I woke up as the Villainous Empress

139 Planned Coincidence

After the long day, Zheng Liang returned to his study room at the dragon pavilion rather than going to his chamber. He understood that Yang Ning might need some time to adjust to the new environment and it would be better for him to return to his chamber as late as possible.

Because during the parade, she was looking distressed and nervous when facing the common public. Seeing her pale complexion he could tell that she was having a hard time facing hundreds of people at once.

It was normal for her to react this way. Because she wasn’t used to this kind of environment before the marriage.

That’s why he wanted to return to his chamber later so that she could have some time to relax and freshen up his mind.

He sat on his working desk and saw the paper on which he was scribbling in the morning before leaving for the tea ceremony.

“Hmm....I wonder what is the meaning of this Male Lead. It must be a compliment, right?” He looked at his scribble on the paper on which he has repeatedly written male lead and the strange words Yang Ning has talked about in her drunken state.

The words sound similar but different at the same time. It looks like she was speaking Chinese, how come he never heard of such strange words before?

Is it a dialect of some region? However, from what he knows about her, Yang Ning has spent her whole life in the capital of the Zheng Empire and has never stepped outside the boundaries of the capital city.

How would she know the dialect of another religion then? Even he never heard such strange words despite him visiting many other different regions for the battles and training.

.....

While he was lost in his thoughts and smiling for no reason while looking at his scribble on the paper, he heard a knock on the door.

He looked up and saw Court Lady Zhu standing at the door. “Your Highness, it is getting late. I have prepared the hot water for your bath. You should take a bath first before going to bed.” She said,

“Ask Princess Yang Ning to use the main bathhouse. I will use the other bathhouse.” He said.

Court Lady Zhu pursed her lips and smiled hesitantly at him, ” Princess Yang Ning has already taken a bath. It is not in use anymore. You can rest assured and take a bath before you go to bed.” She said in her weak and hesitant voice.

She is not too old and is in her mid-40s. In terms of age, she is a few years younger than Lady Yu Ling, however, since her health is not in good condition and she frequently falls sick, she has started to look 10 years older than her age.

Zheng Liang nodded at her words and said, ” Alright. After finishing the work here, I will go and take a bath at the bathhouse.”

“Your Highness, if you delay taking a bath, the water will get cold. I will suggest that you take a bath at the bathhouse as soon as possible.” She urged him. 𝐟𝐫𝗲𝙚ｗ𝚎𝐛𝙣𝐨𝙫𝘦𝗹.c૦m

Zheng Liang raised his brows in amusement to see the way Court Lady Zhu was forcing him to take the bath as soon as possible. It was the first time he had seen Court Lady Zhu insisting him do something so passionately.

“Court Lady Zhu, is something going on? Why do you look so nervous while talking to me? You are even sweating when all the windows are open.” He asked suspiciously.

Court Lady Zhu pursed her lips in a thin line and shook her head in denial. “No! I am not nervous. It just....I am not feeling well. That is why I am sweating and stuttering so much. I apologize if it has caused trouble for His Highness.” She bowed to him and apologized for making him worry about her.

“Oh....I did not mean that.” Zheng Liang felt bad to see Court Lady Zhu apologizing to him for being sick. He cleared his throat awkwardly and said, ” Then....I will go and take a bath. You should go and rest. You do not need to help me with anything. I will take care of everything myself.” He said, sending her to take a rest rather than helping him to prepare for the bath.

She and Lady Yu Ling raised him since he was young. That is why he has an immense respect for the two of them. He cannot see them apologizing to him for something so trivial. Especially for being sick or not in good condition.

That’s why he agreed to take a bath without doubting her further and decided to be done with it as soon as possible and then go to bed.

Tomorrow is going to be a new and exhausting day after all.

Because tomorrow he and Yang Ning need to go to the Yang Household for the ceremony where the new bride visits her parent’s household with her husband for the first time.

___

Court Lady Zhu was pleased when he closed his work and stood up to go to the bathhouse. She smiled at him and said, ” Yes. I hope you will have a good time while taking a bath. Also, please be at ease, I will ask all the servants to not disturb you during your bathtime so that you can relax as much as you like.”

“Yes?” Zheng Liang looked at her in puzzlement and did not understand why she would say that to him when he is going to take a bath only. He takes a bath every day, is something special today? He wondered to himself.

However, he didn’t heed her words and walked out of the study room to take a bath at the bathhouse.

Court Lady Zhu sighed heavily after Zheng Liang walked out of the study room and she was left behind. ” Hah! I almost got caught. I wonder if Xiaowei already dealt with Princess Yang Ning.” She clutched her chest nervously and giggled suggestively before going out to meet Lady Yu Ling and Xiaowei who must be waiting for her outside.

___

Zheng Liang was wearing his bathrobe and was surprised that no maid or guard was standing on duty in the vicinity of the bathhouse. “Where did everyone go?” He wondered and decided to deal with them later.

He entered the bathhouse and after removing his upper robe when he was about to place them on the clothing stand near the entrance door, he was surprised to see a woman’s clothes on it.

He frowned and before he could understand what was happening, he heard a familiar voice shouting for Xiaowei from behind the curtains.

His eyes widened in shock when he realized that Yang Ning was in the bathhouse as well and was soaking her body in the water at the moment.

So...the bathhouse wasn’t empty!

His body froze when he caught a glimpse of her bare shoulders through the translucent curtains. Her black and silky long hair was tied up in a loose hair bun, exposing her slender neck to him.

He blinked in hesitance and his throat was feeling dry as he wasn’t sure how he ended up in this situation.

He clenched his fists and decided to pull out of this situation secretly. Now he understood the meaning behind Court Lady Zhu’s words and why no one was standing near the bathhouse.

It was a planned coincidence from the start after all.

However, before he could leave without making his presence evident, Yang Ning suddenly turned around and caught him standing there, half-naked.

___

~Present~

“Stop screaming. I did not see anything. So...stop screaming.” Zheng Liang placed his hand on Yang Ning’s mouth and begged her to stop screaming.

Being a gentleman, he didn’t look at her even once and kept his gaze to the side. However, only he knows how much determination and willpower it took him to not look to her side.

Yang Ning furrowed her brows, however, seeing the way he was not looking at her, she calmed down a little. She patted his arm once again and when he loosened his grip from her mouth, he heard her say, “Alright. I will not scream.”

“However...Pass me the bathrobe first. Also, don’t look to this side. Keep your eyes to the other side or...just close them.” She ordered him.

At this point, she doesn’t care if he is Crown Prince or what. It was his fault for barging into the bathhouse when she was using it anyway.

Her dignity is in danger, how can she keep calm?

Without realizing it, she was talking to him without using formal language and ordering him around out of habit.

Her real Fang Li was coming out now.

Zheng Liang obediently followed her instructions and without looking to her side, he walked to the clothing stand and picked up her bathrobe from it.

When it was time for him to turn around to hand over the bathrobe to Yang Ning, he heard her shout at him, “Since I cannot step out of the bathtub in this condition, you need to bring it to me.”

“Before turning around, close your eyes and then walk straight. I will direct you the way.” She said with sternness and confidence in her voice.

Zheng Liang was caught off guard by the sudden change in Yang Ning’s personality. Until now, he has seen different sides of her at times but it was the first time he had seen her talking to him in such an authoritative manner.

Does she react like this when she is in panic mode? He wondered.

It was the first time any woman has ordered him around and for some strange reason, he cannot hate her for it.

How many personalities has this woman been hiding from him? He wondered.