I woke up as the Villainous Empress

2/3

Upon hearing Yang Luoyang's bold suggestion, Zheng Xiang's expression darkened, and he set down the cup of tea he had been drinking. He gazed at the man before him and spoke with indifference, his tone now cold and distant. "Minister Yang, I once believed you to be a responsible minister who served the royal court and His Majesty. However, your words suggest otherwise."

"You're criticizing your own daughter in front of me. Instead of supporting her, you're here speaking ill of her. If you can betray your own flesh and blood in this manner, how can I trust that you will support me and not betray me as well? Are you attempting to ruin my life, just as you did to my mother?" His voice grew even colder as he spoke.

Yang Luoyang's expression paled upon hearing this. Could Zheng Xiang have discovered his involvement with the former Empress? No, it couldn't be. If he had known, he wouldn't be sitting here calmly. That thought raced through his mind.

"Your Highness, you're misunderstanding me! I didn't betray the former Empress, I didn't even know that she was capable of such actions. When she was punished, even though I wanted to support her, I had no power to help her and protect her," he explained, making excuses.

Zheng Xiang glared at him and said coldly, "Minister Yang, let me make one thing clear. The former Empress faced the consequences of her own actions. Even though I am her son, I am also my father's son. I will never forgive her for betraying my father and the Empire, abandoning her morals and responsibilities for the sake of power."

"It may sound harsh, but that's the truth. She received what she deserved. It was the karma she brought upon herself."

"So your manipulation won't work on me. I don't see what happened to my mother as a tragedy; it was a fair judgment for her crimes. I don't believe in revenge, and I won't indulge any feuds you may harbor."

"I don't know about the past, but with what you just said, do you realize the implications? Are you suggesting that I betray the Crown Prince and His Majesty, committing treason to seize the throne? Are you trying to place me in the same position as my mother? Huh?"

Yang Luoyang's face drained of color upon hearing Zheng Xiang's harsh tone. This was not what he had expected. He had assumed that, like Yang Lingxin, Zheng Xiang would be easy to control and would lose his sense of fairness when instigated. But Zheng Xiang's reaction was far from what he had anticipated.

He didn't expect that Zheng Xiang would not only be difficult to control but would also counter his manipulation and interrogate him harshly.

"Your…Your Highness! Forgive me for my impudence. I didn't mean it like that. I was simply worried for the former Empress. I feared you might be treated unfairly, but I overstepped my boundaries. Please forgive me." Yang Luoyang immediately went down on his knees, begging for forgiveness.

He knew that if he didn't defuse Zheng Xiang's anger, he could be charged with plotting treason.

He couldn't afford that.

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Zheng Xiang gritted his teeth. He wanted to punish Yang Luoyang harshly, but knowing that he didn't have strong evidence at hand and that rumors of treason could spiral out of control, he held back.

If the news about Yang Luoyang plotting treason were to spread, the rumors might implicate Zheng Xiang as well, especially since Yang Luoyang had come directly to him. It was already bad enough that his mother had attempted treason; he couldn't afford to be embroiled in treason rumors once again as well.

He glared at Yang Luoyang and said coldly, "Yang Luoyang, remember my words: don't you dare go against the Crown Prince and the Princess. My relationship with my brother may not be the best, but it is our personal matter. I will not allow anyone to harm him or take advantage of our strained relationship to attack him."

"If you dare to plot against him, you will be facing me first. So don't even think about it," he warned him coldly, his eyes sharp and his voice firm.

"Now, get lost before I become even angrier and have you arrested. Don't come to me again with your manipulation games. I am not like my mother, driven by greed for power and wealth. Your disgusting tricks won't work on me."

"Also, be prepared. If I find anything faulty in the documents, I will not let you escape punishment." Zheng Xiang warned him coldly.

Yang Luoyang gulped nervously and nodded. Before the guards could come and escort him out, he hurriedly left the room. On his way out, he even bumped his shin on the edge of the table, but he didn't care. All he cared about was getting out of there as quickly as possible.

He had hoped to manipulate Zheng Xiang, but he never expected that instead of turning against his brother, Zheng Xiang would show unwavering support for Zheng Liang.

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After leaving Zheng Xiang's office, Yang Luoyang was even more distressed than before. Zheng Xiang not only had the documents that might put him into trouble, but he also knew his ill intentions against Zheng Liang.

'Damn it!' He cursed involuntarily and kicked a stone on the ground before walking towards the back side of the palace.

He couldn't waste any more time. He needed to take action right away. If he couldn't bring Zheng Xiang to his side, he would need to do something else to turn this situation in his favor. If Zheng Xiang had the documents in his hands, he also had a secret weapon of his own.

Although he didn't want to resort to using that weapon at first, now he didn't have any other options. In this cruel world, only the fittest survive. To save himself, he was willing to go to any lengths and do anything.

Anything!