I woke up as the Villainous Empress

94 Reverse Harem.

Zheng Liang pursed his lips in a thin line when Yang Ning said that she has a condition before marrying him.

A condition? He thought that Yang Ning doesn’t have anything to do with Yang Luoyang and isn’t greedy like her father. However, it seems like he was proven wrong once again by this girl.

Otherwise, what condition could she have before marrying him?

Is she finally showing her true colors to him? Zheng Liang squinted his eyes and observed Yang Ning coldly.

It was the first time that someone has been stating that they have a condition to marry him. Generally, they do such conversations discreetly and don’t speak so straightforwardly about their greediness and wants.

It was refreshing to see that someone has the guts to show their selfishness without hiding behind the mask of a nice person!

He had thought that the rumors about her were wrong and that she is the victim of Yang Luoyang and Chang Ah’s torture, but it seems like there are still many things that he doesn’t know about her.

“Condition? What kind of condition?” He asked coldly while looking at her with his apathetic eyes. He was dealing with a mix of emotions while listening to her words.

He was curious to see what she wanted so she came all the way to the palace to talk to him but at the same time, he was feeling betrayed by her because he thought that she wasn’t a greedy woman like the other women he had seen before.

.....

Yang Ning clenched her fists nervously under the table to see the expressions Zheng Liang darkening and took a deep breath to control her pounding heart before saying, ” Your Highness, this might be only an arranged marriage for you, but for me, it is the question of life and death.”

Zheng Liang was confused as he was not sure what she was talking about. The two families aren’t involved in war however, she was making this matter so deep and grave while talking about it.

” That’s why before marrying you, I would like you to make a promise to me.” She said,

” A promise? What kind of promise?” Zheng Liang raised his brows in curiousness and wondered with what intention did she make such a statement?

” Promise to not bring any other consort or concubine after marrying me.” Yang Ning said while looking in-depth into his eyes.

She was nervous and her hands were trembling under the table because she was negotiating with the Crown Prince of the Empire, who is unrestricted to have other consorts and concubines by the law of this world; however, she doesn’t want her life to be sacrificed because of this very reason.

If she cannot take her life to go back to her world, the least she could do is to restrict him to bring other consorts to the palace.

She already has so many things to deal with and worry about, she doesn’t want to quarrel with others because of a man who is supposed to be her so-called husband. Moreover, if he promises her to not bring other consorts after marrying her, there is a one percent possibility that he might not fall for the female lead.

Then she will not have to wait for him to slash her neck, will she?

___

“Oh!” Zheng Liang exclaimed in surprise as he wasn’t expecting Yang Ning to say that. Since having consorts and concubines is typical for the men in the royal and noble families, no one dares to oppose those unfair practices.

Generally, women never make a fuss about their husbands having other consorts or concubines because they want their husbands to be happy and satiated. As long as they were given the deserving respect and title, they don’t care much about such practices because opposing them will only bring them pain and hardships.

After how his mother was treated and had a painful death in the last moments of her life, he never intended to get another consort or concubine in the future either. Because he doesn’t want his wife to face similar hardships as his mother had to face despite being the first wife to the Emperor, who is his father.

Despite being the first Crowned Consort of his father, her mother was humiliated and looked upon by the other consorts because his father never gave her the deserving respect and she only had the nominal title.

She was the Empress but was never treated like one. Everyone mocked her because she was the Empress of the Zheng Empire and even gave birth to the successor of the Empire, yet her husband favored another consort more than her.

Her mother used to tell him that if a husband doesn’t respect his wife, it gives leeway to others to look upon her as well. No matter how high a position she holds, society will treat her according to the respect her husband gives her.

During her final moments, when she was bedridden, his father was busy enjoying his life with his other consorts. Because to him, his mother was just another woman among his consorts of his.

However, to Zheng Liang, his mother was his world and it was so painful to see his mother leaving him behind alone to deal with the cruel world.

After his mother passed away, things didn’t change for his father as he gave the title of the Empress of the Empire to his most favored consort and forced him to address her as his Mother. How can he call that woman, His Mother, who wants him to disappear from the race of succession of the throne?

That’s why he dislikes his father and never wants to become a cruel, heartless man like him. Since he is the Crowned Prince, he still has to pay him respects and look up to him for everything.

However, he doesn’t want to become a husband like him. After his mother passed away, he decided to marry only one woman in his life and will never get another consort or concubine, as his father did.

He will never be like him.

While Zheng Liang was stunned by Yang Ning’s words and was wondering what she could think to make a request like that, Yang Ning was getting nervous to see him staring at her silently.

” Why? Do you think it’s too difficult to fulfill this promise?” She asked again to see him staring at her silently. The corner of her lips twitched as she wasn’t expecting him to think so much about this request of hers.

He is the male lead of the novel. How can his heart be so weak when it comes to women? Does he want to play with other women after getting married to her?

She had never thought that he was such a player.

Zheng Liang shook his head and said, “It is not a difficult promise to make. However, I am curious why Lady Yang Ning wants this kind of promise from me?”

“Isn’t it normal for the men in the royal families and noble families to have more than one wife or mistress? Are you bothered by such long-running practice?” He asked curiously.

Has she fallen for him already that she doesn’t want him to give his attention to other women? If that’s the case, then he will gladly give her that promise and will fulfill it.

However, if she was making this kind of condition because her father has asked her to because he doesn’t want any kind of power struggle later on, then he needs to think once again about this marriage alliance.

He cannot get married to a woman who simply wants his doom and the fall of his reign.

He is ready to get her away from the traps of Yang Luoyang, however, if she is planning to follow her father’s lead and entrap him instead in his tactics, then he doesn’t need a life partner like that.

Yang Ning looked at Zheng Liang with a frown and was offended by his question. Is he in support of this disgusting practice? She wondered.

From his handsome looks, he appears to be upright and trustworthy. However, why do his words make him look more like a villain than the male lead?

” Hmm. Am I bothered by such long-running practice or not? It’s a good question indeed.” Yang Ning nodded seriously and asked him instead, ” Let me ask you one question before I answer your question. How would His Highness feel if after getting married to you, I bring other men to the palace and keep them as my second and third husbands?”

” Would you be bothered by it or would you be unbothered by it at that time as well?”

“Lady Yang Ning, Are you even listening to what you are saying?” Zheng Liang gritted his teeth and tried to control his temper as much as he could.

It was the kind of response that he had never expected to hear from her. How can she say something so shameful without even batting eyes with him?