I woke up as the Villainous Empress

Just like Yang Ning, he couldn\'t forget her words. She warned Yang Ning that she would meet her demise by someone whom she holds dear. If it had been about him, he would have ignored it and thought that it must be the doing of his enemies to scare him away.

But this time, the situation was different. The woman\'s target wasn\'t him, but Yang Ning. He couldn\'t dismiss it lightly. Above all, he wanted to protect her from any harm that might come her way.

Drawing a deep breath, he gently planted a kiss on Yang Ning\'s forehead, whispering, "I will never let anything harm you. As long as I live, I will protect you from any danger that approaches. I promise."

___

The following morning, Zheng Liang rose early to prepare for the day\'s court session. He left instructions with Xiaowei to let Yang Ning sleep in. Considering the stress she endured the previous night and the time it took for him to soothe her to sleep, he wanted her to have plenty of rest.

He hoped she could rest sufficiently, leaving behind the gloominess of the previous night, and begin the day with a fresh smile and renewed spirit.

In the main hall of the royal palace, the morning court session was set up like usual. His Majesty and Zheng Liang assumed their respective seats. The ministers, aligned on both sides of the hall, settled into their designated spots, ready to address the numerous cases that had accumulated for discussion.

While everyone held their documents, gearing up for the commencement of the court meeting, two individuals in the royal court wore somber expressions, looking as though they hadn\'t had a peaceful night\'s rest.

Zheng Liang cast a sidelong glance at the two individuals with grim expressions, arching an eyebrow in response. While he had an inkling as to the cause of their unease, after all, he was the cause for their gloomy expressions. He was intrigued to see how events would unfold.

"Begin the court session. For the morning session, we shall address the pressing cases concerning crimes against women in the capital. Subsequently, we will move to the other criminal matters, reserving discussions related to tax and revenue for the evening," His Majesty announced, marking the commencement of the royal court proceedings.

Yang Luoyang, seated to the right of His Majesty and occupying the foremost position among the Ministers, closest to the throne, rose to his feet and interjected, "Your Majesty, there\'s a crucial matter we must address immediately."

Zheng Huang arched an eyebrow and inquired, tapping his fingers on the armrest of the throne, "An important matter? What could be so pressing that it cannot await the conclusion of the court session and must be discussed openly before all?"

With a straightened posture and a grave countenance, Yang Luoyang replied, "Your Majesty, there\'s a pressing issue that demands your immediate attention. Last night, someone dared to threaten the authority of the throne." His revelation sent ripples of alarm through the hall, prompting a murmur of hushed discussions among the attendees.

Zheng Liang frowned and wondered what scheme Yang Luoyang was playing this time. He was aware that nothing good came out of Yang Luoyang\'s mouth without a hidden agenda. There must be a scheme behind all this talk.

"What? Who dares challenge my authority within my empire?" Zheng Huang\'s face flushed with fury. It had only been a few months since the Empress was exiled, leaving the palace in a state of unrest and turmoil. The audacity of this new affront deeply troubled him, further destabilizing an already fragile peace.

Yang Luoyang wore a determined expression as he spoke, "Your Majesty, last night someone attacked the youngest master of the Qin Family. Minister Qin and his eldest son, Qin Shen, have been serving in the royal court for a long time. Yet, someone dared to go against them and attacked their youngest son in front of everyone, during the Spring Carnival festival yesterday."

"Attacking him or anyone who works at the royal court in front of everyone is not a minor matter. It is akin to an attack on Your Majesty, the sovereign authority of the Zheng Empire," Yang Luoyang informed solemnly.

Murmurs of shock and concern echoed throughout the hall. Many officials exchanged glances, trying to piece together what they had just heard. Some whispered among themselves, speculating about the culprits and the reason behind such a bold act.

Those seated beside Old Minister Qin and his eldest son, Qin Shen, turned to offer their condolences. Some gently patted their backs in a gesture of comfort, while others whispered words of sympathy and encouragement.

Zheng Huang frowned at Yang Luoyang\'s words and then turned his gaze to Minister Qin and his eldest son. He narrowed his eyes and asked in a cold and stern tone, "Minister Qin, is it true? Did someone attack your son last night?"

The old man, Minister Qin, pursed his lips, feeling nervous under the scrutinizing gaze of His Majesty. Considering the miserable state of his son from the previous night, he had no other choice but to explain, "Yes, Your Majesty. Someone not only attacked him but also broke his arm and beat him severely, leaving him with extensive injuries."

Zheng Huang\'s expression darkened as he asked in a cold, authoritative tone, "Why did they do that? There must be a reason behind such a violent act. Explain."

Minister Qin pursed his lips and found the situation perplexing. His son had remained tight-lipped about the incident, and given his inclination for trouble, he suspected that his son might have provoked someone. However, as a father, he couldn\'t stand by and do nothing.

He was determined to seek justice and ensure that the person who dared to go against the Qin family faced consequences for their actions.

Before Minister Qin could gather his thoughts, Yang Luoyang interjected, "Your Majesty, the sole motive behind this assault was clear. By targeting Minister Qin, a respected member of the royal court, the assailant aimed to challenge Your Majesty\'s authority indirectly."

"From what I have heard, the man who attacked Qin Cheng didn\'t have the looks of a local; they appeared as strangers as if they did not belong to the capital city. I am concerned that they might be spies from another kingdom who infiltrated our territory to gather information for shady purposes," Yang Luoyang added.

"Not only that, the assailant attacked him from behind and threatened everyone present, preventing them from uttering a word to anyone. They nearly took Minister Qin\'s youngest son\'s life, Your Majesty.

Please grant us justice, ensuring that no one can attack a member of the royal court, noble, or minister working for the royal family, nor dare to question your authority," Yang Luoyang pressed his case.

"Your Majesty, I implore you to ensure that those criminals who dared to attack a noble, meet the harshest punishment, nothing less than a death sentence," Yang Luoyang concluded firmly.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Please punish the criminals who attempted such a heinous act," echoed the other ministers, showing their support for Minister Yang\'s plea.

Zheng Liang chuckled upon hearing Yang Luoyang\'s words. "Minister Yang, you certainly have a wild imagination. A spy from another kingdom, you say? Do I look like a spy to you?" he quipped with a wry smile.

Yang Luoyang: "???"