The Quality of Medicine
I felt it.
'It's hot!'
That was my first impression of the wild ginseng. But the strange thing was, it wasn't the skin of my hand touching the ginseng that felt hot; it was as if my entire left hand was being flooded with warmth.
'So this is how it feels...!'
Just as a patient's pain resonated within my own body, the medicinal properties of the herbs felt as if they were acting upon me directly. Though the sensation was limited to my left hand, the effect was unmistakable.
I closed my eyes, sensing the essence of the herb just as I would the root of a patient's pain. Then, I pulled my hand away and reached for the second wild ginseng.
'Ah...!'
Comparing them made the difference even clearer. Compared to the first ginseng, which had surged with energy like a raging wave, the second and third were somewhat lacking.
I couldn't know the reason. Even if they had grown in the same area, perhaps the first one had been in a better shaded spot, or maybe its potential had been different from the moment it was a seed. Just as siblings born to the same parents can differ in constitution, it was only natural.
I opened my eyes and spoke.
"The first one has the strongest medicinal properties."
Park Baedong couldn't help but be astonished once more.
"How on earth did you know that?"
It was the correct answer. But he couldn't fathom the process I had used to reach it. He had spent years relying on his experience—meticulously observing the ginseng's head, the root veins, the scent, and even checking the amount and viscosity of the sap after cutting a side root. I, however, had simply touched it and closed my eyes for a moment.
"I felt it."
Since there was no way to explain it, I gave a simple answer, which only deepened Park Baedong's misunderstanding. He had watched me focus with the same intensity I used when exploring a patient's acupuncture points.
'If his sensitivity to Qi has reached its peak, he must be able to feel the Qi of the herbs themselves!'
It was a misunderstanding, but not entirely wrong.
"May I take a look at the other herbs as well?"
"By all means, please do!"
The space inside the herb shop was larger than it looked, with various herbs displayed in sacks.
[Punggi Dried Ginseng: 4-Year / 5-Year / 6-Year]
I was most curious about the ginseng. When I touched it, I could still feel the warmth, but compared to the intensity of the wild ginseng, it was like the difference between a roaring fire and a warm ray of sunlight.
'If even the 6-year-old ginseng is only this much...'
I could feel slight differences in each age. The 4-year-old felt lukewarm, the 5-year-old had a more distinct warmth, and the 6-year-old was warmer still. I could sense not only the medicinal properties but also the difference in potency; the feeling of Qi circulating definitely grew stronger as the years increased. Of course, the wild ginseng was the most powerful.
I moved on to other herbs.
'Astragalus...'
When I touched it, I felt a sensation other than warmth. It was like an energy surging upward, a lifting force. Next, when I touched the Angelica root, a different feeling came through—a quiet, spreading warmth, and a sensation as if something were becoming moist.
After checking the herbs for a long while, I realized a fact:
'The quality of these herbs varies wildly.'
The herbs that come into a Korean medicine clinic are medical-grade, having passed the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's GMP standards. However, the herbs traded in shops like this were food-grade. While some were surprisingly high-quality, like the wild ginseng, most were inferior to GMP herbs, and their quality was inconsistent.
'Normally, I would have ordered from an external decoction center even if it took a few more days.'
But this was actually for the best. It was the perfect opportunity to test the ability I had acquired.
Clack.
Clack.
I picked up a basket and began filling it with herbs. Park Baedong, who was watching, felt a chill run down his spine.
'He's picking them out without even looking inside the sacks, and he's only grabbing the ones in the best condition!'
The herbs I had gathered seemed to shimmer.
"May I use your decoction equipment?"
"Oh, of course, go right ahead."
Park Baedong quickly guided me to the inner space where the earthenware decoction pots were kept. I asked him to step out, saying I wanted to focus, and let out a deep breath.
Whoosh—
I weighed the ingredients, washed them thoroughly in running water, and assessed the herbs once more. Among them, the ones whose medicinal potency was particularly lacking were... 'Anemarrhena, Phellodendron, and Licorice.'
Sensing the herbs with my left hand, I carefully channeled the polarity stored in my right hand into the herbs, just as I would when applying acupuncture needles. A moment later, my face flushed with exhilaration.
* * *
"Please, drink this."
Two hours later, a bowl of herbal medicine was placed in front of Park Baedong. The liquid, glowing with a subtle golden hue, looked different from the start, perhaps because it had been decocted by a master.
Moved, Park Baedong held the bowl like a sacred relic and gulped it down. But—
'Ugh, it's bitter!!'
What I had formulated was a modified version of Hwangryeonhaedok-tang. The hallmark of this prescription was its insane bitterness. It contained the famous "Three Bitter Brothers" (Coptis, Phellodendron, and Scutellaria), along with Gentiana and Gardenia, which were also known for their bitter taste. Furthermore, as I had enhanced the medicinal properties, the inherent bitterness was even more pronounced...
Park Baedong found himself tapping his feet under the table without realizing it.
'They say good medicine is bitter, but this is just too much... Huh?'
He pressed a hand to his temple. Then, he tilted his head this way and that.
"Oh...!"
"What's wrong, nephew?"
"My headache... my headache is completely gone!"
Park Baedong jumped up and began to hop around. Every time he walked, his head would throb with every step he took, but now...!
He whipped his head around to look at me, and I nodded as if I had expected it.
"It's a detoxification prescription, so it seems the effect is quick. You can take just one dose and then switch to a blood-nourishing prescription."
"Thank you, Director! Truly, thank you!"
Now, a halo seemed to be radiating from me. Park Baedong felt tears welling up in his eyes.
'He's a noble person, a true benefactor!'
He had been frail since childhood, catching colds at the slightest provocation. He had thought that tonics worked well for him, so when he managed to get his hands on some wild ginseng one day, he added it to his Sipjeondaebo-tang instead of regular ginseng. He felt his energy surge and thought wild ginseng was indeed different. So, he had sought it out and consumed it whenever he could.
He had clearly felt a boost in his stamina each time, but to think it had been slowly eating away at his body in the long run...
'Even though I knew that medicine that doesn't suit your body becomes poison...!'
He looked at me with dazzling eyes, amazed that I seemed so calm after improving a condition that had plagued him for over a year in just a single day.
'The best way to show gratitude isn't with words, but with your wallet!'
He decided to pay for the treatment first.
"Director, how much is the medicine?"
"Ah, the medicine."
"I should have paid for it when I paid for the acupuncture earlier. You came all the way here and spent two hours decocting it, so please, let me pay you generously."
"I can't accept money for this."
"Pardon?"
The village head chimed in from the side.
"Doctor. It's not right to be so indifferent to money. Even if he is my nephew, you should take what's due."
'No, it's not because of the village head...'
"I really can't accept it. The herbs I use are different from those in a standard clinic, so if I take money for this, it would be illegal."
"Oh..."
At that, Park Baedong abruptly pulled out a wild ginseng case.
"Then, please accept this instead."
"Pardon?"
I was startled. A 50-year-old wild ginseng was worth at least 5 million won per root, and he was giving me three of them?
"If I hadn't met you, I would have just eaten them myself, and my body would have only gotten worse."
"Still, this is too much..."
"You have provided treatment worth far more than this. You can take them yourself, or use them for a patient who needs them later."
And just like that, I had acquired wild ginseng.
"But it's a shame that you use medicine so well, yet your clinic doesn't have a decoction room."
"I was hoping to take a tonic myself... it would be great if the Director could decoct it for me directly."
Then, I said something that piqued their interest.
"Actually, I am planning to build a decoction room."
"Oh, is that so?"
Both of them beamed.
* * *
Construction of the decoction room began. Park Baedong, a local of Goesan with many connections, found a reliable contractor at the lowest price. Park Miyoung looked genuinely happy.
'Finally, I have something to do in my spare time!'
She had been anxious that she wasn't earning her salary with only three patient appointments a day and cleaning the clinic, but now, the task of managing the decoction room had appeared! (new)
She rolled up her sleeves and began the work of removing the polishing agent from the newly arrived stainless steel decoction pots. Meanwhile, in the director's office, I opened the Korean medicine practitioner community for the first time in a while.
[What day is it today? Did all the grandmas go to Caribbean Bay together? No patients are coming T_T]
[Blacklist: Bundang Lee O-jung, nursing assistant. She quit after complaining about why the job posting didn't mention acupuncture removal duties. If you don't remove needles at a clinic! What are you getting paid for! Huh?]
[Taking lunch menu recommendations! Jjamppong vs. Jjajangmyeon]
Even so, there was no better place to find information.
Click-
I'm setting up a decoction room at my clinic. Does anyone know a good supplier?
Comments began to appear after only a few minutes.
-New opening? To build a decoction room where there wasn't one before... how much medicine are you selling? Rural areas are the best. Everyone, let's go to Goesan.
-Goesan is a dead end. If you're coming, take over my clinic instead T_T
-(Private Message) This is an honest supplier I deal with. You'll be satisfied. XXX-XXXX-XXXX
-(Private Message) I run a clinic in the neighboring Boeun-gun, here is the owner's contact info. XXX-XXXX-XXXX
I checked the first private message and made the call.
"Hello."
[A partner you can trust, this is Bae Shin-hyung from Youngheung Pharmaceutical! Excuse me, but where are you calling from?]
"This is the clinic in Yongdeok-ri, Goesan. I'm calling after receiving a recommendation from the practitioner community."
[Ah, yes. Director. Thank you for reaching out!]"
I told him to come by today, given his polite response. However, the face of Bae Shin-hyung, who had just hung up, was cold, contrary to his tone.
'Yongdeok-ri...?'
The sales representative who dominated the Goesan area pictured the location of Yongdeok-ri in his mind. A clinic in a village unit had to be small-scale.
'The transaction volume must be shit. It's not like there's much revenue, so why bother with inventory management? Should I have not posted that comment using my uncle's ID...'
Although it was a community only for practitioners, he had been secretly soliciting business using his uncle's ID.
'Ah, I should just swap the labels on expired herbs and mix them in! He looked like a young director, would he even be able to tell the difference? It's going to be disposed of anyway, so there's no loss even if it gets returned later.'
He diligently finished swapping the labels, loaded up some high-quality sample herbs, and visited the clinic.
"Greetings, Director! This is Bae Shin-hyung from Youngheung Pharmaceutical!"
"Come on in. Let's take a look at the herbs first."
As expected of a village clinic. No decent sign, and not a single patient in the waiting room. The director's hair was messy, and his face was full of fatigue—a clinic overflowing with the aura of defeat.
He spread out the sample herbs.
"As you can see, I pride myself on the quality of my herbs being superior to any other company. Since you contacted me through a referral, I'll give you the lowest possible price."
I examined the herbs.
'Not bad.'
Even without my ability to sense medicinal properties, I didn't lack the eye for herbs. This was at least high-quality, if not the best.
"Did you bring the goods?"
"Yes, Director!"
"Please bring them inside."
"Thank you for your business!"
Bae Shin-hyung ran to his truck and carted in a mix of regular herbs and the ones he had relabeled earlier. Park Miyoung followed behind him.
"Should I stack them over here?"
"Yes. The herb room isn't fully set up yet, so I'll organize them later."
"I'll arrange them in alphabetical order so they're easy to find!"
Bae Shin-hyung spoke with a sycophantic tone while smiling to himself.
'The fool who gets deceived is the idiot, right?'
His conscience didn't prick him in the slightest as he pushed the low-quality herbs on me. A place like this wouldn't decoct medicine often anyway. If they happened to open a bag much later and sense something was wrong, he could just blame the clinic's management or insist that opened herbs couldn't be returned.
While he was working, I entered the herb room.
"Is it going well?"
"Yes, Director. Don't worry! Organizing herbs is my specialty."
I watched the sales rep sweating as he moved the herbs, then picked up a bag of herbs nearby. As soon as my fingers brushed over the bag, my face hardened.
'Hmm?'
Even through the plastic, the energy of the herbs was clearly detectable. But that energy was trembling faintly, having lost its vitality.
My eyes narrowed. When I pressed my fingertips against the bag, it became even clearer.
'This is...'
I slowly began to pick up the bags one by one and stack them into two piles on the table. Bae Shin-hyung's smile gradually vanished. Something was wrong.
"Director, why are you..."
I set down the last bag and turned around. My gaze was sharp, and my voice had sunk like a cold blade.
"The left side here is normal herbs. The right side is all aged herbs. Did you mix in herbs that have passed their expiration date?"