Chapter 135
Chapter 135
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 135
Chapter Title: Kwon Ram and Han Myeonghoe (5)
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"His Majesty was worried that if he permitted Kwon Je—a man with no fault in his wife—to divorce her, it might set a precedent allowing various nobles to abandon their innocent wives on all sorts of pretexts."
Historical records from the Joseon era indicate that commoners divorced relatively easily.
There are even frequent accounts of women who married multiple times.
However, for nobles, divorce required the king's permission, and once granted, it led to social ostracism.
As a result, divorce was so rare among the nobility that it was practically nonexistent.
Yet there were unexpected cases like Kwon Je, a noble who disregarded social reputation entirely.
In truth, Joseon was full of nobles who would abandon their families but cling desperately to their social status for survival.
That's just how essential it was for their livelihood.
But for a wastrel like Kwon Je, who discarded even that precious reputation, was there any hope he would ever value his family?
'Not a chance.'
Once a precedent like Kwon Je was set, self-righteous fools would start demanding divorces from their once-beautiful young wives, now wrinkled and out of shape with age, spinning endless nonsense to justify it.
The divorced women and children would then live branded as outcasts in noble society.
"In this case, though, isn't Kwon Je the one at fault? His wife has no shortcomings whatsoever, nor do those young children. Yet under Joseon's laws, we couldn't punish him... But after reading your memorial, I saw we could hold him accountable. We can divide his assets to provide for his ex-wife, ensuring her livelihood is secure. And it will be crystal clear that she and the children are blameless, sparing them any social stigma..."
"Isn't striking or killing one's parents punished as a grave crime against superiors? By the same logic, a parent killing or brutally abusing their child is a gross betrayal of human decency, so it should certainly be a crime."
"Even wild beasts offer their lives without hesitation to protect their young. For the head of a household to abuse his wife and children so cruelly makes him worse than an animal. It always bothered me that we couldn't punish such a head of household, but your argument gives us just cause to punish that pig worse than a beast. I'm deeply satisfied."
Yi Bang-won had lost three children in a row before fathering Grand Prince Yangnyeong.
I couldn't even imagine the depth of that grief.
I once attended a funeral where a child died before their parents, and it was a harrowing experience—like nothing I'd ever seen.
The parents wailed inconsolably for three days without sleep, their cries so loud and heartbreaking that even as an observer, I felt a chill of fear.
They reportedly fainted intermittently from sobbing, only to regain consciousness and resume their mourning in an endless cycle.
Yi Bang-won had endured the same with three children lost consecutively... his pain must have been unimaginable.
Perhaps because of that, he was endlessly lenient toward children.
Even in the infamous incident with the public beating—where court officials clamored it was a curse against the king and princes—he acquitted them, saying, "What do kids know?"
Under Joseon law, it could have been twisted into high treason warranting the extermination of three generations.
With a man like this, how do you think he viewed a "drunken brute who beats his kids half to death"?
Like a ghost of Goryeo's decay.
"There's just one thing that concerns me. Is it true that Kwon Ram reported his father Kwon Je's crimes to you?"
When the Gyeongguk Daejeon was established, children were strictly forbidden from suing their parents.
In cases of other crimes excluding treason, the punishment intended for the parent was often transferred entirely to the child.
Because society viewed it as utterly improper for a child to accuse their parent.
Even in early Joseon, where Confucian rigidity wasn't fully entrenched yet, the stigma of reporting one's father would cling to Kwon Ram like a criminal record forever.
As his self-proclaimed mentor, I needed to clear that up too.
"When I saw Kwon Ram had fled, Your Highness, I took him to my home, sheltered him, and treated his wounds. But according to the physician, the children's bodies were covered in bruises and injuries."
"That beastly scum must have beaten his own kids nearly every day."
"Realizing the gravity upon hearing this, Your Highness, I sent my household servants to investigate. They confirmed Kwon Je got drunk almost daily, abusing his wife and children while doting only on his gisaeng concubine. How can the head of a house so utterly disdain and torment his proper wife and kids?"
Yi Bang-won had quite the reputation with women.
King Sejong the Great was notorious, but his father was no slouch either.
Thus, his jealous principal wife, Queen Won-gyeong, nagged relentlessly and unleashed torrents of scolding (problematic under Confucian ethics).
But that was that—they loved each other until death.
Yi Bang-won even mobilized monks from Hoeam Temple to pray for her survival.
"Taking a concubine is natural for a scholar-official, but scorning one's principal wife is inhuman."
"Thus, Your Highness, I reported it solely to save the children in that house. Kwon Ram is currently pleading at the Ministry of Punishment not to punish his father. How could such a child have instigated the accusation himself?"
I'd told Kwon Ram I'd ensure his father rotted in exile for life.
At the same time, I warned him that reporting his father could bring public scorn on his mother and siblings, so he'd need to play the filial son convincingly to shield them.
I'd coached him to defend his father vigorously.
"You're right. It's just those thick-headed scholars, ignorant of the world, crying that Kwon Ram filed the report. All nonsense."
Yi Bang-won glanced at me, signaling with his eyes.
'I know Kwon Ram reported his father through you, but the boy is innocent, so I'll let it slide.'
As expected of King Sejong the Great's father.
He knew too much.
"Fortunately, no one died, so we can't execute a meritorious descendant like Kwon Je. Instead, considering his crime of beating his wife and children like daily meals, plus all his other offenses, I'll order lifelong house arrest."
Wirianchi.
Lock him alone in his house for life.
In plain terms, solitary confinement forever.
Prisoners say even three days in isolation feels like death; a lifetime...
'Kwon Je will throw a fit, begging for execution instead.'
Kwon Ram would love hearing this.
"As for children suing parents, it's generally unacceptable, but we'll make exceptions for severe abuse. This prevents parents from killing their children by allowing the child no choice but to report it—just as King Sun evaded his father's murder attempt without committing manslaughter himself."
"Your benevolence overwhelms us, Your Highness."
With that, Yi Bang-won left the Office of the Chief State Councillor, muttering to himself.
"Some beg the heavens for children, visit shamans, even donate fortunes to temples to pray to Buddha. Why does Heaven deny them offspring yet grant it to brutes worse than beasts, letting them torment the innocent...?"
***
After wrapping up Kwon Ram's matter, I went to Han Myeonghoe's house before relaying the results to the boy.
He still needed to keep up the "act" until Kwon Je's punishment was official.
Being a child, hearing his beastly father faced a lifetime of torment worse than death might break his facade.
"For the upright and renowned Scholar Kang to visit my humble home in person—I'm at a loss for words."
Han Gi, Han Myeonghoe's father, was fated to die next year per history.
Two months ago, he'd resigned citing illness and was recuperating at home. He looked frail; not long for this world.
"With your health so poor, I told you beforehand no need for formal robes."
"From my days at the Office of Inspectors General, no one commanded my respect like you, Scholar Kang. I've long hoped for a private audience to seek your wisdom... Your visit is a tremendous honor."
Young officials' views of me split two ways.
One: those who spotted me and slinked away in unease.
The other: those like Han Gi, who revered me utterly.
I got the respect, but why did others flee?
I'd only purged the corrupt and saved all officials from King Sejong the Great's overtime hell.
I'd guaranteed them lives with evenings free—why hate me for that?
"I came with one request."
"I'm a poor man with no wealth to offer, and my health fails me besides. I'd help with all I have if I could..."
"No, not that kind of help—don't worry."
With that, I handed him a box of herbal medicines topped with ginseng.
His eyes lit up upon inspecting it.
"My disciple Ram raved about your eldest son, the inspector, being exceptionally talented. I took him as a disciple partly hoping to do the same with yours."
Han Gi's eldest was none other than Han Myeonghoe.
If I could properly reform his character, what a boon that would be.