The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

"grandfather!"

Minglan practically ran out of the Di residence.

Di Qing had just entered the room, his expression still somewhat gloomy, but upon hearing this voice, his expression immediately softened.

"Ming'er!"

He opened his arms, and Minglan pounced on him like a little swallow. Di Qing picked her up and even lifted her up in his arms.

Minglan hugged her grandfather's neck and said excitedly, "Grandfather, I went to the polo field today!"

"I've heard about it." Di Qing picked her up and carried her inside, smiling, "Did you have fun?"

"Happy!"

Minglan nodded immediately, her chin almost puffed up with pride: "I and Guifen were even better at pitch-pot than her."

Upon hearing this, Di Qing immediately widened his eyes in admiration: "Really? No wonder she's my granddaughter!"

He laughed even more heartily: "Since you can win at pitch-pot, you must have a good aim. Another day, Grandfather will take you hunting and teach you how to shoot arrows, okay?"

Minglan's eyes immediately brightened.

"Okay, okay!"

She shook Di Qing's neck with delight, exclaiming, "Grandfather is the best!"

After saying that, she seemed to suddenly remember something and hurriedly asked, "Grandfather, have you eaten yet? I specially saved a very big pork knuckle for you!"

Upon hearing this, Di Yong, who was walking beside him, paused, unable to hide his sourness, and asked, "Only Grandfather has it? Father doesn't?"

Minglan blinked, a hint of guilt quickly appearing on her face.

A moment later, she chuckled twice and skillfully buried her head in her grandfather's neck.

Di Yong:......

Di Qing was immediately amused and burst into laughter.

Wei Shuyi, who had followed slowly, couldn't help but smile as he watched.

She stepped forward to untie her husband's cloak and said softly, "There's still some in the kitchen. Since you weren't back yet, I just had someone bring up two, otherwise I was afraid she'd eat too much and have indigestion at night."

Upon hearing this, Di Qing became even happier.

As everyone knows, his little granddaughter has a great appetite. There were only two pork knuckles in front of her, but she managed to resist drooling and eat only one, leaving the other one for him.

For Di Qing, this was even more satisfying than winning a battle.

So he turned around and scolded his son: "How old are you? Still arguing with a child over a bite to eat. How can she remember so many things when she's so little?"

After saying that, he lowered his head and coaxed Minglan, "Good Minglan, is one pork knuckle enough for you? I'll give you this one too."

"Really?"

"Father!"

At the same time as the expectant question rang out, Wei Shuyi's disapproving rebuke also rang out.

"Father, you yourself said that she's so small, and her stomach isn't bottomless. How can she eat so much?"

The light in Minglan's eyes dimmed slightly.

Di Qing also instantly looked guilty.

Seeing this, Wei Shu softened her tone: "You've come back so late today, you must be tired. Wash up first, then have dinner. Tomorrow, come with me to take a bath. Go to bed early tonight, so I can take you to your aunt's house tomorrow."

Minglan, who had been pouting, suddenly brightened up when she heard about her aunt's house. She immediately forgot about the braised pork knuckle and struggled to get down from Di Qing's arms.

"I'll go take a shower now!"

Di Qing had no choice but to put her down.

He then casually pinched his granddaughter's chubby cheeks.

Minglan's cheeks puffed out from being pinched, but she wasn't annoyed. She took Wei Shuyi's hand and happily went inside.

As Di Qing watched her retreating figure, he couldn't help but think to himself, "Eating more is a blessing."

When he was a child, he wanted to eat more but couldn't get enough.

He didn't dare say it out loud, after all, raising his granddaughter was his daughter-in-law's job.

As a grandfather, the fact that he occasionally sneaks a couple extra pieces of meat into the child's hands is already a huge hindrance. If he causes any more trouble, what will happen if he harms the child in the future?

After Wei Shuyi and Minglan left, the father and son washed their hands and sat down at the table.

Hot food has been laid out.

The pork knuckle that Minglan had specially reserved was also placed neatly in front of Di Qing.

Di Qing glanced at it, his expression softening for a moment.

But soon, that gentleness was suppressed by a heavy chill.

Di Yong waved for the servants to leave.

Once the door closed, only the father and son remained in the room.

Di Yong personally poured a cup of wine for his father and said in a low voice, "Today in the palace, the Liao envoy was clearly there for Father."

Di Qing picked up his wine cup and gave a cold laugh.

The candlelight fell on his face, making his face, already marked by the passage of time, appear even colder and harder.

He was no longer the kind grandfather who had been chatting and laughing with his granddaughter, but Di Qing, who had once galloped across the battlefield and struck fear into the hearts of the Western Xia people.

"They are afraid that the emperor will order me to lead troops north to attack Liao again."

Di Yong remained silent for a moment, then tilted his head back and drank the wine in his glass in one gulp, before slamming the glass down on the table.

"These cowardly intellectuals are truly hateful!"

My father was clearly a great hero who won the battle and recaptured Hengshan. But after returning to the capital, he handed over all his military power, and the suspicion in the court never ceased.

Although he held the prestigious position of Privy Councilor, he had little real power and only attended court daily, spending his days idly at home.

Now that the Liao Kingdom has sent envoys to openly request the princess's hand in marriage, is it truly a sincere request?

It was clearly a provocation, coupled with a test.

They were testing whether the Song Dynasty, having just finished fighting the Western Xia, still had the courage to fight the Liao Dynasty.

To test whether the emperor still dared to use his father.

As expected, the officials in the court were willing to grovel before the Liao Kingdom and even offer a princess in exchange for so-called peace, rather than allow their fathers to regain military power and march north to intimidate the Liao army.

Just thinking about those people's faces made Di Yong feel like a fire was burning in his chest.

Compared to his son's indignation, Di Qing was much calmer.

"They are not afraid of death, but they are afraid that my achievements will overshadow my lord."

The room fell silent for a moment.

"Since we came back, it's not just you and me, father and son, who have been suppressed."

Di Yong's expression changed slightly. For many years, the Song Dynasty had valued civil officials over military ones. In the eyes of civil officials, these military generals were a double-edged sword. When not in use, they were an eyesore and had no self-defense effect, but when used, they were afraid of cutting their own hands.

"Am I really going to marry a princess?"

He asked with difficulty.

Di Qing raised his eyes and looked at him with a determined expression: "Second Brother, remember this."

He said slowly and solemnly, "A man's spirit is something that either doesn't exist or is completely cold. But once it's been ignited, it can never be cooled down again. Even if it's not my son and I who ultimately emerge from the mountains, the northern barrier will never be shaken again."

Di Yong seemed to be deep in thought.

-

The night was deep. In the Kunning Palace, Langhua sat under the lamp, a book open beside her, but she hadn't turned a page in a long time.

Footsteps sounded, and Langhua almost immediately looked up. Seeing it was Achang, she hurriedly asked, "How is it?"