The leader of the Chuna Hall spoke up.
"In that case, Chuna Hall will no longer inquire about the young master's identity."
Her decision was quite straightforward.
On the other hand, the leader of the Acupuncture Hall persistently delved into Jin Cheonhee's medical skills.
"Does the leader of the Medicine Hall have nothing to say?" At those words, the Medicine Hall leader chuckled softly.
"I've lived my life as a retainer of the Zhuge family. This old woman has been single all her life, and the lord is also unlikely to marry. But now that I've taken in such a delightful disciple, I find him utterly adorable."
"Oh dear, you've already fallen for him."
The Acupuncture Hall leader clicked his tongue.
Then he turned to the leader of the Martial Hall.
"What about you, leader of the Martial Hall?" "What kind of Martial Hall leader am I when we've brought in a master of the Flower Realm? Just let me retire." "......"
"It seems I'm the only one opposing this."
The discussion continued for quite some time after that.
One thing was certain: ever since Yoo Ho vouched for Jin Cheonhee, the atmosphere had noticeably softened.
It seemed that Yoo Ho's trust carried significant weight.
In the end, the Acupuncture Hall leader, who had been struggling alone until the very end, relented.
"Then let's conclude. The new hall, Busul Hall, will be established later, and Jin Cheonhee, the leader of Busul Hall, will create books on the Busul and conduct education and verification within the Medical Pavilion."
"We will follow the lord's command."
And so, the meeting came to an end.
That night, after the meeting ended, Jin Cheonhee couldn't fall asleep for a long time.
Four hours of sleep a day.
Normally, he would fall asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
But for some reason, tonight, something was stuck in his chest, preventing him from falling asleep. 'Ah, this won't do.' In the end, Jin Cheonhee went outside.
He thought that maybe using his body a bit would help him sleep.
When he stepped outside, the black sky was filled with stars, like buckwheat flowers blooming.
Jin Cheonhee recalled a novel he had read as a child.
It really felt like the scent of buckwheat flowers was wafting through the black sky.
He was about to practice the Three Calamities Step with the heart of Heo Saengwon from Bongpyeong when he noticed that the lights were on in the meeting room. 'Who could be awake at this hour?' As he approached the meeting room, he heard voices.
"Hee, you've worked hard. The young one got caught up in the adults' affairs."
"The leaders of the Medical Pavilion were no ordinary people. Weren't they all trying to bring the young master into their own medical halls?" "Except for the Medicine Hall leader."
"That person must have realized that the young master doesn't have any special abilities in medicine. Although I acknowledge the young master's Busul, other than that, he's practically a blank slate, isn't he?" "Still, his learning speed is terrifyingly fast. Even I, in my younger days, couldn't acquire knowledge that quickly..."
"Really, master? To that extent..."
"Haha. Of course, I was also renowned as a prodigy in the world, and indeed, my medical skills improved faster than others. But... if we're just talking about memorization, Hee is better than me." 'Master is really praising me.
My face is getting hot.' Jin Cheonhee thought as he listened to the voices.
"I didn't know it was to that extent."
"Moreover, he already possesses the necessary senses as a physician, so his acupuncture skills will soon reach a high level. And everyone knows that. That's why all the leaders were so eager."
"From the perspective of the Medicine Hall leader, it would have been more beneficial to establish a separate Busul Hall and maintain a relationship with the young master."
"From her perspective, that would be the choice for the Medicine Hall."
"That's why, in the end, the Acupuncture Hall leader couldn't give up until the very last moment. The Martial Hall leader openly demanded to be allowed to retire, perhaps because he was envious of the young master's achievements."
"No, it seemed like he genuinely wanted to retire."
"Isn't the Medical Pavilion meeting a daily occurrence? Master, those who have served the Zhuge family for generations wouldn't just throw a tantrum."
A small laugh from Jegal Rin could be heard.
"Yes, that's right. Even the Martial Hall leader, who wields a sword, is cunning in our Medical Pavilion. Normally, he would have reluctantly asked to teach Jin Cheonhee himself. After all, wouldn't it be fitting for someone serving a master of the Flower Realm to personally teach martial arts?" "You know it well. In the end, I subtly intervened to make it all come to nothing."
So that's why it started like that.
I thought it was just skepticism about unproven medical skills and an unknown background.
The Acupuncture Hall leader seemed to be suspicious of Jin Cheonhee until the very end, so I thought it was only natural that I hadn't earned their trust yet.
But it seems that wasn't the case.
"The only one who truly had no lingering attachment was probably the Chuna Hall leader. She probed once, and when she confirmed that I, the general manager, was behind it, she let go."
"If you step in, it means it's my intention. Everyone noticed that."
"But the Acupuncture Hall leader couldn't give up."
"Isn't the Acupuncture Hall already short-handed? Even though they have the highest proportion among the Medical Pavilion members, they're still lacking, so that says it all. And is our Hee a bit exceptional? They must be very envious." 'Wow, everyone is really cunning.' At that moment, the voices of the two people stopped.
Even from quite a distance, they seemed to have noticed Jin Cheonhee's presence.
If I were to run away now, it would only look more suspicious.
Jin Cheonhee deliberately cleared his throat.
Then, they called out to Jin Cheonhee from inside.
"Hee, what brings you here at this late hour?" "I couldn't sleep."
Jin Cheonhee said as he entered.
Inside, only his master and Yoo Ho were sitting.
Seeing the scattered bamboo slips and books, it seemed they were organizing today's meeting.
His master's eyes softened as he looked at Jin Cheonhee.
"Wait a moment. I'll brew you some tea that will help you sleep."
"Oh dear, master. Please maintain your dignity. I'll brew it for you."
Yoo Ho insisted on brewing the tea himself, stopping his master from doing it.
Jin Cheonhee suddenly noticed a teacup in front of his master.
In the past, he wouldn't have known what herbs were in this tea.
But now, just from the scent, Jin Cheonhee realized what herbs were used. 'It's tea that chases away sleep and clears the mind.' His master had no intention of sleeping at all.
Even if it has ingredients that clear the mind, it's only a temporary effect.
It's just postponing sleep until tomorrow, not eliminating fatigue.
In the end, people need to sleep.
Especially patients like his master. 'I want to say something...' The words lingered on his tongue.
He now understood how heavy the responsibilities of the Medical Pavilion leader were.
"Hee, do you have something you want to say?" Jin Cheonhee smiled awkwardly.
"Master, how about sharing the tea together?" "Are you referring to the tea that helps you sleep, or the tea I'm drinking that chases away sleep?" Although it was a tone used to soothe a child, there was a deeper meaning in the words.
"Either way is fine, but I'd like us to drink the same tea together."
"That's quite troublesome. I just want to make sure you, still young, get some sleep."
"I'm glad we share the same sentiment, master."
"Your eloquence has improved since attending the meeting."
His master chuckled softly.
Then he gently patted Jin Cheonhee's head.
"It's a big deal. No matter what you say, I just find it endearing. This must be what it's like to have a disciple in the martial world. This master is worried because I can't sternly scold you for not being able to sleep." "......"
"Hee."
His master's voice resonated through the night.
"Yes, master."
"What does the Medical Pavilion mean to you?" It was a difficult question.
He hadn't been at the Medical Pavilion for long, so he wondered what he could possibly know.
But his master seemed to want to hear his answer, even including that.
Jin Cheonhee pondered and pondered, then spoke with difficulty.
"To me, the Medical Pavilion is like a waterway in a river."
"Not a mountain, not the sea, but a waterway in a river? A waterway is where water bandits gather, isn't it? Why do you think that way?" "If we compare human life to water, isn't it born in the mountains and flows to the sea to die? And the sea becomes rain again and falls on the mountains. The river is in the middle. Water bandits are the wicked ones who block the flow of water."
"So the Medical Pavilion is a gathering of wicked ones who block the flow of water."
"Water bandits are originally the kind who have to pick fights with everything that flows freely beside them. And they also extort money and goods."
At those words, his master burst into hearty laughter.
"Yes, money and goods are important. Very important."
His master seemed pleased with his disciple's answer and patted his head even more enthusiastically.
"Hee."
"Yes, master."
"If the Medical Pavilion is a waterway, then you, who have become the leader of one of its halls, are like the captain of the water bandits. Is that why you can't sleep?" "It felt like something was stuck in my chest, making it hard to breathe."
"That's how it should be. That's the right feeling. A physician only needs to be responsible for the life of the patient in front of them. But a medical hall leader is different. They must be responsible for the lives of all the patients in the medical hall. That's why all the medical hall leaders are desperate."
His master paused for a moment and then patted Jin Cheonhee's head. "...... They have strong pride, so they rarely show it on the surface."
In that case, how heavy must the shoulders of the Medical Pavilion leader, who is responsible for the entire medical hall, be? Jin Cheonhee's gaze fell on his master's teacup.
It was slightly larger and heavier than a regular teacup.
Jin Cheonhee pondered its meaning for a long time.
Eventually, he sensed Yoo Ho's presence.
Jin Cheonhee spoke.
"Master."
"Why?" "Cold tea doesn't taste good. If we're going to drink it, wouldn't it be better to have freshly brewed warm tea?" Still, since his master was a patient, Jin Cheonhee offered his own suggestion.
"Are you suggesting we drink tea and then go back together?" "The night sky is bright, so it won't be lonely to walk together. The stars are truly beautiful, master. Like buckwheat flowers."
Recalling the phrase from the novel he read as a child, Jin Cheonhee persistently suggested.
In the end, his master gave a wry smile and said, "Since you've gone this far, I have no choice. Alright, let's walk while looking at the stars."
"And drink warm tea."
"Yes, let's drink warm tea."
A smile finally appeared on Jin Cheonhee's previously tense lips.
"I'll pour it for you, master."
"You're quite thorough."
"As a leader of the Medical Pavilion, I can't afford to be careless."
"Haha, you're cute, but you still have a long way to go. You'll have to learn a lot from Yoo, the general manager. If you want to be called a gentleman even in private, you'll have to work hard."
Jin Cheonhee nodded.
As someone who wasn't a martial artist, he had no pride to speak of.
He was willing to learn anything that would be helpful.
But before that, he had to pour the tea that would help his master sleep into his master's teacup.
That was the most important task for Jin Cheonhee at that moment.