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

Chapter 76: Let's be friends

As darkness fell, no news of Leng Yuling was received. Ziyan and Leng Ruoxi paced back and forth in the main hall of Jingling Palace, growing increasingly worried.

"The Fifth Prince is here..." someone shouted, and Ziyan followed Leng Yuling as they ran out.

Upon seeing Mo Xuan, Leng Ruoxi asked, "Fifth Prince, is there any news about my elder sister?"

Mo Xuan shook his head: "We've searched the entire palace, but we haven't found it."

Leng Ruoxi released her grip on Mo Xuan's arm and lowered her head worriedly, asking, "Where did my elder sister go? Will she be alright?" As she spoke, she suddenly looked up at Mo Xuan, as if waiting for his answer, but Mo Xuan could not answer.

"What if Your Highness..." Ziyan looked at Mo Xuan, but hesitated whether to continue. Seeing Mo Xuan's look that signaled her to continue, she said, "What if Your Highness, like last time, ran away from the palace alone?"

Upon hearing Ziyan's words, Mo Xuan frowned. If Leng Yuling had indeed run away from the palace alone, then this was a serious matter, and he would have to tell Mo Zhen about it.

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a voice came from the doorway: "His Majesty has arrived."

The people in Jingling Palace were startled. Why had Mo Zhen returned at this moment? And hadn't Mo Xuan just sent Shangqian Palace over? Why had he brought Mo Zhen along as well?

However, what even Mo Xuan didn't know was that it was because he heard Di Ren say that Mo Xuan had come to Jingling Palace that he put down everything he was doing and rushed over.

Although he knew that Mo Xuan only had the feelings of an uncle and sister-in-law for Leng Yuling, Leng Yuling might not feel the same way. Even if it was just a possibility, he couldn't bear to see Leng Yuling have any affection for his younger brother.

Upon seeing Leng Ruoxi and Mo Xuan standing in the courtyard, he couldn't help but frown and ask, "What's wrong? I've arrived, and she's not even coming out to greet me?"

When Mo Zhen didn't see Leng Yuling, he assumed she was still angry and didn't want to see him, but he didn't know that this time Leng Yuling had really run away from home.

"Brother, there's something I want to tell you." Now that things have come to this point, and Mo Zhen has come, it's impossible to hide it anymore. So Mo Xuan said, "My sister-in-law... she's gone missing."

"What?" Upon hearing Mo Xuan's words, Mo Zhen looked at him in disbelief and asked again, "Say that again?"

Mo Xuan sighed and slowly explained, "I sent people to search the entire palace, but we couldn't find my sister-in-law. She might..."

Before he could finish speaking, Mo Zhen interrupted him: "Maybe what?"

"Your Majesty, my elder sister may have left the palace on her own."

Upon hearing Leng Ruoxi's words, Ziyan couldn't help but look up at her, feeling that Leng Ruoxi was telling Mo Zhen that Leng Yuling had left the palace without permission.

You should know the consequences of a concubine leaving the palace without the emperor's permission. Yet, Leng Yuling is still the head of the harem, and she broke the rules herself. How will she gain the respect of the other concubines in the future?

"I guess it was because you said something too harsh last night that she..." Mo Xuan's voice trailed off, and he didn't finish his sentence.

Mo Zhen's face instantly darkened, but no one could tell whether he was angry or worried. No one dared to speak again, and they all lowered their heads slightly.

After a long while, he suddenly heard: "Di Ren, come with me out of the palace."

"Your Majesty (the Emperor)." Leng Ruoxi and Mo Xuan said in unison.

Mo Zhen paused, looked at Mo Xuan, and said, "Come in with me."

After entering the room, Mo Xuan said worriedly, "Brother, you can't leave the palace. If people find out that you left the palace for Leng Yuling, you will be in danger, she will be in danger, and Nan Chu will be in even greater danger!"

He wasn't unaware of what Mo Xuan was worried about, but equally, Mo Xuan should also know what he was worried about. He looked at Mo Xuan and said coldly, "Perhaps she doesn't know how dangerous it is outside the palace, but don't you know how dangerous it is for her?"

From beginning to end, his only concern was Leng Yuling.

Faced with Mo Zhen's words, Mo Xuan was speechless and had to admit that Mo Zhen had fallen in love with Leng Yuling, or perhaps even more than just love.

"I'll go with you." In the end, this was Mo Xuan's only compromise.

Mo Zhen looked at him but shook his head: "They really will send secret guards to find her. You just need to cover for me." This time her leaving the palace is different from the last time he let her leave. He can't help but worry.

When Mo Zhen said he would send out secret guards to find Leng Yuling, Mo Xuan looked at him in disbelief. These secret guards were always trained to protect him, but now he was sending them out to find Leng Yuling.

Since Mo Zhen had already said so much, it was enough to prove that he was determined to find Leng Yuling this time, so Mo Xuan stopped trying to stop him.

Mo Zhen claimed to be unwell and suspended his morning court sessions. To give the impression that he was still in the palace, Mo Xuan went to the palace every day, specifically to Shangqian Palace, but in reality, he was only there to help him review documents.

To be honest, his younger brother had a tough life. While his elder brother was trying to find his beloved wife, he had to work hard for him.

-

Meanwhile, Leng Yuling, who had been away from the palace for a day and a night, was living a very comfortable life.

As the last disciple of the Sage of Medicine, the palace gates were never anything that could stop her. With just a small silver needle, she could make the guards at the palace gates sleep for half an hour, which was enough for her to leave the palace.

In the dazzling world of the capital, Leng Yuling was having a really good time, completely oblivious to the people in the palace who were worried about her. On the contrary, she thought that Mo Zhen was still angry with her and might send someone to capture her and bring her back after finding out that she had left the palace, and then cut off her head.

Every time she dreamt of this, she would wake up in a fright, wiping the sweat from her forehead. Leng Yuling patted her chest and said, "Thank goodness it was just a dream, thank goodness it was just a dream, it scared me to death."

To make things easier and to avoid being recognized by anyone Mo Zhen might send to capture her, Leng Yuling spent money to buy a set of men's clothing. Looking at herself in men's clothes in the mirror, she nodded in satisfaction.

While eating in the shop, someone recognized her and asked, "Why is the girl dressed as a man?"

"Everyone says that women who travel the world should dress as men, but how come I was recognized at a glance when I dressed as a man? This is such a failure!" She didn't insist that she was a man, but looked at the person who spoke with some displeasure.

"It's just that the young lady is too beautiful. I have never seen a gentleman as handsome as her before," the man said with a smile.

"I've seen it." Thinking about it now, she shook her head again. "No, not really."

The moment that person finished speaking, Mo Zhen's excessively handsome face immediately appeared in her mind. He was indeed handsome, but not effeminate.

"The fact that you can tell I'm a woman proves we're destined to meet." Leng Yuling extended her hand and said in a friendly manner, "My name is Leng Yuling, what's your name?"

The man looked at Leng Yuling's outstretched hand, feeling somewhat puzzled. The next moment, she grabbed his hand, squeezed it, and said, "Let's be friends. What's your name?"

"Please call me Ziqiao, young lady," Ziqiao said with a gentle and refined manner.

Leng Yuling nodded. She had made another handsome friend. This trip out of the palace was definitely worthwhile!