"You have no idea how hungry I am, I cannot eat any of Attendant Choi's food, it is far to spicy even for me." "Spicy? But hasn't she been consuming sour foods lately?" "She is faking it, even I can tell she cannot stand the spice in her food." "Oh dear, she is going to hurt your daughter that way, you should really caution her more." "What worth does a girl have in this society? She will be married off as soon as she is old enough and I will never see her again?" "Very well, cease your anger husband before it bring you harm. Look, I have received some delicious pickles and have had some sent to your kitchen. But let us start with some porridge first with some soy milk that was brought in this morning." "By who?" "Attendant Choi of courses and she was very specific about how to use it in which dishes that you like the most…" "That she likes the most, I haven't had milk since I was a child." "Has anything happened? You are looking quite pleased with yourself, husband?" "Speaking of Attendant Choi, her brother is really starting to show himself in the palace court…" "…but whatever victory has been achieved, it couldn't have happened without your strategic planning and leadership. Here, you can have an extra bowl of porridge for your victory." "You are starting to sound just like Concubine Park when it comes to Attendant Choi. I also need someone to manage my harem for me…" "And Concubine Kim is the perfect choice for that role, she gets my vote." "Concubine Cho? I do not think I have ever seen this side to you before." "You know that she is extremely young, naive and she makes rash decisions. She will make us all suffer." "Are you…jealous, Concubine Cho?" "No! I just…see that Concubine Park has a few valid points when it comes to Attendant Choi…"
"Do you know that Concubine Park has come up with the excuse that she is ill and unable to serve me tonight, she would not even let me take a look at her." "She isn't wrong for caring for you in that way, but it looks like the butterflies have already entered into your heart, Your Majesty." "I have no idea where these butterflies have come from, but regardless, it is more important that she has given her heart to me, because you have no idea how stubborn she is. Just because I was unwilling to punish Attendant Choi when she told me she was pregnant, she was unwilling to see me for months! What a small-minded woman!" "But this small-minded woman touches your heart." "She has been asking me to leave every single night, so when do I finally get to stay?" "Lady Li was exceedingly beautiful and gained favour from Emperor Wu, but when he called her upon his deathbed, she veiled her face and refused to see him until he died, because his love faded for her as her beauty did. This is the nightmare of every woman in the harem; only what ones has lost and what one cannot obtain are the most precious." "My Lady is keeping the distance in order to capture the heart, but eventually, the goal is to capture. Distance should only be a means to that end, therefore timing for the capture is crucial so that past efforts will not be futile."
"So that is her game?" "That is something for Your Highness should think about, but let us return the conversation back to Attendant Choi." "What more is there to say?" "She is rising to power as her brother is, and people might star gossiping that you are relying on reinstating your power on the backs of The Choi family who has already committed many misdeeds under your brother's name and that you only take her seriously because of that." "Are there already such rumours going around?" "Unfortunately there is, otherwise I cut never bring up such filth to your ears." "What else?" "If Your Highness empowers Attendant Choi right now as her brother rises to power, they will both be eaten up with far too much pride…Your Highness, please forgive me, I was simply over my head to discuss political affairs…"
"Do not become so formal with me now wife, I was the one who asked for your opinions about this. Nobody else dares to discuss pros and cons with me as bluntly as you do." "I just hope you postpone this decision you will make to quiet down the gossip and not rile your already unstable wife, and also to maintain your authority." "You are right once again it seems, and there is no close auspicious time for new conferrals. So you do not want the job yourself?" "I am not interested in climbing the social rank, and you know deep in your heart that Concubine Kim is the best choice to run the harem. You shall regret it if you do not choose her…" "just like I regret not sleeping with you last night wife…" "Husband! For goodness sake, the servants are still around us." "So? You never used to care about hat before, and maybe The Attendant Choi needs time to reflect on her mistake and cultivate virtue…." "For what exactly?" "For the poison that she added to the soy milks, can't you tell by the smell?" "What in the world….who did this! Servants! Bring over the new servant that was sent to us today by The Attendant Choi."
"Well well, I can recognise this well-dressed servant from anywhere, she was just attending to me last night." "I thank Your Majesty…" "The green dress is fine and delicate, but it does look rather gaudy with the pink cluster of flowers on your head and pink shoes. Don't you know how to dress at your age?" "I…forgive me, I just…" "I just received a peace of pink satin from my husband that you can make a dress with servant, it will look better than your pink dress." "Thank you My Lady…excuse me as the other servants call me into the kitchen…" "…and who exactly gave you permission to leave yet? Is this how Attendant Choi taught you? To interrupt and compete with your Mistress? What exactly did she say when you went over to her this morning?" "Mistress! I didn't…!" "So how did she get the idea to make paper ships for offerings tonight? Who knew that such an ugly maid could cause so much chaos? Servants! Take this maid and beat her to death outside for spreading information and being unloyal to her Mistress."
"Husband! I…" "I want to take a nap, get your bed ready here for me before my meetings." "Very well, you can get dressed behind the screen. And forgive me for not being vigilant enough, husband…" "You are as delicate as a flower, how can I possibly expect you to understand dangerous matters like these ones?"
"…I understand why you are upset, My Lady, a thief living in the home is much more dangerous than an intruder." "This is why my closest maid was killed? Because Attendant Choi wants to send her obtrusive maids to seduce my husband? I treat everyone nicely in my palace and this is how my kindness is repaid? These palace servants just cannot wait to stand out and take what they can for themselves!" "My Lady, do you still intend to reword them al?" "Of course I will! Give them the best of everything that I have! It is not like I care anything about this wealthy prestige that I am drowning in! The sooner that I can reunite with The Seo's in their home, the better! I cannot wait to see what they all wear in hopes of capturing The Third Prince's attention!" "My Lady, those who are born low cannot help but to aim highly, they are truly a waste of all of your consideration's for them." "You do not think that he is suspicious of us, do you? It isn't like I am the one asking to be put into power, right?" "He will take in your considerations due to his care for you, he empowers you this way as his wife, not just another Concubine….My Lady? Do you hear that noise outside? It is like someone is shouting outside when His Highness is sleeping?" "What in the world is going on? Doesn't that voice sound just like The Third Princess Consort? Let us go outside and see…"
"…My Lady, please heed my words! You have already been deprived of your title and…" "And what? Shall I just stand by whilst my husband makes that pregnant slut take over my role in the harem? She wouldn't have even become pregnant if I didn't allow it to happen! She cannot rule my husband's harem and she cannot be that important in His Highnesses eyes, no one shall ever me as important as I am!" "But My Lady, His Highness is still enraged with you and he refuses to see you at all!" "I will just see how he can refuse to see me! I was the one who made my husband what he is today! He would be nothing without me!" "Husband…" "It is alright Concubine Cho, i already knew that she would make a scene like this in front of me, that is why I bought myself here." "Husband?" "She must have heard but my plans to replace her with Attendant Choi and is kicking off outside." "Doesn't this unruly act of hers give you the right to depose her earlier?" "Yes it does, and I am glad that you are the one who is with me when I do this." "What do you have in mind, husband?" "With the books perfumed by a red cuff, I will not feel the tediousness of work anymore." "I am Your Highness's wife, I must bring you peace of mind since I am relay one step ahead of you."
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"What are you doing here? Are you stalking me already, Seo Yeon?" "I didn't run into you on purpose or anything like that, don't you worry Nam Seon-Ho." "Nam? Since when did you ever call me that?" "Starting from now I will!" "What a petty little brat you are indeed." "Fine, I will never show myself to you again!" "Are you ready to tell me the truth now?" "If I do, do I have to watch you ruin yourself just for me just as you are finally becoming successful? Now that you finally have the chance to live a life without your father? I have no-one in this life apart from you and my brother, so why should I step aside and watch you both suffer as I have in childhood?" "Because we are the men in your lives and it is our job to protect you!" "You are the men in my life and I am just as protective over you as you are of me! Because I love you!" "Seo Yeon, do not get too close to my sister-in-law when you are surrounded by nobility in my absence, it will only cause a lot of misunderstandings in her, don't you forget that, alright?" "Why? She is far more humble than any other woman that has come into your life." "She is humble now but she won't be forever; she has the origins of a maid and they always end up aiming so high that they eventually fall lower than the rest of us. Palace affairs are not as simple as the problems that you have been dealing with on your own so far." "And how can you tell at a glance who to trust, Your Highness?" "If there is no entanglement of benefit, then everyone would naturally be nice people. But if power is involved, people's true colours always come out. And the palace is a breeding ground for trouble, so you should stay far away from it." "I will stay away if you do, so we can live peaceful lives together." "What are you saying Seo Yeon? That you will follow me into the palace?" "I will follow you until you yourself will come to your senses and find much more fulfilling work elsewhere." "And why will you do that?" "Because I love you, because you are mine and if you will give yourself no peace, then I shall not have any either. You yourself told me countless times that I am your bride, so how can I stay away from your affairs? I will learn everything for your sake just as you do to me, I will face everything that you will face and…" "are you saying you will do this for me?" "I will bring you back to me, Nam Seon-Ho." "Is that so?" "Do you want a bet? Of how quickly you will find yourself in my bed, where you belong?" "You fucking tease!" "Then there is only one way to solve this issue, isn't there?" "And what is that?" "You have to marry me, before you enter the palace again, and I will not take your rejection as an answer." "Seo Yeon…are you proposing marriage to me?" "And what if I am?"