For a moment, I thought about going outside to protest against coal combustion... but then I suddenly remembered that when I first arrived here, I too was stressed by the smog and had looked for solutions because of it.
Is it human nature to be stubborn?
Or is it a British trait?
I don't know...
Surprisingly, as far back as the 13th century, the great English King Edward I had created a law banning coal burning in London.
If caught, they'd smash the braziers, and if people still didn't listen, they'd even resort to execution.
'Yet they still burned it.'
If you ask if coal fuel provided even a semblance of benefit, it didn't.
No, even though burning coal could get you killed, they still burned it disobediently.
But would they listen if an Asian doctor protested?
Of course...
If I said I'd draw blood from the heart, a few might listen, but I'd probably face an assassination attempt first.
Besides, is smog the problem now?
'It is a problem. It is, but...'
Yes, if I fail to live out my full natural lifespan as a human, it will most likely be due to air pollution.
The fine dust I experienced in Seoul...
That was serious too, of course, but it's nothing compared to London here.
'Know your place.'
But I must proceed step by step. Trying to do everything at once will lead to nothing.
Honestly, aren't the problems I'm facing right now numerous enough?
There's lead, tuberculosis, mental illness...
Hypertension is just in its infancy, and the main ingredient of that so-called panacea, Fowler's solution or whatever, is arsenic.
You might think, surely not everyone uses that medicine?
Well, not everyone, but the main ingredient of another primary medicine is opium.
Replacing these with red ginseng is the primary goal.
"Yes, well... the miasma theory is an incorrect theory."
"Haha! I knew it!"
"As expected of our friend Liston!"
Someday, I'll need to make a leap, not just a step, but to achieve such grand goals, I, as I am now, need to build solid bonds with London's powerful figures.
"More importantly, please put some effort into distributing the red ginseng. Aren't we all in the same boat now?"
"Haha, indeed."
"Well, it tastes better than arsenic or mercury medicine, for starters."
"Ah, if you eat too much, it could be problematic. You see..."
How should I explain this?
It's not just about red ginseng, is it?
Even acetaminophen, a very common medicine like Tylenol, becomes toxic if you exceed a certain dose.
In fact, the ingredients in health functional foods also become toxic if consumed in excess.
The problem is that understanding this requires grasping the pharmacological concepts of therapeutic dose and toxic dose...
"Ah, I know. Isn't it the same with mercury or arsenic? If a doctor prescribes it for treatment, it's medicine, but it's also commonly used for poisoning. Especially arsenic, haha."
"Ah... yes."
It might not be an exact understanding of the same concept, but I could let it slide.
Fortunately or not, if someone tried to poison another with red ginseng, the person would probably die from a burst stomach before the ginseng components killed them, so it should be fine.
"Don't worry about pricing or distribution. Once we promote it to the upper class, like condoms... it will sell like hotcakes."
"It might take a while to see the effects. The Joseon concept of 'boyang' (supplementation/tonification) is..."
"Haha, what are you worried about! If it's a medicinal ingredient from Joseon, everyone will go crazy for it."
"Do you think so?"
"Of course. You still don't know your own value. Moreover, hmm, this subtle taste. It really feels like it's making me healthier."
It's a bit unsettling that the person exuding such confidence is Sir Jamie, the man who castrated himself...
But, if you're thinking about selling something, there's no one more reliable in London than Sir Jamie.
Besides, it's not just him; there's also Alfred's father and Colin's father, who are savvy in business, so I could leave it all to them.
I don't know how many of those damned trash medicines this will eradicate...
But I harbor the hope that at least the patients dying right before my eyes from arsenic, mercury, or opium addiction, consumed as 'medicine,' will disappear.
"Hey."
Feeling proud once again for contributing to human progress, I was sitting outside the conference room when Liston approached.
Uncharacteristically, he seemed a bit hesitant.
Not that I felt sorry for him—absolutely not.
Even if a tiger or lion acts shy, only another tiger or lion would recognize it; from the perspective of a herbivore like me, it's just scary.
Of course, having traveled to Qing together, we've grown closer, so I could respond casually.
"Yes, brother. What is it?"
"It's a bit... here."
Liston continued, looking pointedly at Blundell and my students, who were naturally standing guard by my side.
He looked so pitiful that I thought something must have really gone wrong.
If that fearsome face was starting to look even slightly pitiable, wasn't that a serious matter?
Of course, this was an expression only those quite close to him could decipher, so my students were looking at me with worried eyes instead.
They seemed to think I might be dragged to something like a Chamber of Truth and get beaten up.
But Blundell, who had known Liston longer than I had, was different; he proactively ushered the students away.
Including himself, of course.
So, although we were still sitting in the lounge next to the conference room, it felt different now that we were alone. Liston slid closer and spoke again.
"I'm saying this out of caution, but if you repeat this anywhere, you're dead."
Only then did I remember.
Liston's terror...
The terror of the man who unhesitatingly amputates limbs...
"Whoa. Get a grip. He's not saying he'll kill you right now, is he?"
"Ah, no."
For a brief moment, I felt like I saw something I had seen right before my previous death.
If I had a little more time, I might have figured out exactly what that something was...
But then I probably would have died, right?
No wonder my heart felt like it stopped and then started again; it probably wasn't just a feeling.
'Truly, a martial arts master...'
Just by existing in the world, he can make people's hearts stop.
As I was lost in such thoughts, Liston continued.
He still had a murderous aura about him.
"I have a very big worry. A worry I can't tell anyone about."
Hearing him talk about a worry, of course, I couldn't help but start thinking deeply.
At the same time, since I know Liston quite well, I could make a reasonable inference about what kind of worry he might have.
'First, it's not a worry that can be solved by force.'
Unless the other party is a king or a prime minister...
Is there anyone Liston's power wouldn't work on?
Even when we went on trips from Guangzhou to Hangzhou and Suzhou, there was never a truly dangerous situation.
It's not that there were no attacks.
As Sir Elliot said, the resentment of the Qing populace was intense, and unless you had witnessed combat firsthand, you wouldn't be particularly afraid. Plus, there were still loyalists remaining, so we were attacked a few times...
'Then what could it be? It must be love... right?'
If the other party was a man with a sword, it wouldn't be a worry.
Ah, well, he would do it.
He'd just think about how to kill him.
But if the other party is a woman, the story changes a lot.
Of course, he has a dignified face... but just because it's the 19th century doesn't mean rugged faces are universally popular.
In fact, the more aristocratic or wealthy people seem to prefer somewhat effeminate, pretty men.
Why else would there be quite a few people who want to get tuberculosis to look pale?
'No, maybe it's erectile dysfunction? That's something even I can't help with.'
Sometimes those who look very strong are actually weak in that area, don't they?
"Your eyes are darting around in a rather insolent direction."
"Huh? No, of course not."
It seems when your internal energy deepens, you can read minds too.
Feeling a pang of guilt, I quickly waved my hands in denial.
Liston looked at me suspiciously but soon continued with a resigned expression.
He took off his hat as he did so, and only then did I realize.
The fact that this guy had been wearing a hat indoors lately.
It wasn't just me being insensitive...
'This sounds like an excuse, but...'
Firstly, wearing a hat indoors is rude, but who would dare tell Liston, "This is impolite"?
Even the gentlemen in the conference room, all high-ranking figures, just kept their mouths shut.
You might think it's because Britain is freer, but 19th-century British sticklers are no joke compared to Korean ones.
I haven't been to Joseon, so I shouldn't speak carelessly, but it's probably more, not less, strict.
'Most importantly, the hat he's wearing now is a surgical cap...'
Since hygiene concepts emerged, wearing caps inside hospitals has become almost mandatory, hasn't it?
So, I thought our brother Liston was heavily influenced by Joseph Lister and had become like this...
But it seems he was using it as a social shield.
The once precarious-looking hairline now simply didn't exist anymore.
To be honest, after being exposed to the sea breeze, I sometimes worried if my scalp would fly off too, but I felt like I overcame it with the youthfulness of my teens...
"Joseon..."
"Huh?"
"No, nothing."
Liston had the Korean Peninsula squarely positioned on his head.
Because of that, I inadvertently said "Joseon," but fortunately, Liston didn't seem to have enough self-consciousness yet to associate the world map with his own head, so he didn't notice at all.
I almost got killed, I'm telling you...
"First... let me see."
"You'll probably need to touch it too, is that okay?"
"Do you have any brilliant solutions? Not to boast, but I've tried everything I can."
"Hmm."
Is there any doctor who can be confident about hair loss?
If there is, they're usually a fraud.
Do you remember the dermatologist video that was once trending on YouTube?
Personally, I thought he was being overly honest...
He said there are only two ways: either cut off your testicles before puberty, or cut off your head.
And...
Unfortunately, even in 21st-century modern medicine, those are indeed the only two ways to prevent hair loss.
"What have you tried?"
But there might be some forgotten old method, right?
'What kind of hilarious, futile efforts did he make?'
Although my inner thoughts were completely different, this is also part of the medical interview, so I had to ask.
In the past, Liston would have told me not to mess around, but he too is gradually being enchanted by modern medicine, isn't he?
Because of that, his understanding of medical interviews has improved considerably compared to before.
"I don't feel great about this, but... I suppose I have to talk?"
"Of course."
"If you tell anyone, you're dead."
"Yes, yes. Of course."
"Alright..."
Liston's words, accompanied by a sigh... were filled with content that truly seemed like it would get me killed if I repeated it anywhere.