The palace had fallen silent.
It was the kind of silence that came only after midnight, when even the busiest courtyards had emptied and the servants had retired behind closed doors.
Moonlight spilled across the tiled roofs.
The ponds reflected pale silver.
The wind moved gently through the bamboo, producing a soft rustling sound that seemed almost like whispers.
But inside the palace, not everyone was sleeping.
Prince Liang stood beside his window, dressed in dark robes.
He had been awake for hours.
His mind had returned again and again to the same problem.
Shin Gu.
And, increasingly—
Mei Lan.
For several days, he had watched the maid carefully.
She was quiet.
Too quiet.
She never spoke unnecessarily.
Never panicked.
Never seemed surprised by anything happening around Shin Gu.
Whenever Prince Liang entered the courtyard unexpectedly, Mei Lan somehow managed to disappear before he could question her.
