Ghost in the palace

Night had settled over the imperial palace.

The corridors were quiet, the lanterns burning low as most of the palace servants had already retired to their quarters.

Yet in one secluded courtyard, a single chamber remained illuminated.

It was Shin Gu’s courtyard.

The windows were covered, and the doors were tightly shut.

Inside, Shin Gu stood beside a small table, her expression unusually serious.

Across from her stood a mysterious figure dressed entirely in black.

A hood concealed most of the person’s face.

For several moments, neither spoke.

Then the hooded man finally said,

"Are you certain?"

Shin Gu’s eyes narrowed.

"I have already failed once."

Her fingers tightened around the sleeve of her robe.

"I will not fail again."

The hooded man remained silent.

Shin Gu glanced toward the closed doors before lowering her voice.

"The next step must be done carefully."

"And this time, no one can know."

The hooded figure nodded.

"When?"

"Tomorrow night."

Shin Gu’s voice was barely above a whisper.

"I will send one of my maids out on an errand."

"The maid will unknowingly carry what I need."

The hooded man looked at her.

"And afterward?"

Shin Gu smiled faintly.

"Everything will appear ordinary."

"No one will suspect the maid."

"No one will suspect me."

The hooded figure seemed satisfied.

"Then proceed."

Shin Gu nodded.

"I will."

Neither of them noticed the faint movement beyond the window.

A shadow had stopped in the darkness.

Someone was listening.

---

Mei Lan’s Discovery

Mei Lan, one of the palace servants, had been passing through the corridor when she heard voices.

At first, she thought nothing of it.

But something about the voices made her stop.

The courtyard was normally quiet at this hour.

Yet tonight—

There was a man’s voice.

Mei Lan frowned.

She carefully moved closer.

She knew she should not be listening.

But then she heard Shin Gu’s voice.

"The next step..."

Mei Lan’s heart began beating faster.

She crouched behind a pillar.

The conversation inside became clearer.

"Tomorrow night," Shin Gu said.

"I will send my maid."

Mei Lan’s eyes widened.

A maid?

For what?

She couldn’t hear every word, but she understood enough to know that something secret was being planned.

Then the hooded man’s voice came again.

"No mistakes."

Shin Gu replied,

"There won’t be."

Mei Lan’s hands became cold.

She immediately understood that this was not an ordinary meeting.

Something was wrong.

Something dangerous.

She quietly backed away.

One step.

Then another.

She did not dare make a sound.

When she was far enough from the courtyard, she finally released the breath she had been holding.

She hurried through the dark corridor.

But she did not go directly to the Dowager Empress.

She knew that ordinary servants could not simply enter the Dowager’s chambers at night.

Fortunately, there was another way.

---

The Invisible Guard

The Dowager Empress had several trusted people working quietly within the palace.

Among them were guards who rarely appeared openly.

They moved through the palace unnoticed, gathering information and carrying messages.

Mei Lan found one of them near the outer corridor.

She whispered everything she had heard.

The invisible guard listened without interrupting.

"Are you certain?"

Mei Lan nodded.

"I heard Shin Gu speaking with a hooded man."

"She said she would send her maid tomorrow night."

"She said it was the next step."

The guard’s expression became serious.

"I will report this immediately."

Mei Lan nodded.

"Please."

The guard disappeared into the darkness.

Mei Lan remained there for several moments, staring toward Shin Gu’s courtyard.

Her heart was still pounding.

She had no idea what Shin Gu was planning.

But she knew one thing.

Whatever it was—

It was not innocent.

---

The Dowager Empress Receives the Message

The Dowager Empress was still awake when the invisible guard arrived.

She had been sitting beside the window, reading a document by lantern light.

When the guard appeared, she immediately put the document down.

"What happened?"

The guard bowed.

"Your Highness."

"I have received a message from Mei Lan."

The Dowager Empress’s expression changed.

"Speak."

The guard carefully repeated everything Mei Lan had reported.

A hooded man.

A secret conversation.

Tomorrow night.

A maid being sent out.

A mysterious next step.

The Dowager Empress listened silently.

When the report ended, she leaned back.

For several moments, she said nothing.

Then she murmured,

"So..."

"Shin Gu is finally making a move."

The guard waited.

The Dowager Empress’s expression became thoughtful.

She had suspected Shin Gu for some time.

But suspicion was not enough.

If she accused Shin Gu without evidence, Shin Gu could easily deny everything.

Worse—

She might destroy whatever evidence existed.

But now they had something different.

A plan.

A time.

A maid.

An opportunity.

The Dowager Empress’s eyes sharpened.

"This may be exactly what we need."

The guard lowered his head.

"Should I gather more people?"

"No."

The Dowager Empress immediately refused.

"Not yet."

The guard looked surprised.

"Your Highness?"

She spoke quietly.

"If too many people know, the information will spread."

"And if the information spreads..."

"Shin Gu may become suspicious."

She paused.

"I want her caught while she is actually doing whatever she intends to do."

The guard nodded.

"Yes, Your Highness."

The Dowager Empress stood and walked toward the window.

The palace outside looked peaceful.

But she knew better.

Too many strange things had happened recently.

The Empress’s mysterious illness.

Her strange sleepwalking.

The reports of unusual spiritual phenomena.

And now—

A secret meeting in the middle of the night.

Everything seemed to be pointing toward the same hidden enemy.

---

A Dangerous Decision

The Dowager Empress turned around.

"There will be only a few people involved."

She counted them quietly.

"The Emperor."

"Princess Zhi."

"The General."

"And Lady Chen."

The guard hesitated.

"And Prince Liang?"

The Dowager Empress’s expression became complicated.

"No."

The answer came immediately.

The guard understood.

The Dowager Empress continued,

"Prince Liang has become too close to Shin Gu."

"He may not believe the accusation."

"Worse, he might warn her."

The guard nodded.

"We cannot take that risk."

"Exactly."

The Dowager Empress looked toward the dark palace courtyard.

"We are not trying to frighten her."

"We are trying to catch her."

Her voice became firm.

"And this time, there will be no warning."

---

The Trap

The Dowager Empress began thinking through the plan.

If Shin Gu truly intended to use her maid for something forbidden, they needed to allow the plan to proceed.

The maid could not be stopped.

The mysterious hooded man could not be confronted too early.

And Shin Gu could not know that anyone was watching.

The Dowager Empress finally said,

"Tomorrow night, the palace must appear completely ordinary."

"Nothing changes."

"The Emperor must continue his usual routine."

"The General will secretly arrange guards."

"Princess Zhi will remain nearby."

"And Lady Chen..."

She paused.

"Lady Chen must know only enough to understand the danger."

The guard bowed.

"Yes."

The Dowager Empress looked toward the door.

"Do not tell anyone else."

"Not the ministers."

"Not the palace physicians."

"Not the other noble families."

"And absolutely not Prince Liang."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The guard disappeared.

The Dowager Empress remained alone.

She slowly returned to her seat.

For a moment, guilt touched her expression.

She thought of the Empress.

The young woman she had once judged too quickly.

The woman she had believed was difficult.

The woman she had failed to understand.

Now—

She realized how close the palace had come to losing her.

The Dowager Empress closed her eyes.

"Please..."

"Let us find the person responsible."

---

The Next Morning

By dawn, nothing appeared different.

The palace servants continued their routines.

Guards changed shifts.

Meals were prepared.

Officials entered the palace.

No one knew that the Dowager Empress had already begun preparing a secret trap.

Even Shin Gu appeared perfectly calm.

She walked through her courtyard as though nothing unusual had happened.

Her maid followed behind her.

"Prepare yourself," Shin Gu said casually.

The maid bowed.

"Yes, Mistress."

"Tomorrow night, I may need you to deliver something."

The maid nodded without question.

"Yes."

Shin Gu smiled.

"Good."

She turned away.

But she did not notice—

From the distant corridor—

Someone was watching.

The Dowager Empress had placed a silent guard nearby.

Not close enough to be discovered.

Not far enough to miss anything.

The trap had begun.

And Shin Gu had no idea.

---

That Night

The Dowager Empress finally lay down to rest.

She knew sleep would not come easily.

Too many questions remained.

Who was the hooded man?

What exactly was Shin Gu planning?

Was this connected to the Empress’s strange experiences?

And how deep did the conspiracy go?

But one thing was certain.

Tomorrow night—

They would find out.

She opened her eyes once more.

"Only the Emperor, Princess Zhi, the General, and Lady Chen."

"No one else."

Especially not Prince Liang.

Because if Shin Gu discovered the trap before they were ready—

Their only opportunity might disappear.

The Dowager Empress slowly closed her eyes.

Outside, the palace remained silent.

But somewhere in another courtyard—

Shin Gu was preparing for tomorrow.

And somewhere in the darkness—

The hooded man was waiting.

Neither side knew that the other had already begun moving.

Tomorrow night—

One of them would make a mistake.

And when that happened—

The hidden truth might finally step into the light.

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