AGFJE 08

Chapter : 08

Clank.

The sound of iron chains echoed through the cell as a prison guard roughly shoved Ha-yoon in the back.

“Go inside, all the way to the back.”

“Ugh!”

“I’ll call you out for questioning soon, so don’t try anything foolish. Just stay quiet.”

Bang!

With those words, the prison guard left.

At the same time, a heavy silence and darkness descended upon the cell.

“Ugh… What a smell…”

The stench of rotten straw, mold, and various human odors mingled together, assaulting her nose.

The smell was so foul that even covering her nose with her hand did little to help.

“To think I’d end up in prison too…”

Ha-yoon leaned her back against the wall and sank to the floor.

Water dripped from the ceiling, while moss covered the walls. Inside the cramped cell, there was nothing but a single, crumpled straw mat.

“Seriously, a hopae? There’s no way I could possibly have something like that.”

Ha-yoon tried to sound cheerful, but the situation was more serious than she had initially thought.

People without an established social status were not even treated as human beings.

This was an era when people could be bought and sold like objects.

She had only managed to survive this long through sheer luck after meeting Moon-sik, her benefactor.

If she had met someone else, she might have been sold off somewhere by now.

“Sigh… Whatever. I might as well lie down and get some sleep.”

With no good solution in sight, Ha-yoon gave up and flopped onto the straw mat.

After keeping her nerves on edge for so long, exhaustion came rushing over her.

That was when—

“Heh heh. How did a young lady like you end up in a place like this?”

“Gasp!”

A sinister voice suddenly came from the darkness.

Ha-yoon raised her head at the sound.

Several shadows appeared beyond the bars.

“W-Who are you?”

“Who do you think? Your senior.”

“Well now, shouldn’t a newcomer greet her seniors properly?”

“Let’s see just how cute our new junior is.”

The criminals who had been imprisoned before Ha-yoon approached the bars.

Then, after recognizing Ha-yoon, they suddenly cried out in surprise.

“Wait, who is this? Aren’t you that young lady from the Inn of Life?”

“You know me?”

“Of course we do. Who in this town doesn’t know you?”

“Especially with that unusual hairstyle of yours.”

The prisoners showed considerable interest in Ha-yoon, who had somehow become the most famous person in the entire town.

“But how did someone who used to sell gukbap end up in a place like this?”

One of the prisoners asked curiously.

Ha-yoon hesitated for a moment before telling them her story.

She explained that she had no hopae, that she had no way to prove her identity, and that she was suspected of being a runaway slave.

“No hopae?”

Murmur, murmur.

After hearing her story, the prisoners clicked their tongues and expressed their concern.

“Hmm. Looks like you’ve gotten yourself into some serious trouble.”

“Even if she doesn’t have a hopae, does that really justify throwing her in prison?”

“It’s obviously that bastard Choi’s doing. Who else would pull something like this?”

“Choi?”

At Ha-yoon’s question, the prisoners began listing all the evil deeds Choi Hyang-seo had committed.

“There is a man named Choi Hyang-seo. He’s the most corrupt bastard in this town.”

“We got dragged in here unfairly too because we couldn’t pay that bastard his tribute.”

“I’ve been harassed by him for five years over something I did that displeased him back then.”

“Listen, young lady. Even if you did something wrong, hold out until the very end! If they get even the slightest excuse to use against you, they’ll pile all sorts of charges on you!”

Ha-yoon frantically nodded at the prisoners’ advice.

“Never give up! We’re all on your side!”

“When you get out of here, we’ll come over for a bowl of gukbap, so you’d better hang in there until then!”

“Don’t forget! Never admit to any of the charges!”

“Yes! Thank you, everyone.”

The prisoners, who had experienced Ha-yoon’s kindness firsthand, gave her their enthusiastic support.

Their encouragement gave Ha-yoon, who had nearly resigned herself to her fate, a renewed sense of strength.

Right! They say that even if you’re dragged into a tiger’s den, you’ll be fine as long as you keep your wits about you! I’m Lim Ha-yoon! I can’t give up in a place like this!

How much time had passed?

Clunk.

The sound of the prison door opening broke the long silence.

“Come out.”

The prison guard pointed at Ha-yoon.

“It’s time for questioning.”

“……!”

With trembling steps, Ha-yoon headed toward the interrogation room.

By then, the sun had apparently already set, and only the dim light of torches illuminated the path.

A short while later.

The door to the interrogation room opened, revealing the local magistrate’s clerk, Choi Hyang-seo, sitting inside.

“Sit.”

Once Ha-yoon sat down, Choi Hyang-seo gestured toward the prison guard.

“Good work. You can leave now.”

“Yes, sir.”

With only Choi Hyang-seo and Ha-yoon remaining inside, an oppressive silence filled the interrogation room.

Choi Hyang-seo looked at Ha-yoon with contempt.

“You’re Lim Ha-yoon, correct?”

“Yes.”

Normally, such interrogations were conducted by the magistrate. However, Choi Hyang-seo, a long-standing influential figure in the town, abused his various powers and authority.

The newly appointed magistrate had been turning a blind eye to Choi Hyang-seo’s misconduct.

At least for now.

“Where is your hopae? If you’re a citizen of this country, you should have been issued one, shouldn’t you?”

Ha-yoon had expected the question and answered firmly.

“I lost it.”

“Hmph. Of course you did. That’s what runaway slaves always say.”

Having already branded Ha-yoon as a slave, Choi Hyang-seo scoffed.

“Then tell me where you lived. Surely you at least remember where you came from.”

At the next question, Ha-yoon’s mind began racing.

If I name some obvious place, I’ll only make him more suspicious.

Names of several major cities from the Joseon era, such as Hanyang and Gaegyeong, came to mind, but she knew their names only. She had no idea what those cities actually looked like.

If he asked her about their characteristics, she wouldn’t be able to answer anything.

So Ha-yoon decided to continue pretending that she didn’t know.

“……I can’t remember. I lost my memory in an accident.”

“So that’s the story you’re going with… Fine.”

Choi Hyang-seo slammed his hand against the desk and pressured her.

“Then when did you come to this village? Surely you remember at least that much.”

“……About a month ago.”

“A month, huh… And you’ve caused quite a bit of trouble in that short time.”

Choi Hyang-seo continued his interrogation with a mocking tone.

“I hear you were the one who renovated the Moon family’s tavern?”

“……Yes.”

“Where did you learn such skills?”

For a moment, the answer ‘From the future’ flashed through Ha-yoon’s mind, but there was obviously no way she could say that aloud.

At the same time, she couldn’t afford to give him some clumsy answer.

Then she remembered the prisoners’ advice: Never admit to any charges.

Ha-yoon looked directly into Choi Hyang-seo’s eyes and answered.

“I can’t tell you that.”

“You insolent girl! Do you even realize who you’re speaking to?”

Choi Hyang-seo became even more aggressive.

In this town, Choi Hyang-seo possessed enough power to make even the birds fall silent. Other than the magistrate, there was virtually no one who would dare hold their head high in front of him.

Yet this outsider—

A woman, no less—

And supposedly nothing more than a slave—

Refused to bow her head easily.

Choi Hyang-seo was beginning to lose his temper.

But Ha-yoon still refused to back down.

Instead, she raised her voice.

“That has nothing to do with the charges against me, does it?”

“What?”

Choi Hyang-seo’s brow immediately furrowed.

“Renovating Mr. Moon’s tavern—what does that have to do with why I was arrested? If you intend to charge me with something, then ask me about things that actually concern me.”

“Y-You insolent woman!”

Her unexpected response left Choi Hyang-seo momentarily speechless.

Usually, people who entered the interrogation room trembled with fear and confessed everything.

But Ha-yoon was different.

There was fear in her eyes, but there was also a firm resolve that overcame it.

“Hmm. Fine. Then I’ll ask you one final question.”

Since Ha-yoon showed no intention of yielding, Choi Hyang-seo prepared his trump card.

“Which household did you serve as a slave in? Tell me the truth.”

“A slave?”

Ha-yoon firmly shook her head.

“That’s absurd. I am unquestionably a yangin—a commoner.”

“You wretched girl! You’re still lying!”

Choi Hyang-seo raised his voice.

In fact, Choi Hyang-seo still had one final weapon that could definitively establish Ha-yoon as a slave.

Not mere suspicion like they had now, but concrete evidence.

Choi Hyang-seo brought it up.

“If I search the slave registers and household records, it’ll only be a matter of time before I uncover your identity! So confess willingly before things get ugly!”

“Household records!”

At the mention of the household register, Ha-yoon exclaimed in surprise.

The hojeok, a household register recording blood relations, contained the history of a family.

Who was born when.

Whose child they were.

And what their name was.

At a time when there was no modern resident-registration system, the hojeok was the most reliable proof of a person’s identity and status.

That was why every household treasured its family register as if it were a sacred heirloom, carefully preserving it to prevent situations like this.

Wait!

At that moment, something flashed through Ha-yoon’s mind.

Her father, who had run an antique shop, loved telling her stories about the old days.

Fortunately, Ha-yoon had listened carefully to what her father told her, so she knew exactly where her roots came from.

Even if she hadn’t, all the details would have been recorded on her family register.

Yes! If I use that…!

A good idea occurred to Ha-yoon, and she took a deep breath.

Then she spoke clearly.

“If you insist, I’ll tell you my ancestral clan.”

“You should have said that from the beginning.”

Satisfied with her first proper answer, Choi Hyang-seo picked up his brush.

Giving one’s bon-gwan—ancestral seat—was essentially the same as identifying one’s family register.

By comparing her bon-gwan with the household records, he could immediately determine whether she was telling the truth.

“Now, tell me your ancestral seat. It’s probably some insignificant family anyway.”

“……”

Ha-yoon stared at Choi Hyang-seo for a moment.

His eyes were filled with confidence that her lie would soon be exposed.

A moment later, Ha-yoon raised her head straight.

Then, clearly and deliberately, she stated her lineage.

“I am Lim Ha-yoon, the thirty-second-generation descendant of the Jeonju Lim clan.”

“What!”

Choi Hyang-seo’s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out of their sockets.

His reaction was so excessive that even Ha-yoon, the one who had given the answer, felt embarrassed.

……Did I say something wrong?

She quickly searched her memory, but there was no mistake.

Ha-yoon’s ancestral clan was definitely the Jeonju Lim clan.

“Hmm……!”

Choi Hyang-seo’s pupils shook as though an earthquake had struck.

The Jeonju Lim clan.

Fortunately, it was not a yangban family.

Even so, there was a reason Choi Hyang-seo was so shocked.

Someone who currently held tremendous influence over all of Joseon belonged to that clan.

If Ha-yoon were somehow connected to him, this could become a very serious problem.

“You insolent girl! How dare you impersonate another family!”

Unable to believe Ha-yoon’s words, Choi Hyang-seo abruptly sprang to his feet.

“Do you have any idea how serious it is to impersonate a family?”

Then he shouted threateningly.

“Impersonating a family is a grave crime that can even carry the death penalty!”

“The death penalty……!”

Faced with such a serious charge, Ha-yoon’s shoulders shrank.

She had only given the name of her ancestral clan to avoid being labeled a slave, yet now she was facing the possibility of execution.

But Ha-yoon realized that she had already crossed a bridge she could not turn back from.

She looked directly into Choi Hyang-seo’s eyes.

“I’m not lying. My ancestral clan is definitely the Jeonju Lim clan.”

“You shameless girl! You’re still lying to the very end……!”

When Ha-yoon refused to admit otherwise, Choi Hyang-seo’s face turned red with anger.

“Fine. If that’s how you want to play it, so be it.”

Ha-yoon did not yet realize it.

Choi Hyang-seo’s attitude had subtly changed.

Although he did not believe Ha-yoon’s claim, he was taking precautions in case she was actually telling the truth.

“I’ll send an inquiry to the Jeonju Lim clan. Until then, you’ll wait.”

“……!”

Whether Ha-yoon was telling the truth or not could easily be determined by asking the clan directly.

If Ha-yoon had lied merely to escape her predicament, she would face an even harsher punishment than before.

Choi Hyang-seo spoke coldly.

“But understand this: if your claim is proven to be a lie, you may be subjected to the severest punishment.”

With that terrifying warning, Choi Hyang-seo left the interrogation room.