"Are you truly that happy over a piece of calligraphy, My Lady?" "I remember staying in Concubine Cho's estate many years ago as children on a small vacation, and their decor down to their food seemed exquisite to me. Not because of the luxury of it all, but because of the small handmade things made with love, like nothing I had ever seen before…" "Love, the one thing all noble families lack." "…but now, I finally have something just as touching, and I am even more favoured than all 3 Concubines now." "Talk abut being humble and generous…" "More than expressing my gratitude, I am no the once receiving hand-me -downs from my more successful sisters before I entered the palace. I wonder when my parents will be able to visit me in the palace during the end of my pregnancy, so I can make them walk with tremendous pride…" "by the way, what about her so-called sisters? Do they know about this?" "You know what? I do not think that they do at all…"
"…If she has something to tell me herself, then she will, and she hasn't told me, then it hasn't happened at all. Let us not let gossip upset us, and you, Attendant Choi? You were never this assertive and well-informed before. Isn't everything you are currency telling me simply 'wind from an empty cave?' "I am just saying that you helped the other Concubines be in favour of your husband, but now they are starting to surpass you, isn't that a little odd, Concubine Park? "You helped her gain favour when she didn't have any at all, but now she refuses to help you at all? If helps you, you will not even need to compete for favour, but if she doesn't help you, do you plan to stay out of favour forever?" "They will aways have other favoured Concubines one day, and us women shall forever compete for the smallest of favours. If your heart has truly died for His Majesty, you wouldn't be wasting your time grieving like this. You have buried yourself in grief over your miscarriage and have neglected His Majesty," "Is that so…?"
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"My palace is no longer anything like your opulent place My Lady, with crowds rushing forward to serve it. The head of The Household Department even personally delivered clothing for your servants, isn't that so?" "I thought that you didn't care about The Third Princes favour at all, or were you just saying that out of spite? Because you have fallen for hi after all, despite what he did to us and the Seo family? All of those years of poverty, humiliation, famine, plague and so on?" "And since when are you so friendly with Attendant Choi, Concubine Kim? Have you forgotten what terrible deeds her family has committed under the command of The Second Prince? How many other families have suffered and have been torn apart because f her and her family?" "I am without a choice sister, and I hope that you can understand me when I say that I cannot explain now, but I will later on? After the public deposition of The Third Princess Consort? Despite everything they did to your child…" "I did not care about that child! I told you already!" "You can hate The Third Prince all you like, but once a woman gets pregnant, she is already a mother. I know how hard it was fr you to abort your baby when you yourself was deprived of a mother, juts like Seo Yeon was…but you must also think from my perspective sister; if it wasn't my only option, then why would I need to resort to this at all? I know that you hate her just as much as out husband and his wife, but I have endured no less suffering then you in childhood that I also want to make up for, and the same goes for our youngest sister. It isn't easy to be around her either, but we need to implement the same trick on her that we used on The Third Princess Consort, because she will forever be protected by her unborn baby. And if you cannot do it for us, then I shall, so you can just rest easy for a while until it is all over."
"Well, you have explained yourself very clearly sister, but are you sure it is for your plan? Or are you truly vying for that man's favour? Or with your help, won't it become easier for her to become our husband's next main wife? Is that why you have his personally-inscribed calligraphy pieces before anyone else?" "Cousin, I hold no affection for that and neither does our sister, although I cannot say the same for you at this moment."
"You may have calculated your moves sister, but there is no guarantee that everything shall fall into your plans." "Even I myself am unaware of when exactly I became this selfish and calculating, I do not even recognise myself anymore, but I guess it is to be expected given our circumstances." "You can have your reasons and I can keep my confusions; 'half a sentence is too much conversation if poorly timed.' "Am I really so despicable in your eyes now? Or are you just too blinded by hate? Or love? Or both? Because I haven't forgotten our grievances, but I guess that you have now." "What exactly do you mean by that? Is killing my baby not a clear sign that I haven't forgotten anything at all, sister?"
"You know, growing up together, I have always known that my looks and wits fade in comparison to yours, so I tired to just focus on cultivating my virtue and modesty instead. You were good at dancing and so I focused on learning the zither, and my skills were never inferior to yours. And then we were selected to enter the palace together by sheer luck, and we have always supported each other. Even when His Highness favours you more, I have never been resentful in the least, I even know that he favours myself and Cho because of you, and that is fine as well. You have everyone's admiration just like you have in childhood, and our families lives are just starting to improve, so why are you acting like this now, sister?"
"Do you remember when we set of our paper boats in the river as children, and we were told that the further the boats travelled was how far we could eventually end up marrying? And you said that our boats ha to travel at the same speed so we could marry in the same place? And stay together for the rest of our lives? That has happened, but even I could never imagine how far our hearts would be distanced, and over our enemy at that, but you will understand me one day soon, I can promise you that."
"So it looks like there is now a rift between The Concubines Kim and Park after knowing The Third Princess Consort will be officially deposed. The ice close-knit so-called sisters are now showing their rue colours and are competing for His Highness's favour, even when he is still confined to his chambers until the main wife shall be deposed." "Both women come from respective families and they both have their share of intellect and skill, it would be troublesome for us all if they stayed united against us and rose to power. And one of those ladies have the potential to be promoted to the next Princess Consort when our husband finds a way to rise to power after the death of his first wife, even Concubine Cho." "No, it is better not to accumulate too many enemies, let us sound everyone our first. We have The Concubine Kim on our side and we need to test Concubine Cho to see whose side she will now take and then we can start winning people over as soon as the main wife is deposed and your baby comes out." "It is hard to believe that a kisaeng like yourself can give such good advice and yet cannot keep a man for yourself, Mistress Han." "What do you know? Who says that I do not already have a man waiting for me?" "Are you talking bout this mystery man that you keep sneaking out of the palace to meet?" "What can I say? He just cannot get enough of me at all." "What about his lover? The one that he left you for?" "Seo Yeon is as good as dead, they will never see each other again." "Does he know that? That The Lady Min died whilst trying to kill Yeon herself? And they both ended up dead?" "He doesn't know and I do not have any plans to tell him at all, and neither will anyone else. As far as they are concerned, Seo Yeon has gone missing after her brother's friend broke her heart. And if Seon-Ho wants to rise in the palace, he will have to survive his friend first, and he cannot do that without my help." "You really have it bad for him don't you? Even though we both have been with The Third Prince, are you really trying to tell me that the half-breed is better?" "I have seen him do things that no man can do in bed, not even The Third Prince will do." "So is he that good?" "He is a gentleman…no, he is a man of the palace by day and a beast at night, what woman can resist that?" "So will there be a wedding soon?" "You know what? I think that there maybe one after all, if he plays his cards right."
"…Your Majesty, I seek your forgiveness for the crime that I have committed; I have always remembered that the harem must not interfere with state affairs. But my husband insisted on listening to my advice when it came to family matters and…" "So you gently suggested to promote The State Prince's children and mothers in order to pacify them and not give them an excuse to follow up in their rebellion? Concubine Cho?" "Only based on family matters, yes I did. I only gave him a suggestion, but not even I myself have the power to sway a Prince, no matter how favoured I appear to be." "And you dare to say that you have no self-interest in the matter?" "I dare not lie to Your Majesty; as a son under heaven, I have an interest to help my husband as he is also troubled by the affairs of his state every single day, to the point where he neglects his meals and his sleep. I am fortunate enough to serve His Highness, and if I have any self-interest, it is only to help my husband, his harem and his duties." "Very well, it looks like your self-interest remains the same as other concubines but with a more personal touch, no wonder why are one of my son's favourite concubines." "Our lives depend on him, including mine, so I will never possess any ill-intentions to harm the stability of the palace and everyone's lives in it. And if there are any injustices to bear, then I shall willingly be the person to do so."
"I hear that you are also very conscientious in serving your husband in the Imperial Library, which is a very rare privilege for a Concubine indeed." "I understand and I am more than grateful, Your Majesty." "If cleverness is not used in the right way, or its blindly leads your husband to make political decisions for your own personal interest. And if it does happen, then you will bring about the disaster of this nations and you shall not be soldered, or your family for that matter. So just focus on your child-bearing duties to help your husband expand his harem. Concubine Park has keen intellect and Concubine Kim has a calm temperament; if all 3 of you ladies pull all of your heart into your service, then my third son will have no worries at all. 'The lack of talent is the virtue of a woman', do you understand what that means?" "Being too talented will lead to a hapless fate, and a talented person knows the art of retreating and advancing. To cultivate both will bring blessings and wisdom." "Very well, you are dismissed with no impeding punishments." "Thank you, Your Majesty."