The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

She hugged her very tightly.

Compared to before, when she would only lightly grasp his robes and barely touch his chest with her forehead, as if he would fall backward if she got any closer, this time she used much more force.

Yinwu was taken aback.

Yan Zhi closed his eyes, his voice was very soft, but every word was very clear.

You are the best.

She paused, as if feeling it wasn't enough, and added in a low voice:

"The very best."

Yinwu was stunned at first, then his eyes gradually lit up, like a lamp suddenly lit in the winter night, shining brightly.

"really?"

That sound contained both disbelief and almost uncontrollable joy.

The disappointment and loneliness he felt just moments before vanished without a trace. As if afraid he had misheard, he quickly hugged her tighter and asked her a question almost urgently.

Yan Zhi's heart softened at his appearance.

It wasn't until this moment that she belatedly realized that the reason he was always so easily swayed by her emotions was not because he was kind-hearted, nor because he had become accustomed to her guidance and control after so many years of being together.

It was because he truly held her in his heart.

Otherwise, how could he remain so stubbornly deluded even after seeing her so clearly?

Her heart skipped a beat, but she tightened her grip on his arm, finally whispering the words that had swirled in her heart countless times before she could utter them aloud:

"In this world, you are the only one who is right for me."

Yinwu's heart suddenly burned intensely, and he couldn't suppress the smile spreading across his lips, even his voice becoming a few decibels brighter:

"You said it, don't forget it."

After saying that, he quickly added:

"It doesn't matter if you forget, I've remembered it anyway."

Looking at him like this, Yanzhi suddenly felt that a part of her heart that had been tense for a long time had finally truly relaxed.

It turns out that there really are people in this world who have seen her at her sharpest, coldest, most unyielding, least likable, and even least trusting.

He still treated her the same as before.

-

After that day, Yanzhi began to consciously blend the passionate and aloof Qin Yanwan with the shrewd and meticulous Madam Qin.

The people in the harem soon discovered that the Empress's recent actions were more unpredictable than before.

She remained prudent and maintained control of the situation, but that prudentness gradually lost much of its smoothness and compromise, and gained a more undisguised sharpness.

She would never go through three rounds of detours if she could cut things off decisively.

She would never leave rules that could be established on the spot to be implemented later.

At the beginning of the twelfth lunar month, a newly assigned second-class palace maid ran into this knife.

The palace maid was quite beautiful. While serving tea, she deliberately lowered her eyes, revealing a section of her snow-white wrist, and said in a delicate and soft voice:

"Your Majesty, please have some tea."

This matter was later reported to Yanzhi.

She lowered her gaze to the charming young woman below the steps, whose features bore a striking resemblance to her own, a faint smile playing on her lips, but her words were utterly devoid of warmth:

"Drag him away and beat him to death."

She spoke casually, but the hall instantly fell silent enough that you could hear a pin drop.

The palace maid turned pale with fright, knelt down with a thud, and cried out in tears, "This servant doesn't know what mistake I've made—"

"you do not know?"

Yan Zhi looked down at her, a faint smile playing on his lips, but his eyes were cold and devoid of any warmth.

"When serving the Emperor, the first priority is proper conduct, and the second is cleanliness. What are you trying to achieve by showing off, putting on airs, and fawning over him in front of the Emperor?"

The palace maid trembled, but still unwilling to give up, she forced herself to say, "My brother is a deputy general under General Nian. Even if Your Majesty doesn't care about him, you should at least consider the Buddha. Besides, everyone in the palace knows that Your Majesty is always kind and benevolent. Aren't you afraid of this constant killing and beating?"

"Rules are rules."

Yan Zhi had no interest in wasting a single word on her and interrupted her directly.

"If you dare to disregard the rules and fawn over others today, will you dare to tamper with teacups, incense burners, and clothing tomorrow?"

Having said that, she looked up at Fuling, her tone still calm:

"What, do I need to issue this imperial decree a second time?"

The palace maid couldn't even cry this time. She collapsed to the ground and was quickly gagged and dragged away.

Yan Zhi's cold gaze swept over the crowd, and her red lips parted slightly: "If there is a next time, they will be punished the same way."

"I will follow Your Majesty's teachings."

When the news reached Yinwu's ears, he was not displeased at all; on the contrary, he was quite pleased. He turned to the sixteenth prince and said:

"Look how much your sister-in-law cares about me."

They've even started making an example of someone to scare others.

The sixteenth brother's lips twitched as he listened, but he didn't dare to utter a single word in response.

I wonder if it was because of those little conversations he had with his elder brother that his sister-in-law found out.

These days, whenever he occasionally bumps into his sister-in-law, he always feels that her gaze is cold and menacing, making his back tingle.

-

The end of the year is just around the corner.

The imperial decree of marriage following the selection of officials had already spread throughout the capital a month earlier.

The Borjigit woman from Mongolia was betrothed to Hongxuan of the Prince Dun's mansion. In fact, the girl and the Tenth Prince's wife were from the same clan, of noble birth, and with a straightforward personality. The Tenth Prince's wife only made a few attempts to ask, but in her heart she did not have any hope. Since ancient times, noble ladies from Mongolia have always entered the palace.

Who knew that the Empress and the Emperor would be so accommodating and actually grant her request? The Tenth Princess was overjoyed after receiving the decree.

Overjoyed, he escorted Prince Dun to the palace early the next morning to express his gratitude.

They're really holding them hostage.

The Prince of Dun was escorted all the way from the gate of the mansion to the gate of the palace. His face turned green with rage, but the Tenth Princess was very energetic, as if she was afraid that he would change his mind halfway. She escorted him very tightly, which made many people secretly laugh at him along the way.

When Prince Dun entered the hall, he was quite nervous, but to his surprise, Yinwu burst out laughing as soon as he saw him, clapping his hands and saying, "Tenth Brother, you've finally met your match."

Prince Dun's face flushed red and then turned pale, but he couldn't retaliate. The person in front of him was no longer his younger brother whom he could chase and beat, but the true ruler of the Qing Dynasty, sitting high on the dragon throne.

But he was still furious, and after racking his brains, he managed to utter, "Likewise."

Everyone knows that he is now completely under the Empress's thumb.

Why laugh at someone who has taken fifty steps when they themselves have taken a hundred?