I woke up as the Villainous Empress

Chapter 360 I had promised her.

While Zheng Xiang was already taking command of his position as the Financial Inspector and had ordered Yang Luoyang to send over the financial records to his office, Zheng Liang, on the other hand, was lost in puzzlement about what had happened the previous night.

After the morning royal court session, he didn't return to the chamber to accompany Yang Ning for lunch. Instead, he stayed back at the Main Palace to have lunch with his father.

In the dining room, while eating, Zheng Huang glanced at his son, who seemed lost in thought and barely touched his food. "What is bothering you so much that you aren't even eating?" he asked, initiating the conversation.

There weren't many occasions where his son accompanied him for a meal. Typically, when Zheng Liang joined him for lunch, Yang Ning would also be present, steering the conversation and making the mealtime more enjoyable. However, it was surprising that his son had suggested joining him for lunch without Yang Ning present.

Thinking that Zheng Liang had something on his mind, Zheng Huang agreed to eat with him. However, from the moment they entered the dining room until they almost finished their meal, Zheng Liang remained silent and lost in his thoughts.

The silence was so palpable that Zheng Huang almost forgot he wasn't eating alone. What was the point of dining together if Zheng Liang treated him as if he didn't exist?

After much consideration, Zheng Huang decided to initiate conversation, only to be ignored by his son. When Zheng Liang failed to respond, Zheng Huang scoffed in disbelief and placed his chopsticks loudly on the table.

~Thump~

Zheng Liang finally came to his senses and noticed his father, who had already put down his chopsticks. Curiously, he asked, "Father, are you finished eating already? Well, you can go ahead. I will stay here for some more time before going to study." With these words, Zheng Liang finally took a bite of the food from his plate.

In stark contrast to his father's almost empty and clean plate, Zheng Liang's plate was still brimming with food, indicating that he had barely touched anything.

Seeing his son not only ignoring him but also attempting to send him away before he had finished his meal, Zheng Huang was enraged. He sat back in his chair and glared at his son, who was behaving unusually.

"You... If you didn't want to have lunch with me, then you shouldn't have suggested it. How can you ignore me and embarrass me like this after inviting me for lunch? What could possibly be occupying your thoughts to the extent that you can't even focus on eating?" Zheng Huang snapped at him coldly, his frustration evident in his tone. This sharp rebuke made Zheng Liang realize his rude actions.

Zheng Liang cleared his throat awkwardly and said, "I wasn't ignoring you. I just didn't hear what you said. I apologize for my rudeness." He spoke sincerely, acknowledging his mistake.

Seeing his son sincerely apologize and take responsibility for his actions, Zheng Huang felt his anger dissipate. He looked at Zheng Liang with a gentler expression and asked earnestly, "Still, did something happen? Why do you look so lost today? Even at the royal court meeting, you seemed distracted and barely paid attention to the discussion.

Did you and Yang Ning have a fight?" He resumed eating as he awaited his son's response.

Unlike his son, who was barely touching his food, Zheng Huang remained focused on eating and emptying the plates. Occasionally, he even placed some vegetables and meat pieces on Zheng Liang's bowl, reminding him to eat properly.

Zheng Liang paused in his actions upon hearing his father's words. He couldn't shake off the memory of Yang Ning snapping at him last night and later bursting into tears. Though they often argued about various matters, it was the first time she had used such an irritated tone with him, and it was weighing heavily on his mind.

He couldn't help but wonder if he had done something wrong. 'Was it because I snatched her book? Or is it because I haven't been giving her enough time lately? Or... does she not like me anymore? Am I not attractive enough?

Does she prefer Zheng Xiang over me now?' He mulled over all sorts of ridiculous possibilities to try to understand her behavior.

After all, this change in Yang Ning's behavior occurred after Zheng Xiang arrived at the palace. When he came, Yang Ning seemed overjoyed to meet him. She didn't smile this brightly when she saw him for the first time, but when she saw Zheng Xiang for the first time, even her eyes were smiling.

She looked so radiant and charming while smiling. Is it because of him that Yang Ning doesn't like him anymore? Zheng Liang wondered, unsure if his so-called brother was causing trouble in his life again.

Upon seeing Zheng Liang's silence in response to his question, Zheng Huang understood that something must have happened between him and Yang Ning. He let out a helpless sigh before casually remarking while eating, "So you fought with Yang Ning!" He said it with a sense of certainty.

Zheng Liang looked up at his father and shook his head, "It's not like that. Please don't think too much about it."

Zheng Huang didn't look at him as he added, "I am not thinking too much, but you are. I don't care if you fight or not, but just remember one thing. If you dare to hurt my daughter-in-law, I will not stand idly by. In any circumstance, I am standing behind her. So mind your actions carefully."

"Don't think that she is alone. Also, do not even think about pursuing other women. I made a promise to Yang Ning that I will never allow you to bring any other woman into your life. So don't you dare," he said coldly, surprising Zheng Liang.

"What? She even took that kind of promise from you? When?" Zheng Liang was shocked. He had only thought that Yang Ning had taken this promise from him, but he never expected that his father had also made such a commitment to her.

The Emperor's promise is like a vow that cannot be broken. How could his father have made such a promise to Yang Ning, and when did all of this happen? He wondered.

After finishing his meal, Zheng Huang signaled to the maid standing nearby to bring digestive and fragrant tea to conclude the meal. Once he had wiped his mouth, he looked up at Zheng Liang and began recounting the events.

"It was a few months ago when she saved you from the assailants during your return from Xinli City. You were nearly stabbed to death by the enemy and she saved you. How can I not show my gratitude to her?"

" In gratitude, I called her to my chamber to offer my sincere thanks and asked if she had any requests or wishes that I could fulfill. It was then that she made her only demand: that I promise not to take any other consorts or concubines for you. Considering your life had been in danger and she had played a crucial role in saving you, I readily agreed to her request and gave her my word."

"I have always held affection for her, but after she made that request, I realized the depth of her care and love for you. It was then that my regard for her deepened even further."

Zheng Liang's expression darkened further as he pondered the situation. Recalling their relationship at that time, he acknowledged that although they had been growing closer, their marriage had not yet been consummated, and they weren't as emotionally connected as they are now.

Considering this, he couldn't help but wonder why Yang Ning had chosen to make such a request to his father when he had already promised her the same thing before their wedding. Had she doubted his sincerity in fulfilling his promises? Or did she have other reasons for her actions? These questions weighed heavily on his mind, leaving him feeling unsettled and perplexed.

"Why did she ask you for that promise? Did you say something to her at that time?" Zheng Liang inquired, his brow furrowed in confusion.