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

Chapter 46: To the Northern Desert

Leng Yuling insisted on using herself as bait to attract Jun Ao's attention in order to rescue Bai Xiaozi.

Finally, Mo Zhen replied to Jun Ao, saying that he was willing to replace him, following Leng Yuling's wishes.

"The news has already been spread. I will also find a woman to impersonate you and go to the Northern Desert Kingdom to exchange people. You don't need to worry."

"I want to go to the Northern Desert!" Leng Yuling said the moment Mo Zhen finished speaking, "Why can't you let me go!"

Mo Zhen frowned, looking at Leng Yuling with displeasure. He believed that replying to Jun Ao according to her wishes was already the biggest concession he could make.

However, Leng Yuling is now clearly pushing her luck.

He stared coldly at Leng Yuling: "Have I been too lenient with you?"

Although he didn't say it explicitly, Leng Yuling understood his meaning, but—

“Do you think Jun Ao will release her if he can’t see me? And you’re in such a hurry to find my master, it must be because Ma Zhiyun’s illness can’t be delayed any longer.” Before Mo Zhen could speak, she continued, “Since you want my master to come to Nan Chu to treat Ma Zhiyun as soon as possible, just listen to me, you can’t go wrong.”

"What if I disagree?"

He really didn't want Leng Yuling to go, but he would never tell her that the reason he didn't want her to go was simply because he didn't want her to take any risks.

Even if I told Leng Yuling, she might not believe me.

Leng Yuling also had a cold face, staring into Mo Zhen's eyes, and said, word by word, "What if I insist on going?"

Just as the two were at an impasse, Mo Xuan appeared and spoke up, saying, "Brother, I think it's perfectly acceptable for Sister-in-law to go." Before Mo Zhen could speak, he hurriedly added, "But as a prince, I swear that I will definitely bring Sister-in-law and the Sage of Medicine back to Southern Chu safely."

It was precisely because he knew that Leng Yuling held a different meaning for Mo Zhen than other women, and that it was definitely not because that person needed her.

He knew why Mo Zhen didn't want Leng Yuling to go, but in order to rescue Yi Bai Xiaozi and for Ma Zhiyun, he had to beg Mo Zhen to let Leng Yuling go.

Because Jun Ao will definitely not release Leng Yuling if he doesn't see her.

“Does it matter whether I come back or not? What matters is that my master is coming to Southern Chu, and you all know that my master has a very strange temper. If I hadn’t personally begged him, I’m sure he wouldn’t have come.” After pausing, Leng Yuling added, “Because he doesn’t like to travel far.”

This is the only memory about Bai Xiaozi that the original owner left her.

"I……"

Before Mo Zhen could finish speaking, Leng Yuling interrupted him: "Stop talking about 'I'! It's decided. I'll set off with you tomorrow." With that, she patted Mo Xuan's shoulder and left.

The next morning, Leng Yuling woke up early, excited about leaving the Southern Chu Palace, quickly solving the mystery of Ma Zhiyun's strange illness, and meeting the medical sage of this era.

But she never expected to see Mo Zhen, who had taken off his dragon robe and put on a black robe, on the carriage that was going to the Northern Desert.

She paused in her tracks, turning back to look at Mo Xuan, who was no longer dressed in the noble robes of a prince: "What's he doing here? Isn't this just a sculpture?"

She desperately wanted to believe it, but the person in the carriage who could speak reminded her that it was all true.

Mo Zhen said, "I will go with you."

He was just worried about Leng Yuling going with him. Although he couldn't explain this worry for the time being, this time, he was indeed following his own heart.

There was a voice inside him telling him that he would regret it if he didn't go this time.

Therefore, he temporarily put aside his affairs in the Southern Chu Kingdom and, feeling uneasy, followed Leng Yuling and the others towards the Northern Mo Kingdom.

Throughout the journey, Leng Yuling could only sit in the same carriage as Mo Zhen, but she did not feel uncomfortable at all, nor did she try to maintain an image just because the other party was the emperor and her husband.

She sleeps when she should sleep, and when she's hungry, she eats heartily in front of Mo Zhen without any regard for her image, showing no ladylike demeanor whatsoever. Or rather, she has never been a lady, and doesn't need to worry about image at all.

Especially since she felt that she had no image to maintain in front of Mo Zhen, she simply stopped caring about it.

Mo Zhen, however, felt somewhat uncomfortable, as this was the first time he had ever seen a woman so unrefined.

"Can't you just eat properly?"

"I'm hungry." Leng Yuling's mouth was full of food as she answered Mo Zhen's question, and crumbs of pastry involuntarily sprayed out, which Mo Zhen found disgusting.

She brushed the pastry crumbs off her clothes and instinctively moved away from Leng Yuling. Leng Yuling, however, didn't seem to notice and continued eating her pastries; she was truly hungry after a long day of walking.

Because Mo Zhen was also present, they addressed each other as the eldest young master, young mistress, and second young master during their outing, in order to avoid attracting attention.

After finally entering the city and finding an inn, I thought I could finally get a good rest tonight and relieve the fatigue of the journey. But I didn't expect that as soon as I entered my room after dinner, Mo Zhen followed me in.

"I'm going to sleep. What are you doing coming in?" Leng Yuling stood in the doorway, looking at Mo Zhen, who was a head taller than her, and asked.

Mo Zhen curled the corners of his lips, not in a hurry to go in, but said with a smile, "What does Madam think?"

With just two words, Leng Yuling understood the meaning. Since they were traveling as a couple, even if they stayed at an inn, they had to share a bed.

Leng Yuling lowered her arm that was blocking the doorway, sighed helplessly, and said, "I understand."

What she didn't see was that Mo Zhen, who followed her in, had a smug and handsome smile on his lips.

Leng Yuling looked at the only bed and sighed again. She had originally wanted to have the whole bed to herself, but that was definitely not possible now.

So, what else can she do besides sigh?

"Why does Madam keep sighing?" Mo Zhen wasn't in a hurry to go to sleep. Instead, he sat down in a chair and looked at Leng Yuling's gloomy face, but he couldn't help feeling happy inside.

Leng Yuling turned her head and glared at Mo Zhen, displeased, "Don't you know why I sighed?"

Before Mo Zhen could speak, Leng Yuling took off her shoes and climbed onto the bed: "I don't mind if you sleep in the same bed as me, but I want to lie in a place this big."

Mo Zhen looked up and saw that Leng Yuling had taken up two-thirds of the bed, leaving him just one-third, which was just enough space for him to lie down.

Mo Zhen wasn't angry; instead, he smiled faintly. Leng Yuling was taken aback by his smile, completely baffled as to what it meant.

After Mo Zhen got into bed, Leng Yuling subconsciously moved closer to him, her previous imposing manner completely gone.

As expected, the emperor is the emperor; in front of her, he only possesses an overwhelming aura.

"Let me tell you, I'm not a very peaceful sleeper. Don't blame me if I hurt you," Leng Yuling said softly, pulling the blanket tighter around her.

Mo Zhen smiled and said, "I know."

It's not like it's the first time I've slept in the same bed with Leng Yuling; it's just that the bed in Jingling Palace is twice the size of this one.

"I knew it, so I knew it." Leng Yuling pouted, slightly displeased, completely ignoring the unspeakable smugness on Mo Zhen's face.