I woke up as the Villainous Empress

Two weeks flew by in the blink of an eye. During this time, Zheng Liang found himself knee-deep in royal court affairs. His trip to Xinling City, coupled with a week-long break to recover from an injury he sustained from the attack, had caused his workload to triple.

The past two weeks proved to be a real test of his abilities, as he had a mountain of documents to review and approve to keep the workflow running smoothly. The demands of the royal court's work were ceaseless, and in addition to that, Zheng Liang was diligently conducting an investigation into the attack on their carriages on their way to the capital from Xinling City.

As of now, there are still no concrete results to report. However, Zheng Liang was hopeful that they would soon find out the evidence and would be able to eliminate the enemy once and for all.

If the enemy has attacked him once, they will try it once again. Zheng Liang was waiting for that Golden Opportunity to catch the enemy red-handed and punish him, just like the Empress.

___

These two weeks had proven to be both busy and tormenting for Zheng Liang. Personally, it felt like a hellish ordeal.

Yang Ning had punished him, directing him to sleep in the guest chamber instead of their usual Main Chamber. She was concerned that if they stayed together in the same room, things might take a turn for the more intimate and potentially hurt Zheng Liang during his recovery process.

She knew, all too well, that even if he promised to simply hold hands and do nothing more, she couldn't be sure it would stay that way. He had made similar assurances last time, vowing that he only wanted her to read him a book, but that moment had escalated into something far more intimate.

She was determined not to be ensnared by his honeyed words once again. Her concern wasn't just for his well-being; she was also afraid of herself, of the undeniable attraction she felt towards him. It had been fine until she had tasted the sweetness of intimate pleasure, but now it felt like an addiction, her thoughts constantly consumed by him and his lips.

In such circumstances, how could she trust herself to resist temptation?

While Zheng Liang understood that it was for his well-being, it was becoming increasingly challenging for him to bear and he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of unhappiness. How could he possibly find happiness when she was intentionally maintaining her distance from him? It left him feeling even more miserable and fuelled his desperation to be close to her.

Zheng Liang had initially thought that after completing one week of recovery during his suspension period from the court, Yang Ning would allow him back into the Main Chamber.

However, to his disappointment, she didn't.

Over the past two weeks, Zheng Liang had made several attempts to break Yang Ning's resolute decision and sneak into the Main Chamber at night. However, when it came to his health, Yang Ning held her ground and remained firm in her decision.

She consistently, and often ruthlessly, pushed him away and had the guards escort him out of the chambers. It was clear to Zheng Liang that he could win against his enemies, but when it came to Yang Ning, he was utterly defenseless.

Even the maids and guards at the Dragon Pavilion were well aware that in the relationship between the Crown Prince and Princess, it was the Crown Princess who held the upper hand.

Fortunately, the injury was nearly healed, and the bandage had been removed a few days ago. Now, he only needed to apply the ointment three times a day and drink the brewed medicine to expedite the healing process.

Today, he planned to approach Master Jiang for a proper examination of his wound. It's been more than a month since he was injured and almost three weeks since Yang Ning kicked him out of their chamber.

Given that he felt fine and had significantly reduced his intake of medicines, he wants to know if he was as fit as he was before the injury or not. Because he can't stay away from Yang Ning any longer.

Their relationship recently started to improve, and Zheng Liang was beginning to experience the pleasures of married life when this incident happened.

What great timing!

___

"The sun is shining today. Xiaowei, please arrange my tea and snacks in the garden. I would love to have tea while basking in the sunlight," Yang Ning said as she gazed out the chamber window, where bright sunlight streamed in.

Just a few days ago, the weather had been bitingly cold, and even the previous night had been gloomy. But to her surprise, when she woke up in the morning, she was greeted by warm sunshine.

Spring had finally arrived.

"Yes, Your Highness," Xiaowei replied, addressing her according to the palace protocol which they had to follow since returning.

Yang Ning had instructed her to address her informally when it was just the two of them, but in the presence of others in the palace, proper etiquette had to be maintained.

While Yang Ning enjoyed her morning tea and snacks under the sun's warmth, she spotted Hou Wei approaching the Dragon Pavilion carrying a tray.

Yang Ning pursed her lips and frowned at the sight of Hou Wei in the morning. Since Hou Wei's arrival at the palace, Yang Ning hadn't had many opportunities to see her. She was relieved to avoid confronting her because she was still unsure about how to feel regarding the entire situation.

After all, she liked Hou Wei, who was the female lead of the novel and her favorite character. However, now she was Yang Ning, the antagonist. How could she feel at ease around the female lead who was the main cause of her downfall?

Lost in her thoughts, Yang Ning was startled when she heard a cheerful voice calling her, "Your Highness, you're here."

Hou Wei had walked up to her and greeted her with a cheerful smile. Yang Ning awkwardly placed her tea cup on the table and smiled, saying, "The sun is out today, so I decided to have tea in the garden."

Hou Wei smiled warmly and replied, "The sun is really bright today. You made the right choice. Fresh air can do wonders for the mind and thoughts."

Hou Wei glanced down at the tea and snacks that Yang Ning was enjoying and asked, "You were having milk tea? I would suggest avoiding sugar-laden milk tea when enjoying sweet snacks. It can leave you feeling heavy, tired, and exhausted throughout the day. Since you spend most of your time indoors, it could even reflect in your appearance.

His Highness might not like it if that happens." Hou Wei advised with a concerned expression.

Yang Ning was taken aback by Hou Wei's comment and let out an awkward laugh. While she appreciated the concern she had for her health, she didn't quite like the way it was expressed.

Why would she worry about whether Zheng Liang, her husband, would like her changed appearance or not?

"Well, I do stay active despite being indoors most of the time. Thanks for your concern but you don't need to worry too much about my health." Yang Ning reassured her.

"Plus, I'm pretty sure my husband would still love me, no matter what," she added with a casual, reassuring smile.

Xiaowei, positioned behind Yang Ning, couldn't hide her frown as she observed Hou Wei's casual and friendly interaction with Yang Ning. Even Master Jiang, who held great respect in the eyes of His Majesty and had been with Yang Ning for a more extended period, continued to maintain a more formal and respectful demeanor.

Hou Wei, a nurse who had been officially appointed just a few days ago, was already conversing with the Crown Princess in such a casual and uninhibited manner. Xiaowei couldn't help but ponder who Hou Wei believed herself to be, behaving in such a familiar way with the Crown Princess.

However, as Yang Ning remained silent, Xiaowei refrained from taking any action. Still, she couldn't help but feel discomforted by the way Hou Wei was treating Yang Ning. It seemed as if Hou Wei didn't hold the Crown Princess title in much regard and was simply following her way.

While Yang Ning didn't find Hou Wei's behavior awkward, she still felt a certain level of unease around her.

In an attempt to steer the conversation in a different direction, Yang Ning inquired, "The tray in your hand... were you headed to the Dragon Pavilion?"

Hou Wei glanced down at the tray and admitted, "Oh! How could I be so forgetful?" She shook her head to regain her focus and explained to Yang Ning, "Yes, Master Jiang had to leave the palace for some business, so I'm here to apply ointment to His Highness's wounds and bring his medicine."

Yang Ning's expression darkened upon hearing this. "You're going to apply the medicine?"