Where is the early stage of the marriage alliance?

Ling Xi frowned slightly and slowly walked into the inner room.

"Wushuang, you're awake? How are you feeling? Does your wound still hurt?"

"Princess, you are not worried. Your subordinate is fine."

Her voice was flat, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

Ling Xi hesitated for a moment, but finally couldn't suppress her doubts and tentatively spoke:

"You and my brother... between you two..."

"Of course it's fake."

Wushuang interrupted her calmly, her tone distant yet clear-headed.

"Your subordinate... dares not presume to be worthy of the Crown Prince's favor."

"Wushuang, that's not what I meant."

Ling Xi hurriedly explained that she quite liked Wushuang, but although her uncle, the Emperor, wouldn't interfere too much in her brother's marriage, the palace would inevitably have its say in the future heir apparent of the Huan Prince's mansion. Given Wushuang's status, she could at most become a concubine, but Wushuang…

Looking into her beautiful eyes, which remained indifferent and unwavering, Ling Xi knew that Wushuang was a bird that could not be imprisoned; she would not be confined by anyone.

"Understood."

Wushuang raised her eyes and looked at him calmly. Even though she was exhausted, her back was still straight, like a solitary orchid in a secluded valley, guarding her own beauty.

……

The day before New Year's Eve was Xiao Ce's last day at the yamen. When he returned to Chuixing Courtyard, he still did not see Ling Xi. As in the previous days, the courtyard was deserted.

Since the Chu delegation arrived in Jinling, she has been returning to her residence every night, and Chuixing Courtyard has become her inn for resting.

His gaze swept across the courtyard, but today was different from usual. There were more red lanterns under the eaves, and the entire wall of purple bamboo was also neatly covered with fist-sized red lanterns, which were obviously just for decoration.

Ling Xi never asked the servants of Chuixing Courtyard how Liang Guo decorated for the New Year. She simply decorated it according to her preferences when she was in Chu, keeping it low-key and simple, but it was a style that Chuixing Courtyard had never seen before.

The red lanterns under the eaves were already lit, their warm light swaying and casting a cozy glow over the otherwise quiet courtyard.

Xiao Ce stood under the corridor for a long time. Qiu Yue and Xuan Yue, who were preparing to serve the dishes, happened to pass by. The two of them quickly curtsied.

"Your Highness."

"These...were arranged by the Crown Princess?"

His voice was calm, his gaze still fixed on the red lights. Qiu Yue followed his gaze, then snapped out of her reverie and softly replied:

"Your Highness, these were arranged by the Princess Consort."

Xiao Ce didn't say anything more and walked towards the main hall. Once inside, he realized that the hall had been carefully tidied up and was filled with a warmth that was completely different from the past.

Two more pots of her orchids appeared on the table, blooming beautifully at the moment, their delicate stamens gently unfurling, filling the entire room with a faint, sweet fragrance.

Everywhere you look, there are traces of her, but you can't find a single trace of her.

He felt that his initial worries about the two of them feeling uncomfortable living under the same roof were completely unnecessary.

Even though he had only dined with her a few times, he seemed to have already made it a habit.

Xiao Ce suddenly felt that the Chuixing Courtyard, where he had lived for many years, had become inexplicably empty. Even before she came, his place was just as empty day after day.

"The Crown Prince?"

Before Xiao Ce could even sit down, a woman's soft voice came from outside the door. Ling Xi's smile was bright and dazzling, a relaxed and carefree look he hadn't seen in the past year.

"Why did you leave work so early today, Your Highness?"

Seeing that he was just staring at her silently without saying a word, Ling Xi poured herself a cup of tea and added softly.

"You only return to the manor at 7 PM every day, how could you possibly know whether this young master is early or late today?"

Ling Xi tightened her grip on the teacup, suppressing the slight embarrassment of choking, and her smile remained when she looked up.

Why is this person suddenly being sarcastic? She was just making a casual greeting and didn't expect him to respond seriously, since their conversations were usually mostly perfunctory.

"I just noticed that you were always coming home very late these past few days."

Only after she finished speaking did she belatedly realize that her earlier greeting had been tinged with an overly familiar concern.

Xiao Ce noticed the fleeting helplessness in her eyes, his throat tightened slightly, and he calmly looked away, no longer pressing for answers.

"Let's have dinner."

He wanted to ask her why she hadn't dined with her brother at Wanfang Pavilion that day, but the words stuck in his throat and he didn't ask.

Xiao Ce himself couldn't explain why he had suddenly become so serious. Perhaps it was because her smile was too dazzling, so dazzling that it made him feel irritable.

Watching Xiao Ce's departing figure, Ling Xi couldn't help but frown again. She felt that Xiao Ce was acting strangely today. Why did he have to argue with her for no reason?

……

On New Year's Eve, a family banquet was held in the palace, and Prince Rui and Xiao Ce went to the palace together to attend the banquet.

Logically speaking, Princess Rui should have accompanied the emperor to the palace, but she stayed behind. Ling Xi knew that she had deliberately stayed to accompany Mu Wanning.

Ling Xi naturally didn't want to have this reunion dinner with the two of them; she wouldn't want to create an awkward situation for herself. However, since Liang Kingdom had arranged a New Year's Eve banquet for envoys from various countries, it was inconvenient for her to go to Wanfang Pavilion.

Thus, Ling Xi spent the only New Year's Eve of her life alone in Chuixing Courtyard.

But as for loneliness, she felt nothing at all, because she went back to Yuehuayuan again.

Since her brother could say he would take her back to Chu in front of Liang officials, he must be absolutely certain. Therefore, she needed to start preparing to leave the Prince Rui's residence as soon as possible.

She had already pawned most of the things that could be pawned. She would then have Granny Qi take stock of the few remaining items in Yuehua Courtyard. Once her brother gave the order, she would be able to leave the Prince Rui's Mansion for good.

When Xiao Ce returned, the snow was falling more and more heavily, and a layer of frost had already accumulated in the courtyard of Chuixing Courtyard. The huge courtyard seemed empty and desolate, and although the lanterns under the eaves were lit and swayed in the wind, they offered no warmth.

He walked slowly through the corridor, pushed open the bedroom door, and found the room quiet. He went straight to the inner room, which was still empty.

He retreated back to the outer room, leaned against the couch, and pressed his throbbing temples. The dull pain seemed to spread throughout his head, and his throat felt dry and tight.

"Your Highness, have some hot water to warm yourself up."

Lu Ming knew he had drunk too much, so as soon as he entered the room, he instructed Qiu Yue to bring in some hot water.

A warm porcelain cup was placed on the table. Xiao Ce reached out, picked it up, and drank it all in one gulp. The warmth slid down his throat, but it did not dispel the restlessness in his heart. Instead, it made his head even more dizzy, and the scenery in front of him became blurry and doubled.

"Where is the Crown Princess?"

He ran his fingertips along the rim of the empty teacup, his voice slightly hoarse from drinking.

"Your Highness, the Princess Consort went to Yuehua Courtyard, saying she needed to pack some personal belongings."

Packing things?

A few words floated lightly into Xiao Ce's ears, instantly bringing him to his senses. It seemed she couldn't wait to leave Jinling with her brother?