I woke up as the Villainous Empress

After hearing Yang Ning's words, Zheng Liang fell silent and was lost in thought. Seeing him like this, Yang Ning panicked, worried that he might become angry with her for planning this without discussing it with him first.

In this world, the treatment of women and men isn't the same, particularly when it comes to societal expectations. Working women face shame and criticism here, and as the Crown Princess, Yang Ning's case would be no different. Even though she will be managing everything without leaving the palace, her association with the business will still be noted.

Despite Zheng Liang treating her well and sparing her from social pressures, there might still be aspects that could trouble him. While she's fortunate to have a husband with a progressive mindset compared to others of this era, there could still be matters he finds challenging, despite his openness.

From what she has heard, even Madam Guo had to endure significant struggles and fight against her family and in-laws to establish her business in the early days. Explore more stories with empire

Despite coming from a business family background, she faced obstacles because men are typically expected to inherit family businesses while women have to fight for every opportunity.

Now, she has become successful in her business, everyone looks up to her with respect. But there was a time when everyone looked down on her for daring to engage in business and enter what was considered a man's world.

When Madam Guo had to struggle a lot to convince her family in the initial days, Yang Ning couldn't be too certain that her own working life would be smooth sailing either. It seemed that even Zheng Liang had things he couldn't accept, especially her decision to work with Madam Guo to sell beauty products.

Seeing him silent, she pursed her lips and said in a low, hesitant voice, "Zheng Liang, please don't be mad. I didn't tell you earlier because I wasn't sure about this plan and was still thinking about it. I was going to tell you anyway before finalizing everything and signing the contract."

Seeing him still not responding, she reached out and gently held his hand in hers, her expression turning dejected. "Alright. If you don't like it, I won't do it. Your happiness means more to me than anything else. Even though I want to pursue this opportunity, if you don't support it, then I won't do it," she said softly, her voice tinged with disappointment.

Her eyes glistened with tears, but she didn't cry; instead, she held back her emotions, feeling as if she had been wronged.

She made the most vulnerable expression she could muster, resembling a poor kitten drenched in heavy rain. Dejectedly, she turned to put away the contract papers on the side table when Zheng Liang gently held onto her hand.

He looked at her with a frown and asked, "What are you doing? Did I say anything?"

Seeing her puzzled expression, he sighed and reached out to cup her face, gently caressing her cheeks with his thumb. "Do I seem like a petty person to you? Have I ever stopped you from doing anything? Huh?" he asked, his tone filled with affection.

"How could you think that I would get angry at you over this matter?" he continued, noticing her lingering confusion. With a sigh and a smile, he gently poked her head with his finger, as if scolding a child. "Why do you overthink things? I didn't say anything earlier because I was thinking how you're going to manage everything in this condition."

"You're carrying a life inside you, and if you're planning to work with Madam Guo, you cannot handle all the work alone in this condition," he reasoned, his concern evident in his voice. "After all, you will need to produce a large quantity of products to sell, and to do that, you would need help."

"I was simply thinking of a way to find some people to assist you with this work. That's why I didn't say anything earlier; I was trying to figure out a solution," he explained, revealing his true thoughts to her.

Though when he heard her words at first, he was shocked and worried about her decision to work with Madam Guo. However, he has seen Yang Ning handling the work.

He has observed Yang Ning proficiently managing the palace budget, presenting detailed reports, and implementing policies for employee welfare, resulting in enhanced efficiency.

This shows that she isn't like the other princesses who lead a royal lifestyle with ease and enjoy power. They mostly stay within the palace walls, engaging in social events and idle chatter with other women. However, Yang Ning is not like that. She is a brave, strong, and skilled woman who can pursue whatever she desires. She is destined for more significant endeavors.

She can do more and sometimes better than any man. The way she prepares monthly reports is far superior to how the previous advisor of the Empress presented them. Her documents are meticulously arranged, detailed yet concise, and, most importantly, she is dedicated to her work without being driven by greed for power or title.

Seeing her capabilities, how could he have the heart to stop her from working? Although he is concerned about her health and how she will manage everything, since she has thought about it, he will support her decision.

Just as she supports him in everything he does, he will do the same for her. He wants to be a source of light in her life, not a hindrance.

___

Yang Ning was surprised to hear his thoughts. She had assumed that his frown and silence indicated anger; she hadn't expected that he was contemplating how to lessen her workload by hiring more people.

She had been prepared to use her coaxing skills to convince him, but it turned out she didn't need to convince him at all. This man was already considering her needs before she even voiced them.

She looked at him with gentle eyes and hugged him tightly. "Zheng Liang, thank you for believing in me and supporting me. I promise you, I will never let you down and will make this business successful. Other businessmen from neighboring kingdoms will come to partner with me," she said happily while embracing him tightly.

Seeing his wife praising herself shamelessly, Zheng Liang couldn't help but chuckle. He rubbed her back gently, maintaining his hold on her, and said, "Okay. I'll look forward to that day then."

"Now sit up straight. I'm worried that your stomach will get squeezed like this," he said, gently separating her from him.

Observing her caution and concern, Yang Ning chuckled and replied, "What are you afraid of? The child won't get squeezed if we hug like this. We can not only hug but also do other things," her voice becoming low and embarrassed as she spoke.

"Don't worry! Hou Wei has informed me about everything. I can even take a walk and continue my work as usual. Also… after the first three months, we can even…" Yang Ning's face turned crimson as she mentioned the information provided by Hou Wei, feeling embarrassed.

Zheng Liang's eyes widened in shock. "WHAT? How could you even think of that when you're in this condition? We have to be careful, no matter what. Do you see me as some kind of animal, unable to control myself for a few months? Are you worried that I might seek comfort elsewhere because we won't be able to do it for some time?" he asked, his disbelief evident, feeling hurt by her lack of trust.

Observing his exaggerated reaction, Yang Ning sighed and shook her head in disappointment. She took a deep breath before explaining again, "What nonsense are you thinking? I am not suggesting that you won't be able to control yourself during this time."

"I was simply saying that it's possible as long as we remain careful and use certain positions," she explained shyly, avoiding eye contact with him.

"And who said it's only for you? Did you know that women become more sensitive during this time and crave pleasure more than usual? Do you think only you have desires? What about me? Am I not human? Or do you see me as some kind of animal for mentioning it?" she retorted, glaring at him, feeling annoyed by his reaction.

She had been embarrassed when Hou Wei told her about it, but she was slightly relieved to hear it. After experiencing the pleasure of intimacy, it felt like torture to not do it for the next few months.

Intimacy was like an addiction. It was fine to go without it, but once experienced, it became irresistible. Especially with a husband like Zheng Liang, whose body was like a work of art, how could one not crave it?

She had been serious and thought it would be good news for him too, yet here he was, suddenly bringing up moral values and self-control out of nowhere. Hmph!