episode_0002

One year after reincarnation.

Year 1411 of King Taejong’s reign.

According to records found on the internet, infectious diseases were common in early Joseon.

One of them being the epidemic that spread this year, dysentery.

Dysentery is a disease similar to MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), and new influenza (Type A Influenza).

In other words, a severe flu accompanied by high fever, headache, fatigue, difficulty breathing, and body aches.

Researching online, it was noted that ‘During the transition from spring to summer, many people died from dysentery due to fear.’

“Yosa” refers to dying at a young age.

Even in Yangsan region, dysentery was spreading.

“I should preserve this dysentery bacterium.”

The reason being that if you handle pathogens well, they can become weapons. Very powerful weapons.

There’s even a famous book called “Gun, Bacterium, Iron.”

Bacteria have had a significant impact on human history, occupying a prominent place.

As a writer, I’ve seen many alternate history stories, most of which start with developing technology.

Especially gunpowder and firearms!

If I ever have the leisure, I might consider making a gun, but as important as guns are, perhaps even more powerful are bacteria.

Bacteria don’t need resources like food or supplies, and they don’t strain finances.

The only challenge is long-term preservation.

In an era without refrigeration or vacuum sealing technology, preserving them for years or decades without them dying was not easy.

Infecting enemies but inadvertently harming allies is a common issue.

Solving the problems of long-term preservation and unintended consequences on allies isn’t something I have a perfect solution for.

However, since I have access to the internet, I decided to find the best possible way to use bacteria.

Among the bacterial storage methods I found online, the one considered the best involved placing the sick person’s saliva in a narrow, elongated white porcelain jar along with clean sterilized sand, then sealing it.

While storing them in low temperatures and a vacuum state would be advantageous for long-term preservation, it was an impossible feat for me.

“Well, it’s better than doing nothing.”

Although there’s a chance all the bacteria could die, I decided to give it a try.

I solved the issue of the narrow, elongated jars by using small glass bottles.

Next, I obtained sand, sterilized it in a pot, cooled it, and placed it inside the glass bottles.

Lastly, I went out into the village, gave some food to a suffering child who seemed to have dysentery, and made them spit into ten small glass bottles multiple times.

“Done!”

I sealed the glass bottles tightly and hid them.

Not only did I do this, but when I contracted severe enteritis with symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting while living in Joseon, I followed the same process to store the bacteria in new glass bottles.

“If I had powerful bacteria during this time, it would likely be either smallpox or the Black Death.”

With no cure for the Black Death and its high mortality rate, I feared that trying to obtain and preserve the bacteria might lead to my own death.

Next, smallpox.

“One must experience it at least once.”

That way, one can free themselves from the fear of smallpox for life.

Once infected, one would never contract smallpox again.

During this time, I couldn’t use variolation, nor could I find anyone to perform it.

Furthermore, smallpox hadn’t yet spread.

Upon researching online, it was mentioned that “In the first month of the lunar new year in 1418, Prince Sungnyeong Lee Jong died from smallpox.”

Considering the meticulous hygiene and careful food preparation within the palace, the fact that smallpox had spread there indicated it likely had already spread widely in the common villages before.

While not conclusive, it’s speculated that the palace was considered the final location of the infection.

Moreover, even with high infectivity, if smallpox had an incubation period of around 12 days and spread during inconvenient transportation times, it likely started in the previous summer or fall.

“When 1417 comes, I’ll obtain the smallpox bacterium and free myself from smallpox through variolation.”

The method of variolation involved creating wounds on the skin by scratching pustules or scabs from smallpox patients and inhaling them through the nose to acquire immunity.

Nevertheless, Doochang had to wait for several years.

And time flowed like water.

#

After being reborn, six years passed, and it was the 16th year of Taejong’s reign.

It was the year 1416, and I was 21 years old.

In the 21st century, I would be considered an adult.

But officially registered as 17 years old.

Various things happened over the past six years.

Especially, I had to go to great lengths to prevent my parents from marrying me off early.

First, I wet the bed until I was 21.

Next, I conducted many strange experiments.

While it seemed crazy to others, it was crucial experimentation for me.

– Harvesting blue mold from rotten food.

– Mixing boiled water and rice water to create a liquid culture medium.

– Placing the blue mold in the liquid culture medium and allowing it to grow for a week.

– Using gauze to collect grape-like bacteria from places where wounds produced pus.

– Filtering the grown blue mold from the culture medium through a sieve, adding linseed oil, and stirring well.

…

There are a few more steps after this that I will skip.

Despite all my hard work, what were the results?

Did I discover penicillin?

NO!

Because there are many types of blue mold.

Finding the type of blue mold that eliminates grape-like bacteria was like finding a needle in a haystack.

Still, out of curiosity, I tried changing rotten food and worked diligently.

I must have spent at least three years on this.

If only I could make penicillin, it would be a jackpot.

But each attempt ended in failure.

However, there was something I gained from this – people thought I was insane!

So, I gained a reputation as a mad scientist, and the marriage proposals stopped.

If I had invented something as useful as soap like other alternate history novel protagonists, I might have gotten married ten times by now.

But the reason I had to conduct these long experiments for three years was simply because I didn’t have enough time.

Even at a young age, my schedule was packed from dawn till dusk, making it difficult to find time.

First, washing up, then studying classical Chinese texts with my older brother and younger sibling after breakfast, as it was the best time for learning.

Then, having an early lunch and practicing archery, swordsmanship, spear techniques, and horseback riding.

It wasn’t just ordinary horseback riding; it was shooting arrows and wielding a lance while on horseback, which was quite challenging.

I had to do this continuously until sunset.

Rest days were rare, only when it rained heavily or during the cold winter.

Why were they pushing me so hard with education at such a young age?

It felt like preparing for entrance exams to a prestigious university since kindergarten.

Or like an elementary student attending six different academies alongside regular school.

In Joseon, there were no weekends, so I had to follow this schedule all week long.

The reason for going to such lengths was that in Joseon, one had to maintain their status as a yangban (nobleman) to avoid bankruptcy.

Joseon did not encourage heavy industry.

Even trade was restricted to government-controlled commerce, and private trade was illegal.

In other words, conglomerates couldn’t thrive or even exist.

This was why striving for a government position was crucial, whether through civil service exams or military exams.

From the moment we took our first steps, all three sons were full of vitality and notably strong.

Rather than sitting still and reading steadily, they preferred physical activities.

Their father, who was knowledgeable, although a scholar himself, worried about his sons’ future and pushed them aggressively towards becoming military officials rather than civil servants from a young age.

“If it were my previous life, physical activities wouldn’t suit me. But with this new body… it fits well.”

In my previous life, I was nearing forty and didn’t particularly enjoy or engage in any physical activities, sitting in front of a computer writing.

After reshaping my body, undergoing sudden Spartan training was tough, but bearable.

The writing teacher, as well as those who taught martial arts, scolded them for suddenly forgetting everything they had learned and becoming fools, making their suffering even worse.

It felt like they were back in boot camp.

Fortunately, having a blank slate for a mind, coupled with Lee Jing-ok’s exceptional physique, somehow enabled them to endure the grueling training.

Ah! Excluding studying.

Lastly, there is one more reason. Even during the early Joseon period, the military exams were relatively easy. While the civil service exams were insurmountable, one could manage to compete in the military exams.

That’s why in noble households, it was common to prepare their children for the military exams.

Just like a father.

As will be revealed later, when taking the military exams, individuals must prepare their own bow and arrows.

Just by looking at this, doesn’t it seem like those with money have an advantage?

Despite enduring days of a grueling schedule after reincarnation, my conclusion was…

“Let’s adapt.”

What else can you do if you can’t return to reality?

I have to live adapting to Lee Jing-ok now.

Therefore, personal efforts were made not only from sunrise to sunset but also after sunset.

Secretly opening the internet, watching YouTube videos to learn difficult classical Chinese, mastering archery, horseback riding, and other martial arts techniques.

Despite wasting time on experiments that earned them crazy looks, after about five years, they surpassed even the achievements of someone four years their senior.