Chapter 432: The Last Night of Shin G

Night had completely swallowed the palace.

The grand courtyards that were usually filled with servants, guards, and the soft sounds of activity had become almost unnaturally quiet.

Only the occasional flicker of a lantern disturbed the darkness.

Inside Shin Gu’s courtyard, however, one candle was still burning.

Shin Gu sat alone beside the window.

She had not changed from her evening clothes.

Her long hair fell loosely over her shoulders, and her normally composed expression was nowhere to be seen.

She looked tired.

Very tired.

Her fingers were wrapped tightly around a small cup.

She stared at it for a long time.

Then—

A faint sound came from behind her.

Shin Gu immediately turned.

A man dressed in dark clothes stood near the entrance.

His face was partially hidden beneath his hood.

Shin Gu’s expression changed.

"You came."

The man closed the door behind him.

"It is time."

Shin Gu stared at him.

"Time?"

"Yes."

His voice was low.

"You cannot stay here anymore."

Shin Gu’s fingers tightened around the cup.

"Leave?"

"You have attracted too much attention."

She looked away.

"But I haven’t revealed anything."

"That is precisely why you must leave before you do."

Shin Gu remained silent.

The man walked closer.

"Take this."

He placed a small vial on the table.

Shin Gu stared at it.

"What is it?"

"Something that will make your departure easier."

She slowly looked up.

"I don’t understand."

"You don’t need to."

His voice was cold.

"Drink it."

Shin Gu didn’t move.

For the first time, fear appeared openly in her eyes.

"What will happen to me?"

The man didn’t answer.

Instead, he looked toward the door.

"Someone will come looking for you soon. You cannot allow them to find you conscious."

Shin Gu understood.

Her lips trembled.

"So I’m supposed to disappear?"

"Yes."

"And what about Prince Liang?"

The man’s expression remained indifferent.

Shin Gu lowered her head.

That name alone seemed to break something inside her.

Prince Liang.

The man who had once looked at her as though she were the only person in the world.

The man who had brought medicine when she was ill.

The man who had secretly sent warm clothes during winter.

The man who had stood beneath her window simply because he wanted to see her.

He had loved her.

Truly loved her.

And Shin Gu had known it.

Perhaps that was why remembering him hurt so much.

Her eyes slowly filled with tears.

"I don’t want to leave."

The man said nothing.

"I thought..." Her voice broke. "I thought one day I could have a different life."

She wiped her tears quickly.

"But everything became complicated."

Her gaze dropped to the cup.

"Prince Liang..."

She whispered his name.

"I wonder if he still remembers me."

The man looked at her coldly.

"Sentiment will not save you."

Shin Gu closed her eyes.

A tear rolled down her cheek.

"I know."

She picked up the cup.

Her hand trembled.

For several seconds, she simply stared at it.

Then she whispered—

"I’m sorry."

The man didn’t ask whom she was apologizing to.

Perhaps even he understood.

Shin Gu brought the cup to her lips.

She drank.

All of it.

The cup slipped from her fingers.

It struck the floor.

Clang.

Shin Gu’s body suddenly stiffened.

Her breathing became shallow.

She reached for the edge of the table.

"Wait..."

The man stepped back.

Shin Gu’s eyes widened.

She tried to speak again.

But no words came.

Her body slowly collapsed.

Thud.

She fell onto the floor.

The man looked at her for several seconds.

Then he turned away.

"I hope you never wake up."

He disappeared through the hidden exit.

The courtyard became silent again.

---

Outside the Chamber

Mie Lan was walking through the corridor.

She had been ordered to remain nearby.

Something about Shin Gu had bothered her all evening.

She couldn’t explain what it was.

She simply felt that something was wrong.

Then—

She heard a sound.

A faint crash.

Mie Lan stopped.

Her eyes immediately moved toward Shin Gu’s chamber.

"My Lady?"

No answer.

She hurried toward the room.

"Miss Shin Gu?"

Still nothing.

Mie Lan pushed the door open.

The sight before her made her blood run cold.

Shin Gu was lying motionless on the floor.

The cup lay beside her.

"Miss!"

Mie Lan rushed inside.

She dropped to her knees.

"Miss Shin Gu!"

She carefully turned Shin Gu over.

Her face was frighteningly pale.

"Miss!"

Mie Lan placed her fingers near Shin Gu’s nose.

There was barely any breath.

Her hands began trembling.

"No..."

She checked again.

A tiny breath.

Then nothing.

"Miss!"

Mie Lan immediately ran toward the corridor.

"HEALER!"

Her voice echoed through the courtyard.

"Someone call the healer!"

Several servants rushed over.

"What happened?"

"I don’t know!"

"Call the palace healer immediately!"

Mie Lan’s voice shook.

"She collapsed!"

Within minutes, a palace healer arrived carrying his medical case.

He knelt beside Shin Gu.

He checked her pulse.

Then her breathing.

His expression became increasingly serious.

Mie Lan stood beside him.

"How is she?"

The healer didn’t answer immediately.

He checked again.

Then he slowly shook his head.

"Her pulse is extremely weak."

"Save her!"

Mie Lan’s voice cracked.

"Please!"

The healer tried to determine whether she was still breathing.

He waited.

Nothing.

He checked again.

Finally—

He lowered his hand.

"I’m sorry."

Mie Lan stared at him.

"What?"

The healer looked toward her.

"She has stopped breathing."

Silence.

Mie Lan’s face went completely white.

"No."

She shook her head.

"No, that’s impossible."

She rushed back to Shin Gu.

"Miss!"

She touched her shoulder.

"Miss Shin Gu!"

There was no response.

Mie Lan began crying.

"She was fine."

"She was speaking to me earlier."

"How could this happen?"

The healer lowered his head.

"I cannot explain it."

Mie Lan stared at Shin Gu’s motionless face.

Only hours earlier, Shin Gu had been sitting beside the window.

She had been frightened.

But alive.

Now—

She was gone.

Or so everyone believed.

---

The News Spreads

The servants began whispering.

"Lady Shin Gu is dead."

"She suddenly collapsed."

"How?"

"No one knows."

"Was she poisoned?"

"Don’t say such things."

"The healer said her breathing stopped."

The news moved through the palace faster than anyone expected.

Within a short time—

The imperial palace knew.

The Dowager knew.

The Emperor’s attendants knew.

And eventually—

The news reached the Empress.

Lian An had been preparing to sleep when a palace maid hurried into her chamber.

"Your Majesty."

Lian An looked up.

"What happened?"

The maid bowed.

"Something has happened at Shin Gu’s courtyard."

Lian An’s expression changed.

"What?"

"Lady Shin Gu..."

The maid hesitated.

"She is dead."

Lian An became completely still.

"What did you say?"

"Lady Shin Gu suddenly collapsed. The healer was called, but..."

The maid lowered her head.

"He declared that she had stopped breathing."

Lian An stared ahead.

For some reason—

Something felt wrong.

Not because she was mourning Shin Gu.

But because the timing was strange.

Very strange.

She looked toward the corner of the room.

Fen Yu was already there.

The female ghost’s expression was unusually serious.

Wei Rong stood beside her.

Li Shen had his arms crossed.

Fen Yu whispered,

"This doesn’t feel right."

Lian An looked at them.

"You feel it too?"

Wei Rong nodded.

"Something is wrong."

Li Shen’s eyes narrowed.

"Her death came too conveniently."

Lian An stood.

"Let’s go."

---

Shin Gu’s Courtyard

By the time Lian An arrived, several palace servants had gathered outside.

The healer was still there.

Mie Lan was crying beside Shin Gu.

The Emperor arrived shortly afterward.

His expression became grave when he saw the scene.

"What happened?"

The healer bowed.

"Your Majesty, Lady Shin Gu suddenly collapsed."

"Cause?"

"I cannot determine it yet."

The Emperor looked toward Shin Gu.

"Is she truly dead?"

The healer bowed.

"Yes."

The Emperor remained silent.

Lian An stood a few steps away.

She looked at Shin Gu.

Something bothered her.

She couldn’t explain why.

Fen Yu moved closer.

Then—

She froze.

"Lian An."

"What?"

Fen Yu stared at Shin Gu.

"Her soul isn’t here."

Lian An’s eyes widened slightly.

"What?"

Wei Rong immediately approached.

He examined the room.

"She’s right."

Li Shen frowned.

"That’s strange."

Lian An lowered her voice.

"Explain."

Li Shen looked toward Shin Gu.

"If she were truly dead, her soul should have departed."

Fen Yu nodded.

"But there is nothing."

Lian An’s heart tightened.

Then she remembered.

The ghosts had deliberately caused disturbances around Shin Gu’s courtyard before.

They had frightened her.

They had made her believe that supernatural forces were following her.

But the purpose had never been to harm her.

It was to make her frightened enough to reveal something.

Lian An slowly looked toward the table.

The cup was still there.

Her eyes narrowed.

"That cup."

The Emperor followed her gaze.

"What about it?"

"The healer."

The healer immediately stepped forward.

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

"Don’t touch that cup."

The healer stopped.

Lian An looked at the Emperor.

"Something isn’t right."

The Emperor’s expression became serious.

"Search the room."

Guards immediately entered.

Every drawer.

Every box.

Every hidden compartment.

Everything was examined.

Then—

One guard discovered something beneath the floorboard.

"Your Majesty!"

He pulled out a small black pouch.

Everyone became silent.

The Emperor took it.

The pouch contained strange black powder.

The healer immediately recognized that it was unusual.

Lian An looked at Shin Gu.

Her suspicions deepened.

The ghosts had succeeded.

They had frightened Shin Gu.

They had pushed her toward desperation.

And now—

Something had finally been revealed.

---

The Final Clue

Li Shen suddenly whispered,

"Look at her hand."

Lian An looked down.

There was a faint black mark on Shin Gu’s palm.

Wei Rong’s expression hardened.

"Dark magic."

Fen Yu covered her mouth.

"So she really was involved."

The Emperor heard Lian An’s sudden intake of breath.

"What is it?"

Lian An couldn’t explain the ghosts.

She simply said,

"Your Majesty, this should be investigated carefully."

The Emperor nodded.

"Agreed."

The room became silent.

Then—

Mie Lan suddenly cried out.

"Miss!"

Everyone turned.

Shin Gu’s fingers had moved.

Only slightly.

But they had moved.

The healer immediately rushed forward.

"Wait!"

He checked her again.

His expression changed.

"Your Majesty..."

"What?"

The healer stared at Shin Gu.

"There is still a faint pulse."

Mie Lan gasped.

"She’s alive?"

The healer nodded slowly.

"Extremely weak."

The Emperor’s eyes narrowed.

"So she wasn’t dead."

The healer shook his head.

"Not completely."

Lian An looked at Fen Yu.

Fen Yu gave her a tiny nod.

The trick had worked.

Shin Gu had been pushed to the edge.

And in that moment—

The truth had begun to surface.

Lian An looked at the black pouch in the Emperor’s hand.

The palace had spent months searching for the person behind the dark rituals.

Now—

They finally had a trail.

And Shin Gu, lying motionless on the floor, had unknowingly brought them one step closer to the truth.

Outside, the palace bells rang softly through the night.

Nobody knew what the morning would bring.

But one thing had changed.

The Empress was no longer the only person under suspicion.

The investigation had finally turned in another direction.