The King's Doctor (Horse Doctor / Ma ui / 마의)

I killed someone today.

- Find them all! - Sir.

Spare no one. Kill them all.

You will live. You must.

Don't. Spare us. Spare us.

- Take the baby. - Sir.

The baby didn't do anything. Please, spare the child.

Please...!

How did this happen? How did it get this far?

My master once said to see how much you've changed,

go to where there is no change.

The place I was born and reared, the place I was crazy to leave.

I never should have left.

No, I wish I had never met him.

Kang Dojun.

Brilliant Dojun... the friend I killed today.

A doctor?

Royal pharmacy herbalist Kang Dojun.

Yi Myonghwan.

I know. Pharmacist Level One, right?

That, and a low-level horse vet.

But I washed off the dung smell, don't worry.

Now we're Comrades in Fence-Jumping.

A pleasure, Myonghwan. You, too, Jang Inju.

You know my name...?

- Uh-oh... - Give her a boost,come on.

I swear, here you go...

- Lovely. - Anything to make you taller?

- Then you explain it. - I agree.

Please...

Don't.

This is it. Salgoji Ranch.

Oh, so that's how you check the horse's pulse?

Yes, exactly.

How are the left and right sides different?

The left reveals the five viscera, the right the life pulses.

These are huge. Because an animal's skin is so thick, I suppose?

Yes, different from people. Much more tearing.

Tearing?

- And you are..? - Listen, mind if I take a look?

Huh?

Hold on. I'm curious about animal pulses.

What? What's going on?

He's being treated and broke free.

...EEP...

Whoa.

Whoa.

Well?

Dropsy, at a guess.

Dropsy...

- Prepare a suppressant. - Sir.

Not you.

We need to check the animal's stool.

Yes, sir.

Amazing. His hands move so fast.

He's the best vet we've got.

I've seen doctors, of course, but never a veterinarian.

Remarkable skills.

Skills? With a horse doctor?

Are you kidding?

A doctor's a doctor, treating man or beast.

Father.

What did I tell you? No loitering, I said.

But he was?

Never you mind.

Dying horse, gasping cow, did I or did I not tell you to stay away?

What, you want to be a horse fart like your old man?

To be no better than a horse and cow vet?

Go wash off the stench.

Someone's here to see you.

Intelligent eyes, at least.

Yes, Your Glory-ship. All he needs is to look at something and he learns it.

He studied medical texts all on his own.

Yes, so I heard. That's why I'm here.

Still, skill is one thing, book-learning another.

But Your Worship-ness...

All the best doctors come to the royal pharmacy.

You think it's easy to be accepted as an apprentice?

- You need more than read some books? - Sir, liver dropsy.

Pardon?

Your companion. No doubt you brought him as a test.

The patient suffers from liver dropsy, I believe?

But you didn't even check his pulse...

His right side is painful to the touch, indicating a preexisting condition.

But jaundice is not far advanced, so he may still be treated.

Right. Well. How would you treat him?

Shall I prescribe a tonic? Or treat him here?

- Shall we? - A white horse means money.

No white horses here.

Right, well. I'll take him on. Bring him along.

Thank you. Thank you, Doctor Jang.

Well, then.

The bit we talked about.

The oldest one we've got.

Ah, thank you.

But that's servant stuff, and you're a noble?

Shh. No "noble" stuff. I'm incognito.

Yes, lord. May I ask what you want with that?

Hm? Making a needle. Horse bits are very efficacious.

Huh? A needle?

By the way, who is that young man?

Ah,Myonghwan? The vet's son. Very skilled.

He's been taken on as apprentice at the best physician's house in the capital.

From there he'll go into the royal pharmacy, and learn all sorts of stuff.

A blessing for his family, I'll tell you that.

But, lord, have you heard of the pharmacy?

All the best doctors graduate from there.

The pharmacy? Oh, yes, I know it.

You see? The Royal Pharmacy.

Now you'll be an herbalist of note.

Listen, forget all about your past.

Don't even think of looking for me.

What are you saying, Father?

Listen to me. You and I were never really suited.

The seer said as much when you were in the womb.

"Your womb is a brook, and in it, a dragon."

A child that will do great things in life.

Not just as an herbalist.

As a doctor, a court physician, the finest animal surgeon in all the land.

That's my boy. You were born for this.

You.

Father.

Those who study medicine must know its source, they cannot neglect research.

An attending physician must calm his spirit and forego all greed and ambition.

You must commit to being compassionate...

...and easing your patients' suffering.

Have you heard? One of the herbalists here is from a noble family.

What? A noble?

Not just any noble. The eldest son of a great scholar.

He passed the civil service exams and still chose to come here.

What? That's stupid. Is he insane?

What does a noble need with this place?

That's not the only stupid thing.

I heard we've got some horse quack here, too.

I heard that too. Talk about nasty. They'll let anyone in these days.

I know, now the pharmacy reeks of horse poop.

Who is it?

Who else? Whoever stinks.

Heh. Good one.

...EEP...

Shhh. Quiet. The fire guards.

Whew, made it.

Listen, it's not just the palace guards. There are fire guards, too.

Huh?

You have to jump the wall to get to the library.

But get caught and -- whack -- off with your head.

Still, a doofus dog wets himself at a creepy totem, right?

Who are you, anyway?

What are you looking for?

The Emperor's Inner Classic? Essential Prescriptions for Emergencies?

Relax. Why else would an apprentice be here at this time of night?

Come on. I'll show you the way.

Well? Come on.

The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic. Compendium of Rural Prescriptions.

Rural Prescriptions.

Wait, there's more.

Here.

- Is this?? - It is. Chinese Medicinal Herbs.

Twenty volumes analyzing 470 medicinal herbs.

Compiled during the Song Dynasty 500 years ago.

I can't believe I'm holding such a rare book.

There's nothing like this in the apprentice library, huh?

Only physicians' apprentices can come in here. Not lowly herbalists like us.

That's why we jump the wall.

Herbalist?

Oops, I didn't introduce myself.

Royal pharmacy herbalist Kang Dojun.

Kang Dojun..?

Yep. Son of a highfalutin household.

Uh-oh...

Enough already.

And you?

Yi Myonghwan.

I know. Pharmacist Level One, right?

That, and a low-level horse vet.

But I washed off the dung smell, don't worry.

Fair enough. Come here.

Someone's here.

Isn't that a nurse?

An acupuncture dummy.

You use it to practice acupuncture.

Very sensitive.

One slip and the needle goes through.

I heard that.

Even the most advanced apprentices can't find the right spot.

What's she doing?

Meridian.

Bladder. Kidney.

Three points.

Amazing. How does she do it?

A lady acupuncturist.

Come again?

Haven't you heard? The ladies are able to do things even physicians can't.

And she's so young.

Who's there?

- The book we need is in here. - Yes, lord.

Open up.

You know where it is?

Of course. I've seen it.

Here it is.