I woke up as the Villainous Empress

Yang Luoyang glanced at Chang Ah with a proud smile and chuckled in embarrassment at Zheng Liang’s passing comment and said in his defense, “It took me years to build this household from a single chamber to its current position. It was all because of years of hard work.”

” I am honored that His Highness acknowledged my efforts and liked this place.” Yang Luoyang buttered him and tried to make a good impression in front of him.

He was aware that Zheng Liang had been keeping him and his activities in check and was suspicious of him for his corruption and schemes to gain more power in the royal court.

He knows that Zheng Liang will not be impressed by his words but considering his royal title, he cannot come into his bad side as well.

It doesn’t harm anyone to wear a mask of ignorant.

Zheng Liang smirked at Yang Luoyang’s eloquent words and nodded in understanding before saying, ” When I visited Yang Household last time, I almost assumed that Minister Yang had been going through some difficult times.”

“Otherwise, why would you give a chamber that is no less than a dirty and gloomy storehouse to your eldest daughter, who is betrothed to the Crown Prince?” He questioned while taking a sip of his tea.

Yang Ning was enjoying the snacks that Xing Bao had prepared for them as she wasn’t interested in the mind fight of men. However, when she heard the provocative and straightforward words of Zheng Liang, she choked while eating the mooncakes and coughed aggressively.

.....

She wasn’t expecting him to attack Yang Luoyang directly. If she had known that this is how this ceremony was going to be, then she wouldn’t have eaten anything and sat there like a mannequin to avoid choking on food like this.

It’s funny to watch Yang Luoyang getting flustered but it is embarrassing to choke while eating something in front of everyone!

Seeing Yang Ning choking on the snacks, Xiaowei hurriedly handed a glass of water to Yang Ning and helped her to drink it. However, Yang Ning cleared her throat and shook her head, and said, ” It’s alright. I am fine now.”

” I simply choked on it for a moment. You do not need to worry so much.” Yang Ning said to Xiaowei and asked her to return to her position.

However, Zheng Liang didn’t listen to her excuses and took the glass of water from Xiaowei and handed it to Yang Ning forcefully and said, ” Even though you should drink some water. Otherwise, you will choke again while eating.”

Yang Ning was speechless at the way Zheng Liang was taking care of Yang Luoyang and Chang Ah. Her ears turned scarlet red in embarrassment as she meekly nodded at him and drank the water as he asked her to.

Yang Luoyang pursed his lips to see the way Zheng Liang was taking care of Yang Ning. He was annoyed by him the way he was taking her side, however, it was good for him.

If Yang Ning manages to keep him under his control, then things would become easier for him.

Now he needs to bring Yang Ning under his control and everything will be alright.

He smiled to see the two getting along so well and said, ” Your Highness, I am so glad that you are taking such good care of my daughter.”

” Because of you I can be at rest and will not need to worry about my precious daughter. She is my one and only daughter after all.” He commented to cover the previous accusations of Zheng Liang and ignore his question as if it never existed.

Chang Ah, who was sitting next to him couldn’t help but scoff at his words. Yang Ning might be his one and only daughter but he never treated her like one.

To him, Yang Ning was no less than a burden on his shoulders. However, as she grew up to become a beautiful lady, he realized her worth and in what way she could come handy to him.

More than his precious daughter, she was his ladder to reach his goals. Yang Luoyang is her husband who treats her well but sometimes he amazes her as well.

How can a father be so cruel to his daughter? To her, Yang Ning is another woman’s daughter who resembles her mother.

That’s why she loathes her so much.

Whenever she looks at Yang Ning, who turned to become a beautiful and elegant lady after growing up, she is reminded of her insecurities and realizes how she doesn’t fit into the picture of a noble lady.

Nobleness is something that one cannot get from learning. It comes naturally to oneself from birth and Yang Ning not only has the beautiful, soft features of a lady which she inherited from her mother but also had all the qualities to become a noble lady and the Crown Princess.

Yang Ning spent her childhood receiving hate and loathing from her and Yang Luoyang, yet she grew up to become a beautiful and elegant noble lady.

How can that be possible? She did all sorts of cruelties to ruin her reputation, yet she managed to get married to the Crown Prince and look happy with him.

That’s why she hates her even more. Because she doesn’t deserve to be happier and live a better life than her.

Yang Ning might be her stepdaughter, but to Yang Luoyang, she is his daughter whose blood is running in her veins. How can he treat her so cruelly and not think about her well-being for once?

She was glad that she gave birth to a son who will inherit the name of Yang Household in the future. Otherwise, she fears that her daughter’s condition would have ended up like Yang Ning’s if she had failed to give him a son as well, just like his ex-wife.

...

While Chang Ah couldn’t help but glance at Yang Luoyang upon hearing his words, Zheng Liang once again gave him a befitting response to his words, ” Ah, looks like Minister Yang treats all the precious things so carelessly. That’s why you never cared about your eldest daughter who almost died because of your neglect.” He attacked him again, not giving him any leeway to escape from his argument.

He wasn’t planning to bring that issue to this meeting. However, after coming to the Yang Household, all the memories of that night came flooding into his mind.

It angers him, even more, when he thinks about that night and remembers that Yang Ning almost died that day if Xiaowei had not gone out in the middle of the night to call and look for help. Yet they forced Yang Ning to attend his birthday celebration banquet the next day.

It shows how much he cared for her and treated her preciously.

After doing all sorts of things, how can he come up to him and act like a loving father who treats his daughter lovingly and treasures her like a precious gem?

Yang Luoyang pursed his lips when he heard Zheng Liang’s provocative words and felt difficult to control his emotions. He clenched his fists before controlling his expressions and smiling at him and said, ” Your Highness, how can you say something like that?”

“Didn’t I tell you that it was all a misunderstanding? Also, Yang Ning was staying in that chamber temporarily. After that, she was moved to another chamber which was bigger than that one.” Yang Luoyang said.

“Everyone in the capital knows how much Yang Ning is dear to me, it isn’t right for you to blame me for something untrue.” He made up an excuse in his defense.

Zheng Liang scoffed at his words to see the way he was trying hard to protect his reputation. He had already heard everything from Lady Yu Ling.

If not for her, Yang Ning would have spent the remaining days before the wedding at the Yag Household in that small, gloomy chamber.

” I was simply stating my opinion on what I saw the other day. If you feel offended by my words, then I will stop this discussion here.” Zheng Liang said.

Yang Luoyang’s expression turned gloomy at the cheeky behavior of Zheng Liang. Instead of apologizing to him for his rude remarks, he said that he will stop the discussion.

Hah! It was clear that he still does not believe his words and simply tries to brush off the topic without digging more into it.

While Zheng Liang was playing with Yang Luoyang’s patience, Yang Ning was enjoying this free show while having tea and some delicious snacks.

It was amusing to see Yang Luoyang getting tormented like this. She should enjoy this moment to the fullest and not miss any chance to see him getting humiliated like this.

It will surely bring peace to Yang Ning, who was tortured by him her whole life.