I woke up as the Villainous Empress

When Yang Ning suddenly confessed that she had sneaked out of the royal residence in Xinling City without informing anyone, Zheng Liang was taken aback. He wasn't expecting that she would suddenly reveal everything to him.

Along with sneaking out of the royal residence, she also told him about how she lied to him about being in her chamber and sleeping all day because she was feeling unwell due to the long-exhausting journey. She also revealed her venture to the local market with Xiaowei and explored the city and market without any guards accompanying her.

Back then, she didn't realize the danger of leaving the royal place without guards. But after seeing the unexpected attack on their way back to the capital city, she understood why what she did was seen as reckless and extremely dangerous.

If someone had found out that she was the Crown Princess and attempted to hurt her as the group of black-masked bandits attacked their carriages, no one would have known where she was or been able to help her timely.

When she thinks about it, a cold shiver runs down her spine. She was lucky that no one found out who she was, or she could have been in big trouble.

Zheng Liang, who was well aware of the whole situation and had seen Yang Ning in the market the very same day, chose to remain silent and listen to her confession with a slightly guilty smile on his face.

When he chose to remain silent after finding out her secret, he was curious to see whether she would ever come forward with the truth or continue to dodge the issue. Throughout this time, he just sat back and watched her try to cover up her secret with these super obvious stories.

He knew the truth, but he kind of enjoyed seeing how far she would go with her tall tales. It was clear she wasn't good at lying. She would make up excuses that were hard to believe and seemed to think people would buy them.

Watching her lay everything bare, he was touched by her choice to embrace honesty. He always believed that transparency and truth are the pillars of a resilient bond. Yang Ning's revelations were more than just confessions; they were a testament to her trust in him, a gesture of valuing their bond, and a hopeful step towards rekindling the warmth in their relationship.

A gentle warmth spread through him, knowing that, just as he felt, she too was keen on mending and nurturing their bond, with a hint of a deeper connection on the horizon.

"I'm sorry for sneaking out of the royal residence secretly and lying to you. This lie has been making me feel uncomfortable for the past few days, and lying to you didn't feel right. So I had to—" As Yang Ning was speaking, Zheng Liang was wholly captivated by her.

He couldn't take his eyes off her, a faint smile playing on his lips as he observed her explaining everything with a hint of guilt and embarrassment. She had her head lowered in hesitation and embarrassment, but his eyes were only staring at her in a daze.

A rush of emotions overpowered him.

Her words became distant echoes, his focus drawn to her rosy lips. Without a moment's hesitation, he leaned in, capturing her lips with his in a passionate embrace while interrupting her words.

"Wha—!" Yang Ning's eyes widened in astonishment, wholly unprepared for Zheng Liang's sudden advance. But before she could process what was happening, his hands were cradling her face, sealing their lips together in a desperate bid for a deeper connection.

Yang Ning could feel the wall of hesitation around her falling apart, all reservations vanishing. Her hands clung to his shoulders, then tangled in his hair, urging him closer, deeper.

"Mmm," As the kiss intensified, a raw, vulnerable sound slipped from Yang Ning's throat. It was a raw confession of desire and need. Lost in the passion, her fingers raked down his chest, clutching at his clothes in desperation.

Every touch, every sensation was electric.

Every touch was like a soft caress of a summer breeze in this icy cold winter weather. Her hands trembled, not from fear but from the heady rush of sensations. Far from resisting, she yearned for it, craving even more of their deepening connection.

"Damn it." Driven by her reactions, Zheng Liang whispered the words against her lips, allowing his hands to wander with a bold and purposeful touch.

He was relentless, hands tracing the arch of her back, descending daringly, making her body respond in ways she hadn't anticipated.

Daring to venture further, his hands glided from her back to her waist, and then to the front, gently caressing her breast through the layers of fabric. "Umph!" Her heightened muddled gasps and moans only fueled his boldness.

Pulling back just enough to gaze into her eyes, he saw the raw desire mirrored back. Her once-neat hair now tumbled in disarray, stray strands framing her face and adding to her sultry allure. Her cheeks flushed a deep shade of crimson, tempting him to tease her further, just to witness that irresistible look of longing on her face.

"I never knew you could sound like that," he murmured, each word heavy with unspoken desire. Meeting his intensity with a sultry smirk, she replied, "There's so much more you have yet to uncover about me." Her voice, though breathless, held a playful hint of coyness.

The huskiness of his laughter was cut short as he captured her lips again, the urgency unmistakable. Her words acted like kindling, intensifying the flame of desire within him.

Encouraged, his touches grew bolder, moving with a deepening intent, no longer restrained by any boundaries. His hands, once gently caressing her breasts, grew bolder, exploring and caressing her mounds and pinching them over the fabric without reservation or restraint.

Lost in the intensity of the moment, Yang Ning suddenly became acutely aware of their surroundings. Glancing around, she noted the sun's rays filtering in, "It's too soon for this. It's still daytime," she murmured, her voice a blend of longing, urgency, and hesitance of embarrassment.

Zheng Liang smirked, reaching out to gently caress her flushed cheeks with his thumb. Whispering in a raspy voice, each breath heavier than the last, he said, "At this moment, all I see, all I crave, is you.

I don't need to go to court; day and night mean nothing now." Before she could voice any further reservations, he silenced them with a fervent kiss, both surrendering to a passion so intense it felt almost blinding.