The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

After everyone tactfully withdrew, only Langhua and Zhao Zhen remained in the room.

Zhao Zhen still held her hand, his gaze fixed on her still flat stomach as if looking at some rare treasure.

His expression shifted several times, his lips pressed together as if he were desperately suppressing something.

Suddenly, he bent down and pulled Langhua into his arms.

"Third Sister... thank you."

His voice was somewhat hoarse, as if it contained countless unspeakable emotions.

Langhua was slightly taken aback, then raised her hand to hug him back.

Zhao Zhen held her tightly, not wanting to lose his composure and frighten San Niang, but at this moment, the joy and gratitude surging in his heart almost overwhelmed him.

Since meeting San Niang, his life, which had been as stagnant and dull as a pool of still water, seemed to have been suddenly illuminated by a ray of sunshine. She was intelligent but not aggressive, and she followed the rules but was not rigid or dull.

She understood his hesitation and his difficulties, and could always pull him back from the mire with just a few words when he was most discouraged and torn between two options.

She clearly adhered to etiquette, but whenever he saw her, his heart seemed to come alive.

Countless joys, peace, and the anticipation of no longer being afraid all seemed to come from her, filling his days to the brim.

Now, she is pregnant with his child.

child!

The child he had been praying for for years without success has now arrived after only three months of marriage to her.

Zhao Zhen closed his eyes, hugged the person tighter, and couldn't help but blurt out his heartfelt words: "Meeting you is the greatest blessing of my life."

Langhua leaned against him, her eyes slowly welling up with tears.

How could she not be happy?

She was so happy she almost cried!

It wasn't because of Zhao Zhen's reaction or the words she most wanted to hear from Hongli in her past life.

It was because of her child, her Jin Ning, who had finally come back to find her!

Realizing this, the long period of pain and regret from the previous life seemed to have been gently smoothed out.

Despite being moved, Langhua did not forget the most important thing.

She gently lifted her head from Zhao Zhen's embrace: "Your Majesty, Third Sister has a favor to ask."

Zhao Zhen was filled with tenderness at this moment, unsure of what to give her in order to repay all the joy she had brought him. Hearing this, he couldn't wait any longer: "Tell me."

Langhua held his hand and said slowly, "Third Sister knows that given Your Majesty's situation and status, it would be wonderful if I could give birth to a prince. However, whether it is a boy or a girl is up to Heaven and is predetermined from the beginning, and cannot be easily changed... I want Your Majesty to promise me that if I am carrying a daughter, Your Majesty must not be disappointed, nor should you neglect her because of it."

Zhao Zhen was taken aback at first, then both amused and annoyed: "In your eyes, am I that kind of person?"

Langhua sighed, "Of course not, Your Majesty, but there is nothing more painful than having your expectations dashed. I don't want Your Majesty to be disappointed in the end."

Zhao Zhen's heart immediately softened.

He lowered his head, intertwined his fingers with hers, and said earnestly, "Don't worry, Third Sister, as long as it's our child, whether it's a boy or a girl, I'll love them both the same."

A smile finally appeared in Langhua's eyes: "With His Majesty's words, I can rest assured."

Zhao Zhen looked at her and couldn't help but reach out and gently touch her face: "If it's a daughter, I hope she looks like you."

Langhua laughed and said, "It's not bad to look like the Emperor; he's handsome."

Zhao Zhen said earnestly, "In my eyes, Third Sister is the most beautiful woman in the world."

Langhua blushed and simply buried her face in his chest again.

The autumn light outside was just right, and the atmosphere inside was warm and inviting.

-

The news of the Empress's pregnancy quickly spread throughout the court.

The ministers offered their congratulations in unison.

This good news came at the perfect time. The Yellow River disaster had just been averted, saving hundreds of thousands of people, and now this joyous news came from the Empress's palace. Everyone in the court felt that this was an auspicious sign from heaven, a result of the Emperor's benevolence, and a sign of the Empress's good fortune.

Those who had initially held some reservations about the new empress, Langhua, are now completely at ease.

He has gained a reputation for virtue, accumulated merit, and now he even has an heir to the throne.

What else is there to complain about?

When the king's father heard the congratulations from everyone in the court, he maintained a composed demeanor on the surface, but inwardly he felt honored as well.

Even though Langhua is now legally the daughter of the second wife, as long as she bears the surname Wang, she is a blessing to the Wang family.

Langhua herself did not become complacent because of this universal celebration. After confirming her pregnancy, she relinquished her power in the palace.

The candidates are naturally Miao Xinhe and Yu Qingran.

These two men served Zhao Zhen for the longest time. They were not of high birth and were not deeply involved with the forces of the previous dynasty. They were also experienced and kind-hearted.

During this time, she had the imperial physicians treat them to improve their health, and the two of them obediently took their medicine without ever refusing or complaining. They readily accepted the suspension of their nightly service and were always respectful to her. More importantly, they were true to their word and never caused any trouble in secret.

Therefore, Langhua was willing to give it a try.

She assigned some less important but complicated palace affairs to the two women, asking them to assist her.

However, at the same time, the new palace regulations were also promulgated.

When these palace rules were first promulgated, many people in the palace naturally found them difficult to adapt to, especially the lower-ranking palace staff, who privately found them cumbersome.

In the past, all you had to do when you were on duty was show up and go to your assigned spot. Now, they even control what you can and can't eat before you start your shift.

Foods with strong flavors are not allowed, as are cold foods that are likely to cause stomach aches.

Cosmetics with overly strong fragrances are not allowed.

Even if you need to use the restroom while on duty, you cannot leave your post without finding at least two people to take over and registering the situation before you can leave.

At first, the palace servants secretly complained, and even some female officials had their grievances.

Of course, there are advantages as well. In this way, everyone's movements are clearly recorded.

Continuous duty time should not exceed two hours, which also avoids making mistakes due to fatigue.

Palace servants were not allowed to act alone, especially those responsible for spices, medicines, food, and tea. They had to travel in pairs, check each other's documents at two different locations, and register with each other.

This also eliminates the possibility of private dealings, thereby reducing the risk of servants betraying or even rebelling against their masters.

However, after initially reading the palace regulations, Zhao Zhen was still somewhat surprised and hesitant: "Isn't this making a fuss over nothing? Won't this increase expenses significantly?"

Langhua shook her head: "Has Your Majesty forgotten? There aren't many masters in the palace right now, but there are far too many servants. We're just rearranging the staff, not simply adding more people."

She gently closed the booklet and said softly, "Besides, my arrangement is not for show, but for the safety of the Emperor and my sisters."

She placed a hand on her lower abdomen: "It's also for the future, so that our children can have a worry-free life."

Zhao Zhen was taken aback.

Langhua didn't hide anything from him and handed him another booklet: "Your Majesty, please take a look at this."

When Zhao Zhen took it and looked at it, he discovered that it contained the rules that the people who would take care of the princes and princesses in the future should follow.

Before entering the bedroom, all wet nurses and palace servants who were close to the children had to go to a side hall to bathe and change into clean clothes and shoes provided by the palace.

Remove all jewelry; rings, earrings, hairpins, and other accessories are not allowed.

No sachets may be worn on one's person, nor may any food, medicine, handkerchiefs, needles, or thread be carried from outside.

After finishing their shift, they would go to the side hall to change back into their own clothes and leave exactly as they were.

Zhao Zhen's eyes widened in disbelief.

"this……"

Langhua said confidently, "One should not have the heart to harm others, but one should not be without the heart to guard against others. I did not mean to think badly of people, but people's hearts are unpredictable, especially when it comes to children. No amount of caution is too much. Although we are parents, we are also the Emperor and the Empress, each with our own duties. We cannot be by the children's side every moment. In the end, it is these palace servants who accompany them every day."

"Loyalty and disloyalty are hidden beneath the skin; how can the naked eye discern them?"

"Besides, no one is perfect. Even the most loyal person is bound to make mistakes."

"Only by setting rules and regulating our words and actions can we ensure stability to the greatest extent possible."

Zhao Zhen suddenly had a thought.

I recalled the words she spoke when I first fell for Third Sister at the orphanage.

"Rules were originally created for the purpose of maintaining order."