Prologue
2nd Dongji 1794
Well Beanie,
How time has flown! On and on like the waters of the rivers. Unending, unyielding. The new year is coming soon. May it herald better prospects for all.
Yeon-rok is doing well. Whenever I see him, I can not not help but wonder I have a son in my dotage. That my prayers to the sansin for a son were heard. If only they have the magnanimity too, to answer my pleadings for rain. But the heavens have decided otherwise. The land and the people continue to suffer. There is nothing more than I like than to resign this post. I feel I am not doing much good. The drought in Yeonpung has continued unabated. It has already been three years, people are desperate. Thousands are going hungry and many are dying from sickness. Whatever I put in in relief efforts are soaked up like water spilled on parched earth. I feel I am bailing a perpetual leaky boat. To make matters worst, our old friend sent a servant to inspect the current situation. I believe he has it in for me. Ahh! I am already caught up between political adversaries, my immediate colleagues. Now comes this fellow with the smarmy eyes, asking questions all around. He thinks I am blind and deaf but I know what he is up to. There is nothing I can do. I should think our old friend would kick me out once he received a report from this servant. That will lift a burden from me.
Enough of my lamentations. If my memory serves me right, your son should be approaching the age of maturity. You should be holding the ceremony for him soon. What name are you going to give him? I wish I can attend the joyous occasion. You said you are going to send him to a hyanggyo. I have a feeling I will be returning to Hanseong soon, I would so like to sponsor him at the school there. But I'm just being sentimental, dreaming of the impossible. That's how I am nowadays, wishing for unattainable goals. It is getting late and I can only write so much for the moment.
Kim hyeong
Holding the letter nearer the tunggyong, Yunbok read it again, frowning at the shaky lines near the end. It was as if the writer had wavered as he wrote the last words. Gently, he touched the written words. His old master was feeling his age. That and the heavy demands of his post. An appointment Hong-do should not have taken up in the first place. Why did he not simply request for the singular task of painting the four counties and had done?
Perhaps the King thought Hong-do should do something on the side other than paint. Perhaps Hong-do would have done a good job if catastrophe had not struck the land. Little precipitation brought forth the dreaded drought that did not cease after the first year and continued for so long. He sighed and stared at the letter. What would the King do if he received an unfavourable report from the Chungcheong Wiyusa? Would he simply dismiss Hong-do? If the charges were serious, his old master would be heading for trouble. He heaved a sigh again just as a pair of arms went around him.
"Trouble?" she said.
"I'm afraid so. There is nothing I can do." He handed her the letter. She kept her arms around him as she read. "I'm hoping that since our old friend favored him, he would deal with him kindly."
"You can ask master Park or old master Han to keep an eye on this. They would know the developments faster than anyone." She handed the letter back. "He will be fine," she hugged him tightly, resting her head on his back. "Next year."
"Next year," he nodded, carefully slotting the letter back into the envelope. "The time has come and yet..,"
"Whatever happens, we have prepared. Let us treasure these few months left."
His warmth was a haven for her fears. A tiny chitter brought her attention to the hwaro. She quickly removed the teapot to pour out the hot tea into a cup. It began to cool rapidly as she blew on it gently. Taking a sip, she passed the cup to him. It was an extremely bitter brew but he said nothing and handed it back to her when it was half empty.
"As you say," he said as she finished the tea. "Whatever comes, let us weather the storm. Whither we stay or leave, the heavens will decide."
"As long as we stay together." She poured out another cup and handed it to him.
"Truly." He raised the cup in a toast.
Saemal, Siheung
'This is all we have, I beg you, take it!' ... 'Please, we have nothing left!" ... pain ... laughter ...
A scream left her throat, her arms flailed. Caught! She was caught! Frantically, she shoved blindly and sat up, staring wildly into the darkness. Gradually she realised there were no laughing faces, no hands, no pain. Heart thudding madly, cold sweat trickling down her face, she panted as she tried to sort out her thoughts. A soft scrap to her left startled her. A light flared to life. The comforting glow from the tunggyong steadied her. Hands shifted the tunggyong nearer, casting shadows all around.
"This is the third night in a row you have the same nightmare, what's wrong?" he pushed the tunggyong nearer to her as if aware it would chase away the shadows haunting her.
"I don't know." Shakily, she wiped away the sweat on her brow with a hand. "You should not waste the oil."
"You're not eating enough," he said worriedly, ignoring her comment on the oil and touched her face gently. "Stop giving your share to Jinjja, he will not go for want."
"I have no apettite and I don't want the food to go to waste." She slumped against him as he drew her into a hug.
"I will give you part of mine," he kept his voice light despite his anger with their circumstances.
"No." She shook her head, wishing she was somewhere else. Away.
"Everyone's share is already apportioned. Yet you are giving yours away. For a frivolous reason. It is not right. You cannot go on like this so you will have a part of mine," he stated firmly as she continued to shake her head. "If you must think of our son, you must think of yourself and me too. What will we do wthout you?"
" ... I'm tired," she muttered, wishing she could just lie down and forget about everything, where she was, the situation they were in. Wishing she was elsewhere.
"You must eat or the nightmares will never stop. Your hunger is triggering them, if you have not realized it by now." He lay her on her bedding.
"I just want to... forget." She turned her head away as he pulled up the quilt.
"Then do as I say and stop being so stubborn." He stroked her hair gently to lull her to sleep before turning to blow out the oil lamp. Silently, he got to his feet, went to the window and opened it. Outside, all was dark and still. His breath ballooned into a cloud as he stared at the moon. His fist clenched as he came to a resolution.
Byeongjo, Hanseong
The room was quiet despite the number of bodies seated around the table. Not a cough or a shuffle or a twitch even though those seated at the far end were feeling a slight chill for the braziers were not placed near enough for them to feel even a flicker of heat. It was as if everyone had been immobilize by a general malaise as they stared blankly at the table before them. The only minute sounds that could be heard was the flipping of paper now and then.
"This is the finalised itinerary?" Everyone jumped at the gruff voice. The official seated next to the minister at the head of the table startled as if he had been awakened from sleep and hastened to answer.
"Yes, sir."
"Have they made preparations for the river crossing?" Fingers tapped slowly as they moved from one point to another on a page.
"Yes, sir. The foundation for the pavilion is already laid. It is expected to be ready before the end of Sohan," the official hurried to assure him. "The officers from the Jugyosa have also sent the specifications for the ships that will be used."
"Make sure there are enough detachments deployed around Noryangjin. Send more men if need to, I want that place secured tightly. There must be no mistake."
With such a strong emphasis, how could the official not get the point?
"Yes, sir. Most of the troops are prepared, we will be ready," the official waited as the minister looked through the papers again. "Is there a problem, sir?"
"How many troops have been deployed for the Fortress Drill?"
"3, 700, sir. All of them will be the garrisoned .," the official stopped when the minster glanced at him. Was that not the number and detachment of soldiers stipulated before? He had checked and double checked. There was no mistake.
"There has been a slight change of plans," the minister said mildly as he turned a page.
"Sir?" the official waited with bated breath. A change of plans was always bad news for those on the receiving end at the bottom of the chain.
"His Majesty has just informed me that he wishes to muster troops from the southern provinces rather than use the existing garrisoned soldiers at Hwaseong and the surrounding districts for the military drill." The minister looked around the table as the rest of the officials stirred. Southern provinces? They looked at one another incredulously. To muster troops from the south at this late date spelled additional workloads.
"But I don't ..," the official fell silent as a hand gestured him to halt.
"His Majesty has various purposes in mustering troops from the south. Firstly, he has the outmost confidence in the Jangyongyeong so he feels this is the best opportunity to see how the southern troops will fare in the drill. Secondly, he wishes to reduce some of the provisioning burdens in the provinces that have suffered from drought these three years. Thirdly, this muster comes at the most unpropitious period for it means a winter march." The minister knew that was the foremost concern of the rest.
"Yes, sir," agreed the official as his mind leaped to the enormous logistic of keeping mustered troops supplied. "It will be a ..."
"His Majesty wishes to test how well the army and respective administrations will respond in such a contingency," he smiled at the barely hidden consternation on the officials' faces. "If all goes well, his Majesty will accordingly bestow accolades where it is deserved."
What would happen if it were otherwise? Would their heads roll or would they be dismissed? A few pondered the prospect of exile were their efforts deemed lacking or worst, to be accused of dereliction of duty. Perhaps it would be best if they made sure all their affairs were in order. A cough interrupted the official whose train of thought mirrored that of his colleagues. He realised the minister was waiting for his response.
"Sir," he said as deferentially as he could. "Will not such an order impose difficulties on the sangmin? Asking them to ..."
"In times of war, would you have question such an order?" the minister stared at the official's bowed head, knowing it was not really the burdens of the commoners he was worried over. "We are fortunate not to experience another conflict but that does not mean we should be laxed. This is a good opportunity to test how well the civil and military departments, the officers, the people will respond to such a call. There will be no appealing against such an order," he said in warning, noting uncomfortable mulish faces down as he glanced around the table. "Carry out his Majesty's will or suffer the consequences."
"Yes, sir." The official bobbed his head, not certain he would be able to keep his post. The forthcoming procession was already a considerable burden, with the extra demand, the strain would be enormous. "How many are to be mustered from the southern provinces?"
"A thousand of the garrisoned troops at Hwaseong will take part in the drill. Muster 900 troops each from the province of Chungcheong, Jeolla and Gyeongsang. As both Jeolla and Gyeongsang are further away, the official forms must be finalised and messages despatched as soon as possible. The rest of the arrangements I leave to your own counsel. Hand out what needs to be done appropriately."
"Yes, sir."
Everyone rose to his feet and bowed as the minister left the room. Once they were sure he was gone, a hubbub of voices broke out.
Seoheon, Yeonpung
When the small troop of soldiers were spotted approaching the village, word spread swiftly. Hope rose only to be dispelled by the description. It was too small to be a relief effort. No animal drawn carts to speak of. When the troop headed for the Pungnakheon, those who were able, got themselves to the main office where they were prevented from entering by soldiers. Those out front queried the soldiers and only received vague replies. Would there be more relief efforts coming their way? They could only wait but most did not anticipate a swift lifting of their sufferings.
Within the Pungnakheon, an official unrolled a scroll as a man knelt on the floor.
"By order of the King, Hyeongam Kim Hong-do, appointed in the year 1791, 22nd Daehan, to govern Yeonpung by his Majesty, is hereby relieved of his duties in lieu of reported abuses of his position. He is to be remanded by the Uigeumbu in Hanseong to assist with investigations regard the allegations."
Hong-do bowed in acknowledgement. It had come, as he had expected. The official rolled up the scroll, handed it to his aide and gestured for him and the soldiers to wait outside.
"Am I not to be arrested?" Hong-do said with some surprise when the official reached down to help him to his feet.
"Not without giving you a chance to put your affairs in order," the official said. "There is no specific date for your remand so take some time to prepare. I expect someone will come by eventually with another edict to get you moving."
"Thank you," Hong-do said gratefully. "Are you taking over?"
"Only temporarily. I'm Kim In," the official said, looking about the room. "I will need all the information you can give me on the current situation in Yeonpung."
"It's as bad as the other districts," Hong-do sat down at Kim In's invitation, glad that at least someone amiable had been sent to relieve him. He had been thinking he would be hauled straight off without even a chance to prepare or say his farewells to the family. The air of competency about the young official gave some assurance to Hong-do. Perhaps this young man would be able to lift the burdens of the suffering people. With that in mind, he began to fill in the other man on the current crisis.
Korean Words
byeongjo - military affairs department
hwaro - portable stove / brazier
Jangyongyeong - the defensive army created and controlled by Jeongjo
sansin - spirits of the mountain
Uigeumbu - supreme and investigation office
wiyusa - temporary post appointed to official to assist populance in times of natural disaster