The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

They're all covered in mud!

It's still the dirtiest one!

Langhua was already feeling a little guilty for almost falling, but seeing her expression made her even more embarrassed, and she looked down at her toes.

And then... I happened to see those embroidered shoes with the tear in them.

She was even more embarrassed.

Yes.

She really went wild.

Not only did they learn to climb trees, they also learned to jump from trees into haystacks.

If this happened in my past life, who would believe it?

Wang Shi'an, completely oblivious to the tense atmosphere, immediately hid behind Lang Hua and pointed at her defiantly, shouting:

"Mom, didn't you say we should play with our little sister?"

"Look how well your little sister is now! She doesn't cry or fuss anymore, and she doesn't ask to go home. She's even stronger now!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Wanru was genuinely taken aback.

Feeling he was in the right, Wang Shi'an shrank further behind Lang Hua, his voice growing louder:

"Besides, Mother, you said that we shouldn't show favoritism. We came out to play with my sister, so if you punish us, you can't let her off the hook. Similarly, if you let her off the hook, you can't punish us!"

After he finished speaking, he proudly raised his chin, looking as if he were incredibly clever and had his mother completely under his control.

Wang Shinian stood to the side and secretly gave his younger brother a thumbs up.

With his brother's approval, Wang Shi'an straightened his back even more.

Langhua listened from the side, but her brows furrowed slightly.

She instinctively felt that this wouldn't work.

Using her as a shield, what kind of logic is that?

Just as she was about to speak, Zhou Wanru suddenly let out a cold laugh.

You're right.

The two brothers were overjoyed.

The next moment, Zhou Wanru slapped the rattan cane into her palm and said crisply:

"Since you three siblings made this mistake together, I can't punish only one of you. Alright, all three of you, go back to the courtyard and stand as punishment. Tomorrow night's dinner will include houttuynia cordata; each of you must eat three bites!"

Wang Shi'an's smug expression froze instantly.

Zhou Wanru hadn't finished speaking yet.

"However, rewards and punishments must be clear. My younger sister is young, and if it weren't for the two of you encouraging her, she wouldn't have dared to stay outside for so long. So she will only be punished by standing for half an hour, and tomorrow she will only have to eat one bite."

"As for the two of you..."

She narrowed her eyes and glanced at the two brothers.

"Confess who the mastermind is! The mastermind will get an extra half hour in punishment and an extra bite of houttuynia cordata!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Shinian and Wang Shi'an both shuddered.

The two brothers looked at each other, neither willing to speak first.

After a moment, Wang Shinian straightened his chest with righteous indignation: "Mother, my brother and I will share the burden and accept the punishment together."

Before he could finish speaking, Wang Shi'an quickly added, "It was my elder brother's suggestion."

Wang Shinian: "..."

He slowly turned his head and looked at his younger brother in disbelief.

Wang Shi'an quickly turned his head to look at the tree, as if he hadn't said those words just now.

Wang Shinian gritted his teeth: "Wang, Shi, An!"

Zhou Wanru, watching from the side, was both angry and amused. She raised her hand and poked Erlang on the forehead.

"Look at how pathetic you are!"

It was at this moment that Langhua finally spoke.

"Auntie, I came out to play on my own initiative."

"My brothers were wrong, and I was wrong too. The extra half hour and the extra bite they took... I'll bear the consequences."

Her words stunned both of her brothers.

Zhou Wanru was initially surprised, but then a very obvious sense of admiration slowly emerged on her face.

Then look at your own Erlang, who betrayed his brother at the last minute.

Zhou Wanru was even more furious, and with a look of exasperation, she pointed at Wang Shi'an again.

"Look at your sister, and then look at yourself!"

Having said that, she slung the rattan cane over her shoulder and said decisively, "Alright, stop standing there, go home and accept your punishment!"

The three children had no choice but to stand in a row, heads down, and walk home.

Zhou Wanru followed behind, carrying a rattan cane, like a jailer escorting prisoners.

Langhua walked in the middle. Although she was to be punished by standing and would have to eat the strangest-tasting houttuynia cordata the next day, she didn't feel too bad.

Even a little to laugh.

This situation is both absurd and quite lively.

Where did she experience this in her previous life?

When she was the eldest daughter of the Fucha family and even the Empress, it was the servants who made mistakes and the palace maids who were punished. Even if she herself had oversights, she would mostly suffer in silence behind closed doors. How could there be a scene like this now, with her three children lined up and being carried home by her aunt as punishment?

But as they walked, before they even reached home, as they turned a corner, they suddenly heard Wang Shi'an let out a bloodcurdling scream.

Langhua was startled and quickly turned around to look.

It turned out that Wang Shinian deliberately lagged behind by half a step, and taking advantage of his mother's inattention, he raised his foot and kicked his younger brother hard in the butt.

"I told you not to sell me!"

Still not satisfied after kicking her, he grabbed Langhua's hand and huffed, "Sister, let's go, let's ignore the traitor!"

Wang Shi'an, clutching his backside, nearly burst into tears. He hurriedly limped after him, wailing as he ran:

"Brother! Isn't this what you taught me?!"

"It's better to live a wretched life than to die a glorious death!"

"We brothers can't both die! Otherwise, who will offer incense and sweep the graves next Qingming Festival?"

Wang Shinian was so angry his forehead was practically steaming: "When did I ever teach you this?"

"Last time you got caught stealing sugar cakes, wasn't it this way you betrayed me!"

"How can that be the same?!"

"Why is it different!"

The two brothers argued and bickered all the way. Wang Shinian held Langhua's hand with one hand and had to guard against his younger brother rushing up to take revenge with the other, and the scene was in complete chaos.

Langhua walked ahead, being led by him. She had originally tried to appear composed, but as she listened, she couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Her smile made her shoulders tremble slightly, and her eyes crinkled.

Langhua suddenly felt that this was very good.

Very good.

Compared to the lofty Empress's Palace, compared to all that dignity and order, these days of being covered in mud and dust, laughing until her stomach ached, seemed like an extra blessing from God, a secret addition to her childhood.

She was led forward by Wang Shinian, and the setting sun cast long shadows of the three children.

As she walked and laughed, she found that even the two chopsticks of houttuynia cordata she would eat tomorrow didn't seem so scary anymore.