Chapter 86: The Villainess (3)

Chapter 86: The Villainess (3)

Time flowed equally for everyone.

For the barbarian worried about todays meal, and for the widow living only to die, time flowed just the same.

A month from now, it would have been one year since the tragedy at the Moyong Familys wedding.

The news Moyong Sang-ah had so desperately awaited had finally arrived.

Are you talking about the matter of sending someone to Joseon?

Moyong Sang-ah had secretly ordered the leader of Changbongdae to dispatch someone to Joseon.

The purpose was to uncover information about the Kang family members involved in treason and the fate of the deceased Kang Yun-ho.

Yes. That news just arrived a little while ago.

The leader of Changbongdae looked at Moyong Sang-ah with worried eyes.

His changed master.

He believed that his master needed to change to become the family head, but he had not wished for her to become this ruthless.

Nearly a year since that day. Why had she changed like this? Now, he too understood the reason.

Kang Yun-ho.

The tremendous guilt she felt towards that reckless man had changed her. No, it was not just guilt. The fiery emotions shared between them during that short time must have transformed her into an irreversible state.

Its news weve been waiting for a long time. Please report quickly.

The leader of Changbongdae, concealing his troubled feelings, decided it was better to report. Regardless of the shock it might bring, it was the news his master had been eager to hear.

The leader of Changbongdae began to report.

As known, all the male members of the Kang family were executed for treason.

The calamity that befell the Kang family for their involvement in treason did not end with the family head and his three generations.

All relatives working in the Kang familys business enterprises were deemed guilty by the Joseon court, under the logic that they all participated in treason.

Like the man Moyong Sang-ah had killed not long ago, even if they werent merely related by blood but were practically strangers, then all the male members of the Kang family were beheaded.

Annihilation.

The place once known as the Kang family village has now been reduced to nothing but ruins.

What about the Kang family women who became slaves?

Its still too early to give up.

Moyong Sang-ah, suppressing the urge to close her eyes at the grim outcome of her actions, inquired about the fate of the female members of the Kang family.

It might not even serve as a minor act of atonement, but she wanted to take care of his remaining family. To achieve this, she had instructed her people sent to Joseon to secretly rescue his family members who had been enslaved.

There are not many who survived.

What do you mean? Werent the women spared from execution?

It was known that the Kang family originally had few descendants. Coupled with the ordeal of the familys treason, enduring severe physical and mental trauma, becoming slaves and being sent off to the provinces to die as outcasts, or turning to prostitution to survive the humiliation rather than taking their own lives, there were countless women.

But, there must still be some who survived.

Fortunately, some distant relatives of Master Kang Yun-ho, who did not endure much hardship, are alive. However, upon learning that the Moyong Family wanted to take them in, everyone outright refused help.

Moyong Sang-ahs accusation of treason.

If he was buried, are you saying he is not anymore?

A bad premonition flashed through Moyong Sang-ahs mind.

The calm facade she had maintained now changed to an anxious look.

The Changbongdae leader, unable to bear the emotions his master would have after the report, avoided her gaze and spoke.

Recently, he was subjected to dismemberment of the corpse after exhumation.

Dis, dismemberment after exhumation? Why would he be subjected to that!

Moyong Sang-ah asked in horror.

Dismemberment of the corpse after exhumation.

A punishment involving digging up a grave, pulling out the corpse, and cutting it into pieces.

Touching a corpse was considered a severe punishment even in the logic of a Confucian state, so one must have committed a very grave crime to be subjected to this punishment even after death.

Even if Kang Yun-ho was supposed to die for treason, there was no reason for him to be subjected to dismemberment after exhumation.

There was talk in the Joseon court that the punishment for the great traitor Kang Yun-ho was too lenient. Eventually, as they pursued additional charges, one was added, leading to the exhumation and dismemberment of his already decayed corpse.

What on earth did my lord do to have his corpse desecrated like this!

The charge is conspiracy. He was falsely accused of attempting to bring in foreign forces by marrying into a foreign family.

The crime of betraying the country and secretly colluding with another country to plot rebellion was one of the worst crimes, categorized alongside treason in Joseon.

The Kang family attempted to commit treason. Moreover, Kang Yun-ho himself tried to directly involve foreign forces.

Although the Moyong Family was rewarded for exposing the mans treason, it does not absolve Kang Yun-ho of his crime. He deserved his punishment.

Thus, the charges against Kang Yun-ho were finalized.

In addition to the crime of internal rebellion and treason, the crime of conspiracy was also added.

This was why Kang Yun-ho was subjected to dismemberment after being exhumed.

Is it because of me?

The dismembered corpse, left unattended for fear of implicating others in treason, was eventually collected by someone one night and vanished.

The Changbongdae leader could not confirm Moyong Sang-ahs trembling words. He calmly continued with the facts to conclude the report.

Even in death, even in death its because of me

Was there any endeavor more noble than saving a woman in crisis?

A hero who risked his life for her sake.

In life, he was killed by the villainess he tried to save,

And in death, even his pure intentions were desecrated.

The grave meant for his rest was disturbed, and the whereabouts of his dismembered body became a mystery.

All because of her.

Everything was all because of her.

Moyong Sang-ahs mind went blank for a moment.

Lady! Lady! Please come to your senses! Where is the physician!!!