The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

In the past two years, the life of the Dongchang Marquis's family has been a mix of good and bad.

On the one hand, thanks to Shilan's swift and decisive takeover of the household, which purged the corrupt officials who had plagued the mansion for years, and on the other hand, with the help of Wang Ruofu, a golden boy, who revitalized many of the mansion's properties and replenished the mansion's treasury.

Although it can't match the heyday of the Marquis's mansion, it's a hundred times better than the days of robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Now, without reducing any extravagance or expense within the mansion, the treasury can even have a considerable surplus by the end of the year.

More importantly, thanks to these achievements, Shilan has earned a considerable reputation in the elite circles of Bianjing, preventing her from being dragged down by Qin Nanyan.

Yes.

The hardships that the Marquis's family has endured these past two years have all fallen on Qin Nanyan, who is getting married.

Just as described in the original work, Qin Nanyan used her poor health as an excuse after marriage to refuse to take over the household affairs or serve her mother-in-law. She had no children for many years after entering the family, but she was jealous and intolerant of others. She stubbornly prevented Gu Yankai from taking a concubine, which caused Gu Yankai to become enemies with Gu Hou's wife and her son. She even made Gu Hou sick before the new year.

Such a bad reputation spread throughout Bianjing City and, like a plague, returned to the Dongchang Marquis's residence, unsurprisingly implicating his own sister, Shilan.

Those who were once close friends with Shilan have now begun to keep their distance to varying degrees, fearing that they might be implicated in the Qin family's reputation for improper conduct.

Shilan is nearly thirteen years old, which is the age when she can get married. However, there are very few suitors who come to propose marriage, and most of them are from impoverished families who are not respectable, or are simply filthy people who are after her generous dowry. They are disgusting.

Moreover, Qin Nanyan's willful and reckless behavior has implicated more than just Shilan.

As a fellow brother, Qin Zhengyang also suffered greatly as a result.

Relying on her parents' boundless pampering, Qin Nanyan would always send someone back to her parents' home to cry and complain whenever she was wronged at her husband's family home.

Qin Muchuan and Ying Qiongfang loved their eldest daughter to the core. Upon hearing this, they felt heartbroken and immediately wanted to support her without distinguishing right from wrong. They tried various ways to obstruct and pressure her, and even went to the Ningyuan Marquis's mansion to argue with them.

Not to mention the generous monthly stash of silver, sending a cloud of manpower over was also a minor matter. But the problem was that they even dared to help Qin Nanyan kidnap and sell the concubines she bought at a low price!

They almost caused a death, yet they still show no remorse!

With such confused and brainless parents who blindly favor their married-out daughter, which respectable family or a noble family with strict rules would be willing to let their good daughter marry into the family?

Such muddle-headed and shameless in-laws and such a perpetually willful and capricious sister-in-law.

Which family is fortunate enough to enjoy such a thing? Or dares to accept it?

This time, the commotion caused by Madam Qin was particularly alarming—she miscarried.

The messenger wailed and cried, "...Our young lady finally conceived this child, and she's only two months along when...the Lady Marquis...the Lady Marquis insists on inserting someone into the young master's room right now! Our young lady couldn't stand it, argued with the Lady Marquis, and immediately started bleeding...My dear young lady, your life is so miserable!"

Upon hearing this, Shilan immediately sneered, her laughter cold and filled with undisguised mockery.

She didn't believe this explanation at all. In the original story, Madam Qin used a secret medicine and risked half her life to give birth to Gu Tingyu, and the birth happened the year after next.

If Qin Nanyan, with her frail body, were to miscarry, she would likely lose all chance of conceiving.

Even if Qin Nanyan did indeed have a rare pregnancy but suffered a miscarriage, she still didn't believe it was entirely the responsibility of Lady Ningyuan.

She knew Qin Nanyan's jealous and petty nature all too well.

Qin Zhengyang, standing to the side, turned deathly pale, swayed slightly, and the last glimmer of light in his eyes went out.

He closed his eyes dejectedly, his voice dry and hoarse, carrying an almost desperate resignation: "...Sister, forget it. Let's...let's do as the teacher says. I'll agree to that marriage. As for this school...it's better not to continue."

Which young man doesn't care about his reputation?

Especially considering his background.

When he was young, apart from being suppressed by Qin Nanyan at home, everyone outside respected him and called him Young Master.

He thought that after Qin Nanyan got married, things would finally get better for him and his family. Under the guidance of his teacher, his studies improved day by day. Outsiders said that he had turned over a new leaf and finally realized the importance of making progress.

Even the crescent moon hidden deep in my heart no longer seems so unattainable.

Everything was clearly getting better.

Why did it turn out like this again?

As Qin Nanyan caused trouble time and time again, her family's reputation plummeted. Her former classmates, who had been close to her and even openly and secretly inquired about her marriage, avoided her like the plague.

The moon in the sky is getting farther and farther away.

Thinking back to their last meeting, and the man's slightly disgusted and annoyed gaze, Qin Zhengyang suddenly didn't want to try anymore.

"Snapped!"

A crisp, resounding slap landed on Qin Zhengyang's face without warning.

Not only was Qin Zhengyang stunned and his head turned to the side, but even the maidservant and the servants standing a few feet away were shocked and gasped.

Shilan withdrew her hand, her chest heaving slightly with anger, but her eyes were sharp as knives as she resolutely shouted, "Giving up again? Thinking you might as well become a playboy, indulging in a life of pleasure and debauchery?"

"Qin Zhengyang, listen to me! Stand up straight! Who does Qin Nanyan think she is, to even be worthy of dragging you and me into this?!"

She stepped forward, staring intently at her brother who was covering his face and looking blankly, her words ringing out: "You are the only male heir of the Dongchang Marquis's mansion, the future Marquis of Dongchang! You can ride a horse and draw a bow, hitting the bullseye every time; you can write beautiful essays, even your teacher says you are quite talented! At home, you respect and love your parents, and you are also very caring towards me, your younger sister. Tell me, where are you lacking?!"

Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a power that pierced the heart: "So what if it's the moon in the sky? What my brother wants to pluck is the moon in the sky! How could anything less be worthy of you?"

As she spoke, she shoved her beloved, expensive polo cue with a handle wrapped in gold thread into Qin Zhengyang's hand, her tone leaving no room for argument: "Take it! Forget about all that nonsense! We're finally free today, so even if the sky falls, go to the polo field and have some fun first! Remember, nothing is more important than us."

The heavy golf club in his hand, seemingly still warm from his sister's palm, felt like a surge of intense heat crashing into Qin Zhengyang's frozen heart.

His nose tingled, and his eyes instantly reddened, but the fire in his previously dim eyes reignited.

He gripped the cue tightly, nodded heavily, his throat choked with emotion, unable to utter a sound, yet he used all his strength.

Shilan pulled him along and strode towards the polo field.

Put all worries, humiliations, and criticisms aside for the time being.

The more others look down on you, the more you need to strive for excellence!

Let's start by dominating the polo field!

Shortly after they disappeared, a woman dressed in luxurious clothes and with an elegant demeanor, and a tall and upright young man in dark blue outfit slowly walked out from around the corner.

The woman gazed in the direction the brother and sister had left, her eyes filled with undisguised admiration and praise. She murmured, "This other daughter of the Qin family... what a high spirit, what a strong backbone."

She paused, then smiled slightly. "I do like it a bit."

Normally, when a boy hears his mother praising another girl, he would usually make a sarcastic remark or simply ignore it.

But at this moment, he was unusually silent. He simply followed his mother's gaze, looking at the slender figure that was leaving. His eyes were deep, and he slowly nodded.