Chapter 16. Feeding the Medicine

Everyone involved understood exactly how serious this matter was.

The four of them silently agreed to keep everything secret.

Gyo told Go Sosoon not to come to her house for a few days.
Even though early-stage leprosy wasn’t highly contagious, there was still risk.

From that day on, Gyo stopped going up the mountain to gather mushrooms and stayed home to care for the old woman.

Thanks to her attentive nursing, the old woman regained consciousness on the third day.

She was no longer delirious, but… something seemed wrong with her mind.

When Gyo asked who she was, the old woman only stared at her with wide eyes.
When Gyo asked where she lived, it was the same.

Is this dementia?

“Do you know what illness you have?”
Gyo kept asking.

The old woman only widened her eyes and stared silently.

Since there was no way to get answers, Gyo stopped questioning her.

It seemed the woman didn’t remember who she was —
Nor did she remember having leprosy.

It was better this way.

Gyo could keep her from wandering outside, but she couldn’t stop villagers from visiting.
If the old woman told anyone she had leprosy, then anyone who had touched her—including Gyo—would be doomed.

What to do with the woman later would be a problem for the future.
For now, curing her illness was a priority.

And absolutely no one could ever know she had leprosy.

Gyo lifted the herbal pot to boil more medicine.

The old woman needed both the herbal medicine and the medicine from the magic medicine box.
Otherwise, someone might realize the box was abnormal.

When Gyo picked up the pot, the old woman turned her head away as if annoyed.
A faint grumbling sound came from her throat.

What a temper this grandma has…

The herbal medicine needed to simmer for about half an hour.
While waiting, Gyo opened the medicine box to check what was inside.

She had been using many medicines recently and hadn’t reorganized the box.
She needed to see what she had left—what to save and what she could still afford to use.

As she inspected it, her eyes widened in shock.

The anti-inflammatory medicine she’d finished using had been restored —
completely new, as if untouched.
The antibacterial ointment too.
And several other medicines she didn’t even know were in there before had appeared.

Gyo rubbed her chin, studying the box deeply.

***

At the Academy

At the end of the month, the academy held another exam.

Go Daesoon, who had entered the elite class as second place, lived up to expectations and earned second place again.

Teacher Jin was pleased, but Daesoon’s expression was stormy.

Thinking he was upset about missing first place, Teacher Jin comforted him:

“You and Hanji are the top talents among this year’s scholars. Hanji is two years older and started studying earlier, so he’s read far more books. There’s no need to feel discouraged.”

But Daesoon was not upset about that.

Hanji only surpassed him in years of study—not in talent.
Daesoon believed he could surpass him soon enough.

His ambitions reached far beyond the rankings.

He had come here to become the headmaster’s disciple.

Since their last meeting, he had written many essays.
Teacher Jin had submitted all of them to the headmaster.
But the headmaster had not summoned him again.

“What troubles you? Speak honestly.”

After hesitation, Daesoon finally asked,

“I heard the entrance exam questions were written by the headmaster himself. Does that mean he plans to take a personal disciple?”

“He does.”

Teacher Jin thought carefully.
Unfortunately, it didn’t seem like the person the headmaster favored… was Daesoon.

Seeing the regret in the teacher’s eyes, Daesoon felt ice fill his chest.

“…Is it Xu Hanji?”

“No.”

Teacher Jin shook his head.

“Nothing has been decided yet, so stop asking. Even if you do not become the headmaster’s personal disciple, he will still make time to teach talented students.”

But that was not the same.

A disciple inherited the Headmaster’s teachings and his connections —
a chance to change one’s social standing in a single leap.
For a poor student like Daesoon, it was the only way upward.

He knew he was qualified.
How could he give up easily?

Yet Teacher Jin refused to say more.

****

Headmaster’s Invitation

In the headmaster’s hall, the headmaster spoke gently to the cold-eyed Yuk-rang.

“So? Have you thought it over?”

Yuk-rang replied calmly:

“Even though I placed third from the bottom, you still want me?”

He was only third from last because Sosoon had become last and pushed him up.

The headmaster cleared his throat.

“I don’t wish to pressure you. How about this: go home and think for a few days. There’s no rush to answer. I will remain at the academy until the Spring Festival. Whenever you are ready, come find me.”

This level of courtesy from the headmaster was extremely rare.

Though the academy was small, the headmaster himself was once one of the Four Great Scholars of the capital.
His reputation and talent were unmatched.

If misfortune had not struck his family, he would never have left the capital for a remote place like Qingcheon Village.

Among all the students he had seen in his life, Yuk-rang was the only one he sincerely wanted as his disciple.

Behind the folding screen, the old man in white robes spoke coldly:

“You desire that boy so much? Aren’t you afraid you might not be able to handle him?”

After Yuk-rang left, the headmaster bowed respectfully toward the screen.

“Honestly, I am worried I won’t be able to handle him. So I was wondering… why don’t you teach him instead?”

Silence.

After a long time, the old man sighed.

“Have you forgotten? I swore never to take another disciple.”

Since the death of the Marquis Xiao and the closure of the Imperial Academy, the old man’s heart had died as well.

****

Returning Home

After class, Yuk-rang and Sosoon rode No-ssi’s cart back to the village.

Several new checkpoints had been set up on the roads leaving the town.
Officials were searching for the escaped leper.

Both Yuk-rang and Sosoon grew more tense.

When they reached home, Gyo explained the situation.

“…She remembers nothing.”

Yuk-rang didn’t think that was bad.
If she remembered nothing, she couldn’t slip up accidentally.

“Has she tried to go outside?”

Gyo shook her head.

“No. I told her she had a lung disease and couldn’t go into the wind. I said the red marks on her face came from frostbite and that tuberculosis is contagious, so she needs to stay inside. She seemed to believe it—she stayed quiet all afternoon.”

Yuk-rang went to check on the old woman.
Her condition had improved greatly.
Though the skin was still damaged, the red patches on her face were barely noticeable unless examined closely.

There was one thing Gyo had not yet told him:

Just a few more days, and the disease would no longer be contagious at all.

***

The Day of Yuk-rang’s Treatment

Time passed quickly.
The date of Yuk-rang’s promised treatment from Physician Jang approached.

Gyo and Yuk-rang woke early.
He went to fetch water; Gyo checked on the old woman.

The red patches were barely visible now.
and the skin on her hands had almost healed.

She wasn’t cured yet, but she was no longer contagious.

Gyo nodded with satisfaction and went to prepare the herbal medicine.

But when the steaming bowl arrived,
The old woman rolled her eyes dramatically in disgust.

To help her drink more easily, Gyo had Yuk-rang buy honey-preserved fruit (candied fruit) from town—the old woman loved it.

But if she didn’t drink her medicine, Gyo wouldn’t let her eat any.

Gyo placed the bowl of medicine and a small plate of candied fruit on the table.

“Why are there only three pieces?! So little!”
the old woman complained.

“Candied fruit is expensive. If you don’t want it, that’s fine.”

Gyo picked up the plate to take it away.

The old woman glared, snatched the plate back, hugged it to her chest, and swallowed the entire bowl of bitter medicine in one go.

Today, Yuk-rang needed to travel to the medical office for his leg treatment.
Gyo had to accompany him.
but she couldn’t leave the old woman alone.

Bringing her along was impossible —
There were checkpoints everywhere.
If any official recognized her, everything would collapse.

They still didn’t know for certain if she was the escaped leper.
but it was safer to assume she was.

After thinking carefully, Gyo called for Sosoon.

“Sister! You finally let me in!”
“Sosoon,” he said excitedly.

“I’m taking your brother-in-law to town. I need you to watch over the old woman. Her illness has improved, so she’s not contagious anymore. I already disinfected the house.”

Sosoon didn’t know what “disinfected” meant.
nor how Gyo knew she wasn’t contagious —
But he accepted everything without question.

“Okay! Don’t worry, I’ll guard the house!”

“Lunch is already warmed in the pot. Just scoop it out for her.”

Sosoon thumped his chest proudly.

“Leave it to me! I won’t mess up!”

Before leaving, Gyo added:

“If anyone asks, tell them she’s a relative of your brother-in-law visiting for a while.”

“Got it!”
Sosoon nodded earnestly.

As soon as Gyo and Yuk-rang left, Sosoon’s old gang of troublemakers ran up to the door.

“Boss! We missed you! We heard you went to study with those losers like Daesoon—what are you doing wasting time with them? Come with us! Let’s go make some money!”

“Get lost, get lost, GET LOST! Your boss is BUSY today!”

Sosoon chased them away without hesitation.

His fists itched —
he really wanted to go have fun with them —
But his sister had entrusted him with a task.

And he would never fail her.