The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

When Wei Jing'an woke up, he felt a long-lost warmth all over his body.

He stared blankly at the canopy above his head for a long while before slowly remembering that he was still staying in the side room at the Daxiangguo Temple.

Unlike what I remembered, a brazier had been added to the originally empty and cold house, and the charcoal fire was burning brightly, making the small house as warm as early summer.

He was also covered with a thick, heavy quilt, heavier and more so than the ones he used to use at home in the years before his family fell on hard times.

He instantly realized something was wrong and struggled to get up.

But as soon as he moved, he felt a darkness before his eyes and a tightness in his chest, and he almost fell back down.

Just then, the door was gently pushed open from the outside.

An old woman wearing a gray-blue jacket came in carrying a basin of water. Seeing him like this, she hurried forward, not even bothering to put the basin down properly.

"My lord, lie down quickly, lie down quickly."

The old woman pressed him back onto the bed with considerable force: "The doctor said your body is very weak. If you don't take good care of yourself, it may damage your health and shorten your lifespan."

Wei Jing'an was taken aback.

No wonder.

These days, he often feels dizzy and his heart races. He can't sleep at night because he's too cold, and he's too hungry to stand during the day.

Knowing is one thing, but when people reach their wits' end, even if they know that one more step will lead to an abyss, they can only grit their teeth and move forward.

Because he not only has himself, but also an elderly father and two young sisters waiting at home for him to return and take over the family business.

"My lord, don't think about anything else for now, your health is the most important thing. The doctor prescribed medicine, but said that your stomach is very empty, so you can't drink the bitter medicine first. You need to eat some warm porridge to fill your stomach."

As she spoke, she naturally turned around and ordered, "Bring the porridge over."

A young maidservant entered from outside the curtain in response to the call.

The maid was wearing a light-colored cloak and a hat covering her head. She was carrying a tray with a bowl of hot porridge, a cup of medicine, and two small dishes of light side dishes.

Steam rose gently, carrying the faint aroma of rice.

Wei Jing'an almost subconsciously turned his eyes away.

He was so hungry that the mere smell of rice made his throat involuntarily move. But the more he did this, the more embarrassed he felt.

One should not accept rewards without merit.

Even though he was a scholar and so poor, he could not accept such a great favor for no reason.

"This...this is unacceptable." Wei Jing'an struggled to support himself, his voice still hoarse. "I have never met this woman before, and she has already saved me. How can I suffer this further?"

The old woman, as if she had expected this, sighed and sat down by the bed. "Young master, please don't be so quick to refuse. My surname is Ma. As for my husband's family, let's not talk about them. Just call me Granny Ma. I'm a widow. I used to have a son, but he passed away not long ago. He was about your age. When I saw you lying there today, your face pale from the cold, I couldn't bear it. Since my son is gone, I thought it would be good to do him a good deed."

Wei Jing'an choked up, unable to utter the words of refusal he had intended to say.

Fang's mother looked at him, and her tone softened a bit.

"I know that you scholars are all stubborn and value your integrity above all else. You say things like 'I'd rather die than eat food offered with contempt' and 'I won't bow down for five pecks of rice.' You all sound like you have backbone."

She changed the subject, her brows furrowing.

"But don't you think about it? Your families have gritted their teeth and supported you to this point, did they really send you to Bianjing to die for a little bit of integrity? If you really die here, what will your parents do? Even if they don't hear from you that you've made something of yourself, at least they should see you return home safe and sound!"

Wei Jing'an fell silent.

Seeing that his expression softened, Madam Fang pressed her advantage, saying, "I saved you not because I want anything from you. I was just doing a good deed to put my mind at ease. If you're willing to grant my request, my lord, and focus on eating your porridge and taking your medicine to recover, that would be wonderful."

She smiled, half jokingly, half genuinely.

"If you, sir, truly feel guilty and uneasy, I see that you possess extraordinary bearing and will surely pass the imperial examination. When you achieve great success and soar to the top, you can then repay this old woman's kindness, and that will be enough."

Wei Jing'an's eyes welled up with tears as he listened.

He is not unaware of the coldness and warmth of human relationships.

After being brutally beaten by that wealthy merchant and losing his livelihood, most people avoided him like the plague. Even those who felt sympathy could only sigh at his pitiful state, but no one dared to get involved in the trouble.

Now, this complete stranger, this old woman, has gone to such lengths for him.

He propped himself up and solemnly clasped his hands in a respectful gesture.

"I will always remember your great kindness, Mother-in-law. If I am fortunate enough to be able to establish myself in the future, I will never forget this day."

Only then did Mrs. Fang smile.

"That's right."

The maid who had been standing demurely to the side finally made a move, carrying a bowl of porridge forward and saying softly, "My lord, please drink it quickly, it will get cold soon."

Wei Jing'an was about to express his gratitude, but when he heard that voice, he couldn't help but be stunned.

It's soft and gentle, like a breeze brushing across the water in March, stirring something unexpected in one's heart.

He looked up and the first thing he saw was a pair of hands.

Her skin was as white as jade, her fingertips slender, and she held a rough porcelain bowl of porridge, yet she did not appear shabby; on the contrary, she possessed an indescribable beauty.

Further up, you'll find yourself facing a beautiful and refined face.

Seeing Wei Jing'an looking over, she even smiled slightly at him.

Wei Jing'an's heart skipped a beat.

He quickly lowered his head, his ears almost burning. He dared not look or reach out to take it, and stammered, "No, I wouldn't dare trouble you, young lady. Just leave it aside."

Lin Qinshuang found the man's reaction amusing.

She's seen people who are dull-witted.

I've never seen anyone so clueless.

No wonder he managed to get himself into this mess despite being a scholar who passed the imperial examination.

Lin Qinshuang and Fang's mother exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with a mixture of helplessness and certainty.

She placed the bowl of porridge and the medicine cup on the small table beside her, and said gently, "Then please remember to drink them, sir. I'll come back to collect them when you're done."

Wei Jing'an lowered his head even further, realizing that she was probably not some lowly maid, but rather a close relative of Granny Ma.

"Thank you, young lady. Thank you, madam."

He didn't even dare to lift his head.

Lin Qinshuang held back her laughter and didn't laugh out loud. She just responded softly and went out with her mother.

The two walked in silence towards the exit of the Great Xiangguo Temple.

Not far from the temple, there is a newly acquired small house. The house is not big, but it is quiet.

As soon as the two entered the house, an old woman led the way to the main room, where a maidservant came up to take their cloaks and hats and served them hot tea.

A brazier was burning inside the house.

Mrs. Xu had been waiting for a long time.

Seeing the two enter, she put down her teacup and asked, "How is it?"

Fang's mother quickly recounted everything she had learned, including his reactions after she revived him.

"Lord Wei is from Yangzhou, and his ancestors were a scholarly family. A few years ago, his mother passed away, and the family's savings were exhausted from medical treatment and medicine before her death, which led to the decline of the family. Now, there is still an elderly scholar in the family who makes a living by teaching, and two younger sisters."

"Because of his family's poverty, he would travel to the capital with the Bai family's merchant caravan during the summer. Along the way, he would do accounting and paperwork for the Bai family, carrying and lifting things as payment. After arriving in Bianjing, he supported himself by copying books and writing letters for others. Although life was hard, he was still able to make ends meet."

"Unfortunately, a few days ago, the daughter of a wealthy merchant took a liking to him and wanted to marry him. He refused, and the merchant was furious. He had him beaten severely and his business at several bookstores was shut down. Since then, he has never found a proper job."

"If it weren't for the Emperor and Empress's benevolence in setting up soup kitchens several times because of the birth of the little prince, he would probably have frozen to death on the street long ago."

The room fell silent for a moment.

Mother Fang sighed softly, "We've run into him this time just when he's at his lowest point. There's still at least a month until the imperial examinations, and he's already skin and bones from hunger. The injuries from the last beating haven't been treated in time, and he's accumulated hidden wounds all over his body. The doctor said his condition is critical. If he doesn't rest properly, forget about passing the imperial examinations and entering officialdom; it's hard to say whether he'll even make it to spring."

Upon hearing this, Xu frowned even more deeply.

He then asked, "How is his academic ability? What are the chances of him passing the imperial examination?"

"How did this old servant know?" Madam Fang gave a wry smile. "However, when I was helping him tidy up his things earlier, I secretly took back a piece of calligraphy. Would you like to see it, Madam?"

Xu rolled her eyes at her.

"If I understood it, wouldn't it be better for me to take the exam myself?"

Lin Qinshuang chuckled and took the paper from her.

The characters are indeed well-written.

Lean and upright, with a restrained sharpness, every stroke is meticulous, just like that person.

Lin Qinshuang smiled and said, "Whether the writing is good or not doesn't really matter. As long as he's not a complete fool, that's fine. Being a scholar means he has some knowledge. As for whether he passes the exam or not, that's not important either."

She gently placed the paper on the table.

"In any case, I don't plan to marry him. As long as he's not a bad person, and whether he gains or loses power in the future, I just hope he doesn't cause me any trouble."

Upon hearing this, Madam Xu's eyes flickered slightly.

She suddenly realized with absolute clarity that Shuang'er truly wanted to have children but not get married.

"you mean……"

"He's the one."

Lin Qinshuang made the final decision.

Mother Fang hesitated: "This child seems very honest and straightforward, I'm afraid it's not easy... to win him over."

Madam Xu lowered her eyes and pondered for a moment, then looked at Lin Qinshuang: "What do you think?"

While Mrs. Fang said she was hard to sway, a more accurate word would be "seduction."

What they were about to do was not an ordinary wedding.

She neither bowed to heaven and earth, nor inquired about the six rites, nor did she ask for a formal title. To put it bluntly, she wanted to find a person with a clean background, good character, and who would not cause trouble in the future, so that Shuangjie could have a child.

If it were an ordinary man, with Shuang Jie'er's beauty and a touch of gentleness, it wouldn't be too difficult for him.

But what if you encounter someone like Wei Jing'an...

He was so poor he was almost starving to death, yet he refused to curry favor with wealthy merchants. He was half-dead from illness, yet he still insisted that he hadn't earned anything and shouldn't accept any reward.

It seems unlikely.

Lin Qinshuang laughed: "It all depends on human effort."