Chapter 68
“That… that’s… one had a wild white beard, a gourd hanging from his waist, and patched clothes with not a single intact piece, and the other one…”
At that moment, Yuhwa, who had been lost in sorrow, lifted her head.
“He was a small old man holding a staff taller than I am.”
Suddenly, Yuhwa interrupted the conversation.
“Did that staff happen to have flowers on it?”
“Eh? Yes… Actually, it was quite unusual to see leaves and flowers blooming on a dry staff, so I came to report it.”
Upon hearing this, Yuhwa leapt up from her seat.
“Master…!”
Hope shone on her face.
“Master!”
Bing Yuhwa ran barefoot to the front of Changcheongak.
Including the former family head Namgung Ho, Namgung On, and even the white, black, and red divisions, everyone had heard the news and came to welcome the guest.
“Family head of the Namgung household, Namgung On, greets Elder Man Li-seon!”
Starting with the family head, the direct descendants of the Namgung clan each greeted the elder one by one.
The old man holding the staff with flowers stroked his beard, which reached down to his chest, as he spoke.
Every time he stroked his beard, the herbal scent imbued in him spread pleasantly.
“A doctor-traveling-sage across ten thousand miles, still too grand a title for me. I am Doctor Bang Sobong.”
Seeing this, Heuk whispered quietly.
“Are the leaves and flowers on that staff real, brother?”
“They are.”
“But how can flowers bloom on an old, dry staff?”
“That’s why he’s a medical sage! He can make leaves and flowers sprout from a dry staff—he can even bring someone back from the brink of death!”
“Wow…!”
Indeed, the world still held many wonders. Heuk’s mouth fell open at the explanation.
At that moment, Bing Yuhwa prostrated herself on the stone floor and bowed.
“This unworthy disciple Bing Yuhwa greets Master!”
Man Li-seon stroked his beard and gently stopped her.
“Haha, get up quickly. The floor is cold. I already told you to keep your body warm for your constitution.”
“Yes.”
Bing Yuhwa rose, looking extremely restless.
She rubbed her hands together, bit her nails, and then, taking a deep breath as if making up her mind, said,
“This unworthy disciple should take Master to a comfortable place…”
Man Li-seon, true to his role as her master, seemed to already see through her thoughts.
He patted her back kindly.
“Haha, I know. There’s a child whose life hangs by a thread, isn’t there? Show me the way. Lead the way.”
“This way, please.”
Yuhwa quickly guided him to Hongseol’s quarters.
“The others should wait outside. Too much noise will interfere with treatment.”
By Man Li-seon’s words, everyone else ended up staying outside.
“Hmm…”
“Ahem…”
Even including Namgung Ho, the former family head, and Cheontonggae, who didn’t get along like dogs and cats.
Namgung On forced a smile to lighten the mood.
“Father, why don’t you take Elder Cheontonggae to the tea room for a cup of tea?”
Namgung Ho’s mouth twitched with displeasure.
“…Tea with a beggar, what do you mean.”
Cheontonggae didn’t back down.
“The stubborn nature of a person who wouldn’t even spit out meat from a beggar is still the same…”
Namgung On pressed his throbbing temple and tried again.
“Father, whether anyone says otherwise, Elder Cheontonggae came to help Hongseol. You should treat him accordingly.”
“Ahem!”
“Enough. I already have work to attend to in my estate.”
As Cheontonggae turned to leave, Namgung On caught him at the doorway.
“Elder, thank you.”
“Why thank me?”
“I know you called Elder Man Li-seon for Hongseol. It’s not a one- or two-day task, so you must have mobilized the entire estate since the day we went to see him.”
A moment of silence passed.
“So your excuse was merely that, but you intended to find Elder Man Li-seon anyway. How can I ever repay this kindness?”
At that, Cheontonggae met Namgung On’s gaze.
In the old beggar’s pale eyes, Namgung On saw a strange sense of guilt.
“There’s no need for thanks. If the child can get back on their feet, that’s enough.”
With those words, Cheontonggae quickened his pace and disappeared.
Hongseol’s quarters were dark and silent.
Only the occasional painful groan indicated the child was still alive.
“Ah…”
Hearing the sound, a pained frown appeared on Yuhwa’s forehead.
Seeing Hongseol, Man Li-seon muttered sympathetically,
“Yin-yang pulse imbalance.”
“How did you know that without even checking the meridians?”
“Though the blanket covers up to the neck, sweat stains are dried on the pillow, the eyes are red, lips pale, and inside the body the two energies are violently struggling.”
“Truly, Master.”
“Moreover, the forehead is dark, fingertips pale, clearly indicating internal energy has been overexerted.”
Yuhwa brightened.
Her master’s skill was still at the pinnacle.
“If it’s Master, he will surely save the child!”
“But it’s strange. Usually, in such cases, the child would already be gone…”
Yuhwa quickly interjected.
It’s basic for a doctor to clearly explain the patient’s condition.
“The child’s body has been nourished by Mannian Harsu.”
“Good!”
Man Li-seon’s eyes gleamed.
“Just as I thought, the meridians are holding up better than expected. I shall prepare my Qi-Blood Calm Decoction personally. That will help the child overcome this crisis.”
Yuhwa’s bright face darkened again.
While it was wonderful that her master would prepare the precious decoction for Hongseol,
it also required a special medicinal water to purify the body’s energy in addition to the herbs.
“Is there a way?”
“Normally, it would be difficult, but there’s a method in Hebi.”
“Eh?”
“There’s a place your father, Namgung Ho’s friend, often visits nearby, isn’t there?”
Yuhwa tried to recall. She didn’t understand why her master suddenly brought up Namgung Ho’s friend.
“If you mean Father’s friend…”
“The snake from the Sacheondang family. The small pond he used to frequent must be nearby.”
“Ah!”
Yuhwa’s eyes lit up.
Her master meant Namgung Ho’s close friend, Dokrwang Dang Imu.
In his youth, he was famous for wandering around on the ‘Ten Thousand Poisons Journey’.
Poisons and medicines differ by only a hair’s breadth. He sought every poison and medicine in the world.
Even now, wherever there are medicinal springs or elixirs, traces of Dang Imu’s visits remain—such as marks from decocting herbs or using medicinal instruments.
“I remember it was definitely a pond inside a cave… but where exactly?”
A short while later, Namgung Uigyeol, with a leather pouch at his side, leapt over the Namgung clan wall like the wind.
The door to Changcheongak’s reception room burst open.
Seeing Yuhwa and Man Li-seon, everyone rose to their feet.
“The child is fine.”
“Phew!”
“Ah…”
Everyone sighed in relief at Man Li-seon’s words.
Namgung Uigyeol even shed tears.
“Thanks to taking the Qi-Blood Calm Decoction in time, the meridians are recovering quickly. If the child stays in bed a few more days, they’ll be back to normal. Though, they won’t be able to practice martial arts for a while.”
“How can we ever repay this favor…”
“It’s not over yet. I knew the child’s energies would surge; they didn’t come looking for me just to check on things.”
Everyone fell silent.
He was right. The reason they had sought Man Li-seon through the estate was to correct Hongseol’s Yin-Yang imbalance.
“To determine if this disease can be cured, the child’s body must return to normal first.”
“That means…!”
Yuhwa smiled brightly for the first time in a long while.
“Master will stay in the guest quarters for now.”
“Thank you so much, Man Li-seon! While you stay, the Namgung clan will treat you with utmost sincerity.”
Former family head Namgung Ho spoke, and Man Li-seon quietly bowed.
“Oh, one more thing. It concerns the child’s health, so please take it seriously.”
Everyone tensed at his serious expression.
“Wh-what is it?”
“Stop giving the child sweets so often.”
At that, all the adults in the tea room flinched.
