The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

Having received permission, Langhua didn't care what the Queen Mother thought.

So what if I know?

She wanted to raise her social standing by learning polo, and then find a truly suitable man to marry into a wealthy family.

During the Song Dynasty, these top families regarded playing polo as a sign of elegance.

The scions of many wealthy and powerful families often met at the polo field.

But are they really just looking for people with excellent ball skills and similar interests?

No.

Ultimately, it's just another hurdle.

Learning to play polo requires money for everything: horses, players, and the venue. Being able to afford to play polo indicates a wealthy family background. Entering the polo field and being able to ride a horse and wield a polo stick is like having one foot in the door of a prestigious family seeking a partner.

This is the hurdle she lacks most right now, and it's also the most crucial one.

She wasn't afraid that the Queen Mother would see through it.

On the contrary, she was eager for the Queen Mother to understand.

Since we can't talk about feelings, let's start from self-interest.

She manipulated her with social skills and lured her with the potential benefits in the future. So what if the Queen Mother had reservations about her?

As long as she demonstrates sufficient value, she will still be given preferential treatment.

as predicted.

Three days later, Mama Shao, who was by the Queen Mother's side, came to Zhaoshui Pavilion to deliver a message, saying that everything had been arranged. Classes would begin in five days, with classes every three days. The place for learning ball was outside the city, and it was a good place, a popular spot for many wealthy families and officials' wives in Bianjing.

Langhua smiled and thanked her.

It wasn't until the day she left that she learned Wang Ruoyu was traveling with her.

Wang Ruo snorted coldly, her face full of disdain.

Langhua's expression remained unchanged. She only glanced at her briefly before getting into the carriage and sitting up straight.

As for where Wang Ruo got the money to learn polo, she didn't care.

The Queen Mother still had some sense of shame.

Even if they do take her money now, they'll always find a way to make it back later.

-

The polo field outside the city covers a vast area.

At first glance, the grass was flat, the fence was newly painted, and several fine horses were already strolling slowly in the distance.

There were also warm pavilions around the perimeter for resting, with maids, servants, and stable boys coming and going. It was clear that this was not a place that ordinary people could afford to spend their time in.

Wang Ruoyu's eyes lit up as soon as she stepped off the carriage.

But when she actually started class, her bright eyes gradually dimmed.

Since it was their first time learning to ride, the instructor first let everyone familiarize themselves with the horse and get saddled, and then gradually led them on a slow ride.

Langhua didn't know how to play polo in her past life.

But she can ride a horse.

The Qing Dynasty conquered the world on horseback. As the eldest daughter of the Fucha family, she had learned riding and archery since childhood. Although she was not particularly skilled, riding a horse and wielding a whip was not difficult for her at all.

Therefore, in no time at all, she was able to urge the horse to trot on her own.

Sunlight fell on her forehead, and the wind lifted the hem of her clothes slightly. She sat on the horse with a very steady posture. Although she was still young, she already had an indescribable sense of agility.

On the other side, Wang Ruoyu was still struggling with the saddle.

She was initially resentful, feeling she was no less capable than her sister. But the horse seemed to be deliberately working against her; she either couldn't get on or couldn't sit steadily. Even when she finally managed to get on, she was stiff and rigid, like a piece of wood.

She looked up and saw Langhua already jogging around the field.

My temper flared up instantly!

She flicked her whip and, without thinking, lashed it hard at the new maidservant beside her.

The little maid cried out in pain, tears welling up in her eyes instantly, but she didn't even dare to hide.

The instructor watching from the side could only frown and dared not say a word.

After returning home, Wang Ruoyu felt sore all over, her arms and legs felt like they didn't belong to her, and she insisted that she refused to go again.

Upon hearing this, the Queen Mother's face immediately darkened.

"Nonsense!"

"You were the one who insisted on going in the first place, but now that the money's been spent and the trainer's appointment is booked, you're backing out? What kind of behavior is this?"

Wang Ruoyu lay on the couch, tears streaming down her face, feeling wronged.

"That Wang Langhua is incredibly cunning! She must have secretly learned to ride horses while she was in Shu! Otherwise, how could she have learned so quickly!"

Upon hearing this, the Queen Mother simply sighed.

"Whether she's studied it or not, do you think I wouldn't know?"

"She is, after all, my and your father's daughter, who was fostered by the second wife's family. Over the years, the second wife has written to me in detail about what she has learned and what she has done. I personally found the female tutor who taught her flower arranging and tea ceremony, and I also paid for her tuition. Why would you lie to me about such a thing?"

As she said this, her tone became somewhat subdued.

"She hadn't studied beforehand, and she only went for one day and she already had such skill. It can only be said that she is truly exceptionally talented."

Wang Ruoyu's expression immediately turned even uglier.

If she had been deceiving herself even a little before, she couldn't fool herself anymore now.

I didn't learn it secretly.

It could only be her younger sister, who truly lived up to the praise her father had given her in his letters over the years—she learned everything quickly and did everything with remarkable skill.

This realization was even more painful for her than being beaten up.

So she simply turned over, crying and saying she would never go again.

She'd rather die than be a mere foil to that wild girl!

Upon hearing this, Langhua was actually quite pleased with herself.

In truth, she was just an ordinary person in her past life.

They act in a very proper and orderly manner, and even when they do try to scheme, their methods are quite crude.

In this life, relying on his foresight and the foundation he built up in his previous life, he pretended to be a child prodigy.

Reading and writing go without saying.

She was an adult, and in her eyes, it was far too easy to fool children with their shallow understanding.

I learned flower arranging and tea tasting long ago.

Needless to say, etiquette is her greatest strength.

The housekeeper and the director are also no problem.

After being the legal wife for so many years, if she hasn't even developed this much skill, then she's truly lived a wasted life.

She did indeed have some clever tricks up her sleeve when it came to business.

Her aunt gave her a shop selling jewelry and trinkets, which originally only sold small items to ordinary women.

But she had been an empress and had seen countless treasures. She had also advocated frugality in the palace and encouraged everyone in the harem to use more pith flowers.

The concept of biomimetic flowers actually existed as early as the Song Dynasty, but there weren't many styles available in Sichuan.

How could they compare to the ingenious designs created by the Qing Dynasty's embroidery workshop to please the Empress?

Those things, placed in the harem, would naturally not catch the eye of the noble ladies, making her an unjust laughingstock among the entire palace.

But when placed in front of ordinary people, they become so fond of it that they can't put it down.

That's why her small shop became a great success, and within two years it was expanded into two shops.

The sweat shed in the past life has borne fruit, making him a child prodigy in this life.

Who could have predicted that?

Langhua smiled gently.

Just then, out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly caught a glimpse of a dark shadow flying towards her.

A black ball, carried by the wind, hurtled straight toward her face!

"Young lady, be careful—!"

Someone nearby screamed in panic.

Langhua's eyes narrowed, and almost instinctively she suddenly turned to the side, pulling the reins and making an extremely dangerous evasive maneuver on horseback.

The ball flew past her temple almost grazing.

The horse beneath her was startled and reared up slightly, but Langhua had already sat firmly on her back and patted its neck to calm it down.

Langhua reined in her horse and slowly turned around, just as she was about to see which reckless person had made this move, when she saw a chestnut horse galloping towards her from not far away.

The girl on horseback was not much older than her, dressed in a neat riding outfit, with delicate features and outstanding appearance, but she exuded an aloofness that kept strangers at bay.

Are you alright?

She spoke, her voice cold and direct.

Langhua shook her head.

She had assumed this was a cold-faced but warm-hearted girl, and was about to follow her gaze to find the culprit who had caused the mistake, when the girl casually added:

"It's alright. This time it was my mistake, I was at fault first. If you are angry, or if you feel unwell after returning home, just come to the Marquis of Dongchang's residence to seek compensation from me."

As soon as she finished speaking, she reined in her horse and turned it around, without saying another word.

"drive!"

Langhua: ?