The next morning, the palace looked peaceful.
Too peaceful.
The servants walked through the corridors carrying trays of tea and breakfast. Officials entered the outer court with documents beneath their arms. Guards changed shifts at the palace gates, and musicians in one distant courtyard practiced softly for an upcoming ceremony.
To anyone looking from the outside, nothing seemed wrong.
But beneath that ordinary morning was a growing fear.
Rumors about the Empress had not disappeared.
Neither had the whispers about the black altar discovered in her courtyard.
Some commoners had begun demanding punishment.
Some ministers had started questioning whether the Empress was truly innocent.
And somewhere inside the palace—
Shin Gu was still hiding.
The Dowager Empress knew it.
Princess Zhi knew something was wrong.
The Emperor knew someone was manipulating events.
But they still lacked the one thing they desperately needed.
Proof.
