The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

Thinking about this, she couldn't suppress the absurd feeling in her heart.

What kind of good man would marry his first wife on the first day and then rush to bring in two concubines the very next day?

If this happened in the Song Dynasty, let alone a family of high-ranking officials, even a small family in the countryside with a few acres of land and some sense of propriety and shame would not have done such a thing!

Even those who are truly lustful and disregard the rules know that after taking a wife as a concubine, she should still be treated like a maid. Only after the wife marries the principal wife and the wife returns to her parents' home on the third day after the wedding will the principal wife nod and arrange for her to be promoted to a concubine!

This is quite something, it's a prince's wedding, and it's even an imperial decree issued by the palace!

What's worse, not a single person noticed anything was wrong.

The palace didn't think anything was wrong, the imperial clan didn't think anything was wrong, the Imperial Household Department didn't think anything was wrong, the Fucha family didn't think anything was wrong, and even the Jue Luo clan, who valued the Fucha family's reputation the most, never raised a single objection!

Even in the memories left behind by Fucha Langhua, this seemed to be a matter of course.

The only regret Langhua had about this matter was that Hongli pretended to be drunk on their wedding night and refused to consummate the marriage, insisting on saving his so-called first time to go find Qingying the next day.

It's a pity that Hongli didn't choose her on the first night!

Instead of finding the imperial edict absurd, or the order of entry into the mansion absurd, the practice of taking a concubine only one day later was even more absurd than absurd.

For this reason, Ruofu had specifically asked someone to investigate the old rules for the princes' marriages. She originally thought that there might be some special reason for Hongli's marriage.

She was terrified when she saw it.

In the Qing Dynasty imperial family, it was quite common for concubines to enter the household before the primary wife.

Just like the crown prince whom the late Emperor Kangxi cherished in his hands.

It is said that when the Crown Prince reached the appropriate age, the Crown Princess whom Emperor Kangxi favored was still too young to marry.

The father couldn't bear to see his son suffer, so he first assigned several concubines and maids to serve the crown prince.

By the time the Crown Princess finally came of age and married into Yuqing Palace in grand style, there were already countless princes and princesses born out of wedlock.

When Ruofang heard about this, he was speechless for a long time.

This isn't marrying a wife; it's clearly hiring a housekeeper to manage the man's house full of wives and children crawling all over the place.

...A bunch of people whose brains have been kicked by donkeys.

It's like a monkey wearing a dragon robe, defecating in the street—it has absolutely no sense of decorum!

In the Song Dynasty, taking a concubine before marrying a wife was a major taboo!

If another illegitimate son is born, to put it bluntly, such a man would be less valuable than a childless widower in the hands of a matchmaker arranging a marriage.

At least a widower has only lost his wife; the child born to his second wife is still the eldest son of the legitimate wife!

Before Gu Tingye, the later Marquis Gu, established his great achievements, he was universally hated in Bianjing. Families who loved their daughters would avoid him.

Even after he achieved great success and became a prominent figure in Bianjing, if he hadn't sincerely sought her hand in marriage, lowering his stance to beg for the daughter of a minor official of the fifth rank, she would never have been willing to marry Rulan to him!

Alas, it was only through generations of hardship endured by the ancestors of the Qing Dynasty outside the Great Wall, with thousands upon thousands of ancestral graves miraculously emitting auspicious smoke, that they were able to build the family fortune they have today.

Otherwise, with their utter lack of manners, how could they possibly want a harem?

I'm afraid that if you wait until you're in your forties or fifties, with half your hair already white, and then try to find a wife who's also half-buried and has already lost two or three husbands, people will have to think twice!

Ruo Fu started to laugh as he thought about it.

Enough, enough! When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

The barbarian queen... she's also a queen!

The wealth and glory that fills the eyes are not fake, and the majesty of being the empress after ascending to the top is not an illusion.

In the future, with a single command from her, everyone in the palace will have to obey, and even princes and noblewomen who enter the palace will have to bow respectfully to her.

the most important is……

She looked down at her lower abdomen and gently patted it twice.

The honor and future that her children will receive are not unrealistic.

-

She took a comfortable bath, changed into a soft, close-fitting nightgown, loosely tied half of her black hair up, leaving the rest draped over her shoulders, washed off all the makeup from her face, but her cheeks became even more rosy due to the steam, making her look even more vibrant and radiant.

Just then, a series of chaotic footsteps came from outside.

The door was pushed open, and Wang Qin helped Hongli in.

Hongli leaned most of his body on Wang Qin's shoulder, his eyes closed, his legs unsteady, and his handsome face slightly flushed. He really looked like he was drunk and unconscious.

Ruofu glanced at Hongli in the bronze mirror, said nothing, and continued to slowly comb his hair.

Shen Guang had already gone to meet him.

She first bowed to Hongli, then looked at Wang Qin, her face even bearing a very considerate smile:

"Eunuch Wang, today is the Prince and his wife's wedding day. Although there are many guests, it's only natural that the Prince would drink a few extra cups in his joy. However, having served the Prince closely for many years, you know his alcohol tolerance best. How did he end up like this?"

Wang Qin's smile froze: "Miss, you misunderstand. This servant has been by Your Highness's side the whole time, but there are just too many distinguished guests today, and Your Highness is in a good mood—"

"The prince is naturally pleased."

Shen Guang interrupted him directly, his smile deepening: "The prince personally begged His Majesty for the wife he wanted, and today he has finally married her into the family. How can he not be happy? But happiness is happiness, and rules are rules. The prince is of noble status. Even if he is really drunk, he should be helped to wash up and change his clothes, have a bowl of sobering soup, and be properly dressed before being brought in."

She gently covered her nose with a handkerchief, as if she couldn't stand the smell of alcohol in the room.

"Now, reeking of alcohol, with his clothes still on and his face unwashed, the eunuch escorted the prince into the princess's new room. Those who knew would think the prince had drunk wedding wine, but those who didn't would probably think he'd picked up a drunkard from in front of some tavern."

Wang Qin's face flushed red and then turned pale.

Even though he was pretending to be drunk, Hongli's brow twitched involuntarily.

Shen Guang, however, seemed oblivious to everything and continued gently, "The Princess Consort rose before dawn to dress and do her hair. After entering the manor, she paid respects to heaven and earth and met with her elders. She has been exhausted all day. It's one thing if you don't care about the Princess Consort, but do you even care about the dignity of the Prince?"

"Or does your father-in-law think that since the princess has already been married into the family, it doesn't matter if she is slighted or treated poorly?"

Wang Qin's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly said, "This servant absolutely did not mean that!"

"Naturalness is best."

Shen Guang's tone remained unhurried: "Our Princess Consort was personally chosen by the Prince, bestowed by His Majesty's decree, and is a princess whom the Fucha clan has cherished and raised. Today, as husband and wife newly married, the most important thing is harmony. If, just because the father-in-law has not served her well, the Princess Consort misunderstands that the Prince has slighted this marriage, and estrangement arises between husband and wife in the future—"

She paused, then looked up and stared straight at Wang Qin.

"Can your father-in-law handle this?"

A thin layer of sweat had formed on Wang Qin's forehead.

These words were openly directed at him, but secretly they were directed at someone else, and everyone in the room heard it clearly.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Shen Guang stepped aside and said, "The hot water in the bathhouse is ready. Please help the Prince to wash up first. He should change his clothes from head to toe, and his hair should be dried thoroughly. Make sure there is no trace of alcohol smell. On a day like today, it would be unlucky to let the smell of alcohol linger, let alone the smell on the Princess Consort, or even on the dragon and phoenix candles."

Zhao Ying stood to the side, biting her lip tightly to keep from laughing out loud.

Ruo Fu remained seated at her dressing table, combing her hair as if none of this concerned her.

Wang Qin felt aggrieved, but he could only bow and reply, "Yes, Your Highness, this servant will assist you with your washing up."

As he helped Hongli turn around, Chen Guang added from behind, "Don't forget the hangover soup either. On such a fine day, it's not good to be completely drunk."

Hongli paused almost imperceptibly.

Wang Qin felt bitter inside, but he could only reply, "Yes, sir."

Only after the master and servant had left the room did Zhaoying quickly close the door, turn around, and her face was already flushed red.

Ruo Fu glanced at Chen Guang in the mirror and nodded with satisfaction: "Your scolding was alright; it didn't tarnish the prestige of our Fucha family."

Shen Guang replied, "How dare this servant scold Your Highness? This servant was clearly teaching Wang Qin a lesson."

"That's what I mean too." Ruofu nodded seriously, "He's just a servant, yet he let his master get so drunk, he certainly deserves to be scolded. Your Highness is wise and mighty, and he values ​​me, his wife, so how could he deliberately pretend to be drunk and embarrass me?"

Zhao Ying finally couldn't help but lower her head and laugh out loud.

In the bath room, just as the curtain fell, Hongli suddenly opened his eyes and flung Wang Qin away.

"Useless thing!"

Hongli lowered his voice and angrily scolded, "A maid pointed her finger at you and cursed you for half a day, and you just stood there and listened? She was practically riding on your neck, and you didn't even say a word back?"

A bitter expression immediately appeared on Wang Qin's face.

He does want to go back.

But that was the most favored maidservant of the Fujin (Fujin), and behind her stood the entire Fucha family. Today, five or six tables were set up in the front courtyard, all occupied by the sons of the Fucha family. Above them were Ma Qi and Ma Wu, who held high-ranking official positions, and below them were a group of brothers, nephews, and sons serving in the court and the army.

If he dares to argue with Shen Guang today, the Fucha family will know tomorrow that a eunuch from Prince Bao's mansion has humiliated the primary consort on their wedding night.

The prince might be fine, but this eunuch will definitely be in deep trouble!

not to mention--

Didn't you not say a word just now, sir?

They openly curse you as a lackey, but secretly they're referring to you indirectly.

You yourself are so drunk that you don't even dare to lift your eyelids, yet you expect your servants to fight on your behalf.

But he dared not say these words, and could only kneel down to beg for forgiveness, letting Hongli kick him several times to vent his anger.

After Hongli finished venting his anger, Wang Qin, enduring the pain, still had to smile and say, "Your Highness, the hot water is ready. Would you like to take a bath first? If you return late, the Fujin will send someone to inquire—"

It would have been better if he hadn't mentioned it, because mentioning it only made Hongli angrier.

He had originally planned to pretend to be drunk and not touch Lady Fucha tonight, so as to properly humiliate her family!

He indeed couldn't do without the help of the Fucha clan in matters of the court, so even if he was unhappy, he had to maintain a facade of harmony.

But behind closed doors, in the inner chambers of the mansion, he should have the right to make his own decisions.

If even the choice of who to consummate the marriage with and on which night to do so depends on the whims of the Fucha family, then what kind of nobleman is he? What kind of prince is he?

"I'm not washing!"

Hongli flicked his sleeves and was about to walk out when the curtain of the bath room was suddenly lifted from the outside.

A dowry maid walked in with a smile, carrying a large blue-and-white porcelain bowl.

"Oh dear, the prince has indeed woken up. It's good that he's awake! The princess was quite worried just now, saying that the prince drank a lot of wine today, and if he didn't wake up quickly, he would definitely have a headache tomorrow. Here, this is a hangover soup."

As soon as the bowl came close, an indescribable smell assaulted Hongli's mind.

Hongli's expression changed drastically, and he took three steps back.

"What the hell is this thing?"

The old woman smiled even more broadly: "A hangover soup! Your Highness, you may not know, but this is no ordinary hangover soup. There is a hangover-relieving herb in it, which our eldest son of the Fucha family went to great lengths to have someone find it from the Northwest. I heard that the people there drink strong liquor by the jar, and they rely on this to stay awake."

She moved the bowl forward an inch.

"Your Highness, take a sniff. Don't you feel much clearer-headed?"

Hongli covered his nose, his face turning almost green.

The old woman clapped her hands and laughed, "Look! It really works wonders. The prince was just drunk and unconscious, but now his voice is loud and clear, and he's standing steadily. He even took three steps back without falling, so he's completely sober. That's good!"

Hongli: ...

The old woman went down happily.

A moment later, someone brought over a complete set of clean undergarments, complete with socks.

The bathroom fell silent again.

Hongli looked at Wang Qin, and Wang Qin looked at Hongli.

The master and servant stared at each other for quite a while.

Finally, Hongli slowly closed his eyes. He understood that Empress Fucha was determined not to allow him to pretend to be drunk tonight.

"That's enough."

Hongli's voice was low and unreadable: "Serve the master during his bath."

Wang Qinru, having been granted a general amnesty, replied: "Yes, sir!"

This time, he served her with extra care.

From his hair to his nails, they wanted to scrub Hongli from head to toe with a brush. His clothes were completely replaced inside and out, and they didn't even dare to leave behind a purse that had been stained with the smell of alcohol.

We need to wash it thoroughly, lest the smell offend the Princess Consort!