It is settled now, and you, father, must yield and follow. I shall accept without any opposition, so please have no anxiety. We women, every one of us, are under the ban, and such things are decreed by Fate. Don't for a moment think otherwise, just put away your distress and anxiety. A daughter does not count give her over, that's all. One can easily see where the greater advantage lies. By losing one daughter and saving your life, you surely do better than saving your daughter and losing your life. "Why did you not think it out better than that, father? Why should a grown man lose his life for the sake of a girl? Let the daughter go. The daughter made light of it and laughed. "If I had refused I would have been killed, so I yielded but a gentleman's daughter being made a concubine is a disgrace unheard of." "Did the Governor call you, father?" asked she "and why are you so anxious? Tell me, please." At first, fearing that she would be disturbed, he did not reply, but her repeated questions forced him, so that he said, "I am in trouble on your account," and then told of how the Governor wanted her for his concubine. On his return his family noticed that his face was clouded with anxiety, and the daughter asked why it was. But since you so command, how can I do but accede gladly?" So he bowed, said his farewell, and went home. The Deputy, alarmed, said, "How can your Excellency say that your servant's contemptible daughter is beautiful? Some one has reported her wrongly. When I am on my official rounds shortly, I shall expect to stop at your town and take her. On a certain day Governor Han, hearing that the Deputy Prefect of Son-chon had a very beautiful daughter, called the Deputy, and said, "I hear that you have a very beautiful daughter, whom I would like to make my concubine. The whole Province feared him as they would a tiger. Any one daring to cross his wishes in the least was dealt with by torture and death. When Han went as governor to Pyong-an Province he did all manner of lawless things. At that time, like grass before the wind, the world bowed at his coming no one dared utter a word of remonstrance. Confident in his position, Han did as he pleased, wielding absolute power. The King appreciated and enjoyed him greatly, and there was no one of the Court who could surpass him for influence and royal favour. HAN Myong-hoi was a renowned Minister of the Reign of Se-jo (A.D.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |