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81 " How can mere sparrows understand the thoughts of an eagle? "
― Ken Liu , The Grace of Kings (The Dandelion Dynasty, #1)
82 " You can’t tell how high a kite can fly without being willing to let all the string out. Trust is often better than jealousy as a path to loyalty. "
83 " He intrigued her. Powerful men, in her experience, were usually not so full of doubt. Kuni was consumed by the desire to do good for others, but uncertain what "good" might be and whether he was the right man for the job.Kuni was the sort of man, Risana realized, who, rather than deceive himself, was so full of self-doubt that he could not longer see himself "
84 " As Kuni repeatedly kissed Jia, he whispered into her ear, “I’m so sorry for everything you’ve suffered. I know you don’t think I understand, but I do. I’ve chewed on bitter herbs every morning so that I can feel a fraction of what you felt, alone, frightened, surrounded by enemies and trying to raise two children.” Jia, "
85 " Honored Big Sister,” said Risana, “my heart is glad to finally be in your presence.” “I should thank you, Little Sister,” Jia said, “for taking care of our husband all this time. His letters never mentioned how beautiful you are.” The two women smiled at each other. "
86 " She imagined Kuni and Risana together, and despite herself, she was consumed with fury. "
87 " A man’s circumstances are not determined by his talents, Crupo thought, but by where he chooses to put his talents to work. "
88 " Let them say what they want,” Kuni said. He admired the pamphlets and laughed. “I look pretty good as a girl, though I think they are suggesting I lose a few pounds. I have to send some of these to Jia; she could probably use the laugh as I imagine the baby—may the Twins protect the child—is making her life very stressful.” “What is wrong with you?” Mata Zyndu roared and tore the pamphlet in his hands into pieces. He smashed the table in front of him; then, for good measure, smashed the table in front of Kuni as well. He stomped and ground the broken pieces of wood into even smaller pieces against the stone floor. But his rage was not assuaged. Not even a little bit. He paced back and forth in front of Kuni, kicking the wooden splinters every which way. Servants scattered to distant corners of the room, away from the barrage. “What is so bad about being compared to women?” Kuni said. “Half the world is made of women.” Mata "
89 " This was a game popular among nobles and commoners alike. A category would be chosen—animals, plants, books, furniture—and everyone took turns comparing himself to an object from the chosen category. If the others judged the comparison apt, they would drink. If not, the player who made the comparison would drink. "
90 " The best followers are those who think it was their own idea to follow you. "
91 " The old man's two sons had fought and died for the hegemon in his endless wars. The old man was sick of talk of valor and honor, of glory and courage. He just wanted his sons back, strong boys who had worked hard in the fields. Boys who did not understand why they had to die, only that someone told them it was sweet and fitting to do so. "
92 " Great men and women are not constrained in the forms their loves may take, "
93 " Understanding nature is as close as men can get to understanding the gods, "
94 " things in "
95 " Creation seems to favor making friends of those destined to be enemies.” Kuni "
96 " To know the future is to have no choice, "
97 " Getting a title is easy. It’s keeping it that’s hard. "
98 " You will have sacrificed the lives of the people for personal honor, an empty word,” Luan said. “That seems to me a most selfish act. "
99 " A knife is not malicious merely because it is sharp, and a plot is not evil merely because it is effective. All depends on the wielder. The grace of kings is not the same as the morals governing individuals. "
100 " Géüdéü co loteré ma, pirufénrihua nélo. All life is an experiment, "