I woke up as the Villainous Empress

These days Yu Ling has become stricter with her when it comes to her training of becoming the Crown Princess as the day of the royal wedding approaches.

“Why does it feel like I am being punished more than getting a training session?” Yang Ning groaned tiredly as she put down the brush aside and stretched her numb fingers and sore neck.

She has been doing this for the last three hours and lets out a deep breath when it is finally completed. ” Ah, Finally! Why is the book of rules and regulations of the royal palace so thick anyway?” She shook her head in disbelief while comparing the thickness of the book with her fingers.

Since the day of the royal wedding approaches, she has been doing all sorts of things these days. Two days ago, Yu Ling has put her on a strict diet as she needs to lose weight for the big day to look pretty.

Not only that, but while being on a diet, she also needs to learn all sorts of things before entering the palace. As the day of the royal wedding approaches, she is now realizing how big of a decision it was to get married to the Crown Prince of the Empire.

Getting married to someone is a big decision in itself. However, she isn’t getting married to just anyone but the male lead of the novel and the Crown Prince of the Empire, who is going to become the Emperor in the future.

Her sole purpose in getting married to Zheng Liang was to protect herself from getting killed by the end of the story and not lose her chances to go back to her world.

Because she can go back only if she is alive. Right? She thought to herself.

.....

.

While she was questioning her decision to get married to Zheng Liang and was wondering if it was too late to back out from it, Xiaowei knocked on the door before entering the chamber and informed her that Lady Yu Ling had asked her to come to Yang Luoyang’s study room.

Yang Ning let out a heavy sigh before she followed Xiaowei to Yang Luoyang’s study room. ‘What does she want me to do this time?’ She wondered while going to the study room upon being summoned by Yu Ling.

‘I hope it’s not another etiquette training session. I am tired of it now. ‘ She thought to herself while going to the study room.

___

“What? Am I alone here?” Yang Ning murmured under her breath as she took her seat once she reached the study room of Yang Luoyang study room and waited for Yu Ling to arrive.

It was the same study room where Chang Ah’s maid, Xing Bao was punished and she created a huge drama last time. She cannot believe she was here again.

After Yu Ling confronted Yang Luoyang, he stopped interfering in matters related to Yang Ning, at least for now. As for Chang Ah, even if she wants to create problems for her, she is too intimidated by Lady Yu Ling to do anything against her.

That’s why even if she sometimes wants to send Lady Yu Ling back to the palace, she is bearing with all of her hellish training sessions because she has controlled the crazy Yang Family under her claws.

Yang Ning frowned to see the study room empty as Yu Ling hadn’t arrived yet. Xiaowei is standing outside as servants aren’t allowed to come inside the study room until they’re asked to do something

She crossed her arms in front of her chest when Yu Ling didn’t come even after some time. She was getting impatient now.

“Ah! I should have come after taking a short nap. I am feeling sleepy with no one here.” Yang Ning yawned tiredly as she was getting bored while waiting for her.

She has been forced to wake up early in the morning and get ready so that she could follow the schedule of Yu Ling’s training sessions. That’s why she was feeling sleepier while being alone in the study room which is extremely quiet and filled with the distinct smell of books and papers.

Just as she was yawning and stretching her arms, the door of the room was suddenly pushed open, which startled her. “Oh My!” She exclaimed in surprise.

However, she almost fell from her chair when she found Chang Ah standing at the door instead of Yu Ling.

What was she doing here? She wondered.

A frown appeared on Yang Ning’s forehead and pursed her lips awkwardly when she had an eye-contact with Chang Ah.

Just like Yang Ning, Chang Ah was as shocked to see Yang Ning waiting for her in the study room. She didn’t come here to meet Yang Ning, instead, she was called by Yu Ling to meet her.

What was happening here? She wondered.

Stuck in an awkward situation, Yang Ning cleared her throat and adjusted her posture which Yu Ling taught her to maintain when meeting with someone. She straightened her back and placed both of her hands on her knees in a proper position.

“You’re also here. Please come in.” Yang Ning pursed her lips and faked a smile while confronting Chang Ah.

Although they have been living in the same household, these days she doesn’t get to see Chang Ah as much as before.

Because Chang Ah cannot come to her chamber to nag her anymore, meanwhile, Yang Ning hasn’t stepped out of her chamber for the past month.

Chang Ah awkwardly smiled back at Yang Ning as well and went to take a seat opposite her. Both of them were smiling but their eyes were revealing that none of them was pleasant to see each other in the study room.

” I came here because lady Yu Ling asked me to come here. You’re here for....” Yang Ning hesitantly asked the reason Chang Ah came while trying to be as polite as ever and not cause any trouble for herself.

” I came to meet Yu Ling as well. Why hasn’t she come yet?” Chang Ah pressed her lips in a thin line when Yu Ling didn’t arrive yet and was making them wait for her.

They are her masters. How can a maid make them wait for her?

Just as both of them were wondering when will You Ling will arrive, the gate of the study room was opened once again.

Yang Ning turned around and smiled brightly to see Lady Yu Ling who finally arrived.

She sighed in relief as she was getting tired of the suffocating atmosphere in the room.

Yu Ling smiled to see Yang Ning and Chang Ah both in the room. She walked inside the room and took a center head seat at the table naturally to face and talk to the people who were looking awkward around each other.

Chang Ah pursed her lips when Yu Ling casually sat at the head seat at the table which belonged to Yu Ling.

She is just a mere court lady but she acts as if she belongs to some great household.

“Lady Yu Ling, why did you ask me to meet here? If you had something to talk to me about, you could have come to my chamber.” Chang Ah expressed her unpleasant feelings.

What does she think of herself asking her to come to the study room?

Yu Ling glanced at Yang Ning before answering Chang Ah’s question, ” I asked Mrs. Yang to come to the study room because I have some things to discuss with you.”

“I believe that it would be better for Lady Yang Ning to join the conversation as well. It is related to her after all. That’s why I asked both of you to come to the study room.” She said,

Yang Ning raised her brows and wondered what is the thing that Lady Yu Ling has to discuss together with them.

“What..What is it about?” Chang Ah asked in hesitance, wondering what could it be that Yu Ling has been acting so mysteriously. Because whenever this woman talks about anything, it has never been good.

Yu Ling leaned on the table and looked at Chang Ah coldly in her eyes before saying, ” While I was checking the list of the gifts that were prepared to be sent to the royal palace after the wedding, I found out about something.”

Chang Ah’s face paled when she heard the words of Yu Ling. Why does it feel like she knows what she is going to talk about?

Yang Ning raised her brows and asked in confusion, ” What did you find out?”

Yu Ling’s lips curled up in a smirk before she looked at Chang Ah and said, ” Mrs. Yang, weren’t you in charge of arranging the gifts that are going to the royal palace along with Lady Yang Ning after the wedding?”

“So? What do you want to say about it?” Chang Ah scowled and asked in irritation. Why is she so meddling in her affairs?

“While inspecting the gifts that have been prepared to be sent to the royal palace after the wedding, I found out that many of the mentioned gifts in the list that Minister Yang has given, are missing from the storage room where the gifts have been kept.”

“How come only the expensive and precious gifts are missing from the list?” Yu Ling asked coldly as she questioned the intentions of Chang Ah, causing her complexion to become dull.