Where is the early stage of the marriage alliance?

He stared at the letter in his hand, each word a "well" inscribed with the words "all is well," his fingers tightening slightly. Suddenly, he felt that the neat and gentle handwriting on the paper was glaringly jarring.

"Send the letter out."

"Yes."

Xiao Ce folded the letter back to its original shape and handed it to Lu Ming with one hand.

She feigned docility; that wasn't her true nature at all. She was merely a hostage sent far away, with no choice in her own destiny.

But Xiao Ce's assumptions about Ling Xi were all wrong.

She only reported good news in her letter, not bad news, simply because she didn't want her mother to be sad and cry, not because she was swallowing any grievances.

Ling Xi had never suffered any injustice since childhood, but that didn't mean she couldn't stand being wronged.

On the contrary, precisely because she had never lacked care, she simply couldn't care whether the people in Prince Rui's mansion treated her well or not.

For a period of time afterward, Ling Xi clearly sensed that Xiao Ce was constantly putting on an act.

For example, whenever the palace bestowed any jewelry, jade, or fresh fruit, Xiao Ce would order someone to send a portion to Yuehua Courtyard.

At first, Ling Xi was afraid that he had ill intentions, so she dared not use or eat it.

After this happened several times, Ling Xi vaguely guessed the reason. She firmly believed that Xiao Ce was afraid that the rumors in Jinling City would become more and more outrageous and damage the reputation of their Prince Rui's Mansion.

Having figured this out, Ling Xi began to accept those things without any qualms. Why not take advantage of it? Besides, she was definitely not one to suffer a loss.

However, when Ling Xi went out again, she found that although the rumors that had previously slandered her had disappeared, new rumors had emerged.

That day, Ling Xi, along with Pei Lan and Wu Shuang, was selecting hairpins at Ruyi Tower. No sooner had she picked a hairpin from the jade shelf than several middle-aged women in brocade robes gathered behind her and whispered amongst themselves, their voices neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for her to hear.

"Have you heard? Our Prince Xiao is extremely devoted to his wife, unlike what the rumors say."

"One is the noble heir of our Great Liang, and the other is a princess of the Chu Kingdom. They are a perfect match in appearance and family background; they are simply a match made in heaven!"

"Our Young Master Xiao is incredibly considerate! Not only does he shower you with concern and care, but he also sends you a piece of jewelry every day, each one a rare treasure, none the same..."

……

Sending a piece of jewelry every single day? And never the same piece twice? These people are really something else, the rumors are getting more and more outrageous.

Ling Xi suddenly loosened her grip, and the mutton-fat jade hairpin slipped from her fingers, its white body tracing a trembling arc in the air.

"what!"

Fortunately, Wushuang was quick-witted and reached out to catch the jade hairpin just before it hit the ground.

Ling Xi stared blankly at the jade hairpin in the hands of the woman, its warm light making her face appear pale.

Hearing their commotion, the group of people over there cast questioning glances their way. Fearing she would be surrounded again like last time, Ling Xi quickly slipped away.

On that day, wherever she went, she heard similar rumors.

Only then did Ling Xi realize how terrifying the rumors were. They didn't care what kind of person you were, and they wouldn't bother to verify it. In their words, you were whatever they thought you were.

Ling Xi couldn't quite describe her feelings. It was better to believe the original rumors, which had made Xiao Ce look like a good guy for nothing.

As luck would have it, when she returned to Prince Rui's mansion after wandering around outside for half a day, she unexpectedly encountered Xiao Ce returning home from his shift for the first time ever.

As soon as she got off the carriage, she saw Xiao Ce getting off the carriage behind her.

He wore a dark blue official robe made of the finest cloud satin, which shimmered with subtle patterns in the sunlight. The collar and cuffs were trimmed with plain cloud-shaped borders, making him look dignified yet understated, which accentuated his tall and elegant figure.

He looks quite respectable! However, his features remain as aloof as ever, and his cold expression perfectly complements his official robes.

Ling Xi recalled the rumors she had heard at Ruyi Tower during the day, and a surge of resentment rose within her. Her face darkened instantly, and before he could even approach, she refused to exchange a single word of greeting, giving him a cold look.

Before he could react, Ling Xi gripped her skirt tightly and walked straight into the inner courtyard without looking back.

Seeing her like this, Xiao Ce stopped in his tracks, a faint mark appeared on his brow, and his expression darkened.

"Your Highness, what's wrong with the Princess Consort? She seems a little angry?"

Lu Ming has stopped calling Ling Xi Princess recently because the Crown Prince did not stop him from addressing her as the Crown Princess, nor did he show any displeasure.

"Let's go."

Xiao Ce naturally had no idea what was wrong with her. They had only met a handful of times, and besides, he didn't know her at all.

But seeing her now suddenly reminded him of her letter home, and for a moment, the lines between his brows deepened slightly.

As soon as Xiao Ce stepped into the front hall, Butler Mu came to greet him.

"Your Highness, the Prince and Princess are waiting in the hall right now."

Butler Mu's concerned expression gave Xiao Ce a strange sense of foreboding.

"Uncle Mu, do you know what important matter Father and Mother have to attend to?"

Steward Mu was a former subordinate of Prince Rui, having practically watched Xiao Mo and Xiao Ce grow up. After being injured a few years ago, Prince Rui had arranged for him to recuperate at the estate. Now that Steward Zhou had left, he was brought here.

"The Crown Prince will find out as soon as he arrives."

Seeing that Uncle Mu looked somewhat uncomfortable, Xiao Ce roughly guessed that it was related to him.

Before Xiao Ce even stepped into the main hall, he saw that not only his father and mother were sitting there, but also Ling Xi, who had given him a cold look at the gate earlier. Ling Xi was also sitting upright on a side chair, but her expression was clearly somewhat uncomfortable.

"Father, Mother."

Although Xiao Ce was puzzled, he still bowed respectfully.

"Ce'er is back. I have something to discuss with you today."

Princess Rui smiled slightly and spoke. Ling Xi sat awkwardly to the side. Sitting with them so calmly made her feel very uncomfortable.

"I won't beat around the bush. I've waited for you today specifically to discuss with you the matter of you taking a concubine."

Xiao Ce's brows furrowed suddenly, and the faint marks that had not yet faded from his brows solidified again, making his aura seem even heavier.

He subconsciously glanced to the side, his gaze falling on Ling Xi beside him. She simply sat calmly and composedly, her delicate hand holding a teacup, her eyelashes lowered as she slowly sipped the tea, as if what they were talking about had nothing to do with her.

His movements were quite obvious, and Ling Xi noticed them immediately, but she didn't understand why he was looking at her.

Even if he only loves Mu Wanning and doesn't want to take a concubine, that's none of her business. She was invited in by Butler Mu as soon as she entered the door.

She hadn't seen Prince Rui and Princess Rui for quite some time. Her mother-in-law, who had slapped her earlier, seemed to have suddenly forgotten about it and didn't give her a hard time today.

He also told her that since she and Xiao Ce had made an agreement, he would not make things difficult for her in the Prince Rui's mansion anymore, and she would have to fulfill her duties as a princess consort.