Where is the early stage of the marriage alliance?

"Xiao Ce's older brother?"

Ling Xi naturally knew why Xiao Xiao had stopped. After all, Xiao Mo had died under the swords of the Chu Kingdom, and she probably wanted to avoid embarrassing her.

"Yes. Every spring, whenever Brother Mo and Brother Ce had time, they would take Sister Mu and me to Nanyin Mountain. Back then, Sister Mu used to smile a lot, but now that Brother Mo is gone, she seems like a different person. However, Brother Ce has always been the same—not smiling much..."

When Xiao Xiao talked about Xiao Mo, her mood was noticeably more downcast than before.

"Mu Wanning?"

Ling Xi lifted her foot and continued to move forward with difficulty, finally standing on the same step as Xiao Xiao.

"Yes, Sister Mu is the daughter of General Mu, who is under the command of Prince Rui. A few years ago, her parents passed away one after another, and she was taken to Prince Rui's mansion by her uncle. She grew up with Brother Mo and Brother Ce like siblings."

Ling Xi then realized that she had never inquired about Mu Wanning's background. She never expected that Mu Wanning had no parents.

Perhaps she wasn't much better off than herself; besides Xiao Ce's love and the protection of the Prince Rui's mansion, she had nothing.

"I know my sister-in-law harbors some resentment towards Sister Mu, after all, she married Brother Ce before you came to Daliang..."

"Hey Xiao Xiao, you've got it wrong. It's not that I hold a grudge against her; it's that she's always seen me as an enemy."

Before Xiao Xiao could finish speaking, Ling Xi interrupted her.

The first time she met Mu Wanning, she was filled with hostility towards her. Ling Xi always felt that it was because she had taken Mu Wanning's position as the Crown Prince's wife.

"I think it's probably because General Mu sacrificed himself in the war against Chu, and then there's Brother Mo..."

So it turns out there really was a blood feud involving the murder of one's father?

Xiao Xiao didn't continue, but Ling Xi wouldn't take the blame for this.

When war breaks out between nations, lives are lost, families are destroyed, and she, a weak woman, is forced to marry into the Liang Dynasty to stop the fighting. Isn't she herself a victim?

"Actually... Sister Mu is a very kind person. Although she was born into a military family, she has a gentle and kind personality. Moreover, she is skilled in painting. Her painting skills are not the trivial skills of ordinary young ladies in Jinling City. Among all the skilled painters in the city, from court painters to famous artists in the marketplace, no one can surpass her in terms of brushwork and artistic spirit. She even went to the palace to paint a portrait for the Empress Dowager..."

Xiao Xiao kept rambling on about the stories of the Xiao brothers and Mu Wanning along the way. Ling Xi listened attentively and even forgot about the soreness in her legs.

It turned out that Mu Wanning was not the harsh woman she had imagined. At least, according to Xiao Xiao, she was a woman with temperament, personality, and talent.

In Xiao Xiao's eyes, the two brothers, Xiao Mo and Xiao Ce, treated her extremely well, even more so than they did to her.

Ling Xi had a direct experience of what Xiao Ce had done, but she would never know about her brother Xiao Mo.

"Sister-in-law Xi, look! We've reached the top of the mountain!"

Ling Xi looked up at the sound and found herself in a wide-open space, free of jagged rocks.

The meadow stretches into the distance, bathed in the clear, warm autumn sun, turning everything in sight golden, from the half-withered grass to the leaves that appear dyed.

A gentle breeze blew by, and Ling Xi felt refreshed and invigorated, with no trace of fatigue or pain.

The sky was high and the land was vast, the clouds were light and the breeze was gentle. Ling Xi had never felt such a relaxed and comfortable state since she came to Daliang.

"How is it? Isn't it beautiful?"

Ling Xi nodded repeatedly. In the State of Chu, she would never climb mountains. She used to think that if she couldn't see such beautiful scenery, it was fine.

Now that her legs are tired, this beautiful scenery is something her eyes deserve.

"There are even more beautiful ones! Sister-in-law, come here."

Xiao Xiao smiled and pulled Ling Xi to the left.

"Look! This is the best viewpoint on Nanyin Mountain. Every time Brother Ce comes here, he stands here for a long time."

A breeze blew from the mountaintop, ruffling a few strands of hair at Ling Xi's temples. She gazed into the distance in the direction Xiao Xiao pointed, momentarily speechless.

With distant mountains like dark eyebrows and nearby ridges shrouded in mist, the bustling city of Jinling can be seen in its entirety.

The gray-blue city walls stretch long and winding, and the houses inside the city are connected in a continuous line. The Qinghe River flows through the city like a silver thread.

Not far below, the shadows of pines are scattered, and the smoke from cigarettes rises, with flying eaves hidden among the trees.

"Is that a temple?"

"Yes, it's Nanyin Temple. Because it's built on a mountaintop, Nanyin Temple isn't as popular as Lingquan Temple in the east of the city. However, my brother Ce and I still come here every year."

"You come every year?"

"Yes! But we mainly came to the mountaintop to enjoy the scenery. Don't be fooled by the fact that the incense isn't burning as much here; wishes made here are very effective. It's because carriages can't get up here that the ladies and young women of the city don't want to come here."

"Then I must go in and pray today, and draw a fortune stick."

Ling Xi often accompanied her mother to temples in Chu, especially when her brother was away fighting in the army. Now that she had climbed for an hour or two, she couldn't let it all be for nothing.

"Does Sister-in-law Xi know what prayers are most effective at Nanyin Temple?"

Ling Xi had just caught her breath and opened her curious fox-like eyes when Xiao Xiao leaned close to her ear, feigning mystery.

"Praying for a marriage partner."

She then took a step back, a sly look on her face.

"However, since my sister-in-law has already married Brother Ce, it seems you don't need to offer incense today."

Looking at her lively and radiant appearance, Ling Xi suddenly remembered that if she hadn't come to Jinling, she would probably be just like that, carefree and happy all day long under the protection of her brother and parents.

"Who says I can't worship here? I'll go pray for my brother's marriage today. I want to see if this Nanyin Temple is as efficacious as you say."

Ling Xi lifted her foot and headed towards the temple, her steps light and composed. Xiao Xiao, suddenly questioned, felt her competitive spirit rise.

"Then let's give it a try! I guarantee your brother will find a good match within a year!"

Xiao Xiao raised her voice from behind and quickly caught up.

"Princess...does she wish to ask for a marriage for the young master?"

Pei Lan was still panting when she heard Princess Yongle ahead raising her voice to chase after her own princess.

"Um."

When Wushuang was by Ling Heng's side, she was used to coming and going amidst the clash of swords and shadows. She did things without speaking, and her face never revealed her joy or sorrow.

Upon hearing that the princess wanted to ask for a marriage for the prince, she recalled the prince's distant demeanor when assigning the task, and her brows furrowed slightly. She felt that these things seemed rather unsuitable for the prince.

Perrin hurriedly chased after him, his eyes brimming with curiosity.

"You've served the Crown Prince for many years, do you know if he has ever had a woman he admired?"

Wushuang suddenly stopped, a faint ripple passing through her cool eyes. After a moment, she gently shook her head.

"Have you ever seen any young ladies from Ji City appear by the Crown Prince's side?"

This time, Wushuang did not stop or think for a moment; she simply shook her head.