Chapter 46: The Unexpected Meeting

When the head of the merchant group wants to meet, how could I dawdle? I had to drop everything and rush over.

Since we arrived at midday, there was some time to spare. Unlike the stopover points we’d passed through, Wolhanseong was my destination, so I planned to stay longer.

And that’s exactly what I did. I rushed over, dropping everything to meet the head of the Pyeonggwang Merchant Group.

So, expecting some documents or gifts sent by Shin Gwiryeong, or perhaps an important person sent in his stead, I hurried to the Pyeonggwang Merchant Group’s Wolhanseong branch.

“Oh, Grand Prince! To think you’d visit this humble place…”

Go Yeongsin, who had arrived with us but entered the castle earlier, was leisurely strolling in the courtyard in front of the branch. Spotting me, he made a fuss.

But that lasted only a moment. He and the other merchants, as if prearranged, led me to the reception room.

What happened next was completely unexpected.

I swear on the hairs of the late Lord of Hyeolyunseong’s toes, I never imagined I’d meet Shin Gwiryeong in person.

There’s no way he’d come all the way here, and since even in the capital I rarely saw him, how could I meet him in this fortress at the northernmost edge of the kingdom? Unless he’s an idle fool, what business would bring him from the capital to Wolhanseong?

But that assumption was entirely my mistake.

“Are you well, Your Highness?”

A familiar, flamboyant figure and an unfamiliar old man beside him.

No need to say who the former was.

The moment I faced Shin Gwiryeong’s smile, chills ran through my body.

Why is this guy here?

It wasn’t even cold, but I got goosebumps. Not just goosebumps—I felt like a chicken. A chicken in front of a cat.

If it were a beast like Queen Woo, I’d be devoured instantly, but with a cat, I could at least try to fight back and escape, so maybe it was fortunate.

Compared to a beast like Queen Woo, he’s less threatening.

Anyway, in both my past and present lives, this was one of the top five most shocking experiences.

“Why are you so surprised?”

Flustered, I moved my arms and legs forward like a wooden puppet and entered the reception room.

“Me, surprised?”

“No matter how you look at it, you seem startled.”

His head didn’t budge, as if taxidermied, despite his words.

Even his greeting was half-hearted, almost challenging.

“Anyone would think you’ve seen a ghost.”

It was probably meant as a joke, but it didn’t feel like one. Honestly, would someone like me fear ghosts? I’m practically a ghost myself.

Not just any ghost. I haven’t seen other ghosts besides the Great Ancestor, but if I were a ghost, I’d be among the strongest, wouldn’t I?

“Watch your mouth.”

“My apologies.”

His face didn’t look the least bit apologetic.

With a grimace like I’d stepped in dung, I roughly pulled a nearby chair and sat down.

Then I shifted my gaze to the old man beside Shin Gwiryeong.

“And who are you? Not a word from you.”

The old man stood, bowing his head.

“My apologies. I’ve never seen such an esteemed person, so I…”

Now that I looked, his body was trembling as if he’d been rolling in a snowfield all day.

Where did they find such an extraordinary old man? I was deeply curious about his origins.

As if reading my look, Shin Gwiryeong said, “It’s a symptom of drug addiction. Nothing to worry about.”

What? I let out a scoff.

“Nothing to worry about? You must not know who I am.”

Shin Gwiryeong smiled faintly again. To an outsider, it’d look like he was in a good mood.

“Be understanding. At least he’s not crying.”

It was as if he was saying, What are you going to do about it? Of course, I had no comeback.

Feeling uneasy, I pushed my chair back as far as possible to create some distance.

“You wouldn’t bring a trembling, drug-addled old man here without a reason.”

Shin Gwiryeong nodded. The old man sat back down. One hand gripped the chair, the other the table. Though his grip steadied the furniture briefly, his arms still trembled. It was an unsettling sight.

“There’s certainly a reason.”

I leaned back deeply in my chair, crossing my arms.

“Speak.”

As if waiting for the cue, Shin Gwiryeong began his introduction.

“This man was originally a physician…”

At that, I scrunched my face. Just scrunched? I twisted every muscle in my face and grimaced.

Shin Gwiryeong paused and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Why do you think?”

“You seem displeased.”

“Displeased?”

“Perhaps.”

Of course I’m displeased—how could I not be? An old man, trembling like a leaf from drug addiction, and you introduce him as a physician?

Damn it. His hands were shaking so much there was practically an afterimage. Who’d trust their life to those hands? Not a madman. Unfortunately, I’m not that mad yet—I know my life’s worth.

“Go on. Let’s hear it.”

Maybe he was a decent physician before he got hooked. Hearing about his past experience might be useful.

“His name is Sun Gang.”

Sun Gang?

It was a name that made my eyes widen.

Sun Gang was a physician who, in the future, saved a warrior from the brink of death, becoming famous overnight.

To think I’d meet that physician here, like this.

It was hard to reconcile the legendary physician I’d imagined with the drug addict before me, but if this was that Sun Gang, his skills must be considerable.

Then, Sun Gang’s fingers shot out like lightning.

His fingers stabbed a spot two finger-widths above my heart.

“Ow!”

It hurt. Really hurt.

Sun Gang quickly pulled back, and I clutched the stabbed spot, looking back and forth between him and Shin Gwiryeong in disbelief.

Shin Gwiryeong suddenly opened a fan. The colorful bird feathers at its tip caught my eye. He sure loves flashy things.

Covering his mouth with the fan, he said, “It’s an acupuncture point for a powerful awakening effect. Exaggerating a bit, it’s said to pull someone half-dead back to life.”

What nonsense?

I snapped. There was no awakening effect—just pain.

“Awakening, my ass…”

Shin Gwiryeong laughed.

“Haha, since it wasn’t done properly, of course there’s no effect.”

I snapped louder. “You bring this quack here…”

“My apologies, Your Highness, but this man isn’t the kind of fraud called a quack in common terms.”

He looked like a quack no matter how you sliced it, but he says he’s not?

“I vouch for him, so please trust him.”

That made me trust him even less. Sure, as the head of a top-tier merchant group, his judgment is likely better than mine, but I was still skeptical.

“Oh, and I’ve already received permission from Generalissimo So, so I haven’t done anything wrong.”

Even my grandfather?

That was unexpected.

Surely my stubborn grandfather didn’t join in on this chest-stabbing prank.

That means this crazy-looking drug addict is very likely the legendary physician Sun Gang…

Hmm.

“Was it a mistake?”

“Yes.”

“If that’s the case, there’s no helping it. Try again.”

I slowly lowered the hand rubbing the stabbed spot, exposing it again.

It was a gesture to try again.

But the response was unexpected.

“That acupuncture point is very delicate…”

The old man spoke, his trembling lips moving.

It was surprising to hear coherent words from him.

“Unless I find it myself… ugh, cough, hack…”

Sun Gang started coughing violently mid-sentence. I quickly backed away.

Shin Gwiryeong said casually, “He has asthma, they say.”

Asthma? And he’s a legendary physician?

Forget legendary—is he even a physician?

“Your Highness, come closer.”

“Why should I, with a sick old man?”

“I want to try the acupuncture point first.”

I stared at Sun Gang suspiciously from a distance before reluctantly approaching.

The moment he stabbed the point, I sucked in a sharp breath.

As the point was pressed, my entire body felt lighter for a moment.

But it was only for that moment. When Sun Gang removed his hand, the lightness faded.

Still, it had an effect. Subtly, my body started feeling energized.

“It’s different.”

Not only did I feel invigorated, but my vision seemed clearer and my hearing sharper. It wasn’t a huge difference, but it was noticeable.

“Not a quack after all?”

“Didn’t I tell you?”

Shin Gwiryeong added, as if teasing.

“This man is a physician of rare skill.”

Sun Gang coughed a couple of times, as if embarrassed.

“Anyway, I’ve shown you the acupuncture point, so it’s up to you, Grand Prince, to make use of it.”

“Can I ask about its application?”

“It’s merely for awakening, so what more is there to say? Since the point is delicate and hard to find accurately, with practice, you can adjust the degree of awakening as needed.”

Though he brought Sun Gang, Shin Gwiryeong didn’t seem to consider him an ally, as he didn’t mention Jongmeoki Flower once.

But it was clearly about countering its side effects.

The suffering it causes can be neutralized, but it dulls the senses. In my case, even a tiny bit more Jongmeoki Flower made my sword-wielding arm feel like a decorative piece.

“Being able to control the degree of awakening and the body parts it affects would be a great benefit, wouldn’t it?”

The stabbed spot still tingled. How hard did he stab?

I glanced at Sun Gang’s fingers—they were thicker than mine. His knuckles seemed twice the size of mine.

No wonder the acupuncture was so intense.

My hands, for a man’s, are rather delicate, so the contrast was stark.

“Please find the exact point. Get well.”

With that, Shin Gwiryeong pulled something from his robes. It was wrapped in white paper, smaller than half my palm.

I thought it was for me, but no. Shin Gwiryeong handed it to Sun Gang, who eagerly unwrapped it and snorted the contents through his nose and mouth. Only then did Sun Gang look satisfied.

How could such a wreck be a future legendary physician? Even seeing it with my own eyes, I couldn’t believe it.

For no reason, I pressed the acupuncture point with my hand. As expected, nothing happened.

I nodded once and said, “Keep this quiet.”

“Of course.”

With that, I left the reception room.

I got a solution, so the rest is up to me.

But why does it feel like things keep getting harder?

At this rate, it might’ve been better to live as an orphan or beggar like in my past life, like Baekyeon.

No way. The Great Ancestor wouldn’t have given me a rotten deal, right?