The cold emperor reigns supreme, the arrogant empress begs for a truce.

Chapter 103: Being a Good Emperor of Southern Chu

"I'm going horseback riding with Xiaoxiao and the others, not leaving the palace." Leng Yuling seemed to realize the unusual looks from everyone, and only then did she release her arms from Mo Zhen's neck. "Do you want to come along?"

She asked casually, but unexpectedly Mo Zhen nodded. Seeing Mo Zhen nod, she didn't know how to refuse him, so she had no choice but to add him to her schedule.

Upon arriving at the horse farm, Mo Zhen asked a question that surprised everyone. He looked at Leng Yuling, who was dressed in a smart riding outfit and looked excited: "Can you ride a horse?"

"No," Leng Yuling said nonchalantly. When she saw Ma Xiaoxiao's incredulous expression, she explained, "It's not like you can only come if you can ride a horse. Besides, how would I learn if I didn't come to learn?"

"How about you teach me to ride a horse?" With that, Leng Yuling walked to Ma Xiaoxiao's side, reached out and took her arm. This intimate gesture surprised even Ma Xiaoxiao, who felt that Leng Yuling and she were very familiar with each other.

However, they didn't have many opportunities to interact. Even when they did meet, they would only exchange a few words. But Leng Yuling's intimate manner with her every time made her feel somewhat uncomfortable.

At first, she thought that Leng Yuling was just putting on an act in front of Mo Zhen, or that she only acted this way in front of outsiders, or that she was this enthusiastic towards everyone.

However, she discovered that Leng Yuling's attitude towards her younger sister, Leng Ruoxi, was quite cold and unlike what sisters should be like. She really couldn't understand Leng Yuling like this.

"Xiaoxiao?" Ma Xiaoxiao didn't answer, so Leng Yuling asked again, "Is it okay?"

Ma Xiaoxiao glanced at her, then looked up at Mo Zhen, and finally fixed her gaze on Leng Yuling's beautifully smiling face. She smiled and nodded, saying, "Of course." In private, she wasn't like a general; she was more like a girl from an ordinary family, and quite gentle.

"!" At this moment, Leng Yuling was as happy as a child who had received candy.

Mo Zhen then said in a low voice, "Why won't you let me teach you? Do you think I'm not worthy to teach you?" As he said this, he stared at Leng Yuling, even with a hint of expectation.

Leng Yuling only wanted to spend more time with Ma Xiaoxiao, but she didn't expect Mo Zhen to suddenly say such a thing. For a moment, she didn't know how to answer him and just stared at him blankly.

Before they could react, Di Ren was already leading his horse toward them, and when he reached Mo Zhen, he handed him the reins.

“This horse was sent by the Emperor of the Northern Desert last year. It’s a rather docile horse, which is suitable for you as a beginner.” Mo Zhen held the reins in his hand, but his eyes were on Leng Yuling.

However, this was Leng Yuling's first time getting close to a horse, and she subconsciously hid behind Mo Zhen, only peeking out half her head to say, "Such a big horse, are you sure it's docile? It looks so fierce to me."

When Ma Xiaoxiao took a look, she realized that Leng Yuling didn't resemble an empress at all. Every move she made was just like a young girl, but judging from Mo Zhen's expression, he doted on her quite a bit.

To receive such favor from an emperor is something to be envied, but one can only be envious. In the end, there are reasons why Mo Zhen dotes on Leng Yuling.

But apart from her stunningly beautiful face, only those who knew her well knew that her mind was different from other women's, and that her thoughts were far better than those of ordinary men.

Who wouldn't like a woman who combines beauty and intelligence?

Although she often joked about her beauty or admired her face like an outsider, she never felt proud of it.

After all, as a time traveler, she knew that in any era, strength was what mattered. Beauty was merely an entry ticket; strength was the only way to prove oneself. Therefore, she envied the original owner's beauty but never felt superior because of it.

On the contrary, she was grateful for the medical skills left to her by the original owner, which taught her quite a lot, even though she didn't have many opportunities to use them yet.

Leng Yuling looked at the horse in front of Mo Zhen with curiosity and amazement. She wanted to reach out and touch it, but she was afraid that it would suddenly become agitated and kick Mo Zhen, which would be heartbreaking. If it accidentally hurt herself, it would be even more painful.

"Don't be afraid, I'll lead the horse."

Because of Mo Zhen's words, by the time she realized what was happening, she was already firmly seated on the horse. Before she could even speak, Mo Zhen leaped up and sat on the horse as well, wrapping his arms around her from behind and holding the reins.

"Hey, hey, don't move, don't move!" Before Leng Yuling could ask Mo Zhen why he was mounting the horse, she felt the horse lift its hind legs. She instinctively grabbed the reins, her face tense and very nervous.

Mo Zhen, however, was surprised to discover for the first time that even the arrogant Leng Yuling had things she was not good at or afraid of, and couldn't help but smile faintly.

"What are you laughing at?" As soon as Leng Yuling finished speaking, the horse started to run briskly because of Mo Zhen's gentle patting of its legs. "Hey hey hey... don't... don't run away."

Leng Yuling was genuinely terrified as it was her first time riding a horse.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here." As he said this, Mo Zhen and Leng Yuling rode past Ma Xiaoxiao and the others on horseback. When she saw the smug smile on Mo Zhen's lips, she couldn't help but recall the past.

When they were young, Mo Zhen's personality was not as dull as it is now. He was even more lively and active than Mo Xuan. His favorite thing to do was to tease people. He had teased almost everyone in his palace, including his playmates.

Then one day, something seemed to happen to Mo Zhen, and he suddenly changed his personality. He was rarely seen smiling, let alone having any interest in teasing people anymore.

However, seeing the smug look on his face after teasing her, she realized that Leng Yuling might really hold a different place in his heart.

Before returning to the capital, she always thought that Mo Zhen's favoritism towards Leng Yuling wasn't as serious as the rumors suggested. Even after witnessing it firsthand in Yongcheng, she still refused to believe it. It wasn't until Mo Zhen's smile just now that she had to face the truth.

Since the late emperor fell ill and he personally led troops to the battlefield, he smiled less and less. Subsequently, the border was stabilized and the enemy country dared not invade again. However, the late emperor has now passed away.

He didn't even get to see the late emperor one last time. After returning to the capital from the battlefield, he directly received the imperial decree and ascended the throne.

No one asked him if he wanted to be emperor at that time, and no one knew what he was feeling when he sat on the dragon throne. Everyone had only one thought about him.

That is: to be a good emperor of Southern Chu.