Chapter 188: Chapter 61

Soonsin’s house was small and humble.

It was so small as to remind Kanghyok’s party of Changkwon’s house.

In fact, Yoju, recalling that, sobbed for a while before coming in.

As Kanghyok was ahead of her, he couldn’t notice it.

He was just looking around, as if he was deeply moved.

‘Is this the house of Chungmugong General Soonsin Lee?’

The greatest Admiral in Joseon’s history.

In modern Korea Kanghyok saw his bronze statue in the center of Kwanhwamun Sqaure in downtown Seoul.

And now he was standing in that very house of the greatest general in Joseon.

“Looks like you resumed practicing your martial arts, general.”

Pointing at several scarecrows in the yard, Kanghyok said.

“Oh, yes. As you fixed my broken leg, I think I have to practice hard.”

“I see. By the way, where do you get these rice straws?”

“I know a nobleman that I am paling around. I get them from him.”

“But it looks like they’re not enough for your practice.”

“Well, I’m in a position to ask, so I just thank him for this.”

“Gee….”

Kanghyok’s voice was full of regrets at his remarks.

General Lee would emerge as the very one who could save Joseon from Japanese invasion.

Nonetheless, he didn’t have enough rice straws to practice his martial arts.

“Let me order my servants to get them as much as they could, starting tomorrow.”

“Oh, you don’t have to go to the trouble of…”

“No, sir. They don’t care about doing manual work. Right?”

Kanghyok then turned back. Several thieves who followed his party were hesitating to reply.

“Hey, folks. Why don’t you reply to your master’s question? Are you ready for a good beating?”

Dolsok shouted at them.

“Oh, yes, yes. We like manual labor!”

Clearly they read the master’s mind.

“You heard them, general?”

“Hahaha. Thanks, Kanghyok.”

“It’s an honor to help you, brother.”

“Let’s come in now.”

“Yes, brother.”

Kanghyok came into his room, while the other members of his party stayed on the main floor.

‘Gee, his room is so small…’

Here and there was even red clay exposed on the floor.

But his room was spick and span with no dust at all, revealing Soonsin’s fine personality.

‘I think I did well to have asked the mayor to rent me a good house in Hanyang.’

The mayor was a wealthy man, indeed.

When Kanghyok asked him if he had any house available in Hanyang, he said in the positive, and even asked Kanghyok what type of house he wanted.

The mayor had a real estate in Konchondong, whose size put Soonshin’s house in the shade.

“Isn’t this place too small?” asked Soonsin.

“Pardon? Oh, no. I like it,” said Kanghyok.

“Have a seat. I’ve prepared some special food for you. I wonder if you can like it.”

Kanghyok was ready to enjoy any food that Soonsin said he prepared specially.

“Oh, here he comes.”

Soonsin pointed at his personal servant bringing a dining table with food.

Though he was no more than a servant, he was disciplined.

He was a big contrast with Dolsok who was far from military discipline.

‘I hear Soonsin’s family was great in old days.’

In fact, Sungmun told him before that though his family was poor now, it once boasted of a great family tree.

Byon Lee, his great-great-grandfather, served as the education minister and Koh Lee, his great-grandfather, was deputy defense minister.

But his family declined in power and wealth when his grandfather Paekrok Lee was persecuted amid the factional fighting among scholars in 1519.

While Kanghyok was smacking his lips, feeling sorry about the decline of the Soonsin family, his personal servant put down the table.

“How about this food? As I heard you liked meat, I went out and hunted a pheasant in person.”

The pheasant was roasted with charcoal, stimulating Kanghyok’s appetite.

“Do you like it?”

“Yes, it’s the best meat I’ve ever enjoyed, brother.”

“Great. Let’s enjoy it over drink. You will like this alcoholic, too.”

“You bet, brother.”

“With a hearty laugh Kanghyok emptied a cup filled by Soonsin.

‘Which kind of alcoholic is this?’

It was the best liquor that he had enjoyed since he landed in Joseon.

“Brother Soonsin, I love this liquor so much.”

“Really? I feel better as you like it.”

“Where did you get this?”

“My mother has brewn it by herself.”

“Wow, she is great, brother.”

“My mother has wondered a lot about you. She is not here, though. She is back in her hometown in Asan now.”

“Oh, I see.”

Though Kanghyok didn’t know much about Joseon, he studied a lot about the Soonsin family.

Of course, he learned mostly from watching popular soap dramas about Soonsin Lee on TV in modern Korea.

‘To the best of my knowledge his mother’s last name is Byon…’

She deserved the most credit for having made Soonsin what he was.

“Anyway, I’m glad to see you face here, Kanghyok.”

“Me, too, brother.”

They kept exchanging cups in a cheerful mood, enjoying delicious side dishes.

A bit drunk, Soonsin opened his mouth,

“Haha. I’ve got something to boast to you, but I couldn’t reveal it in my letter to you.”

“Really?”

What could it be?

Kanghyok leaned over to Soonsin before he knew.

“What is it, brother?”

“Well….”

If his friend was hesitant, Kanghyok probably punched him in the head.

But Kanghyok’s partner now was the Sacred Hero of Joseon, Soonsin.

“You really make me curious, brother. What is it?”

Soonsin smacked his lips for a moment and then said, “Well, I’ve been assigned to a post in the northern area.”

“Northern area?”

“Yes, the government decided to dispatch me to North Hamgyong Province.”

At this time the northern area was a troubled place in terms of living. Besides, it was often attached by the Yurchen soldiers.

Nobody except for Soonsin would be proud of his assignment to the northern area.

‘Something strange, though.’

Kanghyok looked at Soonsin’s leg that he fixed sometime ago.

‘It was less than a year that I fixed his broken leg. How can the government give him such a post?’

Wasn’t Soonsin 34 years old when he first got a government job? That meant he had to wait another four years for a government service. That’s what he remembered from his history textbook when he was in modern Korea.

‘Am I wrong? Did I get confused?’

Soonsin got curious when Kanghyok made a surprised look.

“Why are you so surprised?”

“No, no. I think it’s about time you entered a government service.”

“Haha. All thanks to you. How could I be assigned such a post if you didn’t fix my left leg?”

“I see. Did you take another state exam on martial arts?”

“Yes, there was a special exam session.”

“Special exam session?”

“Yes. By the way, a guy named Joon Huh, who was just admitted to the Royal Medical Service, cured Prince Yimhae’s smallpox.”

“Aha, Doctor Huh… Smallpox?”

“Yeah, I heard that Dr. Huh cured him who was almost given up as a hopeless case. That’s why the government staged a special state exam. I was pretty lucky.”

As expected, Joon Huh was an extraordinary doctor.

It was only a couple of months ago he started working at the Royal Medical Service. But he already achieved something great.

‘Was it thanks to Dr. Huh that Soonsin got a government job after passing the special state civil exam?’

If that’s the case, how fortunate Soonsin was!

But Kanghyok began to worry if there was a gathering storm of Japanese invasion of Joseon.

If the invasion took place much earlier than Kanghyok expected, that would be the worst scenario for Kanghyok.

“I’m not worried at all, Kanghyok. Isn’t it natural for a soldier like me to be assigned to a dangerous place?”

That was true.

And that’s why Soonsin crushed the Japanese army’s invasion of Joseon in 1592.

It was hard to find any general like him in the world navy history who brought about such brilliant achievements as he made in the naval battles.

“By the way, I heard from the mayor that you refused his offer to recommend you to the Royal Medical Service.”

Kanghyok regretted that the mayor had a light mouth.

Obviously the mayor talked to everyone he met about Kanghyok’s rejection of his offer.

With a bitter smile he nodded,

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Haha, you must be a genuine doctor to do so. By the way, once you enter a government service, I think there must be a right job for you.”

“As you say so, let me think it over.”

“Sure, sure. You don’t have to rush, though.”

Soonsin didn’t want to put pressure on him at this point.

“Oh, I hear you also eradicated smallpox.”

“Yes, I was lucky…”

“Haha. There is a widespread rumor that the sick cow with smallpox was essential in curing the patients.”

“Yes, as far as smallpox was concerned, I could use the cow as something like medicine.”

At that moment, somebody opened the gate all of a sudden.

Simultaneously Soonsin stood up.

“Daegam(Lord) I mentioned to you a moment ago has just arrived.”

“Daegam?”

“Yes, stand up and get ready to greet him.”