Dark-Haired British Doctor Chapter 442

Episode 442: The Beagle [2]

I guess it was a good idea to turn on the Liston radio.

Time passed without any boredom and we soon reached London Port.

“I originally said I was coming to Falmouth… but you know, all the logistics are being concentrated in London these days.”

“Ah… is it because of our Lord Jamie?”

“Probably so. They’re preparing for war….”

“But you said it was a probe, so what does that have to do with anything?”

"They're all warships, whether they're probes or naval vessels. What's the big deal? And this is just a rumor…"

The Port of London was not an environment where anyone other than those working at the port could ride a carriage all the way.

Of course, since we are tall and strong, we could have pushed forward if we wanted to, but it didn't seem like we could go any faster, so we just got off and walked.

Everyone was staring at Liston, who was much more conspicuous when he was outside than when he was inside.

'Where are you going…?'

'They said war was coming soon… … .'

'Hey, kid. Is war that easy? It'll take years… … .'

'But why are those two here?'

'Let's see who's going to kill him.'

'Well… that's a more reasonable inference.'

Actually, I'm quite noticeable too.

I'm not the only Asian… … .

There are no Asians who dress as well as I do and, above all, walk with confidence wherever they go.

Anyway, I kept in tune with Liston as we listened to the conversation, which was almost like a conspiracy.

Two doctors came, and the words 'let's see who dies' are a bit strange…

“There is a story that our William IV also had a name.”

"yes?"

I forgot all about it when our king suddenly appeared.

Isn't it really 'Why is my brother here?'

I don't know if that gentleman was interested in exploration, waterways, or biology, but he has absolutely no interest in that.

I feel a little bad saying this to the king of a country, but I think he's spent his whole life playing around and will likely continue to do so.

Of course, now that I'm the king, I do things, but it's not like I have to do it if someone tells me to or if I really have to…

It can be said that there is absolutely no way to do it on your own.

"Surprised? I was surprised too. Anyway, that's why I'm going to the palace and report."

“No, why don’t I know that?”

Above all, I felt that there was something I should not know.

I'm not saying that I need to know everything that goes on in the British Royal Family.

It's true that I'm a bit of a know-it-all, but that doesn't mean I have an overly inflated ego.

But I think we should know better than Liston.

I'm your doctor.

"You wouldn't know because I hid it. I didn't know either. But I have all kinds of friends."

“Friends? Ah… those guys.”

The majesty of the royal family can still be said to be solemn.

The pride of the Red Coats is also great.

But Liston's fist can crush all of those things, at least in the shade.

The first fight was purely accidental, and some of the shattered Redcoats, especially the elite Buckingham Palace guards, became Liston's subordinates.

Liston says he's a friend, but isn't someone who only sees Liston when he wants and only says what Liston wants to say not a friend?

“I ask every week, but this time… I was hesitant, so I pressed him and he told me. Do you understand why he keeps it a secret?”

“I think I know.”

Darwin… … .

He is a human being who is said to have been quite good, although he is obscured by the book “The Origin of Species.”

Liston is already considered an enemy because he talks about peculiar theories like evolution… … .

'Yeah, I remember.'

Modern medicine is difficult to separate from the concept of evolution.

Even among doctors, there are quite a few Christians, and the reason is that viruses and bacteria actually evolve.

In particular, viruses are so strange in their structure and behavior that when you look at them, you wonder if they are really living creatures. Perhaps that is why they evolve so quickly.

So, we call it a mutation and separate it, and anyone who has experienced a pandemic will know.

That mutations in viruses do not simply occur at the level of survival of the fittest, but actually occur at the DNA level.

It's getting unnecessarily long, but that's why I'm learning a bit about Darwin.

‘Well… … It’s not going to be on the test, and I just looked at it because I didn’t want to study… … .’

Actually, I don't remember the name of the captain who sailed with me this time because of the book Darwin published…

I heard that the gentleman also committed suicide after being accused of helping to create the evil theory of evolution.

It must have been unfair.

The origin of the species comes almost 20 years after returning from the trip.

‘Well… I don’t know if he was just checking out the atmosphere or if he betrayed the faith he had built while attending seminary… .’

It's been 20 years, 20 years.

Even in the 21st century, 20 years is a very long time.

They say that even mountains and rivers change in 10 years, but it's a long time, enough to experience that twice…

Above all, it feels like a long time even in an era when the average life expectancy is close to 80, so what about this era?

This was a time when the average life expectancy was less than 50.

Twenty years is the amount of time a thirty-year-old can wait and die.

‘He must be a careful person… … .’

I heard you're famous for collecting things in the first place.

If they had been on a boat for five years, they must have brought back a huge amount.

An ordinary scholar would have seen Darwin's collection and thought, 'Wow, this is a treasure trove of biology.'

But what if he were our king?

“I guess there must be some secret to immortality here.”

“Yeah. Of all things, you brought a turtle.”

“Turtle…? Why a turtle?”

“Actually, this is partly my fault.”

So I was about to gossip with him, but Liston suddenly lowered his head.

There was no need to ask 'why'.

This person is just as impatient as I am, so I'm sure he'll speak right away.

“Isn’t there a concept of ‘chewing longevity’ in Joseon?”

“The ten symbols of longevity.”

“Fucking life.”

“Ten… No, that’s enough. That’s why.”

Every time something like this happens, there is a reasonable doubt that arises.

Why is it that you pronounce other words well, but when it comes to something that sounds like a curse word, you pronounce it like this?

I'm sure this kid knows more about Joseon than I do.

First of all, the ten longevity symbols are like that.

You might call me ignorant, but even though I know the meaning of the ten symbols of longevity, I don't know exactly what's inside.

“Excluding the sun and moon, that’s all… Looking at the animals, I’m left with deer, cranes, and turtles, but I don’t really know what a crane is… Deer don’t live very long, do they? That’s why I concluded that turtles live a long time.”

“I don’t think that’s a bad thing.”

Aren't turtles actually long-lived animals?

I read in National Geographic that some species can live for hundreds of years.

I've even heard that turtles sold as pets often live for 20 or 30 years, so you have to think carefully from the beginning so that you don't end up throwing them away.

Considering the lifespan of 19th century humans, who probably received the same level of care as a 21st century pet turtle, this animal is truly a long-lived animal.

“There are some words I think you might hate.”

"which……?"

“Wouldn’t it be good for the health of animals that live long?”

“No…… Is there any relationship between the two…….”

“Of course, I guess.”

“Of course?”

I'm angry.

I really want to say something.

But that's difficult, because we know full well that the concept of being healthier by eating certain foods hasn't disappeared in the 21st century.

There are many people who ask what they should eat after having surgery.

Actually, it's not what you eat that matters, it's what you shouldn't eat…

It's pointless to talk about that now, because it wasn't until the late 20th century that we learned about the composition of food and how that actually impacted clinical practice.

“No, so are you saying that Darwin caught a turtle?”

“I guess so, probably.”

“Then… our king is going to eat that?”

"yes……?"

"Is that something a civilized person would do? Wouldn't you have caught it because it's a precious turtle?"

“That’s right. I heard it’s the first turtle you’ve ever seen.”

“This is crazy. Then it’s a rare species.”

“Isn’t it so rare that it’s good for your health?”

“Let’s feed our king some red ginseng. Not this kind of thing….”

Turtles are good for your health… … .

Would that be good? In a sensible way?

If there's nothing to eat, you can eat it.

Well, it could be considered a high-protein, healthy food.

But I swear by all my honor and title that eating turtles will never make our king live longer.

rather…….

Because they are wild animals that have not been managed at all and even come from foreign countries, there is a risk of contracting a strange endemic disease that we are not aware of if we eat them.

'Well… if they were really hosts, they would all be dead.'

It would have been a ghost ship, not a Beagle.

It means that you were extremely lucky.

In reality, you shouldn't just bring in plants or animals from abroad.

It's not for nothing that the quarantine authorities tell you not to do that.

Even if you try to brush it off by saying, "I didn't know," when you get caught, it won't work.

Then a pandemic happens, for real.

“Let’s go first. It’s noisy over there, I think it’s over there.”

"Okay. Let's just leave the turtle behind. Let's say he died on the way here."

“Is that possible…?”

“Or else I’ll have to go and persuade them again… That’ll be hard.”

“It’s not that it’s hard, it’s just that it’s a bit like that. I guess it’s because people are gossiping.”

“Yeah. I feel like I’ve become a real bad guy.”

The king really doesn't listen.

In fact, it is embarrassing to even list in the special skills list that a man over 50 does not listen to others.

Basically, as people get older, they tend to become more stubborn.

But he is the king.

He wasn't born with a high chance of becoming king, but he was a duke before that.

At this point in your career, there's really no reason to listen to other people.

So instead of persuading, I'm using threats.

It means, 'If you do this, you will die.'

-Is that something you'd say to the king? Isn't that a threat?

It was a threat, but I felt a little wronged.

I'm not saying I'm going to kill you.

-Mother Nature will kill you. The laws will take their course.

-Eek.

So when I explained it in a way that people of this era could understand, they seemed even more scared.

Normally, the doctor would let the patient off the hook, but since this patient was sure to do something strange again if he did that, he just left him alone.

"Right, there he is. I know the captain's face. That must be Darwin next to him."

“Oh. Let’s go.”

"Okay. Get out of the way, you bastards. If you don't want your limbs cut off."

“Get out of the way if you don’t want to be cursed!”

Anyway, we barely managed to get inside, pushing through the mountainous crowd.