The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

When Langhua arrived at the front hall, Wang Shi'an and Zhang Bihua were already there.

Wang Shi'an was wearing a red robe today, which made his handsome features and upright posture even more striking.

But the smile that he couldn't suppress still lingered on his face, adding an unexpected touch of foolishness.

Zhang Bihua, with her hair styled in a traditional Chinese updo, looked radiant and gentle, and was now surrounded by several children.

Jingning hugged her waist tightly, almost pressing her body against hers, but looked at Wang Shi'an with a very unfriendly gaze.

Wang Shi'an touched his nose, both amused and exasperated: "What's wrong with Ning'er? I'm your second uncle!"

Jingning held Zhang Bihua tightly, her voice muffled: "You're a bad person, trying to steal my sister Bihua. Who wants to talk to you?"

Wang Shi'an was taken aback and almost burst out laughing.

Zhang Bihua, who had been blushing, suddenly felt her eyes well up with tears upon hearing these words.

She lowered her head, gently touched the top of Jingning's head, and said softly, "Your Highness..."

Jingning immediately looked up at her: "Will you come to see me again in the future?"

Before Zhang Bihua could speak, Yuan Nian leaned over and asked, "Will you still make plum blossom pastries for us?"

Fang-ge'er: "Want to tell another story?"

Huirou was still young and didn't quite understand the cause and effect. She only knew that everyone was surrounding Zhang Bihua, so she reached out and grabbed her sleeve, calling out in a childish voice, "Sister."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Bihua completely lost her composure, and her eyes became even redder.

Wang Shi'an, who had initially found it amusing, couldn't help but soften upon seeing this. He coughed lightly and said, "Of course she'll come. Your second aunt married me, not some nobody. Why can't she come?"

Jingning immediately looked at him: "Then you're not allowed to bully her."

Wang Shi'an quickly replied solemnly, "Of course I wouldn't dare."

"You are not allowed to prevent her from entering the palace."

Wang Shi'an was almost amused by her, but he had to hold it in and nodded solemnly: "I dare not refuse."

"And don't make her cry."

"I dare not."

Jingning was somewhat satisfied, but he still wouldn't let go of Zhang Bihua's hand.

Langhua stood at the door for a while, and finally couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Only then did everyone realize that she had arrived.

Wang Shi'an and Zhang Bihua quickly got up.

The other children stood up properly, but Jingning was still holding Zhang Bihua's hand, unwilling to let go.

Langhua stepped forward and sat down in the main seat.

Wang Shi'an and Zhang Bihua bowed respectfully.

"Your subject Wang Shi'an, accompanied by his wife Zhang, pays his respects to Her Majesty the Empress."

Zhang Bihua lowered her eyes and spoke in a much softer voice than usual: "This concubine greets Your Majesty the Empress."

Langhua accepted their greetings and then smiled, saying, "Get up."

Yu Die then stepped forward with the gifts that had been prepared beforehand.

A pair of red gold armlets with lotus scroll design, a box of South Sea pearls, and several bolts of fine brocade that could only be obtained from the palace.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Bihua hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, this is far too precious."

Langhua laughed and said, "Now that you're my second sister-in-law, it's only right that I, as your younger sister, should give you a small gift."

Zhang Bihua's face flushed red, and she said reproachfully, "Your Majesty..."

Langhua stopped teasing her and simply beckoned her to sit down next to her.

The group sat in the front hall for half a day.

Most of the children surrounded Zhang Bihua, asking her all sorts of questions, as if they wanted to know every single day since she left the palace.

Zhang Bihua was patient and answered all their questions except for those that were too difficult to say in her boudoir. She then took out small purses that she had prepared in advance and distributed them to them.

Each pouch contained a small lucky coin, which she had sewn herself.

When Wang Shi'an and Zhang Bihua got up to say goodbye, Jingning couldn't hold back any longer, her eyes gradually reddening: "Couldn't you stay a little longer?"

Zhang Bihua originally wanted to coax her with a smile, but when she was asked that question, she almost burst into tears.

She knelt down and gently hugged Jingning in her arms: "Your Highness, I will come to see you again in the future."

Jingning said sullenly, "But you're going outside with your second uncle."

Zhang Bihua paused.

Wang Shi'an has been promoted and will soon be assigned to a post outside the capital. Since she has married him, she will naturally have to leave the capital with him.

Zhang Bihua's eyes reddened even more, and she said in a low voice, "When I have time, I will write to Your Highness. If Your Highness is willing, you may also write back to me."

Jingning sniffed: "I will write a lot more."

"Okay." Zhang Bihua smiled through her tears, "Then I'll write a lot more too."

Even so, when it came time to part, Zhang Bihua still looked back every few steps.

Jingning stood at the palace gate, clutching the small purse in her hand. As she watched her figure gradually disappear into the distance, she finally couldn't hold back anymore, and tears streamed down her face. She ran back to her room crying.

Seeing this, Langhua sighed softly.

After calming the other children down and handing them over to the wet nurse, they went to Jingning's bedroom.

The little girl was sitting alone on the edge of the tatami mat, clutching the purse in her hand, her eyes red-rimmed, and tears welling up in her eyes every now and then.

Langhua walked over and sat down beside her.

"Are you still sad?"

Jingning looked up at her, and tears immediately welled up again.

"Auntie." She threw herself into Langhua's arms, her voice full of grievance, "Why must women marry?"

Langhua raised her hand and gently wiped away her tears, softly saying:

"According to the rules of etiquette, men should marry when they come of age, and women should marry when they come of age; this has been the way since ancient times."

Just as Jingning was about to retort, Langhua smiled again: "But Auntie thinks it's not just that."

Jingning looked up, her big eyes filled with confusion.

Langhua said slowly, "Marriage should be about trying a different path. To see if there are better people, better days, and a more fulfilling life on that path."

Jingning seemed to understand, but not quite.

Langhua continued, "You can't bear to part with Bihua because she's been with you since you were very young. She cares about everything: what you eat, what you wear, whether you sleep well at night, whether you get sleepy while studying, and whether you're happy or unhappy on certain days."

"Sometimes, she cares about you even more than I, as her mother, do."

Jingning immediately said, "Sister Bihua is the best to me."

"Yes, she likes you and is good to you." Langhua nodded. "That's why you like her by your side and value her care for you."

Jingning nodded vigorously.

Langhua's voice softened: "But Ning'er, no matter how respectable she is in our Kunning Palace, she is still a palace maid."

Jingning was taken aback.

"To appear closer, you call her Sister Bihan. People outside might give her some face because of that. But she is ultimately not your real sister."

"When she reaches a certain age, she will still have to leave the palace."

"Do you think she can serve you for the rest of her life?"

Jingning instinctively replied, "Sure, I can..."

"Can you treat her like family, caring for her for the rest of your life?"

Jingning opened her mouth, instinctively wanting to say, "Of course you can."

But Langhua spoke first: "You are a princess. Every day you eat meals carefully prepared by the Imperial Kitchen, wear clothes tailored by the Imperial Clothing Bureau, live in the best palace, have palace servants to serve you, and have female officials to teach you."

"If she is your closest relative, why doesn't she?"

"Why is she the only one who can stand while you are sitting?"

"You're walking ahead, why is she following behind you?"

"She will serve you while you eat. Only after you have finished eating will it be her turn to eat."

"During festivals, you will receive gifts from your father, aunts, maternal grandparents, and elders of the imperial clan. As for her, she has to first sort out the gift list for you, and then go to collect the reward that the palace servants are entitled to."

"If you are sick, she stays up all night to watch over you, which is loyal and dutiful. But if she is sick, can you stay up all night to watch over her? Can you personally feed her medicine, wipe her sweat, and take care of her without taking off your clothes?"

Jingning was taken aback by the question.

She wanted to say yes.

But she also vaguely understood that the real answer was probably no.

Langhua sighed softly: "Ning'er, it's not that you treat her badly. You already like her very much and value her highly. But even close relatives don't act like that."

Jingning lowered her head, lost in thought.

Langhua continued, "Bihua was born an orphan. Her parents died early, and her only uncle even took advantage of her misfortune and treated her badly. Although we have taken care of her in the palace all these years, she is still all alone in the end."

"Your second uncle truly loves her and is someone you can entrust your life to."

"Now that they're married, your sister Bihua is no longer a lonely palace maid. She's the second daughter of the Wang family, your second maternal aunt. Following your second maternal uncle's rank, she'll likely receive an imperial title in the future."

"Once she gives birth to the child, she will have a blood relative again."

"If she only followed you and served you, could she possibly have these things?"

The confusion in Jingning's eyes gradually faded, and she seemed to have been persuaded somewhat.

Langhua smiled and pinched her little face: "Besides, she didn't marry just anyone, she married your own maternal uncle. From now on, she will be your aunt, and the children she gives birth to will all call you 'elder sister,' just like Yuan Nian and Hui Rou."

Jingning's eyes flickered.

"They can also come to the palace to play with you, just like Ye Ge'er. Then you can eat at the same table and sleep on the same bed. If you wish, you can also teach them to write and take them to fly kites."

The sadness in Jingning's eyes finally lessened a bit.

She has always loved being the eldest sister, especially enjoying seeing a whole bunch of younger brothers and sisters following behind her, vying to call her that.

If it were Bihua's older sister... no, it would be her younger siblings born to her second aunt...

Just imagining it made her feel a sense of anticipation.

but……

The light that had finally shone in her eyes dimmed again.

She snuggled closer to Langhua and whispered, "But I still can't bear to part with her... Am I going to not see her for a very, very long time?"

Langhua stroked her hair: "Yes, we won't see each other for a while."

"But Ning'er, what feast lasts forever?" Langhua said softly, "Sometimes parting is for a better reunion."

"Look at Auntie, she used to live with your maternal grandparents. But after she married your father and came to this palace, she had to live separately from them."

"But if your aunt hadn't married your father, how could she have given birth to you, and your younger siblings?"

"Your maternal grandparents certainly doted on me, but your auntie wants to dote on you too."

Jingning listened intently.

After a long pause, she finally nodded slowly; she probably still didn't fully understand.

But she already understood that when her sister Bihua left her, it wasn't because she didn't want her anymore.

Instead, they want to live a different kind of life.

A life that might be better, with more loved ones.

Ultimately, she will be happy.

After a while, Jingning raised her head again, a last trace of unease in her eyes: "Then can I not get married and stay by Daddy and Auntie's side forever, so that you can love me for the rest of my life?"

She explained cautiously, "I think I'll still be reluctant to leave you all when the time comes."

Langhua's heart softened.

She was amused by her daughter's words and wanted to laugh, but her eyes welled up with tears first.

She lowered her head and gently kissed Jingning's forehead.

"Can."

Jingning's eyes lit up: "Really?"

"Really," Langhua said with a smile, "Auntie has loved you all her whole life. Whether you get married or not, stay in the capital or go to the ends of the earth."

"Auntie, I'll be content as long as you're happy your whole lives."

Jingning was finally completely comforted and became happy again.

She threw herself into Langhua's arms, hugged her tightly, and then tilted her head up to kiss Langhua on the cheek.

"Auntie is so nice."

Langhua smiled and hugged her tightly.

Under the eaves outside the door, Zhao Zhen looked at the mother and daughter embracing each other, and a gentle smile gradually appeared in his eyes.