I woke up as the Villainous Empress

Zheng Liang's eyes were filled with passion as he looked at Yang Ning with an intense gaze. He was just about to lean in for another kiss when a knock on the door abruptly interrupted their tender moment.

"Knock, Knock."

A deep furrow appeared on Zheng Liang's forehead when their intimate moment was interrupted once again. How is it that every time he and Yang Ning are about to grow closer, someone comes to disrupt their moment?

Who exactly is conspiring against him, trying to keep him from the happiness and heavenly pleasure he seeks in his life?

Yang Ning was also taken aback by the sudden knock on the door, but unlike Zheng Liang, who was busy frowning, she couldn't help but chuckle at the unexpected twist of events.

Zheng Liang had been getting cheeky, craftily creating this opportunity by asking her to read him a book and enticing her to sit next to him on the bed. However, all of his efforts were thwarted when his happiness was shattered by a mere knock at the door.

"Pfft!" Yang Ning couldn't contain herself and snickered out loud, quickly covering her mouth in amusement.

Zheng Liang glared at her, his frown deepening, and pinched her chin. "Do you think it's funny? Is it amusing to douse my feelings with cold water every time?" he questioned, clearly annoyed at how his plans always seemed to fall apart.

Yang Ning chuckled and shrugged her shoulders, gently pushing his hand away from her face. "You should ask your dear guard about that. He seems to have something against your happiness," she said, without hesitation throwing Gu Lan under the bus.

That man had always demonstrated hostility towards her. Although he had stopped being suspicious and rude, she could see that he hadn't fully accepted her as Zheng Liang's wife and the Crown Princess.

If he didn't like her, she felt no obligation to be nice to him. After all, she wasn't lying; she was simply stating the truth.

Zheng Liang frowned and nodded in agreement. It was indeed Gu Lan who always interrupted their moments. He realized he needed to have a serious talk with him this time.

"Your Highness, Master Jiang has requested your attendance." When no one responded to his knock, Gu Lan, who was standing outside, shouted through the door, informing Zheng Liang of Master Jiang's arrival at the Dragon Pavilion.

Yang Ning glanced towards the closed door of the chamber and smirked. "See, it's him again. You should go; it must be some urgent matter," she said. However, her eyes danced with a sneering amusement, teasing him for being interrupted by his guard every time.

Zheng Liang's frown deepened. He wanted to continue with their intimate moment and forget about everything else. But given that it was Master Jiang who had come to visit, he knew he had no choice but to reign in his emotions.

Taking a sharp breath to regain control, he gently helped Yang Ning adjust her dress before straightening his robe and getting off the bed.

___

Gu Lan, who was waiting for Zheng Liang to appear, turned towards the door when it opened from inside. "Your Highness, Master Jiang—" He abruptly swallowed his words, anxiety creeping in as he was met with Zheng Liang's dark and gloomy expression.

He pursed his lips, taking in Zheng Liang's ruffled hair and ominous expression. It was clear that the timing was less than ideal. Nervously, he swallowed again and cleared his throat before continuing, "Master Jiang has come to meet you. He's waiting for you in your study," he informed him.

Zheng Liang's frown deepened. "After Master Jiang leaves, come to my study. We need to talk," he said coldly.

Gu Lan's lips parted, but he remained silent. Damn! He knew he was in trouble, but how was he supposed to know if the timing was right or not?

Zheng Liang was about to step out of the chamber to go to his study when Gu Lan remembered Master Jiang's message and hastily said, "Your Highness, Master Jiang requested to meet the Crown Princess as well."

Upon hearing this, Yang Ning, who had been fixing her clothes at the mirror table, walked towards the door and glanced at Gu Lan. "Master Jiang has asked for me too? Is it something important?" she inquired.

Before Gu Lan could answer her question, Zheng Liang simply made room for Yang Ning to stand beside him and gently removed his warm, thick upper robe to drape it over her shoulders.

Yang Ning, who hadn't wrapped herself in a shawl because she was indoors, was touched by his thoughtful gesture. He knew her body chilled easily, and with the chamber door opening, the icy wind from outside could invade their warm, heated room, making her cold.

That's why he covered her shoulders with his upper robe, made from a special material designed to provide warmth and comfort in the icy-cold winters of the capital. This gesture of his not only warmed her cold body but touched her heart as well.

Gu Lan watched the exchange between the two and cleared his throat awkwardly before answering Yang Ning's question, "Yes. Master Jiang mentioned that he wants to introduce someone to you, and he has been waiting for you and His Highness in the study room."

Yang Ning frowned and asked in confusion, "Introduce someone to me? Who could that be?"

"That… I don't know about that," Gu Lan answered with hesitance.

Zheng Liang glanced at Yang Ning and turned to Gu Lan, instructing, "Tell him to wait a few minutes. Yang Ning needs to wear warm clothes before leaving the chamber."

Gu Lan understood his meaning and hurriedly ran off to deliver the message to Master Jiang. As he took long strides toward the study room, he couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

Why did he always manage to interrupt at the wrong moment? He knew Zheng Liang would surely give him an earful for disturbing him once again. He sighed heavily, weighed down by the inevitability of the upcoming reprimand.