Ghost in the palace

Night had fallen heavily over the palace.

The moon was hidden behind a thin veil of clouds, and the usually lively corridors had become almost completely silent.

Most of the palace had already fallen asleep.

But in one courtyard—

Mei Lan could not sleep.

She lay beneath her blanket, staring at the ceiling.

Something had been bothering her since evening.

She couldn’t explain it.

The palace had felt different lately.

Ever since the Empress had survived what everyone believed would be her final breath, rumors had multiplied.

Some servants whispered that the Empress had been protected by the heavens.

Others whispered that something darker had happened.

And some—

Especially those who worked around Shin Gu—

Had begun speaking in hushed voices whenever the Empress’s name was mentioned.

Mei Lan had tried not to listen.

Tonight, however—

She heard something else.

A voice.

Soft.

Almost like a whisper carried by the wind.

"Help me..."

Mei Lan’s eyes opened wide.

She sat upright.

Her heart began pounding.

For a moment, she thought she had imagined it.

Then—

"Mei Lan..."

Her blood ran cold.

Someone had called her name.

She slowly turned toward the doorway.

Nothing.

The candle beside her bed flickered.

The curtains moved gently.

"Who is there?"

No answer.

Mei Lan swallowed.

She climbed out of bed and approached the door.

Her hand trembled slightly as she pushed it open.

The courtyard outside was empty.

Several sleeping quarters surrounded the courtyard.

The guards stood at their usual posts.

Everything appeared normal.

Then—

Another voice.

This time from somewhere behind her.

"Don’t let her..."

Mei Lan spun around.

"Who?"

Silence.

She looked toward the room where Shin Gu slept.

The door was closed.

Mei Lan hesitated.

She quietly approached it.

She could hear faint breathing from inside.

Shin Gu was asleep.

Mei Lan stared at the door for several seconds.

Then she stepped backward.

Maybe I am imagining things.

She turned to return to her room.

But the moment she did—

The voices returned.

This time there were several.

Crying.

Whispering.

Calling.

Some sounded like women.

Others sounded like men.

One voice seemed to be begging.

Another seemed angry.

And another—

Repeated the same words again and again.

"Don’t trust her..."

Mei Lan’s face went pale.

She couldn’t stay there.

Without thinking any further, she hurried out of Shin Gu’s courtyard.

---

The Dawager’s Courtyard

The palace was dark as Mei Lan hurried through the corridors.

She didn’t dare look behind her.

Her breathing became faster.

She finally reached the Dawager’s courtyard.

The guards recognized her immediately.

"Mei Lan?"

She bowed hurriedly.

"I need to see Her Majesty."

The guard looked surprised.

"At this hour?"

"I heard something strange."

Before he could ask further, a calm voice came from inside.

"Let her enter."

The guard stepped aside.

Mei Lan entered.

Inside, the atmosphere was completely different.

The Dawager was sitting beneath a lantern.

A string of prayer beads rested between her fingers.

Her lips moved quietly as she chanted.

The old woman looked up when Mei Lan entered.

Her sharp eyes immediately noticed the girl’s pale face.

"Why are you frightened?"

Mei Lan hurried forward and bowed.

"Your Majesty..."

"Speak."

"I heard voices."

The Dawager’s fingers stopped moving.

"What voices?"

"I don’t know."

Mei Lan swallowed.

"They were crying."

"Somebody called my name."

"And then I heard someone say..."

She hesitated.

The Dawager watched her carefully.

"Say it."

"’Don’t trust her.’"

Silence.

The Dawager’s expression remained calm.

But her eyes became sharper.

"Where?"

"In Shin Gu’s courtyard."

The prayer beads stopped completely.

"Were you certain?"

"Yes."

"What did you see?"

"Nothing."

Mei Lan shook her head.

"I looked everywhere. I even looked toward Shin Gu’s room."

"She was sleeping."

The Dawager leaned back.

"And when you came here?"

Mei Lan looked toward the courtyard.

"I could still hear them."

"What?"

"The voices."

The Dawager looked around.

The courtyard was silent.

Only the sound of the night wind could be heard.

"Where are they now?"

"I don’t know."

Mei Lan’s voice became smaller.

"They disappeared when I came outside."

The Dawager studied her.

Then she said calmly,

"Go back."

Mei Lan looked startled.

"Your Majesty?"

"Go back to your room."

"But—"

"Nothing is going to happen to you tonight."

The Dawager’s voice was firm.

"Do not wander around the palace at this hour."

Mei Lan hesitated.

Then bowed.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

She turned to leave.

But before she crossed the doorway—

The Dawager spoke again.

"Mei Lan."

She stopped.

"Yes?"

"If you hear the voices again..."

The Dawager’s gaze hardened.

"Do not answer them."

Mei Lan’s face went pale.

She nodded.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Then she left.

---

A Suspicion

The courtyard became quiet again.

The Dawager continued staring toward the doorway long after Mei Lan had disappeared.

Her fingers slowly moved across the prayer beads.

One bead.

Then another.

Her expression was thoughtful.

Something was wrong.

She had already suspected it.

Now—

Her suspicion had become stronger.

Shin Gu.

The name appeared in her mind.

The Dawager remembered how everything had unfolded.

The accusations against the Empress.

The strange incidents.

The Empress’s near-death.

The rumors.

The failed attempts to destroy her reputation.

And now—

The strange voices coming from Shin Gu’s courtyard.

Yet the Dawager knew something else.

Shin Gu was not careless.

She was intelligent.

Extremely intelligent.

If Shin Gu truly had something to hide—

She would never leave obvious evidence behind.

She wouldn’t allow servants to witness her actions.

She wouldn’t leave written records.

She wouldn’t speak openly.

She would create layers.

False trails.

Alternative explanations.

And if someone accused her without proof—

She would simply smile and ask for evidence.

The Dawager’s eyes narrowed.

"That woman..."

"She is more dangerous than I thought."

---

Meanwhile

Mei Lan returned to Shin Gu’s courtyard.

She walked quickly.

The courtyard looked exactly as she had left it.

Quiet.

Peaceful.

Normal.

That somehow frightened her even more.

She entered her room and shut the door.

Then she looked toward Shin Gu’s chamber.

Still silent.

Still dark.

Mei Lan climbed into bed.

But sleep refused to come.

She pulled the blanket over herself.

Don’t trust her.

The voice repeated in her mind.

She squeezed her eyes shut.

Who were they?

Why were they calling me?

Why did they mention Shin Gu?

She didn’t know.

And she wasn’t brave enough to investigate.

---

The Dawager’s Decision

Back in her courtyard, the Dawager finally placed the prayer beads on the table.

She stood.

"Come here."

A trusted elderly servant entered.

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

"From tomorrow onward, I want you to quietly observe Shin Gu’s courtyard."

The servant looked surprised.

"Observe?"

"Not openly."

"Do not question anyone."

"Do not frighten the servants."

"Simply watch."

"Yes."

The Dawager’s expression was stern.

"And find out who enters and leaves."

The servant bowed.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"One more thing."

The servant stopped.

"If you see anything unusual..."

"Do not confront anyone."

"Come directly to me."

"Yes."

The servant left.

The Dawager remained alone.

She looked toward the dark palace roofs.

Her thoughts returned to the Empress.

She had once believed the Empress was simply a troublesome young woman.

She had judged her.

She had believed Lady Chen would be a better companion for her son.

But everything had changed.

The Empress had nearly died.

And when the entire palace had mourned her—

The Emperor had refused to believe she was gone.

The Dawager had seen something in his eyes that night.

Love.

Real love.

Perhaps he himself had only understood it when he nearly lost her.

And now—

Someone was trying to take that woman away again.

The Dawager’s expression hardened.

"No."

She whispered.

"This time, I will not stand aside."

---

A Dangerous Realization

She walked toward the window.

The palace looked peaceful beneath the moon.

But she knew better.

Someone was hiding something.

Perhaps Shin Gu.

Perhaps someone working with her.

Perhaps someone else entirely.

The Dawager wasn’t yet ready to accuse anyone.

Suspicion was not proof.

And Shin Gu was too clever to be defeated by suspicion alone.

The Dawager almost smiled.

"If I want to catch someone like her..."

"I must think like her."

She needed patience.

She needed evidence.

And most importantly—

She needed to make Shin Gu believe she was safe.

The Dawager turned away from the window.

"Let her think no one suspects her."

Her voice was quiet.

"But I will watch."

---

The Next Morning

The palace woke slowly.

Servants began sweeping courtyards.

Officials hurried toward the court.

Maids carried breakfast trays.

Everything looked normal.

Yet beneath that ordinary morning—

Something had changed.

The Dawager was watching.

Mei Lan was frightened.

And Shin Gu—

Had no idea that suspicion had finally begun to settle over her.

Or perhaps—

She knew.

Because when Shin Gu woke that morning, she stood before her mirror for several moments.

Her expression was calm.

Almost serene.

Then she smiled faintly.

"Interesting..."

She had noticed something.

The palace felt different.

Someone was watching her.

But Shin Gu wasn’t afraid.

She simply adjusted her hairpin.

"If they want to find me..."

Her smile became colder.

"They’ll have to be clever."

And somewhere across the palace—

The Dawager was thinking the exact same thing.

The game had begun.

But this time—

Neither woman intended to make the first mistake.

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