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

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Bai Xiaozi Has Disappeared

"I need a reason." Leng Yuling followed Mo Xuan to the imperial study to see Mo Zhen and told him about sending someone to invite Bai Xiaozi to Southern Chu. Mo Zhen asked, "What is your reason for seeing him?"

Mo Zhen looked at Leng Yuling and asked, word by word.

Leng Yuling was startled and dared not look into Mo Zhen's eyes again, as if his eyes could see into her heart through her own.

Leng Yuling lowered her head slightly and said, "Is it wrong for me to miss my master?" After a long pause, when she still didn't hear Mo Zhen speak, Leng Yuling mustered her courage, looked up to meet Mo Zhen's eyes, and questioned, "Don't you have anyone you particularly miss?"

Mo Zhen was stunned by just one question. He really didn't expect Leng Yuling to question him like that, and he couldn't answer for a moment.

Finally, it was Mo Xuan who broke the silence and awkwardness. He said in his usual humorous way, "I say, Your Majesty, Your Majesty's wife also misses her master. Besides, Your Majesty's wife has been by the side of Doctor Bai since she was a child, so it is not surprising that she misses him occasionally."

Seeing that Mo Zhen was unmoved, and receiving a look from Leng Yuling, Mo Xuan continued, "Besides, when your sister-in-law married you, she didn't have a single relative by her side. Now, brother, you wouldn't even help your sister-in-law fulfill this simple request, would you?"

After listening to Mo Xuan's words, Mo Zhen turned around and glanced at him, the emotions in his eyes were unreadable to both Mo Xuan and Leng Yuling.

After a long silence, Mo Zhen suddenly spoke: "I can send someone to deliver the message for you, but whether Doctor Bai is willing to come or not is beyond my control."

This was the only thing he could do.

Upon hearing Mo Zhen's words, Leng Yuling jumped for joy and hurriedly said, "Then I'll go back and write to Master right now. He will definitely come."

-

After Leng Yuling left, Mo Xuan changed his expression and said seriously, "Brother, why are you unwilling to let Bai Xiaozi come to Nan Chu? You know that only he can make Yun'er better."

This is why Mo Xuan spoke up for Leng Yuling so strongly—not for Leng Yuling herself, but for Ma Zhiyun.

Mo Zhen turned to look at Mo Xuan and said calmly, "I just don't want more people to know about this. Besides, Leng Yuling and I have only been married for a short time, and you've already sent the Sage of Medicine to Southern Chu. Do you really think everyone else is that stupid?"

Upon hearing Mo Zhen's words, Mo Xuan was taken aback and realized the meaning behind them. It seemed that he hadn't thought things through enough.

"What should we do now?" He was just too worried about Ma Zhiyun and overlooked many details. Now that the words have been spoken, he has already said them.

Given Leng Yuling's temper, if he were to say he wouldn't send a message to the Northern Desert, Leng Yuling would definitely make a scene, and it wouldn't just be a small one; even Mo Zhen might not be able to handle it.

"Let her deliver the message; whether Bai Xiaozi will come or not is still unknown." Mo Zhen narrowed his eyes, paused for a moment, and then said, "I heard that Bai Xiaozi has disappeared."

"What do you mean by 'disappeared'?" Mo Xuan asked almost as soon as Mo Zhen finished speaking. "Bai Xiaozi has always been elusive, hasn't he? How do you know he's missing, Your Majesty?"

Mo Zhen did not answer, but seemed to be deep in thought, yet he did not say a word to Mo Xuan.

"To the outside world, he has indeed disappeared, but in reality..." He remained silent for a long time before speaking, "...he has been imprisoned by Jun Ao."