Episode 58: The Inn’s Healer

Before dawn, the small wooden puppet had vanished.

Tang Mujin dismantled the puppet, breaking each part and burying them deep in the ground. Then, using a spark from Huaseopja, he set it all ablaze. Despite the considerable time invested in creating the puppet, he felt no regret. The mission had been accomplished perfectly.

As soon as the Abbot of the Precepts entered Shaolin Temple, he reverted to his usual stoic expression and maintained his characteristic silence. The events that transpired in the small clearing of Xiaoshibong became a secret known only to three people. A secret with no evidence left behind.

On the day Tang Mujin and Gwaiyi left Shaolin, a crowd of monks gathered to see them off. Among them, the ones who seemed most reluctant to say goodbye were Chingjin, the head of Chubodang, and Chingbok, the successor of Akgu. Chingbok, having found a clue to his next level through the puppet, expressed his gratitude to Tang Mujin as if he were a benefactor.

“If you ever need my help, just say the word, Tang benefactor.”

“I doubt I’ll need any help, so don’t worry.”

Chubodang’s head was more composed, yet he prepared a bundle of supplies and medicines for their journey, a gesture typical of him.

While Manryeokseung looked at Gwaiyi with a worried expression, the Abbot of the Precepts approached Tang Mujin.

“Tang benefactor, may you reach the sea.”

Tang Mujin nodded in appreciation. “May you hold your ground firmly.”

As Tang Mujin and Gwaiyi stepped out of Shaolin, a feeling akin to the day they left Chengdu washed over them, having spent quite some time at the temple.

Before they had even traveled a mile beyond Shaolin, they encountered a familiar face. Dan Seolyeong was leaning against a small tree.

“Here to see us off?”

“No, I’m coming with you.”

”…What?”

“I’m coming along. I’m sick of this place and need to leave Songshan.”

Dan Seolyeong’s genuine, carefree smile was a sight to behold. However, there was one issue: she had made the decision to join them on her own.

”…Do you even know where I’m headed?”

“You said you were from Chengdu in Sichuan, right?”

“That’s right.”

“I’m planning to visit Sichuan too. I heard there are dozens, if not hundreds, of waterwheels at Dujiangyan.”

“True, but Sichuan is much farther than you think.”

“So what? Do you not want me to come along?”

Of course, that wasn’t the case. Tang Mujin chuckled awkwardly, and from behind, a whistle sounded. It was Gwaiyi.

“Off on another escapade, I see. You two seem quite cozy.”

“It’s not like that, so don’t get any strange ideas.”

Tang Mujin quickly denied it, but Gwaiyi smirked, as if convinced they were building a Great Wall of their own.

“Keep denying it, and you’ll end up disliked. Be straightforward and take responsibility.”

Dan Seolyeong glanced at Gwaiyi, then asked Tang Mujin, “Who’s that guy?”

“Uh… a companion.”

“Since when? And until where?”

“We met in Sichuan and started traveling together. We’ll probably stick together for a while.”

Dan Seolyeong’s disappointment was evident.

Gwaiyi teased Dan Seolyeong, saying it wasn’t too late to turn back. But she couldn’t. Once she decided to follow Tang Mujin, she sold all her belongings, even her most valuable possession, a cauldron. She had no intention of returning.

Despite his teasing, Gwaiyi showed subtle consideration. Compared to when he traveled with Honggeolgae, he slowed his pace slightly and didn’t pass by villages in the early evening.

It wasn’t because Dan Seolyeong was a woman. He simply didn’t want to leave a new companion to sleep on the roadside. Or perhaps he just wanted a drink at an inn.

“Let’s rest here for the night.”

On the third day after leaving Shaolin, they arrived at a small village. Though not large, it had everything they needed.

The village, frequented by traders, boasted three inns, each with its own stable. As they passed by the stables, mules and donkeys peeked out to observe them.

They chose the least crowded inn and ordered food.

Simple meals for each person, a dish to accompany drinks, and a bottle of liquor. Naturally, the dish and drink were to Gwaiyi’s taste.

However, despite the lack of customers, the food took a while to arrive. In inns frequented by travelers, noodles or dumplings usually appeared almost instantly.

Curious, Tang Mujin peeked into the kitchen.

The person who had taken their order was also cooking. Judging by his skill in the kitchen, he seemed to be the regular cook.

“This doesn’t seem like an inn meant for one person to handle.”

The three of them waited in silence, clutching their hungry stomachs. Gwaiyi’s usual smile faded. He tended to become quiet and irritable when hungry.

“Sorry for the wait.”

The cook finally brought out a bowl of noodles, two plates of fried rice, and the liquor Gwaiyi had ordered. The dish to accompany the drinks would take a bit longer, but there was enough food to stave off hunger.

With brightened expressions, they began their meal. Though the service was slow, the food was as good as, if not better than, any other inn. Tang Mujin quickly finished his meal, occasionally glancing into the kitchen.

Finally, the dish Gwaiyi had ordered arrived. He lifted his glass, while Dan Seolyeong, feigning disinterest, snatched bites of Gwaiyi’s dish.

No one else entered the inn after them.

The cook, finally able to catch his breath, sat at a table a little distance away, wiping sweat from his brow. Tang Mujin approached him.

“Are you the owner of this inn?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“You seem quite busy working alone. Wouldn’t it help to have some assistance?”

With such cooking skills, it seemed a shame he couldn’t handle more customers. A couple of extra hands could make a significant difference, even with the cost of wages.

The innkeeper sighed. “I usually work with my younger brother, but he’s been unwell and hasn’t been able to come in since the other day. It’s been so busy, I feel like I’m spinning in circles.”

“What kind of illness does he have?”

“He started sweating profusely, and now his body is swollen. I checked on him yesterday, hoping he’d improved, but he seems worse.”

Cold sweats and swelling are common symptoms, but they can’t be taken lightly.

Swelling can be a symptom of a minor ailment or something life-threatening.

“Have you consulted a doctor? Swelling shouldn’t be ignored.”

“There’s no doctor in the village right now. The last one passed away from old age last spring.”

“What do people do when they fall ill?”

“They grit their teeth and endure. Occasionally, a doctor from the neighboring village visits for a day or two.”

Tang Mujin didn’t hesitate long.

“In that case, may I take a look at him?”

As Tang Mujin offered, Dan Seolyeong, who had been eyeing Gwaiyi’s dish, nudged him with a worried expression.

“Why?”

“Wouldn’t it be better to wait for the doctor from the next village? What if something goes wrong? You’re not a doctor.”

“I am a doctor.”

Dan Seolyeong stared at Tang Mujin, confused by his serious expression despite the seemingly joking claim.

Tang Mujin realized he hadn’t shared much about himself with Dan Seolyeong.

Their conversations usually involved Dan Seolyeong talking and Tang Mujin listening. He preferred listening, and Dan Seolyeong, having lived in the mountains, was eager for someone to talk to.

”…I thought you were a carpenter.”

“I can do carpentry, but my main profession is medicine. The Tang family in Chengdu has been doctors for generations. Naturally, I learned medicine too.”

Dan Seolyeong’s face was still filled with doubt. Tang Mujin took out a case of acupuncture needles and opened it.

Seeing the neatly arranged needles, Dan Seolyeong finally believed him.

The innkeeper’s face also brightened at the sight of the needles.

Fortunately, Tang Mujin’s group was the last of the inn’s customers. The innkeeper, looking anxious, stood up.

“Can you come with me right now?”

“Of course.”

Gwaiyi waved them off, indicating they should go ahead. The three of them left the inn.

Led by the innkeeper, they arrived at a house where a man lay sweating profusely, clearly in poor condition.

Though surprised to see Tang Mujin and Dan Seolyeong, he relaxed upon recognizing the innkeeper. Despite his illness, his mind was clear.

”…Are you a doctor?”

“Yes, I happened to be passing through.”

“What kind of illness is this?”

“Let’s find out.”

Tang Mujin examined the patient.

His entire body was visibly swollen, and when Tang Mujin checked his pulse, it was irregular and rapid, yet weak.

His breathing was irregular and labored, even as he spoke in short bursts. It was clear he was deeply troubled.

“I have a few questions. Do you have headaches?”

“No.”

“Is your mouth dry, or does your tongue feel prickly?”

“Neither.”

As the patient repeatedly denied any symptoms, a hint of skepticism crept into the innkeeper’s expression. He believed that a skilled physician should be able to diagnose just by looking.

But that only applies to illnesses with distinctive symptoms.

While conversing with the patient, Dang Mujin gently ran his left hand over the patient’s body. Despite the pain, the patient reacted to the touch, indicating some sensitivity.

Dang Mujin continued his inquiry.

“How’s your urination? I suspect it’s significantly reduced.”

“Yes, I only urinated once yesterday, and… phew, not at all today.”

“Has the color changed at all?”

“I don’t think so.”

That meant it wasn’t brown or red.

There are various reasons for urinary discomfort, such as heat in the bladder, damp-heat, kidney yin deficiency, or qi transformation issues.

‘No need to overthink it.’

Since the previous physician likely missed it, it’s best to consider common ailments first.

Dang Mujin moved his hand to the patient’s abdomen to continue the examination. He pressed various spots. The upper abdomen showed slight reactions, like tensing or ticklishness, but the lower abdomen was unresponsive.

‘Lower abdominal numbness,’ he noted.

He’d seen this symptom before. Relieved, he spoke.

“If this had gone on for another two or three days, it could have been life-threatening. Fortunately, it’s neither rare nor difficult to treat. Recovery should be swift.”

“Will acupuncture help?” the innkeeper asked cautiously, recalling the acupuncture kit he’d seen.

Dang Mujin massaged the patient’s limbs as he replied, “This isn’t something acupuncture can fix. Please bring some honey and salt from the inn.”

Even a simple inn serving noodles and dumplings might lack honey, but any place offering full meals or drinks would have it.

“And Seol-yeong, could you go back to the inn and fetch my things?”

“Sure.”

Seol-yeong and the innkeeper stood up. While Dang Mujin continued to massage the patient’s limbs, they returned with the requested items.

From the bag Seol-yeong brought, Dang Mujin retrieved medicinal herbs: Rehmannia, Cornus, Moutan, Poria, Alisma, Cinnamon, and even Aconite.

Seeing the array of herbs, Seol-yeong finally relaxed, having doubted whether Dang Mujin was a genuine physician.

The innkeeper’s eyes widened. “Are you going to brew a decoction? We don’t have a proper pot. Will a regular one do?”

“No need. I’m making a pill, not a decoction.”

Dang Mujin ground the herbs into a fine powder, placed it in a wooden bowl, and generously added the honey the innkeeper brought.

He mixed the sticky powder into small, round pills. They were dark and small, resembling goat droppings at a glance.

Despite their appearance, the pills didn’t need to be perfectly round or pretty.

Dang Mujin quickly made over a hundred and fifty pills, washed his hands in a water basin outside, and returned.

“These are slightly larger than usual, so take twenty at a time. Swallow them with slightly salted water or warm wine. Take one dose now, and then twice daily, morning and evening.”

“What happens after they’re gone?”

“This isn’t a chronic illness. You’ll feel the effects within a couple of hours, and by tomorrow, you should be able to move around.”

The innkeeper’s face showed doubt. Could someone on the brink of death recover so quickly with just a few pills?

Though he knew little about medicine, his common sense told him serious illnesses took time to heal, while minor ones resolved quickly.

But Dang Mujin was the only one to trust here. Hesitantly, the innkeeper gave his brother the pills with some saltwater.

“Mmm.”

The patient groaned softly as he stirred.

Dang Mujin continued to massage the patient’s limbs, aiding circulation and easing his distress.

As the massage continued, the patient seemed to relax and drifted into sleep.

After about half an hour, the sleeping patient took a deep breath. Inhale—

Then exhaled slowly and deeply. Exhale—

If his breathing had been as labored as before, he couldn’t have managed such a breath.

His breathing became more comfortable, and the cold sweat stopped.

For Dang Mujin, this was routine, but to others, it seemed miraculous.

The innkeeper gaped, and Seol-yeong silently marveled beside him.

Dang Mujin stood and addressed the innkeeper.

“Change his sweat-soaked clothes and keep him warm. By morning, he’ll be much improved.”

“Thank you, sir. Please, come to the inn. Let me treat you to a meal.”

“No need. Close the inn today and take care of your brother.”

“Understood.”

The innkeeper bowed repeatedly as he saw Dang Mujin off.

Dang Mujin could already predict what would happen the next day.

And indeed, his prediction was spot on. Before noon the following day, patients flocked to the inn.