I woke up as the Villainous Empress

The next day, before going to the royal court for the morning session, Zheng Liang ordered Gu Lan to arrange a meeting between the "crazy" woman and Yang Ning.

While Zheng Liang was away for the royal court session, Yang Ning followed Gu Lan to the underground dungeon on the rear side of the palace.

The prison was located a considerable distance from the main palace premises, and Yang Ning had to walk quite a distance to reach it. It was her first time coming to a place like this, and she had no idea such a place existed within the palace's bounds. It felt like a hidden world within the palace itself.

The dungeon felt like a world removed from daylight, its dim corners only slightly brightened by the glow of a few candles. While the morning sun shone brightly outside, here, an unyielding darkness persisted.

The damp, grimy walls of the underground prison were intermittently punctuated by small, pocket-sized windows, which seemed to serve the sole purpose of preventing inmates from suffocating. But their limited ventilation did little to dispel the overwhelming stench of blood mixed with rotting food.

As Yang Ning carefully navigated the area, she lifted her dress to avoid sullying it and covered her nose, unable to bear the foul odor. The conditions were not just revolting; they were inhumane, mirroring an abyss of despair and torment.

Gu Lan didn't take Yang Ning deeper into the prison, as it would have been an inappropriate sight for her to witness. Instead, he led her to a small room that had a table with a lamp placed on the table, along with some documents neatly arranged. It was the room of the commander overseeing the underground prison cells.

He gestured for Yang Ning to sit in a chair behind the table and spoke respectfully, "Your Highness, please wait here as I arrange for someone to bring the woman. You will have half an hour to talk to her, but if at any point you feel threatened or in danger, our guards will immediately enter the room."

Gu Lan then provided Yang Ning with further instructions, "If you ever feel endangered, simply scream once, and the guards will respond instantly."

Yang Ning nodded, understanding the need for such precautions. The woman's unpredictable and erratic behavior was certainly cause for concern. She kept her fear at bay, not wanting to display it, knowing that Zheng Liang would not have allowed her to meet the woman if he thought it was too dangerous.

After a brief wait, the door of the room swung open, revealing the woman in a far worse condition than when Yang Ning had last seen her. Her face was covered in blood, and her body was bruised and battered, making it difficult for her to walk.

Two guards, recognizing Yang Ning's presence, respectfully greeted her with a bow and forcefully made the woman kneel in front of her. They issued a stern warning, "Remain seated and answer Her Highness's questions. Do not attempt anything suspicious, or you will face dire consequences." With that, they left the room, leaving Yang Ning and the woman alone.

The guards were preparing to depart, but Yang Ning intervened, saying, "Wait, please don't leave her on the floor. Assist her in sitting on the chair."

The guards initially hesitated at Yang Ning's request, clearly uncertain about the appropriateness of such a gesture. However, Yang Ning insisted, her compassion shining through. She reassured them, "It's alright. Just help her sit in the chair. I will call for help if anything happens."

After sharing a brief glance, the guards nodded respectfully and proceeded to guide the battered woman into the chair opposite Yang Ning. Once she was seated, the guards left the room, leaving the two women alone in the small, dimly lit space.

After the two guards left the room, Yang Ning clenched her fists, feeling the suffocation in the room and the stifling silence. She stared at the woman who was looking at the lamp on the table and hesitantly started to approach her, "I won't go around the bush. I didn't come here to ask about your well-being. I am here to ask some questions and get the answers to those questions."

The woman let out a sneering chuckle and raised her head to look at Yang Ning. She had the same appearance, but unlike Yang Ning's elegant and graceful manner, she exuded an indifferent, nonchalant aura, which was a stark contrast to their personalities.

Yang Ning frowned upon seeing the woman staring at her and asked cautiously, "The other day, you said that I cannot change fate, that whatever is bound to happen will happen. What did you mean by that? Do you know something about me?" She wondered if the woman was truly crazy or if she had some knowledge that could be of use.

Seeing the woman remain silent, Yang Ning's patience was wearing thin. She placed both of her hands on the armrest of the chair, leaned forward, and whispered in a low voice, "Do you know something about Yang Ning or... about her ending fate?" She asked cautiously, unsure if the woman understood her words.

Because who would believe her if she suddenly talked to a stranger about HER ending fate and claimed this was a novel world, and she was not Yang Ning but someone else? However, from the words of the woman the other day, it seemed like she might know something about her.

Unlike the frustration written on Yang Ning's face, the corners of the woman's lips curled up upon hearing Yang Ning's words. So her suspicion was correct. This woman was not Yang Ning!

After a few moments of suffocating silence, the woman let out a chuckle, leaned back in the chair, and looked at Yang Ning with mockery in her eyes. She said, "I can't believe this was all true. So you're not Yang Ning!"

Yang Ning's eyes widened in shock upon hearing her words. It was as if lightning had struck her. This woman knew that she was not Yang Ning. So it was not all rubbish.

"How... How do you know this? Who are you? Tell me, who are you and how do you know all of this? Why did you say that I cannot change my fate the other day? Huh?" She asked, her eyes filled with desperation.

"What will happen to me if I die here? Can I go back? Huh? Tell me, damn it!" She shouted at her, slamming her hands on the table.

Living in a different world was not easy, it had never been easy for her to adjust to this new life. With Zheng Liang's love and support, she finally started to like this place and enjoy her days here. However, the thought that she could not change her fate and not know the way to return to her world was driving her crazy.

She wanted to know what this woman knew and how she knew all of this. It might give her some clue, at the very least.

The guards who were stationed outside immediately burst into the room upon hearing the commotion. "Your Highness, is everything alright?"

Yang Ning pursed her lips, controlling her emotions, and said, "I am sorry. Everything is fine. You both can go outside. I will call you when I need your help."

The guards nodded politely at Yang Ning and glanced at the woman sitting on the chair, her hands and legs tied up, and gave her a warning gaze before leaving the room and closing the door behind them.

After the guards left the room, there was another wave of uncomfortable silence. Yang Ning pursed her lips, her emotions swirling within her as she stared at the woman in front of her.

Before Yang Ning could find the words to make the woman speak, the woman started, "I don't know who you are or what will happen to you after you die here. However, one thing is for sure, you cannot change the ending of the novel."

Yang Ning's eyes widened at her words, "So you know about the novel? How? How come you know all of this when no one else seems to know anything about it?"

The woman let out a sarcastic smile as she said, "Because….I am the one who wrote it."

Title: I am the one who wrote it.