The courtyard was quiet.
Too quiet.
A thin breeze moved through the hanging curtains, lifting them just enough for sunlight to scatter across the stone floor. Princess Zhi sat wrapped in a light shawl, her bowl now empty, her hands resting loosely in her lap.
Lian An did not speak immediately.
She stood, walked a few steps, and deliberately glanced around the courtyard—at the trees, the corners, the doorway, even the shadows beneath the pillars. Only when she was certain no servant lingered nearby did she return and sit closer to Princess Zhi.
Lowering her voice, she said carefully,
"Zhi… I have a doubt."
Princess Zhi turned toward her.
"A doubt?" she asked softly.
Lian An met her eyes. "I suspect Shin Gu."
The words fell gently—but the impact was sharp.
Princess Zhi stiffened, then immediately shook her head.
"No," she said, more firmly than before. "That's impossible."
Lian An did not interrupt.
