Chapter 206: Chapter 79
What the heck is Hangbokg talking about?
Everyone in the room including Kanghyok opened their eyes wide with surprise.
In particular, Sungryong, who had his hemorrhoids treated by Kanghyok, reacted violently.
“Hey, how can defame an excellent doctor like Kanghyok? You can hardly find such a fine doctor anywhere.”
“I’ve received his service, too. He’s a very good doctor,” said Hangbok.
“How come you can say about him like that?”
“Well, a good doctor means he can treat a patient well, right?”
With a furtive smile, Hangbok looked at Kanghyok.
“If he can treat people, he can also maim them, right?”
At that moment Kanghyok was gooseflesh all over.
Hangbok might have thought about it when Kanghyok treated his wife only a few days ago.
Obviously there was something extraordinary about Hangbok’s behavior.
“Hmmm...”
Chul Chung and Sungryon made a frown at Hangbok’s mention about making Kanghyok a torture doctor.
But Chul was more concerned about the possibility that Kanghyok could really force Pyonsu confess about his ties with Yorip.
‘If only he could do that...’
If Chul could obtain the slightest clue that Yorip was plotting a revolt, that meant the end of the ruling political faction Tongin’s era and the quickening of the arrival of its rival Soin.
Of course, if that happened, Chul might feel sorry for his friend but political rival Sungryong, a giant of Tongin.
‘I could save Sungryong from the political massacre, of course,’ Chul thought to himself.
In fact, Sungryong was a favored vassal of King Sonjo.
Though Sungryong was to be stigmatized as a giant of the rebellious Tongin, Chul could not deal with him recklessly.
In the meantime, Sungryon was concerned about Kanghyok.
‘This might be a big, big trouble for him.’
To the best of his knowledge, Kanghyok was the best doctor in Joseon.
Otherwise he could not have cured his hemorrhoids that had troubled him several decades.
‘Obviously he would be good at torturing people....’
But he couldn’t refuse Hangbok’s suggestion right away in Chul’s presence.
‘Hangbok might have made that suggestion to protect me.’
In some respects Hangbok’s suggestion was kind of a warning and consideration that Sungryong should not be connected with Yorip under any circumstances.
“Uhhhh...”
When Sungryong gave a short moaning, Chul looked at him.
Their eyes met and they nodded at the same time.
“Okay, then. Let’s leave it to Kanghyok. Can you do it?”
Now the ball was in Kanghyok’s court.
Though he didn’t want it, he had no other choice but to.
Kanghyok quickly put his brain to work.
‘Kichukoksa, or the Purge of Yorip Chung’s gang...Kichukoksa.’
As he was interested in that tragic event, he naturally recalled it.
Sungryong could safely avoid the political massacre of Kichukoksa.
Later he could become a premier by turning evils into blessings.
‘Originally Kichukoksa took place at a strange timing...’
In fact, it took place only 2 to 3 years before the full-scale Japanese invasion of Joseon in 1592.
As it turned out, the Joseon government wasted its energies and resources on seeking and purging Yorip and his followers, which it should have diverted for preparation for the Japanese invasion.
Kanghyok nodded at Hangbok’s suggestion helplessly.
“Let me give it a try, then.”
“Great. If you find out something big, you will receive a due recognition.”
“Yes, sir.”
While repeatedly nodding his head, Kanghyok studied Sungryong’s face.
“Alright, Kanghyok. Just do your best.”
“Thanks, milord.”
Now, Chul Chung and Hangbok Lee began to relax with a gentle smile.
Kanghyok was even more scary about their sudden change of attitude.
‘Politicians are the same, regardless of the age.’
When necessary, they could change their attitude or feelings anytime in their favor.
“Hey, let’s get the heavy stuff off our chest and talk about something else,” said Chul, emptying his cup.
“By the way, did you have a big event at the ministry of education and culture recently?” asked Sungryong.
“Oh, are you talking about the Yoshitoshi and Kenzo’s party?”
“Oh, yes, yes.”
“Well, I was really surprised by Hangbok’s insight.”
“What’s that? I have no idea.”
“You know that Tachibana Yashiro visited Joseon as Japan’s envoy some time ago, right?”
“Yes, of course.”
At that time, Chul Chung was living an exiled life in a remote place, but he seemed to have heard about it, given that he was nodding.
“When that Japanese envoy returned, Hangbok said something to me. As I was impressed with it at that time, I still remember it,” said Sungryong.
“What did he say?”
“He said something like this: That envoy would be killed when he returned, and a new Japanese envoy would come to Joseon. In that case, it would be better for the Joseon government to treat him well.”
“Haha, I see. I heard that he was killed when he returned. That’s why you hosted a big party for the new Japanese envoy and his entourage recently.”
Chul nodded his head as if he understood the whole situation.
He had deep trust and affection for Hangbok.
He even felt that it was a blessing to the Soin faction to have an able man like Hangbok.
“Actually, we’re going to give the Japanese envoy a positive reply this time, though we haven’t yet decided on the date...”
“Have you decided to send our envoy to Japan?”
“Yes.”
“Didn’t you yet inform the king?”
“Not yet, it’s my own idea at this point.”
“No, no, if you make the proposal to the king, let me support you actively,” said Chul Chung.
“Thank you, sir.”
Some grave decisions like that were discussed and planned at Sungryong’s house.
When they broke up after drinking, it was quite dark outside.
Kanghyok was putting on leather shoes under the lamplight, Hangbok approached him.
“Whew! Are you alright?”
“Oh, I’m fine, sir.”
“I’ve felt it all the time that you’re a real heavy drinker.”
“Hahaha, sort of.”
“Do you know any secret way of having a strong head like you?”
“Not really, sir. I’ve been like this since I was young.”
“I envy you. I was zonked out after drinking alcohol offered by the king recently. I behaved rather indecently at the royal meeting hosted by the king.”
“Oh, I heard about it from my father. When he was with the Academy of Letters, my father said he was also severely rebuked for that.”
“Yes, that’s true. So, I envy a heavy drinker like you.”
If the king filled the cup for him, that might be a great honor and favor to Hangbok.
Instead of getting drunk and behaving indecently, he should have enjoyed it and went back home sober, but he didn’t.
“Oh, you don’t have to envy me. Hahaha.”
“Anyway, keep in mind that you have an important mission now.”
There was no more tipsiness in his voice.
He said in a clear but quiet voice, “In fact, by chance I could meet one of the Kwanghee acrobatic team who escaped from your house.”
Though he mentioned ‘by chance,’ he lied in Kanghyok’s mind.
Obviously Hangbok must have let his men kidnap him.
“I don’t know the reason, but it seemed he was given a severe torture at your house, given that he could hardly walk.”
“Oh... well, I didn’t intend to torture him, but as it turned out, I did.”
“He was so terrified that he confessed what he knew, though I didn’t ask. But as he was not a rank-and-file man, he didn’t have much information.”
“Hmm...”
“Don’t take it too seriously. All you have to do is extract confession from Pyonsu. He wouldn’t confess no matter how tough we tortured him.”
“I see.”
They soon arrived at a house near Hangbok’s.
Even before the gate was opened, there strongly smelled something disgusting.
Closing his nose, Dolsok murmured,
“Oh my god... It looks like the patient inside was screaming with extreme pain.”
Dolsok simply thought Hangbok brought an acquaintance of his for Kanghyok’s treatment.
And he even asked an unnecessary question, “Why did you bring only Makbong here? Yonju and Yoni could have helped you a lot.”
Instead of replying, Kanghyok just nodded.
‘I guess so, of course.’
But Kanghyok didn’t want them to witness him torturing someone.
No matter how strong Yoni was, she was a woman, for whom Kanghyok had good feelings.
If she saw Kanghyok torturing somebody, she would regard him as a psychopath.
“Let’s go inside, anyway.”
“Yes, master.”
Makbong seemed to be happy because he was chosen over Yoni and Yoju.
Carrying a bull’s testicles on the back, he just seemed happy.
But he was surprised when he saw the patient lying on the bed.
“Oh my, this guy is...”
Though the patient was more haggard than before, with burnt scars here and there, he was familiar to Makbong and Dolsok.
“Wasn’t this guy the same Pyonsu that we recently saw?”
“Hmmmm... I didn’t beat him up severely at that time...”
When Kanghyok looked at him in person, he knew how much he tortured Pyonsu to extract his confession.
‘Didn’t he open his mouth when he was beaten up like this, with his body covered with wounds and burnt scars?’
Kanghyok felt even a slight feeling of respect for his loyalty to Yorip Chung.
On the way here, Hangbok gave him a sharp reminder as follows.
<Yorip Chung is currently plotting a revolt. All kinds of rebellious people are gathering around him now. At a time when the country was in a turbulent time, we can’t afford to give him a pass. We need firm proof to prove his revolt.>
Kanghyok clenched his fist several times and looked at the patient.
“You are the same hooligan that I saw you recently.”
Pyonsu was still arrogant.
Clicking his tongue with regret, Kanghyok said, “Hey, we’re going to torture you from now on. You will feel an unprecedented torture you’ve never experienced before. You had better confess now .”
“F*ck off!”
“Sorry you’re getting around the road instead of the shortcut. Dolsok, open the bag.”
“Oh, yes.”
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