Where is the early stage of the marriage alliance?

The two were terrifyingly close, their noses almost touching, their breaths mingling intimately.

Ling Xi first smelled a faint, refreshing scent of alcohol, and then belatedly felt the scalding heat from her palm, as well as the steady, powerful heartbeat that struck her hand repeatedly.

The wrist around her waist was so tight that it made it impossible for her to move.

Ling Xi snapped back to reality, realizing that he disliked her getting close. As if burned, she pushed him away forcefully with both hands and staggered back two steps.

Xiao Ce slowly withdrew his hand, which had been suspended in mid-air. As she moved away, the faint fragrance that had lingered at the tip of his nose gradually faded away. He frowned almost imperceptibly between his brows, but quickly regained his composure.

Why do you want me to stay away from Xiao Xiao?

In the end, it was Ling Xi who broke the silence first.

"Xiao Xiao is simple-minded, while the Yu Prince's Mansion holds great influence in the court. If any court secrets are involved in the future, it will be hard not to suspect you."

He only hinted at it briefly, but Ling Xi sensed a deeper meaning in his words.

Xiao Xiao is simple-minded, which means she is scheming and has ill intentions.

Before she could refute him, he had already turned and left. This time, Ling Xi did not chase after him.

It seems that finding a powerful backer in Jinling City is as difficult as climbing to heaven. Someone who despises her for her impure intentions won't be so easy to please.

Although Ling Xi wasn't exceptionally intelligent, she was resilient. In the past, if she wanted to do something risky that her brother would never allow, she could always succeed by persistently pleading and cajoling.

So, on her way back to Yuehua Courtyard, Ling Xi quickly came up with a shortcut—giving a gift.

She handled this matter with ease; which of the ladies in the Jicheng Palace hadn't received a gift from her?

Ling Xi's gift-giving is never perfunctory; she tailors her gifts to each person's preferences, ensuring they resonate with them. Plus, she's beautiful and has a sweet tongue, so it's no wonder that all the ladies in the palace adore her.

But what would Xiao Ce like?

……

After racking her brains for several days, Ling Xi finally went to ask Xiao Xiao, not wanting to waste time taking a detour.

But Xiao Xiao's answer, which she pondered for a long time, made Ling Xi even more troubled. According to Xiao Xiao, Xiao Ce had always been this ascetic and detached person since he was a child.

He was never picky about food, clothing, or daily necessities. As a child, he was engrossed in his studies, and as an adult, he buried himself in official duties, with his desk often piled high with files. When he had a spare moment, he would either practice swordsmanship or have a small gathering with friends. It was as if nothing in this world could catch his eye or move his heart.

After meeting Xiao Xiao, Ling Xi was even more confused. It was the first time she had encountered a situation where she needed to give a gift but couldn't find out the recipient's preferences.

"Princess, how about... we just ask the young master what he likes and then get it for him?"

Pei Lan was used to following Ling Xi, and her way of solving problems always had Ling Xi's style.

"Not feasible."

Ling Xi shook her head listlessly and walked along the lake toward Yuehua Courtyard. She had only intended to give him a gift to ease the tension between them, but now he wouldn't even bother to say a word to her, let alone try to pry into his private life.

The lakeside in the Central Garden has long since lost its lush greenery of midsummer, and the wind that sweeps across the water carries a touch of coolness.

Ling Xi walked slowly on the bluestone path, the hem of her skirt brushing against the slightly yellowed grass on the bank. Her heart felt empty, and she felt that half a year had passed silently.

Suddenly, a crimson maple leaf swirled and gently landed in her hair. Ling Xi raised her hand and gently picked it up. Only when her fingertips touched the dry and soft red leaf did she realize that autumn had already arrived.

Next month will be my brother's birthday.

"We need to choose a birthday gift for my brother too."

She murmured to herself, recalling how, in previous years at the Prince Huan's residence, she would scour the streets for her brother's birthday gift, searching for something she thought would suit his taste. Whether it was a jade pendant, clothing, a folding fan, or calligraphy and paintings, he would always greet her with a gentle smile and say he liked it.

Looking back now, perhaps he didn't really like those things; he just liked them because they were gifts from her.

But it seems that she, as his younger sister, never truly knew what he really liked or what he really wanted.

She stopped abruptly, turned around, and looked at Wushuang, who had been quietly following beside her. Her eyes held a mixture of confusion and anticipation.

"Wushuang, you've been by my brother's side for many years, even longer than I have. Have you noticed anything that my brother particularly likes or truly desires?"

Ling Xi was right; Wu Shuang had indeed spent more time by Ling Heng's side than she had. Mainly because Wu Shuang was with Ling Xi when Ling Xi was with her brother, and she was with Ling Xi when Ling Xi wasn't.

Of course, Ling Heng has more than just Wushuang as a bodyguard. There are several other guards who take turns on duty, but Wushuang is the one who has never been replaced over the years; she has always been there.

As for why she always had a female bodyguard by her side, Ling Xi didn't know the reason at first, but later she found out that Wushuang's martial arts were the most powerful.

Wushuang recalled intently, her aloof demeanor and indifferent expression remaining calm for a long time before she simply shook her head.

"Even you didn't know?"

Ling Xi was slightly taken aback, her tone carrying a hint of disbelief.

"Could it be that my brother... doesn't like anything?"

She murmured to herself, a sudden pang of sadness gripping her heart. In the past, it was always her brother who remembered her preferences—her favorite snacks, her cherished flowers—he cared deeply about everything. Yet, she knew nothing of what he truly liked.

"Or... has my brother ever met any young ladies from wealthy families in Jicheng in private?"

After a moment of silence, she suddenly remembered the marriage fortune slip, lowered her voice, as if testing the waters, and also with a hint of curiosity.

This time, Wushuang shook her head with unusual certainty without the slightest hesitation, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes becoming even more aloof.

"The young master is almost always busy, and even when he is on leave, he always takes the princess with him."

Ling Xi nodded; she naturally knew this.

Unable to discern Xiao Ce's preferences, and equally confused about her brother's, Ling Xi became even more dejected.

But a moment later, his fox-like eyes lit up again.

The two of them are strangely similar in this respect; if they were to exchange gifts, they might even give the same thing.

"Wushuang, think about it carefully again. Besides the time my brother spends with me, Father, and Mother, what else does he usually do in his private life, apart from official duties?"

Wushuang's beautiful eyes turned serious again. The young master gets up at 3:00 AM every day. After finishing his duties and returning to the manor, it is already dinner time. If there are any official matters that have not been completed, he will stay in the study for a while. After that, he will practice his sword and then take a bath and go to bed.

"By the way, the young master practices swordsmanship every night."

Ling Heng usually practices swordsmanship before taking a bath. Because her swordsmanship is so fast that almost no one can match it, he occasionally asks her to spar with him.