Ghost in the palace

The palace had been unusually quiet that afternoon.

For several days, strange incidents had continued to circulate in whispers, but outwardly, everything appeared peaceful. Servants walked through the corridors, officials attended their duties, and the women of the inner palace continued with their routines.

Yet beneath that peaceful surface, fear was slowly spreading.

In Shin Gu’s courtyard, the atmosphere was different.

The doors were closed.

The servants had been dismissed.

And inside the quiet room, Shin Gu sat beside a small table, sorting several packets of herbs.

Across from her stood Mei Lan.

The young maid looked slightly pale.

"Lady Shin Gu," Mei Lan said softly, "I think I should go to the healer."

Shin Gu immediately looked up.

"The healer?"

"Yes."

"What happened?"

Mei Lan touched her forehead.

"I feel feverish. Perhaps I caught a cold."

Shin Gu studied her face carefully.

"You look pale."

"I’ll be fine after taking some medicine."

Shin Gu nodded.

"Then go."

Mei Lan bowed.

"Yes, Lady Shin Gu."

She turned toward the door.

Then Shin Gu suddenly called after her.

"Mei Lan."

Mei Lan stopped.

"Don’t tell anyone what you are doing."

The words sounded ordinary.

But something about the way Shin Gu said them made Mei Lan uncomfortable.

She nodded quickly.

"I understand."

She left.

The door closed.

Shin Gu remained seated.

For a few moments, she stared at the closed door.

Then she finally relaxed.

She waited until she was certain Mei Lan had gone far enough.

Only then did she stand.

She walked toward the back of the courtyard.

There was a large wooden cabinet against the wall.

Shin Gu placed her hand against it.

A faint black glow appeared beneath her palm.

The cabinet shifted.

Behind it was a narrow passage.

She stepped inside.

The passage ended at a small hidden chamber.

No servant knew about this room.

No ordinary palace map recorded it.

At the center stood something that did not belong in the palace.

A black altar.

It was made from a material darker than ordinary wood.

Thin lines had been carved across its surface.

Strange symbols covered the sides.

Several black candles surrounded it.

At the center lay a small stone bowl filled with dark liquid.

Shin Gu closed the hidden door.

Then she looked at the altar.

Her expression became serious.

"So many things have gone wrong."

She reached into her sleeve.

A small piece of black paper appeared between her fingers.

She placed it upon the altar.

Then she knelt.

Her lips began moving.

The words were too low for anyone outside to hear.

The candles flickered.

The room became colder.

A faint mist gathered around the altar.

Shin Gu’s eyes narrowed.

"I need instructions."

She bowed her head.

"The Empress survived."

"The palace has become suspicious."

"And now strange things are happening everywhere."

Her voice became quieter.

"Tell me what I should do next."

The black liquid inside the bowl began to ripple.

Shin Gu stared at it.

Waiting.

—

Meanwhile, Mei Lan had already reached the outer corridor.

She walked quickly toward the healer’s quarters.

Then—

She stopped.

Her hand went to her sleeve.

Her face changed.

"The coin..."

She had forgotten the payment coin.

The healer’s quarters were not far away, but Mei Lan knew that without the coin, the healer might refuse to give her medicine.

She hesitated.

Then sighed.

"I’ll just go back."

She turned around.

Her steps quickened.

She returned to Shin Gu’s courtyard.

But when she reached the entrance—

She heard something.

A faint sound.

Chanting.

Mei Lan froze.

She looked toward the closed inner door.

Her heart began beating faster.

"Lady Shin Gu?"

No answer.

The chanting continued.

Low.

Rhythmic.

Unfamiliar.

Mei Lan swallowed.

She should have announced herself.

She should have knocked.

Instead, curiosity overcame fear.

She stepped closer.

The door was not completely closed.

A narrow gap remained.

Mei Lan looked through it.

And froze.

—

Shin Gu was kneeling.

In front of—

Something black.

Something that made the air itself feel wrong.

Mei Lan’s legs trembled.

Her breath caught in her throat.

The altar.

She had never seen anything like it.

Black candles.

Strange symbols.

Dark smoke.

And Shin Gu—

Chanting before it.

Mei Lan covered her mouth.

She nearly screamed.

Her body moved before her mind could catch up.

She stepped backward.

One step.

Two.

Then she turned—

And ran.

She didn’t care about the coin anymore.

She didn’t care about the healer.

She only wanted to get away.

—

Inside the hidden chamber—

Shin Gu remained completely unaware.

Her chanting continued.

She was too deeply focused on the ritual to notice the frightened figure disappearing beyond the courtyard.

—

Mei Lan ran through the palace corridors.

Her breathing became uneven.

She nearly collided with a servant.

"Watch where you’re going!"

She didn’t stop.

She finally reached Dawgress’s residence.

The guards saw her rushing toward the entrance and immediately tried to stop her.

"Mei Lan?"

She pushed past them.

"I need to see Dawgress!"

Inside—

Dawgress was speaking with Lady Chen.

Princess Zhi was also present.

The three women turned when the doors suddenly opened.

Mei Lan stumbled inside.

Her face was white.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly.

Dawgress immediately stood.

"What happened?"

Mei Lan tried to speak.

Nothing came out.

Lady Chen frowned.

"Mei Lan?"

Princess Zhi stepped closer.

"You look terrified."

Mei Lan finally managed to whisper,

"I..."

She swallowed.

"I saw something."

Dawgress’s expression changed.

"What did you see?"

Mei Lan’s voice trembled.

"Lady Shin Gu..."

She paused.

"She was doing something..."

"What?" Princess Zhi asked.

"A ritual."

The room fell silent.

Mei Lan continued.

"There was a black altar."

Dawgress stared at her.

"A black altar?"

Mei Lan nodded quickly.

"I went to the healer because I felt feverish. Then I realized I had forgotten my coin, so I returned."

"I heard chanting."

"I looked inside..."

Her eyes filled with fear.

"And I saw Lady Shin Gu kneeling in front of a black altar."

Lady Chen’s expression changed immediately.

Then she spoke.

"The Empress was right."

Everyone looked at her.

Lady Chen continued,

"She suspected there was a black altar."

"Perhaps Shin Gu is behind the strange things happening in the palace."

Princess Zhi’s eyes narrowed.

"Don’t jump to conclusions."

Lady Chen looked at her.

"I am not saying we should accuse her without evidence."

"But we cannot ignore this."

Dawgress remained silent.

Her mind was racing.

She remembered the Empress’s previous discovery.

The strange incidents.

The talismans.

The unexplained events.

The Empress’s near-death experience.

And now—

A witness had seen Shin Gu with a black altar.

Princess Zhi turned toward her.

"Dawgress."

"Yes?"

"We should go."

"Where?"

"To Shin Gu’s courtyard."

Dawgress hesitated.

"If we confront her immediately, she may destroy the evidence."

Princess Zhi nodded.

"Then we don’t confront her."

The palace was already full of rumors.

The Empress had nearly died once.

She had been attacked outside the palace.

There were whispers of dark magic.

And now, strange incidents involving ghosts had begun appearing around the palace.

The Dowager knew one thing very clearly—

They could not afford to act carelessly.

She sat in her chamber, her expression thoughtful,

"Dowager, shouldn’t we investigate Shin Gu immediately?"

The Dowager slowly raised her hand.

"Wait."

Everyone became silent.

"Do not rush."

Her eyes became serious.

"Shin Gu is not foolish."

She paused.

"If we suddenly accuse her or send people to investigate her courtyard, she will know that we suspect her."

The room became even quieter.

"She may destroy evidence," the Dowager continued. "Or worse, she may turn the entire situation around and make herself appear innocent."

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