The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

The next day, the sun was high in the sky.

When Yanzhi woke up, there was no one beside him.

She propped herself up and sat up, feeling only soreness in her waist and weakness all over her body.

She was wrong.

How could I possibly reward myself with this? I've already been abstinent for ten months, and in my excitement, I was still clinging to you late into the night. It's truly...

Fuling, Chenxiang, and several others stepped forward to help them wash up, each one with their head bowed and eyes lowered, not daring to look too closely.

But there was a clear smile in the corners of his eyes and the corners of his brows.

Yan Zhi kept a cold expression on his face.

After she was dressed and helped Fuling to her feet, she paused slightly.

Although it was barely perceptible, Fuling quickly lowered her eyes, pretending not to see anything.

Yan Zhi took a deep breath, straightened his back, and walked steadily outside.

-

Cining Palace.

Empress Dowager Wang was holding the little princess and playing with her, her face beaming with joy. Hongwei sat obediently to the side, occasionally glancing over to look at his little sister, his face full of delight.

Upon seeing Yanzhi enter, the Empress Dowager quickly beckoned her to sit down.

"Come here, come here! Look at our Ning Shou, he looks more and more like you as he grows up."

Yanzhi smiled and agreed, took his daughter and hugged her, then had Hongwei pay his respects to his grandmother. The grandmother and granddaughter chatted idly, enjoying each other's company.

As they were talking, the Empress Dowager suddenly brought up something.

"The Empress Dowager Shu sent word that she wants to go to Ganlu Temple for spiritual practice and to pray for the late Emperor."

Yan Zhi's eyes flickered slightly, but his expression remained unchanged as he listened quietly.

The Empress Dowager rambled on, her tone tinged with bewilderment: "You know, she's such a strange person. Wouldn't it be better for her to stay in the palace? Shou Kang Palace may be a bit cramped, but have I ever mistreated her? Besides, she's seventeen now, and she has her own Prince's residence. Once the late Emperor's mourning period is over, we can bring her out of the palace to enjoy a life of luxury. Instead, she insists on going to some kind of seclusion. When the late Emperor was alive, she wasn't particularly favored, and now she suddenly wants to pray for blessings..."

Yan Zhi picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and didn't reply.

But he was making plans in his mind.

Consort Shu.

The original story states that she went into seclusion because the late emperor had shown extraordinary affection for the Seventeenth Prince in the two years before his death, and even considered making him emperor instead.

Therefore, when the fourth prince ascended the throne, in order to dispel the suspicions of Consort De, who became Empress Dowager, and her son Yinzhen, a mother and son who were prone to holding grudges, she requested to leave the palace as a sign of retreat.

But now?

The late emperor passed away suddenly, leaving no time to cultivate any deep father-son relationship. Seventeen never stood in the limelight from beginning to end, and in terms of presence in the court and the harem, he was even less prominent than Sixteen.

Why should she avoid suspicion for no reason?

Seeing that she remained silent, the Empress Dowager said again, "I can't be bothered with her. Let her go if she wants; the palace won't miss her room anyway."

Yan Zhi nodded and followed her words, saying, "What Mother says is true."

The Empress Dowager rambled on for a few more minutes, then suddenly changed the subject, saying that she had been feeling somewhat troubled lately and asked Yanzhi if she could have some more calming incense.

"I was hesitant to ask before because you were pregnant and seemed tired," the Empress Dowager said with a smile. "Now that you're out of confinement, could you spare some time?"

Yan Zhi's smile remained unchanged as he readily agreed, "What are you saying, Mother? You should have asked earlier. I still have some that I prepared earlier. When Ning Shou was first born, he was sleepy every day and didn't need these. If you need them, I will have them sent over when I get back."

The Empress Dowager nodded and said with satisfaction, "Thanks to you."

Yanzhi carried the little princess, with Hongwei sitting beside him in the Empress's phoenix carriage, as they headed towards the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

The palanquin swayed slightly as she gazed out the window at the slowly receding palace walls, her expression deep and thoughtful.

-

As expected, Yan Zhi kept his word. Later that evening, he sent Fu Ling to deliver the incense that the Empress Dowager had requested.

The Empress Dowager accepted the sandalwood box, but the kind smile she had worn during the day was gone from her face.

She waved her hand to dismiss everyone, leaving only her trusted nanny, and then secretly sent someone to fetch the imperial physician.

The imperial physician arrived in haste and examined the patient as instructed.

The Empress Dowager sat to one side, her palms slightly sweaty, but she tried her best to maintain a calm expression.

After a long while, the imperial physician raised his head with a smile: "Your Majesty, it is indeed the same incense used by the late Emperor for calming the mind. The ingredients are exactly the same, and both have the effects of calming the mind and promoting sleep. However, the blending technique of this batch is obviously more superb, so the powder is fine and even. When it is lit, the fragrance will be longer and more lasting, and the smoke color will be of superior quality."

The Empress Dowager's eyes flickered, and she pressed further, "Are you sure? Using it day and night won't cause any harm?"

The imperial physician pondered for a moment and said, "It's not entirely without its drawbacks. This incense has a remarkable sleep-inducing effect, and burning it during the day can easily make people drowsy, which wouldn't be ideal. However, if used appropriately before bed, it's quite good."

The Empress Dowager nodded, ordered the incense to be put away, rewarded the imperial physician, and forbade him to tell anyone about what had happened that day before sending him away.

After the imperial physician left, she used the excuse of being sleepy to send everyone else out as well.

Once she was alone in the hall, she slumped onto the couch and let out a long sigh.

"Could it be...not her?"

She murmured to herself, her voice a mixture of disbelief and relief.

It's better if it wasn't her; otherwise, how could she feel at ease leaving such a powerful and ruthless person by her son's side?

Let her be the apple of his eye, the apple of his eye?

But then she couldn't help but laugh at herself.

It seems she was overthinking it. No matter how capable Nian Shi is, she's still just a young girl in her early twenties.

When I gave her this fragrance, she was not even fifteen!

How could it be her?

It's all because of Chen's few words that she was terrified.

The fact that the throne fell to her son was perhaps more a matter of divine favor.

The reason why the Nian family sent over the incense they had developed was clearly just to please the late emperor on behalf of the fifteenth prince.

How could that be...?

Is it poison?

She only dared to say the last two words in her heart.

-

The rear hall of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Yan Zhi leaned back on the soft couch, idly playing with a small sachet in his hand.

Shadow knelt behind the curtain and reported all the movements in Cining Palace after she left.

"The last person the Empress Dowager had contact with was Consort Shu, née Chen."

After listening, Yan Zhi chuckled softly.

"The Empress Dowager Shu's concern for my mother is truly extraordinary." Her voice was slow and leisurely, as if she were talking about something very ordinary: "As her daughter-in-law, I have indeed not cared for my mother much these past few days. Fortunately, she was there to keep me company. I must repay this kindness."

She fiddled with the tassel on the sachet and said, "Speaking of which, my seventeenth brother is getting old enough to get married, so I should naturally help him find a good match."

She paused, then continued, "Hasn't Seventeenth Brother been enjoying painting lately? I've heard that although the incense at Shangshan Temple on the outskirts of the capital isn't very popular, the Bodhisattvas there are quite useful. Let's lead him there."

Shadow lowered his head: "This servant understands."

"Oh, by the way, Prince Yong also has an unusual understanding of Buddhist principles. If he knew about the Bodhisattva there, he would probably go and pay his respects."

Shadow's tone remained the same: "This servant understands."

The dark figure retreated silently, disappearing into the night.

Yan Zhi withdrew his gaze, leaned back on the soft couch, and smiled slightly.

Not long after, Yinwu walked in. Upon seeing this person, Yanzhi immediately thought of the "old feud" from the previous night and turned away, pretending not to see him.

Yinwu touched his nose, looking guilty, but he also knew that in times like these, only the thick-skinned would not go hungry.

He immediately stepped forward, sat down on the low couch, and affectionately leaned closer: "Which shameless, ungrateful wretch has displeased our Empress again? It can't be me, can it?"

Yan Zhi couldn't help but burst out laughing.

The person immediately seized the opportunity and clung to him again: "As expected, it wasn't me. I only know how to please the Empress."