Ghost in the palace

Night had fallen over the palace.

The corridors were quiet, the lanterns burning low as most of the palace settled into sleep.

But inside Shin Gu’s courtyard, there was no peace.

A strange laughter echoed through the chamber.

"Ha... ha... ha..."

Shin Gu sat beside a small table, her shoulders shaking as she laughed.

Anyone who had known her during the day would never have believed that the same calm, gentle, down-to-earth woman could look like this.

Her usually composed face was twisted with satisfaction.

Her eyes shone with excitement.

Her fingers trembled as she poured herself tea, yet she was smiling so widely that she barely seemed aware of what she was doing.

"It worked..."

She whispered.

"It actually worked."

She began laughing again.

"If anyone saw me now..."

She covered her mouth, trying to control herself.

"They would never believe I am the same Shin Gu who spends her days pretending to be harmless."

Her laughter slowly faded.

She looked toward the dark corner of the room.

The secret altar had already been concealed again.

No evidence remained where anyone could easily find it.

Everything had been arranged exactly as she wanted.

She had expected suspicion.

She had expected questions.

But she had also prepared for something more important.

A scapegoat.

The Empress.

Shin Gu picked up a brush.

A sheet of paper lay before her.

She dipped the brush into ink and carefully wrote a short message.

Her expression was almost cheerful.

When she finished, she folded the paper and placed it on the small altar.

Then she lit a candle.

The flame immediately flickered.

A faint black glow appeared around the altar.

Shin Gu smiled.

"It is done."

She whispered the words again.

"It is finally done."

For months, she had been forced to remain patient.

Every attempt had brought complications.

The Empress had survived the lake.

She had survived the strange illness.

She had survived the attack outside the palace.

Even the spiritual trap had failed to take her life.

Worse—

The Emperor had begun caring for her.

Shin Gu’s expression darkened.

That was the one thing she could not tolerate.

The Empress had somehow turned everything around.

People who once disliked her now worried about her.

The Emperor no longer looked at her with hatred.

Instead, he looked at the Empress with concern.

Even Princess Zhi had become close to her.

And the three strange ghosts—

Those irritating spirits—

Were always around her.

Shin Gu had initially thought the Empress’s greatest weakness was her kindness.

She had been wrong.

Her kindness had become her strength.

So Shin Gu had changed tactics.

She no longer needed to attack the Empress directly.

She only needed to make everyone else suspicious of her.

And tonight—

She believed she had succeeded.

Shin Gu leaned back in her chair.

"How foolish..."

She murmured.

"How incredibly foolish."

Her lips curved into a cruel smile.

"She actually believed the ghosts could enter my courtyard and discover everything."

She shook her head.

"Did she really think I would leave something so obvious behind?"

Shin Gu laughed softly.

"The secret altar was never meant to be found."

She paused.

Then corrected herself.

"It was meant to be found."

Her smile became wider.

"But not here."

"That was the difference."

She had created the appearance of danger in one place while ensuring the real source remained elsewhere.

If the investigation continued, people would keep searching the wrong places.

And now—

Everyone would think the Empress was somehow connected to the forbidden rituals.

Shin Gu’s eyes glittered.

"They will never suspect me again."

She slowly stood.

"The next incident will be blamed on her."

"If someone becomes sick..."

"They will wonder whether it is another ritual."

"If someone disappears..."

"They will remember the altar."

"If another strange event occurs..."

"They will look toward the Empress."

Shin Gu walked toward the window.

Outside, the palace looked completely peaceful.

She smiled.

"Everyone will think..."

"...the Empress is the one behind everything."

She whispered the final words almost lovingly.

"And I will simply watch."

---

The Next Morning

The atmosphere in the palace had changed.

Servants whispered in corridors.

Officials spoke quietly behind closed doors.

Even the guards seemed more alert.

The discovery of the altar beneath the Empress’s meditation chamber had become the palace’s newest mystery.

Some believed the Empress had been framed.

Others were not so certain.

But one thing was undeniable—

Suspicion had entered the palace.

And Shin Gu was pleased.

She walked through the corridor wearing her usual gentle expression.

Her steps were calm.

Her posture elegant.

She greeted servants politely.

She even stopped to help an elderly maid carry a tray.

"Careful," she said softly.

"It’s heavy."

The maid immediately bowed.

"Thank you, Lady Shin Gu."

Shin Gu smiled.

"You’re welcome."

No one looking at her would have suspected anything.

No one would have imagined the laughter that had filled her chamber the previous night.

No one would have guessed what she had written on the altar.

That was precisely what she wanted.

She reached her courtyard and entered quietly.

Her attendant followed behind.

"Lady Shin Gu."

"Yes?"

"The palace is still discussing the Empress."

Shin Gu pretended to look surprised.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"They say the altar was found beneath Her Majesty’s meditation chamber."

Shin Gu’s eyes widened slightly.

"That is terrible."

Her attendant nodded.

"Some people are saying the Empress may have been involved."

Shin Gu immediately shook her head.

"Don’t say such things."

"But Lady..."

"We shouldn’t accuse anyone without proof."

Her voice was gentle.

Reasonable.

Almost concerned.

The attendant looked impressed.

"You truly are kind."

Shin Gu smiled faintly.

"Everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt."

The attendant bowed.

"Yes."

She left.

The moment the doors closed—

Shin Gu’s expression changed.

Her smile vanished.

She stared toward the door.

Then laughed quietly.

"Benefit of the doubt..."

She shook her head.

"They don’t need proof."

"They only need doubt."

---

The Empress’s Courtyard

Meanwhile, Lian An sat beneath the plum tree.

Her three ghost companions floated around her.

Fen Yu looked furious.

"I still can’t believe someone managed to frame you!"

General Wei Rong crossed his arms.

"We need evidence."

Li Shen nodded.

"Evidence is more important than suspicion."

Lian An remained silent.

She stared at the tea in her hands.

Then slowly said,

"She wants us to react."

Fen Yu frowned.

"Who?"

"Shin Gu."

The three ghosts became silent.

Lian An continued.

"She knows everyone is suspicious."

"She knows they will investigate."

"She also knows that if I become desperate to prove my innocence, I will make mistakes."

Li Shen’s eyes narrowed.

"So the trap isn’t only the altar."

"No."

Lian An looked up.

"The real trap is our reaction to it."

General Wei Rong nodded slowly.

"She wants everyone fighting among themselves."

"Exactly."

Lian An’s gaze became thoughtful.

"She wants the Emperor to question me."

"She wants my family to become frightened."

"She wants Princess Zhi to become suspicious of everyone."

"And most importantly..."

She paused.

"She wants us to stop looking for her."

Fen Yu suddenly understood.

"So what are we going to do?"

Lian An smiled faintly.

"We do exactly what she expects."

The ghosts stared at her.

"What?"

"We remain worried."

"We remain confused."

"We continue asking questions."

Fen Yu blinked.

"But that’s what she wants."

"Yes."

Lian An’s smile deepened.

"Exactly."

Li Shen stared at her for several seconds before understanding.

"You want her to believe the trap worked."

Lian An nodded.

"I want Shin Gu to become comfortable."

General Wei Rong’s expression hardened.

"Because a careless enemy leaves evidence."

"Yes."

Lian An stood.

"We won’t chase her."

"We’ll watch her."

---

Meanwhile, in Shin Gu’s Courtyard

Shin Gu sat comfortably beside the window.

She had just received another report.

"The Emperor has ordered increased security."

The servant bowed.

"And the Duke family is discussing the altar."

Shin Gu smiled.

"Good."

"They are becoming suspicious."

"Good."

The servant looked confused.

"Lady?"

Shin Gu laughed softly.

"Suspicion is useful."

She picked up her tea.

"If they suspect everyone..."

"They cannot focus on me."

Her eyes turned cold.

"And that is exactly what I want."

She took a slow sip.

But she did not notice—

A tiny spiritual ripple moving across the roof above her courtyard.

A faint shadow passed over the tiles.

No human guard saw it.

No servant noticed.

But somewhere above—

One of the ghosts was watching.

Li Shen’s voice whispered through the spiritual connection.

"She is behaving normally."

General Wei Rong answered.

"Too normally."

Fen Yu’s voice followed.

"I don’t like her."

Lian An, standing far away in her own courtyard, closed her eyes.

"Don’t approach."

"Just watch."

The ghosts obeyed.

Because now—

The game was no longer about surviving an attack.

It was about discovering the hand behind it.

And Shin Gu still believed she was the hunter.

She had no idea that someone had finally begun watching her.

For now, Lian An would allow the palace to whisper.

She would allow people to wonder.

She would allow Shin Gu to believe her plan had succeeded.

Because sometimes—

The best way to catch someone hiding in the shadows...

was to make them believe the shadows were still protecting them.