The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

Ah Chang bowed, his expression somewhat solemn: "Your Majesty, the argument is still going on in the Chui Gong Hall. Zhang Maoze is guarding the door, but he won't say anything more."

The light in Langhua's eyes dimmed slightly.

Seeing that her face looked really bad, A's mother couldn't help but comfort her, "Your Highness, don't worry. His Majesty loves the princess so much, he certainly wouldn't bear to part with her."

Langhua gave a weak, forced smile, but she was not comforted in the slightest.

Of course, it is loving.

But Jingning is, after all, a princess, born to enjoy the offerings of the world and to eat the people's salary... This is an honor, but also a responsibility.

If it really comes to the point where someone has to sacrifice themselves, all the officials and people in the country will think that since the princess enjoys the honor of the world, she should fulfill her responsibilities to the country.

The Song Dynasty has just won the war against the Western Xia. Hengshan has been recaptured, and the restoration of the cavalry is now on the agenda.

While the government and the public were certainly elated, this major battle also came at a tremendous cost.

Therefore, what the Song Dynasty needed most at this time was to recuperate and rebuild its economy.

We must not start a major war again for at least ten years.

The Liao Kingdom recognized this, which is why it dared to send envoys to the capital under the guise of seeking marriage, but in reality, to test the waters.

Despite their probing, their words had undeniably placed Jingning in a dangerous situation.

She knew that, according to historical records, the Song Dynasty, up until the Jingkang Incident, never had a princess sent to marry a foreign ruler for political reasons.

But she was still uneasy, because the Song Dynasty in history had been defeated by the Western Xia, which dragged down the country's strength and made it even more afraid to go to war with the Liao Dynasty. The Liao Dynasty also looked down on the Song princess and therefore did not strongly propose marriage.

She, however, changed the course of the story.

So she was terrified that this changed future would happen to her daughter.

What's even more terrifying is that this wasn't the first time she'd experienced something like this.

In her past life, she was Jingse.

It was in this way that Ruyi, the Empress Dowager, and all the civil and military officials joined forces to force him to go to Mongolia.

Even after racking her brains and risking everything, she still couldn't protect her...

Even the Mongols were subject to the Qing Dynasty.

The Liao Kingdom was truly a pack of wolves and tigers.

If Jingning leaves, will there be any way out?

Langhua suddenly stood up, walked quickly to the desk, laid out paper, ground ink, and began to write.

A moment later, Langhua sealed the letter and handed it to Achang: "Take this to my second brother, and make sure to give it to him personally."

Ah Chang accepted it with both hands, his expression becoming solemn: "Your Majesty, rest assured."

She turned and walked away quickly.

With no one else in the hall, Langhua seemed to have all her strength drained away as she slowly sat back down in her chair.

She stared blankly at the still-wet ink on the table, and it seemed as if she could hear Jingse's cries again in her ears when she fell into the water and was on her deathbed in her previous life.

Sorrow, despair.

She still doesn't dare to think too much about how helpless and miserable she must have felt after she passed away in her previous life, leaving Jingse all alone to face her cowardly father, the cold and hypocritical stepmothers in the palace, and the responsibility of marrying into Mongolia from afar...

Langhua felt a knife cutting into her heart.

It was at this time that Zhao Zhen entered the Kunning Palace.

Upon entering the hall, one sees Langhua sitting there with a deathly pale face, as if trapped in some old dream, her eyes terrifyingly empty.

"Third Sister." He felt a pang of panic.

Upon hearing the sound, Langhua slowly raised her head, her eyes blank.

Zhao Zhen's breath hitched, and his heart ached. He quickly stepped forward, knelt down in front of her, took her cold hand in his, and said, word by word:

"I will never let our Ning'er go to a political marriage."

A flicker of emotion finally appeared in Langhua's eyes.

"What...did you say?"

Zhao Zhen gripped her hand tightly and repeated, "I said, I will never let Ning'er go to a political marriage."

Langhua stared at him blankly.

"The Liao people are wolves in sheep's clothing. If I send Ning'er there, wouldn't that be tantamount to sending her to her death?"

"She's our first daughter. I love her dearly, how could I possibly push her into the lion's den?"

Langhua's tears fell without warning.

His voice trembled uncontrollably: "Do the officials agree?"

Zhao Zhen raised his hand to wipe away her tears: "I have already sent Zhao Xu and Bao Zheng to discuss this with them. They said that the princess is still young, and neither you nor I are willing to let her marry far away. The matter of a marriage alliance need not be mentioned again. However, peace between Liao and Song is hard-won, and I am willing to double this year's annual tribute and add generous gifts as compensation."

A glimmer of hope finally appeared in Langhua's eyes, and her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.

She suddenly threw herself into Zhao Zhen's arms, hugging him tightly, her voice choked with emotion, "Thank you, Liu Lang, thank you, thank you..."

With those words, she finally felt completely at ease.

He was not only the father of his child, but also the ruler of the Song Dynasty.

As long as he resolutely refuses to send his daughter to a marriage alliance, no one in the world can force him to do so.

As for the consequences...

She will bear it with him!

Zhao Zhen held her, feeling increasingly distressed.

"Third Sister, there's no need to say such things between us."

Langhua did not speak again.

She simply hugged him tightly and buried her face in his chest.

I felt only relief.

-

Ultimately, the marriage alliance was abandoned.

The Liao envoy stayed in Bianjing for several days. Seeing that the Song Dynasty was still weak and willing to buy peace with money, he felt much more at ease, even though he was disgusted by it. So he left Bianjing with three times more annual tribute and gifts than in previous years.

The entire court breathed a sigh of relief.

However, this incident ultimately left many unresolved issues.

The aroma of wine was strong in the private room of Fanlou.

Zhao Xuan smashed a wine glass, his chest heaving, his eyes burning with rage.

"Damn those Liao people! One day I'll make them regret their arrogance!"

It's a good thing that the eldest sister doesn't have to be sent away for a political marriage.

However, the fact that the Liao envoy openly requested to marry the Song princess, and that nearly half of the court officials did not support war but only suggested marrying the princess to the Song princess in exchange for peace on the border, still felt like a thorn deeply embedded in Zhao Xuan's heart.

He didn't know what his father was thinking, nor did he know how much pressure his father had withstood to overcome all opposition and use the annual tribute to ensure his sister's safety.

All he knew was that when those people said, "The princess's marriage to a foreign ruler is also a way of serving the country loyally," his face burned with embarrassment.

It felt like being slapped in the face in public.

You can't fight back yet!