THERE ONCE WAS A KINGDOM THAT WAS FOUNDED...
...AFTER A LONG PERIOD OF TURMOIL.
PEACE WAS RESTORED IN THE LAND...
...AND THE PEOPLE WERE HAPPY.
IT WAS INDEED AN ERA OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY...
...AND EVERYONE PRAISED THE WISE AND BENEVOLENT KING.
UNFORTUNATELY, CORRUPTION ALWAYS FOUND A WAY...
THIS IS UNREASONABLE!
...TO SEEP INTO THE WATER DOWNSTREAM.
HOW CAN YOU TELL ME TO SELL MY CHILD AS A SLAVE FOR FAILING TO REPAY A SACK OF RICE?
THIS IS AN UNJUST RULING!
WHAT IS THIS NONSENSE ABOUT?
THAT'S WHAT YOU PROMISED. SO WHY ARE YOU BLAMING ME?
WH-WHAT DO YOU MEAN, SIR...?
I NEVER PROMISED--
LOOK HERE.
THAT'S YOUR FINGERPRINT. YOU AGREED TO SELL YOUR CHILD...
...IN CASE YOU FAIL TO REPAY THE DEBT WITH INTEREST IN DUE TIME.
N-NO ONE TOLD ME THAT'S WHAT THE DOCUMENT SAYS!
I CAN'T READ! HOW WOULD I KNOW WHAT IT SAYS?
NO ONE TOLD ME ABOUT THIS WHEN I BORROWED THE SACK OF RICE!
MAGISTRATE! THIS IS UNJUST!!
IT WAS QUITE COMMON...
MY GOODNESS...
...TO SEE CORRUPTION AND COLLUSION...
SORRY TO TROUBLE YOU WITH SUCH A BOTHERSOME TASK.
DON'T MENTION IT. I DO IT WITH PLEASURE.
..BETWEEN THE LANDLORDS AND THE MAGISTRATE OF THE VILLAGE.
WE ARE PARTNERS WHO HELP EACH OTHER.
IN FACT, I SHOULD THANK YOU. THE FOOLISH COMMONERS CONSTANTLY PLAGUE YOU WITH THEIR TROUBLES.
THIS IS A DISASTER! HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?
I CAN'T BELIEVE MY CHILDREN BECAME SLAVES OVERNIGHT, JUST FOR A SACK OF RICE!
THIS ISN’T THE FIRST TIME SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAS HAPPENED!
BLACKSMITH YU LOST HIS ENTIRE FORGE BECAUSE HE COULDN’T DELIVER ON TIME!
JANG LOST ALL HIS FARMLAND. AND WHEN HE WAS ABLE TO PAY RENT, HE ENDED UP A SLAVE TOO...
THIS KEEPS HAPPENING OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
SOON, WE’LL ALL END UP DEAD OR ENSLAVED!
WE CAN’T LET THIS HAPPEN!
WE CAN’T KEEP LIVING LIKE THIS.
WE MUST RIGHT THE WRONGS.
BUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THAT?
THE MAGISTRATE IS IN BED WITH THE NOBLES. THERE’S NO POINT IN REPORTING IT TO THE AUTHORITIES.
AND YOU KNOW WHY WE CAN'T...
THE LAW AGAINST SUING MAGISTRATES.
THE LAW AGAINST... WHAT?
OH, YOU FOOL.
THAT SHOWS YOUR IGNORANCE...
THE LAW AGAINST SUING LOCAL MAGISTRATES.
IT LITERALLY MEANS COMMONERS CAN'T ACCUSE THEIR MAGISTRATES.
WHAT KIND OF RIDICULOUS LAW IS THAT?
IT WILL BE FINE.
IN HINDSIGHT...
SURELY, HIS MAJESTY WOULD'VE THOUGHT OF A WAY TO PREVENT MAGISTRATES FROM ABUSING THAT LAW.
...HIS FIRST CRIME...
THERE MUST BE A WAY.
...WAS THE FACT THAT HE WAS TOO RIGHTEOUS FOR HIS OWN GOOD.
THANK YOU FOR SEEING ME, GOVERNOR.
WELCOME.
NOW, TELL ME WHAT TROUBLES YOU.
YOU MAY SPEAK FREELY.
THE MAGISTRATE OF THE VILLAGE IS CORRUPT BEYOND TOLERANCE.
THE PEOPLE CRY OUT FROM THEIR SUFFERING EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I MADE A DETAILED LIST OF HIS CORRUPT WAYS.
I SEE. IT MUST’VE TROUBLED YOU GREATLY TO DO THIS.
THANK YOU FOR COMING ALL THE WAY HERE TO GIVE ME THE LIST IN PERSON.
SIR...
WILL MY PETITION BE DELIVERED TO HIS MAJESTY?
HMM? WHY DO YOU ASK THAT?
THE MAGISTRATE HAS STRONG TIES WITH THE NOBLES AND LANDLORDS IN THE AREA.
I’M WORRIED THAT HE MIGHT HAVE AN INFLUENCE IN THE GOVERNMENT.
IS THAT SO? WELL, THERE IS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT.
THAT IS EXACTLY WHY HIS MAJESTY APPOINTED PEOPLE LIKE ME AS A GOVERNOR TO OVERSEE THE REGION.
REST ASSURED, YOUR PETITION WILL REACH HIS MAJESTY. YOU MAY LEAVE NOW.
THANK YOU, SIR.
WELL... LOOK AT THAT...
HOW ATROCIOUS...
THE RIGHTEOUS MAN'S SECOND CRIME...
GEEZ...
...WAS THAT HE WAS OBLIVIOUS TO THE WAYS OF THE WORLD.
YOU SURE TOOK A LOT OF THINGS...
...MAGISTRATE.
SEE? I TOLD YOU NOT TO TAKE TOO MUCH, OR IT WILL BE OBVIOUS.
HAHA... I'M EMBARRASSED, SIR.
I HEARD YOU'VE BEEN FEELING RATHER TIRED LATELY.
I KNOW OF A FAMOUS HOT SPRING, RECENTLY VISITED BY HIS MAJESTY HIMSELF.
WHY DON'T YOU TAKE A NICE LONG VACATION THERE, SIR?
I'LL MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS SORTED OUT BY THE TIME YOU RETURN.
JUST AS A NATION HAS ITS ORDER AND THE KING RULES OVER HIS OFFICIALS...
...THE PEOPLE MUST RESPECT THEIR SUPERIORS.
OTHERWISE, THE KING CANNOT RULE OVER HIS OFFICIALS...
...AND FATHERS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN CHILDREN.
THERE IS AN ORDER TO EVERYTHING.
AND THAT IS THE BASIS FOR THE LAW AGAINST SUING MAGISTRATES.
HOW DEEP DOES THE CORRUPTION GO...?
OH NO...
LOOKS LIKE THIS WILL BE ANOTHER BLOODY DAY...!
THE PEOPLE ARE NOT TO SUE THEIR OWN MAGISTRATES. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?
I’M IMPRESSED. DO YOU HAVE THE GOVERNOR IN YOUR POCKET TOO?
YOU WENT STRAIGHT TO THE GOVERNOR WITHOUT CONSULTING ME, SO YOU PROBABLY KNOW ABOUT THE LAW.
THEN YOU MUST KNOW THE PUNISHMENT FOR BREAKING THE SAID LAW AS WELL.
IT WOULD BE TOO HARSH TO EXILE YOU A HUNDRED MILES AWAY.
SO I’LL LET YOU OFF AFTER A HUNDRED LASHES.
WHAT? A HUNDRED LASHES? THAT’S PRACTICALLY A DEATH SENTENCE!
THIS IS HORRIBLE...!
NO...
FATHER...
THE RIGHTEOUS MAN WHO WAS OBLIVIOUS TO THE WAYS OF THE WORLD HAD YET ANOTHER CRIME.
THE KING...
HUH...?
ON TOP OF HIS OTHER TWO CRIMES...
THE KING'S MALEVOLENCE...
...HAS MADE HIM APPOINT A CORRUPT MAN SUCH AS YOURSELF!
...HE WAS BRAVE. AND THAT WAS HIS CRITICAL FLAW.
THE KING IS MALEVOLENT!!
AND SO, THE PEOPLE SUFFER IN HIS PLACE!!!
MOCKING HIS MAJESTY IS A GRAVE CRIME.
ADD ANOTHER HUNDRED LASHES.
STRIKE HIM, AND STRIKE HIM HARD!
THE RIGHTEOUS, OBLIVIOUS, AND BRAVE MAN...
...DIED CURSING THE KING.
AND HIS SON SWORE TO HIMSELF AS HE WATCHED HIS FATHER DIE BEFORE HIS EYES.
THAT ONE DAY, HE WOULD TELL...
...THE KING HIMSELF...
TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST, I WAS HOPING YOU WOULDN'T SHOW UP.
AND YET, HERE YOU ARE.
...THE STORY OF THE RIGHTEOUS, OBLIVIOUS, AND BRAVE MAN.
YOU DECIDED TO COME...
WHY DO YOU STAND SO FAR, SIR?
PLEASE JOIN ME ON THIS SIDE.
ALLOW ME TO SHOW MY GRATITUDE AND RESPECT.
WELL...
I'D SAY THIS IS A GOOD SPOT TO OBSERVE.
I'LL STAY ON THIS SIDE IF YOU DON'T MIND.
HERE.
THE SECHONGTONG IS FAIRLY SIMPLE TO USE.
YOU LOAD THE CHAMBER WITH GUNPOWDER AND LOAD THE ARROW.
YOU LIGHT THE WICK, AIM, AND FIRE...
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
QUITE EASY, RIGHT?
NOW, GIVE IT A TRY YOURSELF.
YOUR MAJESTY...
DO YOU REALLY HAVE TO...
...GIVE HIM THIS OPPORTUNITY...?
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON...
I HAVE NO IDEA WHY YOU BROUGHT ME HERE FOR THIS DEMONSTRATION...
BUT YOU MADE A MISTAKE, KING.
NO WONDER WHY YOU CREATED A LAW LIKE THAT.
YOU FOOL!!
I WILL SOON FOLLOW YOU AND TELL YOU MY STORY.
Once, in a kingdom at peace, corruption was crushing the peasantry. A farmer, over a debt of one sack of rice, is forced with a fingerprint-sealed document to give up his child as a slave. The landlords and the judge are in league. An honest man petitions the governor, but the judge sentences him to a hundred lashes for breaking the ban; when he curses the king, his sentence is doubled and he dies. His son, witnessing his father's death, vows to tell the story to the king himself.
Spoiler Warning
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