Where is the early stage of the marriage alliance?

The princess and the prince agreed to be husband and wife in name only, but having lived most of her life and seen much of the world, she understood men's thoughts.

With the princess's stunning beauty and unparalleled grace, she could captivate anyone just by standing there. Ordinary men would find it hard to resist her charms; perhaps it's not impossible that the Prince Rui's son has developed feelings for her.

As the autumn winds grow stronger, the streets and alleys of Nanjing are already filled with the sweet fragrance of osmanthus.

Early in the morning, Butler Mu came to deliver a message that the manor would be holding a Mid-Autumn Festival family banquet tonight, and as the Crown Prince's wife, she would certainly have to attend.

Ling Xi found it quite amusing. Their Prince Rui's mansion had three generations living together, enjoying a lively family banquet and moon-viewing. Why did they have to give her face? In any case, whether she attended or not, outsiders wouldn't know.

Not long after Steward Mu left, Ling Xi came to a realization. Everyone in Jinling City knew that even Xiao Cejin, who had never been to her courtyard, could keep quiet. There were hundreds of people in the Prince's Mansion.

So, out of courtesy, she dressed up carefully for the occasion.

This is Ling Xi's habit. Whenever there is a festival or an important occasion, she will definitely dress up carefully. However, she usually relies too much on her natural beauty and does not often spend time on her face.

"I don't think the Princess Consort's invitation was genuine. Why should the Princess bother dressing up for them?"

Although Perrin said that, her hair-tying action was not ambiguous at all.

Meanwhile, Wushuang, sitting at the outer table, was carefully wiping her precious sword, which had not been drawn for more than half a year.

Ling Xi looked at Wushuang through the bronze mirror, but couldn't clearly see her expression. Although Wushuang wasn't as close to her as Peilan, Ling Xi trusted her completely because she was her brother's person.

However, Ling Xi was still puzzled. They had been together for more than half a year, and she had hardly ever seen Wushuang smile.

The next time she sees her brother, she has to ask him if he's been too strict with his subordinates. Such a beautiful girl like Wushuang has been raised by him to be cold and aloof, only knowing how to fight and kill, and not even knowing how to dress herself up.

"Princess, if you don't want to go, then we won't go."

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

Pei Lan had barely finished speaking when Granny Qi retorted.

"The princess represents the State of Chu. What the people of the Prince Rui's mansion think is their business. We must not neglect our etiquette."

"I know, Granny Qi. I'm just so angry. Ever since Consort Mu gave birth to the Crown Prince's eldest son, the Princess has been watching that child more closely than anything else."

Ling Xi gently patted Pei Lan's round little hand, then turned around and looked carefully at her makeup in the mirror.

"No matter how many concubines Consort Mu gives birth to, she will never be able to produce a legitimate son, and no matter how many concubines the heir takes in the future, he will not be able to produce a legitimate son."

After finishing her sentence, Granny Qi looked at Ling Xi meaningfully, lamenting that her princess was still too young and had not yet come to her senses.

"What's the use of all that, Granny Qi? If the princess were to give birth to a son, it would surely be a legitimate heir, but the heir never even comes to our Yuehua Courtyard..."

"Hey~ Stop! I, a princess, can't possibly have his child. He and his Mu Wanning are deeply in love, so we can just enjoy our carefree lives in the Prince Rui's mansion."

Granny Qi sighed inwardly, thinking that the princess was probably oversimplifying things.

Since ancient times, alliances between two countries have never lasted forever. If the princess cannot firmly hold onto the prince's heart, her situation will be precarious should the relationship between the two countries change in the future.

But if the prince takes a liking to her, the situation will be completely different. Even if the border situation changes, the princess's safety can at least be guaranteed.

"Let's go, Princess, or we'll be late."

The family dinner was held on the east side of the garden, which is closest to the main courtyard.

When Ling Xi arrived, everyone was already sitting neatly, their eyes all fixed on her.

In terms of shamelessness, Ling Xi is definitely a few degrees thicker than everyone else in this room. She wasn't late; they were the ones who arrived early.

"I have met my father and mother."

Ling Xi stood gracefully in the moonlight, wearing a flowing pink silk dress with densely embroidered butterfly patterns of the same color on the hem. When the wind blew, it looked as if thousands of jade butterflies were about to take flight, shining brightly with every step in the night.

The moment Xiao Ce looked up, he saw the skirt fluttering in the wind.

The fleeting look of amazement in his eyes was so quick it was almost invisible; he quickly suppressed it back into the depths of his gaze.

But this subtle ripple could not escape the keen eyes of Granny Qi, who was waiting patiently for the opportunity to strike.

Today, their princess wore the fashionable hairstyle among the nobles of Liang, and her makeup was exquisite and just right. Her already beautiful fox eyes were now even more alluring, and her eyes sparkled with charm.

There is no man in this world who can resist a beautiful woman, unless he is not a normal man.

Granny Qi thought to herself with satisfaction, then lowered her eyes and stepped aside, silently beginning to plan.

"Come and sit down."

This sentence was spoken by Prince Rui. It seems they truly intend to coexist peacefully with her; at least their attitude has softened considerably.

Ling Xi was impeccably polite and dignified, putting on a flawless show of politeness.

However, Mu Wanning didn't even bother with formalities. He neither intended to get up and bow to her, nor did he show any intention of giving up the seat next to Xiao Ce.

Ling Xi smiled and calmly walked towards the remaining seat.

But after glancing at Mu Wanning, a hint of doubt arose in her heart. Mu Wanning's face never showed much joy, somewhat like Wushuang's.

However, his eyes were sharp, indicating that he was in excellent spirits and had a healthy complexion.

As for Mu Wanning, perhaps due to lingering illness, he always seemed listless to Ling Xi. Even when they argued in the pavilion, it was only out of anger that she reacted.

Never mind, it's none of her business.

The dinner was boring and felt like a task to be completed, but it didn't affect Ling Xi's appetite.

Because there were even several Chu dishes on the table, Ling Xi didn't pay any attention to their gazes and ate with relish.

When she came to her senses, she saw Mu Wanning across from her picking up a short bamboo shoot, chewing it a couple of times, and then frowning.

That's the famous Lanxin Su Kuai from their city of Ji. It seems we're not from the same country, so we can't share a meal.

Xiao Ce, standing to the side, didn't even touch his chopsticks. He merely held his wine cup to his lips as if bored, his beautiful phoenix eyes seemingly filled with contemplation, yet he didn't look anywhere.

Ling Xi forced a smile, suddenly losing her appetite. She concluded that she didn't enjoy dining with them.

"Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival. Besides bringing everyone together, there is another important matter at this family dinner."

Ling Xi stopped eating and straightened up. Seeing Prince Rui's serious expression, she couldn't help but feel a little curious.

"Ce'er, you tell us yourself."

Prince Rui's expression turned somber, and a hint of helplessness appeared between his brows. Princess Rui, on the other hand, lowered her eyes slightly and pursed her lips.