Chapter 457: Chapter 457: In Trouble

Mo Lingwei easily took first place, winning the Colorful Phoenix Lantern.

But as Shen Ningning held the Colorful Phoenix Lantern and waited with everyone at the maze exit, Qi Xiuwei never appeared.

She couldn’t help but ask the crowd, "Did any of you run into Xiao Wei? Why hasn’t she come out yet?"

Everyone shook their heads, saying they hadn’t seen her.

Someone even ventured, "Could she still be trapped inside?"

"I doubt it. We’re past the time limit. The Shopkeeper just found the two of us and told us time was up. She might have already left."

Shen Ningning’s brows furrowed as she scanned the area.

The market street was packed, and Qi Xiuwei hadn’t brought a maid with her.

Seeing the worry on Shen Ningning’s little face, Mo Lingwei opened his mouth to speak several times, only to stop himself.

Finally, he took the initiative and said to Shen Ningning, "I ran into her, but we didn’t take the same path."

Upon hearing this, Shen Ningning immediately said, "Let’s wait for her together!"

’We can’t just go back to the palace and leave Qi Xiuwei here all by herself.’

Just then, the Ninth Prince and his group, who had been led out of the maze long ago, walked over from the side.

They learned that Shen Ningning was waiting for Qi Xiuwei.

Mo Zhirou covered her mouth in feigned surprise. "Didn’t Miss Qi tell you, Princess? We saw her just a moment ago. She had already left the maze, and she even borrowed a carriage from us to head back to the palace ahead of everyone."

Shen Ningning was stunned.

The Ninth Prince’s expression was cool, his lips curved in a testing smile.

"I was under the impression you and my cousin were quite close, Funing. How could she not tell you and leave you waiting here for nothing?"

Mo Zhirou shook her head with a sigh. "It’s a good thing you ran into us, Princess. Otherwise, if you kept waiting, you’d miss the designated hour to return to the palace. The Emperor specifically told us all to return early to watch him bestow the Glazed Buddha on the grand prize winner of the lantern contest."

Everyone had to go back after the festivities were over, especially Shen Ningning.

Because it was publicly announced that the Glazed Buddha had been blessed by her, she had to be present.

If she missed the designated hour, the Emperor wouldn’t necessarily punish her, but it would reflect poorly on her.

Shen Ningning paid them no mind. She pressed her pink lips together, her little face cold as ice as she stared at the Ninth Prince and his companions.

"Today is the lantern festival. I don’t want to bicker with you."

She grabbed Mo Lingwei, who was about to lose his temper. "Brother, let’s go back to the palace and confirm whether Xiao Wei has returned."

’After all, the words of the Ninth Prince and Mo Zhirou can’t be trusted!’

Mo Lingwei nodded, and their group took a carriage back to the palace.

They happened to run into a guard on a fast horse, who came to report that the grand prize winner of the lantern contest had been found. They were preparing to have the person bring their lantern into the palace to claim the award.

As soon as Shen Ningning returned to the palace, she sought out the Palace Attendants to ask.

"Have any of you seen Miss Qi?"

They all said they had. "A short while ago, Miss Qi came back. It seemed she was in a bad mood, and she went for a walk alone in the bamboo forest over by the Sunlight Tower."

Hearing this from the palace maid, Shen Ningning decided to go look for her.

"Shen Ningning." Mo Lingwei called out to stop her from behind.

The little girl turned her head, blinking her round, dark eyes. "Hm?"

Mo Lingwei hesitated, his long, dark eyes looking somewhat lost.

"I," he faltered, but facing Shen Ningning’s curious little face, he confessed, "I might have been the one who upset Qi Xiuwei."

Shen Ningning was taken aback. "Were you harsh with her?"

Mo Lingwei shook his head, his long brows knitting slightly. "Not really harsh. My tone is always like that when I talk to people. I just said a couple of words, telling her to go on ahead."

’Besides me, I really can’t think of any other reason why Qi Xiuwei would leave early without a word.’

But he had done it to avoid any impropriety.

’Surely Qi Xiuwei wouldn’t be that devastated by a few words from me, would she?’

’But her expression seemed perfectly normal when she left.’

Seeing how much Shen Ningning cared about Qi Xiuwei, Mo Lingwei felt it was better to confess in advance.

This way, if she found out later and it really was his fault, he could at least avoid a misunderstanding.

Shen Ningning’s dark, limpid eyes held no trace of blame.

"Xiao Wei isn’t the type to hold grudges over small things. She probably ran into some other trouble. The pressure from her family lately has been giving her a huge headache."

With that, she took Mo Lingwei’s hand. "Brother, let’s go take a look. If you really did upset her, we can just talk it out."

Mo Lingwei was a born rebel, but when it came to Shen Ningning, her word was law.

This time he didn’t refuse and followed Shen Ningning toward the Sunlight Tower.

Their other good friends also followed from behind.

Everyone was chatting and laughing as they walked. Just then, an imperial guard came rushing toward them, shouting—

"Quick, inform the Emperor! Someone in the Sunlight Tower has shattered the Glazed Buddha!"

Everyone was stunned.

The Glazed Buddha was the Emperor’s treasured possession, kept in the National Temple.

If not for wanting to stir up the people’s enthusiasm this time, it wouldn’t have been brought out.

’The Glazed Buddha was safely enshrined in the Sunlight Tower. Who on earth would go in there just to smash it?!’

Shen Ningning’s heart sank. She had a very bad feeling.

"Let’s hurry. Xiao Wei might be in trouble."

She broke into a run.

When she arrived at the base of the Sunlight Tower, she found that the imperial guard had already surrounded the place.

Today, Commander Lu happened to be on duty in the palace.

He looked at Qi Xiuwei’s pale, helpless face and said mercilessly, his lips a thin line, "Miss Qi, you cannot leave yet. We will wait for the Emperor to arrive before any decisions are made."

Shen Ningning looked up. Standing there under the moonlight was a slender, fragile silhouette in blue. Who could it be but Qi Xiuwei!

"Xiao Wei!" she cried, rushing over.

But the imperial guard blocked her way.

Commander Lu stepped forward to explain. "Princess, please stay back. Miss Qi has shattered the Glazed Buddha. I am awaiting the Emperor’s arrival."

Qi Xiuwei’s face was pale, as if she were terrified. "I didn’t do it! The Glazed Buddha was already broken when I went inside!"

Commander Lu didn’t listen to these explanations. "When the Emperor arrives, Miss Qi, you can explain it to him yourself."

Before long, the Emperor arrived with a large group of people.

Tonight at the lantern festival, the Emperor was having a harmonious and happy time with the imperial Concubines, including Princess Consort Qi.

Everyone had drunk a little wine and arrived with flushed faces, but the Emperor’s expression had already turned icy.

It grew even colder when he saw Commander Lu present the shattered pieces of the Glazed Buddha to him.

His severe gaze turned to Qi Xiuwei.

"Why did you enter the Sunlight Tower?"

Qi Xiuwei trembled all over. "Your subject... Your subject heard the cry of an eagle inside the Sunlight Tower and thought one was trapped."

The Emperor narrowed his eyes and glanced at the Sunlight Tower.

"And did you find this eagle?"

Qi Xiuwei shook her head, her face growing even paler.

’She had come here, disheartened, simply to clear her head. The bamboo forest was so quiet and secluded that no one would know she had been crying.’

’She just didn’t want anyone to see her in such a state.’

’But when she heard the eagle’s cry, her first thought was of Mengyi.’

’The cry was frantic, and it seemed to be accompanied by the sound of fluttering.’

’Strangely, there were no imperial guards on patrol nearby.’

Qi Xiuwei could only go in by herself. She searched and searched but didn’t find the so-called eagle. Instead, she discovered that the Glazed Buddha was already shattered on the ground.

At this moment, Princess Consort Qi frowned and spoke with worry. "In a little while, the commoner who won the grand prize will be entering the palace to receive the Glazed Buddha. The Emperor has already made the announcement. If we cannot produce the Glazed Buddha, how can we maintain our credibility with the people of the realm?"

As she spoke, she looked at Qi Xiuwei, shaking her head with a soft sigh. "Wei’er, you were far too reckless. By doing this, are you not forcing the Emperor to become a man who cannot keep his word in the eyes of the people?"

With a single sentence, she plunged Qi Xiuwei’s predicament into the abyss.

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