Where is the early stage of the marriage alliance?

Ling Xi's fingertips suddenly stiffened, and she tightened her grip on the food box. Unconsciously, she held her breath and stood quietly outside the door, listening to the sounds inside.

"The wet nurse has never bumped or hurt An'er while taking care of her, so why did something happen to her the moment she encountered her? How can this not raise suspicion?"

"She wouldn't do that."

Xiao Ce's voice was cold and indifferent, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

"Ah Ce...you trust her that much?"

"Yes."

A single, concise word, yet resounding with power.

"But she's from the State of Chu! Don't forget..."

"Wan Ning!"

Mu Wanning's tone grew increasingly urgent, but was abruptly interrupted by Xiao Ce's deep, cold voice.

"That's right, she's from the State of Chu, but more importantly, she's my wife."

"You really... have genuine feelings for her?"

"Yes, my heart is bound to her for the rest of my life. No matter what she does, I will believe in her."

Ling Xi, standing outside the door, felt a slight tremor in her heart, a warmth rising within her because of Xiao Ce's words.

"Ha! You believe her...you could never believe her!"

The next moment, Mu Wanning's desolate and mocking laugh echoed from inside the room.

"A-Ce! If you trusted her, you wouldn't have secretly seized all her correspondence with the Chu Kingdom! If you trusted her, why didn't you dare tell her that I was the one who poisoned her brother! And to protect me, you even had Lu Baixu cooperate with you in this charade, conspiring to deceive her!"

"Wan Ning!"

The room fell silent. Mu Wanning's words echoed in Ling Xi's mind. She stood frozen outside the door, her fingers tightening inch by inch. Her legs suddenly went weak and she swayed slightly, almost losing her balance.

It turned out that he had intercepted and examined every letter she wrote back to Jicheng; he had never trusted her from beginning to end.

It turns out that the deadly poison that nearly killed her brother was indeed administered by Mu Wanning! And Xiao Ce... even conspired with Lu Baixu to deceive her.

"You should go back now."

A moment later, Xiao Ce's indifferent and weary voice came from inside the room again.

"A-Ce, you and she are simply not a good match..."

"Is it that we're not a good match, or do you think she'll pose a threat to An'er in the future?"

Xiao Ce's tone suddenly turned cold, clearly indicating that he was angry.

"Isn't that right? Given her status, regardless of whether she learns about An'er's background in the future, she could never tolerate An'er! Besides... there's absolutely no possibility between you and her!"

"Wan Ning, you have overstepped your bounds."

"A-Ce! Stop deceiving yourself! The deep-seated hatred and national grudges between you and her can never be erased. Do you think I don't know? Ever since you learned that her brother, Ling Heng, was coming to Daliang, you immediately sent assassins to infiltrate Ye City, waiting for an opportunity to intercept and kill him. Do you dare say that you never even considered taking her brother's life?!"

Ling Xi pressed herself tightly against the carved wooden door, suddenly feeling a bone-chilling cold despite the summer heat. She tried her best to control her trembling hands, waiting for Xiao Ce's answer.

"Yes, I don't deny it..."

Upon hearing those few words, Ling Xi felt a sudden, dull pain in her chest. A bitter and desperate feeling choked her, making it hard for her to breathe. She staggered away from the doorway, unable to linger any longer.

When Pei Lan saw her princess returning with a food box from afar, her joy vanished completely.

"Princess, what's wrong?"

Ling Xi seemed not to have heard, lowering her eyes and moving forward with a blank expression, showing no intention of responding.

Pei Lan hurriedly took the food box from her hands. Watching the princess's dejected figure heading towards the bedroom, she frowned. Just moments ago, she had snatched the food box from her hands with a look of excitement and walked briskly towards the study, but in less than half an incense stick's time, she turned back.

She bent down and opened the food box, but the contents were still sealed tightly, and the wrinkles between her brows deepened.

Ling Xi returned to her bedroom and collapsed onto the bed, her back curled up, her body devoid of any vitality.

……

As dusk gradually enveloped the courtyard, Xiao Ce raised his hand to press his throbbing temples, his gaze falling to the window, a hint of doubt quietly rising in his heart.

Has she not returned home yet?

"Lu Ming!"

After Mu Wanning left, Lu Ming stood guard outside the door again.

"What are your orders, Your Highness?"

"Princess Consort, have you not returned to the residence yet?"

"Your Highness, I just heard from Peilan that the Princess Consort has already returned to the residence."

She's back? Xiao Ce was taken aback, a hint of doubt flashing across his brows.

"Step down."

"Yes."

After Lu Ming left the study, Xiao Ce's brows furrowed even more. Normally, if she knew he was in the study, she would definitely come looking for him. A sense of unease crept into his heart, and he quickly got up and left.

As soon as he arrived at the bedroom door, he saw her little maid sitting dejectedly on the stone steps in front of the door, her face full of sorrow.

His jaw suddenly tightened, and he strode forward.

"Where is the Crown Princess?"

Perrin looked up abruptly, hurriedly stood up, and unconsciously glanced back at the door.

"Your Highness, the Princess Consort... is sleeping in her bedroom..."

Sleep? Xiao Ce frowned.

"What time is it?"

Pei Lan stammered and couldn't give a clear answer. She didn't know what was wrong with the princess, but she was already convinced that it was related to the prince, because her princess had become unhappy after going to the prince's study.

Xiao Ce raised his hand and pushed open the door. The outer room was empty. He then quietly stepped into the inner room and indeed saw that familiar figure on the bed.

She lay there motionless, and he immediately felt a pang of panic, assuming she was unwell, and quickly went over to her.

Ling Xi lay on the bed with her back to the outside. She heard Xiao Ce's footsteps approaching from afar, and each step made her heart tremble. She tightened her grip on the brocade quilt beneath her and buried her face even deeper.

In fact, she had noticed it the moment the bedroom door was pushed open.

In the past hour, she had spent half of it silently weeping, and the other half she had spent thinking over and over how to face him. She had considered countless ways to question Xiao Ce.

But when he actually appeared, she couldn't help but not want to face him, not want to see his face, and not want to say a single word to him.

"Xi'er?"

Xiao Ce slowly sat down on the edge of the bed and called out softly. He could only see half of her profile in his eyes, and she covered her eyes with one hand, completely concealing her expression.

Ling Xi's whole body was tense, and she deliberately slowed her breathing, pretending to be asleep.

"Xi'er?"

He called out again, his tone now tinged with a hint of probing. Ling Xi's eyelashes, hidden beneath her hands, trembled violently, tears welling in her eyes, which she stubbornly held back.

She never imagined that the assassination attempt on her brother's way back to Jinling from Yecheng would be carried out by him. He kept saying he loved and protected her, but the truth was so heartbreaking.

She couldn't understand why he did this, no matter how many times she thought about it. If it was to avenge his brother, why did he treat her like this?