I woke up as the Villainous Empress

"Thump, thump," the forceful banging on the door echoed through the room, shattering the intimate ambiance they had built. Zheng Liang's brow furrowed in frustration as he directed his gaze toward the source of the disturbance.

The abrupt interruption disrupted their passionate moment, leaving both Zheng Liang and Yang Ning momentarily disoriented.

Their desires were abruptly halted, replaced by a sense of annoyance and inconvenience.

"Who could be so insistent at this hour?" Zheng Liang muttered, his irritation evident in his voice.

After tirelessly working day and night for the past few days, he has finally returned to his chamber, only to find that these people not only deny him the rest he desperately needs at night but also deprive him of precious private time with his wife.

He contemplated ignoring the disturbance, hoping it would subside on its own.

Zheng Liang looked at Yang Ning and said, "Don't worry. They will leave if I do not respond to them." He assured her, his voice filled with confidence and a hint of annoyance.

However, just as he was about to join her in bed and savor their intimate moment, another resounding bang on the door shattered their tranquility, mercilessly interrupting their cherished connection.

~Bang, bang!~

Zheng Liang's frustration grew, and he reluctantly moved away from Yang Ning, realizing that he couldn't ignore the disturbance any longer.

Awkwardly, Yang Ning pursed her lips and hesitantly draped herself with her nightgown.

She whispered softly in a low voice, "Perhaps you should go and speak with them. It might be something important."

Like him, Yang Ning experienced deep disappointment when their intimate moment was abruptly interrupted.

It was a challenging process for her to open up and embrace her current reality. Finally, she had begun to embrace the excitement and thrill of their marriage life, only to have someone intrude and shatter the pivotal point of their joyous occasion.

'What a timing!' she sighed, expressing her disappointment.

Do the people in this world not understand the concept of privacy? The door is closed and locked from the inside; don't they realize it's inappropriate to disturb a married couple?

Instead of enduring continuous disturbances and having their special moment ruined, wouldn't it be better to address the situation by engaging in a conversation and resolving it promptly?

That's precisely why Yang Ning suggested that Zheng Liang handle the person standing outside the door first, to swiftly deal with the interruption and restore their uninterrupted time together.

Zheng Liang wore a frown upon hearing Yang Ning's suggestion for him to engage with the person outside.

They had been making progress in strengthening their relationship, and she had been gradually opening herself up to him. However, it was precisely at that moment when the person chose to disrupt their privacy.

Instantly, anger surged through Zheng Liang, causing his face to turn a fiery shade of scarlet. In that intense moment, he harbored a strong desire to kill the person who dared to disturb them at such a crucial and intimate time.

Frustration clenched his fists tightly as he growled, "What? Who is it?"

Gu Lan stood outside, trembling in fear at the sound of Zheng Liang's thunderous shout.

Unlike the other guards, who were petrified by Zheng Liang's intimidating growl and stationed outside to protect the chamber, Gu Lan cleared his throat and summoned the courage to deliver the message he had come for.

"Your Highness, it's me!" he called out from outside.

Zheng Liang, filled with disdain for Gu Lan's audacity to disrupt his mood, let out a scoff. Taking a deep breath, he bellowed, "What are you doing here at this hour? Leave! I will deal with you tomorrow." He gritted his teeth, his frustration evident in his voice.

He had hoped that Gu Lan would depart, allowing him to spend the rest of the night with Yang Ning. Despite knowing that he would have to rebuild the atmosphere and mood once more, he believed it would not be wise to let this night pass without taking any action.

To Zheng Liang's surprise, Gu Lan didn't leave and instead shouted once more, "Your Highness, I apologize for disturbing you during the night. However, I have come with an urgent matter that cannot be postponed."

"Please come outside for a moment." He requested.

Yang Ning let out a sigh of resignation upon witnessing Gu Lan's persistence. She sat down on the bed and re-tied the strings of her nightgown that Zheng Liang had undone earlier.

Casting an indifferent gaze at Zheng Liang, she spoke, "You should go now. It seems he has come for a matter of importance."

Zheng Liang could discern the disappointment in Yang Ning's eyes and the coldness with which she addressed him.

Helplessly, he let out a sigh and directed a glare of anger toward the door. However, acknowledging that it must be a matter of importance, he reluctantly turned around, picked up his upper robe, and proceeded to open the door.

__

Outside the door, Gu Lan was in a state of panic, nervously pacing back and forth in front of the chamber, anxiously awaiting Zheng Liang to come.

From the tone of Zheng Liang's voice earlier, it was apparent that he was quite angry with him. Nevertheless, Gu Lan had no choice but to approach and disturb him at this inopportune hour.

"Your Highne-" Gu Lan turned around to greet Zheng Liang, but his words caught in his throat when the door of the chamber swung open.

The sight of Zheng Liang's darkened expressions and his loosely draped upper robe, hanging on his shoulders, caused Gu Lan to swallow his formal greeting, sensing the tense atmosphere that engulfed the room.

It didn't take him a moment to comprehend why Zheng Liang appeared exasperated and irritated by his interruption.

As he watched Zheng Liang stride out of the chamber and shut the door behind him, Gu Lan pursed his lips in apprehension.

Zheng Liang swiftly secured his robe, casting a resentful glare at Gu Lan before questioning, "What could be so crucial that you felt compelled to disturb me during the night? Didn't I explicitly instruct you not to disturb me at this hour?"

"Can't you comprehend human language?" He lashed out, striking at Gu Lan in frustration.

Gu Lan's eyes wavered in hesitation as he mustered the courage to explain, "Your Highness, please pardon me for disturbing you at such a late hour. However, there is an urgent matter that requires your immediate attention."

Zheng Liang pursed his lips and took a deep breath, collecting his thoughts as he made his way toward the study room in the Dragon Pavilion.

Once seated at his working desk, he glanced up at Gu Lan, gesturing for him to proceed. "Speak now," he urged him.

"I have received an urgent report from the Ministry of Weather and Rain," Gu Lan conveyed, his tone filled with importance.

"According to their analysis of the cloud formations and movements, they predict that heavy rainfall is imminent in three to four days' time, expected to persist for at least a week."

""That is precisely why," Gu Lan continued, "They had suggested that if we intend to send Her Maje…Lady Yang Lingxin to the mountains, it is imperative that she depart early tomorrow morning accompanied by the guards."

"This way, they can evade the potential dangers posed by the impending heavy rain and storms and also reach the residence in the mountains timely." He explained.

Zheng Liang pursed his lips, deep in contemplation as he weighed the circumstances at hand.

The presence of the traitor within the palace couldn't be tolerated for much longer, and if they failed to send Yang Lingxin to the Cold Palace tomorrow, it would delay her relocation by at least another week.

With growing concern, Zheng Liang recognized the potential for increased turmoil within the palace if Yang Lingxin continued to reside there.

He understood that her prolonged stay could disrupt the functioning of the royal palace and even pose a threat to his majesty's security.

Yang Lingxin's departure was scheduled after a few days. However, concerning the urgency of the situation, it seemed that they needed to consider her shifting to the mountains tomorrow morning.

Engrossed in reading the report sent by the Ministry of Weather and Rain, Zheng Liang studied it carefully, his gaze unwavering as he absorbed the details.

After perusing the document, he looked up at Gu Lan with a resolute expression. "Very well," he declared. "Arrange for the traitor's departure tomorrow morning. Compile a list of trusted guards who will escort her promptly."

He no longer referred to Yang Lingxin as "Lady." Instead, he acknowledged her with the title she had earned through her betrayal—the traitor.

"We cannot tolerate the presence of the traitor within the palace for any longer," Zheng Liang asserted firmly.

"Wake all the ministers immediately and instruct them to make the necessary preparations without delay." His orders were resolute and carried an air of urgency.

"Yes, Your Highness!" Gu Lan promptly acknowledged, displaying his obedience and determination to carry out Zheng Liang's orders. With that, he swiftly departed to execute the assigned tasks.

After Gu Lan left the study room, a sigh escaped Zheng Liang's lips as he wearily rubbed his forehead, burdened by distress.

If it weren't for the pressing urgency of the matter, he yearned for the opportunity to create cherished memories with Yang Ning.

However, in order to address the situation involving Yang Lingxin, he had to make the difficult decision of letting Yang Ning spend the night alone.

Yang Lingxin's actions not only shattered his political life but also disrupted his marital bliss, causing a deep sense of resentment within him.