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

Chapter 55: If you have the guts, then strangle me!

Bai Xiaozi was right; Jun Ao's thoughts were indeed not that simple.

Bai Xiaozi had only been staying at the post station for a few days when Jun Ao sent someone to invite Leng Yuling to the palace, specifically requesting that she come alone to see him, making his meaning quite clear.

"You cannot enter the palace alone." Although Mo Xuan did not care as much about Leng Yuling as Ma Zhiyun, Leng Yuling was, after all, Mo Zhen's wife and the Empress of Southern Chu.

Leng Yuling just smiled at him and said, "Don't worry, I guarantee I'll come out unharmed and return to Nan Chu safely."

After saying that, before anyone else could speak, Leng Yuling went back to change her clothes and then entered the palace.

Seeing Leng Yuling's confidence, Mo Zhen didn't say anything more; he was willing to believe her.

-

Upon entering the palace and meeting Jun Ao, Leng Yuling merely gave a perfunctory bow, showing no respect whatsoever.

Jun Ao wasn't oblivious, but he didn't care. After all, his goal wasn't to get Leng Yuling to bow to him, but to keep her here.

"Now that I have released your master as agreed, shouldn't you do something as agreed as well?" This was originally supposed to be said to Mo Zhen, but he could tell that Mo Zhen could not control Leng Yuling, or rather, no one could control Leng Yuling, so he summoned her to the palace.

However, Leng Yuling simply smiled indifferently.

"You mean you want to trade me for my master?" Leng Yuling's calmness and composure exceeded Jun Ao's expectations. The more she acted this way, the more curious he became about her, and the more he wanted to keep her in Beimo, by his side.

Jun Ao nodded.

"What, are you trying to back out?" After a while, he said again, "But do you think that without my order, who would dare to let you leave the Northern Desert?"

Jun Ao's words at least had a touch of imperial domineering power, but Leng Yuling was not afraid.

“I never agreed to exchange myself for my master.” Leng Yuling curled her lips and looked at Jun Ao with confidence. “Moreover, I not only want to go back, but I also want you to send someone to escort me to the city gate.”

She wanted to make Jun Ao even more embarrassed.

Jun Ao laughed a few times, feeling utterly disdainful. This was the first time he had ever seen a woman dare to be so arrogant in front of him; it was truly amusing.

Where does your confidence come from?

"Seeing you like this, I'm in a good mood today, so I'll give you a free analysis." Leng Yuling glanced at Jun Ao and shook her head, looking at him as if he were hopelessly incorrigible.

She continued, "Now, I've come to the Northern Desert as the Empress of Southern Chu, and apart from a few of us, no one knows that your purpose in sending me here is to exchange for my master. Everyone in the world thinks that Mo Zhen and I aren't going to the Northern Desert for our homecoming. So what do you think the consequences will be if you suddenly detain me?"

Although Jun Ao wasn't particularly clever, he wasn't stupid either, so Leng Yuling knew there were some things she didn't need to say too bluntly.

Seeing the anger on Jun Ao's face, she knew that Jun Ao understood her plan.

“As long as I can’t leave the palace now, it won’t be long before the news of your Northern Desert Emperor detaining the Southern Chu Empress spreads to all countries. At that time, how long do you think you can stay on the throne?” Leng Yuling said, enunciating each word clearly.

She had investigated thoroughly and found that Bei Mo was not as peaceful as it appeared on the surface. At least within the royal family, there was a hidden undercurrent of turmoil, and many people wanted to pull Jun Ao off the throne.

At times like these, he dared not go too far. Leng Yuling recognized this, which is why she dared to enter the palace alone.

Jun Ao looked at Leng Yuling, his teeth itching with anger. He stepped forward, grabbed her chin, and Leng Yuling winced in pain, but didn't utter a single word of begging for mercy.

Jun Ao released his grip, then moved lower and grabbed Leng Yuling's neck, squinting as he said, "Don't think I really wouldn't dare to touch you!"

In this life, what he hated most was being threatened, especially by a weak woman. If word got out, how could he save face!

Leng Yuling showed no fear and said fearlessly, "Go ahead and strangle me if you dare."

Her composure was an irony to Jun Ao, who increased the pressure on her hands. Leng Yuling coughed a few times, knowing that if Jun Ao exerted even a little more force, she would die at his hands.

However, she remained calm, without the slightest fear or uttering a single word of pleading.

Jun Ao only released Leng Yuling when her face turned completely red. Leng Yuling touched her neck and coughed several times, but there was no trace of relief on her face because she knew that Jun Ao would not, and dared not, kill her.

-

After leaving the palace, Leng Yuling's whole body was trembling. In fact, she was afraid just now, but she knew that the more afraid she was, the more smug Jun Ao would be, and the more dangerous it would be for her.

Sitting in the carriage, Leng Yuling trembled.

Upon returning to the post station, the first person to come forward to inquire about their well-being was neither Bai Xiaozi nor Mo Zhen, but Mo Xuan.

"So, what did Jun Ao tell you?"

Leng Yuling was completely stunned and hadn't fully recovered. Even though she had died once, she was still afraid.

After all, in this era, the identity of an emperor can put a person to death. In addition, she doesn't know Jun Ao well. If he acts impulsively, she will be finished.

Seeing Leng Yuling's absent-minded appearance, Mo Xuan raised his hand and waved it in front of her eyes: "Royal sister-in-law?"

"What did Jun Ao do?" It was no longer Mo Xuan who spoke, but Mo Zhen.

He walked to Leng Yuling's side, frowning as he looked at the red marks on her neck where Jun Ao had pinched her. When he didn't hear a reply from Leng Yuling, he spoke coldly again: "What did he do to you?"

“I almost died at his hands,” Leng Yuling said almost as soon as Mo Zhen finished speaking.

"Jun Ao!" Mo Zhen narrowed his eyes, which turned red, showing how angry he was. "He doesn't respect me at all."

He repeatedly showed Jun Ao how much Leng Yuling meant to him, yet Jun Ao still did that to Leng Yuling.

This feud has now been formed.

“It’s worth it,” Leng Yuling said.

Before they could speak again, Bai Xiaozi walked over, took Leng Yuling's hand, and said as usual, "Let me apply some medicine for you first."

Leng Yuling was his only disciple. He was naturally uncomfortable to see Leng Yuling being bullied, but he did not say anything.

However, the sight of him holding Leng Yuling's hand was extremely jarring to Mo Zhen.

Even though that person was her master, it still made him feel displeased.

"There are some things that you shouldn't do, so don't do them," Bai Xiaozi said as she applied medicine to Leng Yuling.

A seemingly casual remark struck Mo Zhen's heart. He knew that Bai Xiaozi's words were directed at him.