriage when the first hardship came.
Kocho, who had a happy expression on his face as he watched the grain being distributed, found Dangyi’s family and called a grain distributor to give them three times as much grain as the others.
Dang Yi and his family greeted Gocho with their heads touching the ground and returned.
The fireman naturally smiled as he saw the villagers praising the hardships he had to go home with the grain.
‘Even if a person changes, it can change so badly overnight! I’m sorry for hurting your leg. I need to treat him quickly without wasting time.’
The painter did not stop him even after watching Congressman Cheon snooping around and treating him.
* * *
These days, the first rumor was a whole lot of anxiety.
Except for the time he was working, he had always been focused on fire, so he knew what danger was facing him lately.
‘Those who were in liaison with bandits are threatening you!’
Just the fact that Go-Cho has a grudge against the fireman is a first opinion that he is already full of worries. There was even a bandit story, so I couldn’t sleep at all these days.
Whenever Choseol had time, he went through the information he had gathered in Haomen. And in 5 days, I was finally able to find the suspicious manor.
‘Taepyeongjang! This manor is the most suspicious.’
The manor where officials who were recently suspected of being tortured or imprisoned by Lieutenant Jo frequently visited in the past.
Of course, there was no record of them going in and out.
However, there were a few people who saw the officials chatting or exchanging things with the man who came out of the manor. These are all stories from a drinking party, but when you put these stories together, a big picture is drawn.
‘Taipyeongjang is a manor only half an hour away from the prefectural office, but I heard that the bottom of the lantern is dark!’
Choseol thought that the infiltrators were very bold people.
If the government troops rode horses and went out, there would be a hideout openly at a distance less than a foot away.
Choseol combined information to draw a conclusion, but it did not confirm the factual relationship. However, no matter how different directions were reviewed, there was no suspicious place other than Taepyeongjang.
“I think I want to check it out, but…”
It was difficult even for her to risk death. Choseol once again invited a fireman with the excuse that he was sick to his stomach.
Hearing Choseol’s words, the painter opened his eyes wide.
“Are you suspicious of Taipingjang, whose name is Taihu?”
“yes. I haven’t checked, but I need to check. I tried to do it, but…”
The fireman nodded his head.
“no. There is no need for a beginner to do such a risky thing.”
Of course, you don’t have to check yourself.
If you give the information to someone who needs it, they will check it for themselves. The painter contemplated whether to give this information to Lieutenant Jo or to Kocho, whom he had recently become close with.
‘Anyway, it would be better to give it to Gocho, who is frantically looking for the man who tried to assassinate him.’
It was unknown whether the person who leaked military secrets was the one who attacked Gocho.
But what about it? Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to hit them with the power of suffering?
After making up his mind, the painter expressed his gratitude to Cho-seol.
“Thank you so much for helping me again and again, like last time.”
“It’s just a combination of what I’ve heard from here and there. It may not be very helpful.”
Choseol said cautiously.
“no. It will definitely help you a lot. Later, I will give a big treat to Sojeo, the first person.”
“Isn’t that empty?”
Choseol smiled brightly and asked.
“yes.”
“I will wait for the day when the congressman will give me a treat.”
Choseol’s eyes sparkled.
* * *
The fireman made even Chen go outside to treat the affliction the next day.
Kocho looked at the fireman with a slightly puzzled expression.
“What treatment did you send out to Cheon Clinic?”
“In fact, the treatment is not much different from yesterday. I just have something to say, but I did it because I don’t want others to hear it.”
“I don’t know what it is, but it must be a pretty important story.”
“yes. Aren’t those who ambush the enemy still caught?”
“Yes. However, since the family and the military are working together to pursue them, won’t they be caught soon?”
“I think I will too. But yesterday, I went on a visit to the prefecture and heard something that might relieve the great people’s worries.”
“I heard what you said, but are you taking so little time?”
“It’s just what I heard, so I don’t know for sure. Still, I’ll tell you that it’s heavy to just shed it. Instead, I want you to check the facts first before taking action.”
“Are you talking about those who attacked me?”
“Yes, I’ll say it again, but it’s not certain… It’s just a matter of passing it on…”
“Tell me calmly. I am not the judge.”
“Since you say so, I will tell you. On the way to the prefectural office, there is a small manor called Taepyeongjang on the side of the main road that holds about 30 people.”
“however.”
“It is said that the people of the manor frequently met with those who were recently pursued or imprisoned by the military.”
“Then are you saying they’re the ones trying to separate the family from the military?”
“I’m not sure, but I think it’s worth checking. By the way, please keep the fact that I said this to a large person a secret from others.”
“why? If they are the ones who ambushed me, your credit is huge.”
“I am not saying this for the sake of credit. I just found out by accident, and I just want to thank you for helping me last time.”
“Tsk Then wouldn’t it be nice to become a family doctor?”
“Please arrange an exclusive seat for me later when I am a little older.”
“Heh heh heh, I knew. I will secretly move people.”
“Oh, and now that Daein’s illness is all over, you can go home.”
“You said you were sick? I still get dizzy often.”
“It is anemia caused by shedding a lot of blood, so if you return home and eat good food and decoctions, you will recover.”
“okay. I knew it. Since the congressman is better, there won’t be any need for more. If, as you said, Taepyeongjang is the hideout of raiders… I will reward you separately.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Give and take.”
“I see.”
When the fireman made an embarrassed expression, Kocho laughed and then went outside and called his men to prepare for discharge.
* * *
“Heh heh heh…. What an asshole, Gocho is distributing grain to the poor in Sochon! It is more unbelievable than the sun rising in the west.”
Upon hearing Woogeum’s words, Bangal stopped drinking tea and laughed for a while.
“He did that because he was impressed by Dr. Hwa’s compassion, but wasn’t it because he wanted to look good to Master?”
Ugeum respectfully presented the sword wrapped in black cloth to Vangal.
“Tsk, if I was the only one who could notice such a lump of iron, I wouldn’t have heard people say that I’m a fool and a dog car class.”
“Is that so?”
“This lump of iron may have had a little impact, but will the fundamentals change to something like that? The Hwa Councilor’s sincerity moved Gocho’s heart.”
“Can people change so easily?”
“Thanks to Congressman Hwa, you overcame death twice. People would feel great gratitude to Congressman Hwa. Wouldn’t you have wanted to do something about it? Considering that Congressman Hwa is young, he might want to be respected. And if you think differently, a few carts of grain are no big deal to Gocho.”
“Hmm, maybe. Even though I watched from the sidelines, the attitude toward Dr. Kochoga Hwa has definitely changed a lot.”
“My name is my name. Healing of the body is also a name, but it is also treating the disease of the mind.”
“Master Ei too. Doesn’t the character of a person who suffers from suffering change just because he shared some relief?”
“Yeah, I don’t know. However, Gaechaban, who had only brought tears to other people’s eyes for the rest of his life, made more than a hundred people in the slums smile. Wouldn’t that be a huge change? Even if you become a road breaker, you deserve praise now.”
“That is true. Oh, and Master. Contrary to how Congressman Hwa looks, he has considerable talent in martial arts.”
“You have qualities in martial arts? Did Bunnie say he would teach you basic swordsmanship? But on the outside, it doesn’t look like you’re very good at it.”
“Well, at first I thought it was just a corrupt medical student. But every night I wear a sword and train, and it looks pretty good. So…”
Woo-geum said that he had even sparred to evaluate the level of fireman.
“The tip of the knife was quite sharp, so I provoked it a little.”
Woogeum scratched his head.
“I want to see some limits.”
Vangal nodded as if he could do that.
“Then he put his strength into the sword. I was quite surprised.”
“His strength? There’s no way the flowerpot taught you, and what happened?”
“It is said that Lieutenant Jo delivered it as a way of thanking him for curing his illness.
“under! That’s amazing. If that’s the case, then it’s later than Boone said… To use my inner strength without training for just a few months… I can’t believe it, no matter how much I went through the crisis of death.”
“I didn’t know at the time, but thinking about it now makes me very surprised. I still lack training, so my strength doesn’t keep up with my strength, and my strength isn’t that deep…
“Hehe, if you say so… it really is.”
“If it wasn’t for the lawmaker or the name, I wanted to bring him right away and make him a priest.”
“You are already learning the martial arts of the head of the household, but you cannot become my disciple. It’s a pity. If I had known that you had such a talent, I would have agreed when Boone asked his younger brother to teach me qigong.”
“If that were the case, then Congressman Hwa would have become my priest.”
“Hehe, that’s really sad.”
Ban-hee, the granddaughter, was also listening to Woo-geum and Ban-gal’s conversation.
Her eyes twinkled whenever the story of the fireman came up.
I had never seen Woo-Geum or Grandpa so coveted or felt sorry for someone.
‘They said they were the same age as me…’
Banhee recalled the painter’s treatment for him.
I don’t know how he did it because he was losing his mind during the surgery, but when he woke up and was treated, the image of the painter being treated was so enthusiastic and confident in his work that he couldn’t be considered a peer.
‘I didn’t feel like my peers.’
Occasionally, I met the grandsons and granddaughters of my grandfather’s acquaintances of the same age, but they all looked childish and eager to show off to themselves.
Compared to them, the painter was too resolute.
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