The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

Langhua didn't say anything more.

The two sat quietly for a while before Langhua gently pushed the bundle forward.

"Since it's an investment, a written agreement is necessary."

"From now on, we'll clearly write down what each of us will get. That way, we won't have any trouble explaining things when we get our share of profits later."

Qin Yanwan then came to her senses and hurriedly said, "Of course."

After saying that, she couldn't help but glance at Langhua again.

This man was clearly not much older than me, yet when he talked about these things, he was more composed than even the most seasoned shopkeepers outside.

She suddenly felt a little more at ease.

In short, that's how shops started opening in Bianjing (Kaifeng).

The shop wasn't large, but it was exquisite, specializing in novelties for young ladies. From purses and accessories to beaded hairpins, silk flowers, gauze flowers, and necklaces, each item was uniquely made. While none of them seemed particularly outrageous, they all possessed a touch of ingenuity that set them apart from others, making them instantly appealing.

As expected, business soon improved.

-

Spring is in full bloom.

Zhao Zhen, however, was sullen inside the carriage.

Zhang Maoze accompanied the emperor the whole way. Seeing the emperor's expression, he knew that the emperor was still troubled by the matter of Consort Li. He did not dare to offer any advice and only accompanied the emperor more carefully.

As the carriage reached the edge of a slope, it suddenly heard the clear laughter of children outside.

Zhao Zhen's expression shifted slightly, and he involuntarily looked in the direction of the sound. Upon seeing this, Zhang Maoze quickly signaled the coachman to stop and then personally lifted the carriage curtain.

In the distance, on a patch of wild land, several children were squatting among the grass picking flowers. The older ones were leading the younger ones, carrying bamboo baskets, and shouting as they picked.

"This is beautiful! I'll give this to Sister Wang!"

"That one looks good too, Sister Qin will definitely like it!"

"Gather more, gather more!"

Their little faces were rosy from the sun, and although their clothes weren't the best, they were clean and tidy. They all had rosy complexions and looked very healthy.

Zhao Zhen watched quietly for a while, and his brows and eyes relaxed slightly.

A sense of comfort welled up in my heart.

He was burdened with heavy national affairs and chaotic family matters, and was already overwhelmed by them. But now, seeing these farmers' children, who were able to eat their fill, stay warm, and laugh and play so carefree, the melancholy in his heart dissipated somewhat.

"Let's go back to the palace."

He didn't want to see too many of these cheerful and bright scenes; they weren't things he should have.

Zhang Maoze should lower the carriage curtain.

The carriage rumbled forward, but it hadn't gone far when the wheels got stuck in a crack in the stone, and it couldn't move for a while, so it had to stop by the roadside to repair itself.

Zhao Zhen was not annoyed. He slowly descended the steps and ordered his men to repair the damage.

Before long, two large carriages slowly approached from behind and stopped not far away. The servants accompanying them noticed that there seemed to be some inconvenience and took the initiative to ask if they needed any help.

Zhang Maoze quickly smiled and agreed.

The people over there were quite efficient; they quickly called a few more people to come and help, and in no time at all, they had the wheels back in place.

Feeling grateful, Zhao Zhen instructed Zhang Maoze to send some money over as a token of his thanks.

But the person who came to reply laughed:

"My daughter said it was just a small favor, nothing to worry about. As long as her husband can return home safely, that's all that matters."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zhen glanced at the two carriages again.

The carriage's exterior wasn't particularly ostentatious, but it was clear that it wasn't a standard that ordinary families could afford.

Whether they were officials' wives or merchants, they were all kind-hearted people.

Zhao Zhen, in high spirits, cupped his hands in thanks, and Zhang Maoze also thanked them on his behalf.

At that moment, the carriage curtain moved slightly.

It seemed that the people inside had heard the conversation outside and were also curious. Several small hands pinched the corner of the curtain and gently lifted it a little.

Zhao Zhen glanced at it unintentionally and was taken aback.

Behind the curtain were small faces.

It looked quite familiar.

These were the children who had just been picking flowers and laughing in the field.

They were all peering through the car windows, their eyes wide with curiosity as they stared at the unfamiliar young man parked by the roadside.

Only after both carriages had passed by and were slowly moving forward did Zhao Zhen finally ask Zhang Maoze, "Whose carriages are these?"

His tone carried a rare hint of surprise.

"So that's how it is... a large and prosperous family?"

He ascended the throne at the age of thirteen and has been on the throne for ten years.

Although he has always been at odds with the shrewish Empress, he has no shortage of beautiful women like Lady Miao by his side, but he still has no children, not even a princess, let alone a prince.