I woke up as the Villainous Empress

The next morning, Yang Ning woke up to find the bed beside her empty and cold, a stark reminder that Zheng Liang had departed for the royal court hours earlier. As she sat up, her body felt weak and exhausted. Remembering the events of the previous night, she pursed her lips and felt guilt wash over her for potentially ruining everything.

They finally had some quality time for themselves, making love, but she ruined everything. How could she suddenly get angry and snap at him, spoiling the mood and even crying?

"Why are my mood swings getting worse these days? Is it because my periods are approaching?" she wondered.

Whatever the reason, it was embarrassing! She had ruined everything.

With a soft sigh, she rubbed her aching temples and massaged her stiff neck. Glancing at the closed window, she noticed the sunlight peeking through. It was unusually strong, not typical for the morning sun.

"How long did I sleep for?" she wondered, feeling disoriented by the brightness filtering through the curtains.

She called Xiaowei inside, who arrived carrying a basin of warm water and a towel to assist in cleaning her face. Seeing Xiaowei, Yang Ning inquired about the time and how long she had been asleep.

Xiaowei dipped the towel in the warm water and drained the excess before gently wiping Yang Ning's face. She answered, "Your Highness, it's not morning anymore. It's already afternoon. The kitchen staff are almost done preparing lunch."

Yang Ning fell silent at this revelation. Sleeping through the entire morning and waking up in the afternoon was shocking to her.

Even though she loves to sleep, she has never slept for this long since arriving in this world. Usually, Xiaowei wakes her up in the morning by opening the window and pulling aside the curtains, or she wakes up on her own shortly after. However, this was the first time she had slept through the entire morning.
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Feeling a bit embarrassed, she pursed her lips and asked, "Why didn't you wake me up in the morning then?"

In her own world, such a situation might not have been a problem. However, in this world, there are strict rules and expectations, especially for women and for someone in her position as the Crown Princess.

Sleeping in late and waking up in the afternoon could easily tarnish her image and give rise to rumors of incompetence and laziness. Despite the absence of social media or the internet, gossip spreads rapidly through word of mouth, often with a more vicious tone in this society.

Xiaowei looked at Yang Ning with a helpless smile and explained, "Before heading to the royal court, His Highness instructed us not to disturb you and to let you sleep as long as you please."

Hearing this, Yang Ning let out a low sigh, feeling even worse about her behavior from the previous night. She had wondered if he was upset with her for snapping at him, considering he left for the royal court without saying goodbye. However, it turned out that even after her outburst, he was still considerate of her needs.

She couldn't help but feel grateful for having a husband like him. In a world where women were often treated as commodities, meant solely to please men and cater to their needs and desires, Zheng Liang stood out by treating her like a princess and prioritizing her above all else. Even after her outburst, he continued to prioritize her well-being and ensure she got the rest she needed.

Despite his status as the Crown Prince, he always prioritized her well-being above everything else. It was moments like these that made her realize how fortunate she was to have him by her side.

While Yang Ning contemplated how to apologize to Zheng Liang for her behavior the previous night, Xiaowei interjected, "Your Highness, would you like to take a bath first or have breakfast?" She assumed Yang Ning might be hungry since it was past breakfast time.

Aware that bathing would take at least an hour, Xiaowei wanted to know if Yang Ning preferred to eat before or after.

Yang Ning smiled awkwardly and replied, "I'll take a bath first. It wouldn't be appropriate to eat beforehand." She felt embarrassed, realizing it was already almost lunchtime. Eating before bathing wouldn't be proper.

However, her stomach had other plans, not aligning with her mind. Just as she opted for the bath, her stomach growled loudly, an unmistakable sign of hunger that even startled Xiaowei.

~Grrhh~

Yang Ning cursed inwardly when she saw Xiaowei struggling to suppress a chuckle. It was utterly embarrassing!

Xiaowei maintained her composure, not showing any obvious reaction, and responded with a polite smile, "Your Highness, you can stay in your chamber. I will ask someone to bring some light porridge for you to eat. Since you just woke up, it wouldn't be good for you to eat anything heavy immediately." Just as she was about to turn around, she heard Yang Ning say.

"Well, if you're bringing something to eat, bring me something delicious. I don't want to eat porridge right now. I want to have beef noodle soup. Ask the kitchen to make it a bit more spicy and flavorful," Yang Ning added eagerly. The thought of the hearty yet flavorful beef noodle soup made her mouth water with anticipation.

Moments ago, she had no appetite, but now that she mentioned it, she couldn't help but crave it. Oh, how delicious it would be!

While Yang Ning was lost in her daydreams about the beef noodle soup, Xiaowei stared at her with her mouth agape. She couldn't comprehend how her lady could eat such a heavy, oily, and spicy dish on an empty stomach right after waking up. It seemed unusual, even for someone with a hearty appetite like Yang Ning.

Despite her surprise, Xiaowei refrained from voicing her concerns and quietly left to instruct the kitchen staff to prepare the beef noodle soup as requested. The kitchen staff were taken aback by the unusual request, but with Xiaowei's authoritative presence as the personal maidservant of Her Highness, they hesitated to question it and promptly began cooking the dish.