"What is the matter, Mistress?" "I used to take his words as law, no matter how much he was trying his best to hide his real feelings from me, but now…i am not sure. I once wished for the love of a whole heart until grey-haired, never to part, but now i have no idea what i am getting myself into with a man that has changed so much." "He still puts you above everyone, Mistress." "But if he can treat me like this and still drag me into his bed, what is to say this won't stop with our future? I am no longer confide in hm as i used to and…" "Forgive me Mistress, but you have truly never confided in him in the first place, that is why he is being so closed off with you." "I am aware of that, but if i told him or my brother anything about it, they would have stopped me a long time ago. Even though residing in a brothel almost damaged myself and The Lord Nam, look at what it did to The Third Princess Consort and what came out of it. No matter what damage my actins cause to myself, i had no choice but to act with cleverness to uncover the truth." "It seems as if you have been repressing your feelings for quite some time now." "There is a difference between keeping secrets that cam harm everyone around us and telling obvious lies." "What are you talking about?" "When I was in The Fifth Prince's accommodation....and i suspect even in he brothel that he is so angry about…I wasn't alone, was i?" "What makes you think so?" "He…was the one who took me to the second brothel, isn't that right? And even when I was in…." "Mistress, I understand what it looks like, but you have to trust The Lord Nam no his plans, just like when he has no choice but to trust you. But what is making you bring up all of this now?" "I...I had an accident before coming into the palace with The Lady Min, and it just brought up some memories of my time there and…i could have sworn that i heard his voice and felt his touch right before he…"
"Young Mistress Seo, the palace gates will be closed soon, do you have all of he material's that you need?" "I am afraid that it will not be a peaceful night for sleeping..." "Young Mistress, The Lord Nam seems to be making his way in here…" "Do not let him in! i have just warned him about giving us a little space, and he will not listen to a word that i have said! Inform him that i have already gone to sleep...." "As if that will stop him…" "Yeon? Have you already gone to bed?" "What brings Your Lord here so late at night? I am already in bed…" "I will not be at ease until i have checked on you..." "My Lord! I am afraid that you shall wake up everyone else n the harem! And The Imperial Concubine Park has warned you not to cross the harem doors! Forgive me ,but i am unable to tend to you, i hope that you can understand." "Just let me take a small look at you girl…" "You need to study for your debate without me, but i have already placed the right books on your desk. Do not stay up too late, and i will serve you in the morning, My Lord." "Are you really not going to accommodate my requests? How many excuses will you come up with to reject me? You will not even let me take a look at you. i...am always alone when i study…"
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"Has The Lord Nam gone to sleep yet? Or is he still studying alone for the debate? I heard that Seo Yeon has been actively ignoring him, so she cannot attend to him. Maybe now is my chance to finally wait on him and show him just how capable i can be…" "My Lady, it seems that The Young Mistress Seo has given into his requests to accompany him tonight…" "What! Since when! Didn't you say that she has been turning him away on purpose!" "It seems as though he caused a scene outside of the harem when she refused his request for the first time, so she didn't have much of a choice...." "Women always feign their feelings to make men attracted to them even more; to want what they are denied! Do you suppose that he will let me see him at this time of night? i cannot get any sleep for the life of me…" "My Lady, it is almost midnight now, maybe we should try tomorrow? Why don't you try to spend some time with your son instead or find a way to make The Royal Children like you more…" "I have finally learnt what it means to wait for something until your eyes hurt, how could he possibly treat me this way after everything that i have done for him in return? Does he realise how cold he is to everyone else apart from The Seo's and their little gang of mismatched friends?""Mistress, why don't you find yourself another ally? Like The Chung family?" "The enemy of my brother-in-law? Why would i do that for?" "He is high in favour with The Third Prince ever since Seo Hwi bowed out of politics a long time ago now, and he just had his adopted children promoted in ranks." "But how about his own child?" "She has long lost his favour ever since the concubines pregnancy news came about before the marriage and she caused him to loose face right when The Third Prince was in a coma." "But he himself is known for his short temper, arrogance and domineering personality, unlike Seo Hwi. His concubine on the other hand, it looks like she needs some help in regaining her husband's favour in her marital home…very well, i shall give my family one last chance to support me before i switch sides; i shall do whatever i have to, to stay in the place...."
"…Why didn't you announce yourself to me? it makes me look rude and disrespectful..." "You are far too absorbed in your needlework as usual, so I didn't want to interrupt you. Your brother has sent me a letter to inform me that he is loosing his patience with us and he wants us in his home as soon as possible." "My poor brother, he deserves his weight in gold after everything that i am putting him through." "And what about me?" "You are stealing me away from him, isn't that enough? Here look, i am trying to make him a satchel to make him forgive me when we arrive at his home; what colour do you think i should use on the clouds beneath the dragon?" "He will just cherish your thought, but I suppose the purple colour that you are wearing today will do under the gold dragon." "You are right; this represents my thoughts and I do not wish for this to have a single flaw." "The purple clouds come from the East and he gold dragon cos from the West; these are suspicious omens indeed, he will surely never let this get away from him."
"My Lord, The Mistress Nam requests an audience to personally extend her regards to you…" "It is rather late and cold outside; tell her to return to her quarters and i shall speak to her when this debate is over." "She says that she understands that you are not willing to see her now; she only comes to bow to Your Lordship distantly." "Husband?" "Yeon, remember how myself and your brother constantly used to tease you for being 'an emotional woman when we were children? I swear hat i will never call you that again after this. Let her in."
"Forgive my intrusion, i just haven't seen either of you for a long time and I just wanted to…" "To interrupt me whilst i am studying non-stop for this debate?" "Husband…" "My Lord! i just wished to inform Yeon that i have helped her in transcribing some volumes of sutras these past few days. I assume that she did this for you, so that she can pray for you. Also, us women have been invited to some horse-riding over at The Chung family manor tomorrow…" "Very well, I shall leave you to escort Yeon on my behalf. And it is far too cold to be writing for long hours in this cold winter season; what exactly is it that you women are up to with these sutras?" "You will find out soon enough husband." "Brew me some more tea, and i want to see you wearing this dress before i go into the debate." "Very well, would you like some also, sister-in-law?" "Of course, and how are you? I haven't seen you since the banquet, Yeon." "You could have dropped in more if you were so concerned about me." "I hear that you are high in favour with The Royal Children, isn't that right?"
"…Sister? are they all laughing at me now?" "You are overthinking as usual sister, instead of tending to your son who is crying for you at your feet right now." "When i was titled from mere palace maid to a main wife, my colleagues here were grinding their teeth in resentment. But Seo Yeon and even her kisaeng sister-in-laws have stolen my favour from me, and nobody treats me the same way." "Nobody treats you the same way because you are the widow of a criminal in the shortest marriage in the kingdom, that is why people laugh at you." "I am forgotten by everybody, i didn't even get to have a titling ceremony, but a disabled orphan girl gets everything in the world just handed down to her? My brother-in-law used to confide in me, but he has stopped doing even that when he has that girl in his presence…" "Sister, it looks like my Mistress has sent you over some ejao cakes from The Imperial Kitchen." "What? She distances herself from me, but still treats me like a 'sister'? Just what is this little girl playing at! I will just have to request anther audience with The Lord Nam so that nobody will pity me like this ever again!" "Do not even think about it, unless you wish for hm to cut ties with you." "What do you mean?" "For a nobleman like The Lord Nam to be a part of a circle with low-borns that still act as such despite their various promotions and wealth that they have come into, including yourself, he will always help promote their services for them to find their own wealth and resources. None of them has asked him for anything, especially my Mistress. But to have someone in your close circle always hanging onto you for favours is actually a pastime of the noble class when they get into trouble. That is why he has always distanced himself from other noble folk, especially the women." "How are you any different then, as his servant?" "From the day that i met him, i have not asked The Lord Nam for anything at all. Everything he did for me was for the woman that he fell for many years ago but still cannot freely admit it to this day, and i expect nothing more from him. But if you keep begging everyone around you for favours to compete with someone who wins to survive like The Seo's, then you yourself will create so many enemies around you that you will be oblivious to, marl my words sister. Do not get caught up in the competition in the palace and just focus on making a living for you son in peace, so that you can improve your own reputation and find yourself a nice husband to settle down with." "Who will take in a short-lived bride that married into wealth, only for her to be saddled with the reputation of a criminal husband and his son? Unless they are somebody powerful….like The Third Prince, maybe?"