I woke up as the Villainous Empress

The horse carriage that they rode yesterday was an open carriage with two horses leading the carriage and has two large wheels in the back. There was a seating arrangement in the back and they sat on the carriage together for the parade.

They could see the people who came to watch them and interact with them.

However, the horse carriage that had been prepared for them to ride to the Yang Household was different from the carriage they rode yesterday. Unlike the open-horse carriage, it was surrounded by a fine-material wooden box-like structure and protected from the outside world.

To enter the carriage, there was a small gate on the side which has a shutting door as well. There was a small window in the carriage as well that had been covered with a small curtain.

Other than it being enclosed, it was similar to the horse carriage as yesterday.

Zheng Liang glanced at Yang Ning who seemed surprised to see the enclosed carriage that they are going to ride together to the Yang Household. “Yes. Is there any issue, Yang Ning?” He asked while addressing her using her name, catching her off guard.

Yang Ning’s cheeks blushed in embarrassment when he called her name in front of everyone and she could feel all the guards and court ladies’ eyes on her. She has been hearing him calling her Yang Ning since last night but it still feels awkward and strange whenever he uses her name only.

She pursed her lips and leaned closer to Zheng Liang and whispered in his ears, ” Your Highness, didn’t you say that we’re allowed to address each other informally when we are alone? How can you call me using my name in front of everyone?”

.....

After what happened last night, all the court ladies and maids were giggling and got embarrassed when they saw her in the morning. Seeing the court ladies giggling like this, it isn’t strange to conclude that all of them must know what happened last night.

Seeing their strange smiling faces, everyone seems to know that last night, she and Zheng Liang were in the bathhouse and stayed there for quite some time.

Last night, when Zheng Liang left the bathhouse wearing the half-opened bathrobe, the doubts that court ladies and the maids had, all vanished in an instant and mischievous rumors are now spreading around the dragon pavilion and the palace.

She used to think that the people of this world are quite conservative and shy. However, the way they like to talk about someone else’s private life and marital affairs, they surely aren’t innocent either.

She was already feeling embarrassed because of their giggles. If he calls her using her name and addresses her affectionately in front of everyone, it will give them another reason to tease her and laugh about it.

Zheng Liang chuckled when he heard the concern in her voice and said, ” From the public, I mean when we are at the royal court posing as the Crown Prince and the Princess. However, at the moment we’re going to the Yang Household as husband and wife and not the Crown Prince and the Princess.”

“If you wish to, you can also call me by my name. I already told you that I do not have any problem with it.” He whispered back in her ears, causing her to flinch at his deep and low voice.

‘Why does his voice sound so seductive while whispering?’ Yang Ning’s ears turned crimson when he whispered in her ears and blew air in her ears, causing her to flinch back due to the strange sensation that she felt from his intimate action in front of everyone.

They aren’t doing anything but why does she feel so embarrassed? Since when she started to get shy over small things like these?

“Also, these are all guards and court ladies who serve us. They are ‘our’ people. There is no need to feel embarrassed in front of them. If any of their actions make you feel uncomfortable, you can deal with them on your accord. You’re the Mistress of the Dragon Pavilion after all.” He said aloud so that everyone could hear his words and will mind their manners in front of Yang Ning after this so that she will feel less awkward around them.

He could see that Yang Ning still feels hesitant to order any of the court ladies to ask them for help with anything. That’s why she mostly asks Xiaowei to assist her with her affairs.

As the Mistress of the Dragon Pavilion, she needs to get comfortable enough with them to order them around and lead them in the household management work. The servants follow the lead of their Master after all.

From now on, the Master of the Dragon Pavilion will be Yang Ning. They need to learn it sooner and follow her orders without any questions.

...

The court ladies and the guards who were pretending to be invisible suddenly felt called out in public. They straightened their postures and the smiles on their faces disappeared and everyone put on their poker face expressions.

Although they were standing there to see Yang Ning and Zheng Liang depart to the Yang Household, they couldn’t help but feel excited to see the closeness between the newly married couple. Looks like they were too excited for Yang Ning and Zheng Liang to notice their giggles and smiles.

Gu Lan who was standing with the other guards couldn’t help but let out a sigh to see Zheng Liang threatening the other guards and court ladies indirectly.

He has also heard the rumors about the last night but seeing the way Zheng Liang was whispering to Yang Ning’s ears, they appeared to be closer than before and could see the evident change in the way Zheng Liang behaves these days.

Who would have thought that one day he will be witnessing Zheng Liang with a woman and smiling around her rather than having a poker face like usual?

He has changed a lot.

___

“Your Highness, we have reached.” Once the carriage came to a halt, the man who was riding the carriage announced that they had reached their destination.

Yang Ning pursed her lips when she heard that they had reached Yang Household. The place she never wanted to return to.

She took a deep breath and prepared her heart to see the people she loathes the most.

She gathered her long and heavy skirt and prepared to get off the carriage. However, before she could step down from the carriage, Zheng Liang got off first and stretched his hand in front of her so that she could hold onto him while alighting from the carriage.

Her lips curled in a smile to see him acting like a gentleman. No man has ever treated her this way.

Before this, she never had time to date nor anyone considered her as a woman before.

Because all the boys she knew, they always considered her as their competitor or out of their leagues because she was an outstanding athlete who had received immense attention from the public.

After spending her whole life alone, it feels strange to get someone’s attention like this but at the same time, it feels nice.

It makes her feel that she is special and not just a villainous character in this so-called fictional novel world.

‘Everything feels like a fairytale.’ She smiled and hesitantly placed her hand in Zheng Liang’s hand and was about to step down the carriage when he suddenly grasped her waist.

She squealed in surprise when rather than letting her step down using the steps of the carriage, he held onto her waist and carried her down in front of everyone.

What happened to the conservative Crown Prince who likes to follow palace rules? How can he carry her in front of everyone like this?

Not only Yang Ning but the other guards and servants who followed them to the Yang Household were shocked as well to see them showing affection in public.

Her cheeks blushed in embarrassment when she heard everyone’s hushed gasps. However, she was also surprised by the way he looked so unbothered by everyone’s shocked reaction as if nothing had happened.

Before Yang Ning could get over the shock, Zheng Liang smirked at her and said, ” It was faster this way. That’s why!”

Yang Ning: “.....”

She couldn’t help but scoff at his ridiculous excuse. How much time would it have taken for her to step down the carriage herself?

He is not the same innocent Male lead anymore.

Hmm....the way he treats her these days is extremely nice and sweet. Just the way he used to treat the female lead in the novel.

‘Don’t tell me....is the story taking a different course just because she changed a few things of the usual plot?’ She wondered.

She didn’t even make any grand changes to the story. According to the story, she got married to Zheng Liang and Yang Luoyang still tries to manipulate her.

However, she did make small changes by standing against Yang Luoyang and the wild bear incident. In the novel, it was Zheng Liang who killed the bear and saved the people of the capital. This time it was she who killed the wild bear and saved Xiaowei and the people from the killing spree of the wild bear.

Also, unlike Yang Ning, she isn’t follow the words of Yang Luoyang blindly and has stood against him rather than supporting him. Is it because of those things that the story has changed so much?

Rather than staying in separate chambers, she is staying in his chamber and sharing a bed. What more shocking can be than this?

If things are moving in her favor, then what will happen to the Female Lead when she appears in the story in the future? What will happen to the love story of the female lead and the male lead then?