Chapter 17. Husband and Wife

When Go-gyo and So Yuk-rang arrived at Huichundang, Pungnim had already been waiting outside for a long time.

Originally, their appointment was at si-shi (9–11 a.m.), but Pungnim had come early, afraid that too many patients would arrive and they would have to stand in line.

But even after waiting for half an hour, not a single patient was in sight—even though normally there would be a long line. He was wondering why, when he saw Go-gyo and So Yuk-rang walking together.

Pungnim’s face instantly darkened.

“Why did you come?”

Go-gyo smiled calmly.

“I just wanted to watch.”

Pungnim truly couldn’t understand.
He heard this vicious wife had fallen for another man—so why was she following So Yuk-rang around these days?
And now she even followed him to his medical treatment?

And So Yuk-rang too—why does he keep bringing trouble along with him during such an important procedure?
What if something goes wrong?

Pungnim spoke coldly:

“I’m warning you now. Don’t run your mouth inside the clinic. Don’t touch anything. Don’t make trouble and ruin his leg treatment!”

“Yes.”

Go-gyo didn’t get angry or annoyed and simply answered.

Instead, So Yuk-rang frowned slightly at Pungnim and then walked inside, leaning on his cane.

The person receiving them was the shopkeeper, Manager Wang.

Manager Wang had also been waiting for them. He greeted the three with a smile.

He discreetly glanced at Go-gyo, then spoke warmly to Pungnim:

“Ah, Young Master Pungnim, welcome. And this must be Young Master So Yuk-rang you mentioned? It’s an honor. I’m Wang, the manager of Huichundang.”

So Yuk-rang gave a small nod.

Inside, Manager Wang was amazed.
A peerless beauty!
Though he wore plain clothes, he looked more noble than any young master he had ever seen.

“And this lady is…?”

He looked at Go-gyo, pretending not to know her.

So Yuk-rang paused briefly, then said:

“This is my wife, Madam Go.”

My wife, Madam Go.

Hearing that sounded surprisingly pleasant. Go-gyo felt great.

Manager Wang bowed politely.

“Ah, Madam Go. Forgive my rudeness.”

But Go-gyo didn’t like him calling her that.

Pungnim asked quickly:

“Manager Wang, the doctor really came today, right? Why aren’t there any patients waiting?”

Manager Wang had already prepared the answer.

“Ah, Doctor Jang is still recovering, so he can’t treat many patients at once. We only informed a few urgent cases. In the morning, only Young Master So is scheduled. The rest will come in the afternoon.”

Pungnim accepted the explanation without doubt.

Manager Wang smiled.

“Young Master Pungnim, please rest in the main hall. I will bring Young Master So inside and let Doctor Jang examine him.”

Pungnim asked,

“I can’t go in?”

Manager Wang answered politely:

“Those are the rules.”

Pungnim thought about it, then nodded.

“All right. Please take good care of him. Doctor Jang must cure his leg!”

Manager Wang glanced at Go-gyo again and smiled widely.

“I’ll do my best.”

When So Yuk-rang and Manager Wang entered the back building’s reception room, Go-gyo also stood up.

“What are you doing?” Pungnim asked suspiciously.

“I’m going to the restroom.”

When Go-gyo said that, Pungnim’s face turned red.

“Hurry back. And don’t run!”

Go-gyo slung a small basket over her back and headed toward the courtyard.

When she entered the reception room, So Yuk-rang was already lying on a wicker chair, fast asleep.

Manager Wang and the second shopkeeper were also present.

“Young Lady,” the second shopkeeper greeted.

Go-gyo’s eyes swept past the incense burner and landed on So Yuk-rang’s face.

“The incense is harmless, right?”

The second shopkeeper beamed.

“It’s just calming incense. We make it here in Huichundang. It won’t harm the body at all. Shall we begin the examination?”

“Yes.”

Go-gyo placed the basket on the table. Inside was her medical box.

But she wasn’t going to take it out in front of them.

The second shopkeeper had many questions—if this was her husband, why didn’t the husband speak? Were they really married?
But he was experienced.
A merchant must grow an extra ear and sew shut an extra mouth.

If something is difficult to ask, then you must never ask it.

***

Behind the screen

Go-gyo pulled a folding screen around them and examined So Yuk-rang.

She had checked his body at home and suspected his problem was the ankle.

Now that she examined him carefully, she confirmed it.

His ankle had been broken, but the local doctor had failed to diagnose it and only treated his leg.

Because he could not walk anyway due to his leg, the ankle healed poorly on its own.

The real issue was the leftover bone fragments.
They had not been cleaned out, so every step must’ve caused sharp pain.

Go-gyo had always thought his ankle was just stiff.
Only now did she realize how much pain he had been enduring silently.

So Yuk-rang really had a talent for making people feel upset.

In her past life, Go-gyo had performed many surgeries like this.
It wasn’t difficult—but her medical box still lacked some essential tools and supplies.

However… considering how items in the medical box magically restocked days earlier, she decided to wait a little longer.

Besides, this was not the best timing.
His injury needed some preparation and care before surgery.

It would be best to operate during the academy’s vacation.

Outside the screen, Manager Wang and the second shopkeeper waited quietly.

Originally, the second shopkeeper had considered inviting doctors from Dongchundang to observe her medical skills. But asking that at the beginning would embarrass her, so he decided against it.

Since she put up a screen for the examination, she clearly didn’t want to reveal her techniques.

He was glad he didn’t ask.

But he had misunderstood one thing.

Go-gyo wasn’t worried about exposing her medical skills.
She simply couldn’t risk anyone seeing her medical box.

Go-gyo stayed inside longer than expected.

The examination took one minute.
The remaining fifteen minutes were spent appreciating the handsome man.

Ahem!

She did not remove his clothes. Absolutely not!

Once she put her medical box back into the basket, she walked out calmly.

The second shopkeeper greeted her quickly.

“You took quite a long time. The young master’s injury must be very complicated.”

Go-gyo replied without changing expression:

“It is complicated. He’ll need surgery.”

Hearing the word “surgery,” the second shopkeeper froze.

Surgery was something soldiers used on battlefields—rarely in civilian life.
It was dangerous, required great skill, and even in Huichundang, only a few doctors dared to use a knife.

“…Are you sure?” he asked anxiously.

Go-gyo nodded.

“Yes.”

“I’ll choose a date and tell you once I decide. I also need some tools prepared. Please handle that for me. You can deduct the cost from my future consultation fee.”

“Yes, leave it to me,” the second shopkeeper said.

Huichundang was not a charity.
Patients had to pay, and the better the doctor, the higher the fee.

The second shopkeeper asked:

“Miss, can you cure any illness?”

“No.”

Go-gyo shook her head.

“I need to examine the patient first. So don’t waste my consultation time—if possible, bring me patients with difficult or chronic diseases.”

Now this was real confidence.

The second shopkeeper didn’t think she was bragging.
Anyone who had seen her skill would believe she could even bring someone back from the dead.

After prescribing herbs for So Yuk-rang, Go-gyo picked up her basket and headed toward the main hall.

The second shopkeeper suddenly laughed strangely.

“Manager Wang, with her skills, maybe we should let her treat that person in the capital?”

“The one in the capital…?”
Manager Wang was confused—then suddenly understood.

“You mean the young master of the Marquis’ household?!”

The second shopkeeper’s eyes gleamed.

“Yes, that one!”

Manager Wang waved his hands in panic.

“No, no! Absolutely not!”

That young master was a noble from the capital!
Compared to him, Huichundang was nothing.
They wouldn’t even dare stand near him.

The second shopkeeper continued:

“But with her skills, maybe she could—”

“Second Shopkeeper, we only have one life.”

Manager Wang cut him off firmly.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want the Marquis’ money.
It was because the young master’s illness was nearly impossible to cure.

If she failed even slightly, they’d all be executed.

The poor young master was born prematurely.

The Marchioness had gone into labor early at an old temple.
There was no midwife available, so someone from a nearby village was brought—but she was inexperienced.

The conditions were terrible, the delivery was premature, and the midwife’s skills were lacking.
The Marchioness nearly died.

To make things worse, she was carrying twins.

She used up all her strength giving birth to the first child.
The second had to endure a long time inside.

When he finally came out, his entire body was bluish.

That second baby boy was the current young master.
The firstborn was a girl.

He had been frail from the womb.
He grew up drinking herbal medicine every day—practically raised by a medicine pot.

The Marquis’ family had invited countless famous doctors over the years.
None could cure him.
Worse, too much medicine had damaged his body further.

Rumor said he was now barely alive.
One wrong dose of medicine could kill him.

If he died in their care—even all the doctors of Huichundang combined wouldn’t be enough to repay the crime.

The second shopkeeper knew all this—but he was ambitious.

Those who weren’t ambitious would never have noticed Go-gyo’s enormous value.

And the young master was the same age as Go-gyo.