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

Chapter Three: I Insist You Become Empress

Mo Zhen looked at Leng Yuling, trying to see something in her eyes, but he was destined to be disappointed, because there was no emotion in Leng Yuling's eyes.

"By the way, what are people outside busy with? Is it Chinese New Year or Christmas?" Leng Yuling waited expectantly for Mo Zhen's answer, but the latter squinted at her and asked in return, "What is Christmas?"

Leng Yuling was embarrassed.

How could she forget that there is no Spring Festival in this era, let alone Christmas?

He waved his hand casually and laughed, "Nothing, just saying."

Leng Yuling moved her lips, as if she was about to say something more, when a familiar voice came from the palace door, "Brother, there is news from the Northern Desert Kingdom."

When he got closer and saw that Leng Yuling was also there, he froze on the spot.

The next moment, Leng Yuling spoke before Mo Zhen could, "What news from the Northern Desert Kingdom?"

Her intuition told her that this so-called 'news' was probably related to her. First, she was the unwanted empress of the Northern Desert Emperor, and second, she was the legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister's family. Yet, she had come to the Southern Chu Kingdom with the Third Prince without a word.

I'm afraid the Northern Desert Kingdom is in an uproar right now. Leng Yuling is curious about what the Northern Desert Emperor is feeling, and what kind of regret the people in the Prime Minister's mansion are feeling.

Just thinking about it amused her, so she urged Mo Xuan to speak quickly, "Hurry up and tell me, is Jun Ao about to go crazy?"

Mo Xuan subconsciously glanced at Mo Zhen, then at Leng Yuling, whose face was full of anticipation.

"After learning that you had come to the Southern Chu Kingdom, the Emperor of the Northern Desert Kingdom imprisoned everyone in the Prime Minister's residence and sent a letter." As he spoke, Mo Xuan handed the letter in his hand to Mo Zhen, but Leng Yuling snatched it away first.

After opening the letter and reading its contents, Leng Yuling's expression changed repeatedly, from initial smugness to gradual anger, and finally, she angrily threw the letter on the ground and stomped on it twice.

"Is he out of his mind? He wants me to trade myself for the lives of over a hundred people in the Prime Minister's mansion?" Mo Zhen and Mo Xuan initially thought Leng Yuling was angry because Jun Ao was threatening her with the people from the Prime Minister's mansion, but they were surprised to hear her next words, "Is my life so worthless?"

Leng Yuling still seemed unsatisfied, stomping on the letter on the ground a few more times and muttering curses under her breath. Mo Xuan, watching this, could only swallow silently.

Although he hadn't spent much time with Leng Yuling, he understood her personality. She wouldn't let anyone off easily, no matter who it was, as long as she was unhappy with them. Now, it seemed she was even indifferent to the safety of her own family.

After Leng Yuling's anger subsided a little, Mo Xuan picked up the letter from the ground, patted it down, and then handed it to Mo Zhen to read.

After reading it, Mo Zhen only said one sentence, "They are your family."

“Have you ever seen a family member who was sent away after birth and only brought back when they realized the family still had some use to them?” After a pause, Leng Yuling added, “Don’t worry, Jun Ao won’t do anything to the Prime Minister’s mansion. He’s just putting on a show for me.”

After saying that, Leng Yuling walked towards the palace door, but before stepping out, she said, "There's no need to care about these things, and there's no need to pay attention to them."

The Prime Minister's Mansion neither raised her nor taught her, so neither she nor the original owner ever considered themselves Leng Pingchu's daughter.

Mo Xuan watched Leng Yuling's departing figure until she disappeared from sight before speaking, "Brother, what... should we do?"

Leng Yuling's words made sense, but this was not a simple matter after all; it concerned the affairs of two countries. Only then did Mo Xuan realize that his hasty decision to go to the Northern Desert Kingdom to bring Leng Yuling back was ill-considered.

Mo Zhen looked at the letter thoughtfully, and after a long while said, "Let's do as Leng Yuling said."

No need to worry about it, no need to pay attention to it?

Is this really good?

Mo Xuan looked at Mo Zhen, but saw that he was calm and didn't seem worried at all, which made him more worried.

-

What Leng Yuling didn't expect was that the Southern Chu Imperial Palace had been busy preparing these things these past few days, not for a festival, but for her and Mo Zhen's wedding.

After learning the truth, Leng Yuling was a little unsettled. Although Mo Zhen was really handsome and had a great physique, she was truly not mentally prepared to marry him.

The reason she was willing to come to the Southern Chu Kingdom with Mo Xuan was simply to get rid of Jun Ao and the people in the Prime Minister's mansion. Putting aside the fact that she didn't understand Mo Zhen, even if she did, she was only eighteen years old. In the 21st century, that's just coming of age and she's about to get married.

Leng Yuling secretly summoned Mo Xuan.

"I need your help with something." Leng Yuling clasped her hands together and looked at Mo Xuan with great sincerity.

Mo Xuan knew that Leng Yuling was always clever and mischievous, so if she suddenly asked him for a favor, it definitely wasn't anything good. He didn't dare to agree casually, but he was genuinely curious about what she wanted to say.

"You tell me first."

"Your Southern Chu shouldn't lack women, right? The woman I saw the other day was quite nice. Why don't you ask Mo Zhen to make her empress? I'll just pass."

Mo Xuan's face darkened. "Do you think an empress can be appointed so easily?"

Leng Yuling hung her head. She knew it was impossible, which was why she had come to him for help.

"You know, this isn't my ambition," Leng Yuling said haphazardly. She only wanted to be a lazy parasite who didn't have to work, but the Empress had too many responsibilities, especially managing the women in the harem—she couldn't do it!

Just thinking about all that scheming and backstabbing made her shudder, and she instinctively shook her head.

"I wonder what Dr. Leng's ambitions are?"

Leng Yuling's heart skipped a beat. Why was Mo Zhen's voice appearing? No, why was he here?

She glanced at Mo Xuan. Hadn't she told him to come alone and not let anyone else know? Why was Mo Zhen also showing up?

The latter simply shook his head innocently, and only after seeing Mo Zhen did he smile and say, "You two chat, I'll take my leave now."

"Mo Xuan!" Leng Yuling called out, but Mo Xuan disappeared at lightning speed.

"Are you feeling wronged being my empress?"

“Of course not, it’s just…” Leng Yuling forced a smile and stammered as she explained, “I grew up in the countryside, and I’m really, really not suited for the great thing of being an empress.”

Leng Yuling sincerely said that she does like handsome men, but if that handsome man has a harem of three thousand beauties, she would rather find someone who is not so handsome, but loves only her and has only her as a woman by his side.

"But I think you are suitable," Mo Zhen said calmly, as if he were stating something completely ordinary.

But for Leng Yuling, it was a bolt from the blue.

"Look, you have three thousand beauties in your harem. It doesn't matter who you choose to be your empress, so why does it have to be me?"

Serving a king is like serving a tiger. She was unwilling to share a man with other women, nor was she willing to stay by the king's side. Since ancient times, emperors have been ruthless, and Leng Yuling did not want to let her happiness in this life be ruined in this ruthless and boring harem.

Mo Zhen stared at her. He was an emperor, and this was the first time a woman had dared to reject him so directly.

"What if I insist that you become my empress?"