“You judge the gods by who bows down at their altars?" Ai Ling asked.”

“A plate of roast duck, steamed dumplings, spicy noodles with beef gravy, pickled cucumbers, stewed tongue and eggs if you have them, cold please, and sticky rice pearls, too,' Ai Ling said, before the server girl could open her mouth. "I don't know what he wants." Ai Ling nodded toward Chen Yong.'I'm not sure I have enough coins to order anything more,' he said, laughing.”

“The punishment of vertical rending was given to those who had destroyed marriages to satisfy their own lust.”

“There are thousands of other women to choose from. You understand me? And this court runs on ambition alone.”

“expect nothing, be pleasantly surprised.”

“Your fishy has appeared to have died of thirst. Have a band-aid, and come back to see me in two weeks.”

“Pretty is as pretty does" was a stupid cliché in her estimation. Pretty is what God does in the hearts and minds of people who are a mess-whether outwardly or inwardly or both.”