The mountain shrine rested quietly beneath the pale evening sky.
Snow-covered trees surrounded the ancient temple grounds, their branches swaying softly under the cold wind. Prayer bells hanging beneath the shrine roof chimed gently whenever the breeze passed.
It should have felt peaceful.
But inside the small courtyard behind the shrine—
The atmosphere was tense.
—
The Empress sat beneath the pavilion, wrapped in a thick white cloak.
A cup of warm tea rested untouched beside her.
Her expression was calm.
Too calm.
—
Since leaving the palace and temporarily staying at the shrine for safety, she had found something she had not experienced in a long time—
Silence.
No palace whispers.
No concubines.
No court politics.
No suffocating eyes watching every step she took.
—
Only quiet.
—
Her three ghost companions floated nearby.
Fen Yu sighed dramatically.
"I like it here."
Wei Rong crossed his arms.
"Too cold."
Li Shen looked toward the distant mountains.
