Where is the early stage of the marriage alliance?

Ling Xi finally collapsed onto a stone bench in the courtyard, exhausted and slightly dejected.

"Princess, we remember the fortune slip; why must we find it?"

After searching for so long without success, Perrin assumed that it was probably lost forever.

"You don't understand. I'm sending this fortune slip back to my brother in Jicheng. It concerns his marriage. What if I lose such a top-grade fortune slip and ruin his marriage?"

Upon hearing this, Pei Lan realized that it concerned the marriage of Prince Heng, and felt that it was another matter of utmost importance, just like the Princess's.

Meanwhile, Wu Shuang frowned slightly, feeling that based on her understanding of the young master, even if the princess had found the divination slip and sent it back to the Prince Huan's residence, the young master might not have liked it.

But she still wouldn't stop the princess, because if it was something she gave him, even if the prince didn't like it, he would carefully keep it in his study and not allow anyone to touch it.

"Oh, Princess! We walked back through the garden this afternoon and sat in the lakeside pavilion for a while. Maybe the fortune slip was left there."

"Yes! Let's go look for it."

"Princess, please rest here for now. Wushuang and I will go."

Wushuang hesitated for a moment, then followed Peilan. It wasn't that she was unwilling to go, but the prince's task for her was to stay by the princess's side at all times.

There's no need to worry about the safety of Prince Rui's residence. The princess has been here for more than half a year, and apart from being harassed by Princess Rui at the beginning and having a couple of conflicts with Consort Mu, there seems to be no other danger.

As Wushuang stepped out, she glanced at the dark night around her and quickened her pace.

Not long after the two women left, Ling Xi remembered that she had almost fallen at the gate when she returned that afternoon. The fortune slip might not have been left in the garden, but rather in front of the gate. So Ling Xi put on her cloak and hurriedly went out herself.

As the hour of Xu (7-9 PM) approached, the night deepened and all was quiet; by this time, everyone in the Prince Rui's residence was usually asleep. Except for the night she went to the black market, Ling Xi had never left her house at this hour, and a sense of unease lingered in her heart.

The night was deep and silent, stretching from Yuehua Courtyard to the outer courtyard of the main hall. At first, there wasn't even a single lantern outside Yuehua Courtyard; the occasional chirping of insects in the inky darkness was remarkably clear. As one walked further, lanterns gradually appeared in greater numbers.

The gatekeeper hesitated, seeing that it was the Crown Princess going out so late at night, and dared not let her through without permission. Ling Xi repeatedly assured him that she was just looking for a lost item at the gate, and only then did the gatekeeper breathe a sigh of relief and let her out.

The bluestone slabs in front of the mansion gate were whitened by the moonlight. Ling Xi lowered the plain gauze lantern in her hand very low, and the lamplight cast a dim yellow shadow on the ground.

She looked closely and searched meticulously, even turning over the cracks in the bricks, but the small piece of paper was nowhere to be found.

Exhausted, Ling Xi sighed and slowly squatted down. She had been climbing mountains all day, and her legs were aching terribly. To make matters worse, she had lost her brother's marriage fortune slip.

Her own marriage was already beyond saving, so be it if it was ruined. But if it delayed her brother's marriage, she wouldn't be at peace.

A lantern stood beside her, its warm orange light enveloping her slender figure. Her plain cloak lay scattered on the ground in layers, like a cloud that had fallen to earth.

"Is this what you're looking for?"

A deep voice descended from above, gentle yet clear.

She turned her head sharply. It was Xiao Ce. She couldn't see his expression in the darkness, but she could feel that he was looking down at her.

Ling Xi's gaze shifted downwards, and her heart suddenly tightened. What he was holding in his fingertips was the fortune slip she had lost.

She stood up almost immediately and reached out to take it. In her haste, her fingertips accidentally brushed against his fingers, a cold touch, but she was completely unaware, her mind and eyes fixed on the slip of paper.

Xiao Ce felt a slight coolness on his fingertips, his brows furrowed slightly, and when he looked up, he saw her eagerly unfolding the fortune slip, carefully examining it by the dim light of the lantern. After confirming that it was intact, the joy that surged up in that instant was so real it was dazzling.

"Great! We finally found it!"

She's already married to him and become the heir apparent of the Prince Rui's mansion, yet she still fantasizes about having another marriage?

Even in the darkness, he could clearly see the smile blooming on her face, as bright as a leaping flame.

"Is it yours?"

"Um."

Ling Xi answered with the paper, while Xiao Ce asked about the marriage fortune slip.

She carefully folded the slips of paper before looking up at Xiao Ce with serious eyes.

Perhaps it was the joy of getting him back that made me feel so good, but tonight I found him inexplicably much more pleasing to the eye.

She suddenly remembered that she had made up her mind to ease the tension between them, so she smiled more and her tone softened.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

She didn't notice at all that the person opposite her had a sullen face, nor did she sense the coldness in his tone; she simply thought that he had always been like this.

"Did you go to Nanyin Temple today?"

"Yes! Xiao Xiao took me there. She said that the scenery in the suburbs of Jinling is the most beautiful..."

Xiao Xiao? A hint of doubt instantly rose in Xiao Ce's eyes. When did she become so close to Xiao Xiao?

"From now on..."

Ling Xi maintained her fawning smile, hoping to ease tensions with Xiao Ce, and patiently waited for his next words.

"Stay away from Xiao Xiao."

Upon hearing this, Ling Xi's smile instantly froze. What did he mean?

Before she could even understand the meaning behind Xiao Ce's words, he turned and walked into the mansion, showing no intention of explaining.

Ling Xi stood there stunned for a moment, then immediately followed after him.

The gatekeeper, seeing the Crown Princess leave alone and return with two others, scratched his head in confusion, watching the Crown Prince and Crown Princess's departing figures and muttering to himself:

"It seems that the rumors circulating in your household in the past may not be true."

……

"Xiao Ce! Wait a minute... Why should I stay away from Xiao Xiao? Explain yourself!"

Xiao Ce was tall and had long legs, and Ling Xi chased him all the way to the long corridor in the garden before she could barely catch up.

Hearing the Crown Princess's angry voice approaching from afar, Lu Ming quickly stepped back, but Xiao Ce showed no sign of stopping.

"Xiao Ce!"

Just as Ling Xi was shouting and rushing forward, Xiao Ce suddenly stopped and turned around in the darkness.

Caught off guard, Ling Xi couldn't stop in time and crashed straight into his chest, her palm slamming heavily against his solid chest.

Fearing that she would anger Xiao Ce, Ling Xi apologized and hurriedly retreated. In her panic, she stepped on the edge of the cloak that was hanging down, and her body suddenly tilted and fell backward uncontrollably.

The next instant, a warm and strong hand grabbed her waist and pulled her back as she fell backward.

The sudden shock made Ling Xi's ears ring. Her already alluring fox-like eyes widened in fright, and she pressed her hands against his chest.

The garden was so quiet that even the chirping of insects had disappeared, leaving only Ling Xi's still-frightened breathing.