The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

Yanzhi didn't react much to Yinzhen's fate. He just looked up at the sky and thought that if that person knew, he would feel relieved.

Perhaps they'll also heat up a pot of wine, and enjoy themselves immensely.

Yan Zhi smiled and pulled himself out of his thoughts.

The fourteenth prince quickly submitted a memorial requesting permission to guard the border so that he could atone for his crimes through meritorious service.

Yinwu, however, kept the memorial hidden and instead summoned the man to the palace, ordering him to go to the southeast to train the navy.

Navy?

Fourteen almost laughed in anger. He was the Grand General appointed by the Emperor's golden words, not the Governor-General of the Rivers! The Manchu and Mongol lads were about to conquer the world, yet he was being told to go to the seaside to feel the wind and watch the waves, and train a navy.

What kind of job is this? He might as well guard the imperial tombs!

Yinwu sighed, dismissed his attendants, and earnestly explained a long passage to him.

Fourteen's expression was complicated: "Really?"

"Fourteenth Brother, would I possibly betray you?"

Upon hearing the long-unheard address, Fourteen was suddenly stunned.

He was only fifteen years older than her. When they were young, the concubines in the palace were fiercely competing for the emperor's favor. The Empress Dowager was a Han woman and extremely beautiful. In the first few years after entering the palace, she was extremely popular and overshadowed many of the older women.

He had seen his mother look disappointed more than once.

Every time they met, he would find some excuse to bully Fifteen and Sixteen. Because Sixteen was young, cunning, and slippery, he bullied Fifteen more often.

Sometimes it was snatching his bow, sometimes it was deliberately knocking over his inkstone, and sometimes it was riding ahead of him and giving him a good tumble.

However, it wouldn't be entirely true to say that the brothers didn't get along well from childhood.

Before they truly grew up, truly came into contact with court politics, and were truly drawn into the life-or-death struggle for the throne, they had drunk together, ridden horses together, hunted in the autumn, played pranks together, caused trouble and were scolded together, and even when they were drunk and confused, they would squeeze onto a bed and talk nonsense about all sorts of things in their sleep.

They had even seriously dreamed about what kind of wives they would marry when they grew up, how many children they would have, what duties they would perform for their father, what kind of princes they would become, and what kind of merits they would achieve.

After all, they grew up together and are brothers by blood.

Fourteen stared at Yinwu.

Ultimately, they chose to accept the imperial decree and compromise.

Human hearts are fickle.

However, it does not include fifteen.

His gaze remained clear and gentle. He rarely referred to his brothers as "I" or "the Emperor," and he even directly rejected the petitions from court officials asking him to change his brothers' names to avoid using their names.

He said that they were all his own flesh and blood, and their names were bestowed by their ancestors, so what was there to avoid?

If any other brother had said these words to him here today, he would not have believed them.

Not only did they not believe it, they also secretly guarded against it, and even prepared a way out for themselves early on, trying to leave the capital and slowly build up their own power outside.

Even if it's just for self-preservation.

But what if this person is fifteen?

He was then willing to believe.

-

To everyone's surprise, just two days later, Yinwu sent him another helper.

Ninth.

Upon receiving the imperial decree, the Fourteenth Prince was so angry he laughed. He asked the messenger, "What does Your Majesty mean by this? It's one thing to send me to the seaside to train the navy, but why send the Ninth Prince as well? Is he good at fighting, or at building ships?"

The eunuch delivering the decree smiled obsequiously and said that this was the Emperor's will, and if the prince had any questions, he could go to the palace to ask.

So the Fourteenth Prince stormed into the palace again, fuming: "Your Majesty, are you perhaps afraid that I will develop rebellious intentions if I take command of the army, so you hastily sent a spy here? Otherwise, why would you need two princes to deal with just a few waves of Japanese pirates or a few groups of fading rebels?"

"Fourteenth Brother, don't be in a hurry. You'll be the one training the navy. The reason Ninth Brother is going along is because there's a lot of money to be made in sailing."

fourteen:"……"

Yinwu, however, took it very seriously.

He said that the Ming Dynasty initially banned the seas, but later couldn't resist reopening them, which wasn't without reason.

Maritime transport is inherently highly profitable, and the Qing Dynasty has been suppressing it for years. On the one hand, it fears that remnants of the previous dynasty might flee overseas and make a comeback, and on the other hand, it fears that wealthy gentry might use maritime transport to quickly amass wealth and weapons, thus fostering rebellious intentions.

But the imperial court cannot simply turn a blind eye and a deaf ear forever.

At worst, we can only allow official ships to pass through, and only official ships.

This naval training can be outwardly described as being aimed at eliminating Japanese pirates and eradicating the remaining anti-Qing forces at sea;

That is indeed the case.

In reality, however, it was to explore a path for restarting seafaring.

As for why he insisted on bringing Lao Jiu along?

Is there anyone in the world more adept at making money than Lao Jiu?

At this point, Yinwu couldn't help but hold up the Ministry of Revenue's memorial: "Fourteenth Brother, the national treasury is truly empty; we are short of money!"

Fourteen silences.

So be it.

In conclusion, Thaksin Fifteen.

Fifteen, having appeased Fourteen and placed Ninth in a position, then turned around and did something even more unexpected.

He traveled light and kept a low profile, visiting the homes of his brothers who had been under house arrest for many years over two consecutive days.

The first place they went to was the deposed Crown Prince Yinreng.

"You want me to be Hongwei's master?"

Yinreng looked at his younger brother and almost thought he had misheard.

Having been imprisoned for nearly ten years, he was no longer the arrogant and sharp-tongued crown prince he once was.

Time and hardship have worn him down, making him plump and disheveled.

Today he was wearing an ordinary house robe, the buttons were all messed up, and he looked somewhat dejected.

The Crown Prince who once stood under the East Palace corridor, exuding arrogance even in the hem of his robe, seems to be truly dead.

At fifteen, however, he grew taller, his shoulders broadened, and his back thickened.

Standing there, he was young, upright, and handsome.

He was born with a striking resemblance to Consort Mi, with exceptionally beautiful features. Now, having attained a high position and ruled the world, his demeanor has become even more extraordinary.

The winner and loser are clearly evident.

Yinreng couldn't quite describe the feeling in his heart.

Yinwu, on the other hand, seemed completely oblivious to his complicated thoughts. He actually brought over a chair, sat down next to him, and said with a smile, "Isn't that right, brother?"

"The Empress said that our Hongwei is just like me—easily influenced and soft-hearted, and indecisive in matters. If we find an ordinary tutor, I'm afraid he'll either not learn properly or simply turn the child into a dullard who can only memorize books. As his uncle, how can you bear to do that?"

Yinreng stared at him for a long while before asking in a low voice, "Aren't you afraid...?"

Aren't you afraid that I still have ulterior motives? Aren't you afraid that I'll corrupt him? Aren't you afraid that by getting close to Hongwei, I'll develop some inappropriate thoughts?

Yinwu showed no change in expression, only smiling and saying, "I know that with your abilities, it's really beneath you to teach Hongwei. I have considered entrusting you with more important tasks. But everything must be done step by step. Would you mind putting up with this for now?"

He said this so naturally, as if he had simply come to discuss an ordinary task.

Yinreng still felt a slight sting in his heart.

He wanted to say, "Why are you trying to play the emotional card with me?" He also wanted to say, "Now that you're firmly in your position, why bother coming here to pretend to be all brotherly and respectful?"

But the words stuck in his throat and he didn't say them.

Because Yinwu had already started laughing again.

"I remember it. When I was little, I also grew up following behind my second brother."

"Back then, Father Emperor was too busy to take care of me, and Mother Emperor was also of low status. So, Sixteen and Eighteen of us always stayed by Second Brother's side. Second Brother doted on me, taught a lesson to the sycophantic eunuchs for me, and even took a scolding from Father Emperor for me. If Second Brother could teach Hongwei, even for just a year or two, it would be enough for Hongwei to benefit from."

Yinreng's eyes widened slightly, and he actually remembered those years.

At that time, he was still the Emperor's most favored son.

As many people know, his father, the Emperor, had been paving the way for him since he was very young.

Military power was given to the eldest brother first, because the eldest brother was to be used as a whetstone for him;

Those capable of getting things done, like the fourth and eighth brothers, were originally under his tutelage and were his right-hand men.

As for the younger brothers, the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth, who were more likely to be slighted because of their mother's obscure birth, they were all intentionally or unintentionally placed by their father, the Emperor, in his life.

The purpose was to cultivate a reputation for kindness and compassion in him.