The Poison Doctor’s family head.
The result was actually quite predictable.
After all, gambling is very much about luck, so even I couldn’t assert victory or defeat, but the gamble between the two was more of a contest of gambling skills than pure chance.
My prediction was a draw.
I taught the Poison Doctor as much as I could within the time I had, but he had taken a break from gambling for decades. What could he possibly improve in just ten days?
Just equipping him with new gambling techniques that utilized his medical skills was already a tight schedule.
Not only was I unable to increase the capabilities of the entire defense, but I was also barely able to prepare for the main skills of the family head. Thus, if the family head displayed a different type of gambling trick, the Poison Doctor would inevitably be at a disadvantage.
However, the family head was also encountering a type of gambling trick he’d never seen before.
With both sides sitting there, there was no way to counter or dismantle the opponent’s skills, so I thought it would end in a draw and we’d get up once a reasonable time had passed.
After a few attempts to awaken the Poison Doctor’s gambling sense, I was gradually planning to strike against the family head when…
“…You lost?”
“Heh, indeed.”
Honestly, I was surprised, but… the situation wasn’t bad, so I just nodded.
“Thank you.”
“Excuse me?”
“No need to pretend you don’t know that much.”
Suddenly, the family head looked at me with eyes full of trust and gratitude.
“I know this was all arranged by you. Teaching the Poison Doctor slow techniques and waiting about a week to challenge me might have overwhelmed me, but you chose to challenge at this moment… Isn’t this to draw out our true feelings by having us sit at the gambling table for a long time?”
What was that supposed to mean?
“I really appreciate your favor. I only intended to use you to keep the Poison Doctor around for a few more days, but you have turned his mind around entirely. To handle both my request and the Poison Doctor’s request at once, your cunning is beyond my understanding.”
What the hell happened at the family head’s quarters yesterday? I, Ho Cheon-an, couldn’t even begin to fathom what chaotic thing transpired, and it’s driving me crazy with curiosity.
But I couldn’t exactly pry into the situation with the family head, who looked like he’d just been slapped.
“Um, I see. So, is everything resolved?”
“Seems so. The Poison Doctor will likely settle with our Tang family for a while.”
The family head sighed deeply as he spoke.
“Whew, we’re facing mountain after mountain, aren’t we?”
“Is there another problem?”
“The Doctor has given me a chance, so I must seize it. It would be great if there were a good way for the Poison Doctor to form bonds with our Tang Clan.”
As he watched me, there was a look in his eyes that seemed to believe I had some sort of plan hidden in my head.
“Ahem, well, I do wish someone would give me a referenceable opinion…”
“…I’ll think about it.”
“Oh, will you? Hehe, am I asking too much of a guest?”
I shook my head and left the family head’s quarters.
“Thanks.”
As soon as I arrived at the Poison Doctor’s residence, he expressed his gratitude.
“Thanks to you, I was able to take revenge.”
“Sir, what on earth happened at the family head’s quarters yesterday?”
I found myself dying of curiosity over what went down yesterday.
I thought the victorious Poison Doctor would eagerly share his tales, but he just shook his head with a subtle smile.
After all, it was a quiet match between two people. What kind of match took place that left them in such a mood? I was extremely curious, but with both parties staying silent, there was nothing I could do.
Perhaps if I stayed at the Tang family, I could find out what really happened yesterday.
“I just came from the family head’s quarters. You’ve decided to rest at the Tang family for a while, right?”
“Indeed. It’s necessary to analyze your symptoms, after all. So, I suppose I should check your pulse.”
The Poison Doctor caught my pulse.
“Hmm.”
“Indeed, you’ve reached the peak. You are so sensitive to my energy coming in.”
I could feel the energy entering my body through the Poison Doctor’s fingers.
“You maintain a unique flow. Is this your solution?”
“Yes.”
After some time roaming through my body, the Poison Doctor felt my energy dissipating.
“The impurities in your body have been removed as expected. In conclusion, your condition cannot be fixed in just a day or two.”
“Is that so?”
“I’ve done all the initial treatments possible at the inn in Yunnan, and it has yielded the expected results. Now, I really need to study your body. We’ve cleared out some symptoms, so now we need to get to the root of it.”
The Poison Doctor continued explaining.
“It won’t be resolved in a day or two. It’s not something you can rush. Make sure to come find me for about an hour every dawn or morning.”
“Understood, Sir.”
We agreed to meet around dawn, roughly at seven o’clock, to study the blood. After stepping outside, I ran into Feng Ying Hall Master, who had been pacing.
“Ah, Hall Master.”
“Teacher Ho! So, you’ve finished speaking with the Poison Doctor?”
“Yes, I did. What brings the Hall Master here?”
“Just came to check on you. Until now, Do-gyeong and you have been with the Poison Doctor, but now it seems you will be alone.”
“Since we’re at the main family, is it really so lonely?”
It was meant to be a light joke, but surprisingly, Feng Ying Hall Master shook his head.
“The Poison Doctor is much older than you think. An expert of Hwa-gyeong and one of the top physicians in the world. He may look young, but his age is significant.”
“Perhaps that could be the reason he’s gradually distancing himself from the Tang family. He’s not married, and ultimately his relationships in the family are limited to peers of his age… If he came to visit the Tang family after a long time only to hear news of a friend’s funeral, that would be quite sad.”
“…Indeed.”
I looked at Feng Ying Hall Master for a moment. He took care of those around him well, and was deep in thought with strong martial skills—he was quite a good person.
If only he had hair, he would be perfect. It seems protectors of balance do exist.
After parting ways with Feng Ying Hall Master and arriving at Do-gyeong’s house, I found Do-gyeong, Rye-ah, Black Cat, and Miss Yeo Il-ye waiting for me with refreshments.
They all seemed curious about the outcome. After summarizing the events of the day, they nodded in understanding.
“It seems it wrapped up quite well, so that’s a relief.”
“So, in the end, the Poison Doctor won?”
Yeo Il-ye and Black Cat reacted to the matter of victory or defeat.
“Good job, Ho-hyung.”
“Hmm. Brother Do-gyeong, you’ve really worked hard over the last ten days.”
“It was a family matter, so what’s there to complain about? By the way, I can’t believe the family head was worried about that… I guess I need to lend a hand too.”
“Hmm? What do you plan to do?”
“I should keep the Poison Doctor company so he doesn’t feel lonely. I’ll take some dice and cups to visit him today or tomorrow.”
Do-gyeong reacted strongly to the Poison Doctor staying at the Tang family.
The family head’s reaction and the sensitivity of Feng Ying Hall Master and Do-gyeong alike indicated they were all quite interested in the Poison Doctor’s affairs.
Given the reputation of the Poison Doctor and the status of the Tang family, it would be beneficial for him to stay, but did it require this much sensitivity?
At that moment, Rye-ah, who had been fidgeting, spoke up.
“There are two people the elders of the Tang family worry about every time they open their mouths.”
“Rye, Rye-ah…!”
“One is that good-for-nothing older brother who runs around fighting in the streets every day!”
“Hey, how do you know about that…?”
Do-gyeong’s face turned red. He must not want his younger sister to know about that embarrassing past of his.
“Hmph! Though you’re still young, you have ears like an adult! The way you run out to fight every day has everyone worried sick!”
Black Cat and Yeo Il-ye couldn’t help but chuckle, while Do-gyeong continually fanned himself to cool his blushing face as Rye-ah continued.
“Though it can’t compare, there were many elders who worried about the Poison Doctor too.”
“Indeed, Rye-ah has a wealth of insight.”
“Hehe.”
I grew curious about why Rye-ah was suddenly talking like this, but I suppose she wanted to be praised by Yeo Il-ye.
“Speaking of which, when I first met Brother Do-gyeong, he bluntly challenged me to a match. Heh, would you care for a duel now?”
“Phew, I apologize for that.”
“If it’s now, I could easily duel without needing the Gratitude Plaque.”
“Even you, Miss Yeo Il-ye…”
“Older brother, you fool!”
Do-gyeong’s shoulders drooped, and the three girls gleefully teased him.
It seems the affairs of the Poison Doctor were quite a significant issue in the Tang family. There must be inner problems that outsiders wouldn’t see.
However, I don’t think it would be overly difficult for the Poison Doctor to form bonds with the Tang family.
I decided to step in and save Do-gyeong, who was being teased.
“There’s a method for the Poison Doctor to form bonds with the Tang family; would you like to hear it?”
“…There’s such a method?”
“I don’t think it will be that difficult.”
I turned my head to see the eager expression on Do-gyeong’s face.
“I mean, it all depends on whether someone helps.”
Rye-ah, who locked eyes with me, blinked as if she didn’t understand.
