I woke up as the Villainous Empress

” I wish I could lie like this all day long.” She closed her eyes and murmured with her eyes closed. She wants to sleep peacefully without getting disturbed by anyone and does not want to follow this strict routine every day.

Because if she follows this strict palace schedule every day, her energy will wear out sooner rather than later.

After performing the tea ceremony in the morning, she and Zheng Liang went on a parade around the capital. For the parade, they rode a horse carriage which was decorated with flowers, and satin clothes were wrapped around the carriage in a decorative way to make it more beautiful and festive.

Their horse carriage was followed by guards who were on their horses and some were walking along with the pace of their carriage. There were some court ladies as well who were walking alongside them to serve Yang Ning and Zheng Liang throughout their journey and assist them if they needed any kind of help.

The musical band was walking along the horse carriage of Yang Ning and Zheng Liang while holding their instruments. They were beating the chinese drums loudly to announce the arrival of the royal carriage and playing musical instruments to celebrate this joyous moment.

It was no less than a grand festival celebration where hundreds of people came to only get a glimpse of her, the new bride of the royal family.

Yang Ning has walked around the capital with Xiaowei a few times in the past. However, it was her first time witnessing so many people standing together and staring at her.

Seeing the crowd, she could say that almost all the people of the capital were out on the streets who had come to witness the parade of the royal couple who had recently tied the auspicious knot.

.....

Wherever they were going, people were cheering their names and chanting Zheng Liang and her name together.

It reminded her of her peak time as an athlete and reminded her about her unmatched popularity in the field of sports and archery.

Throughout her life, she has lived under spotlights and was used to seeing such a vast crowd who comes to cheer on her matches or even block her way when she goes to the airport or any public places.

She never felt uncomfortable about such situations in the past. However, now she was feeling nervous with everyone’s attention on her.

Because it didn’t take long for that popularity to suffer a major hit and turn into hate and loathsome.

It wasn’t even her fault. She didn’t do anything wrong or unethical, yet she was called with all kinds of names.

Even her other team members turned their backs on her and rather believed in the fake report than believing her words.

There wasn’t a single person who believed that she was being honest and never cheated in the match.

It was at that moment she realized that people will always support you in your best moments. However, in the worst times, you are on your own.

You can either collapse and break into pieces or toughen your heart and rise again like a sun that beats the darkness and comes to light.

It’s up to you!

___

Thinking about the consequences of being so popular, she couldn’t help but retract her eyes from the people and lowered her head down like a coward.

‘How fickle humans can be. At one moment, they will treat you so nicely and warmly. However, they will backstab you and will call you a loser and liar when you expect the least from them.

Who would have expected that she would be framed by her roommate cum best friend? How humiliating!

While so many wild thoughts were running inside her head, Zheng Liang who was sitting next to her, noticed her looking down and could see her trembling hands.

He was surprised by the way she was getting anxious in front of so many people. A while ago, she was humoring His Majesty as if they are long-lost friends.

When everyone gets scared to speak in front of His Majesty, she was speaking just fine in front of him.

However, when they were out to meet the common people and greet them, she was shaking like a scared cat and was looking miserable.

He grasped her hand and squeezed it lightly and said, ” Lady Yang Ning, you do not need to worry about anything.”

” You do not need to force yourself to smile if you don’t want to.” He said and asked her to calm down, rather than forcing herself to do things that she doesn’t want to do at the moment.

“Ah! No....it’s not like that.” Yang Ning shook her head, feeling embarrassed that he caught her acting differently. She doesn’t want to make her nervousness noticeable but looks like he noticed the slight changes in her behavior.

She looked at his handsome face and noticed concern for her in his eyes. “Thank you for your concern. However, I am feeling better now.” She said,

She was indeed feeling better than before. The way he was rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb, distracted her from the wild thoughts that were running in her head and eased her anxiety.

” I am glad.” He smiled at her. However, throughout the whole journey, he didn’t leave her hand and kept massaging her hand as if he had forgotten to retract his hand.

Meanwhile, Yang Ning couldn’t help but stare at his hand that was holding onto her hand. Her cheeks were blushing and her lips curled up in a gleeful smile at his small yet attentive gesture.

How can he be so handsome yet attentive? As expected of the Male Lead!

___

“Milady, I have prepared the water for your bath. You can change into your bathrobe.” Xiaowei entered the room and saw Yang Ning lying on the bed with her eyes closed. She placed the bathrobe on the table for her and went ahead to help her to get up and change into it.

After changing into her bathrobe, Yang Ning sighed tiredly and looked at her dull complexion in the mirror. ” In just one day, my skin has become like this. If this continues, I will soon look twice my age.”

“Milady, you should not speak such words. You are beautiful and will become even more beautiful in the future.” After today’s incident, Xiaowei started to address Yang Ning as Milady again when they are alone, however, they decided that in public, she will call her ‘Her Highness’ only.

“How so?” Yang Ning asked sarcastically while Xiaowei helped to open her hair bun.

Xiaowei giggled at her lady’s question and said, “They say when a woman is being loved by her husband, her skin brightens and she looks beautiful and happier than before. I am sure His Highness’s love will make you look even more beautiful in the future.”

“Tsk. Yeah, Sure.” Yang Ning scoffed at her words and couldn’t help but laugh at this notion. If that’s the case, then all those people who are not in love will become the ugliest person on this planet.

Her past self was one of them as well. Ugly and Single.

In that case, all the make-up companies should shut down, because their cosmetics cannot provide the glow that a man’s love can do.

____

After the chit-chatting, Yang Ning went to the bathhouse with Xiaowei. They were about to go inside when Xiaowei suddenly halted in her steps and said, “Milady, I forgot to bring the turmeric paste for your bath. You should go inside and soak your body in the warm water while I go and bring the turmeric paste for your bath.”

” You don’t have to. I am not intending to take a proper bath. I just want to soak my body in the water for a while and that’s it. We took a long time to take a bath in the morning anyway.” Yang Ning waved her hand and did not want her to bother with such a trivial thing.

“No! You shall not do that.” Xiaowei shouted.

Yang Ning blinked her eyes at her loud reaction and couldn’t help but wonder why she was getting so emotional about it. “Why are you getting so serious about it?” She asked in confusion.

“Ah, I mean, You are the Crown Princess of the Empire, how can you take a bath with warm water only and not use the turmeric paste to clean your body? It is not appropriate.” Xiaowei blabbered and did not know what nonsense she was spouting.

“Eh? Well, if that’s the case...then go where you want to go. I’ll go inside and soak in the water first then.” Yang Ning said and went inside the bathhouse alone.

“Finally!” Xiaowei sighed in relief when Yang Ning went inside the bathroom first without her assistance. She giggled and happily went back to her work.