Chapter 243: Ningning’s Counterattack
Chapter 243: Chapter 243: Ningning’s Counterattack
Commander Lu frowned. He had someone pull Xie Yuanjiu to her feet before questioning her directly. "Miss Xie Si, explain yourself clearly."
Xie Yuanjiu’s face was covered in blood. Naturally, this group of brawny, iron-willed men wasn’t going to wipe it for her.
Her cries were filled with innocence. "I was about to fall asleep when I saw Ningning go out by herself."
"It was too late. The elder aunt clearly said we couldn’t leave our rooms after 7 p.m. I was worried something might happen to her, so I followed."
"But I followed her all the way here, and you only caught me. Commander Lu, I really wasn’t trespassing in the Forbidden Palace. I don’t even know where this is."
Then, she raised her voice and shouted, "Ningning! Ningning, come out! Commander Lu won’t blame you. Just tell him you were just trying to have a little fun. He’ll understand!"
Xie Yuanjiu’s shouting woke Consort Li in the inner hall.
A crazed figure lunged at the locked doors of the main hall. From within came Consort Li’s shrill screams and curses—
"You damn bitch! Is that you, come to get revenge on me again? Consort Rong! Qi Jingchun, you slut, open this door! I’ll fight you to the death!"
"Give me back my son! Give me back my son!" Consort Li’s voice was hysterical.
She had gone mad not long after being locked away.
So, Shen Ningning definitely wouldn’t be hiding in her palace.
Besides, Consort Li’s doors were locked tight.
Commander Lu’s brow furrowed. He ordered Pei Yin, "Take some men and search the area. See if you can find any sign of the Commandery Princess."
"Yes, sir." Pei Yin led his men to search the surroundings swiftly.
A moment later, they returned. "Reporting to the Commander, we did not see the Commandery Princess."
Xie Yuanjiu was stunned. "How is that possible? I saw her come in with my own eyes."
Suddenly, she realized something. "Commander Lu, let’s go back to the Waterside Pavilion and Flower Shed right now! If she came out, her room must be empty. You’ll know I’m not lying once you see it!"
Commander Lu glanced at Xie Yuanjiu.
He really didn’t want to waste time dealing with this young girl’s antics, but trespassing in the Forbidden Palace was a serious matter.
He had to handle it impartially.
So, Commander Lu nodded and ordered, "To the Waterside Pavilion and Flower Shed!"
They caused quite a commotion. As they crossed the long bridge and entered the garden, they woke the other young ladies.
The girls threw on their robes and stood in twos and threes by their doors, their eyes filled with unease.
"What’s going on? Why are there so many imperial guards?"
"I don’t know. Look, why is Commander Lu escorting Miss Xie Si like a prisoner?"
"Oh my! Her face is covered in blood. Don’t tell me she’s committed some crime?"
Xie Yuanjiu was desperate to prove that Shen Ningning was not in her room.
She was utterly convinced she had just seen Shen Ningning enter Consort Li’s palace. Even if Shen Ningning had hidden somewhere, there was no way she could have gotten back to the Waterside Pavilion and Flower Shed so quickly.
’As long as I can prove the room is empty, I can save myself!’
Commander Lu followed Xie Yuanjiu to the outside of Shen Ningning’s room.
But the elder aunt was standing guard at the door, her expression stern.
Xie Yuanjiu immediately said, "Aunt, don’t block the way. We need to go in and confirm whether Ningning has returned safely."
The elder aunt shot her a glance, then looked toward Commander Lu.
"It is very late, and the ones resting here are all young ladies of good families. Commander Lu, you have no imperial edict, yet you bring your men to barge in like this. If word of this gets out, how are these young ladies to explain themselves?"
Commander Lu cupped his hands, his expression apologetic. "We received a report that someone intended to trespass in the Forbidden Palace at night. We lay in wait near Consort Li’s palace and, indeed, we captured someone."
After he said this, the surrounding young ladies all turned to look at Xie Yuanjiu.
Everyone finally understood why she had been brought here by the imperial guard.
Afraid of being misunderstood, Xie Yuanjiu quickly explained, "But I only stumbled into the Forbidden Palace because I was looking for Ningning."
"Aunt, please don’t stop us. Just let Commander Lu take a look inside. If Ningning really isn’t in her room, wouldn’t that be even more worrying?"
Under the lantern light, Xie Yuanjiu’s expression was grim. "Or... does my aunt know something? Are you trying to cover for her?"
The elder aunt maintained her usual stern expression, unfazed by her words.
Instead, the elder aunt looked at Commander Lu and said, "In that case, I will no longer stand in your way. I only hope that Commander Lu’s men will act with decorum. After all, the one residing inside is a Commandery Princess."
Commander Lu indicated his understanding. "I will be discreet."
After he spoke, the elder aunt stepped aside. Xie Yuanjiu couldn’t wait and shoved the doors open.
The two doors slammed against the wall with a dull THUD.
The young ladies quickly gathered nearby, craning their necks to peek inside and see if Shen Ningning was truly not in the room.
However, as the light from Commander Lu’s torch shone into the room, the small figure bundled up and fast asleep on the bed shot up, startled.
Shen Ningning’s dark eyes, now wide awake, were filled with alarm, like a frightened white rabbit.
Her eyes were wide, and her soft, sweet voice trembled with fear. "Who are you!"
Commander Lu froze. He had just taken one step inside, but he quickly retreated and ordered all the imperial guards to stay out so as not to disturb her.
"My apologies, Commandery Princess. Miss Xie Si said you were not in your room. For safety reasons, I came to confirm."
Shen Ningning let out a confused, "Huh?"
She looked at Xie Yuanjiu, who stood frozen in place with a look of utter shock. Shen Ningning’s voice was soft and puzzled. "Sister Xie, what are you talking about? I’ve been asleep for a while."
Xie Yuanjiu muttered, "How is this possible... How can this be! I clearly saw you go out! I followed you all the way to Consort Li’s palace, how could you be sleeping here!"
Her last sentence was hysterical, on the verge of a breakdown.
A look of terror appeared on Shen Ningning’s small, innocent face. "What nonsense are you saying? Didn’t the Emperor order Consort Li to be confined to her palace? Why would I ever go there?"
Xie Yuanjiu felt as if she’d been plunged into an ice cellar. A gust of wind from outside made the sweat on her back turn cold against her skin.
She looked into Shen Ningning’s round, dark eyes and felt like she was staring into an endless night.
’Shen Ningning... did this on purpose!’
Xie Yuanjiu snapped back to her senses and hurriedly said to Commander Lu, "She’s lying! Ningning framed me!"
Commander Lu’s face was like iron, his expression cold. "As I see it, no one framed you. You trespassed in the Forbidden Palace and are now trying to shift the blame."
He wasted no more words, waving a large hand. "Take her away and lock her up. I will report this to the Emperor and await his decision."
Xie Yuanjiu was dragged away, her shrill voice piercing the air as she stared at Shen Ningning.
"Ningning! Ningning, tell the truth! How can you lie!"
As she was taken away, the young ladies pointed and whispered that Xie Yuanjiu was truly devious—to make such a mistake herself and then try to frame someone else for it.
The elder aunt glanced into the room. From beginning to end, Shen Ningning remained wrapped in her quilt, looking pitiful and frightened.
"Aunt, is Sister Xie alright in the head? She seems like she’s gone mad..." she asked. She rubbed her arms with her small hands in fright.
The elder aunt comforted her in a low voice, "She’ll be fine. The Emperor will make a decision. Don’t you worry, Commandery Princess. You should get some rest. I guarantee no one else will come to disturb you."
Only then did Shen Ningning lie back down, relieved.
After the door was closed, the little one heard the elder aunt outside, shooing away the other young ladies.
"Everyone go back and rest. Stop standing around gawking."
Once their voices faded into the distance, a person dropped down from the roof beams.
Mo Lingwei’s face was dark. He brushed the dust from his shoulder, gritting his teeth.
"For you, I hid on a roof beam for the first time in my life. It’s so shameful. If word of this gets out, I, the Crown Prince, will completely lose face."