What would happen if everyone knew that red ginseng was a specialty of Joseon?
Even though I'm a powerful figure in London and have indebted many influential people to me… it was clear that a second Opium War would break out.
The British would act as they always do, that's for sure.
No, no.
'Unfortunately, given Joseon's current national strength…'
Even during the Japanese invasions of Korea, they were initially overwhelmed but managed to turn the tide eventually. Now, I'm not sure if there would be genius strategists who would emerge out of nowhere if war broke out… but the power of the British Empire is no joke.
They wouldn't even need opium—they could just crush us with sheer force, and the mountains across the country would become ginseng farms.
'I'm sorry… China.'
I had already mentioned it to Phakka.
Despite being a smuggler, he was somewhat of a patriot, and his wariness of Western ships, including the British ones, was immense. That's why I managed to deceive Captain Rhys so easily.
The credit also goes to the missionary, who volunteered to be an interpreter, and to Liston and me for bringing him along under the pretext of sightseeing.
How much English could Phakka possibly know? This, that, money—that was about it. So, even as Rhys came here, he still didn't properly understand what he was buying.
"It's a specialty of Qing."
"Oh… this? Why haven't we seen it before?"
"It's such a good product that they've been hoarding it among themselves. If you ask, they'll probably lie and say it's from Joseon."
"Ah… those cunning bastards…"
So, I sold out Qing.
I feel a bit guilty, but what can I do?
They're already… shattered. What difference would one more red ginseng make? Besides, the supply is limited, so it wouldn't have the destructive impact of tea.
"It's not entirely a lie… Joseon's doctors were the ones who revealed the efficacy of steamed and dried red ginseng. But the origin is Qing."
"Ah… I see. So, what's the efficacy of this red ginseng?"
"Yes, this red ginseng is said to be good for strokes, diabetes, and even cancer."
Ironically, I'm feeling guilty now.
Well… it's not a complete lie.
Saponins do have such effects.
But… it's absolutely not something that can replace medicine.
At best, it's harmless to consume.
In fact, prolonged use can thin the blood, increasing the risk of bleeding during surgery or injury. That's why patients must mention ginseng intake when asked about pre-surgery medications.
Doctors usually ask before patients even think about it, as it's well-known that ginseng consumers have a higher tendency to bleed.
"So… it's almost comparable to arsenic or mercury?"
"It doesn't seem that strong…? Does it contain mercury or arsenic?"
"Judging by the reddish hue, isn't it mercury?"
"Mercury… so is it a medicine that removes mercury's toxicity?"
"Well, I've heard that Qing emperors enjoy taking elixirs made from mercury."
"Oh… is that so? Truly, Your Excellency the Duke is indeed wise."
"That's why I've been experimenting with mercury lately, haha."
Anyway, after talking about the efficacy of red ginseng, everyone went wild.
A panacea…
At least in 21st-century Korea, it's common knowledge that this is a myth.
But in 19th-century Europe, especially London, that's not the case at all.
Steam engines have been running for quite some time, and the world map can be drawn almost accurately. Soon, airplanes will take to the skies, but sadly, people's general perceptions are still stuck in the Middle Ages.
It's no wonder that Boyle, the father of chemistry, and Newton, the father of physics, were deeply engrossed in alchemy.
This isn't an exaggeration—I heard both of them played around with mercury so much that the mercury levels in their hair were over ten times higher than the general population…
'But why…?'
Indeed, the legend of the man who castrated himself is remarkable.
Even in the 19th century, a time when barbarism and science were still intertwined, alchemy was becoming widely recognized as a scam… yet here's a duke, allegedly experimenting with mercury. Does that even make sense?
Since he's my precious client and patient, the absurdity hits even harder.
He's not a pufferfish…
He's been saved only to paint his walls with arsenic, snort cocaine, and now ingest mercury…
"Ah, that's not the case."
"It's not?"
"Well, isn't it a plant?"
"This is dried whole ginseng. Look at the color."
"It's dark."
"Originally, it's almost flesh-colored."
"Flesh-colored?"
Ah, right.
Referring to it as flesh-colored is racially insensitive.
The person who self-inflicts that and suffers is me.
"No, it's the color of us Asians."
"Ah… yellow."
"Yes, yes. Anyway, look at the shape."
"The shape…?"
"This is the head, torso, arms, and legs."
"Oh, there's even a chili pepper! A big one, too!"
Normally, you'd think of that as the legs.
But more importantly, isn't it strange for an old man to talk about chili peppers in front of such distinguished company?
'Ah, could it be…?'
Is he senile?
There are plenty of reasons to think so—he's old, diabetic, and judging by his self-castration, it seems his judgment is a bit off…
"Yes, yes. It's shaped like a person. So, it must be beneficial for humans."
As I speak, I feel a sense of self-loathing.
Is this how a show doctor feels?
Knowing it's nonsense, but kneeling before the allure of money?
No, no.
'Eating red ginseng is a hundred, a thousand times better than arsenic or mercury.'
Moreover, this is all bought from Joseon. Isn't this, in the end, a patriotic act?
It's somewhat reminiscent of the drug lord's words in The Drug King, starring Song Kang-ho, and it sends shivers down my spine…
After thinking it over multiple times on the way here, I still believe it's not wrong.
"Ah… I see."
"That makes sense."
As Rhys and Blundell, along with my students, nodded in agreement, I felt a pang of complexity.
"Indeed… if a plant is shaped like a person, it must carry some sort of energy."
"If it's good for diabetes… then does that mean I don't need to take pancreas extract?"
"Ah, no. It's only a supplement. It might help with prevention."
"Ah… then should I…?"
"You must take it. It's crucial."
"If you say so, then I have no choice. But who should we sell this to, and at what price?"
"At most, we can bring this quantity two to three times a year."
"Oh… only that much?"
"Yes."
In 21st-century Korea, ginseng is a crop that can be mass-produced, but in 19th-century Joseon, it's unthinkable.
They're too busy growing rice to survive—what ginseng are you talking about?
Of course, I don't know the exact details…
Watching Maengkkong Seodang, it seems they were often hungry.
The students were likely yangban, but it didn't seem like they lived comfortably?
Most importantly, our friend Park said it's already quite a stretch to bring this much now.
"So… who's the Qing chief in charge?"
"It's Park."
"Phakka? Is he a commoner?"
"Yes, a commoner."
He's not a yangban.
You can't smell any ink on his face.
How can a yangban in Joseon not have the scent of ink?
That can't be.
"I see… can he be trusted?"
"At least he's a Joseon person."
Most importantly, he stands to lose nothing in this deal.
Unlike the First Opium War, Britain has secured rights to all Qing ports now.
That means all the old smuggling routes are sealed.
Unless they get official British permission, but would they grant that to a smuggler?
Even for Britain, that's too much.
"Right, Joseon people are trustworthy. Aren't they the closest to white people among Asians?"
"Haha, indeed. Just look at our friend Liston."
"Hey, Liston isn't close to being white—he is white. Haven't you seen how much the British Empire has grown thanks to him?"
These guys can say such things and still act like they'd grant permission.
Isn't this imperialism in its purest form?
Saying such things in front of Joseon people is disrespectful, yet no one even bats an eye…
"This time, they've also defeated that dreadful miasma theory."
No point in adding anything here.
So, I stayed quiet.
It's strange to interject when a British duke and influential MPs are speaking.
Even if I'm scheduled to receive a title, it's the same.
The people here are the foundation of my power…
No need to act out of place and earn their dislike.
Anyway, the conversation was now led by the MP whose skull I had once opened.
I've heard his name several times, but every time I see him, I only think of the time I opened his head and forget the name.
"Ah, that's it! Yes, thanks to that, the opposition's voice has completely died down."
"Really… those old fools! Suggesting moving industrial zones out of London! Just because of some soot!"
As I wondered what his name was, the conversation became increasingly interesting.
'Move industrial zones out of London?'
Isn't that a brilliant suggestion?
But they say it was defeated… because of me?
I wondered if they were pinning some absurd blame on me again.
If I were just a bit lower in status, I'd have flipped out…
But it's impossible for people like them.
"No matter how strange the smell, it's not dangerous, as our friend Liston debunked with the new miasma theory."
"Yes, yes! What kind of miasma could there be in the air?"
"Thanks to that, educated people now know that smelly air isn't dangerous, but miasma in water or on the ground is."
"Hahaha. That's why London's industry remains intact. No, no, factories can now be built in areas where people previously protested because of the smell!"
"Hahahaha! Truly, Britain's good fortune, good fortune!"
Ah…
Debunking the miasma theory has come back as a boomerang…
The Great Smog… is it coming now?