Ghost in the palace

The capital was still bustling with activity.

Although the decision to migrate north had already been announced, the travelers had not yet begun their journey. Thousands of people remained gathered at the capital’s northern departure grounds, where temporary shelters, supply tents, food stalls, and administrative stations had been established.

The departure was scheduled for the following morning.

Tonight, everyone would rest, collect their belongings, and prepare for the long road ahead.

The construction workers had spent the entire day distributing food to the families who had arrived from distant villages. Large pots of porridge simmered over outdoor fires, while baskets of steamed buns and bowls of vegetables were carried from one line to another.

Children sat beside their parents, eating happily.

Some elderly people rested beneath temporary awnings.

Men checked the wheels of their carts, while women folded blankets and packed their remaining possessions.

Nobody knew exactly what awaited them in the north.

But at least, for tonight, they had food, shelter, and the hope of beginning again.

Near one of the supply tents, the Empress stood with her companions, watching a group of children chase one another around a pile of wooden crates.

"They have so much energy," she remarked.

Her friend, disguised as an ordinary woman named Yao Qing, laughed.

"They have been sitting in carts and standing in queues all day. Of course they want to run around."

Beside her, Yao Qing’s husband was helping the twins arrange their belongings. The fifteen-year-old siblings had already been registered with their family for the migration, so there was no need to visit the registration officials again.

The girl carefully tied a cloth around her bundle.

Her brother inspected it and frowned.

"You tied it too loosely."

She glared at him.

"Then you do it yourself!"

He took the bundle from her and began tightening the knot.

Yao Qing shook her head affectionately.

"They have been arguing since we arrived."

"They are siblings," the Empress replied. "What did you expect?"

The two women exchanged smiles.

For a moment, they looked like nothing more than ordinary friends traveling together with their families.

That was exactly how they wanted to appear.

Nobody around them suspected that their companions had once occupied the highest positions in the empire.

The elderly woman sitting nearby was simply known as Madam Shen, an older traveler who had joined the group with her family.

The man everyone called Shen Rui was her husband.

Their younger son, Shen Liang, was traveling with his wife, Shen Zhi.

Their daughter, Shen Chen, was accompanied by her husband, Guo Han.

To the other travelers, they were an ordinary family who had decided to leave the capital and seek a quieter life in the north.

No one knew that Madam Shen had once been the Dowager Empress, that Shen Rui had once ruled the empire, or that Shen Liang, Shen Zhi, and Shen Chen belonged to the imperial family.

They had deliberately put their former identities behind them.

For this journey, they wanted to experience life without servants addressing them with elaborate titles, without ministers bowing before them, and without everyone treating their words as imperial commands.

They wanted to live like ordinary people.

And so far, the experience had been rather entertaining.

Especially when they argued.

### The Morning Preparations

The next morning, the departure grounds were filled with activity before sunrise.

The migration instructor stood on a raised wooden platform, holding a long register.

"Everyone, listen carefully!"

His powerful voice carried across the gathering.

"We will begin moving after the final inspection. Families must remain together, and nobody is permitted to leave the assigned route without informing a guard."

A man near the front raised his hand.

"What happens if a child becomes separated from their parents?"

"Report it immediately. We will stop the nearby group and search for the child."

"And if someone becomes ill?"

"The medical team will assess them. If they cannot continue on foot, arrangements will be made according to their condition."

The instructor paused before continuing.

"Do not panic over small difficulties, but do not hide serious problems either. We are traveling together. Everyone must cooperate."

The crowd listened attentively.

Near the back, Prince Liang leaned toward his wife.

"He sounds as though he has delivered this speech a hundred times."

Princess Zhi replied quietly, "Perhaps he has."

"Then he must be very tired."

"You should offer to deliver the next speech for him."

Prince Liang immediately shook his head.

"No. I prefer being an ordinary traveler who has nothing to do with official announcements."

Princess Zhi smiled.

"How convenient."

Lady Chen, standing beside her husband, heard them.

"You’re only saying that because you don’t want to work."

Prince Liang looked at her.

"Why are you listening to our conversation?"

"Because you are speaking loudly enough for half the gathering to hear."

General Guo Han laughed.

"She is right."

Prince Liang turned toward him.

"You should support your own brother-in-law."

"I am supporting the truth."

The two men began arguing.

Princess Zhi sighed.

Madam Shen, who had been listening from nearby, shook her head with a smile.

"They have not even started walking, and they are already quarreling."

Shen Rui adjusted the strap of the bag over his shoulder.

"At least they have enough energy to argue. That is a good sign."

Madam Shen glanced at him.

"You will be the first person complaining when your feet hurt."

"I have never complained about walking."

"Last night, you complained about the hardness of the sleeping mat."

"That was different."

"How?"

"It was unnecessarily hard."

The Empress, standing a little distance away, covered her mouth to hide her laughter.

Prince Liang noticed.

"Sister-in-law, why are you laughing? You should be helping me defend myself."

The Empress raised her eyebrows.

"Defend you from what? Your own complaints?"

Everyone laughed.

Prince Liang looked betrayed.

"Wonderful. I have discovered that I have no allies in this family."

Lady Chen patted his shoulder.

"You have us."

He looked hopeful.

Then she added, "We will remind you of every embarrassing thing you do."

His expression fell.

General Guo Han burst out laughing.

Even the normally composed Princess Zhi could not hold back her smile.

Madam Shen watched them fondly.

There was no court etiquette here.

No formal audience.

No officials waiting for permission to speak.

They were simply a group of people teasing one another while preparing for a difficult journey.

For the first time in many years, she felt no need to silence anyone.

She could allow them to laugh.

She could let them make mistakes.

She could even join their arguments without worrying about what the court might think.

It was strangely liberating.

### A Question About the Empress’s Friends

As the final preparations continued, Prince Liang glanced toward the Empress’s companions.

Fen Yu, Wei Rong, and Li Shen were nearby, discussing something in low voices.

Their presence had attracted some curious looks from the travelers, but nobody had asked many questions. They had been introduced as people who knew the Empress’s family and had agreed to accompany the group.

Prince Liang watched them for a moment before turning toward his elder brother.

"Brother, I have been meaning to ask something."

The Emperor looked at him.

"What is it?"

"Why are the Empress’s friends joining us?"

The question was innocent enough.

Several people nearby turned to listen.

The Empress glanced toward the three companions.

Before she could answer, the Emperor spoke.

"When I first learned about the human-ghost breeding incident, they were with me."

His expression grew serious.

"They helped us understand what was happening, and the Empress helped them as well. They know things about that incident that the rest of us do not."

Prince Liang nodded thoughtfully.

"Then their presence will be useful."

"It may be," the Emperor replied. "If anything connected to that incident appears during our journey, their knowledge could help us recognize it."

The Empress added, "They also know how to observe unusual circumstances without immediately drawing attention to themselves."

Wei Rong folded his arms.

"Unlike certain people who ask questions loudly enough for an entire village to hear."

Prince Liang stared at him.

"Are you talking about me?"

"Did I mention your name?"

"You looked directly at me!"

"Perhaps you were standing in the way."

Li Shen sighed.

"We have not even departed, and the arguing has begun again."

Fen Yu nodded solemnly.

"It is a terrible habit."

Wei Rong looked at her.

"You argued with three ghosts last night."

"That was different."

"How?"

"They deserved it."

Li Shen closed his eyes briefly.

The Empress pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh.

Prince Liang looked delighted.

"See? I am not the only person who argues."

Wei Rong gave him a flat look.

"Unfortunately."

The group burst into laughter.

Even the Emperor’s mouth curved slightly.

Prince Liang then looked toward the three companions again.

"Well, I think it is good that they are coming. More people mean more company, and the journey will be less boring."

"Provided you do not spend the entire journey arguing with them," Princess Zhi remarked.

"No promises."

Lady Chen shook her head.

"At this rate, the journey will be more exhausting than the work waiting for us in the north."

General Guo Han grinned.

"At least we will have something to talk about around the campfire."

The Empress looked at the lively group.

She had initially worried that bringing everyone together might make the journey complicated.

Instead, their different personalities seemed to make the gathering warmer.

Some were serious.

Some were mischievous.

Some preferred quiet observation.

Others could not remain silent for more than a few moments.

But they had all agreed to travel together.

And that mattered more than anything else.

### The Instructor’s Final Warning

A loud whistle interrupted their conversation.

The migration instructor climbed onto the platform again.

"Final inspection!"

The surrounding chatter diminished.

"Check your water containers. Check your food supplies. Make sure every child knows which family they belong to and where they should go if separated."

He pointed toward the long line of carts.

"The carts will move in the designated order. Do not push ahead of the group. Do not abandon the elderly or leave injured travelers behind."

His gaze swept over the crowd.

"We are not racing against one another. Our purpose is to reach the north safely."

He paused.

"Remember this: a fast journey that leaves people behind is not a successful journey."

Several people nodded in agreement.

The Empress quietly repeated those words in her mind.

A journey was not successful merely because the destination had been reached.

The people traveling together had to arrive safely, too.

She looked at the families around her.

Some had lost their homes.

Some had lost their livelihoods.

Others were simply searching for a better future.

They had brought whatever they could carry, leaving behind familiar streets, old neighbors, and the lives they once knew.

For them, the north represented hope.

The Empress wanted that hope to survive the journey.

She turned toward the Emperor.

"We should make sure the people traveling with young children are not separated from their families."

"I have already asked the guards to pay attention to that."

"And the elderly?"

"The medical team will remain near the middle of the group, where they can reach people more easily."

She nodded.

"Good."

The Emperor studied her face.

"You have been worrying about everyone since yesterday."

"They are all traveling to a new home. Someone should think about their difficulties."

"And you think that someone must be you?"

She glanced at him.

"No. But I can at least do what I am able to do."

He did not argue.

Instead, he gently adjusted the strap of the bag she carried.

"Then remember to take care of yourself as well."

The Empress looked at him for a moment.

Then she smiled.

"I will."

### A Family Without Titles

When the final inspection was complete, the travelers began moving into their assigned positions.

The Empress’s companions gathered near the same group, checking their belongings.

Yao Qing’s husband helped one of the twins secure a loose strap.

The other twin complained that her brother had packed too many unnecessary things.

"They are not unnecessary," he protested.

"Then why are you carrying three wooden cups?"

"Because we need cups."

"How many cups can one person drink from?"

"They might break."

"And if they don’t?"

"Then we will have extra cups."

She stared at him.

Yao Qing sighed.

"Please stop arguing and finish packing."

The twins immediately obeyed.

Prince Liang watched the exchange.

"I think I have found my people."

Princess Zhi turned toward him.

"You already have a family."

"I mean people who understand the importance of unnecessary arguments."

Lady Chen laughed.

"You are beyond help."

Madam Shen stood nearby, watching the younger people with quiet affection.

The Emperor approached her.

"Mother—"

He stopped himself before the word could escape.

Here, he was not the Emperor.

And she was not the Dowager Empress.

He corrected himself smoothly.

"Madam Shen, do you have everything you need?"

She looked at him, then at the others.

"Yes. I have enough food for the morning, water, and a blanket."

"Your bag is too heavy," Shen Rui remarked.

She immediately turned toward her husband.

"Who packed it?"

"You did."

"Then why didn’t you stop me?"

"Because you told me not to interfere."

Prince Liang began laughing.

Madam Shen gave him a stern look.

"Do you have something to say?"

He immediately straightened.

"No, Mother—"

He stopped.

A few nearby travelers glanced at him.

Prince Liang cleared his throat.

"No, Madam Shen."

The Empress turned away, pretending to inspect her belongings.

Her shoulders trembled with suppressed laughter.

The former Emperor looked at his younger son.

"Be careful with your words."

Prince Liang muttered, "I am trying."

Lady Chen heard him.

"Try harder."

He gave her an offended look.

General Guo Han laughed again.

Their ordinary little quarrels continued as the morning brightened.

Nobody bowed.

Nobody announced titles.

Nobody treated the Emperor as someone whose every word had to be obeyed.

Instead, they argued about cups, blankets, food, and who had packed too many belongings.

The Emperor found himself listening to their conversation with an expression that was almost peaceful.

He had spent years surrounded by people who measured every sentence before speaking.

Here, people spoke freely.

They laughed when something was funny.

They complained when something was uncomfortable.

They corrected one another without fearing punishment.

And somehow, the world did not fall apart.

Madam Shen noticed the thoughtful expression on his face.

She approached him quietly.

"What are you thinking about?"

He glanced toward the others.

"Nothing important."

She followed his gaze.

Then she smiled.

"You are thinking that this is what ordinary life feels like."

He remained silent.

She continued gently.

"Do not be afraid of it."

He looked at her.

"Of what?"

"Of being ordinary."

Her voice was warm.

"You do not have to be important every moment of your life. Sometimes, you can simply be a man traveling with his family."

He looked toward the Empress.

She was helping Yao Qing tie a cloth around one of the twins’ bundles.

The girl was talking animatedly, while her brother tried to convince everyone that his packing method was superior.

The Empress laughed at something Yao Qing said.

The Emperor’s expression softened.

"Perhaps," he replied.

Madam Shen patted his arm.

"Then enjoy it."

### The Road Ahead

By midmorning, the final arrangements were complete.

The migration instructor stood before the crowd one last time.

"Everyone ready?"

A chorus of voices answered.

"Ready!"

He nodded.

"Then follow the assigned groups. Keep your families together, watch the road, and help anyone who needs assistance."

He raised his hand.

"May we all reach the north safely!"

The crowd answered with renewed enthusiasm.

People adjusted their bundles.

Children took their parents’ hands.

Merchants checked their carts.

The Empress looked toward the road stretching beyond the capital.

Tomorrow, they would leave behind the familiar streets and begin the long journey toward an unknown future.

There would be difficult days ahead.

There might be dangers they had not yet discovered.

And somewhere in the shadows, the mystery surrounding the human-ghost breeding incident remained unresolved.

But for now, they were simply travelers preparing for the road.

The Emperor moved closer to the Empress.

"Ready?"

She looked at him.

Then at their companions.

Fen Yu was already arguing with Wei Rong.

Li Shen was attempting to mediate, though he looked increasingly regretful about getting involved.

Prince Liang had joined the conversation for no apparent reason.

Princess Zhi was laughing.

Lady Chen and General Guo Han were discussing provisions.

Yao Qing was checking the twins’ belongings one last time.

Madam Shen and Shen Rui stood together, watching their family with quiet contentment.

The Empress smiled.

"Yes. I think we are ready."

The Emperor offered her his hand.

She accepted it.

Together, they turned toward the road.

Behind them lay the capital, with its familiar streets and complicated past.

Ahead lay the north, with its challenges, secrets, and possibilities.

And for once, they would face the journey not as rulers surrounded by ceremony, but as people traveling beside those they trusted.

The journey had not yet begun.

But the people who would make it meaningful were already together.

And that, the Empress thought, was a good beginning.