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Chapter 33
“Has the plaintiff’s oejibu still not arrived?”
The bailiff’s face was filled with irritation as he asked the same question for the fifth time.
“Please… just a little longer. Please wait just a little longer.”
Chunja clasped both hands together and pleaded earnestly.
“It has already been over a gak. Magistrate Panyun has finished reading the petition, and the defendant’s arguments are already over. There has to be some reason to keep waiting. You can’t just tell us to wait indefinitely.”
“I’ll beg you too. Please. Please?”
Even Eunyoung, who was sitting beside Chunja, joined in to persuade the bailiff.
The young girl, her hair neatly done up despite her childish face, looked on the verge of tears as she pleaded. It made the bailiff’s heart heavy. He had a daughter about her age at home, and secretly, he hoped Eunyoung would win.
But as someone who served the state, he could not simply take the child’s side.
Everything had to be fair.
“I’m sorry, little one.”
The bailiff reluctantly tore his gaze away from Eunyoung and turned toward the spectators.
Please… just show up already.
Putting every ounce of hope into his voice, he shouted once more.
“Has the plaintiff’s oejibu still not arrived?”
Silence answered him.
It seemed the plaintiff’s oejibu had run away.
Working at the Hanseong Bureau, he had seen this happen many times. Unscrupulous oejibu who convinced wronged people to file petitions, took their advance fees, then barely did any work before disappearing.
I didn’t think Ahn Oejibu was that kind of person.
Seems I judged her wrong.
Just as the bailiff clicked his tongue—
“She’s here! She’s here! The plaintiff’s oejibu, Ahn Hari, has arrived!”
A woman came charging through the crowd, panting as she pushed past the spectators.
It was Hari.
“Why are you so late? And what happened to your face…? Were you in some sort of accident on the way?”
As Hari collapsed into the plaintiff’s seat, struggling to catch her breath, Chunja looked her over anxiously.
She had every reason to worry.
Hari’s delicate hands were covered in dirt. Her loose strands of hair had escaped after being battered by the wind, and even her fine silk skirt and jacket were stained with mud.
“I’ll explain later… First… I’m sorry I’m late. Eunyoung… I’m sorry.”
Hari winked at her before rising to her feet.
Since she had arrived late, she intended to end the trial as quickly as possible.
“I am oejibu Ahn Hari. I have brought evidence proving that there is a serious defect in this marriage.”
Hari handed the bundle-wrapped evidence to the bailiff.
Ryu Gyeonghwan looked at Hari and curled one corner of his lips into a crooked smile.
“We also submit evidence. These are testimonies proving that the defendant, Ok Noyeo, deeply cherished the plaintiff, Wang Eunyoung, in everyday life.”
The tall stack of books on the desk turned out to be carefully compiled records of statements from people around them.
“The witnesses have affixed their palm seals to verify that their testimonies are truthful. If necessary, we will summon them here for questioning.”
A palm seal was used in place of a signature or stamp by commoners, slaves, or women who could not write and therefore could not provide a written signature.
“Witnesses…? What are we going to do?”
While Chunja fretted, Hari casually swept her gaze across the spectators.
I thought there were an unusually large number of people today. Looks like Ok Noyeo mixed his witnesses into the crowd.
It seemed unlikely she could sway public opinion today.
But she wasn’t disappointed.
Public opinion wasn’t important in this case.
She possessed undeniable evidence that would reveal the truth.
“Bring both pieces of evidence here.”
The evidence was placed before Magistrate Panyun.
He examined the defendant’s evidence first, nodding slightly as he read.
Then he opened the genealogy Hari had submitted.
His eyes immediately widened.
“This is…!”
“I’ll explain.”
Hari stepped forward.
“Proceed.”
“Ok Noyeo’s original name was Wang Noyeo. Wang Noyeo’s father was Wang Seoban. As recorded in this genealogy, Wang Noyeo changed his surname to Ok thirty years ago. He personally wrote that his generation would change the family surname from Wang to Ok, and then signed it himself. Wang Noyeo is someone who discarded the surname given to him by his parents. If he could abandon his own family name, why wouldn’t he abandon his wife?”
“Slander!”
Ryu Gyeonghwan slammed the table as he shouted.
“The evidence is right in front of us, yet you call it slander? It is only natural that Madam Lee Chunja worries for her daughter. Moreover, had she known Wang Eunyoung’s husband originally shared the Wang surname, had she known he had changed it, would she ever have approved this marriage? This marriage was established through the deception of an unfilial man. I respectfully request that this marriage be dissolved.”
Ryu Gyeonghwan turned toward Ok Noyeo.
“Is what she’s saying true? You changed your surname?”
“N-No! Impossible! I… I was born an Ok!”
Ok Noyeo shouted, his face turning deathly pale.
“Really? Then we won’t be needing this genealogy.”
Hari immediately stepped onto the platform.
“Magistrate Panyun, since he claims it’s fake, I believe it would be best to burn it.”
As Hari climbed up, the bailiff hurried over and blocked her path.
“I’m here to retrieve the fake evidence.”
Looking as though he didn’t even want to touch it, Magistrate Panyun tossed the genealogy onto the floor.
More than anything, he hoped it truly was fake.
Changing one’s surname to conceal such a thing…
It was horrifying.
Hari calmly picked up the genealogy and walked toward the brazier blazing with fire.
Then she looked straight at Ok Noyeo.
“If it’s really a fake genealogy, then you won’t mind if it’s burned.”
She raised it toward the flames.
Thinking she merely intended to throw it away, Ok Noyeo suddenly shoved the table aside and lunged forward.
“No! Stop! That’s my family’s genealogy! Give it back! Ugh!”
Throwing away his cane as he ran, Ok Noyeo’s legs suddenly gave out, and he collapsed onto the floor.
Hari looked up at Magistrate Panyun.
“So… it seems it’s genuine.”
Magistrate Panyun pressed a hand to his forehead, while Ryu Gyeonghwan slammed his fist onto the table.
“This is unbelievable. He changed his surname? That old man has done every despicable thing imaginable.”
“But then why insist on marrying another Wang? Out of all the Kims, Lees, Parks, and countless other surnames, why pick someone with the same surname? If it hadn’t been another Wang, this divorce wouldn’t even be happening.”
“That’s true. What on earth was he thinking?”
As the murmuring among the crowd grew louder, Magistrate Panyun shouted,
“Silence!”
At the official’s roar, order immediately returned to the Hanseong Bureau courtyard.
Hari continued.
“She is a ten-year-old child. A child who belonged in her mother’s embrace. Yet the defendant forced her to put up her hair and fulfill the duties of a wife. Forcing clothes onto a child that do not fit is already a form of violence. How much worse is demanding she fulfill a wife’s responsibilities? Even if he never struck her with his hands, it is unquestionably violence. Therefore, we request not only a divorce but also five thousand nyang in damages.”
At Hari’s demand, Ryu Gyeonghwan tightly shut his eyes.
Having a rough idea of Ok Noyeo’s wealth, he quickly calculated the amount.
It was enough to bankrupt him by the narrowest margin.
“Does the defendant have anything to say?”
Grinding his teeth, Ryu Gyeonghwan glared at Hari.
If I retreat now, my reputation will be ruined. No matter what, I have to reduce our losses.
Truthfully, even Ryu Gyeonghwan no longer wanted to defend this unfilial old man.
But he was an oejibu.
An oejibu did not move according to personal feelings.
They moved for money.
Regardless of his own feelings, he remained Ok Noyeo’s legal representative until the trial ended.
If nothing else, he had to reduce the damages the plaintiff demanded.
Looking at Ok Noyeo, who was wheezing beside him and seemed moments away from collapsing, Ryu Gyeonghwan spoke.
“The divorce cannot be avoided.”
“No… my wife… Do you know how much I spent to get that girl? I needed to obtain her so I could absorb her vital essence—mmph!”
Ryu Gyeonghwan’s eyes widened as he clamped a hand over the old man’s mouth.
“We’ll pretend none of us heard that. If you want to save even a single coin from this point onward, keep your mouth shut. Understood?”
Ok Noyeo slowly nodded.
Ryu Gyeonghwan then raised his hand.
Magistrate Panyun nodded toward him.
“The defendant may speak.”
“Thank you, Magistrate Panyun. We accept the plaintiff’s request for divorce. However, we cannot agree to the amount of damages requested. The marriage between the plaintiff and defendant lasted only a single day. In fact, it can hardly even be called a full day. Didn’t she return to her mother’s home on the very day of the wedding? We offer fifty nyang in compensation.”
Hari let out a brief scoff.
Then her expression turned icy as she rose to her feet.
“The duration of a marriage is certainly one important factor in determining damages. However, the cause and responsibility for the breakdown of this marriage rest entirely with the defendant, and the severity of his misconduct is exceptionally grave. Therefore, our claim is by no means unreasonable. Furthermore.”
Hari paused to take a breath.
Instead of looking at Magistrate Panyun, she looked directly at Eunyoung.
