Ghost in the palace

Chapter 335: Lunch Beneath Smiling Masks

The next afternoon, sunlight poured across the Imperial Palace.

The gardens were beautiful.

The lotus pond shimmered.

Birds sang among flowering trees.

From the outside—

Everything looked peaceful.

Yet inside the palace, tensions were quietly growing.

Especially inside the heart of the Dowager Empress.

Since receiving the report from her invisible guard, she could no longer look at Shin Gu the same way.

Every smile.

Every word.

Every action.

The Dowager Empress found herself observing carefully.

Watching.

Analyzing.

Questioning.

And so—

She arranged a luncheon.

A simple gathering.

At least that was what everyone believed.

The invited guests were few.

The Empress.

Princess Zhi.

Lady Chen.

And Shin Gu.

The luncheon was held in the Dowager Empress’s private garden pavilion.

Soft curtains fluttered in the breeze.

Delicate dishes were arranged across the table.

Tea steamed gently from porcelain cups.

When the Empress arrived, Princess Zhi was already present.

The two exchanged greetings and took their seats.

A short while later—

Lady Chen arrived.

Then finally—

Shin Gu.

Dressed in pale robes.

Elegant.

Graceful.

Her expression carried the same gentle smile she always wore.

The kind smile everyone trusted.

The kind smile the Dowager Empress had trusted for years.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

Shin Gu bowed elegantly.

The Dowager Empress smiled.

"Sit."

The meal began.

At first, everything appeared normal.

Conversation flowed lightly.

The weather.

The upcoming banquet.

The Duke family’s wedding preparations.

Nothing unusual.

Nothing suspicious.

Until—

Lady Chen spoke.

Her voice remained pleasant.

Her smile remained polite.

Yet her words carried hidden thorns.

"I heard Shin Gu has been very busy lately."

Shin Gu smiled softly.

"Not particularly."

Lady Chen lifted her teacup.

"Really?"

"Then perhaps I heard incorrectly."

The Empress looked up.

Princess Zhi did as well.

Something felt different.

Lady Chen’s tone wasn’t hostile.

Yet it wasn’t friendly either.

Shin Gu seemed to notice.

But her smile never changed.

"What did Elder Sister hear?"

Lady Chen replied casually.

"Only that you often disappear."

The pavilion grew slightly quieter.

The Dowager Empress listened carefully.

Shin Gu laughed softly.

"A misunderstanding."

"I merely enjoy solitude."

Lady Chen nodded.

"Of course."

Her smile remained sweet.

"Perhaps I am mistaken."

Then she added quietly—

"You do seem to enjoy being alone." frёewebnoѵēl.com

Shin Gu’s eyes flickered briefly.

Only for a moment.

Most would not notice.

But the Dowager Empress did.

The Empress did too.

And Princess Zhi.

The three exchanged brief glances.

Lady Chen continued eating calmly.

Yet she kept making small remarks.

Tiny observations.

Questions wrapped in politeness.

Comments hidden behind smiles.

Each one aimed directly at Shin Gu.

Not enough to start a conflict.

But enough to create discomfort.

Finally—

Shin Gu placed down her cup.

Her expression became slightly sad.

"Elder Sister Cheng Wei."

The pavilion fell silent.

Lady Chen looked up.

Shin Gu smiled weakly.

A fragile smile.

A hurt smile.

The kind that immediately inspired sympathy.

"We were once very close."

Her voice softened.

"I always considered you a friend."

The Empress blinked.

Princess Zhi frowned slightly.

Shin Gu lowered her gaze.

"If I have done something wrong..."

Her voice became quieter.

"Please tell me."

Lady Chen’s expression remained unreadable.

Shin Gu continued.

"If you are upset because I failed to visit after the recent incident..."

She sighed sadly.

"Then I apologize."

The atmosphere changed instantly.

The servants nearby looked uncomfortable.

Shin Gu appeared genuinely hurt.

Almost pitiful.

Like an innocent person being unfairly targeted.

The Dowager Empress watched silently.

And for the first time—

A strange realization struck her.

She’s good.

Very good.

Too good.

The timing.

The expression.

The tone.

Everything felt perfect.

Almost rehearsed.

The Dowager Empress suddenly remembered years of similar moments.

How Shin Gu always appeared gentle.

How she always appeared reasonable.

How conflicts somehow ended with others feeling guilty.

The realization unsettled her deeply.

Across the table—

The Empress and Princess Zhi were equally surprised.

Not because of Shin Gu.

Because of Lady Chen.

The two women had always been close.

At least from what everyone saw.

Friendly.

Supportive.

Comfortable around each other.

Yet today—

Something had changed.

Neither knew why.

Princess Zhi looked confused.

The Empress remained thoughtful.

Lady Chen finally spoke.

Her smile remained calm.

"I am not angry."

Shin Gu looked relieved.

"Then I am glad."

The conversation moved on.

At least on the surface.

But the atmosphere had changed completely.

Everyone felt it.

The tension hidden beneath every word.

The unspoken battle.

The careful observations.

The growing suspicions.

Throughout the meal, the Dowager Empress watched Shin Gu carefully.

Every movement.

Every reaction.

Every expression.

And the more she watched—

The more uncomfortable she became.

Because she could no longer tell where sincerity ended—

And performance began.

By the end of the luncheon, Shin Gu remained exactly as she always appeared.

Gentle.

Kind.

Graceful.

Perfect.

Yet somehow—

That perfection felt more frightening than ever before.

As the gathering ended and everyone departed, the Dowager Empress remained seated alone in the pavilion.

Looking at the empty teacups.

Thinking.

For years she had admired Shin Gu’s calmness.

Today—

That same calmness made her uneasy.

And for the first time—

She found herself wondering.

If Shin Gu truly was hiding something...

Then how many years had everyone been fooled by that gentle smile?

the imperial palace was unusually peaceful.

Sunlight streamed through the carved windows of the Dowager Empress’s dining hall, filling the room with warmth.

A long table had been prepared for lunch.

Present were the Dowager Empress, the Emperor, Princess Zhi, Lady Chen, and the Empress.

The atmosphere was calm.

At least on the surface.

The servants quietly served dish after dish before retreating to the corners.

For a while, only the sound of chopsticks could be heard.

The Empress was honestly surprised to even be sitting here.

A few months ago, such a meal would have been impossible.

The Dowager Empress rarely invited her.

And when she did, it was never pleasant.

Yet today felt different.

Not friendly.

But different.

As everyone ate, Princess Zhi happily spoke about the upcoming wedding banquet.

Lady Chen occasionally added a comment.

The Emperor remained mostly silent.

Then unexpectedly—

The Dowager Empress looked directly at the Empress.

"How is your restaurant business?"

The entire table became quiet.

The Empress nearly dropped her chopsticks.

She looked up in surprise.

The Dowager Empress asking about her restaurant?

The same restaurant she once disliked?

The same business she once considered inappropriate for an Empress?

For a moment, the Empress wondered if she had misheard.

The Dowager Empress raised an eyebrow.

"Did you not hear me?"

The Empress quickly nodded.

"I heard, Mother."

She answered politely.

"The business is doing well."

The Dowager Empress took a sip of tea.

"I heard it has expanded to several towns."

"Yes."

The Empress replied honestly.

"We recently opened additional branches."

Princess Zhi immediately smiled.

"It would be strange if it failed."

Everyone looked toward her.

Princess Zhi happily continued.

"The Empress’s recipes are amazing."

"I still dream about that spicy fish dish."

The Empress laughed softly.

Princess Zhi dramatically placed a hand on her chest.

"I’m serious."

"The palace chefs tried recreating it."

"They failed."

The Emperor nearly smiled.

Lady Chen nodded in agreement.

"That is true."

The Empress looked toward her in surprise.

Lady Chen calmly continued.

"I visited once."

"The food was excellent."

"The staff were well-trained."

The Dowager Empress nodded thoughtfully.

"I heard the same."

The Empress sat quietly.

This conversation felt unreal.

Not long ago, everyone at this table would have criticized her for opening a restaurant.

Now they were discussing it normally.

Then Lady Chen suddenly smiled.

A gentle smile.

"Since everyone praises Your Majesty’s cooking so much..."

She paused.

"Why not cook for everyone tomorrow evening?"

The room fell silent.

The Empress blinked.

Princess Zhi’s eyes immediately lit up.

"Yes!"

"That’s a wonderful idea!"

The Emperor looked toward the Empress.

Curious.

The Dowager Empress considered it.

Then unexpectedly nodded.

"I agree."

The Empress stared.

Even the Dowager Empress agreed?

Princess Zhi immediately became excited.

"I want the braised beef."

"And the lotus soup."

"And those sweet buns."

The Emperor finally spoke.

"You just want everything."

Princess Zhi nodded seriously.

"Correct."

Everyone laughed.

Even the Dowager Empress’s lips curved slightly.

The atmosphere became surprisingly relaxed.

The Empress looked around the table.

The Emperor was watching her quietly.

Princess Zhi looked excited.

The Dowager Empress appeared interested.

Even Lady Chen seemed calm.

Finally, the Empress smiled.

"Very well."

"I’ll cook tomorrow evening."

Princess Zhi nearly cheered.

The Dowager Empress nodded in approval.

"Then it is settled."

The Emperor looked at the Empress for a moment longer.

Then he said quietly,

"I look forward to it."

The simple sentence made the Empress unexpectedly self-conscious.

She quickly lowered her gaze and continued eating.

But inside—

She found herself smiling.

Tomorrow’s dinner suddenly felt much more important than she expected. freewēbnoveℓ.com

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