#132: Duty (7) — The Patriarch of Sichuan

“It won’t work.”

Lee Jung-myeong’s voice was unusually even.

It had to be. A physician’s basic virtue was not showing emotion easily in front of a patient.

“Even if I suppress part of the Hundred Poisons, the remaining poison splits into branches and tries to fuse with itself.”

“…”

“Now there is only one method left.”

Even at words that death was right in front of him, Gyeong In-geol’s expression didn’t change.

His gaze out the window was deep, unlike his frail body. It looked as if he wasn’t listening to Lee Jung-myeong at all.

At last, a sigh slipped out of Lee Jung-myeong.

“Patriarch.”

“Speak.”

“I told you before, but if we use this method… it cannot be undone.”

“Our clan has been in an irreversible situation for months.”

“…”

“Don’t worry. I won’t use that method right now. We have close to a month left, don’t we.”

“?!”

Lee Jung-myeong’s eyes wavered.

“You knew?”

Of course, Gyeong In-geol couldn’t know how much life he had left.

He only repeated what he heard from Jin-hyeon. Seeing Lee Jung-myeong’s reaction, it seemed to be true.

“Knowing how much life I have left has no meaning.”

“How can it have no meaning? You are the master of the Divine Iron Merchant House, Patriarch.”

“Then when did you intend to tell me that truth?”

Lee Jung-myeong lowered his head in silence.

Gyeong In-geol understood him. Divine Iron’s chief physician was a man born with a kind nature more than anyone. He couldn’t easily say that the Patriarch, whom he’d been with his whole life, had less than a month left.

“Physician Lee.”

“…Speak, Patriarch.”

“Do you remember? Years ago, you said something like this. That I should care for Se-hwi.”

He spoke Gyeong Se-hwi’s name, not Gyeong Do-cheon’s.

It was a little strange, but Lee Jung-myeong nodded and answered.

“I did. Because you kept distancing yourself from the Second Young Master more and more, Patriarch.”

“I didn’t like Se-hwi’s presence.”

“…”

“Se-hwi was a boy who devoted his life to smithing. But it didn’t end there. I was the one who knew his talent and took him as an adopted son, but he kept becoming more and more of a monster.”

“A monster? How can you say that?”

“A monster. At an age before he even reached adulthood, he bewitched not only the clan’s master craftsmen, but even the warriors, and even the laborers.”

Lee Jung-myeong nodded in silence.

In that sense, ‘monster’ fit. At the very least, a leader of an organization would envy, and even resent, a natural gift that drew people’s hearts.

“That isn’t something you can learn. He was a soft boy, but that part was inborn. If he became the head of an organization in a peaceful time, he would’ve led it better than anyone.”

Lee Jung-myeong sighed with a bitter expression.

“He would’ve.”

“So I cast him aside.”

“…Huh?”

“Our clan is one that began with smithing. Now we run trade as well, but the blacksmiths’ voice was extremely strong up through my father’s generation. After I became Patriarch, I said I would balance iron and trade, but it wasn’t an easy thing.”

“…”

“It’s not that the smiths controlled our clan’s business. But they were not people you could ignore. And every one of those people who couldn’t be ignored cherished Se-hwi more than Do-cheon.”

“They cherished him especially. I think that’s only natural.”

“The problem is that the Trade Routes Department’s family members weighed Do-cheon and Se-hwi on a scale.”

“?!”

“Either way, our clan is a merchant house now. Of course they should oppose Se-hwi becoming master of it, with the smiths’ support behind him. Yet they still weighed the two boys. That means even to them, Se-hwi’s talent was outstanding.”

Lee Jung-myeong’s expression slowly hardened.

Devoted only to medicine within Divine Iron, he had never heard such inner details.

“Se-hwi had the power to make even the opposition into his own people. And what kind of place is the Trade Routes Department? They look at goods and leave profit. Do you think they put Se-hwi on the scale for mere natural charm?”

“…Then they believed the Second Young Master truly had the ability to lead the clan.”

“From the moment Se-hwi took up a hammer, he never once involved himself in trade. Not only did he not know commerce, he didn’t even know how many masters our house had. He knew nothing of trade, and yet the Trade Routes Department judged him that way. What does that mean?”

Gyeong In-geol’s eyes deepened.

“It means his presence was so exceptional it made them believe it would be fine even if he didn’t truly have that ability.”

“!!”

“Se-hwi was born with the qualities to become a sage ruler of the age. Before ability, his nature was like that. I realized it too late.”

“So you distanced yourself from the Second Young Master because of that?”

“That’s right.”

Gyeong In-geol’s voice grew more and more heated.

“My father was the man who rewrote the history of the Divine Iron Great Guild. Thanks to him, we could open a world for the Gyeong line. I… I feared that if someone who didn’t carry Gyeong blood took the Patriarch’s seat, then one day my father’s rule and mine would be judged as petty greed.”

Once someone outside Gyeong blood became Patriarch, it would happen often afterward as well.

In the end, Gyeong In-geol meant he cast Gyeong Se-hwi aside because he feared how later generations would judge him.

Lee Jung-myeong, looking down at Gyeong In-geol in silence, asked slowly.

“Is that truly all?”

“?”

“It wasn’t only that reason, was it.”

“…”

“It’s been thirty years since I tended your body. If you know the body, you know the heart.”

“…”

“I hope you recover, Patriarch, that you put this chaotic clan in order, and live out your natural years. But separate from how I feel about you, I think you are still not an honest man, Patriarch.”

Gyeong In-geol’s eyes wavered.

Lee Jung-myeong sighed and rose from his seat.

“Steady your heart. I will raise the final treatment’s chance of success as much as I can.”

It was then.

“Patriarch. The First Young Master requests an audience.”

In an instant, both men’s faces changed.

Everyone except Chief Physician Lee Jung-myeong and the escort captain Baek Gyu believed Gyeong In-geol wasn’t in his right mind. Yet the servant still addressed him ‘Patriarch.’ It was to notify Lee Jung-myeong that the First Young Master would be entering.

Lee Jung-myeong tidied his clothes. Gyeong In-geol closed his eyes and lowered his breathing.

Deureureuk!

The door opened, and Gyeong Do-cheon came in.

“First Young Master.”

“Chief Physician.”

Gyeong Do-cheon bowed properly. There was nothing to pick at.

“I heard you were handling matters at Fragrant Brocade. You’re back already?”

“Fortunately, I could finish quickly. I was worried about Father, so I hurried back in one run.”

“Heh heh. Is that so?”

Separate from his kind nature, Lee Jung-myeong was skilled at hiding his feelings. It was a skill gained from caring for patients.

But today, it wasn’t easy. Gyeong Do-cheon’s arrival was too sudden.

Gyeong Do-cheon looked at Gyeong In-geol with sunken eyes.

“How is Father’s condition in detail?”

“It isn’t good.”

Lee Jung-myeong’s voice, after swallowing without being heard, was calmer.

“The sickness has burrowed into his marrow. Honestly, I can say it is now beyond my ability.”

“…”

“I’ve never seen an illness like this in my life. Even Sichuan’s famed physicians are busy shaking their heads… I have no face to stand before you, First Young Master.”

“I know you cared for him with all your devotion. Don’t say that.”

Gyeong Do-cheon tried to steady his expression, yet the grief on his face was unmistakable.

Seeing that, Lee Jung-myeong felt goosebumps rise.

‘How can a man…!’

On the face of a man committing filial impiety by poisoning his parent to death, there wasn’t a speck of wavering. He had never imagined acting that perfect was possible.

If he watched any longer, he might slip. Lee Jung-myeong lowered his head slightly.

“I shouldn’t disturb the time between a father and his son. I’ll take my leave.”

“Yes. Thank you for your work.”

The path to death had already been fully laid out. There were too many eyes watching, so he wouldn’t make any foolish moves.

‘And he’s already pulled all the tricks he had.’

Lee Jung-myeong opened the door and left.

Gyeong Do-cheon looked down at Gyeong In-geol in silence, then sat on the chair Lee Jung-myeong had used.

“…”

A brief silence.

The grief-filled look on Gyeong Do-cheon’s face slowly, slowly became blank.

How much time passed like that?

“So natural.”

Gyeong In-geol didn’t blink once.

Gyeong Do-cheon cocked his head slightly.

“Seeing how well someone who learned a bit of life-nourishing arts controls his breathing, it seems Father’s talent really was impressive. Even with your body in this state, you’re inducing changes with minute breath control.”

“…”

“I wonder if my craftiness and my talent in martial arts all came from Father.”

Gyeong In-geol still didn’t react.

Gyeong Do-cheon spoke, crossing his legs leisurely.

“I heard your mind comes and goes.”

“…”

“When I come to see you, you’re always unconscious like this.”

“…”

“At first I thought that. Ah, even a giant who drove the great carriage called the Divine Iron Merchant House ends up like this, losing his grip. Father had a weak side too.”

“…”

“But it wasn’t that. Father isn’t mad. You’re only acting like you’ve lost your mind.”

“…”

“I thought about it. Why? It’s already irreversible, so why act mad? Then even you losing consciousness whenever I come is acting too. So why do this. What do you gain?”

“…”

“You’re not doing it to gain something. Father was afraid. If my underlings report that you’re still sane, then this unfilial son might do who knows what again.”

Hook!

The candle flame shook.

Gyeong Do-cheon lowered his face by Gyeong In-geol’s ear and whispered low.

“And you acting unconscious like this is because it’s frightening, and painful, to face the reality that the son born of your own seed is poisoning you to death.”

Gyeong In-geol’s eyelids twitched.

Gyeong Do-cheon smiled.

“As a father, and as a Patriarch, the man named Gyeong In-geol has many flaws. If someone asked me which of those countless flaws is the worst, I would answer like this.”

Gyeong In-geol’s breathing wavered slightly.

Gyeong Do-cheon gently stroked his hair.

“Stupidity.”

“!”

“Stupid, and not even honest. A small vessel that couldn’t rid itself of that wretched flaw for an entire lifetime.”

Gyeong In-geol’s fingers twitched.

As if admiring a fine celadon, Gyeong Do-cheon stared at Gyeong In-geol’s wrinkles and eyes from right in front of him, then slowly straightened.

There was no smile on his face anymore. Only contempt for a man.

“The chief physician’s breathing was different than usual. It seems my sudden appearance startled him.”

“…”

“Even if he was startled, he should’ve been glad to see me. The chief physician I know is like that. But today, for some reason, he tried hard to flee this place quickly.”

Gyeong Do-cheon gave a snort of laughter.

“Things like this can’t be left to underlings. The chief physician knows. That I poisoned Father.”

“…”

“It won’t be so lonely for you on the road to the underworld.”

Gyeong In-geol’s jaw trembled.

Gyeong Do-cheon rose and walked to the window.

“It’s cold. Even so, the snow seems especially late this year.”

“…”

“The first snow fell the day Mother died. This year, I was busy and couldn’t even hold the memorial rites.”

“…”

“Honestly, it was a hassle too. Doing such a thing every year isn’t an easy thing, is it? So…”

“…”