The palace was still a dark and gloomy place with its endless hallways, endless servants all looking for a chance to climb up the social rank and leave their miserable lives and endless plot twists, conspiracies and scenarios that always enacted one's downfall, which was another person's door of opportunity. I truly hated this place with every fibre of my being and even though I knew how to support my husband during hi time here, I really wasn't looking forward to it at all. I never wanted to set foot in this place again, and for my husband's sake, I had to at least try to show him that he could do just as much good outside the palace as he wanted to.
"Young Mistress Seo, have you already forgotten me after a few months already? Your future sister=in=law?" "I never forget a face that betrays me Widow Nam, it just that I haven't seen you this weak and feeble since your days as a maid under me. I am afraid that your disappointment must be as bitter as this winter season that is making it's way over to us. And what on earth happened to your voice? Why is it so hoarse?" "I have already seen my fair share of people changing like the weather; they allied me when I first arrived here and now they all belittle and humiliate me. I am no longer afraid of being disappointed, especially after I was ordered to recuperate alone in the cold palace to avoid seeing others." "So why did you rush outside in the cold to see me then? Do not misunderstand mr, I simply am expressing my concern for your well=being when your circumstances are already inconvenient. And maybe it was caused by overexerting your mind…" "Everyone is already aware that I come from lowly origins, that is no secret at all. And yet there are so many noble people in the world who make less significant impact of their lives than I have done. So I can only strive to become stronger…" "Which isn't a bad thing at all, unless you do it in an immoral way that cost many innocent lives. If one plots every step of the way and becomes insatiable, then excessive self=strength will eventually become self=harm."
"But of course, nobody is stringer then you in the palace no matter what their stations are, isn't that so, Seo Yeon?" "Whereas there is nobody more abject and abandoned than you are, with the exception of your only friend that you have ever had in your entire life, isn't that so, Widow Nam?" "You are indeed blessed, Seo Yeon, so will you allow me to turn my misfortune around by staying by your side once again? What do I have to fear when I have you by my side?" "I certainly do remember the days when we treated each other wih such deep affection, but now I can say that I shall repay every drop of kindness with a fountain of gratitude, but it will only be temporary. But fear not, you have such a strong character which is reflected in your survival skills…but I fear that your loss in favour will result in a much more painful death and I will help you until I return to you. I hear that you have been bullied recently by the junior concubines, so I will have their stipends forfeited until their departure from the palace and since your servant was unable to protect you, I shall have her punished by flogging several times and being sold into the market." "So you really haven't forgotten about me after all, have you?" "I have already sent out extra quilts and charcoal to your quarters in the cold palace, even though nobody has made any mention of yourself at all."
"Adding flowers to the brocade never earns you true gratitude, and sending charcoal on a snowy day makes people remember your kindness towards them." "Only when one is in a desperate situation, do they learn to fight back and press ahead without hesitating, since I am unlikely to recover from my throat affliction." "And a childless concubine makes for a harmless pawn, just like The Concubine Chung planned for you all along."
"What on earth does that mean? Has something happened to my child?" "Now you care for the boy, all of a sudden? Your son who was taken from us by The Nam Clan? You're troubled, untrained, uneducated son that everyone in that family will surely pick on due to his low background because of you?" "What did you just say?" "They all accuse him of having bad intentions because of who you are and what you have done in the palace, and for that hey have found him to be guilty before he even has the chance to make something for himself."
"I cannot believe this…are you saying that all of my efforts were in vain? Everything that I have done for him, for us…it will all turn around on my son? How dare they steal my boy away from me! Whit informing me or compensating me either! He is…my son, how is this possible at all! Didn't my brother=in=law try to stop them at all! It his nephew.." "…and theirs as well. What did you expect him to do?" "But…." "But they have issued you with those resources that I have handed over to you on there behalf, as a form of compensation for your situation." "Charcoal and quilts instead of gold and silver? What on earth do they call that? It is a pittance and I…" "It is a gesture that should still count between strangers, so make sure that they kowtow before them if you ever come across them in the palace." "You must have become forgetful of the past, or they are as they sell cling to their former glory before The Lord Nam's father dragged them all down within before you murdered him with your own hands, Seo Yeon. For when the tree topples, the monkey's scatter…" "For when the tree topples, the monkey's scatter when the person who enters the palace has no connections of their own to rely on…" "Do you really think that we are different, Seo Yeon? Do not flatter yourself with your high hopes and expectations, because your Nam man will disappoint you just like mine did and you know it. As soon as they get what they want, then they will slowly loose interest…"
"How dare you offend my Mistress Seo! You shall know he consequences when I inform The Lord Nam about this!" "So what if you tell him? I was his confidant long before your mistress was! She is just a useful bitch to him and nothing more; so enjoy your moment of satisfaction before it lasts before you fall from grace just like his previous lovers! And you know exactly which ones I am talking about, don't you Seo Yeon? Because surely nobody in this world understands the lonely and tortured Nam Seonho other than you, isn't that so?"
I watched that lowly orphan bitch crawl away before I found an empty space in the palace to start burning joss papers, even though it was forbidden in the palace to do so. "My Lady, this shall be a serious offence if we are discovered…." "Do not fret, you and I are the only ones here; and where else can I do this for my late husband?" "But we have disrespected The Young Mistress Seo, are you not afraid of the consequences, My Lady?" "Why should I fear her after all of this time? Living right now is no different from dying, but I am still alive thanks to my sister's sacrifice. Only her death would weaken Seo Yeon as it did back then; and only seeing her misery can allow me to be purged from the insults that I have forcefully swallowed over the years. She also died because she was useless, and had no other exit in this life apart from death. She had no ambition apart from being a damned servant in the palace and nothing more."
"My Lady, I believe that your beauty pills are being delivered right now…" "Do not fret, I am aware of how much musk they contain and even though I could never bring another child to full term again, I will have to use whatever time I can get pregnant again to full use." "Sister=in=law? What unearth do you think you are doing right now? Have you taken leave of your senses?" "Do not mind me, I am doing all of this for the brother that you barely acknowledged." "Sister…" "Even so, I have never been so insulted as I was just now by your fiancé ever since I left my mother's womb, do you know that?" "What on earth are you talking about? I sent her away last night…" "…and if somebody of lower rank offends their superiors, shouldn't hey be punished according to the rules?" "You have said so much without getting to the point at all, how am I supposed to bring you justice at all?" "Your fiancé regards me as nothing at all just like you do! She scoffs at my lack of connections, she predicts my downfall and sells off my son to strangers! My only child and you just…" "That doesn't sound like her at all and you know it; and as for you, your makeup has run and your hair has become crooked. Go fix yourself up before you become the target of bullies once again and…"
"My Lord! You are far too biased agains her! You just agreed that concubines must respect their seniors, and yet you are constantly making excuses for that brat just like she has for you since the beginning! And she has the nerve to treat me like this because she is becoming another version of you! She is still young and rather impressionable, and you just…."
"You were never this unreasonable before, sister=in=law; you have your reasons to be upset, but you yourself continue to overstep the bounds of propriety even now by facing her in this weather and with your illness as well. You are a repeat offender of misbehaviour and I shall tolerate you no further, lest you ruin my reputation that I have worked so hard to rebuild after my father's death! Your impertinence has only gone worse overtime and you have squandered my grace completely. And since you do not wish to repent, how do you think I shall handle you once and for all?" "You should give me a chance to make up for my mistakes instead and kill Seo Yeon just as you have killed every other woman in your life before she drags you down further than your father ever could have." "I should give you a chance? You, who constantly creates chaos and trouble just to get your way? To remove Seo Yeon from my life? To keep me in yours, no matter what? If you fall, it will be due to your own jealousy towards someone who isn't bothered in the least? So stop obsessing over her and think how to survive in this place without me and get your baby back so you can soak in all of the attention that you think you deserve." "And what about her!" "That foolish and stubborn woman; who told her to keep chasing me around like this? We are not children anymore, and she was never supposed to fall for me back this easily and rapidly; she is accelerating my plans without knowing it…" "My Lord?" "Be quiet and go back to your rooms this once! I shall come for you as son as I have carried out some work and…and…" "My Lord?"