Where is the early stage of the marriage alliance?

As expected, Xiao Ce did not enter her courtyard the next day.

This was exactly what Ling Xi wanted. She and Xiao Ce were strangers, so how could they sleep in the same bed?

The embarrassing things that Granny Qi taught them were indeed useless.

In order to ensure that the Prince Rui's residence could not find fault, Ling Xi was still pulled out of bed by Granny Qi to pay her respects to Prince Rui and Princess Rui early in the morning.

Unexpectedly, this time they didn't make things difficult for her. They just told her that she didn't need to pay her respects anymore, as this was not a custom in their Prince Rui's mansion.

This left Ling Xi completely baffled. Judging from yesterday's events, she had prepared herself for a long period of "humiliation," but it turned out that it was unnecessary.

Ling Xi, who felt like her life was over yesterday, suddenly felt that her future was bright. Her husband and in-laws were not looking for her, so she was completely free!

Bored, she walked from the main house toward Yuehua Courtyard, which was the courtyard arranged for her by the Prince Rui's Mansion.

Ling Xi believed that this courtyard was probably the furthest from the main house. It required walking through the central garden of the Prince's Mansion, and it would take a full quarter of an hour to get there one way.

"Wushuang, you've been by my brother's side for so many years, you should be very good at judging people. Tell me, what kind of person is this Princess Rui? She was so difficult to me yesterday, but today she seems to have no intention of being difficult."

Wushuang raised her eyes, seemingly pondering for a moment.

"In my opinion..."

"Stop! Wushuang, what kind of maid refers to herself as subordinate? You need to change your way of speaking. Let's keep a low profile."

"Yes, this servant believes that Princess Rui is probably still immersed in the grief of losing her son. Perhaps she does not want to see any Chu people, and that is why she placed the princess in the most remote Yuehua Courtyard."

Ling Xi stopped in her tracks and nodded slightly.

A gentle breeze wafted by, carrying a delicate fragrance. She glanced to her left and, through a plum-shaped window in the corridor wall, caught sight of a splash of pink.

The pink and white flower branches swayed gently in the wind, and when viewed through the window, they appeared hazy in the sunlight, giving one a sense of warmth.

"Let's go! Let's go take a look."

Passing through the arched doorway of the long corridor, a breathtaking view suddenly appeared before us. This Prince's Mansion of Daliang was far more magnificent than the Prince's Mansion of their Chu Kingdom.

In the very center of the garden is a vast lake, its surface as smooth as a mirror. Pavilions and carved beams are nestled among the flowers and trees, exuding the grandeur of a royal residence.

Ling Xi walked slowly forward, and when she looked down, she saw that the lakeside was planted with precious flowers and trees, with a beautiful view at every step, it was simply extravagant! This was Ling Xi's summary of the garden.

Reaching a pavilion, Ling Xi stopped to rest, gently patting her somewhat tired legs. Since she would likely be staying in the Prince Rui's mansion for the rest of her life anyway, she decided to be more open-minded rather than wallow in self-pity.

"Have you heard? Our young master... stayed at Chuixing Courtyard last night, not at the Crown Prince's Consort's residence."

"It seems this princess from Chu doesn't please our young master!"

"But I heard them say that the princess of Chu is extremely beautiful, captivating at first glance!"

"What good is being beautiful? The eldest son died by the sword of the Chu people. If there weren't no eligible men in the royal family, our heir would never have married a Chu woman."

......

It turned out that, apart from Xiao Ce, they couldn't find anyone else suitable to marry her off to in the Liang Dynasty.

"That's too much!"

When Ling Xi looked up again, she saw Pei Lan's face flushed red with anger.

"Good Pei Lan, so smug."

"What should we do, Princess?! The young master doesn't even go to Yuehua Courtyard. Isn't this a clear message to everyone in the manor that he doesn't like you?"

"Do you expect him to like me?"

Ling Xi smiled slightly, her hands still moving.

"But...but..."

"No buts, at least they didn't say anything wrong."

Perrin stared wide-eyed, his face full of confusion.

"They say that I, Princess, am very beautiful, and that is true."

"Princess..."

"Alright, what's done is done. If he doesn't like me, I'm not sure I'll like him either!"

However, Ling Xi soon found herself unable to stay at ease.

On the third day, she experienced severe acclimatization, vomiting and diarrhea, dizziness and weakness. By the morning of the fifth day, she had developed a high fever.

The day before yesterday, Ling Xi thought she was fine and asked Wu Shuang to fetch a doctor from an outside clinic. After several doses of herbal medicine, her condition still did not improve.

Granny Qi was an old servant of the Prince Huan's mansion, so she naturally knew that the mansion's personal physician was as skilled as the imperial physicians in the palace. Therefore, she asked Arno to invite the physician to the mansion.

When Wushuang found Steward Zhou in the front hall, she was told that the royal physician had just gone to Yunqi Courtyard to examine Consort Mu's pulse.

Wu Shuang blinked and pondered for a moment, clearly not believing his words. Although she was the same age as Ling Xi, her cold expression was quite intimidating, and Steward Zhou was intimidated.

"Miss Wushuang, I really didn't lie to you, Physician Du really did go to Yunqi Academy!"

Wushuang maintained a cold expression, giving off a strong sense of pressure.

"Where is Yunqi Academy? I'd like to trouble Steward Zhou to take me there."

Wushuang was cold, and her voice was even colder. Butler Zhou felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, and he swallowed the words he was about to say in refusal.

"Your Highness, isn't that the maidservant of the Crown Princess... the Princess of Chu? Why is she with Steward Zhou?"

As Xiao Ce was heading towards the gate of the mansion, he heard Lu Ming's words and looked up to see two people walking hurriedly across from him.

"Judging from the looks of it, it seems to be heading in the direction of Yunqi Academy..."

Xiao Ce's aura suddenly darkened, and he abruptly stopped in his tracks. Without the slightest hesitation, he quickly turned around, a hint of coldness surging in his dark eyes.

Inside the main hall of Yunqi Courtyard, Physician Du placed three fingers on Mu Wanning's wrist, his brows slightly furrowed, as if he were intently taking Mu Wanning's pulse.

Wushuang followed Steward Zhou into the hall, her gaze first falling on Consort Mu's face, and her heart suddenly sank.

She was leaning against a soft pillow, her hair neatly combed, her face rosy, her eyes bright, and her lips lightly touched with rouge. She showed no signs of illness whatsoever.

Wushuang's brows furrowed unconsciously, and her hands, hanging at her sides, clenched quietly.

After a long while, Physician Du withdrew his hand, slowly stood up, and was about to speak when Mu Wanning looked up at them first.

"Uncle Zhou, what urgent matter brings you here at this hour?"

Steward Zhou's face immediately showed some difficulty, his gaze shifting between Consort Mu and Wushuang, unsure of how to speak.

Wushuang stepped forward and slightly curtsied.

"Now that Consort Mu has finished taking the pulse, please ask Physician Du to come with me to Yuehua Courtyard. The Crown Princess is ill."

The atmosphere in the room froze upon hearing this. The physician's expression was even more troubled than that of Steward Zhou. He glanced at Consort Mu, then at Steward Zhou, his lips moved, but he didn't dare to agree immediately.