Episode 60: The Jeweon Baek Family

It had been three days since Dang Mujin and Goeui began treating patients.

They had seen every patient in the village at least once, and just as they were considering moving on, a man who appeared to be in his early forties entered the inn.

His attire was neat, though lightly dusted with dirt, and his skin was fairer than most, suggesting a life not overly burdened by hardship. His hands bore few wrinkles.

As the man scanned the inn and approached Goeui and Dang Mujin, they immediately recognized who he was. The distinctive, bittersweet aroma of angelica root, a scent familiar to seasoned physicians, clung to his clothes.

The man greeted Goeui with a respectful bow.

“I am Seop Yong, a physician from the neighboring village of Jeweon. Are you the doctor who has been tending to the patients here?”

“Indeed. Are you the physician who occasionally visits this village?”

“Yes, though I only come once or twice a month, which is hardly enough to provide proper care.”

“Yet, thanks to your visits, many lives have surely been saved. You’re too modest.”

It was uncharacteristic of Goeui to offer such praise, but Dang Mujin didn’t find it excessive. For a physician to leave their clinic is no small feat. They must carry at least fifty different herbs to treat even basic ailments, and while the financial rewards are modest, the potential for blame is high. Moreover, leaving one’s home village adds a psychological burden, and days off are sacrificed.

A physician who volunteers for long-distance house calls is undoubtedly commendable.

Seop Yong spoke with a gentle demeanor. “When I arrived today, I expected to find a line of patients waiting, but no one was there. I worried I might have done something wrong last time, but then I learned you had already seen to them. Thank you.”

“I merely took a look at the patients you had already treated.”

Dang Mujin felt a shiver run down his spine. It was strange to see Goeui, who was usually so reserved, engaging in such pleasantries.

“You are too humble. The lady of the house with the crabapple tree looks noticeably better. I had been treating her for months without much improvement.”

“I don’t recall who you mean.”

“The one with the prominent nose and symptoms of knotted pulse and mirror tongue. She fell ill after her third child.”

“Ah, I remember. I gave her a pill with licorice root, dried rehmannia, and cinnamon twig. It wasn’t much different from the usual treatment for women’s ailments, just needed to boost her energy.”

“Ah, I see. And if she had both mirror tongue and crane’s knee symptoms?”

“It depends on the constitution, but crane’s knee isn’t something that heals quickly. I’d prescribe yokansan and monitor her for at least two years.”

As the conversation between Goeui and Seop Yong seemed to stretch on, Dang Mujin quietly slipped out of the inn with Dan Seolyeong.

After wandering the village for about half an hour, they returned to find Seop Yong looking at Goeui with a warm expression, while Goeui had packed his belongings and was waiting for Dang Mujin.

“Pack up quickly. We’re heading to the neighboring village with Seop Yong.”

“Why the sudden change of plans?”

“There’s a patient with a mysterious illness.”

“What are the symptoms?”

“Cold limbs, pale skin, and occasional coughing up blood.”

“That’s not particularly unusual.”

Coughing up blood is serious, but not rare.

“The problem is that none of the known treatments have worked.”

“Have they tried Erchen Xiong Gui Tang or Huangqi Biejia Decoction?”

“Yes.”

That meant they had tried all the usual remedies. Dang Mujin’s curiosity was piqued. For a physician, encountering a unique case is more valuable than seeing a common one.

“Let’s go. I’m curious about the symptoms too.”

With their belongings packed, Dang Mujin, Seop Yong, and the others set out from the village.

By midday the next day, they arrived in the neighboring village of Jeweon.

“Can you see the patient right away?”

“Of course.”

Seop Yong led them to the southern part of the village, where a large estate was surrounded by an endless wall. As they walked along the wall, Goeui seemed to have a thought and asked Seop Yong, “Is this the Wall of Ten Thousand People?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Then the patient is from the Jeweon Baek family?”

“Correct. The only daughter of the head of the Jeweon Baek family is ill.”

Dang Mujin interjected, “Do you know someone here?”

“Not exactly. I just asked because it’s a well-known family.”

“Who are they?”

“The Sword King was the head of the Jeweon Baek family.”

“The Sword King?”

A formidable title. The shorter and more concise a title, the greater the skill it implies. Like the titles of Divine Sage or Sword Saint. Conversely, titles that include a place name or are lengthy often belong to less notable figures.

The Jaeyang Twin Killers they encountered in Jueul Village were a prime example. Though they nearly died at their hands, they were ultimately insignificant.

“The Sword King was a supreme master who died in the last Great Martial War. He was highly regarded for his enlightenment and impeccable character.”

“But I’ve never heard of the Jeweon Baek family.”

Dang Mujin knew of several renowned martial families, like the Namgung, Zhuge, or Murong families, and the Hebei Peng family. But the Jeweon Baek family was unfamiliar. He hadn’t even heard of Jeweon until today.

“The Jeweon Baek family was originally a small household. Like the small sects or martial families in your hometown, with no more than ten martial artists.”

“There were many.”

Dang Mujin knew of several such sects or families. Their goal wasn’t to become a great sect or family, but to be recognized as a mid-tier sect.

But their dreams were distant. The reason was simple: the level of martial arts they taught and learned was low. The head of the family barely reached the edge of first-rate, so there was no chance of becoming a mid-tier sect.

Some harsh-tongued martial artists even mocked such small sects as “third-rate training centers” or “escort training schools.”

“So a supreme master emerged from such a small family? Did they find some extraordinary martial arts manual?”

“No. The Baek family used a common, unremarkable sword technique to surpass the supreme barrier.”

”…How?”

“With overwhelming talent.”

“That’s impossible.”

The level of martial arts is a difficult barrier to overcome. Many knew this, which is why it was common for martial artists from small sects in Sichuan to swallow their pride and join the Qingcheng Sect as secular disciples.

Most achieved some level of success. The level of martial arts is more important than individual talent. Even between a branch of the Qingcheng Sect and a small sect, there is a significant gap. Imagine the gap between the main Qingcheng Sect and a small martial family.

For a martial artist from such a sect to break through the supreme barrier, which even the head of the Qingcheng Sect couldn’t reach, is unthinkable. It’s more realistic to say a chick pecked a hawk to death.

“Yes, it’s impossible. But the Sword King was a genius capable of such feats. When he died, countless people mourned. He was the hope for third-rate martial artists and remote martial families.”

Goeui spoke as he touched the wall. “This wall, the Wall of Ten Thousand People, wasn’t built by the Jeweon Baek family. When the Sword King was alive, so many martial artists wanted to become retainers of the Jeweon Baek family that they couldn’t even enter the main gate. The retainers pooled their money to build this new wall, hence the name.”

“But the Jeweon Baek family isn’t famous now.”

“A family can’t be built on the strength of one person. To maintain such fame, the Sword King’s descendants would need to be geniuses like him. But there’s no guarantee of that.”

As they discussed the harsh realities, they arrived at the main gate. Seop Yong knocked several times with the large, worn knocker. Thud, thud.

After a long wait, an elderly man finally appeared to greet them.

“Ah, Physician Seop. What brings you here?”

“I’ve brought a physician to examine Miss Baek’s condition. Please take us to the head of the family.”

“Won’t you come with us, Physician Seop?”

“I’ve been away from my clinic for two days, so I must return immediately.”

“Understood.”

Seop Yong departed, and Dang Mujin and his companions followed the old man into the Jeweon Baek estate.

The courtyard was larger than several training grounds combined, and the buildings were large but austere. Most of the buildings were locked and covered in dust, and a subtle chill lingered in the air. It seemed not many people lived within the walls.

Dang Mujin imagined the Baek family during the Sword King’s time. To build such a family on one’s reputation alone, the Sword King must have been extraordinary.

Just then, a man approached, sweat beading on his forehead.

“What brings you here?”

The man held a sword sheath, as if he had just been practicing.

The old man who had been guiding them replied, “This is the physician brought by Seop Yong to examine the young lady’s condition.”

“Oh my, it seems we have some important guests. From here on, I’ll personally escort you.”

The old man turned back, and the newly arrived man wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve and introduced himself.

“My name is Baek Chuseo. I’m the head of the Baek family here. Though, to be honest, there aren’t even ten people living within these walls.”

“The number of people isn’t the issue, is it? I’m Lee Gyun,” the stranger replied, using a false name. Too many people knew his real name for the wrong reasons, so he often used an alias with those who didn’t recognize him.

“Pleasure to meet you, Doctor Lee. And who might these two be?” Baek Chuseo asked, gesturing to the others.

“The young man is a novice doctor I met on the road, and the lady is just an accidental companion. You needn’t worry about them,” the stranger said, introducing Dang Mujin and Dan Seolyeong in his own way.

Though the introduction was somewhat off, Dang Mujin and Dan Seolyeong nodded with indifferent expressions. They had no desire to bicker in front of someone they had just met.

Baek Chuseo led the group into the only well-kept building.

At the very back of the building was a rather spacious room. When Baek Chuseo opened the door, they saw a girl who looked about seventeen or eighteen sitting inside.

“This is my only daughter, Baek Hyanga.”

Baek Hyanga had an extraordinarily unusual appearance. Her skin was so pale it seemed she had never seen sunlight. It wasn’t just pale; it was almost translucent.

She wasn’t emaciated, yet the veins on the back of her hands were clearly visible.

As Dang Mujin stared at the girl, Dan Seolyeong glanced at his face, then stepped back and looked at her own sun-tanned hands with a serious expression.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

The stranger, after a moment of recollection, announced, “I’ll take her pulse.”

He took Baek Hyanga’s wrist and closed his eyes, feeling her pulse for a long time before gesturing for Dang Mujin to come over.

“You should check her pulse too.”

Dang Mujin took her wrist. Before he could feel her pulse, he noticed her body temperature. Despite being indoors, her skin was as cold as if she’d been outside for hours.

Her pulse was steady but weak and irregular. That was all he could discern from the pulse alone.

But the stranger had been feeling her pulse for quite some time, likely using his internal energy to diagnose her condition.

Dang Mujin also channeled a thin stream of his energy into her wrist and sensed something unfamiliar.

His energy couldn’t pass beyond certain points in her meridians. Several major meridians were blocked—or perhaps severed, he couldn’t tell.

‘Yin Valley, Qi Gate, Zhang Gate… what else is blocked?’

He couldn’t determine the illness. As Dang Mujin released her wrist with a puzzled expression, the stranger asked Baek Chuseo, “When did your daughter’s body temperature start dropping?”

“She was normal when she was younger, but around six or seven, she started feeling cold. We thought she’d return to normal soon, but she didn’t.”

“Did she start having stomach pains from eating cucumbers, apples, millet, or mung beans around that time?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“And she began coughing up blood around twelve or thirteen?”

“Exactly. Did Doctor Seop tell you this?”

“No, I’ve seen these symptoms before.”

“You know what illness this is? What is it?”

Baek Chuseo’s eyes lit up with hope at finally learning the name of his daughter’s illness.

The stranger replied, “It’s called Jeolmyeok.”