Ghost in the palace

The afternoon sun had barely begun to descend when Mei Lan hurried through the palace corridors.

Her expression was unusually serious.

She had spent the entire morning thinking about what she had heard from Shin Gu.

Something did not make sense.

The story Shin Gu had told her about her parents did not match what Mei Lan knew to be true.

And the more she compared the two versions, the more frightened she became.

Shin Gu had spoken of her parents as ordinary people from a distant province.

But Mei Lan knew another story.

Shin Gu was supposed to be connected to the neighboring kingdom.

Not merely connected.

She was believed to be the daughter of its royal family.

A princess.

If that was true—

Then why had Shin Gu lied about her parents?

Unless...

The woman currently living in the palace was not the real princess.

Mei Lan’s steps quickened.

She needed someone powerful enough to investigate the matter.

Someone who would understand the danger immediately.

There was only one person she could think of.

The Dowager.

---

The Dowager’s Chamber

The Dowager was sitting beside the window when Mei Lan arrived.

A servant announced her.

"Madam Mei Lan requests an audience."

The Dowager looked up.

"Let her enter."

Mei Lan hurried inside and immediately bowed.

"Greetings, Your Highness."

The Dowager studied her face.

"You look troubled."

Mei Lan hesitated.

"I have something important to tell you."

The Dowager’s expression became serious.

"Speak."

Mei Lan lowered her voice.

"It concerns Shin Gu."

At once, the Dowager’s eyes sharpened.

"Shin Gu?"

"Yes."

Mei Lan took a breath.

"She told me something about her parents."

"What did she say?"

Mei Lan carefully repeated Shin Gu’s story.

The Dowager listened without interrupting.

But gradually—

Her expression changed.

When Mei Lan finished, the Dowager remained silent for several heartbeats.

"That doesn’t match."

Mei Lan nodded quickly.

"That is exactly why I came here."

The Dowager slowly placed her teacup down.

"What do you know?"

Mei Lan looked toward the closed doors before speaking.

"The information I heard years ago was different. Shin Gu was said to be the daughter of the neighboring kingdom’s royal family."

The Dowager’s fingers stopped moving.

"A princess?"

"Yes."

Silence filled the chamber.

The Dowager stared at Mei Lan.

"If she is truly that princess..."

She paused.

"...then why would she tell you that her parents were someone else?"

"I don’t know."

Mei Lan swallowed.

"But there is something else."

The Dowager leaned forward.

"Continue."

Mei Lan’s voice became quieter.

"What if she isn’t the princess at all?"

The Dowager’s eyes widened slightly.

"You mean..."

"Perhaps the real princess was replaced."

The words seemed to change the entire atmosphere of the chamber.

For a moment, neither woman spoke.

---

The Dowager rose slowly.

She walked toward the window.

Outside, palace servants moved through the courtyard as though nothing unusual had happened.

But inside her mind, possibilities were multiplying.

A false identity.

A replaced princess.

A woman using another person’s name.

And Shin Gu’s strange behavior.

The Dowager remembered the recent incidents surrounding the Empress.

The mysterious lake incident.

The strange illness.

The attack outside the palace.

The rumors of dark magic.

And now—

This.

Perhaps all these events were connected.

She turned back toward Mei Lan.

"Are you certain about what you heard regarding the neighboring kingdom?"

"I cannot swear that every detail is correct," Mei Lan admitted. "But the story about the princess was repeated by several people. It was not something I heard from one person alone."

The Dowager nodded slowly.

"That makes this more serious."

Mei Lan lowered her head.

"I was afraid to tell anyone."

"You did the right thing by coming here."

The Dowager walked closer.

"But listen carefully."

Mei Lan looked up.

"Do not confront Shin Gu."

Mei Lan nodded.

"If she realizes we are suspicious, she may disappear before we discover the truth."

The Dowager’s voice became firm.

"You will return to her."

Mei Lan looked surprised.

"Return?"

"Yes."

"Pretend nothing happened."

Mei Lan understood.

"You want me to remain close to her?"

"Exactly."

The Dowager’s eyes were cold and calculating now.

"Gain her trust."

"Let her believe you know nothing."

"Listen carefully whenever she speaks about her past."

"Watch who visits her."

"Watch what she receives."

"And most importantly..."

She paused.

"Do not let her know that you have spoken to me."

Mei Lan bowed.

"Yes, Your Highness."

---

A Dangerous Question

Mei Lan hesitated before leaving.

"There is one thing I don’t understand."

The Dowager looked at her.

"If Shin Gu really is an impostor... why would she come to this palace?"

The Dowager’s expression became thoughtful.

"That is precisely what we must discover."

"She may have come for political reasons."

"She may have been sent."

"Or..."

The Dowager’s eyes darkened.

"...she may be connected to something far more dangerous."

Mei Lan remembered the rumors.

The forbidden practices.

The strange supernatural incidents.

Her heart tightened.

"You think she might be connected to the strange things happening in the palace?"

"I don’t know."

The Dowager shook her head.

"And I will not accuse her without proof."

"But until we know the truth..."

She looked directly at Mei Lan.

"Treat her as a possible threat."

Mei Lan bowed again.

"I understand."

"Go."

Mei Lan turned.

Then the Dowager called after her.

"Mei Lan."

She stopped.

"If Shin Gu asks whether you told anyone..."

Mei Lan waited.

The Dowager’s voice was calm.

"Tell her no."

Mei Lan nodded.

Then she left.

---

The Dowager’s Orders

The moment Mei Lan disappeared beyond the doors, the Dowager’s expression hardened.

She had no intention of waiting.

"Guards."

Two guards immediately entered.

"Your Highness."

"Go to the Emperor."

The guards bowed.

"Tell His Majesty that I require his presence immediately."

Then she reconsidered.

"No."

The Dowager’s eyes narrowed.

"Bring the Emperor here."

The guards bowed again.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Then she added,

"And summon Lady Chen."

The guards exchanged a brief glance.

The Dowager noticed.

"Is there a problem?"

"No, Your Highness."

"Then go."

They hurried away.

The Dowager stood alone for a moment.

Then she gave another order.

"And Princess Zhi."

The nearest servant bowed.

"Yes."

"Bring her here as well."

The servant left.

The Dowager returned to her seat.

Her mind remained occupied by one question.

Who was Shin Gu?

---

Meanwhile

Mei Lan walked through the corridor with a carefully composed expression.

Inside—

Her heart was racing.

She had never felt so uncertain about someone.

She had known Shin Gu for long enough to recognize her habits.

Her smile.

Her manner of speaking.

Her little gestures.

But now—

Everything seemed suspicious.

Was the woman she knew truly Shin Gu?

Or was someone else hiding behind that face?

Mei Lan reached Shin Gu’s courtyard.

She paused outside the gate.

Taking one deep breath.

Then another.

She forced her expression to become normal.

The gatekeeper opened the door.

"Miss Mei Lan."

She smiled.

"I came to see Shin Gu."

"She is inside."

Mei Lan stepped through.

---

Back in the Dowager’s Chamber

The Emperor arrived first.

He entered with several attendants, but the Dowager immediately waved them away.

"Leave us."

The attendants withdrew.

The Emperor looked at her.

"You summoned me urgently."

"Yes."

"What happened?"

The Dowager looked directly at him.

"I have received information concerning Shin Gu."

The Emperor’s expression changed.

"Shin Gu?"

"Yes."

The Dowager told him what Mei Lan had discovered.

The Emperor listened carefully.

When she finished, he remained silent.

"So you believe Shin Gu may not be who she claims?"

"I believe we need to investigate."

The Emperor’s eyes narrowed.

"If she is truly connected to the neighboring royal family, that should be verifiable."

"Exactly."

The Dowager nodded.

"And if she isn’t..."

"Then someone has deliberately constructed a false identity."

The Emperor’s expression became colder.

"Find out."

"I intend to."

---

The doors opened again.

Lady Chen entered.

She bowed.

"Your Highness. Your Majesty."

The Emperor looked toward her.

"We are discussing Shin Gu."

Lady Chen’s face remained composed.

But her heart gave a sudden jolt.

Shin Gu.

Why were they discussing her?

The Dowager watched Lady Chen carefully.

"We have reason to question her identity."

Lady Chen lowered her gaze.

"I see."

The Dowager continued.

"We are not accusing anyone yet."

"We are simply gathering facts."

Lady Chen nodded.

"Of course."

Then—

Princess Zhi entered.

She immediately sensed the serious atmosphere.

"What happened?"

The Emperor looked at her.

"We may have discovered another thread connected to the palace’s recent mysteries."

Princess Zhi’s expression became serious.

"Shin Gu?"

The Dowager nodded.

Princess Zhi frowned.

"What did she do?"

"We don’t know yet."

The Dowager looked at all three of them.

"But if she is an impostor..."

She paused.

"...then we must find out who she really is."

The Emperor stood silently.

His thoughts turned immediately toward the Empress.

After everything that had happened to her—

He would not allow another hidden enemy to remain unchecked.

"From this moment," he said quietly, "no one acts alone."

Princess Zhi nodded.

The Dowager agreed.

Lady Chen lowered her eyes.

And somewhere across the palace—

Mei Lan was already sitting beside Shin Gu.

Pretending everything was normal.

Listening.

Watching.

Waiting.

Because the Dowager had given her one task:

Gain Shin Gu’s trust.

And uncover the truth before Shin Gu realized—

Someone had begun looking behind the mask.

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