The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

On the outskirts of the capital, an inconspicuous blue cloth carriage was parked at a crossroads.

An ordinary-looking woman, who could easily be lost in a crowd, jumped off the carriage first. Then she turned around and reached out to tuck the cloak of the person inside the carriage.

Inside the car sat a girl of about twelve or thirteen years old. She was very pretty, but her eyes were red from crying, and she was clutching an old purse tightly in her hand, as if she were holding onto her last remaining hope.

"The coachman will take you safely to your aunt's house." The woman's voice was very calm: "Remember, all these years you have only been a companion to the young lady in a wealthy family. Now that the young lady has passed away, the master and mistress saw you and thought of the young lady. They no longer wanted to keep you, so they canceled your status as a slave and gave you money and a coachman to return to your hometown. Do you understand? Don't mention anything else. As long as you don't mention it, no one will know what you and your sister have gone through all these years."

Tears welled up in the girl's eyes again, and she asked, choking back sobs, "Sister, can't you really tell me who saved me?"

The woman shook her head.

"Unless you don't want to live either."

The girl trembled and dared not ask any more questions.

The woman looked at her, her tone softening slightly: "Your sister is a smart woman. She sacrificed her life to save many others, which is why our master has shown leniency and spared your life. But that's the end of it. Don't try to pry, and don't try to create any further trouble."

"Your aunt is a good person. Over the years, she has never given up searching for you and your sister. So after returning home, you don't need to worry too much. Just live your life well, and live well for your sister's sake."

"Survival is the only right thing to do."

The girl covered her mouth, her shoulders trembling as she cried, but she still nodded emphatically.

The woman said no more, only lowered the carriage curtain and nodded slightly to the driver.

The carriage rumbled away, going further and further away.

She stood there for a long time, then suddenly let out a very soft sigh.

"You must survive."

"Live on with all your might."

"We'll see the day when things get better."

A gust of wind blew by, and she raised her hand to put her mask back on.

That long-lost emotion, which shouldn't belong to the shadows, was suppressed along with the mask.

She reverted to being the shadowy figure, devoid of joy or anger, devoid of thought, who only knew how to obey her master's commands.

He turned around and returned to the palace to report back.

-

The death of Yinzhen initially caused a great uproar in the capital.

But even the biggest storms will eventually be worn down by time.

After the initial shock and discussion subsided, when people brought it up again, all that remained was sighs.

What truly remained were the palace rules and national laws that were revised afterward.

From that time onward, the attitude of households large and small in the capital towards their servants gradually changed.

They are no longer treated like pigs and dogs, and are no longer killed at will.

It wasn't that everyone truly developed compassion, but with that bloody tragedy right before their eyes, wise people understood one thing—

If someone is truly pushed to the limit, the bite they take back can be deadly.

The government quickly returned to its former state.

The second wave of overseas voyages is almost ready.

Last time, the fleet consisted of ten large ships, along with dozens of supply and escort vessels, which set sail from Guangdong and headed west.

Before they even reached the far west, the tea, silk, porcelain, and lacquerware on board had already been exchanged for chests of gold and jewels in the ports along the way, giving the national treasury a significant boost upon their return.

Once people have tasted the marrow, they know how delicious it is.

Without further ado, they eagerly began preparations for the second round.

Moreover, this second time was on a much larger scale than the first.

With Yinzhen gone, the leader was replaced by Yinti, who had become somewhat bored in the capital and volunteered to take the lead.

The ninth brother is still on the list, but the difference is that the tenth brother is now insisting on going as well.

Yinwu, unable to resist his persistent pestering, finally had no choice but to nod. After all, they had already figured out some ways to navigate the seas; the eldest brother had experience leading troops and fighting battles; the ninth brother was skilled in finance and accounting; and the tenth brother…

Let's just have Tenth Brother as a mascot!

The key issue is that Ninth Brother isn't here; he can't stay in the capital alone.

This time, they truly reached the far west.

Spain remained wealthy, and Portugal was not weak either, but what truly made Yinqi wary was England.

That place wasn't the richest, but it was sharp.

Their warships were sturdier, their cannons had a longer range, and their muskets were more orderly.

In particular, the formations and turns during naval battles have subtly adopted a different approach, no longer relying solely on sheer numbers and size to overwhelm the enemy.

When he returned, in addition to firearms, Yinti also brought back several Western-made looms and spinning equipment.

He himself didn't understand these details; it was just his instinct as a commander that made him see them and feel both danger and potential.

Anything that can make others rich and powerful quickly should not be underestimated.

As expected, when these items were transported back to the capital, they sparked much discussion in the imperial court.

Some say that the Western barbarians are nothing more than unorthodox and heretical people, not worth mentioning;

Some people say that the Qing Dynasty, with its superior national character, should not lower itself to learn those barbarian tools.

Some people, relying on having read a few books, sway their heads and talk about the distinction between Chinese and barbarians, their mouths full of disdain.

Yan Zhi listened quietly.

After they had finished speaking, she raised her eyes and said calmly:

"During the Tang and Song dynasties, didn't they all consider themselves a superior nation?"

"But what was the result?"

"The Northern Song Dynasty valued education and culture the most, was most concerned with appearances, and was most adept at saying that the world was at peace and that weapons were useless. But in the end, even the emperor was captured, the country was shattered, and the people suffered terribly."

Her voice wasn't loud, but every word struck a chord deep within people's hearts.

"Being arrogant is useless. True superiority comes from being genuinely superior, not from being unaware of being inferior to others."

"The wealthier the household, the sharper the knives the guards must be."

"If you insist that the Qing Dynasty is wealthy, populous, and vast, then you should be even more vigilant. The higher the piles of gold and silver, the more covetous others will be. Don't wait until their ships and cannons are at your doorstep before talking about the dignity of a superior nation; by then, it will be too late."

The hall fell silent.

The only good thing about the Qing Dynasty.

It is the supreme power of the emperor.

When everyone truly realized that their emperor was willing to share power with the empress and jointly govern the country, and that the empress's imperial edicts were equivalent to the emperor's decrees, then no one dared to question Yan Zhi's actions, no matter how shocking or unconventional they might be.

Yan Zhi smiled slightly.

After that, the improvement of firearms and the dismantling and imitation of looms were carried out one by one under pressure.

Yanzhi's first target was the Imperial Textile Bureau.

-

That same year, Shen Meizhuang was also getting married.