Where is the early stage of the marriage alliance?

Xiao Ce's aura suddenly froze, his brows, which had been furrowed with gloom, tightened abruptly, and his eyes were filled with astonishment. He stood frozen in place, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily.

"What did you say... she's pregnant?"

"It seems that the Crown Princess really didn't tell you that she was already pregnant. Bai Xu personally diagnosed her pulse back then, so there's no way he was wrong."

"She's pregnant...with my child..."

Xiao Ce stood there stunned, completely lost in thought. His ears were ringing, and his mind was blank. The pent-up frustration and grief of the past few days surged up instantly, crashing down on his heart.

The next moment, he snapped back to his senses, reached out and gripped Qin Qi's collar tightly, his knuckles turning white, his anxious eyes filled with a hint of uncontrollable anger.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?!"

Qin Qi was pulled so hard he swayed, and he offered a helpless and hasty explanation:

"How could I have known that the Crown Princess hadn't told you at all! I thought you already knew!"

These words completely shattered Xiao Ce's tense nerves. The grip on his clothes suddenly loosened, and his hands trembled slightly as they fell to his sides.

"When did this happen?"

"It was just a few days before you went to the western border to change garrisons. That day, the Crown Princess came to the Qin residence to find Yue'er, saying that she wanted to go to the newly opened dessert shop. At that time, Bai Xu and I happened to be in the residence. Bai Xu saw that her face was pale and her complexion was abnormal, so he took her pulse. Who knew that he would find out that she was pregnant. At that time, she was already more than a month pregnant."

Xiao Ce swayed violently, his face drained of color instantly, and a tightness gripped his throat, a metallic taste rising within him. He had been completely unaware of such an important matter from beginning to end.

Why didn't she tell me... why didn't she tell me...?

Xiao Ce's voice was broken and dry, filled with endless confusion. His heart was cold, as if he would collapse at any moment.

Seeing his distraught appearance, Qin Qi felt a pang of sadness in his heart.

"Back then, she specifically told all of us not to tell you, saying that she wanted to tell you herself. Who would have thought... it seems that she had already made up her mind to leave back then."

Qin Qi's voice grew softer and softer. Only then did he realize that she had already decided to leave at that time, which was why she had lied to all of them.

"Yizhi..."

Qin Qi wanted to offer some words of comfort, but before he could speak, Xiao Ce had already walked straight past him and hurriedly went downstairs.

"Hey Yizhi, wait a minute!"

Qin Qi hurriedly chased after him, but the person had already disappeared. He stood at the entrance of Xueying Tower and sighed heavily.

In the Qinlan Courtyard of the Huan Prince's Mansion, the warm autumn sun quietly shines on the courtyard.

Ling Xi leaned back on a soft chair under the locust tree in the courtyard, leisurely resting with her eyes closed. The ancient locust tree in the courtyard had lush branches and leaves, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves, making the whole courtyard quiet and peaceful.

In the past two days, Ling Xi's mood has calmed down a bit, her originally pale and haggard face has finally regained some color, and her appetite has also improved a lot.

While physical health and complexion are easily improved, inner turmoil is difficult to resolve. Even with the warmth of the sun, the knot in her heart remains untied and cannot be untied.

"Perrin, bring me a cup of honey water."

She closed her eyes and lazily raised her hand, her voice soft and gentle.

Before she could wait a moment, a porcelain cup was handed to her from the side. Ling Xi did not open her eyes, but subconsciously reached out to take it. However, what her fingertips touched was clearly not Pei Lan's hand, but a warm and firm piece of skin.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she abruptly opened her eyes. What came into view was a black robe so close to her, and when she looked up, she met Xiao Ce's deep and melancholy phoenix eyes.

Ling Xi had no idea when he had arrived so quietly. His eyes were filled with complex emotions as he gazed at her silently.

She abruptly withdrew her fingertips, her expression instantly turning cold, and she subconsciously moved her body back half an inch.

"How...how did you get here?"

Xiao Ce ignored her and did not respond. His gaze was fixed on her lower abdomen. Suddenly, he raised his hand and gently placed his palm on her abdomen. His eyes were filled with anxiety, regret and tenderness, and his fingertips trembled slightly.

Ling Xi's heart tightened suddenly, and she reacted instantly. She immediately straightened up, forcefully brushed his hand away, and her eyes showed obvious anger and wariness.

"What are you doing?!"

Xiao Ce's hand froze in mid-air, and a clear look of pain spread across his eyes.

"You were carrying my child, why didn't you tell me?"

"you……"

Just as Ling Xi was about to retort, he suddenly leaned forward and gently pulled her into his arms.

"Xi'er, let's not separate, okay?"

He buried his face in her shoulder, his voice choked with emotion.

"Everything in the past was my fault. I promise you, from now on, I will never deceive you again. In this life and the next, I, Xiao Ce, will give you everything I have to protect you and our child."

A warmth spread up his chest, and Ling Xi's heart trembled slightly. Her eyes involuntarily welled up with tears, and her vision blurred.

The man before her was the one she had loved with all her heart and entrusted her life to, but too many obstacles stood between them, and they could never go back to the way things were. The deception and hurt could never be erased; perhaps from the very beginning, their being together was a mistake.

She slowly closed her eyes, suppressing her turbulent emotions. When she looked up again, all that remained in her eyes was a cold indifference. She reached out and slowly pushed him away, a cold, mocking smile playing on her lips.

"The child... is gone."

Xiao Ce was startled, and his face froze instantly.

"there is none left?"

"That's right, I've already had an abortion."

Ling Xi looked directly at him, her tone indifferent and resolute.

"We're already divorced. Why do you think I should keep your child?"

Xiao Ce's half-squatting figure suddenly swayed, his slightly reddened eyes staring at Ling Xi in disbelief.

"No... I don't believe it! Xi'er, you're just saying this to make me angry, aren't you?"

His voice was broken and hoarse, revealing the panic and collapse in his heart.

"Xiao Ce, even without you, I am still the noble Princess of Chu. Why should I keep your child?"

His hands trembled as he gripped her shoulders tightly, layers of despair clouding his eyes, which welled up with tears. Then he pulled her into his arms.

"No, I don't believe it, I don't believe it..."

Ling Xi pushed him away forcefully, her eyes filled with coldness.

"Whether you believe it or not, it doesn't matter. The child is gone, and we can never go back to how things were between us."

"You hate me that much?"

He stared at her intently, his voice trembling with pain.

Ling Xi turned her head sharply away, avoiding his sorrowful gaze, a lump forming in her throat, which she forcefully suppressed.

"I don't hate you, but there's no possibility between us anymore."

"Xi'er... I'm sorry, please trust me one more time. From now on, I will give you everything I have..."

"Xiao Ce, but I don't love you anymore. No, I should say I never had much feeling for you to begin with. Go away, and from now on, don't bother me anymore."