Ghost in the palace

The palace had fallen into silence.

The celebrations outside the Duke residence were far away, but within the imperial palace, the atmosphere felt strangely heavy.

A cold wind drifted through the ancient corridors.

Inside the Dowager Empress’s courtyard, only the faint sound of wooden prayer beads could be heard.

Click.

Click.

Click.

The Dowager Empress sat before a small shrine, incense curling upward in delicate spirals. A candle flickered beside a bronze Buddha statue.

Her lips moved silently as she chanted scriptures.

Ever since the Empress’s mysterious incident at the lake, followed by the strange ambush outside the palace, an uneasiness had settled deep within her heart.

She had begun praying every evening.

Not because she was superstitious.

But because the palace no longer felt peaceful.

”...May Heaven protect this dynasty...”

”...May the ancestors guide us...”

”...May all evil leave this palace...”

Just then—

Tap.

A faint sound came from the open window.

The Dowager Empress stopped chanting.

Her fingers froze around the prayer beads.

She slowly turned toward the window.

Nothing.

Only the curtains swayed gently in the night breeze.

After a few moments, she let out a slow breath.

”...Only the wind.”

She shook her head, trying to calm herself.

”I’ve become too suspicious.”

She closed her eyes and resumed chanting.

Click.

Click.

Click.

Then—

Tap.

The sound came again.

This time louder.

Her eyes snapped open.

She stared toward the window once more.

The curtains continued to move lazily.

No figure.

No shadow.

No movement.

The Dowager Empress slowly stood.

”Who is there?”

Silence answered her.

She walked cautiously toward the window.

Outside lay the quiet rear garden.

Moonlight illuminated the stone paths and swaying bamboo.

No one was there.

”...Strange.”

She frowned.

Perhaps a branch had struck the frame.

She was about to close the window—

When something caught her eye.

A folded piece of paper rested on the floor beneath the window.

She froze.

”...What?”

She was certain...

It had not been there moments ago.

A chill ran down her spine.

”Guards!”

A maid hurried inside almost immediately.

”Your Highness?”

The Dowager Empress pointed toward the paper.

”...Did you place that there?”

The maid looked confused.

”No, Your Highness.”

The Dowager Empress’s expression became grave.

She bent down carefully and picked it up.

The paper felt dry.

Cold.

As though it had been left there for hours.

Her fingers slowly unfolded it.

Only a single sentence had been written across the page.

Large.

Bold.

Dark black ink.

”YOUR SON IS GOING TO PAY.”

The prayer beads slipped from her hand.

They scattered across the floor with sharp wooden clicks.

The Dowager Empress’s face lost all color.

”...What...”

Her breathing became uneven.

”Who...”

”...Who would dare...”

Her voice barely rose above a whisper.

The maid looked alarmed.

”Your Highness?”

Without taking her eyes off the message, the Dowager Empress spoke.

”...Go.”

The maid bowed immediately.

”Yes, Your Highness.”

”Search the rear garden.”

”The walls.”

”The rooftops.”

”Every corner.”

”See if anyone entered this courtyard.”

The maid hurried away.

Within moments, guards carrying lanterns spread throughout the garden.

Their footsteps echoed through the quiet night.

The Dowager Empress remained standing alone.

Still holding the paper.

Her hands trembled slightly.

She read the words again.

YOUR SON IS GOING TO PAY.

Not ”the Emperor.”

Not ”His Majesty.”

Your son.

Whoever had written it...

Wanted her to read it as a mother.

Her heart tightened painfully.

”...Who are you?”

”What do you want?”

No answer came.

Only the wind whispered through the bamboo.

Several minutes later, the maid returned, breathing hard.

She bowed deeply.

”Your Highness...”

”We searched everywhere.”

”There is no one.”

”No footprints.”

”No signs anyone climbed the walls.”

The Dowager Empress slowly looked toward the dark garden.

”...No one?”

”No one.”

The silence that followed felt even more terrifying.

She dismissed the servants and walked back into her chamber.

The paper still rested in her hand.

She sat heavily in her chair.

Her thoughts raced.

First...

The Empress nearly died.

Then...

Princess Zhi spoke of strange events.

Then...

The attack outside the palace.

And now—

This message.

She whispered to herself,

”...What is happening to this kingdom?”

Her eyes drifted toward the shrine.

”I don’t understand...”

”Why are my people suffering?”

”Why has misfortune entered the palace?”

She thought of the Emperor.

Of her son, who had changed so much in recent days.

She thought of the Empress.

Of the growing fear among the servants.

For the first time in many years...

The Dowager Empress felt powerless.

She folded the note carefully and hid it inside her sleeve.

She would tell no one tonight.

Not until she understood whether this was a threat...

Or the beginning of something far worse.

Outside her chamber, unseen by anyone, the night remained unnaturally still. Even the wind seemed to be holding its breath, as if the palace itself were waiting for the next move in a game no one yet understood.

The moon hung high above the imperial palace.

Silver light bathed the tiled roofs, ancient walls, and quiet courtyards.

The entire palace had fallen asleep.

Or so everyone believed.

Inside the Dowager Empress’s courtyard, several palace maids stood outside the main chamber on night duty. Two guards patrolled slowly beneath the lanterns, their armor reflecting the pale moonlight.

Everything was peaceful.

Then—

A woman’s sob echoed through the courtyard.

It was soft.

Painful.

As though someone were weeping with a broken heart.

”...Wuu...”

The nearest maid suddenly stopped walking.

She looked toward another maid.

”...Did you hear that?”

The other maid swallowed.

”I... I think so.”

Again—

”...Wuu...”

The crying drifted through the courtyard.

The guards immediately gripped their swords.

”Who’s there?”

One of them raised his lantern higher.

No answer.

Only silence.

Inside her chamber, the Dowager Empress also heard it.

She slowly opened her eyes.

”...Crying?”

She remained seated on her bed, listening carefully.

Once more—

The sorrowful sob floated through the night.

Her brows knitted together.

Outside, one of the guards stepped into the garden.

”Search the courtyard.”

The other nodded.

The two guards checked behind every tree.

Every pavilion.

Every corridor.

The maids followed with lanterns, though their hands trembled.

One maid whispered,

”I don’t like this...”

Another answered nervously,

”Stop talking.”

They searched the lotus pond.

The bamboo grove.

Even the rear gate.

Nothing.

Not a single person.

Not even an animal.

Confused, they returned toward the main hall.

The moment they stepped back beneath the eaves—

The crying began again.

”...Wuu...”

This time it sounded closer.

As if it were inside the courtyard itself.

The youngest maid nearly dropped her lantern.

”It’s back!”

One guard rushed toward the sound.

But after only a few steps—

It disappeared.

Silence.

He turned slowly.

”...There’s no one.”

The servants exchanged frightened glances.

None of them understood.

Inside the chamber, the Dowager Empress called calmly,

”Come in.”

The head maid entered and bowed.

”Your Highness.”

”Report.”

The maid hesitated.

”...We searched everywhere.”

”There is no one outside.”

”But...”

She lowered her voice.

”We only hear the crying after returning.”

The Dowager Empress remained silent.

She looked toward the shrine in the corner of her chamber.

Her fingers slowly tightened around her prayer beads.

For several moments, she simply thought.

Then she spoke calmly,

”No one is to leave the courtyard again tonight.”

The maid looked surprised.

”But Your Highness...”

The Dowager Empress shook her head.

”If there truly were an intruder, the guards would have found someone.”

”If there is no one...”

She paused.

”...Running around in fear will solve nothing.”

The maid nodded.

”Yes, Your Highness.”

The Dowager Empress stood and walked toward the small shrine.

She lit another stick of incense.

The gentle fragrance slowly filled the room.

She looked at everyone gathered outside.

”Come inside.”

The maids entered quietly.

Even the guards remained near the doorway.

The Dowager Empress spoke with unusual gentleness.

”Tonight...”

”We will pray.”

”No one is to chase mysterious sounds.”

”No one is to disturb the rest of the palace.”

”If this is merely the wind...”

”It will pass.”

”And if it is something we do not understand...”

”Fear will only make our hearts weaker.”

The servants slowly nodded.

Her calm voice steadied them.

Together they knelt before the shrine.

The Dowager Empress began reciting scriptures.

The maids followed softly.

Even the guards lowered their heads respectfully.

Outside...

The night breeze continued to stir the bamboo leaves.

For the remainder of the night, the strange crying rose now and then.

Sometimes near.

Sometimes far away.

Whenever someone stepped outside to listen—

Only silence greeted them.

But once they returned indoors—

The mournful sobbing seemed to drift through the courtyard again.

No one slept well.

Every servant waited anxiously for dawn.

---

At last, the first rays of sunlight appeared over the palace walls.

The unsettling sounds stopped.

The courtyard seemed perfectly ordinary once again.

The Dowager Empress looked tired as she accepted her morning tea.

She unfolded the mysterious note she had hidden in her sleeve the previous night.

”YOUR SON IS GOING TO PAY.”

Her expression became solemn.

She folded it carefully again.

Then she spoke to her head maid.

”Prepare my carriage.”

The maid bowed.

”Yes, Your Highness.”

”I will speak with the Emperor... and Princess Zhi today.”

She looked toward the quiet courtyard.

”Too many strange things are happening in this palace.”

”And I will not ignore them any longer.”