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Ghost in the palace

Chapter 340: Whispers in the Servants’ Courtyard · Nov 02, 2026

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Chapter List (462)

Page number / 10

301 Chapter 301: Prayers Beneath the Shadow of the North 2026-11-02
302 Chapter 302: The Dowager’s Fear 2026-11-02
303 Chapter 303: the weight of the throne 2026-11-02
304 Chapter 304: The Dowager’s Quiet Thoughts 2026-11-02
305 Chapter 305: Forgotten Memories and Hidden Fear 2026-11-02
306 Chapter 306: Whispers of Fear in the Imperial Court 2026-11-02
307 Chapter 307: Questions Buried in History 2026-11-02
308 Chapter 308: Villages Filled With Grief 2026-11-02
309 Chapter 309: — The Promise He Never Intended to Keep 2026-11-02
310 Chapter 310: The Dowager Empress’s Thoughts 2026-11-02
311 Chapter 311: A Mother’s Advice 2026-11-02
312 Chapter 312: The Return of the Lost 2026-11-02
313 Chapter 313: The Three Mischievous Ghosts 2026-11-02
314 Chapter 314: The Strange Weakness 2026-11-02
315 Chapter 315: The Cry in the Night 2026-11-02
316 Chapter 316: The Dowager’s Concerns 2026-11-02
317 Chapter 317: — A New Market for the Common People 2026-11-02
318 Chapter 318: The Emperor’s Decree 2026-11-02
319 Chapter 319: The Whisper Bowl Festival Meeting 2026-11-02
320 Chapter 320: The Kingdom Awaits the Festival 2026-11-02
321 Chapter 321: The First Day of the Festival Market 2026-11-02
322 Chapter 322: Smiles Across the Empire 2026-11-02
323 Chapter 323: — The Festival Beyond the Palace 2026-11-02
324 Chapter 324: The Festival of Prosperity 2026-11-02
325 Chapter 325: The Festival’s Great Success 2026-11-02
326 Chapter 326: The Scroll in the Night 2026-11-02
327 Chapter 327: The Dowager’s Fear 2026-11-02
328 Chapter 328: The Cry That Shook the Kingdom 2026-11-02
329 Chapter 329: The Morning After the Cry 2026-11-02
330 Chapter 330: The Boundary of Light 2026-11-02
331 Chapter 331: The Emperor’s Promise 2026-11-02
332 Chapter 332: Someone Among Us 2026-11-02
333 Chapter 333: The Courtyard of Too Much Silence 2026-11-02
334 Chapter 334: The First Report 2026-11-02
335 Chapter 335: Lunch Beneath Smiling Masks 2026-11-02
336 Chapter 336: An Unexpected Request 2026-11-02
337 Chapter 337: The Empress’s Feast 2026-11-02
338 Chapter 338: The Feast in the Empress’s Courtyard 2026-11-02
339 Chapter 339: Shadows Behind a Smile 2026-11-02
340 Chapter 340: Whispers in the Servants’ Courtyard 2026-11-02
341 Chapter 341: Cracks in the Story 2026-11-02
342 Chapter 342: The Ghosts’ Early Morning Hunger 2026-11-02
343 Chapter 343: A Heart That Beat Differently 2026-11-02
344 Chapter 344: The Monk’s Protection 2026-11-02
345 Chapter 345: Blood in Prince Liang’s Courtyard 2026-11-02
346 Chapter 346: The Dowager’s Doubt 2026-11-02
347 Chapter 347: The Palace of Wandering Spirits 2026-11-02
348 Chapter 348: Tea Beneath the Pearl Blossoms 2026-11-02
349 Chapter 349: An Invitation for Afternoon Tea 2026-11-02
350 Chapter 350: storm before storm 2026-11-02

The imperial palace was unusually restless that afternoon.

Since the strange incident involving the Empress and the growing rumors of dark forces, even the smallest unusual event attracted attention.

Today—

The disturbance had begun in the servants’ courtyard.

Dozens of maids and eunuchs stood gathered together.

Their faces were pale.

Some looked frightened.

Others looked nervous.

The atmosphere was tense.

---

Word traveled quickly.

Soon the important figures of the palace arrived.

The Emperor.

The Dowager Empress.

The Empress.

Princess Zhi.

Prince Liang.

And Lady Chen.

They stood together while guards maintained order.

The Dowager Empress looked around sternly.

”What exactly happened?”

Immediately a trembling maid stepped forward.

”Your Highness...”

”We heard crying.”

The courtyard became silent.

The Dowager frowned.

”Crying?”

The maid nodded rapidly.

”Yes.”

”It sounded like a woman.”

”Very sad.”

Another servant hurriedly agreed.

”I heard it too.”

”It came from behind the old storage buildings.”

Princess Zhi exchanged a glance with the Empress.

The Emperor remained expressionless.

”Then what happened?”

The second servant swallowed.

”When we went to investigate...”

”...there was nobody there.”

A chill ran through the crowd.

The Dowager Empress narrowed her eyes.

”Nobody?”

The servant nodded.

”Yes.”

”We searched everywhere.”

The Emperor spoke calmly.

”And that is enough to cause panic?”

The servants lowered their heads.

Then another eunuch stepped forward.

”No, Your Majesty.”

”We also saw something.”

The Emperor’s gaze sharpened.

”What?”

The eunuch hesitated.

Then whispered,

”A shadow.”

Immediately whispers erupted among the gathered servants.

”A shadow?”

”I saw it too.”

”It moved across the wall.”

”It wasn’t human.”

The Dowager Empress struck her cane against the ground.

”Enough.”

The courtyard immediately fell silent.

The Dowager looked unconvinced.

”Shadows and crying?”

”Is that all?”

Before anyone could answer—

A sudden cry echoed from outside.

”Prince Liang!”

Everyone turned.

A figure came running into the courtyard.

It was Shin Gu.

Her hair was slightly messy.

Her eyes red.

Tears streamed down her face.

She looked terrified.

The moment she saw Prince Liang—

She rushed forward and threw herself into his arms.

Prince Liang froze.

”Shin Gu?”

She clutched his robes tightly.

”I was scared!”

Her voice trembled dramatically.

”I saw it too!”

Everyone immediately focused on her.

The Dowager frowned.

”What did you see?”

Shin Gu wiped her tears.

”A shadow.”

”It walked outside my courtyard.”

She shivered.

”And I heard crying.”

Lady Chen quietly watched her.

Something about Shin Gu’s behavior felt strange.

Very strange.

Too perfect.

Too timely.

As if she had arrived at exactly the right moment.

The Emperor observed silently.

Princess Zhi folded her arms.

The Empress simply watched.

Shin Gu continued dramatically.

”I wasn’t feeling well.”

”So I was resting.”

”Then I heard crying.”

”When I looked outside...”

She paused.

”...I saw a dark figure.”

Several servants immediately nodded.

”That’s exactly what we saw!”

”Yes!”

”Exactly!”

The crowd became agitated again.

The Dowager Empress frowned deeply.

Prince Liang gently helped Shin Gu stand properly.

”Calm down.”

But Shin Gu continued trembling.

Lady Chen watched her closely.

The more she observed—

The less convincing Shin Gu appeared.

Her fear seemed exaggerated.

Almost rehearsed.

Lady Chen’s eyes narrowed slightly.

The Empress also noticed something.

Shin Gu had described the shadow exactly as the servants had.

Not more.

Not less.

Almost as if she had listened carefully before speaking.

The Emperor spoke calmly.

”You personally saw this figure?”

Shin Gu nodded rapidly.

”Yes!”

The Emperor looked at her for several moments.

His expression remained unreadable.

Then—

”What did it look like?”

Shin Gu froze briefly.

Only for a second.

But the Empress noticed.

Princess Zhi noticed too.

Shin Gu quickly answered.

”It was dark.”

”Very dark.”

”I couldn’t see clearly.”

The Emperor said nothing.

The answer was vague.

Too vague.

Princess Zhi suddenly asked,

”Male or female?”

Shin Gu hesitated again.

”I...”

”...I don’t know.”

Princess Zhi raised an eyebrow.

The Dowager Empress was beginning to look annoyed.

The story felt weak.

Yet dozens of servants were agreeing with it.

The situation was becoming troublesome.

The Dowager looked around.

”Did anyone actually get close enough to see this shadow clearly?”

Silence.

Nobody answered.

Not a single person.

Finally one servant whispered,

”No, Your Highness.”

The Dowager sighed heavily.

The Emperor looked toward the Empress.

The Empress met his gaze briefly.

Neither spoke.

But both seemed to reach the same conclusion.

There was not enough evidence.

Only fear.

Rumors.

And imagination.

Meanwhile Shin Gu remained beside Prince Liang.

Still looking frightened.

Still trembling.

Lady Chen suddenly spoke.

For the first time.

”Strange.”

Everyone looked at her.

Shin Gu’s expression stiffened slightly.

Lady Chen smiled politely.

”Everyone describes the same shadow.”

”But nobody actually saw anything clearly.”

The courtyard fell silent.

Even Prince Liang looked thoughtful.

The Dowager Empress nodded slowly.

”It is suspicious.”

Shin Gu quickly lowered her head.

”I know what I saw.”

Lady Chen smiled faintly.

”Of course.”

The answer sounded polite.

But it carried hidden meaning.

The Dowager Empress finally raised her hand.

”Enough.”

Everyone immediately became silent.

”There is no proof.”

”No injured person.”

”No evidence.”

”Only frightened servants.”

She turned toward Prince Liang.

”Take Shin Gu back to her courtyard.”

Prince Liang nodded.

”Yes, Mother.”

The Dowager then looked at the servants.

”As for all of you.”

”No more spreading rumors.”

”If I hear ghost stories traveling through the palace again, punishment will follow.”

The servants immediately bowed.

”Yes, Your Highness.”

One by one, the crowd began dispersing.

Prince Liang escorted Shin Gu away.

She looked reluctant to leave.

But she obeyed.

The Empress watched her retreating figure quietly.

Beside her, Princess Zhi whispered,

”Do you believe her?”

The Empress smiled faintly.

”No.”

Princess Zhi nodded.

”Neither do I.”

Nearby, Lady Chen was also staring after Shin Gu.

Her expression thoughtful.

For the first time—

She was beginning to suspect her supposed ally.

And far ahead, walking beside Prince Liang—

Shin Gu lowered her head.

Hiding the brief flash of irritation in her eyes.

The performance had worked.

But not perfectly.

Too many people had started asking questions.

And that—

Was dangerous.

The servants’ courtyard slowly emptied after the Dowager Empress dismissed everyone.

The frightened servants bowed and hurried away.

Whispers still lingered in the air, but nobody dared continue speaking after the Dowager’s warning.

Soon only a few people remained.

The Dowager Empress.

The Emperor.

The Empress.

Princess Zhi.

And Lady Chen.

The atmosphere became much quieter.

Far more serious.

---

The Dowager Empress tapped her cane lightly against the stone floor.

Her brows were furrowed.

”I dislike this.”

Princess Zhi nodded.

”It feels strange.”

The Emperor folded his hands behind his back.

”Very strange.”

---

The Dowager looked toward her head maid.

”Tomorrow invite monks into the palace.”

The maid immediately bowed.

”Yes, Your Highness.”

The Dowager continued,

”And summon the maids from Shin Gu’s courtyard.”

Everyone became silent.

The Emperor glanced toward his mother.

She was thinking exactly what he was.

---

A short while later—

Several palace maids arrived.

Among them was the maid who worked closest to Shin Gu.

She nervously knelt before the royal family.

”This servant greets Your Majesty, Your Highnesses.”

The Dowager spoke directly.

”You serve Shin Gu?”

”Yes, Your Highness.”

The Dowager nodded.

”Then answer honestly.”

The maid lowered her head.

”This servant would never dare lie.”

---

The Dowager’s eyes sharpened.

”Did you hear the crying voice?”

The maid blinked.

Then immediately shook her head.

”No, Your Highness.”

The courtyard became silent.

Even the wind seemed to stop.

---

The Dowager frowned.

”You did not?”

”No.”

The maid looked confused.

”I was outside the courtyard most of the afternoon.”

”I heard nothing.”

---

The Emperor’s expression changed.

Princess Zhi’s eyes narrowed.

The Empress quietly observed.

Even Lady Chen became still.

---

The Dowager asked again.

”You saw no shadow?”

The maid shook her head firmly.

”No.”

”I saw nothing unusual.”

---

The silence that followed felt heavy.

Very heavy.

---

Because according to the servants—

The crying voice had been heard throughout the area.

The shadow had supposedly been seen everywhere.

Yet the maid who spent the most time near Shin Gu’s residence—

Had seen nothing.

Heard nothing.

---

Princess Zhi slowly crossed her arms.

”Interesting.”

---

The Emperor’s gaze darkened.

The pieces no longer fit together.

---

Lady Chen suddenly spoke.

Softly.

Calmly.

But every word carried weight.

”I believe Shin Gu was acting.”

---

The maid’s face paled.

The Dowager slowly turned toward Lady Chen.

”Explain.”

---

Lady Chen lowered her eyes thoughtfully.

Then replied,

”It is not the first time.”

Everyone looked at her.

---

She continued.

”Have you noticed?”

”When something unusual happens in the palace...”

”Shin Gu is rarely present at the beginning.”

Princess Zhi’s eyes widened slightly.

---

The Empress also became thoughtful.

Then she nodded.

”Now that you mention it...”

”She often appears after the incident begins.”

---

Lady Chen nodded.

”Exactly.”

”She always arrives with a story.”

”Always frightened.”

”Always involved.”

---

The Dowager’s grip tightened around her cane.

---

The Emperor’s expression grew colder.

He began recalling recent events.

The strange disturbances.

The rumors.

The unexplained incidents.

And every time—

Shin Gu somehow appeared.

---

Princess Zhi spoke slowly.

”I just realized something.”

Everyone turned toward her.

---

She looked directly at the Emperor.

”How did she know?”

---

Silence.

---

Princess Zhi continued.

”Think carefully.”

”The servants were gathered here.”

”The investigation had only just started.”

”The news couldn’t have spread that quickly.”

---

The Emperor froze.

His eyes immediately sharpened.

---

The Dowager’s face changed.

---

The Empress looked up suddenly.

---

Princess Zhi continued,

”If the news hadn’t spread yet...”

”Then how did Shin Gu know something happened?”

---

Nobody spoke.

---

Because the question was devastatingly simple.

---

The servants had only recently gathered.

The palace was large.

No messenger had been sent.

No announcement had been made.

Yet Shin Gu had arrived running.

Claiming she heard the same voice.

Claiming she saw the same shadow.

---

How?

---

The Emperor’s gaze became frighteningly cold.

---

The Dowager slowly sat down.

Her expression dark.

Very dark.

---

”...You’re right.”

---

The Empress quietly nodded.

”It doesn’t make sense.”

---

Lady Chen added softly,

”Unless she already knew there would be an incident.”

---

The words landed heavily.

---

The courtyard fell silent.

Nobody wanted to say the conclusion aloud.

---

Because if that theory was true—

Then Shin Gu wasn’t merely frightened.

She was connected.

---

Princess Zhi exhaled slowly.

”I thought she was just strange.”

”Now I think she’s hiding something.”

---

The Emperor remained silent for several moments.

Then finally spoke.

”Do not accuse her yet.”

---

Everyone looked toward him.

---

His voice was calm.

But dangerous.

---

”We need proof.”

---

The Dowager nodded slowly.

”Agreed.”

---

Years of palace experience had taught her one lesson.

Suspicions were not enough.

Evidence mattered.

---

Still—

The seed had already been planted.

---

For the first time—

The Dowager Empress was looking at Shin Gu differently.

The Emperor was looking at Shin Gu differently.

Princess Zhi was looking at Shin Gu differently.

Even Lady Chen had begun doubting her.

---

And that—

Was dangerous for Shin Gu.

---

Because suspicion once awakened—

Rarely went back to sleep.

---

Far away inside her own courtyard—

Shin Gu sat beside a lantern.

Drinking tea.

Believing her performance had succeeded.

Believing everyone had accepted her story.

---

She smiled faintly.

Certain she had fooled them again.

---

But she didn’t know—

That tonight—

For the very first time—

The people she needed to deceive most...

Had started asking questions.

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