Where is the early stage of the marriage alliance?

In the courtyard of Yunqi Academy, Ling Xi and Xiao Xiao stood awkwardly outside the main house, each more anxious than the other.

Xiao Xiao knew best how much the Prince Rui's mansion cared about Sister Mu and the child in her womb.

After the New Year, she came to Prince Rui's Mansion to play. She almost slipped on the path in the garden. At that moment, Sister Mu, who happened to be next to her, reached out and helped her. She was immediately stunned by Brother Ce's frightening eyes and was told that she was not allowed to come to Prince Rui's Mansion again before Sister Mu gave birth.

Ling Xi's worries were different. She wasn't familiar with Mu Wanning, and at most, she only felt some compassion for ordinary people.

What worried her was that if something serious really happened to the child, those people in the Prince Rui's mansion would skin her alive, and they wouldn't listen to her explanations at all.

Maids and servants carried basins of hot water in and out, creating a suffocatingly oppressive atmosphere.

Inside the bedroom, Mu Wanning's heart-wrenching screams came in waves, intermittent and chilling to the bone.

Xiao Xiao had never seen such a scene before, and her face had already turned pale. She suddenly gripped Ling Xi's sleeve tightly.

"Princess Consort... do you think Sister Mu will be alright? The baby... can the baby be saved?"

"I have no idea……"

"Where's Brother Ce?"

Ling Xi shook her head. The two of them followed Lu Ming back to the Prince's Mansion and then disappeared without a trace of Xiao Ce. At this time, in Yunqi Courtyard, there was only the Du family physician and the two midwives invited by the steward.

Just as Xiao Xiao was so nervous that she squeezed Ling Xi's wrist until it ached, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from the courtyard gate.

Xiao Ce's face was cold and stern as he strode into the courtyard, creating a gust of wind. Beside him followed an elderly man with gray hair and beard, dressed in a dark blue official robe, carrying a gold-embroidered medicine chest on his back.

With just one glance, Ling Xi could tell that the old man must be a royal physician.

Xiao Ce didn't glance at them once, his face grim as he led the imperial physician straight into the main house.

Xiao Xiao stood frozen in place, her fingers still clenched in the same position, but her eyes were filled with turbulent emotions.

"Brother Ce has invited Imperial Physician Lu?"

Seeing Ling Xi's blank expression, Xiao Xiao began to explain seriously again:

"That's Brother Bai Xu's grandfather. He's the most skilled physician in the palace, a respected old imperial physician even the Emperor's uncle shows him great deference!"

Although she didn't know who Bai Xu was, nor how skilled the old imperial physician Lu was, seeing Xiao Xiao's surprised and delighted expression, Ling Xi's heart sank even further.

The fact that Xiao Ce personally went to invite the most skilled imperial physician in the palace further confirms how much he values ​​Mu Wanning.

"Now Sister Mu should be saved."

Xiao Xiao felt a sense of relief, but Ling Xi felt as if a huge rock was pressing down on her chest, the pressure growing tighter and tighter. Her worries about the concubine in the room were no less than those of anyone else in the mansion.

Not long after, Xiao Ce and Imperial Physician Lu came out of the house together, both with solemn expressions on their faces.

Xiao Xiao and Ling Xi took a few steps forward simultaneously, their hearts pounding in their throats.

"The poison that the concubine was poisoned with is called Frostless, which is... a poison unique to the Chu Kingdom."

Physician Lu paused, his tone inexplicably hesitant.

No sooner had he finished speaking than a sharp gaze shot straight at Ling Xi.

Ling Xi was also startled. How many times would she be suspected by these people today?

"You viper! Ce'er should never have welcomed you into the family; you've brought ruin upon Wan Ning!"

Princess Rui appeared at the courtyard gate at some point, rushing over while speaking, her face ashen and her eyes blazing with fury.

"Princess Aunt..."

Before Xiao Xiao could finish speaking, Princess Rui rushed straight towards them. Ling Xi panicked and froze on the spot, forgetting to move.

Princess Rui raised her hand and slapped Ling Xi across the face. Ling Xi was stunned and could only close her eyes tightly. The next second, she was suddenly pulled away by a strong force.

She staggered two steps and almost lost her balance, a burning pain still shooting through her neck. When she opened her eyes, she saw that Xiao Ce was holding her wrist, while Princess Rui's hand had just grazed her neck, leaving a lingering burning sensation.

"Ce'er! What are you doing?"

Xiao Ce quickly released his grip, and Xiao Xiao, who was beside him, subconsciously reached out to support Ling Xi. When she looked up, she was met with the terrifying aura of her aunt, the Princess Consort, which frightened her so much that she didn't dare to say another word.

"Mother, the matter has not yet been fully investigated..."

"Who else could it be?! Who could possibly have Chu's poison? If anything happens to Wan Ning and the child..."

"Mother, now is not the time to investigate. Let's hear what Imperial Physician Lu has to do."

Xiao Ce had not expected his mother to take action so directly. His thin lips were pressed tightly together, and the gloom in his eyes was unfathomable.

When he first heard that Wan Ning had been poisoned with a poison unique to the Chu Kingdom, his initial reaction was that it was Ling Xi's doing. But looking at her innocent appearance, he hesitated. She shouldn't be so stupid as to leave such an obvious handle.

"Yes, Aunt Princess."

The group looked anxiously at Physician Lu, whose face was as heavy as iron.

"I have already administered acupuncture to temporarily suppress the poison within Consort Mu's meridians, so her life is not in danger for now. However, the poison has already seeped into her bones and blood. If the fetus remains in the mother's body any longer, it will be invaded by the poison within a day. If we delay, it may endanger the fetus's life."

He paused, his white beard trembling slightly, his voice hoarse:

"We must induce labor immediately. However... just now, Physician Du said that Consort Mu's baby is only nine months along, not yet full term. If we force labor like this... I'm afraid..."

The entire courtyard fell silent upon hearing Physician Lu's words. Xiao Ce's eyes darkened, and he finally spoke first:

"It's alright...we'll do as Physician Lu says. However, after the child is induced, will Wan Ning be in danger? And can the poison she's been ingested be neutralized?"

"Your Highness, when the fetus is born, the mother's vital energy and blood will inevitably be depleted... Whether she can be saved depends entirely on fate. As for this frostless poison... I have no foolproof solution at the moment."

When Princess Rui heard the imperial physician stammering, she immediately trembled with anger, her phoenix eyes wide open.

"So... even Wan Ning and the child might not be able to survive?"

The servants in the courtyard were all silent as cicadas in winter, not daring to utter a sound.

Xiao Ce stepped forward and steadily supported the swaying Princess Rui.

"Mother, this matter is not yet hopeless. I will do everything in my power to protect Wan Ning and the child."

His voice was deep and calm, patiently comforting her with each word, but his gaze gradually shifted to Ling Xi, who was standing blankly to the side.

"Lu Ming! Escort the Crown Princess and Princess Yongle back."

"Yes."

Lu Ming stood respectfully to the side, waiting for his two masters to move.

At this moment, Xiao Xiao was still tightly holding Ling Xi's arm, and neither of them was much more sober than the other.

"etc!"

The two had just turned around and hadn't moved an inch when Princess Rui shouted at them again.

Xiao Ce lowered his head to look at his mother beside him. The jewels at his temples trembled slightly from his heavy breathing, and his fierce eyes almost bled.

"Guards! Lock the Crown Princess in the dungeon!"

Two servants rushed over from the other side of the courtyard, ready to step forward, but were stunned into their tracks by Xiao Ce's cold and sharp gaze, and dared not move.