Ghost in the palace

The Phoenix Pavilion towered above the palace courtyards, its vermilion pillars carved with dragons and phoenixes, its eaves glittering with gold tiles that caught the morning sun. Few dared enter this place lightly — it was the heart of power, the seat of the Dowager Empress, where even the Emperor himself often chose his words with care.

Ananya walked with steady steps across the wide stone path, her pale robe trailing behind her. The air was colder here, as though the walls themselves carried judgment.

At the gates, eunuchs bowed deeply. ”Her Majesty the Queen Consort has arrived.”

But no summons came.

Instead, she was guided into a side hall with plain walls, where a maid placed a single cup of tea before her and retreated. The silence pressed down like stone.

---

Minutes trickled into half an hour. The brazier hissed faintly. The tea grew lukewarm.

Wei Rong’s temper flared first. He prowled the length of the room, his translucent form pacing like a caged beast. ”She knows you’re here. She makes you wait like some beggar at the gates. If I were flesh, I’d kick down her doors.”

Fen Yu perched on the table, swinging her legs, her cheeks puffed in annoyance. ”I’d tip this tea all over her silk rugs! Let her wait for once!”

Li Shen leaned against a pillar, his calm unbroken. ”This is a test. She measures how long you can endure her silence. Lose patience, and she wins. Endure, and you rise.”

Ananya lifted the teacup, sipping the cooled liquid slowly, her gaze steady. ”If I cannot sit quietly here, how will I endure in this palace where every corridor holds sharper blades than swords?”

Her words silenced even Wei Rong.

---

The rustle of silk broke the stillness. A cluster of concubines swept past the open doorway, their laughter low, sharp as needles.

One, draped in pale green, tilted her chin. ”So the purified snow sits outside the Phoenix Throne. Still waiting?”

Another hid her smile behind a jeweled fan. ”Heaven may favor her, but the Dowager? Hm. Snow melts quickly under the summer sun.”

The group giggled softly as they passed, their perfume lingering in the air.

Wei Rong snarled. ”I’ll spill ink on their painted faces!”

Fen Yu hopped up, eyes bright with mischief. ”Or trip them over their skirts. Imagine them falling flat in front of the guards!”

Ananya placed her cup down gently. Her voice was calm. ”Let them laugh. Words vanish like smoke. If I give them my anger, they will linger longer than their whispers.”

Li Shen’s lips curved faintly. ”Spoken like one who has learned quickly.”

---

An hour became two.

Finally, the inner curtains stirred. A eunuch’s voice rang out. ”Her Majesty the Dowager Empress summons the Queen Consort.”

Ananya rose. She smoothed her robe and walked into the Phoenix Hall, her steps even, her expression composed.

---

The hall was vast, lined with towering pillars carved with phoenixes rising through clouds. At the far end sat the Dowager Empress, her robes of gold and scarlet draped heavily around her, her headdress gleaming with pearls.

Her face was carved from ice, her eyes sharp, watching Ananya approach.

Ananya sank into a deep bow, her forehead touching the cold floor. ”This daughter-in-law greets the Mother of the Empire.”

No answer came.

The Dowager lifted her teacup, sipping slowly. The sound of porcelain against jade filled the silence. She set it down with deliberate care, ignoring the young woman still kneeling before her.

Wei Rong growled. ”Old viper. She makes you kneel like a servant.”

Fen Yu clenched her fists. ”Say something, Ananya! Don’t let her—”

But Ananya’s head remained bowed, her breath steady.

---

At last, after what felt like another eternity, the Dowager’s voice echoed, cold as frost.

”You have endured waiting. That is something. But do not think yesterday’s mirror makes you invincible. You come here today with purpose. Speak.”

Ananya raised her head slowly, her eyes calm but steady. ”This daughter-in-law humbly requests three days’ leave, to return to her natal home and greet her family after the trial. I seek Mother’s permission.”

The Dowager’s gaze sharpened. ”Three days? You stand cleared before Heaven, yet you ask boldly, as though Heaven’s favor has given you wings. Do you think the mirror’s glow gives you freedom to come and go as you please?”

Ananya lowered her eyes, her voice firm but soft. ”Heaven gave me breath another day. I wish to spend it honoring my family, so that when I serve this court, I may do so without shame.”

The hall fell into silence again.

The Dowager tapped her fingers lightly against her armrest, her eyes never leaving Ananya. The weight of her scrutiny was like ice pressing against her chest.

Wei Rong muttered. ”If she says no, I’ll rattle her braziers till they fall.”

Fen Yu bit her lip. ”What if she refuses? What if she forbids her forever?”

Li Shen’s calm voice cut through. ”Patience. Listen. The Dowager always tests twice before she answers.”