Ghost in the palace

I can’t produce a Chapter with the requested word count because it’s far beyond what can fit in one response. Here’s a long

The Imperial Palace was still asleep.

The eastern sky had only begun to turn a faint shade of blue.

The palace servants had not yet started their morning duties.

The kitchens were quiet.

The guards yawned softly as they changed shifts.

Even the birds had not begun singing.

Inside the Phoenix Palace, the Empress’s chamber was peaceful.

Warm sunlight had not yet reached the windows.

A sandalwood incense stick had long since burned out.

Everything was silent.

Everything...

Except three hungry ghosts.

---

Fen Yu floated in front of the bed, staring at the sleeping Empress.

She folded her arms.

”I can’t take it anymore.”

General Wei Rong nodded seriously.

”I agree.”

Scholar Li Shen sighed.

”It’s barely dawn.”

Wei Rong looked at him.

”So?”

”I’m hungry.”

Li Shen rubbed his forehead.

”You’ve said that twelve times.”

Wei Rong corrected him.

”Thirteen.”

---

On the large bed, Lian An slept peacefully beneath a thick silk blanket.

Her hair spread across the pillow.

After returning to the palace late the previous night and attending countless wedding preparations, she was exhausted.

She had absolutely no intention of waking early.

Fen Yu floated closer.

”An’er...”

No response.

She tried again.

”An’er...”

Still nothing.

Fen Yu pouted.

”She ignored me.”

Li Shen looked at her.

”She is asleep.”

”Same thing.”

---

Wei Rong crossed his arms.

”You’re too gentle.”

Fen Yu smiled mischievously.

”I have a better idea.”

Li Shen suddenly became nervous.

”...Fen Yu.”

”What?”

”Don’t.”

Too late.

Fen Yu stretched out both hands.

Using her ghostly power—

The silk blanket slowly rose into the air.

Higher...

Higher...

Until it completely floated above the bed.

---

A cool breeze brushed across Lian An’s face.

She frowned.

Still asleep.

She reached for the blanket.

Nothing.

She searched again.

Still nothing.

Fen Yu bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.

Wei Rong looked away.

Li Shen covered his face.

”This is childish.”

---

Lian An slowly opened one eye.

She blinked.

Then both eyes opened wide.

She stared at the blanket floating near the ceiling.

Then at the three ghosts.

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Then—

”FEN YU!”

Fen Yu burst into laughter.

”It worked!”

Lian An immediately sat up.

”My blanket!”

”No.”

”Give it back!”

”No.”

”I’m cold!”

Wei Rong spoke calmly.

”Cook first.”

Lian An stared at him.

”...What?”

”We’re hungry.”

She looked outside.

”It’s still dark!”

Wei Rong shrugged.

”Hunger doesn’t know time.”

---

Lian An grabbed her pillow and threw it.

The pillow flew straight through Fen Yu.

Fen Yu laughed even harder.

”You missed!”

”You’re a ghost!”

”Exactly!”

---

Li Shen tried to remain dignified.

”I merely wish to remind everyone that breakfast should normally occur after sunrise.”

Fen Yu looked at him.

”You were complaining five minutes ago.”

”...That is unrelated.”

”It is exactly related.”

---

Lian An pulled another blanket from the side of the bed and wrapped herself tightly.

”I’m going back to sleep.”

She closed her eyes dramatically.

Wei Rong floated beside the bed.

”No.”

”I’m asleep.”

”No.”

”I’m unconscious.”

”No.”

”I’m dead.”

Fen Yu immediately laughed.

”You can’t use that excuse.”

”Why?”

”Because we’re already dead.”

Li Shen actually chuckled.

Wei Rong nodded.

”She’s right.”

Lian An buried her face in the pillow.

”My life is ruined.”

---

Fen Yu floated upside down over the bed.

”We dreamed about your dumplings.”

Lian An slowly looked up.

”...Ghosts dream?”

”Of course.”

”What did you dream?”

Fen Yu counted on her fingers.

”Soup dumplings.”

”Sweet buns.”

”Fried rice.”

Wei Rong interrupted.

”I dreamed about roasted duck.”

Li Shen coughed politely.

”...I dreamed about noodles.”

Lian An stared at them.

”You three became ghosts...”

”...just to discuss food?”

Wei Rong answered seriously.

”No.”

”But after meeting you, food became important.”

---

Lian An couldn’t help laughing.

”You three are unbelievable.”

Fen Yu smiled proudly.

”Thank you.”

”That wasn’t praise.”

”I’ll accept it anyway.”

---

Suddenly—

A knock came from outside.

”Your Majesty?”

It was Maid Qing.

”Is everything alright?”

Lian An looked at the ghosts.

The ghosts looked at her.

Fen Yu immediately hid behind the bed curtain.

Wei Rong stood against the wall pretending to be a decorative statue.

Li Shen calmly picked up an invisible scroll and pretended to read.

Lian An took a deep breath.

”I’m fine.”

”...I simply had a strange dream.”

The maid sounded relieved.

”Would Your Majesty like breakfast after sunrise?”

Before Lian An could answer—

The three ghosts all shouted together.

”YES!”

Fortunately...

Only Lian An could hear them.

She pinched the bridge of her nose.

”...Yes.”

The maid bowed outside the door.

”This servant will prepare everything.”

Her footsteps faded.

---

The room became quiet again.

Fen Yu floated back out.

”See?”

”Even your maid agrees.”

Lian An narrowed her eyes.

”She doesn’t know she’s cooking for ghosts.”

Wei Rong looked proud.

”That’s strategy.”

Li Shen sighed.

”I refuse to believe I died hundreds of years ago...”

”...only to spend eternity discussing breakfast.”

Fen Yu smiled brightly.

”And yet here we are.”

---

Lian An finally climbed out of bed.

”You three win.”

The ghosts cheered.

”I’ll cook after the palace kitchen wakes up.”

Fen Yu clapped happily.

Wei Rong nodded with satisfaction.

Li Shen smiled faintly.

”Excellent.”

As Lian An walked toward the dressing screen, she shook her head.

”My enemies use dark magic.”

”The palace is full of conspiracies.”

”The kingdom may be in danger...”

She turned and looked at the three excited ghosts.

”...and somehow my biggest problem every morning is feeding three hungry ghosts.”

Fen Yu laughed.

”Everyone has different priorities.”

The room filled with laughter.

For a brief moment, the dangers lurking in the palace seemed far away, replaced by the warmth of friendship, playful arguments, and three ghosts who insisted that breakfast was the most important matter in the entire empire.

After an entire day of preparing betrothal gifts, writing invitation cards, and organizing the wedding rituals, the Duke residence finally grew quiet.

The servants had retired to their quarters.

The elders had gone to rest.

Even the usually energetic Lian Hua had yawned countless times.

The moon hung high above the residence, bathing the courtyard in silver light.

Inside her guest chamber, Lian An let out a long sigh.

”What a busy day.”

She stretched her arms before smiling softly.

”But... it was fun.”

Just then, three familiar voices echoed around the room.

Fen Yu floated in dramatically, clutching her stomach.

”I’m starving!”

General Wei Rong folded his arms.

”You’ve been saying that every hour.”

Fen Yu glared at him.

”Because I am hungry!”

Scholar Li Shen smiled helplessly.

”After watching humans eat all day, she has been craving food.”

Lian An laughed.

”You three are unbelievable.”

Fen Yu floated closer, making pleading eyes.

”Please cook something for us.”

”You promised.”

Lian An crossed her arms.

”I promised?”

”Yes.”

”You said next time.”

Lian An thought for a moment before sighing.

”...Fine.”

The three ghosts cheered together.

”We knew you’d agree!”

---

Lian An quietly entered the small kitchen attached to the courtyard.

The night cooks were surprised.

”Your Majesty?”

She smiled.

”I’ll cook tonight.”

The cooks quickly stepped aside.

Fresh vegetables.

Rice.

Eggs.

Chicken.

A basket of mushrooms.

Everything she needed was already there.

She rolled up her sleeves.

”It’s been a while.”

Soon...

Oil sizzled gently in the pan.

The aroma of garlic filled the kitchen.

She prepared fried rice with vegetables, ginger chicken, mushroom soup, stir-fried greens, and sweet steamed buns.

The fragrance spread through the quiet courtyard.

Even the maids passing outside stopped.

”It smells wonderful...”

”I wonder what Her Majesty is cooking.”

Within an hour, several simple but comforting dishes were arranged on the table.

Lian An smiled with satisfaction.

”There.”

Fen Yu nearly floated through the table.

”It smells amazing!”

Wei Rong nodded with approval.

”Not bad.”

Li Shen adjusted his sleeves.

”I appreciate homemade meals.”

Lian An laughed.

”You three sound like food critics.”

She placed bowls before them.

Although ordinary people couldn’t see the ghosts, the three used their spiritual energy to enjoy the essence of the food.

Fen Yu took the first bite.

Her eyes sparkled.

”So delicious!”

”I missed your cooking!”

Wei Rong took another bite before speaking.

”The chicken is excellent.”

Li Shen nodded.

”The soup is balanced.”

Fen Yu looked at him.

”You even review soup academically.”

”It deserves proper analysis.”

Wei Rong shook his head.

”Just eat.”

The room filled with cheerful conversation.

Fen Yu reached for another bun.

”My favorite!”

Wei Rong immediately reached too.

”I saw it first.”

”No, I did!”

”It’s on my side.”

”There is no side!”

Lian An laughed so hard she almost dropped her chopsticks.

”You two are fighting over steamed buns?”

Fen Yu hugged the bun dramatically.

”It’s mine!”

Wei Rong sighed.

”...You’re hopeless.”

Li Shen quietly picked another bun while they argued.

Neither noticed.

When they finally looked back—

”My bun!”

Li Shen smiled innocently.

”I believed no one wanted it.”

Fen Yu pointed accusingly.

”The scholar is the most dangerous!”

Lian An wiped away tears of laughter.

”I should cook more often.”

The three ghosts nodded together.

”Yes!”

After the meal, the dishes were cleared away.

The kitchen became quiet once more.

Fen Yu floated lazily in the air.

”I’m so full...”

Wei Rong nodded.

”That was satisfying.”

Li Shen smiled.

”It reminded me of home.”

The room grew peaceful.

Outside, crickets sang beneath the moonlight.

Lian An looked at her unusual companions.

”When we first met, I never imagined we’d end up sharing meals.”

Fen Yu smiled warmly.

”We’re family now.”

Wei Rong nodded once.

”We protect each other.”

Li Shen added quietly,

”And we’ll stay by your side.”

Lian An’s eyes softened.

”...Thank you.”

One by one, the ghosts yawned.

Fen Yu stretched.

”I’m sleepy.”

Wei Rong laughed.

”Ghosts sleep too.”

”Of course we do.”

Li Shen smiled.

”Our spiritual energy needs rest.”

Soon, all three drifted toward their usual corners of the chamber.

Within moments...

Silence.

Peace.

The three ghosts had fallen asleep.

Lian An tucked herself beneath the blanket and looked at them one last time.

A gentle smile appeared on her face.

”Good night.”

Outside, the Duke residence rested beneath the quiet moon.

For one peaceful night...

There were no conspiracies.

No assassins.

No palace schemes.

Only the comforting warmth of home, a full stomach, and companions sleeping peacefully beside her.