Where is the early stage of the marriage alliance?

Over the years, she had followed the Crown Prince and witnessed his coldness in court, his battles on the battlefield, and his taciturn nature in private.

The prince was only so gentle and indulgent when he was with the princess. Apart from the princess, there had never been any other woman by his side.

At least, she had never seen it.

As Ling Heng's personal bodyguard, she spent almost all her time with him except when she was sleeping, so she naturally knew without having to think too much.

"Right?"

Perrin clapped his hands abruptly, his tone filled with the joy of having met his kindred spirit sooner.

"In all these years I've been in the Prince's residence, I've never heard of the Crown Prince having any romantic entanglements. Not only that, let me tell you, our Princess Consort has tried to arrange marriages for the Crown Prince several times, but he's refused each time. Do you think... our Crown Prince Heng might be...?"

"What is it?"

Wushuang immediately stopped and looked at Peilan very seriously, as if she was worried that something might have gone wrong with the prince.

"Could it be... that he has homosexual tendencies?"

Wushuang's eyelashes trembled slightly. This time, she didn't reply, but steadied her steps and continued walking forward.

"Hey Wushuang! Don't go! Tell me, is it true or not?"

Pei Lan didn't ask Ling Heng whether he was gay, of course, because Wu Shuang no longer paid any attention to her.

In fact, Wushuang really didn't know, but she felt that wasn't true, but she didn't want to discuss the Crown Prince with others.

Originally, Ling Xi only intended to offer incense after entering the Buddhist hall, abandoning the idea of ​​drawing lots.

But Xiao Xiao insisted on having Ling Xi draw a marriage fortune for her brother in order to verify her claim.

Unable to resist her fuss, Ling Xi, with several people as witnesses, earnestly asked for a stick for her brother.

The air in the Buddhist hall was filled with the fragrance of incense. She knelt respectfully on the prayer mat, gently gathering her skirt with her delicate hands, and took a stick of incense, raising it to her brow.

"Today, I do not pray for my own blessings, but only for my elder brother at home. May he have a safe journey ahead and meet a kindred spirit soon."

She bowed three times and rose, respectfully inserting incense into the incense burner. Then she picked up the divination stick container, gently shook it, and with a soft rustling sound, a wooden stick fell to the ground.

Pei Lan quickly bent down to pick it up and handed the slip to Ling Xi. Xiao Xiao also moved closer.

Pei Lan was also eager to go over, but because Princess Yongle was by her own princess's side, she could only watch longingly from afar.

"So close yet so far, I'm lost and unwilling to move forward. Only after parting ways in a small boat do I realize how deeply I cherish this feeling. What... does this mean?"

Ling Xi shook her head slightly. Both of them were completely confused and had no choice but to hand the divination slip to Master Xuanming, who was in front of the interpreter.

"Please, Master Xuanming, interpret this marriage divination for my elder brother."

Master Xuanming's gaze swept over the divination slip with a kind expression, then he looked up and smiled gently.

"This signature reads 'Only when you wake up from a dream do you realize you're back home,' which is considered an auspicious sign. The first line means that a good match is within reach, yet you remain blind to it."

Upon hearing this, the two nodded repeatedly, and Master Xuanming then changed the subject.

"The second line, 'Hesitant to move forward, is a case of the one involved being confused.' It's not that there's no connection, but rather that there's a fog in his heart. Your brother may have been feeling restless for some time, but he hasn't taken a step forward yet. The last two lines are the way to break the deadlock; only by experiencing separation can that fog be peeled away."

My brother has been feeling uneasy all along? That can't be!

Ling Xi only half understood what she heard. The reason she only half understood was that she had no recollection of when or what woman had ever appeared by her brother's side, let alone that he had already fallen for her.

If such a woman existed, how could she not know? If she did, wouldn't it have been simpler to just bring her back when her mother suggested he find a wife?

Ling Xi became increasingly confused as she listened, and began to doubt the credibility of the divination slip.

So, as Ling Xi walked out of the temple with the fortune slip, she became even more convinced of her belief: Xiao Xiao's words were not necessarily credible.

"How is it, Ling Xi? Does Master Xuanming's interpretation of this divination match your brother's?"

Ling Xi naturally couldn't be too blunt with Xiao Xiao, so she could only shake her head helplessly.

"I have no idea."

"You don't know? How could you be completely unaware of any women your brother associates with?"

That's right. Ling Xi was speechless. Apart from the fact that the drawing was inaccurate, she really couldn't think of any other possibility.

"Or is it that your brother is intentionally keeping it from you and doesn't want you to know?"

Xiao Xiao firmly believed that the fortune slips from Nanyin Temple couldn't possibly be inaccurate, so she pressed for details, wanting to get some confirmation.

"My brother would never hide it from me. Besides, he's always busy, either fighting on the front lines or spending all his time at the Ministry of War. He basically wastes any free time he has on me. How could he possibly have time to associate with other women?"

Ling Xi was quite certain about this. Over the years, she knew exactly when her brother returned home and when he went to court every day; he simply didn't have any spare time.

Xiao Xiao nodded in both doubt and agreement. Ling Xi's description of her brother reminded her of Xiao Mo and Xiao Ce, who were busy with their studies in the past and later with their official duties.

"However... that's not necessarily entirely accurate..."

She frowned thoughtfully, which made Ling Xi turn her head curiously.

"Look, Brother Ce used to be just as busy as your brother. Aunt Princess said he was rarely seen. But didn't he secretly get together with Sister Mu? And Brother Ce always seems aloof to everyone, not nearly as gentle and interesting as Brother Mo. He wasn't even as considerate to Sister Mu as Brother Mo used to be!"

"so what?"

"So that's why! It's clear that men hide their emotions very well! They can keep them completely hidden from everyone around them. I reckon your brother is the same."

"Yeah?"

Ling Xi remained skeptical and took another serious look at the fortune slip in her hand.

"Yes! Of course."

Xiao Xiao's certainty made Ling Xi begin to suspect that her brother was deliberately hiding something from her.

But which family in Jicheng is she? As she descended the mountain, Ling Xi was absent-minded, mentally going through the names of all the noble ladies in Jicheng.

The daughter of the Grand Secretary Yang is well-educated, gentle, and quiet; however, that is probably the kind of person her mother likes best, not the kind her brother likes.

The eldest daughter of Lord Chen is exceptionally intelligent, well-read, and talented. Could it be her? Or is that not right? Ling Xi herself isn't exactly clever; she's often a step behind. But her brother says that's the best way for her.

Could it be... that my brother likes someone with such stunning looks?

So she began to list all the beautiful women in Jicheng, but after thinking it over, she realized that none of them were as good-looking as herself.

Even after entering the city and parting ways with Xiao Xiao at the entrance of Changsheng Street, Ling Xi still couldn't find the slightest clue.

Ling Xi gave up and decided to ask her brother directly next time she wrote a letter, and also send back the fortune she had helped him with.