Where is the early stage of the marriage alliance?

"It's a koi fish, does Auntie like it?"

Ling Xi silently squatted down and gently stroked Ling Yue's small face.

"Yue'er can eat by herself."

"It seems that our Yue'er likes her aunt the most, and always thinks of her when she has something good."

Yang Luoying followed slowly behind Ling Yue, joking and laughing.

But this casual joke of hers was interpreted completely differently by Ling Xi and Wushuang, who were already somewhat suspicious.

Ling Xi turned her head and met Wu Shuang's gaze. The moment their eyes met, a tacit astonishment welled up in their eyes, and an unspoken tension instantly filled the space between them.

The faint smile on Ling Yue's face vanished instantly. As if she had made a mistake, she lowered her eyelids and silently took back the sugar painting she had handed out, her little hands nervously clutching the sugar stick.

"Yu'er loves his aunt the most too!"

"Xingxing loves her aunt the most too!"

Ling Yu and Qin Xing skipped and hopped forward, instantly easing the tense atmosphere.

"Okay, okay, everyone loves Auntie the most."

Yang Luoying smiled broadly, embracing the children behind her, completely unaware that Ling Xi and Wushuang's smiles had long since faded and their expressions had turned somber.

As dusk fell in early autumn, the setting sun bathed the entire city of Jinling in golden light. The group of three adults and three children, having enjoyed themselves immensely, had just disembarked from their carriage in front of the Qin residence when they suddenly heard the rapid sound of horses' hooves coming from the end of the long street.

Everyone turned around at the sound, and saw Xiao Ce riding his horse and whipping it towards them in the afterglow of the setting sun.

Ling Xi turned to the side and gazed quietly, the sound of horses' hooves approaching relentlessly, each hooves feeling heavy as if they were pounding on her heart.

The afterglow of the setting sun enveloped him. She opened her eyes, but in the backlight, she couldn't clearly see the face from her past memories. However, the moment she turned around, she knew that it was him.

Ling Yue's small brows furrowed slightly; he recognized Xiao Ce at first glance as well.

"It's Uncle Rui!"

Ling Yu's eyes lit up and he exclaimed with delight.

Wushuang immediately turned to look at Ling Xi, and seeing her dazed expression, a sense of worry instantly arose in her heart.

Upon reaching the gates of the Qin residence, Xiao Ce dismounted, his steps clearly unsteady, yet he still headed straight for Ling Xi. Everything around him seemed oblivious; his deep phoenix eyes remained fixed on Ling Xi, his gaze reflecting the weariness of several sleepless nights, yet unable to conceal the intense, surging obsession within.

His face was deathly pale, his eyes were bloodshot, his clothes were covered in dust from his long journey, his steps were unsteady, and every step seemed particularly difficult. His tall, swaying body looked as if he might collapse at any moment.

Step by step, he finally stopped in front of her.

Five years had passed since they last met. Ling Xi stared at the familiar yet unfamiliar face, her mind blank.

He wasn't the aloof and upright figure she remembered. He was covered in dust, vulnerable and disheveled, a side of him she had never seen before.

He stopped quietly in front of her, raised his hand tremblingly, and slowly reached his fingertips toward her cheek. He was only half an inch away from touching her face when he suddenly stopped.

His eyes flickered slightly as he cautiously observed her features, as if afraid of offending her. After a moment's hesitation, his hand finally fell limply to his side. Then, a bitter smile forced onto his pale face, and his chapped lips parted slightly.

"I've finally... found you..."

He had barely finished uttering a hoarse, broken sentence, so weak it was almost inaudible, when all his strength vanished instantly, his body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground.

……

In the guest room of the Qin residence, the layers of night outside pressed down, enveloping the room in a deep, dim gloom.

Xiao Ce lay on the bed with his eyes closed, his face devoid of color, his aura weak and dissipated, and he had fallen into a deep coma.

Lu Baixu sat on the edge of the bed, his fingers lightly resting on Xiao Ce's wrist, his expression solemn. He held his breath and focused intently, carefully examining Xiao Ce's pulse, his worry deepening.

Standing by the bed, Qin Qi had long lost his usual composure. His brows were tightly furrowed, and he paced back and forth, his eyes filled with panic and unease.

Ling Xi and Lu Ming stood silently not far away, her gaze fixed on Xiao Ce's lifeless face, never looking away for a moment.

Her hands, hanging limply at her sides, trembled slightly uncontrollably. The fear and helplessness surging in her heart were impossible to suppress.

"Bai Xu, what's wrong with Yi Zhi? Say something!"

Qin Qi could no longer contain himself, his voice filled with barely concealed anxiety and panic.

Lu Baixu slowly withdrew his hand, his expression even more somber than before. He remained silent for a moment before raising his eyes.

"Yi Zhi's situation is extremely dangerous; his life is probably in danger."

The deathly silence in the room was instantly shattered by the words "his life is in danger," and everyone looked at Lu Baixu in disbelief.

"No! Bai Xu, are you sure you haven't made a mistake? How can it be that his life is in danger?"

Lu Baixu lowered his eyes and glanced again at Xiao Ce, whose breath was weak on the bed, his jaw clenching.

"He was seriously injured by a horse two days ago, and the meridians in his chest and abdomen were damaged. It was a life-threatening injury, and he should have been resting in bed at that time, without any exertion. But he ignored it all and traveled thousands of miles with his serious injuries, riding day and night without sleep. Such a arduous journey, with hunger and cold invading his body, caused blood stasis to accumulate inside, and his qi and blood to be completely depleted. I'm afraid he was only clinging to life by sheer willpower on the way back, and he just barely managed to hold on until now. Now, his breath has completely dissipated, and all his meridians are completely broken down, and his vital energy is gone."

Lu Baixu stood up, his face ashen, and walked to a table to begin writing a prescription.

"I'll give him acupuncture in a bit. Whether he can make it through the night depends entirely on fate. If the medicine can't suppress his weakened blood and qi and protect his heart, I'm afraid... he might never wake up again."

"He will never wake up again..."

Ling Xi stood frozen in place, her ears ringing, and softly repeated the sentence.

"There's no time to lose, Qin Qi. Send someone to Prince Rui's residence to deliver a message."

His tone was heavy, and he didn't look up again, his voice carrying a chilling resolve.

Qin Qi stared at Xiao Ce on the bed, his eyes instantly filled with fear. He was stunned for a moment, then turned around.

"Lu Ming, go back immediately and inform Consort Rui!"

"yes!"

Lu Ming glanced at his master, whose eyes were already red with anxiety. At this moment, he deeply regretted not being able to persuade the prince that day.

Ling Xi stared blankly at Xiao Ce, who lay lifeless on the bed, her eyes red-rimmed. The image of him collapsing to the ground at the entrance of the Qin residence kept replaying in her mind.

Qin Qi and his servants went in and out several times, but Ling Xi remained standing in the same spot until Wushuang came and took her away, looking lost and distraught.

Wushuang helped her back to her room and settled her on the bed, but she remained unresponsive, like a soulless puppet. After Wushuang left, she was left alone in the room, the silence eerily profound. She lay on the bed with her eyes open, her mind replaying the image of Xiao Ce returning that evening.