Where is the early stage of the marriage alliance?

"No......"

Of course, Ling Xi couldn't say that his mother had sent him a bunch of contraceptives. Although she was usually carefree, she couldn't joke about such things with Xiao Ce.

Seeing that she was still absent-minded, Xiao Ce simply put down his chopsticks and bowl.

"My mother dislikes you only because you are from Chu. But our relationship is mutually beneficial, so you don't need to take her words to heart."

Ling Xi then looked up and saw Xiao Ce looking serious. Was he comforting her?

Ling Xi didn't need any comforting words. She had only been living here for three days; she couldn't very well tell him that there was a traitor in his Chuixing Courtyard.

If he knew about it, what's the big deal that his mother, out of concern for her son, arranged for a servant to report on the situation at any time?

If she secretly complained, it would seem like she was trying to sow discord between her and her son. Oh well, she'd just move back to Yuehua Courtyard once her brother left anyway.

"you......"

Seeing that she remained silent for a long time, Xiao Ce became even more suspicious that his mother had probably said something unpleasant to her.

"Don't worry, Your Highness, my mother didn't make things difficult for me."

He simply gave her a bunch of contraceptives. Seeing that Xiao Ce was still looking at her, Ling Xi felt a little uncomfortable.

"I don't have much of an appetite today, Your Highness, please enjoy your meal."

Xiao Ce watched her departing figure, and after a moment, he turned back and picked up his bowl and chopsticks again.

The following day, Ling Xi began to observe the inner and outer courtyards intentionally or unintentionally, trying to see which of the servants was actually Princess Rui's person.

But after looking at them for a long time, they all seemed perfectly honest and straightforward, and she couldn't find the slightest flaw in them.

She had no choice but to have Perrin bring out the contraceptive medicine and openly brew it in the small kitchen of Chuixing Courtyard.

Every other day, I would brew a new batch of medicine and bring it into the bedroom as a formality. Fearing the medicine would be too strong, I even increased the amount of incense in the bedroom.

However, Xiao Ce noticed it the first time, but he assumed that she had taken medicine because she was still recovering from a cold, so he didn't ask any questions.

More than ten days later, a sudden heavy snow fell in Nanjing at night.

Before Ling Xi had even gotten out of bed, Pei Lan excitedly told her about it. She quickly got out of bed and opened the window to see that the courtyard was covered with a thin layer of snow. Although it was not as spectacular as the frozen landscape of Chu, it was still a rare sight in this southern region.

She had read the "Records of the Great Liang" at least three times. It had long been recorded in the book that the Liang Kingdom was located in a relatively warm area and there was never any snow in winter. This time, she was overjoyed to see snow falling for the first time. She put on a moon-white fox fur cloak and ran to the courtyard.

Fine snowflakes drifted down, and she looked up and reached out to catch them, letting the snowflakes melt in her palm. She smiled, her eyes crinkling with undisguised joy.

"Princess! Quickly go back inside! You can't catch a cold!"

Pei Lan called out from under the eaves, but Ling Xi pretended not to hear, while Wu Shuang had already stepped into the courtyard with her umbrella.

Xiao Ce pushed open the study door and immediately saw the figure in the snow.

Her white cloak blended seamlessly with the falling snow. Standing in the snow, her vivid features and bright, lively expression were unlike anything he had ever seen before.

He stood on the veranda, momentarily forgetting to move.

She was extremely beautiful, the kind of beauty that takes your breath away.

He watched as she pushed away the umbrella offered by the maid, letting the fine snowflakes fall on her shoulders. Then, she lightly turned her toes on the snow, her skirt swirling like a blooming flower, and her snow-white cloak billowing in the air.

At that moment, she was like a fairy descending to earth, untouched by worldly affairs.

He could clearly capture her every graceful movement, every bright smile in her eyes—a beauty that seemed otherworldly.

Xiao Ce stood under the corridor, momentarily lost in thought. He remained motionless, silent, and motionless, simply gazing at the beautiful figure amidst the swirling snowflakes.

"Xiao Ce!"

He blinked and heard her call him. She turned around in the snow, her eyes crinkling as she waved to him, but for some inexplicable reason, he still didn't move an inch.

"Xiao Ce! It's snowing! Come out!"

Ling Xi was so excited that she called him by his name without thinking it was inappropriate, and neither did Xiao Ce.

Seeing that he was still standing there, she ran over to him and smiled brightly at him.

"I never expected to see snow in your Daliang winter. I had previously read the 'Daliang Chronicles,' which recorded that it almost never snows in Daliang."

She was still delighted. He stood on the veranda, she stood on the steps, she was getting soaked in the snow, he wasn't.

A thin layer of snow had already accumulated on the top of her hair and shoulders. He suddenly remembered the lingering smell of medicine in the bedroom, and his brows furrowed.

Xiao Ce looked around. Snowflakes were falling everywhere. He had lived in Daliang for more than 20 years and had never seen snow before.

"Today is the first snowfall, and getting soaked in the first snow will bring good luck. Do you want to...?"

Before she could finish speaking, he suddenly grabbed her wrist firmly and pulled her gently, causing her to stumble and be dragged to the corridor. In the instant she was surprised, he released her grip.

Ling Xi looked up blankly. The snow that had just fallen in front of her had disappeared, and she was now standing under the eaves.

"Why did you pull me here, Your Highness?"

Ling Xi gently patted the snowflakes off her shoulder, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"You haven't fully recovered from your cold yet, what are you doing standing in the snow?"

Xiao Ce spoke only calmly, his emotions unreadable.

A cold? She's already much better, how could she not be fully recovered?

"I don't like the smell of medicine."

She was about to explain when he added this sentence, then turned and walked back into the study.

Ling Xi stood still, snow falling softly from the eaves.

A moment later, she belatedly realized that the medicine in his mouth was probably the contraceptive soup they had been pretending to brew these past few days.

Just as Ling Xi was about to step into the study to explain to him, Lu Ming, who was standing solemnly at the door, reached out and stopped her.

"Princess Consort, it is inconvenient for you to enter the Prince's study."

Lu Ming's voice was respectful but left no room for argument. Ling Xi glanced at him and thought he was quite conscientious.

She remembered that Qiuyue, a maid in the courtyard, had told her that he disliked anyone touching his things and forbade others from entering his study.

She glanced into the room twice, but could no longer see Xiao Ce. Disappointed, she took two steps back.

Just as she was about to return to the courtyard to frolic, she heard a soft tinkling sound of jade pendants coming from the corridor. She turned her head and saw Mu Wanning standing gracefully on the right side of the corridor, wearing a blue brocade dress that made her face look even more gentle.

Mu Wanning had clearly seen her, but she remained as arrogant as ever.

"Lu Ming, I need to speak with A-Ce. Is he in the study?"

Her voice was soft and gentle, but when she asked Lu Ming her question, her tone carried a sense of entitlement. And from beginning to end, she seemed to completely ignore Ling Xi, who was standing to the side.

"The Crown Prince is currently in his study. Consort Mu, please."

Lu Ming immediately bowed, becoming more respectful.

Seriously? Is it really necessary to treat people differently so blatantly?

She, a princess of Chu and Xiao Ce's lawfully wedded wife, was barred from even touching the threshold, while Mu Wanning could pass through without hindrance.