Fiction REINCARNATION, Vol. 1

Crisis and Remorse

<7> Crisis and Remorse

But there is a common saying, "Lights are usually followed by shadows." The lower class family seemed to have been too rich and powerful in an era of extreme discrimination. Indigenous ship-owners, who have long claimed to be the town's prime mover, were looking for an opportunity to overthrow Park and his family. That is because their catch and profits have been greatly reduced as the village's fishermen have been driven into Park's boat. They must have been stunned by the collapse of their vested interests by the suspicious Park and his family.

Just then, one of Park's fishing boats did not return from the sea. Perhaps the ship was washed away by the waves. The missing boat was found three days later with four workers. However, the native ship-owners plotted to use the accident as an opportunity to knock Park down, and falsely reported to the local authorities that the ship had been involved in smuggling goods. It was a time when scientific investigation was impossible and social status and bribery were the criteria for judgment.

They made absurd claims that it was due to not fishing but smuggling that Park had accumulated large fortunes in a short period of time. Low-ranking officials, who took bribes from indigenous ship-owners, joined them in a voice claiming punishment for Park and his family. As the family was on the verge of collapse, Hwa-young sought every possible means. She then learned that the governor of Maun County was Yoon Il-seung, her ex-groom's half-brother. She sent a secret note to the governor citing the name of Yoon Ki-seung and petitioned for a meeting. And she could have a private meeting with him.

"I am Kim Yu-jin, wife of Park Dal-son. We have lived faithfully in Muan County for the past 25 years, following the rules and laws. But we are in danger of being punished for the crime that was made up. Please native ship-owners made a false charge against us. Please conform that we got false charge and make the right decision."

"You mean Park Dal-son didn't smuggle?"

"Smuggling? Since moving here from Gyeongsang province 26 years ago, we have hung out with our neighbors and lived a good life. Why do we smuggle when we can live in abundance just by fishing? If we, strangers, had done something illegal, no one would have helped us and we won't be able to live in peace even for a day. It was a false charge against us."

"The judicial judgment on Park will be decided after I carefully examine the situation. By the way, how do you know a man named Yoon Ki-seung. Also, why did you move to this remote place from Gyeongsang province with Park Dal-son?"

"I was born as the daughter of Kim Yu-chan, a noble of Yea-an, Andong County. My original name is Kim Hwa-young and I was married to Yoon Ki-seung at the age of 17, but became a widow after six months because of bad luck."

"What! You are the daughter of Kim Yu-chan! And Yoon Ki-seung's wife, the woman who married my brother! My sister-in-law killed herself a long time ago and was buried in my brother's grave together. How dare you tease your tongue like that?"

"My husband and I lived in our house for six months and then left for Hanyang. But when our party arrived at Haneuljae Pass on Mt. Worak, we met a tiger. I survived the accident, but my husband died. My husband's body was buried in our family burial ground and I lived three years as a widow. Then, to my shame, I fell in love with my servant Park Dal-son, and to this day, I lived as his wife."

"How could a woman born into a noble family have done such a shameful thing? It is to people's sympathy that you became a widow in the accident, but how did you become a slave of desire and became the wife of a humble servant? How can you bear the crime of betraying your late husband and lying to your in-laws?"

"I have sinned to death. I have been lonely even after my husband died. I missed my late husband and tried to kill myself several times a day to be buried with him, but it didn't work out. Then I got close to Park dal-son. He took good care of my husband's grave and helped me with all his heart. I was grateful to him and eventually got too close. As people came to see our relationship with a strange eye, we could no longer live together in our hometown."