Where is the early stage of the marriage alliance?

"Xi'er will obey her elder brother in everything."

Ling Xi certainly wanted a divorce, but the marriage alliance between the two countries was a major event, and the matter was not yet settled. With Liang officials present, she naturally couldn't say anything too definitive, in case the conditions proposed by Chu were not agreed to by Liang.

Since her brother had said without hesitation that he would take her away, Ling Xi had a rough idea of ​​what kind of concessions the Chu Kingdom would make.

There can be no eternally stable relationship between countries. Her marriage to Xiao Ce was merely an attempt to put another lock on this relationship.

If the State of Chu were to propose unlocking this lock, it would have to replace it with a more robust one.

What could it be?

As soon as Ling Xi returned to Prince Rui's residence, she began to worry.

She certainly wanted to leave this cage, but she didn't want to harm the interests of the Chu state.

Ling Xi walked slowly on the bluestone path of the Prince's Mansion, the pearl hairpins in her hair swaying gently, and a lingering sense of confusion remained between her brows.

She subconsciously glanced to the side and saw Arno, who was walking with his head down half a step away, and her doubts deepened.

Why did my brother deliberately leave Wushuang behind and replace her with this female guard named Arno?

Her brother said that Wushuang had stayed in Jinling City for a year and was more familiar with the streets, alleys, and people here, so he temporarily left her at Wanfang Pavilion.

Ling Xi didn't believe it. She knew her brother's character and abilities best. He was always meticulous and never made any mistakes in his actions. This time, he went to a foreign country to handle business. He had many trusted confidants around him, many of whom were more outstanding than Wushuang. When did he have to rely on a female guard?

After much thought, she still felt that her brother must have gotten used to Wushuang and wouldn't be comfortable using anyone else, which was why he specifically asked for the person back.

In the study of Chuixing Academy, Xiao Ce's hand, which was holding a pen, paused on the paper, his knuckles tightening.

"Did he really say that?"

"Yes."

Lu Ming glanced up discreetly and saw the Crown Prince's cold expression. He was secretly alarmed. Although the Crown Prince and his wife had always been distant, they had never intended to divorce. Now, the Chu Kingdom had come directly to demand his person. This was no small matter. He dared not ask any questions or say anything more, but stood respectfully and quietly, waiting for the Crown Prince's instructions.

"You can go now."

"Yes."

Xiao Ce's usually cold and aloof eyes darkened even more, their ink-black depths churning as if a silent wave of coldness was washing over them.

Meanwhile, outside the bathhouse of Linfeng Courtyard, Wushuang stood guard at the door, his usually calm face now filled with confusion.

She had some doubts when she saw that the prince had a new female guard the day before, but the prince brought her back today, and her doubts deepened.

The Crown Prince is always decisive and has his own methods for using people. If he thinks the new guard is not good, he can simply replace her. Why say that he is only borrowing her for a short time in Jinling? The Crown Prince has already arranged manpower in Jinling City. Why would he need her?

A night breeze swept through the corridor, bringing a touch of coolness. Wushuang concealed her thoughts and stood respectfully in place, wondering how the prince would punish her.

"Come in."

A low command interrupted her thoughts. Wushuang gently pushed open the door and entered. Just as she closed the door behind her, she turned around and vaguely saw that the young master had not yet come out of the bath behind the screen.

Her heart tightened slightly, and she subconsciously lowered her eyes, not daring to look any longer.

"come over."

Wushuang hesitated for a moment before finally stepping forward slowly.

"bath towel."

Another command came, delivered calmly and slowly, revealing neither joy nor anger. Wushuang felt somewhat dazed; perhaps it was because she had been away from the prince for too long that she could no longer discern his emotions.

"Yes……"

She responded softly, stepped around to the back of the screen, took a bath towel from the clothes rack, and handed it over, but her gaze was awkwardly turned away, not daring to look at the bathtub at all.

Although she had served the prince for five years, she had always been his personal bodyguard and had never served him so closely before.

There was a splash of water, and the towel in my hand suddenly felt light as he snatched it away.

"clothing."

Wushuang felt a slight dryness in her throat and, not daring to delay, immediately turned around and took his plain-colored nightgown.

This time, she almost stepped forward sideways, handing out the nearly burning hot nightgown from a distance, her head lowered even further, not daring to glance at it even a little.

The clean room was filled with warm steam, and the sandalwood incense mixed with the fragrance of bathwater lingered around the screen, making Wushuang feel even more uneasy.

The soft rustling of fabric reached her ears, and she froze, her hands hanging limply, staring only at the bluestone slab beneath her feet.

"Turn around."

Such close service had already thrown Wushuang into a state of disarray, completely losing her usual efficiency. She, who always obeyed orders, had no choice but to turn around at this moment.

Ling Heng was dressed in a plain brocade robe, with the belt loosely tied around his waist. His dark hair was still dripping with water droplets and casually draped over his shoulders. He looked less sharp and more languid than usual, but his aura remained calm and composed, making people afraid to look him in the eye.

He raised his hand to wipe the water droplets from his hair with a bath towel, his gaze falling on Wushuang, who kept her head down and her body tense. His eyes were indifferent, revealing no emotion.

"Raise your head."

Wushuang paused slightly, slowly raised her head, but dared only to look at his collar, not daring to meet his gaze.

"From this day forward until we leave Jinling, you will remain in my room as my concubine."

Ling Heng casually handed her a bath towel, his tone still calm, yet carrying an unquestionable command.

Wushuang suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with astonishment. Her lips moved a few times, but she didn't utter a sound.

"This is your punishment for lying."

Although her face remained calm and composed, she felt a sudden panic for the first time. For so many years, she had only served as a guard and had never overstepped her bounds. Now, being asked to act as a concubine was far beyond her capabilities.

"For several days in a row, the Liang Kingdom has been trying to send beautiful concubines to my courtyard. If you disguise yourself as a concubine, you can avoid those unnecessary troubles."

The young master never explains his actions much, but now it seems he is explaining himself to her? Wushuang listened blankly, then suddenly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Your subordinate obeys."

Her solemn bow in acceptance of the order did not satisfy Ling Heng. He merely glanced at her indifferently, his expression unwavering, as if he had simply settled an ordinary task.

"Be mindful of how you address someone in the future."

"Yes. But Your Highness, I have never served as a concubine before. I fear I might give myself away and jeopardize Your Highness's important plans..."

"You don't need to do anything else."

Ling Heng interrupted her, his tone indifferent.

"You just need to follow me and serve me closely; you don't need to worry about anything else."

Ling Heng looked at her still tense appearance, and a subtle hint of relaxation flashed across his eyes.

"Someone come here! Change the water!"

"Yes."

The servants outside quickly entered and began to work, leaving Wushuang stunned. A wave of panic washed over her again. Why change the water? Did they want her to take a bath?

"You need to change your clothes. Come to my room after you take a bath."

Ling Heng said no more, and after finishing speaking, he turned around and stepped out of the bathroom without lingering for a moment.