The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

Gu Yankai was taken aback, and his expression gradually turned ugly.

"Mother, I already have Yanyun."

He said in a deep voice.

Looking at him, as if she had expected his reaction, Old Madam Gu slowly said, "I know you have Qin Shi. But Dalang, you should also know that you are not only Qin Shi's husband, but also the Marquis of Ningyuan Mansion, and the backbone of our Gu family."

Gu Yankai pursed his lips tightly.

Madam Gu sighed softly, "Your second and third sisters seem to live a harmonious life, but in reality, there are undercurrents. Over the years, if it weren't for the Ningyuan Marquis's mansion keeping them in check, and if it weren't for you, their Marquis brother, standing up for them, they might not have been able to live peacefully."

"And then there are the fourth and fifth brothers... It's also my fault. In the past, I only thought about raising you well, making you the pillar of the family, and bringing glory to the clan. I completely forgot about them. By the time I came to my senses, these two good-for-nothings had already become good-for-nothings who spent their days fighting cocks, riding horses, and indulging in debauchery. But no matter how useless they are, they are still your own brothers. If they don't have the protection of this Marquis's mansion, how will they survive?"

"And this whole family of women, children, and servants."

She stared at Gu Yankai and said, word by word, "If this plaque of the Ningyuan Marquis's residence is smashed, it won't just be one house that collapses, but the livelihood of an entire family."

Gu Yankai was in extreme pain upon hearing this.

Of course he knew the importance of the Marquis's mansion. From a young age, his parents taught him to protect the Gu family, uphold the family's reputation, and safeguard the title passed down from his ancestors.

Why must his wife be sacrificed if he wants to protect the Gu family?

Why Yan Yun of all people?

"But Mother! Yan Yun is already frail; she won't survive without her son!"

Madam Gu paused for a moment, then her face turned completely cold.

"Qin Shi. If you hadn't mentioned her, I would have let it go. But now that you have, I want to ask you: in all these years since she entered the household, has she ever truly fulfilled her duties as the mistress of a marquis's mansion? How many times has she come to pay her respects morning and evening? She's always either suffering from a headache or feeling unwell in her chest. You protect her, saying she's weak, and I've tolerated it."

"How well does she manage the household affairs? She can't understand the accounts and refuses to get involved in social interactions. The old women flatter her a few times, and she really thinks she's virtuous and generous, pushing all the family's affairs onto this old man like me."

"And children. She's been married into the family for years without bearing any offspring, and you've been so kind to her that you wouldn't let me take a concubine, which I've tolerated. Now that she's finally pregnant, she's become an untouchable, unspeakable ancestor in the household. But, my dear brother, you know in your heart whether she's truly that weak, or just someone who knows how to manipulate you with illness, tears, and the child in her womb!"

Gu Yankai suddenly looked up: "Mother!"

Old Madam Gu didn't stop: "It's not entirely unreasonable to divorce such a woman."

Gu Yankai's expression changed completely.

"Absolutely not. I will only ever acknowledge Yanyun as my wife. Whether in wealth or poverty, in good times or bad, I will stay with her until we grow old together."

Old Madam Gu sneered, "Then you can go ahead and elope with her, and just watch our whole family die!"

"Mother!" Gu Yankai cried out in anguish, "How could it have come to this!"

"Why wouldn't it come to that?" Old Madam Gu retorted. "If the money isn't repaid by March next year, the title will be stripped and the property confiscated. Do you think the imperial edict is a joke? Or do you believe the Emperor will spare the Ningyuan Marquis's family because of your deep affection for Qin?"

Gu Yankai was speechless.

The mother and son parted on bad terms.

However, the two of them kept this conversation a closely guarded secret.

When Gu Yankai returned to the room, Qin Yanyun was leaning against a soft pillow waiting for him.

She was pregnant, and her face was still pale. Seeing him return, she forced herself to sit up: "My lord, how is Mother? As for the money... is there any progress?"

Gu Yankai looked at her, feeling a sharp pain in his heart, but ultimately didn't say those words.

He simply walked over, helped her lie down, and whispered, "There's some progress, don't worry. The most important thing now is to get well."

Qin Yanyun breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

She gently held his hand: "I knew it, Your Excellency would have a way."

The next day, Qin's mother arrived, looking at her eldest daughter with great anticipation.

Qin Yanyun said cautiously, "Mother, my dowry... has already been given to my husband's family."

The smile on Qin's mother's face froze instantly.

Qin Yanyun's eyes were filled with tears, brimming with self-reproach: "Mother, I truly didn't expect that even a mere two hundred thousand taels wouldn't be helped by Third Sister... You know, the Ningyuan Marquis's household has an even bigger hole. Even if only half is handed over, it would still be four hundred thousand taels. My mother-in-law and husband have been living in constant fear these past few days, and I felt so guilty seeing them like this, so..."

As she said this, tears began to fall.

Qin's mother felt a chill in her heart for a moment, but seeing her daughter crying like this, how could she bear to blame her?

She quickly grasped Qin Yanyun's hand: "How can I blame you? You are a Gu family woman. When the Gu family is in trouble, you took out your dowry, which is also a token of your goodwill."

She paused, tears welling up in her eyes. "It's not entirely Third Sister's fault. I've neglected her all these years. We've lived under the same roof every day, yet I never realized how deep her resentment had grown, to the point that we're now so estranged. It's my fault, I'm the one who should be blamed."

Qin Yanyun hurriedly said, "Mother, please don't say that. We're all family, and I don't think Third Sister will stay angry forever. Right now, the family is in dire straits, and she certainly won't stand idly by. How about this, I'll go to her and beg her personally."

Qin's mother immediately shook her head: "No! You're still pregnant, how can you go through all this trouble?"

The younger daughter has a terrible temper these days. What if she suddenly gets angry and hurts the older daughter or even the baby in her womb?

Qin Yanyun was about to speak again when her mother pressed her hand down: "There are still more than half a year until March next year. Let me think of another way, let me think of another way."

Qin Yanyun nodded with tears in his eyes.

Qin's mother left, looking worried.

Qin Yanyun's smile vanished instantly, and she calmly wiped away her tears.

time flies.

Autumn has arrived in the blink of an eye, and the winter solstice is just around the corner.

Yangzhou City.

Outside the White House.

Gu Yankai stood in front of the door, looking at the two characters "Bai Residence" on the plaque, his expression changing several times.

In the end, he still stepped forward with his servant and handed over the invitation.

About half a cup of tea later, Master Bai personally came out to greet him: "I was unaware of your arrival, Lord Marquis. Please come in quickly."

Mr. Bai wore a smile on his face and acted very politely.

Gu Yanxin was not feeling good at all.

Even the dignified Marquis of Ningyuan had to personally visit a merchant one day.

But thinking of his home situation, he went inside anyway.

Upon arriving at the main hall, hot tea was served, and the two exchanged a few polite words.

Impatient with beating around the bush, Gu Yankai said directly, "I am a rough man and not good at polite words. I'm sure Master Bai has already noticed my presence here."

Master Bai's smile remained unchanged: "Please speak, Your Excellency."

Gu Yankai took a deep breath: "I am unworthy, but I wish to marry your esteemed family's eldest daughter as my secondary wife. What do you think, Master Bai?"