I woke up as the Villainous Empress

Chapter 20: Banquet IX

” It...It wasn’t me. Really!” Yang Ning tried to clarify and pursed her lips in embarrassment and could feel her face burning up in embarrassment.

Even if she makes a stupid excuse, it will be of no use. Why did the music have to stop at that very moment?

If not for that, then nobody would have heard it and she would be able to move on as if nothing happened. Argh!! Why? Why? Whyy??

While Yang Ning was having an internal breakdown, she heard Zheng Liang say that caught her off guard, ” I never said that it was you.”

Yang Ning: “...”

Before she could process why Zheng Liang was trying to be nice to her, she heard him say, ” Even though there is some time left before the feast, you can still have some fruits and tea. Will...that be alright for you?” He asked hesitantly while keeping his stoney face intact.

Yang Ning was surprised to see how hard he was trying to maintain his cool demeanor in front of her. That’s what it means to be a Male Lead. Always handsome and cool.

.....

” Ah? Yes! Would that be alright? Thank you.” Yang Ning wasn’t stupid to reject his kind offer. She is f*cking hungry for straight two days. Even a paper will taste like a rice cracker to her at the moment.

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” It’s not enough but I hope you enjoy it.” Zheng Liang said as he arranged a variety of fruits and a cup of tea for Yang Ning.

Rather than taking her to another place, he brought her to a round table in the Main Hall and had her seated there.

In a few minutes, he had arranged a food table for her, gesturing to her to eat the snacks and tea that he had prepared for her.

Yang Ning’s eyes widened in shock when she heard his humble words.

It’s not enough? Is he kidding her?

She thought that he would offer her a few fruits and tea to snack on before the banquet feast commenced, however, there was a whole lot of food in front of her.

It was like a feast of fruits and tea.

There were at least twenty kinds of fruits on the table and a jar that was full of tea. Even though she is hungry, did he really think that she could finish all of this?

What does he even think of her in his mind?

“Ermm....Your Highness, aren’t you going to join me for a cup of tea?” Yang Ning asked out of politeness.

He didn’t prepare all of this just for her, did he? She wondered in her heart.

He wouldn’t prepare so much food for the girl he dislikes, would he?

” Pardon me for my rudeness. However, as the Crown Prince, I cannot dare to eat anything before His Majesty does, especially on a special day like today. That’s a royal tradition that our family follows for years.”

“Ahh!! Is that so? I did not know that.” Yang Ning gulped nervously and tried to keep smiling even after hearing this.

Well, no doubt no one was eating anything at the Main Hall of the Royal Banquet. It was to respect the royal tradition of the Imperial Family and as a courtesy to His Majesty.

” However, you can have it. You’re here as our guest. A guest should be well fed after all.” He said, causing her face to become red in embarrassment.

How can she digest the food when everyone was staring at her as if she had committed some grave crime?

Everyone were still waiting for the Emperor to finish meeting people and move to the dining room for the Banquet feat but here the Crown Prince has arranged a small feast, only for her.

‘ I am not sure if he is being nice to me or is that his new way to torture her?’ Yang Ning cried inwardly as she hesitantly put a grape in her mouth.

However, as soon as she put that grave into her mouth, it melted in her mouth as if it’s not a grape but a sweet cotton candy. How can a grape be so juicy and sweet?

The fruits that he had prepared for her were so delicious and sweet that she forget that everyone in the Main Hall was throwing daggers at her with their sharp gazes and fill her monstrous appetite with fruits and tea as if she is alone in the room.

” Hmm!! It’s so delicious.” Yang Ning exclaimed in happiness while chewing on a sweet and delicious watermelon. How rich and sweet!

The fruits in this world are much better and sweeter than her world that she had before.

How can it not be? These are the top-notch fruits and are pure and organic, with no pesticides. Of course, they will be different.

While Yang Ning was having the best time of her life, Zheng Liang was watching her from the side and was amused to see how carefree she looked while enjoying the snacks and tea that he had prepared for her.

Otherwise, it is not easy to eat something in front of so many people, especially when their eyes are on them like a hawk all the time.

She is really different! Way more different than he had expected her to be.

While Yang Ning was busy enjoying her mini feast, the Main Hall abrupted in a chaos. They never expected that the eldest daughter of Minister Yang would be so favored by the Crown Prince that he would personally arrange a tea and fruits for her to snack on before the banquet feast.

Yang Luoyang, who was standing near His Majesty and was watching Yang Ning from afar was counting his patience on fingers.

At first, he was about to drag Yang Ning out of the palace when he saw the way she had humiliated him in front of His Majesty and everyone.

How can she dare to eat fruits and have tea before His Majesty eats anything?

He will never accept this insolent behavior of hers. However, upon seeing the response of the crowd and their jealous gazes towards Yang Ning, he realized that it might not be that bad of an idea.

After all, what she is doing is not out of the rules and if she wants, she can have fruits and tea before the official banquet meal.

If this gives everyone an impression that Yang Ning is being favored by His Highness, then why not? It will help him

To gain some more connections since there are many people who have come to attend the Celebration Banquet of His Highness from far off kingdoms.

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While stuffing the fruits in her mouth, Yang Ning forgot that she is the eldest lady of the Yang family and she has a certain image that she has to follow. However, rather than following the concept of grace and elegance, she was more invested in eating as much fruit as she could before the Banquet meal commences.

Because the fruits are so delish that she cannot stop eating them.

” Lady Yang Ning, Please slow down. Otherwise, you will choke on your food.” Zheng Liang commented in concern about seeing her mouth full of food.

It was a sight to behold indeed. Otherwise, when will he get to see a lady who fills her mouth with so much food at once?

Zheng Liang’s guard who was watching the whole scene sighed heavily. What was he even expecting from this mannerless woman? How can she eat anything before the royal family does?

It’s nothing but a disrespect to the Crown Prince and His Majesty.

While he was loathing Yang Ning in his heart, there was a person who voiced out the words that everyone were dying to say, ” Lady Yang Ning, I had heard a lot of rumors about you.”

” However, I am surprised to meet you like this in person. I was not sure about those rumors at first, but seeing you acting like this in front of His Highness, I can affirm that those rumors were true indeed.”

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