The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

After Bai Ye left, Old Master Bai remained lying on the recliner in the courtyard.

The late spring breeze blew through the corridor. He rested one hand on the armrest and slowly swirled his wine cup with the other, causing the recliner to sway gently.

Thinking back to the smile Bai Ye gave him when he ran out, it was the bright and unrestrained smile unique to young people, as if nothing in the world was unchangeable and nowhere was off-limits to him, as long as he wanted to.

Old Master Bai gave a soft snort.

"My heart is still a little soft."

"Fine, anyway, this trip north will give you plenty of opportunities to gain experience."

As for the miracle doctor?

Old Master Bai snorted again, "Then let's wait until that person is really dead before we talk about it."

-

The date for Bai Ye's departure from Beijing was quickly set.

It was still early that day, but there were already quite a few people standing outside the city gate.

Zhao Xuan, Zhao Yu, Zhao Fang, and Chang Feng all came.

Zhao Yu punched Bai Ye on the shoulder, still refusing to soften his tone: "Don't embarrass yourself when you go."

Bai Ye's shoulder swayed from the punch, but he slapped back: "Don't worry, my name will only be more famous than yours. When I come back, if you're still only interested in cockfighting and horse racing in Bianjing, I'll publicly declare that I don't know you."

Zhao Yu glared at him angrily: "Are you looking for a beating?"

Zhao Fang's eyes were red, but he still forced a smile: "Cousin, when you get to Liao, be sure to write back often."

"Write."

Bai Ye answered readily: "But as you all know, it's difficult to send a letter over a long distance. If you don't receive it for a while, don't assume I'm dead."

Zhao Xuan frowned: "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Bai Ye immediately raised his hand: "Okay, okay, let's not say anything unlucky."

Changfeng stood to the side and handed Bai Ye a small pouch: "There are some commonly used medicines here, all made into small pills, which are very convenient to carry with you. Please remember to take them with you."

Bai Ye took it, looked at the chubby horse head on it, and couldn't help but smile: "That's thoughtful."

The boys exchanged a few more words, and a sense of reluctance to part gradually crept in. Zhao Xuan looked at him, his eyes filled with unspoken words, but in the end he only said, "Remember what you said that day at Fanlou."

Bai Ye stopped smiling and bowed respectfully to him, saying, "I'll remember."

Having said that, he didn't delay any longer, cracked his whip, and sent his horse galloping across the official road outside the city gate.

A little dust rose, but Bai Ye didn't turn around. He simply raised his hand and waved it behind him before walking forward with a free and determined air.

The boys stood outside the city gate, watching his figure gradually disappear into the distance.

Inside an inconspicuous carriage at the corner, Gu Tingyu lifted a corner of the curtain and quietly watched the departing figure of a man and a horse.

He got up too early today, and after a short while, he started coughing because of the morning breeze.

Manniang quickly took some warm tea from the small stove and handed it to him. She then skillfully patted his back until he finally recovered, before she couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Young Master, you got up so early to bring this, why didn't you let Young Master Bai know?"

Gu Tingyu took a sip of hot tea, his gaze still fixed on the people seeing him off in the distance: "What am I?"

Man Niang immediately frowned in disapproval: "Young Master is being unduly modest again. Since Young Master Bai considers you a friend, you should naturally come and give him a gift openly and honestly."

Gu Tingyu glanced at her.

Manniang's voice gradually lowered as he looked at her, but she still stubbornly pursed her lips, displaying an attitude of not admitting defeat and not acknowledging her mistake.

On the way back, the carriage slowly drove along the long street. Gu Tingyu leaned against the carriage wall, closed his eyes to rest, and after a long while, he softly asked, "Do you know who they are?"

Man Niang was taken aback: "Who?"

Gu Tingyu did not open his eyes, but slowly said, "The people who came to see Bai Ye off just now... Standing at the front is Crown Prince Zhao Xuan, next to him is Prince Yan's Heir Zhao Yu, and the younger one is the Third Prince Zhao Fang. There is another one, although not as prominent as them, he is the son of a court official, and his family is related by marriage to both the Di and Wang families."

Manniang listened intently, her eyes gradually widening.

Gu Tingyu then opened his eyes and looked at her: "So who am I? My Gu family was not only stripped of its property and titles, but my father also made a mistake in the Northwest and became a cripple after returning. Our family even offended the current Empress and Bai Ye's parents, who are the Empress's maternal relatives."

"...What right do I have to stand with them?"

Man Niang's face turned slightly pale.

Gu Tingyu's voice remained gentle, yet every word seemed to be wrapped in shards of ice: "So, Manniang, you see, I bear the responsibility of bringing glory to our family. This responsibility is heavy, and the road ahead is long. The Gu family's situation is even more difficult than you can imagine. I myself don't even know where I'll end up, so how could I dare to drag someone else's life into it?"

Manniang looked up blankly, a bad premonition suddenly welling up in her heart.

Gu Tingyu was silent for a moment, then finally said, "I've found someone for you. He's my former classmate from the academy, surnamed Lu, named Zhaojin. You've met him before. His family is a family of scholars and farmers; his grandfather was a scholar who passed the imperial examination, so they're quite well-off. He himself is also quite learned, and with a few more years of preparation, he should have a good chance of passing the imperial examination. I want to adopt you as my sworn sister and betroth you to him. Don't worry about the dowry; I'll take care of everything for you—"

Before he could finish speaking, Manniang suddenly threw herself into his arms, choking back tears, and said, "Brother, don't send me away!"

Gu Tingyu froze.

Man Niang continued crying, "I know I was wrong. I was a little greedy, unwilling to just be your maid, so I agreed to the Grand Madam's request to seduce you. But in the end, it's because I can't bear to part with you. Because I know that if I leave the Gu family and leave your side, there will never be another person in this world who will truly treat me well."

She looked up at him, her face streaked with tears, her usual clever and charming demeanor completely gone.

"Brother, I know I was wrong. I'll never do anything improper again. Please don't send me away! Please don't send me away. I've grown up by your side since I was little. How will I live without you?"

Gu Tingyu closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and forced himself to suppress the heartache. He said in a low voice, "Manniang, you are young and don't understand. Being a concubine is not a good future. If I really take you, not only you, but also the children you bear will be looked down upon. Listen to me, go and marry a good man and become a proper wife. Your brother will not harm you."

Man Niang just shook her head, tears streaming down her face like a broken string of pearls, but her voice was clear: "I can't live well! I can't live well without you! You know, my parents sold me when I was three years old. They didn't love me; they only treated me as a commodity. My own brother has never given up on his wicked intentions. Over the years, he has made friends with all sorts of people, hoping to sell me to high-ranking officials and nobles to improve his own future."

You said you'd find me a husband, to be my principal wife. Then let me ask you, what does he want from me? Is it my humble origins as a maid, my terrible family background, or my looks that even you, brother, wouldn't approve of? Or perhaps he thinks I can be adopted by you as your sworn sister, so you'll have some affection for me?"

Gu Tingyu was stunned.

Man Niang continued, "But you can know a person's face but not their heart. No matter how eloquently you speak now, it's only a matter of a thought before you go back on your word. Brother says it's for my future, that you're betrothing me to someone else, but you're afraid that person will treat me badly. You want to give me money, a status, and be my support. That means that in other people's eyes, my life and death, my fortune and misfortune, are already tied to you. I'm already in a relationship of sharing your glory and disgrace. So why would you hand me over to someone else instead of taking care of me yourself and being my support?"

Gu Tingyu felt a lump in his throat and couldn't speak for a moment.

Manniang nestled in his arms, hearing his heartbeat and clearly sensing the hesitation churning within him. She resolutely declared, "I don't want to be someone's concubine; I want to be by your side, brother. I want to never leave you. I don't care about titles or ranks; those things are irrelevant to me. Brother, in this world, women are always confined to the inner quarters, their honor and disgrace decided by men. Don't hand me over to others, don't let others decide my fate. I only want to follow you, even unto death."

"I don't trust any of them, I only trust you!"

Gu Tingyu was stunned.

The voices outside the carriage faded into the distance, and the wheels made a soft rustling sound as they rolled over the bluestone pavement. Inside the carriage, however, it was so quiet that only Man Niang's occasional sobs could be heard.

After a long while, Gu Tingyu slowly raised his hand.

He gently embraced the girl who was crying and trembling in his arms.

Man Niang's breathing faltered for a moment, then her crying intensified.

-

On the polo field, Jingse squatted idly to one side.

She rested her chin on her hands, first looked at the sky and sighed, then looked at the clouds and sighed again.

Huirou initially pretended not to hear, but when Jingse sighed for the fifth time, she couldn't help but look over and ask, "What's wrong with you now?"

Jingse said softly, "After my eldest sister got married, she and her husband were inseparable, traveling and enjoying life to the fullest. Brother Ye also left the capital. Now, the most pitiful ones are us. We're not old enough yet, but we're locked up in this back garden every day, seeing the same scenery every day. It's so boring!"

Huirou said helplessly, "Where are you locked up here?"

"The palace walls are so high, what else could they be but a lock?"

Jingse said, then let out a long sigh.

Just then, Congge rushed over, brandishing his little wooden sword, his cheeks flushed: "Fifth Sister, Fifth Sister, come and play Hammerball with me!"