Ghost in the palace

The night had become unusually quiet inside the imperial palace.

Moonlight rested upon the curved rooftops, silvering the tiles and turning the stone pathways almost white.

Most of the palace had already fallen asleep.

But in one secluded courtyard, sleep was the last thing on anyone’s mind.

Shin Gu sat beneath the covered pavilion.

Across from her sat Mei Lan.

The two women appeared to be having an ordinary conversation.

At least—

That was what anyone passing outside would have thought.

There were no ritual objects.

No burning talismans.

No strange incense.

Only two cups of tea and a small empty table between them.

Shin Gu lifted her cup and looked toward the barren garden.

"Mei Lan."

"Yes, My Lady?"

"Do you think flowers would grow here?"

Mei Lan stared at the courtyard.

She almost laughed.

The entire courtyard was practically lifeless.

There wasn’t a single flower.

Not even a healthy patch of grass.

The soil looked dry and neglected, and the few plants growing near the wall were weak and yellow.

"Flowers?"

"Yes."

Shin Gu nodded.

"I suddenly want this courtyard to look different."

Mei Lan looked at her suspiciously.

"My Lady, you have never cared about flowers before."

Shin Gu’s fingers paused around her cup.

Then she smiled.

"People change."

Mei Lan didn’t answer.

She had served Shin Gu long enough to know that whenever her mistress suddenly became interested in something ordinary, there was usually something unusual behind it.

Shin Gu pointed toward the garden.

"Go to the market."

"Buy some flower seeds."

She reached into her sleeve and placed a coin in Mei Lan’s hand.

"Choose whatever you like."

Mei Lan looked at the coin.

Then at Shin Gu.

"Yes, My Lady."

She stood.

"I’ll return soon."

"Take your time."

Mei Lan bowed and turned away.

She had only taken several steps when she stopped.

Something had caught her attention.

A shadow.

It had moved behind the pavilion.

Mei Lan’s eyes narrowed.

She turned.

Nothing.

Only the wall.

The moonlight.

The still branches of a tree.

She stared for several moments.

Then Shin Gu called from behind her.

"What are you waiting for?"

Mei Lan quickly turned around.

"Nothing, My Lady."

She walked out of the courtyard.

But she couldn’t shake the strange feeling.

Someone had been there.

Someone was watching.

---

The Empty Courtyard

The moment Mei Lan disappeared beyond the gate, Shin Gu’s expression changed.

The gentle smile vanished.

She placed her teacup down.

Her eyes turned cold.

"I know you’re there."

Silence.

Nothing moved.

Shin Gu slowly stood.

"You don’t need to hide."

Still nothing.

She looked toward the dark corner beneath the trees.

"You sent for me."

A low voice finally answered.

"You’re becoming careless."

Shin Gu’s body stiffened.

She knew that voice.

Her face became pale.

A hooded figure stepped from the darkness.

His face remained hidden beneath the hood.

Only his eyes could be seen.

Cold.

Unforgiving.

Shin Gu immediately lowered her head.

"Sir."

The man walked toward her.

"You were supposed to finish the task."

Shin Gu swallowed.

"I tried."

"Tried?"

His voice became colder.

"The Empress is alive."

Shin Gu clenched her fingers.

"I know."

"You told me she wouldn’t survive."

"I didn’t expect—"

A sharp sound cut through the courtyard.

Slap.

Shin Gu’s face turned to the side.

She stood frozen.

The man lowered his hand.

"Do not give me excuses."

Shin Gu slowly touched her cheek.

Her eyes were filled with anger.

But she didn’t dare show it.

The hooded man stepped closer.

"You know what happens when you fail."

Shin Gu lowered her gaze.

"Yes."

"You were given enough opportunities."

"I know."

"And yet she continues to breathe."

Shin Gu’s jaw tightened.

"I can still finish it."

The hooded man stared at her.

"You said that before."

"I won’t fail again."

"You already have."

Silence.

The hooded man leaned closer.

"You should understand your position."

Shin Gu’s eyes flickered.

"I understand."

"Do you?"

His voice became frighteningly quiet.

"If you cannot complete the task, I will find someone who can."

Shin Gu’s expression changed.

"No."

The man smiled faintly.

"Then prove yourself."

---

Mei Lan’s Return

Outside the courtyard—

Mei Lan had stopped.

She had not actually left.

The moment she passed through the gate, curiosity had defeated caution.

She had hidden behind a wall.

She wanted to know who had been visiting Shin Gu.

And now—

She heard voices.

At first, she couldn’t make out the words.

Then—

A slap.

Mei Lan’s eyes widened.

Her heart began pounding.

She carefully moved closer.

Through a narrow opening between the wooden panels, she saw Shin Gu.

And—

Someone else.

A hooded man.

Mei Lan covered her mouth.

Who was he?

Why was he here?

Why had he struck Shin Gu?

Her mind raced.

She had always believed Shin Gu was the person controlling everything.

But now—

Someone was controlling Shin Gu.

The realization frightened her.

She listened.

"Finish the task."

"What task?"

Mei Lan almost whispered the question aloud.

The hooded man continued.

"The Empress survived because you were incompetent."

Mei Lan’s blood ran cold.

The Empress.

This was about the Empress.

She pressed herself against the wall.

Every piece of information suddenly became terrifying.

The strange illness.

The lake.

The assassination attempt.

Shin Gu’s secretive behavior.

All of it.

Could Shin Gu have been involved?

Mei Lan’s breathing became shallow.

Then she heard the hooded man say:

"You know what will happen if the Empress remains alive."

Shin Gu answered,

"She won’t remain alive."

The man’s voice hardened.

"Make certain of it."

Mei Lan’s eyes widened.

She slowly stepped backward.

She needed to leave.

Immediately.

But before she could move—

A stone shifted beneath her foot.

Crack.

Both figures inside the courtyard turned.

Mei Lan froze.

The hooded man looked toward the wall.

"Who’s there?"

Mei Lan’s heart nearly stopped.

She turned and ran.

---

The Chase That Never Came

Mei Lan expected someone to follow her.

She expected Shin Gu to call guards.

She expected the hooded man to pursue her.

But—

Nothing happened.

She ran through the corridor until she reached the main palace path.

Only then did she slow down.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly.

She looked behind her.

No one.

She pressed her hand against her heart.

"What did I just see?"

She had never been so frightened.

She had always thought Shin Gu was powerful.

Dangerous.

Perhaps even cruel.

But seeing her mistress being struck by someone else had changed everything.

Shin Gu wasn’t the highest person in this scheme.

Someone stood above her.

Someone she feared.

And that person wanted the Empress dead.

Mei Lan looked toward the palace.

She knew she should tell someone.

But who?

If she told the wrong person—

She might die before sunrise.

If she remained silent—

The Empress could die.

Her hands trembled.

Then she remembered Shin Gu’s earlier words.

Go buy flower seeds.

Mei Lan suddenly understood.

That wasn’t an ordinary request.

Shin Gu had wanted her out of the courtyard.

She had wanted privacy.

Perhaps—

She had expected the hooded man.

Mei Lan’s expression became complicated.

Had Shin Gu deliberately sent her away?

Or had the meeting been unexpected?

She didn’t know.

But she knew one thing.

She could no longer pretend nothing was happening.

---

The hooded man walked toward the gate.

Before leaving, he stopped.

"One more failure."

He looked back.

"And you won’t receive another warning."

Then—

He disappeared into the darkness.

Shin Gu stood alone.

Her cheek still burned from the slap.

Her pride had been wounded.

But worse than that—

Fear had entered her heart.

She had thought she could control the situation.

She had thought she could manipulate Lady Chen.

She had thought the Empress was simply an obstacle.

But now—

She understood that she herself was only another piece on someone else’s board.

Shin Gu slowly looked toward the palace.

Her expression became bitter.

---

Mei Lan and the Seeds

Nearly half an hour later—

Mei Lan returned.

She carried a small paper packet.

Flower seeds.

She approached the courtyard cautiously.

Shin Gu was sitting beneath the pavilion again.

Her expression was calm.

Almost as though nothing had happened.

"You took a long time."

Mei Lan lowered her head.

"The market was crowded."

Shin Gu looked at the packet.

"What did you buy?"

"Jasmine."

"And?"

"Lotus."

Shin Gu nodded.

"Good."

Mei Lan stood silently.

She couldn’t look directly at her mistress.

Shin Gu noticed.

"What’s wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You’re trembling."

Mei Lan immediately controlled her hands.

"I walked quickly."

Shin Gu watched her carefully.

For several moments, neither spoke.

Then Shin Gu smiled.

"Go rest."

Mei Lan bowed.

"Yes, My Lady."

Shin Gu was staring directly at her.

There was no anger in her eyes.

That made it worse.

"Do you understand?"

Mei Lan swallowed.

"Yes."

"Good."

Mei Lan bowed and left.

But this time—

She didn’t believe the order.

She couldn’t forget.

She wouldn’t.

---

The Secret She Carried

Inside her small servant quarters, Mei Lan closed the door.

She sat on her bed.

The room was dark.

Her mind replayed everything.

The hooded man.

The slap.

The words.

The Empress is alive.

Finish the task.

Make certain of it.

Mei Lan covered her face.

"What should I do?"

She was terrified.

But somewhere beneath that fear—

There was determination.

The Empress had never mistreated her.

She remembered the Empress speaking kindly to servants.

Remembered how she treated Princess Zhi.

Remembered how everyone in the palace had cried when they thought she had died.

And now—

Someone wanted to take that life away.

Mei Lan slowly stood.

She looked toward the palace walls.

"I can’t stay silent."

But she still didn’t know whom to trust.

The Emperor?

The Duke?

Princess Zhi?

The Empress herself?

If Shin Gu discovered that she had betrayed her—

There would be no mercy.

Mei Lan’s eyes hardened.

Then she remembered something.

The palace had ghosts.

Three ghosts who constantly followed the Empress.

Everyone thought they were merely strange rumors.

But Mei Lan had seen enough unexplained things to know—

The rumors were real.

Perhaps the ghosts already knew more than anyone.

---

Meanwhile, in the Empress’s Courtyard

The Empress was sitting beneath the pavilion.

Fen Yu was complaining about something.

Wei Rong was arguing with Li Shen.

And another group of palace ghosts had gathered nearby.

The Empress stared at all of them.

She had long ago accepted that her courtyard was no longer normal.

There were ghosts everywhere.

Some came to gossip.

Some came to complain.

Some came because they were lonely.

And apparently—

Some came because they wanted justice for romantic disagreements.

Fen Yu suddenly pointed toward a female ghost.

"She stole my hairpin!"

The female ghost shouted,

"You stole my lover!"

Wei Rong immediately covered his face.

"Not again."

Li Shen sighed.

"This palace has become a disaster."

The Empress looked at them.

Then looked toward the sky.

She wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry.

"There are hundreds of ghosts in this palace," she muttered.

"And somehow they all end up in my courtyard."

Fen Yu crossed her arms.

"Because you’re fair."

The Empress sighed.

"That may have been my biggest mistake."

Everyone laughed.

But then—

Li Shen suddenly stopped.

His expression changed.

The scholar ghost looked toward the distant palace wall.

"We have a problem."

The laughter disappeared.

The Empress straightened.

"What happened?"

Li Shen’s eyes narrowed.

"I sensed something."

Wei Rong stood.

"So did I."

Fen Yu’s playful expression vanished.

"What?"

Li Shen looked toward Shin Gu’s direction.

"Dark spiritual energy."

The Empress’s face became serious.

"Again?"

Wei Rong nodded.

"And this time..."

He looked uneasy.

"It wasn’t Shin Gu alone."

The Empress slowly stood.

"Someone else?"

Li Shen nodded.

"Someone stronger."

Silence spread through the courtyard.

The Empress looked toward the dark palace.

Somewhere beyond those walls—

A secret was moving.

And she had no idea—

That a frightened maid was carrying the first piece of evidence toward her.

The battle that had once seemed like a struggle between the Empress and Lady Chen had become something much larger.

Something older.

Something hidden.

And somewhere in the darkness—

The hooded man was already planning his next move.

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