I woke up as the Villainous Empress

Zheng Liang and Yang Ning's journey back to the capital was unexpectedly prolonged by a few more days due to an ambush by masked men, causing a delay in their travels.

Upon their return, the royal court was in a state of turmoil after they found out that despite the couple's disguise, the Crown Prince and Princess were attacked outside the palace. The details of their journey to Xinling City were known to only a select few, yet someone had managed to assault them en route.

The reason behind the attack was still unknown. Was it the deed of local bandits targeting Zheng Liang and Yang Ning, or was it a pre-planned assault on the royal family?

It was still a mystery!

Thinking about the situation, people couldn't help but relate this incident to the Empress. In a shockingly brief span of time, calamity had struck the royal family not once, but twice.

First, the Emperor had been poisoned and had nearly succumbed. Now, the Crown Prince and Princess had been brazenly attacked, leaving everyone in the court stunned and bewildered by the startling turn of events.

After the Empress had been exiled, many had believed the danger was past, that the threat had been nullified.

But these recent attacks made it clear that they had been mistaken.

The lives of the Crown Prince and Princess were under threat, and it was apparent that someone was determined to strike at the very heart of the royal family.

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After Zheng Liang and Yang Ning returned to the capital, His Majesty called for an urgent royal court meeting to discuss the ambush on the Crown Princess and Princess outside the gates of the palace.

"What is happening in the palace? How can the confidential details of the Crown Prince and Princess be revealed to outsiders?" The Emperor growled at the ministers, his face turning red with anger.

Although he was still weak and in need of rest, he could not refrain from calling and attending this urgent meeting.

It was a question of the Crown Prince's safety, after all.

Emperor Zheng Huang glanced over at the ministers, who were silently standing with their heads held down. His eyes settled on his son, who was sitting in his designated seat, his face marked by scratches and a deep wound on his waist.

According to Master Jiang Tai, Yang Ning promptly applied a cloth to Zheng Liang's wound on the field to prevent excessive bleeding and administered immediate first aid using ointment powder which she had requested from him before going on the long trip in case of emergencies.

This intervention helped stabilize his condition until he received proper treatment upon reaching the city inn from the local physician.

If not for her quick thinking, his wound could have worsened, possibly causing him great harm or even becoming life-threatening in the worst cases.

Thinking about how he almost lost his son and daughter-in-law in the secret attack, Zheng Huang could not maintain his composure. "Are you all here to stand like puppets? Tell me, who did this?" he shouted angrily, demanding answers or reasoning behind the attack.

One of the ministers hesitantly looked up and responded, "Your Majesty, after we found out about this news, the royal police guards have begun investigating the matter. We will surely find some lead on it soon."

"If the police guards are going to do everything, then what are you all taking money from the royal treasury for? What have you done to investigate the incident so far?" Zheng Huang snapped, his patience worn thin.

Someone attacked the Crown Prince and Princess, yet they are treating this matter as a normal case of ambush, rather than recognizing its severity.

Yang Luoyang, who had been silently standing, glanced at the person standing in the opposite row and signaled him to speak.

Under the guidance of Yang Luoyang, the other minister gathered his courage and pursed his lips, and began, "Your Majesty, the trip to Xinling City with His Highness and the Crown Princess was a secret. Even we didn't know much about it. How could others find out about it?" he questioned.

The others nodded and other ministers started raising their voices in agreement. "Yes, Your Majesty. We believe it was local bandits aiming to rob the royal carriages. After all, despite being disguised, one carriage was especially loaded with food, warm clothes, and even expensive ornaments and jewelry."

"It might not necessarily have been a planned attack. The probability of them being mere bandits is higher," another added, trying to bring reason to the enraged Emperor's court.

Seeing everyone speaking up, Yang Luoyang's lips curled into a smirk. With a serious expression, he added, "Your Majesty, it was a great relief that His Highness and Yang Ning returned safely and unharmed. We should allow them to rest, and if you wish, I will personally look into this matter.

I will punish the families of those bandits severely so that no one would ever dare to commit such a heinous crime in the future." He said this while portraying himself as a caring and sensible person.

"There is no need, Minister Yang," Zheng Liang, who had been silently watching over the proceedings of the meeting, spoke up. He turned to look at Yang Luoyang, his eyes cold and indifferent as he continued, "There is no need for you to investigate this matter. Because I am already looking into it and will deal with the people involved myself."

He added, "Also, let me remind everyone since it seems many have left their common sense at home. The bandits in the jungles would never attack in such large numbers. There were more than 20 of them, equipped with high-quality arrows and bows."

"If they were desperate for food and clothes to fulfill their families' needs, they wouldn't be carrying such high-quality weaponry as if everything was prepared solely for this attack," he explained, looking at everyone coldly.

The ministers fell silent, and the Emperor slapped the armrest of the throne, declaring, "That's right. If their intention was to rob the carriage, they wouldn't simply attack the guards and Zheng Liang. None of them touched the luggage carriage, let alone looted anything from it.'

Zheng Huang ignored Yang Luoyang's request and turned to his son, "Zheng Liang, you will look into this matter and find the culprit behind this incident. Do not even consider giving that criminal a lighter punishment." The Emperor spoke, vesting unlimited power in his son and proving to the others that no one could dare to mess with Zheng Liang.

"Your Majesty, you do not need to worry. I will deal with this matter seriously and will report to you if I find any leads," Zheng Liang assured his father, his voice calm but firm. He did not want him to take the stress and worsen his health. He was in a recuperating phase, and getting stressed would not be beneficial for his health.

Understanding his son's concern, Zheng Huang smiled warmly, a rare expression in the court. "The meeting is dismissed," he announced, his voice resonating through the hall.

"Zheng Liang, you should go and take a rest. Master Jiang has asked you to take it easy for a few days. Also, accompany Yang Ning for the time being. She must have been quite shaken by the incident as well."

Zheng Liang bowed deeply, gratitude in his eyes. "Thank you, Father. I will follow your instructions and will take care of Yang Ning as well." After saying this, Zheng Liang left the royal court meanwhile, the other ministers lingered, their faces etched with concern, as they stayed behind to discuss the severity of the matter.

Publicly, in the presence of His Majesty, they had claimed the attack to be the work of bandits, a mere crime of opportunity. Yet, in their hearts, they all knew that this explanation was too simple, too convenient. The nature of the assault suggested something far more sinister.

Someone had initiated this attack, orchestrating it with a purpose beyond mere theft. But the question that hung heavy in the air, a question that none dared to voice, was: who could that person be?