Ghost in the palace

The atmosphere inside Phoenix Hall was far heavier than the silence outside.

The cursed letter had been sealed inside a jade box and placed on a lacquered table. None of those present dared touch it again.

Candles flickered softly, casting long shadows across the room.

The Emperor sat at the head of the hall, while the Empress Dowager, Empress Lian An, Lady Chen, Princess Zhi, and Prince Liang sat on either side.

For several moments, no one spoke.

Everyone was replaying the events that had unfolded in Lady Chen’s courtyard.

Finally, the Empress Dowager broke the silence.

”This matter... is not as simple as someone trying to frighten Lady Chen.”

The Emperor looked toward his mother.

”What do you mean?”

The Dowager gently folded her hands.

”I have been thinking since we arrived.”

”Who benefits from attacking Lady Chen?”

No one answered immediately.

Lady Chen lowered her gaze.

”I cannot think of anyone who bears such hatred toward me.”

”I rarely interfere in palace affairs.”

”I have no influence over court politics.”

Princess Zhi nodded.

”That is true.”

”Lady Chen lives quietly.”

”She has never competed for favor or power.”

The Empress Dowager slowly nodded.

”Exactly.”

”That is why I believe Lady Chen herself may not be the true objective.”

The room became silent once again.

The Emperor’s expression grew serious.

”Go on.”

The Dowager’s eyes slowly shifted toward Lian An.

”I believe...”

”...the person behind this intends suspicion to fall upon the Empress.”

Lian An’s fingers tightened slightly beneath her sleeve.

Prince Liang frowned.

”The Empress?”

The Dowager nodded.

”Think carefully.”

”The relationship between Lady Chen and the Empress has changed greatly over the past months.”

”They have been seen together often.”

”They walk through the gardens.”

”They share meals.”

”They speak openly.”

”They are no longer distant.”

Lady Chen nodded unconsciously.

That much was true.

The Dowager continued,

”If Lady Chen had been harmed...”

”...many people would ask one question.”

She paused.

”Who had access to her?”

The answer lingered unspoken.

Princess Zhi’s expression slowly changed.

The Dowager spoke quietly.

”The Empress.”

Silence settled over the hall.

The Emperor remained thoughtful.

The Dowager continued.

”Rumors require no evidence.”

”They only require opportunity.”

”If Lady Chen had died after receiving a strange letter...”

”...people would begin connecting things that have nothing to do with each other.”

”They would say the Empress grew close to Lady Chen only to lower her guard.”

”They would invent stories.”

”They would whisper.”

”They would create motives where none exist.”

Lian An listened quietly.

Every word made uncomfortable sense.

Someone was not merely trying to hurt Lady Chen.

Someone was laying a trap.

A trap built upon suspicion.

Lady Chen immediately shook her head.

”I don’t believe that.”

Everyone looked toward her.

She spoke without hesitation.

”When the incident happened...”

”I was with Her Majesty.”

”And with Princess Zhi.”

Princess Zhi nodded firmly.

”We had been walking together in the Imperial Garden.”

”We never separated.”

Lady Chen continued,

”When we heard the screaming, the three of us ran to my courtyard together.”

”I saw everything with my own eyes.”

She turned toward Lian An.

”The Empress did not search the room.”

”She did not claim to know what the letter said.”

”She simply stopped me from touching it.”

Everyone remembered the moment.

Lian An had reached out quickly.

Her only words had been—

”Don’t touch it. We don’t know what it is. It could be dangerous.”

Lady Chen looked at everyone in the room.

”If she had wished me harm...”

”...why would she stop me?”

Princess Zhi answered immediately.

”Exactly.”

”The Empress only acted out of caution.”

”I would have done the same.”

She looked toward the Emperor.

”There was nothing suspicious about Her Majesty’s actions.”

”The strange writing frightened all of us.”

Lian An finally spoke.

”I did not recognize those symbols.”

”I simply thought...”

”...if someone had left such an unusual letter inside Lady Chen’s room after destroying everything...”

”...it would be wiser not to touch it until someone knowledgeable examined it.”

Her voice remained calm.

”It was nothing more than caution.”

The Emperor nodded slowly.

”A reasonable decision.”

The Empress Dowager agreed.

”I know.”

She looked kindly at Lian An.

”I am not saying the Empress did anything wrong.”

”My concern is different.”

She sighed.

”I am worried about what others might choose to believe.”

The room grew quiet.

Prince Liang slowly spoke.

”Our enemy is clever.”

”They understand how palace gossip spreads.”

”They know that truth often arrives too late.”

The Emperor’s eyes became cold.

”They are making preparations before making accusations.”

Commander Xu stepped forward.

”Your Majesty.”

”I questioned every maid.”

”They all repeated the same thing.”

”They heard loud noises.”

”When they entered the courtyard...”

”Everything had already been overturned.”

”They saw no intruder.”

The Emperor frowned.

”So the culprit vanished.”

Commander Xu nodded.

”Without leaving a clear trail.”

The Empress Dowager spoke softly,

”They wanted confusion.”

Lian An lowered her eyes.

Her heart suddenly felt heavy.

Only yesterday...

She had laughed with Lady Chen.

They had spoken about amusing childhood stories in the garden.

The distance between them had finally disappeared.

Now...

Someone had immediately used that friendship against them.

She whispered almost to herself,

”They waited...”

Everyone looked toward her.

”They waited until Lady Chen and I became close.”

”Only then did they act.”

The room fell silent.

The Emperor slowly nodded.

”I believe you’re right.”

”This was carefully timed.”

Lian An took a slow breath.

”Whoever planned this...”

”...wants people to think that I gained Lady Chen’s trust before betraying her.”

Her voice remained steady, but inside, a chill spread through her heart.

Who hated her enough...

To weave such an elaborate scheme?

Who wanted her reputation destroyed just as the palace was finally beginning to accept her?

She could not think of a single answer.

Lady Chen reached across the table and gently placed her hand over Lian An’s.

The unexpected gesture surprised everyone.

Lady Chen smiled softly.

”I won’t believe such rumors.”

Lian An looked at her.

Lady Chen continued,

”I know what kind of person you are.”

”You have never treated me with anything but kindness.”

”If anyone tries to use me to accuse you...”

”They will fail.”

Princess Zhi smiled and nodded.

”You have two witnesses.”

”We were together from beginning to end.”

The Emperor looked at the three women.

For the first time that evening, some of the tension eased.

The Empress Dowager smiled faintly.

”Our enemy is intelligent.”

”They expected distrust.”

”Instead...”

She looked at Lady Chen.

”...they strengthened your friendship.”

Lady Chen smiled gently.

”They miscalculated one thing.”

”And what is that?” Prince Liang asked.

Lady Chen’s eyes rested on Lian An.

”They thought I judged people by rumors.”

”I judge them by their actions.”

The hall became quiet once more.

Outside, the wind rustled the bamboo leaves beneath the moonlight.

Somewhere in the darkness of the palace...

Someone was surely waiting to hear that suspicion had fallen upon the Empress.

Instead...

Their carefully laid plan had failed.

The bond between the Empress and Lady Chen had not broken.

It had become even stronger.

But Lian An knew this victory was only temporary.

If the enemy had failed once...

They would certainly try again.

And the next trap might be even more dangerous.

✨ Thank You From the Bottom of My Heart! ✨

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