Today, I Am the Healer (Part 1)
"Uuuugh..."
Yi Mok burst into tears at the news that I could cure his son. I patted his shoulder gently. Raising a child all on his own must have been an uphill battle filled with endless hardships; it was only natural for him to break down like this.
"Why are you crying when it's good news?"
"I-I searched high and low, everywhere I could think of, just to cure my Song... and to think I would meet such a benefactor like this..."
It was quite a sight to see a man of such massive stature weeping. Seonwoo Seol stared blankly for a moment before realizing her insensitivity and quickly patted Yi Mok's back as well.
"Chef Yoon's medical skills are hard to find anywhere else in this area. He's especially talented at blending herbs to restore one's vital energy."
"Then why is Chef Yoon working as a chef instead of a physician...?"
It was a fundamentally logical question: 'If his medical skills are great enough to treat Severed Meridian Syndrome, why on earth is he working as a chef?' I hesitated for a moment at the question, then rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly.
"Well, the world has all kinds of people, doesn't it?"
Yi Mok nodded, but his face still wore a look of utter incomprehension. It's just because I'm an indecisive guy who hates taking on heavy responsibilities. At any rate, to get straight to the point, I pulled out a sheet of paper and a fine brush. I immediately began writing down the names of various herbs. They were on the pricier side, but generally easy to obtain. In a bustling, well-connected metropolis like Gyeongsa, there was no way these wouldn't be available.
After writing down the list of herbs, I handed it to Man Hanseok along with my coin purse and asked, "Is there an apothecary nearby?"
"There is, but why...?"
"I'm going to hand this list to you. Go to the apothecary and ask for everything on it. Hanseok, go with the master blacksmith here and spend my coin purse dry."
"Sweet!"
"What do you mean, 'sweet'? Hurry up and get going." At my words, Yi Mok shook his head.
"How can I, as his father, allow our benefactor to pay for the treatment?"
"Even if it's cheaper than rare spiritual medicine, the quantity is quite large, so it'll cost at least three silver taels."
"...I can use my emergency savings for that..."
"Aigoo, forget it. If I don't even pay for this, I'll get cursed out wherever I go."
Three silver taels was no small sum; he would undoubtedly have to go borrow money from somewhere. Rather than watching that happen, I'd rather become his creditor.
"Hanseok. Take the master blacksmith to the apothecary right now. Just scoop him up so he can't resist."
"Yes, sir!"
With those words, Man Hanseok literally scooped Yi Mok up with one arm and slung him over his shoulder.
"A-Ah, no. Wait... Let me at least put on some clothes...!"
"We have no time, Master Blacksmith."
"Uh, wait—!"
As Man Hanseok strode out of the room with Yi Mok balanced on his shoulder, Seonwoo Seol watched their retreating figures with a dazed expression.
"Junior Man is no joke. He looks like a literal Guardian Deity..."
"Once he becomes an adult, even the Brocade Guard will have to take a step back."
He was already taller than me, and since I had been constantly feeding him nutritious food lately, his muscles were growing progressively massive. If we walked around together, wouldn't we look like David Yoon and Goliath Man? I'd have to make sure he avoided any stray slingshots.
While Yi Mok and Man Hanseok were away at the apothecary, Seonwoo Seol and I quietly watched Lee Song and Gongson Yeongji chatting in hushed tones. They were speaking so softly that I couldn't make out the words, but seeing them giggle occasionally, they were definitely enjoying each other's company.
"..."
"Chef Yoon."
"Yes?"
"Why do you look so grumpy? You even have your arms crossed."
"Well, how should I put it..."
They looked so sweet together, yet for some reason, I felt this sudden urge to ruin their fun. I didn't know why I felt this way, but I wanted to let out a booming, dramatic shout—the classic "Over my dead body!" kind of roar. But I knew I shouldn't voice these thoughts aloud, as Seonwoo Seol would surely look at me with utter pity. For now, I leaned against the wall next to Seonwoo Seol and struck up a conversation of our own.
"What sudden wind blew you to help someone else like this?"
"Anyone listening would think I normally just walk past people in need. I saw a clear problem, and since I know the cure, I'm just helping him get better."
"It's always the same excuse with you. 'I do it because I can.'"
"Isn't that only natural?"
"Most people can't do that because of the people they follow, their organizations, or their country."
"Isn't that how people with a lot to lose behave? When you have nothing to lose, there's no issue with just following your heart."
"...Why do you think you have nothing to lose, Chef Yoon?"
I had spoken lightly, thinking it was just a passing topic, but Seonwoo Seol suddenly grew serious.
"Huh? Well, I mean... I don't have any parents, for starters."
"I'm not talking about blood relations."
Glancing toward Gongson Yeongji, who was still talking to Lee Song, Seonwoo Seol continued with an unusually solemn expression.
"Imagine you disappeared this very second, Chef Yoon. How do you think Yeongji would react?"
"Mmm..."
"What about Junior Man? Or... what about me?"
As I fell silent, Seonwoo Seol crossed her arms and stared intently at me.
"And it's not just the people in this room. If you were to vanish right now, there are countless people who would miss you and cherish their memories of you."
It was hard to find the words to respond to her. Hearing this directly from Seonwoo Seol, of all people, made my face feel strangely hot.
Perhaps reading my expression, Seonwoo Seol let out a soft sigh and looked up at me.
"Do you finally understand a little?"
"Not just a little, but a lot."
"Since you usually charge headfirst regardless of status, I thought you were just overflowing with confidence. Why did you think that way until now?"
"You charge headfirst precisely because you have nothing to lose. How can someone with a lot to lose do that?"
After all, the scariest person in the world isn't a criminal with fifteen prior convictions, but someone who has absolutely nothing left to lose.
"I don't think your actions are wrong, Chef Yoon, but I wish you wouldn't think of yourself as someone with nothing to lose."
"Am I really worth that much?"
"Of course you are!"
Seonwoo Seol, still with her arms crossed, tilted her head and replied.
"Honestly, you are such a strange man."
"You're not one to talk, Lady Seonwoo."
"About what?"
"Always keeping your true thoughts to yourself and staying quiet."
"W-Well, that's because of my position..."
"Because one wrong word from you could trigger a war between the Orthodox and Demonic factions?"
"Exactly. That's precisely it."
"Then let's just say both you and I have plenty to lose."
"Let's do that."
Not long after we wrapped up our conversation, Yi Mok and Man Hanseok returned.
"Chef Yoon, we've brought them."
"Nothing missing?"
"Yes. They said we even have some herbs to spare... But why did you ask us to buy pork, Shaoxing wine, sugar, honey, and soybean oil?"
"I figured the rest of the ingredients would already be in the smithy."
"Pardon? Wait, are you going to cook?"
"You know how I usually administer medicine, don't you?"
"Ah! That method?"
It was a method Man Hanseok, who ate the lunchboxes I prepared at the corner of the training ground every single day, would naturally recognize. While the father and son, Yi Mok and Lee Song, tilted their heads in confusion, Seonwoo Seol and Gongson Yeongji immediately realized what I meant.
Shall we put the philosophy of Yaksik-dongwon to use for the first time in a while?
"May I use your kitchen for a bit?"
"Hmm? I don't mind, but our ingredients are rather meager..."
"You have scallions, bok choy, and dark soy sauce, don't you?"
"We do. But will that be enough?"
More than enough. Now, shall we head to the kitchen?
Stepping into the kitchen, I saw several large cauldrons and furnaces, as expected of a blacksmith's workshop. Preparing today's dish would be a breeze.
Today's dish would be divided into two versions: one without medicinal herbs, and another infused with herbs to boost yang energy.
The meat I had ordered Man Hanseok to buy was pork belly.
By sweeping my hand, infused with yang energy, over the pork skin, I could singe away any remaining hairs. If you don't have teeth, use your gums; if you don't have a blowtorch, use your internal energy.
Next, I sliced the pork belly into thick cubes and placed them into a large pot to boil. If I were in the academy's kitchen, I would have left it to the kitchen hands and walked away, but since there were many people waiting today, I channeled my internal energy into the pot to drastically cut down the boiling time.
To be honest, the pork was already tender enough to be eaten as delicious boiled pork slices, but unfortunately, today's dish required going a step further.
I mixed sugar, honey, and water in a small iron pan and simmered it until it turned dark. This created a bittersweet, homemade caramel.
Then, I brushed the caramel onto the skin of the boiled pork belly. Seeing the skin turn a mouthwatering golden-brown made me want to pop a piece straight into my mouth.
Suppressing my appetite, I poured a generous amount of oil into the iron pan and heated it. I dipped my finger in slightly to check if it had reached the desired temperature, and once it did, I dropped the caramelized pork belly in.
Sssssssss!
"Ah, this is going to taste incredible." While I drooled with a look of longing, Seonwoo Seol made her presence known as she stepped up behind me.
"What are you making that sounds like pouring rain in the kitchen...? Ah, are you frying pork belly?"
"Yes. But this isn't the end. Since we've come this far, you should have a good idea of what I'm making. Do you know?"
"Of course. It's Dongpo Pork, isn't it?"
As expected of Seonwoo Seol. She got the answer right away. It was the very dish created and enjoyed by a famous poet.
While the fried pork belly cooled on a tray, I prepared two pots. One small, one large.
"The small pot will have the herbs to boost yang energy, and the large pot will be for us, so we'll leave the herbs out."
"We get to eat too?"
"We haven't even had a proper lunch yet. Since I'm cooking anyway, it's not a bad idea to eat here."
With those words, I lined the bottom of both pots with a thick layer of scallions. On top of the scallions, I placed the fried pork belly, generously added star anise, ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns, and then poured in the pork broth, Shaoxing wine, and dark soy sauce.
Finally, I added a moderate amount of honey and sugar, and all that was left was to let it simmer down completely.
I did the same for the small pot, added the finely chopped herbs at the very end, and then placed my hand on the pot to channel my internal energy. I shifted my hand around the pot to ensure proper convection as it boiled.
"Ah, that smells so good..." As the addition of the herbs released a savory aroma reminiscent of braised pig's trotters, Seonwoo Seol's face practically melted.
Honestly, almost no one could resist the aroma of soy sauce and dark soy sauce. Aside from mala, it was the ultimate cheat code of Zhongyuan cuisine.
It was a process that would normally take over ten hours, but thanks to my generous use of internal energy, I managed to cut it down to about an hour and a half. Once the sauce had reduced to a thick glaze, I arranged the tender, braised meat on plates alongside blanched bok choy to complete the dish.
I separated our portion onto a large plate and Lee Song's portion onto a smaller plate. I set the table with steamed white rice, simple fried eggs, and pickled cucumbers, and carried the spread into the room. Everyone's eyes went wide.
"My word, you were able to make Dongpo Pork in our kitchen?"
"Aigoo, this is basic. I am a renowned chef, after all."
"My, you truly are magnificent."
Meanwhile, I placed the small bowl in front of Lee Song and said,
"This is the Dongpo Pork infused with medicine. You must eat every single bite."
"Thank you, Chef Yoon..."
"If you want to show your gratitude, don't bow. Just dig into your food. Eat up. To me, that's the best thank-you."
And so, the meal began. The fried eggs and pickled cucumbers were nice, but naturally, everyone's chopsticks reached for the Dongpo Pork first.
"Chef Yoon, you don't usually make Dongpo Pork, do you?"
"It's delicious, but it takes too long. Standing in front of the stove just to feed myself is a hassle. It's a rare treat, so eat up."
"Thank you for the food!"
The Dongpo Pork, glistening with a rich, glossy brown glaze, caught everyone's eye. Even though I made it myself, it looked absolutely spectacular.
Everyone picked up a piece of the pork, and I placed a piece on my own plate, gently pressing down with my chopsticks to split it. Normally, it shouldn't have yielded so easily, but it was possible because I had braised it thoroughly using my internal energy. The moment I put a piece of the tender pork into my mouth—
"Mmm..."
A smile naturally spread across my face. The meat melted away instantly before I could even chew, leaving a rich, savory umami on my tongue. All that remained in my mouth was the salty, savory aftertaste of the dark soy sauce and pork belly. Even the potentially greasy, fatty flavor was perfectly cut by the sharp ginger and Sichuan peppercorns.
With Dongpo Pork this delicious, one thing was absolutely essential. Shoveling a spoonful of warm white rice into my mouth right after—
"This is heaven."
At this very moment, Dongpo Pork reigned supreme over any other food.
"So this is what Chef Yoon means when he says we live by the power of rice." Man Hanseok shook his head in awe as he eagerly shoveled rice into his mouth.
"Exactly. Dongpo Pork absolutely demands rice over flatbread or noodles. How is it, Yeongji? Good?"
"It's incredibly delicious..."
"A client once took me to a high-end restaurant to thank me for my work, but this is several times more delicious than what I had there."
Gongson Yeongji smiled brightly, and Yi Mok wore a warm, satisfied grin. Yes, sharing a meal in an atmosphere like this was truly the best.
As I ate, I glanced over at Lee Song. He was completely absorbed in devouring his special Dongpo Pork and rice.
"Does he usually eat with such gusto?"
"Usually, he barely picks at his food, which always worried me. He must really love it."
Moreover, seeing sweat dripping from his forehead and neck—just like Man Hanseok back in the day—it was clear the medicinal effects were starting to kick in. And then...
The moment Lee Song emptied his bowl, the true treatment began.
"Phew..."
As soon as Lee Song set his bowl down, his face flushed bright red. He looked almost intoxicated, prompting Yi Mok to turn to me with a worried gaze.
"Is my son really going to be alright?"
"Do not worry."
A flushed face meant his blood circulation was rapidly accelerating. And the fact that this reaction occurred immediately after eating meant that his blocked meridians would soon clear themselves.