I woke up as the Villainous Empress

"I never knew you liked eating this much," Zheng Liang said, catching the pillow with amusement in his eyes.

Yang Ning was startled to find Zheng Liang standing at the entrance, holding the pillow against his chest, his lips curling into a knowing smirk.

She immediately closed her mouth and blinked her eyes, wondering, 'Did he hear everything I said earlier?'

She gulped nervously, fretting that he might have overheard her stressed-out ramblings and would uncover her secret, one she had not shared with anyone yet.

"You...when did you come back?" she asked, hesitantly and stuttering.

Zheng Liang walked towards her, stuffing the pillow into her hands, and leaned closer, surprising her with their sudden proximity. "I arrived when you were wishing for a long life and savoring delicious food. I never knew you loved food so much that you pray for it when you're alone," he teased.

"Other than living longer and eating delicious food, were you praying for something else as well?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Yang Ning bit her lower lip, relief blossoming into a smile on her face. Thankfully, he hadn't heard her entire babble.

That's good.

She cleared her throat, pushing him slightly away, and declared, "Of course. I prayed to become the richest and most powerful woman in the entire world."

"And what do you plan to do after becoming one?" he asked, surprised by her response.

"I will..." She thought carefully before saying, "I will buy more delicious food and show off to those pretty noble ladies who mocked me at your birthday banquet before our wedding." She spoke casually, unable to think of anything more profound.

Because, in her view, there was nothing more interesting to do in this world anyway.

She wanted to say that she dreamed of traveling the world, shopping in malls without care for price tags, and enjoying lavish dinners in five-star hotel restaurants without ever worrying about the final bill.

However, those luxuries were nonexistent in this world, and she dared not mention travel, for the thought of enduring a compact carriage ride and risking her life again filled her with dread. That experience had been more frightening than exciting.

Zheng Liang chuckled, amused by her continued grudge, and sat next to her on the bed. "Well, you already are rich and powerful. You're the Crown Princess after all. Show off your power as much as you wish," he shrugged, encouraging her to use her royal title and wealth to her heart's content.

Yang Ning chuckled at his serious expression, playfully pushing him away. "Stop joking with such a straight face. If I flaunt my status to those noble ladies, what will people say about you? That you married a woman who lacks the elegance and grace to be a Crown Princess?" She huffed, shaking her head at the thought of public ridicule.

Her reputation was already tarnished in the public eye. Did he want to make it even worse?

Zheng Liang looked at her, smiling, and said, "Well, aren't you the most powerful woman in the world? Don't you know how to silence those who speak ill of you?" His voice took on a serious tone.

Reflecting on it, his blood boiled at the memory of how the noble ladies had shunned Yang Ning at his birthday banquet, speaking trash about her.

Even after she married into the royal family, they excluded her from gatherings, making her an outcast in elite social circles.

Though they were obliged to show her courtesy as the Crown Princess, it was clear to everyone that Yang Ning's reputation among the nobles was far from favorable. They had not accepted her as the Crown Princess, and some even mocked her, suggesting that she would be replaced when Zheng Liang chose to bring another consort into the fold.

Yang Ning was well aware of her current standing among the nobles, but she didn't dwell on it much. She turned to Zheng Liang with a serious expression and said, "Forget about all that. I'm glad you're here. There's something I need to talk to you about," her voice laden with gravity.

Zheng Liang, who had been playfully toying with the hem of her dress, looked up at her, his brows lifting in curiosity. "What is it?"

Yang Ning bit her lower lip, taking a deep breath before facing him squarely. "I have something to confess," she said, her eyes locking onto his.

"Confess? What is it?" he asked, his playful demeanor replaced by genuine concern as he noticed the seriousness on her face.

Upon hearing Zheng Liang's words, Yang Ning's eyes wavered with hesitation, but she knew that the longer she delayed, the more complicated the situation might become.

More importantly, she didn't want to continue lying to him or keep him in the dark.

He had disliked Yang Ning in the past because she had always lied to his face and never revealed that she was acting on Yang Luoyang's instigation. Had she come clean to him then, the situation might have been different.

"I didn't meet Hou Wei in Xinling City when you were inspecting the shops. I lied earlier," she finally confessed, her voice filled with a mix of relief and trepidation.

Zheng Liang was surprised that she would suddenly bring up this matter, but he didn't interrupt her, allowing her to finish her thoughts.

Seeing Zheng Liang's silence, she panicked and hurriedly explained, "Actually, on our first day in Xinling City when you were dealing with other matters and I was at the residence, I wasn't sleeping the whole day. Instead, I sneaked out from the royal residence secretly in the afternoon without telling anyone. I was touring the local market and the beach."

She lowered her head, feeling guilty for lying to him until now, and didn't dare to meet his eyes. She feared she might see disappointment in them.

"I met Hou Wei at that time. She was arguing with a man who was leaving without paying at a shop and treating the elderly shop owner disrespectfully. Seeing no one helping Hou Wei, who stood up to protect the woman, I couldn't stand idly by and helped her out. That's how we met."

"Earlier, that is probably why she reacted so shocked. Because that day I was wearing Xiaowei's clothes, and she must not have expected to see me here."

After finishing her words, a long, uncomfortable silence filled the chamber. Yang Ning clenched her fists in hesitation and looked up cautiously. "I'm sorry for sneaking out of the royal residence secretly and lying to you. This lie has been making me feel uncomfortable for the past few days, and lying to you didn't feel right. So I had to—"

Before she could complete her words, a pair of soft lips suddenly met hers, silencing her with a passionate kiss.