The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

Inside the Kunning Palace, Langhua calmly finished handling the palace affairs that had been presented that day.

In the past, she would have had to carefully consider every detail, fearing that she might lose face as the Empress or give others something to criticize.

Now she has figured it out: she is the empress, the mistress of the harem, and she must be careful in handling her own household affairs.

Just follow her rules.

Just then, the wet nurse brought Yuan Nian in.

The little child was awake, his big, dark eyes wide open. As soon as he saw her, he started babbling incessantly.

A smile unconsciously appeared on Langhua's face.

She reached out and took the child, then bent down and kissed his soft cheeks.

"Is our Erlang being so well-behaved today?"

The wet nurse chuckled, "His Highness had his milk this morning and played for a while. He still wouldn't go to sleep just now, as if he knew His Highness was done with her work and wanted to be held by His Highness."

Langhua's heart softened upon hearing this.

She held her son in her arms and gently rocked him, then looked at the sky outside.

"It's almost noon, Jingning should be back soon."

No sooner had the words left her lips than a series of light footsteps sounded outside, followed by a clear, joyful voice.

"Ma'am!"

The smile in Langhua's eyes deepened.

She held her son in one arm, while her other arm was already outstretched.

The next moment, Jingning flew into her arms like a fledgling swallow.

The little girl's face was flushed from playing, and there was still sweat on her temples, but her eyes were bright and sparkling.

Langhua put her arm around her and asked with a smile, "Where did you go having so much fun? Look at all that sweat."

Zhang Bihua, who was following behind, also entered and bowed: "Your Majesty."

Langhua looked up and saw that there was also a thin layer of sweat on her forehead, and then she understood.

"Where have they been causing trouble again?"

Jingning immediately looked up, gesturing with her little hands and feet: "Civet cat! Up in the tree! Can't get down! Sister Han, help! Ning'er, help too!"

Upon hearing this, Langhua understood the situation.

Like the Qing Dynasty, the Song Dynasty kept many cats in the palace, which were known for their tendency to run around.

Jingning is young and likes everything he sees. If he sees a cat trapped in a tree, how could he not be anxious?

Knowing this, she still gently tapped Jingning's forehead.

"If the cat can't get down, you could have asked the eunuchs to help. Why did you go up there by yourself? What if she falls and hurts herself?"

As she spoke, she looked at Zhang Bihua, her tone filled with even more worry.

Zhang Bihua quickly smiled and said, "Your Majesty, don't worry. I've been good at climbing trees since I was little. Even the young man I played with when I was a child was no match for me. That little cat can't climb very high, and I thought it wouldn't bother anyone else, so I went up there."

Langhua was about to say something when Yudie couldn't help but speak up first: "It's your own business if you can climb it, but how can you drag the princess along on this nonsense? It's so high up, what if you fall? You're tough, but what if something happens to the princess?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhang Bihua's smile froze instantly.

She knelt down almost immediately.

"This servant knows her mistake."

Jingning was also startled. Her bright eyes dimmed slightly, and she shrank closer to Langhua's arms.

Langhua looked down at her, then at Zhang Bihua kneeling on the ground.

The young woman, who had been so lively and bright just moments before, now had fear in her eyes and brows, just like Jingning in her arms. She had suddenly changed from being cheerful and outgoing to shrinking back.

Langhua's heart softened slightly.

She suddenly remembered her childhood days in Sichuan.

Back then, she would run around with her two older brothers, climbing trees, catching fish, and getting her skirts covered in mud. Her aunt would complain, but she never really restrained her. She would just have someone watch over her and change her clothes, wipe her face, and give her hot soup when they came back.

Those years, even today, remain the most precious time in her two lifetimes.

It always finds a quiet place to nourish her soul and strengthen her.

"Alright."

She spoke slowly, not to blame Zhang Bihua, but to stop Yu Die.

Langhua patted Jingning's head, then looked at Zhang Bihua on the ground.

"It's a good thing for children to run and jump more. They'll become stronger and more open-minded. That's how I grew up in Sichuan."

As soon as she said that, she noticed two burning gazes.

A touch of Jingning from her embrace.

A gust of wind came from Zhang Bihua, who was kneeling.

Langhua couldn't help but chuckle.

"But Yu Die is right. Safety should always be the top priority. In the future, if something like this happens again, we must call more people. Even if we have to put some soft blankets underneath, that's fine too. A wise person doesn't stand under a dangerous wall. You should all keep this in mind."

Zhang Bihua's eyes lit up again, and she quickly said, "Your Majesty, please rest assured, this servant would not dare to be arrogant. Yulian and the others were all there at the time, and this servant left them behind to look after the princess before daring to go up."

Jingning quickly nodded, "I understand, Auntie, don't worry!"

He then looked at Yu Die and said, "Auntie, you can rest assured."

Yu Die instantly lost her temper.

Langhua smiled and tapped her little nose again: "It's good that you know. Never mind, go wash your hands first, we'll have dinner later."

Lunch was quickly served in the Kunning Palace.

While watching Jingning eat, Langhua casually asked how things were going up ahead.

Ah Chang replied from the side, "The palace examination has ended, and His Majesty and the ministers are currently reviewing the examination papers."

Langhua nodded and then instructed, "Don't forget to send some food to the front. The officials and gentlemen need it, and the students also need to be taken care of. Today is their big day; they've worked so hard, we can't let them wait on an empty stomach."

Ah Chang smiled and replied, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I have already given instructions. The food is light but filling, so the students won't get an upset stomach or be embarrassed, nor will they have to parade through the streets on an empty stomach. At the Qionglin Banquet later, the hangover soup has been prepared early, and the food and wine have all been inspected."

Langhua was relieved: "With you handling things, I naturally have less to worry about."

Ah Chang smiled and curtsied.

After lunch, Jingning was so tired from playing that she rinsed her mouth and was then coaxed to sleep by her wet nurse.

In the first year, she was in the age of being greedy for food and sleep. After waking up, she was fed milk, had her diaper changed, and was cleaned up. She quickly fell asleep again.

The hall fell silent, and Langhua then called out to Zhang Bihua, who was about to leave.

"Your Majesty?"

Langhua smiled and waved to her: "Come here."

Zhang Bihua was confused, but she still obediently stepped forward.

Langhua gently took her hand.

Her hands weren't particularly delicate; there were even some thin calluses on her palms. Perhaps it was because she had never wanted to be just a quiet young lady since she was a child. Whether it was climbing trees, running and jumping, or doing other things, she had always used her strength in real life.

Langhua looked at it and liked it even more: "My mother came to the palace this morning and asked me for a favor."

Zhang Bihua was taken aback at first, then as if she had thought of something, the tips of her ears slowly turned red.

Langhua noticed this hint of shyness and understood the situation even better, her smile deepening.

"So you already knew."

Zhang Bihua lowered her head, her fingers nervously twisting together.

"That's right, my second brother wants to marry you. Bihua, are you willing?"

Zhang Bihua lowered her head, her voice choked with sobs: "As long as Your Majesty doesn't dislike this servant."

Langhua gently squeezed her hand: "If I disliked you, I wouldn't have asked you."

With a soft thud, a large tear fell onto Langhua's arm.

Langhua sighed softly in her heart, her voice growing even gentler: "Over the years, I've seen how sincerely you've treated me, and how you've treated Jingning. You're a good girl. If we could become family, I would be overjoyed."

Zhang Bihua finally couldn't hold back and sobbed, "I'm willing, I'm willing. It's my greatest blessing to be family with Your Majesty. And, there's also the Duchess of Anguo. To be honest, Your Majesty, every time I see her, it's like seeing my grandmother."

Langhua, both amused and exasperated, handed her a handkerchief, quickly interrupting the increasingly rambling discussion about their relationship: "There's just one more thing I need to ask your opinion on first."