"…Is that so?" "It is, brother-in-law, but I have no idea whose baby it is…" "It is the Prince's man, that is why the other one had to die." "I do not follow?" "Think about it, the Master of that household was denied from doing everything, even woking in the palace, giving him no pride or dignity with hie empty title. The only thing that he ever had to himself was this woman, and he lost her to a more powerful man. He must have inadvertently found out about her pregnancy and threatened her with it, that is why either her or her family had him killed to keep the secret. But nobody expected the bride to be the suspect and his mother even got away with beating her a few times, so she passed out anyways and her pregnancy was revealed. But because of the circumstances in which it all came out and with The Third Prince down, the family now want to break off a betrothal that was essentially forced upon them." "So now what?" "You got close to the family on my instructions, so I want you to accompany the main wife in this journey of hers to try and secure the marriage so that they can face everyone in society again. Their lives are already ruined with this pregnancy scandal, so there is no need for us to do anything at all, just witness it all and report back to me. Marriage or no marriage, there shall be no peace between them either way anymore, which is what we wanted."
"I will, and thank you for the breakfast, but where is Yeon…?" "She is sleeping still, she didn't have a good day yesterday, so I put some sleeping sedatives in her drink. If you want a solid footing in the place and give your son a good life, you must be the only one to handle this mission yourself." "What about…." "Yeon will never set foot in the palace, not as long as I am alive. As soon as the wedding happens, I shall bring Yeon to her brother and then…" "you will marry her?" "I…will take her in as my concubine, she doesn't deserve to be my main wife." "Will her brother agree?" "He will have no choice." "It is a shame to see Yeon become a mere concubine, why don't you just…" "Just what?" "Let her go? Rather than torturing her for the rest of her life?" "And why should I do that? Why should I let her breathe easy after everything that she has put me through? She is mine to do as I please and…" "and that is why you are sending her off to her brother? For the same reason that you shall never let her enter the palace? Because you cannot stand any other man looking at her, let alone watch her cultivate her talents in front of the world? Even though you knew she had a good reason for her brothel stay and you know that it wasn't her fault that she ended up there, you still cannot forgive her for it, can you?" "I will forgive her when she turns old and grey and other men stop drooling at the sight of her." "Is that also why you have reunited with The Mistress Han? To hurt her?" "Why do you ask?" "Because I can never rest easy in the palace if she is there and you know this. The Mistress Han will never let somebody as lowly as my climb up the ranks higher than her, or if it does happen, she will find a way to control me, just like The Lady Min did. I need her help in the palace for survival and you know it."
"I will keep her away from you, don't you worry about that sister-in-law." "Only a woman can defeat another woman and you know this. She even dealt with all of the crazy women that have entered your life and…" "I have already said that I will deal with her, so don't you even think of summoning her to the palace, or I shall cease my kindness upon you." "You are willing to harm me for a girl you intend to take on only as a concubine? And you're nephew?" "What of it?" "I am telling you now brother-in-law, if you just admit that you love her still, you can both breathe easy for the rest of your life. Life doesn't have to be as hard as your father raised you to believe that it is." "I am going to get going now and I should be back for her in a week so that she doesn't suspect what is going on." "Very well, I shall look after her for you, and I shall be on my way to see the main wife…wait a minute, where has Yeon gone? I thought that you told me that she was sleeping? That you put something in her drink yourself?" "That brat of a girl…" "Brother-in-law? Help! Someone help me! The Young Master Nam has passed out onto the floor…!"
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"…how could she possibly get this sort of idea for her own daughter? Has my husband's concubine lost her mind! Is she truly set on ruining our entire family, even after everything that my husband has done for her! She has lived a lifestyle that is equal to mu status alone, and yet that wasn't enough for her? Really? All for competition? To marry into a home that is better than my own daughter's in-laws? His other children still have to marry off and live well with their in-laws, and not be misroute due to the scandal of their siblings, legitimate or not!" "How is your own daughter, Madame?" "Her own in-laws are just set against her, no matter what she does! Just yesterday, they came up with the excuse that she didn't have a good postpartum, s her mother-in-law handed off my own grandchild to one of her son's favourite concubines! Can you even imagine! The concubine doesn't know anything about childcare at all! They just leave her there and…" "Madame, are you quite alright?" "…she played games with her servants and got drunk, and my granddaughter who is just starting to crawl…she accidentally knocks over a smoking pan and burning ashes fell on top of her! Luckily, her older brother noticed it and rushed to wipe off what he could, but then his own hands got burnt in the process…it is full of blisters and he can't even study or train in that pain…" "Forgive me Madame, that is awful to hear. But you have to know that she is being punished for the sins of The Third Princess Consort, which is your distant relative, and the only way to pacify your family and make sure you are never bullied again is to help this marriage come along."
"I know what I need to do Seo Yeon, but I have no face to do this at all! Will you…I mean I know that you are young and unmarried yourself, but would you help me out? Please?" "I will accompany you if that is your wish." "Thank you, you are young but you are wise beyond your years it seems." "Come let us get this over with; the somer the better." "Very well…"
"…for a daughter like her to come from a noble family such as your own and do this shameful deed, and the fact that you haven't beaten her to death yet, but to come here and propose marriage…" "…what else are you expecting me to do when he is pregnant with your grandchild as well?" "Who can confirm that in these early stages? Who knows if it is really our child or the child of her previous fiancé?" "Because suspicions will never waver over your own son either…" "but a hereditary noble home like your is always bound to suffer more, which I am sure that your bride is aware of. First she gets herself involved in a murder case, which the people will never forget and now this? Do you wish to bring down our home along with yours? And for what reason?" "For the reasons that I have just stated if you were even listening at all, Madam! But it is better to turn weapons into weeding silks instead, don't you agree with me? Unless you are providing a war on purpose? If we become in-laws as planned, then the gossiping will die down for both families, despite her low birth, but you were also fond of my other girl as well, so what difference is there if the girl comes from the same family as your first choice?" "I was rather impressed by your other girl not her legitimacy, but for her sharp wit, but your husband just had to marry her off to that drunkard to pay off your family debt, did you not? You are holding a rotten egg in a pan and waving it in my face, what do you expect me to do with that?" "So what do you want?" "I like your other girl, so much so that I am willing to have her despite her marriage. Get her divorced from her family now and give me both girls, with the pregnant one as a concubine where she rightfully belongs, what do you think?"
"Are you telling me to divorce my own daughter? A married mother of 2? Where divorces rarely happen even amongst the noble homes?" "It is your daughter's brightness and sanguine disposition that I like." "And what about her children?" "It will be hard to fight for custody in the divorce, but if we can prove that they are being mistreated in their father's household, we can accept them as well. My son may or may not have acted like a criminal in this case, but if it was your daughter Madame, she would most definitely have not acted in such a lewd manner like your husband's daughter did, don't you agree? Giving her to me after everything she has been through is rather a slap in the face to me, isn't it?" "I am already begging you with my head lower and voice down, can't you just agree to this without causing more issues at all?" "Is it worth marrying a loose whore into my family at all? I think not."