“Some things carry too much resentment. Who knows what sins that person has committed? Let’s finish our business and leave quickly. Matters within their own palace should be left for them to resolve themselves.”

The maid of Lady Margaret was badly frightened. She took a quick glance and immediately returned to Yunxi Palace to report the matter to Lady Margaret.

In the palace, there was one empress and two noble consorts. As the daughter of the Left Prime Minister, Lady Margaret’s family wielded great power, and she had been favored ever since entering the palace. She sent someone to check on Edward Harris not out of genuine concern, but because everyone in the palace knew Edward Harris was on her side. If something happened and she ignored it, other concubines might lose faith in her and stop seeking her protection.

Now, hearing the maid’s report, she was shocked but couldn’t hide her disgust: “I have done all I can for her. From now on, don’t let her enter my Yunxi Palace again. She brings bad luck.”

Edward Harris had fallen out of favor for years and had no children. All these years in the palace, she had only managed to hold her ground thanks to Lady Margaret. She was arrogant and ruthless, and to gain Lady Margaret’s trust in the beginning, she had even taken lives. Now, having lost her protector, her fate was easy to imagine.

But Edward Harris, still ill, knew nothing of this. Burning with fever and plagued by nightmares, she woke up thirsty in a daze. When she opened her eyes, she saw someone leaning over her bedside.

Edward Harris was so frightened she tried to scream, but her throat was too dry and only a hoarse cry came out.

At her bedside was Grace Baker.

There were no lamps lit in the room, only a few rays of light filtering in from the palace lanterns under the eaves. She was half-kneeling, and when she saw her wake, she slowly leaned down, brought her mouth close to her ear, and whispered, “My lady, she says she’s waiting for you.”

Edward Harris stared in terror, sweat the size of soybeans rolling down her forehead.

Grace Baker smiled, jumped off the bed, picked up the fire striker nearby, and turned to ask with concern, “My lady, are you scared? If you’re afraid, I can light the lamp for you.”

Edward Harris screamed hoarsely, “Rose! Rose!”

Rose had fainted from fright the night before and was even sicker than Edward Harris, but hearing her call, she forced herself to come over. Edward Harris weakly said, “Get her out! Make her leave!”

Rose pulled herself together: “Fifth Princess, please.”

Grace Baker hopped out of the room.

Edward Harris recalled what she had just said, broke out in a cold sweat, and said in fear, “Rose, light the lamps, light more of them!”

Rose did as told, lighting the candles until the room was filled with light. Only then did Edward Harris’s fear subside a little. Rose brought hot water to wipe her sweat and went to prepare her medicine. Edward Harris half-reclined on the bed to rest, her gaze drifting over the lamp when she suddenly froze.

On the clean, blank lampshade, words were slowly appearing.

She thought she was seeing things, so she closed her eyes, rubbed them, and looked again. The brown writing that had appeared out of nowhere was becoming clearer and clearer.

Four crooked characters were written there: 我在等你. (I am waiting for you.)

This time, Edward Harris couldn’t even scream. Her eyes rolled back and she fainted dead away. When Rose returned with the medicine, the main hall was in chaos again. Meanwhile, in the side hall, Grace Baker had already returned to her own room and taken a writing brush from her sleeve.

On the desk by the window were several sour tangerines she had picked yesterday, their juice squeezed out and placed in a small bowl.

Charles Baker had somehow wandered into her room, grabbed a tangerine and took a bite, his face contorting from the sourness as he stuck out his tongue: “Sour! Ptooey, ptooey!”

Grace Baker patted his head: “These aren’t for eating.”

Charles Baker, curious as ever, asked, “If not for eating, then what?”

Grace Baker took a sheet of white paper, dipped the brush in the pale yellow tangerine juice, and drew a smiling face on the paper. The paper quickly became damp, but nothing could be seen. Charles Baker watched eagerly as Grace Baker brought the paper to the candle by the bed and beckoned him over: “Come, let me show you something fun.”

Charles Baker ran over happily and watched as his little sister held the paper near the candle flame. As it slowly heated, a smiling face appeared on the once-blank paper.

He clapped his hands in delight: “A drawing! There’s a drawing!”

Violet Morgan came in carrying hot water, smiling as she reminded, “Lu’er, don’t let your brother play with fire.”

Grace Baker obediently agreed, tore the paper into pieces, and threw it away along with the tangerines.

After that day, Edward Harris never recovered. The maids and eunuchs in the main hall gradually got better, but her condition only worsened, sometimes even becoming a bit deranged. Without Lady Margaret’s protection, those who had grudges took revenge, and she ended up worse off than Violet Morgan.

Everyone in the palace said she was suffering retribution for her many misdeeds. Even Lady Margaret was left uneasy, afraid of being implicated, and secretly copied Buddhist scriptures for a long time.

With Edward Harris no longer causing trouble, life in the side hall finally improved a bit. At least they could now collect their full allowances themselves, and Grace Baker could finally eat meat every day. However, after this incident, people in the palace became wary of Mingyue Palace. The already quiet and remote palace became even more deserted.

Lillian Reed was a bit worried about this. Everyone said Mingyue Palace was haunted, and she couldn’t help but be afraid. Violet Morgan, however, didn’t mind, turning her prayer beads and saying, “If you do nothing wrong, you need not fear ghosts knocking at your door. Just be at ease.”